Norma Gail,
author of Land of My Dreams
Who
doesn’t love a Scottish accent?
When
my husband and I took an anniversary trip to Scotland in 2006, I fell in love
with a country which has fascinated me since I discovered my great grandmother
was Scottish. I love bagpipes, tartans, and yes, I have eaten haggis. Right
before our trip, I dreamed of a man in a kilt with his bagpipes, high on a
misty mountainside surrounded by sheep. I didn’t know at the time, but Land of My Dreams had been conceived.
I
have wanted to be an author since I read Little
Women as a child, and filled notebooks with stories and poems all through
school. A nursing career and raising two children distracted me from writing
for over 20 years, however, the dream stayed alive. In 2009, sidelined by a
broken foot, I began to put my story on paper.
Land of My
Dreams
begged to be told. Once I began, it never let me rest. The conviction that God
had a message for me to convey grew. Christians struggle in relationships like
everyone else, and Scripture sets some very specific guidelines. The characters
in Land of My Dreams are a little
older than in most romances. They have been hurt by life and grapple with their
faith. Their mistakes are big and so are their dreams. My favorite quote is on
the front cover: “Sometimes the greatest blessings come when we leave the
familiar behind and take a step of faith.” When we follow God’s plan, He will
give us the desires of our hearts.
In
2011 I took a big step of faith and attended my first writer’s conference. While
I may have been swept off my feet by an accent and a kilt, the agents and
editors I pitched my story to had not. Why did the main character move to
Scotland, couldn’t she be Scottish and move to America? Was time travel
involved? Could I make it historical? I received very positive critiques, but
no one wanted it. Still believing this was a story God wanted to be told, I
discovered smaller publishers were more willing to look outside the box, and
following my second writer’s conference, Eddie Jones, of Lighthouse Publishing
of the Carolinas, offered me a contract. My dream came true.
It
has been difficult to be so far from the setting of the book that a visit for
more research is not practical. A screensaver of over 400 photos of the area,
immersing myself in Scottish music, history, websites, books, and movies was
priceless. Having an editor who lived in and has friends in Scotland provided
the insight I needed in certain scenes.
The
most exciting thing is when readers tell me the story ministered to them as
well as entertained. As a Bible study leader, that means a lot. The two most
frequent comments I get are readers who say they cannot put it down, and requests
for a sequel. At an age when most people begin talking retirement, I am serious
about finishing my second book.
“God
never says the safe and familiar are His best.” Dream your dreams and follow
them. Mine came true, all because once upon a time, I was swept off my feet by
an accent and a kilt.
Land of My Dreams is
available through Amazon.com http://www.amazon.com/Land-My-Dreams-Norma-Gail/dp/1941103170/ or Barnes & Noble http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/land-of-my-dreams-norma-gail/1119606864
Readers can connect
with me at:
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