Something good, p.31
Something Good,
p.31
Jehovah-Raah is mentioned during Trish’s prayer for something good. Jehovah-Raah means God is our Shepherd—our guide through all of life. Have you allowed God to lead you or have you, like Trish, been trying to handle everything on your own?
What did you think of the interactions between Trish and Dwayne? Was Trish too hard on him, or did you understand where she was coming from?
When tragedy strikes it can either bring a family closer together or tear them apart. When Dwayne realized his family was being torn apart, he made steps to right some of the wrongs. What did you think of Dwayne John Robinson?
Alexis was a complicated character because at first glance she seemed to have it all. The rich husband, two wonderful children, a beautiful home. But she also had a secret. Did you realize that her mother dealt with mental illness before she visited her in the nursing home? How did it make you feel when you realized that Vivian was being hidden away to protect the vision of the perfect life Michael wanted for his family?
I fell in love with the Alexis Marshall character because she dealt with more internal battles than anyone else. Alexis was loving and compassionate, but secrets and guilt weighed her down. What did you think of Alexis? Was she too much, or did you understand her and relate to the things that pulled her this way or that way?
Michael Marshall was a narcissistic character at times. I hated writing about him because he was all about himself and what he needed. But he loved his family. So, what did you think of Michael? Did he redeem himself in the end?
The North Carolina cardinal is a symbol of hope in the midst of sorrow, beauty in the midst of darkness. An old wives’ tale says that when a red cardinal is in your yard it is a visit from heaven. After learning of this tale, I now smile whenever I see a red cardinal in my yard (I’m not saying it’s true, but the story does bring me joy). What’s your take on this? Could God use a bird to bring hope to a hurting family?
Acknowledgments
I give all honor and praise to God for the gift of writing that He bestowed on me. He has never let me forget where this precious gift came from and that I was born to give Him glory through the written word. I love writing in this beautiful, inspirational women’s fiction genre, and I pray many, many, many readers continue reading the books that are written in this genre.
I have to give a special thank you to my husband, David Pierce, because while I was writing Something Good, he came running into our room one Saturday morning all excited because he had spotted a North Carolina red cardinal perched on our tree in the backyard. I did not grow up in North Carolina and have only lived here for about ten years. So I had no clue why this was such a special sighting. But Google is a friend of mine, so I looked it up. And that’s when I knew that God was trying to take the story of Something Good to a deeper level.
You see, the red cardinal is a symbol of beauty in darkness, hope in the midst of sorrow. There’s even an old wives’ tale that says when a red cardinal is in your yard, it is a visit from heaven. I knew immediately that the red cardinal would have to make an appearance in this story. So, thanks babe, your excitement about that bird truly helped to make Something Good something special indeed.
And to Natasha Kern, the best agent in this whole wide world, I just want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart. I had been away from traditional publishing for years, but the moment I told you I had more stories to tell and I wanted to find a publisher, you didn’t hesitate. I’m so thankful that you took me on as your client all those years ago and cared about me even when there was no client relationship. I love you to life, Natasha, and I thank God for you.
I also want to thank Jocelyn Bailey, Laura Wheeler, and everyone on the Thomas Nelson team who believes in Something Good as much as I do. I am so thankful to be working with wonderful people like you to help bring this book to life and on the shelves of bookstores.
All of my family and friends are so special to me; I love you all dearly even though you all are too numerous to name. So, I’ll take a shot at a few: My sister, Debra; my love-you-like sisters, Lala, Batina, Kim, Seana, and Rhonda. To my daughter, Erin; niece, Diamond; Tajiah, Dericka, and Kevona . . . I have many more family members but will list some in other books. Just know that you are all close to my heart.
To my grandkids, who have absolutely stolen my heart: Amarrea, Jarod, and Brielle. The best is yet to come for you all. Keep dreaming and trust God with your dreams.
Writing is such a solitary lifestyle. I sit in my office and plug away at the book in my head each day. But I have some awesome friends who also happen to write. They inspire me, and I have to acknowledge them here for all the encouragement they have provided while working on this project. First, to my critique partner, Michelle Lindo Rice—girl, you rock. You helped make Something Good a project I can be proud of. I am so, so grateful that you are my critique partner, even though you make me add more scenery when I don’t want to. LOL.
Vanessa R., Pat, Rhonda, Kenyatta, Angela, and Jacquelin, my CBLR sisterhood, you all are the best. I love hanging out with you and appreciate all the encouragement while I worked on this project.
And finally, I would like to thank the Me and My Sisters group for our monthly write-a-thons. I need those monthly meetings to encourage me to get back on track if I have allowed life to get in the way of my writing. So thank you all for being there.
Something Good is the book of my heart. I pray it uplifts you, puts a smile on your face, and even inspires you to believe that God has something good just for you.
If you or anyone you know is dealing with mental illness, please talk with your primary care doctor or go to MentalHealth.gov or call 1-877-726-4727.
Many Blessings,
Vanessa Miller
About the Author
Photo by David Pierce
Vanessa Miller is a bestselling author, with several books appearing on Essence Magazine’s Bestseller List. She has also been a Black Expressions Book Club Alternate pick and #1 on BCNN/BCBC Bestseller List. Vanessa has worked with numerous publishers: Urban Christian (Kensington), Kimani (Harlequin), Abingdon Press, and Whitaker House. Most of Vanessa’s published novels depict characters that are lost and in need of redemption. The books have received countless favorable reviews: “Heartwarming, drama-packed, and tender in just the right places” (Romantic Times Book Review) and “Recommended for readers of redemption stories” (Library Journal).
