"Call to Love" by Mary Felkins ... and a GIVEAWAY!

Mary has agreed to giveaway one copy of  the book to one lucky blog reader.  (Winner's choice of a print copy - US ONLY - or an electronic copy.) You can enter by using the Rafflecopter link at the end of the post. (Giveaway ends November 29, 2019. If you are the randomly chosen winner, I'll contact you.) 

Call to Love – The Story Behind the Story

Unbeknownst to me, moving to the foothills of the Appalachian Mountain from my hometown, Houston, Texas, in September, 1997, with my husband and our two kids (now, four) stirred a sleeping desire. Enveloped in breathtaking landscape during the radiance of fall color and cooler temperatures, my imagination began to stir. As a child, I’d “written” several little “stories” (most of which I still have) but never dreamed I’d be called to write professionally – as evidenced by the fact that I acquired a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Nutrition. But these characters I now know by name started talking. I saw them interact with each other, listened in on their dialogue. No clue this was the foundation of a book. As scene ideas interrupted conscious thought, refusing to be silenced, the prophetic sentence spilled out…“I’ll write a book.”…on the heels of an unsavory conversation with my husband about our financial situation at the time.

I wanted to create a heroine who, after the shooting death of her law enforcement father two days before the father-daughter dance, had come to believe the lie that love can’t be trusted, that life is a vapor. It made sense to create her profession as a nurse in the emergency department where she often sees evidence of the frailty of life.

I have great respect for the profession of law enforcement, particularly after graduating from our local police department’s Citizen Police Academy, in 2012 for research purposes and was compelled to create the hero as a hyper-vigilant, robust, and brawny cop. Fun to write, enjoyable to read!

I wondered, What would it be if two crisis-driven professions who don’t hesitate to answer emergency calls crossed paths – one hurt by the loss of her law enforcement father’s death and the other abandoned by his ex after years of investment and sacrifice – yet refused to answer God’s call to love again?

Blurb...

What if saying yes to love means trusting the kind of man you said you’d never marry? 

What if pursuing a woman’s heart means restoring a painful past?

     Tracy Cassidy, a fiercely independent ED nurse, must choose between her dream job or staying in her hometown to help support her mother’s faltering ministry. Even if it means risking her heart in love with the kind of man she said she’d never marry. 

    Why sign up to be Laurelton’s next cop widow?

     Tom DeLaney, a hyper-vigilant cop and new hire from Texas, is wearied by years of failed rescue attempts to save his marriage to his ex. A free man, he moves to the foothills of North Carolina.

        Thing is, he hadn’t expected to fall for Tracy, his supervisor’s sister. But when his adolescent son is diagnosed with a chronic illness, he faces the risk of loving another woman with keep-out issues.

     Fears related to the death of Tracy’s cop father and Tom’s inability to forgive the past threaten to sabotage any chance at love.

To trust again means surrender. Will they risk their hearts and answer the call?

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Fun Facts & Scene Inspiration

I chose to assign Tom’s white squad car the number 19 which references Revelation 19:11: “I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a Rider on a white horse Whose name is Faithful and True.”
I love this verse! Talk about, “Some day my Prince will come!” I included a white horse named Cruiser, in the story, which is the gift Tracy’s father gave to her when she was ten. It symbolizes her father’s squad car and his promise he’d always be there for her. Cruiser, featured on the front cover, represents the white horse of Revelation 19:11.

Co-Zee’s Coffee Shop with The Gathering Room was inspired by a Christian coffee shop that used to be here in my hometown, Hickory, NC. Today, the place is a bar with pool tables in the back room and features live music on weekends. Sigh. I’m thankful to have “spared” the coffee house within the pages of the book.

In the first scene, the reader finds Tom’s 14-year-old rascally son, Stephen, watching a race car cartoon (aka Speed Racer) because he has fond memories of watching it as a kid. This was inspired by my own son, now 21, who loved Speed Racer so much that he rose early to watch it before his siblings joined him on the sofa and dominated TV time. Stephen shares with Tom the deeper reason for why he loves the show, “The better racer (Racer X) sacrifices winning to protect Speed.” His statement carries a deeper spiritual truth, one Tom needs to learn and later recalls during his black moment event.

In the story, Tracy utilizes what she calls The Humility Score (scale of 1 – 10) when the need for humility is in order. On a few occasions, she gives Stephen a score depending on his attitude. The inspiration for the Humility Score came years ago from interaction with one of my own son’s friend when the two played lacrosse together. Whenever the young man tended toward exuberant pride, I’d slap him a low score…to his dismay. He’s in college now and he still enjoys playing along. Y’all feel free to put it to good use in your own circles of influence. J

The scene in the emergency department with a Mrs. Van Deventer was inspired by my own experience with an elderly friend of mine. She’d been hastily whisked from her assisted living facility to the hospital after another fall and lamented that they’d forgotten to bring her teeth along. Thus, the dear woman was toothless. The ER nurse assigned to her reminded me so much of my heroine that a scene was created from the experience. I also used it to show that things aren’t always a matter of life and death in the emergency department.

My review...

This is the first book I’ve read by Felkins. It’s an emotional, heartwarming tale of love and second chances.

The prose is descriptive, which makes the reader feel a part of the story. The characters are well drawn. While I liked Tracy, I particularly liked her mother. Tom’s son was a realistic portrayal of a teen, and I enjoyed getting to know him throughout the story. Tom and Tracy face realistic struggles, and they demonstrate what all Christians are called to do: look to God and place your burdens at His feet (a reminder I can always use).

If you’re a fan of sweet romances, you’ll want to add this book to your TBR pile.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy, but I wasn’t required to leave a review.

About Mary...

Mary A. Felkins is an inspirational romance author, devotional writer, and contributor to an on-line Bible study magazine. Her debut, inspirational romance novel, Call To Love, (www.pelicanbookgroup) releases November 15th, 2019.

Raised in Houston, Texas–and forever a Lone Star girl-she and her husband Bruce moved to the foothills of North Carolina in 1997. They have four adolescent to young adult-ish children. She can be lured from her writing cave if presented with a large, unopened bag of Pnut M&Ms or to watch an episode of Fixer Upper. A surprise appearance by her teen idol, Donny Osmond, would also do the trick, although she’d likely pass out.

If, upon introduction, she likes your first or last name, expect to see it show up in one of her novels.

To receive Mary’s weekly story-style devotions and quarterly book news via email, subscribe on her website, www.maryfelkins.com

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