Precedent was a difficult book to write. Bobbi spends most of the book in a very dark place emotionally and it drained me to be there with her. So why write a book that pours so much on my characters after they've been through such difficulties in the first two books?
The idea of exploring a "curse" on Chuck was too good to pass up. Questions like– Do our sins, and the judgment for them follow us? The consequences certainly do, but don't forgiveness and judgment have to be mutually exclusive? Are the sins of the fathers visited on the children in this age of grace?
I know people who seem to have disaster after disaster befall them. Plus, Bobbi and Chuck have to draw on some of the same lessons they've already learned, (and learned the hard way). Bobbi struggles to trust God again. Chuck has to grasp that he's been forgiven.
Things come in threes. Bobbi and Chuck go through three seasons of successively more intense testing and refinement. Jesus went through three major temptations during His time in the wilderness. If you've been around long enough, I'd guess you can point to three seasons of refinement in your own life.
Watch for some of the same themes from Contingency and Indemnity to weave themselves through Precedent, especially the ideas of trust and betrayal. (No, Chuck does NOT cheat again. EVER.)
Don't worry– there's a happy ending, maybe not neat and tidy, but close enough to a happily ever after.
Paula says
I’m, uh, kind of okay with you being impatient 🙂 I hope to have some preview chapters for you real soon! Thank you for your enthusiastic support, Bobbi!
Bobbi Kingery says
Hmmmm, this post did nothing to help me remain patient for the book to come out! 🙂 But, as usual, it made me more anxious to read it! Thanks for sharing your gift with us!