Title: A Place of Abundance
Publisher: Tate Publishing
Cover blurb:
“Look!” a voice in the train car rang out. Richard looked out the window to see five horses riding alongside the train. Oh God, Richard inwardly cried, What are we going to do? Richard heard the sound of guns fired and slid his eyes shut. His last thought was of home.
Three years later, eighteen-year-old Alicia Barnes is still dealing with the death of her father. When she suddenly loses her mother in an unfortunate accident, Alicia is devastated and promises to never trust God again. She decides to start a new life in a new town as a schoolteacher. There she meets Caleb Carter, a young ranch owner whose parents were killed three years ago. As Alicia begins to make friends with Caleb and his younger sister, Claire, she wonders how a loving God could allow terrible things to happen to good people. Then, an unwelcome band of outlaws appear in town, and Alicia is faced with two choices – holding onto a bitter heart or accepting the peace of forgiveness. Will Alicia learn to trust God and allow him to bring her to A Place of Abundance?
1) How did this story come to you?
For a while I had a rough outline of a story rolling around in my mind. One day I was sitting in bumper to bumper traffic and we weren’t moving at all. I had a notebook in the passenger seat, grabbed it, and starting writing down the story. Once I got home, I wrote a more detailed outline and five months later I had finished the first rough draft.
2) Tell us about the journey to getting this book published.
I wrote the first rough draft five years before I really began to pursue publishing. I did some online research and sent my manuscript to Tate Publishing. After reviewing my manuscript they offered me a contract.
3) Tell me three things about yourself that would surprise your readers.
I speak French (I’m a French teacher) but I also studied American Sign Language in high school and used to interpret in the deaf ministry at the church I went to as a youth. I love to ride horses. I sang the National Anthem at a minor league baseball game in 2009.
4) What are you working on now and what's next for you?
I’m currently in the editing phase of my second novel, a sequel to the first, which will release this fall.
5) Parting comments?
I have been influenced and inspired by many Christian fiction authors throughout the years. I hope and pray that you will enjoy A Place of Abundance and that it will inspire you the way that the writings of my favorite Christian authors have inspired me.
6) Where can fans find you on the internet?
Readers can email me at juliebell2000@gmail.com, check out my website at http://juliebell.tateauthor.com/, and find me on Facebook under Julie Bell, Novelist.
