The Novelist by Angela Hunt

Angela Hunt has written everything from romance, to suspense, to historical fiction in her lengthy career as a novelist. What sets apart The Novelist is its unique dual-story perspective - a novel inside a novel. Hunt offers a personal glimpse into the struggles and stigmas faced by families dealing with a deeply troubled teen or young adult. The book touches emotions deep in the marrow of parents who think they've done everything right in raising their children, but one goes terribly wayward.

Jordan Casey Kerrigan is a wildly successful author with twenty best-sellers in her spy-hero series. When she accepts an invitation to teach a 'Novel Writing' class at the local college, the students are shocked to learn their favorite masculine suspense novels are written by a middle aged woman. One quite unimpressed student dares Kerrigan to write something more personal and reveal a bit of the author's real life.

Kerrigan is compelled to meet his challenge as her story, starting as just a teaching model, evolves into a project of great spiritual significance. She writes an allegory, a gift to her son, in a desperate attempt to reach out to him. The story ends up drawing her in, as the fantasy world forcefully impacts her reality which seems to be falling apart all around her.

This book will give hope to parents whose faith is being tested by the trials of dealing with a wayward child. For mothers watching a once precious, cuddly baby become a distant stranger, for fathers driven to desperate anger, fighting an unplanned war with a sudden, violent enemy - the one who has taken their child hostage and now lives in his skin - this book is for you.

My favorite quote from the book: "I used to think the creator tested me to discover how strong I was...The author of my life knows everything about me, so he already knows how strong I am. The tests come to me - and to you - so we will know how strong the creator is when he carries us through what we can't handle alone."