Hi Friends,
I'm posting a little early this week because I promised you the second half of that If Tomorrow Never Comes Interview. So here it is!
Q: What are some of the challenges you face as an author?
A: My biggest challenge is finding the time and energy to focus on writing the story God has for me to write. With five small children, a business to run, church ministries and other responsibilities, getting that quiet, focused time is a challenge.
And then, of course, there’s the doubt. Every time I start a new book, I find myself muttering “What was I thinking?!!? I can’t write this book! Why did I ever think I could do this?” By the end, though, I see God working and how He’s been faithful in the writing of the story He’s given me to write. So, right now I’m in the early stages of a new book, and of course all those doubts are raging. So, I have to remind myself that this always happens. I just need to push through, do my best, and the story will come.
For both challenges, my best solution is to remember that God knows my situation and will give me what I need to do what He wants me to do. He’s not asking me to work miracles, just to be faithful – just to do my best every day to follow Him and be who He wants me to be. The rest will come.
Q: What aspects of being a writer do you enjoy the most?
A: What I love best about writing novels is partnering with God in the creative process. Sometimes it feels like I’m listening in on his musings. And I’m finding that there’s a moment in every book when I see something, when I write something, that I did not plan, did not expect, and didn’t realize the story had been leading up to. That’s when I feel the touch of God, I sense His pleasure, and it’s like getting a glimpse of heaven. I love those moments . . . those flashes when I know that this is what God has been doing, and the story impacts my heart and life in some new and wondrous way.
Of course, don’t ask me about those other times – when I’m staring at the blank screen, the clock is ticking, and I can’t think of a single thing to write that doesn’t sound like the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard. There are plenty of those times too.
But I gotta say, those moments when I glimpse God’s vision for a story are worth all the others when I don’t.
(P.S. My second favorite thing is hearing from readers who say a book opened their eyes to the wonder of God, or helped them see Him more clearly, or made a difference in their lives in some way. I love that too!)
Q: What clubs or organizations are you involved with helping with your writing?
A: I’m a part of ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers), and also ChiLibris (a group of multi-published Christian fiction authors).
Q: What do you do to keep your writing fresh and improve on it each time you write a book?
A: I like to try something new and challenging in each book. In my last novel, Beyond the Night, I tried a type of “envelope” story – a story that’s grounded in the present, but also tells the couple’s love story from years before. It was fun, fresh, and challenging to weave the stories together in a smooth and intriguing way.
In If Tomorrow Never Comes, I use some of that technique to share Jimmy and Kinna’s story of falling in love as children, but I’ve also included short first-person scenes from Thea’s point of view. Weaving in mystery and humor in Thea’s voice was a lot of fun, but also a challenge to do smoothly and in a way that would enrich the story and not be jarring. I like how it turned out!
In my next novel, Shades of Morning, I’m trying short scenes told from the perspective of a boy with Downs Syndrome. As with my previous books, this new element is turning out to be challenging, but my favorite part as well. I hope my readers will enjoy it as much as I am!
Q: Are there any other new projects on the horizon?
A: Yes! My third “love story with a twist,” currently titled Shades of Morning, is due out in early 2010. I’m in the midst of writing it now and am enjoying the characters and plot. For those who read If Tomorrow Never Comes, watch for Marnie, the quirky owner of the coffeeshop and bookstore, who will be the main character in Shades of Morning.
Marnie has her life just where she wants it. At least that’s what she tells herself – her past is hidden, her regrets locked tightly in a box on her shelf, and her bookstore and coffeeshop business is booming. No one knows what she’s done, who she’s been. That is, until the man she once loved finds her again and brings startling news – she’s now the guardian of her 15-year-old nephew, a boy she never knew existed. And to make matters worse, when the boy arrives, she discovers he has Downs Syndrome. The past collides with the present, the box of regrets is exposed, and Marnie’s world shattered and rebuilt through the love of one special boy who makes all things new.
Q: Who was the person who influenced you the most with your writing?
A: My husband, Bryan, has been wonderful with support and encouragement. He’s my first reader for everything I write, helps me develop ideas, watches the kids regularly to give me writing time, and continues to believe that God has asked me to do this writing thing, even when everything doesn’t go as I hope.
Other than that, Ken Petersen (who used to be at Tyndale and is now at Waterbrook-Multnomah) was the first editor to believe in me and my work. My agent, Steve Laube, has been a great source of encouragement and support as well.
And then, of course, there are my writing friends, like Tricia Goyer and Cindy Martinusen, who have been with me (and me with them) through the long process of trying to get published, hoping, dreaming, etc. Back before any of us were published, we used to read each other’s manuscripts and give encouragement, critique, and advice.
Q: What message would you like your readers to take away from If Tomorrow Never Comes?
A: Our culture tells us that we can do anything we set our minds to, we can accomplish any dream . . . and we should. “Reach for your dreams,” we say, as if that is the highest goal of humankind. Success posters (and platitudes) abound.
But 15 years of infertility and miscarriage have taught me that we are not the gods of our lives. There are things we cannot control, no matter how hard we try.
Perhaps that is why God calls us not to the pursuit of our dreams, but to love. “Love one another,” Jesus exhorts in John 13:34-35, and also gives, as the second greatest commandment, the exhortation to “love your neighbor as yourself.” (Lev. 19:18, and all 3 Synoptics)
So, in our Grasp-Your-Dreams culture, I hope this book will stand against the tide, calling people instead to the way of love – to the way of laying down their lives for others instead of clutching their own dreams and plans.
I hope readers will be inspired to fight for their marriages with sacrificial love, and will be challenged to look to the future for the rewards of loving sacrificially, and to the past to remember the seeds of real love.
Q: What is your greatest achievement?
A: Well, I thought about my degree in Chemistry and my Masters in Theology (which I finished not too long ago). I thought about books published, articles written, ministries I’ve been involved in. But what I find I’m really most happy about is finding a wonderful, godly husband and, finally (after all those years of infertility), having four sweet little girls and a little boy on the way (surprise! And at my age – our only non-infertility treatment baby). For most people, I don’t suppose getting pregnant and having a baby is an accomplishment, but for me, with difficult infertility treatments and multiple trips to the doctor’s office for unpleasant procedures, it’s something close to a miracle. So, are children an achievement? Not really, so I’ve cheated a bit on this question, but when I think of my life and what it’s about, I think of my husband and kids and find I’m so glad for them and thankful (at least on most days :-)).
Q: What is your goal or mission as a writer?
A: I hope to make God’s love in the midst of trials and tragedies evident and unmistakable. I dream of opening readers’ eyes to the wonder and mystery of our incredible, vivid God. And I hope the vision of Him will take their breath away.
Q: What do you do to get away from it all?
A: Ha! What a question! With four expressive little girls (from those few infertility treatment successes!), and a new baby (surprise!) life around here is VERY noisy, very busy, and very crazy! But I’m finding that God is available in the crazy times as well as the quiet ones. He knows my circumstances, and he can meet me here, in the ins-and-outs of everyday life. So, I’m learning to connect with Him not only in set-aside times of Bible study, prayer, and reflection, but also through the happenings of life. One of my little girls falls down, gets an owie, and comes running to Mommy to kiss it and make it better. And I am reminded that when I fall down, I too can come running to God to heal and comfort me. So, I am discovering that God wants to connect with me not only in special set-aside times, but in all times – crazy times and quiet times, confusing times and clear times, play times and do-another-load-of-laundry times.
Still, there are times when I really need to get away, and the best place for me to do that is a quick trip to Starbucks with my laptop. A decaf venti white mocha (nonfat milk, no whip), a little table against the wall, maybe an apple fritter (don’t count the calories!) every so often . . . Ah, heaven!
Monday, March 30, 2009
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Ready-Made Family by Cheryl Wyatt
Hi Friends,I've got a new Love Inspired romance to tell you about today. Here's the scoop on it:
BOOK INFO:
Ready-Made Family
April 2009-Steeple Hill Love Inspired--IN STORES NOW!
(Received 4.5 Stars from Romantic Times)
Wings of Refuge Series
Back cover blurb:
A PLACE TO CALL HOME
Amelia North needs refuge, and finds it--in Refuge, Illinois. Stranded there after a car wreck, the single mother expects to be cold-shouldered. After all, she’s already been rejected by her parents, her church and her daughter’s father. Instead, she finds a town full of people with open hands and hearts…including pararescue jumper Ben Dillinger.
Ben wants to help Amelia and her daughter find safety and stability. Instead, he finds himself freefalling—right into love with the ready-made family.
--------
AUTHOR INFO/BIO:
Cheryl Wyatt’s closest friends would never dream the mayhem she plots during announcements at church. An RN-turned-SAHM, joyful chaos rules her home, and she delights in the stealth moments God gives her to write. She’s convinced that having been born on a Naval base on Valentine’s Day destined her to write military romance. She stays active in her church and in her laundry room. Her debut novels (Books 1 and 2-Wings of Refuge Series-Steeple Hill) received Romantic Times Top Picks. In addition, her debut books received the honor of coming in at #1 and #4 on eHarlequins's Top Ten Most-Blogged-About-Books, lists which included several NYT Bestselling authors. Cheryl is currently serving as Vice President of American Christian Fiction Writers. www.acfw.com
To receive her quarterly newsletter for updates on new releases and contests with GREAT prizes (think: free books, CDs, iPods, and a Kindle!), visit her Web site at www.cherylwyatt.com and sign up in the space provided. Cheryl respects your privacy and will not share your e-mail address with a third party.
Her current contest:
KINDLE CONTEST—NO FOOLIN!
