Procrastination and a lack of organization are my greatest weaknesses. Luckily for me, my wife is the complete opposite, and she knows how to “motivate” me in the right direction.
It was for that very reason that I decided to form a new publishing company with her. I am getting ready to publish a new book, and I knew that I could not do it alone.
Behind every great man, there is an even greater woman.
As a surprise for Valentine’s Day, my wife took the first step towards forming our company, and on V-Day itself, she handed me a copy of the filed application.
One month later, our new pope took on the name Francis, in honor of St. Francis of Assisi. That very same day, I received the approved business certificate for our new company, Assisi Media.
Coincidence? I think not.
Every once awhile, in the midst of our doubts and fears, God gives us little signal graces that let us know we’re on the right path. That was definitely one of them.
My wife and I started dating on St. Francis of Assisi’s feast day. I converted to Christianity 15 years ago, on St. Clare of Assisi’s feast day. Over and over again, the saints from Assisi have played a role in our lives. Now, with the naming of our new Holy Father, we knew that we were on the right track.
Let’s get back to my procrastination for a bit.
With only a couple of days left, I am reaching out to you for help. My wife, Mari, and I are raising funds to start our new company at AssisiMedia.com. Using the crowdfunding site IndieGoGo, we are looking to publish our first book together.
The book, titled Waking Up Catholic, is focused on teaching the basics of the Catholic faith, but with a twist. What’s the twist? I explore each topic first as someone who converted to the faith a few years ago, and then sharing what led me to conversion, topic by topic.
Think of it as meeting at the corner of apologetics and evangelization.
In Catholic circles, we speak about evangelization quite frequently, but what’s next? What do we do after someone has decided to join the Catholic Church? We teach.
When we teach kids about math, we don’t start with calculus and trigonometry; we begin with basic arithmetic. My goal is to do the same with Catholicism – teaching Catholic arithmetic to anyone new or just returning to the Church.
With the book almost completed, it is time to get the publishing process moving forward, and that is where we need your help. With contributions of different levels, you can earn perks and rewards, such as eBooks, autographed copies of the paperback, T-shirts, and your chance to have your name in the Acknowledgements. Pretty cool, I know.
Stop by at AssisiMedia.com to find out more, or email me at chad@wakingupcatholic.com for any questions.
Now, let me see if I can make Sarah blush a bit. I want to thank her for giving me the opportunity to guest post today, as well as the many opportunities she has shared with me. She is a fantastic writer, terrific editor, and awesome mentor. Plus, in a “it’s a small world after all” coincidence, we went to the same university as my wife and I did, so it’s obvious that great minds think alike.
Thanks again, Sarah… and go buy A Catholic Mother’s Companion to Pregnancy. My wife is pregnant right now and absolutely loves it!
—
Chad Torgerson is a writer and a techie, which is how I got to know him: he writes for Tech Talk at CatholicMom.com (and I’m the fearless editor of that series). He ALSO writes over at the New Evangelizers blog. If you don’t already follow Chad (his personal webspace is Waking Up Catholic and is, in a word, excellent), then get on it. He’s straightforward and funny, and rumor has it I pay him a lot of money to say nice things about me. 🙂
This is so exciting. As a convert and someone slow to start deepening her faith and then meeting walls and obstacles, I know there is a place for this book. I have started sending this by email to my priest, my deacon, my friends and my kid’s principal and teacher.
Thanks, Kathryn! I really appreciate you helping to get the word out. The support we have received for this campaign so far has been amazing.
Many blessings on your new venture — and adventure!
Thanks, Ginny. Adventure is *definitely* the right word. 😉
I made my contribution! Congratulations on this exciting new journey! I wish you much success!
Thank you, Donna! With a last minute, self-sacrificial gift from my wife, we made our goal! We are so thankful for you and everyone who contributed.