Why I Can Recommend You Buy Lots of My Books for Christmas

I’ve written seven books to date, on quite a range of subjects: evangelicalism in Canada, the problem of God and evil, defending (and commending) the faith, gender, ethics, and more. They’re all in print, they’re all now in paperback, and they all make swell gifts. So buy some to give away this Christmas. “ONE IN EVERY STOCKING” is our slogan.

And how can I so shamelessly tout my own books? Because the terms of my contracts mean I make virtually no money from their sales. On a twenty-dollar book, I think I make one. It might be a little more or less in each case. I don’t know exactly, because I do know it’s too small to bother remembering. But it’s something like that.

Ever notice how most authors have day jobs? This is why. You have to be selling at the level of the pop star writers to make even a middle-class living. Most of us write because we feel we have been given something helpful to say that we’re excited to share, and low royalties keep us nicely focused.

So knock yourselves out! Get that free shipping! Support good publishers and, if you can, good bookstores! Improve the lives of everyone you know!

Just don’t worry that I’m trying to make myself rich. If I am, I’ve picked a stupid way to do it…