Wednesday Writers–Both Sides of the Border by Terry Overton

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Welcome to Wednesday Writers. Today’s guest author is Terry Overton who will be sharing an excerpt from her award-winning book, Both Sides of the Border. Welcome, Terry!

Both Sides of the Border

By Terry Overton

Dolores, Ernesto, and Emilio Sanchez are on a quest to America to find work and to save their family. Repeated droughts and a hurricane left their family farm unproductive. The Sanchez family, like so many others in Honduras, could no longer provide enough income to survive. A drastic change had to be made. With only their faith in God to see them through, the teenaged brothers and their twenty-year-old sister, set off for their new home and face threats from the cartel, corrupt police officers, starvation, and injury. Dolores relied on prayer and her own inner strength to protect her younger brothers on the journey.

Meanwhile, American Eva Jordan, shaking off scars from a disastrous marriage, is determined to start a new life by relocating from Virginia to the Texas side of border. Eva recently earned her Ph.D. and was now off to conquer the world and live a life of achievements and accolades. Despite her mother’s concern for her safety, Eva not only moves to Texas, but that very week she decides to take a vacation deep into Mexico to sharpen her Spanish before her new job begins. She boards a tour bus and soon meets a charming man who helps her to learn Spanish along the way. She is struck by the beautiful towns and people of Mexico, but slowly her eyes are opened to the dangers that are knocking at her front door.

Both Sides of the Border reveals the truth about the state of turmoil and threat in Mexico and the untold stories of immigrants, or “travelers” who bravely hopped aboard “el tren de le muerte” or the death train, otherwise called “La Bestia” or the beast. Often starving and afraid, the real-life travelers, assisted by the cartel, face the threat of death and injury or assault, almost daily. In the novel Both Sides of the Border, the fictional teens and their sister, jump aboard for the ride of a lifetime.

Unbeknownst to the Sanchez siblings, the woman from Texas, Eva Jordan, travels nearly the same route. Although their paths cross, Dolores and Eva do not meet until the end of their journeys-and then, after tragedies and near-death experiences, they realize they survived by God’s protection alone. The story is one of faith, strength, and character.

When two sides of the border collide, will there be hatred or unity? See how their lives are changed forever.

This debut novel was the recipient of the Firebird Book Award for Cross-Genre, Socio-Political Fiction, and Women’s Fiction (April 2021).

Excerpt

Eva clearly understood that her mother did not approve of her move or of “those liberal university people.”

“Oh, Mother,” Eva replied, “I’m sure there are conservatives and liberals in south Texas.”

“And don’t you know what is going on down there? I mean, those illegals come across every day. I saw on the news—”

Mom, you have got to stop watching cable news all the time. You need to get out more and, you know, talk to people.”

“Oh, for goodness’ sakes. I see plenty of people! I see people at church and in the women’s prayer group. And even they are worried about you. And me talking to people? You’re one to talk,” her mother said, giving her “the look.”

“Okay, Mom. Let’s eat,” she said, trying to change the subject before her mother could

begin the “When are you going to start dating?” questions.

 “Seriously, honey, when are you going to date someone again?”

Too late, Eva thought.

“I know that scoundrel of a husband you had was just awful. But there are others out there just waiting to meet a nice girl like you. Plenty of men out there, you know.”

Eva’s divorce was still raw. She didn’t want to talk about that with her mother again. She was over that dark phase of her life. She was moving on to a better future.

“Mom, I’m hardly a girl. I’m twenty-nine you know,” she said, diverting the conversation.

“Of course, I know you’re twenty-nine. I was there when you were born.” They both laughed.

“This is delicious,” Eva said, taking another bite of mashed potatoes and chicken-fried steak totally smothered in gravy.

“I’ll bet you won’t get food like this down where you’re going,” her mother remarked, taking a second helping of potatoes.

“No, probably not, Mom.” Eva agreed with her mother to keep from going down the road of comparing Mexican food with Mom’s Southern cooking.

“So, as I was saying, when will you start dating? All of that hard work and studying is over. Now you will have time for a social life,” her mother said, patting Eva’s hand.

“We’ll see, Mom. You know I will have to work really hard now to get tenure.”

“Oh, good grief. Don’t use work as an excuse. There’s nothing like a good, strong marriage to help you through everything.”

Her mother talked about perfect marriages as if she’d had one. Eva’s own father had abandoned the family when Eva was quite young. Perhaps being raised by a single mother provided the foundation for her own autonomy. She’d been expected to take on responsibilities from an early age that did not burden most children. She was proud that she didn’t need anyone. She could achieve whatever she set her mind to.

