What Readers are saying about
Henry Ripplinger’s
First Three Books in The Angelic Letters Series,
Pewter Angels
Another Angel of Love
Angel of Thanksgiving
“… The best books I have ever read. Absolutely wonderful stories and so much to learn from each one. I literally could not put the books down.”Marjorie
“… I just finished reading ‘Angel of Thanksgiving’ It was amazing!! What an inspiring, thought provoking, spiritual and emotional roller coaster!! I loved it!! I laughed, cried and had to think really long and hard at some of the situations in this book! I just can’t get enough and can hardly wait for Book 4 to come out!!”Catrina
“… I just wanted to thank you for writing such an inspirational book. I was glued to this book and it was full of life lessons. It is quite refreshing to read a book devoted to God. You truly have God given talent. Thanks.” Jennie
“…It is so inspiring to read books that can be enjoyed by all ages. I am not a religious person, but am truly touched by the references to scripture in the books.”Paula
“… I am anxiously awaiting Book 4 –Love, love, love your books. I hope the series continues forever as I can’t get enough of them.” Joanne
“…Oh, I(we)can’t wait much longer...we all want Book 4,The Angelic Occurrence. Could you let me know when it will be available, hopefully soon, I need it! I’ve started book 1 again,and will go on to 2&3. They are the BEST, great author! God Bless You,”Rachelle
“… I don’t think words could ever express what your books and your words have done for my life. So thank you from the bottom of my heart.” Angela
“… I loved all three; where I got my 82 yr old Grandmother to read them and another friend of mine to read them. . I and the others are wondering when book 4 will be out. We are all so impatiently waiting:) “Cheryl
”… I just read 3 books in your angel series and it is one of my favorite books of all time. I am passing them on to many of my friends and they feel the same. Thanks so much for all your inspirational words in those books.”Chris
“…I lived with your characters…I loved your characters…..I was at the weddings…I was at the funerals….I cried.. and I laughed…it was all so good. I feel so RELATED to these families. It was such a pleasure to have met you.”Dorothy
“…I have read literally hundreds of books in my lifetime and none have kept me hanging on every word as your series. I could not put them down and when I did I picked them up again within a few minutes.”Angela
”… I have finished reading Pewter Angels and have just started Another Angel of Love. I have to tell you that your writing has added such a joy and peace to my life. ….You and your words are truly God sent. You will never know how these books have impacted my life and inspired me to be a better wife, mother, and person. Thank You from the bottom of my heart.”Jennifer
“… I absolutely loved the book 3!! Life just rolled off the pages and I was so taken into their lives and cannot wait to see where we all go next. I have drawn strength, faith and renewed my belief in my guardian angels….. So again Thank you Henry . I love the roller coaster of life, faith and emotions your storytelling takes me on and I eagerly await the next book.”Elaine
“… The Angel of Thanksgiving was by far my favorite, I could not put it down. The plot was amazing, I loved how you connected the characters in the end. ….. Your very inspirational, and I just love how your books come from your heart, and change the lives of every one who reads them! I can’t wait to see where this story goes, I’m trying to predict it!Neely
“… My grandma is in love with your books... We gave book one to her for her birthday and she read it in like 4 days, then we bought her book 2 for mothers day and she read it in 4 days as well... We saw you there and we bought book 3 from you....She finished the book in 5 days this time.... when book 4 will be out...?”Ashley
“… Thank You for the beautiful books, They are truly inspiration and I hope to share them all with my bible study group in the fall. May God bless you.”Linda
“…I have just finished reading your third book in the Angelic Letters series and would like to tell you that I have never read another book that has moved me as much as your has. I think that every man, woman and child should read your books then maybe this world would be a better place.”Elly
“… I have read all three of your books. They are absolutely fabulous! They capture your mind as well as your heart. I am an avid reader of a lot of different types of books but I have never been captivated by any series as much as I have with the Angelic Letters Series.”Debbie
Oh, how I enjoy these books!!!!! There’s no words to describe how much I’ve enjoyed book 1-2-3. I have read each one twice now and absolutely will read them again! Just can’t get enough of them!! Also tell my friends and they buy them too. Could you tell me when book 4 “The Angelic Occurrence” is available? In my 68 years they are the BEST!!!!!!! God Bless You!”Rachelle
I have never enjoyed reading a book (s) like this, I just can’t get enough.Please let me know when the next one comes out,”Michelle
“… WOW, all I can say is WOW.... my 2 granddaughters and I met you in Costco about a week ago. I have finished the 3 books we purchased that day. My oldest grand- daughter is on book 2. We are totally blown away. My youngest granddaughter is nearly done with book 1. You are an extremely talented author. I can hardly wait for book 4. Absolutely love the series.”Annette
“… There are 3 generations of our family waiting for the next book. Can you give us some idea when we can expect it to be available?”Norma
Please write to Henry at: [email protected] or visit www.henryripplinger.com for more information about Henry’s work and art. Or join the conversation on Facebook at www.facebook.com/henryripplinger or on Twitter @HenryRipplinger We would love to hear from you!
