About the Book

Book: The Persistent Road

Author: Tim Bishop

Genre: Contemporary Christian Fiction/outdoor adventure

Release Date: June 20, 2023

After losing all he once cherished, Doug Zimmer follows his wife’s parting bread crumbs and rides up the Pacific coast—on a bicycle. Armed with a revolver and only a vague plan to get through the months ahead, he aims to end his depression one way or the other.

As spiritual forces wrangle for his soul, he pedals eastward across America. He meets Lauren Baumgartner—a younger adventurer with a vibrant spirit—and a band of zealots who confront his aversion to religion. Accompanying Doug are not only sunny days and the beauty of nature but also the perils of the road, fellow travelers with their own stories, and the hollow silence of solitary campsites playing host to unseen creatures of the night.

A jarring episode on a climb through a treacherous pass brings Doug face-to-face with life and death. Will Doug’s adventure deliver him from loneliness and lament . . . or hurtle him to an abrupt end?

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About the Author

After a thirty-year career in business, TIM BISHOPleft his corporate treasurer position, married his dream girl, and embarked with her to parts unknown—on bicycles. Ten thousand miles later, the first-time newlyweds have written four books about their cycling adventures. Their devotional, Wheels of Wisdom, won four first-place book awards. Publishers Weekly dubbed it “a road map for life.”

Tim volunteers as a coach for a ministry that reaches people who are dealing with challenging life issues. He has written numerous articles for various Christian content providers and has been a part of three church plants. These faith experiences have given him an evangelist’s heart to reach people in creative ways.

A graduate of the University of Maine, a CPA, and a three-time Maine chess champion, Tim and his wife, Debbie, live in Middle Tennessee. Connect with him at TimBishopWrites.comor follow @TimBishopWrites on social media.

More from Tim

After three decades chained to a desk in corporate business, I didn’t expect to land here. But now, I’m an author with a debut novel! The road I traveled has been as circuitous as the ones my wife, Debbie, and I bicycled to cross America on our honeymoon. The author part makes sense: I exited corporate life with writing as a primary interest and at least one business book inside me. I also have a passion to share my faith. But a novel? From someone who hadn’t read them since high school?

I’ve since addressed my reading deficiency, but I would like to share with you how The Persistent Road came about.

Shortly after marrying in 2010, I joined Debbie as a hope coach to young people struggling with life. Our third bicycle odyssey, which we embarked on in 2014, was a fundraiser for the organization we volunteered for as coaches. No shortage of financial need there, and few people knew about the hidden gem of a service. Thus, TheHopeLine Tour came to be. We bicycled to our hearts’ content, blogged daily, and pitched our cause.

On day thirteen, things took an intense turn. A man in Richland, Oregon, spilled out his anger upon entering a restaurant. A religious sect at a campground the night before had cornered him with their preaching. We left that restaurant aghast. What had happened in the man’s life to make him so belligerent to matters of faith? The following day, we met him trying to pedal his heavy recumbent bicycle out of – all places – Hells Canyon.

We arrived home two months and three thousand miles later with a bevy of stories brimming with “God moments.” They breathed life into what would become Wheels of Wisdom. Yet that angry man’s screaming echoed in my mind. His unwitting cries for help became lesson 36 in our seeker’s devotional. I called it simply “Hells Canyon.”

My curiosity still wasn’t satisfied. What had happened to make this man react the way he did? And what became of him as he journeyed the perilous roads across America? The Persistent Road answers those questions!

I’ve since landed at another coaching service that welcomes all comers regardless of age. What I’ve learned as a coach and a long-distance traveler by bicycle saturates the pages of my novel. It’s just another example of God’s mysterious ways, of how He uses whatever He pours into us when we ride with Him.

MY REVIEW

If you are looking for a book that will encourage you, guide you toward Jesus and give you a new look at life, this is the one to get. The beginning sets the stage for a journey that takes readers through different states and lessons along the way. After Doug lost his wife to cancer he sets off on a bike ride that takes him far away from home. I enjoyed the little notes his wife left for him to open as he made each destination she mapped out to him.

Doug has lost everything and you can feel his bitterness at the world. What he thinks is a trip that his wife wanted him to find peace and joy became so much more. The breathtaking scenery is beautiful to read about as well as the trials he endured. I felt like I was beside him on my own bike as we rounded curves and took cover against a rain storm. Doug met interesting people along the way and found that faith was nearby each encounter.

He isn’t much on religion when he starts his trip but slowly he begins to open his heart to hear God’s Word. There are some sensitive subjects in the book that could be triggers for some, so be aware as you read the book. Along the way, I started to see wisdom coming through for my own life as I followed Doug. Being bitter gets you nowhere but more miserable. Forgiveness is a choice. When we choose to forgive, we open the door for our hearts to soften. Life is full of challenges and what we do when we face them will either guide us toward God or away from His protection. I won’t share the ending of the book because each reader needs to experience it for themselves.

“Life is a precious gift but a fragile one. Celebrate the joy of living while you can and help others do the same. We never know when that gift will be taken away from us.”

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.