Project and content management for Contemporary Authors volumes
WORK TITLE: Life After
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: http://katieganshert.com/
CITY:
STATE: IA
COUNTRY:
NATIONALITY:
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Married; has children.
ADDRESS
CAREER
WRITINGS
SIDELIGHTS
Katie Ganshert’s Christian faith imbues her contemporary romance novels and novellas. A graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Ganshert worked as a teacher and did HIV/AIDS outreach work in Kenya before finding success as a writer. Her books have been praised for their inspiring and well-crafted storylines and their complex, engaging characters.
Ganshert has contributed several novellas to the romance series “A Year of Weddings,” as well as a story to the collection Amish Christmas at North Star: Four Stories of Love and Family. She has also written a young adult fantasy trilogy, “The Gifting,” about a young woman coming terms with her prophetic powers.
Wildflowers from Winter
Bethany Quinn, protagonist of the novel Wildflowers from Winter, is an ambitious young architect in Chicago who is reluctantly drawn back to her hometown in rural Iowa because of a family crisis. She is not eager to reconnect with her estranged mother or to revisit her unhappy trailer-park childhood, and hopes to return to Chicago as soon as possible. But an unexpected inheritance changes everything: she is suddenly the new owner of a farm, and must figure out how to handle this unwanted responsibility.
Matters are complicated by the fact that handsome Evan Price, who has been the farm’s caretaker over the years, had hoped to become its owner. Though he is displeased with Bethany’s plans for the property, he finds her increasingly attractive. Slowly acknowledging her feelings for Evan, Bethany begins to see how love can heal the wounds from her past.
Wishing on Willows
In Wishing on Willows a young widow and cafe owner struggles to raise her three-year-old son while fending off a real estate development that threatens her livelihood. Robin Price, still grieving for her late husband, finds a sense of purpose and community in running the Willow Tree Cafe in the small town of Peaks, Iowa. When developer Ian McKay comes to town with a proposal to build a condo development on the site where Robin’s cafe and a town ministry are located, Robin refuses to sell.
Town residents are divided about the project, however, and not everyone is on Robin’s side. Hoping that the new condos can help revive the town’s lethargic economy, they urge Robin to make a profitable deal with the developer. But in the meantime, Ian develops an interest in Robin that goes beyond business matters, sensing that they have something deep in common, and he decides to find a way to benefit the town and his family while also honoring Robin’s values.
A Broken Kind of Beautiful
A Broken Kind of Beautiful, for which Ganshert won the 2015 Christy Award, is the story of love and redemption set against the backdrop of the fashion industry. Ivy Clark, the twenty-four-year-old protagonist, has achieved initial success as a model in a business that is all about superficial appearance. Ashamed of her dark past, Ivy feels safe in this world, because all it demands of her is that she look good in photographs. But it is also a highly competitive world, and Ivy has struggled to build a bigger career for herself. For this reason, she says yes when given the opportunity to star in a new bridal wear campaign–despite the fact that the designer is her difficult stepmother, and the job will require her to move to the small town of Greenbriar, South Carolina.
There is also the fact that Ivy’s past belies the innocent image she is asked to model in bridal advertisements. What is more, she suspects that the campaign’s photographer, Davis Knight, is not impressed by her carefully cultivated image and can see her as she really is. Davis puzzles her: he has left a promising career in New York City, and seems happy to be doing maintenance work at a Greenbriar church. Through his influence, Ivy begins to question her cynical assumptions about beauty and self-worth, and about divine love as well.
The Art of Losing Yourself
Carmen Hart, protagonist of The Art of Losing Yourself, is trying to cope with much more than the usual stresses of job, marriage, and family. Her dear Aunt Ingrid, owner of a failing motel, has dementia; her mother suffers from alcoholism; and her relationship with her beloved husband, Ben, is under intense strain after Carmen suffers her sixth miscarriage. Nor is it certain that they will ever be approved to adopt a child. To make matters worse, Carmen’s seventeen-year-old half-sister, Gracie, has run away from home and was found squatting in Aunt Ingrid’s motel. With no one else available to help, Carmen and Ben offer to take Gracie in. They also inherit the problem of the abandoned motel, adding more stress to their already fraying marriage. But to everyone’s great surprise, Gracie’s arrival turns out to be a godsend, prompting the sisters to realize how much they share and inspiring Carmen and Ben to find deeper meaning in their marriage.
The author brings a personal perspective to the subject of infertility and adoption explored in this novel. After giving birth to a son in 2008, Ganshert was unable to get pregnant again and was eventually advised to begin treatment for infertility. Instead, she and her husband decided to adopt a child from Africa–a process that took more than two years. In 2015 they became the official parents of a daughter.
Life After
In Life After Ganshert explores the theme of trauma and survivor’s guilt. Autumn Manning, the only survivor of a Chicago train bombing, becomes involved with the family of one of the victims. Autumn struggles to recover from the trauma and also to deal with the pain of a difficult past, eventually finding spiritual solace.
As a writer for Publishers Weekly observed, the author gives her protagonist a heavy dose of trauma, but lightens the book through “masterful pacing, engaging characters, and believable dialogue.” In conclusion, the reviewer praised the subtlety and power with which Ganshert addresses serious themes in this book. Romantic Times contributor Melissa Parcel also admired Life After, describing it as a “stunning” novel with authentic characters as well as a meaningful story.
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Publishers Weekly Feb. 13, 2017, review of Life After. p. 57.