You Tube Official Trailer Link

.Want to read more? You can find Both Sides of the Border at Amazon and Barnes and Noble

About the Author:

Terry Overton obtained her Ph.D. in Psychology and her Ed. D. in special education. She taught in public schools and was a school psychologist and a professor before retiring in 2016. Her university experiences included teaching at Longwood University in Virginia, the University of Texas-Brownsville, The University of Texas-Pan American, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, and Stephen F. Austin State University. She held positions as Dean and Department Chair during her tenure in higher education. Her areas of research included behavior disorders, learning disorders, autism, and research in higher education. She currently resides in Laguna Vista, Texas, near the Texas-Mexico border. She enjoys Biblical history and general Bible studies, writing, blogging, and playing golf.

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Wednesday Writers-Interview with Alice K. Arenz, author of A Question of Survival

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A Question of Survival, Alice K. Arenz, book excerpt, Christian fiction, faith, hope, interview with Alice K. Arenz, spousal abuse, suspense, Wednesday Writers, Women’s Fiction

Today’s Wednesday Writers guest is author Alice K. Arenz. Today I’m talking with Alice about her latest release, A Question of Survival. Be sure to read to the end for an excerpt from this Women’s Fiction Suspense.

Welcome, to the blog, Alice, and congratulations on finishing a book that was 40 years in the making. I recently read A Question of Survival, and although it deals with spousal abuse and other heavy issues, I feel it is a well-written, thoughtfully constructed story that can help bring these issues to light. It certainly touched my heart.

Hi, Catherine! Thank you so much for having me on your blog today. AND, for the compliment. You’ve made my day!

1. I know from reading other blogs about your book that A Question of Survival started with stories of your family’s exploration of the snowy Colorado Rockies where you stayed in the car with your 6-month old and waited for their return. Having read the story, which, by the way, kept me up way past midnight, I’m wondering, given the many starts and stops you’ve described, which part of the book came first: the winter storm story or the heroine Jessica’s domestic abuse story?

Sorry about keeping you up—though that, too, is a compliment! 🙂

You’re right, there were a lot of starts and stops through the years—but the answer to your question is an easy one: the original novella started with Jessica snowbound on a mountain pass with the why of how she got there told in flashbacks. I always knew the story wasn’t as complete as it should’ve been, and that haunted me. But, no matter how much I wanted to “finish” her story, something held me back. I believe it was God telling me it wasn’t the right time. Till now.

• From my own experience in writing dramatic scenes I can easily weep at the typewriter. You deal with some heavy social issues in the book—spousal abuse, suicide, miscarriage, and betrayal—how did those affect you while you were writing them?

There were a lot of tears, frustration, headaches, and even more prayer. Every time I tried to return to Jessica’s story, I thought I’d prepared myself for the onslaught of emotions. Needless to say, I never succeeded. It wasn’t until last January when the manuscript came out of the closet once again, that I really listened to God’s leading in finding the light at the end of the proverbial tunnel. And with the COVID pandemic, that wasn’t always easy. But He reminded me that until Jessie’s story was completed, she remained in limbo. And, in many ways, so did I.

• You write across the spectrum of genres: Mysteries, Cozy Mysteries, Suspense, Romance, Romantic Suspense. How hard was it, aside from the long writing time, to switch gears and write a Women’s Fiction about abuse?

To be honest, I don’t really think about it. I fully believe that God just takes over. I get hints now and again, like a person’s name, maybe a location (almost always fictional), but that’s about it. When I’ve tried to “go it alone” so to speak, I don’t get very far. Even when signing up to be part of a novella set, I wouldn’t commit until I felt His leading. Most people would think I was nuts for saying this, but it’s true. Hopefully, not the part about me being nuts…

Okay, let me give you an example. When I was about two-thirds into The Case of the Bouncing Grandma, I wanted to know how all the mysteries were going to wrap up, how the manuscript would end. I kept praying for the answer, kept writing what I was given each day, but really, really wanted the answer. I didn’t have a clue! After a day of rapid-fire typing at the computer, I asked God for a hint, something that would show me the end of Glory’s story. In the middle of my shower that night, He finally answered—with one sentence: “And then he kissed me.” A month and a half later, it was, indeed, the end of the book!

You know, when I first started writing Survival, I’d never heard the term “Women’s Fiction.” There was a story that demanded it be told, a young woman whose life was in shambles, and the perfect setting. The moment I saw the vista from that backcountry location in Colorado, shut inside my brother-in-law’s Bronco with my six-month old daughter, I KNEW something powerful had taken hold of me.

