Sunday, February 7, 2016

Time Travel and a Christian Message?

I am so thrilled to host Danele on my blog today. Though we've never met in person, we've developed a friendship that I know was God-given. You'll get a taste of her amazing testimony as well as her new book. She's giving away a neat prize package too.



Thanks for having me on your blog, Paula! I’m thrilled to be here! 2016 has been a very exciting year for me. In January, Time Tsunami, the first book in The Time Counselor Chronicles was published by Prism Book Group. I wrote Time Tsunami and five other books in The Time Counselor Chronicles while I was undergoing seven years of quarantine. I know that sounds strange, so let me explain. Years ago, I had my life all mapped out. I knew exactly what I wanted and how to get there; unfortunately, I was thrown a curveball. I came down with a mysterious illness and my doctors couldn’t figure out what was wrong. Eventually, I couldn’t walk without staggering or talk without stuttering. I had to quit my job and stop driving. As time passed, I learned that the furnace in my house had a low-level carbon monoxide leak.

Let me pause to say that it’s VITALLY important for every house to have a carbon monoxide detector—preferably one with a digital readout that detects low levels of the gas. You can’t see or smell carbon monoxide. And once it attacks, recovery can be long and difficult.

After the furnace was replaced, I thought I would get better, but I actually got worse. The carbon monoxide poisoning had triggered severe Multiple Chemical Sensitivity and anytime I was exposed to perfumes or other chemicals I would become very ill. My health continued to deteriorate, and eventually, I was quarantined in my home for seven years.

I’d been a Christian my whole life, and I couldn’t understand why God let me be hurt. I didn’t know why He didn’t heal me. As questions mounted on questions, I went into a spiritual crisis. I began questioning everything I knew about God. For months at a time, I would focus on one particular point of faith and decide what I believed in light of my illness. Eventually, I came to the firm conclusion that God is real, God is good, God is intimately concerned with every aspect of my life, Jesus must be kept in the center of my faith, and God is trustworthy in spite of tragedy.

I’ve been asked what it was like to spend seven years in quarantine. It was extremely hard, but it was also illuminating. Romans 8:28 says that God makes ALL things work together for our good. Before I became ill, I had my life all planned out, but God had different plans in mind for me. I planned on being a teacher—God planned on me being an author. I wouldn’t have chosen quarantine, but looking back on all I’ve been through, I can truly say that God was with me during the dark, lonely years. He helped me every step of the way, and He has given me a life that’s more fulfilling than I ever could have imagined.   

Now, where do The Time Counselor Chronicles fit into all this? While I was in quarantine, I had days of extreme illness. I truly believe that God gave me my books to help distract me from pain. I also believe that He allowed me to use them as vehicles to explore my faith. Time travel may seem like a strange topic for a Christian book, but in reality, the time travel aspect is just wrapping and bows. Time Tsunami is a loose allegory that showcases Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. In the book, Gil has to decide if she’s willing to put her life on the line to save a boy from eventually dying on death row. In essence, that’s what Christ did for us. Jesus laid down His life so we could escape the sentence of hell. I hope that everyone who reads Time Tsunami is not only entertained, but that they’re also able to feel the love of a Savior who died for us before we even knew we needed Him.


Time Tsunami (Book 1 of The Time Counselor Chronicles)

To stop a cruel serial killer, she must travel twenty-four years into the past…
Gil Montgomery, a cadet in the Temporal Counseling Program, can’t wait to pass her field exam and become a professional time surfer. The TEMCO program targets death-row offenders for time-based counseling while they’re children.  For her exam, Gil will travel twenty-four years into the past to counsel ten-year-old Danny Winston before he murders his abusive babysitter, Rick Olsen.  Preventing the stabbing should stop the chain of events leading to Danny’s eventual execution. Gil’s assignment seems simple until her adviser, Dr. William Ableman, learns that Rick is a serial killer targeting Danny’s mother.  If Gil stays and protects the Winstons, she might not survive.  William wants the woman he loves to be pulled from the field, but if Gil fails to complete her assignment, it will unleash a Time Tsunami and destroy the timeline. As TEMCO undergoes an emergency lockdown, and Gil’s fellow cadets try to figure out what’s happening, Gil and William learn the importance of faith and the price of true love. Everyone’s fate is resting in Gil’s hands, but does she have the strength she needs to defeat a ruthless serial killer intent on annihilating everyone in his path? Will she return from the deadly mission?

Time Tsunami is a fast-moving thriller with time travel twists that keep the reader guessing until the very last page.
   

Paula, I want to thank you for having me on your blog! I’ve really enjoyed sharing with your readers! And for everyone out there in cyber-land, now it’s your turn to get in on the action. Time Tsunami was incredibly fun to write, and time travel is a blast to think about. If you could travel anywhere in time, where would it be and what would you do? I’d love to hear your comments!

To be eligible to win the prize package below, leave a comment and your email address. 

