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The Least of These by Kathleen Neely

 


Blurb:              

Journalist SCOTT HARRINGTON has a complex personality. He has defied the path that his father planned for him, yet remains burdened by his father’s disappointment. He lives in the shadow of his deceased brother and carries a secret that weighs heavily on his conscience. If he could win a Pulitzer or another top journalism award, perhaps he’d earn his father’s respect. Scott sets out to write a documentary on the lives of three homeless men, but his altruistic nature sidelines his goal. In the process, he uncovers stories of heartbreak, trauma, and rejection, causing him to revisit his own tragic past and the guilty secret that he holds.

 

CLAIRE BASSETT has been searching for her husband who went missing a year ago. She’s torn between the decision to move on with her life or keep pursuing the fruitless search for her husband. Jonathan, a co-worker tempts her to move on, but her heart has always belonged to Andrew. How long can she continue to hope? As Scott and Claire’s stories overlap, will there be restoration or rejection?

 

 

Excerpt:           

I laid my head back and squeezed the bridge of my nose, which did nothing to alleviate the tension. “How do I get myself involved in these things? I only wanted to write a documentary.” My head rested on the sofa cushion behind me, my hand covering my eyes. Stella touched my hair, smoothing it back. My street days were over. I could get a decent trim. Such a useless thought among the weighty issues. “I’ve got to go see Caroline. She needs to know what she’s done, needs to know about kids like Edwin. Did she ever see the lives, the faces? Was money worth the cost?” My voice cracked, and I covered my face to hide my weakness. “Was it worth the guilt of those left behind?”

 

“Scott. Look at me.” She touched my hands to move them from my face. “Look at me. You were fifteen years old. You were a child—a child placed in a terrible situation. You’d lost the intimacy with your brother, the only person you’d ever had a relationship with. You had a domineering father and an absent mother. Don’t carry this burden of guilt. It’s not yours. Put it where it belongs. Your brother made bad choices. Your parents didn’t parent well. A fifteen-year-old kid can’t be expected to handle the gravity of that situation.”

 

 

Buy Links:      https://amazon.com/dp/B07PV331X8

 

 


Bio:    

 

Kathleen Neely resides in Greenville, SC with her husband, two cats, and one dog. She is a retired elementary principal, and enjoys time with family, visiting her two grandsons, traveling, and reading.

She is the author of The Street Singer, Beauty for Ashes and The Least of These. Her novel, True North, will be released in July, 2021. Kathleen won second place in a short story contest through ACFW-VA for her short story “The Missing Piece” and an honorable mention for her story “The Dance”. Both were published in a Christmas anthology. Her novel, The Least of These, was awarded first place in the 2015 Fresh Voices contest through Almost an Author. She has numerous devotions published through Christian Devotions.

 

Kathleen continues to speak to students about writing and publication processes. She is a member of Association of Christian Fiction Writers.

 

 

Please attach cover and head shot (if you want it added, personally I hate the things) separately.

 

 

Questions:

1.      Why this book? What inspired you to write it?  This is not a Christmas book, but it does end at Christmas time. I developed the plot on my own, but was inspired to finish it when I read Under the Overpass by Michael Yankoski. His true-life experience of intentionally living among the homeless mirrored my story.

 

2.      What is your favourite Christmas carol/song and why?   O Holy Night. I can get lost in the beauty of the words. It reminds me that in the busyness of life, we still need to fall on our knees before the holiness of God.

 

3. What is the best Christmas present you ever received and who was it from?     I made a 15-pc nativity set, hand painting each figurine. Unknown to me, my husband built a stable for it. It was a great and thoughtful gift.

Comments

Carol James said…
Thanks so much for sharing, Kathy. I remember when I was about 15 my aunt and I made a ceramic nativity set, and my father made a stable for it. I can understand just a little bit of the love involved in your husband's gift. Merry Christmas.
LoRee Peery said…
I haven't read this story, but so enjoyed the meaning of those I have read of yours, Kathy.

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