Monday, May 5, 2014

Interview with Cathy Bryant, author of A Bridge Unbroken, © 2014, and a giveaway

A Miller's Creek Novel ~ Book 5


 A Bridge Unbroken released a week ago on April 28, 2014!

~*Interview With Cathy Bryant, author of A BRIDGE UNBROKEN (& Giveaway)*~

Welcome, Cathy. I would like to ask about the story behind the story of A Bridge Unbroken. Did you know where you were headed with Book 5, or are your stories unfolding as you write them?
With every Miller's Creek Novel I write, it never ceases to amaze me at how God uses the spiritual theme of the stories in my own life. I pre-plan all the stories, choosing the spiritual theme before anything else. Before I wrote even one word of A Bridge Unbroken, I knew the theme would be forgiveness.

I have not had the opportunity to read your story yet. Could you tell us about it?
The story is about a frightened runaway who wants her painful past to disappear. Her plan to start afresh is derailed when she co-inherits her late grandfather’s farm with the man responsible for the scars on her heart. He isn’t the only ghost from the past. Someone else is out to get her and will stop at nothing to get what he wants.
   Because of past hurts between the two, the story question becomes: "Will Chance and Dakota lay aside their grudges to restore the old farmhouse and bridge, or will evil forces sabotage their attempt at forgiveness?"
   In every relationship, even ones that have lasted for decades, things happen that require us to be gracious and forgiving. In fact, I think those things are often divinely inspired to test our commitment to the relationship and to living the kind of life our heavenly Father desires.

How did your journey with A Bridge Unbroken begin?
Before I wrote A Bridge Unbroken, and also during the writing of the story, I seemed to be constantly confronted with situations that required grace and forgiveness on my part. At times my life was so emotionally painful that I questioned God as to why He wanted me to write a story on forgiveness when I struggled to forgive others. As I studied the concept of forgiveness in the scriptures, I was reminded of these truths.

1. True forgiveness is an act of the will, not emotion. We forgive––not because we feel like it––but because God requires it. How can we expect Him to forgive us if we're not willing to forgive others?
    I love this C. S. Lewis quote: "Being a Christian means forgiving the inexcusable because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you." What powerful words, and oh, so true!

2. True forgiveness is unconditional. When Jesus, from the painful and humiliating cross of His crucifixion said, "Father forgive them, for they know not what they do." (Luke 23:34, KJV), He placed no conditions on forgiveness. And He, as the sinless Son of God, certainly had the right to do so! In that light, as children of our heavenly Father, our forgiveness toward others can't be based on the offender's remorse, apology, or anything else. (If that were true, there are some whom we'd never forgive!) Instead, we forgive like Jesus––unconditionally and with no strings attached.

3. True forgiveness is motivated by the highest and purest love. When I stop to consider what Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection have bought for me, I'm astounded. I'm forgiven! Jesus' work was motivated by God's great love, in spite of who we are and the horrible ways we sometimes behave. Thank You, Jesus, for Your matchless love and grace! Thank you for forgiving an old sinner like me.

What is your favorite Bible verse?
I have lots of favorites, but my absolute favorite is 2 Corinthians 5:21: "He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." The absolute best bargain of all time! He took our sin and gave us His righteousness. That just blows me away!

Can you use 3 words that describe you?
Hard-working, introverted, and family-oriented.

What fun thing can you tell us about yourself that we don't know?
My mother tells me I was born with a head full of black hair. As a girl growing up, it was brown. When I started to turn gray, I colored it red. Then when it got really gray, I went blond. So I can honestly say that I've had every hair color. (By the way, it is true that blonds have more fun!) ;)

What do you enjoy doing when you're not writing?
Honestly, hardly a day goes by when I'm not writing, but I enjoy shopping at thrift stores. While I do enjoy home improvement projects, they're more of a necessity than a hobby. I'm also a big reality TV junkie, my favorites being The Amazing Race and Survivor. The human interaction makes excellent writer research! I also enjoy hiking, gardening, and spending time with my family.

Thank you, Cathy. How did you become involved in writing?
My love affair with writing started at a young age. During my youth, I won several writing contests, on both the regional and state levels. I even worked at the local newspaper for my after-school job. While my kids were young, I probably started at least one new novel every year, but never finished a one. About the same time that the empty nest hit, I was diagnosed with several rare medical conditions and lost a friend to cancer. I realized that if I were ever going to pursue my writing dream, I'd better get started!
   I studied books on writing as if I were back in college, and began writing Texas Roads. The book was a 2009 ACFW Genesis contest finalist. I've just kept at it since then, adding four more titles to the Miller's Creek Novels. Other than motherhood, it's the hardest and most rewarding work I've ever done.

Do you always know the title of your books before you write them?
Most of the time, I have at least an inkling of an idea for the title, since the Miller's Creek titles all have a journey-theme: roads, path, way, pilgrimage, bridge. The only book title that changed over the course of writing the story was Texas Roads. It started off as This Road Leads Home. (You can actually hear a copy of the song my awesome hubby wrote for the book at this link: https://www.reverbnation.com/travisandcathybryant
You'll have to click on the play button for "This Road Leads Home.")

