Elaine Marie Cooper Interview by Carrie Fancett Pagels

Elaine Marie Cooper

Elaine Marie Cooper is the author of her new release, Fields of the Fatherless, as well as the Deer Run Saga: The Road to Deer Run, The Promise of Deer Run and The Legacy of Deer Run.

Elaine, welcome to Overcoming With God.  We appreciate your willingness to share your testimony of overcoming with our readers. 

Would you tell us about the most difficult thing in your life you have had to overcome, with God’s help? 

This has been a very difficult time with the passing of my Mom last month. Although she was elderly, it happened fairly quickly and I’m still trying to recover as I distribute family memorabilia to the relatives.

As difficult as this is, however, nothing can compare to my only daughter being diagnosed with a brain tumor in January of 2002. Our lives (Bethany, my husband, our two sons) were turned upside down with the realization that this was terminal. My daughter might not see her 25^th Birthday. (She was 23 at the time) Who ever thinks their child will die? I’m sure it’s a fear that lays hidden deep in every parent’s soul but I had never allowed that possibility to ever take form in my conscious thoughts.

Yet now we faced the unthinkable: A cancerous brain tumor. Along with the many months of treatments and hospitalizations—and eventually hospice—I shared nearly every moment that I could with Bethany. Looking back, the time was a blend of exhaustion, grief, terror and anger. My Christian friends were the best support to me and I gleaned spiritual sustenance from Praise and Worship music. Those songs were a constant on our CD player.

Prior to Bethany’s diagnosis, I had already made morning devotions a priority in my life. Although I was “too busy” to keep up with this habit, I MADE time to spend with the Lord each day, reading His Word, pouring out my wrenching prayer requests. If I didn’t stop to hold His hand each morning in prayer, how would I have the strength to endure?

Bethany was with us for one year and nine months after her diagnosis. She did not reach her 25^th Birthday.

Life never returns to “normal.” As the grief counselor told me, your life takes on “The New Normal.” So I returned to work as a school nurse, and held back my tears all day. But after I got in my car to drive home each day, the floodgates would open and I would cry for most of the drive home. One day I was especially angry and brutally honest with God. “This is TOO HARD!” I shouted out loud to Him.

I felt his gentle presence and heard a very quiet, inaudible voice in my spirit: “My Grace is sufficient for you.”

It startled me. And it helped to heal my anger. I knew that He was right—His grace truly is sufficient for each day. And while I cannot bear the burden of grief on my own, He is more than willing to help me carry it. If I only ask Him.Four years to the day after Bethany died came another inaudible voice: I was to write a book. Thus began my new writing journey.

It will be ten years ago this October that Bethany went home to be with the Lord. I am currently working on the manuscript for a memoir of my daughter and our journey together during her last days here on earth. It is tentatively entitled, Bethany’s Calendar.

Disability friendliness: Is this latest release available in audio format or do you have any other works available on audio?  Do your e-books have audio capability? Do you have any in large print?

I wish that my books were available in this format but, unfortunately, they are not. Hopefully in the future.

Fields of the Fatherless by Elaine Marie Cooper

In this latest work, do you have any topics useful for bibliotherapy, or therapeutic influence through reading about a disorder or situation?

My books all have running themes of forgiveness and recovering from pain. Some of the steps in my own healing process weave like a thread of healing through each novel.


CFP: Elaine, I have really enjoyed getting to know you better through the Colonial American Christian Writers group and the Colonial Quills blog. I am so sorry you had to go through this loss of your daughter and our condolences on the recent loss of your mother.

Giveaways: This week, Elaine will be giving away one each of the Deer Run Saga to three recipients (from the reviews coming up.) This is limited to within the USA winners and includes The Road to Deer Run, The Promise of Deer Run and The Legacy of Deer Run.  Overcoming With God will also be giving away a copy of winner’s choice of Elaine’s books in ebook format (open to international winners.)