Project and content management for Contemporary Authors volumes
WORK TITLE: The Dog That Whispered
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE: 1950
WEBSITE: http://www.jimkraus.com/ NOT SAME!!
CITY: Chicago
STATE: IL
COUNTRY:
NATIONALITY:
http://www.abingdonpress.com/jim_kraus
RESEARCHER NOTES:
LC control no.: n 94042664
LCCN Permalink: https://lccn.loc.gov/n94042664
HEADING: Kraus, Jim, 1950-
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035 __ |a (OCoLC)oca03597614
040 __ |a DLC |b eng |c DLC |d DLC |d OCoLC |d DLC
053 _0 |a PS3561.R2876
100 1_ |a Kraus, Jim, |d 1950-
400 1_ |a Kraus, James P., |d 1950-
670 __ |a His His father saw him coming, c1994: |b CIP t.p. (Jim Kraus) data sheet (James P. Kraus)
670 __ |a Pirates of the heart, 1996: |b CIP t.p. (Jim Kraus) data sheet (Kraus, James P., b. 4/16/50; American)
953 __ |a sh09 |b lh08
WRITER NOTE: Much of what looks like long reviews cover multiple titles, with only brief snippets about Kraus. To get enough data for a Category A essay, I added book descriptions found at Amazon.com.
2nd joke book (224 p) could be abridged edition of 1st joke book (384 p), but I can’t verify that.
PERSONAL
Born April 16, 1950; married; wife’s name Terri (a novelist); children: a son.
EDUCATION:Attended Paris American Academy, 1971; University of Pittsburgh, graduated; DePaul University, master’s degree.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Writer. Tyndale House Publishers (Christian publishing company), Wheaton, IL, became senior vice president in charge of Periodicals Division, beginning 1990s.
AVOCATIONS:Photography.
AWARDS:Photography awards.
WRITINGS
SIDELIGHTS
Jim Kraus worked in the book publishing business for most of his career. He spent twenty years or more with Christian publisher Tyndale House. That is also the company that published his first book, a collection of devotions called His Father Saw Him Coming, in 1994. Soon after that, Kraus began to collaborate with his wife Terri on several Christian fiction adventures.
"Treasures of the Caribbean" Series and "Circle of Destiny" Series
Jim and Terri Kraus first worked together on the series “Treasures of the Caribbean.” The trilogy begins with Pirates of the Heart, in which a humble seventeenth-century seaman named William Hawkes falls in love with Lady Kathryne Spenser, daughter of the first governor of Barbados. William eventually becomes a successful privateer (a pirate operating under government license), and the adventure continues in Passages of Gold. The final volume, Journey to the Crimson Sea, is the story of local vicar Thomas Mayhew, who must choose between his commitment to the church and his growing love for the former prostitute Eileen Palmerston.
“Circle of Destiny” follows four classmates from Harvard College in the mid-1800s on their various coming-of-age adventures. The Price introduces aspiring pastor Joshua Quittner, whose commitment to his Christian vocation is tested by his growing compulsion to join the California Gold Rush. The Treasure is the parallel story of Gage Davis, who must face a similar choice between success in business and the wealth of the spirit. The Promise features Hannah Morgan Collins, who defies her parents to become one of the first female medical students at Harvard, only to end up married, abused, and profoundly unhappy. Her college friends offer the support that she will need to renew her faith. The Quest is the story of Jamison Pike, a journalist who circles the globe to find fame and fortune, only to learn that the real meaning of life lies much closer to home.
The Silence and The Micah Judgment
After two coauthored volumes of “Stories from McKenzie Street,” Kraus struck out on his own. The Silence: The End Is Near is a futuristic novel of global catastrophe. The earth is wracked by a series of natural disasters that disrupt communications systems and destroy the physical infrastructure. As food becomes the new currency, rural Midwestern pastor Jerry Moses molds his congregation into the Garden of Eden and turns it into a cult that could save–or destroy–the world. It is up to three humble seekers of truth to find their separate ways to Illinois to challenge his power.
The Micah Judgment features a very different threat: a virus that could destroy mankind. Scientist Hays Sutton is about to sound the alarm when someone steals his research–and his virulent samples. He might be able to defeat a lethal terrorist plot, but only if he violates some of the most highly valued tenets of his Christian faith.
The Dog That Talked to God, The Cat That God Sent, Conversations with St. Bernard, The Dog That Saved Stewart Coolidge, and The Dog That Whispered
As he approached retirement age, Kraus found time for quiet morning walks with his miniature schnauzer Rufus. The predawn stillness offered a perfect environment for contemplation, and the air was so quiet that he could imagine the will of God emerging through the persona of Rufus. Kraus explores that concept in novels that enchant his Christian readers, especially the pet lovers among them.
The Dog That Talked to God features a miniature schnauzer named Rufus (coincidentally, Kraus insists with tongue in cheek). Rufus enters Mary Fassler’s world at a time when the middle-aged novelist is grieving the death of her husband and angry over the rest of her lot in life. On one winter night walk, Rufus reveals to Mary that he can speak. In fact, he speaks with God himself at least once a week. Mary finds great comfort in her adopted companion, who is full of sage advice. According to a reviewer in Publishers Weekly, Rufus is “both naïve and insightful,” and “this charming novel” offers a realistic exploration of Mary’s healing process.
The success of that story inspired Kraus to take a closer look at Petey, a pet he has described as “an ill-tempered Siberian cat.” In The Cat That God Sent, Petey is a stray who decides to live with Jake Wilkerson, the new pastor of the Church of the Open Door. Jake arrives fresh from a failed pastorate and a failed romance. His painful crisis of faith still lingers, but he is hopeful of better times ahead. Better times will involve Peter, described by a Bookfoolery Web logger as an “intuitive” cat who “goes where he’s needed, when he’s needed.” When Petey becomes a regular churchgoer who sits in the same spot every Sunday and actually listens to the sermons, people notice. The congregation begins to grow, along with Jake’s self-confidence. The Bookfoolery contributor noted multiple grammatical issues with the narrative and a tendency of characters to “ramble,” but ultimately found the story “funny and sweet and heartwarming.”
In Conversations with St. Bernard, artist George Gibson is on his last road trip. His daughter convinces him to accept a travel companion: a Saint Bernard named Lewis. Off they go in George’s motor scooter-plus-sidecar. Along the way George tells Lewis the story of his life, and Lewis attracts an eclectic entourage of new friends. The trip that George intended to entail completion of his bucket list (despite the one secret he never intended to reveal) could actually turn out to be his salvation.
