Here, in a nutshell, is how I got the idea for my little book, PLUS how I made an easy $3,267 publishing it:

One blustery October day not too long ago, I was holed up in our town library looking through one of my favorite sections: the local history books. I've always been fascinated with history -- especially local history. It is great fun to look back at the people, places and things that USED to be in the same place I am today.

I sat there browsing through a pictorial history of Bowling Green, KY (my hometown, population 40,000) -- and with the approaching holidays also on my mind, got to thinking as I thumbed through the pages: Wouldn't it be great if there was something in here that told what Christmas was like here in Bowling Green way back then?

After all, Christmas and the holiday season is one of those universal experiences that everyone enjoys and treasures, then and now. Wouldn't it be neat to learn some details on how it was celebrated in my grandparents' and great-grandparent's time?

I looked through all the local history books our library had, but couldn't find anything. Oh, there was a winter photograph or two, but nothing  that gave any sense of what the holidays had been like. It was kind of frustrating, because I knew that then, as now, Christmas and the holiday season were a big part of people's lives — and it was a shame that it wasn't kept for posterity to enjoy.

Or was it?....

I suddenly had a flash of inspiration, and knew exactly where I could get a "taste" of what the holidays had been like way back when.

After a few hours of research at the library and a nearby museum, I found what I was looking for -- dozens of detailed, quaintly written accounts about Christmas celebrations and activities from years past that had taken place right here in Bowling Green. Some of them were well over 100 years old!

I spent a couple of weekends transcribing and editing the the best of those articles and accounts I had found, then was inspired to write an essay about how differently Christmas was celebrated way back when -- but how, at the core of it, a lot of things were still the same all these years later.

When I stopped to reflect on what I had collected and written, I realized I had the makings of a wonderful collection of stories that a LOT of folks from my town would really enjoy.

I wished I could publish a book of these stories myself, for everyone to read -- but knew I didn't have the financial resources to do it, nor did I have the time or energy to get out and try to sell books all through the holiday season.

I was about ready to shelve the whole idea when I got a sudden inspiration: If I couldn't afford to put out a collection of these old time holiday stories, surely there was someone in our community who could!

I again stopped by the library and looked again through all the local history books that had already been published in our community.

Each one of them was underwritten by a local business.  That was the key I needed. A project like my little book, which was rich in history and community spirit, would certainly be of interest to some special business in my community -- wouldn't it?

I wrote a letter of inquiry over the next weekend and addressed it to the Presidents of four local businesses on Monday morning.

On Wednesday, I got a phone call from the President of one of the companies I wrote to, asking me to come in and tell him more about my book project. (Believe me, it was great having HIM invite ME to come to see him, instead of the other way around!)

I assembled my notes and some of the sample information I had already collected for the book and headed to his office the next afternoon to tell him more about my project.

When I left an hour later -- I had a signed agreement for them to completely underwrite my book, plus a check for $2500 in my pocket!

I spent my spare time over the next few weeks writing, editing and putting together the rest of my booklet, then sent it to the printer.

A few weeks later, I picked up the finished books from the printer and took it straight to my sponsor, who handed me another $2500 check. After my expenses for research and printing were deducted, my total earnings on the book ended up at $3,267! Not bad for a simple little "self-published" local book!

Even better, over the next several weeks -- the traditional holiday season from Thanksgiving to New Years -- my sponsor took care of all the book sales and distribution. I didn't have to lift a finger! They used the book as a Christmas season promotion for their customers and people in the community... and everyone loved it!

Like I mentioned earlier, once it was published, all I had to do was talk about it on the local talk shows... read the reviews in our local paper... do a few book signings... listen to the praise of people who thoroughly enjoyed my little "peek into our community's past"!

Best of all — my little book project can easily be done again and again and again in communities all around my region any time I want. In fact, I'm getting ready to send out another round of proposals in just a few weeks, to do one or two more books for the next Christmas season!

YOU can do the same thing in your own community. It's not hard at all -- especially when you have the whole book project mapped out for you in detail, from A to Z!

CLICK HERE to go back to my Christmas Book homepage and learn more!