The
Angelic
Occurrence
Also by Henry K. Ripplinger
The Angelic Letters Series
Book One….Pewter Angels
Book Two….Another Angel of Love
Book Three....Angel of Thanksgiving
Other works
If You’re Not From the Prairie…
(Story by David Bouchard, Images by Henry K. Ripplinger)
Coming soon from Pio-Seelos Books:
Book Five of The Angelic Letters Series
Angel Promises
Fulfilled
The Angelic Letters Series,
Book Four
The
Angelic
Occurrence
1986 -1988
Henry K. Ripplinger
Best Selling Author of Pewter Angels
Copyright ©2013 Henry K. Ripplinger.
All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior written consent of the publisher or a licence from The Canadian Copyright Licensing Agency (Access Copyright). For an Access Copyright licence, visit www.accesscopyright.ca or call toll free 1-800-893-5777.
The Angelic Occurrence is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, business establishments or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication
Ripplinger, Henry
Th
e Angelic Occurrence / Henry K. Ripplinger.
(The Angelic Letters ; bk. 4)
Includes bibliographical references.
Issued also in electronic and audio formats.
ISBN 978-0-9917102-4-9 (ebook)
I. Title. II. Series: Ripplinger, Henry. Angelic Letters series ; bk. 4.
PS8585.I565A835 2013 C813’.6 C2013-900844-6
TRUE LOVE (from High Society)
Words and Music by COLE PORTER
© 1956 (Renewed) CHAPPELL & CO., INC.
All Rights Reserved
Used by permission of ALFRED PUBLISHING CO., INC.
Author photo: Bruce Vasselin, Designer Photo
Cover concept and design by Henry K. Ripplinger
Cover production by Brian Danchuk Design
Page layout by Human Powered Design
Pio-Seelos Books
Ph: (306) 731-3087, Fax: (306) 731-3852.
E-mail: [email protected]
Printed and bound in Canada by Friesens Printers
April 2013
This novel is dedicated to my children
Kenneth, Tracy, Jody and Jason
and
their families!
Acknowledgements
Thank you, Joan for your support, friendship and love. Thank you for proof-reading, assisting with the editing and being a sounding board. Thank you, for being you!
Proof-reading is critical to an author. The importance of fresh eyes scanning a lengthy manuscript to catch errors in spelling and punctuation cannot be over-estimated! Thanks, Tracy for once again finding the time to read the novel and your helpful suggestions. And thank you too, Darlene for proof-reading the book as well! Much appreciated!
To my daughter, Jody, it’s amazing how you found time to assist with the editing of the first part of the book and reading through the manuscript while at the same time tending to three young children and also beginning your graduate studies full time. Thank you for your suggestions!
To Gail Jansen-Kesslar, thank you for editing, proof-reading and your helpful suggestions and for always being there for me! It was a pleasure working with you on this book.
Once again to all of the above, my heartfelt thanks for making my writing the best it can be!
With each passing year and the release of another book, it becomes clearer not only to me, but to the readers as well, that I may have held the pen but it was led and guided by the Holy Spirit and my guardian angel. I thank God for this wonderful miracle in my life.
Preface
Wow, what a journey writing the Angelic Letters has been so far! I never would have believed that at this point in my life I would be starting a new career. I thought my life-long dream to write a self-help book or any novel for that matter was over. How wrong I was!
Seven years have elapsed since I first put pen to paper. It seems like only yesterday that I was sitting in the sun-room of our farm in the early morning hours of June 2005 when, all of a sudden, it came to me like a lightning bolt, that the unbelievable experience I had five years earlier had its origin in a love story involving guardian angels and miracles.
My initial purpose was to write a book about this extraordinary experience which I now call The Angelic Occurrence. However, within a matter of weeks the book began to take on a life of its own. The characters came alive and I followed them and their lives; we talked and laughed and cried together. They took me in directions that I never would have thought of on my own. They led and I followed.
After several months I began to realize what was happening. Through the lives of the characters in the book, I was writing a self-development book that I had aspired to write when I was in my thirties as a high school guidance counsellor. I was amazed by the revelation that life lessons and insights are far better absorbed intellectually, spiritually, and emotionally when revealed through a story than listing a series of do’s and don’ts. By writing it in a story format, readers would be able to identify with the decisions that characters made and witness themselves, the consequences of their actions. Countless e-mails from readers since, have told me how the lives of the characters seemed to have intertwined with their own and how helpful and inspirational these books have been for them.
