What if God pre-empted the evening news?
`Be Still,' author Pamela Young tells a spiritual story about the `end of times' where the world is on a collision course with a comet and messages from God delivered by angels forewarns of the end of life on earth.
The plot of `Be Still' focuses on the protagonist Amanda Fox, a reporter for the World News Network. Amanda Fox is a woman who has walked away from a spiritual life to live a more secular life as a reporter. Life for her is about facts. When Amanda hears of the reports of angel sightings and messages from around the world, she is skeptical and dismisses the reports. As she meets the people who have seen the angels, she is shocked by the accounts as they seem so real, particularly the message from God, "Prepare yourself, for the time is at hand." In Greece, a man reports of his encounter with an angel. In New Orleans, Ellie Lebeaux sees and receives a message from an angel. In Victoria, British Columbia, a little girl foretells events that will take place before the world comes to an end. Amanda becomes a believer when the events the girl forecasts start to come true. In the meantime, there are groups who attempt to discredit the angel sightings and messages, as well as a reverend who seeks to profit from the sightings.
`Be Still' delves into a spiritual theme that focuses on the assertion that Man has turned away from the spiritual teachings of God and has stopped loving God. Man now manipulates and distorts the true word of God for personal benefit and profit. The story, although told from a Christian perspective, is able to successfully encompass all major faiths. Important themes include the disintegration of our morals and values and how Man's greed has shaped society and taken people away from the true meaning of what it means to love God. `Be Still' is also a story of a woman discovering what it means to have faith. Amanda runs the risk of ruining her reputation by broadcasting the stories of the angel sightings and she begins to reflect on her own beliefs and how she has lived her life. Amanda's story is a journey of spiritual growth.
`Be Still' is a story of finding true faith while providing compelling and thought provoking observations on the current state of humanity. Readers will not be able to put the book down until they find out if mankind survives. `Be Still' provides numerous issues to think about regarding the path the world is on and what will become of mankind if we continue to live such violent, selfish, and greedy lives.
In Pamela Young's second novel, a Seattle millionaire's greed and arrogance have left a life of privilege in shambles.
Michael Thornton had a successful business, a beautiful wife and all the toys that wealth could buy. Yet his deep seated anger and controlling personality eventually cost him his family, his business, his health and very nearly his life. Fate takes him to an isolated island in the Pacific Northwest where a Native American healer gives him one last chance.
Review of 'The Healing'
In her novel,˜The Healing" author Pamela Young tells a story about redemption and healing. At age 54, Michael Thornton's life has been focused on growing his Seattle-based business, Thornton Industries, into an international multi-million dollar corporation. His insatiable greed and blind ambition have alienated his friends and family. Thornton's disapproval of his son being gay and his indifference toward his wife of twenty years finally causes her to file for divorce. Now alone, he focuses all his energy on the only thing he has left Thornton Industries. The unrelenting workload takes a toll on his health and he develops pancreatic cancer. Chemotherapy and recovery distract him from his business for over a year, allowing another company to launch a hostile takeover. Ultimately, Thornton is betrayed by his best friend and his son and loses everything he believed defined him. Devastated, he takes off on a solo voyage to Alaska. His journey is interrupted when his boat is damaged and, while arranging for repairs, he becomes violently ill and passes out. He wakes up to find himself in the home of Maria Clearsky, a Nootka healer, who offers to help him. The healing process forces Thornton to face his past and his greedy and controlling behavior.
'The Healing' is a tale of personal transformation and freeing one's spirit in order to heal mentally, physically, and emotionally. Readers will enjoy following Thornton's journey to healing as he transforms from a controlling millionaire businessman to a man who loses everything, followed by discovering what it means to truly be wealthy. He works to understand why he is sick and why such past emotions as resentment and anger have depleted him both emotionally and physically, leaving him vulnerable to illness. He learns that mind and body are connected and when one suffers, the other will also suffer. 'The Healing' is an engaging tale rich in strong character development complemented by important messages of what it truly means to not only live, but live well. I highly recommend 'The Healing' for readers who enjoy stories where characters fall from grace and struggle to find what is most important in life. It is a compelling Man vs. Himself. A story that will keep readers engaged from start to end.
Tracy Roberts
Write Field
Liverpool, Nova Scotia