Project and content management for Contemporary Authors volumes
WORK TITLE: Restored
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: http://www.kimberlyrae.com/
CITY:
STATE: NC
COUNTRY: United States
NATIONALITY: American
http://www.kimberlyrae.com/blog/
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Married; husband’s name Brian; children: two.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Author. Regular Baptist Press, writer; Union Gospel Press, writer.
AVOCATIONS:Helping others.
WRITINGS
Contributor to periodicals, including Woman Alive, BRIO/BRIO & Beyond, Encounter, Proverbs 31 Woman, Standard, Mature Years, Insight, Diabetes Health, Keys for Kids, Sisterhood, Clubhouse Jr., and Women of the Harvest.
SIDELIGHTS
Prior to launching her writing career, Kimberly Rae traveled all across the world, performing volunteer work. She has been to several countries, including Indonesia and Bangladesh. In an interview featured on the Work at Home Woman website, Rae explained that she first began developing her writing career during her time in the country of Bangladesh. At the time, she also worked as a schoolteacher, but began delving into writing by penning her own articles. Much of her work is informed by what she witnessed throughout her travels.
Shredded and Restored
Shredded: Your Past Does Not Define You is one of the books in a series created and written by Rae. It centers on a community church known as Brookside Baptist Church, as well as the sudden adjustments that begin to ripple through the church and its surrounding community at the hands of a new pastor. It all begins with a woman named Candy, who is known throughout the town as a sex worker. However, her life shifts profoundly the moment she hears the sermon of the new pastor. She drops out of sex work and devotes her life to religion, and from there, she is able to touch and inspire numerous other members of the church to also start their lives anew. In an issue of Publishers Weekly, one reviewer stated: “This is an uplifting story about the courage it takes to reform a community and care for the marginalized and neglected.”
Restored serves as a follow-up to Shredded. It picks up just after one of the characters has been violently assaulted, while the rest of the community reels from what has occurred and tries to seek healing. At the center of the conflict is Grant, the injured party, as well as Slash, the perpetrator who has ties to several other characters. Now that Slash has stooped to such violence, the community becomes determined to stop him for good, and that means delving into the truth regarding his status as member of a ring of sex traffickers. A Publishers Weekly contributor felt that “readers of soap-style drama will be pleased.”
Capturing Jasmina
Capturing Jasmina takes place in the country of India, and follows the life of a little girl named Jasmina. From her early years onward, Jasmina endured poor treatment from those around her. Her parents favored Samir, her brother, over her simply due to his gender. Everything rapidly grows worse for both siblings, however, when their parents encounter a man interested in sending the children to school. Their parents agree, all the while possessing the knowledge that the “school” is anything but, and accept money in exchange for turning their children over to the man.
From there, Jasmina and Samir are put to work in sweatshop conditions. The two of them are tasked with creating clothing. Then Jasmina is moved elsewhere—first to a quarry, then, when she reached her teenage years, to a sex trafficking ring. Yet Jasmina never makes it to the last location; on her way there, she manages to escape and began living an emancipated but impoverished and homeless life. She lives this way for some time before meeting missionaries, who teach Jasmina about Christianity and give her shelter. The book is narrated from Jasmina’s perspective in an epistolary style, now that she is under the protection and care of the missionaries. A writer on the Dani Reviews Things blog remarked: “I would maybe recommend this to children ages 9-13, and from a religious background.” On the Traces of Faith blog, Traci Rhoades said: “This book, and its follow-up, Buying Samir, educate us on the realities of our spending.” She added: “We need to be mindful of what products we buy and where they are produced.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Publishers Weekly, June 13, 2016, review of Shredded: Your Past Does Not Define You, p. 82; January 22, 2018, review of Restored, p. 69.
ONLINE
Dani Reviews Things, http://danireviewsthings.com/ (May 30, 2015), review of Capturing Jasmina.
Kimberly Rae website, http://www.kimberlyrae.com (June 19, 2018), author profile.
Traces of Faith, http://www.tracesoffaith.com/ (February 1, 2015), Traci Rhoades, review of Capturing Jasmina.
Work at Home Woman, https://www.theworkathomewoman.com/ (June 19, 2018), “Interview with Kimberly Rae – Author of Stolen Woman,” author interview.
Author Bio & Interview
Kimberly Rae BIO (for more individualized bios, see PRESS KIT page)
Amazon bestselling author Kimberly Rae lived in Bangladesh, Uganda, Kosovo and Indonesia. She rafted the Nile River, hiked the hills at the base of Mount Everest, and even ate cow brains just to say she’d done it!