Starting April Fool’s day 2009 I’ll be running a Kindle contest. Only my newsletter subscribers will be eligible for entry. To receive those quarterly newsletters as well as more information on the Kindle contest, visit www.cherylwyatt.com and sign up in the newsletter space provided. This is a double-opt-in feature and you will receive an e-mail prompting you to confirm that you wish to receive the newsletter. I respect your privacy and will not share your e-mail address with a third party. Winner will be announced on Independence Day 2009 on my newsletter and blog.
AUTHOR CONTACT INFO:
E-mail: cheryl@cherylwyatt.com
Web site: http://www.CherylWyatt.com
Cheryl’s Blog: http://www.scrollsquirrel.blogspot.com
Blogs Cheryl participates in:
http://www.loveinspiredauthors.blogspot.com/
http://www.seekerville.blogspot.com
http://www.craftieladiesofromance.blogspot.com/
Places Cheryl hangs out online:
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/profile.php?id=699316888&ref=profile
http://twitter.com/cherylwyatt
http://www.myspace.com/scrollsquirrel
http://www.shoutlife.com/authorcherylwyatt
Though Ready-Made Family is part of Cheryl’s Wings of Refuge Series, each story stands alone.
A Soldier’s Promise and A Soldier’s Family are still available at most online booksellers.
Look for Cheryl’s upcoming Wings of Refuge books:
A Soldiers Reunion-June 2009
Soldier Daddy-October 2009
A Soldier’s Devotion-January 2010
Home Sweet Hero (tentative title)-Spring 2010
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
News & If Tomorrow Never Comes Interview
Hi Friends,
First, the latest news:
1) As you've probably heard, Beyond the Night was nominated for a Christy Award - Yay!
2) It was also just named a finalist in the Colorado RWA's Award of Excellence contest.
3) Watch for my article on infertility in next months Focus on the Family magazine.
4) Looks like I'm going to be a guest on The Harvest Show, probably in May. Pray for me!
Next, a few requests:
1) If you're in your local bookstore, see if they've gotten in If Tomorrow Never Comes and let me know. I'd LOVE to hear which stores have gotten it in.
2) If you've read it, please consider posting comments on Amazon for it, and on CBD. There are convenient links to the books page on the Fiction page of my website (see links on the top of my blog to get to the Fiction page.)
3) If you'd like to give away some bookmarks for me, just send me your address and let me know how many you'd like. Multnomah made up beautiful bookmarks for me, so I'd like to get them into the hands of readers either directly or by having friends drop off a stack at their local bookstore. Let me know if you'd like to help!
Last, in honor of the BIG RELEASE of If Tomorrow Never Comes, here's part of an interview I did for it recently (the second half of the interview, I'll post next week):
Marlo Schalesky
If Tomorrow Never Comes
Q: How did you come up with the concept for If Tomorrow Never Comes?
A: If Tomorrow Never Comes began with a single image that popped powerfully into my mind – an old man, walking along a foggy beach at dawn, bending to pick up an old locket from the sand. The rest of the story grew from there. The funny thing is, when you read the book, you’ll find that Kinna finds the locket, not an old man. But originally the image of the locket in the sand was so intriguing to me that I kept thinking about it until a story began to develop.
Q: How closely is If Tomorrow Never Comes based on your personal experience?
A: In If Tomorrow Never Comes, the main characters are struggling with the fall-out from infertility. I’ve spent most of my adult life – 15 years – dealing with infertility and miscarriage. I’ve had some successes along the way, and whole lot of failure, disappointment and pain.
So, as far as plot-line goes - what happens to the characters and how they’re changed and challenged through the book - that is uniquely Kinna & Jimmy’s story. But the emotions, the fears, the questions they face are things I drew from my own experience.
The longing for a baby that seems like it will never be fulfilled. I’ve been there. Month after month of trying and failing. Turning into year after year. I’ve been there. Frustration. Doubt. Wondering how God could possibly love me in the midst of this. Been there. Having to pry my white-knuckled fingers off my own hopes and dreams. Been there. Choosing to love anyway. Choosing to believe anyway. Choosing to trust God anyway. Been there.
It seems that just about every deep and meaningful thing I’ve learned about God, I can point to my journey through infertility and say, “Yeah, infertility taught me that.” It taught me that I’m not the god of my life. God is. It taught me there are things I cannot control, cannot achieve, no matter how hard I try. And sometimes we must choose to live the life God has given us, with love and hope, even when it’s not the life we dreamed.
Because infertility taught me that God calls us not to the pursuit of our dreams, but to love. “Love one another,” Jesus says. “Love your neighbor as yourself.” God taught me that through the journey of my own infertility. My hope is that If Tomorrow Never Comes will reveal the same truths to others as well.
Q: How long did If Tomorrow Never Comes take you to complete?
A: About a year. I went through four rounds of infertility treatments, and four subsequent miscarriages (ugh!) while writing If Tomorrow Never Comes, so it took me longer to write than is usual for me.
Q: What is the symbolism for the title If Tomorrow Never Comes?
A: The idea behind the title is that the choices and decisions we make today dramatically impact our future, our “tomorrows,” and not only ours but the tomorrows of others as well. Choosing to love, choosing to do right despite pain, disappointment, and sorrow, allows tomorrow to come. But choices made out of desperation, fear, and clinging to our own desires can cut off the future God wants for us.
We don’t know, we can’t see, what tomorrow holds. So all we can do is do what’s right now, love now, trust now. Because God sees the whole of our lives and weaves all things together, even those hard and painful things, in a way that will make a beautiful masterpiece in the Kingdom of God.
So, really, the title means that if we choose love today, if we choose sacrificial love, God will hold our tomorrows in His hand. That’s what’s at the heart of If Tomorrow Never Comes . . .the choice to love, the choice to believe, the choice to let go of our dreams in order to embrace His. To do it today, for the sake of all our tomorrows.
Q: Do you have a favorite character in If Tomorrow Never Comes? Why?
A: My favorite is Thea (her name is short for Alethia, the Greek word for Truth), who is the old woman whom Kinna rescues from drowning in chapter one. Throughout the story, all the reader knows is that Thea is there for a reason – she has a purpose in Kinna & Jimmy’s lives. With wry humor and odd confrontations, she steers Jimmy & Kinna toward reconciliation and one another. She helps them to remember their past love story.
What I like best about her is her humor mixed with mystery. She’s just fun. J She thinks she’s in a dream, and doesn’t want to become some crazy old lady with a houseful of cats. But despite her doubts, she chooses to care about Jimmy and Kinna and help them, no matter what. She chooses right, and as it turns out, that makes all the difference, for them, and for her too.
Q: How much research did the If Tomorrow Never Comes take?
A: If Tomorrow Never Comes required less research than all my previous books, mostly because I’ve lived the main issues for so long. I’ve even published a previous nonfiction book on the subject of infertility, so most of my research occurred in the smaller issues of the book, like construction equipment, nurse’s schedules, blood types, and Pacific Grove beaches (yay!).
Q: How did you choose the story line?
A: Well, the story line I chose isn’t the one you’ll read in the book. The story line you’ll read is the one the characters insisted on. Mostly it was Kinna’s fault – she simply wouldn’t do what I’d outlined for her to do! In fact, I rewrote the first third of the book a dozen times trying to convince her to act the way I wanted. But she wouldn’t cooperate. Just like in the story, she had her own plans! So finally I gave up and allowed the story to change and flow as the characters dictated. Needless to say, that worked out a lot better. So, I invite the reader to experience the story of If Tomorrow Never Comes much as I experienced it – page by page, scene by scene, being surprised and delighted by each turn of events.
Q: What was the most interesting fact that you learned while writing If Tomorrow Never Comes?
A: I needed to research rare blood types for If Tomorrow Never Comes. I was surprised to find out that there are other types besides the regular A, B, and O combinations. There are even blood types that are particular to certain small tribes and races. For this story, the blood type “Lan Negative” fit the needs of the story. Before writing this story, I didn’t even know Lan Negative existed.
First, the latest news:
1) As you've probably heard, Beyond the Night was nominated for a Christy Award - Yay!
2) It was also just named a finalist in the Colorado RWA's Award of Excellence contest.
3) Watch for my article on infertility in next months Focus on the Family magazine.
4) Looks like I'm going to be a guest on The Harvest Show, probably in May. Pray for me!
Next, a few requests:
1) If you're in your local bookstore, see if they've gotten in If Tomorrow Never Comes and let me know. I'd LOVE to hear which stores have gotten it in.
2) If you've read it, please consider posting comments on Amazon for it, and on CBD. There are convenient links to the books page on the Fiction page of my website (see links on the top of my blog to get to the Fiction page.)
3) If you'd like to give away some bookmarks for me, just send me your address and let me know how many you'd like. Multnomah made up beautiful bookmarks for me, so I'd like to get them into the hands of readers either directly or by having friends drop off a stack at their local bookstore. Let me know if you'd like to help!
Last, in honor of the BIG RELEASE of If Tomorrow Never Comes, here's part of an interview I did for it recently (the second half of the interview, I'll post next week):
Marlo Schalesky
If Tomorrow Never Comes
Q: How did you come up with the concept for If Tomorrow Never Comes?
A: If Tomorrow Never Comes began with a single image that popped powerfully into my mind – an old man, walking along a foggy beach at dawn, bending to pick up an old locket from the sand. The rest of the story grew from there. The funny thing is, when you read the book, you’ll find that Kinna finds the locket, not an old man. But originally the image of the locket in the sand was so intriguing to me that I kept thinking about it until a story began to develop.
Q: How closely is If Tomorrow Never Comes based on your personal experience?
A: In If Tomorrow Never Comes, the main characters are struggling with the fall-out from infertility. I’ve spent most of my adult life – 15 years – dealing with infertility and miscarriage. I’ve had some successes along the way, and whole lot of failure, disappointment and pain.
