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Hi! I'm David Harlen Brooks

David's Fiction and Inspirational Newsletter -- March 2026

Published 5 months ago • 3 min read

Hello, reading friends!

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Thank you for your patience with the upcoming release of Behold, All Things Are Become New. I received feedback from an editor and am now writing an author's note and study questions for small groups and book clubs. Then I will work on the layout.
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If you haven’t already, you can get a sneak peek of the modified opening paragraphs to the story here.

What I'm Working On

I've mentioned the novel I'm working on before, And Grace Will Lead Me Home. In a sentence:

What if protecting your future meant exposing your darkest secret? A high school valedictorian set for success carries a secret that will sabotage his dreams unless he admits the truth.

This is the opening of a story I showed to an editor, an agent, and a critique session during the American Christian Fiction Writers conference held in Springfield, Missouri last year.

I've modified it based on feedback, added two scenes, and I’m working on a third:

  1. Tyler receives his acceptance letter from Georgetown University, about which his parents have mixed emotions. (For Tyler, it's his ticket out of town to escape painful memories that haunting him—memories his parents aren't fully aware of).
  2. Tyler runs into Mr. and Mrs. Covey at church—the parents of Backwards Betsy, who drowned during a game of Truth or Consequences eight years before. They don't know of Tyler's involvement and see him as a hero for trying to rescue their daughter. Having reconciled after the stress of her death that led to their divorce, they are now starting a grief counseling support group at the church.
  3. Tyler receives a CPR certificate at a downtown restaurant, where he learns he will serve as the restaurant's liaison for a fundraiser benefiting a halfway house for ex-prisoners. The manager chose him because she has her own fears from the past. But Tyler also remembers that he put a man in jail because of a lie he told after Betsy's drowning—adding to his internal turmoil.

Inspirational

  • I'm researching magazines where I can submit a Christmas story. This is the time of year when they are usually planning their Christmas edition.
  • I'm rewriting a devotional message I shared in a REACH Board of Trustees meeting—the organization I've worked for for nearly thirty-four years as a communications specialist—into an article titled "Stay in Your Lane": a look at Colossians 2 and how not to get sidetracked in our walk with God.

What I’m Reading

Chris Fabry is one of my favorite writers, known for his heartwarming characters and intriguing plots. He is an award-winning author and radio personality who hosts the daily program, Chris Fabry Live on Moody Radio. Jerry Jenkins, of the Left Behind series, mentored him early in his writing journey. I'm currently reading his novel, June Bug. Here is a description from Amazon:

“I believed everything my daddy told me until I walked into Wal-Mart and saw my picture on a little poster . . .” For as long as she can remember, June Bug and her father have traveled the back roads of the country in their beat-up RV, spending many nights parked at Wal-Mart. One morning, as she walks past the greeter at the front of the store, her eyes are drawn to the pictures of missing children, where she is shocked to see herself. This discovery begins a quest for the truth about her father, the mother he rarely speaks about, and ultimately herself. But when her father’s past catches up with them, forces beyond his control draw them back to Dogwood, West Virginia, down a winding path that will change their lives forever.

I hate putting down one of Fabry's books. I'm just glad he has plenty of other stories to read.

For Prayer

If you pray, please join me in the following:

  • Pray that I can apply the writing lessons I'm learning.
  • Pray for consistent time to read and write—and for the wisdom to divide time between fiction and inspirational writing.
  • Pray for continued healing of my peripheral neuropathy in my legs, feet, and chin (slow but surely).
  • Pray that God is honored in everything I write.

Contact Me

I'd love to hear from you. You can email me at: broks.d.h@gmail.com (just one "o" instead of two).

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If you enjoy this newsletter and know someone else who might like it, please feel free to pass it along. It helps an indie writer like me to reach more people who enjoy transformative fiction and inspirational reflections.

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​That's it for now. Thank you for a moment of your time.

David Harlen Brooks

Previous Posts

​God Forgives Us—And That Changes Everything—God's forgiveness is complete and transforming, moving us to forgive others.

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​Forgiveness Isn’t For Them, It’s For You—Discover how forgiveness brings freedom and healing—not for the offender, but for you.

​The Light of God—How God’s light, first spoken into a dark world, still brings clarity, hope, and transformation today through Christ.

​Out of the Mire—Psalm 40:1-3 reflects David’s trust in God deliverance and inspires others to recognize His glory.

​Mary Vs. The Taylor Swifts—You don't have to be famous to make an impact. God chooses faithful and available people.

​Goals: Hits and Misses in 2024—Two stories finished, one that didn't cross the finish line.

​God's Love Is...

​AI Takes on My Writing and My Top 3 Movies​

​Trust Your Heavenly Father—What I Learned About Trust in PE Class.

​Clay Pots—Common with Uncommon Results—God's surprising advertising strategy.

Hi! I'm David Harlen Brooks

Find hope in a broken world and discover captivating characters and unforgettable journeys through character-fueled fiction, book reviews, and inspirational posts.

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