We all believe in positive thinking, I’m sure.
I was wondering how the exercise will work with my new novel/memoir Crossing the Georgia Line that I’ve worked on now off and on – by the numbers – 38 years, and counting. It’s still in the process of solidifying an agent, but good positive thinking always gets a head-start, right?
Let’s go with the following numbers and see how it turns out.
For the New York Times Best Seller list – let’s go with 186 weeks, or about 3½ years.
We can put it on the #1 book list for 48 of those weeks.
With that type of success, we could expect it to spread through a good part of the world and, maybe, 42 languages.
That’ll take it over most if not all of our 5 oceans, 50 seas, 7 continents, and 500,000 rivers, although there are too many rivers in the world to count.
We know we’ll definitely get it across the Chattahoochee River because it takes on great symbolism as the river our storyteller Pup crosses all summer long on his back-and-forth odyssey from Georgia to Alabama for his bricklaying job.
We’ll also use our positive thinking to broaden the spectrum to make it influential in both Christian and secular circles.
Then, 75 years after its publication, we’ll want it to still be going strong, which means it’ll take us to the end of the century and to 2100.
Those “optimistic” numbers — by the way — are not imagined. They are the actual numbers one famous book reached.
You’ll recognize it: The Power of Positive Thinking, by Norman Vincent Peale – Dr. Peale.
His bestseller came out in 1952.
Dr. Peale wasn’t the kind of doctor most people think. He was not a psychologist at all, but a minister. And his doctorate was an honorary doctorate from the Boston University of Theology. I guess even that fits since I’ve teased here many times and said, “after all, I am a doctor” when offering frequent unsolicited suggesting regarding the mind or body.
If I received criticism for that, so did Dr. Peale. Many in the circles of Psychology said he stretched the medical or psychological aspect of his positive thinking claims too far. But it worked out pretty well for him, nonetheless.
Since we’re all in this together, I think we’re okay with a little criticism, especially if Crossing the Georgia Line finds it way over 5 oceans, 7 continents, and 500,000 or so rivers.
If our positive thinking works the way we want, do you know that Dr. Peale and I will sell a combined 40,000,000 copies, will have put stakes down on the New York Times Bestseller list almost 400 weeks and kept them there as the #1 book on that list almost 100 of those weeks?
Positive thinking did it once way back in 1952, so we’ll see if it will work again, starting, say, in 2028.
Of course, it won’t depend only on us. We’ll need to lean on the world's greatest literary agent. You know Him, too –the Lord.
Coach Steven Ray Bowen served as a teacher and basketball coach at Red Oak High from 1998-2012 and recently came out of retirement twice for teaching tours at Ferris and Waxahachie High Schools. He and his wife Marilyn (the “amazin’ blonde”) have slowed down some of their travels and reconvened in their evangelistic work with the Church of Christ of Red Oak at Uhl/Ovilla Roads, in addition to Coach’s work as a writer and author, including the working to publish “Crossing The Georgia Line” that ran in the Ellis County Press. Call or text (972) 824-5197, email coachbowen1984@gmail.com, and see frontporchgospel.com.