About the Book
Book: The Least of These
Author: Kathleen Neely
Genre: Christian Urban fiction
Release date: 2019
Journalist Scott Harrington sets out to write a documentary on the lives of three homeless men. He hopes to win a prestigious award and his father’s respect. In the process, he uncovers stories of heartbreak, trauma, and rejection, causing him to revisit his own tragic past and the guilty secret that he holds.
Claire Bassett has been searching for her husband who went missing a year ago. The attentions of another man cause her to question if she should continue to search or move on with her life. As Scott and Claire’s stories overlap, will there be restoration or rejection?
Click here to get your copy!
Growing up, I always felt I fell short of my parents’ expectations compared to my older sister. So as I began reading this book, I appreciated Scott’s point of view. Pete, an older gentleman who provides guidance for Scott as he works to gain information for the story he wants to write, caught my attention.
Maybe because the author spent time i Greenville, SC and Pittsburgh, PA – places I am familiar with having spent time near both through the years, I wanted to read this book.
Claire and her children’s story of a missing husband and father drew me in to the story more. When the two stories intersected, I felt the author created a story that represented what life truly might be like under these circumstances. So check out this story for yourself.
I received a complimentary copy of this book, but this in no way influenced my review. All opinions are my own.
About the Author
Kathleen Neely is the author of The Street Singer, Beauty for Ashes, and The Least of These. Her fourth novel, True North, will be released in July, 2021. She is a former elementary teacher. Following her years in the classroom, she moved into administration, serving as an elementary principal at Eden Christian Academy in Pittsburgh, PA and at Shannon Forest Christian School in Greenville, SC. Kathleen is an alumnus of Slippery Rock University in Pennsylvania and Regent University in Virginia.
Among her writing accomplishments, Kathleen won second place in a short story contest through ACFW-VA for her short story “The Missing Piece” and an honorable mention for her story “The Dance”. Both were published in a Christmas anthology. Her novel, The Least of These, was awarded first place in the 2015 Fresh Voices contest through Almost an Author. She has numerous devotions published through Christian Devotions. She continues to speak to students about writing. Kathleen is a member of Association of Christian Fiction Writers.
She resides in Greenville, SC with her husband, two cats, and one dog. She enjoys time with family, visiting her two grandsons, traveling, and reading.
More from Kathleen
I’ve always been an avid reader, but began writing at a period in my life when I didn’t have time to commit. While raising three sons, I also worked full time as a teacher, then later as an elementary principal. That left little time for writing. I’d plug away at my manuscript then neglect it for months. Those months became years. Every now and then, I would pull it out, re-read it, then add a little to it.
When nearing retirement, a local ministry hosted Michael Yankoski as a keynote speaker. It prompted me to read his true story titled Under the Overpass, an account of his intentional decision to live among the homeless to share their story. This so closely mirrored my fictional account of journalist Scott Harrington. I found myself inspired to pull out the abandoned manuscript and get serious. I joined a writing group, attended conferences, and met with two other writers weekly to critique and be critiqued. That manuscript, The Least of These, went on to win first place in the fiction category of a contest titled Fresh Voices.
Scott, the protagonist in The Least of These, has a complex personality. He has defied the path that his father planned for him, yet remains burdened by his father’s disappointment. He lives in the shadow of his deceased brother and carries a secret that weighs heavily on his conscience. If he could win a Pulitzer or another top journalism award, perhaps he’d earn his father’s respect. But his altruistic nature sidelines his goal. The homeless men he intends to write about become real people with real needs. Little did he know that their circumstances would brush up against his own guilt.
Here’s a brief excerpt of a scene between Scott and Stella:
“Scott. Look at me.” She touched my hands to move them from my face. “Look at me. You were fifteen years old. You were a child—a child placed in a terrible situation. You’d lost the intimacy with your brother, the only person you’d ever had a relationship with. You had a domineering father and an absent mother. Don’t carry this burden of guilt. It’s not yours. Put it where it belongs. Your brother made bad choices. Your parents didn’t parent well. A fifteen-year-old kid can’t be expected to handle the gravity of that situation.”
That’s a smidgeon of what’s ahead in the pages of The Least of These. I invite you to join me in the journey. Meet Claire, a wife whose husband has gone missing. Tyler, whose mother abandoned him; and Stella, a successful bistro owner whose unrequited love begins losing hope.
Happy reading!
Blog Stops
Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, February 2
Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, February 3
Artistic Nobody, February 4 (Guest Review from Joni Truex)
Texas Book-aholic, February 5
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, February 6
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, February 7
Locks, Hooks and Books, February 8
Inklings and notions, February 9
SusanK. Beatty, Author, February 10 (Author Interview)
Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, February 10
For Him and My Family, February 11
deb’s Book Review, February 12
Rebecca Tews, February 13
Sara Jane Jacobs, February 13
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, February 14
CarpeDiem, February 15
Giveaway
To celebrate her tour, Kathleen is giving away the grand prize of a copy of the book!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.
https://promosimple.com/ps/10690/the-least-of-these-celebration-tour-giveaway
Police Chief Jo Oliver needed a little time to herself. But when her escape to Wisconsin turns deadly, she teams up with FBI agent Nick Vitarello, hoping to catch the Bow Tie Killer. Their romantic past and complicated present leads them into uncharted territory as they match wits with a psychopath bent on destroying everything they hold dear.
Catherine Finger loves to dream, write, and tell stories. Retired from a wonderful career in public education, she celebrates the ability to choose how to spend her time in a new way during the second half of life. So far, she chooses to write books, ride horses, serve others, and generally find her way into and out of trouble both on the road and at home. She lives in the Midwest with a warm and wonderful combination of family and friends.
The world is blind…then one boy is born with sight.
W. A. Fulkerson is the author of ten books, including Writing With Purpose: A Step-By-Step Guide to Producing Your Best Book. He works in film as a screenwriter, having written the award-winning documentary Save My Seoul with Jubilee Media. He teaches regularly at San Diego Writers, Ink in Point Loma, CA. Fulkerson is a voracious reader across genres, but J. R. R. Tolkien, C. S. Lewis, Isaac Asimov, Michael Crichton, T. H. White, Pablo Neruda, and John Donne are particular favorites. In his free time, he enjoys coaching wrestling, training in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, and studying languages. He lives in San Diego with his wife and son.
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy 
You must be logged in to post a comment.