So, as far as plot-line goes - what happens to the characters and how they’re changed and challenged through the book - that is uniquely Kinna & Jimmy’s story. But the emotions, the fears, the questions they face are things I drew from my own experience.
The longing for a baby that seems like it will never be fulfilled. I’ve been there. Month after month of trying and failing. Turning into year after year. I’ve been there. Frustration. Doubt. Wondering how God could possibly love me in the midst of this. Been there. Having to pry my white-knuckled fingers off my own hopes and dreams. Been there. Choosing to love anyway. Choosing to believe anyway. Choosing to trust God anyway. Been there.
It seems that just about every deep and meaningful thing I’ve learned about God, I can point to my journey through infertility and say, “Yeah, infertility taught me that.” It taught me that I’m not the god of my life. God is. It taught me there are things I cannot control, cannot achieve, no matter how hard I try. And sometimes we must choose to live the life God has given us, with love and hope, even when it’s not the life we dreamed.
Because infertility taught me that God calls us not to the pursuit of our dreams, but to love. “Love one another,” Jesus says. “Love your neighbor as yourself.” God taught me that through the journey of my own infertility. My hope is that If Tomorrow Never Comes will reveal the same truths to others as well.
Q: How long did If Tomorrow Never Comes take you to complete?
A: About a year. I went through four rounds of infertility treatments, and four subsequent miscarriages (ugh!) while writing If Tomorrow Never Comes, so it took me longer to write than is usual for me.
Q: What is the symbolism for the title If Tomorrow Never Comes?
A: The idea behind the title is that the choices and decisions we make today dramatically impact our future, our “tomorrows,” and not only ours but the tomorrows of others as well. Choosing to love, choosing to do right despite pain, disappointment, and sorrow, allows tomorrow to come. But choices made out of desperation, fear, and clinging to our own desires can cut off the future God wants for us.
We don’t know, we can’t see, what tomorrow holds. So all we can do is do what’s right now, love now, trust now. Because God sees the whole of our lives and weaves all things together, even those hard and painful things, in a way that will make a beautiful masterpiece in the Kingdom of God.
So, really, the title means that if we choose love today, if we choose sacrificial love, God will hold our tomorrows in His hand. That’s what’s at the heart of If Tomorrow Never Comes . . .the choice to love, the choice to believe, the choice to let go of our dreams in order to embrace His. To do it today, for the sake of all our tomorrows.
Q: Do you have a favorite character in If Tomorrow Never Comes? Why?
A: My favorite is Thea (her name is short for Alethia, the Greek word for Truth), who is the old woman whom Kinna rescues from drowning in chapter one. Throughout the story, all the reader knows is that Thea is there for a reason – she has a purpose in Kinna & Jimmy’s lives. With wry humor and odd confrontations, she steers Jimmy & Kinna toward reconciliation and one another. She helps them to remember their past love story.
What I like best about her is her humor mixed with mystery. She’s just fun. J She thinks she’s in a dream, and doesn’t want to become some crazy old lady with a houseful of cats. But despite her doubts, she chooses to care about Jimmy and Kinna and help them, no matter what. She chooses right, and as it turns out, that makes all the difference, for them, and for her too.
Q: How much research did the If Tomorrow Never Comes take?
A: If Tomorrow Never Comes required less research than all my previous books, mostly because I’ve lived the main issues for so long. I’ve even published a previous nonfiction book on the subject of infertility, so most of my research occurred in the smaller issues of the book, like construction equipment, nurse’s schedules, blood types, and Pacific Grove beaches (yay!).
Q: How did you choose the story line?
A: Well, the story line I chose isn’t the one you’ll read in the book. The story line you’ll read is the one the characters insisted on. Mostly it was Kinna’s fault – she simply wouldn’t do what I’d outlined for her to do! In fact, I rewrote the first third of the book a dozen times trying to convince her to act the way I wanted. But she wouldn’t cooperate. Just like in the story, she had her own plans! So finally I gave up and allowed the story to change and flow as the characters dictated. Needless to say, that worked out a lot better. So, I invite the reader to experience the story of If Tomorrow Never Comes much as I experienced it – page by page, scene by scene, being surprised and delighted by each turn of events.
Q: What was the most interesting fact that you learned while writing If Tomorrow Never Comes?
A: I needed to research rare blood types for If Tomorrow Never Comes. I was surprised to find out that there are other types besides the regular A, B, and O combinations. There are even blood types that are particular to certain small tribes and races. For this story, the blood type “Lan Negative” fit the needs of the story. Before writing this story, I didn’t even know Lan Negative existed.
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Christy Awards!
Hi Friends,The Christy Award nominees were just announced and guess what - BEYOND THE NIGHT is one of the finalists! Cool, huh? (For those of you who have no idea what the Christy's are, think 'Academy Awards of Christian Fiction'.)
Anyway, below is the full list. A number of my good friends had books nominated too, and you'll notice a number of titles from books I've showcased here on my blog in the last year too. Winners in each category will be announced at the big International Christian Retailing Show convention in July.
Here ya go:
The 2009 Christy Awards nominees are:
CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE
Beyond the Night by Marlo Schalesky • WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group
Finding Stefanie by Susan May Warren • Tyndale House Publishers
Zora and Nicky: A Novel in Black and White by Claudia Mair Burney • David C. Cook
CONTEMPORARY SERIES, SEQUELS, AND NOVELLAS
Sisterchicks Go Brit! by Robin Jones Gunn • WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group
Summer Snow by Nicole Baart • Tyndale House Publishers
You Had Me at Good-bye by Tracey Bateman • FaithWords
CONTEMPORARY STANDALONE
Dogwood by Chris Fabry • Tyndale House Publishers
Embrace Me by Lisa Samson • Thomas Nelson
Tuesday Night at the Blue Moon by Debbie Fuller Thomas • Moody Publishers
FIRST NOVEL
Blue Hole Back Home by Joy Jordan-Lake • David C. Cook
Rain Song by Alice J. Wisler • Bethany House Publishers
Safe at Home by Richard Doster • David C. Cook
HISTORICAL
Shadow of Colossus by T.L. Higley • B&H Publishing Group
Until We Reach Home by Lynn Austin • Bethany House Publishers
Washington’s Lady by Nancy Moser • Bethany House Publishers
HISTORICAL ROMANCE
Calico Canyon by Mary Connealy • Barbour Publishers
From a Distance by Tamera Alexander • Bethany House Publishers
The Moon in the Mango Tree by Pamela Binnings Ewen • B&H Publishing Group
SUSPENSE
By Reason of Insanity by Randy Singer • Tyndale House Publishers
The Rook by Steven James • Revell
Winter Haven by Athol Dickson • Bethany House Publishers
VISIONARY
The Battle for Vast Dominion by George Bryan Polivka • Harvest House Publishers
Shade by John B. Olson • B&H Publishing Group
Vanish by Tom Pawlik • Tyndale House Publishers
YOUNG ADULT
The Fruit of My Lipstick by Shelley Adina • FaithWords
I Have Seen Him in the Watchfires by Cathy Gohlke • Moody Publishers
On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness by Andrew Peterson • WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group
CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE
Beyond the Night by Marlo Schalesky • WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group
Finding Stefanie by Susan May Warren • Tyndale House Publishers
Zora and Nicky: A Novel in Black and White by Claudia Mair Burney • David C. Cook
CONTEMPORARY SERIES, SEQUELS, AND NOVELLAS
Sisterchicks Go Brit! by Robin Jones Gunn • WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group
Summer Snow by Nicole Baart • Tyndale House Publishers
You Had Me at Good-bye by Tracey Bateman • FaithWords
CONTEMPORARY STANDALONE
Dogwood by Chris Fabry • Tyndale House Publishers
Embrace Me by Lisa Samson • Thomas Nelson
Tuesday Night at the Blue Moon by Debbie Fuller Thomas • Moody Publishers
FIRST NOVEL
Blue Hole Back Home by Joy Jordan-Lake • David C. Cook
Rain Song by Alice J. Wisler • Bethany House Publishers
Safe at Home by Richard Doster • David C. Cook
HISTORICAL
Shadow of Colossus by T.L. Higley • B&H Publishing Group
Until We Reach Home by Lynn Austin • Bethany House Publishers
Washington’s Lady by Nancy Moser • Bethany House Publishers
HISTORICAL ROMANCE
Calico Canyon by Mary Connealy • Barbour Publishers
From a Distance by Tamera Alexander • Bethany House Publishers
The Moon in the Mango Tree by Pamela Binnings Ewen • B&H Publishing Group
SUSPENSE
By Reason of Insanity by Randy Singer • Tyndale House Publishers
The Rook by Steven James • Revell
Winter Haven by Athol Dickson • Bethany House Publishers
VISIONARY
The Battle for Vast Dominion by George Bryan Polivka • Harvest House Publishers
Shade by John B. Olson • B&H Publishing Group
Vanish by Tom Pawlik • Tyndale House Publishers
YOUNG ADULT
The Fruit of My Lipstick by Shelley Adina • FaithWords
I Have Seen Him in the Watchfires by Cathy Gohlke • Moody Publishers
On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness by Andrew Peterson • WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
If Tomorrow Never Comes -- RELEASE
Hi Friends,Whoo Hoo - today's the day! If Tomorrow Never Comes hits the shelves. So, if you're at your local bookstore, see if you can find it and let me know! I'd love to hear if it's available at your local store. And of course, you can always order online.
Plus, if you want bookmarks or postcards to give away or use yourself, just let me know and I'll send some to you.
And now, as promised, here's a little taste of the book, from its opener, along with online ordering info at the end:
IF TOMORROW NEVER COMES
By Marlo Schalesky
They say you should reach for your dreams.
