Can A "Revival" Come From A Book?

I think Silas looks like the one on
the left. Both are Chows

Corinthia Falls   


By Kim Hutson




No matter what you do in your daily walk, I think everybody needs a revival occasionally, don't you? Can it come in a book? Yes, if it is Corinthia Falls! Even though it is fiction, you may find a similar rejoicing if you "experience" what happened to a little town in Oklahoma...

The first part of the book is shared by Timothy Oaks who was going to enter his final year of high school when the story begins. His friends call him Timber. He plays golf, although there is no golf course at school or in town. He has three friends, TJ, Anthony and Becky--more about them later...

There is only one church in this town. It is large enough to seat about 300, but those who attend seem to fill the whole building. One side of downstairs is filled with those who are known as charismatics; Tim and his friends call them the "Standers." The other side of downstairs is filled with the "Setters." You can imagine why, I am sure. Upstairs in the balcony, most of the students and other adults who don't or won't take sides congregate.

TJ is the son of the minister. TJ plays basketball. You guessed it--no high school or town facility. He plays alone with one hoop in the old gym; sometimes Tim joins him. Tim's father owns a gas/deli/restaurant, a central gathering place for the town and where all of the teens work part-time.

The town is a popular tourist place, having a beautiful lake nearby, still it is not a thriving town and many buildings are vacant.

The leaders of the church had joined an organization that pulled small churches together so that they could support one another.  Colonel Pavlos Lincoln Armstrong, an ex-green beret had created and now led that organization. The Colonel was coming to town. Practically the first thing he did, after he had walked into the church and told everybody to leave that day, was to close and lock it, placing a guard there. That guard is a very important character in the book, whose name was Silas. From a distance when he was down on all fours, or when he got up on his hind legs, he resembled a bear, and appeared just as dangerous. Nobody tried to get past Silas...

The Colonel preached to a standing crowd in the parking lot on that following Sunday!

And soon small, and large, miracles started to happen, among them that Tim, TJ and Anthony, committed their lives to work for the Colonel's group!

The second part of the book is shared by a writer who was working on a biography of Timothy and takes place when all of the teens are now middle-aged...and the miracles continue.

The things that happened might not be truly miracles...but in today's world, what was happening throughout this book surely shows the evidence of individuals who allow God to work through them. In many ways, I'd like to have seen the book as two separate books. The first half is a powerful storyline. It leaves readers upbeat and enthusiastic. The second half, though, shows enthusiasm fulfilled as readers see the lives that were affected when  a traveling evangelist visited Corinthia Falls!

Need a jump-start? Highly recommended to provide that for your personal life. Hutson presents us with a wonderful book showing a world that many of us would like it to be.  And he doesn't leave us when it finishes--he refers us to web sites that represent...a beginning...if you only dare...

Throughout the book, you'll hear much about singing "When the Saints..." Don't be surprised if you can't get the song out of your head for days! The jump-start worked for me; I pray it does for you too!


Book Received Via
Bostick Communications


GABixlerReviews

Review: Raw Talent by D. Kenneth Ross - Golf Enthusiasts - Check It Out!

Raw Talent
by D. Kenneth Ross


Have you ever had the enjoyment of seeing raw talent in a young person? Seeing that one special gift that he has been given that may be used, polished and developed? In Raw Talent, D. Kenneth Ross shares the story of such a gem—a young boy named Carlos who had been given the raw talent for playing golf.

Raw Talent opens as Carlos Alvarez awaits the start of his first Masters Golf Tournament in Augusta, Georgia. Throughout the novel, golf enthusiasts will have the opportunity to read of this competition between he and another PGA professional who had been invited to play.

Carlos was only thirteen when he began visiting a local driving range to “bang a few balls just for fun.” There was also that “release” that came to set a ball down and “hauling off and smacking it as hard as he could.” (p. 2) Fortunately for Carlos, Pete Sanchez, owner of a driving range, watched as he spent time at his range and, when the opportunity arose, he offered Carlos a job to gather the balls there. And, of course, have the opportunity to use and develop his skills. Pete saw Carlos’ raw talent—and was wise enough to realize that his talent not only surpassed his own, but he had that “sparkle of joy and endless determination” that was so important to polish that talent.

Though big for his age, Carlos was very shy. But he was determined in one major area—to help his Mom and Grammy Cella and, if necessary, to get his Dad out of his family’s life. He had spent too many hours trying to find his father, who most times would be hanging out with his drunken friends, to beg for money for food and expenses before he would drink it away or use it for other pleasures. Both he and his mother found that being beat up was part of the price of living.

