Interview: Getting #Married: Using Social Media to Celebrate the Sacred

My new book, Getting #Married: Using Social Media to Celebrate the Sacred is being officially launched this Friday, on the Feast of the Epiphany. Although I'm answering all sorts of great questions on other blogs, I thought I'd ask myself a few here. Weird, I know. So what else is new?


Meredith Gould: Didn't you just get married on November 5th? And now you have a book out on the topic? What's up with that?
MG:  I was so psyched about how wonderfully everything came together and how social media helped make that possible, I couldn't resist writing about it. And anyway, doesn't everyone write a book on their stay-home-honeymoon?

MG: Seriously, what were you thinking?
MG: Seriously? I was thinking about how social media makes it possible to expand the reach of celebration beyond church-the-building. I was thinking about how weddings have become so private and how social media can restore Holy Matrimony to the status of public sacrament. I was thinking we have more than enough "how to" books about using social media and need more "why to" books.

MG: Why did you use CreateSpace instead of a traditional publisher?
MG:  Control and speed, speed and control. All but one of my eight books have been published by traditional publishers, so I know lots about the glacial speed at which that process normally works. Social media also morphs very quickly, so I wanted Getting #Married to get into print and electronic formats before Jesus made a return trip. Fortunately, I have a background in graphic design and print production, so I know how to manage the process so the end product looks as great at it reads. Isn't my modesty overwhelming?

MG: But you did get help with this, right?
MG: Right! As a working writer and author I know better than to release stuff without it being picked over by first readers and then copy edited by a pro. Anyone involved with church social media in general and the #ChSocM chat specifically will recognize the names of those who provided smart, swift editorial input: Father John Freund, C.M. (@jbfcm), The Rev. David Hansen (@rev_david), Ruth Harrigan (@rampracer), Regina Heater (@reckshow), Tami Heim (@TamiHeim), Brenda A. Keller (@BrendaAKeller) and Anjanette Wiley (@anj121).  More evidence of how Twitter rocks: @TamiHeim led me to designer Doug Cordes (@dougcordes). I have yet to meet either of them IRL!

MG: Anything else? 
MG: Of course, but I probably need to focus on something billable now. After lunch.