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.
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