commit 0ee7524bccabb0ba38628cc150f28c2347e58133
Author: Will Estes <westes575@gmail.com>
Date:   Wed Jul 22 15:08:10 2026 -0400

    Set up gift-guide as its own repo with a pandoc+weasyprint build pipeline
    
    Converts the lead-magnet PDF from a Google Slides export into an editable
    markdown template, styled to match reground.org's dark theme, with a
    Makefile convention (make partners/<slug>.pdf) for producing per-partnership
    customized versions.

diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a136337
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+*.pdf
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f8956b0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+PANDOC     = pandoc
+PDF_ENGINE = weasyprint
+TEMPLATE   = template.html
+CSS        = style.css
+PARTNERS   = $(patsubst %.md,%.pdf,$(wildcard partners/*.md))
+
+.PHONY: all clean
+
+all: template.pdf $(PARTNERS)
+
+# style.css is linked directly from template.html (not passed via --css),
+# but listed here so editing it triggers a rebuild of every PDF.
+%.pdf: %.md $(TEMPLATE) $(CSS)
+	$(PANDOC) $< -o $@ --template=$(TEMPLATE) --pdf-engine=$(PDF_ENGINE) --standalone
+
+clean:
+	rm -f template.pdf partners/*.pdf
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0c79775
--- /dev/null
+++ b/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+# Gift Guide
+
+Source content and build pipeline for "How To Get Your Stories In Front Of The Readers
+Who Need Them" — the lead-magnet PDF given away at reground.org/gift. Kept in its own
+repo because this content changes on its own schedule, independent of the reground-site
+deploys.
+
+Styled to match reground.org's dark theme (background, heading, and CTA colors are
+pulled directly from that site's CSS).
+
+## One-time setup
+
+You need `pandoc` and `weasyprint` on your `PATH`. Both are already used elsewhere on
+this machine; nothing else to install.
+
+## Building a PDF
+
+```sh
+make template.pdf              # the generic/base version
+make partners/<slug>.pdf        # a specific partnership's version
+make                            # rebuilds template.pdf + every partners/*.md that exists
+make clean                      # removes generated PDFs (never touches the .md sources)
+```
+
+`make` finds the source `.md` file automatically from the `.pdf` name you ask for, so
+building any filled-in template is just naming the PDF you want.
+
+## Starting a new partnership
+
+```sh
+cp template.md partners/<slug>.md
+```
+
+Edit the new file's title (front matter) and rewrite the opening/closing copy to bridge
+your angle with the partner's audience — the 3 Step sections and their photos are
+generally reusable as-is. Then:
+
+```sh
+make partners/<slug>.pdf
+```
+
+## Notes
+
+- The 4 photos in `images/` were extracted from the original PDF. They're intentionally
+  generic/illustrative (not specific to any one partnership) and don't need to change
+  per customization.
+- `template.html` renders the cover (title + byline + author photo) from the document's
+  YAML front matter — you don't need to hand-write that part in the body of each `.md`
+  file, just update the front matter.
+- `style.css` is the single source of truth for the visual theme. Edit it once and
+  `make all` rebuilds every partner PDF with the change.
diff --git a/images/author-photo.jpg b/images/author-photo.jpg
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..59e43bd
Binary files /dev/null and b/images/author-photo.jpg differ
diff --git a/images/step-1-review.jpg b/images/step-1-review.jpg
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6f549ab
Binary files /dev/null and b/images/step-1-review.jpg differ
diff --git a/images/step-2-thankyou.jpg b/images/step-2-thankyou.jpg
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cc67643
Binary files /dev/null and b/images/step-2-thankyou.jpg differ
diff --git a/images/step-3-computer.jpg b/images/step-3-computer.jpg
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c3a7939
Binary files /dev/null and b/images/step-3-computer.jpg differ
diff --git a/partners/.gitkeep b/partners/.gitkeep
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e69de29
diff --git a/style.css b/style.css
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5c29f55
--- /dev/null
+++ b/style.css
@@ -0,0 +1,97 @@
