I had breakfast at Pach’s Place with Jack McGowan this weekend.
He was most gracious during our interview, one of many reasons I chose him to be the male lead of “Obedient Heart.”
M: = Me (Janet)

J: = Jack

M: – Hi Jack…oh, I guess we don’t say that in your line of work, do we?

J: – {laughs} Not a good idea. The FAA has no sense of humor.
M: – I’ll begin again. Thank you for meeting with me today, Jack.

J: – Anything I can do to get our novel published.

M: – I appreciate that, as do the other characters who want to meet the public. Let’s begin with your family. J: – Okay. I was born a poor black child in Mississippi. {chuckles} Sorry. I’m a big fan of Steve Martin. I love that movie.

M: {looking at my notes} I don’t find that in your profile.
J: – {winks} I held back some details.

M: – What do you mean you held back details? I created you.

J: – No. God created me. In your imagination, it’s true, but still I am His creation for the purpose of this novel.

M: – I’ll concede your point on that.

J: – Okay. I was born and raised in Tampa, graduated from Plant High School, joined the Air Force because I wanted to—

M: – Slow down, my impetuous friend. Didn’t you graduate from college first?
J: – Yes, but I wanted to avoid the college question. If I graduated from UF, you’ll lose Seminole readers. If I graduated from Florida State, you’ll lose ’gator readers. Let’s just say I have a bachelor’s degree and let it go at that.

M: – You are very wise. Sorry for the interruption. Please continue. Why did you join the Air Force?

J: – Because my older brother, Jimmy, went in. We were typical competitive siblings, but he was my best friend, too. And I wanted to learn to fly.
M: – Were the two of you ever stationed at the same base?
J: – No. I hadn’t planned on that part. He got married, too, and had a family. And I met a great friend, Roger, who resurfaces in the story.
M: – And what about you? Did you want to marry and have a family?
J: – Yes. {brooding frown} It didn’t work out.
M: – I’m sorry.
J: – Betrayal of that magnitude is hard to overcome. It took meeting Jennifer to learn all women aren’t like my ex-fiancée. Then I got custody of Jimmy’s children when he and his wife died.
M: – Wow. One tragedy after another. But you have a bit of your brother with his children.
J: – Yes. I see Jimmy in his son, and their daughter looks so much like my sister-in-law.
M: – So, you’ve been like a “Bachelor Father.”
J: – That’s your generation, Janet; way before my time. Maybe there’s a website for your readers to check out that old TV program.
M: – Sure. Here it is: http://www.fiftiesweb.com/tv/bachelor-father.htm Great. {smack on forehead} Now I just told the world how old I am.
J: – You don’t look your age.
M: – Thank you. So, after the Air Force, you became a pilot for Panorama International Airlines.

J: – Yes. After transporting equipment to military bases all over the world, I now transport people to glamorous destinations like London, Paris, and, my personal favorite, Chicago.

M: – Who takes care of the children when you’re on your flights?
J: – My parents. Sometimes they stay at my home in Palma Ceia, and other times they take the kids to their home in Carrollwood. By the way, the children are both teenagers now. Almost grown.
M: – Explain those locations for the audience not familiar with Tampa, please.
J: – Sure. Old Carrollwood is a neighborhood on Lake Carroll in north Tampa.
M: – And Palma Ceia?

J: – That’s a plotted neighborhood in south Tampa known for its eclectic collection of old bungalows and new mini-mansions. It isn’t as prestigious as Hyde Park, but still an impressive zip code. {grins} And we who live south of Kennedy Boulevard are called SOKS, which stands for South of Kennedy Snobs.

M: – I’m a SOKS, too.

J: – Well, duh, Janet. That’s one of the interesting aspects of the novel. Almost everything takes place in south Tampa.

M: – {winks} I wanted to let you bring that up.

J: – Oh. Okay. So, now Joyce Hart of Hartline Literary Agency is pitching our novel for us. What can I do to help?

M: – Remember when I had writer’s block, and you came into my dream?

J: – Oh, yeah. You left us all in suspense with those scary guys plotting something terrible against Jennifer. So, I came into your dream and asked you if you were ever going to finish the novel. Would I rescue Jennifer, or would it be that nosy FBI agent, Daniel Hearty?

M: – Well…

J: – Aha, you want me to go into an acquisition editor’s dream and demand he or she publish “Obedient Heart” for you?

M: – Demand is such a strong word. How about ASKING him or her to take a chance on an unknown?

J: – You got it. {strokes his chin} Hey, post a picture of the actor you think I look like so my victim will recognize me when I pop in for a visit.

M: – Okay. Here's a photo of Tom Berenger. Wow. Jack. You're gorgeous! Wait...did you say Victim?

