Book Spotlight: Into the Promised Land

Watching a book come from idea to something you can actually hold in your hands is always exciting. For an author. And for those who love her. And I can tell you right now, I love the author who is my guest today. Sarah Heatwole is part of our local author group, and I am cheering so loud as her first book releases this week. From the snippets I've read during our critique times, I can promise it's as beautiful as the cover. See what you think and make sure to read all the way to the bottom. She's doing a giveaway!

Thank you, Amy, for having me as your guest author. To your readers, let me tell you Amy is as much a delight in person as she is on this blog. She has been a great inspiration to me on this writing journey.
I have a book coming out in two days! Speaking those words seems surreal. This has been a faith filled supernatural journey; only by God’s grace have I been able to get this far. I didn’t aspire to be a writer. In fact, when I was a little girl, I remember driving up I-71 into the heart of Cleveland, seeing the skyscrapers and dreaming about my power suit and fancy office.
As an adult, I spent years building my career, working my way up to Executive Director in an assisted living community–until it collapsed.

In early 2021, I found out I was pregnant with our third child. At 39 years old, this was totally unexpected. How could I jump to the next level in my career and have a newborn at the same time?
Amid it all, I lost my job, and with it went my identity. My late-night staffing calls turned into late-night feedings and diaper changes. It was a time of genuine struggle, survival, and brokenness. God is so faithful, though; he tenderly picked up the pieces. Our new son Zion brought immense joy to our family, and slowly God revealed to me how my dreams of powerful executive positions might not be his plan for me during this season. 
For the first time in eight years, our family took an uninterrupted vacation–we drove for three weeks out West and saw some beautiful sites in Utah, Montana, and Colorado. I took a pay cut and a work from home position and began punching a time clock giving me space in my life for other things. I began reading again–what a delight! When I saw that one of my newfound favorite authors, Sean Dietrich, was appearing at the Southern Festival of Books–I went by myself. In the first session I sat at the back and listened to a Pulitzer Prize winning author talk about his writing and his book–these were my people.
Between sessions, I sat in the lobby and chatted with a bookstore owner and an aspiring author. They asked if I write.
“Well, no, but one of my goals is to write a book in my lifetime.” That was the first time I had ever said those words aloud, and they cemented themselves deep into my heart.
A dream was born at that festival; it sounds so dramatic, but it’s true. After that moment, the idea of writing a book never left my side.
On my husband’s side of the family, someone had written a book about his great-grandmother, who lived a fascinating life. I often thought about how special it is that our children have documented for them a piece of their family history. Such a gift–perhaps I could do the same for my family.
I called my dad. “I think I might want to write about Grandma and Grandpa’s story; do you have anything that would help me understand their earlier years?”
To my surprise, he produced a few hours of oral interviews and twelve handwritten pages in my Grandma’s beautiful loopy script. Curiosity abounded. I began writing–terribly. I knew nothing about the craft, but by the grace of God a friend invited me to attend a local Christian writers’ group and I learned. People like Jennifer and Amy graciously taught me about verb tenses and dialogue. They read and gave me positive and constructive feedback. I applied the feedback and kept on writing. Eventually it started taking shape, and it began to final in contests.
The greatest surprise of all was how God used my grandparent’s story to work on my heart. I never realized the depths of their convictions–the richness of their faith, or the sacrifice they made for their family to know and follow Jesus. There’d be moments in church during a sermon that my pastor would say something and I’d connect it back to the story–I have pages of notes on my phone filled with moments or phrases the Holy Spirit spoke to me. God once again used Grandpa and Grandma’s story to transform their granddaughter all these years later.
As the book launches out into the world in the next two days, I know Into the Promised Land has a purpose because God’s fingerprints are all over it. Without my precious child, a career pivot, and an identity crisis, none of it would have been possible. Sometimes change gives us space to pursue the purposes God has for us.
I’d like to bless someone with a copy of Into the Promised Land, so click here and sign up for my newsletter to be entered. Then, comment below with your own testimony of how change brought about good in your life. Let’s bolster one another’s faith during this miraculous season we celebrate our Savior’s birth. I look forward to reading your stories. The Winner will be notified via email on the 15th of December. 

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​Growing up in the shadow of the Great Depression, Andy Troyer longs for more than the hunger and hardship plaguing his family. When his father becomes a minister, their prospects improve, but Andy’s restless spirit still yearns for something beyond the bounds of his Amish community.
In a neighboring district, tragedy shatters Sylvia’s sheltered world. In the depths of grief, a vivid dream leads her to an encounter with Jesus that changes the course of her life.
When Andy and Sylvia’s paths cross, they discover a shared longing and love that deepens as they embrace a new faith together. But following Jesus means jeopardizing the security of family and community, forcing them to choose between clinging to tradition or risking everything to answer His call.
Inspired by a true story, Into the Promised Land is a timeless tale of love and loss, courage and forgiveness, and the life-changing power of God’s redeeming grace.


Pre-order here.
Order a signed copy from the author here. 
The book will be available on Amazon with prime shipping on the 10th - ebook and audio coming in the new year. ​

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Sarah Heatwole is a writer of Mennonite heritage from Hartville Ohio. She is a graduate of The Ohio State University where she holds a BS degree in Social Work. Her short stories have been published in Clean Fiction Magazine, and her debut, Into the Promised Land was a semi-finalist in the ACFW Genesis Contest. She lives in Smyrna Tennessee with her husband, and three children. More about her life and writing can be found at sarahheatwole.com 

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