Real Life Fiction

Award-winning author and popular radio host Chris Fabry explores ethical dilemmas in his latest release, Not in the Heart

If your child needed a life-saving heart transplant, how far would you go to make it happen? How would you feel if a man convicted of murder offered his heart to your child? In his latest release, Not in the Heart, author Chris Fabry passionately delves into hot topics such as capital punishment, gambling addiction and organ donation, leaving readers to examine their own lives and views.

Not in the Heart is a story of redemption—-the story of two men’s lives who bear the consequences of their addictions and receive a second chance. Unfortunately, addiction has become commonplace in our culture, with the effects not only impacting the individuals but also those around them. This story will encourage anyone who has a loved one battling addiction.

The release date in February coincides with observances that create a greater awareness of the issues brought forward in the book. National Organ Donor Day, as designated by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, was February 14. The National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) will be observing Problem Gambling Awareness Week March 4-10, 2012.

View the book trailer and read an excerpt at www.chrisfabry.com.

An interview with Chris Fabry, author of Not in the Heart
(Provided by The B&B Media Company)

Listen to Chris Fabry’s own radio show introducing the book and asking listeners “Who is your Truman?” based on the main character of the book.

Q: Your newest novel, Not in the Heart, faces heavy topics such as gambling addiction, capital punishment and organ donation. Where did you get your inspiration for the book?

My stories usually come from some aspect of real life. I worked in TV news with a friend who went on to work for CNN. He was the pool reporter for an execution of a man in South Carolina. That really affected him for a number of years and his views on capital punishment were altered. We have friends with a young son with a heart condition and many friends have marriages that are on the brink or have crumbled. There is also spiritual searching and gambling, so I feel it’s a pretty realistic picture of a lot of relationships.

Q: Is addiction usually the result of other factors going on in one’s life? What drove the addiction of the character in your book?

My main character has an addictive personality, no doubt. The factors in his life are like those in society—the more stress, the more anxiety and pain, the more likely a person is to seek something that will soothe them and help them dull that pain. For some it’s drugs or alcohol; for others it may be sex or gambling. For some it’s food. It can really be anything that takes away the intense pain that person is experiencing. I’m not an expert or a psychologist, but I’ve observed addictions in people’s lives stemming from those surface struggles, but the addictions go way deeper.

Q: February 14th [was] the National Organ Donor Day. Do you know how many people in our country are waiting for an organ donor?

There are 70-80 organ transplants done every day, I believe. On the downside, about 18 people die every day awaiting an organ transplant. I’ve known several people who have undergone a transplant of a kidney or a liver, and the change in lifestyle is amazing.

Q: Problem Gambling Awareness Week is March 4-10, 2012. Do you know how many Americans struggle with an addiction to gambling?

I have seen stats that say as many as 15-20 million people in the U.S. are addicted to gambling. That’s 5-7% of the entire population. And those numbers are only going to go up with the increase in availability.

More About Chris Fabry:
Chris Fabry has written more than seventy books for children and adults. Last year, his novel Almost Heaven won the ECPA Fiction Book of the Year Award and a Christy Award for Outstanding Standalone Contemporary Novel. He has spent decades as a radio talk show host for Moody Radio and in 2008 was named “Talk Show Host of the Year” by the NRB.

MY THOUGHTS:
Chris Fabry has become a must-read author for me. His books are gritty and often a bit uncomfortable to read, but the message of hope and faith is ever-present. I reviewed Not in the Heart before its release. To read my review of it and other books by Chris Fabry, click here.


My thanks to The B&B Media Company for providing this interview.