I love shining a spotlight on other authors and other books too. Today, we're showcasing Jenny Carlisle's newest release (one of my editing babies). Love Never Fails is the third in her series (fourth if you count the novella in A Gift For All Time, which I do). Y'all, this series is so sweet, and I just love the fictional town and all its people. But this story also deals with some heavy stuff. See what Jenny has to say about it. A man’s heart plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps. Proverbs 16:9 NJKV “It’s over. He’ll never be able to do anything.” My husband’s boss expressed hopelessness as we stepped outside the hospital waiting room. His brother and business partner was being treated for a severe spinal injury. The doctors were preparing the family for the possibility of paralysis. “We don’t know that yet.” I said. “The doctors will tell him about the next steps. There are so many possibilities for a normal life.” Even as I spoke these words, I knew the road ahead would be rough. In a way, the concerned brother was right. Nothing would be the same ever again. The three brothers who owned the company my husband worked for were family friends as well as his employers. After this injury sustained in a farm accident, I was amazed that our friend continued to work, though confined to a wheelchair. He was able to drive with hand controls, to load and unload his wheelchair from the bed of his pickup truck. He maintained a positive attitude about his situation. Life continued, the business they owned prospered, and everyone adjusted. When I wrote about Cody Billings’ bull wreck in my first novel, Hope Takes the Reins, I had heard of several other people in a similar situation. The most famous example, Lane Frost, did not survive his accident. A teenager here in Arkansas, Brannon McMinn, who was about the same age as my fictional Cody, did survive. The accident was featured on our television news, and the outpouring of prayers and support was inspiring. His mother shared Brannon’s journey on social media, and this reinforced my admiration for the whole family. Brannon’s injury was far different than Cody’s, but his positive attitude was very much the same. I also read about another bull rider, Jerome (Danger) Davis. After his injury, he has continued his involvement in the sport, mentoring and helping other riders in every way he can. The article said that the biggest problem for Mr. Davis was asking for help. His way of dealing with this difficulty? Repay by doing twice as many favors for those who help him. Cody in a nutshell. Once I knew that Cody could deal with his injury, I began looking for new activities for him to pursue. When I heard about a wheelchair basketball team in our hometown, I made a connection with a young man who works at a very strenuous, “manual labor” type job. We talked about how he keeps himself in shape, and he assured me that regular exercise keeps his upper body fit. He also talked to me about the freedom that driving his truck affords. Again, right up Cody’s alley. Cody’s life changed completely when a bull-riding injury sidelined him. Instead of participating in a very strenuous sport, he was consumed with recovering. Hospitals, surgeries, physical therapy were his new activities. As Love Never Fails begins, he has adjusted to the fact that he might never walk again. He is eager to move on with his life in every way possible. As a form of relaxation, he returns to something that he enjoyed as a child and a younger teen. Fishing. The peace and quiet of area lakes provided a welcome break from noisy, stressful bull rides. Now, he craves that stress relief even more than ever. A Facebook page provided an interesting angle to Cody’s renewed hobby. WalkingEagleFishing.com introduced me to a fishing guide who heads up excursions on the rivers and lakes of Arkansas. My new acquaintance specializes in giving disabled veterans and other wheelchair bound people a chance to enjoy the sport they love. The boat he uses is designed with a ramp on the end. Wheelchairs can roll up from the bank into the boat with ease. Since everything is operated by hand controls, the participants can also drive the boat if they wish. In my story, Cody’s parents purchase one of these special boats as a high school graduation gift for their youngest son. They also stay in contact with the owner of the factory that makes the boat, which proves to be very beneficial in Cody’s job search. When Kayla Caldwell begins to attract Cody’s attention, he learns of her interest in providing opportunities to those who have limited access. Because of an injury her own grandfather has recovered from, she is always evaluating buildings she visits for accessibility. Her plans to seek a degree in architecture were sparked by the need to design new buildings with features that make them usable by everyone. Concern for each other without a condescending attitude is one aspect of Cody and Kayla’s relationship. She knows he can do anything he sets his mind to, and he admires her courage in dealing with her own obstacles. At this pivotal point in their lives, God has sent each of them the help they need, if they can bring themselves to ask. They are learning to trust in Him to direct their steps. Kayla Caldwell should be relaxing during the summer after her first year in college. Instead, she’s attending a memorial service after a plane crash changed her from only child to orphan. She’s like a balloon on the way to a happy celebration that was accidentally released. Will she ever feel safe, grounded again? Cody Billings knows what it’s like to wake up in a totally foreign world. When his last bull ride left him partially paralyzed, nothing about his teenaged life could ever be the same. He’s now been through months of physical therapy and modifications. The feeling of loss when he resigned himself to never walking again is still fresh in his mind. With only the rodeo in common, they had known each other only as neighbors until now. Grief and loss have matured them more quickly than their friends, but they face the same doubts as they reach the crossroads on the way to their unknown future. Kayla’s responsibilities as the young owner of a ranch are multiplying faster than the cattle. Cody is determined to prove to himself and his parents that he can be independent. Can the two support and encourage each other even as their dreams are being modified daily? Jenny McLeod Carlisle has been writing stories since she learned to hold a pencil. Retired from almost 40 years in Human Resources for the State of Arkansas, she spent two years as a substitute teacher for 6th to 12th grade kids at the school she graduated from years earlier. She is a past president of the American Christian Fiction-Arkansas chapter. A long-time columnist for Ouachita Life magazine, she collected some of those inspirational columns along with blogs created during the pandemic into two self-published books, “Turn, Turn, Turn”, and “To Everything a Season”. Scrivenings Press published her contemporary women’s fiction series beginning in 2022 with Hope Takes the Reins. Faith Moves Mountains released in 2023, and Love Never Fails in January of this year. Her novella Rejoicing with Joy was included in the Christmas collection, A Gift for All Time. She and her husband, James live in Benton, Arkansas where they worship with a very active congregation of the Church of Christ. Their family includes three married children and eight grandchildren. Her writing is intended to inspire hope and encouragement for our daily journey. She loves meeting with readers both in person and virtually. Follow her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/jennycarlisleauthor (18) Jenny Carlisle (@jennycarlisle3) / Twitter Website Jenny McLeod Carlisle – Seeking, Waiting, Walking (jennycarlisle.com) Purchase her books here: Amazon.com : Jenny Carlisle
1 Comment
2/12/2024 08:50:13 am
Thanks for spotlighting Cody’s journey. I hope he and Kayla will reach others who are living courageously!
Reply
Leave a Reply. |
This is a place for me to tell you about what I'm writing, talk about the process or where some of my ideas came from, or even have other authors come in and talk about their books.
Categories
All
Authors I Love to Read (in no particular order)
Archives
April 2024
|