A good read! --> Cecelia Jackson's Last Chance

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 I'm delighted to host my friend Robbie Iobst today. I met Robbie about six or seven years ago when she joined one of the local writers groups I was involved with. That's a photo of Robbie at her book launch party a few weeks ago. It was a thrill to celebrate with her. I also had the pleasure of reading this novel and the honor of endorsing it:

I laughed, I cried. Cecilia Jackson’s Last Chance is a new take on the traditional buddy story—in this case, the three “inseparable” friends haven’t been in touch for 20 years. Laced with southern flavor, Iobst’s debut novel takes you on a journey punctuated with grief, grudges, and a dose of hope. I fell in love with the characters, their world, and the themes of forgiveness. Beautifully crafted, this is a novel not to be missed!

Here's what the story's about:

Can tuna fish sandwiches bring reconciliation and redemption?

Cecilia Jackson thought so and made it her final wish to have three women come home to Boots, Texas and make her top-secret, award-winning, sought-after tuna fish recipe for her funeral fixins.

Belinda Kite, Donna Dougans and Maggie Shanks haven’t been back to Boots since the incident that destroyed their friendship twenty-five years ago. Belinda is running from the law, Donna is desperate to find love, and Maggie holds a secret that could take her life.

Amidst tensions from the past, they begrudgingly make the sandwiches, and find themselves fighting not only each other, but the people around them.

Imogene and Lola Bee, cohorts of Cecilia, are frantic to get their hands on that recipe and not let citified young’uns high tail it out of Boots with the town’s coveted covert document.

Will the recipe bring reconciliation and redemption or all-out war to the West Texas desert?

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Robbie, what would you like to tell readers about Cecelia Jackson's Last Chance?

RI: Cecelia Jackson’s Last Chance is a story about three broken women who head to their hometown of Boots, Texas for Cecelia’s funeral. After an incident on their high school graduation night destroyed their friendship, they reluctantly reunite after 25 years.

I want this novel to tell women that it is never too late to reconnect with Jesus or old friends. Redemption is always available and sometimes God uses the surprising situations and people to love us and bring us back to Him.

What’s your favorite turn of phrase or word picture, in literature or movie?

RI:Without a doubt, I love it when Mr. Darcy says to Elizabeth Bennet in Pride and Prejudice, “You have bewitched me body and soul and I love you.”

I’d pay money for my husband to say that spontaneously. It will never happen. 

What makes you feel alive?

RI: I love speaking in front of a group of people. It’s in my blood and bones and God nudged me to become a speaker when I was a little girl.

What's your greatest roadblock in writing, and how did you overcome it?

RI: Comparison. I often get in my own way in writing because I feel my writing will not be as good as “So and So.” I have to pray and allow God to give me the courage to just be myself and let His Spirit flow through me when I write. So many times I don’t and I write very little on a day when I thought I would right quite a bit. I think the way I am overcoming it is to pray and remember I cannot be anyone but me, so I need to be the best me I can be. Period. Most days it works.

How can readers find your book on the Internet?

RI: Cecilia Jackson’s Last Chance is available on Amazon.