CFBA Presents THE FAMILIAR STRANGER by Christina Berry

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
The Familiar Stranger
(Moody Publishers - September 1, 2009)
by
Christina Berry


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Single mother and foster parent, Christina Berry carves time to write from her busy schedule because she must tell the stories that haunt her every waking moment. (Such is the overly dramatic description of an author's life!) She holds a BA in Literature, yet loves a good Calculus problem, as well. All that confusion must have influenced her decision to be team captain of a winning team on Family Feud.

Her debut novel, The Familiar Stranger, released from Moody in September and deals with lies, secrets, and themes of forgiveness in a troubled marriage. A moving speaker and dynamic teacher, Christina strives to Live Transparently--Forgive Extravagantly!

Her work has also appeared in The Secret Place, The Oregonian, and Daily Devotions for Writers.


ABOUT THE BOOK

Craig Littleton's decision to end his marriage would shock his wife, Denise . . . if she knew what he was up to. When an accident lands Craig in the ICU, with fuzzy memories of his own life and plans, Denise rushes to his side, ready to care for him.

They embark on a quest to help Craig remember who he is and, in the process, they discover dark secrets. An affair? An emptied bank account? A hidden identity? An illegitimate child?

But what will she do when she realizes he's not the man she thought he was? Is this trauma a blessing in disguise, a chance for a fresh start? Or will his secrets destroy the life they built together?

If you would like to read the first chapter of The Familiar Stranger, go HERE

JEN'S THOUGHTS

The Familiar Stranger speaks to the pain of betrayal in a marriage and how far a person's capacity for love and forgiveness can be stretched.

What makes this novel work so beautifully is the author's use of a dual first-person point of view. We see the story unfold through the eyes of both Denise and Craig. Each section is labeled "his" or "hers" which eliminates any potential confusion. By getting into their skins, you can't help but empathize with both of them.

There's a mystery at the heart of The Familiar Stranger. I saw it coming fairly early on in the book, but I think there's a good reason for that. Something I read in an interview with Christina tipped me off. It wasn't anything overt, but the vague mention of the inspiration for the story immediately sounded a bell in my imagination. I honestly can't say if I would have seen where it was going otherwise. I can say that figuring out the secret didn't detract from my enjoyment of the book.

Christina Berry has produced a debut novel to be proud of. I look forward to seeing what she offers up next.


Read my Take 5 interview with Christina Berry on Examiner.com

Meet Christina Berry, Author of THE FAMILIAR STRANGER

It’s my great pleasure to introduce my friend, debut fiction author, and all-around great gal, Christina Berry. And it's also my honor to kick off her first-ever blog tour!

JA: Welcome, Christina, and congratulations on your debut novel! Please tell us about it.
CB: The Familiar Stranger—formerly known as Undiscovered—is about a couple going through a really rough patch in their marriage. When an accident incapacitates the husband, their relationship must be redefined. Which would be a lot easier to do if BIG secrets from his past didn’t raise their ugly heads. Despite the upheaval, the choices they make involving forgiveness and trust might allow a new beginning. Or … they might not.

You can see the back cover copy and what other authors have said about The Familiar Stranger by going to http://www.christinaberry.net/books.aspx


JA: Was there a particular spark that ignited the idea for The Familiar Stranger?
CB: In the summer of 2006, two stories appeared in the newspaper. One was a huge, national story; the other a smaller, local-interest item. I wondered what it might look like if those two stories conceived a child. Boom! I had the entire plot for The Familiar Stranger. It will be interesting to see if readers can figure out which stories inspired the book.

JA: You’ve had some challenging events in your own life that come close to life imitating art. Would you like to share a bit about that?
CB: Though the plot of The Familiar Stranger came from news stories, I’d been looking for a fictional vehicle to express the lessons I’d learned regarding forgiveness in my own marriage. I knew no one was interested in reading my particular story, but I still felt God had given me something to say. My husband and I worked through a major issue six years ago and found a vibrant, completely renewed marriage on the other side.

