Article: One of the ways I...

One of the ways I try to help people is through honestly sharing stories from my own life. In the beginning it was very difficult for me to confront my pain from the abuse I suffered as a child. Unfortunately, even in today's society, childhood abuse still happens, and it is a cause of great shame and destruction. I can remember the pain and emotions that I went through as a result of the abuse, and I hope that this book will be able to touch a chord and bring restoration to those trying to overcome their past. I want to show them that there is hope and that they can have true freedom.

The storyline of The Penny is based on my life but could also be a million other people's story. It is a story of abuse and the damage it does. It portrays two sisters who are both being abused by an angry father, each responding in a different way. It tells of a mother who is afraid to confront him and the additional pain her fear causes in her daughters' lives.

The Penny is a story that depicts how God is always watching over us, even when we don't realize that He is. It is a story of hope, bravery, survival, and victory. It is a story of forgiveness. Jenny, the main character in the book, is a fourteen-year-old girl who shows great courage by doing what others are not willing to do, and even what some would consider unpopular. The book is set in the 1950s, when integration was at its height. At the time, many people would not have approved of Jenny's best friend, Aurelia, who was a black girl. But it is that friendship with Aurelia that ultimately leads Jenny into a personal relationship with Jesus. That friendship is what gives her the strength to confront her father and break the pattern of abuse in her family.

I believe that networking and combining our gifts can often produce greater fruit for the kingdom of God than we could accomplish on our own, and this project proves that thought. Working with Deborah Bedford was a new and pleasant experience. Neither of us had ever co-authored a book before this. She was very easy to work with and agreeable throughout the project.

Although I have written books on many topics, this is my first fiction piece. The project was certainly challenging but also very rewarding. I like to try new things, and Deborah and I are already working on our next project, which will be released in 2009.

In addition to the book itself, I am very excited that The Penny has been optioned for a movie. The rights have already been sold to The Weinstein Company, and I will even get a chance to participate in the casting of the actors. I'm glad to see that there have been a lot of movies based on Bible stories recently, but I really hope that this project will go deeper and will help people understand that God is available to everyone and works in our everyday lives. We are all looking forward to seeing the finished product.

—Joyce