Jeanne Brooks' "Across the Wilderness" and "Through the Waters"

Title: Across the Wilderness
Cover blurb:Isobel dreams of marriage and a family of her own after graduation from college. Her plans come to a grinding halt when her potential in-laws reject her because of her ethnic appearance. She doesn’t fit into their class-conscious, blue-blooded, American society. Broken-hearted, she retreats to the home of her last living relative, Aunt Betty. When her aunt dies, she discovers a family secret: that she isn’t who she thought she was! Isobel was raised to believe she was part Japanese and part Caucasian-American, but she finds proof that her ethnicity is totally different and that her birth mother might still be living. She determines to seek out her biological family and in the process finds a heritage far greater than she ever anticipated.

How did this story come to you?
A close acquaintance, when he was over 50 years old, learned that the man he knew as his father was not his father. The knowledge was traumatic and life-changing. That particular incident combined with my love for other cultures helped me to build this story. As the mother of bi-racial children, I also saw situations of rejection purely because of the appearance or ethnicity and wanted to carry that into my main character’s life.

Tell us about the journey to getting this book published.
This book is one of four books, called Journey of Faith, about friends who graduated together from a Christian college. Each book follows one woman on hers. Having self-published my first book (“Through the Waters”) it seemed natural to continue that path for this one, although I chose a different publisher for several reasons.

Title: Through the Waters
Cover Blurb: MADELINE MARIE GALLOWAY is a single, solidly Christian young woman excited about the future until she experiences the loss of her father and a violent attack resulting in a pregnancy. How could God let this happen to one of his faithful? How could she ever offer herself to her future husband now that she was no longer pure? And what about the baby? Abortion, Single parenthood? Adoption?

JIM AND SUZANNE are a young couple looking forward to raising a family and having a loving Christian home. They experience multiple disappointments until tragedy forces them toward a choice they never expected to make. Unexpectedly, the result brings them great joy, but will their happiness last? Why do tragic things happen to good people?

Watch how God carries them through their trials and tears. See how “all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:27-29 KJV

How did this story come to you?
As a medical professional for over 30 years, I have had the opportunity and challenge to work with many of these situations. Probably the one event in my life that strongly impacted me was when my oldest sister became pregnant after an attack and chose to give up the child for adoption. Combining my personal experience with various individuals I’ve treated helps me build strong characters. Recalling how my faith has carried me through various losses: grandparents, father, daughter, helped me insert that into this story in a realistic manner.

Tell us about the journey to getting this book published.
Honestly, I never approached an agent or traditional publisher to attempt to get published. I have been writing for years, but struggled with self-esteem issues, so wasn’t willing to risk rejection. Instead, I decided to test the market by putting this quartet of books out there using self-publishing. I prayed hard about it and felt impressed to go this path, even though I knew that many did not respect self-published authors. I’m glad I chose self-publishing because it has allowed me to continue my primary job, working with soldiers before and after deploying to war. I was even able to freely give copies to soldiers heading to the combat zones without feeling guilty; the cost was on me and my publisher carried no risk.

Tell me three things about yourself that would surprise your readers.
1) I was the first female in my career field in the United States Air Force: Aircrew Egress Systems Repairman,
2) I worked in a male, medium-high security prison for nine months, and
3) I married nearly 38 years and have 10 grandchildren (guess that’s a two-fer)

What are you working on now and what's next for you?
I tend to work on multiple projects at the same time. Right now I am working on completing the Journeys of Faith, with the third named “Out of the Valley” which I hope to have out later this year, and a fourth, “Over the Mountain” which will be out early 2012 if all goes according to plan.

Parting comments?
Jeremiah 29:11 is my favorite Bible verse, “I know the plans I have for you, they are plans for welfare and not for evil, plans to give you a future and a hope.” ESV

Where can fans find you on the internet?
http://www.jeannebrooks.com/
Facebook Author page: Jeanne F. Brooks
Twitter: Author4Him
Amazon Author Central: Jeanne F. Brooks