So Shines The Night

 

I am super excited to be traveling with Tracy's Caravan!  

So what is Tracy's Caravan?  Well, members of Tracy's Caravan connect through Facebook and have a common interest of enjoying the books written by historical fiction author Tracy Higley.  Tracy is an amazing and down-to-earth author.  It is a honor to be part of her Blog Tour to celebrate the release of her newest book on March 12, 2013. . . So Shines The Night!

I had the opportunity to ask Tracy three questions.  Oh, this is so exciting!!!!

Question #1:  Your books remind me of a time machine, whereas the readers are transported into the pages.  How do you make the stories seem so real and life like? 

"Thank you so much for saying that! It is exactly what I aspire to, so you’ve made my day! I don’t have a simple answer, except to say that there’s nothing in the world I’d like more than a time machine, so it’s definitely a priority. One thing that I do before I sit down to write a scene is to take some time walking around in it in my head, trying to really experience the sensory of the scene – the sounds, smells, tastes, textures, colors, temperature, and spatial details. If I don’t do that exercise, often those things don’t make it to the page. But when I do, I believe it helps bring the scene to life."

Question #2:  How has your writing, research, and travels affected your spiritual life? 

"Great question. All of it has definitely given me a larger sense of the world and what God is doing in it, both now and through the past. It’s made me realize, as I’ve studied God’s work in the nations throughout history, that He has always been calling all people to Himself, and that He still is. It’s also given me a desire to see the kind of Christianity that was born in the fires of Roman persecution become part of our experience now – a living, breathing faith that radically transforms our lives."

Question #3:  What character has been your favorite through your writing journeys over the years and why? 

"Sophia, from Guardian of the Flame. She is the most like me, and ironically probably the character many of my readers have liked the least.  She is withdrawn and isolated, and doesn’t feel herself worthy of interaction with people and although it’s probably more honesty than you asked for, I will say that I struggle with this idea often. She learns that she is loved and accepted by God first, and that God’s love makes all other relationships possible. It’s a lesson many of my characters are often learning, and it comes from a deep place within me. " 

(I just have to say that Sophia is also my favorite character from all of Tracy's books, too.  Pretty cool!)

What does Tracy have to say about her newest book?  Let's listen to this video filmed on location in Ephesus . . . 

Here is a fun question for you.  Where's the Book?

 
As part of the Blog Tour, I had the opportunity to get an advanced copy of So Shines the Night.  So without further adieu, here are my thoughts on Tracy's newest book.
 

I had a hard time putting the book down and was able to read this book in about twenty four hours, which is fast for me.  I would categorize it as a story within a story.  None of the other Tracy Higley books that I have read have had this particular aspect.   

The prologue threw me off a bit just because it was not quite what I expected from reading previous books.  Chapter one drug me back in and held me until the epilogue (which was amazing by the way).  The prologue and epilogue are of a storyteller in first person telling a story that occurred many years before.  The chapters in between is just one of the many stories pertaining to early Christianity.  

The two major characters are Daria and Lucas.  Both have experienced major hardships in life.  Both are lost in some way.  Both seek knowledge.  And both seek truth.  The year is 57 A.D. and a majority of the story occurs in Ephesus, an ancient Greek city located in present-day Turkey.  Daria is a widowed scholar, her work is that of a tutor, and speaks many language a rarity in those days for a woman.  Lucas is a wealthy merchant caught up in the emotions of being a widower.  He strives to right that which he believes was the cause of the untimely death.   

Now I don't believe in giving the story away, you will have to read it for yourself.  The story does portray the darkness in the early days of Christianity with Greek gods and sorcerers.  It is just one story of how faith in our One God overcame the darkness of those day and includes apostle Paul (for biblical reference, Acts 19).  To me the basis of this particular story is learning to trust, finding courage to stand up for what is right, and opening your heart to the truth.  Death can build or break the person left behind, it can strengthen your faith or turn you from God.  But for those who prevail, they become stronger, wiser, and happiness will return.  This fact (which I myself have experienced) is found in this story.

There is a mixture of both fact and fiction.  I love how Tracy really researches the archaeological and biblical aspects of her literature and travels to the location of the story to make the characters seem so real and believable.  

 As with any story, interpretation is up the reader.  I have seen mixed reviews on whether the actions of Paul are depicted correctly.  Well, two people can read the same passage of scripture and glean totally different things from it.  I do enjoy reading the Bible but at times it can be just as confusing to me as the works of Shakespeare, because we live in a different time and a different era than when words were written.  I have actually enjoyed discovering Tracy's views on apostle Paul.

Overall, I would recommend this book to all of my friends.  A big thank you to Tracy for another wonderful book and I look forward to reading the next one! 

Please follow this link to be entered into a $50 gift card drawing:  http://tracyhigley.com/enter-to-win/

Thank you for stopping by and don't forget to read a copy of Tracy Higley's newest book So Shines the Night!