Here we are on what's supposed to be a "fall" morning and about the only thing that's falling in SWLA are the leaves. The temperature is staying steady with highs in the 90's. I've always said I'm a summer person but I'm ready for cooler temperatures!
Today's guest is not new to our blog. Gail has been in our spotlight, twice. She's shared treasures, thoughts and words with us, but today we're getting a peek into her latest release, Stopped Cold.
Margaret McWhorter enjoys a laid-back Freshman year in high school swimming and hanging out with friends—until the day her brother, Sean, suffers a stroke from taking steroids. Now he's lying unconscious in a hospital.
Anger sets a fire for retribution inside her, and Margaret vows to make the criminals pay. Even the cop on the case can't stop her from investigating. Looking for justice, she convinces two friends, Jimmy and Emily to join her in a quest that takes them through a twisted, drug-filled sub-culture they discover deep in the woods behind the school. Time and again they walk a treacherous path, and come face-to-face with danger.
All the while Margaret really wants to cure Sean, heal the hate inside, and open her heart to love.
Excerpt: A Chapel. Something urged me to go inside. Maybe it was because I had nowhere else to turn. Maybe it was because Reverend Hopewell’s visit made me believe God would do something about Sean’s condition if I kept asking him to.
A
cinder of hope sparked inside me as I walked in the tiny, narrow sanctuary with
mahogany paneling and one pew. If only God would make Sean well and lead me to
the drug dealers. Did God do that sort of thing? Maybe I didn’t know enough
about God to be in here. He wouldn’t approve of all the hate I had for the drug
dealers. Jesus preached a Gospel of love. My heart beat so fast.
How
could I explain my deep despair to God? Did He care about Sean and me? Through
the blur of my tears I peered at the stained glass cross embedded in dark
paneling behind the altar, the soft lighting washing over it. I didn’t need to
tell God how sad I was. He already knew. Of course, He cared. He sent His only
son to die for Sean’s sins and mine.
But
did I know the right thing to say to God, especially in my angry state?
Reverend Hopewell’s prayers sounded so eloquent when he said them for the youth
group. If I ever wanted a prayer to be good enough for God to answer, it was now.
The words “Ask and it will be given to you--” popped in my head. I knew they
came from the book of Matthew, so I looked it up on my iPhone--Chapter seven,
verse seven. I stared at the words for several minutes then turned it off and bowed
my head.
‘Dear Lord, Please have mercy on Sean and healhim, if it
is your will, and dear Lord, I hope it is. Mom,Dad, and I need him. I’m sorry I
haven’t been a better sister, and I’m sorry about the hate I feel toward the
drug dealers. Maybe you can help me get over it...if I could just find them. I
love Sean so much. If he gets well, I’ll talk to him about the gifts you gave
him and tell him what a great brother he is. Please let Dad see that Sean
doesn’t need to be a quarterback. I ask these things in Jesus’ name. Amen.’
I
stood and took one last look at the cross. My heart beat steady now. There was
peace, hope, and answers in this room.
I
walked outside with renewed strength, the crisp fall air fanning my cheeks on
the way to the bus stop.
Award-winning author Gail Pallotta’s a wife, mom, swimmer
and bargain shopper who loves God, beach sunsets and getting together with
friends and family. A former Grace Awards Finalist and a Reader’s Favorite 2017 Book Award
winner, she’s published six books, poems, short stories and two-hundred
articles. Some of her articles appear in anthologies while two are in museums. She loves to connect with readers. Sign up for her
newsletter at https://www.gailpallotta.com/mainphp.html and visit her website
at https://www.gailpallotta.com
Visit her online at the following places:
Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/AuthorsandMore
twitter at https://twitter.com/Hopefulwords (Gail Pallotta @Hopefulwords)
Thanks so much Gail, for sharing our spotlight once again!
Hope you enjoyed today's post friends and that you'll check back weekly for Wednesday Words with Friends and another Saturday Spotlight.
Until next time take care and God bless.
PamT
9 comments:
Powerful excerpt, Gail! Congrats on your release!
Hi Darcy,
Thank you for stopping by and your kind words.
This sounds like a timely topic and a wonderful story.
Hi Alina,
Thank you for coming by to read about Stopped Cold. The theme for Stopped Cold nagged me for a long time. Finally, I decided to put it in a story.
Gail,
A very intriguing excerpt. Sound like a fine novel. Congrats and best wishes.
Hi Jacqueline,
Thank you for coming by and commenting about the excerpt and for your kind words and good wishes.
Wow, compelling premise and excerpt. Very best of luck and congrats!! (Pam, I'm not a summer person and I'm definitely ready for cooler temps. It's been around 86 the past few days, still too hot for me!)
Hi Alicia,
Thank you, Alicia, for reading about Stopped Cold. I appreciate you sharing your thoughts and kind words.
Intriguing excerpt. Best wishes.
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