A few weeks ago, as I was doing a final read-thru of my upcoming release, Life, Take Three, I thought, wow, I really love this story.
My first thought? That sounds really conceited, Suzanne. My second thought? But why? I mean, if I as the writer do not love what I write, how can I expect a reader to love it?
And then I started thinking about why I loved this story so much. The answer is that, though neither the story nor the characters bear any resemblance to me or the events in my life, the general themes of the book mirror the aspects of life that I hold most sacred. Here are just a few:
Love. Isabel Stevens has spent her entire life seeking the most elusive prize of all: her father’s love. Only when she stands up to her father and reclaims all that she gave up in order to earn his love does she come to understand that her father’s love was there all along.
Faith. In God, yes, but more than that is the belief that there is more to life than meets the eye. In Life,Take Three I write about the afterlife and about destiny. I’m not sure I believe that events in life unfold in exactly the same manner as they do in the book, but I do believe that nothing in life happens by accident.
A sense of humor. Isabel’s life is in shambles (she even admits that she has become a stark raving bitch) but she never loses her sense of humor.
What about you? As a reader, do you tend to read books that speak to you and make you think about life? Or do you prefer to escape reality and seek solely to be entertained?
If you’re a writer, do you include elements of yourself in your writing?
Groundhog Day meets Heaven Can Wait
Attorney Isabel Stevens’s life is in a downward spiral. On the worst day of her life, she is killed in a fatal car crash. After discovering a loophole in the No Returns policy in heaven, Isabel is given a one-time opportunity to relive the last day of her life. The only rule? Everything must happen exactly as it did the first time around.
With the help of a guardian angel, Isabel begins to see where her life went off course. When the day is up and she returns once more to heaven, she pleads for the opportunity to go back and make things right. Her wish is granted, but when she learns the price she must pay, she begins to wonder whether she’s up to the task. Determined to find a way out of her dilemma, she accepts the terms. Will she succeed and live to see another day? Or will she defy the agreed-upon terms and suffer the consequences?
Life, Take Three is available now for Pre-Order. Click here to reserve your copy today.
Yvonne Kohano
I probably SHOULD say I read books that make me think about life, but REALLY, I’m there for the escapism! There’s enough reality in reality for me!
But I know what you mean about feeling that sense that a book is ON when you finish writing it. I get teary-eyed, and I don’t think it’s inappropriate for any of us to be proud of what we’ve accomplished. So celebrate that great ending!!!
Thanks for writing your wonderful stories! yvonne
Pamela
I can’t wait to read Life, Take Three! I preordered on Amazon. Great post, so insightful in your writing! I love everything you write!
Suzanne Vince
Thank you, Pamela!