I was asked for a general synopsis by a loved one last night. It really hasn't crossed my mind, however beyond this blog and the brief synopsis I wrote for the publisher; I suppose I really hadn't offered a great deal of insight to the book. Then again, I have had others ask the same question some direct and some more indirect.

I found myself asking the same question. Is it only about first love and broken hearts? Is it a teen romance novel? Is it an adult novel? Does it have the BIG S's in it? All those wonderful questions that yes, believe it or not I've been asked at one point in time or another, and generally more than once by more than one.

I came up with quite a variety of interpretations once I really gave this some thought last night. First of all, yes it is about first kisses, first loves, lost loves, broken hearts, and forgiveness. It's not a teen romance though in the first chapter or two one may assume this... It's about family, brothers, the haste involved, the relationships and the forgiveness. It's about the strength in faith and God. It's about a past and about a future. It's about memories of childhood and growing up. It's about broken dreams and dreams come true. It's about living and about dying. It's about pride and jealousy. It's about second chances.

In my final contemplation, it's about some part of every person's life I have ever known in my life. I believe this is a story that if we are honest, each one of us can and will relate to at some point in the intertwining characters, life’s and stories that unfold through out.

I have to share something that occurred yesterday. I spent the majority of the day after returning from appointments in the morning working on my next project. I'm happy to say I am well on the way with this undertaking at a standard typed page number of 55 and I think it might be pretty good......

However, I walked out of the office for a stretch and brief break. I was talking with my Mom about the book she was reading at the moment, a Sydney Shelton book. In our conversation she pointed out that my book was likely going to take her longer to read as the book is bigger. I doubted her on this pointing out the fact the book she was reading is in fact much thicker. She pointed out the size of the pages and the print in my book as compared to that one and as often is the case.... she was right. I was a bit surprised at this reality to be honest, as I had feared my book may actually not be long enough to compare to some others in at least size even if not quality.

However, in proving her point I opened my book to a random location and read a few paragraphs. I didn't recall writing what I read as is often the case when I go back and re-read something I have composed. I found myself compelled to read just a bit further and felt seriously annoyed at the character I was reading about. I wrinkled up my nose and stated out loud... "I don't remember this part... What an unscrupulous A...hole he is!" It always strikes me funny when these sorts of things pop out at me like that.

Okay, I am going to pick four brief text selections randomly from the original manuscript (before editing was all completed) and copy and paste them here for your reading pleasure and to give you a bit more of "A Love Beyond Time".....

Selection - Humor: Rowdy noticed Kate following behind him and couldn’t resist the temptation to tease around with her. “Close the gates of Hell boys, the pretty preacher’s daughter is getting into Rowdy Nichol’s truck!” He swept around squatting just enough to bring his shoulder level to her own, put his arm around her and acted as though he was escorting her to the passenger front seat of his high sitting black Ford truck.

Selection - Humor: “What?” Craig asked with mock surprise in his voice. Then in Craig’s traditional manner, he made light of the situation “And I thought she meant it when she told me it was I her heart longed for.”
“Yeah… Right!” Lance was sarcastic; having no idea what it was that Craig was referring too. “Like that would ever happen, Mr. Fall Asleep During her Daddy’s Sermon. NOT!”
“Really, she told me on the dance floor it was me she liked anyway.”
By now Craig was laughing out loud at the vision of himself dating someone like her. He wasn’t the Casanova that Lance worked hard at being. He had plenty of girls that noticed him, but didn’t work at keeping their undying attention like his younger counterpart. “Alas my dear brother, do not despair over my broken heart! No, I will go on to live and love again some day. Someday when my heart is healed from the pain you have inflicted with the spear of dying love.”
“Get a life!” Lance was smiling and shaking his head after hearing his brother carry on like some sort of idiot “You are such a freak!

Selection - Action/Drama: Then I heard another terrible sound of metal crashing against itself and realized Lance’s truck was moving up over the embankment with nowhere to go but down. There was a semi-truck that had come up behind him, and like everyone else, he couldn’t get his truck stopped on the ice. The impact of hitting Lance stopped the semi barely at the edge, but I knew from the sounds that Lance’s truck had plummeted over the side. I was running toward them and heard the sound of the ice crushing below in the river and knew the truck had gone into the water. I got to the side of the hill and was screaming Lance’s name. I started sliding down the hill where he had gone over. The driver of the semi was right behind me. I heard him yelling for me not to go in the water when I reached the bottom shortly before he did. He was grabbing for me as I was right there by the fragmented ice. His hand caught my arm and spun me around. He was a big guy and not anyone I knew.

Selection - Reflection: As Kate sat reading through her journals she couldn’t help but weep and laugh along the way. There were so many memories. It hadn’t seemed so long ago that it had all occurred, but in reality it was. Many years had passed and time had taken its toll on everything, including her.

Selection Reflection/Drama: After passing through the house to exit through the front doors of what she had known as home for so long, Kate looked back one last time. She knew she would never see this place again. The contract closing was complete and the new owners were taking possession the next day.

Okay folks, that’s all you get today...

As I have sat here for a little over an hour scouring through my old manuscript the day has gone from a beautiful blue sky with still air that allowed the songs of the birds to caress the soul. However, as the day should be warming, the wind has returned from its sleep and the temperature has fallen accordingly.

Pray for rain for us in this region! With no rain and much wind, the lands are parched and dry! May the Lord have mercy on our lands and the political process now set in motion this year!

Have a great day! God Bless and Keep Smiling!