ONLINE
Reading is my Superpower, http://readingismysuperpower.org (April 19, 2017), review of Life After
Britt Reads Fiction, https://brittreadsfiction.wordpress.com (July 11, 2017), review of Life After
Reading is my Superpower, http://readingismysuperpower.org (August 15, 2015), review of The Art of Losing Yourself
Romantic Times, https://www.rtbookreviews.com (October 7, 2017), review of The Art of Losing Yourself
Romantic Times, https://www.rtbookreviews.com (October 7, 2017), review of LIFE AFTER
Romantic Times, https://www.rtbookreviews.com (October 7, 2017), review of TO HAVE AND TO HOLD
Romantic Times, https://www.rtbookreviews.com (October 7, 2017), review of AMISH CHRISTMAS AT NORTH STAR
Romantic Times, https://www.rtbookreviews.com (October 7, 2017), review of A BROKEN KIND OF BEAUTIFUL
Romantic Times, https://www.rtbookreviews.com (October 7, 2017), review of WISHING ON WILLOWS
Romantic Times, https://www.rtbookreviews.com (October 7, 2017), review of WILDFLOWERS FROM WINTER
Will Bake for Books, http://www.willbakeforbooks.com (April 15, 2014), review of A Broken Kind of Beautiful
Publishers Weekly, https://www.publishersweekly.com (October 7, 2017), review of Wishing on Willows
Blogging for Books, http://www.bloggingforbooks.com (March 16, 2012), review of Wildflowers from Winter
About
Katie GanshertLife is a journey we’re all traveling. And like any worthwhile adventure, it’s filled with valleys and peaks, detours and shortcuts, ho-hum highway and jaw-dropping scenery.
Marriage. Family. Adoption. Faith. Writing.
These are some of the roads I navigate on this grand expedition. I hope you enjoy learning more about them below.
My Writing Journey
Even though the love affair began in elementary school, when my third grade teacher read my story about Mr. and Mrs. Leaf out loud to the class, the journey didn’t start until I traveled to Kenya to do HIV/AIDS outreach in 2006. The places and people I encountered haunted me. They would not leave, even after I came home. My only relief came through the keys of my computer. So over the summer, I sat at my desk and wrote my first full-length novel.
When I finished, I thought I’d see about publication. Little did I know what I was getting myself into. After doing a very small amount of research, I sent out queries, received one request for the full manuscript and a quick rejection. Still in college at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and newly married, I put the novel in a drawer. I graduated with a teaching degree, moved to Iowa, got a wonderful job teaching 5th graders, and let life have its way. Until 2008, Valentine’s Day in New York City, when my husband and I found out we were expecting.
Katie Ganshert Writing
While pregnant, my stomach wasn’t the only thing expanding. The writing itch returned. Stronger this time. So I wrote my second novel and decided not to stop. This writing thing felt like more than a hobby. I dove into the world of publishing, researching agents and editors and filling my bookshelves with books about writing. I revised my first two novels and wrote two more. I paid for some professional critiques, joined the American Christian Fiction Writers Association, found some critique partners, and attended my first writing conference in September of 2009.
It was there, in Denver, that I pitched my third novel to my dream agent, Rachelle Gardner. Two months later, I got a phone call I’ll never forget. It was Rachelle, calling to offer representation (to read more about this exciting and slightly chaotic evening, check out my post about getting the call).
My book went on submission in January. While I waited (and waited and waited) I wrote two more books and continued to immerse myself in the industry. Then, on October 29th, 2010, one of my biggest dreams came true. Rachelle called and said, “Katie, this is the phone call you’ve been waiting for.”
My book had passed the frightening land of Pub Board. And Waterbrook Multnomah, a division of Random House, offered me a two-book deal (to read more about this exciting and slightly chaotic day, check out this post).
I signed the lovely contract three months later.
Since then, I’ve published seven full-length novels and several works of shorter fiction. I’ve won some awards. I’ve met the most amazing people. There are days I’ve wanted to sprint with joy, and days I’ve wanted to stop altogether. Mostly, I keep putting one foot in front of the other, curious to see what God has around the next bend.
My Faith Journey
“If I find in myself a desire in which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world.” -C.S. Lewis
I may have surrendered my life to Christ as a freshman in college, but God was nowhere (and is nowhere) close to finishing the good work he started that day in my dorm room.
Nowhere close.
I grew up in a semi-religious home. We went to church on Sundays. My brother and I went to religion class on Wednesdays. I used to think that as long as my good outweighed the bad, I was pretty much fine. And as far as the Bible? It was just a bunch of rules and disjointed stories and tips for moral living that pastors and priests and reverends would read to help them teach on Sundays.
Then my parents got divorced and we stopped going to church. A couple years later, my dad gave his life to Christ. My mom got baptized into the Mormon church. And I pretty much stayed out of it. Religion was something I could get later, when I was an adult and life would turn boring.
I had no idea a major and amazing twist in the road was quickly approaching.
Freshman year of college. Madison, WI. Witte Hall. Tenth floor. I opened the bible my dad gave me for my graduation and read the book of Matthew. I’d never opened the bible for myself before. At the time, I wasn’t sure what prompted it. Looking back, of course I know. The Great Pursuer was pursuing me—little old average me. When I finished, I got down on my knees and told God I didn’t want to do this life-thing on my own anymore.
It was the first time I realized Christianity is not about religion. It’s not some man-made effort to reach a far-away God. It’s not about a list of rules. It’s not about being good. And the Bible is so much more than a bunch of old, disjointed stories that pastors and priests and reverends read to help them teach on Sundays.
It was the first time I realized Christianity is about a relationship. It’s about a merciful Father reaching down into a broken world to rescue His beloved creation. It’s about freedom and joy and restoring all that’s been lost. It’s about undeserved, amazing grace. And despite having sixty-six books, forty-something authors, and a time span that reaches past a thousand years, the Bible weaves itself together to form one single metanarrative. One single overarching story. And that story is one of redemption.