The Dog That Saved Stewart Coolidge is the story of a stray who stole a bone from a grocery store. Stewart is the bag boy assigned to capture the thief. His assignment offers a chance to strike up a conversation with his attractive neighbor Lisa. He forgets about the dog until it shows up at his door, determined to help Stewart win the young woman who has captured his heart.
In The Dog That Whispered, an octogenarian grandma sneaks a forbidden pet into her retirement community, with the intention of persuading her grandson to adopt him. Wilson is a troubled Vietnam veteran who grows more reclusive with every passing year. Thurman the dog coaxes Wilson out of his self-imposed isolation with yips and barks that sound increasingly like human speech. Wilson’s gradual awakening to the world around him coincides with Hazel Jamison’s quest to solve the mystery of a photograph and a key found in her late mother’s home. Her journey takes her to Wilson and Thurman, who has been keeping a certain secret for a very long time. A Publishers Weekly contributor wrote: “This sweet novel is for readers who love . . . well-told, simple stories of redemption and forgiveness.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Booklist, January 1, 1997, John Mort, review of Pirates of the Heart, p. 819; January 1, 2001, John Mort, review of The Price, p. 916.
Library Journal, November 1, 1997, Melissa Hudak, review of Journey to the Crimson Sea: Treasures of the Caribbean, p. 64; February 1, 2001, Melanie C. Duncan, review of The Promise, p. 79.
Marriage Partnership, spring, 2002, review of The Quest, p. S5.
Publishers Weekly, January 2, 2012, review of The Dog That Talked to God, p. 57; April 25, 2016, review of The Dog That Whispered, p. 77.
Today’s Christian Woman, May, 2001, review of The Promise, p. S4.
ONLINE
Abingdon Press Web site, http://www.abingdonpress.com/ (March 17, 2017), author profile.
Bookfoolery, http://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/ (June 3, 2013), review of The Cat That God Sent.
Champion of My Heart, http://championofmyheart.com/ (September 20, 2016), Roxanne Hawn, review of The Dog That Whispered.
Simple Grace, http://www.simplegrace.com/ (December 30, 2015), Stephen Vosloo, author interview.
Writers Life, http://thewriterslife.blogspot.com/ May 8, 2013), author interview.
Jim Kraus grew up in Western Pennsylvania and is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh. He attended the Paris-American Academy in 1971 and has spent the last twenty years as a vice-president of a major Christian publishing house. He has written more than 20 books and novels (many with his wife, Terri) including the best-selling The Dog That Talked to God (Abingdon Press, 2012). His book, The Silence, was named as one of the top five releases in 2004 by the Christian Book Review website. He is also an award-winning photographer. He and his wife and 14-year-old son live outside of Chicago with a sweet miniature schnauzer and an ill-tempered Siberian cat.
Dec 30, 2015
Jimkrausresized
Stephen Vosloo
The little miracles that brighten author Jim Kraus’s day
The latest issue of Simple Grace features the heartwarming book The Dog that Saved Stewart Coolidge. We caught up with the book’s author, Jim Kraus, to learn about his beloved dog, Rufus, and how aging has changed his relationship with God
“In the morning, after my first two cups of coffee, I take Rufus out for a walk, usually at 5:15 or so. I know, I know, it is early. But the air is still and the landscape quiet, almost serene,” Jim says. “That’s when I ask God to be with me this day and to keep me open to His direction. That prayer has to be daily because it sets the tone for the day. And then if I know specifically of someone close to me who is struggling, I will ask that God to reveal Himself to them. I don’t always ask for God to fix things, but to help us understand how we fit in His master plan.”
Lately, Jim has been pondering the meaning of Psalm 46:10: “Be still and know that I am God.”
“Our lives are bombarded with news and information and gossip and threats and concerns and warnings and temptations. That’s why my 30-minute walk with Rufus every morning is so valuable. I don’t carry a phone or listen to music—it is just me, the dog and God,” Jim explains. “There are more years behind me than there are in front of me. When we are young, we think our life will go on and on and on. And now that I am older, I know that it doesn’t, so I try to truly appreciate the wonders of each day and each small experience God gives me. Each day is a miracle. A family’s love is a miracle. God’s Word is a miracle. Sharing God’s love is a miracle. And while a good piece of toast with strawberry jam and strong coffee may not be a miracle, we should enjoy it to the fullest."
You can read more about Jim’s new book in the January issue of Simple Grace available at Walmart, Barnes & Noble and other grocery stores nationwide.
The Dog that Saved Stewart Coolidge is the charming story of a bag boy tasked with finding a dog who stole a bone from the grocery. Along the way he discovers the life changing power of hope and love.
Jim Kraus
JIM KRAUS is a longtime writer and editor who has authored or co-authored more than 20 books, both fiction and nonfiction. Jim and his wife, novelist Terri Kraus, and one son, live in the Chicago area with a sweet miniature schnauzer and an ill-tempered Siberian cat.
Wednesday, May 08, 2013
Interview with Jim Kraus, author of Christian fiction 'The Cat That God Sent'
Jim Kraus is a longtime writer and editor who has authored or co-authored more than 20 books, both fiction and nonfiction. His best-selling humor book, Bloopers, Blunders, Jokes, Quips, and Quotes, was published by Tyndale House Publishers, sold more than 40,000 copies and inspired several spin-off books. Jim, and his wife, novelist Terri Kraus, and one son, live in the Chicago area.
Also residing with them is a sweet and gentle miniature schnauzer named Rufus. Coincidently, Rufus is also the name of the dog in Jim's recent book, The Dog That Talked to God. "What a coincidence," Jim said. "What are the odds of that happening?" They also share space with an ill-tempered Siberian cat named Petey. Coincidently, Petey is the name of the cat in Jim’s most current book, The Cat That God Sent, by Abingdon Press.
Jim recently was awarded a Master of Writing Arts degree from DePaul University. "Now, I am able to write more better," Jim said. (Yes, that is supposed to be humorous.)
Passionate about writing, Jim loves to create true-to-life characters. "I tend to be the one at the party that is on the edge of things--observing how folks act and react. Plus, I'm not that crazy about people in general--so it works out fine." (Again, it's supposed to be funny.)
Visit his website at www.jimkraus.com.
-----------------------
Q: Welcome to The Writer's Life! Now that your book has been published, we’d love to find out more about the process. Can we begin by having you take us at the beginning? Where did you come up with the idea to write your book?
The book is called The Cat That God Sent.
