As Doves Fly in the Wind

“As Doves Fly in The Wind by Mary Lou Cheatham is not your typical Christian romance. The characters are flawed and gritty, and you may wonder just how a happily-ever-after is going to happen. But forgiveness (from God and man and self) is a big theme in the book — something we all need. And if you are a fan of Southern settings, this

novel has the Louisiana flavor down.”

The above quotation is from a well-written Christian blog, Beckie by the Book. I’m grateful to Beckie for writing it.

Three or four times a week, a telemarketer or publicist calls or emails me to say how much As Doves Fly in the Wind has inspired them. It seems to me that most of them found the book inspired them to ask me for money to publicize it. I confess I haven’t always been as polite to them as I should.

A few days ago, a publicist called me and said something different about the book. He told me he had read it and given it to his wife to read. He said the book had changed his life! That afternoon we talked almost three hours about As Doves Fly in the Wind. He showed me ways he can promote the book so others will read it and be inspired. It was evident he was crying, and he said he was.

Although publicists select it from my full palette of novels, the book isn’t selling. I don’t know why this novel with its lovely cover and artistic interior has gone unnoticed. It’s so unnoticed that the Kindle and paperback forms do not have an Amazon ranking. The Audible version does, however, attract a few listeners. Jodi Hockinson, whose voice is like music and who can turn on a Southern accent when she wishes, recorded it beautifully.

Obviously, I paid attention to this one random phone call, one labeled by my cellphone as telemarketer. I’ve decided to take his advice. Despite all the other books I’ve written and read lately, I can still remember vividly every scene in As Doves Fly in the Wind.  It is full of inspiration—I broke the writers’ rule not to preach by including an entire testimonial sermon.

The humor that found its way onto the pages still brings a smile to my face. I laugh about the way the well-meaning neighbors of Rousseauville, Louisiana, bring produce from their garden every morning to Jessica. They sneak over before sunrise and place the bags by her door. They dare not enter Jessica’s bed and breakfast because they think the house is haunted. Those bags of groceries take on a life of their own and become a character within the book. Then there’s the alligator who knocks on Jessica’s front door.

Why has the book not sold? The marketers have pointed out one reason: the price of the paperback book. It’s twenty dollars. The current publisher refuses to change the price although the book doesn’t sell. If it starts selling soon, I’ll have it republished and lower that price. It’s a bit of a catch 22 for me at this point.

And As Doves Fly in the Wind is a little light of mine hiding under a bushel basket. Those who have read it tell me it deserves to shine from a high hill.