Celebration

Shortly after I’d shared the news that I had a publishing contract for my novel, Out of Russia, my nephew and niece, Kyle and Heather Froese, and their two precious children, came for dinner one night, bringing a gift.

“Shall I open it now?” I asked.

“Absolutely.” They all watched in anticipation as I opened the box and pulled out … this!

What a thoughtful, perfect gift! Dear friends sent a beautiful card with their own created, beautiful cover along with congratulations.

Cover Reveal

So now, it’s time to reveal the cover you voted for.

And the winner is …

Don and I had so much fun tracking your responses and can’t thank those of you who voted enough. The race between covers 1 and 2 was intensely close. Cover 1 featured a bold title, and Cover 2, a cursive title. Some liked the cursive because it spoke of romance. Others liked the bold because 1929 was not a soft time in Russia, but rather years of great difficulties.

So … Cover #1 is the winner, along with the beautiful back cover with Rudy remaining behind, longing for and dreaming of how to follow her. And yes, there will be text on the back cover.

Cousins from Canada on the right; my mother is flanked by two first cousins of my father’s who never left Ukraine, and whose father was murdered; behind me is the son of one of the sisters. We had never met them before 2006, on a Mennonite Heritage Cruise to Ukraine and Russia.

Courage Isn’t the Absence of Fear

The hardest journeys often reveal the quiet strength of faith. Courage isn’t the absence of fear; it’s trusting God when the road ahead is dark and uncertain. (For more info, see, “For 11 Years, the Soviet Union Had No Weekends”)

“The Lord is my light, and my salvation— so why should I be afraid? The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble?…Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.”

—Psalm 27:1,4

The Struggle Continues

NOTE: The title is Out of Russia, because at that time, Ukraine was part of Russia. As we know, the struggle for freedom for Ukraine continues. (See my article, “Ukraine Trauma Continues”)

Gratitude

I am deeply grateful to God for leading my ancestors, including my father at the age of twelve, out of Russia, and for guiding me to create a novel inspired by their escape. I’m thankful for all who have helped along the way with feedback, questions, prayer support, and encouragement to continue when I wanted to give up.

I look forward to sharing more as we approach the publication date early this fall.

Book Recommendation

Kristin Hannah’s The Great Alone is a gritty, well-written look at the life of a family who moves to Alaska, hoping for a better life. The book explores the steep learning curve of outsiders who come to Alaska, totally unprepared for how to survive in this wild state.

Suffering from PTSD after Vietnam, but before PTSD became a diagnosis and treatable, the father is at times horrifically abusive. It shares the dynamic of a battered woman who cannot leave her husband because she “loves him,” the tragic results of that choice for all three, and the young love of the daughter, which persists through tragedy.

While there is no Christian message in this book (which includes swearing, abuse, and murder), there are certainly lessons to be learned about friendship, wisdom, boundaries, and love.