Behind the Scenes: Encouraging Through Sharing: A Christian's Perspective

Encouraging Through Sharing: A Christian's Perspective is a collection of poetry that delves into the heart and deep thoughts of a person of faith dealing with a variety of situations, whether good or not. This collection speaks of hope, desperation, joy, an aching heart, suffering, and perseverance.

Inspiration / Muse:
Some people mistakenly think that people of faith never get depressed, are hardly ever sad, or tend to think they are better than others. Although these types of people may exist, so do ones who struggle with insecurity, want to do what's right, and treat others with respect no matter what their beliefs. These poems open the door to a different view.

Theme:
What does this Christian do when dealing with what life throws at her? Answers to this type of question fill the pages. However, the main theme is that she kept focused on God and His willingness to help the downtrodden out of the dumps and into His wonderful light.

Journey:
The poems are an expression of a person who survived abuse, bullying, and rejection by fellow classmates in high school. Yet, the words point to a better future where thriving is possible. And even in the midst of struggle, a poem was written to encourage a friend to hang on.

Meaning behind the cover:
This cover was painted by the same college student who painted the covers for Real Purpose: You Are Special and Life Experienced. The golden glow among the clouds depicts a breaking through of hope from where rain once poured.

Impact / Tribute:
The words written in these pages encourage the reader to persevere no matter how bleak the circumstances.Even though I'm the one who wrote the poems in this collection, the words continue to inspire my heart as well, for which I am grateful.

 The seventh in the Behind the Scenes series is planned for June 6, 2020.

Behind the Scenes: Billiard Buddies

Billiard Buddies contains a love rectangle where the two main characters are avid billiard players and the female pool shark meets a guy who dared to challenge her on her turf. She had no intention of losing her game much less her heart to him.

Inspiration / Muse:
I played billiards in college and loved it. My dad, a bartender, had received two pool sticks from tourists visiting the island. The one he gave me is the one I describe in the book. I often competed with other players, all of whom were males. I remember how impressed they were that I had to screw the two halves of my stick together prior to the first game. I don't have my bedazzled pool stick anymore, but I found a way for it to live on in the minds of every reader.

Songs by Colbie Caillat in Coco influenced the overall mood of the story and even some of the plot. So much so, that even Gina, the female protagonist, depended on the contents of this album to get her through heartbreak and unrequited elation at newfound love. This love drama already has a Tailor Made soundtrack.

Theme:
This is a story about friendship, family, heartbreak, dreams, desire, respect, fun, and, of course, intense focus on a game where passions explode and the winner takes all.

Journey:
I wanted to write about a female pool shark, and Kindergarten teacher, Gina, fit the bill. She became the embodiment of the songs in the Coco album. However, Gina wasn't the only one to experience heartbreak. This book struggled through three rejections before landing a contract. After a few years, the publisher closed and returned the rights to me. I relaunched Billiard Buddies in 2019

Meaning behind the cover:
Well, no one should be surprised that the cover started with some kind a drama. First try: Not enough clothes. 😲 (I needed Oxygen) Second try: Guy looks like he was teaching the pool shark. Really? 😒 So, I searched for the picture with the help of a friend. You wouldn't believe how hard it was to find fully clothed people playing pool. Third try: Ahh. Finally. 😌 Not perfect, but it'll do.

Impact / Tribute:
This story has made many readers smile. Some have told me the descriptions of the games are spot on.  It also brought about some interesting reviews. This is a sweet contemporary romance, meaning nothing too steamy (just to be clear). I mistakenly thought the fully clothed characters on the cover would make that crystal. Um. Apparently not. 😂

Thanks, Dad, for giving me that bedazzled pool stick so many years ago. Like Gina, I lost an influential and devoted father from my life.

The sixth in the Behind the Scenes series is planned for May 16, 2020.