Into the Fire

This tour is promoting the work of Sandra Glahn who teaches journalism, creative writing, and the role of women in ministry at Dallas Theological Seminary, her alma mater. That is taken right off the back cover of her latest release, the novel Informed Consent.

The story is about a brilliant doctor of infectious disease research, Jeremy Cramer, who is himself infected with guilt about the circumstances of his father’s death when he was a child and later the tragic death of his young son. Crippled by that gnawing emotion, it is also the driving force in his specific research endeavors which inadvertently lead him to an amazing discovery relating to victims of HIV/AIDS. The story captures the despicable aspects of hospital politics, the effects of guilt and blame in a marriage marred by losing a child, and the heroic efforts of a father willing to sacrifice everything in order to prevent losing another child. Contemporary dilemmas, social, moral, and ethical decisions and consequences are addressed in this often suspenseful drama.

Upon reading this book, the one thing I noticed about the telling of the story is that the writing is very clean and unpretentious—the kind of writing one might expect from a person who knows journalism. With some novels it can seem like the author is just trying too hard, but with Sandra’s writing all you really notice is the story propelling you forward to its startling final pages. Handling the technical aspects superbly without burying the reader while educating him, we learn right along with Dr. Cramer’s wife, Angie, and experience the personal differences in anguish of both her and her husband.

Informed Consent, published by David C. Cook, addresses Christianity through one character and leaves us to wonder if Dr. Cramer and his family will embrace God in their future lives.

The one thing I require from a novel which attempts an ambitious plot in a technical profession is authenticity. Sandra Glahn provides it along with a compelling story of imperfect and emotionally conflicted characters struggling through the pain life has thrown their way set in the field of medicine and research.

To learn more about Sandra and her work, visit her at Aspire2.com and her blog at aspire2.blogspot.com.

Father, you know what you have for Sandra now and in the future, how you are leading her forward to the next thing. I pray she would follow diligently and faithfully and receive your blessing all along the way. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.