The Late Great Ape Debate and other recent wins
Sent: 2008-08-09 11:29:54 (PST)
To: buzzard@bayardtayloronline.com
Subject: The Late Great Ape Debate and other recent wins
"Before you dive, get the big picture."
Fellow Buzzards,
Here's an update on worldview and Blah-related things:
Regarding my new book:
1. The Late Great Ape Debate (Standard Publishing) just released this month. It takes a look at the creation-evolution controversy through the twin lenses of worldviews and theology.
2. Primarily, the book examines opinions within the Christian community -- looking at the pros and cons of each. Rather than tell the reader, "You're a moron if you don't agree with my position," the book lays out the options and lets the reader decide.
3. Like Blah, the book entertains while it teaches.
Regarding Blah, Blah, Blah:
1. To date Blah has sold just over 4,000 copies. Kyle Duncan, publisher at Bethany House, said this was reasonably good for a new author on worldviews apologetics, what a lot of people consider an esoteric subject.
2. In June, I bought the rights to Blah back from Bethany House. I would like to see it find it's market or markets, and I aim to continue to try to make that happen. Now Blah is completely mine and I can do pretty much whatever I want with it, including cannibalizing it, making it into several books, or tailoring it to specific groups (like middle schoolers and/or home schoolers).
3. The reversion of rights means I bought out the unsold inventory from Bethany House/Baker Books' warehouse (20 cases). So far I've sold of them. The rest I intend to sell when I speak and as people and groups request them.
4. The reversion of rights also means that technically the book is out of print. However, I can take the digital files of the cover and of the interior design, send to a printer and make more copies when I need to (like that old potato chip commercial where the guy said, "Don't worry; we'll make more.").
Regarding an online worldviews course:
1. This is really exciting! I've made arrangements with Vineyard Bible Institute (based in South Africa) and Saint Stephen's University (New Brunswick, Canada) to create an online Intro to Worldviews course. VBI is a worldwide educational ministry for church leaders and laypeople in the Vineyard movement.
2. The text for the course will be Blah, Blah, Blah. People will sign up for the course and be able to download a pdf of the book (all VBI courses are entirely online -- no hard copy textbooks). Other elements of the course will include the Bonus Features of the website, plus some new material I've created including a final exam. Eventually, when we get DVDs of me teaching a six- or seven-part series, that too will be downloadable on the VBI website.
Regarding networking with other groups:
1. The Youth Transition Network -- devoted to helping young people make the transition from high school youth group to their next spiritual home -- is about to start promoting Blah, Blah, Blah through its network.
2. I wrote an 8,000-word condensation and adaptation of the first six chapters of Blah, Blah, Blah for Campus Crusade for Christ's CRU Press. CRU Press made it into a highly visual, really cool 16-page magazine devoted entirely to my essay on worldviews. They decided to call it "War of the Worlds" and they made it part of a package of four other 16-page magazines on other issues that they call the Critical Concepts series. These packages are now available and are being distributed exclusively to CCC staff and students worldwide.
3. I've put together a series of PowerPoints on the major ideas of Blah, Blah, Blah. With a young adults group of 250 in Chandler, Arizona, I've been testing the idea of coming to a place and kicking off a worldview series (which I did July 10). Then in the subsequent weeks I've been sharing my PowerPoints and people on-site do the follow-up presentations using my PowerPoints, handouts and notes. During these several weeks I serve as a consultant. They don't have to follow my ideas slavishly; I give them a lot of freedom to adapt the material as they see fit; but I do ask them to agree not to use my stuff outside of the context of the series without first getting my permission.
4. This fall I'll be doing a worldview series for middle schoolers at my church. I've been thinking for a long time now that, in this pluralistic culture, waiting to teach this worldview stuff to kids until they are upperclassmen in high school is too late. We need to get on it now because the culture doesn't wait to inculcate its values into our children. It's preaching to them all the time from an extremely young age. So we do, too. We just need to be age-appropriate, creative and wise in how we do it.
5. I'm a regular contributor on worldviews for the Home School Digest -- the premier homeschool magazine. I've got three articles published already and a fourth on the way.
5. Blah has garnered great endorsements -- see blahblahbook.com and click on "endorsements" in the right-hand column.
Regarding speaking opportunities:
1. I'm available to come to your church, women's group, men's group, youth group, young adults group, whatever -- and speak on worldviews.
2. I'm open to exploring with anyone the possibility of doing live seminars online (through GoToMeeting.com or another web-based format).
3. I'm also open to exploring with anyone the possibility of doing live audio seminars or web-based chat discussions (through Skype or another web-based format).
4. Would anyone reading this like to sponsor me to an aggressive, reputable speaker's bureau? I'm not interested in one that will just take my money and not do anything for me in actually getting speaking gigs.