However, seven months ago, that same issue broke our bond. Now as a newly-single woman, I’m in the midst of promoting a book that touches far closer to home than I would have ever dreamed. If no one else ever reads it, I’ve been convicted and encouraged by my own words. If that isn’t a gracious God at work, I don’t know what is!

JA: What do you hope people take away after reading your novel?
CB: The recent changes in my life—losing my husband, facing finding a “real” job, selling my home—have done nothing but solidify what I hope to be the theme of the book and my life: Live Transparently—Forgive Extravagantly. If reading The Familiar Stranger makes even one man or woman be more honest with his or her spouse or delve into trust issues in a healthy way, I’ll consider it a success. Maybe there’s a hurting heart that can find a new path to forgiveness because of the story.

JA: What’s next for you in the writing arena?
CB: I’m about 1/5 of the way through my next manuscript, Unafraid, a story about a girl’s kidnapping, and how her life unfolds because of the trauma. One of my characters is a PI, so I’m having loads of fun with the research.

The humor Sherrie Ashcraft (my sometime co-author and always mother) and I display in our infrequent, humorous newsletters--sign up at www.ashberrylane.net/update.aspx --has garnered the attention of an editor. You just might see a funny, non-fiction cooperative work from the Ashberry Ladies at some point in time. Plus, I have a funky TV-based devotional a house is interested in … Busy, busy, busy!

JA: What fun facts may surprise your readers about you?
CB: I was the team captain and second answerer in the speed round for our family on Family Feud in 2000 … and we won! Also, I grew up in Nigeria, West Africa, while my parents were Southern Baptist missionaries. I remember being awed at the selection of toilet paper in the grocery store when we returned to the States.

JA: The current theme of my blog is The Year of Dreams. If you could realize one life-long dream right now, what would it be?
CB: If I could do anything, absolutely anything, I would live in France for a year. (Assuming I can take my children along!) The first place I would visit is Monet's garden. We'd follow that up with trips to the Louvre, Notre Dame, Arc de Triomphe, the Eiffel Tower, and all the normal touristy things. I'd ride a little bike with a basket to the market every day for baguettes and chocolate and cheese.

My high school French teacher, Madame Hoffman, created a deep hunger in me for all things French, especially art, so I'd be on a first name basis with the docents at the museums. I recently found Madame on Facebook. Wait, can I take her with me too, since my "fluent" French is pretty rusty?

Yes, Christina, you can take Madame with you. And thanks for taking all of us along on your journey today!


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

As a single mom and foster parent, Christina Berry carves time out of her busy schedule to write about the heart and soul of life. She lives with her family in rural Oregon. The Familiar Stranger is her debut novel. Get to know her better at http://www.christinaberry.net/


ABOUT THE BOOK

Craig Littleton has decided to end his marriage with his wife, Denise, but an accident lands him in the ICU with fuzzy memories. As Denise helps him remember who he is, she uncovers dark secrets. Will this trauma create a fresh start? Or has his deceit destroyed the life they built together?
Purchase the book at Christian Book Distributors or Amazon.


WIN THE BOOK

Christina is having a humongous book giveaway! Leave your comment here. During the month, Christina will collect all the comments left everywhere during her blog tour. On her birthday, September 30th, she’s giving the gifts… a copy of her awesome novel, The Familiar Stranger, to 10 lucky winners!


WIN MORE STUFF

How does a 4GB iPod Shuffle or free books for the life of Christina’s writing career sound? Just sign up for her infrequent, humorous newsletter at www.ashberrylane.net/update.aspx and you’ll be entered for a chance to win!


VISIT THE NEXT STOP ON THE BLOG TOUR…
Tiffany Amber Stockton's blog

Making Your Dream Catch Fire

Today, my guest bloggers are the mother/daughter writing team of Sherrie Ashcraft and Christina Berry. Prepared to be doubly blessed!

Making Your Dream Catch Fire

“Keep using the gift God gave you.
Let it grow, as a small flame grows into a fire.”
II Timothy 1:6

We’re a mother-daughter writing team. Henceforth, to avoid confusion of any kind, we will refer to ourselves in the third person. We’ve been living our dream—or trying to at least—for the last nine years. We’ve noticed a few elements seem to be universally connected to dreaming.

