Sunday Times Sentinel Newspaper review by Diane Nader-Epling, December 7, 2003.
Why is it that we seem to have little trouble bowing to our more spiritual sides during the holidays, but then just as easily, tuck them away soon after the year starts anew?
I don't know about you, but I suspect, in part, it's because our culture allows us to acknowledge our faith more openly in the guise of holiday good cheer. Yet after the obvious symbols of the holidays are neatly stored away: the gold and silver greeting cards ripped from their archways (the remnants of scotch-tape clinging aggressively to the woodwork), every bit of Aunt Thelma's sickening-sweet fruitcake happily fed to the family dog, and for some, the yards of wired icicles detached from the gutters, we return to our place in this world with a business-as-usual spirit until we are summoned once again when late-autumn returns. Maybe what we yearn for, albeit secretly, is for some inspirational direction. The inspirational fiction genre is one of the fastest-growing segments of the book market and it is easy to understand why.
One such author of this market is Paula F. Blevins. Paula who? While her name may not yet be well-known to the mass readership on the order of John Grisham or Mary Higgins Clark, her inspirational mystery series are uniquely her own. Blevins states, "I have always loved mysteries, so I took on the challenge of writing mysteries within the Christian framework."
A mother of three, with a degree in Spanish and French secondary education, Paula is no stranger to the power of language and its effect on youth.
In her book "The Way Home" (Book I in the 'For Hymn Mystery Series'), Blevins cleverly weaves the powerful lyrics of "Amazing Grace" throughout her storyline - a set of lyrics used to set the tone in each of the book's three parts. The central characters, Elizabeth and Ryan, are engaged, with the wedding fast approaching. Elizabeth's past has begun to catch up with her, wreaking havoc with her already strongly-held doubts about her religious faith and threatening the security of her future with Ryan - whose unwavering faith in God is refreshingly apparent.
I must say, that early on, my doubts about this book were equally-matched in strength to Elizabeth's, but with each chapter, and these are short (3-4 pgs.), my doubts melted away.
Blevins remarked, "I began writing these to the adult Christian woman, but found that people were telling me they were buying them for their teen and youth-aged girls."
I'm not surprised. I think that is why I had some difficulty relating to the characters early-on. The language reads more for this age group than perhaps for an older, more experienced woman, but the story did manage to strike an emotional chord with my cynical side, and that was, perhaps, its mission.
Teens and youth, however, will easily relate to the story's central characters and should have little trouble transferring the lessons of faith to their own life challenges. The story provides a positive Christian message that is sorely lacking in today's teen and youth market. "The Way Home" succeeds in reminding us that faith equals patience; and the ability to relinquish oneself from the false belief that we can control most everything in our lives, is central to one's commitment to it.
This holiday season, check out "The Way Home" by Paula F. Blevins. Far less costly than an Onstar tracking device, it may just help you find your way home. Note: Paula will be signing this and her new book "Come to Me" (Book II in this series) at the Samuel L. Bossard Library on Dec. 13 from 2-4pm.
Keep reading.
(Diane Nader-Epling worked for 20 years as a speech-language pathologist. She is the mother of three and lives in Gallia County. You may write to her care of the Tribune, at news.mydailytribune.com)
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