BOOK REVIEW: ONCE UPON A TIME by DEBBIE MACOMBER

About the book . . . 

God has a story for your life . . .

Debbie Macomber has inspired readers with her stories for decades. Now for the first time, she helps each of us to understand that life is a story, part of a grand narrative that God is writing day by day.

With chapters that cover the importance of literary elements such as characters, setting, backstory, and conflict, Macomber uses the structure of a story to illustrate God’s hand in our lives. Each chapter has a storytelling prompt—a searching question that will help frame our story—and a sidebar that pulls an idea out of the chapter and expands it with practical tips.

Once Upon a Time shares Debbie’s love of story and helps showcase the big picture of the story God is writing through us.

Purchase links:

Simon & Schuster          Amazon          Barnes & Noble 

About the author . . . 

Debbie Macomber, with more than 100 million copies of her books sold worldwide, is one of today's most popular authors. The #1 New York Times bestselling author is best known for her ability to create compelling characters and bring their stories to life in her books. Debbie is a regular resident on numerous bestseller lists, including the New York Times (70 times and counting), USA TODAY (currently 67 times) and Publishers Weekly (47 times). Visit her at www.DebbieMacomber.com.

Reader review . . . 

In Once Upon a Time, fiction bestseller Debbie Macomber challenges the reader to find and share their own life story.  The author shares her personal journey from a dyslexic childhood to a New York Times bestselling author.  Ms. Macomber shares personal anecdotes from her own life, such as the teacher who told her she would never be a writer.  These honest recollections give the a feeling of a conversation between friends, rather than an impersonal book. 

Each chapter covers a specific area of discovering and writing one's story, and ends with a storytelling prompt.  For instance, Chapter Two ends with a prompt to describe your childhood home in detail, while Chapter Five urges the reader to write about their name; i.e., who chose the name, the meaning, and what you would rename yourself if you could. Each chapter also begins with an appropriate Scripture from the Bible.  One of my favorites was Chapter Three, which began with Deuteronomy 32:7.   

This is not only a challenge for all of us to find our personal story and write it, or share it in some way, but it is also a fascinating look at how one writer has honed her craft.  For writers, readers, and wanna-be writers (that would be me), this is a must-read.

5 stars

I received Once Upon A Time by Debbie Macomber compliments of Simon &  Schuster Publishers for my honest review and received no monetary compensation for a favorable one.