ABOUT THE AUTHOR - NED RANDLE

Ned Randle resides in Southern Illinois, across the Mississippi River from St. Louis, where he writes fiction and poetry. He studied writing at Washington University, Webster University and Southwestern Illinois College. His novel Baxter’s Friends, a work of literary fiction by Coffeetown Press is available for order on Amazon.com.

ABOUT THE BOOK - THE ST. MICHAEL POKER & DRINKING CLUB (Regal House Press)

When Father Thomas Abernathy’s loneliness is compounded by the loss of a beloved pet, he conceives an idea for a social club for clergymen where they can play cards, have a few drinks, and socialize. He brings together a wellborn Methodist minister, a dogmatic Lutheran pastor, and an enigmatic, evangelical preacher. Father Tom soon finds the Lutheran pastor, Rev. Theo Swindberg assuming a preternatural place in his life. The man is nervous and doleful, and to learn what makes him tick, Father Tom attends a service at the Lutheran Church, where he falls under the spell of the pastor’s wife, Naomi. When Naomi is diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer, Swindberg calls upon Father Tom to pray over her healing, a request which could be a career-ending departure from Father Tom’s church’s tenets. Father Tom struggles with his feelings for Naomi, and when he reluctantly agrees to Swindberg’s request, he also finds himself struggling with his faith. In the end it is faith, hope, and love that renews them all.