I was minding my own business on a cold day in January, 2009. I had moved into a little pull-along trailer outside of the home we had abandoned because of our toxic mold situation, in order to get my work done. I could see my breath in the camper. I wore a hat to keep the heat in. My wife and most of the family were far away in Arizona as I closed up the shop in Colorado and prepared for . . . well, I didn't know what.

An email came in from Lost Creek, West Virginia. It was from a listener to a local station there that aired my daily radio program, Chris Fabry Live. She said she wouldn't be listening to me that day because the station was off the air. The owner/operator had died the night before.

Billy AllmanSometimes you find a great story. Sometimes you hunt for an idea and come up with gold. This time the story found me, and it was recorded on our program that afternoon when we called Carmeleta to talk about the life of Billy Allman. Billy's heart was to bring Christian radio to his little part of the world. Nobody gave him a medal. Not many in the world noticed his passing. His funeral was no doubt small. He lived an insignificant life.

That's what the world thought. But heaven knew otherwise.

Billy's story of sacrifice and struggle stayed with me. That night I told my wife, "I think I have my next story."

My prayer is that this fictionalized account of Billy Allman's life will encourage people who haven't had a break or have never felt the hand of God on their life. That it will help those who are discouraged by their circumstances and feel a lack of purpose and direction. That it will awaken in them a desire to dream again and have the faith to follow that God-given dream, whatever it is.


Listen to the segment of Chris Fabry Live that inspired the story of Almost Heaven.

What Readers Are Saying . . .

  • "I haven't read anything so riveting and unforgettable since Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers. Fabry has penned a remarkable love story, one that's filled with sacrifice, hope, and forgiveness!"

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  • "Fabry has a true gift for prose, and [Almost Heaven] is amazing. You'll most definitely want to move this to the top of your 'to buy' list."

    ROMANTIC TIMES, 4½-Star Top Pick Review

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  • "Engrossing and entertaining . . . [an] unforgettable tale."

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  • "An evocative novel . . . Fabry weaves the events of the past and present into a finely layered story exploring the relationships of faith, forgiveness and family in the midst of healing from pain buried deep in the past."

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  • "In this suspense-filled drama, Fabry covers hot topics involving illegal immigration policies, drug running between borders, and the cost of being involved with the mob. . . . Readers will be immersed in the lives of Maria and J. D."

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  • "Great Christian novels are more than a story, they leave the reader pondering the state of his or her own heart. Not in the Heart demonstrates God's power to transform the seemingly untransformable."

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  • "A tender coming-of-age story of first love, innocence lost, and the soul-freeing power of truth."

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  • "A mesmerizing tale . . . [Almost Heaven] will surprise readers in the best possible way; plot twists unfold and unexpected character transformations occur throughout this tender story."

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  • "[The Promise of Jesse Woods] is a well-crafted novel with sympathetic characters, gently woven themes, and evocative descriptions."

    Sharon Garlough Brown, author of the Sensible Shoes series

  • "This riveting, no-punches-pulled coming-of-age tale is reminiscent of Richard Bachman's (Stephen King) short story 'The Body,' which was made into the movie Stand by Me."

    BOOKLIST on The Promise of Jesse Woods