Rae has been published over 200 times and has work in 5 languages. Her articles have been published in BRIO/BRIO & Beyond, Proverbs 31 Woman magazine, Mature Years, Diabetes Health, Sisterhood, Women of the Harvest, Clubhouse Jr., Keys for Kids, Insight magazine for teens, Standard, Encounter, and Woman Alive, the only Christian magazine for women in the UK. She writes regularly for Union Gospel Press and Regular Baptist Press.
Rae’s series of Christian suspense/romance novels on human trafficking (Stolen Woman, Stolen Child, Stolen Future) are all Amazon bestsellers. She also has a non-fiction series on living joyfully with chronic health problems, a new fiction series for teens on trafficking (India Street Kids Series) and a series of books for kids showing them their worth to Jesus (I Am Loved Series).
Rae has been interviewed on radio shows, newspapers, and on television. She loves to help people live joyfully despite chronic illness, learn how to fight human trafficking, and know their worth so they can change the world.
Rae’s Website: www.kimberlyrae.com
E-mail: contact @ kimberlyraeinfo.com
Facebook Page: Human Trafficking Stolen Woman
Twitter: @KimberlyRaeBook
Interview with Author Kimberly Rae
For you personally, what is the best thing about being a writer?
I love writing because you never know who you are going to touch with your work. You write, then offer up what you have (like the little boy with the five loaves and two fish) and then watch what God does with it!
kimi typewriter
When did you start writing?
When I was 10, my parents gave me a kid’s typewriter for Christmas. I used to pluck away writing my own little Nancy Drew stories. Then I’d tape them all together. I’ve been writing ever since, but never thought that’s what I’d be doing “for real.” I am so blessed!
How have real-life struggles contributed to your writing or a particular book you’ve written?
I’d have to say the biggest struggle that’s affected my writing would be living with a disease. There are a lot of books on chronic illness out there that are written by healthy people, but I don’t find those encouraging. =) Those of us who live with chronic illness sometimes just want something funny, someone to say it stinks, I understand, and you can make it through this day. With Addison’s disease, hypoglycemia, asthma, scoliosis and a cyst on my brain, I can certainly say I understand!
Tell us about your day…when you write. Do you have a method or routine?
I usually do my computer work and marketing during the day now that my little ones are in school, but my best writing often happens in the middle of the night. And, since the cyst on my brain squishes the part that makes melatonin, a lot of nights I can’t sleep till 2 or 3, so it’s a good thing I’m a writer or I’d be really bored!
What’s up next for you?
The India Street Kid Series on trafficking for teen girls. Since the average age for a teen girl in America to be trafficked is 12-14, we need to be teaching them about this long before most of us realize. The series will be adventurous and exciting, and give info in small, age-appropriate doses without scaring parents. I’m excited about the possibilities!
What advice would you give aspiring writers?
Don’t give up! You have a unique voice and a message to give the world. Don’t take rejection personally—in the beginning I told myself to expect to be rejected 9 times out of 10. It gets easier over time. Keep learning. Join a writer’s group if you can and learn to enjoy constructive criticism—it really will help you become a better writer. I’ve got a bunch of blog posts on writing under the 4WRITERS tab, so hop on over there and maybe you’ll find something that will help you along the way. Happy writing!
10 Random Things About Me:
1. I’m the child of a Vietnam Vet, grandchild of two WWII Vets.
2. I got married when I was 27.
3. I used to like to walk in the rain before I got asthma.
4. My first pet bird got loose the day we got it, flew into a pokey part of a hanging-plant hanger, and died.
5. I’ve seen Mount Everest.
6. Sometimes I get this weird craving for Long John Silvers fish.
7. I love speaking to large groups and am intimidated by small ones.
8. My pet lovebirds tried to kill each other (ironic). I haven’t had a pet since, unless you count an ant farm or my Venus fly trap.
9. In high-school I would try to sit to the left of people because my teeth didn’t look as crooked from that side.
10. Though I’ve been to 20 countries, I’ve never seen the Statue of Liberty or the Grand Canyon.
Interview with Kimberly Rae – Author of Stolen Woman
2 Comments This post may contain paid and/or affiliate links. Please see our disclosure policy for further information.
Share
1
Pin
Share
Tweet
SHARES 1
Interview with Kimberly Rae - Author of Stolen WomanSaveTell us a little bit about yourself and your entrepreneurial journey.
Well, to be honest, I feel like I'm just on the beginning of that journey — a lot like a brand new freshman in college who doesn't even know where her first class is! Before Stolen Woman, writing was something I enjoyed, but did sporadically, and the money wasn't dependable and we'd use it for special family activities or going on a date here and there with my husband.