Since that moment on my dorm room floor, God continues to woo me, to draw me in, to lovingly peel my fingers away from the things I hold so tightly and whisper, “Let go, Katie. I’ve got this.”
Since that moment on my dorm room floor, I’ve discovered that God’s love language is obedience and when I step out in faith, He shows up in amazing, amazing ways.
Since that moment on my dorm room floor, I’ve seen a world that is hurting. A world that is broken. And people are digging through the mire of that hurt and brokenness, hoping to find satisfaction for a longing this place was never meant to satisfy.
Which is ultimately why I write the kind of contemporary fiction that I do. I want my words to point to the hope we’re all searching for. I want my words to point to the truth.
That while we were battered, bruised, and broken. Marred with scars. Covered in filth. Jesus laid down His life to rescue us. Writing these stories reminds me that He is the answer to our longing. I hope it reminds others too.
My Romance Journey
As much as I adore fictional love stories, there’s nothing quite like the real deal. I love hearing how couples first met, wooed, and fell in love. And even more than that, I love hearing how they keep that love alive, long past the happily-ever-after.
My own personal love story is all kinds of wonderfully clichéd. In fact, when I tell people how Ryan and I met, they always laugh in that, “Are you serious?” kind of way.
Because I was the receptionist. And he was the tall, dark, and handsome delivery guy.
No joke.
Katie Ganshert Wedding
I went off to college in Madison, with every intention of majoring in psychology, moving onto graduate school, and becoming a therapist. The problem was, I was paying a fortune in out-of-state tuition (I’m an Iowa gal). I decided to take the next year off in order to gain residency in Wisconsin. This meant I needed a job. Full-time gainful employment.
Enter, Grub & Ellis Oakbrook, Oakbrook Corporation.
Try saying that five times fast.
I became the real-estate company’s receptionist, and would spend my days repeating that tongue-twister every time I answered the phones.
I also signed for packages, and there happened to be one particular delivery man that made my heart flutter. Cue the giddiness, every time he walked in the door.
Then one day, as he was walking into the office as I was heading out for lunch, he turned around and started walking with me to the elevator.
Much to my shock, he asked me out.
And what was my suave response? “Do you even know my name?”
“Of course,” he said. “You sign for the packages. Your name’s Kate.”
Here’s the thing about me.
Before that moment in time, nobody had ever called me Kate. It was always Katie. But my signature was awful and I was too tongue-tied to correct him. So I wrote Kate along with my number on a gum wrapper and gave it to him. He still has the gum wrapper (aw!). His entire family calls me Kate. And for the first year of our relationship, all my friends referred to him as the UPS guy. Even though he never worked for UPS.
We got married a couple years later, and here we are. Husband and wife. And also? Mom and Dad.
My Family Journey
Katie Ganshert and SalimaIf ten years ago, I were to see a picture of my family now, I think I’d be floored.
Ryan and I always talked about adoption. We always loved the idea of it, but we’re idea people. We have a lot of them, and very rarely do we see those ideas through.
I grew up in the Quad Cities—specifically, a town called Bettendorf, which is right on the eastern border of Iowa—in a middleclass family with a big brother named … Ryan. Yep, my husband and brother share the same name.
Both of my parents are Irish Catholic and come from gigantic families, wherein they have enough siblings to form their own baseball team, with one extra on the bench.
I was a child of the 80s and 90s, which means I spent my childhood playing with Heman and Cabbage Patch dolls. My brother and I had a collection of Popples and Pound Puppies. I owned a t-shirt that said “See Ya Wouldn’t Wanna Be Ya” in neon print. We had a drawer full of VHS tapes by our boxed television. Facebook was not a thing until I went off to college, and even then, it was only for college students.
I always imagined growing up, getting married, and having children. And that’s what I did.
After my husband and I got married in 2004, we planned to enjoy life kid-free for five years. We were still young. I was still finishing up college. There was no rush.
We lasted for four of those five years before the itch got too strong to resist. February of 2008, I discovered I was pregnant. We were in New York City at the time and I will never forget walking through the airport, blown away by that positive pregnancy test.
We met our firstborn on October 23, 2008. This sweet little baby that surprised everyone with his red hair.
I took on the role of mother, on top of wife and teacher and writer. Eventually, I resigned from the role of teacher and became a full time writer. That’s also when we started trying for baby #2, with no idea a major traffic jam waited for us up ahead.
Complete standstill.
I couldn’t get pregnant.
My doctor recommended fertility drugs, but see, I had visited this country back in 2006. Africa was in my heart, and so, too, were the faces of the orphans I met while there.
Ryan and I felt like we could sit in the traffic jam, or we could take another route—one that would lead us to our daughter. Our idea became a reality. We dove into the world of research and paperwork, home studies and background checks.
Finally, in February of 2013, I received a picture in my inbox of a little girl named Salima. That May, I traveled across the Atlantic Ocean and held her in my arms for the first time. We thought we’d have her home by Christmas.
But Christmas came and went. So did the one after. I visited her two more times, and had to leave her two more times.
This was a whole new brand of waiting.
Finally, in March of 2015, after the fight of our lives, we were able to bring our daughter home. We thought our journey was done. But it was really just beginning. We entered into a different kind of fight. A fight for her, and her heart, and our family—because adoption is the opposite of easy. Adopting a child with special needs (Salima has cerebral palsy and speech apraxia), even more so. It’s a journey born from loss and brokenness—one we probably wouldn’t have said yes to had we known how hard it would be.
