Jean has been called Blue Jean since childhood, but not because of her clothing. She wears nondescript colors and avoids people when she can. Her world is unhappy but predictable, until the new pastor and his handsome brother move into town. A chance encounter brings the town prostitute to church that Sunday, starting a chain reaction that will shake the church to its core.
Will Jean embrace the truth that will set her free, or will fear keep her captive forever?
Shredded was inspired by the Biblical story of the scandalous woman wiping Jesus' feet with her hair. If that story happened in a modern context on a larger scale, who would respond like the judgmental religious leader, who would respond like Jesus, and what would happen to the woman who'd been forgiven much?
*********************
Brookside Baptist Church, in Oakview, N.C., is bound by years of tradition and a powerful deacon. But when Pastor Stewart and his wife arrive in town, changes begin to take hold at the dusty church. Candy, a local prostitute, attends Pastor Stewart's first sermon and her life is transformed. To some of the elderly ladies' dismay, the ebullient town outcast begins to engage wholeheartedly with the church while learning to reform her life--providing an example of the redemptive power of Christ's love to even the most devout members. Candy's bubbly spirit brightens the church, inspiring the lonely Jean, a longtime church member, to come to engage with painful memories. For 15 years Jean has been holding a troubling secret about the church's deacon. In light of her knowledge, over the years Jean has made it her duty to guard the church children. Now, with the community slowly changing, "Blue Jean" is able to let down her defenses and find unexpected comfort with the pastor's handsome brother, Grant, who helps her heal at last. Rae brings to light difficult subject matter with empathy and restraint, gracefully exploring the pain of overcoming violation and trauma through the eyes of the victims. Rae's characters are realistic and endearing. This is an uplifting story about the courage it takes to reform a community and care for the marginalized and neglected.
- Publisher's Weekly
/Fiction-Overcoming Child Abuse /Fiction-Freedom from the Past /Fiction-Fighting Human Trafficking /Fiction-Christian Suspense /Fiction-Christian Romance /Fiction-Facing Fears
Author Biography:
Award-winning, Amazon bestselling author of 20 books, Kimberly Rae loves to write stories full of romance, suspense, and making a difference. She has been published over 200 times and has work in 5 languages. Rae lived in Bangladesh, Uganda, Kosovo and Indonesia. She rafted the Nile River, hiked in the hills around Mount Everest, and tried cow brains just to say she'd done it! She now lives in North Carolina at the base of the Blue Ridge Mountains with her husband and two young children. Rae's 3 books in her STOLEN SERIES on human trafficking (Stolen Woman, Stolen Child, Stolen Future) all are Amazon Bestsellers. Since the release of her trilogy on human trafficking, Rae has become a sought-after speaker and trainer on the topic. Recognizing the lack of books about slavery and trafficking that focus on those who are making a difference rather than glorifying the evil or being overly graphic or despairing, she has also since created a series on modern day slavery for teens and pre-teens (Capturing Jasmina, Buying Samir, and Seeking Mother), and recently completed a resource for adults to help train children to recognize and avoid childhood sexual abuse (I AM SAFE), a major risk factor in childhood and adult exploitation. Printable handouts and other resources, as well as autographed books, are available on her website, www.kimberlyrae.com. "People out there care and want to make a difference," Rae says. "I love getting to help them do that." Interview with Author Kimberly Rae For you personally, what is the best thing about being a writer? I love writing because you never know who you are going to touch with your work. You write, then offer up what you have (like the little boy with the five loaves and two fish) and then watch what God does with it! When did you start writing? When I was 10, my parents gave me a kid's typewriter for Christmas. I used to pluck away writing my own little Nancy Drew stories. Then I'd tape them all together. I've been writing ever since! How have real-life struggles contributed to your writing or a particular book you've written? I'd have to say the biggest struggle that's affected my writing would be living with a disease. There are a lot of books on chronic illness out there that are written by healthy people, but I don't find those encouraging. =) Those of us who live with chronic illness sometimes just want something funny, someone to say it stinks, I understand, and you can make it through this day. With Addison's disease, hypoglycemia, asthma, scoliosis and a cyst on my brain, I can certainly say I understand! What's up next for you? The India Street Kid Series on trafficking for teen girls. Since the average age for a teen girl in America to be trafficked is 12-14, we need to be teaching them about this long before most of us realize. The series will be adventurous and exciting, and give info in small, age-appropriate doses without scaring parents. I'm excited about the possibilities! What advice would you give aspiring writers? Don't give up! You have a unique voice and a message to give the world. Don't take rejection personally-in the beginning I told myself to expect to be rejected 9 times out of 10. It gets easier over time. Keep learning. Join a writer's group if you can and learn to enjoy constructive criticism-it really will help you become a better writer. I've got a bunch of blog posts on writing under the 4WRITERS tab, so hop on over there and maybe you'll find something that will help you along the way. Happy writing!
