Paper Angels
A Novel
with: Travis Thrasher
Kevin Morrell is a forty-three-year-old husband and father who runs a successful design and marketing firm that's crashed into the suffering economy. Attempting to navigate the busyness of the mall at Christmas, Kevin is humbled when he stumbles across the Salvation Army's Angel Tree Project. His wife insists that he take a paper ornament.
The name on the ornament is Thomas Brandt, a fifteen-year-old still reeling from the implosion of his family—from years of verbal abuse from an alcoholic father to a mother who finally left him behind, only to find herself and her children penniless and struggling. The only thing has allowed Lynn to survive is her faith. Thomas shares that faith, but he also wonders why God has seemingly abandoned them.
This is the story about a man and a boy one December. A man whose life is changed by a simple expression of kindness, and a boy who takes that expression of kindness and shows the true meaning of Christmas.
The name on the ornament is Thomas Brandt, a fifteen-year-old still reeling from the implosion of his family—from years of verbal abuse from an alcoholic father to a mother who finally left him behind, only to find herself and her children penniless and struggling. The only thing has allowed Lynn to survive is her faith. Thomas shares that faith, but he also wonders why God has seemingly abandoned them.
This is the story about a man and a boy one December. A man whose life is changed by a simple expression of kindness, and a boy who takes that expression of kindness and shows the true meaning of Christmas.
Choose a format:
Buy from us:
- Howard Books |
- 304 pages |
- ISBN 9781451606195 |
- November 2011
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Praise
Read an Excerpt
Preface
When his mom decided it was time for them to leave and leave for good, Thomas knew they better get far away or he’d come and find them. The good thing or the bad thing, depending on how one looked at it, was that it was Christmas day and food was still cooking in the kitchen. Just another Christmas, with Mom sweating in a tiny room over a tiny stove, Thomas and Sara dreaming of the iPods or gaming equipment they could be enjoying, and Dad watching college basketball on his flat-screen television and drinking with a vengeance. This was the worst time they could possibly ever leave, and that was...
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Book Reviews
Reading Group Guide
This reading group guide for Paper Angels includes a Q&A with author Jimmy Wayne. We hope that this conversation will enrich your conversation and increase your enjoyment of the book.
A Conversation with Jimmy Wayne
You have enjoyed success as a country musician and philanthropist. What inspired you to write a novel?
I wanted to write a book about paper angels, because I was a recipient of the angel tree program when I was a kid. I wanted to pay it forward and also raise awareness of how important it is that every child be taken care of during Christmas. Hopefully this book will inspire people to go a step further and continue helping these kids not only during Christmas but year-round
Could you describe your unique upbringing for some of the readers who may not be familiar with your background?
I spent the majority of my childhood in and out of foster care. My experiences parallel and/or pale in the light of so many people who grew up the same way. I receive those experiences as gifts. I'm thankful I can use those experiences to help others.
When the idea for Paper Angels first came to you, what writers and books did you turn to for guidance? How was your experience working with Travis Thrasher?
When Paper Angels came to me I didn't necessarily turn to any other books for reference or inspiration. I relied completely on my personal experience and my see more
A Conversation with Jimmy Wayne
You have enjoyed success as a country musician and philanthropist. What inspired you to write a novel?
I wanted to write a book about paper angels, because I was a recipient of the angel tree program when I was a kid. I wanted to pay it forward and also raise awareness of how important it is that every child be taken care of during Christmas. Hopefully this book will inspire people to go a step further and continue helping these kids not only during Christmas but year-round
Could you describe your unique upbringing for some of the readers who may not be familiar with your background?
I spent the majority of my childhood in and out of foster care. My experiences parallel and/or pale in the light of so many people who grew up the same way. I receive those experiences as gifts. I'm thankful I can use those experiences to help others.
When the idea for Paper Angels first came to you, what writers and books did you turn to for guidance? How was your experience working with Travis Thrasher?
When Paper Angels came to me I didn't necessarily turn to any other books for reference or inspiration. I relied completely on my personal experience and my see more
Video
PAPER ANGELS BY JIMMY WAYNE
Billboard Top Ten charted country music artist Jimmy Wayne writes a novel inspired by being a recipient of the Salvation Army's Angel Tree program.
PAPER ANGELS BY JIMMY WAYNE
