RANSOMED DREAMS

When the going gets tough—or weird or wonderful—the daydreamer gets going on a new story. Sally John has been tweaking life’s moments into fiction since she read her first Trixie Belden mystery as a child.

Now an author of more than fifteen novels, Sally writes stories that reflect contemporary life. Her passion is to create a family, turn their world inside out, and then portray how their relationships change with each other and with God. Her goal is to offer hope to readers in their own relational and faith journeys.

Sally grew up in Moline, Illinois, graduated from Illinois State University, married Tim in 1973, and taught in middle schools. She is a mother, mother-in-law, and grandmother. A three-time finalist for the Christy Award, she also teaches writing workshops. Her books include the Safe Harbor series (coauthored with Gary Smalley), The Other Way Home series, The Beach House series, and In a Heartbeat series. Many of her stories are set in her favorite places of San Diego, Chicago, and small-town Illinois.

She and her husband currently live in southern California.

“John sets her new novel in the world of diplomacy. A thoughtful and engaging novel.”—Publisher’s Weekly

“A wonderful story about the twin truths that forgiveness is costly but love can meet the expense head on. Sally John is an insightful, inspiring storyteller.”
—Susan Meissner, author of The Shape of Mercy

The shooting changes everything for Sheridan and Eliot. What are some of the short-term effects on them? long-term effects? physically, emotionally, spiritually?

Have you ever experienced an event that upset your life in a profound way? What happened? What was your response to it? How did it impact relationships?

Discuss the relationship between Sheridan and Calissa. If you have siblings, how is your relationship with them similar to these two? How is it different?

Putting aside for a moment the mutual attraction between Sheridan and Luke, how might his love for her reflect the way Christ loves us?

What do you think of Sheridan’s response to the attraction between her and Luke? Luke’s response? How should people react when they find themselves drawn to individuals other than their spouses? What can a person do to prepare for or prevent this?

In what ways did you identify with Sheridan? What did you admire about her? What did you disagree with? You may not want to share details with others, but have you been faced with forgiving someone for deeply wounding you?  How was your experience similar to or different from Sheridan’s?

Forgiveness occurs in several relationships in this novel: husband-wife, siblings, daughter-father. What was its effect on the different characters and relationships?

Sheridan’s detour brings her to the realization that her marriage is not what she signed up for. She must choose whether or not to stay in it. At first it is a decision of her will: she will stay because that is what she promised and what she believes God wants her to do. At what point does her decision become heartfelt as well as intellectual?

Many marriages reach a similar point at some time: “My marriage is not what I signed up for.” How does this happen? Is it a normal “season” of marriage? What are some possible ways to get through such a season?

Sheridan wants what she has lost: her marriage as it once was and the work she found so meaningful. Discuss the balance between clinging to a dream and letting it go and trusting God with it. Have you faced a similar situation at some point in your life? How can we tell if our dreams have become more important to us than the God who inspired them?

What dreams do you have for the future?