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Award-winning author Pamela
S. Thibodeaux is the Co-Founder and a lifetime member of Bayou Writers Group in
Lake Charles, Louisiana. Multi-published in romantic fiction as well as
creative non-fiction, her writing has been tagged as, “Inspirational with an
Edge!” ™ and reviewed as “steamier and grittier than the typical Christian
novel without decreasing the message.”
About KERI'S CHRISTMAS WISH
For as long as she can remember, Keri Jackson has despised the hype and
commercialism around Christmas so much she seldom enjoys the holiday. Will she
get her wish and be free of the angst to truly enjoy Christmas this year?
A devout Christian at heart, Jeremy Hinton, a Psychotherapist, Life
Coach, Spiritual Mentor and Energy Medicine Practitioner has studied all of the
world’s religions and homeopathic healing modalities. But when a rare bacterial
infection threatens the life of the woman he loves, will all of his faith and
training be for naught?
In Keri's Christmas Wish we get a glimpse into the life and spiritual
practice of an ordinary woman who goes through an extraordinary experience.
Keri Jackson is an accountant who, although she loves Christ, abhors
the hype, commercialism and controversy of His birth. As she embarks on a
spiritual quest to determine why she feels this way, a rare bacterial infection
threatens to take her life before she can find answers.
Jeremy Hinton, a Psychotherapist whose practice is a bit unorthodox as
far as the medical community is concerned, has been enthralled by Keri from the
moment the two meet. He feels she is a highly intelligent, deeply emotional,
intensely complex human being. He has studied the human psyche and spiritual
evolution for as long as he can remember. Keri's attitude toward Christmas
baffles him, but Jeremy is sure together they can get to the bottom of it. Until
she is beset by a rare infection that she may not recover from.
But what Jeremy and the doctors don't know is that while her body is
under attack, Keri's soul is alive and well in another realm.
We travel this journey with Keri as she discovers a spiritual truth
that is sure to set many people free from preconceived notions about heaven,
angels, Christ, Christmas and the value of a relationship with Jesus.
Excerpt:
Later that
evening, Keri sat in her apartment bewildered and confused. Her search around the
apartment complex after work had uncovered not a single string of wind chimes.
Not one. She’d found nothing to explain the music she’d heard while drifting
off after her evening prayer the night before.
Goose bumps rose on her flesh in response to the shiver that shook her
soul. Could it be God used the music to acknowledge her prayer? Would this be
the year she finally let go of all the angst she felt around Christmas and just
enjoyed one of the holiest seasons? Would her Christmas wish finally be granted?
Pamela on KERI'S CHRISTMAS WISH
What inspired you to write your newest
release Keri’s Christmas Wish?
When I look back on the beginning I
can honestly say Keri’s Christmas Wish was totally inspired by God. I’d finished
a short story and sent the collection off to my editor when a vision of a young
woman scrolling through her newsfeed came to mind with the words: Bah Humbug….
The entire story evolved from that one image and I completed the manuscript
within a very short time. Since this was the first, original fiction story I’ve written in its entirety since 2009 I’m very excited to see it come to
fruition.
Why should people
buy this book and who is your potential audience?
Keri's
Christmas Wish will give readers an enjoyable fiction story that shares the
miracles and magic of the books and movies made over the last several years
based on a true account of someone's visit to heaven. Those who love reading, hearing about and watching a true account of
someone's visit to heaven as well as those who wonder if heaven is for real and
what it is like, will enjoy Keri's Christmas Wish.
Is there anything
else you feel is relevant to this story?
True
accounts of heaven, angels, miracles as well as Energy Medicine, and
meditation/self-help techniques are huge topics of interest in the world today.
This story combines all of the above in a manner sure to entertain as well as
enlighten.
What is the
message you hope to get across in this story?
That regardless of where you are in your faith journey God and His angels are
always there to guide and guard and that He loves you in spite of your doubt
and fears.
What is the
one question you wish an interviewer would ask you?
Q: To what or whom do you credit your
success?
A:
Many people have a love/hate relationship with their muse. My muse is the Holy
Spirit and I accredit every ounce of success to the grace of God because
without HIM I seriously doubt I could write a single word, much less stories
that bring hope and healing to so many.
What is
your work schedule like when you are writing?
Unlike many writers, I'm not strictly disciplined. However, when I am actively
writing, I write—very little editing, or working on other projects, limited
time online, not much networking or blogging, sleep comes only in snatches,
meals are scarce and light, and definitely no playing!
When do you feel like it all began to come
together for you as a writer—was there a particular moment?
After years as a closet writer, penning stories in 5-subject notebooks, I'd
have to say when I purchased my first, USED word processor and started
typing in all those handwritten manuscripts I really began to feel like a
writer.
Who has influenced you most as
a writer and why?
There is really no one person to whom I can attribute this to, so many have
helped me along the way. I’d have to say that my love of reading has influenced
me the most. Reading opens doors to the imagination, takes you places you’d
never be able to go otherwise and improves your visualization and vocabulary
skills. Now, I’m able to implement all those things into my own writing.
What are
some of the challenges you face as an author?
The biggest challenge I face is not having my work accepted by the “Christian”
publishers. As one reviewer said, “though undeniably Christian, it is never
dogmatic or insular; offering faith rather than religion.” (Review of Tempered
Dreams by Elizabeth Burton for Blue Iris Journal) My books deal
with issues in a way that is unacceptable in the traditional CBA market. Now that
is not saying that my books are better than those published through traditional
CBA publishers, only different. As I’ve said many times, everything that
gives God glory deserves to be praised!
What are a few writing tips
you could share with aspiring writers?
The bible exhorts us to “study and show yourself approved.” Keep
studying, keep writing, keep learning, stay open to constructive critique and NEVER
GIVE UP! Writing is both gift and talent given to you by God. Don’t hide
your gift or bury your talent. Whatever you write, write well. Strive for
excellence. Stay teachable, pliable, and flexible. Never believe that you know
it all because knowledge is power and the more you know the more valuable you
become. Above all share what you learn with others and make someone’s load
lighter to bear.
Any marketing tips?
Marketing is an intricate part of the publishing business and publishers today
expect authors to do their fair share. However, marketing/promotion can be overwhelming
as the more you learn, the more there is to learn. For everything you
accomplish, there are hundreds more you can do. My motto is: Do something every
day and your best then let God do the rest and remember it takes time
to build a career.
What is your goal or mission
as a writer?
A committed
Christian, I firmly believe in God and His promises. God is very real to me. I
believe that people today need and want to hear more of His truths wherever
they can glean them and I do my best to encourage readers to develop a personal
relationship with Him. The deepest desire of my heart is to glorify God and to
get His message of faith, trust, and forgiveness to a hurting world. My hope is
that all of my stories will touch the lives of everyone who reads them and - in
some way - bring them a truer knowledge of God and urge them into a closer walk
with Him.