J: – {wicked laugh} I mean, dream host, of course. I promise I won't make any threats, like, "I'll haunt you until the day you die if you don't publish this great novel!" I'll just remind them of all the publishers who are kicking themselves for rejecting "Harry Potter." 

M: – Thanks, Jack. I love your sense of humor.

J: – Any time. Come see us. We get lonely sitting in your computer.

Interview with Jennifer Ryaan of "Obedient Heart"

I’d like to introduce you to Jennifer Ryaan, the main character in the award-winning, yet-to-be-published novel, “Obedient Heart.” Since Jennifer and I have the same initials (a psychological anomaly?), I will differentiate our comments with “Q” for me and “A” for Jennifer.
Q: Thank you for joining us, Jennifer.
A: It’s my pleasure, Janet.
Q: First, I’d like to give the prospective readers of “Obedient Heart” a little background information. Tell us where you’ve lived.
A: I grew up in Clearwater, Florida with my parents, Dr. Charles and Celia Bohannan, and my older brother Thaddeus, who goes by Ted. I moved to South Tampa when I attended University of Tampa. After living on campus for two years, I found a small apartment to rent in the Hyde Park district.
Q: Why didn’t you move back to Clearwater after you graduated?
A: My mother passed away when I was still in college. It was too painful to go back to the place where she died. My father sold his surgical practice four years after Mom died and now serves on the Mercy Ship. And my brother Ted moved to south Tampa for a new job, and to be near his baby sister.
Q: What was your major course of study? And where do you work?
A: Marketing. I interned for Sean Turney, and he hired me right after I graduated. He and his wife, Cathy, have been wonderful friends all these years.
Q: You’re listed as a widow in Obedient Heart. Do you mind telling us about your late husband?
A: Not at all. Sean’s friend, Patrick Ryaan was a lieutenant in the Air Force. He came into the office one day. Of course, I was smitten by his sweet smile and Irish accent. I asked Sean if he’d discreetly find out if Patrick was seeing anyone. He asked Patrick, “Jennifer wants to know if you’re single.” {laughs} I could’ve strangled Sean!
Q: It must’ve made a good impression in spite of Sean’s lack of diplomacy.
A: It did. {grins} We married after a six-month courtship. {eyes lowered} He was deployed to the Middle East a year later. Patrick was killed in a terrorist attack.
Q: I’m so sorry.
A: I was in my trimester of pregnancy when I got the news. I lost the baby.
Q: How tragic. That must’ve been a terrible time for you.
A: Yes, it was. I confess I turned to nipping brandy to numb the pain of losing my mother, my husband, and my unborn child. Dad came home briefly, but he couldn’t break his commitment to the Mercy Ship and had to go back to Spain. Even with Ted nearby, I spiraled into depression.
Q: I’m so sorry. You’ve suffered so much loss.
A: God knows our pain. He brought a wonderful couple into my life. Maggie Parragon and her husband helped me out of my depression and away from the brandy by reminding me of the strength in the love of Jesus Christ. I joined their church and invited Ted to join, too. He and Donald Gregory became friends immediately.
Q: Donald is the friend who went with him on the mission trip?
A: Yes. The church sent twenty members on a mission trip to Guatemala. All returned except the two of them.
Q: That must’ve been difficult to bear.
A: Donald’s wife, Lorraine, our pastor and his wife, and I all went to Guatemala to find out what happened. We searched for any little clue. We learned from local villagers Ted and Donald left the others to get supplies and vanished into the rain forest.
Q: So you found no other clue to their disappearance?
A: I received several letters from different people claiming to have information about Ted’s whereabouts. But they all led to a dead end.
Q: Ted and Donald have been missing two years when the story opens. You just received another letter, and Sean and Cathy have arranged a blind date for you with their pilot friend Jack McGowan.
A: Yes. {chuckles} Their timing stinks. And these two scary guys cruised past my house in a dirty, rusted white van just when Sean and Cathy arrived to pick me up.
Q: And then the fun begins!
A: {laughs} That’s right. And that’s all I’m going to say about the story. The readers will have to get the book to find out who the two scary guys are, can a worldly airline pilot and a Christian widow find love, and does my brother come home?
Q: Thanks for your discretion, Jennifer.
A: Hey, next time can we talk about the first draft of the book where you had me sitting with my hands folded in my lap, a perfect little lady, and you ended each chapter with me smiling sweetly? Oh, and I can’t wait to tell about your affliction of being a front-loading head-hopper. {laughs out loud} Um, Janet. Why are you frowning?
Q: Okay. You got me. But at least I had the font right.

Interview with Jennifer Ryaan

I’d like to introduce you to Jennifer Ryaan, the main character in the award-winning, yet-to-be-published novel, “Obedient Heart.” Since Jennifer and I have the same initials (a psychological anomaly?), I will differentiate our comments with “Q” for me and “A” for Jennifer.