 My Social Media Links:



Time Tsunami Purchasing Links: 



Give Away Prize:
·        Paperback Copy of Time Tsunami
·        4x6 Pearl Picture Frame
·        Journal “Faith sees the invisible, believes the unbelievable, and receives the impossible”

·        Lindor Truffles 

33 comments:

reviewsbyjanice said...

Danele has a great testimony. Love Time Tsunami. Such a great book.

Cristine Eastin said...

Danele, congratulations on your book! Yes, I love Romans 8:28. Because we can't wrap our brains around how to reconcile the bad things God allows in our lives, I think of that scripture as—what's good to God? Well...anything that brings us or anyone else closer to Him. Our suffering isn't wasted in Him.

Unknown said...

Dear Janice,
I'm so glad that you enjoyed Time Tsunami! That makes me very happy! Thank you for your kind comment!

Unknown said...

Dear Christine, thank you for your congratulations and for your insight into Romans 8:28. That verse is so powerful. I think it is very true that our suffering is never wasted, and to me that's such a comfort. Thank you so much for commenting!

Gay N Lewis said...

Always happy to see articles and interviews from or about Danele. She's a keeper.

Anonymous said...

Your books sound fascinating in every way! Thank you for being a guest on this blog and introducing your books, as well as your challenges in life. I think my body is weird: if there is a smell, I react, especially to cleaning materials. I am sorry to hear about your trials, yet I also treasure the words of Romans 8:28, like you. Thank you for sharing of yourself.
Janice
pjrcmoore@windstream.net

Kathy A said...

Thank you, Paula for this delightful interview!

Congratulations on the release of your book, Danielle! What an interesting topic to think about! What a thoughtful giveaway! A beautiful picture frame to put your loved ones picture in.

If I could time travel anywhere, it would be to visit my ancestors "the Morton's" and "the Butler's". The Morton's traveled to America with the Early Settlers. Nathaniel Morton wrote a book about the experience. It is available on Amazon. It is entitled "New England's Memorial". Phineas Butler fought with George Washington at Valley Forge. He later became one of the first quartermasters at West Point.

Kathy Anderson
phoneticpanda(at)gmail(dot)com

Kathy A said...

Thank you, Paula for this delightful interview!

Congratulations on the release of your book, Danielle! What an interesting topic to think about! What a thoughtful giveaway! A beautiful picture frame to put your loved ones picture in.

If I could time travel anywhere, it would be to visit my ancestors "the Morton's" and "the Butler's". The Morton's traveled to America with the Early Settlers. Nathaniel Morton wrote a book about the experience. It is available on Amazon. It is entitled "New England's Memorial". Phineas Butler fought with George Washington at Valley Forge. He later became one of the first quartermasters at West Point.

Kathy Anderson
phoneticpanda(at)gmail(dot)com

Unknown said...

Dear Gay, you're such a sweetheart! Thank you so much for your kind words! You've made my day!

Jan H said...

This interview is just what I needed to read today. Thank you. fishingjan[at]aol[dot]com

Unknown said...

Dear Anonymous (Janice), I'm so glad that you think my books sound fascinating! That makes me so happy!! I'm also glad that you enjoyed this interview. I'm so sorry that you have problems with chemicals too. That's awful. Your body isn't "weird," I think it could be trying to send you a message. If at all possible try to stay away from the smells that make you sick (or at least really limit your exposure to them). Before quarantine, I tried to ignore my symptoms and do things the same as always. I didn't realize that each exposure to the chemicals that irritated me was taking a toll on my body. I'm so sorry that you are going through this. I will be praying for you!!

Unknown said...

Dear Jan, I'm so glad that this interview spoke to you today. Thank you so much for letting me know! I hope you have a beautiful day!

Renette Steele said...

DANELE, you book was excellent, can't wait for the next one.
Love all these interviews, I learn a little something new each time.
Your a real jewel, keep shinning for Him! Love and hugs.

Renette Steele said...

DANELE, you book was excellent, can't wait for the next one.
Love all these interviews, I learn a little something new each time.
Your a real jewel, keep shinning for Him! Love and hugs.

Unknown said...

Dear Kathy, thank you for your congratulations and well wishes! That's so nice of you! I agree with you--it would be fascinating to use time travel to visit our ancestors. Your relatives, Nathanial Morton and Phineas Butler, sound incredibly interesting! Thank you so much for commenting today!

Unknown said...

Dear Renette, I'm so glad that you enjoyed Time Tsunami! That makes my day!! Time Trap, the second book in the Time Counselor Chronicles, will be released this summer. I'm incredibly excited about it. I'm glad that you are enjoying the interviews. Thank you so much for your kind words and your wonderful comments!

Gail Pallotta said...

Time Tsunami sounds like a suspenseful and meaningful story. I'm looking forward to reading it.

Unknown said...

Thank you so much, Gail! I hope you really enjoy it!!

Bonnie Roof said...

