Tom Donnan’s latest book, and his first work of fiction, One Door Between Us (Gazelle Press, November 2018) is inspired by a true story. It is the life of a pastor whose family experiences salvation and how it changes everyone’s life.
The story begins just before Jesus enters the family. Then draws out the changes in growth and spiritual changes as the family move forward in following the Lord.
It is also a love story. Arielle, the main character becomes an army nurse and it is here she meets the man of her life.
The book ends with the main character stepping into her supernatural destiny. The family moves from being saved to seeing the supernatural enter their lives.
Excerpt
In a unique part of America, a community is living apart from the chaos being experience by Americans in the 1960's. While social upheaval tears at the very fabric of our nation, Farmington New Mexico is an island, a good place to raise a family. Life is good; however, it is about to get better. Revival comes to Farmington and sets into motion one family’s transition into the supernatural.
Right on time, three sharp knocks sounded on the door. Lance was standing in the hallway. Taking one last, quick look in the mirror, she reached for the doorknob. Two lives were separated only by one wooden door.
She was ready to say her first words, and they were even poised on the tip of her tongue. Ari had decided to play it cool until she had decided which way the evening would go. Turning the doorknob and swinging the door open wide, she saw Lance for the first time. All her preparations flew out the window! Just when she thought she had it all planned out and would be in control, the sight of him took her breath away. In an awkward moment of trying to regain her composure, she had to fight the butterflies and the rising warmth in her cheeks just to say hello.
A thousand men were on base, and not once had she ever felt like this with any of them. Suddenly this strong, confident woman felt like a school girl.
One door opened their relationship. Another would determine their destiny.
I had a chance to interview the author to learn more.
Why did you decide to write this book?
People love to read stories! Libraries are filled with books of all kinds. A Novel based on a true story tops the list by readers. We like to be inspired, to get carried away by the plot and revel in the victories. One Door Between Us is my fifth book. The first three are to help people move closer to God. That is when I decided to reach another group of readers by writing in story form. This birthed; 7:14 Angels on Assignment. A true story of a pastor who was seriously ill. If he didn’t get the ear of God, he was going to die. This pastor applied the principles of 2 Chronicles 7:14 and God took actions for his divine healing. When I was finished with this novelette, I began to look for another story to write.
While ministering with Pastor Phillip Corbett, our travels took us to Oklahoma City, OK. It was during the course Revival/Healing meetings I got to know the host pastors. Three ladies who had incredible life stories and that is when I knew I wanted to write about them. I invited them out to a coffee shop on that Saturday afternoon and I began to ask them questions. My thoughts were to write another short novelette. Then I began writing their story in July of 2017. I started with the senior pastors and we did interviews over the phone. She is so humble, I was pulling the information out of her. I took the outline of her life’s events and created a family. Interview by interview it just kept getting better, awesome material.
In January 2018 I had a panic attack about the size of the book. I was up too fifty thousand words and not even close to ending her story. The cost to printing a Novel was going to go high, thus the reason for panicking. That’s when I remembered. In May of 2017, two months before I started this project, I was at a place called Prayer Mountain. It is a pilgrimage I go on to spend time with God, usually on Memorial Day weekend. I have met wonderful men and women of God up there and on this trip, it was no different. A group of Korean Pastors had come to this location in Moravian Falls NC, for a conference. On Saturday afternoon, their translator came up on Prayer Mountain alone. We talked for a while and as we walked to our cars, she stopped, had a blank look on her face and then said: “You are going to write a series of books.” I thanked her for her prophecy and we parted ways. In January, as I am talking to God about the length of the book, this prophecy came back to mind. One Door Between Us is the first of a short series of books.
What inspired you to write fiction?
My family has always been story tellers. My sister Sue could spin a yarn right off the top of her head. We would laugh at her preposterous ideas and characters. With each telling it would get more incredible. Sue was driving to Turkey Run state park for a camping weekend. Mile after mile there were fields of corn. It was this weekend that birth the story; The Corn People. Each night around the campfire the Corn People took on life and Sue would tell us all about their secret life. I think she could have given Steven King a run for his money. She had hoped to one day to write a book about her special-needs son, Eric. He would bring the best out of people time and time again. If she had lived, I am sure we would have worked on it together.
On May 7, 1983 I invited Jesus into my heart and life. He has done miracles with me. However, on January 20, 2006, I had an over the top God experience that changed my life. It happened again just three weeks later when I had a heart attack and died. While in the spiritual realm God spoke to me and said: “It is only while you are on earth that you can work for Jesus!”. Then the paramedic’s brought me back from the dead. Once more, in February of 2010 God showed me many things about the fall of America. The unspoken question upon my heart was: “What do I do with this knowledge?”. In 2011 I began my writing career. God has been my inspiration and the driving force in writing birthing the first book: Healing the Nation. I started writing fiction to broaden my writing horizons in hopes of reach many people with the stories. If I can help someone come to salvation, or closer to God, my goal has been reached.
What can readers learn from reading fiction books, especially this one?
I believe people are looking for the manifestation of God and His supernatural earmarks. In addition, we are inspired by others who climb the highest mountains, brave the dangers, learn from the experience and strive for excellence. The main character of the book is, Arielle. Her never ending thirst to understand, follow the clues and solves life’s mysteries has driven her onward. She had set lofty educational goals and achieved them only to come to the discovery. Then, she answered her God given calling. Along the way, God answered her prayer for a husband. Eventually two lives were only separated by One Door. Once she opened that door, she stepped into love, then later she would step into God’s destiny.
Salvation came to one family in Farmington New Mexico and opened a watershed into friends and family. It was a reverse pyramid of blessings that was rise to the heavens. We get to see their spiritual birth and ongoing growth. Clearly God had a plan for this family that I believe will inspire us all.
About the Author:
Tom Donnan was pronounced clinically dead of a heart attack in February 2006. But God wasn’t done with him yet and sent him back to the land of the living with a burden to see Revival come to America. He frequently travels and ministers with Pastor Phillip Corbett. He has been a volunteer for Need Him Ministries for the last ten years having one-on-one chats with people looking for salvation. He has had TV, Radio, and blogs interviews sharing the message in his books. America is at a crossroads. He will say, if he Constitution of the United States falls, it is the end to America as we know it. The answer to saving America is held in the act of Repentance. Tom has three Children, five grandchildren and makes his home in IL.
No comments:
Post a Comment