This time, they’re wrong…
Childhood sweethearts Kinna and Jimmy Henley had simple dreams—marriage, children, a house by the sea…everything they needed for happily ever after. What they didn’t plan on was years of infertility, stealing those dreams, crushing their hopes. Now, all that’s left is the memory of young love, and the desperate need for a child to erase the pain. Until…
Kinna rescues an elderly woman from the sea, and the threads of the past, present, and future weave together to reveal the wonder of one final hope. One final chance to follow not their dreams, but God’s. Can they embrace the redemptive power of love before it’s too late? Or will their love be washed away like the castles they once built upon the sand? The past whispers to the present. And the future shivers. What if tomorrow never comes?
Excerpt:
Only the fog is real. Only the sand. Only the crashing of the sea upon the restless shore. The rest is a dream. It has to be. I say it again and again until I believe it, because I cannot be here. Not now. Not with mist dusting my eyelashes, sand tickling my toes, salt bitter on my lips. Not when the whole world has narrowed to a strip of beach, a puff of fog, and a single gull crying in an invisible sky.
By Marlo Schalesky
They say you should reach for your dreams.
This time, they’re wrong…
Childhood sweethearts Kinna and Jimmy Henley had simple dreams—marriage, children, a house by the sea…everything they needed for happily ever after. What they didn’t plan on was years of infertility, stealing those dreams, crushing their hopes. Now, all that’s left is the memory of young love, and the desperate need for a child to erase the pain. Until…
Kinna rescues an elderly woman from the sea, and the threads of the past, present, and future weave together to reveal the wonder of one final hope. One final chance to follow not their dreams, but God’s. Can they embrace the redemptive power of love before it’s too late? Or will their love be washed away like the castles they once built upon the sand? The past whispers to the present. And the future shivers. What if tomorrow never comes?
Excerpt:
Only the fog is real. Only the sand. Only the crashing of the sea upon the restless shore. The rest is a dream. It has to be. I say it again and again until I believe it, because I cannot be here. Not now. Not with mist dusting my eyelashes, sand tickling my toes, salt bitter on my lips. Not when the whole world has narrowed to a strip of beach, a puff of fog, and a single gull crying in an invisible sky.
This is crazy. Impossible. And I’m too old for crazy. I won’t be some loony old woman with a house full of cats. I refuse to be.
Besides, I prefer dogs.
I touch my neck, and my breath stops. The chain is gone. My locket.
My mother’s voice teases me. “Not impossible, hon. Improbable. Because with God all things are possible.” Her words, spoken in that ancient, quavering tone, hide a laugh turned wheezy with age. I hear her again. “Someday you’ll lose that locket, Thea Jean. You just wait.” Her grin turns the sides of her eyes into folds of old parchment. “And that’s when the adventure will really begin.”
But I don’t want any adventure. All I want is a comfortable chair, a good book, the sounds of my grandchildren playing tag under the California sun, and my Boxer at my feet.
I want to go home.
I glance out over the ripples of Monterey Bay. White-capped waves. Dark water. And then I know. That’s what I need to wake me up, get me home. I need a cold slap in the face. Something to shake me from this crazy-old-cat-lady delusion.
I stride forward until the surf kisses my feet, the waves swirl around my ankles, knees, waist, arms. Cold. Icy. Welcome.
The water engulfs me. And suddenly it doesn’t feel like a dream.
* * *
Fog closed in around Kinna Henley as she fell to her knees and pawed in the sand. The grains bit into her hands, filling her fingernails like black soot. And still she dug. Deep into the oozing wetness. Deep enough to bury her sin. Or at least the evidence of it.
No, not sin. She wouldn’t call it that. Desperation, maybe. Determination. But not sin. God wouldn’t bless that, and He had to bless today. He just had to. She was betting everything on it.
Kinna glanced over her shoulder. Somewhere, a gull cried. Once. Only once. Somewhere, water broke along rocks and sand. Somewhere, the sun rose over the horizon.
But not here.
Here, there was nothing but the fog, and the shore, and the sand beneath her fingers. Alone.
Barren.
She hated that word.
With a deep breath, Kinna reached into the pocket of her nurse’s smock and pulled out six empty prescription vials that didn’t bear her name. She held them in her palm. Minute bits of liquid shimmered in the bottoms, reflecting only gray, all that was left of the medication that held her hope, flowed through her veins, and ended in her ovaries. Expensive medication she couldn’t afford on her own. But she needed it. She’d tried too long, prayed too long, believed too long…for nothing.
This medication, this Perganol, would change all that. It had to. She closed her fist.
What’s done is done. I had to take it, God. Don’t You see? I had to.
She turned her hand over, opened it, and dropped the vials into the hole. Then she covered them and pushed a fat, heavy rock over the top. Gone. Buried.
She wouldn’t think of how those vials had been accidentally sent to the hospital. Of how they were supposed to be returned. Of how she said they had been. Or how she slipped them into the pocket of her smock instead. She’d told herself it didn’t matter, no one would know, no one would care, no one would be hurt. She made herself believe this was the only way. And it was. Nothing else had worked. Not charting her temperature, not a million tests, not herbal remedies, not two failed attempts at adoption. Not even prayer.
A dozen long years of it all had taught her that. God promised happily ever after, but so far, all she’d gotten was month after month of disappointment, pain, and the fear that nothing may ever change.
But now, change would come. The medication was gone, the vials hidden, her ovaries full to bursting.
Finally.
A sound came. A shout, maybe. Kinna leapt up and turned, but no one was there. No one walking down the beach. No one swimming in the surf. No one making sandcastles along the shore.
She wouldn’t think of that. She would not remember the first time she had knelt in this sand, dug in it, made castles at the edge of the water. She wouldn’t remember the boy who made her believe fairy tales could come true. Or what happened between them after that.
That was gone. Past. All that remained was the promise that had flowed out of those stolen vials and into her blood. That was all that mattered.
Today, everything would change.
For more information, including an audio interview with Marlo about IF TOMORROW NEVER COMES and helps for the infertility journey, visit http://www.marloschalesky.com/
If Tomorrow Never Comes is available for purchase at:
Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1601420242?ie=UTF8&tag=marloschalesh-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1601420242
Christian Book Distributors: http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?event=AFF&p=1136938&item_no=420244
And fine bookstores everywhere!
Copyright: Marlo Schalesky, 2009
Do Not Reproduce without permission
Monday, March 16, 2009
Breach of Trust by DiAnn Mills
Hi Friends,
Here's the new book I have to tell you about this week. It's BREACH OF TRUST by DiAnn Mills. DiAnn would like to encourage readers to visit her website's homepage where you can view the trailer for Breach of Trust, Book 1 in the Call of Duty series by Tyndale House Publishers. While there, you can sign-up for her monthly e-newsletter so she can stay in-touch with her readers.
Here's a bit about it:
Paige Rogers survived every CIA operative’s worst nightmare.A covert mission gone terribly wrong.A betrayal by the one man she thought she could trust.Forced to disappear to protect the lives of her loved ones, Paige has spent the last several years building a quiet life as a small-town librarian. But the day a stranger comes to town and starts asking questions, Paige knows her careful existence has been shattered.He is coming after her again. And this time, he intends to silence her for good.
Take a look around at the people you see every day. The friendly clerk at the coffee shop. The cheerful woman who teaches Sunday school. The quiet, unassuming librarian. Wouldn’t you be shocked if one of them turned out to be a former CIA operative with a secret too big to keep under wraps?
It could happen.
This edge-of-your-seat thriller is the first book in the new Call of Duty series. In Breach of Trust, Paige Rogers is a former CIA agent who is living incognito as a librarian in the sleepy little town of Split Creek, Oklahoma, after experiencing a life-altering disaster in the line of duty. But the unwelcome past has suddenly turned up to find her, in the form of a ruthless politician who is out to destroy everything Paige holds dear. She knows too much, and he’s desperate to silence her. Can she bring him down before he ruins her life? And most of all, what would the Lord want her to do?
--DiAnn has Chapter 1 of Breach of Trust, Discussion Questions suitable for Book Clubs, Reviews, etc. available on her website http://www.diannmills.com/.
You can purchase your own copy of Breach of Trust at bookstores everywhere including:
www.tyndale.com,
http://www.bn.com,/
http://www.amazon.com/
http://www.christianbook.com/
and at your favorite Christian bookstore.
A direct link to Amazon is http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1414320477
--Author Bio - DiAnn Mills Award-winning author DiAnn Mills launched her career in 1998 with the publication of her first book. Currently she has over forty books in print and has sold over 1.5 million copies.
DiAnn believes her readers should “Expect an Adventure.” Six of her anthologies have appeared on the CBA best seller list. Three of her books were selected by Heartsong Presents as best historical of the year. Five of her books have placed in the American Christian Fiction Writers Book of the Year awards from 2003 to 2007. She also received Inspirational Reader’s Choice awards in 2005 and 2007. She was a Christy Award Finalist 2008.
DiAnn is a founding board member for American Christian Fiction Writers, a member of Inspirational Writers Alive, Romance Writers of America’s Faith, Hope and Love, and Advanced Writers and Speakers Association. DiAnn is also a mentor for the Jerry B. Jenkins Christian Writers Guild. DiAnn’s home is in Houston, Texas.
http://www.diannmills.com/ - Expect an Adventure
Here's the new book I have to tell you about this week. It's BREACH OF TRUST by DiAnn Mills. DiAnn would like to encourage readers to visit her website's homepage where you can view the trailer for Breach of Trust, Book 1 in the Call of Duty series by Tyndale House Publishers. While there, you can sign-up for her monthly e-newsletter so she can stay in-touch with her readers.
