Tuesday Night at The Blue Moon by Debbie Fuller Thomas - My Review

Originally Posted at Bibliophile's Retreat by Melissa Meeks

Dreams put on hold, the chance to change a 13year old mix-up, changes and loss are just some of the ingredients to this touching story of lessons in letting go. Marty and her girls all run smack dab into the reality of consequences of choices made by themselves or others. Many of the choices forced on them are made with the best of intentions however the results are still painful when you are forced to live with something you never wanted in the first place. Despite or perhaps because of difficulties and troubles - at least in their perspectives - that are a result of choices forced upon them by life or others, Marty and Andie both realize things about themselves they'd like to change and in some cases even take some steps forward in areas where they've either resisted growth or tried to avoid it entirely. This author pens an emotionally rich narrative which brings us into the midst of her characters' lives. In this case those characters are a teenage girl and a grown woman both facing loss and struggles with change they never asked for or desired. Despite the gap in age and life experience they both still insist on grasping at the familiar and holding on for dear life. It may be well beyond time to let go of people or situations but these characters just can't quite handle that yet. Will they ever realize that only God has the power to keep things the way they'd like and His way is ultimately better than their own attempts at fixing the perceived problems of change they'd prefer to avoid altogether? Read Tuesday Night at The Blue Moon to find out if and how Marty and Andie learn their personal lessons of letting go and trusting God.

Read more about Debbie's book straight from her own mouth here. Click on the bookcover to preorder your own copy at Barnes and Noble

Coming in June: Tuesday Night at The Blue Moon by Debbie Fuller Thomas

Originally Posted at Bibliophile's Retreat by Melissa Meeks

Readers please welcome Debbie Fuller Thomas sharing about her June release Tuesday Night at The Blue Moon

1) Your story is about a mother whose daughter was switched at birth. How does Marty find out that her child was switched?
Marty's daughter, Ginger, is the victim of a fatal genetic disease, Neimann Pick Type C, which often strikes every sibling in a family. Marty is concerned for her other 2 daughters, and when it's determined that she and her ex-husband are not carriers of the disease they know something's not right.

2) Where did you get the idea for your story?
My inspiration for the book came straight out of real life from a news story I heard about two families fighting over switched-at-birth babies when one child is orphaned. Of course, the circumstances and setting in my story are different, and the characters are completely fictitious. But I knew it would be a heartbreaking dilemma for any parent, especially for one who had suffered through the death of a child she thought was hers.

3) Do you have a favorite character?
I would have to say Andie, because even at 13-years-old, she doesn't become a victim. She's a little quirky, and she's had to mature quickly. Even though she's developed an attitude toward God and her situation in general, she keeps it to herself most of the time, and we understand her need to vent occasionally.

4) On what level do you think women will identify with Marty, her biological mom?
I think most moms would understand the panic of discovering they had the wrong child, and the guilt at not realizing instinctively that something was wrong all along. On another level, Marty is a caregiver who sets aside her own dreams to nurture her family. As women, we often set aside our dreams out of necessity, guilt or lack of support from our families, but like Marty, we don't have to abandon our dreams completely.

5) The story is set at a drive-in movie theater. What led you to choose that setting?
I think there's a nostalgic winsomeness about drive-in theaters and I want to encourage families to take advantage of the few drive-ins that are still in operation. I remember the smell of hot coffee when my mother poured cups from the thermos, and falling asleep in the backseat with my pillow and blanket. There's a sense of intimacy and togetherness that comes from being alone with your family, even though hundreds of other people are watching the same movie. I also used the run-down condition of the Blue Moon Drive-in as a reflection of the relationship between Marty and Andie and of the condition of their spiritual lives when they first meet.

6) What is the meaning behind the title: Tuesday Night at the Blue Moon?
Tuesday night is family night at the Blue Moon Drive-in. Andie needs a family, and the desire of Marty's heart is for her dysfunctional family to be a whole again.

7) Who are some of the other interesting characters in your story?
Andie is sandwiched in the birth order between Winnie, the needy younger sister, and Deja, an older teen who is bitter about the situation. Some interesting dynamics that take place when the three of them interact, especially when mom has to work long hours and there's too much unsupervised together-time.

8) What is the message that you would like your readers to take away from Tuesday Night at the Blue Moon?
I believe that God is our Father and that we were created to commune with Him on a deep level, but sin orphans us. When we're open to it, God is ready and willing to re-claim and restore us as his children.

9) How did you begin your writing career?
I operated a home day care for 6 preschoolers when my children were young, and I was in desperate need of a distraction to keep my sanity. So I began to write a novel during their naptimes. I finished it in about 2 years. It was my 'practice novel' which gave me confidence and helped me plot the blueprint for Tuesday Night.

10) What advice would you give to someone starting out as a writer?
Don't quit. I sold the first article I ever sent to a publisher and didn't sell another thing for 19 years. It's not going to happen overnight. It's an apprenticeship - a craft to be honed. When you're tempted to give up, remember the encouraging things other writers, agents or editors have said about your writing. If God has given you some talent, what acceptable excuse can you give Him for not using it?

My Musings:Read my review. Click on Debbie's picture to check out her website and click the bookcover to preorder your own copy at Barnes and Noble.