I have to say this past decade has been a whirlwind journey since I first published Beyond the Horizon: A Memoir January of 2015.

2025 was not only declared the Jubilee of Hope by the late Pope Francis, but just three months before I was working through writer's block and resistance, confused about the direction I should take with my double length book.

I was a member of a Christian Writer's Group that met over Zoom every Monday morning. The title of the group was Momentum, yes designed to propel us forward not backwards.

Through a couple of sessions of brainstorming, the Odyssey of Hope series was born. I decided to split the book into two parts and market it as a series.

Even though Rising Beyond Hope covers much the same ground as Beyond the Horizon, it is infinitely better. Its better because over the course of three years I pounded the story into shape, eliminating some of my "babies" off, those stories that are important for family history, but fail to keep the focus on the main theme of hope.

Its also better because at the end of each chapter is a set of reflections and takeaways for the reader - ideal for personal journaling, book study clubs, and grief support groups.

Also, there were key important stories I skipped over the first time through.

But most importantly, I discovered my Catholic voice with a book intended for a Christian audience. As a cradle Catholic all my life, I struggled with practicing the faith. Like many cradle Catholics I went through the motions, not totally grasping the true meaning of the cross and God's mercy.

I had a Road to Damascus encounter which Christ at the age of 21 following a motorcycle accident in 1976 and sort of a burning bush experience, two years later in Japan after completing the rough draft of a "crappy" novel.

Stephen King was the author the stirred me deeply, wanting to write stories like that - not the horror, but the capturing the imperfections of the human condition, making you care for the characters.

I learned journalism in college, but I was self taught in writing fiction. I cut my teeth on writing a novel entitled The Golden Key. The angel Zeke was born as I graduated from college in 1982.

Over the months the storyline of that novel grew and I was halfway through the rough draft not certain where the story was going, when 1984 hit, the year my mother was diagnosed with terminal colon cancer.

I was so stunned by the direction of my fantasy novel that I really had a bad case of writer's block that year. I had other responsibilities on my plate.

And January 1985, 40 years ago, I finished the rough draft of The Golden Key in a flurry of inspiration.

That was the easy part, eventually after multiple rejection letters, the manuscript found its way to the bottom of a drawer, not to be discovered until 10 years ago after I published Beyond the Horizon.

I edited the and published the book in 2016 with artwork that didn't quite fit my new branding.

However, along the way toward getting Rising Beyond Hope ready to publish, I paused a bit to publish A Quest for Freedom: A Golden Key Novel.

I'm excited to also release Rising Beyond Hope: A Memoir of Grief, Loss, and Hope March 3rd and right behind it I plan to release Book Two of the Odyssey of Hope, Chronicles of Hope, A Memoir of Survival, Perseverance, and Redemption.

That book includes my bladder/prostate cancer journey. I am a 15 year cancer survivor and I don't take that blessing lightly.

I definitely have many angels on my shoulder as I have entered my seventh decade where God has given me my very own Exodus journey.

Somehow, after roaming 40 years in the desert and learning all I can from life's adventures, challenges, and blessings, God has given me a signal grace and the tools to launch the Odyssey of Hope series in 2026.

God bless.

www.marvinwilmes.com