Here's a bit about it:
Paige Rogers survived every CIA operative’s worst nightmare.A covert mission gone terribly wrong.A betrayal by the one man she thought she could trust.Forced to disappear to protect the lives of her loved ones, Paige has spent the last several years building a quiet life as a small-town librarian. But the day a stranger comes to town and starts asking questions, Paige knows her careful existence has been shattered.He is coming after her again. And this time, he intends to silence her for good.
Take a look around at the people you see every day. The friendly clerk at the coffee shop. The cheerful woman who teaches Sunday school. The quiet, unassuming librarian. Wouldn’t you be shocked if one of them turned out to be a former CIA operative with a secret too big to keep under wraps?
It could happen.
This edge-of-your-seat thriller is the first book in the new Call of Duty series. In Breach of Trust, Paige Rogers is a former CIA agent who is living incognito as a librarian in the sleepy little town of Split Creek, Oklahoma, after experiencing a life-altering disaster in the line of duty. But the unwelcome past has suddenly turned up to find her, in the form of a ruthless politician who is out to destroy everything Paige holds dear. She knows too much, and he’s desperate to silence her. Can she bring him down before he ruins her life? And most of all, what would the Lord want her to do?
--DiAnn has Chapter 1 of Breach of Trust, Discussion Questions suitable for Book Clubs, Reviews, etc. available on her website http://www.diannmills.com/.
You can purchase your own copy of Breach of Trust at bookstores everywhere including:
www.tyndale.com,
http://www.bn.com,/
http://www.amazon.com/
http://www.christianbook.com/
and at your favorite Christian bookstore.
A direct link to Amazon is http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1414320477
--Author Bio - DiAnn Mills Award-winning author DiAnn Mills launched her career in 1998 with the publication of her first book. Currently she has over forty books in print and has sold over 1.5 million copies.
DiAnn believes her readers should “Expect an Adventure.” Six of her anthologies have appeared on the CBA best seller list. Three of her books were selected by Heartsong Presents as best historical of the year. Five of her books have placed in the American Christian Fiction Writers Book of the Year awards from 2003 to 2007. She also received Inspirational Reader’s Choice awards in 2005 and 2007. She was a Christy Award Finalist 2008.
DiAnn is a founding board member for American Christian Fiction Writers, a member of Inspirational Writers Alive, Romance Writers of America’s Faith, Hope and Love, and Advanced Writers and Speakers Association. DiAnn is also a mentor for the Jerry B. Jenkins Christian Writers Guild. DiAnn’s home is in Houston, Texas.
http://www.diannmills.com/ - Expect an Adventure
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
If Tomorrow Never Comes - Interview
Hi Friends!
My next book, IF TOMORROW NEVER COMES, officially releases next Tuesday, March 17th. So, in honor of it's release, I thought it would be fun to post some interviews that I've done recently about writing, the book, and spiritual things that I've been learning. So, here's a bit from an interview I did recently with fellow writer Dineen Miller:
If Tomorrow Never Comes Book Blurb:
They say you should reach for your dreams.
This time, they’re wrong…
Childhood sweethearts Kinna and Jimmy Henley had simple dreams—marriage, children, a house by the sea…everything they needed for happily ever after. What they didn’t plan on was years of infertility, stealing those dreams, crushing their hopes.
Now, all that’s left is the memory of young love, and the desperate need for a child to erase the pain. Until…
Kinna rescues an elderly woman from the sea, and the threads of the past, present, and future weave together to reveal the wonder of one final hope. One final chance to follow not their dreams, but God’s.
Can they embrace the redemptive power of love before it’s too late? Or will their love be washed away like the castles they once built upon the sand? The past whispers to the present. And the future shivers. What if tomorrow never comes?
Author Interview with Marlo Schalesky
Q: Marlo, your website shares that you hope your latest release, If Tomorrow Never Comes, “will impact readers at their deepest levels.” Can you share a little more about that with us?
A: Our culture tells us that we can do anything we set our minds to, we can accomplish any dream . . . and we should. “Reach for your dreams,” we say, as if that is the highest goal of humankind. Success posters (and platitudes) abound. Our culture calls us to a shallow life.
But 15 years of infertility and miscarriage have shown me those deeper levels, the hard way. I’ve discovered that I’m not the god of my life. There are things I cannot control, no matter how hard I try.
And through that I’ve seen that real depth in life comes from a call not to the pursuit of our dreams, but to love. “Love one another,” Jesus exhorts in John 13:34-35, and also gives, as the second greatest commandment, the exhortation to “love your neighbor as yourself.” (Lev. 19:18, and all 3 Synoptics)
So, I’m hoping that through living this story with Kinna and Jimmy Henley, readers will find that call to love deeply, truly, and sacrificially. In our Grasp-Your-Dreams culture, I hope this book will stand against the tide, inspiring readers to lay down their lives for others instead of clutching their own dreams and plans.
I also hope readers will be inspired to fight for their marriages with sacrificial love, and will be challenged to look to the future for the rewards of loving fully, and to the past to remember the seeds of real love.
Q: You have a B.S. in Chemistry and a Master in Theology. Has writing always been a passion of yours or something that developed out of your various studies and ministries?
When I was thirteen years old, I wrote a poem on the bus on the way to school. It was about an old tree, forlorn and desolate, standing alone in a field. I read that poem at every recess, tweaked it, polished it, and for the first time, felt the thrill of how the written word can convey profound beauty. That day, I fell in love with writing.
Shortly after that, I told my mother (with all the angst of a newly-turned teenager), “I will just die if I don’t write!” So naturally when I grew up I decided to get my degree in Chemistry. And, oddly enough, I didn’t die. I enjoyed chemistry. But always that desire to write was with me, in the back of my mind, saying “Someday, someday.”
And now, someday has finally come, and I find that my initial passion for writing has been fueled and deepened by my ministries, studies (especially Greek!), and life experiences.
Q: How do you balance your writing time with other responsibilities?
Great question! With 5 little kids (ages 9, 5, twins at 3, and a new baby), plus homeschool, church ministries, and running the construction consulting firm that I own, it’s all about balance! And it isn’t easy.
I find it takes a lot wisdom on a day to day basis. And one thing that helps me is knowing that God won’t ask me to do what’s not possible to do. So, if He has called me to be a mom, wife, business owner, and writer (as He has done!), then there must be a way to do it all well. So, I find that I need both careful scheduling (of alone writing time, time working with each of my kids individually, hubby time, work time, time with God alone, etc.) and also the flexibility to listen to God’s promptings about how each day needs to go. Sometimes I’m good at listening for that balance, other times I blow it.
As for specifics, I developed a loose schedule (subject to God’s daily re-arranging!) to incorporate all the things I’m responsible for into some time during the week. Mostly I did that to assure myself that with God all the things I need to do really are possible! J In that flexible schedule, I try to set aside three or more chunks of time during the week to focus on first-draft writing (not editing, emails, etc. – those things I squeeze into odd times during the day). For that type of creative writing, I have to be by myself. Lately, those times have been a couple evenings a week while hubby watches the kids, and also a chunk on Saturday morning or afternoon. In the evenings, I usually take my writing time just before the girls’ bedtime, and in between baby’s feedings, so my husband doesn’t have too much time when he’s needing to take care of everyone himself (though he’s quite able, it’s just hard with so many little ones!). Also, when I get close to deadline, I often write on Saturday mornings when my husband can watch and play with the kids. This gives him some time to play with them alone, and is fun for all of them.
One interesting thing is that I find that I’m a better mom if I have some time “off-duty,” time when I’m not responsible for changing diapers, doing laundry, answering questions, being mom-on-call. I need times away to keep me sane. To catch my breath. Other moms go shopping with friends, talk on the phone, maybe go to a movie during those times. I write. For me, it’s rejuvenating.
Q: And how do your faith and spiritual life play into the picture?
My relationship with God forms the center of my life and my understanding of life, so my writing, as it grows out of my faith journey, also flows from that center. And the lessons I learn in my spiritual life provide the foundation for what’s at the heart of my stories.
But what’s really neat is that on the one hand, my stories flow out of my faith, but on the other hand my faith is deepened and grown through the writing the stories. By living vicariously through the lives of my characters as I write, by encountering the true God even in a made-up plot, I am touched, challenged, changed. I see God in new ways. My vision is broadened and deepened, and I discover truth with new clarity. My writing lays bare the imperfections of my soul, stirs my doubts and questions, and drives me into the throne room of God. It teaches me to not settle for the easy answers but wrestle with the tough questions of life and faith, to dig deeper with God. And that’s what I love about it.
Q: What would you describe as your biggest obstacle in writing and how do you overcome it?
I’d say my biggest obstacle these days is finding the time and energy to focus on writing the story God has for me to write. With the kids and everything else, keeping the balance that I talked about above is tough!
And then, of course, there’s also the doubt. Every time I start a new book, I find myself muttering “What was I thinking?!!? I can’t write this book! Why did I ever think I could do this?” By the end, though, I see God working and how He’s been faithful in the writing of the story He’s given me to write. So, right now I’m in the early stages of the next book, and of course all those doubts are raging. So, I have to remind myself that this always happens. I just need to push through, do my best, and the story will come.
For both challenges, my best solution is to remember that God knows my situation and will give me what I need to do what He wants me to do. He’s not asking me to work miracles, just to be faithful – just to do my best every day to follow Him and be who He wants me to be. The rest will come.
Q: What do you consider the highest moment of your writing/publishing career?
Ooo, that’s a tough one. I thought about getting my first piece (a little poem on the front of Sunday School take-home paper, The Standard) published, or my first book contract, or winning awards, of getting my first multi-book deal (that was fun!), but honestly what makes me most jazzed is that moment in every book when I see something, when I write something, that I didn’t plan, or expect, or realize the story had been leading up to. That’s when I feel the touch of God and sense His pleasure. It’s when I’m reminded that I’m partnering with God in the creative process. I love those moments . . . those flashes when I know that this is what God has been doing, and the story impacts my heart and life in some new and wondrous way.
