Gail Pallotta–Author Interview

Dear Friends,

Do you know someone who is not only extremely kindhearted, but who always makes you smile? I sure do! Her name is Gail Pallotta, and I feel extremely blessed to call her my friend. Gail is an incredible person, and the love of Christ just seems to radiate from her! I’m so pleased to announce that Gail’s new novel, Barely Above Water, has just been released by Prism Book Group!

Danele: Gail, I’m delighted to have you with us today!

Gail: Hi, Danele, it’s my pleasure to visit.

Danele: The pleasure is all mine! I can’t wait to learn more about you! Can you tell us when you gave your heart to Christ?

Gail: I can’t remember when I wasn’t a Christian. My grandfather was a minister, and my father quoted from the Bible daily. My mother started praying with me when I was a toddler. Through her faith, I drew close to God, and He became part of my life. She encouraged me not only to pray formal prayers, but to talk to God, to tell Him the things I needed, to thank Him for my salvation and all He’d done for me. I believed God loved me at a young age, and in return, I loved Him. I can’t pinpoint a particular moment when it happened. But I learned that God answers prayers, and when we have no one else to turn to He’s there for us. I’ve cherished this precious gift my entire life. For that reason, I did the same with my daughter.

Danele: That’s beautiful, Gail. It’s as if God’s presence has always been flowing through your life in a peaceful golden stream. I can’t imagine anything more lovely! Now, my illness taught me the importance of trusting God.  Have you ever had a difficult situation when you needed to totally rely on God?

Gail: There are many ways in which I rely on God; it’s difficult to select just one. I live in an area where traffic is horribly dangerous, and I pray twice a day for safe travels. When I was in college, I was in a car that was caught in a sudden ice storm. We were singing “He Leadeth Me” when we slid to the edge of a cliff. We would have tumbled down the rocky precipice, but the car banged into the trunk of a tree on the steep overhang.

Danele: How frightening! I’m so glad that God protected you!

Gail: I could go on and on about God’s protection; however, since I have a new release that tells how God led a girl with a mysterious illness to an alternative doctor, I’ll talk a little about that situation. The characters and plot of Barely Above Water are fiction, but the symptoms and the treatment are taken from my experience with Chronic Lyme disease. And the part about how God intervenes and lets the girl know where to find help is real. You see, I grew very sick ten years ago. After much testing, the medical doctors still couldn’t diagnose my problem. They declared they couldn’t do anything for me, and I went home thinking I would die from a weird malady.

Danele: Oh, Gail, that’s awful! What happened next?

Gail: A chiropractor’s last name popped in my head over and over. I remembered hearing about him from a friend who’d seen him ten years earlier. About the same time, a lady where I swim laps raved about how much he helped her. Even though I couldn’t understand after all those years why his name rumbled around in my mind, I couldn’t stop thinking I should see him. I had no reason to visit a chiropractor, and I didn’t even know his first name. However, I finally called my friend. She gave me his full name and phone number. He was a holistic doctor as well as a chiropractor, and he started treating me immediately for a toxic substance. He also found out within a few months that I had Chronic Lyme disease. There’s no doubt in my mind that God led me to him for the treatment I needed. By the grace of God and with the expertise of this doctor, who is also a wonderful Christian person, I’m on my feet.

Danele: That’s amazing! I love how God led you right to your answer! I’m so glad that you wrote a story based on your experience with Lyme disease!

Gail: In the back of Barely Above Water, two experts answer questions about the baffling disease. I’ve learned that what I started believing as a child is true. God isn’t limited by time, space or evil. There’s nothing He can’t do, and He will not forsake those who believe in Him.

Danele: That’s beautiful, Gail. I’m so glad that you’re using your horrible experience with Lyme disease to help people. There are so many people hurting in this world.  What would you say to them?

Gail: Life can be cruel and difficult, but if we take the journey with God by our side, it will be less so because He will sustain us. He has a purpose for our lives, and He even knows the hairs on our heads. I’m reminded of the poem, “Footprints in the Sand,” by Mary Stevenson.

Danele: Oh! I love that poem! And what you had to say is so true! God does carry us through all our difficulties! One of my favorite verses is John 14:18 where Jesus says, “No I will not abandon you or leave you as orphans in the storm—I will come to you.” It’s wonderful to know that Jesus will always be by our side! Do you have a favorite Bible verse, Gail?

Gail: My favorite verses are Matthew 22:36-39, because Jesus tells us the essence of the Gospel in only a few words. “‘Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?’ Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

Danele: What awesome verses! They remind me of Psalm 50:14-15 where God tells us what He wants from us: “What I want from you is your true thanks; I want your promises fulfilled. I want you to trust Me in your times of trouble, so I can rescue you and you can give Me glory.” I love the fact that God not only stays by our side to help us, but that He also lets us know what He expects of us. Now, Gail, before I let you go, can you give us a list of the books you’ve written?

Gail: Of course! I’ve written Stopped Cold and Mountain of Love and Danger. My new release is Barely Above Water.

Danele: Can you tell us more about your new release?

Gail: Barely Above Water is a romance about a young woman with a mysterious illness. It was released on April 15, 2016 by Prism Book Group.

Danele: I know that Barely Above Water is already getting rave reviews. Can you share a couple of the reviews with us?

Gail: Sure! Nancy Mehl, the award winning author of the Finding Sanctuary series, says, “Gail Pallotta’s contemporary romance novel, Barely Above Water, is a touching story of loss, hope and healing…” The main character, “Suzie’s search for physical healing leads her to discover something she didn’t expect. The kind of love that can also heal her wounded soul.” And Loree Lough, bestselling author of over one-hundred award winning books says, “The main theme in Gail Pallotta’s Barely Above Water is “overcoming incredible odds.” Readers will find themselves rooting for characters who face illness, unemployment, and heartbreak. I think you’ll thoroughly enjoy this story about trust and faith!”

Danele: What wonderful reviews! Can you share the back cover blurb for Barely Above Water and a purchasing link with us?

Gail: An illness comes out of nowhere and strikes Suzie Morris. Her boyfriend dumps her. She has no living family, and her physician can’t diagnose the malady. Suzie relies on her Christian faith as she faces the uncertainty of the disease, and turns to a renowned alternative doctor in Destin, Florida. She takes a job coaching a county-sponsored summer swim team. She’s determined to turn the fun, sometimes comical, rag-tag bunch into winners. Her handsome boss renews her belief in love, but learns of her mysterious affliction and abruptly cuts romantic ties. Later he has regrets, but can he overcome his fear of losing a loved one and regain Suzie’s trust?

Here’s the Amazon Link: http://www.amazon.com/Barely-Above-Water-Gail-Pallotta-ebook/dp/B01DN2UTTS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1459457378&sr=8-1&keywords=barely+above+water

Danele: Your new book sounds wonderful, Gail! And I think the story will be even more special because it’s based on health struggles that you personally endured! I want to thank you for being on my blog today! I really enjoyed talking with you!

Gail: Thanks so much for having me, Danele.

 

Friends, Gail Pallotta is such a special person! She has an incredible heart for the Lord! If you would like to learn more about her or her books, please follow the links below. I hope you have a wonderful day!

Web site: http://www.gailpallotta.com

Blog: http://www.gailpallotta.blogspot.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorsandMore

Twitter: Gail Pallotta @Hopefulwords