Bespoke
Shhh….
If you’ve stumbled upon this page mid-summer, you’ve discovered something I haven’t announced anywhere else yet:
Bespoke’s new cover!
More to come on this in the days to come, but in the meantime…
(I’m whispering)
*here it is.*
🙂
A Secret. A Bicycle. A Promise…
While the elusive Secret Symphony of Giovanni St. John captivated the world’s fascination, it left his daughter closed away in the Silent House – she, the one who holds the fullness of truth about the ninth symphony. Now Aria St. John is determined to not only break free of the loss that has defined her, but to honor her father through one final gift in his last days.
On the tiny Isle of Espoir, only one man can help in her quest: James Shaw, the village blacksmith… and the lost friend of her childhood. Will they be able to overcome the tragedy that separated them before it’s too late?
Donate any time between now and December 31st, then
forward your receipt e-mail to BespokeBook (at) gmail (dot) com.
Bespoke will be e-mailed to donors beginning November 15th, 2014.
Pin video preview : 
ou have a story. There is a moment in that story—a filling of your heart, a kindling of light and hope: the moment you opened the door to the One who made you, loves you, longed for you.
Do you remember it? Perhaps it was a single moment: a prayer spoken in secret, or in the midst of a stadium of witnesses. Or perhaps it was a gradual unfolding. A lifetime of growing in His word, rooting and blooming until the understanding was your very own and you grasped hold with all your heart onto His love.
However it happened, that story is yours, and it’s made all the difference. An eternity of difference.
In the mountains and valleys of Asia, there are men and women who rise at the crack of dawn, waking to the call, the ache, to make that very moment that you experienced… a reality for someone today. Missionaries who give everything to give others a chance. To carry hope, words of truth and life, to remote villages and hungry hearts. …To bring joy.
What if we… our very own stories… could be a part of making those moments possible? Watch this short clip to hear one testimony of how a bicycle has been a blessing to one missionary, and the many people he serves, and then read on to find out how we can be a part of this:
So… what IS Bespoke, and how does your story make a bicycle in Asia possible?
The technical definition of “Bespoke” is “Goods Made to Order.” Anything customized, one-of-a-kind, made just for you.
Bespoke is, in its truest essence, a story made to order. This summer, I’m asking you to share your own stories and memories with me, as possible inspiration for plot and setting details in a Christmas novelette. It’s not a novel, not even a novella– just a simple, sweet tale that’s small enough to fit into the busy schedules of the holiday season with a bit of refuge for the weary.
It’s not a fictionalization of any of these reader memories, but rather a short work of fiction that gathers to its heart the fibers of readers’ shared moments, and gives a special hint to each within the tale. Your own testimonies of salvation, your own Christmas memories and traditions, or details from favorite places in your history.
Once the novelette is ready, it will be released in e-book form this winter, and available via e-mail as a thank you gift to those who donate any amount toward purchasing a bicycle at this Gospel for Asia site.
Bespoke is a project that we dive into together, with the dream of spinning a tale that would help spin a bicycle into the eager hands of a missionary, who could in turn spin the Words of Life into the hands of the people they serve.
It’s a chain of events that takes my breath away, and I so hope you’ll join me in it. Every person who takes part is a spoke in the wheel of something beautiful: bringing Love to those thirsty for it.
Oh, wait. You want me to stop blabbering sentimentally, and tell you what on earth the story is actually about?
I’d be honored. But you’ll have to wait a few more months for that. 😉 I will tell you, I have the bones of the plot worked out in my head (and and on various madly scribbled pieces of paper). It’ll be a little step back in time, and yes, a bicycle is at the heart of the tale. If you’d like to see last year’s Christmas project, Tin Can Serenade, that will give you an idea of the length and feel. It, too, was written with threads of reader memories woven in, and it was such a joy to do!
In the meantime, browse the tabs below to learn how you are at the heart of this project, and to see if one or more of these ways to get involved look appealing to you.
The gift of your prayers over this project would be so very cherished.
If you’d like to keep current on prayer requests, I would be so delighted if you’d consider joining the Bespoke Project Prayer Partners group on Facebook. Just click on through to request joining! 🙂
General prayer focuses are:
- Gospel for Asia staff
- Local missionaries in India
- All who will contribute their treasured memories, time or resources to this project and the gift of the bicycle
- Those in Asia that the missionaries serve and yearn to reach
- The writing of this little tale
Let your story spin! Share one of the following:
A detail from a favorite town, home or place from your life, a Christmas memory/tradition, or tell me about an important person or moment in your own testimony of knowing Jesus.
Use the letterbox below to submit your entry, or e-mail* to authoramandadykes {at} gmail (dot) com.