Q: Thank you for joining us, Jennifer.

A: It’s my pleasure, Janet.

Q: First, I’d like to give the prospective readers of “Obedient Heart” a little background information. Tell us where you’ve lived.

A: I grew up in Clearwater, Florida with my parents, Dr. Charles and Celia Bohannan, and my older brother Thaddeus, who goes by Ted. I moved to South Tampa when I attended University of Tampa. After living on campus for two years, I found a small apartment to rent in the Hyde Park district.

Q: Why didn’t you move back to Clearwater after you graduated?

A: My mother passed away when I was still in college. It was too painful to go back to the place where she died. My father sold his surgical practice four years after Mom died and now serves on the Mercy Ship. And my brother Ted moved to south Tampa for a new job, and to be near his baby sister.

Q: What was your major course of study? And where do you work?

A: Marketing. I interned for Sean Turney, and he hired me right after I graduated. He and his wife, Cathy, have been wonderful friends all these years.

Q: You’re listed as a widow in Obedient Heart. Do you mind telling us about your late husband?

A: Not at all. Sean’s friend, Patrick Ryaan was a lieutenant in the Air Force. He came into the office one day. Of course, I was smitten by his sweet smile and Irish accent. I asked Sean if he’d discreetly find out if Patrick was seeing anyone. He asked Patrick, “Jennifer wants to know if you’re single.” {laughs} I could’ve strangled Sean!

Q: It must’ve made a good impression in spite of Sean’s lack of diplomacy.

A: It did. {grins} We married after a six-month courtship. {eyes lowered} He was deployed to the Middle East a year later. Patrick was killed in a terrorist attack.

Q: I’m so sorry.

A: I was in my trimester of pregnancy when I got the news. I lost the baby.

Q: How tragic. That must’ve been a terrible time for you.

A: Yes, it was. I confess I turned to nipping brandy to numb the pain of losing my mother, my husband, and my unborn child. Dad came home briefly, but he couldn’t break his commitment to the Mercy Ship and had to go back to Spain. Even with Ted nearby, I spiraled into depression.

Q: I’m so sorry. You’ve suffered so much loss.

A: God knows our pain. He brought a wonderful couple into my life. Maggie Parragon and her husband helped me out of my depression and away from the brandy by reminding me of the strength in the love of Jesus Christ. I joined their church and invited Ted to join, too. He and Donald Gregory became friends immediately.

Q: Donald is the friend who went with him on the mission trip?

A: Yes. The church sent twenty members on a mission trip to Guatemala. All returned except the two of them.

Q: That must’ve been difficult to bear.

A: Donald’s wife, Lorraine, our pastor and his wife, and I all went to Guatemala to find out what happened. We searched for any little clue. We learned from local villagers Ted and Donald left the others to get supplies and vanished into the rain forest.

Q: So you found no other clue to their disappearance?

A: I received several letters from different people claiming to have information about Ted’s whereabouts. But they all led to a dead end.

Q: Ted and Donald have been missing two years when the story opens. You just received another letter, and Sean & Cathy have arranged a blind date for you with their pilot friend Jack McGowan.

A: Yes. {chuckles} Their timing stinks. And these two scary guys cruised past my house in a dirty, rusted white van just when Sean and Cathy arrived to pick me up.

Q: And then the fun begins!

A: {laughs} That’s right. And that’s all I’m going to say about the story. The readers will have to get the book to find out who the two scary guys are, can a worldly airline pilot and a Christian widow find love, and does my brother comes home?

Q: Thanks for your discretion, Jennifer.

A: Hey, next time can we talk about the first draft of the book where you had me sitting with my hands folded in my lap, a perfect little lady, and you ended each chapter with me smiling sweetly? Oh, and I can’t wait to tell about your affliction of being a front-loading head-hopper. {laughs out loud} Um, Janet. Why are you frowning?

Q: Okay. You got me. But at least I had the font right.

The Widows Journey - Finding Hope When You're a Widow

The Widows Journey - Finding Hope When You're a Widow I wanted to share this blog from Gayle Roper, who was my first writing instructor at the Florida Christian Writers Conference many years ago. (2005?) After losing her husband, she chose to channel her grief into helping others who experience this sort of loss. Thank you, Gayle, for having a heart for the Lord and following His lead. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Matthew 5:4