Q: Who/What is your greatest inspiration to write? Where do your story and character ideas come from?
Lately, it seems that God gives me new ideas only when I really, really need them. For If Tomorrow Never Comes, my publisher was excited about my proposal (which came from a dream!) for my first book with them, called Beyond the Night. They wanted two more ideas along the same lines. Usually it takes me months to come up with an idea, and they wanted two in one week. It seemed impossible. But God came through. It was amazing. The idea for If Tomorrow Never Comes came on the first day of the week, and the idea for my next novel, Shades of Morning (releasing in 2010), came on the last day of the week.
The idea for If Tomorrow Never Comes specifically began with a single image that popped powerfully into my mind – an old man, walking along a foggy beach at dawn, bending to pick up an old locket from the sand. The rest of the story grew from there. The funny thing is, when you read the book, you’ll find that Kinna finds the locket, not an old man. But originally the image of the locket in the sand was so intriguing to me that I kept thinking about it until a story began to develop.
After that, I drew on my personal experience with infertility. I’ve spent most of my adult life – 15 years – dealing with infertility and miscarriage. I’ve had some successes along the way, and whole lot of failure, disappointment and pain.
So, as far as plot-line goes - what happens to the characters and how they’re changed and challenged through the book - that is uniquely Kinna & Jimmy’s story. But the emotions, the fears, the questions they face are things I drew from my own experience.
The longing for a baby that seems like it will never be fulfilled. I’ve been there. Month after month of trying and failing. Turning into year after year. I’ve been there. Frustration. Doubt. Wondering how God could possibly love me in the midst of this. Been there. Having to pry my white-knuckled fingers off my own hopes and dreams. Been there. Choosing to love anyway. Choosing to believe anyway. Choosing to trust God anyway. Been there.
It seems that just about every deep and meaningful thing I’ve learned about God, I can point to my journey through infertility and say, “Yeah, infertility taught me that.” So my hope is that If Tomorrow Never Comes is a deeper, more meaningful, and more vivid story because of those person lessons I’ve learned in my own life.
Q: What do you think makes your style of storytelling unique?
What I love about these new “love stories with a twist” I’m doing is they really are unique in that they combine the poignancy of a Nicholas Sparks type love story with the jaw dropping surprise twist of an M. Night Shymalan movie (his older movies, that is – he seems to be getting away from the super-wow twists in his latest efforts).
So what you get is a type of story that offers the reader both the emotional impact of a tender love story and also the surprising delight an unexpected, intriguing twist. I love that! And they’re so fun to write.
What else is really neat about these is that the point of the twist is more than just surprise and delight. For all these books, the twist reveals a deeper meaning in the story. It reveals the wonder of God’s secret activity in the lives of the ones He loves. So what we see is not just the love between a man and a woman, even when that love reflects God’s love, but we end up seeing the love of God Himself revealed in an amazing and breath-taking way.
And, in the end, that’s really my vision behind the “loves stories with a twist” tag -- to reveal God and His work in a way that causes readers to catch their breath in wonder.
Q: Finish this question. My hopes for my stories…
… is to reveal God’s incredible love in the midst of trials and tragedies. I dream of opening readers’ eyes to the wonder and mystery of our vivid God. And I hope the vision of Him will take their breath away.
My next book, IF TOMORROW NEVER COMES, officially releases next Tuesday, March 17th. So, in honor of it's release, I thought it would be fun to post some interviews that I've done recently about writing, the book, and spiritual things that I've been learning. So, here's a bit from an interview I did recently with fellow writer Dineen Miller:
If Tomorrow Never Comes Book Blurb:
They say you should reach for your dreams.
This time, they’re wrong…
Childhood sweethearts Kinna and Jimmy Henley had simple dreams—marriage, children, a house by the sea…everything they needed for happily ever after. What they didn’t plan on was years of infertility, stealing those dreams, crushing their hopes.
Now, all that’s left is the memory of young love, and the desperate need for a child to erase the pain. Until…
Kinna rescues an elderly woman from the sea, and the threads of the past, present, and future weave together to reveal the wonder of one final hope. One final chance to follow not their dreams, but God’s.
Can they embrace the redemptive power of love before it’s too late? Or will their love be washed away like the castles they once built upon the sand? The past whispers to the present. And the future shivers. What if tomorrow never comes?
Author Interview with Marlo Schalesky
Q: Marlo, your website shares that you hope your latest release, If Tomorrow Never Comes, “will impact readers at their deepest levels.” Can you share a little more about that with us?
A: Our culture tells us that we can do anything we set our minds to, we can accomplish any dream . . . and we should. “Reach for your dreams,” we say, as if that is the highest goal of humankind. Success posters (and platitudes) abound. Our culture calls us to a shallow life.
But 15 years of infertility and miscarriage have shown me those deeper levels, the hard way. I’ve discovered that I’m not the god of my life. There are things I cannot control, no matter how hard I try.
And through that I’ve seen that real depth in life comes from a call not to the pursuit of our dreams, but to love. “Love one another,” Jesus exhorts in John 13:34-35, and also gives, as the second greatest commandment, the exhortation to “love your neighbor as yourself.” (Lev. 19:18, and all 3 Synoptics)
So, I’m hoping that through living this story with Kinna and Jimmy Henley, readers will find that call to love deeply, truly, and sacrificially. In our Grasp-Your-Dreams culture, I hope this book will stand against the tide, inspiring readers to lay down their lives for others instead of clutching their own dreams and plans.
I also hope readers will be inspired to fight for their marriages with sacrificial love, and will be challenged to look to the future for the rewards of loving fully, and to the past to remember the seeds of real love.
Q: You have a B.S. in Chemistry and a Master in Theology. Has writing always been a passion of yours or something that developed out of your various studies and ministries?
When I was thirteen years old, I wrote a poem on the bus on the way to school. It was about an old tree, forlorn and desolate, standing alone in a field. I read that poem at every recess, tweaked it, polished it, and for the first time, felt the thrill of how the written word can convey profound beauty. That day, I fell in love with writing.
Shortly after that, I told my mother (with all the angst of a newly-turned teenager), “I will just die if I don’t write!” So naturally when I grew up I decided to get my degree in Chemistry. And, oddly enough, I didn’t die. I enjoyed chemistry. But always that desire to write was with me, in the back of my mind, saying “Someday, someday.”
And now, someday has finally come, and I find that my initial passion for writing has been fueled and deepened by my ministries, studies (especially Greek!), and life experiences.
Q: How do you balance your writing time with other responsibilities?
Great question! With 5 little kids (ages 9, 5, twins at 3, and a new baby), plus homeschool, church ministries, and running the construction consulting firm that I own, it’s all about balance! And it isn’t easy.
I find it takes a lot wisdom on a day to day basis. And one thing that helps me is knowing that God won’t ask me to do what’s not possible to do. So, if He has called me to be a mom, wife, business owner, and writer (as He has done!), then there must be a way to do it all well. So, I find that I need both careful scheduling (of alone writing time, time working with each of my kids individually, hubby time, work time, time with God alone, etc.) and also the flexibility to listen to God’s promptings about how each day needs to go. Sometimes I’m good at listening for that balance, other times I blow it.
As for specifics, I developed a loose schedule (subject to God’s daily re-arranging!) to incorporate all the things I’m responsible for into some time during the week. Mostly I did that to assure myself that with God all the things I need to do really are possible! J In that flexible schedule, I try to set aside three or more chunks of time during the week to focus on first-draft writing (not editing, emails, etc. – those things I squeeze into odd times during the day). For that type of creative writing, I have to be by myself. Lately, those times have been a couple evenings a week while hubby watches the kids, and also a chunk on Saturday morning or afternoon. In the evenings, I usually take my writing time just before the girls’ bedtime, and in between baby’s feedings, so my husband doesn’t have too much time when he’s needing to take care of everyone himself (though he’s quite able, it’s just hard with so many little ones!). Also, when I get close to deadline, I often write on Saturday mornings when my husband can watch and play with the kids. This gives him some time to play with them alone, and is fun for all of them.
One interesting thing is that I find that I’m a better mom if I have some time “off-duty,” time when I’m not responsible for changing diapers, doing laundry, answering questions, being mom-on-call. I need times away to keep me sane. To catch my breath. Other moms go shopping with friends, talk on the phone, maybe go to a movie during those times. I write. For me, it’s rejuvenating.
Q: And how do your faith and spiritual life play into the picture?
My relationship with God forms the center of my life and my understanding of life, so my writing, as it grows out of my faith journey, also flows from that center. And the lessons I learn in my spiritual life provide the foundation for what’s at the heart of my stories.
But what’s really neat is that on the one hand, my stories flow out of my faith, but on the other hand my faith is deepened and grown through the writing the stories. By living vicariously through the lives of my characters as I write, by encountering the true God even in a made-up plot, I am touched, challenged, changed. I see God in new ways. My vision is broadened and deepened, and I discover truth with new clarity. My writing lays bare the imperfections of my soul, stirs my doubts and questions, and drives me into the throne room of God. It teaches me to not settle for the easy answers but wrestle with the tough questions of life and faith, to dig deeper with God. And that’s what I love about it.
Q: What would you describe as your biggest obstacle in writing and how do you overcome it?
I’d say my biggest obstacle these days is finding the time and energy to focus on writing the story God has for me to write. With the kids and everything else, keeping the balance that I talked about above is tough!
