When you write a book, you usually get people to endorse it. You know, other authors or celebrities or someone that the reader knows and trusts. You ask those people to read your book and then write 1-3 sentences about the book. And, you ask the people to be VERY NICE because it matters what endorsers say because that’s what the person shopping in a bookstore will read. The title, the back of the book, and the endorsements.

But with Looking For Lovely, I wanted something different.

In the last three years, my life has changed pretty drastically. God has taken me to some deep places of my own pain and I lost a good bit of control. I went to a lot of counseling and shed a lot of tears and my heart and mind and body started changing. Then joy came, and hope.

And my friends were there for all of it.

So instead of traditional endorsement requesting, I asked some of my real life best friends to write endorsements. (Get it? Friends writing endorsements? FRIENDORSEMENTS.)

Haley.

Molly.

Misti.

Annie (a different one).

Matthew.

Ross.

Connor.

A few months ago, I sent them each an email with the PDF of the Looking for Lovely manuscript  attached with a request. I didn’t want them to tell you about the book in their endorsement; I didn’t want them to tell you why you should read it or why the book matters.

I wanted them to tell you it was all true. Every word you read, every confession I made, every story of heartbreak and every story of victory. And I want you to believe them. I want you to believe that God can do the miraculous, and I wanted you to hear it from my friends who saw it happen in my life.

They were all kinder than I deserve, but at the heart of their words, they all said what I want every reader to believe.

The book is true.

My life is different.

I’m not the Annie I used to be and I will never be the same because of what has gone on in my life in the last three years. And that’s the best way for me to describe what Looking for Lovely is about- the greatest transformation my life has ever known.

And I cry every time I read the friendorsements. I am beyond grateful for these words and these people. I am Annie because of Jesus and these friends, and others, standing by me on the good days and the bad.

If friends were currency, I would be the richest woman I know.

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Looking For Lovely will release on April 5, but it is available now for pre-sales… and it is only $9.70 on Amazon! CRAZY! If you pre-order, there’s lots of fun prizes and stuff. 🙂

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