HOME AT LAST - Deborah Raney - One Free Book

Bio: Deborah Raney's novels have won numerous awards including the RITA, National Readers' Choice Award, HOLT Medallion, the Carol Award, and have three times been Christy Award finalists. She and her husband, Ken Raney have traded small-town life in Kansas-the setting of many of Deb's novels-for life in the city of Wichita.

Welcome back, Deborah. Tell us a little about yourself and your background.

I’m a farmer’s daughter who was born in Texas, but moved to Kansas as an infant and have called this beautiful spot of God’s green earth home for all but about 2 years of my life. My husband Ken and I have 4 kids and now 7 grandkids who all live much too far away. 

How did you become interested in writing?

As a child, I had bronchial pneumonia that turned into asthma. Because wheat and hay were the two things that seemed to trigger my asthma attacks, I spent a lot of time moping indoors while my brother and 3 sisters played outside. But my wonderful mom turned that time into something that changed the course of my life: she read to me, then introduced me to chapter books, and by the time I was 11 and spent a summer reading all of Laura Ingalls Wilders’ Little House books, I knew I wanted to grow up and write books that would give people the same pleasure as Laura’s books had given me. 

What compelled you to write a book on this subject? 

I’ve become really concerned about what seems to be a new wave of racial conflict in our nation. For many years, it seemed like we were making strides. But with tragedies like the ones that happened in Ferguson and Charleston, I couldn’t ignore the subject any longer. Home at Last isn’t my first novel with a theme of racial reconciliation. Because of the Rain (originally titled In the Still of Night) and Above All Things also deal with racial issues, but Home at Last is the first time I’ve written from the viewpoint of a person of a different race than me. I didn’t take that task lightly, but as with any novel where I write a character different from myself, I first did my research, and then asked people like my characters to read the manuscript and let me know if there was anything that didn’t ring true.

What is the main theme or point that you want readers to understand from reading your book?

My Scripture theme for this book was Galatians 3:28: “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” And that was my theme. We are all one in Christ, and therefore we are all brothers and sisters, and should love and care for one another as such.

 

Are there some specific lessons you hope readers will learn and apply to their lives after reading your book?

It’s a tall order, but I hope readers will be compelled to be more compassionate, more understanding, less judgmental, and more full of God’s grace to each other—even when we disagree on some matters.

What makes your book different from any other books similar to yours that are in circulation today?

Twenty authors could write a book using the same synopsis as a starting point, and you would end up with twenty completely different stories! That’s the beauty of God’s creativity within us! We each have a unique and individual voice. 

How does the book intertwine with God’s call on your life and how you are currently serving Him?

Though I didn’t really set out to have a common theme running through all my novels, after writing more than thirty books, the theme that has surfaced is redemption—the fact that God can take the most difficult circumstance and turn it into something that ultimately brings Him glory. That’s what my stories testify to.

Do you have a favorite Scripture verse?

Romans 8:28 has always been a favorite because it confirms that theme of redemption that runs through my books and through my own life. 

When you are not writing, what do you like to do? Do you have any hobbies?

I love decorating our home to make it a cozy and welcoming place. We live on a pretty tight budget, but Ken and I go on weekly garage sale jaunts that have allowed us to furnish and decorate our home and home offices on a dime. And have a blast doing so!

As we close, is there anything else you would like to add?

I love these chances to connect with readers. You, readers, are the reason I write, and I love hearing from you and connecting with you online and in person. A little taste of heaven!

Where can my readers find you on the Internet?

http://www.deborahraney.com 

https://www.facebook.com/deborah.raney

https://twitter.com/authordebraney

http://novelgarden.blogspot.com

http://amazon.com/author/deborahraney

http://instagram.com/deborahraney

http://www.pinterest.com/deborahraney/

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/59414.Deborah_Raney

Thank you, Deb, for sharing this new book with us. I know my readers as eager to read it as I am.

Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.

Home at Last - Christianbook.com
Home At Last: A Chicory Inn Novel _ Book 5 - Amazon paperback
Home At Last: A Chicory Inn Novel - Book 5 - Kindle

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