Paperbacks also are available at www.BarnesandNoble.com
Tell us about your book.
The title is Swallowed by LIFE.
Do you know you are more than a physical body? Evidence shows our body is constantly dying and being renewed cell by cell and about every seven years is totally rebuilt, with the exception of the nervous system – even our bones. We start as an egg about the size of a dust mite, yet we were the same person in the womb we are today. We may lose limbs, gain and lose weight, have vital organs removed and mechanical or transplanted parts inserted and we’re still the same person. Inside us is life, and a soul and spirit which were designed by God to live forever.
Swallowed by LIFE is subtitled “Mysteries of Death, Resurrection and the Eternal.” The book speaks about this mystery; how you know what to believe; the wonder of life with all its electrical systems; the awesome truth about cell death and regeneration; brain death, and other mysteries of the change from mortal to immortal; where we go when our body dies; resurrection; a glimpse at what we will do in heaven; God’s mercy after man’s rebellion when He promised a Redeemer way back in Genesis to deliver us from death; and leaving a legacy here.
Questions and answers are included for study groups.
Can you give us a sneak peek at your new release?
Here are some of the Study Questions for the Preface and Chapter One
1. You’ve heard people say they’d rather burn out than rust out. What is the process that occurs to the human body that is similar to rust on iron? When this process occurs in people it is called _________.
2. How many people are estimated to suffer from chronic or terminal diseases at one time in the United States?
3. Name three things you know about the human body that shows we are more than flesh and blood.
4. How many days do regenerative medicine experts believe it takes for the skin to rebuild?
5. In how many years is it believed the skeleton becomes a totally new one?
6. The mystery of eternal life requires ____________________. Why?
What inspired this book?
I wrote Swallowed by LIFE because when our 31-year-old daughter was diagnosed with an aggressive form of lymphoma, she had nothing to turn to except the Word and secular ideas. The Word is sufficient, but facts we know from medical science add incredible information that show we’re more than a body. I had access to much of this as a medical reporter, but also did research. Although I had an agent/publisher when I completed the book, he went bankrupt. I didn’t look for another publisher for years, but then changed the manuscript from a four-part book to what I have now. The first section was similar to Swallowed by LIFE, with the second section speaking about how to deal with losses that come with illness and aging, etc. The last section was about choices such as dealing with pain, treatments, power of attorney; living wills, burial or cremation, and what different denominations and religions believe about each; and the last part on why we should leave a “testament” (literally a testimony) and legacy to friends and family.
How did you know you were called to write?
Because I had early successes. My first article in a major Christian magazine was made into a tract. Beyond that, I had a fire in me that sparked words to share with people who needed Jesus or encouragement. But like almost every writer, there were doubting times. My motivation changed when I read Solomon’s words in Ecclesiastes 11, “In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not your hand, for you know not which will prosper, either this or that, or if they both alike will be good.”
Are you a panster or do you outline?
Panster. You can’t be a reporter and work from an outline. But with my novels, not yet published, I wrote scene descriptions, complications, character profiles, a diagram of the town and that sort of thing.
How long have you been writing? I’ve written for Christian publications 40 years and 17 as a reporter – simultaneously, in case you’re trying to guess my age.
Tell us something silly about you.
I’ve been a member of a number of church trios. One Sunday evening we gals wore short-sleeved dresses. My 5-year-old daughter looked me over and said, “Mom, you can’t go up there and sing. You have freckles on your arm.”
What was the first book you ever wrote? Confessions of a Pentecostal, published by Radiant Books, a division of the Assemblies of God’s Gospel Publishing House.
What is your favorite character trait to write about? In my novel, The Belle of Peachville, an orphan homeless child attaches himself to my lead characters. We’re about 2/3 into the story, and his antics insert lots of humor. He makes friends with an ornery goat and I love what happens. Humor, compassion and faith are tops with me, not necessarily in that order. I even include humor in Swallowed by LIFE.
What do you hope readers will take away from this book? Swallowed by LIFE is written for support groups, religion classes, people with chronic or terminal illness, individuals who fear death or are curious about it, the grieving and those who give them counsel. I’d like for readers or group study members to take away hope, peace, wisdom, new knowledge, comfort, and motivation to share the Good News.
What project are you currently working on? I’m marketing Swallowed by LIFE, preparing Confessions for an e-book since it’s out of print, writing articles, doing blog tours, and about ready to market The Belle of Peachville.
What has been your most challenging experience writing a book? Increasing and decreasing word count, and I might add—showing instead of telling.
What is your favorite thing to write about, (i.e., forgiveness, rebellion, etc)? Reality, whether in non-fiction or fiction.
Do you have a favorite recipe? If so would you like to share? Barbecued pork steak, chops or ribs. Just cover meat with barbecue sauce; cover with foil; poke a hole in the foil with your finger, put meat into oven at 275 or 300 degrees and bake two hours. Add more sauce before serving.
What is a fond childhood memory? All the music that went on among our big family, no matter what they were doing. My parents and siblings were new Christians and filled with joy and song. My siblings used to gather on the front porch with electric guitars, accordions, and instruments, playing hymns and gospel songs. The neighbors loved it.
Ada Brownell bio
ADA BROWNELL spent 17 years as a newspaper reporter, mostly at The Pueblo Chieftain in Pueblo, CO. She has sold approximately 275 articles and fiction stories to 45 Christian magazines and wrote one story on assignment for US Magazine.
She is married, and has five children—one in heaven.
Facebook: Ada Brownell Writing Ministries
Twitter: @adellerella
Amazon author page: http://amzn.to/Jnc1rW
BarnesandNoble: http://bit.ly/JnbKVL
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