Everything
that is done in the world is done by hope.
~
Martin Luther
When
it is dark enough, you can see the stars.
~
Charles A. Beard
When
Cindy Cline-Flores and her husband Joe Flores first
approached us about Always Hope in 2003, we
were excited. Cindy's desire was to compile a book of
true stories about people who had faced — and
against all odds had overcome — some of life's
most brutal trials. She already had a small
collection of stories from people who had suffered
catastrophic illnesses, near-fatal accidents,
debilitating physical handicaps or overwhelming
emotional and spiritual crises, and had emerged from
these difficulties with renewed strength. She and Joe
had conducted preliminary interviews, had produced
rough drafts of a few of the stories, and had even
lined up a professional photographer, Alisa Murray,
to provide photos of some of the subjects.
We
were impressed by Cindy's sense of purpose as well as
the heart behind this project. We have known her for
many years, and her desire to create a book that will
make a difference in other people's lives is entirely
consistent with her altruistic nature. Her own
experiences and those of other people in her life had
helped Cindy realize that of all the nutrients for
the human spirit, hope is the most essential to
survival. And what better source of hope is there
than the real-life experiences of those who have
survived, and have been made stronger, by the most
hopeless of circumstances?
Over
the next couple of years, as their busy lives
permitted, Cindy and Joe continued to work on Always
Hope, conducting many more interviews,
soliciting first-person accounts from some subjects,
securing permissions and copyrights, shooting video
footage (Joe and Cindy own a successful multimedia
production company), and coordinating photo shoots with their
photographer, Ms. Murray.
The
result is a well-rounded collection of moving stories
featuring extraordinary people of all ages who
refused to let the terrible (and sometimes
terrifying) events in their lives destroy their
spirit. Among these people are a young boy who
survived a near-fatal shark attack on the Texas Gulf
Coast...a young man, rendered quadriplegic by a
college football accident, who went on to complete
his education and bring about remarkable changes in
the way the world relates to the physically
handicapped...a little girl who survived a rare
disease against astounding odds, thanks to bone
marrow received from her father, a renowned football
coach...a young woman who was in a near-fatal
motorcycle accident, with injuries so severe nearly
everyone was convinced she would never be able to
bear a child — yet at the time she wrote the
story, she was seven months pregnant with her baby
girl. There are many more stories such as these, and
all are supplemented by remarkable photographs. Each
story was chosen for one reason: because it
illustrates the book's underlying message — as
summarized in its title — that no matter how
grim the circumstances may be, there is always
hope.
During
the process of creating this book, Cindy and Joe
hired us to help with editing and writing some of the
stories, as well as to provide cover and interior
design, and production assistance, for a special
promotional edition of Always Hope. Cindy's
late sister, actress and model Marion Charles, had
been a friend of famed writer Ray Bradbury, and,
because this book was to be dedicated to Marion, Mr.
Bradbury graciously agreed to write a special
foreword to the book.
The
limited promotional edition of Always Hope
was completed in October of 2005, and is currently
being shopped to publishers. We are excited about the
prospects for this work, for we sincerely believe
that it will indeed touch many lives, in keeping with
Cindy and Joe's own deepest hopes. Always Hope
is a beautiful gift to Cindy's late sister, and to
all of us who have ever faced darkness and despair in
our own lives. Schmidt Kaye & Company is very
proud to be involved with this project.
Click here to read Cindy's
introduction, which explains the story behind Always
Hope.
For
more information, send an email to Cindy
Cline-Flores.
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