Cheri Cowell – Our Founder

The EABooks Publishing Story

By Cheri Cowell

In 2010 I’d just published my first book, Direction: Discernment for the Decisions of Your Life, with Beacon Hill Press. I’d done it the hard way, attending writers’ conferences, pitching, writing proposals, getting writing credits and honing my writing craft. After seven years I’d finally landed my first traditional contract and there was an offer on the table for a second one, Living the Story.

My husband, who was my biggest fan, was encouraging me to look into e-books and I told him we weren’t even talking about e-books at the conferences I attended. But he kept telling me he wanted me to check into it. Eventually I did and I bought the software. After two weeks I told him I thought this program could wash, fold, and put my laundry away if I could just figure it out. It was robust software, but over my head.

We’d invited friends over for dinner. Bob and his wife Carol were losing his business. Bob had been my creative technical support during those seven years of pitching to publishers. He created my one-sheets and all of my marketing materials. So I told Bob about this software and asked him if he’d mind taking a look at it. “Sure, I’m not doing anything else,” was the reply. A few days later I got an email, “I love this software, it’s intuitive.” And my response was, “You’re hired!”

Well, it took us four months to get my first book out as an e-book—it had not been as easy as we’d been led to believe. So I said to my friend, “Bob, would you be interested in helping some of my author friends who don’t have a Bob?” And his answer was “Sure, I’m not doing anything else.”

I was only planning to help a few fellow authors, but God had other plans. EABooks is the result of a need being met and God’s blessings. One of my favorite worship songs was sung my Amy Grant, El Shadai. Erkamka na Adonai comes from Psalm 18:1 and means I love you Lord for the amazing things you’ve done. Erkamka na Adonai is where EABooks derives our company name. It is my prayer that the words we publish sing of God’s glory and tell the stories of the amazing things He has done.