I had written a book called The Dog that Talked to God (published by Abingdon Press). Much to my surprise, it did pretty well and hit the Christian Booksellers Association’s bestseller list and is a finalist in the Evangelical Christian Publishers Book of the Year/Fiction. Rufus, the dog in the story, a miniature schnauzer, had been modeled after our dog, also a miniature schnauzer, also called Rufus. (I mean—what are the odds of that happening?)
We also have a Siberian cat—called Petey—who has deemed us as suitable hosts. Once the cat saw that dog book, there was no way to keep him appeased. Cats are jealous that way.So The Cat that God Sent was born out of that. It seemed logical to follow a dog book with a cat book.
Q: How hard was it to write a book like this and do you have any tips that you could pass on which would make the journey easier for other writers?
I found cats to be more inscrutable—harder to know what they are thinking. (Dogs, on the other hand are very scrutable and much more simple and child-like.)
Honestly, though, writing this book . . . well, it was easy to write. Writers out there—please don’t hate me. I tend not to encounter writer’s block. It like Anne Lamott said: “Do one bird at a time.”
But here is a writing tip some might find helpful. This is the 22nd or 23rd book (give or take a book or two) that I’ve written. The last two books have been the most enjoyable to write. They were the first books that I wrote that were not aimed for any specific “genre.” Unless there is a talking-dog/cat genre that I’m unaware of. So my writing was “freed” from worrying about conventions and expectations.
And so far, the genre-free dog book has been my most successful book—and I’m hoping for the same with The Cat That God Sent.
So, writers, follow your gut—and do what brings you the most pleasure.
Q: Who is your publisher and how did you find them or did you self-publish?
Abingdon Press. I’ve been publishing for a while, and my agent, Chip MacGregor of MacGregor Literary, brought the book to Abingdon. They took a chance on the “dog” book, and were foolish . . . no—I mean wise enough to publish the “cat” book as well.
I happen to work for a book publisher and they published my first books. That relationship made it easier in some ways. We both knew each other and I had an insider’s viewpoint as to what to expect.
Book publishing is akin to making sausage: the end product is wonderful, but the process can be off-putting.
Q: Is there anything that surprised you about getting your first book published?
Here’s the reality of publishing: you can work and slave over a book for a year or two years or a lifetime—and then—let’s just say your book is picked up by a publisher. All your hard work and blood, sweat, and tears, disappears into the publisher’s system for months and months, and you remain in the dark this whole time. Then the manuscript gets sent back to you with all sorts of edits and changes and queries and marks, and they need your revisions by the end of the week. It is sometimes hard to deal with that time crunch and those changes and suggestions.
But I’ve also learned that editors want the best for the book. It’s their livelihood as well. I hold my “final” drafts very lightly. Book publishing is a collaborative effort and a writer has to respect the advice of editors.
Q: Can you describe the feeling when you saw your published book for the first time?
The first time I saw my first book was on a lower shelf in a Borders. (It was a long time ago.) Of course I put it face out, rather than spine out like it had been, and moved it up to the eye-level shelf. It felt great—but I also wondered why other shoppers in the store were not as excited as I was.
I still get a visceral kick when I see one of my books on a shelf. (And I still move them up to eye-level and put them cover-out.)
Q: What other books (if any) are you working on and when will they be published?
I am working on a novel about a reluctant woman pastor who winds up in a small, sort of isolated river town in Illinois. The town is populated with eccentric characters. She has to decide if this posting is a final destination or a point of departure.
It’s quirky and funny and life-affirming and that’s from the first 17 pages.
Q: Fun question: How does your book contribute to making this world a better place?
Fun question? No . . . this one is hard.
Okay, here’s my reply: I want readers to allow themselves to be surprised by the world around them. Could God really use a cat to help someone? (He could. He could do anything.) But in the book, readers may become more aware of the wondrous, beautiful intricate nature of God and the world around us.
Q: Finally, what message (if any) are you trying to get across with your book?
Pay attention to cats.
They are trying to teach you how to be a better person.
Don’t dance when your cat brings you a mouse. (You’ll have to read the book for this one.)
Be aware that God is present and he displays His creativity in His creation.
Q: Thank you again for this interview! Do you have any final words?
I have two:
1.Good pitching will always stop good hitting, and vice versa. Yogi Berra
2.The more we understand individual things, the more we understand God. Spinoza
Book Descriptions
Pirates of the Heart
William, a privateer wronged by nobility throughout his childhood, sees his chance for revenge on the upper class when he has an opportunity to raid an English ship carrying Kathryne, whom he believes to be a spoiled young noblewoman.
Passages of Gold
This historical novel is set on the island of Barbados and features romance, treachery, piracy, and gold. Honor and courage are summoned in the quest to save treasure and reputation.
Journey to the Crimson Sea
Authors Jim and Terri Kraus conclude their trilogy of Treasures of the Caribbean in Journey to the Crimson Sea. The 17th-century Caribbean island of Barbados hosts this unique story of love, loyalty, and adventure. The meaning of forgiveness is tested as Vicar Thomas Mayhew falls in love with the reformed prostitute Eileen Palmerston. Their relationship is questioned by many on the island, including Vicar Petley, who seeks to excommunicate Thomas for bringing shame to the church. Thomas faces a difficult choice: Stay with the woman he plans to marry or retain his position as vicar. And no swashbuckling adventure would be complete without a search for buried treasure and a final clash with pirates on the high seas. Journey to the Crimson Sea delivers romance, adventure, and spiritual insights in an exotic setting that all readers can enjoy.
=====
The Price
The Price is the first in a historical four-book fiction series about the California Gold Rush by the writing team of Jim and Terri Kraus. When the lure of gold pulls Joshua Quittner away from the small church he is pastoring, he must choose between material wealth and peace with God. Only when he discovers the true meaning of love and sacrifice does Joshua find true fulfillment.
The Treasure is the second book in the four-book Circle of Destiny series set during the 1800s Gold Rush. Four college friends begin a life adventure that will change their thinking and their perspective forever. The Treasure's protagonist, Gage Davis, begins running his father's business after graduation and learns about life the hard way. Gage's greatest pain and deepest joy teach him that money cannot buy life's greatest treasure.
The Promise
Hannah Morgan Collins dreams of becoming the first woman doctor in Massachusetts. But must she give up her desires of home and family to do so? Enrolled at Harvard against her parents' wishes, she meets new friends who will impact her life forever. There's the preacher-to-be Joshua Quittner, the cynical journalist Jamison Pike, and the made-of-money Gage Davis. And what of Lucretia Mott, whose passion for women's rights causes Hannah to wonder how she herself could change the world? This beautiful coming-of-age novel takes Hannah on a lifelong search through pain and joy to a place of heartfelt peace.
