Also by this author: Midnight
Published by Lucas Lane Publishers on June 8, 2013
Genres: Non-Fiction, Biography
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Mac and Mary are in high school when they fall in love in the 70s. Knowing the disapproval and shame a teenage pregnancy will bring, they keep it a secret from their church and from most of their family and friends, and make the heartbreaking decision to give up their baby for adoption. Eventually they marry and begin their life together, but before long fun-loving Mac isn’t just a guy looking for a good time…he’s a meth addict.
God has a plan, however, and His timing is perfect. When Mac wakes up to the mess he’s made of their young family’s life, the couple seeks solace in their church and in recovery, beginning a miraculous journey that neither of them could have imagined.
A story about a family’s hurts and a father’s habits, transformed by God’s healing power.
I’ve been a Travis Thrasher fan for a long time and have followed him in and out of genres—horror, love story, novelization, adventure, suspense, whatever. He has a way of making stories come to life so that they seem real. So when I heard he was working with Mac and Mary Owen on a biography of their life, I was exceptionally curious how he’d handle a real life story. The answer, of course, is exceptionally.
Mac and Mary’s story begins in May of 1974 when they were in high school. Love is in the air and soon Mary’s good Christian sensibilities are rocked by Mac’s more hard-partying nature. It didn’t take long before the two succumbed to temptation and Mary found herself pregnant. She tried to hide it at first, but that could only last for so long. The two give up the baby for adoption, convinced they’re doing the right thing but still saddened by their loss.
Eventually they marry and begin to build a life together, but the fun-loving and hard-partying Mac has taken a dive off the deep end into drug addiction. Before long, he’s shooting up meth and mostly oblivious to the world around him. But life continues on, and the story is told from both Mac and Mary’s perspectives as they try to cope with life.
But God’s plans are wonderful. Mac decides to turn his life around and recovery begins right in their church, launching a miraculous journey neither of them could have expected. Mac, the former addict, becomes one calling others out of addiction. Soon, their influence grows beyond their church and they join with Celebrate Recovery to tell their story and spread their message.
There are things I won’t say about the book for fear of spoiling the story, but just let me say there are twists that no fiction author could have imagined. Their story is truly one written by a Grand Storyteller who lovingly called and knocked and pleaded until they finally answered. It’s more than a story about recovery from drug addiction, it’s also a story about turning evil into good, past sins into a future ministry, and the miraculous power of God to bring families back together. Make no mistake, you will be left in tears. Both tears of empathy through the pain and tears of joy through the recovery. Never Let Go is an absolutely amazing story written by an absolutely amazing Storyteller.
About Travis Thrasher
Bestselling author Travis Thrasher has written over 50 books, spanning genres in fiction, nonfiction and children’s literature. His inspirational stories have included collaborations with filmmakers, musicians, athletes, celebrities and pastors.
With the childhood goal of pursuing a writing career starting in third grade, Thrasher worked for 13 years at Tyndale House Publishers after graduating college. His experience working with as Author Relations Manager allowed him to understand the writing life as well as training him to work with a variety of personalities. This experience has proven to be invaluable with varied writing projects in the decade he’s been a full-time writer.
His novels are as diverse as the people he’s worked with, ranging from love stories to supernatural thrillers. Publishers Weekly said “Sara and Ethan are two of the most real and sensitive lovers to grace the genre” when reviewing his first novel, The Promise Remains. They also stated “Thrasher demonstrates a considerable talent for the horror genre” in a review for Isolation years later. His readers have enjoyed the unpredictability of his novels, whether it’s due to a unique style such as second person or a twist they never saw coming.
Thrasher’s storytelling ability has also allowed him to work with others on their books, from musicians like country musician Scotty McCreery and Journey keyboardist Jonathan Cain to the Robertsons of Duck Dynasty. He has also penned novels based on songs such as Paper Angels with Jimmy Wayne and novelizations for films including Do You Believe? and God’s Not Dead 2. Upcoming projects continue to expand his talents, with projects including The Black Auxiliary about the lives of the 17 American black athletes who competed in the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin, and Baby Don’t Hurt Me about comedian Chris Kattan’s life and time on Saturday Night Live.
Travis lives with his wife and three young daughters in the Grand Rapids, Michigan area.
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