Excerpt from Faith Awakened by Grace Bridges

Today we have a treat. As part of my publisher's blog tour, I'll be sharing an excerpt from her novel, Faith Awakened. The tour runs from 8/13 through 8/19/2012. Be sure to check out the other web sites as the week progresses to find more goodies about Faith Awakened.

Excerpt from Faith Awakened - Mariah All Alone

One morning in the early part of summer’s heat, the restlessness got to me a little more than usual and I decided to go for a long walk. Inquiring among the others and finding none to be similarly inclined, I set off alone for the hills beyond city limits. It was a long way, but at least up there the country was much as it had always been—it was pleasanter to be in than the town where I was always aware of its unnatural stillness. I stepped out briskly and was soon passing through an area that had once been termed industrial. The large square buildings were made for practicality and not style, so I was glad to get past them and out towards the open country. I walked at first on a broad expressway that cut through hills and bridged yawning gullies, but when this road turned away from the coast, I left it and crossed fields where long-haired sheep were still fending for themselves. One or two of them looked up placidly as I passed by, then went back to grazing. I was no danger for them.

After leaving them behind, I came across a dead sheep. Flies buzzed around the body. I wrinkled my nose and gave it a wide berth, but not before I noticed it lay in a pool of congealing blood. Can sheep get Ebola? I decided to ask Anna about it later.

I pondered many things as I walked along; when one is alone, thought processes tend to multiply. There was, after all, more than plenty of time to reflect.

Sighing, I admitted to myself that I was not happy. It was not for any kind of physical lack, that much was sure—in fact it seemed more than likely that I was now better off materially than I had ever been in my life during the Trouble. Then why could I not be content? I dug deeper and pressed myself to answer the question. Come on… there must be a reason. I moved my hand to stifle a yawn, then thought better of it. Who would see anyway? A worldwide disaster had all but ruined my own life. Manners no longer mattered at all.

Time slipped by, and the sun rose higher towards noonday as I tramped on. Eventually I came upon another once-busy highway that led up to a hilltop, where I left the road and struck through the bush on the steep slopes. Coming to a cliff’s edge, I squatted down with the sea spreading out below me. Even in the old days it had always been quiet up here—so it nearly felt normal and I could almost imagine none of the dying had ever happened. I knew the spot well from long-ago outings with family or friends, when we had travelled in cars and arrived fresh and lively to chase about and splash one another on the beach below. But now I was alone and miles away from all humanity—not that all humanity was very much these days.

Find Grace: http://grace.splashdownbooks.com http://www.facebook.com/gracebridges1 http://pinterest.com/splashdown Info on Faith Awakened

Blog Tour Sites: R. L. Copple                         http://blog.rlcopple.com Kat Heckenbach                 http://www.katheckenbach.com/ Diane M. Graham               http://dianemgraham.com/blog/ Travis Perry                          http://travissbigidea.blogspot.com/ Paul Baines                           http://www.pabaines.com Caprice Hokstad                 http://caprice.splashdownbooks.com/ Keven Newsome                  http://www.kevennewsome.com Robynn Tolbert                   http://ranunculusturtle.blogspot.com/ Frank Creed                          http://blog.frankcreed.com/ Fred Warren                          http://frederation.wordpress.com/ Ryan Grabow                       http://www.egrabow.com/rm.php?e=Prime Greg Mitchell                        http://www.thecomingevil.blogspot.com/

Big News on the Reality Series

As some of my readers know, I had a contract last year with a start-up publisher for the third book in the Reality series, that had been tentatively titled Fiery Realities. But just over a month from the publication date, the would-be publisher realized he simply wouldn't be able to perform according to contract and had to back out. So I was back to square one looking for a new publisher to complete the series.

On top of that, I became inspired toward the end of August last year to write ten more short stories to fill out the Infinite Realities novella into a full novel. I spent two months writing nine new short stories (one had already been written but only showed up on my blog). I really liked how they turned out and filled out the story arc. But now I had another Reality book that would need a publisher if it were to see the light of day.

After a month or so of discussing options with a new publisher, today I signed on the dotted line, and the Reality series has a new publisher! Splashdown books, run by the adventurous Grace Bridges, has taken on the series for all three books. Here's the run down on what she has accepted to publish:

• Reality's Dawn - this is the new title for what was Infinite Realities before, but now expanded to novel length with ten new short stories that develop the characters better and introduce new ones, as well as provide background on ones that play more significant roles in later novels.


• Reality's Ascent - this is a new title for the same novel currently titled Transforming Realities. Nothing new expected to be done with this one, other than correct formatting and typo issues, though the publisher, once she goes through it, may have some other corrections to make. But the story should stay relatively unchanged.


• Reality's Glory - this is the brand new, third and final book in the Reality series. The ring's journey comes to a surprising end amidst a final attempt by those who seek to control it, the sins of those who seek to preserve it, and a love that gives everything.

Reality's Dawn may see publication soon. More news should be forthcoming in the weeks ahead. Reality's Ascent probably before summer. Reality's Glory yet to be determined for sure, though the publisher might have an idea.

I'm very excited to be a part of the Splashdown team. It is making a mark in the Christian publishing world with speculative fiction titles. Being that publishing speculative fiction novels with a Christian worldview is the primary mission of this publisher, and having already published several titles, I feel confident this will be a good partnership not only for these novels, but future ones. May God use our efforts for His glory.