But God knows. We aren’t meant to see the road ahead. And there is so much beauty we would have missed had we skipped the hard road.
This is my family. A handsome husband who is my favorite traveling partner in all the world. A kind-hearted son with an imagination as big as the sky. A resilient daughter determined to take on the world. I can’t wait to see where their journeys take them.
Katie Ganshert was born and raised in the exciting state of Iowa, where she currently resides with her family. She likes to write things and consume large quantities of coffee and chocolate while she writes all the things. She's won some awards. For the writing, not the consuming. Although the latter would be fun. You can learn more about Katie and these things she writes at her website www.katieganshert.com.
Life After
Publishers Weekly. 264.7 (Feb. 13, 2017): p57.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2017 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Listen
Full Text:
* Life After
Katie Ganshert. WaterBrook, $14.99 trade paper (352p) ISBN 978-1-60142-902-5
Christy-winning novelist Ganshert (The Art of Losing Yourself) opens her newest with a shocking but realistic event: a bomb explodes on a Chicago train. As sole survivor Autumn Manning struggles to recover, her life intersects with the lives of the family members of a victim who was originally (incorrectly) identified as the only survivor. Autumn's life before the bombing was also painful and complicated. It's a lot of trauma, but Ganshert uses masterful pacing, engaging characters, and believable dialogue to bring readers along. Certain faith elements are part of the plot itself, and the characters all deal realistically and in diverse ways with the sadness. While Autumn eventually finds work in a church, the most important faith elements are subtle. She wrestles with age-old questions about suffering and God's will that haunt major religions, and Ganshert captures the seriousness of such discussions without sacrificing readability, tackling big issues powerfully. Agent: Rachelle Gardner, Books & Such Literary Agency. (Apr.)
Book Review: Life After by Katie Ganshert
April 19, 2017 Carrie Christian, contemporary, Katie Ganshert 10
book review RIMSP
about the book
It could have been me.
Snow whirls around an elevated train platform in Chicago. A distracted woman boards the train, takes her seat, and moments later a fiery explosion rips through the frigid air, tearing the car apart in a horrific attack on the city’s transit system. One life is spared. Twenty-two are lost.
A year later, Autumn Manning can’t remember the day of the bombing and she is tormented by grief—by guilt. Twelve months of the question constantly echoing. Why? Why? Why? Searching for answers, she haunts the lives of the victims, unable to rest.
Paul Elliott lost his wife in the train bombing and wants to let the dead rest in peace, undisturbed and unable to cause more pain for his loved ones. He wants normalcy for his twelve-year-old daughter and young son, to see them move beyond the heartbreak. But when the Elliotts and Autumn are unexpectedly forced together, he fears she’ll bring more wreckage in her wake.
In Life After, Katie Ganshert’s most complex and unforgettable novel yet, the stirring prose and authentic characters pose questions of truth, goodness, and ultimate purpose in this emotionally resonant tale.
goodreads button RIMSP
GENRE: Inspirational Contemporary Fiction
PUBLISHER: Waterbrook
RELEASE DATE: April 18, 2017
PAGES: 352
“Life is hard, and almost always confusing. but one day we’ll see clearly. One day it’ll all make sense.“
The latest novel from Katie Ganshert is perhaps her most riveting. It’s both poignant and profound, and I know I’ll still be thinking about it for months to come. I’ll also warn you right now that there’s no way I can #swoof (squeeze words out of feelings) accurately enough for this review to reflect how much I loved the book. From the very first words, the story captivated me and I could barely put it down to interact with my inlaws who were here for a visit. (I did, but it wasn’t easy lol)
“We rarely know when death will come. Some are warned in sickness… But others – many others – meet death without any warning at all, in an unforeseen moment that wrenches consciousness in two, separating the living from the dead.
That’s how it would come on this particular evening for twenty-two individuals.”
What do you do when you’re the sole survivor of a far-reaching tragedy? For Autumn Manning, life after the train ride that changed everything is full of survivor’s guilt and grief. Her relationships with those closest to her have changed. Her job goals have changed. Her ability to sleep has changed. Her ability to live has changed. Nothing feels the same. Nothing is the same.
Autumn Manning may have been the sole survivor but she is not the only one whose “life after” points to that day as a starting point. Paul Elliott and his children have been struggling with their own grief and – for Paul – a heaping of guilt as well. As Katie Ganshert connects Autumn’s path with Paul’s, what follows is an emotionally-charged and deeply poignant masterpiece.
“I guess that’s what life is though, isn’t it? A whole bunch of little moments that don’t seem significant or life-altering at the time, but when you look back… They become the most profoundly beautiful things.”
The richness of the characters – and their emotions – is never so complex that it becomes inaccessible but is instead so profoundly human that it resonates in the soul. And in the humanity, Ganshert has woven a subtle thread of faith that, after all is said and done, wraps around the heart like both a comforting hug and a gentle challenge.
In the midst of “the feels”, however, there are moments of levity. Autumn’s internal headline-creating, for example – an element to the story that made her all the more real and authentic, in my opinion. There are also some hints of romance that – while not dominant in the story – made my heart smile.
Bottom Line: The characters you meet on the pages of Life After feel real, their stories grippingly honest. In equal parts sobering and uplifting, the presentation is wholly tender and this is perhaps my favorite aspect of the novel. Exquisitely written and full of authenticity, Life After and its characters will linger with me for quite a while.
(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.)
My Rating: 5 stars / Riveting!
amazon button RIMSP B&N button RIMSP
about the author
Award-winning author, Katie Ganshert, graduated from the University of Wisconsin in Madison with a degree in education, and worked as a fifth grade teacher for several years before staying home to write full-time. She was born and raised in the Midwest, where she lives with her family. When she’s not busy penning novels or spending time with her people, she enjoys drinking coffee with friends, reading great literature, and eating copious amounts of dark chocolate. You can learn more about Katie and her books by visiting her website or author Facebook page.
