Journey to the Sunset
What promise will guide you when all else is lost?
After the scattering at Babel, ten-year-old Shana must leave behind everything she has ever known. With trembling faith, her family sets out toward the western horizon, following only the voice of Yahweh Elohim and the promise of His presence.
The wilderness is unforgiving as mountains loom, rivers threaten, and seasons test their endurance. Yet as Shana grows, her heart learns what her feet already know: that the path of obedience is not marked by certainty, but by trust in the One who leads.
Through hardship and wonder, sorrow and discovery, Shana’s faith is forged in fire. And when her journey intertwines with that of a young man walking his own sacred road, their lives begin to weave together softly and unexpectedly, like a melody long waiting to be sung.
For readers who love biblical retellings, Journey to the Sunset offers a vivid story of faith, language, survival, and love in an ancient and untamed world. At its heart lies a timeless question: when everything familiar is scattered, what promise will you hold on to?
An excerpt from Chapter One: THE WHISPERING HILLS
“The morning mist still clung to the hills like a soft blanket as Shana stepped outside, barefoot and quiet. The earth was cool under
her feet, and a chorus of birdsong echoed from the trees that ringed their little village. Sheep were baahing from somewhere behind the house, and she could already hear Eldad laughing with one of the neighbor boys.
She didn’t join him yet. Instead, she climbed the short path to the hill behind their home, where wild thyme grew between the rocks and the sky always seemed bigger. From there, she could see across the low plains and catch a faint glimpse of the far-off tower—not the structure itself, but the strange shimmer in the sky above it, a haze that danced like heat above a fire.
Shana didn’t know why, but she had started watching that shimmer every morning. She’d ask her father questions he couldn’t quite answer, and her mother would brush her hair and say, “Best not to think too hard about what men build when they think they’re greater than Elohim.”
But Shana did think about it. She wondered what it would be like to stand where the sky touched the stone, or to speak with someone who had seen the top. She didn’t want to build towers. She just wanted to understand the feeling inside her that there was something more beyond the hill, the plain, the loom, and the daily bread.
She drew her knees up and rested her chin on them.
Maybe it was enough to sit and wonder.”
Lessons from writing
One of the items I had to keep in mind constantly was the idea of anachronisms for the story. I would write, “His boots crunched through the snow.” Wait a minute, I have to check on what people were wearing on their feet at this time in history – Oh, sagebrush sandals, or their feet wrapped in fur.
My story has developed one step at a time through many difficulties as my characters go on their journey. One of the major difficulties was a severe car accident, where I was in the hospital for almost 2 months. Other difficulties have occurred, but God has been faithful through them all.
The writing process has been a continual learning experience. First, disciplining oneself to write. The call went out from an unknown person in the Hope writers’ group – Would anyone want to meet by Zoom from 5:00 am to 7:00 am for one morning a week? I decided I can do that. Some of my most productive writing has been done at that time that was committed.
Second, learning technology. All of the factors involved in writing a book! It isn’t writing on a yellow legal pad anymore! Third, working with people who can encourage and guide you. An author cannot do it on their own.
One of the first assignments my publisher gave me was to figure out who I wrote for – They call this the XYZ statement – I help active, retired women who are discouraged with their accomplishments to embrace this season of life with excitement, by following God’s nudges to see small, wonderful things happen.
I believe a book every writer should read is Ben-Hur. This book was first on the best seller list for forty years, only being replaced by Gone with the Wind.
About Glynae:
Glynae Loy Deschene writes stories of faith that bring Scripture to life for modern readers. Her debut novel, Journey to the Sunset, reflects her belief in God’s promises and His guiding hand through every journey. She treasures tea parties with family, has cheered through years of dance recitals and now sports events for her grandchildren, and delights in music and band activities. Glynae and her husband also enjoy community events with their llamas. She makes her home in Minnesota.
connect:
Website: glynaedeschene.com
Instagram: @glynaeldeschene
Facebook: Glynae Deschene - Author
Pre-order Journey to the Sunset HERE