A Thousand Sleepless Nights by Michael King

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing A Thousand Sleepless Nights Realms (October 16, 2012) by Michael King

When Mike Dellosso won a one-year battle with colon cancer he set out to help readers of his books discover it before they had to go through what he experienced.

“I want others to avoid what I had to go through,” he says. “It was an experience that taught me a lot about myself, others, and God, but one I wouldn’t want to repeat. If I can help even one person battling this disease, it would have been worth it.”

Mike set about writing a novel quite different from what his fan base had come to expect from him. Not a thriller, but a character-driven novel, so he wrote it under a pen name, Michael King, and entitled it A Thousand Sleepless Nights. His publisher, Charisma Media, went for it and the first copies went on sale in October.

Mike’s next step was to determine whether a partnership between him, Charisma Media, and the Colon Cancer Alliance was possible. This month both announced their cooperative fundraising venture, with Charisma Media making a significant contribution to CCA and Mike committing a portion of the proceeds from the book through December to CCA.

Speaking about A Thousand Sleepless Nights Mike says, “I want people to see colon cancer (and all the other cancers) for the monster it is, but also to show it does not need to defeat us. There is hope, there is strength, and there is courage and love. And though cancer may rob us of our physical vitality, it has no power over our spirit.”

In the 1970s, escaping a home where he knew nothing but violence and hate, Jim Harding found work, and love, on the largest horse ranch in Virginia. The object of his affections, Nena St. Claire, is the daughter of the owner—a man who ruled his ranch with an iron fist and would do whatever it took to keep Nena and Jim apart.

Against the wishes of her family, Nena marries Jim, and after her father dies, she sacrifices everything—including her family—to keep the ranch alive. Now their three grown children have lives of their own and want nothing to do with Nena. She was never the mother they needed.

When cancer strikes and Nena is given a devastating diagnosis, can Jim reconcile the family before it is too late?

If you would like to read the first chapter of A Thousand Sleepless Nights, go HERE.

Heidi Says . . . First of all, I somehow managed to read through this whole book and never once realized that Michael King, the author, was Mike Dellosso!  I had chatted with Mike in the past because we are both from PA and had some things in common – though his books probably weren’t one of them!

I loved A Thousand Sleepless Nights.  My best friend died from ovarian cancer – another cancer that, in my humble opinion, doesn’t get nearly enough attention.  I’m thrilled that this book was written and that cancer was portrayed for the very ugly monster that it is.  It isn’t pretty.  It isn’t predictable.  It chooses no favorites. 

The mix of past and present throughout the book was great.  While getting to know this family as they were today, we were also learning about their beginnings as a couple, etc.  I found that interesting, and something you often don’t get when reading a book. 

And Nena’s desire to make things right with her kids – also very believable.  When faced with death, we all have mistakes we look back on and wish we could change. 

Great job, Mike.  I’ll be anxiously awaiting his next novel!