Review: Life After by Katie Ganshert
Posted on July 11, 2017 by Brittany
Life AfterLife After was absolutely compelling! I loved the way the author opened up the story with the prologue. It gave the reader a peek into the events of the fateful day involving the fictional event that the story was woven around. It also provided some information that the main character of the story no longer remembered due to the trauma they experienced. It was a very interesting way to start the story.
Even though this book deals with a tragedy and some very serious subject matter, I felt very hopeful throughout the novel. The author did a great job of slowly revealing important pieces of information relevant to the characters in the book. I loved the the emotional and spiritual growth that the main characters gained by the end of the story. The one thing I would have loved to have seen in this book would have been an epilogue of perhaps a year later. But even without an epilogue, this was a fascinating novel.
(5 stars)
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Life AfterIt could have been me.
Snow whirls around an elevated train platform in Chicago. A distracted woman boards the train, takes her seat, and moments later a fiery explosion rips through the frigid air, tearing the car apart in a horrific attack on the city’s transit system. One life is spared. Twenty-two are lost.
A year later, Autumn Manning can’t remember the day of the bombing and she is tormented by grief—by guilt. Twelve months of the question constantly echoing. Why? Why? Why?Searching for answers, she haunts the lives of the victims, unable to rest.
Paul Elliott lost his wife in the train bombing and wants to let the dead rest in peace, undisturbed and unable to cause more pain for his loved ones. He wants normalcy for his twelve-year-old daughter and young son, to see them move beyond the heartbreak. But when the Elliotts and Autumn are unexpectedly forced together, he fears she’ll bring more wreckage in her wake.
In Life After, Katie Ganshert’s most complex and unforgettable novel yet, the stirring prose and authentic characters pose questions of truth, goodness, and ultimate purpose in this emotionally resonant tale.
Purchase your own copy here.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Katie Ganshert
Award-winning author, Katie Ganshert, graduated from the University of Wisconsin in Madison with a degree in education, and worked as a fifth grade teacher for several years before staying home to write full-time. She was born and raised in the Midwest, where she lives with her family. When she’s not busy penning novels or spending time with her people, she enjoys drinking coffee with friends, reading great literature, and eating copious amounts of dark chocolate. You can learn more about Katie and her books by visiting her website or author Facebook page.
Review: The Art of Losing Yourself by Katie Ganshert
August 15, 2015 Carrie Christian, contemporary 3
From infertility to miscarriage to marital problems to mental breakdowns to alcoholism to dementia to a multitude of teenage angst, The Art of Losing Yourself paints a portrait of people with real issues – tough issues – and packs a pretty emotional punch. Yet, even at the darkest moments, beautiful waves of hope saturate this novel – hope for redemption, hope for truth, hope for joy.
art of losing yourselfCarmen Hart is struggling to hold it all together – the perfect image, the perfect marriage, the perfect dream. Her beloved Aunt Ingrid has dementia, and her beloved Aunt Ingrid’s treasured classic of a motel is falling apart. Carmen’s once dream-come-true marriage has weakened under the strain of 6 miscarriages, and now their possibility of adoption and even Carmen’s job are threatened by a fairly public meltdown. And then her half-sister Gracie shows up – a 17-year-old running away from their alcoholic mother & caught squatting in the now-derelict motel that Aunt Ingrid so adores. With no other options, Carmen and her husband Ben take the difficult Gracie into their home and are forced to make some decisions about the motel… and maybe their marriage.
Is it possible for God to use a broken teenager and an abandoned motel to bring a woman’s faith and marriage back to life? Can two half-sisters make each other whole?
My Review:
Oh my goodness, y’all. This book had me transfixed. Absolutely riveted from beginning to end. Katie Ganshert tackles a bunch of tough topics with grace and compassion and TALENT. So much talent. The dual first-person narrative (going back and forth between Carmen’s perspective and Gracie’s perspective) was so unique and added a deeply personal aspect to the story that I think might have been lacking in a third person voice. I ached for each one of them in turn and hung on every word to see what would happen next.
Ben & Carmen just about broke my heart. Even though we saw their marriage from Carmen’s POV, Katie Ganshert did a magnificent job of capturing Ben’s emotions through his actions, his expressions, his words. We don’t get his thoughts but I never felt like I needed them – it was so much more powerful without them, in my opinion. And the flashbacks! Oh my heart. Watching them fall in love with the grinning and the flirting and the kisses. And the key relationship moments – seriously, I wasn’t sure my heart could handle it. I fell in love with them … and I wanted them back. The them that began at The Treasure Chest Motel before life numbed Carmen to the feels. THE FEELS!!! You guys!!! Ben and THE FEELS! I know I am making so little sense right now. But you must read this book and then you will get my poorly-structured ramblings about Ben and his emotions and his love and AHHH!! This book tore. me. up.
And Gracie. Oh goobers – where to start with Gracie. Broken fragile little girl wrapped up in a snarky insecure teenage body. She’s so used to people rejecting her that she doesn’t know quite what to do with the ones that refuse to let go. The people… and God. From the moment Eli asks her who she says Jesus is, Gracie is confronted with the idea that Someone out there cares. But yeah… that realization doesn’t come easy when every time she puts her heart on the line it gets crushed and humiliated.
