“Count the Nights by Stars” by Michelle Shocklee … and a GIVEAWAY!

Welcome to Friday Reads!

 

 

You can enter to win a print copy of Count the Nights by Stars by Michelle Shocklee, courtesy of the publisher. (US ONLY!) You can enter by using the Rafflecopter link at the bottom of this post. (Contest ends March 18, 2022.) Click To Tweet If you’re the chosen winner, I’ll contact you for your information to pass along.

 

5 TIPS FOR SHINING A LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS

By Michelle Shocklee

From the moment sin entered the world, darkness existed. I don’t mean the kind of darkness that comes with night, for God created day and night in Genesis 1:5:

            God called the light “day” and the darkness “night.” (NLT)

This tells us that the darkness that comes with nighttime is not a bad thing. But John 1:4-5 speaks of a different kind of darkness—the darkness that arrived with sin:

The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it. (NLT)

Sadly, our world is filled with darkness. Albert Barnes’s commentary says that darkness, in the Bible, commonly denotes ignorance of who God is, guilt from sin, and the misery sin eventually causes. This kind of darkness hides, conceals, and covers, while the light of Jesus exposes truth. As an author of fiction, I feel it’s important for the characters I create to let their light shine in a dark world in the way Jesus calls each of us to in Matthew 5:16. In my new novel, Count the Nights by Stars, a split-time story, Priscilla Nichols is faced with the darkness of human trafficking in 1897. However, if she chooses to become involved in fighting the darkness, she puts everything, including her future, at risk. Likewise, Audrey Whitfield is beginning to understand the darkness of certain prejudices in her 1961 world that she’s been ignorant and even guilty of. Both women must search deep within themselves and decide if they are willing to shine a light into the darkness around them.  

Although you and I aren’t characters in a book, we are faced with the same question:

How can we shine a light in the darkness of the world we live in?

Here are five truths to help you get started on your journey to being a light in your small corner of the planet:

• Being a light begins with having a relationship with the Source of Light. As John 1:9 says, Jesus is the true light, who gives light to everyone. Without him in our lives, it’s impossible to reflect true light. If Jesus Christ is not your Lord and Savior, now is the perfect time to ask him to come in and be the light! Here’s a website from Billy Graham to help you understand what it’s all about and how to ask Jesus into your life.
• Our families are attacked by darkness every single day. Jesus says Satan is the “father of lies” in John 8:44. He lied to the very first family—Adam and Eve—and he hasn’t stopped lying. Seek out darkness in your own home, whether it’s in the form of television programs, video games, books, etc., and make a real effort to fill your home with light. Play uplifting and God-honoring music; watch less TV; have more honest conversations, especially around the table; get out in nature. All are great ways to combat the darkness modern technology and modern busyness can allow into our homes.
• Our communities are filled with people drowning in darkness. As my character Priscilla discovers, human trafficking has been a dark problem for generations. Many organizations, like A-21 Campaign, are fighting hard to shine a light on this particular darkness. Consider donating financially to an organization that is helping people trapped in the darkest shadows of our world.
• People living on the streets face untold darkness every day. Volunteer at a homeless shelter, women’s shelter, or even consider becoming a foster family. A warm meal, a friendly smile, and a listening ear offer heavenly light to people who simply can’t see beyond the pain of the present moment. Fostering children isn’t something everyone can do, but for those who can, there are thousands of children who need light to flood their young, lonely souls.
• There are many ways to shine a light. If your church has ministry opportunities to share the gospel through various programs and activities, consider joining them. You can also look for ministry opportunities in your own neighborhood, school, and workplace. Shining a light doesn’t have to be connected to an “official” charity or church. It can simply be a meal for an elderly neighbor, a night of free babysitting for a stressed couple, or a phone call to someone going through a hard time.

Jesus made it clear in John 1:5 that darkness doesn’t win in the end. But it exists today because there’s not enough of us shining our lights. I’m determined to be a much brighter light in 2022. Would you like to join me? Shoot me an email with the word Light in the subject line. I’d love to pray for you as you strive to shine the light of Jesus in your world!

 

 

Q&A with Michelle…

Q:  Have you always loved books and reading?

Yes! I grew up in a home filled with books of all different genres. Both my parents and all four of my siblings enjoy reading. Mom was an elementary school teacher for nearly thirty years. The day the Scholastic book orders arrived in the mail felt like Christmas. Dad loved books on history, especially World War II. He was a turret gunner on a B-17 bomber in Europe and had a nice collection of books about Flying Fortresses and the war. I now have those fascinating books in my home library since Daddy graduated to heaven several years ago. 

