The question confronted me again this weekend: “What’s your book about?” I’ve stumbled over a number of minimally-satisfying answers, but Valentine’s Day prompts me to try a new approach. Relentless Grace is about LOVE.
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My Pain’s Worse Than Yours
Everybody’s got a story. As I listen to reader reactions to Relentless Grace, I’m more convinced than ever of this truth: everybody’s got a story.
Continue readingMore TagAbnormal
“Life won’t ever be normal again.”“The way it used to be” wasn’t normal either, because normal is an illusion. Every life is different, every set of circumstances unique. The good old days weren’t perfect. Blessings and trials coexist in all situations.Question: Have you experienced a change that made you feel that life wouldn’t ever return […]
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I’ve been following the progress of two friends who currently struggle with life-altering medical situations. Both express their grief over the loss of “normal life.” I’ve been there; paralysis destroys anything resembling normal. I wasted many years lamenting the fact that I’d never be “normal” again. I’ve learned slowly and painfully that there’s no such […]
Continue readingMore TagHappy New Year?
HAPPY NEW YEAR! It’s one of those perfunctory greetings we exchange for a few weeks, often without really thinking. What’s it mean? If you recently lost your job, your house nears foreclosure, or a relationship just ended painfully, do I really expect your new year to begin “happily?”
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“Real pressure is when you are asked to do something you are not prepared to do.” ~ Lou Holtz I thought about this quote when a reader asked, “What’s the one thing that kept you going when you wanted to quit?” I immediately felt a bit of pressure, because I wasn’t prepared to answer such […]
Continue readingMore TagWhat Do You Say?
What do you say to someone who’s feeling hopeless and asks for your help? This isn’t a rhetorical question. We all encounter family members and friends who have lost hope. They struggle to cope with financial uncertainties, job loss, or the prospect of losing their home. They confront the reality of death or illness. They mourn broken relationships and shattered dreams. […]
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“I cried all the way through your book. It is an incredible love story.” That kind comment from a reader of Relentless Grace highlights an interesting aspect of writing: words may mean one thing to the writer and quite another to each member of the audience. I’m fascinated by the assortment of thoughts and emotions prompted by the same story. Some readers […]
Continue readingMore TagHumility
I’m learning that an important part of releasing a book is accepting feedback. It’s a great lesson in humility. Every sentence of the story obviously means a great deal to me. Those fifty thousand words were written, revised, edited, and revised again in an attempt to clearly communicate my thoughts, feelings, and experiences. Now those […]
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One reader emailed me with an interesting comment. She said she liked the book title but that the word “relentless” usually conveyed a negative connotation for her. Apparently she encountered the word mostly in less desirable contexts. I found her comment enlightening, especially since I’ve previously stated that “relentlessness” was a character trait I seek […]
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When I tell people I’ve published a book, their first reaction is something between skepticism and astonishment. Once the shock subsides, they usually want to know what the book is about. That ought to be a relatively easy question. After all, I DID write it. I usually mumble something about my injury, but that answer […]
Continue readingMore TagThe Perfect Title
One of the comments people make about RELENTLESS GRACE is that they like the title. I agree that the title perfectly captures the heart of the story, and I wish I could trace the precise process that created it. Frankly, I wanted to use Amazing Grace, but someone told me that idea was already taken. I […]
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