The story line couldn’t have been made up of a more perfect combination. On the one hand we have a tender-hearted epic love saga that has blossomed into an intriguing plot, captivating the hearts and minds of so many readers. But on the other hand, we have the real essence of the story which are the life lessons revealed to us by the characters. Especially, Mr. Engelmann, an endearing and wise mentor who is living out the word of God. He has not only become a special person in Henry’s life but in the reader’s lives as well.
Very early on I realized that the story was a gift from God. I am still amazed by the effortlessness with which the story emerged and continues to do so. The chapters, their order and all the key elements seem to be guided. Thoughts seem to come out of nowhere, and everywhere, all at once. Countless times I wake up in the wee hours of the morning thinking about the story and a different plot, or some event happening to one of the characters. When this happens, I immediately get up and write it down lest it be gone from my memory by morning. Frequently I will write 8-12 pages and then go back to sleep. When I read it in the morning I am amazed at what I wrote and how it changes the story. Similarly, at times, after a long day of writing I shake my head over what I wrote. It goes way beyond just the creative gift and talent that the Lord gives to each and
everyone one of us. I may be holding the pen, but it is led by my guardian angel and the Holy Spirit. Often times, I am like one of the readers waiting for the story to unfold, who can’t wait to see what comes next!
In the Lord’s perfect timing He not only answered a long held dream and prayer of mine to write a novel, but He waited until I was ready and had drawn closer to Him. I would never have been able to write a story of such epic proportions at a younger age. And while much of the story contains my own life experiences and the challenges that I have either personally gone through or have had the opportunity to witness others going through, the rest is the creative imagination the Lord has gifted me with.
As I look back on what has transpired, I am amazed that it took three books to finally write about the experience that initially motivated me to write in the first place! At the time, it was clear that the experience or angelic occurrence was the main story and what would appeal to readers, and yet the story resulted in a series that has been overwhelmingly responded to by readers. The social media responses, the quantities that have been sold, the medals the books have won, all testify to the large appeal of the books in the series thus far. I would never have imagined that when I wrote the first sentence that I was about to begin such an epic journey. But then this is something I have learned over the years that if we step out in faith and act on a dream or a compulsion amazing things happen in our lives. Things like this that go beyond the abilities and gifts the Lord gives us; its faith building because we know its God at work in our lives.
When I tell people that I was guided to write this story, many don’t understand what I mean, One example was the idea of Jenny being raped and conceiving a baby. This idea came after I had finished writing the first draft of book one, Pewter Angels. As I began to read it over and came to the part where Henry and Jenny were walking home after the movie and were confronted by several boys, it came to me in a flash that the boys returned a second time and took Jenny to the park where she was raped. I knew such a change would literally take months to rework and weave into the entire story but I realized too, how much richer the story would be and create so many twists and turns and new possibilities! I immediately set about to incorporate this major new happening into the existing plot.
The consequences of this change become obvious; the conflict it sets up for Jenny to give her baby up for ad
option and how she longs to reconnect with her daughter. It keeps Jenny and Henry connected through the series in a special way and also introduces a powerful way to bring Camilla into the story by meeting Henry’s son! In the final books yet to come, still further effects from this one change will become evident. This is just one example of an insight that comes along and takes the story ahead in a far stronger direction and has profound effects upon all the characters in ways we could never have imagined.
I believe that our own actions can have a similar ripple effect and touch so many people’s lives in ways we may never know, too. Seeing this come to life in the Angelic Letters Series may give us pause to reflect that our every thought, word and deed has consequences not only in our earthly lives but also our eternal lives as well. Accompanying such awareness changes us. We live with greater purpose and meaning because we know that everything we do matters. It is my personal believe that acts of love such as kindness, forgiveness, patience, compassion…last forever.
I realize it’s difficult for a reader not to have full closure in a novel. But I assure you the length of time between books is really a godsend. These times in between are when the story has strengthened and become much deeper, richer, and more powerful. Further, this time in between has allowed me to mature as a writer and improved my ability to express more clearly the purpose that the Lord had in mind when this all first began back in 2000. He wanted me to remind everyone of His words, and how they are not just words in a book, but “living” instructions as to how we should lead our lives, and “living” words of hope and healing for those who need it.
What I want you to know, dear reader, is that my connection to you through these books has been a treasure from God for me. I know that my life has been the richer for this experience. Not only have the Angelic Letters fulfilled a life-long dream to write, but they’ve also fulfilled a life-long dream and passion I’ve had to help others find meaning, direction and purpose in their lives. Not by me, but through me, as God works towards a far greater purpose than me or my story.
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