Carlos also spent some of his time at the gym. At school, it was his excuse for showing up bruised and battered. Mainly, though, he was getting pretty good at fighting and would some day be able to stop his dad... What he could not understand was why his mother was able to accept his dad’s abuse. His Grammy Celia, who loved her grandson very much, tried in all ways to support him and help him learn about his grandfather who had been a strong, God-fearing man. But all Carlos could think about was “when he could fight better, he’d make sure his dad would never hurt his mom or Grammy Celia again.” (p. 20)

As Carlos spent time on the job, Pete became more and more certain of his initial recognition of Carlos’ raw talent. He began to slowly make suggestions to him and to give him lessons. When Pete learned that his father had taken his son’s salary, it was then that his feelings started to be more personally involved. Even to the extent of working with Grammy Celia to have Carlos’ wages paid in check form rather than cash.

Grammy Celia died when Carlos was fourteen. The loss was traumatic for Carlos but it presented an even greater burden that he must do something to support his family. Pete had shared with Carlos that he had “hustled” some when he was younger and Carlos sought his training in how he could use his golfing talent to earn money. When Pete was hesitant to do this, primarily because he saw that Carlos’ was so talented that he could make money professionally, Carlos was not interested in waiting. Instead he turned to his boxing skills and when the opportunity arose to make money boxing, he took it!

The only problem was that he had to travel into Mexico to fight.

And on the same day he was scheduled to fight, the police found Carlos’ father—murdered!

And his father’s drinking partners claimed that they’d seen Carlos nearby that day.

Ross has created both a heartbreaking and heartwarming story that follows a young man’s life through a bad home environment, trouble with police and into the triumph of not only using his raw talent, but in gaining the protection and love of his personal mentor as well as a new family. Carlos’ story will capture the hearts of readers and keep them enthralled as Raw Talent culminates in a great win! You, too, will win reading the story of Carlos!




G. A. Bixler

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Watch For This One...

Raw Talent
By D. Kenneth Ross
Manuscript
268 Pages


Have you ever had the enjoyment of seeing raw talent in a young person? Seeing that one special gift that he has been given that may be used, polished and developed? In Raw Talent, D. Kenneth Ross shares the story of such a gem—a young boy named Carlos who had been given the raw talent for playing golf.

Raw Talent opens as Carlos Alvarez awaits the start of his first Masters Golf Tournament in Augusta, Georgia. Throughout the novel, golf enthusiasts will have the opportunity to read of this competition between he and another PGA professional who had been invited to play.

Carlos was only thirteen when he began visiting a local driving range to “bang a few balls just for fun.” There was also that “release” that came to set a ball down and “hauling off and smacking it as hard as he could.” (p. 2) Fortunately for Carlos, Pete Sanchez, owner of a driving range, watched as he spent time at his range and, when the opportunity arose, he offered Carlos a job to gather the balls there. And, of course, have the opportunity to use and develop his skills. Pete saw Carlos’ raw talent—and was wise enough to realize that his talent not only surpassed his own, but he had that “sparkle of joy and endless determination” that was so important to polish that talent.

Though big for his age, Carlos was very shy. But he was determined in one major area—to help his Mom and Grammy Cella and, if necessary, to get his Dad out of his family’s life. He had spent too many hours trying to find his father, who most times would be hanging out with his drunken friends, to beg for money for food and expenses before he would drink it away or use it for other pleasures. Both he and his mother found that being beat up was part of the price of living.

Carlos also spent some of his time at the gym. At school, it was his excuse for showing up bruised and battered. Mainly, though, he was getting pretty good at fighting and would some day be able to stop his dad... What he could not understand was why his mother was able to accept his dad’s abuse. His Grammy Celia, who loved her grandson very much, tried in all ways to support him and help him learn about his grandfather who had been a strong, God-fearing man. But all Carlos could think about was “when he could fight better, he’d make sure his dad would never hurt his mom or Grammy Celia again.” (p. 20)

As Carlos spent time on the job, Pete became more and more certain of his initial recognition of Carlos’ raw talent. He began to slowly make suggestions to him and to give him lessons. When Pete learned that his father had taken his son’s salary, it was then that his feelings started to be more personally involved. Even to the extent of working with Grammy Celia to have Carlos’ wages paid in check form rather than cash.

Grammy Celia died when Carlos was fourteen. The loss was traumatic for Carlos but it presented an even greater burden that he must do something to support his family. Pete had shared with Carlos that he had “hustled” some when he was younger and Carlos sought his training in how he could use his golfing talent to earn money. When Pete was hesitant to do this, primarily because he saw that Carlos’ was so talented that he could make money professionally, Carlos was not interested in waiting. Instead he turned to his boxing skills and when the opportunity arose to make money boxing, he took it!

The only problem was that he had to travel into Mexico to fight.

And on the same day he was scheduled to fight, the police found Carlos’ father—murdered!

And his father’s drinking partners claimed that they’d seen Carlos nearby that day.

Ross has created both a heartbreaking and heartwarming story that follows a young man’s life through a bad home environment, trouble with police and into the triumph of not only using his raw talent, but in gaining the protection and love of his personal mentor as well as a new family. Carlos’ story will capture the hearts of readers and keep them enthralled as Raw Talent culminates in a great win! You, too, will win reading the story of Carlos!


G. A. Bixler
For IP Book Reviewers