Built to Endure
- Holly Burnside
- Aug 4
- 6 min read
Updated: Aug 23
Big News
Big things are happening…I am thrilled to announce that I am officially a published author! I have written a chapter in a collaborative book, and it is now available in print! “Built to Endure” is a beautifully written book all about “how entrepreneurs overcome challenges, stay focused, and build lasting success.” We wrote this book with YOU in mind.
As you read through each chapter, you begin to notice common threads. God’s handiwork has been in action in our lives! Purpose is a thread that we all sought, and through our own relationships with God, He helped us discover it. Legacy is another thread that is woven throughout our entire book. Not only do we want to leave amazing legacies behind, but we want to live them out in our businesses and our personal lives, every single day.
Hope*Books
I had a wonderful experience working with Hope*Books on this project! Hope*Books is a Christian publishing house out of Matthews, North Carolina. It started as Hope*Writers, the online writing community, and it has grown into Hope*Media, which has endless possibilities in the industry.
Not only does Hope*Books want to publish individual author books, but they also want to give opportunities to new authors who may not have reached a point where they are ready to publish an entire book on their own. Whether it is time, finances, or lack of experience holding you back, they truly make becoming a published author doable. I am a perfect example of it!
Publishing collaborative books are a brilliant way Hope*Books offers you the chance to become a published author. Ten authors come together on one topic, each writing their own chapter, splitting the cost and the pressure of publishing, and making it an easy way to get your words into the world.
Hope*Books handles the editing, book and cover design, formatting, and logistics before sending it for printing. Authors submit their drafts and final copies of their chapter, and they help to promote the book by sharing the news with their family, friends, and followers.
My Journey
This opportunity popped up in my inbox one day back in May. It sounded great! But I didn’t immediately think it was for me. While I’ve built a business, I am just a single mom who is a solo cleaner. With three kids, I didn’t think I would have much time to commit to anything like this in the season I am in. But I did not immediately click delete on the email either.
So, it sat there. Each time I opened my inbox, this email was looking back at me. It stayed at the forefront of my mind; I just couldn’t stop thinking about it. I read the email. I reread it. I clicked on the link, and I read more about the project. It was calling to me. I knew Hope*Books did collaborative books, but I didn’t remember receiving an email before, inviting me to join a collaborative. Why this one? Why now?
I had a day off work that week, so while the kids were at school, I put some more thought and prayer into it. It made sense to me to start writing and see if I even had the words to share on the subject. Wow! The words that started pouring from my heart just pushed me closer to the idea that this might be for me.
But I am a logical thinker. This would cost money, and I am in a season of trying to save… Although this wouldn’t be just spending money on something silly. This would be an investment! I would be investing in my writing, investing in my future, and investing in the readers who will read my words.
It was time for the pro-con list. For every con, I had at least two or more pros. I wrote them down on separate pieces of paper. Literally, the only cons had to do with the cost. That just wasn’t a good enough reason for me to say no. And by the next day, my con list mysteriously disappeared.
I continued sitting in prayer and trying to figure out if this was dropped in my lap on purpose because God wanted me to go down this path. Then, my pastors texted me out of the blue.
“Your pastors want you to know we love you and praying God’s presence overwhelms you today. See you Sunday. Come expecting.”
So I replied and let them know their timing was impeccable and that I was currently sitting on the fence over a huge decision, trying to figure out if God was nudging me to jump on a new opportunity. They replied,
“Well, I was driving into church and felt strongly to text you and just encourage you so you can take that for what it is, lol. Trust the Lord who has always been faithful to you. Gods got this.”
I was pretty sure I had my answer right there. But I wondered if my writing would even fit into this book, amongst authors who probably had way more experience than I did. Thus, I set up a call. It worked out that I was able to talk to Liz from Hope*Books the very next day.
We got on the call together, and I just shared my heart with Liz. She is such a gem and so encouraging to me! I shared with her the idea I had for my chapter, and she reassured me that my words were just what this project needed. She thought my idea was great and would touch so many readers. Upon hanging up from the call, I was now on board with the project!
The Process
Coming into this project with zero experience was a bit nerve-racking. But Hope*Books is impressively organized and prepared to take on writers like me. They were so helpful and made themselves available to answer any questions or help in any way they could.
The timeline was very clear about what happened and when, deadlines, scheduled calls, and launch party celebrations. They did not overload us with information; instead, they gave us what we needed in bite-sized pieces, when we needed it. I loved that there was a very simplified checklist to follow, so I knew I was right on track.
As a new author, this project was so easy! I had the parameters of what they had in mind for our chapters, but I also had creative freedom to share my personal story. I wrote my first draft, turned it in, and waited for the editor to respond with her feedback. Not only did she comment on things to fix or change, but she also left kind and encouraging comments along the way about the things she enjoyed.
After going over the first draft comments, it was time for me to edit. Undoubtedly, having an editor look over my work and give me feedback helped me to improve on my chapter. It is much better now because of her!
We had a follow-up call after all our final manuscripts were turned in, so we would know what to expect next. Hope*Books filled us in on the behind-the-scenes things happening with the final work being done. They created a ten-day challenge to help us share and promote our book. And they shared the launch party agenda and everything we needed to know for that day.
Launch Party
Not only am I sharing all the excitement with the people in my life and online, but now I am preparing for the launch party! Each author has the opportunity to either travel to the bookstore or join virtually to celebrate the release of Built to Endure. On Monday, August 11th, 2025, there will be a live stream event where we will share our book with the world!
What’s Next
If you aren’t already following me on socials, you can stay up to date with what’s happening on Facebook and Instagram.
“Built to Endure” is officially available on Amazon!
I would love to hear your thoughts once you have read your copy. Feel free to reach out!
Be sure to rate and review Built to Endure. I know my coauthors would also love to hear from you.
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