[ninja_forms_modal_form id=10 image_link=”http://amandadykes.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/mbxvnt.jpg”]
*By submitting, you give permission for your story to be used as inspiration for a fictional story. However, submission does not guarantee inclusion, due to limited space. Your story may also be quoted, along with your first name, on various social media outlets as part of the Bespoke project.
The heart of this project is the people involved (that’s you!), the God who joins us, and the people that together, we hope to partner with and bless. I am so excited to think that you might give of your time and talents to help– excited and incredibly blessed! Below, I’ve listed a few ways you can help spread the word…
1) If you’re on Pinterest, consider pinning…
- the video at the top of this page (“Pin this” button located just below the video),
- the book cover at the bottom of this page (hover mouse over image for “Pin It” button), or
- the Bespoke definition image right smack dab in the middle of this page (hover mouse over image for “Pin It” button).
2) If you have a bike and happen to take it out for a ride, take a picture! Post it on your favorite social media outlet with the hashtag #BespokeBook along with an invitation for friends to find out more by asking you, or by visiting www.AmandaDykes.com/Bespoke. I’ll do searches on the hashtag to share posts, and to witness the fun of you joining in!
To make it super quick, feel free to copy and paste this status for use with your post:
I’m spinning stories to help give a bicycle across the world! Want to join? http://bit.ly/1lhKR56 #BespokeBook
3) Share about Bespoke on Facebook: Pop over to my Facebook page and share any of the Bespoke related pictures/posts you see there.
4) Click here to share on Twitter
5) If donating is on your heart, you can consider using the easy social media share buttons that appear on your confirmation screen after your donation is complete, to share the project with your friends.
6) Do you have a blog? I’d love to chat with you about putting together a blog post that would be tailored to your readers! E-mail me at authorAmandaDykes (at) gmail {dot} com and I’ll be in touch!
Donate on the Gospel for Asia Bespoke site by clicking here:
…and then read on in the FAQ tab to find out
how to receive your thank you copy of Bespoke
once it releases.
A thousand heartfelt thank you’s for the generosity of your heart!
**How do I get my copy?**
3 easy steps:
1. See that lovely “Donate” button at the top right of this screen on the Bespoke Gospel for Asia page? Click that, any time between now and December 31, 2014, to make your donation of any amount.
2. Gospel for Asia will then send you a receipt/confirmation e-mail.
3. Forward that receipt/confirmation e-mail on to BespokeBook at Gmail dot com and then keep your eye on your inbox for an e-mail containing access to the novelette once it’s available starting November 15th*, as a special thank you gift for donating!
**What devices can I use to read it?**
Bespoke will be sent to your e-mail address as a .pdf, which is a file format that can be viewed “on virtually any platform, including Windows®, Mac OS, and mobile platforms including Android™ and iOS for iPhone and iPad.*” You can also print it to read, if you prefer a hard copy. (*quote from adobe.com)
**Are print copies available?**
In order to keep the costs of this project down (and allow 100% of the funds raised to go directly to Gospel for Asia), Bespoke is currently only available as an e-book. However, you’re welcome to print yours out once you receive it if you prefer a physical copy!
**Can I give a copy as a gift to someone else?**
Certainly! How thoughtful you are! 🙂 Once you’ve donated, Gospel for Asia will send your a receipt/confirmation e-mail.
Forward this on to BespokeBook at Gmail dot com, along with a message about where you’d like me to send the e-book access. I can send it to you, to send along to your friend, or I can send it directly to your friend’s e-mail address with a little gift message from you, if you’d like!
**What happens if we exceed the initial goal?**
We dance in the streets! Figuratively. 😉 I’ll spare you my happy dance, but we rejoice in knowing that 100% of donations will go straight to Gospel for Asia for the purpose of purchasing bicycles.
**What will you do with my e-mail address?**
Donating here does NOT sign you up for my newsletter. I adore connecting with readers in my newsletter, and I have a special Christmas surprise in store for my subscribers, but I don’t want you to have to commit to my mailing list in order to donate.
So. If you would like to receive a little parcel of e-mail delight a few times a year full of whimsy and goodies and news about projects like Bespoke, you can sign up by clicking here.
But otherwise, rest easy and know that your generosity here does not commit you to any extra e-mail from me. Other than a hearty thank-you e-mail containing your access to Bespoke once it’s ready, of course. 🙂
**When are you ever going to stop talking, Amanda?**
Now. Right now. I promise. But not before I thank you effusively again for being here. You’re the best!!
*Author is committed to release dates given, though all dates are barring any unforeseen and extenuating circumstances.