The Quest details the journey of young Jamison Pike as he leaves home and travels the world in search of the ultimate truth: the meaning of life. Despite finding fame and fortune through his writing and travels, Jamison finds that without Christ, his life remains empty and filled with longing.
=====
His Father Saw Him Coming
Kraus provides a book of personal, devotional stories of God at work behind the scenes during his life--evidence that God has not been unattached or unconcerned about the details of our lives--a book that shows a great, powerful, and loving God at work.
The Silence
Global catastrophes throw the world into mass panic...and virtual silence. A solar storm burns communication satellites and computers. Earthquakes shake North America. Is it the end of the world? Out of the chaos, Reverend Jerry Moses grows a tiny Illinois farm church into the "Garden of Eden," a cult-like community touting food as the new currency for a world gone silent. Tom Lyton, Megan Smith, and Peter Wilson embark on individual journeys that lead them to confront Moses' heretical teaching. This tantalizing, futuristic novel takes readers on a roller-coaster ride toward the truth as seen through the eyes of engaging characters. When global catastrophe sends the world into chaos and a small-town pastor unexpectedly rises to power, three believers journey to Illinois to challenge his claims
The Micah Judgment
Hays Sutton's research unearths a virus unlike anything the world has ever seen, but before he can alert officials to the horrific danger, the samples vanish, along with all of his research.
While tracking down the virus and those responsible for its theft, Hays is faced with moral and spiritual issues that he can not resolve—lying, stealing, and endangering the lives of human beings within the terrorist network are just the beginning.
While he knows that such things are acceptable in a war, he is still deeply troubled by what he is forced to do. Is violence ever the right thing? Can God condone the killing of a few in order to save thousands of innocent lives?
Conversations with Saint Bernard
George Gibson is determined to check off the last item on his bucket list: a trip across America. He hops in his RV to visit - and sketch - the buildings and places across America that he and his wife never got to see. When his daughter learns of a young boy forced to give up a beloved Saint Bernard named Lewis, she suggests George adopt the animal as a traveling companion. The dog even fits perfectly in the sidecar of George's Vespa motor scooter. As George warms to his travel mate, he begins talking to Lewis, sharing stories from his life and his unrealized dreams. Along the way, Lewis seems to attract people and make instant friends with the quirky and charming, funny and odd people who cross their path. Could it be that his new friends - and this strange dog - will help George to finally confront the secret he's been hiding? Can Lewis's devotion to the truth be enough to save George from himself?
The Dog that Saved Stewart Coolidge
A light-hearted love story about a young couple brought together by a four-legged bandit.
When a stray dog helps himself to a bone from a display in the supermarket, he doesn't know his actions will brand him a criminal and spark a romance between two humans. Stewart Coolidge works as a bag boy at the store, and his outraged boss offers a reward and demands Stewart catch the thieving animal. He fails at that, but now he finally has the perfect excuse to talk to his cute neighbor, Lisa.
Lisa has always dreamed of being a journalist and asks Stewart if she can interview him for the local paper. As she gets to know Stewart, she likes him more and more, and she's delighted to learn he shares her Christian faith. Stewart can't bring himself to tell her she's mistaken, that he's not religious at all. And that's not Stewart's only deception. When the dog shows up on the doorstep of their building, Stewart decides to harbor the furry fugitive. But this is no ordinary dog, he has a divine sense of how things should be--and recognizing how much Stewart needs Lisa, he decides to do all he can to bring them together.
Jim Kraus
Author of The Micah Judgment
Jim Kraus's Bio: c. 2006
For the past twelve years, Jim Kraus has been senior vice president at Tyndale House Publishers, in charge of their Periodicals Division. He and his wife, Terri, have co-written several books some of which include The Choosing, The Unfolding, the Treasures of the Caribbean series and the Circle of Destiny series. He also authored The Silence, a solo effort, in 2004. They have one son and live in Wheaton, Illinois.
The Dog That Whispered
Publishers Weekly.
263.17 (Apr. 25, 2016): p77.
COPYRIGHT 2016 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
The Dog That Whispered
Jim Kraus. FaithWords, $14.99 trade paper (336p) ISBN 978-1-4555-6256-5
Kraus, well known for his animal stories (The Dog That Saved Stewart Coolidge), charms fans again with his latest canine tale. In present-day
Pittsburgh, Penn., 85-year-old Gretna Steele adopts black Lab mix Thurman on a whim. When she learns of her retirement community's "no pets"
rule, she must hand him off to her reclusive son, Wilson. It seems Thurman was meant to be with Wilson all along, as the dog begins to pull the
isolated professor and Vietnam vet out of his self-induced "sweet invisibility." Wilson keeps his past deeply buried, but Thurman draws him out
with growls and yips that seem to be actual words--at least to Wilson. Across the continent in Portland, Ore., Hazel Jamison discovers a
mysterious photograph and key when she clears out her mother's home. The key changes Hazel's life and the photo sets her on a journey of
discovery that intersects with Wilson and Thurman in unexpected ways. [[This sweet novel is for readers who love]] tales of sentient pets, or just
[[well-told, simple stories of redemption and forgiveness]]. Agent: Chip MacGregor, MacGregor Literary. (June)
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"The Dog That Whispered." Publishers Weekly, 25 Apr. 2016, p. 77. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA450904581&it=r&asid=3a6106997b1c0277b5d7758ff03df88c. Accessed 6 Feb.
2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A450904581
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Pirates of the Heart
John Mort
Booklist.
93.9-10 (Jan. 1, 1997): p819.
COPYRIGHT 1997 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist_publications/booklist/booklist.cfm
Full Text:
Harcourt/Harvest, paper, $8.99 (1-56507-528-5). Kraus, Jim and Kraus, Terri. 1996. 600p Tyndale House, paper, $11.99 (0-8423-0381-2).
When Dreams Cross is the second in Blackstock's Second Chances series, the first of which was Never Again Goodbye [BKL S 1 96]. Blackstock
published these as mainstream romances a decade ago and has retailored them to the Christian market, making the series about second chances in
more ways than one. Here, a young woman, Andi Sherman, takes over a half-completed amusement park when her father dies and reluctantly
seeks the aid of Justin Pierce, a Christian animator who was once her boyfriend, to finish the park.
Brown's Jesusgate is an alternative history deliberately mixing ancient happenings with current events. That is, it sets the Crucifixion in
contemporary Jerusalem, but the Roman Empire exists with its Herod to wash his hands of guilt. At the same time, there is a United Nations, a
U.S., jet travel, uplinks to satellites. etc. Jesus is well known worldwide, not as a messiah but as an up-from-the-people prophet and folk hero.