Q:  How did you become a writer?

I was a married mother of two rambunctious boys when the writing bug bit me. I didn’t know anything about writing a novel, but I wanted to give it a try. Personal computers were just becoming popular, so my husband brought one home and I began writing my first novel. I knew I needed help, so I attended a Christian writers’ conference where I had the privilege of learning about the craft from the amazing Francine Rivers. Lots of life and lots of stories later, my debut novel was published in 2017. 

Q:  How did you decide to write a time-slip novel set in 1897 and 1961?

When I first read about the Tennessee Centennial Exposition of 1897, I knew I’d have to write a book about this one-of-a-kind event someday. I had the same feeling when I learned about the famous Maxwell House Hotel. Although the hotel was built in the late 1850s and was used by both armies during the Civil War, 1961 was an unforgettable year in the life of the Maxwell House. Bringing the two time periods together into one book was great fun.

Q:  What inspired you to write this particular story?

When my husband and I moved to the Nashville area in 2017, I felt like a sponge soaking up all the interesting history of the area. One of the most fascinating places we visited was the Parthenon, a full-scale replica of the real Parthenon in Athens. Discovering that it was built for the Tennessee Centennial Exposition in 1897 sent my imagination into overdrive, and Priscilla’s story soon immerged. 

Q:  Please tell us a bit about the setting of your novel.

Count the Nights by Stars is set in Nashville, Tennessee, in 1897 and 1961. In both time periods, the Maxwell House Hotel is as much a character in the story as are Priscilla and Audrey. Readers will experience the bygone days of Nashville when people traveled by horse and carriage as well as the early days of the Civil Rights movement. The Tennessee Centennial Exposition is brought to life in Priscilla’s story, and I believe readers will enjoy learning about Tennessee’s 100th birthday celebration.

Q:  Please tell us about your main characters in Count the Nights by Stars and what kind of challenges they face.

Priscilla, the protagonist in the 1897 story, resists being forced into a loveless marriage to a family friend. More than anything, she wants her life to matter. When a young friend goes missing, a calling to help women of ill repute is awakened in Priscilla. She knows, however, if she chooses this path, life as she knows it will never be the same. Audrey, the protagonist in the 1961 story, has recently suffered the loss of her mother and finds herself responsible for the care of her older special-needs brother. When she discovers an old scrapbook belonging to a longtime resident of the Maxwell House Hotel, she’s inspired to learn more about the reclusive woman and the surprising path she took into social work.

Q:  What lessons can be learned from your main characters?

Both Priscilla and Audrey learn the valuable lesson of truly seeing people. All too often we don’t take time to get to know others and instead make hasty judgements about them. Yet when we really see people and listen to their stories, what we first believed may not be true at all.  

Q:  What are the key themes in Count the Nights by Stars?

“I see you” is the main theme of the book. Each of the main characters has someone in her life who challenges her and her preconceived beliefs, forcing her to reevaluate what she thought she knew and understood about the world. “Love thy neighbor” is also a theme throughout the pages of the story. “Who is my neighbor?” each of the characters must ask themselves. Their answers are, I hope, the same answers you and I would come up with.   

Q:  What is your hope for Count the Nights by Stars?

My hope for Count the Nights by Stars is that it will remind us to truly see one another through a lens of love, acceptance, and grace. We are all unique creations of God, beloved and created with plans and purposes. What a terribly boring world it would be if we were all the same. 

 

My review…

 

Shocklee’s latest is a wonderful timeslip/historical fiction novel. The storylines are seamlessly woven together. Priscilla and Audrey are well-developed and engaging characters that are easy to connect with and root for. Both women are strong, independent women. Human trafficking is a key theme and tactfully addressed. I love being educated along with entertained, and that’s exactly what I found with Count the Nights by Stars, as I didn’t know much about the 1897 Tennessee Centennial Exposition. Shocklee quickly pulls the reader in and has them turning the pages to find out what happens next.

I love these lines:
“Count your night by stars, not shadows. Count your life with smiles, not tears.”

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy, but I wasn’t required to leave a positive review.

 

 

About Michelle…

 

 

Michelle Shocklee is the author of several historical novels, including Under the Tulip Tree, a Christy Award finalist. Her work has been included in numerous Chicken Soup for the Soul books, magazines, and blogs. Married to her college sweetheart and the mother of two grown sons, she makes her home in Tennessee, not far from the historical sites she writes about. Visit her online at michelleshocklee.com.

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