Visit her online at vanessamiller.com
Facebook: @AuthorVanessaMiller
Twitter: @Vanessamiller01
Instagram: @authorvanessamiller
Acclaim for Vanessa Miller
“With bright threads of faith, resilience, and finding a way forward where there seems to be no way, Vanessa Miller weaves together the lives of three women in a beautiful tapestry of redemption and hope, friendship and found family. A story that shows, even when we think we’ve bolted all the doors, something good can find a way in.”
—Lisa Wingate, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Before We Were Yours, on Something Good
“Vanessa Miller’s Something Good warms the heart with a vivacious tale of faith, redemption, and renewal. She masterly creates a sisterhood of unlikely friends who realize that there is something good, absolutely wonderful, in accepting people as they are and believing they can be better.”
—Vanessa Riley, bestselling author of Island Queen
“Something Good, by Vanessa Miller is a literary treat that captivated me from the first page. This story of three women drawn together by the unlikeliest of circumstances had me sitting back and realizing that no matter our backgrounds, no matter our struggles, when it’s for God’s purpose, we can come together. With characters that I could relate to and women who I wanted to win, I enjoyed Something Good from the beginning to the end.”
—Victoria Christopher Murray, New York Times bestselling author of The Personal Librarian
“Vanessa Miller’s thoughtful and anointed approach to crafting Something Good made for a beautiful page-turner full of depth and hope.”
—Rhonda McKnight, award-winning author of Unbreak My Heart
“Vanessa Miller’s latest novel is a relevant and heartwarming reminder that beauty for ashes is possible. This page-turning read inspires understanding, connection, and hope.”
—Stacy Hawkins Adams, bestselling author
“This real-to-life story doesn’t shy away from some hard issues of the modern world, but Miller is a master storyteller, who brings healing and redemption to her characters, and thus the reader, through the power of love and faith. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.”
—Rachel Hauck, New York Times bestselling author
“Something Good is much better than good. It's great! Vanessa Miller always delivers, and you know you will get unforgettable characters and a redemptive, heartwarming story that readers will find unputdownable. Get ready to laugh and to feel all the feels.”
—Michelle Lindo-Rice, Harlequin Special Edition author
“Vanesa Miller’s Something Good unveils the reality of living with guilt, shame, and the weight of unforgiveness through the lives of three women. This story will offer readers a beautiful perspective of redemptive healing and the measure of peace that comes with a forgiving heart.”
—Jacquelin Thomas, national bestselling author of the Jezebel series and Phoenix
Other Books by Vanessa Miller
Dream Come True
Once Upon A Dream
Forever
Family Business I
Family Business II
Family Business III
Family Business IV
Family Business V
Family Business VI
Our Love
For Your Love
Got To Be Love
Rain in the Promised Land
Sunshine And Rain
After the Rain
How Sweet The Sound
Heirs of Rebellion
Feels Like Heaven
The Best of All
Better for Us
Her Good Thing
Long Time Coming
A Promise of Forever Love
A Love for Tomorrow
Yesterday’s Promise
Forgotten
Forgiven
Forsaken
Rain for Christmas (Novella)
Through the Storm
Rain Storm
Latter Rain
Abundant Rain
Former Rain
Novellas
Love Isn’t Enough
A Mighty Love
The Blessed One (Blessed and Highly Favored series)
The Wild One (Blessed and Highly Favored series)
The Preacher’s Choice (Blessed and Highly Favored series)
The Politician’s Wife (Blessed and Highly Favored series)
The Playboy’s Redemption (Blessed and Highly Favored series)
Tears Fall at Night (Praise Him Anyhow series)
Joy Comes in the Morning (Praise Him Anyhow series)
A Forever Kind of Love (Praise Him Anyhow series)
Ramsey’s Praise (Praise Him Anyhow series)
Escape to Love (Praise Him Anyhow series)
Praise For Christmas (Praise Him Anyhow series)
His Love Walk (Praise Him Anyhow series)
Could This Be Love (Praise Him Anyhow series)
Song of Praise (Praise Him Anyhow series)
Copyright
Something Good
Copyright © 2022 Vanessa Miller
All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, scanning, or other—except for brief quotations in critical reviews or articles, without the prior written permission of the publisher.
Published in Nashville, Tennessee, by Thomas Nelson. Thomas Nelson is a registered trademark of HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Inc.
Thomas Nelson titles may be purchased in bulk for educational, business, fundraising, or sales promotional use. For information, please email SpecialMarkets@ThomasNelson.com.
Scripture quotations are taken from the King James Version. Public domain.
Publisher’s Note: This novel is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. All characters are fictional, and any similarity to people living or dead is purely coincidental.
Any third-party information (websites, blogs, phone numbers, etc.) in this book are offered as a resource. They are not intended in any way to be or imply an endorsement by HarperCollins Christian Publishing, nor does HarperCollins Christian Publishing vouch for the content of these sites for the life of this book.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Miller, Vanessa, author.
Title: Something good : a novel / Vanessa Miller.
Description: Nashville, Tennessee : Thomas Nelson, [2022] | Summary: "When three women find their lives inextricably linked after one terrible mistake, they must work together to make the most of their futures and the challenges before them"-- Provided by publisher.
Identifiers: LCCN 2021046105 (print) | LCCN 2021046106 (ebook) | ISBN 9780785256724 (trade paper) | ISBN 9780785256731 (ebook) | ISBN 9780785256816 (downloadable audio)
Subjects: BISAC: FICTION / African American & Black / Christian | FICTION / Family Life / Marriage & Divorce | LCGFT: Novels.
Classification: LCC PS3613.I5623 S58 2022 (print) | LCC PS3613.I5623 (ebook) | DDC 813/.6--dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2021046105
LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2021046106
Printed in the United States of America
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Vanessa Miller, Something Good
