Jeanne Brooks "Across the Wilderness"

We're happy to have Jeanne Brooks with us today talking about her book Across the Wilderness. To learn more about Jeanne and her book, read on!

Title: Across the Wilderness
Cover blurb:Isobel dreams of marriage and a family of her own after graduation from college. Her plans come to a grinding halt when her potential in-laws reject her because of her ethnic appearance. She doesn’t fit into their class-conscious, blue-blooded, American society. Broken-hearted, she retreats to the home of her last living relative, Aunt Betty. When her aunt dies, she discovers a family secret: that she isn’t who she thought she was! Isobel was raised to believe she was part Japanese and part Caucasian-American, but she finds proof that her ethnicity is totally different and that her birth mother might still be living. She determines to seek out her biological family and in the process finds a heritage far greater than she ever anticipated.

1) How did this story come to you?
A close acquaintance, when he was over 50 years old, learned that the man he knew as his father was not his father. The knowledge was traumatic and life-changing. That particular incident combined with my love for other cultures helped me to build this story. As the mother of bi-racial children, I also saw situations of rejection purely because of the appearance or ethnicity and wanted to carry that into my main character’s life.

2) Tell us about the journey to getting this book published.
This book is one of four books, called Journey of Faith, about friends who graduated together from a Christian college. Each book follows one woman on hers. Having self-published my first book (“Through the Waters”) it seemed natural to continue that path for this one, although I chose a different publisher for several reasons.

3) Tell me three things about yourself that would surprise your readers.
 was the first female in my career field in the United States Air Force: Aircrew Egress Systems Repairman,
 worked in a male, medium-high security prison for nine months, and
 married nearly 38 years and have 10 grandchildren (guess that’s a two-fer)

4) What are you working on now and what's next for you?
I tend to work on multiple projects at the same time. Right now I am working on completing the Journeys of Faith, with the third named “Out of the Valley” which I hope to have out later this year, and a fourth, “Over the Mountain” which will be out early 2012 if all goes according to plan.

5) Parting comments?
Jeremiah 29:11 is my favorite Bible verse, “I know the plans I have for you, they are plans for welfare and not for evil, plans to give you a future and a hope.” ESV

6) Where can fans find you on the internet?
 http://www.jeannebrooks.com/
 Facebook Author page: Jeanne F. Brooks
 Twitter: Author4Him
 Amazon Author Central: Jeanne F. Brooks