The news of his arrest and impending execution causes the media to gather. among whom is the beautiful (naturally) TV reporter Gerry Simmons
Brown follows events through Gerry's reporting and through the consciousness of a Roman soldier, Marcus. Sometimes, he gets bogged down
with what might be called world-building, so that little religious feeling shines through, though his portrait of Herod is astute, and Marcus is so
moved by events that he may become a Christian. In any case Brown s novel dashes right along.
Kraus is a surgeon, and the strictly medical scenes of his Lethal Mercy are suspenseful, convincing, and absorbing. His swipes at such
contemporary medical marvels as managed care are gratifying, too Otherwise, however, he's an awkward writer, ill at ease in his several love
scenes, and so direct in his exposition that there's little mystery about who killed outspoken right-to-lifer Dr. Jake Hampton's pregnant wife, or
even who lake's next wife will be. On the other hand, the villain of the piece, a paranoid schizophrenic cast upon the streets when funding for
indigent care wanes, is sensitively drawn. A rather muted cry against abortion as it turns out, and an uneven production throughout, but worth the
price for patrons, even so, as are Kraus' two other medical novels, Stainless Steel Hearts (1994) and Fated Genes (1996).
The Krauses. a husband-and-wife team, have turned in an impressive debut historical with Pirates of the Heart, inaugurating their Treasures of the
Caribbean series. Impressive, because it's well researched: they've packed in no end of lore about seventeenth-century Devonshire and Barbados,
their twin settings, while at the same time muting the inevitable romance between a seaman, William Hawkes, and the daughter, Lady Kathryne
Spenser, of the first governor of the Barbados. Kathryne grows up in England to become a gentle, devout young woman. brave enough to
accompany her father to the New World. The impoverished William begins life as a gamekeeper but puts to sea when his father dies, eventually
to make a fortune as a privateer fighting the chief competitors of the British, the Spanish. This looks to be a solid series in a league with Judith
Tarr's tales of the Crusades or another Tyndale author's series, Francine Rivers' Mark of the Lion.
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Snelling's A New Day Rising follows her wonderful An Untamed Land [BKL Mr 1 96] as the second installment of her Red River of the North
series, about the settling of northern Minnesota and North Dakota by Norwegian immigrants. As the title implies, A New Day Rising is far more
hopeful than its sorrowful predecessor, featuring a widow, Ingeborg Bjorklund, who takes on the traditional role of Swedish menfolk upon her
husband's disappearance in a blizzard, learning to hunt, plow, and butcher. She seethes with indignation when two distant cousins come to her
rescue but, soon enough, calms down and entertains her two beaus, one from the Old Country and one from the North Woods, and the love story
allows Snelling to offer her readers both gentle humor and a lesson on the rewards of unflinching faith. A strong series, distinguished for its
detailed understanding of farm life on the prairie, which Snelling never romanticizes.
The White Pine Chronicles reprints the late Stahl's trilogy of the Havocs, a Michigan family who protect their stand of virgin white pines as
loggers push in on all sides. At $24.99, it's a nicely priced omnibus that brings together three contemporary Christian classics from the Nebraska
author of 92 fiction titles. A good bet for high circulation.
Traylor follows her long, uneven, but fascinating historical novel of Jerusalem, JeruSalem--the City of God (1995), with another piece of the
Holy City's ancient history, Melchizedek. Little is known of this almost mythic figure, priest and king of ancient Salem, the precursor to
Jerusalem, except that he was the grandson of Canaan, who was himself the son of Ham who was the son of Noah. In Traylor's hands,
Melchizedek remains a mysterious, incalculably old, dreamy figure rhapsodizing on mythic, antediluvian beasts and superbeings. Like
Scheherazade, he fills a long night with stories for his rapt young listener, Ali. The stories can be read as a conscientious rendering of scholarship
and Genesis' sketchy accounts, or as colorful myth. For instance, there's Traylor's lovely recapitulation of Nimrod and his Towel of Babel. As the
night of stories ends, Abraham arrives from his conquering wars to take power from the ancient king, who shortly will join the sons of Noah in
Heaven. Hard to classify, and as fanciful as not, but quite beautifully done.
Series continuations from Bethany House, all published late last year: Alan Morris' second Mountie tale in his Guardians of the North series,
Heart of Valor (1-55661-693-7, paper, $12.99); and the fifth in Lynn and Gilbert Morris' collaboration set in the aftermath of the Civil War,
Cheney Duvall, M.D., Secret Place of Thunder (1-55661-426-8, paper, $13.99). Father of Alan and Lynn, Gilbert Morris continued his seemingly
endless House of Winslow series with its nineteenth entry, The Iron Lady (1-55661-687-2, paper, $9.99), while also publishing the third in his
Revolutionary War series, the Liberty Bell, Tread upon the Lion (1-55661-567-1, paper, $9.99). Judith Pella continued the Russians series with its
sixth entry, White Nights, Red Morning (1-55661-360-1, paper, $15.50), perhaps the most interesting installment so far since it treats the Russian
Revolution; Linda Chaikin continued her series about the Crusades, Royal Pavilions, with its second novel, Golden Palaces (1-55661-881-6,
paper, $13.99); and Sara Mitchell published the second in her series about the Pinkerton Detective Agency, Shadow Catchers, In the Midst of
Lions (1-55661-498-5, paper, $9.99).
John Mort, formerly adult books editor, is a librarian at Kansas City Public Library, the author of The Walnut King and Other Stories (Woods Colt
Press), and a freelance writer.
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
Mort, John. "Pirates of the Heart." Booklist, 1 Jan. 1997, p. 819. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA19092567&it=r&asid=2a3dc94082571e4aa6f2b7d6c0dbcaa2. Accessed 6 Feb. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A19092567
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The Price
John Mort
Booklist.
97 (Jan. 1, 2001): p916.
COPYRIGHT 2001 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist_publications/booklist/booklist.cfm
Full Text:
* Kraus, Jim and Kraus, Terri. The Price. 2000. 300p. Tyndale, paper, $10.99 (0-8423-1835-6). YA
In Bellireau's Go Down in Silence, memories of the Holocaust, never fully suppressed, come flooding back to 71-year-old Jacob Horowitz when
he learns that his old friend, Pierre, is dying Pierre and his wife sheltered Jacob from the Nazis and made possible his flight to New York. A rich
but embittered old man, Jacob is also dying, diagnosed with cancer. He travels to Belgium with his estranged son, Isaac, a writer, trying to heal
wounds of the present by opening those of the past. A deeply felt, sad, but somehow affirmative odyssey.
