Deborah K. Cronin was born in Western New York near Chautauqua Lake. Prior to retiring from pastoral ministry her writings included Christian books and articles published, most notably, by Abingdon Press,, Upper Room Ministries, and The Church of Ireland. Of these, Holy Ground: Celtic Christian Spirituality, is best known.

Since retirement Deborah has completed a first novel, Things Unseen, and a non-fiction local history, Kiantone: Chautauqua County’s Mystical Valley.

With The Heliotrope Narratives: Part I-Game Changers, Deborah returns to her greatest passion for ministry: the work of Christian evangelism.

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Question: Where did you get your inspiration for writing The Heliotrope Narratives?

Well, that’s a very long story, but I can tell you that I started with a small idea and then it rapidly grew. I wanted to write a short novella, approximately 150 pages, about a very old grandmother and grandfather raising a young granddaughter sharing their faith with the child.

Question: Did you model the characters after people you’ve known?

Yes. The grandmother is modeled after a very dear friend of mine, Edith, who I knew over a period of eight years until her death in 2011 at the age of 105.

Question: Did you say she lived until she was 105?

Yes. And she was sharp as a tack! She celebrated her 105^th birthday and died a few days later. Edith was a Christian, very clever, hard-working, intelligent, and had a mischievous side to her personality. The grandfather in the novel reflection of my mother’s maternal grandfather whom I never knew except by how she described him to me in great detail. The little girl in the novel is, well, a little girl, but the idea for her artistic talent came from a young girl I know who is a stunning pianist for her age and training.

Question: Did you say she lived until she was 105?

Yes. And she was sharp as a tack! She celebrated her 105^th birthday and died a few days later. Edith was a Christian, very clever, hard-working, intelligent, and had a mischievous side to her personality. The grandfather in the novel reflection of my mother’s maternal grandfather whom I never knew except by how she described him to me in great detail. The little girl in the novel is, well, a little girl, but the idea for her artistic talent came from a young girl I know who is a stunning pianist for her age and training.

Question: How is this book related to Christianity?

The Bible is the foundation of the entire novel. But the novel is about a people who do not have access to the complete scriptures. They have parts, but also compose stories that fit what they know of scripture.

Question: Is this book intended only for Christians?

Oh, no! It’s for everyone! I’ve been told by teachers that the reading level is middle school through adult. My hope is that it will be read by both adults and children, especially in family settings.

Question: Did you have the plot outlined before you began writing?

Not at all! It was the strangest thing. Every morning I’d turn on the computer, find the file, and then start typing.

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Check out Deborah, who now lives in Bloomington, Indiana, on Facebook, and Twitter.