Every choice has a consequence in the explosive conclusion to the Carthage Chronicles as Lisbeth returns to third-century Carthage for a thrilling final adventure.
Thirteen years ago, Lisbeth made an impossible decision—leave third-century Carthage and her husband Cyprian behind for good. She knew it was to protect her daughter Maggie, so Lisbeth gathered the strength to move on with her life.
All these years, Lisbeth has thrown herself into her work and raising her headstrong daughter, all to live up to the promise she made to Cyprian. But Maggie is sick of being protected. In an act of teenage rebellion Maggie decides to do what her mother can’t—secretly returning to the third century on a quest to bring her father back, leaving Lisbeth no choice but to follow.
With Maggie’s surprise arrival in Carthage, chaos ensues. She finds her grandmother on trial for murder and attempts to save her, but instead the diversion sparks a riot that nearly destroys the plagued city. Only one thing will appease the wrath of the new proconsul of Carthage: the death of the instigator.
Will Lisbeth arrive in time to save her daughter from the clutches of Rome? How can God possibly redeem such a slew of unwise decisions and deep regrets? Filled with heart-wrenching twists and riveting action, Valley of Decision brings the romantic adventure epic, The Carthage Chronicles, to an electrifying conclusion.
Hello Lynne and thank you for taking the time to answer a few questions.
Tell us your favorite thing about your new book, Valley
of Decision, which is the final installment in your series The Carthage
Chronicles.
The world says we should
make our decisions about love based on feelings. This story shows us how
different the world would be if true love were based on actions.
Why did you decide to set the book and the
series in Carthage?
The Roman era has always interested me. When I
stumbled across a third-century plague that nearly destroyed the empire, I had
to know more. My research uncovered the fact that the Plague of Cyprian originated
in Africa. So I didn’t choose the setting; history did.
The book opens with your heroine, Lisbeth
Hastings’ daughter traveling back to the third century against her mother’s
wishes. If the propensity toward rebellion dwells in each of us, why do you
think Lisbeth is so surprised when her daughter disobeys her?
I love my children. The desire to protect them from
the painful mistakes I made framed many of my parenting decisions. However, my
kids are human. Whenever they dared to step out of the safety of the boundaries
I’d established for them, it was more than anger that kicked in. It was sheer
terror. What if they were hurt? What if I couldn’t rescue them? What if their
rebellion cost them their lives? I don’t think Lisbeth and Cyprian were
surprised, but I do think they were terrified for their child.
As a parent, how did you
find the balance between letting your child exert his or her independence
and being too permissive?
The short answer is prayer — lots and lots of
prayer.
This is a tough one, and there isn’t a clear-cut
answer. However, I believe if you let children exert their independence, you
must be willing to allow them to suffer the consequences of their decisions.
For example, when my son began to bristle against my reminders to pack his
lunch in his backpack, I had a choice to make. I could nag him, or I could allow
him a little independence. So I tried an experiment. One morning I didn’t say a
word about the lunch sack sitting in the fridge. As I suspected, he forgot to
pack it. At noon he called from the principal’s office in a panic. It wasn’t
easy to let him miss a meal, but I did. He never forgot his lunch again, and I
never had to remind him. Win-win. I think if we allow children to exert
independence in situations that don’t threaten their safety, the lessons they
learn will give them a solid foundation.
You’ve based some of Cyprian’s decisions in Valley of Decision on
actual historical documents. What was the most important piece of research to
the development of the book you found?
My stories are loosely based upon multiple
historical accounts and Cyprianus Thascius’ own extensive writings, so from the
beginning I’ve known Cyprian died a martyr’s death. As I wrote this final
installment of his story, I took a closer look at his final day. Cyprian’s best
friend Pontius recorded that soldiers came in the night and escorted Cyprian
from his villa. He spent the night in the home of the commanding officers. That
piece of information caused me to consider those long, dark hours. What went
through Cyprian’s mind? Was he frightened? Did he ever consider recanting his
faith? While we don’t have Cyprian’s thoughts, Pontius tells us that in the
morning Cyprian went bravely and with “exceptional cheer” to face his
executioner.
