Darrell Paul Davis

76 years old and here I am, just now having my first novel in publication. However, since my early days of school it has been a dream to write a story. Finally during the late 90s and with the use of new to me technology found in an old and used computer I began to enter those first words into the computer system. Never did I have the goal of seeing large royalty checks in the mail, and in fact knowing the very limited possibility of ever seeing my story in print that was not expected.

I did have a number of the very badly in need of editing "Kinkos" copies made and passed them to friends, family and others who I felt might be interested.

Then the book sat, sat that is until late in 2017 when some friends were in our home for dinner and during our time together we were discussing our love of books, commenting on books we had read until I made the comment about having a manuscript, badly in need of editing when one friend said something like, "I'd like to do that."

Away the manuscript and some computer files went and in due time returned with un-expected praise and the words, "This needs to be published."

Still realizing the slim possibility of such a thing happening and my research only strongly confirming that fact, I saw an ad for Christian Faith Publishers, Inc. and with nothing to loose answered the ad.

Well, submitting the manuscript for review, it passed their criteria of content and salability.

Suddenly, I am faced with a business decision. Now, what do I do?

Sitting down with a well educated and very business astute business man with contract and manuscript in hand I ask just that question.

To make the story shorter, this man and his wife were leaving within days for a series of tours during which flight time and layovers would provide time to read the book. At his request he departed with the manuscript, but he left with the suggestion that I also put a copy into the hands of his friend. A friend with whom he shared books and critics.

Shortly after the tour, I received a phone call with a request to visit and discuss the book. Knowing this business man as I do, and knowing he would render his opinion good or bad, I was greatly surprised when his comments closely echoed those of the first person to recently read and edit the work, comments only to again be confirmed by this third person to review the work.

What followed was almost a year of work in editing, cover design and selection and finally publication.

Are there places in the novel not totally correct grammatically? Sorry to say yes. However, a review of the finished and published book which recently came to me finally brought me to the understanding that in spite of the possible errors contained within the pages, the story, the interplay between characters, the life and death, the loves found and lost, the message in total, far out shadows those errors. Finally I understood what those early reviewers were trying to tell me.

With permission I quote a short portion of the recent review. "Full of truth while avoiding preachiness, in-depth believable characters, and if what you would mean by a page-turner is a book with enough action to keep you engaged and interested for almost 500 pages, then I agree wholeheartedly! I loved your trick of leaving off the end of a scene and keeping me guessing what happened -- it added a lot of interest and anticipation. And my goodness, if you ever catch me going after a downed moose in the brush in bear country it won't be because I wasn't warned!"