Now that my book has just been released, writing has become a business rather than a hobby. I admit I don't know much about what I'm doing at this point! If anyone has any ideas on how to get the word out about my new book, I'd be happy to hear them!
As far as me personally, I love to be outside in nature, watching Jane Austen movies, clean comedy (Tim Hawkins especially!), and spending time with my husband, who is also my best friend. I'm pretty lousy at all sports, good at coming up with ideas, and hope to someday take a painting class. In my travels, I've had the wonderful experiences of seeing Mt. Everest, rafting on the Nile River, and eating cow brains just to say I'd done it! Okay, the cow brain part wasn't so wonderful, but I love traveling and learning about new cultures and different ways people live and think.
I think over the years my bravery level has decreased, however. If someone offered me cow brains today, I'm not sure I'd take them up on it!
What did you do before launching your own business?
I feel like I’ve had a whole collection of jobs. After college I went to Bangladesh and taught Bengali children, then went to Africa to help an AIDS orphan project, then after I got married, my husband and I moved to Indonesia where he taught English at a University there and I tried to learn how to balance being a new mom with learning a new language and culture.
Talk about challenging! We were quite surprised to find out I was pregnant soon after arriving in Indonesia. I remember one day during my first trimester when we went to a special cultural event with some of the University students. They brought me a bowl of a favorite local dish, a soup with sprouting beans in it and tiny dried fish sprinkled across the top – complete with tail, head, and eyes! You can imagine the dried fish smell. I remember praying that I would not throw up and all those eager students and make a bad first impression!
Being a mom in a foreign country was such a great experience. A baby breaks down cultural barriers like nothing else. I was completely out of my element, though, hearing advice like, “Don’t drink cold water – you’ll have a big baby,” and “If you drink cold water while breastfeeding, the baby will get cold milk!” I also had to decide what to do about the fact that most of my friends did not use diapers on their babies. Should I live with being considered wasteful to spend the money on diapers, or be like everybody else and just clean up … often?
I picked being wasteful.
How does any of this have to do with being a writer? Preparation I suppose. I wrote off and on all through those years, more as a hobby and a ministry than anything else. Now that I am writing on more of a regular basis, those experiences have given me a wonderful base of cultures and peoples to write about. My first novel, STOLEN WOMAN, is set in Kolkata, India, but more about that later.
How did you fund your business?
Initially, when writing was a hobby, I would get a check here and there from a magazine. When the internet became the preferred method of submitting manuscripts, the costs for being a part-time writer decreased significantly, since I did not have to pay postage and printing costs for mailings anymore. The money I made from being published every once in awhile more than compensated the cost.
Now that I am a “real” writer, marketing my own book, that has obviously changed! The up-front costs for marketing materials, as well as buying several hundred books to sell at book signings and such, are going to cost quite a chunk. Fortunately for me, my husband is very big on setting aside money to have an emergency fund available, so there is just enough money for getting this book started. God willing, the book will sell well enough to pay for itself (and I hope more than that, of course!)
You recently published your first novel, “STOLEN WOMAN, a Christian Suspense Story on Human Trafficking”, tell us about it.
I was talking with my mother one day, wondering aloud what writing project I should focus on next, etc., when she asked me, “If you could write about anything, what would you write about?”
By the end of that day, I had the basic outline and was already working on a chapter of STOLEN WOMAN, my novel on human trafficking. I guess writers live vicariously through their books, because now that health problems keep me in the States, you could say that this book is my way of getting back out there and making a difference. I can’t go overseas and rescue women or children, but maybe someone will read my book and get out there to do what I cannot do.
And despite the dark subject, I have to say it was a delight to write. I felt like I got to go back and visit Asia again, reliving wonderful memories about my favorite street kids, making a fool of myself trying to use the language, and just experiencing life from a different perspective.
I especially enjoyed writing the tense scenes between the two main characters. Their personalities are similar to mine and my husbands, except my characters are more outspoken. My husband, Brian and I both hate conflict, so we don’t fight like my characters do, but I imagined how the conversation would go were we to just let out whatever we really wanted to say. It was fun! Maybe therapeutic in a way. I would read the scenes out loud to Brian and he would laugh, or tell me when I put in a statement or thought from the guy that a real guy would never say or think, which was good, because I never like guys in novels gushing so much you know the guy was invented by a woman.
But back to the book. It is about Asha, a young woman who goes to Kolkata (Calcutta) India on a summer missions trip. By accident, she ends up in a bad area and meets 16-year-old Rani, who has been stolen from her home and forced to work in the red-light districts. Asha desperately wants to help her escape (who wouldn’t!), but Mark, a 3rd-generation missionary and her boss for the summer, tells her emphatically that she must never go back to that area again.
