Christian Fiction for upliftment, encouragement and entertainment.
Loving, trusting and obeying Jesus from an early age was most important all through Magdel's life. It gave her the strength to overcome adversities and struggles that would otherwise have drowned her. During her childhood the family relocated many times and she attended seven schools in twelve years. This deprived her of the opportunity to establish long term friendships and any kind of support system. Jesus was her only true friend, her only support and source of encouragement.
At age ten Magdel borrowed her first library book. From that day onward, she wanted to be a writer. Not knowing if she'd ever write good enough to publish, the "proof" came in an unlikely manner. Her eleventh grade Afrikaans teacher accused her of copying an article of a renowned South African writer, after reading Magdel's essay on drug abuse, a hot topic in those days and something she already had knowledge of. In a previous school, Magdel was encouraged to write her best. In this new school, she was supposed to write the way everyone else did. Getting fed up with mediocrity, she stepped out with this assignment and wrote from her heart. The teacher was shocked. Not being a fighter, she half-heartedly tried to convince him of his misjudgement. He was only halfway convinced, but she was at that point totally convinced she could write well and that someday her name would appear in print on the books she was going to write.
Life interfered and her desire to write was put on hold until the chicks have fled the nest. She wrote a number of short stories and later worked them into a novel. The book was published by a one-man publisher. When he died, the book died. About two years later, Magdel finished her first book in English and decided to search for an international publisher. After many hours spent with Google and on social media, the wonder happened. Taking part in a thread about publishers on a LinkedIn group, she had her say on how hard it is to get a trustworthy publisher. Among several comments on her contribution, someone said: "Send me your book. I'll publish it". Not knowing what to think, she decided eventually to give it a try. Magdel never looked back. Her book was published, followed by two novellas and another, co-authored by her husband. Evan Swensen of Publication Consultants proved to be the man of integrity she was hoping to find.
Just like Magdel, some of the characters in her books are devoted and dependent on Jesus; their lives directed by His guidance. In Deathly Innocent, Floyd Davies got his faith tested when the future of the woman he loved was threatened. Would he step in and save her, or save his own skin?
Man in a Picture is a cosy, easy-read with many teary moments and some giggles in between. As Magdel's experience of finding a publisher proved the value of social media, this family was connected with people they did not know existed, through the clever use of this platform. However, it was Polly the parrot who saved the day. If he did not need clean newspaper to line the bottom of his cage every day, the final riddle might never have been solved and lives would have ended empty.
Two girls and one man sounds like a romance. Not so. The Bigger Fish is a story about two girls from abused backgrounds who found a man who played a part in the transformation of their lives. One girl jumped at the opportunity to be redeemed, saved and transformed, the other one had to live through the agony following a tragedy before she could shed her sceptic attitude.
In Magdel's first English book, My Father's Will, Francine Hammond's name was omitted from her father's last will and testament. No one could guess the burden she was left with since before his demise. Her siblings treated her with disrespect and had no sympathy while they revelled in their future life of wealth and pleasure. How could it be expected of her to keep quiet and keep her promises as she watched them over many years, wasting their father's hard earned money? Stephan Howard Hammond was a self-made multi-millionaire. He knew his children were not equipped to handle great wealth, yet, he left them each a fortune in cash. Wisely, he had made provision that none of them would be allowed to get near his company and ruin what he had built.
The Hammond off-spring lived their respective dreams, bragging about their acquisitions, experiences and losses. Their life styles brought along unforeseen perils which would cause regret in later years. Francine stayed at the side-lines, going about her business and keeping her eyes on the only source of strength she knew. Her faith in her Father in Heaven was what carried her through. Would that be enough to sustain her to the end when her siblings hit the bottom? Would she be able to forgive and do what both her earthly father and her Heavenly Father expected of her?
Many secrets were revealed, many shocks absorbed, cushioned by the comforts of bank accounts; was there space for one more? Francine had to take the chance because, choosing to follow her Father's will, there was nothing else she could or should do while her siblings had finally run out of options.
The next book is still a work in progress. There is a little shift in genre although it is still based on Magdel's faith and what is in her heart about Bible prophecies. This book specifically handles the prophecies found in Daniel 7, which is repeated in Revelation 13. The world has many kings, each ruling over his own little kingdom. Though alliances and treaties are made, these rulers are sovereign and do whatever pleases them. Or not. Who really rules the world? Who controls the rulers of the world? Is there an organisation, a sinister force behind all decisions the rulers make? Perhaps not. Perhaps paranoia about conspiracies make people believe so.
Magdel says: "Weather I'm paranoid or not, conspiracy theories have always intrigued me. Much of my research for my own conspiracy story, I found in Scripture. As a believer in Yeshua I have always taken Bible prophecy serious. There are countless parallels between prophecy and history, ancient as well as contemporary." There are a few possibilities for the title of the book, but a decision will be made closer to the perfection of the final draft.
Magdel considers it a great honour to be part of the Author Masterminds group and a member of the Readers and Writers Book Club. All her books are available on Amazon.
I have three books published by Publication Consultants: My Father's Will, The Bigger Fish and Man in a Picture.
A few testimonials from readers:
My Father's Will: " ... highly entertaining. I can't wait for the follow up to see what happens next with my favourite characters".
The Bigger Fish: "If only every young person preparing to go away to college could read this book".
Man in a Picture: "I'm sure the writer cried her eyes out while writing this book, except when she was laughing. That's what I did when I read it".
Driving home from work one day I stopped by a red traffic light. From the corner of my eye I saw a man approaching me. He knocked on my window and with a pained expression on his face, he asked me: "Why did you kill xxx? Why? I loved her so much! Why did you kill her?" Then he smiled and disappeared among the crowd crossing the street. If only he knew how I tried for three weeks to find a way to save her.
Feel free to contact me on magdelroets@yahoo.com.
