Storm Warnings By:Gary Morris
Book Recap
Thirty-something Jim Carpenter has an ideal life. His nearly perfect marriage, three beautiful teenagers, and successful insurance business are all he could have ever asked for. However, fascinated with the meteorological predictions of the coming hurricane season, Jim senses that devastating personal storms are on the horizon. He wonders if this idyllic life and his model marriage would be able to withstand the tempest that was about to blow their way. In the aftermath, when life’s gale-force winds have left him destitute, Jim finds a sustaining power much greater than that of a hurricane to lift him from his misery and give him hope of a brighter tomorrow. Set during a time filled with pain and hardship, author Gary Morris constructs a haunting story of a family ripped apart by the storms of life in his debut novel, Storm Warnings.
See End of post for information on Book Giveaway
Hi Friends,
Today author Gary Morris is answering questions about his debut book Storm Warnings and I promise you that you do not want to miss
reading this interview or miss reading the book! And I am giving away a copy of the book, see the end of this post for the info.
I appreciate Gary taking the time to answer these questions for us and giving us an inside look at his story.
Interview Questions with Answers:
1. What compelled you to write a story that draws a parallel between destructive tropical winds and spiritual storms?
After surviving incredible storms in my personal life and seeing the devastation and destruction they leave behind, I felt it was my responsibility to warn those who thought it would never happen to them. I also wanted to give hope to those who faced similar storms.
2. Why did you choose a weather analogy to frame your story?
I’ve always been a weather fanatic and The Weather Channel is always on in my home. This book was written in the days following Hurricane Katrina, and in Central and Southern Mississippi, weather was constantly in our thoughts. After I saw the devastation in our area in the aftermath of Katrina, I was reminded of the similarities this had to my personal and spiritual life.
3. What do you mean by storm? What type of storm?
Some of these are everyday trials that we all face. Some are more tragic, as in the loss of a child or a spouse.
4. What do you think brings these storms our way?
Some storms come because of the nature of sin. Since the fall in the Garden of Eden, certain trials have perplexed us. However, some storms do come our way because we have created the perfect conditions for a storm by our choices and our lifestyles.
5. This book is based on a true story. Is it your story?
The story is based in fact – my life. However, it is filled with fictional characters and events. The joy of writing fiction gives the author freedom to have the story go any way he or she desires.
6. What is like to experience the loss of a child?
Words can’t describe the pain one feels when a child is taken away. My entire being changed. There are floods of emotions that hit on a daily basis, and now, eight years later, I am still faced with these on a regular basis.
7. How would you counsel other parents who have recently lost a child?
Most importantly, rely on a growing relationship with Christ. Understand that there will be times when one questions God and may even cry out in anger to Him. God understands. Also, couples should seek counseling from trained counselors. It is too risky to grieve alone. Before you realize it, a wall appears between spouses and they soon find themselves in two separate worlds.
8. How can today’s families survive the storms they constantly face?
A deep-rooted faith in the grace and love of Christ is a must for survival. You must spend time, even when you don’t feel like it, building and enjoying a relationship with Christ. Become involved in a strong, Bible-believing church with a Bible-preaching pastor. Keep a journal; one day it will be a powerful reminder of how far God has brought you.
9. Who do you think will benefit the most from reading this book?
It’s for the couple who thinks their perfect home and marriage is so far above the storm that nothing can ever happen to them. It’s also for the man or woman who feels they can’t take it any longer, so that they can see what Christ has done in my life and have hope.
10. What about the rest of the story? Is there a sequel?
Yes. The Storm will pick up where Storm Warnings ends and detail the hardships of a divorced father. A new character will also be introduced who is weathering storms of a different nature, and a secret plan is revealed that only God could arrange.
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Review
It seemed like the weather everywhere was predicting storms, and Jim Carpenter was keeping up with what the weather men were saying about them. But as far as Jim’s life, it was anything but stormy. With a wonderful marriage and 3 teenagers, a thriving business making pretty good money, and a strong faith in the Lord it just couldn’t get any better than this. That is, until one night there was a knock at the door, and the news that came with that knock changed Jim and his family forever.
This night started a series of extremely difficult situations in the life of Jim Carpenter. Not only were there storms in the weather forecast, Jim’s life was full of storms that carried him through some of the most difficult situations anyone could ever go through. When things seemed to be calming a little, another storm hit full force causing Jim to question Why? Why me God?
Sound familiar? I have to say reading this book was a lot like reading my son’s life a few years ago. He went through some of the same things Jim did in his life. And we will probably never know the answer to Why? One positive thing that can come from difficult situations is a closer relationship with the Lord, and that is what happened in our life just as it did Jim’s in this story.
Gary Morris’ Storm Warnings will capture your heart from the very beginning of the book. This heartwarming story about situations that happened in his own life is so very moving and powerful you will feel his hurting and pain as you read the story. My heart was aching as I read storm after storm that he had to face. I appreciate the Gary giving us the story of his struggles through the storms and how he was drawn closer to the Lord through the difficult storms he weathered. And I thought it was neat how he used the weather forecast to help tell his story.
If you are reading this review, you really should grab a copy of Gary’s book and read it. If you are going through difficult issues, you will find comfort in reading this book. If you’re not in a storm now, you will be soon enough, so have this book on hand and be ready when the storm does hit you! And oh! There is going to be a sequel, read the interview below!
I received this book free from Wine Press to read and review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 55.
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About Gary Morris
Having grown up in a minister’s home in rural Mississippi and Alabama, Gary Morris followed the family tradition of ministry for more than twenty years as a youth pastor, senior pastor, and Christian school administrator. He has toured Israel, Greece, and Turkey and has led a mission team to Brazzaville, Congo and the bush country near the Cameroon border. He also received a bachelor’s degree in Pastoral Ministries from Southwestern University in Waxahachie, Texas in 1995. After a career change to the financial and insurance industry with Edward Jones Investments and Liberty National Life, he joined the business side of the medical field at Anderson Regional Medical Center in Meridian, Mississippi in 2009. Gary and his family attend Northcrest Baptist Church in Meridian Mississippi, and Gary is a member of the Mississippi Writer’s Guild. In the years just prior to Hurricane Katrina, Gary shared in a seemingly picture-perfect marriage, with a beautiful family, two dogs, and a minivan. Over time, problems that had fractured and weakened its foundation began to expand toward gradual and complete collapse, and the tragic death of his son only quickened the implosion. When the dust settled, Gary found himself divorced and alone in a two room apartment with nothing but self-pity, a pile of bills, and thoughts of suicide. After months of struggling with those daunting challenges, a lifelong passion for writing began to emerge from the ruins around him. From this destitution, in the early rebuilding days after Katrina, Gary’s debut novel Storm Warnings began to take shape. Although it would take several years, God’s grace, and much encouragement from loved ones, Storm Warnings has finally made it to publication. With a sequel in the making, Gary is humbled to present his first work of Christian fiction based on his own life story.
Book Giveaway!!!
Hey Blogger Friends. I hope you enjoyed Gary Morris’ interview. I will be giving away my copy of Gary’s book Storm Warning to one person on Nov 12th.
Please Read!! To win a copy, YOU HAVE TO LEAVE A COMMENT ABOUT THE INTERVIEW
AND YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS
For an extra point, rate my review….click on the picture below
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