Despite the dangers, Asha is determined to rescue Rani, so she starts sneaking off the missionary compound in attempts to plan Rani’s escape. But one night as Asha goes to meet her friend, she realizes she is being followed. Will she be stolen and sold, too?
You’ll have to read the book to find out the rest!
How many hours do you work a week and how much is spent is your home office?
The words “home office” made me laugh. Before this week, my stuff was spread out through several rooms! It was okay to have a pile here and a pile there before when it was just a hobby, but with the book getting released this summer, we finally decided I needed a real space of my own. So my dear husband gave up over half his office for me, and just last weekend we went to a Habitat for Humanity re-store and got me a couch and desk. I’ve got organized files now and that feels so good! I’m still not completely organized into the office yet, but it’s getting there.
I’d say I work about 20 hours a week – you all know how hard it is to actually calculate working time, when it’s interspersed with “Mommy, can you come help me?” and snack time, nap time, and changing diapers.
It seems amusingly ironic to me that I sit on the couch writing about human trafficking while Bob the Builder or Thomas the Tank Engine shows are playing. I think working with children is daunting sometimes, but a real blessing, because no matter what I write about, I can’t ever get too emotionally involved in it because my 2-year-old will have a poopy diaper and remind me that life goes on, that I am making a difference right here (it doesn’t seem significant, but if nobody changed that poopy diaper, it sure would be!), and that goodness and life and love prevail. I wouldn’t trade that for a corporate anything!
How would you rate your success?
Hard to say, since the book’s not out yet! Maybe by the time this is printed, it will be and I can let you know. Overall, however, I feel very successful because people have shown such an interest in the book, and especially in one of the book’s main purposes, which is to connect caring people with human trafficking rescue ministries so they, too, can get involved in helping rescue women and children all over the world. If, somehow, some young woman gets rescued because of my book, I will feel successful. (And naturally I’d feel even more successful if it made some decent money, too.)
What has been your biggest business struggle as an entrepreneur?
That feeling of urgency that propels me toward working when I should be focusing on my family. I struggle with wanting to do my own thing and neglecting my family, then feeling that bad mixture of guilt and defensiveness that then makes things even worse. I know that my relationship with God is what keeps me balanced – helping my family by doing this work, but also knowing when a bedtime story is more important. I keep trying to remind myself that in a few years, I’ll probably have more time than I want where I’m alone at home and the kids are off doing something else. I don’t want to miss this precious time of their childhood, chasing after my own dreams. But even though I know this, I still struggle with it on a daily level.
What advice would you give to a new entrepreneur?
I’m way too “green” at this to give anybody else advice at this point! If I had to say something, I’d say ask questions and be willing to keep learning.
How do you manage all of your personal and business activities?
I’m not sure if you can call it “managing” if I’m typing while the kids are watching a movie, but for the most part I tend to work while in the same room as my 2-year-old during the day. Then when she takes a nap, I can do more focused work. Sometimes, when I’m feeling overwhelmed with several pieces that need to be written, my husband will watch the kids for the evening and I go to a fast-food restaurant and write to my heart’s content. And every Sunday is a day of rest, so no matter how badly I want to open my computer, I really try to set aside that day as a God and family day. I think it really helps to keep the stress at bay and is a weekly reminder that things aren’t as urgent as they often feel.
I’m very blessed in that writing is something I can do at my own pace. It’s not a business in the sense that if thinks aren’t kept up, the business folds. For me, if I stop writing for a week or a month, my “career” is not in jeopardy. I like it that way. I don’t have the stress of having to produce, so if I get sick, or one of the kids needs extra attention, I can set my writing aside and get back to it later. I really do have the best of both worlds, and I’m very thankful for it!
Connect with Kimberly Rae …
Book: Stolen Women
Blog: Stolen Women Blog Spot
Facebook Fan Page: Human Trafficking Stolen Woman
Would you like to be featured next on The Work at Home Woman? Fill out this form for consideration!
This page includes affiliate links. Please be aware we only promote advertising from companies that we feel we can legitimately recommend to our readers. Please see our disclosure policy for further information.