Well, fellow buzzards, for now that will have to suffice.
To: buzzard@bayardtayloronline.com
Subject: The Late Great Ape Debate and other recent wins
"Before you dive, get the big picture."
Fellow Buzzards,
Here's an update on worldview and Blah-related things:
Regarding my new book:
1. The Late Great Ape Debate (Standard Publishing) just released this month. It takes a look at the creation-evolution controversy through the twin lenses of worldviews and theology.
2. Primarily, the book examines opinions within the Christian community -- looking at the pros and cons of each. Rather than tell the reader, "You're a moron if you don't agree with my position," the book lays out the options and lets the reader decide.
3. Like Blah, the book entertains while it teaches.
Regarding Blah, Blah, Blah:
1. To date Blah has sold just over 4,000 copies. Kyle Duncan, publisher at Bethany House, said this was reasonably good for a new author on worldviews apologetics, what a lot of people consider an esoteric subject.
2. In June, I bought the rights to Blah back from Bethany House. I would like to see it find it's market or markets, and I aim to continue to try to make that happen. Now Blah is completely mine and I can do pretty much whatever I want with it, including cannibalizing it, making it into several books, or tailoring it to specific groups (like middle schoolers and/or home schoolers).
3. The reversion of rights means I bought out the unsold inventory from Bethany House/Baker Books' warehouse (20 cases). So far I've sold of them. The rest I intend to sell when I speak and as people and groups request them.
4. The reversion of rights also means that technically the book is out of print. However, I can take the digital files of the cover and of the interior design, send to a printer and make more copies when I need to (like that old potato chip commercial where the guy said, "Don't worry; we'll make more.").
Regarding an online worldviews course:
1. This is really exciting! I've made arrangements with Vineyard Bible Institute (based in South Africa) and Saint Stephen's University (New Brunswick, Canada) to create an online Intro to Worldviews course. VBI is a worldwide educational ministry for church leaders and laypeople in the Vineyard movement.
2. The text for the course will be Blah, Blah, Blah. People will sign up for the course and be able to download a pdf of the book (all VBI courses are entirely online -- no hard copy textbooks). Other elements of the course will include the Bonus Features of the website, plus some new material I've created including a final exam. Eventually, when we get DVDs of me teaching a six- or seven-part series, that too will be downloadable on the VBI website.
Regarding networking with other groups:
1. The Youth Transition Network -- devoted to helping young people make the transition from high school youth group to their next spiritual home -- is about to start promoting Blah, Blah, Blah through its network.
2. I wrote an 8,000-word condensation and adaptation of the first six chapters of Blah, Blah, Blah for Campus Crusade for Christ's CRU Press. CRU Press made it into a highly visual, really cool 16-page magazine devoted entirely to my essay on worldviews. They decided to call it "War of the Worlds" and they made it part of a package of four other 16-page magazines on other issues that they call the Critical Concepts series. These packages are now available and are being distributed exclusively to CCC staff and students worldwide.
3. I've put together a series of PowerPoints on the major ideas of Blah, Blah, Blah. With a young adults group of 250 in Chandler, Arizona, I've been testing the idea of coming to a place and kicking off a worldview series (which I did July 10). Then in the subsequent weeks I've been sharing my PowerPoints and people on-site do the follow-up presentations using my PowerPoints, handouts and notes. During these several weeks I serve as a consultant. They don't have to follow my ideas slavishly; I give them a lot of freedom to adapt the material as they see fit; but I do ask them to agree not to use my stuff outside of the context of the series without first getting my permission.
4. This fall I'll be doing a worldview series for middle schoolers at my church. I've been thinking for a long time now that, in this pluralistic culture, waiting to teach this worldview stuff to kids until they are upperclassmen in high school is too late. We need to get on it now because the culture doesn't wait to inculcate its values into our children. It's preaching to them all the time from an extremely young age. So we do, too. We just need to be age-appropriate, creative and wise in how we do it.
5. I'm a regular contributor on worldviews for the Home School Digest -- the premier homeschool magazine. I've got three articles published already and a fourth on the way.
5. Blah has garnered great endorsements -- see blahblahbook.com and click on "endorsements" in the right-hand column.
Regarding speaking opportunities:
1. I'm available to come to your church, women's group, men's group, youth group, young adults group, whatever -- and speak on worldviews.
2. I'm open to exploring with anyone the possibility of doing live seminars online (through GoToMeeting.com or another web-based format).
3. I'm also open to exploring with anyone the possibility of doing live audio seminars or web-based chat discussions (through Skype or another web-based format).
4. Would anyone reading this like to sponsor me to an aggressive, reputable speaker's bureau? I'm not interested in one that will just take my money and not do anything for me in actually getting speaking gigs.
Well, fellow buzzards, for now that will have to suffice.
posted by fangorn at 12:08 PM