"The Skin Map" by Stephen R. Lawhead

"The ultimate quest for the ultimate treasure. Chasing a map tatooed on a man's body across an omniverse of intersecting realities." I'm a sometimes fan of sci-fi/fantasy, so the thought of time travel that involves exploring alternative worlds intrigued me. Thomas Nelson offered this on their BookSneeze site in the form of audio book only. I listened to the book on my way to and from work. After a few chapters, I made excuses to drive my car instead of walking or riding my bike so I could stay abreast of Kit Livingstone's adventures with his great-grandfather Cosimo and Sir Henry. One sign of a well-written novel is the author's ability to make me gasp when the bad guys are about to overcome the good guys. Or when I say, "aha," at the moment he plants a nugget of information in the story. Stephen Lawhead did both...until the end of the book. The finale, which I won't reveal here (I'm not a spoiler for the next reader), came unexpectedly. I felt nothing had been resolved. I still had questions that needed to be answered. Even the epilogue left me with a question mark floating around my head. "How could he do this?" I demanded. I want to know what happened to Arthur Flinders Peachtree. How did the dread Lord Burley always know where Kit and Cosimo would be? Then I noticed the fine print on the cover: A Bright Empires Novel. I looked it up on the Internet and discovered the story continues in another book. What are the chances Thomas Nelson will offer the audio version of The Bonehouse to their BookSneezers? {grumble} I also wonder why Thomas Nelson published this book. I found no Christian theme in it. On the contrary, it seemed to be more new age than Church Age. Just saying... When I post my review on Barnes & Noble's site, I might give The Skin Map two stars instead of four or five simply because of all the loose ends that needed to be tied up at the end. I am a dissatisfied reader right now. >:-(

Thankful Yes, but to Whom?

Ahhh...the first Monday after a 4-day weekend. No leftovers--not even at my office. We've devoured everything in sight. And, of course, I repeat the same mantra on the way home from the day of gluttonous feasting: "I may never eat again!" But I always get hungry the next day. Many of us give thanks for our various blessings. I am thankful for my Celtic ancestry (as evidenced by my bagpipe-toting turkey here), for my husband of 16 years, for my 2 cats Pixie & Feathers, for my brother Jim and my sister Kathy and their respective families, for my job (especially since so many are without one now), for CWG Word Weavers, for the wonderful friends who bring us joy, for the Bible-teaching church we attend, and for the forgiveness of my sin. That brings me to the reason for this post. Everyone talks about Thanksgiving. Even the new media gives it a plug, if only to report the shameful behavior of shoppers on Post-Thanksgiving Black Friday. I rarely hear anyone mention to whom we are thankful. The words "thank you" flow easily from our mouths, if we are civilized people, that is, when another shows us kindness. But what about the grace God has shown us in sending His son to take away our sin? The word gratitude is from the same root as the Latin gracias, which means "grace." Out teacher on Sunday, Dr. Stephen Bramer, gave a wonderful acrostic to explain God's grace for us: God's Riches At Christ's Expense As I ponder the many blessings in my life, I want to honor Him who bestowed them on me. Yes, I'm even grateful for the strife and struggles that have come in the past, for they brought me closer to Him, and, because of that closeness, strengthened our marriage. What a loving God we have! Thank You, dear Lord, for the most wonderful blessing of all: Your gift of salvation, which brings eternal life. I have a dwelling place in heaven because I believe Jesus Christ is my Savior. Oh give thanks to the LORD, call upon His name; Make known His deeds among the peoples. 1 Chronicles 16:8 (NASB)

As the Deer Pants for Water

As the deer pants for the water brooks, So my soul pants for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God; When shall I come and appear before God? -Psalm 42:1-2 (NASB) We have no pastor at our church. Guest speakers from a variety of sources bless us with their Biblical knowledge. Some are professors from colleges, such as Moody Bible Institute or Dallas Theological Seminary. Others serve in the mission field. As Biblical Christians, we believe there are no coincidences, yet sometimes occurances might seem too close to be anything else. We know that God, in His infinite wisdom, is the underlying cause for any coincidence. Richard Sanders, a missionary to Chad, Africa, served as our guest speaker one Sunday. I'd like to share with you an incident that happened that morning. So subtle that I wondered if anyone else noticed it. Music director Ron Billingsly sang (in his beautiful baritone voice) a solo of "As A Deer Pants For Water." Mr. Sanders approached the podium to teach his lesson on the obedience of Rahab, but first described the special meaning the verses of that psalm have for him. As a nomadic tribe travels from east to west on the African continent, they take no water with them. Instead, they carry a small hart (or deer). When they need to drink they temporarily set the hart free. Following him on a two-hump camel (known for speed), the elders of the tribe track the little deer. He runs to and fro, then stops to smell the air, and begins pawing the ground with his hoof. He digs up dirt, then mud, then dips his head into the newly dug well for a drink. They rely on God's creature, whose heart pants for water, to bring them sustenance. This true account of how a deer pants for water showed me how I should thirst for God in my troubles and desert-like exile. I must look for Him, as the deer looks for water, with expectation of finding Him in my situation. Just as the water flows beneath the ground on which the deer stands, God, in the Holy Spirit, is there to nourish me with His brooks of living water. AMEN!