“The Shepherd’s Song: A Story of Second Chances” is by Betsy Duffey and Laurie Myers, @WritingSisters.  It is published by @HodderFaith and on sale in the UK from 13th March 2014.

The shepherd in question is King David, who wrote one of the best-loved passages in the Bible, Psalm 23.  The words of the psalm were written in a bygone age, but this is a book with a contemporary message.  Below the title on the front cover are the following two lines:

One piece of paper
Twelve lives changed forever

Although it is a work of fiction, it is based on truth – the truth that the words of the Bible are powerful.  The twelve main characters are as different from each other as possible.  A different part of the psalm is particularly meaningful to each of them.  The stories are well-crafted and drew me in.  More than once I found my eyes filling up as I read.  For me the story of the farmer in the olive grove in Italy was the most moving.

By the time World Book Day arrived, I had been transported to many different countries and been caught up in the lives of the characters in this book.  I hope you will read this book and make your own journey.  It is a book for the head and the heart.