Settled…

It’s been a bit of a whirlwind. You know when you anticipate something for so long and then it happens—it blows by like a wind that you almost missed. I am just now settling down from it all.

The Book Launch Party was a tremendous success! I am so thankful for those that made it both in person and online. It started slow with in person attendance and I was a little apprehensive about that due to certain individuals who told me they would be there and then didn’t show.

Inviting people to events and then being disappointed by them not coming has always been a sore spot for me. It was one of my emotional challenges in ministry. But this was personal. However I knew I needed to have grace with others because we are literally in the midst of a pandemic and it was two days after Christmas. 

I couldn’t deny, though how it made me feel—a little down while I was getting ready to begin. Then the event started. I opened with my inspiration for writing the story which felt combobulated as it came out, no matter the fact that I had prepared in my mind what I wanted to say and wrote down notes to keep from forgetting it. 

Then I read a chapter from my book. That went surprisingly well. I didn’t cry. LOL For those that don’t know me well, that was a success! Of course, I chose a chapter that wasn’t very emotional, but was also a good summary of the way we moved. 

People were flabbergasted. They had no idea what it was like. It has been amazing to me that people who I thought knew me very well—had no idea. Saying “we moved a lot” doesn’t translate to what it was actually like. Even reading this “unemotional” account from one of my chapters doesn’t translate until you read the stories of how/why.

So many people have commented back… it was an emotional journey… it was a whirlwind of emotions… I felt so many things… I need time to process… I will get back to your review, I need some time first… 

Yes, it was emotional to live, as well. 

At this point in the Launch Party, the room had filled. Almost too full, due to COVID restrictions/limits. A few people even peaked their head in the doorway to say hi because there wasn’t room to come in. I heard one or two came in the hallway and then left because it was too full. A great friend of mine from the past, tried to start online, said it was too choppy then showed up for the second half.

We did a great family interview. I had no idea how that would turn out. A few of my siblings seemed very comfortable when we practiced discussion on Christmas day, but a few were still trying to figure out mute and unmute, when to talk and when to listen, etc. The family interview went very well, all things considered. But the best part was how my mom ended it, without any personal prompting or suggestions. 

“I feel like this family shows that you can come back from anything because everyone of you have grown up to be responsible adults and good parents and good providers for your families. And everyone of you is what every parent would hope their children would turn out to be.”

You have no idea the tears that came to my eyes for that. Each and every time I hear it.

Number one—it is so true. 

Second—thank you mom, thank you. 

Third—mom just doesn’t say stuff like that. She doesn’t. She is not much of a talker. She is quiet and reserved. She is sweet as all get out, but just doesn’t say much. 

Fourth—I see it in every one of my siblings. 

Fifth—this is similar to one of my messages in the book, but so true of all of us. 

Sixth—God is good.

By the end, I was overwhelmed by the love and support shown to me at the Book Launch Party. I was thankful for those that viewed online, as well.

I have been receiving many nice messages from people as they finish the book. They are all so encouraging and appreciated. 

Once you’ve had time to “process”, don’t forget to go to Amazon and/or Goodreads to leave a review. We need help getting this message out. I hope more will be inspired!! Thank you for being a part of all of this!

ANTICIPATION

I woke up around 1 a.m. and realized that my Kindle book had been released. I was excited—surprisingly so since my paperback had arrived around 10 days ago. That anticipation, that nervousness, the excitement where an idea had become reality was similar to when I held the paperback version of my book for the first time. 

I turned on my iPad, opened my Kindle App and the first book listed—NEVER SETTLED: a memoir of a boy on the road to manhood by Shawn D. Congleton. Preorder worked.

It was real. It was real, real. It looked just like any other book—reeeaaaal professional like (in the voice of Cousin Eddie). Thanks to Brenna Myers, my cover designer. I clicked the cover and immediately it began downloading. It was loaded in mere seconds.

I clicked again. Oh, my gosh. My title page. My table of contents. It all looked so professional and just like I created. It was really, real. 

I glanced down my chapter titles. Hmmm, Springfield. I don’t remember reading that chapter in a while. Tomorrow, I’m going to be sharing this book with Springfield, I thought. Well, later today, that is.

I scrolled through each chapter, checking out the pictures associated with each title. They were in color, different from the paperback black & white version. I zoomed in. Wow, each picture could take up the whole screen of my iPad when I zoom. That’s cool, I thought. 

You could see the tears in my dad’s eyes at graduation. It was more obvious mom was in the picture at my wrestling tournament. You could see the pink in my 80s era button up, large collared shirt.

I got caught up at Chapter 22—Springfield, Ohio (Summer 1992). I started reading.

I was immediately taken back 28 years. It seemed like yesterday. Going to High Street Church of the Nazarene youth group for the first time. Meeting Steve’s dad. Missing our old senior pastor. Recognizing how integral my mother-in-law, Rosemary was in my life, though I had no idea at the time. (And no interest in her daughter.)

I started reading about my introduction to Jesus and church. Yep, that was true. That was real. I wonder how many people who don’t know, wonder about the same things I wondered. 

Then, I just started to see these puzzle pieces coming together to set me on a trajectory. It was all seemingly so happenstance. And yet, so directed at the same time.

I cannot begin to tell you how much that church, that group of people meant to me. Sadly, it doesn’t exist anymore. I can’t go back. Yes, the building is still in Springfield. The “organization” of High Street Church of the Nazarene is still LIVE and kicking. A few of those people still attend. But, that original group of people, THAT church no longer exists.

They were my surrogate aunts and uncles and cousins and brothers and sisters and grandmas and grandpas and well, they were family. They loved me into the Kingdom. I wished I could go back and share my story with them. I hope they find it, wherever they are now and read it for themselves. It will be great if any of them make it to my Book Launch Party tomorrow.

My Book Launch Party. Excitement. Anticipation. Fear. Nervousness. All of it. 

On top of that, I get to eat carbs tomorrow. I’m putting my Keto diet on hold for a day.

My mom is flying in to be with me. My family will be joining me on Zoom to discuss the book and our lives after many of them had Christmas together in Texas that ended in an argument for a couple of them. I mean, what’s family, without a few arguments?!?

While easy in one sense, I chose a chapter to read at the party that was a fairly good summation of my life and yet, one that was also less emotional. I can’t imagine reading an emotional chapter out loud. I tried to simply read my acknowledgements to my mother-in-law on Christmas Day and had to stop three or four times because I was overwhelmed with tears of joy.

I plan to close the event reading those same pages. We’ll see if I get through it.

This… anticipation… is all so overwhelming. But in a good way. 

I can’t wait to share it with you. 

See you at 5 pm at COhatch or Facebook Live! (Facebook.com/shawndcongleton)

Come early to purchase food and drinks from The Painted Pepper and hear Thaddeus Williams of The American Landscape sing one of my favorite songs—Dining with the Devil.

I finally fell back asleep around 3 a.m. Zzzzzzz…