SEEKING "LEMONADE" STORIES

Don Jacobson knows from his publishing days that a good story has the power to encourage and inspire readers.

The former owner of Multnomah Publishers is on a mission to collect "lemonade" stories, a play on the old saying "When life hands you lemons, make lemonade" -- or, as Don puts it, "Lemonade happens!" By his definition, lemonade stories are real-life stories about when life takes a sour twist but is followed with a sweet surprise. To borrow the words of Paul Harvey, a lemonade story tells the rest of the story.

Through personal experience, Don knows a little something about lemonade himself; "The Gunshot Wound That Saved My Life" is Don's true lemonade story. In November 1980, after suffering a near-fatal gunshot wound in his side, he lay in the bitter cold for eleven hours before anyone found him. Miracle upon miracle saved Don's life that day -- from the friends who were led to search for him, to the fog that lifted at just the right time for a helicopter transport, to an on-call doctor who specialized in treating his type of injury. After spending nine days in critical condition and nearly a month in rehab, Don left the hospital a discouraged man, no longer able to physically provide for his family. But his story wasn't over. God used the accident to get Don's attention in a big way, and it would change the course of his life.

Don's new project, "God Makes Lemonade(tm)", was born of his realization that everyone has a lemonade story. Some are more dramatic than others, but each has the power to transform lives. The book-in-process is aimed at collecting real-life lemonade stories through an interactive website and Facebook page. Readers can visit www.GodMakesLemonade.com to submit their account of a difficult circumstance and the lemonade that came from it. "God Makes Lemonade(tm)" is due for release September 2011.

Don Jacobson has always loved interacting with authors and developing creative book ideas. As owner and president of Multnomah Publishers for 14 years, he worked with hundreds of authors and oversaw the production of 1,000+ book titles. When he sold Multnomah to Random House in 2006, Don founded an author management company called D. C. Jacobson & Associates. He continues to work closely with authors, together dreaming about books that will change the world by changing the Church. That passion is the heartbeat of Don's professional life as he leads DCJA. Don and his wife, Brenda, live in Bend, Oregon, and enjoy spending time with their family.

www.godmakeslemonade.com
www.facebook.com/godmakeslemonade
www.twitter.com/lemonadehappens