Which brings up my next point. There are some mighty powerful truths encased in this book. Things like – sometimes all you can do is get through something because “some things in life we aren’t meant to get over”. Or the sobering fact of entropy, that nature is predisposed toward disorder and unless we actively fight against it things will fall apart – “motels and marriages alike.” (I felt the whole concept of the motel ruin and restoration was a brilliant metaphor for the potential of Carmen and Ben’s marriage. How it had fallen into disrepair because of neglect and what it would take to undo all the damage. The last scene – brilliant.) Along those lines, this quote of Aunt Ingrid’s hit me in the heart – “Not all things are worth saving. But some are worth every ounce of fight you can throw at them. You just have to know the difference.”
And the ending?!? I refuse to spoil things for you but it’s not your typical ending. And I loved that about it. (Ok. Part of me scrolled frantically to find more of the book, an epilogue, anything! But most of me applauded it for its realism and hope.)
Bottom Line: This is not an “easy” read – it will tear at your heart & your soul. But it will also plant vivid seeds of hope in the power of redemption and restoration. You will probably need a box of tissues – especially if you’ve ever found yourself in a storm of any of the issues I mentioned at the beginning – but these tears can bring sweet healing. I highly recommend this book, especially if you love contemporary fiction and aren’t a huge fan of sappy romance.
I give The Art of Losing Yourself 5 out of 5 stars!
(I received a digital copy of this novel from the publisher in conjunction with Blogging For Books in exchange for only my honest review.)
About the Author:katie ganshert
Award-winning author Katie Ganshert graduated from the University of Wisconsin in Madison with a degree in education, and worked as a fifth grade teacher for several years before staying home to write full-time. She was born and raised in the Midwest, where she lives with her family. When she’s not busy penning novels or spending time with her people, she enjoys drinking coffee with friends, reading great literature, and eating copious amounts of dark chocolate. You can learn more about Katie and her books by visiting her website or author Facebook page.
THE ART OF LOSING YOURSELF
Image of The Art of Losing Yourself: A Novel
Author(s): Katie Ganshert
2015 – Inspirational Novel winner
Ganshert’s novel is exquisite. The emotions keep the reader invested in the characters of this gut-wrenching tale. The story flows at a wonderful pace with excellent characterization that shows the true meaning of family.
Carmen Hart seems to have it all: a wonderful job, a loving, devoted husband and a beautiful home. Yet her arms ache for a baby. After many years and many miscarriages, they are beginning to give up hope. When her teenage sister, Gracie, runs away from their alcoholic mother, Carmen takes her in. As the two learn about each other, they must both come to terms with their pasts. (WATERBROOK, Apr., 320 pp., $14.99)
Reviewed by:
Melissa Parcel
Image of Life After: A Novel
LIFE AFTER
Image of Life After: A Novel
Author(s): Katie Ganshert
Another stunning novel from Ganshert. Authentic, real characters radiate from each page, drawing readers into a deep, meaningful tale. Autumn is flawed and broken, but these aspects of her personality make her more relatable and her story more powerful. This book shows that the messy parts of life exist for everyone, and it is only in being vulnerable that healing can begin. Life After will stick with the reader for a long time, with many truths to ponder.
Autumn is the sole survivor of a train bombing that took the lives of many people. One year later, she's still hiding away, feeling intense guilt and unable to move on. She meets the daughter of one of the victims, and the two begin to spend some time together. Autumn explores her own grief and beliefs about what happened in order to mend the brokenness inside and move toward a positive future. (WATERBROOK MULTNOMAH, Apr., 352 pp., $14.99)
Reviewed by:
Melissa Parcel
TO HAVE AND TO HOLD
Image of To Have and to Hold: Three Autumn Love Stories (A Year of Weddings Novella)
Author(s): Betsy St. AmantBecky WadeKatie Ganshert
To Have and to Hold is a sweet compilation of three novellas perfect for light autumn reading. These love stories are satisfying and charming, although some have better character development than others. They move at an engaging pace, allowing readers to savor the story without getting bored. Overall this is a worthwhile read for those looking for innocent romance.
This compilation begins with “Love Takes the Cake,” in which bakery owner Charlotte falls begrudgingly for a new customer who sweeps her off her feet. Although he is loved by everyone who knows him, his charm may just be too good to be true. In “The Perfect Arrangement,” Amelia runs (literally!) into the man of her dreams, but she has to hide the fact that she was there to spy on her ex-boyfriend's wedding. As her correspondence with him deepens, she must figure out how to come clean with the truth, before he shows up and everything falls apart. This book finishes with “Love in the Details,” where Holly and her ex-boyfriend Josh must spend time together planning their friend’s wedding. As they reconnect over the details of the wedding, there is something else brewing, but is it worth being vulnerable for? Holly and Josh both must decide if they are willing to love again, before Josh goes home to France and leaves Holly for good. (ZONDERVAN, Sep., 368 pp., $12.99)
Reviewed by:
Sarah Frobisher
AMISH CHRISTMAS AT NORTH STAR
Image of Amish Christmas at North Star: Four Stories of Love and Family
Author(s): Cindy WoodsmallMindy Starns ClarkEmily ClarkAmanda FlowerKatie Ganshert
Each author has her own writing style and does a good job of enhancing each others’ stories in this well-put-together anthology.
Twenty-five years ago, four babies were born in one night with the help of Rebekah Schlabach, the local midwife. Each story centers around one of the those babies. (WATERBROOK, Oct., 400 pp., $15.99)
Reviewed by:
Patsy Glans
A BROKEN KIND OF BEAUTIFUL
Image of A Broken Kind of Beautiful: A Novel
Author(s): Katie Ganshert
This is a beautifully written tale of love and redemption in the most unlikely places. The characters at first glance seem to have it all, but after delving into their lives we learn things aren’t always what they seem. While the story has a nice ending, the epilogue, which ties everything up in a neat bow, is unfulfilling.