Garvin Daniels is a brash, materialistic black lawyer in Washington, D.C., in Foster's sassy Ain't No River. She's handed an impossible case in
which she must prove the subtle discrimination of an employer, the plot of her own supervisor to do her in, she thinks. She heads for her North
Carolina hometown to chill out and put right another worrisome situation: her 70-plus grandmother, Meemaw, seems suddenly to have lost her
head over a young fortune hunter, GoGo Walker. Is he a fortune hunter, or is Garvin judging by stereotype, like her employer? Foster, one of the
brightest lights of evangelical fiction, turns in a nuanced, often amusing tale of a contemporary African American woman who learns to let go,
trust God and her colorful grandmother, and love.
Though more predictable than Foster's tale, Benson's Awakening Mercy features a fresh, authentic voice in CeCe Williams. She's a young, upfrom-poverty
African American woman, an unwed mother who, through hard work and pluck, has established a career in real estate. Her personal
life is devoted to her son, David, and she avoids men like the bad news they've been. Suddenly, CeCe is summoned to court for dozens of unpaid
parking tickets--she was so busy, she forgot about them--and the judge sentences her to community service with Genesis House, an African
American Christian charity working in one of Atlanta's most disadvantaged neighborhoods. CeCe finds herself counseling teenagers about careers
and pregnancy, and she falls in love with the earnest young director of Genesis House, Nate Richardson.
Grant's talky but entertaining Storm re-creates the life and times of Protestantism's great hero, Martin Luther, celebrating his achievements
without ignoring his faults, such as anti-Semitism. Grant begins dramatically: in a great storm, young Martin nearly perishes and swears to St.
Anne that he'll become a monk. Luther's mission, to cast off the bonds of corrupt Catholicism (Pope Julius II sells "indulgences," or early releases
from Purgatory, to finance St. Peter's Basilica) is made clear, and Luther himself emerges interestingly as outgoing, irritable, and profane (though
Grant can only suggest the profanity). Luther's romance with reformed nun Katherine Van Bora is not idealized.
Out of those shadowy passages in Genesis that hint of magnificent ancient worlds, Johnson creates the planet Noron in The Last Guardian, a vivid
alternative universe filled with dinosaurs and ruled by a race of pagan, sometimes cannibalistic giants. T. J. Shoss, a nondescript graduate student
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and very much an earthling, finds himself propelled into Noron in 1975. God, called Ish, has chosen T. J. to carry forth the ancient, longsuppressed
gospel contained in the "artifact." Slowly, it grows clear that in this new universe T. J. is to play the role of Christ, to be discredited,
cruelly killed, and resurrected. Through T. J., Ish will defeat Beltesha, and the fates of Earth and Noron will become one. Johnson spent 20 years
and more working on The Last Guardian, and it shows in his depth of characterizations and astounding detail.
The Price is husband-and-wife team Kraus' first entry in what looks to be a likable four-volume series, Circle of Destiny, chronicling the fortunes
of four Harvard classmates in the mid--nineteenth century. It follows the unpredictable life of Joshua Quittner, son of a pioneer preacher, whose
scholarly ways earn him his primitive Ohio community's support to study at Harvard's famous seminary. The catch is that he must return to Ohio
to take up his father's ministry, which is hard to do after he's heard Ralph Waldo Emerson talk of a universal religion and met liberated, would-be
physician Hannah Collins. News of the gold strike in California fires his wanderlust, and he strikes off to find his fortune, leaving lots of
disappointed folks back in Ohio. The Krauses do solid work; they may be the next Brock and Bodie Thoene.
Ian Merchant is a famous horror writer who's having trouble getting his new novel off the ground in Ezekiel's Shadow, a crisp whodunit and
Long's first novel, Ian's recent conversion has made him realize that real horror has consequences that are far from entertaining, and he can't bring
himself to create yet another psychopath. Meanwhile, someone eerily similar to one of his characters is stalking him, making his life worrisome,
if not quite horror filled. Assisting his wife in the cataloging of a collection of bizarre religious sculptures, one piece of which refers to a cryptic
verse in Ezekiel, lan feels he's honing in on the stalker's identity. His writing is picking up, too.
Patricia Koehler, rather desperate for a husband and children, finally lands a doctor in Nordberg's Serenity Bay. A troubled man susceptible to
mood swings and violent jealousy, Russell abuses Patricia. Through her friendship with a Christian woman, Susan, Patricia finds the courage to
resist Russell's ways and divorces him but not without great sorrow. Nordberg's tone is serious and far from shrill; she effectively demonstrates
how sorrow. Nordberg's tone is serious and far from shrill, and she effectively demonstrates how faith can help. Patricia's pain is nearly palpable,
but Russell is not clearly motivated, and Patricia's blameless innocence is not altogether credible.
A flyboy, Robert Walker is shot down over Belgium and spends the last year of the war in a POW camp in Wise's Be Not Afraid. He's presumed
dead, and his sweetheart, Mary McCoy, marries and raises a family. Fifty-five years later, Mary, now a widow, finds Robert's love letters and
investigates her lingering suspicion that Robert is alive.
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John Mort is the winner of ALA's bill boyd Literary Novel Award, given for outstanding war-related fiction, for his novel Soldier in Paradise
(SMU, 1999).
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
Mort, John. "The Price." Booklist, 1 Jan. 2001, p. 916. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA70493883&it=r&asid=fcafea88c5d1c596306ea0ce63c54a1b. Accessed 6 Feb. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A70493883
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The Dog That Talked to God
Publishers Weekly.
259.1 (Jan. 2, 2012): p57.
COPYRIGHT 2012 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
The Dog That Talked to God
Jim Kraus. Abingdon, $14.99 trade paper (320p) ISBN 978-1-4267-4256-9
Stuck in her grief, 43-year-old widowed writer Mary Fassler adopts a miniature schnauzer for diversion and company. The novelist, who
specializes in Amish stories, is in for a surprise when her dog, Rufus, speaks to her as they are out on a winter night's walk, asking her if she
thinks he's fat. Even more surprising, Rufus goes on to tell her that he talks to God once a week. Rufus becomes her walking companion and
adviser, his doggy logic [[both naive and insightful]]. When a man finally enters Mary's life, things grow complicated. [[This charming novel]] sets a
slow pace in the first part, undoubtedly to convey the emotionally and spiritually frozen life Mary leads. But it's a bit of a plod. The faith
elements--Mary is angry with God over the Job-like mess in her life are organic, though a Christian man she meets late in the book is somewhat
artificial. Mary's slow healing from loss, however, is credibly rendered. Judge this book by its cover, which features a sagacious seated schnauzer,
and be charmed. (Mar.)
