Big Book News: Pre-orders are HERE!

Last week a friend messaged me to tell me she pre-ordered my book.

“HOW?!” I asked.

“It’s up on Amazon!” she said.

So OBVIOUSLY I dropped everything to check it out and lo and behold, it was there.

MY BOOK. The one I’ve been working on for the past 14 months with Ave Maria Press. It doesn’t even feel real that it’s finally here.

I took a deep breath and shared the big news with my podcast’s Facebook group. A few hours later, my book had climbed to #11 on the Catholic bestsellers page on Amazon.

There I am. Just hanging out next to Thomas Merton. WHAT?!!! I couldn’t believe it. I may or may not have started crying.

But before we get into why pre-orders matter so much (especially to new authors), some of you are probably wanting to know more about what this book is all about and your wish is my command.

The Grace of Enough: Pursuing Less and Living More in a Throwaway Culture is the first book I’ve worked on with a real publisher, editor, the whole shebang.

It’s part memoir and part reflection and guide to essential elements of intentional Christian living that my family re-discovered during an extraordinary year of leaving the 9-5 grind to live on a farm (with no flushing toilets!)  When we moved into our little 100-year-old house in the city, we tried to bring those practices into our urban life, too.

You’ll be inspired to:

• live simply
• offer hospitality
• revive food culture and the family table
• reconnect with the land
• nurture community
• prioritize beauty
• develop a sense of wonder
• be intentional about technology
• seek authentic intimacy
• center life around home, family, and relationships

And people who aren’t my mom read it and liked it! Here’s what they said:

“If you’ve ever yearned to make radical changes to your life that will bring you lasting satisfaction, this is the book for you.” —Jennifer Fulwiler, SiriusXM radio host and author of Something Other Than God and One Beautiful Dream

“This book is an antidote to the Throwaway Culture, a blueprint to living a fulfilling life. What St. Benedict did for the early monastics, Haley has done for modern suburbanites and families: provide a compelling rule, a practical life plan, one centered on community, simplicity, and charity.” —Brandon Vogt, Content director of Word on Fire Catholic Ministries and author of Why I Am Catholic (and You Should Be Too)

“Prophets wake us to our true state, call upon us to be better than we are, and demand that we think hard about the life we are living. And thus we shy away from prophets. Haley Stewart, however, won’t let us escape so easily. Hers is a genuinely prophetic voice, but one so full of fun and the sheer joy of living that she thoroughly charmed and convinced me. A wonderfully wise book for our confusing and misguided era.” —Paula Huston, Author of One Ordinary Sunday

I feel like I’ve been pregnant with this book for almost a year and a half and on September 7th when it releases I’ll finally get to give birth. It’s truly so exciting.

So what’s the deal with pre-orders? Pre-orders are crucial to getting Amazon and bookstores to stock a book, especially for new authors. To an increasing degree, the success of a book really depends on strong pre-orders so pretty please support your friendly neighborhood blogger by pre-ordering your copy today!

To those of you who have already pre-ordered and helped The Grace of Enough reach the bestsellers page, I am so grateful. Truly. I have poured so much of my heart and energy into this book and I can’t wait to see it on your bookshelves!