I had been wondering what we were doing in the desert, why we were living in the land of cactus and rattlesnakes. Standing in the kitchen doing dishes, the hot water running, the heat of the evening descending, I had a thought.

What would happen if a cowboy in Tucson came upon an illegal in the desert. And instead of turning her over to the authorities, he helped her. And what if he fell in love with her.

I had the basis for Borders of the Heart before I dried the silverware. Not bad for an evening of work. My wife suggested I could get a new idea every night that way. She's funny like that.

The book comes out of our move to Tucson a few years ago. We were transplanted here in the midst of a Cowboy Church and farmers' markets open year round. Organic farms that use WWOOFers. So I tweaked the story to use a transplant, not a real cowboy, but someone who had come here to learn. Someone in pain.

Then I added a few current events, like a presidential campaign that swings through Tucson. And the border battle between those who want to control the drug trade. And the failed Fast and Furious program.

But the real story here is J. D. and Maria. What happens to them in the middle of Tucson and on the outskirts (they make it as far as Benson) will hopefully keep you turning pages to discover what happens.

I think it's my most thrilling story to date and will hopefully satisfy those who like romance, adventure, and intrigue.

What Readers Are Saying . . .

  • "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."

    — TITLETRAKK.COM

  • "[In this] soul-searching novel of faith, friendship, and promises, Chris Fabry invigorates the small-town lives of three teens in 1970s West Virginia with his exquisite, lyrical writing. . . . A literary delight . . . this novel is worthy of a standing ovation."

    — SHELF AWARENESS on The Promise of Jesse Woods

  • "The skillfully woven plot twists, intermingled with humor, angst and questions of faith, make Every Waking Moment a true page-turner."

    — HOMECOMING MAGAZINE

  • "An involving novel with enough plot twists and dramatic tension to keep readers turning the pages."

    — BOOKLIST on June Bug

  • "Dogwood will captivate you from cover to cover."

    — READERVIEWS.COM

  • "Fabry has included so much meaningful spiritual content that it is difficult to remain unchanged after reading this book. . . . A fantastic story of the meaning and power of prayer."

    — ROMANTIC TIMES, 4½-Star Top Pick Review of War Room

  • "A powerful story of faith and the material things people hold dear. . . . This is Fabry's best yet."

    — PUBLISHERS WEEKLY on A Piece of the Moon

  • "Solidly literary fiction with deep, flawed characters and beautiful prose, Dogwood also contains a mystery within the story that adds tension and a deepening plot."

    — NOVEL REVIEWS

  • "A conflicted, memorable main character. . . . While the mystery at its core is compelling, it's Wiley's inner conflict that's truly engrossing. Down to its final pages, [Not in the Heart] is a gripping read."

    — CROSSWALK.COM

  • "Once the story starts cooking, [Dogwood] is difficult to put down, what with Fabry's surprising plot resolution and themes of forgiveness, sacrificial love, and suffering."

    — PUBLISHERS WEEKLY