CWA's 8th Annual
First Chapter Contest is Open for Entries
ONLY TO DUES-PAYING MEMBERS
of Chicago Writers Association.
You may join CWA HERE.
Are you writing a novel? Submit the FIRST
CHAPTER of your work, up to 10 pages, to CWA's 8th Annual First
Chapter Contest.
The deadline is October 1, 2023. Winners will be announced by December 2023.
My Neglected Gods
Tim Bishop’s love of real-life bicycle
adventures shines true in this faith-based fictional tale of a man who’s hit
bottom in more ways than one and needs a miracle to save not only his own life,
but that of a man he’s just met. Persistence goes both ways for Douglas and the
Lord of life who stands knocking at every turn in this heart-pounding ride.
Lisa Lickel, author of UnderStory and UnderCut
About the Book
As spiritual forces wrangle for his soul, he pedals eastward across America. He meets Lauren Baumgartner—a younger adventurer with a vibrant spirit—and a band of zealots who confront his aversion to religion. Accompanying Doug are not only sunny days and the beauty of nature but also the perils of the road, fellow travelers with their own stories, and the hollow silence of solitary campsites playing host to unseen creatures of the night.
A jarring episode on a climb through a treacherous pass brings Doug face-to-face with life and death. Will Doug’s adventure deliver him from loneliness and lament . . . or hurtle him to an abrupt end?
My Review
Tim Bishop’s love of real-life bicycle adventures shines true in this faith-based fictional tale of a man who’s hit bottom in more ways than one and needs a miracle to save not only his own life, but that of a man he’s just met. Persistence goes both ways for Douglas and the Lord of life who stands knocking at every turn in this heart-pounding ride.
A double knock-out punch hits salesman Douglas Zimmerman right in the gut with the loss of his job to a slimy colleague and his wife to cancer. Doug’s wife, however, bequeathed a gift better than this brief moment of humanity on planet Earth. Completely down and out, after a few months drowning in sorrow, Doug decides to follow Ruth’s scavenger hunt, never dreaming the prize was his soul…and a secret only his sister knew.
Douglas set off on a bicycle ride north from his home in Los Angeles, directed by notes his late wife had written to him, leading him on a journey of rediscovery, initially of their deepest intimate moments, and later, one of self-discovery meant to challenge his beliefs…or lack thereof. He soon crosses paths with both religious nuts and exercise fanatics, and kooks, do-gooders, and reckless sorts as he rides across the mountains on his way east. He’s sure he wants nothing to do with the religious nuts, even when he’s bothered by deep questions that force him to contradict his loosely held morality, or especially when they make him ponder his fate while trying to hand out charity. Others on a similar path ride in and out of his life, dispensing advice both wanted and unwanted. Lauren, however, with her naïve outlook and innocent bicycling style, connects with him more often than not in ways that he both longs for and wants to avoid. When she introduces a new fellow rider, he’s not sure what to think of the man who boasts of riding 300 miles a day just to stay in shape.
On a particularly dangerous leg of mountain roads, tragedy forces Doug to look himself in the heart and not like what he sees and feels. He makes a risky move to save his new friends while finally admitting the hypocrisy he’s been living. How could anyone accept or love what he sees in the mirror?
Told through Douglas’s eyes, Bishop creates a
nice parallel story of both running from and seeking wholeness and healing
through the only way to salvation in the person of Jesus, the persistent lover
of our souls. It’s a lengthy book, and Bishop has a hard time moving past his
nonfiction habits of sharing a lot of minutiae and details of life on the road
such as he shared in his previous works. The real adventure begins several
chapters in with lovely imagery, and some harrowing adventures, and a vast
amount of soul-searching. Recommended for those who love inspirational
adventure tales with satisfying conclusions. Discussion guide included.
About the Author
After a thirty-year career in business, Tim Bishop left his corporate treasurer position, married his dream
Peck pokes fun at long-time friends and gets as good as he gives when his grandson’s car seat buckles nearly defeat him, and his kids try to help swap sim cards in phones. A dream of owning a fishing boat has unintended consequences. Through all the remodeling, vacations, pet tales, grocery shopping hell, and wisdom of babes, Peck’s 46 tales will resonate with each reader. Recommended for readers of short story personal humor.
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