Hello again...

It's been a long time since I have written anything personal on this blog.  I have kept it all business because that was easiest to write when we were getting through the first year after Becca's passing.  If her death was a deep frost in the darkest of winter, we are experiencing a definite spring with an exuberance of budding growth.

Rachel and Nicole are seniors in high school now and applying for colleges.  When I started writing Jelly Mom they were only 11.  Now they are ready to fly the nest.

JD certainly gives me plenty to write about, and who knows I may, but to tell you the truth I have to be sensitive to my kids and how much 'fun' they can handle mom having with her writing.  He's a teen after all and now a freshman in high school.  He's growing up.

Aiden, the little imp that many columns focused on, is no longer strutting around in just his diaper and Nemo sandals.  He's all of eight and quite the sponge as he absorbs all his homeschool lessons.

That's right.  I am a homeschooling mom now and that keeps me busy for most of the day.  Then comes the rest of the family and all that needs managing in a busy household.  Beyond that there's the children's book review blog I keep.  This is my busy time as the year winds to an end.

And then there is writing.  I love it and have been happily dabbling with all the preliminary exercises for a new novel, Grace.  This is a follow up to Inheritance and I hope to make a good start by participating in the National Novel Writing event beginning November 1.  I have scenes percolating that are just begging to be written.  I will create them like little quilt squares and sew them together in the new year.

Here's the working blurb for the back cover:

First he fell in love with Wendy and it changed Joe's life.  Now he's falling in love with Jesus and Mary and nothing will ever be the same again as his growing faith affects every aspect and relationship in his life.

Wendy met Joe after a licentious party where he got into a drunken brawl.  A year later, after much counseling, she met him at the altar.  But will she now be able to meet him where he is in the faith or will he, a her mother did when Wendy was a little girl, also abandon her?

This is the continuing love story of Joe and Wendy Taylor, newlyweds, adult children of alcoholics and reverts to Catholicism.

I'm going to have fun writing this one and it will be a joy to share it with others.  Lulu has allowed me to create my books as professionally as possible and I am happy with the number of people who are reading them.  Thank you to all who have read Inheritance and shared your thoughts about it.  You have really touched me.

God bless you all abundantly for your continued prayers for my family.  I remember you in mine.

With love,
Lisa

Review by Tannia Ortiz-Lopes

Review by Tannia Ortiz-Lopes
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/217207913


Inheritance, by Lisa Barker, is the dramatic story of the troubled alcoholic and sex addict Joe Taylor and the neglected but strong-willed Wendy Masten.

Joe Taylor has been single and sober for four years despite the lack of support from his family. But this year on his birthday, unable to control his loneliness and rapidly increasing lust, he attends Trish Masten's bacchanalia, held to celebrate her impending marriage to David. At his former lover's home, he would free the wild party animal locked up inside him.

On the same night, Trish's younger sister, Wendy arrives unexpectedly to announce the death of their grandmother. Wendy is not welcomed at Trish's home by David and is sent to the guest room during their engagement party. Wendy feels rejected by her only living relative and disappointed at Trish's lack of affection for her. After hearing loud voices, arguments and a fight, Wendy is scared and nervous. She decides to seek shelter elsewhere.

As she leaves Trish's house, Wendy meets Joe, who is extremely drunk and incapable of getting himself home. Out of pity she drives him home and cares for him all night long. This would mark the beginning of a new life for the two of them.

Having suffered a relapse, Joe must earn back his family's trust. At the same time, he must learn to control his addictions to conquer the heart of the woman he loves. For her part, Wendy would have to deal with discrimination by Joe's relatives for her relationship to Trish.

Joe's and Wendy's traumatic childhoods left deep wounds in them. As a result, they blamed God for their misfortune and abandoned the Church. But, it is through His Divine Mercy that Joe and Wendy find the peace and stability they so desperately seek and need.

I have been reviewing books for several years and must confess that I am always skeptical about the quality of self-published books that use venues like lulu.com. However, Lisa Barker has produced a professional quality book without any of the problems often associated with self publishing. The first item that captured my attention was the simple but profound symbolism of the book cover. She chose a picture of a single white lily on a dark background. Lilies are a symbol of redemption and rebirth while black is a symbol of death and evil. It is the perfect image to summarize the story's plot.

Although the author rated her book R for mature topics, language and some brief sexual depictions, I never felt uncomfortable with the explicit scenes. All of them were tastefully written. The author's depiction of the characters' struggles, soul searching and family relationships will keep the reader engaged throughout the story.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoy a great novel with a real-life story and lively characters. Although the book is fictional, the characters’ dilemmas and how they are resolved will seem very authentic to anyone struggling with addictions. For them, Lisa Barker does more than tell a good story; she brings a glimmer of hope.