Beyond the Storm

This week, theChristian Fiction Blog Allianceis introducingBeyond the StormAbingdon Press (October 2012)
byCarolyn Zane
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Author of 35 books, wife, mother and yes…hot (flasher) lives with her fabulous husband, Matt and their 5 children and 3 dogs in the scenic Willamette Valley in Oregon. When asked to describe her family, Carolyn likens her crowd to the
Brangelia Bunch saying modestly, “Only we’re better looking.” Right now, Carolyn is back in the saddle with her new title: Beyond The Storm, coming out in October 2012! In the mean time, be sure to catch her on the critically acclaimed TOOHOTMAMAS Blog where Carolyn and Wendy tackle Marriage, motherhood and menopause: How to do all three and stay out of prison! They are hilarious! You'll wet yourself, guaranteed! Visit them at: www.toohotmamas.wordpress.com.

ABOUT THE BOOK

After a tornado rips through her town, store owner Abigail comes across a piece of fabric from a wedding dress among the devastation. Abigail is moved to start collecting other swatches of fabric she finds – her neighbor’s kitchen curtains, a man’s necktie, a dog’s bed – which she stashes in shopping bags. As she pursues her seemingly absurd quest, horrible realities spark the question, “What kind of a God would allow such tragedy?” 

As she struggles to reconcile her right to happiness amidst the destruction, Abigail begins piecing together a patchwork quilt from the salvaged fabric in hopes it will bring some peace. But a new relationship with Justin, a contractor, may require too much of her fragile heart.  Will her pain and questions of faith give way to the courage to love?

If you would like to read the first chapter of Beyond the Storm, go HERE.

MY THOUGHTS 

The timing of this blog tour is rather ironic with the East Coast being battered by Hurricane Sandy. Carolyn Zane has created a heart-wrenching novel that vividly portrays the reality of a massive tornado and the destruction that ensues. Beginning with the calm before the storm, through the warnings and desperate searches for safe shelter as the tornado bore down on the town, and continuing in the aftermath as folks searched for loved ones and the storm's impact was assessed, the thoughts and feelings of the various characters infused the story and drew me in until I was almost surprised to see the sun shining outside my own window. I loved the connection and symbolism between stitching a quilt of the remnants found in the rubble and putting the pieces back together of life and faith--while weaving in a new thread of love. I do wish the author had chosen a different profession for one of the main characters; that's simply a bias from my nursing background, but it made it difficult for me to connect with the book immediately. Overall, however, I recommend this book and look forward to more of Abingdon's Quilts of Love series.