CROSSROADS: The Story Behind the Story
Guest blog post by Cathy Bryant
By far, the question I receive most often when it comes to writing
fiction is: What's the story behind the story? In other words, people
want to know my motivation and inspiration for writing the book.
With CROSSROADS,
the sixth Miller's Creek novel and a Christian contemporary romance,
the original germ of an idea actually came as I watched the movie,
God's Not Dead. The thought occurred to me that each of us
knows someone who has either defected from the faith or altogether
refuses to acknowledge the existence of God. It might be a friend,
co-worker, or even a family member.
All fiction writers are taught to ask the question, 'what if?' So for
me, my 'what if?' became this story question: What if an ex-military
man and Christian found himself involved in the life of a bitter
atheist and single mom who wanted nothing to do with his God?
Once that question was in place, other questions popped up. What
happened to the female lead in the story to make her antagonistic
toward the faith? What questions and arguments would she have? How
would our ex-military hero--a man who sees himself as a defender--go
to battle in a spiritual sense? What internal dilemma would he have
to overcome to defend his faith? And most importantly, what would it
take to turn our heroine around?
In the book, I sought to explore this spiritual topic, not just for
the sake of the storyline, but also for each of us as believers. I
wanted to know how I could best handle the objections of those
opposed to faith in Christ. I wanted to be prepared to answer the
tough questions these folks often have. And I hoped in the process to
also help others in their own defense of the faith.
Some of the questions non-believers tend to have are: If God is so
good and loving, then why does He allow evil? If God cares about me,
then why have so many bad things happened to me? How do you know the
Bible is true? What if the people who wrote the Bible made it up? How
do you know that Jesus is really who He claims to be? What if He was
just a delusional man with dubious motivies?
Can you think of other tough
questions often
levied at Christians by
non-believers?
I've been confronted by all these questions at one time or another,
but suddenly it became personal for me. How did God want me to
respond to these people? What could I do to make a difference for
Christ and His Kingdom when it came to answering their questions? And
how could I incorporate all this in the story of CROSSROADS?
Here's what the process involved for me: I devoured my Bible and
books on apologetics to find answers for tough questions. I wrote the
PROOF blog post series about what I'd learned. Next, I turned some of
these posts into videos. And of course, I included it all in the
storyline of the book.
As I wrote the story, a few things crystallized in my mind.
1) In the end, it all comes down to faith, and that's a decision each
person must make for themselves. While we can hope and pray for
others to turn to God, ultimately the decision is theirs. Faith is
something we can't force on others.
2) Based on 1 Peter 3:15, we need to be prepared to answer the tough
questions that come our way from those who don't believe.
3) And above all, our response should be one of unconditional love
and persistent prayer. No one is a lost cause or beyond the power of
God.
I pray we'll all be prepared to give a defense to those who ask about
the reason for our hope.
About the Book
CROSSROADS
a Miller's Creek novel and Christian contemporary romance
A former soldier battles for the soul of a prodigal...
After
a devastating divorce, a bitter single mom and atheist starts her own
real estate company in the nostalgic and picturesque town of Miller’s
Creek, Texas. Then her young daughter’s disturbing symptoms lead
doctors to discover that her leukemia has relapsed. With her new life
now turned upside down, Mara Hedwig struggles to keep her business
afloat. And her daughter’s worsening condition forces her to
rethink her beliefs about Carter Callahan and his God. Will Mara make
the return to Christian faith in the face of life’s greatest
challenge?
An
ex-military operative struggles with the return to civilian life
while coping with his rebellious teen-aged daughter. During a
house-search, Carter meets Mara, a headstrong Realtor who wants
nothing to do with his God. But when Mara’s little girl is
diagnosed with leukemia, the clock begins ticking for him to convince
Mara to return to a life of faith. Just as he seems to be making
headway, circumstances beyond his control throw his efforts into a
tailspin. Can Carter learn to rest in the sovereignty of God?
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When: April 30, 2015 ~ 7:00-8:30 p.m. (Central time)
About Cathy
Bryant
Amazon
best-selling author Cathy Bryant writes Christian fiction set in the
heart of Texas. Her popular romance and romantic suspense novels take
place in the fictional town of Miller's Creek, where folks are
friendly, the iced tea is sweet, and Mama Beth's front porch beckons.
All the Miller's Creek novels have been on the Amazon Best-Seller
list and are rated at 4.5 stars or higher on Amazon. Her debut novel,
TEXAS ROADS, was a 2009 ACFW Genesis finalist. Since then five other
stand-alone novels have been added to the series, one of which was a
reader-nominated 2013 Grace Award nominee (PILGRIMAGE OF PROMISE).
Readers have compared her work to that of Karen Kingsbury and
Nicholas Sparks.
A native Texan, Cathy currently resides in the beautiful Sangre de Cristo mountains of northern New Mexico with her minister husband of over thirty years. She's written devotions for The Upper Room devotional magazine, two devotional books in collaboration with other Christian authors, and for online sites. She also has released a Bible study book, THE FRAGRANCE OF CRUSHED VIOLETS. In addition to her writing, she enjoys thrift store shopping, romping in the great outdoors, and mini-farming. To learn more about Cathy and her books, visit her website at www.CatBryant.com or make contact with her in these places:
A native Texan, Cathy currently resides in the beautiful Sangre de Cristo mountains of northern New Mexico with her minister husband of over thirty years. She's written devotions for The Upper Room devotional magazine, two devotional books in collaboration with other Christian authors, and for online sites. She also has released a Bible study book, THE FRAGRANCE OF CRUSHED VIOLETS. In addition to her writing, she enjoys thrift store shopping, romping in the great outdoors, and mini-farming. To learn more about Cathy and her books, visit her website at www.CatBryant.com or make contact with her in these places:
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CROSSROADS
Facebook Launch Party & Kindle Fire HD6 Giveaway!
YOU'RE INVITED!
What:
CROSSROADS Book Launch Party
Where:
Facebook (from the comfort & convenience of your own home)
When: April 30, 2015 ~ 7:00-8:30 p.m. (Central time)
Why:
To celebrate the book launch of CROSSROADS (a Miller's Creek novel
and Christian Romance by Cathy Bryant)
LOTS of Fun,
Games and Prizes!
Prizes Include: Miller's
Creek pens, tote bags, t-shirts, mugs, digital books, autographed
print books, Amazon gift cards, and
an
Amazon Kindle Fire HD6!
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Ally, thanks so much for being part of the virtual book tour for CROSSROADS. I greatly appreciate your help in spreading the news about the book's release.
ReplyDeleteBlessings to you and yours,
Cathy :)
You are so very welcome :) I'm glad to help!
DeleteAmazing post! And you're so right: no matter the question, it all comes down to faith. Again, great post!
ReplyDeleteAlexa
thessalexa.blogspot.com
Glad you enjoyed the post, Alexa! :) Thanks so much for stopping by!
ReplyDelete