Ivy Clark has always caught everyone’s eye. But when her world goes awry and she is forced to make a decision to save her modeling career, she finds herself back in her hometown and trying to save what little she thinks she has left. Seeking the love from a father who never wanted her, she instead finds an unlikely friend in her stepmother and she learns that God does have a plan for everyone, even people who are beautiful yet broken. (WATERBROOK, Apr., 320 pp., $14.99)
Reviewed by:
Michele Hagenlock
WISHING ON WILLOWS
Image of Wishing on Willows: A Novel
Author(s): Katie Ganshert
This is a wonderful story of the possibility of starting over after tragedy and having a second chance at love. The characters are well rounded and very well thought out. Ganshert has hit a grand slam!
Robin Price is struggling to keep her café afloat — and also to keep her memories of her late husband from fading. Everyone urges her to sell to the developers who want to build condos to bring life back to the town. Ian McKay has only one roadblock in his path to clinch the deal: Robin and her café, which she refuses to sell for any reason. As he gets to know her, he starts having second thoughts, but this way of thinking could destroy his family business. Can he find a way to make all parties benefit or will his efforts be for nothing? (WATERBROOK, Mar., 320 pp., $9.99)
Reviewed by:
Patsy Glans
WILDFLOWERS FROM WINTER
Image of Wildflowers from Winter: A Novel
Author(s): Katie Ganshert
In this novel rich in details and well-thought-out characters, Ganshert offers something for everyone: romance, secrets, a few laughs. The reader will come away with the knowledge that even in the arms of grief, hope emerges after loss.
Bethany Quinn is a talented architect with a steady boyfriend who is climbing up the corporate ladder. When she inherits the Quinn farm in Iowa, she’s surprised that Evan Price, who has taken care of the farm for years, has inherited the house. While she longs to get back to her life in Chicago, she realizes she is starting a new life in Iowa — and must come to terms with Evan. (WATERBROOK, May, 320 pp., $9.99).
Reviewed by:
Patsy Glans
REVIEW: A BROKEN KIND OF BEAUTIFUL BY KATIE GANSHERT
April 15, 2014 by Bekah 2 Comments
A Broken Kind of Beautiful (A Novel)
By Katie Ganshert
Author’s Website
Facebook
More Info
Read Chapter One
Author Bio
Description:
Sometimes everything you ever learned about yourself is wrong.
Fashion is a fickle industry, a frightening fact for twenty-four year old model Ivy Clark. Ten years in and she’s learned a sacred truth—appearance is everything. Nobody cares about her broken past as long as she looks beautiful for the camera. This is the only life Ivy knows—so when it starts to unravel, she’ll do anything to hold on. Even if that means moving to the quaint island town of Greenbrier, South Carolina, to be the new face of her stepmother’s bridal wear line—an irony too rich for words, since Ivy is far from the pure bride in white.
If only her tenuous future didn’t rest in the hands of Davis Knight, her mysterious new photographer. Not only did he walk away from the kind of success Ivy longs for to work maintenance at a local church, he treats her differently than any man ever has. Somehow, Davis sees through the façade she works so hard to maintain. He, along with a cast of other characters, challenges everything Ivy has come to believe about beauty and worth. Is it possible that God sees her—a woman stained and broken by the world—yet wants her still?
Rating: ✰✰✰✰ (4 out of 5 stars)
My Thoughts:
Ivy Clark has been a model since she was fourteen years old. Having been in the business for a decade, It’s all she knows who to be. When her career takes a turn for the worse, she agrees to model for her stepmother’s bridal gown line as a last resort. Enter Davis Knight, the photographer for the shoot and her step-cousin. He sees her for who she really is, not the person she tries to portray. What happens next is a beautiful story of letting go of the past and embracing the future.
First off, let me just say that I read this book coming out of a YA sci-fi fiction binge. (What? Don’t judge.) Suffice to say, I wasn’t exactly in a contemporary novel sort of mood (more like drama and action). But, as I had heard so many great things about the book, I decided to finish reading it despite my lack of interest at the time. And boy, did this book surprise me! After I picked it up again, I ended up finishing the entire book within a couple of hours.
Ivy, Davis, Sara, and Marilyn were such genuine characters, each with difficult pasts but overcoming them in a way that was real. The sweet southern charm of Greenbrier, South Carolina made the perfect setting for the novel. The writing style was easy to read—this was my first time reading a book from Katie Ganshert and it definitely won’t be my last. But what made this novel so beautiful was the heart of the story—redemption. Reading along as Ivy broke free from the world and into God’s arms…well, it gave me chills. And then there was the epilogue. I don’t think I’ve ever read a more beautiful ending. It made me cry like a baby.
If you’re a fan of contemporary fiction, you should really read this book. Even if you aren’t, well just check it out anyways! A Broken Kind of Beautiful is a sweet story of love and redemption—and well worth the read.
**I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group in exchange for this review. All thoughts are entirely my own.
Wishing on Willows
Katie Ganshert. WaterBrook,$9.99 trade paperback (320p) ISBN 978-0-307-73040-4
MORE BY AND ABOUT THIS AUTHOR
Robin Price is a widow with a three-year-old and a struggling café in Peaks, Iowa—a dream she and her late husband had. That dream is threatened when handsome developer Ian McKay comes to the small town with big plans for condominiums that will breathe needed economic life into the area. That development threatens not only Robin's café, but also a nearby ministry. The development battle is on, even as Robin's and Ian's unspoken attraction grows. Ganshert brings some nice touches to this inspirational romance: she's got a good ear for the speech and interests of toddlers, and she handles romantic tension well. But her drama is lazy: the value of the ministry is stated, not shown, and Robin is given too much pathos (her mother's dead as well as her husband). Ian is more successfully developed, but he's also carrying a heavy load of back story. Sometimes less is more. Agent: Rachelle Gardner, Books & Such Literary Agency. (Mar.)
