Wander or Not: A Guest Post By Author R.F. Whong

This month, I am thrilled to introduce you to another of my fellow Brave Authors, Ruth “R. F.” Whong. Earlier this year, I enjoyed her book Prestige of Hearts. It was a sweet story that was not without depth and kept me turning the pages. My first read in the Asian Fiction genre.

For those who love Asian culture or enjoy venturing somewhere new when they read, this is an opportunity to journey to Hong Kong through the lives of two young adults, American-born Grace Feng and Kevin Cheung, the atheist son of the butler in the fabulous home she has been invited to stay in. And who is this mysterious Mr. Lam, who has opened his home to her, anyway?

As a Brave Author, Ruth is not afraid to use her books to tackle topics like church hurt, abortion, human trafficking, sexual assault and living as a minority. Though some sensitive readers may find things in her books that are disturbing, Ruth feels a conviction to be honest where honesty is necessary.

Without further ado, I invite Ruth to share a little bit of her story, from pastoral couple to published authors of a variety of types of literature:

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, we retired. After serving as a pastor couple at three different churches from 1987 to 2020, our initial plan as retirees was to engage in short- or mid-term mission work. However, the pandemic thwarted our aspirations. We spent a year seeking God’s guidance with this fervent prayer, “Lord, even as retirees, we still want to contribute to Your kingdom.” God presented us with a surprising answer: “Why don’t you write articles?”

But how? We knew nothing about creative writing. At the same time, the idea seemed feasible. Pastor Ken, having spent over three decades as a pastor, was well-versed in writing sermons. Meanwhile, I had an extensive background as a science writer, with over 120 publications to my credit.

After conducting thorough research, we finally established two websites, one in English (www.ruthforchrist.com) and the other in Chinese (www.moreandnow.com). Our articles encompass a diverse range of subjects, including career/finance, health, hobbies, relationships, spiritual reflections, and travel. Within two years, our subscriber base surpassed 2000. In response to requests from friends, I compiled subjects regarding health and finances and published a booklet titled, “Are Your Health and Finances Linked? A Christian Entrepreneur’s Quest.”

As a follow-up to that book, we collected topics related to our travel (or home) experiences into a booklet, Wander or Not: A Retired Couple’s Quest. We delved into the joys and challenges of exploring new places and cultures. As our testament to the richness and diversity of life after retirement, we touched on themes of faith, personal growth, and the profound impact of human connections.

Besides writing blog articles, I’ve completed a few fiction books. To my delight, one of my books, Blazing China, received a new tag (“100+ bought or read in the past month”) from Amazon on 5/18/2024. This book previously soared to Amazon’s #1 New Release in Asian Lit in 8/2023.

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For Fans of Amy Tan and Francine Rivers, Blazing China takes you on an extraordinary journey of a family, facing adversity and persecution with unyielding courage.

Live or believe? God or survival?

Ordinary Christians. Extraordinary circumstances. Beliefs under siege outside and conflicts within. Where do these women stand?

Leesan wants to produce heirs to carry on the Lee family name and manage their enormous estates. When she delivers identical twin girls, Ann-Ann and May-May, just before the Cultural Revolution in China, she cannot imagine how much their world is about to change. Now, with her husband dead, their land forfeited to the government, and their lives in jeopardy, Leesan, her mother-in-law, Su-Ann, and her daughters must surrender all that’s left of the past, even as they struggle to hold on to their Christian faith.

As the persecution intensifies, Red Guards murder those caught attending their home church, and the survivors are scattered in different directions. From Beijing to Inner Mongolia, from Hong Kong to California, hardship and the clash between ideologies challenge their faith, love, and loyalty.

Should they choose survival over God?

Note: Although the author follows the “less is more” principle, readers sensitive to sexual situations may find this book unsuitable, as it contains scenes intended to portray characters’ attitudes towards sexual morality.

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Author bio:

Dr. Wuwong (PhD in biochemistry, MBA in finance) has published 120+ scientific books and papers (under her legal name) and a few Christian fiction books (Love at the Garden Tomb, The Way We Forgive, Blazing China, and Detour to Agape, under R. F. Whong). She lives in the Midwest with her husband, a retired pastor. They served together at three churches from 1987 to 2020. Her grown son works in a nearby city.

She currently runs a small biotech company (www.vidasym.com) and has raised more than twenty million US dollars during the past few years for Vidasym.

In addition to her weekly newsletter and the platform (www.ruthforchrist.com), she’s active in several writers’ groups, including ACFW, Word Weavers, Facebook, and Goodreads. Through these connections, she plans newsletter/promotion swaps with others and has writers endorse her books, write forewords, and host her on guest blogs.

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Its been so great getting to know authors like Ruth. If you are an aspiring writer, or have been writing for a while, what groups are you involved in? Or if you are a reader, to you have favorite “go-to” sources to find new books that you’re sure to love?

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