What do you hope readers take away after reading A BRIDGE UNBROKEN?
I hope they come away from the story with a fresh understanding of what forgiveness is. The world has really affected our definition of forgiveness, so that believers often don't fully understand it from a Biblical worldview. A scriptural understanding of forgiveness is vital to our faith! I have two favorite quotes on forgiveness. The first is from Mark Twain, who said: "Forgiveness is the fragrance the violet sheds on the heel that has crushed it." The other is from C. S. Lewis: "To be a Christian means to excuse the inexcusable because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you."

What are you working on now?
I'm working on the launch party and blog tour for A Bridge Unbroken (see below). I hope everyone will take a minute to click the launch party banner and sign up for the party. The main prize for the night is a $100 Visa Card, but I'll also be giving away books (both print and digital), t-shirts, tote bags, coffee mugs, Amazon gift cards, and bookmarks.
   In addition, I'm trying to complete a few unfinished home improvement projects that took a backseat while I wrote the book. I'm also writing a companion Bible study on the topic of forgiveness.

Thank you for having me on your blog. I truly enjoyed it!
Thank you, Cathy, for sharing with us. I really like this photo you have on Pinterest:
Here's another shot of Mama Beth's house! =)
“Miller’s Creek, Texas…where folks are friendly, the iced tea is sweet, and Mama Beth’s front porch beckons…”

~*Cathy is giving away an eBook of her A Bridge Unbroken to one Lane Hill House friend ~ Add your e-mail address with your comment for notification to winner selected May 10. It would be fun to know what your favorite Bible verse is and why it stands out to you.*~
Now Available for Kindle: A Bridge Unbroken (A Miller's Creek Novel) by Cathy Bryant, http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JYQRJMS/ref=cm_sw_r_pi_dp_nIwxtb1C2ZNSD
Click HERE to read a sample chapter of A Bridge Unbroken.

Letting go to build a bridge…
Dakota Kelly wants her painful past to disappear. A plan to start afresh is derailed when she co-inherits her late grandfather’s farm with the man responsible for the scars on her heart. But Chance Johnson isn’t the only ghost from the past. Someone else is out to get her and will stop at nothing to get what he wants. Will Chance and Dakota lay aside their grudges to restore the old farmhouse and bridge, or will evil forces sabotage their attempt at forgiveness?
| Purchase Print Version | Purchase eBook Version |
 Click here to go to the link for the overviews of the Miller's Creek Novels.
Texas Roads, A Path Less Traveled, The Way of Grace, Pilgrimage of Promise, and A Bridge Unbroken 
Cathy BryantAbout Cathy ~ A Texas gal by birth, Cathy enjoys spinning tales set in the fictional town of Miller's Creek, Texas, where the folks are friendly, the iced tea is sweet, and Mama Beth's front porch beckons.
   When she's not writing the Miller's Creek Novels, you'll find her rummaging through thrift stores or up to her elbows in yet another home improvement project in the mountain cabin she shares with her minister husband of over thirty years.
   You can find out more about Cathy and her books at CatBryant.com
   Here are a few other places to meet up with Cathy in cyberspace:
Reader friends on Facebook may want to visit the following groups, the first for book bargains and the second to discuss all things Miller’s Creek.
~*~
About the $100 Visa Card Giveaway/Launch Party

Cathy is celebrating the new addition to the Miller’s Creek family by making several prizes available to reader friends, including a $100 Visa Card Giveaway. Winners will be announced at the interactive Facebook Launch Party on May 22, 2014.
    Other prizes include: t-shirts, coffee mugs, tote bags, bookmarks, eBooks, print books and Amazon Gift cards.
    Enter the grand prize drawing for the $100 Visa Card now by clicking one of the links below. But hurry, because the contest ends May 22, 2014. (NOTE: Some contest tasks can be completed daily for extra chances to win.)
   The grand prize winner will be announced at the A Bridge Unbroken Facebook launch party on May 22.
Don’t miss the fun! See you at the party!

7 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. I keep forgetting and commenting below instead of within your posting reply! Hope you have a warm, sun(Son)-filled day! Kathleen ~ Lane Hill House

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    2. Thank you, Shirley. I very much enjoyed being a guest of Kathleen's on Lane Hill House. Thank you for stopping by to comment. (And Kathleen, I've enjoyed our tea session on the front porch!) :)

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    3. Hi Shirley, You have won an eBook copy of Cathy Bryant's A Bridge Unbroken at Lane Hill House blog. I have notified Cathy of your win. Please send your e-mail address to her in a message at https://www.facebook.com/Cathy.Bryant.Author.
      Congratulations! Kathleen ~ Lane Hill House

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  2. Shirley, thank you for coming by ~ it is like sitting together having tea on the porch with Cathy! Kathleen ~ Lane Hill House

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  3. WooHoo!! I won a print copy of A Bridge Unbroken on a Mother's Day giveaway! Kathleen ~ Lane Hill House

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    1. Happy for you, Kathleen! Still waiting to hear back from Shirley. :)

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