Publishing 3 books in 14 months

A couple of people who bought my books encouraged me to write and publish more books. We need positive feedback but publishing a book is not an easy task. My latest publication on the Song of Solomon took several months of editing and revising until the final proofs which took another month or two. At the end it took the Movement Control Order (October to December 2020) period where I stayed home and focused on editing to get it done and it was published in January 2021. The writing started in early 2019 but serious writing took part over a course of several months (March to June 2020) which was the first MCO imposed on Malaysians during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. Pastoring was not easier though we met online and recorded sermons for Fridays and Sundays, but at least there were less weekly face to face meetings like cell groups and home visitations.

I published my "Departure Points" (Dec 2019) after more than 14 years of my first book on Revelation (T & T Clark, October 2005). That memoirs took me altogether 5 years to complete though I had practically written the first 9 chapters in 2014 (during my 6-month wait for a ministry appointment in Sabah), and then the last three chapters of my more recent ministry in Ranau (2015-2019) were written after I ceased teaching at the Ranau Bible College in January 2019. I was spurred on by two main factors - the fact that I turned 55 years old in July 2019 and that I could access some of my EPF savings for the publication of the book, which to me was an act of worship and adoration to the Lord for His lovingkindness and faithfulness to me all these years. Second, it was to commemorate my 25th anniversary in full-time service which commenced on 1st Dec 1994 in Melangkap, Kota Belud. That the book came out less than 3 weeks after my Silver Jubilee was a miracle followed by another miracle of the publication of a commentary on John's Gospel (1-12) in Malay (Feb 2020). The 11 months (Feb-Dec 2019) which I waited for the next appointment proved to be the most fruitful of all, since I finished writing two books and commenced on a third (Song of Solomon) which was published early this year, making it a third book in three consecutive years. When my two pastor friends wished that I published more, now it is not just the inspiration that I need from the Lord for my next project, but to find the funds necessary for my writing projects. I make between RM15-20 for every book I sell, so I probably need to sell 500 copies more to save enough for the next project. God be gracious and merciful. Amen.