By A. L. Sowards, Author of Against a Crescent Storm
The other day, I was dealing with some heartbreaking news about a situation that I have no control over. As I reviewed the facts and the likely consequences and my inability to affect the outcome, over and over again, I needed a mental break. It just so happened that I was reading a book that was building toward the climax and had just had a fantastic twist. So I read for a while and gave myself a break from real life.
And that break made the hard news easier to deal with.
That’s the power of stories.
When I read, I usually pick books—fiction and nonfiction—that depict the past and show how people, real or imaginary, faced challenges and overcame hardships. Seeing the way characters endure or rise above whatever they’re facing reminds me that I, too, can endure and rise above. It also reminds me that a new chapter is likely just around the corner—and new chapters don’t always mean things will be better, but they usually mean things will be different. They also remind me that everything has a purpose.
Books can be blessings. I’ve seen it time after time in readers who find a happy place in a book that whisks them away to an enjoyable setting or a book that allows them to connect emotionally with the characters or a book that inspires gratitude by helping them appreciate all the good they have. Stories can break up monotony, give us new focus, and help provide a better perspective when dealing with our own hardships.
Is life challenging right now? Try a book. Does your day-to-day routine feel mundane? Try a book. Want to learn more about a specific subject or better understand another person who has a different world view? Try a book. Need a break from all the mental strain of December? Try a book.
You might just find that your life is better after visiting a different place and time.
NEW! Against a Crescent Storm (The Balkan Legends, Vol. 3): As tensions escalate, sabotage and vicious rumors weaken Christian unity, and hope of victory in the Balkans grows dim. Allies and enemies converge on the fields of Kosovo, where an epic battle will shape the destiny of nations for centuries to come.
A. L. Sowards is the author of more than a dozen historical novels, with settings spanning the globe from the fourteenth to twentieth centuries. Her stories have earned multiple awards and other honors. Sowards grew up in Washington State, spent a few decades in Utah, and now resides in Alaska with her husband, three children, and ever-growing library. She likes hiking and swimming, usually manages to keep up with the laundry, and loves it when someone else cooks dinner.
