I love...

...talking about my book. It's personal on several levels. First, it's a work of my time . Unnumbered hours went into the first draft. That's the draft that only I saw. I told a story I wanted to read. After that I needed to mold and form it into something that others would not only want to read, but that was something worthy of my readers. That's the reason for my editors, my proof-readers, and my advance readers. No one wants to spend valuable reading time, not to mention money, on a book that needs grammatical deciphering. Such things distract from both the plot and the message. So I opted to invest more time and money into making the manuscript as error free as I can make it. Since time is one commodity we all have a limited supply of, this book is very important to me.

Now that the corrections are done and I'm closing in on my book launch, I want to tell you why I love Boundary Waters Search and Rescue: Beyond Belief. First of all, it's set in my home state of Minnesota. I grew up on the north shore of Lake Superior and, although I've traveled widely, I've yet to find a place more beautiful. I am delighted to be able to set my book in two of my favorite places---Grand Marias, Minnesota, and Ely, Minnesota. These wonderful small towns welcome visitors with many options for growth, relaxation, and connecting with nature. Don't take my word for it. Don't even take my descriptions in the books at their word. Plan a visit, canoe the Boundary Waters, take a class at the North House, eat a pizza at Sven and Ole's, take a stroll down to Drury Lane booksellers, outfit yourself or a loved one in awesome north country apparel or browse for more books (because one can never have enough reading material) at Piragis Northwoods Company, breathe in the pure air, and then tell me if I did this beautiful area justice.

Beyond Belief is also work of my heart. You've already heard my account of how the story came to me. That alone would make it special. But apart from that, I love to read tales of substance that involve the heart. That means I love a good romance. Just to be clear, I'm not talking about the explicit, formulaic excursions into darkness that are so popular right now. I love to read romances that mirror God's vision of romance. You know the type: A man, a woman, a spark, love, commitment, marriage and building a life together. Telling the story of a courtship is only the beginning. I loved writing that part of the book, but if Beyond Belief ended with the courtship, it would be one of the shortest books on record. It is as my characters begin the process of life together that true depth comes into their relationship. These layers make for an ever more complex, challenging. and fulfilling journey. So as you read the series, the romance---as with any good relationship---stays a romance, but also transmogrifies into something far more evocative of eternity.

One of the most beautiful compliments I've received from my advance readers is that they care about what happens to my characters. Those fictional people matter to them. They became friends. Those compliments meant so much because I care for my characters in the same way. Some days I sit in front of this computer, tears running down my face, as I write about difficult, frightening, or painful times for these people who exist only in my prose and in my heart. I have also laughed with them, worried with them, and prayed with them. Like my readers, I consider my characters friends.

Finally, I love this book and this series because they give me hope for the future, they make my spirit soar, and they show me a God Who cares passionately about love (between friends and between a man and a woman), marriage (His creation), and relationships between all His children.

I think you should read Boundary Water Search and Rescue: Beyond Belief when it is published for the same reasons that I love it. Read with me and you will spend time in a beautiful area of the country. You will get to know terrific people who face an uncertain future with faith and integrity. You will laugh and cry along with my characters. And, in the end, you will find hope. This world is a challenging place and we all need to know that God is on His Throne. That's my theme through the book and through the series. (Well, that along with my personal conviction that God has a sense of humor when teaching important life lessons.)

Thank you for your care,

Joy