Hi, Danele!! I enjoyed your inspiring post - thank you!! Wondering if you still have problems from your illness?? I've never heard of such lengthy health issues from carbon monoxide - I'm so glad you used the quarantine period to develop a closer relationship with God. You are blessed to be alive after such an experience!!

My mother, grandmother, brother & I came within minutes from being asphyxiated when I was around 3-4 years old - we had already gone to sleep when we were discovered by my aunt and uncle. My father had left the tractor running in the garage below our house, the fumes making their way upstairs. Clearly, God had plans for our lives, and yours as well - in that we were each saved.

If I could pick any era to time-travel, it would have to be when Christ was walking this earth - can't imagine what it must have been like living in the Holy Land then!! The story line for your book is so exciting - please enter my name in the giveaway!! Thank you!!

bonnieroof60(at)yahoo(dot)com

Glynis said...

Well written, Danele. What a testimony and what a wonderful thing that you don't show any bitterness towards, God in light of all you went through. What about repercussions now? Do you still have to be careful with chemical insensitivity? And your book sounds positively fascinating. Lovely to 'meet' you. Blessings. writer@glynisbelec.com

Unknown said...

Dear Bonnie, I'm so glad that you enjoyed this interview! I'm also extremely glad that your family survived their encounter with carbon monoxide poisoning. Carbon monoxide is such a hideous gas. You can't see it or smell it. I'm always urging everyone to make sure they have carbon monoxide monitors in their home. It's too scary of a thing to ignore. As far as my lengthy health issues, the carbon monoxide leak in my furnace was a low level one, and it poisoned me over a long period of time. Doctors couldn't figure out why my health was falling to pieces, and by the time the carbon monoxide leak was finally discovered, the poison had taken an extreme toll on my body and triggered Multiple Chemical Sensitivity. It was a hard situation. I'm so glad that your family survived their encounter! I like your time travel idea! Can you imagine how wonderful it would be to hear Jesus deliver the Sermon on the Mount? Thank you so much for commenting. Your name has been entered in the giveaway.

Unknown said...

Dear Glynis, it's so nice to "meet" you too! I love how the internet can bring people together. I'm so glad that you enjoyed this interview and that you think Time Tsunami sounds fascinating. That makes me really happy! As far as not being bitter toward God, I was very angry and bitter for a while. In fact, I tried to shove God out of my life and ignore His existence. But God is so awesome, He gently kept drawing me toward Him. I questioned every bit of my faith, but eventually, I came to the unshakable conclusion that God is real, God is good, God is interested in every aspect of my life, Jesus must be kept in the center of my faith, and God is trustworthy in spite of tragedy. I will never forget how God was so patient and so kind while I questioned everything about Him. As far as my current health issues, I still have to be careful around some chemicals--especially perfumes and detergents. That means that right now I can't go to church (too much perfume). I also have to avoid large family gatherings. But I am getting better all of the time, and soon my restrictions will be in the past. I hope you have a wonderful day, Glynis! Thank you so much for commenting.

Carlene said...

Great interview. I have "Time Tsunami" on my kindle, working its way to the top!

Unknown said...

I'm so glad that you enjoyed the interview, Carlene! I hope you really enjoy Time Tsunami when it reaches the top of your Kindle! Thanks for taking the time to make my day happy. I really appreciate your comment!

Caryl Kane said...

DANELE, thank you so much for sharing your testimony. I appreciate your transparency in sharing how you wrestled with God.

Congratulations on your release of Time Tsunami! This series sounds amazing. I love the time travel aspect.

Blessings!

psalm103and138 at gmail dot com

Unknown said...

Dear Caryl, thank you so much for your lovely comment! I really appreciate it. I'm glad that you enjoyed this interview. Thank you for your congratulations and well wishes! I'm so happy that you are interested in my books. I love the time travel aspect of them too. Time travel opened up the opportunity for so many plot twists (besides just being a whole lot of fun). I hope you have a wonderful day! Thanks again for commenting!

Unknown said...

Enjoyed the interview. I have read and loved Danele's book.

Lisa Lickel said...

I'm still thinking about certain parts of the story weeks after reading it, the kindness, the idea, the ability to make one small difference.

Unknown said...

Dear Ann, I'm so glad that you enjoyed the interview and that you also enjoyed Time Tsunami!! Hearing that makes me so incredibly happy! Thank you so much for your lovely words!

Unknown said...

Dear Lisa, thank you so much for the wonderful compliment of Time Tsunami! I love a book that "sticks with you" after you've read it. Knowing that you feel that Time Tsunami belongs in that class makes me feel like dancing on air. Thank you so much for your lovely comment. You've made this day a happy one for me! Thank you!

Marsha Bernabe said...

I loved this book!

Unknown said...

I'm so glad that you enjoyed it, Marsha!! That makes me so happy!

Unknown said...

Dear Paula,
Thank you so much for having me on your blog. I really enjoyed it! Working with you has been such a delight. I also want to thank everyone who commented--you made this experience so much fun! And congratulations, Jan--I'm so happy for you!