This is my 4th book. I am not a book-churner, and I develop my stories over time and write the actual book a year or years later. I always know how they will end before I start writing. To date, I have written 3 Fiction books and 1 non-fiction book. Of course, my Non-Fiction title is about inventions: “Invent Your Future.”

It took me more years to write this book, “Not of this World,” than any I have written. I had finished Part 1 and took a break, and wrote another book in between, “Limo Phil.” I had a lot of trepidation about writing the ending of this one. When you finish reading this book, you will see how it ends, and to me, that became my biggest challenge: writing that last chapter. I didn’t know if I was worthy or if I could write it within the boundaries of the subject matter without crossing the line. I prayed a lot about it, and over time, it practically wrote itself.

Fortunately, I had some help in the form of inspiration from an unexpected source. I had been interested in the premise of this book ever since I read about it in Paul Israel’s Thomas Edison Biography, “A Life of Invention.” Israel refers to the two magazine articles where Edison was interviewed in 1920 by both The American Magazine and Scientific American, where Thomas Edison is quoted discussing an apparatus that allows for communication with spirits from the afterlife. Other than those two articles, no documentation, notes, or evidence exists verifying that Edison ever worked on or even built such a device. Some theorize that he may actually have built it, and it remained top-secret; therefore, not a shred of validation will ever be found.

I immediately knew that topic would be the subject matter for my next book. I even borrowed the Biblical reference for my title, “Not of this World.” During the early stages, after I had written Book I of this trilogy, I found myself at a religious gathering where several churches got together for community outreach. They each provided fellowship, literature, and refreshments. I busied myself perusing the exhibits, and while doing so, a friend who had attended with me called me over. He said, “Patrick, come over here, you’ve got to see this.”

He handed me a pamphlet with the words, “Not of this World,” at the top. I said, “That’s great, I’m writing a book right now with that exact title.”

He said, “Look at it closely; it’s you.”

I looked closer and, amazingly, the man in the graphics looked, not kind of like, exactly like me.

I took that as a sign and possibly Divine Providence. My apprehension about the ending and my ability to write that last chapter subsided with that wonderfully timed revelation. I knew I was destined to write this book, and I knew that I would write it as a message of hope and inspiration to all who read it.

Faith is a funny thing. It is mysterious, wonderful, and beyond our own comprehension. That’s okay; it is supposed to be that way. Belief without proof is the epitome of faith, and the answers that live within you are a reflection of your own spirituality. I hope this book brings you closer to your own faith, as it has mine…