Questioning—
Almost as soon as we identify our dream, we humans tend to start questioning it. Is this something I want just for myself, or is this from God? Doesn’t this conflict with another dream I have? What if nothing ever comes of this? Will I have wasted years doing something that’s unattainable?

We had a dream of being writers. But there’s also blogging, building websites, speaking, attending conferences, writing proposals, marketing plans, and building a platform. Do these things enable our dream, or become barriers to reaching it?

One of the most well known dreamers started dreaming when he was seventeen. A favorite child, he wore a special coat his dad had given him. You can find out more about Joseph by reading Genesis 37 and the next few chapters. He had a dream of being greater than his brothers and father. Though he had about as much tact as a pit bull with rabies, Joseph shared his dream with his family.

His brothers beat him. Because they were such nice guys, they decided to sell him instead of kill him. That’s when the questioning must have started for Joseph. Wait a minute, God. What can I do from this pit? Now as a slave? Now falsely accused of attempted rape? Stuck in prison?

Perseverance—
Several times Sherrie’s wanted to just give up and walk away from it all. There have been too many rejections. It seemed like nothing will ever happen. But then God shows her verses like Romans 15: 4,5. “The Scriptures give us patience and encouragement so that we can have hope. Patience and encouragement come from God.”

Funny thing about perseverance: It takes time to know you have it because you must get discouraged first. We’ve found that persevering over the years has meant a lot of sacrifices. What have we given up? Christina condensed time spent on phone conversations, daily crosswords, reading for pleasure, and sleep. Sherrie misses all the card games!

Timing—
But God plants the desires because He has a certain result planned. Nothing’s wasted in His economy. (And He never enters a recession!)

Even when Joseph sat in prison, the Bible says God was with him. It took thirteen years to climb the ranks from slave of Potiphar to second in command of Eygpt. The famine arrived seven years later. By the time his brothers arrived, bowing and begging for food, twenty-two years had passed. That’s a long time to wait for a dream to come true!

Had his brothers thwarted God’s plans for Joseph? No. Joseph tells them, “It was not you who sent me here, but God.” No matter what we think, people are not the ones who delay our dreams, but God. This means an editor’s rejection is God directing our lives, not another blow to our dream. Sherrie, during a time of discouragement, asked God if she was really supposed to write. He took her to Habakkuk 2:2-3. “Write down the vision; write it clearly on clay tablets so whoever reads it can run to tell others. It is not yet time for the message to come true, but that time is coming soon; the message will come true. It may seem like a long time, but be patient and wait for it, because it will surely come; it will not be delayed.”

Things we think of as setbacks are part of God’s training for the future. Joseph started as a young, inexperienced boy. As a shepherd, he gained experience with flocks and agriculture. As the head slave of a prominent man, he learned about household management and the social networking of Egypt. As an inmate of the king’s guard, he became familiar with the judicial and prison systems. All of those things added up to be excellent training for running a country.

By following his dream, by always being ready to be used by God, whether as a slave, a prisoner, or a powerful leader, he saved not only his family from starvation, but entire nations.

Who knows what God plans to do with your dream? Who knows what His timing will be?

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Sherrie and Christina dream of having 1,000 subscribers to their infrequent, humorous newsletter. Help make this dream come true by signing up at www.ashberrylane.net/update.aspx. To hear a greatly expanded and deeply profound version of this—if you live within a few hours of Portland, OR—ask them to speak at your next event.

The two women share a multigenerational country home with their husbands and Christina’s children. They also share one brain and were separated at birth.

A former nurse specializing in the care of Alzheimer patients, Sherrie now thrives on being a professional grandma of six. She loves to read and garden, is co-commander with her husband of their church’s AWANA program, and serves with him as an elder. They are former missionaries to Nigeria, West Africa and (obviously!) lived to tell about it.

Christina, a SAHM with two children of her own, enjoys doing foster care and leads a Sparks group in AWANA. She signed a contract this past month with Moody Publishers for a book she wrote on her own. The book, now titled A Familiar Stranger, is slated to hit bookstores in September 2009!