In the third century, Christians had the choice to run toward or away
from those suffering from a deadly viral outbreak. What caused your characters
to run toward the ill?
When the World Trade Center towers came down on September
11, 2001, cameras captured the terrified faces of people running for their
lives. What struck me the most, though, were the unbelievable images of people
running toward the smoke. Why would anyone risk their own lives to save someone
they do not even know? That’s a question without an easy answer. I believe selflessness
is a Christ-like characteristic best acquired through observation. Placing
the welfare of others above your own is a picture of true love.
Lisbeth is a doctor determined to help those impacted by the
outbreak. How do you want your readers to be impacted by her passion to use her
skills to better the lives of others?
I believe all of us are gifted for the purpose of
making the world a better place. My gift is not medical, but I do have the
ability to listen and come alongside someone who is suffering. My challenge is
the same as the third-century Christians: to use my gifts and be willing to
step out of my comfort zones. My prayer is that all of us will strive not only
to notice areas where we can bring comfort, but also to become active
participants in the reduction of suffering.
Q: Have you ever struggled finding the courage to do the right thing?
Absolutely. I’m a fearful person by nature. I don’t
like to make mistakes, and I avoid conflict. So when the Lord called me to
write this story of conflict and courage, I nearly bolted. Had I not constantly
buoyed myself with the countless scriptures of God’s abiding presence, I could
not have written The Carthage Chronicles.
Q: In Valley of Decision, everyone has a decision to make. How
are your own past decisions woven into the tapestry of your life?
This series originated out of my own regrets. My
life had come to what I thought was a disappointing dead end. I began to ask
myself “what if” questions. I nearly made myself sick longing for a chance to
redo the past. Ironically, it was in the writing of Lisbeth’s desperate attempts
to right her own wrongs that I discovered poor choices and failures are the
dark threads that give our life the depth of tapestry. If I was granted the
opportunity to go back and change one choice, it would be like pulling a very
important thread from the picture of my life. What would I want to give up? My
husband? My children? My beautiful grandchildren? Never. While failures have
the ability to shape us as profoundly as victories, ultimately we have a
choice. Do we allow these experiences to make us bitter or make us better? This
crossroad is what I call the valley of decision, and eventually everyone walks
through its dark halls.
Q: What does your heroine, Lisbeth, discover about the true meaning of
family in her efforts to reunite her own?
Lisbeth is like me. She longs to live in the
security of a loving, united family. Unfortunately, I’ve discovered no one
lives in a perfect family. Feelings get hurt. Relationships fragment. And
sometimes, blood is not thicker than water. Flesh-and-blood families don’t
always stay together. This would be a sad story if that was the end of it, but,
like me, Lisbeth discovers family doesn’t always match our DNA. She learns families
are the people who choose to love you no matter what.
Q: Since time travel is a unique part of this series, name one 21-century
item you would be unable to live without.
My Keurig coffeemaker.
Q: If you could go back in history, what time
period would you visit?
I would love to return to the time of Christ and
walk the same cobblestones and sandy beaches with him. I think my love of all
things Roman came from sitting in Sunday school and listening to the stories
about that intriguing part of the world.
Q: What projects are you working on next?
Stories are always clamoring for my attention. My
next series is but a nugget based on a very unique event that happened in a
dusty Middle Eastern town at the end of World War II. But I promise you, the
stakes will be high, the adventures outlandish and the romance heart-melting. In
the end, the world will be changed for the better!
For more information about Valley of Decision and Lynne Gentry visit www.lynnegentry.com, become a fan on Facebook (Author-Lynne-Gentry) or follow her on Twitter (@Lynne_Gentry) and Pinterest (lynnegentry7)
This book sounds really intriguing! Thank
ReplyDeleteyou for the giveaway.