First Reading

Well, I held my first book reading last night with a small group of people in the community where I live. I like the feeling of reading the story out loud. Perhaps when I write the next book I will try reading the whole thing out loud as an editing technique. Any awkwardness in a sentence stands right out when read aloud.

It seemed to me that hearing pieces of my fictional account about Moses stimulated the listeners' curiosity around the Biblical Story itself. I think that's a good thing. I think there is so much richness in the basic story that it invites imaginative fiction.

The story in Community of Promise does not feel like something I manufactured. I think I discovered it instead. I find that each time I read some of it, the story and the characters speak to me anew. I hope others will have that experience, too.

I have a couple of promising events coming up in the next few weeks. It's time to sell, sell, sell. If you've read the novel and you like it, I invite you to tell your friends about it. I am also looking forward to more readings and author appearances. You can help me out there, too. Please inform me of opportunities you hear about.

Thanks for reading (and for reading!).

Wayne Gustafson
"The Promised Land is within and among you."