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"The Dog That Talked to God." Publishers Weekly, 2 Jan. 2012, p. 57. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA276436986&it=r&asid=cd82e6e7832fb5e36aa1df465dcbd82c. Accessed 6 Feb.
2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A276436986
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The quest
Marriage Partnership.
19.1 (Spring 2002): pS5.
COPYRIGHT 2002 Christianity Today, Inc.
http://www.christianitytoday.com/
Full Text:
The Quest (by Jim and Terri Kraus) details the journey of young Jamison Pike as he leaves home and travels the world in search of the ultimate
truth: the meaning of life. Though he finds fame and fortune through this writing and travels, Jamison must learn where the ultimate satisfaction
in life is found. (softcover)
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"The quest." Marriage Partnership, Spring 2002, p. S5. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA83583227&it=r&asid=4acd6fc107d6572e068662a575dc62c1. Accessed 6 Feb. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A83583227
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{down the fiction aisle}
Today's Christian Woman.
23.3 (May 2001): pS4.
COPYRIGHT 2001 Christianity Today, Inc.
http://www.todayschristianwoman.com
Full Text:
Dangerous Silence (by Catherine Palmer) is set in Cowley County, Kansas, where Dr. Marah Morgan returns to run the family farm for her
injured and difficult father. When government agents arrive and begin searching the farm for an Indian burial ground, Marah grows suspicious. A
mysterious stranger appears, looking for work. Then Marah discovers alarming details about her mother's death more than 25 years earlier,
making her wonder if reconciliation with her father is possible, or if bitterness--and silence--will destroy them. (softcover)
Out of the Shadows (by Sigmund Brouwer) introduces Nick Barret, who is drawn home to Charleston by a mysterious note about the mother who
abandoned him. Past secrets emerge to meet present danger. Along the way, Nick comes face-to-face with the God he has always denied. Sharply
defined characters and vivid settings will engage and appeal to both men and women. Here is a novel that combines remarkable storytelling with
uncommon intrigue. (hardcover with jacket)
Libby's Story (by Judy Baer), the sequel to Jenny's Story, focuses on Libby Morrison: attractive, single, and thoroughly immersed in caring for
her aging parents. Reese Reynolds is drowning in self-pity from a gunshot wound that has left him paralyzed. They are two hurting people--
nothing more. Or are they? A chance encounter begins their unlikely--and unpredictable--story. Along the way, Libby's childhood friends Jenny
and Tia help her learn that true love overcomes enormous obstacles. (softcover)
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Circle of Destiny #3: The Promise (by Jim and Terri Kraus) focuses on Hannah Morgan Collins, who dreams of becoming the first woman doctor
in Massachusetts. But must she give up her desires of home and family to do so? Enrolled at Harvard against her parents' wishes, she meets new
friends who will impact her life forever. There's preacher-to-be Joshua Quittner, cynical journalist Jamison Pike, and made-of-money Gage Davis.
And what of Lucretia Mott, whose passion for women's rights causes Hannah to wonder how she herself could change the world? This beautiful
coming-of-age novel takes Hannah on a lifelong search through pain and joy to a place of heartfelt peace. (softcover)
Unshaken (by Francine Rivers) is the beautiful retelling of the story of Ruth, Naomi, and Boaz by award-winning author Francine Rivers.
Readers will be encouraged by the truth that God will faithfully provide for his children even when all hope seems lost. Unshaken is the third
book in the Lineage of Grace series focusing on the women in Christ's lineage. Unveiled (book 1) gave us the story of Tamar, and Unashamed
(book 2) looked at the story of Rahab from the book of Joshua. All the novellas feature a study guide at the end, making this series a unique
opportunity to study each story in more detail. (hardcover with jacket)
The Promise Remains (by Travis Thrasher) is a heartrending story about a couple, long separated, who find their way back to each other. Along
the way they learn about God's provision in the face of their own doubts and fears. A contemporary setting with great character development,
from a promising new author. (hardcover)
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"{down the fiction aisle}." Today's Christian Woman, May 2001, p. S4. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA74483159&it=r&asid=1ca2bbc2b7586046b9ed78f64fa524fa. Accessed 6 Feb. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A74483159
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The Promise
MELANIE C. DUNCAN
Library Journal.
126.2 (Feb. 1, 2001): p79.
COPYRIGHT 2001 Library Journals, LLC. A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
http://www.libraryjournal.com/
Full Text:
Kraus, Jim & Terri Kraus. The Promise. Tyndale House. (Circle of Destiny, Bk. 3). Mar. 2001. c.300p. ISBN 0-8423-1837-2. $10.99. F
Hannah Morgan Collins defies her family and society to enroll at Harvard as part of the class of 1845. Having just recently opened its doors to
women, Harvard offers Hannah the chance to achieve a dream: to become a doctor. With determination, she pursues her degree, refusing to allow
even marriage to slow her down. Unfortunately, her husband isn't as understanding, and over the course of time, Hannah becomes the type of
woman she despises: submissive and abused. Hannah's faith, coupled with the support of three college frieds, gives her the strength to survive and
face the demons in her family. Using a combination of diary and epistolary formats, the Krauses (The Price, The Treasure) present Hannah's
search for a contentment in the Lord as one that gradually reflects itself in her everyday life. Purchase for series collections.
Melanie C. Duncan, Reference Librarian at the Washington Memorial Library, Macon, GA, currently orders Christian fiction for her system. She
also publishes a monthly e-zine on genre fiction, The Bookdragon Review, www.bookdragonreview.com
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
DUNCAN, MELANIE C. "The Promise." Library Journal, 1 Feb. 2001, p. 79. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA71250915&it=r&asid=cc35a7bb32953713f2a590e07edb5427. Accessed 6 Feb. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A71250915
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Journey to the Crimson Sea: Treasures of the Caribbean
Melissa Hudak
Library Journal.
122.18 (Nov. 1, 1997): p64.
COPYRIGHT 1997 Library Journals, LLC. A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
http://www.libraryjournal.com/
Full Text:
Kraus, Jim & Terry Kraus. Tyndale House. 1997. c.47Sp. ISBN 0-8423-0383-9. pap. $9.99. F
Reformed pirate William Hawkes leaves behind an adventurous life on the sea to settle down to a sedate existence in the Caribbean with his new
wife, Kathryne. Will's close friend Thomas Mayhew also moves to the port community of Bridgetown and takes a post as vicar at the local
church. With Will and Kathryne blissfully happy, Thomas wonders if his own life would be fuller if he married. When Thomas falls in love,
however, the woman is Eileen Palmerston, a reformed prostitute. Both church elders and community members are horrified at the romance. Soon
Thomas is forced to decide between his job and his love. Action and adventure of an unobtrusive sort give extra life to this romantic drama.