• One more question about the book, before I ask some more generic questions. I’m dying to know if you did any tromping around in the snow so you could accurately describe the heroine’s winter snow experiences.

I spent a lot of time on sledding hills in Alaska when I was a kid. 😉 Later, as an adult, I tromped through plenty of snowdrifts, chasing after my kids in Missouri. Once you’ve navigated knee high—and higher—snow with varying degrees of “hardness,” the experience stays with you.

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• Keep reading because Alice has an excerpt at the end of the interview. You won’t want to miss it! Now on to some fun questions–What snacks, if any, are in your office right now?

I write in the kitchen, so that’s kind of a loaded question. However, if I were in my old office, there wouldn’t be any food around. Only water. Food’s a distraction.

• Are you a morning writer, afternoon, evening, or midnight oil writer?

Any and all of the above. It all depends on how urgent the need to write happens to be.

• What’s the first book you ever remember reading as a child?

I had what I called record books, where you listen to the record—actually a vinyl 45—and follow along with the Little Golden Book. I loved Cinderella when I was very small. Once I learned to read, I devoured anything I could get my hands on.

• What’s the book you are reading now?

Actually, I’m not reading anything. Taking a break. I’ve watched a lot of Hallmark Christmas movies, though.

• Name three interesting things most people don’t know about you.

I love lighthouses, butterflies, and the idea of a unicorn.

1. Is there anything I haven’t asked about your book that you’d like the reader to know?

Um… the subject matter is difficult, yes, but there’s something upon which I focus more attention. I look at A Question of Survival as a story of hope in a future beyond a damaged past. Faith, hope, and determination are all part of Jessica’s story.

I imagine that’s what everyone who deals with a damaged past hopes for, too. Thanks for being part of the blog today, Alice.

Now on to the excerpt!

A Question of Survival

by Alice K. Arenz

Excerpt

Chapter 1

He knew exactly how to hurt me so it wouldn’t leave any marks—at least on the outside. Would I ever be capable of doing the same to him?

I asked myself that question every time he abused me. It didn’t matter whether it was through careless words or deeds… or with his hands. Oh, the hands stung more, but the words stayed with me long after the redness of the slap or the bruises faded away. The comments were like barbed wire poking and sticking me, a constant reminder of all the ways I could never measure up to his level of perfection.

The rhythmic tick of the ceiling fan and clicking of the pull chain from each revolution pierced my brain in much the same way as the harsh hundred-watt bulbs in the light—all things to his specifications.

Too much illumination, too much sound, too many thoughts, too many emotions…

Huddling in the corner where I’d sought solace, Domino, my one true companion, inched forward on her belly. Even my little dog knew to fly under the radar when Jonathan was in one of these moods. Something that happened more and more frequently.

Domino crept onto my lap and whimpered. It was a soft cry, barely audible, something only we could hear—a cry from the heart between the two of us.

I hugged her to me, holding back tears that threatened to fall. Jonathan hated when I cried. Since it would only make him angry and more disagreeable, what was the use?

Burying my face into her soft fur, I thanked God for my little dog and her companionship. I’d never been allowed a pet, wasn’t allowed friends that weren’t preapproved by Jonathan. But even he couldn’t dismiss a gift from my formidable grandmother.

Drawing a deep breath, I peered around the dresser and wished for a way to be absorbed into the wall behind me. A nice thought, but imagination didn’t count when dealing with Jonathan. Once you were in his reality, that’s where you remained.

He’d gone into the bathroom to shower after the … encounter. He’d expect me to be ready by the time he was finished.

You can find A Question of Survival at Amazon.

A note from Catherine:

As someone who has read several of Alice’s books, if feel this is a must-read novel from this author. She handles not just one tough subject, but several, with great care and in a clean, non-graphic manner. Even though I was certain the heroine would find her way out of her situation,  Alice’s writing drew me into the story and had me rooting for Jessica as she suffered and grew and learned how to deal with her fears and trials. I became so emotional invested that I wanted to reach into the pages and throttle Jessica’s abusive husband. Although the story may be hard to read at times, the hope that lies in the book makes it worth the read.

About the Author:

Mysteries, Cozy Mysteries, Suspense, Romance, and Women’s Fiction–writing across the spectrum with a Pinch of Humor and a Twist of Faith.

Alice K. Arenz has been writing since she was a child. Her earliest publications were in the small, family-owned newspaper where her articles, essays, and poems were frequently included. A member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Arenz is a Carol Award winner and two-time finalist. She writes “clean” fiction as well as Christian fiction in a variety of genres and lengths.

Follow Alice at: Amazon: BookBub: Goodreads