Featuring the Outhouse at the End of the Earth

Happy Easter to Everyone!

The Outhouse at the End of the Earth

Last year when I met Sherry Day at an author event, she was so sweet and engaging.  I could hardly wait to read her book, and it didn’t disappoint me in any way.

One book blurb says, “The Outhouse at the End of the Earth is an account of a city woman who finds herself living in the midst of a Papua New Guinean tribe in one of the remotest parts of the earth. There are laugh aloud descriptions as she tells her story about her living conditions and the area around her. There are also teary accounts as she learns to relate to and love the people she lives with. Be careful--reading this book will provide you with first hand experiences that most Americans have never had and may never want to have! You will be able to feel the heat, smell the smells, make that trek up the mountain and step into the outhouse at the end of the earth!”

The Amazon review that I posted explains exactly how I reacted to this book:

I've always felt that I'd like to go on a mission trip to a remote village in Guatemala or Nicaragua. When I mentioned this to my husband a few years ago, he laughed and said, "You DO know that you wouldn't be staying at the Ritz, right?"

Sherry Day brings us a vivid dose of missionary reality in this book. Dealing with harsh weather conditions, rudimentary housing, and scarcity of normal every day "stuff" that we innocently take for granted, she chronicles the details of her family's missionary training and assignment in the isolated location of Papua New Guinea.

Her story emphasizes the primitive conditions and assures us that there is nothing glamorous about living in a structure that is essentially a shack, and the only restroom facility being an outhouse that was precariously positioned on the side of a hill.

In spite of all of the challenges, Sherry and her family knew that bringing the love and Word of God and the message of Christ to these people was worth all of the sacrifice and inconvenience. They had a Higher calling, and no tilted outhouse would stand in the way of their mission.

God repeatedly showed them, through the success of their work and the changing hearts of the people, why they had been brought to this distant location.

I hope that Sherry Day continues writing and shares her stories of working in the mission field of Belize!

                                                                     ***

 

Sherry Day, Author

The truth is that Sherry and Bill Day had the faith and courage to take ownership of the Great Commission and bring it into their lives at a close, personal level. They knew this wouldn’t be a vacation at the Hyatt, and yet they answered the call in Matthew 28:19-20 (KJV) to:

¹⁹ Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

²⁰ Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

The Outhouse at the End of the Earth will allow you to walk in the sometimes muddy shoes of a missionary who left all conveniences behind to serve the Lord with gladness. Sherry Day’s story will remain in your heart long after you have turned the final page of the book.

On Amazon at http://amzn.to/YKiT6M.

See you all soon!

Mary Anne

You Have to Love Boomer Lit Fridays!

It’s Boomer Lit Friday and Good Friday (by the way) for all who give thanks to Jesus (including me), and I’m sharing the next excerpt from Never Say Perfect, a novel that will keep you flipping those pages to find out what on earth happened to Dan in the airport while returning from a fabulous second honeymoon with Laina!

Visit http://www.boomerlitfriday.blogspot.com to see what's currently happening in Boomer Lit, and don't forget to "Like" the Boomer Lit Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/BoomerLit. Boomer books are awesome and represent variations on life about US!

Excerpt from Page 1/2-Paragraph 4 partial-7   Never Say Perfect by Mary Anne Benedetto:

A stranger’s glance at Dan and Laina portrayed a striking picture of two beautiful, blonde, casually dressed, tanned and toned vacationers, both appearing far younger than their actual early fifties. With their rental car returned, luggage checked and an uneventful, brief walk through airport security, the Stricklands gathered their belongings from the conveyor belt, stacked the requisite gray, plastic tubs which held their valuables, pulled their shoes on and quickly moved out of the path of the other travelers lined up behind them. Each individual had to endure the same necessary process. Most everyone in their line seemed to be in a big hurry, but the details of airport security could not be rushed or circumvented.

After locating Gate B-14, Dan and Laina chose seats that were fairly close to the door of their departure jetway in the waiting area. Dan sipped a hazelnut coffee and began reading a business magazine while Laina immediately became pleasantly engrossed in reading a new novel, skillfully penned by her favorite author.

Fully engulfed in her present choice of literature, Laina barely heard Dan’s voice when he leaned over to her and quietly whispered, “I’ll be right back. I’m just going to the men’s room before we board.”

“Um..hum, we’re leaving really soon though--five p.m. flight,” muttered Laina, not taking her eyes from the page for fear of tearing her attention away from the intrigue of the passage. She hardly noticed as he placed his magazine on the seat beside her and walked away.

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Come on over and visit http://www.awriterspresence.com for links to all available formats.

God bless you all and Happy Easter!

Mary Anne

 

 

Celebrate Boomer Lit Friday

It’s Boomer Lit Friday again, and I’m sharing the next excerpt from Never Say Perfect, a novel that will keep the reader engrossed to discover why Dan vanished at the airport while returning from a glorious second honeymoon with his adoring wife Laina.

Visit http://www.boomerlitfriday.blogspot.com to see what's currently happening in Boomer Lit, and don't forget to "Like" the Boomer Lit Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/BoomerLit.  Hopping throughout the listed blogs will offer  a tempting taste of a wide variety of Boomer books.