The Best of 2012!! Wildflowers from Winter by Katie Ganshert
Kathleen E. Belongia
5 Stars
March 16, 2012
Wildflowers from Winter
KATIE GANSHERT
back to book
Friday, March 16, 2012 The Best of 2012!! Wildflowers from Winter by Katie Ganshert
Wildflowers from Winter This is absolutely the very best book of 2012 and it is only March! I received this advance reading copy from the author. I have been waiting for it since before it arrived on her doorstep!!
Look at this cover because you are going to be seeing a lot of it in the near future! Release date: May 8, 2012.
HEADLINES * HEADLINES * HEADLINES * ~* Read all about it! *~
If you like movies from Nicholas Sparks' books, you are in for a treat!! Get your popcorn ready. As I visually read Wildflowers from Winter, with each word, I saw the story action being portrayed before me. I don't know if I have ever had that happen before so clearly.
Wildflowers from Winter A young architect at a prestigious Chicago firm, Bethany Quinn has built the life she dreamed of during her trailer-park teen years. An unexpected call from her estranged mother reveals that tragedy has struck in her hometown and a reluctant Bethany is called back to rural Iowa. Determined to pay her respects to her past while avoiding any emotional entanglements, she vows not to stay long. The unexpected inheritance of five hundred acres of farmland and a startling turn of events in Chicago forces Bethany to come up with a new plan. Handsome farmhand Evan Price has taken care of the Quinn farm for years. When Bethany is left the land, Evan must fight her decisions to realize his own dreams. But even as he disagrees with Bethany's vision, Evan feels drawn to her and the pain she keeps so carefully locked away. For Bethany, making peace with her past and the God of her childhood doesn't seem like the path to freedom. Is letting go the only way to new life, love, and a peace that she's not even sure exists?
To read the first chapter for free, click here. http://multnomahemails.com/wbmlt/pdf/SneakPeek_WildflowersfromWinter.pdf
My Review Wildflowers from Winter excels. The writing is so [OH, I CAN'T EVEN FIND THE WORDS!!!] living... alive. This is not a gushy book. It is a story of real daily getting up in the morning, making decisions with the knowledge you have. Accurate? It is if it is real to you. Flaws? Not until revealed Truth is added that dispels the darkness of pain and memory, can you see the whole picture without distortion. What I especially liked is the metaphors throughout. It is beautiful writing. I intend to go back to the beginning and read again. The wisdom of Bethany's grandfather allows this story to take hold, as my favorite Elisabeth Elliot quote, "Do the next thing." When you don't know which way to turn and what to do, get busy and do the next thing that comes your way:
Do The Next Thing (quoted by Elisabeth Elliot) From an old English parsonage, down by the sea There came in the twilight a message to me; Its quaint Saxon legend, deeply engraven, Hath, as it seems to me, teaching from Heaven. And on through the hours the quiet words ring Like a low inspiration--"DO THE NEXT THING." Many a question, many of fear, Many a doubt, hath its quieting here. Moment by moment, let down from Heaven, Time, opportunity, guidance, are given. Fear not tomorrows, Child of the King, Trust them with Jesus, "DO THE NEXT THING." Do it immediately; do it with prayer; Do it reliantly, casting all care; Do it with reverence, tracing His Hand Who placed it before thee with earnest command. Stayed on Omnipotence, safe 'neath His wing, Leave all resultings, "DO THE NEXT THING." Looking to Jesus, ever serener, (Working or suffering) be thy demeanor, In His dear presence, the rest of His calm, The light of His countenance be thy psalm, Strong in His faithfulness, praise and sing, Then, as He beckons thee, "DO THE NEXT THING." --Author unknown
Bethany Quinn and Evan Price's lives intertwine as they are living life, doing what they know to do. Bethany, to continue with her life plan and goals, and Evan, to continue with his field plantings toward harvest. Little do they know that their plans and plantings will bring them together because of the heart connections in their lives. This is a beautiful story of trust rebuilt and faith restored because when we look to God and not man for our direction, it will be given.
Like the winter, grief has a season. Life returns with the spring.
And while you are waiting, would you like a little sneak peek before this book comes into your hands? Go to Katie Ganshert's website to read her free-reads. My favorite is "Hubba Bubba and Redhots." http://katieganshert.com/extras/free-reads/
Author, Katie Ganshert
Katie Ganshert was born and raised in the Midwest, where she writes stories about finding faith and falling in love. When she's not busy plotting her next novel, she enjoys watching movies with her husband, playing make-believe with her wild-child of a son, and chatting with her girlfriends over bagels and coffee. She could talk books all day and is often spotted around town walking her dog, pushing a stroller, and reading—all at the same time. She and her husband are adopting from the Congo and her debut novel, Wildflowers from Winter, releases this May through Waterbrook Press. You can find her online at katieganshert.com
http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/catalog.php?isbn=9780307730381 Publisher: Waterbrook Press, ISBN-10:0307730387, ISBN-13: 978-0307730381, Also available as an eBook. You can preorder now from: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books a Million, ChristianBook.com, IndieBound.
Following after Wildflowers from Winter, book two is entitled, Wishing on Willows.
Note and thanks to Katie Ganshert for sending me a copy of her debut novel to read and review. Katie, thank you for your heart, for projecting real life in this beautiful story of love and warmth that comes from following paths set before us.