Award-winning author Cynthia Ruchti releases a new novel hemmed in hope.


No separation of distance is beyond the reach of love
Award-winning author Cynthia Ruchti releases a new novel hemmed in hope.

Every married couple has tensions they need to work through, but can a relationship survive hundreds of miles and endless yards of razor wire? The tenacity of God’s love and His longing to redeem broken people and their relationships are principles at the core of award-winning author Cynthia Ruchti’s new novel, As Waters Gone By (Abingdon Press/May 5, 2015/ISBN: 978-1426787270/$14.99).

Ruchti found the inspiration for her latest release in Job 11:16: “You will forget your trouble and remember it only as waters gone by.” The characters in As Waters Gone By are desperate to see their relational difficulties flow into the forgotten past. Emmalyn and Max Ross will have to endure the fight of their lives in order to mend the tattered fabric of their marriage. Max’s actions have landed him in prison and all but ensured Emmalyn will never be a mother. His five-year prison sentence gives their relationship a court-mandated time-out, leading Emmalyn to wonder if their relationship has met an inevitable end or if love can find a way past the barricades. Her heart filled with questions, she initiates a self-imposed exile to the beautiful but remote Madeline Island, one of the Apostle Islands of Lake Superior in Wisconsin.

Nudged by the exuberant owner of the Wild Iris Inn and CafĂ©, a circle of misfit people in their small village and a young, lonely girl, Emmalyn begins to restore an island cottage. As it slowly becomes a home, she feels her heart being restored. Yet even as hope begins to find a place within the cottage, Emmalyn still wonders if she’s ready for Max’s release. With just a few months left of her husband’s prison sentence, she has to figure out if and how they can ever be a couple again. She may be able to rebuild a cottage, but can Emmalyn rebuild a marriage?

Ruchti admits the story came from her own observations of couples with similar challenges. “My family has been plunged into some of the chapters in As Waters Gone By. My brother-in-law is currently incarcerated several states away,” she explains. “I’m watching my sister react to the situation with such grace, and the remarkable strengthening of their marriage and their faith despite the situation. Through this novel’s characters—whose story is much different than my family—I want to communicate the grace I’ve witnessed that can transform a long distance relationship from unraveled to hemmed in hope.”

Beyond its beautiful prose and deeply written characters, As Waters Gone By also captures the beauty of Madeline Island.  Ruchti and her husband vacationed there in the past and dream about owning a getaway cabin on its quiet coast. She says while she is excited to bring the island to the page, her ultimate hope is that readers find in As Waters Gone By a new understanding that no separation of distance and no depth of disappointment is ever too great for the redemptive power of God’s love.


Advance Praise

“Ruchti is one of the most beautiful writers in the market. Her newest novel, As Waters Gone By, is a mesmerizing and lovely tale of second chances and love that survives in spite of trials. Highly recommended!”
~ Colleen Coble, author of Seagrass Pier and the Hope Beach series

“Please. Read this book. It is deeply moving and profoundly important, especially in these days when our collective understanding of justice has gone awry. As the mother of an incarcerated son, I wept, laughed and nodded vigorously as I related to both Emmalyn and Cora with their evolving and complicated thoughts and feelings.”
~ Sue Badeau, author of Are We There Yet: The Ultimate Road Trip Adopting & Raising 22 Kidsspeaker and board member of Justice for Families

“Cynthia is adept at crafting tender stories of quiet hope. She includes just enough jagged-edged characters to make us see ourselves between the pages and opt for courage in our own lives. Her stories will stir your emotions and settle your heart by the time you turn the last page.”
~ Robin Jones Gunn, best-selling novelist and author of Victim of Grace


About the Author

Cynthia Ruchti tells stories hemmed in Hope through her novels, novellas, nonfiction books and devotionals, drawing from 33 years of on-air radio ministry. Ruchti has 15 books in print and has received numerous awards and nominations, including the RT Reviewers’ Choice, ForeWord Reviews Book of the Year nominations, two Selah Awards, Christian Retailing’s BEST and ACFW’s Carol Award, among other honors.

Ruchti’s articles have appeared in a number of publications and online resources, including Leadership Journal, Today’s Christian Woman and Charisma.

One of Ruchti’s greatest joys is helping other writers grow in their craft. To that end, she serves as co-director and a faculty member of the Green Lake Christian Writers Conference, has served as worship and devotions staff for the Write-to-Publish conference and teaches at other conferences like the Blue Ridge Christian Writers’ Conference as opportunities arise. She also serves as the professional relations liaison for American Christian Fiction Writers.

Ruchti speaks frequently for women’s groups and serves on her church’s worship team and Creative Arts team. She and her plot-tweaking husband live in the heart of Wisconsin, not far from their three children and five grandchildren.


To keep up with Cynthia Ruchti, visit www.cynthiaruchti.com. You can also become a fan on Facebook (CynthiaRuchtiReaderPage) or follow her on Twitter (@cynthiaruchti). 

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