Jack Zulu Official Launch Day!
Hey Pals!
It’s Jack Zulu OFFICIAL LAUNCH Day! YEEEEAH! SO fun. I love this book and I am so grateful I got to write it with my son, Josiah. I spent most of last week with young J. C. on the road and it was so much fun. He’s a great guy and has been an absolute joy to work with. I’m super proud of him. Thank you for helping us spread the word about this new series and for supporting our launch!
To celebrate we had a live party on our YouTube channel! Watch the replay. It was cool. I may or may not have crushed him at Galaga, ate pizza, answered questions and GAVE AWAY LOTS OF AMAZING STUFF.
Help Us Out?
Read more: Jack Zulu Official Launch Day!You KNOW we’re on your side. And I know you’re on our side. If you’re keen to help, please leave a great/brief review on Amazon for Jack Zulu. If you buy the ebook or paperback there, it will power your review even more. But please leave a review. It helps so much!
Amazon SLOW, Smith Fam FAST
So, Amazon does have the Kindle edition up. Way to go, guys!. But they also have had many thousands of physical Jack Zulus on their dock for a long time, but they don’t seem to be processing them. So, their launch day copies—which should be at people’s houses TODAY—do not appear to be shipping yet. Opinion: They kind of stink. We shipped out copies ahead of schedule (go team!) and so many of you already have signed copies. That’s cool. But it would also be cool if you didn’t cancel your orders. But do what you gotta do. We are shipping from my store now.
Audiobook Update
It’s coming, but we’ve had some unexpected delays. You’ll hear it here first when it’s ready! And you will LOVE it. It’s amazing. Can’t wait to share our narrator. He’s incredible!
Thanks for making this Jack Zulu official launch extra special!
Your friend and mine,
Sam
Dear Mr Smith
I’ve really loved the Green Ember Series. But I’m really struggling to get the new Waylander book due to the heavy occult theme. It’s such a battle to keep this out of my home. Disappointed as I thought you were a Christian author.
Hi Kylie,
I completely agree with you. I was so excited about the green ember series because it wasn’t all magic/horror/witchcraft harry potter type stuff tha’s constantly being shoved down kids throats nowadays. Why can’t someone just make clean adventure/fantasy book for kids? Please Mr. Smith don’t sell out for what sells to the world. I don’t know what religion you are, but please ask yourrself…is what I’m writing for kids leading them to God or away from God? Some kid might have never heard of witchcraft, then reads Jack Zulu and starts getting curious about it and down the rabbit hole they go if they don’t have involved oarents to help them discern.
Hello Friend,
I am a devoted Christian. I ask myself all the time if what I’m sharing leads people to, or away, from God. I don’t think I’ve written anything that is more explicitly Christian and faithful than the Jack Zulu books (written with my son).
It sounds like you believe that depictions of evil that include things that are really evil (like witchcraft) are not appropriate to put in books? I disagree with that assumption. I think lying to kids about the very real existence of evil is harmful, and that showing bold clarity about good and evil in stories is faithful. If you think that kids shouldn’t read books where evil magic exists, then you are going to have to exclude the Bible (magicians of Egypt, witch of Endor, etc.), which seems foolish to me. I am not selling out for what sells to the world. Jack Zulu is a defiantly Christian work, and it’s a shame you aren’t able to enjoy it because of an extra-biblical (or, anti-biblical) standard that is rooted in a kind of guilt-by-mentioning it fear.
I take the occult and witchcraft very seriously. I treat it with a wariness and seriousness I believe it deserves. If someone reads JZ and thinks “Yeah, let me get in on that occult stuff,” then they would have to have missed the point quite badly. All I can do is be faithful, tell the truth, and tell a fantastic story. God is in control. I am his servant, his child.
Rest in Jesus, and look to the Bible. Don’t be a slave to fear. Use good judgement. Smile.
With Love,
Sam
Hi Kylie,
It sounds like you are saying that I am an author who could not be a Christian because you believe that my depictions of evil (as evil) are improper. Do you apply that standard to Scripture–which has far more mentions of many kinds of evil in more detail (including witchcraft) than my book? Do you believe antagonists in fictional books should not include (very mild) depictions of or (minimal) allusions to the evil of witchcraft?
Do you think it’s more effective (or faithful) to portray evil as not-very-bad?
My own position is that indulging/diving in-depth into the occult as a subject matter is not usually wise (so I do not do that), but portraying it as evil and destructive is faithful and good.
God give you joy,
Sam Smith
My son just finished this book and was so excited to read the next one! looking forward to the sequel?
My son and I read The Waylanders Key earlier this year. We are now “reading” it again by listening to the audio version together. We love this story and hope the second book comes out soon!!!! And by the way, the narrator in the audiobook is fantastic!!! What a perfect choice, and so talented!
Do you plan to have physical copies come to amazon Canada? Currently you can only purchase the kindle book and shipping through your shop costs me more than the books themselves! Would love a more affordable way to acquire physical copies for my home and our church library!