Please enjoy this interview with today's featured author, Ann Marie Bryan. Be sure to check out her latest release, Dream Again. It is a delightful story of finding the courage to love again and it will take you to church. Ann Marie always delivers!
DREAM AGAIN
By Ann Marie Bryan
AUTHOR INTERVIEW
Tell me about your latest release.
Last
year, my mom passed, so it was a year of grieving and adjusting for me and my
siblings. For me, writing tends to be therapeutic, so I wanted to write a story
about someone who suffered the loss of a parent. I wrapped that experience in a
beautiful love story, Dream Again, which gives hope while showing the
awesome power of God in the lives of two hurting people.
This story brings together love,
forgiveness, restoration, and new beginnings, while illustrating God’s desire
to free people from life-altering events that haunt them. In this novel,
readers will witness the incredible transformative power of love in the lives
of Carter McIntosh and Gianna Barrett as they lift their faith and develop the
courage and tenacity to leave the past behind. Will love bloom? Let the
adventure begin.
Who is your favorite character in
the book and why?
I enjoyed writing the hero, Carter
McIntosh. He’s a physically appealing, intelligent, sensitive soul. I admire
his relationship with the Lord. Carter has been through murky waters but by the
grace of God, he came out on top and continues to flourish.
What would be the Scripture verse that fits your story and why?
The perfect
Scripture that would fit Dream Again is Romans 8:28 (KJV), “And we know
that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are
the called according to His purpose.”
There are many situations in our
lives that we cannot fix or change. Nevertheless, we must press forward. We can
think about our challenges in many ways, but we must remember that all things
are working for our good. The truth is, we are still standing and that’s
something to celebrate. We’re here because God wants us to be here and because
we still have a lot to contribute to the world.
Is
there a message in your book that you want your readers to grasp?
I hope readers will be inspired
to trust God’s heart. Importantly, I want to remind readers that
love is a beautiful emotion, and it is okay to love passionately, very
passionately. However, loving someone is never as easy as
we would like it to be. Keep in mind that, “Love suffers long and is
kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does
not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does
not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth.”
1 Corinthians 13:4-6 (NKJV)
Above all, I pray that readers will
recognize that having a personal relationship with Jesus
Christ makes a great difference. I’m
hoping that this story will encourage readers, not to put God in a box.
God will come through in due season. Sometimes, God takes us out
of our comfort zone to stretch us and show us that we can accomplish far more
than we think.
What
is the hardest thing about writing for you?
Writing
can be a formidable task, but for the most part, I enjoy polishing my sentences
until they feel right and compelling enough to capture the interest of readers.
I’m always on a mission to make my upcoming release better than my last
release. Also, I’m bent on introducing my readers to something that I have not
written about in my previous books.
What
do you see as the most important advice you could offer a new writer?
·
Determine why you desire to write. Do
research to obtain information on how you can best leverage your knowledge
and abilities to fulfill your dream of writing. Benchmark against the best
in the area of your writing assignment. Nevertheless, be a trend setter. Do not
be afraid to break new ground.
·
Create an author platform to
connect with readers. Be enthusiastic about your book. Celebrate the
milestones you have achieved during the process of completing your book. Stay
expectant. Trust God. He will bring it to pass.
What's
next for you?
On
August 20, 2020, I released Dream Again which is Book 1 in the McIntosh
Brothers series. I’m now writing Book 2 – Love Again. In addition, I’m hoping
to collaborate with a few authors on projects and events.
Back Cover Description
One
random day. One burst of laughter. One perfect moment. That’s all it takes for
Gianna Barrett to capture Carter McIntosh’s attention—and his heart. His whole
life has been a series of miracles, so this falls right in line. If only it
were that simple. The object of his desire refuses to give him the time of day.
Not deterred, Carter is sure he’s ready to put his heart on the line for love.
Big mistake. He isn’t quite prepared and finds himself wrestling a soul-deep
hurt into submission.
“There
has been an accident....”
That
devastating revelation shattered Gianna’s life, and in that one chaotic moment,
everything she had was taken away. She has spent years carefully crafting her
new normal, so there is no way Carter can just insert himself into her life. The
fight is on but not for long. Their attraction is instant, and before she knows
it, all her cynicism goes out the door.
When
Gianna learns more about Carter’s life, she gets a better understanding of her
beginning. As she starts her journey to healing, she uncovers Carter’s
startling secret. In the days that follow, she struggles with feelings of
regret, fueling her natural tendency to retreat. But the flames of desire burn
hot and it’s not easy to break their unexpected connection. As the past reaches
for them, they soon realize that to move forward, they must look back. Will
they allow God to be the anchor they so desperately need—before it’s too late?
For all they ever wanted was to be loved.
Purchase here on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08D3GR6HG
About Ann Marie:
Ann Marie Bryan is a dedicated multi-talented
leader with a passion for excellence. She is the CEO and Founder of Victorious
By Design, an organization committed to providing top quality professional
writing services, comprehensive personal and professional development programs
and exceptional performing arts services to meet the unique needs of
individuals and organizations.
A Christian Fiction author, Ann
Marie writes to educate, inspire and empower others. She desires to tell great
stories with fascinating characters to show the awesome power of God in the
lives of people and places. Her celebrated bestselling Encounters of the Heart
series, blend faith and romance that test the resilience of love.
Ann Marie's greatest passion is to
empower others to succeed by tapping into their God-given potential. She enjoys
writing, reading, dancing, teaching, meeting people and traveling. With all the
knowledge and experiences that God has so graciously blessed her with, Ann
Marie is determined to make her life a ministry for the Lord.
Connect with Ann Marie
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