My Story
Once upon a time…
little kimi
Childhood:
I was born into a Navy family—a Vietnam War baby to be exact. I have an older and younger sister, and grew up moving fairly often and my sisters and my mom being my best friends. Them and books. I spent a lot of time daydreaming in my back yard, and started writing somewhere around age ten. I still have a collection of stories from that age: one-page, handwritten pieces about teddy bears rescuing kids from a house fire and other stories that seemed exciting at the time (guess I was already into the rescue thing back then!). Around that time, my parents got me a kiddy typewriter. I was thrilled! I’d type out my own versions of Nancy Drew stories on white, lined paper, then tape the pages together. I was a tomboy of sorts and loved playing football with the boys, until my mom made me stop because girls of a certain age weren’t supposed to do that sort of thing.
For More, see:
My Parents Met at a Stop Light, Really
High School:
We moved right before I hit junior high and I went from being very outgoing and involved to very shy and insecure (Doesn’t everybody in junior high? Well, except for my other classmates it seemed!). My old school was into the arts, which I enjoyed, but this new school was all about sports, which I was very not gifted at. In fact, I stunk at anything athletic. Not to mention I went from a school where we wore uniforms to a school where everybody wore the new acid washed jean skirts and had spiral perms. So I started reading books in between class to avoid having to talk with people (and to avoid saying something stupid and getting made fun of). The bad news was I wasn’t anywhere near cool. The good news was I got good grades and stayed out of trouble.
I wrote my first novel in high school, about a girl who moved to the country from the city. I loved it, but…
For More, See:
My Incredibly Cheesy First Novel
College:
This is getting too long, so I’ll try to be more concise. Loved college, but was so very tired. Couldn’t keep up. Switched my major to missions and education because I loved the Bible classes so much.
Bangladesh:
I moved to Bangladesh after college for the most adventurous 2 years of my life. I taught in a school and did writing projects for the group out there. That was also when I started sending out articles for publication, the unofficial beginning of my real writing adventure.
Calcutta rickshaw
For More, see:
Trip to Bangladesh Part 1
Trip to Bangladesh Part 2
Trip to Bangladesh Part 3
From there I moved to Africa for awhile…
africa dancing
Fell in love and got married…
DIGITAL CAMERA
Went to Kosovo for 3 months…
Surviving a Massacre
Indonesia for 3 years…
Indonesia Wedding
Came home because of health problems…
Ever Wonder if you have a Brain Tumor?
A Lesson to be Learned from Potentially Fatal Stuff
DIGITAL CAMERA
And became a stay-at-home mommy who writes! These days I spend my days balancing between being a wife, mom, writer, speaker—all with 5 chronic health problems that sort of run my life. I am incredibly blessed! When we had to come back to America for good because of my health (or lack of it), I thought I was shelved. I’ve been amazed over the past few years at what God has done. Though we’ve had to step back from almost every ministry because my body is unpredictable and I can’t be in anything that regularly depends on me being able to function, God is teaching me that my significance and worth is not in how much I do, but in who I am in Christ! And now He’s using me to teach that message to other women and girls. And through my writing, the one ministry I’ve been able to continue, God is touching more lives than I ever could, had I stayed where I thought I could do something that mattered.
So me, the girl who used to be brave and travel the world and eat cow brains, who now doesn’t even like roller coasters anymore, is typing away, reaching the world on subjects that matter and learning (and sharing!) that God has better dreams for us than we could have for ourselves! He is doing more with my “less” than I ever could when I thought I was more. Wow, He’s so good to me.
Award-winning, Amazon bestselling author of 20 books, Kimberly Rae loves to write stories full of romance, suspense, and making a difference. She has been published over 200 times and has work in 5 languages.
Rae lived in Bangladesh, Uganda, Kosovo and Indonesia. She rafted the Nile River, hiked in the hills around Mount Everest, and tried cow brains just to say she'd done it! She now lives in North Carolina at the base of the Blue Ridge Mountains with her husband and two young children.
Rae's 3 books in her STOLEN SERIES on human trafficking (Stolen Woman, Stolen Child, Stolen Future) all are Amazon Bestsellers.
Since the release of her trilogy on human trafficking, Rae has become a sought-after speaker and trainer on the topic. Recognizing the lack of books about slavery and trafficking that focus on those who are making a difference rather than glorifying the evil or being overly graphic or despairing, she has also since created a series on modern day slavery for teens and pre-teens (Capturing Jasmina, Buying Samir, and Seeking Mother), and recently completed a resource for adults to help train children to recognize and avoid childhood sexual abuse (I AM SAFE), a major risk factor in childhood and adult exploitation. Printable handouts and other resources, as well as autographed books, are available on her website, www.kimberlyrae.com.
"People out there care and want to make a difference," Rae says. "I love getting to help them do that."
