Twenty-one-year-old Neka is a bit of an introvert, she also happens to be
stunningly beautiful.
When she discovers her friend James is about to be dumped, she sees the
perfect opportunity to escape from her quiet life. Can she summon the courage
to leave it all behind?
James Copley comes from a ruthless family. It’s rubbed off. Years ago, he
disengaged from his brother’s smear campaign, but now his father has offered
him an ultimatum, “Get married or lose your seat at the table.” Plotting to
stamp his design on the family business, he proposes to a woman, even though he
doesn’t love her. But his carefully laid plans start to unravel when she leaves
him on the day she’s due to meet his family. Could years of planning his
comeback vanish with her departure?
A possible solution comes in an unexpected form: Neka. She’s not only a
friend, but the daughter of his benefactor. And she’s right there, offering to
support him. But will her support stretch to marriage? He attempts to win her
over to his plan but collides with her powerful father who wants to leverage
the situation for his own gain.
In their fight for survival and love, they are forced to face some
uncomfortable truths.
Can they overcome thwarted dreams and missed chances to find true love, or
does forcing destiny’s hand only lead to misery?
Links to where book is sold
E. C.
Jackson began her writing career with the full-length play Pajama Party. For three and a half years, she published the
Confidence in Life newsletter for Alpha Production Ministries, in addition to
writing tracts and devotionals. Teaching a women’s Bible study at her church
for eleven years led naturally to her current endeavor, writing inspirational
romance novels. Her mission: spiritual maturity in the body of Christ through
fiction.
Author media links:
Author Interview:
1. If
you had 3 wishes, what would they be?
To live in the
presence of God.
Walk in spiritual
maturity.
And fulfill God’s
purpose for my life.
2. Given
unlimited resources, what would be your ideal writing environment?
A quiet,
trouble-free oasis filled with friendly people. Birds will wake me up with
singing every morning. There will be no interruptions until the last word is
written. Once finished, I will eat a satisfying meal, and then sprawl on the
couch with a good book.
3. Where
do you actually write?
In my bedroom
home office.
4. How
long does it normally take you to write a novel?
A Gateway to Hope took
eight months to write and another eight months to rewrite.
5. What
are your inspirations?
Life is full of
noteworthy experiences. People provide a wealth of material.
6. How
did you come to write this particular book or series?
I sat down at the
computer and the story flowed.
7. What
was the hardest part of writing your book, and how did you overcome it?
Finding the time
to write while working a full-time job presented enormous challenges.
Unfortunately, I would fall into bed around midnight and begin my new day at
4:00 a.m. Toward the end of the editing stage, I was almost too exhausted to
think. And then my body took over and demanded rest. Longevity matters. This
time around, I will write the first draft, shelve it for a month, and finish my
YA book. Hopefully, both books will be
published this time next year.
8. What
is your writing drive? The power that keeps you going when your writing gets
difficult?
Loving the
characters and wanting to spend time with them.
9. How
did you come up with the title?
Reading the Bible
one day, Hosea 2:16(14)-17(15) jumped out at me. The story came after the
title.
10. Name
one entity that you feel supported you outside of family member?
A coworker spurred me on.
11. If you could travel anywhere in the world for
thirty days and just kick back and relax, where would you go, would you take
anyone with you and why would you chose this vacation spot to go?
The United
Kingdom. I would take my mom and aunt along, and perhaps a friend. A lot of the
stories I love to read are set in the UK.
12. What
is your favorite late night snack?
Plain popcorn
popped in olive oil.
13. Where
do you see yourself in 5-10 years?
Writing
screenplays for my bestselling books while tending to my dinner theatre.
14. Tell
us 5 random things about yourself.
I want God to
fulfill His purpose for my life. Touch people for His glory. Be a positive
influence on everyone I meet. Live the abundant life Jesus came to give. And
allow the Holy Spirit to direct my steps.
15. What
was the most surprising part of writing this book?
Self-publishing.
Chapter One Video:
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I have one of those brains that won't turn off at night. Many nights I would distract my intellect by revamping a movie, book or TV show in my mind. I would twist and turn the plots and characters to achieve the ending I preferred. That developed into side stories about my favorite minor characters. Each night I fell asleep in the middle of a grand adventure. 