Recommended, especially for those libraries with the earlier books in the series (e.g., Passages of Gold, Tyndale, 1996).
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
Hudak, Melissa. "Journey to the Crimson Sea: Treasures of the Caribbean." Library Journal, 1 Nov. 1997, p. 64. General OneFile,
go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA20002520&it=r&asid=1baf0e3337bfb42982a6bf883e84bc59. Accessed 6 Feb. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A20002520
Book Review: The Dog That Whispered by Jim Kraus
Share
Bestselling author Jim Kraus asked me to do a book review of his novel The Dog That Whispered. After first making SURE that the book did NOT mention / condone / include any references to the TV dog trainer who shall not be named, I agreed. Once you see the cover image, you’ll know why it appealed to me.
Yep, the dog on the cover of the book looks a lot like a young Ginko. (RIP big boy, we miss you so very much!)
photo of ginko taken a few days before he died
Book Review The Dog That Whispered
The Dog That Whispered opens with 85-year-old Gretna Steele adopting a big black dog named Thurman. She basically sneaks Thurman back into her retirement community. As you might expect, she ends up convincing her son, Wilson, to bring Thurman to his house.
For many years, Wilson has struggled with his military experiences, and he is convinced that Thurman can speak. That’s when things get interesting.
The Dog That Whispered is both sad and very funny at times. It uses what I would call magical realism to weave its tale of redemption and forgiveness.
If you are a person of faith, you will like those elements.
If you are not, but love dogs and trust them as spiritual guides, you will sill love the book, I think.
Monday, June 03, 2013
The Cat That God Sent by Jim Kraus (the full review, this time)
The Cat That God Sent by Jim Kraus
Copyright 2013
Abingdon Press - fiction/inspirational
336 pages
Source: Abingdon Press, for tour
My apologies to the publishing company for the review delay. It took me a little longer to recover from jetlag than I'm used to.
The Cat That God Sent is about a young minister, a cat, and the people in the minister's new church. Jake Wilkerson lost his last job because he was having a crisis of faith and when he lost his job he also lost his fiancée.
Now, hired at Church of the Open Door in Coudersport, PA, he is a little nervous but hopeful that the new job will be a turning point in his life and ministry. But, he's still questioning God.
Petey is a beautiful cat who lived in a bad home and was dumped because his owner thought he'd be safer on his own. He's roamed for a while and now he's found his own calling. God has sent him to Jake. Petey doesn't know why Jake needs him but he knows God will find a way to make him useful.
There's also a lonely veterinarian named Emma and a young woman (teenage, as I recall -- it's been a few weeks since I finished the book) who was ditched by her boyfriend. Forced out of the car, Tassy had little money and only a couple changes of clothing.
Jake happily takes Petey in, when the cat selects him, and when Petey becomes a fixture in church, showing up on the same seat to listen to Jake's sermon's on Sunday, the congregation suddenly wakes up. New people arrive to see the cat who listens to sermons. Tassy also shows up and lives nearby. When Tassy's secret causes Emma to flash back to her horrible past and Jake's crisis peaks, what will happen?
What I loved about The Cat That God Sent:
In spite of its flaws, which I'll get into in a bit, The Cat That God Sent is charming and touching. I loved the characters, especially Petey. It's the unique, funny, small-town atmosphere and the hodge-podge of nutty characters that make The Cat That God Sent special.
Petey is[[ intuitive]]. He [[goes where he's needed, when he's needed]]. He's a very smart cat and, having had a couple of extremely sharp little kitties, I found it a lot less difficult to buy into his story than some people might. You can think of him as the magical touch to the story Obviously, it's a tale with a Christian theme, since it takes place in and near a church, but The Cat That God Sent is so much more than a story about a few people and a preacher in crisis. It's a sweet story of a group of people who all have their own concerns and secrets and niggling problems with faith or something from the past that haunts them and how the cat and the preacher help everyone find their missing faith as the minister finds his own with outside help.
I actually closed this book with happy tears in my eyes. It's funny; I wasn't sure I'd like it, at first, and then I simply fell in love. The Cat That God Sent is a lovely, heartwarming tale I will most likely hang onto for a reread.
What I disliked about The Cat That God Sent:
When I first opened the book, I found a lot of grammatical errors were annoying me and the characters all sounded alike, at least at the beginning. That's because the author has a bit of a writing quirk. All of his characters (including Petey the cat) ramble. Here's a random example:
Does Coudersport have a furniture store? It is spring. That means garage sales. I guess it would be okay for a pastor to look for bargains at a garage sale.
--p. 44
That's a touch of Jake's thought process, not as rambling as many of the interior monologues, as he realizes the parsonage (a small apartment attached to the church for the minister to live in) is not well furnished so he's going to have to buy a few pieces of furniture to make his new home livable. In that same thought process, he incorrectly uses the word "begat" instead of "beget" (wrong tense), a few sentences later. The point is, everyone thinks like that. When you're in someone's head, regardless of who it is, that person rambles on, questioning things and answering his own questions. It's annoying, at first, although the author makes it very clear whose head you're in. But, as I got into the story, I began to simply not care. I became accustomed to the style and didn't love it but wasn't bothered by it.
The Cat That God Sent charmed me; I guess that's all there is to it. And, the further you get into the book, the more the characters become distinguished from one another. I did have trouble with a few of the church members getting tangled up, but they weren't so prominent that it was a problem and The Cat That God Sent is a book that requires a cast on the large side. The thoughts of those sitting in the pews are important to the book's underlying theme, about how we can find faith in the strangest of ways but it's still every bit as meaningful as if we'd been hit by a bolt of lightning and stayed faithful ever after.
The Bottom Line:
Highly recommended - The Cat That God Sent is flawed in some ways, with plenty of grammatical errors and a quirk of the author's, making absolutely every character's thoughts[[ ramble]], but it's [[funny and sweet and heartwarming.]] You may disagree with how you think Tassy's story should have ended (I don't) and the book is definitely a book with a Christian theme, but it's also a really enjoyable story. Even some Christians may find it a stretch the way the minister suddenly finds his faith in the end, but I wouldn't warn anyone away from this book because it's just, flat fun.