Video Trailer: http://youtu.be/MVkG6rdz1pc
Since Addison's disease brought her permanently back to the US, Kimberly's created a series on living joyfully despite chronic health problems. Though Rae could find deep, heavy books on chronic illness, she wanted a book that was funny and encouraging. When she could not find one, one night when she couldn't sleep from her medication, she started writing one! "I want my Sick & Tired series to give empathy, encouragement, and a little practical help," says Rae. "When you've had health problems for years and years, you just want somebody to say 'It stinks, you're not alone, and here's a funny story to help you get through your day!'"
Books in the Sick & Tired series:
Sick & Tired: Empathy, Encouragement, and Practical Help for those Suffering with Chronic Health Problems
You're Sick, They're Not: Relationship Help for Chronic Sufferers and Those Who Love Them
Why Doesn't God Fix It: Shining Eternal Light through the Darkness of Chronic Illness
Laughter for the Sick & Tired--Special Addition
Video Trailer: http://youtu.be/FHRqAdj5zAM
Sign up at www.kimberlyrae.com to get updates on Kimberly's new releases and get exclusive special offers!
PRESS RELEASE for STOLEN WOMAN:
STOLEN WOMAN, Kimberly Rae's breakout Christian suspense novel, is one of the first Christian fiction novels focused on human trafficking to hit the market.
"I looked and looked but could not find one book about trafficking overseas that ended with not just getting rescued from something bad, but to something good," says author Kimberly Rae. "What I wanted most was to read a story that ended with true freedom and lasting hope. And as someone once said, if you can't find the book you want to read, you must write it. So I did."
After living overseas for many years, the author uses her experiences in Asia to backdrop the story of Stolen Woman, set in Kolkata, India. Stolen Woman's main character, Asha, leaves her home in North Carolina, for a summer working with orphans in India. There she meets a 16-year-old trafficked girl who has been stolen from her home and forced into sexual slavery. Asha desperately wants to rescue this girl, but Mark, a 3rd-generation missionary and her boss for the summer, forbids her return to the dangerous area. Certain she is doing the right thing, Asha begins sneaking off the missionary compound to meet with her new friend and plan her escape. When the traffickers get suspicious and Asha's young friend runs away, Asha sneaks out during the night to help, ignoring the fact that she, too, might become one of the stolen.
More than just an exciting story, Rae is using Stolen Woman as a way to connect caring readers with human trafficking ministries so they can help make a difference. A 2-page spread at the end of Rae's book highlights Women At Risk International (www.warinternational.org), a non-profit ministry that has been rescuing women and children in foreign countries as well as in the U.S. since its inception in 2006. Many more trafficking rescue outreaches are linked on the book's website, www.kimberlyrae.com.
"I didn't want a story that was merely entertaining," says Rae. "I want what I write to have a purpose. When my mom asked me what I would write about if I could write about anything, I knew exactly what the answer would be. That day I started working on Stolen Woman."
Rae's novel, book 1 in a series of 3, is available at www.amazon.com, or readers can order an autographed copy through her website, www.kimberlyrae.com.
"People out there care about human trafficking and want to make a difference," Rae concludes. "I pray my book will help them do that."
6/4/2018 General OneFile - Saved Articles
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/marklist.do?actionCmd=GET_MARK_LIST&userGroupName=schlager&inPS=true&prodId=ITOF&ts=1528167426863 1/2
Print Marked Items
Restored
Publishers Weekly.
265.4 (Jan. 22, 2018): p69.
COPYRIGHT 2018 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
Restored
Kimberly Rae. Narrow Way, $14.99 trade paper
(342p) ISBN 978-1-5440-7154-1
This enjoyable third book in the Broken Series from Rae (Shredded) is full of intense emotions, quick scene
changes, and elaborate plotting. Slash--the former sex trafficker who shot Grant Henderson at the end of the
previous book--is about to be released from prison. Each main character is still coping with the fallout . of
the shooting and fear about Slash's release: Grant refuses to accept he might not walk again; his fiancee,
Jean, is fearful that Grant will never overcome his anger; Candy, a reformed prostitute, metes out tough love
to Grant and hopes to get through to Slash (her former boss and tormentor) by giving him a Bible;
Champagne, another former prostitute, intends to take Slash down. As Champagne begins to investigate
Slash's criminal past, she realizes that the sex trafficking ring he was part of was much larger than anyone
suspected. Though a tendency to deploy plot twists in bursts of dialogue can make following the action
difficult, readers of soap-style drama will be pleased. (BookLife)
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"Restored." Publishers Weekly, 22 Jan. 2018, p. 69. General OneFile,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A525839802/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=cfe461ed.