Welcome to the fourth paragraph on Page 1 of Never Say Perfect:

The time during their luxurious escape had moved along as quickly as the spread of a California wild fire. Strategically weaving in and out of traffic, Dan navigated the busy interstates around Charlotte, North Carolina in a candy apple red convertible destined for the rental car return area. Riding with the top down during this late afternoon that was bright with blinding sun, Brandeis blue skies and white, puffy cotton clouds, Laina took mental note of one singular ominous, gloomy cloud that appeared to be hovering directly over the airport. With a penchant for sky gazing, she stared at the evil-looking collection of thick darkness, willing it to move along to another location and haunt someone else. She didn’t want any detail--not even a single black cloud--to spoil the final moments of their dream retreat.

***

Please visit http://www.awriterspresence.com for links to paperback, Kindle and Nook formats.

Come on back next week for another Boomer Lit Friday to peruse a diverse collection of books for avid senior readers with contagious joie de vivre for life!

Remember--Readers can escape into new or favorite settings, peek into the secret lives of characters, ride the waves of action and never experience a moment of boredom.

See you soon,

Mary Anne

Scary Religious Cults

The Strong Arm of a Religious Cult

Imagine your son or daughter or another loved one being swept  into the emotional  incarceration of a religious cult. No longer attending family functions and holidays, long periods of time pass without any word from them.  They may use deceitful tactics to obtain monetary support for their commune. They no longer seem to have free will, having been sleep deprived and brainwashed. I know about this topic. Without going into further detail, our family experienced this devastation due to a loved one reaching a low point in life and turning in this direction. Once so fully entrenched, they don’t know how to get out.

Darlene Eichler experienced the wreckage of family unity when her son became involved in this same situation. It is more common than people realize. Her son eventually had the courage and strength to walk away, and Darlene was compelled to write a book that addresses this issue. Her own words tell the story:

Why I Wrote the Book, Satan's Best Friend

The word 'cult' brings to mind a variety of meanings for different people. For some it is neither positive nor negative if they have no experience with one. For me it conjures up feelings of sadness, control, abuse, depression, estrangement and other repressive terms. For you see I lost my son and his family to a controlling religious church/cult for the better part of twenty years. Down deep I always had the feeling he would come out. He is independent, sort of like his Mother, and I felt he would 'break' away from the control some day. And he did, almost three years ago. The sad part for him is that his family remains in the cult.

Our family was elated when he came back into our lives. I cannot imagine his feelings or the mental trauma he has gone through, not to mention the physical battles. He is a strong person and I will add, one of tremendous faith. He is admired greatly by all those who know his story.
The experiences and understanding of this controlling group gave me a burning desire to do something that might keep others from being drawn into this or a similar group. That is why I have written Satan's Best Friend. Although it is a novel with fictional characters, the research took almost three years. It is my hope that it might open a person's eyes to the perils of joining a controlling group--no matter what it is called.

Book Description

"Patricia Sue Benton Fraley closed the heavy drapes and sat down at her antique desk. She sighed as she opened a journal with a gold title, "My Flock," embossed in its rich leather binding. Reaching into the top drawer, she removed an expensive fountain pen and bottle of ink. Carefully dipping the fine tip into the black liquid, she meticulously wrote each letter, "Gone to Hell" cross the name..."

The majority of cult leaders are not born that way; although in most cases the tendencies toward narcissism and a burning need to control others is fed by underlying causes such as abuse, be it sexual, physical or psychological. In Satan's Best Friend, the main character is Patricia Sue Benton, a poor little waif who is abused physically and sexually by those very adults who should be guiding her in becoming a normal, happy child. Instead she becomes a bitter victim, scarred for life, promising herself as an adult no one will ever control her. Patricia goes a step further and organizes her own church/cult.

Along comes Margaret (Maggie) Hines, jilted and pregnant with nowhere to turn. Patricia, now called Preacher Pat, comes to the rescue giving her a home, instant friends and a new identity (or so she thought). As Preacher Pat's control begins to tighten, the conflicts of values, family traditions, and personal choices create a story of intrigue filled with broken promises, unethical medical practices and abuse in the form of mind control.

About Darlene Eichler

Darlene Eichler, who uses the pen name, Nan Turner for most of her books, is a native of Southwest Virginia.  Growing up in the Appalachian Mountains has influenced her writing more than any other factor.  She is a graduate of Radford University and the University of South Carolina.  Her career in teaching began as an elementary teacher, and she moved on to positions as a reference librarian in college libraries.  After retirement she concentrated on writing. Darlene is known for the “Rose Series” and “Trunk Tales.” She teaches “Memoir Writing” for the OLLI Program at Coastal University, which she says is the most rewarding teaching position she has held.

She shares a home in North Myrtle Beach with her husband and Miss Boots, a black and white cat featured in several of her books. Darlene has twelve grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren.

 Connect with Darlene Eichler at:

Blogs:

Memoir Moments  http://www.darlene-eichler.blogspot.com

Cults Dissected        http://www.cultcasualties.blogspot.com

             

Websites:

Nan Turner Books  http://www.nanturner.org

On a more personal note, several Myrtle Beach area authors have banded together to form a group called Beach Author Network. We meet monthly at various locations along the Grand Strand, and our purpose is to collectively market, promote and raise awareness about our books. The monthly meeting site will be listed on the Contact page at http://www.awriterspresence.com in case you are interested or know someone who would be. Traditionally and independently published authors of any genre are welcome.

All the best,

Mary Anne