+/* Matches reground.org's dark theme tokens, read from
+   reground-site/assets/css/main.css + extended/custom.css */
+
+@page {
+  size: Letter;
+  margin: 0.75in;
+  background: #1c1917;
+}
+
+html, body {
+  background: #1c1917;
+  color: #f0ebe3;
+  font-family: "Open Sans", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;
+  line-height: 1.6;
+  margin: 0;
+}
+
+h1, h2, h3 {
+  font-family: "Roboto", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;
+  color: #8fa8d1;
+  line-height: 1.25;
+}
+
+a {
+  color: #8fa8d1;
+}
+
+/* Cover block, generated by template.html from the document title/author */
+.cover {
+  background: #4a6fa5;
+  color: #f0ebe3;
+  margin: -0.75in -0.75in 0;
+  padding: 2in 0.75in 1in;
+  page-break-after: always;
+}
+
+.cover-title {
+  color: #ffffff;
+  font-size: 2.4rem;
+  margin: 0 0 1rem;
+}
+
+.cover-byline {
+  color: #f0ebe3;
+  opacity: 0.9;
+  font-size: 1.1rem;
+}
+
+.cover .author-photo {
+  width: 90px;
+  border-radius: 50%;
+  margin: 1.5rem 0 0;
+}
+
+/* One Step per page, like the original PDF */
+h2 {
+  page-break-before: always;
+  font-size: 1.5rem;
+}
+
+h2:first-of-type {
+  page-break-before: avoid;
+}
+
+img {
+  max-width: 100%;
+  border-radius: 0.5rem;
+  display: block;
+  margin: 1.5rem 0;
+}
+
+.closing {
+  page-break-before: always;
+  text-align: center;
+}
+
+.closing .author-photo {
+  width: 100px;
+  border-radius: 50%;
+  margin: 0 auto 1rem;
+}
+
+.closing p {
+  margin: 0.5rem 0;
+}
+
+/* CTA link styled as a button, matching the site's .btn */
+.cta-button {
+  display: inline-block;
+  margin-top: 1.5rem;
+  padding: 0.75rem 1.5rem;
+  border-radius: 0.5rem;
+  background: #2dd4c4;
+  color: #0f1115;
+  font-weight: 600;
+  text-decoration: none;
+}
diff --git a/template.html b/template.html
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4bba82c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/template.html
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+<!DOCTYPE html>
+<html lang="en">
+<head>
+<meta charset="utf-8">
+<title>$title$</title>
+<link rel="stylesheet" href="style.css">
+</head>
+<body>
+<div class="cover">
+<h1 class="cover-title">$title$</h1>
+$if(author)$<p class="cover-byline">By: $author$ — ReGround</p>$endif$
+<img class="author-photo" src="images/author-photo.jpg" alt="">
+</div>
+$body$
+</body>
+</html>
diff --git a/template.md b/template.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fbf050b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/template.md
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+---
+title: How To Get Your Stories In Front Of The Readers Who Need Them
+author: Will Estes
+---
+
+## Step 1: Find a review by a reader who deeply connected with your story.
+
+You're looking for reviews that go beyond "great book!" — the ones where a
+reader took time to describe what the story did to them. They might be on
+book-focused sites, blogs, or social media posts. These are the readers who
+got it. They're the seed of everything that follows.
+
+![](images/step-1-review.jpg)
+
+## Step 2: Comment on their review with heartfelt thanks.
+
+Reply publicly to the review — as a comment, a post, or an email to your
+list. Be as specific as they were. Be as warm as they were. You're not just
+thanking one reader. You're showing every future reader what it looks like
+when someone gets your work and you notice.
+
+![](images/step-2-thankyou.jpg)
+
+## Step 3: Share what they connected with in your story.
+
+Share what the reader actually connected with in your story publicly to
+your audience: on social media, your email list, wherever your readers are.
+You're not just responding to one person. You're becoming a beacon: showing
+other readers like them that your stories are out there and that someone
+who needed your stories already found them.
+
+![](images/step-3-computer.jpg)
+
+::: {.closing}
+![](images/author-photo.jpg){.author-photo}
+
+By: Will Estes — ReGround
+
+**Are you wondering how to get your stories in front of readers who need them?**
+
+Let's talk one on one and find out if this is the right fit for you. I'll
+look at your specific situation. We'll map out how you keep writing and get
+your stories to reach the readers who need them.
+
+[Get a Free Strategy Session](http://reground.org){.cta-button}
+:::