Accessed 4 June 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A525839802
6/4/2018 General OneFile - Saved Articles
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/marklist.do?actionCmd=GET_MARK_LIST&userGroupName=schlager&inPS=true&prodId=ITOF&ts=1528167426863 2/2
Shredded: Your Past Does Not Define You
Publishers Weekly.
263.24 (June 13, 2016): p82.
COPYRIGHT 2016 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
Shredded: Your Past Does Not Define You
Kimberly Rae. Narrow Way, $14.99 trade paper (374p) ISBN 978-1-5147-0151-5
Brookside Baptist Church, in Oakview, N.C., is bound by years of tradition and a powerful deacon. But
when Pastor Stewart and his wife arrive in town, changes begin to take hold at the dusty church. Candy, a
local prostitute, attends Pastor Stewart's first sermon and her life is transformed. To some of the elderly
ladies' dismay, the ebullient town outcast begins to engage wholeheartedly with the church while learning to
reform her life--providing an example of the redemptive power of Christ's love to even the most devout
members. Candy's bubbly spirit brightens the church, inspiring the lonely Jean, a longtime church member,
to come to engage with painful memories. For 15 years Jean has been holding a troubling secret about the
church's deacon. In light of her knowledge, over the years Jean has made it her duty to guard the church
children. Now, with the community slowly changing, "Blue Jean" is able to let down her defenses and find
unexpected comfort with the pastor's handsome brother, Grant, who helps her heal at last. Rae brings to
light difficult subject matter with empathy and restraint, gracefully exploring the pain of overcoming
violation and trauma through the eyes of the victims. Rae's characters are realistic and endearing. This is an
uplifting story about the courage it takes to reform a community and care for the marginalized and
neglected. Agent: Diana Flegal, Hartline Literary (BookLife)
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"Shredded: Your Past Does Not Define You." Publishers Weekly, 13 June 2016, p. 82. General OneFile,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A458871735/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=34184d38.
Accessed 4 June 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A458871735
Capturing Jasmina - A Book Review
I received a copy of "Capturing Jasmina" written by Kimberly Rae, from NetGalley for the purpose of generating a review. Italicized quotes are from the book. The opinions expressed here are my own.
295998
There are parts of this world that don’t fit in mine. Horrors I cannot fathom. We all know it. But few rarely talk about it.
“It’s not fair,” I used to say. “Why can’t I go out and play too?”
“You are a girl” was all the answer I got.
Thus goes the conversation a little girl from India had with her parents growing up. Jasmina always took second place to her brother, Samir. He was, after all, a boy. A son could grow up to learn the family trade and help financially.
Now I know we have unloved children here in America. Orphans in every sense of the term. But what leaves me rattled as I read about the children in India is that the disregard for them seems normal. A way of life I cannot understand.
This work of young adult fiction didn’t seem fictional. It read all too real.
Jasmina and her brother, Samir were sold to a man offering their father a “good education” for his children. Every adult involved knew this promise for schooling was a lie. Every adult made a choice to follow through with the transaction anyway.
That’s how the two children found themselves working in a factory with no windows. Not sex trafficking. Yet. Labor trafficking. Slave labor. Making clothing for Americans.
Jasmina’s story unfolds in the form of a letter her guardians encouraged to write to her brother after she’d been rescued from this terrible life.
Before her rescue, Jasmina spent years working. Starting at age ten in the merchandise factory. Then a rock quarry. Threats kept these children working. The owners told the children they would go after their families if they tried to escape from their working conditions. The very families who put them in the situation in the first place.
So the children stayed. It was the third time of Jasmina being sold as a business transaction that she took a chance and escaped. She was around 15 by this point and had noticed men started looking at her differently.
On the way to her third “job,” she jumped out of the car at a red light and ran for her life. She decided living a life on the streets was better than working at whatever job was waiting for her at the end of the car ride.
“Labor trafficking is only half of this business. The other side is much worse.”
“Worse? How could anything be worse than slaving away in a factory or in a rock quarry? What to you mean?”
“What they will sell is not our labor but our bodies....”
Jasmina was, in her own way, a fortunate one. She managed to maintain her hope and her will to fight. Ultimately, she met a group of Christian ladies from a rescue mission. For the first time, Jasmina heard about Jesus. A God who hates the evil sin behind trafficking of any sort.
As I said, it’s more than I like to think about most days. A lot for me to wrap my mind around as their world seems so different.
But as believers, I’m convinced we can’t hide behind the luxury of ignorance. This book, and its follow-up, Buying Samir, educate us on the realities of our spending. We need to be mindful of what products we buy and where they are produced.
If I ever meet a real-life Jasmina, I’m not sure I could even look her in the eye. I would do it so she could know she has value. But shame on me for not doing more to make a difference.