And then, of course, there’s also the doubt. Every time I start a new book, I find myself muttering “What was I thinking?!!? I can’t write this book! Why did I ever think I could do this?” By the end, though, I see God working and how He’s been faithful in the writing of the story He’s given me to write. So, right now I’m in the early stages of the next book, and of course all those doubts are raging. So, I have to remind myself that this always happens. I just need to push through, do my best, and the story will come.
For both challenges, my best solution is to remember that God knows my situation and will give me what I need to do what He wants me to do. He’s not asking me to work miracles, just to be faithful – just to do my best every day to follow Him and be who He wants me to be. The rest will come.
Q: What do you consider the highest moment of your writing/publishing career?
Ooo, that’s a tough one. I thought about getting my first piece (a little poem on the front of Sunday School take-home paper, The Standard) published, or my first book contract, or winning awards, of getting my first multi-book deal (that was fun!), but honestly what makes me most jazzed is that moment in every book when I see something, when I write something, that I didn’t plan, or expect, or realize the story had been leading up to. That’s when I feel the touch of God and sense His pleasure. It’s when I’m reminded that I’m partnering with God in the creative process. I love those moments . . . those flashes when I know that this is what God has been doing, and the story impacts my heart and life in some new and wondrous way.
Q: Who/What is your greatest inspiration to write? Where do your story and character ideas come from?
Lately, it seems that God gives me new ideas only when I really, really need them. For If Tomorrow Never Comes, my publisher was excited about my proposal (which came from a dream!) for my first book with them, called Beyond the Night. They wanted two more ideas along the same lines. Usually it takes me months to come up with an idea, and they wanted two in one week. It seemed impossible. But God came through. It was amazing. The idea for If Tomorrow Never Comes came on the first day of the week, and the idea for my next novel, Shades of Morning (releasing in 2010), came on the last day of the week.
The idea for If Tomorrow Never Comes specifically began with a single image that popped powerfully into my mind – an old man, walking along a foggy beach at dawn, bending to pick up an old locket from the sand. The rest of the story grew from there. The funny thing is, when you read the book, you’ll find that Kinna finds the locket, not an old man. But originally the image of the locket in the sand was so intriguing to me that I kept thinking about it until a story began to develop.
After that, I drew on my personal experience with infertility. I’ve spent most of my adult life – 15 years – dealing with infertility and miscarriage. I’ve had some successes along the way, and whole lot of failure, disappointment and pain.
So, as far as plot-line goes - what happens to the characters and how they’re changed and challenged through the book - that is uniquely Kinna & Jimmy’s story. But the emotions, the fears, the questions they face are things I drew from my own experience.
The longing for a baby that seems like it will never be fulfilled. I’ve been there. Month after month of trying and failing. Turning into year after year. I’ve been there. Frustration. Doubt. Wondering how God could possibly love me in the midst of this. Been there. Having to pry my white-knuckled fingers off my own hopes and dreams. Been there. Choosing to love anyway. Choosing to believe anyway. Choosing to trust God anyway. Been there.
It seems that just about every deep and meaningful thing I’ve learned about God, I can point to my journey through infertility and say, “Yeah, infertility taught me that.” So my hope is that If Tomorrow Never Comes is a deeper, more meaningful, and more vivid story because of those person lessons I’ve learned in my own life.
Q: What do you think makes your style of storytelling unique?
What I love about these new “love stories with a twist” I’m doing is they really are unique in that they combine the poignancy of a Nicholas Sparks type love story with the jaw dropping surprise twist of an M. Night Shymalan movie (his older movies, that is – he seems to be getting away from the super-wow twists in his latest efforts).
So what you get is a type of story that offers the reader both the emotional impact of a tender love story and also the surprising delight an unexpected, intriguing twist. I love that! And they’re so fun to write.
What else is really neat about these is that the point of the twist is more than just surprise and delight. For all these books, the twist reveals a deeper meaning in the story. It reveals the wonder of God’s secret activity in the lives of the ones He loves. So what we see is not just the love between a man and a woman, even when that love reflects God’s love, but we end up seeing the love of God Himself revealed in an amazing and breath-taking way.
And, in the end, that’s really my vision behind the “loves stories with a twist” tag -- to reveal God and His work in a way that causes readers to catch their breath in wonder.
Q: Finish this question. My hopes for my stories…
… is to reveal God’s incredible love in the midst of trials and tragedies. I dream of opening readers’ eyes to the wonder and mystery of our vivid God. And I hope the vision of Him will take their breath away.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
When Love Blooms by Robin Lee Hatcher
Hi Friends,Got a new book to tell you about this week. It's When Love Blooms by Robin Lee Hatcher. Here's a bit about it:
WHEN LOVE BLOOMS
by Robin Lee Hatcher
Zondervan, February 2009
She could say what she wanted. Emily Harris didn't belong in the hard life of the Blakes. She would wilt there like a rose without water. He'd be sending her back to Boise before the first snows. He'd be willing to bet on it.
From the moment Gavin Blake set eyes on Emily Harris, he knew she would never make it in the rugged high country where backbreaking work and constant hardship were commonplace. Beautiful and refined, she was accustomed to the best life had to offer. Heaven only knew why she wanted to leave Boise to teach two young girls on a ranch miles from nowhere. He'd wager it had to do with a man. It always did when a beautiful woman was involved.
Emily wanted to make some sort of mark on the world before marriage. She wanted to be more than just a society wife. Though she had plenty of opportunities back East, she had come to the Idaho high country looking to make a difference. Gavin’s resistance to her presence made her even more determined to prove herself. Perhaps changing the heart of just one man may make the greatest difference of all.
************************
REVIEWS:
Penned with the descriptive nibs of all the five senses, Robin Lee Hatcher transports the reader to the magnificent high country of Idaho in a thoroughly engaging tale of love and wounded heroes. When Love Blooms is layered with appealing characters, and I was so at home with the story's cast, I felt like I was like viewing my own family history. I have yet to read a Hatcher novel that didn't entrance me from the first page, and with a unique plot for a romance, When Love Blooms is no exception. Novel Reviews and I give it a high recommendation. — Novel Reviews
Christy Award winner Hatcher's (Wagered Heart; Catching Katie) latest novel is a historical romance set in the rugged high country of Idaho in the late 1800s... Populated with lively characters, this delightful title deserves a place in [Christian Fiction] and historical romance collections and will appeal to those who enjoy Lori Wick or Lori Copeland. Recommended for Public Libraries. — Library Journal
************************
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Robin Lee Hatcher discovered her vocation as a novelist after many years of reading everything she could put her hands on, including the backs of cereal boxes and ketchup bottles. The winner of the Christy Award for Excellence in Christian Fiction (Whispers from Yesterday), the RITA Award for Best Inspirational Romance (Patterns of Love and The Shepherd's Voice), two RT Career Achievement Awards (Americana Romance and Inspirational Fiction), and the RWA Lifetime Achievement Award, Robin is the author of over 60 novels, including Catching Katie, named one of the Best Books of 2004 by the Library Journal.
Robin enjoys being with her family, spending time in the beautiful Idaho outdoors, reading books that make her cry, and watching romantic movies. She is passionate about the theater, and several nights every summer, she can be found at the outdoor amphitheater of the Idaho Shakespeare Festival, enjoying Shakespeare under the stars. She makes her home on the outskirts of Boise, sharing it with Poppet the high-maintenance Papillon.
************************
Link to Amazon.com:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0310259282/novelistrobinlee
Link to Christianbook.com:
http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?event=AFF&p=1138486&item_no=259282
Link to book trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usnuoJNuBdE
by Robin Lee Hatcher
Zondervan, February 2009
She could say what she wanted. Emily Harris didn't belong in the hard life of the Blakes. She would wilt there like a rose without water. He'd be sending her back to Boise before the first snows. He'd be willing to bet on it.
From the moment Gavin Blake set eyes on Emily Harris, he knew she would never make it in the rugged high country where backbreaking work and constant hardship were commonplace. Beautiful and refined, she was accustomed to the best life had to offer. Heaven only knew why she wanted to leave Boise to teach two young girls on a ranch miles from nowhere. He'd wager it had to do with a man. It always did when a beautiful woman was involved.
Emily wanted to make some sort of mark on the world before marriage. She wanted to be more than just a society wife. Though she had plenty of opportunities back East, she had come to the Idaho high country looking to make a difference. Gavin’s resistance to her presence made her even more determined to prove herself. Perhaps changing the heart of just one man may make the greatest difference of all.
************************
REVIEWS:
Penned with the descriptive nibs of all the five senses, Robin Lee Hatcher transports the reader to the magnificent high country of Idaho in a thoroughly engaging tale of love and wounded heroes. When Love Blooms is layered with appealing characters, and I was so at home with the story's cast, I felt like I was like viewing my own family history. I have yet to read a Hatcher novel that didn't entrance me from the first page, and with a unique plot for a romance, When Love Blooms is no exception. Novel Reviews and I give it a high recommendation. — Novel Reviews
Christy Award winner Hatcher's (Wagered Heart; Catching Katie) latest novel is a historical romance set in the rugged high country of Idaho in the late 1800s... Populated with lively characters, this delightful title deserves a place in [Christian Fiction] and historical romance collections and will appeal to those who enjoy Lori Wick or Lori Copeland. Recommended for Public Libraries. — Library Journal
************************
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Robin Lee Hatcher discovered her vocation as a novelist after many years of reading everything she could put her hands on, including the backs of cereal boxes and ketchup bottles. The winner of the Christy Award for Excellence in Christian Fiction (Whispers from Yesterday), the RITA Award for Best Inspirational Romance (Patterns of Love and The Shepherd's Voice), two RT Career Achievement Awards (Americana Romance and Inspirational Fiction), and the RWA Lifetime Achievement Award, Robin is the author of over 60 novels, including Catching Katie, named one of the Best Books of 2004 by the Library Journal.
