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The Reason I Wrote Sofi’s Bridge
undefined / 24 Apr 2017
Guest post By Christine Lindsay The aspiration behind all my novels is to share journey the Lord took me on through my own canyons and valleys of loss to eventual emotional healing in Him. I share different aspects of that journey in my books to encourage others in their own struggles. And there you are: The valleys and canyons of Washington State are another set of the metaphors in Sofi’s Bridge. Here is an excerpt from a favorite character of mine, Kiosho, a delightful elderly Japanese man who in his youth mined for gold with Sofi’s grandfather shortly after they both immigrated to the US in the late 1800’s. Sofi watched her sister drift from pillar to pillar on the wraparound porch, a look of perplexity stamped on her face. Kiosho dried his hands on a tea cloth while Sofi pushed out a sigh. “I don’t know anymore, Kiosho. So little improvement in Trina.” Kiosho took her elbow and shook it. “Remember, Sofi, what I used to tell you. The love of God, all around. Like these mountains that circle this valley. First, Trina and you must go through different canyons of sadness, but He will bring you out to open spaces.” I live in a valley exactly like the fictional valley in the Cascade Mountains that Sofi and Neil escape to with her sister. Except, my real valley is just across the border in Canada, but still in the same beautiful range of mountains and glaciers. One day as I was going through a personal heartache, our pastor preached on the love of God, and used the metaphor of the mountains that encircle our real-life town nestled in the Fraser Valley. I know these mountains. I know this valley. I know each change on the faces of my mountains as seasons come and go. I also know how God can use our greatest heartaches to bring forth our greatest joys. If we let Him. I leave you with this last excerpt, when Neil, on a high alpine meadow starts to feel hope for his set of trying circumstances. He’s on the journey to God and healing, and doesn’t quite recognize it yet, but only feels the comfort and love coming from his Creator in the majesty around him. At the summit Kiosho reined the Clydesdales in and settled them under a shady tree. The wind, carrying a clean pine fragrance, blew unimpeded as though they’d reached the top of the world. Trina jumped from the wagon to run along a pathway strewn on either side with blue and purple lupine, pink phlox, yellow arnica, and red Indian paintbrush. Only a few feet to Trina’s right, the path dropped to plunge into a flower-dotted meadow. Grasses swayed in the breeze. Neil stayed behind with Sofi, sweeping his gaze three hundred and sixty degrees. Above the tree line, gray peaks scraped the sky, some still capped with snow. In the distance, pale blue and turquoise ice from glaciers filled crevices between serrated granite heights. Quiet awe filled his face. As Sofi watched him, she could only hope that up here for a while he could let go of whatever pain he was hiding from the world, and from her. About Christine: Irish born Christine Lindsay is the author of multi-award-winning Christian fiction and non-fiction. Readers describe her writing as gritty yet tender, realistic yet larger than life, with historical detail that collides into the heart of psychological and relationship drama. Christine's fictional novels have garnered the ACFW Genesis Award, The Grace Award, Canada’s The Word Guild Award, and was a finalist twice for Readers’ Favorite as well as 2nd place in RWA’s Faith Hope and Love contest. This author’s non-fiction memoir Finding Sarah Finding Me is the true-life story that started this award-winning career in Christian fiction and non-fiction. This book is a must for anyone whose life has been touched by adoption. Christine is currently writing a new fictional series set on the majestic coast of Ireland and loaded with her use of setting as a character that will sweep the reader away. Subscribe to her newsletter on her website www.christinelindsay.org About the Book: Seattle Debutante Sofi Andersson will do everything in her power to protect her sister who is suffering from shock over their father's death. Charles, the family busy-body, threatens to lock Trina in a sanatorium—a whitewashed term for an insane asylum—so Sofi will rescue her little sister, even if it means running away to the Cascade Mountains with only the new gardener Neil Macpherson to protect them. But in a cabin high in the Cascades, Sofi begins to recognize that the handsome immigrant from Ireland harbors secrets of his own. Can she trust this man whose gentle manner brings such peace to her traumatized sister and such tumult to her own emotions? And can Nei, the gardener continue to hide from Sofi that he is really Dr. Neil Galloway, a man wanted for murder by the British police? Only an act of faith and love will bridge the distance that separates lies from truth and safety. Buy Now: Amazon Barnes & Noble Visit all the stops along the tour
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2011 LAUREL AWARD WINNER

Congratulations, Rosslyn!

Rosslyn Elliott, author of our first annual Laurel Award-winning title, will receive: a beautiful seal to proudly display on her website, a year-long page on COTT dedicated to the winning book Fairer Than Morning, a podcast interview with author and Christian Authors Guild Vice-President Cynthia Simmons, and a feature tour on our 26-member Blog Alliance. A smashing prize for a debut author!! A round of applause please, for our Ultimate Champion!

The race was a close one, and we staffers were biting our nails "backstage" as the votes ticked in. Each finalist is deserving and should be highly honored for making it here. We hope that this Christmas season you will consider a Laurel Finalist for your gift-giving list. You won't be disappointed.

And now for our grand prize giveaway . . .

Beth Vogt is the lucky recipient of 15 books (including all our finalists)! Keep an eye out for your mail guy, Beth. He'll be carrying:

The Promise of Deer Run by Elaine Marie Cooper
Quiet Deception by Ann Gaylia O'Barr
Yesterday's Promise by Delia Latham
Now is the Time by Gail Pallotta
Journey of Faith by Katie McCurdy
Wounded Spirits by April Gardner
The Mystery of Spiritual Sensitivity by Carol Brown
A Familiar Evil by Anne Patrick
Shadowed in Silk by Christine Lindsay
The Road to Deer Run by Elaine Marie Cooper
Love Turns the Tide(ebook) by Gail Pallotta
Hearts Crossing by Marianne Evans
Fairer Than Morning by Rosslyn Elliot

Driven by Shellie Neumeier

A Tailor-made Bride by Karen Witemeyer

Thank you to everyone who had a hand in making this Tournament of Champions all that it was. Authors, Sponsors, and most importantly READERS. We hope you loved hangin' with us at our party. Can't wait to do it again next year!