Review: Capturing Jasmina by Kimberly Rae
posted may 30, 2015 by dani in children's, contemporary, reviews / 1 comment
About Capturing Jasmina
Review: Capturing Jasmina by Kimberly RaeBrought into the world by: Kimberly Rae
Series: India's Street Kids #1
Published by Journey Forth on May 27th 2014
ISBN: 1606828533
Genres: Childrens, Contemporary
Pages: 116
Format: Kindle
Source: NetGalley
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Find out more: Goodreads
Buy here: Amazon UK | Amazon US
Star rating:
Capturing Jasmina, fiction for young adult readers by Kimberly Rae, is the story of Jasmina, a young girl in India, and her brother, Samir. The children are sold by their father to a man promising them an education and good jobs.
But, as Jasmina and Samir soon discover, the man is providing an education, not in a school, but as a slave in his sweatshop garment factory. While Samir quickly submits to his new life of misery, Jasmina never stops planning an escape.
She comes to realize that escape doesn’t always mean freedom.
Divider
Quick review
The blurb will tell you this is about a girl and her experiences as a child slave in India. What it doesn’t tell you is that half the book rushes through three years in superficial detail, then describes the work of missionaries and their converts. On the one hand, the subject matter (i.e. child trafficking) is one that deserves attention; on the other, I felt like I was reading an extended Christian propaganda pamphlet. Despite the heavy subject matter, I found myself feeling nothing throughout the book. Skip to the video at the end of the review to really feel something. Overall, I would maybe recommend this to children ages 9-13, and from a religious background.
Not so quick review
Warning: some spoilers ahead
I almost don’t want to write this review, but I did agree to do it. If I’m honest, I struggled to read this book, as it felt slow while still being short. There was no emotion in it at all. The only reason I’ve given it 2* instead of 1* is because the subject matter –child trafficking– is one that needs so much more attention.
From the blurb, I expected to read more of the hardships Jasmina endured. However, that was pretty glossed over, and most of it seemed like her hearing about the rescue work the missionaries did. I expected more about Jasmina, her struggles and what she did, but she played the bystander, narrating what others did for half the book. When it did talk about what she went through, it was very quick and detached, and I felt sympathy for what she went through, but I didn’t feel empathy. You know when you’re reading a really good book and actually feel the suffering of a character? Or maybe the character goes through a tough, exciting ordeal, and you feel yourself tensing up and holding your breath. I didn’t feel anything reading this..
I didn’t realise, from the blurb, that it would be missionary propaganda. I mean, I appreciate the work they’re doing to rescue street children and sex slaves, but this was more like an extended educational brochure used to advertise their work. Nowhere in the blurb did it prepare me for so much propaganda. I’m not a religious person, but I have nothing against other people being religious. What frustrates me is preaching, and I felt like this book was preachy. I think maybe a prerequisite to reading this book is faith.
I expected a scary and exciting plot, with Jasmina dodging traffickers at every turn, meeting other street children and forming alliances. I expected her to find her brother, rescue him and then, in the end, find a place of safety. Instead, Jasmina had basically found safety halfway through the book, and the rest was her talking about the missionaries. And it wasn’t even an exciting event when she found them. She stumbled across some women praying and followed them around, and then they just let her walk into their compound. Seriously?
Rae also suffered from the curse of the child narrator. Jasmina seemed to have too much insight into what was happening in her life, which wasn’t believable. When she admitted ignorance, it was too superficial. Any suspicions she had of the people, situations and food she came across were passed over too quickly. At one point, she’s taken to a table of food in the compound, and she’s told she can have whatever she wants. She doesn’t take anything, thinking about how traffickers drug food to capture girls for brothels (how does she know that?), but some guy says it’s safe, and she just reaches out and piles food on her plate. She even picks up something she’s never seen before (a chocolate chip cookie) and just eats it. So much for that deep suspicion and hard heart she keeps saying she has!
Towards the end, there were a couple of chapters describing Jasmina and her two friends from the compound going out to rescue a baby. I wish the rest of the book was like those two chapters, as they had a bit more action and excitement. They were also the only two chapters that I felt were written with the voice of a 13-year-old. The characters managed to have a personality! If the whole book was like that, I would have rated it at least 3*. Shame, isn’t it?
All in all, I don’t recommend this book, except maybe for children ages 9-13. It would also help if you were religious, preferably Christian.
That being said, I think child trafficking is a very important problem that needs more attention. One organisation that I hold in high esteem is Love146. If you want to feel something, watch the video below about how they came to be. It makes me tear up!