Robin enjoys being with her family, spending time in the beautiful Idaho outdoors, reading books that make her cry, and watching romantic movies. She is passionate about the theater, and several nights every summer, she can be found at the outdoor amphitheater of the Idaho Shakespeare Festival, enjoying Shakespeare under the stars. She makes her home on the outskirts of Boise, sharing it with Poppet the high-maintenance Papillon.
************************
Link to Amazon.com:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0310259282/novelistrobinlee
Link to Christianbook.com:
http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?event=AFF&p=1138486&item_no=259282
Link to book trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usnuoJNuBdE
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
When the Cabinet Door Breaks
Hi Friends,
Something interesting happened yesterday with my oldest daughter, age 9. Two days ago, I discovered the cabinet door was broken clean off on our entertainment center in the basement. When asked, Bethany said she didn't know what happened. So, of course, Jayna got blamed (after all, she's always getting into things, breaking things, doing some naughty thing). But Jayna (she's 3) said Bet-a-nee did it. So yesterday, I asked Bethany if she broke the cabinet door. She said no ... for about one minute. Then, her face contorted, she started to bawl, and hollered out, "Yes, I did it. I did it." Then, between sobs, she told about how she sat on the door just like we'd told her not to do, and it broke, and she lied, and, and, and . . . and she didn't want to get in trouble. Waaaa....
About this time, I'm trying not to grin from ear to ear. Why? Because I was so happy that the door broke. Not, of course, because I wanted a broken door (in fact, it will be hard to fix), but because of all the lessons I could help Bethany glean from this one incident. It was such a perfect life lesson for a number of things that would be important for her to know, especially as she's getting closer to her teen years. So, for the next several minutes, Bethany and I talked about important issues like:
1) Mommy and Daddy are wise. It's best to do what they say.
2) If you fail in #1 and do something stupid, it's best to fess up right away. Otherwise you end up carrying your mistake around with you.
3) Repent fast. Come quickly to Mommy or Daddy and confess what you've done. Don't make excuses. Just say, I did something dumb. I know you said not to, but I did it anyway, and I'm really sorry.
4) Lying is worse than the original offense. Sitting on the cabinet door may cause broken furniture, but lying causes brokenness inside us. And that's a lot harder to fix. And a lot worse for us. Don't lie.
5) If you fail in #4 and lie, fix the lie with the truth right away. The longer the lie sits inside you, the most damage it does. Get the truth out fast. A lie is like giving yourself a cut - get the medicine of the truth on it fast so it won't get infected and start to ooze and pus (nasty image, isn't it?!). The longer it festers, the sicker it makes us.
6) If you lie, someone else may get in trouble for what you did, and that's not fair. (This was a big one for Bethany because relationships are so important to her.)
Anyway, by the time we got done talking, it was almost as if God had made that door break just to give me the chance to teach Bethany what to do when we make a mistake. It was an awesome time of learning about important, character-forming lessons. So, that's why I had to hide my smile about the broken door. What a rich opportunity!
And it got me thinking - maybe the "broken doors" in my life weren't just about things going wrong. Maybe God put them there so I could learn valuable life lessons too. Maybe I need to see things going wrong as an opportunity to change, learn, and grow. Because I need to learn the same lessons as Bethany:
1) God is wise. It's best to do what He says.
2) Failing #1, confess right away - go to Him fast in prayer and say, "I messed up!"
3) Repent. Say I'm sorry. Don't do it again. Don't make excuses.
4) Don't lie - not to others, and especially not to myself. Embrace the truth even when it's hard to hear and accept.
5) If I fail #4, fix it with the truth fast. Embrace truth as quickly as I can. Don't let the lie fester!
6) How I react to the broken parts of my life matters not only to me, but to others. Others, especially those that I love, are affected by what I do, think, say, and react. My character matters not just to me and God, but to them too.
So, thank God for broken cabinet doors ... in Bethany's life, and in mine too!
Something interesting happened yesterday with my oldest daughter, age 9. Two days ago, I discovered the cabinet door was broken clean off on our entertainment center in the basement. When asked, Bethany said she didn't know what happened. So, of course, Jayna got blamed (after all, she's always getting into things, breaking things, doing some naughty thing). But Jayna (she's 3) said Bet-a-nee did it. So yesterday, I asked Bethany if she broke the cabinet door. She said no ... for about one minute. Then, her face contorted, she started to bawl, and hollered out, "Yes, I did it. I did it." Then, between sobs, she told about how she sat on the door just like we'd told her not to do, and it broke, and she lied, and, and, and . . . and she didn't want to get in trouble. Waaaa....
About this time, I'm trying not to grin from ear to ear. Why? Because I was so happy that the door broke. Not, of course, because I wanted a broken door (in fact, it will be hard to fix), but because of all the lessons I could help Bethany glean from this one incident. It was such a perfect life lesson for a number of things that would be important for her to know, especially as she's getting closer to her teen years. So, for the next several minutes, Bethany and I talked about important issues like:
1) Mommy and Daddy are wise. It's best to do what they say.
2) If you fail in #1 and do something stupid, it's best to fess up right away. Otherwise you end up carrying your mistake around with you.
3) Repent fast. Come quickly to Mommy or Daddy and confess what you've done. Don't make excuses. Just say, I did something dumb. I know you said not to, but I did it anyway, and I'm really sorry.
4) Lying is worse than the original offense. Sitting on the cabinet door may cause broken furniture, but lying causes brokenness inside us. And that's a lot harder to fix. And a lot worse for us. Don't lie.
5) If you fail in #4 and lie, fix the lie with the truth right away. The longer the lie sits inside you, the most damage it does. Get the truth out fast. A lie is like giving yourself a cut - get the medicine of the truth on it fast so it won't get infected and start to ooze and pus (nasty image, isn't it?!). The longer it festers, the sicker it makes us.
6) If you lie, someone else may get in trouble for what you did, and that's not fair. (This was a big one for Bethany because relationships are so important to her.)
Anyway, by the time we got done talking, it was almost as if God had made that door break just to give me the chance to teach Bethany what to do when we make a mistake. It was an awesome time of learning about important, character-forming lessons. So, that's why I had to hide my smile about the broken door. What a rich opportunity!
And it got me thinking - maybe the "broken doors" in my life weren't just about things going wrong. Maybe God put them there so I could learn valuable life lessons too. Maybe I need to see things going wrong as an opportunity to change, learn, and grow. Because I need to learn the same lessons as Bethany:
1) God is wise. It's best to do what He says.
2) Failing #1, confess right away - go to Him fast in prayer and say, "I messed up!"
3) Repent. Say I'm sorry. Don't do it again. Don't make excuses.
4) Don't lie - not to others, and especially not to myself. Embrace the truth even when it's hard to hear and accept.
5) If I fail #4, fix it with the truth fast. Embrace truth as quickly as I can. Don't let the lie fester!
6) How I react to the broken parts of my life matters not only to me, but to others. Others, especially those that I love, are affected by what I do, think, say, and react. My character matters not just to me and God, but to them too.
So, thank God for broken cabinet doors ... in Bethany's life, and in mine too!
Monday, March 2, 2009
Hi Friends,
Got a couple of interesting books to tell you about today. They're Dinner with a Perfect Stranger and Day with a Perfect Stranger by David Gregory. Take a look:
Summary Dinner with a
Perfect Stranger:You are Invited to a Dinner with Jesus of Nazareth. The mysterious envelope arrives on Nick Cominsky’s desk amid a stack of credit card applications and business-related junk mail. Although his seventy-hour workweek has already eaten into his limited family time, Nick can’t pass up the opportunity to see what kind of plot his colleagues have hatched.The normally confident, cynical Nick soon finds himself thrown off-balance, drawn into an intriguing conversation with a baffling man who appears to be more than comfortable discussing everything from world religions to the existence of heaven and hell. And this man who calls himself Jesus also seems to know a disturbing amount about Nick’s personal life.………….."You’re bored, Nick. You were made for more than this. You’re worried about God stealing your fun, but you’ve got it backwards.… There’s no adventure like being joined to the Creator of the universe." He leaned back off the table. "And your first mission would be to let him guide you out of the mess you’re in at work."………….As the evening progresses, their conversation touches on life, God, meaning, pain, faith, and doubt–and it seems that having Dinner with a Perfect Stranger may change Nick’s life forever.
Summary Day with a Perfect Stranger:
What if a fascinating stranger knew you better than you know yourself?When her husband comes home with a farfetched story about eating dinner with someone he believes to be Jesus, Mattie Cominsky thinks this may signal the end of her shaky marriage. Convinced that Nick is, at best, turning into a religious nut, the self-described agnostic hopes that a quick business trip will give her time to think things through.On board the plane, Mattie strikes up a conversation with a fellow passenger. When she discovers their shared scorn for religion, she confides her frustration over her husband’s recent conversion. The stranger suggests that perhaps her husband isn’t seeking religion but true spiritual connection, an idea that prompts her to reflect on her own search for fulfillment.As their conversation turns to issues of spiritual longing and deeper questions about the nature of God, Mattie finds herself increasingly drawn to this insightful stranger. But when the discussion unexpectedly turns personal, touching on things she’s never told anyone, Mattie is startled and disturbed. Who is this man who seems to peer straight into her soul?Author Bio:
David Gregory is the author of the best-selling books Dinner with a Perfect Stranger and A Day with a Perfect Stranger, and coauthor of two nonfiction books. After a ten-year business career, he returned to school to study religion and communications, earning graduate degrees from The University of North Texas and Dallas Theological Seminary. A native Texan, David now devotes himself to writing full time.
Dinner with a Perfect Stranger: http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9781578569052&ref=externallink_wbm_dinnerwithaperfectstranger_eaj_0129_01
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