The Surface of Water - by Cynthia Beach (Paperback)

About the Book

Megachurch pastor Matthew Goodman is tired, focusing on the demands of his work. What he doesn't know about his new assistant Trish Card and her real reason for appearing will dismantle his world. In the #ChurchToo era, this novel invites readers to see life's shadowed edges--isolation, power, and abuse--illumined by the light of truth.

Book Synopsis

The only person who can uncover his secret has arrived.

Matthew Goodman is tired, and his one wish is for something he can't have. Instead he focuses on the demands of his work as pastor of Chicagoland's Calvary Community, including bringing a new administrative assistant onboard. New hire twenty-five-year-old Trish Card watches him with somber, lake-clear eyes. What he doesn't know about Trish and her real reason for appearing will dismantle his world.

The Surface of Water is about a megachurch pastor, a famous evangelist's son, living in a world beyond his control. It's also a story about a young woman trying to understand her complicated life. In the #ChurchToo era, this novel invites readers to see life's shadowed edges--isolation, power, and abuse--illumined by the light of truth.

Review Quotes

"A poignant tale of power and mercy brought to life by characters we all recognize. Cynthia Beach hasn't only created a modern-day parable that should be read because of its subject matter--it stands on its own as a well-told, compelling story. I can't wait to read her next book."

--Shawn Smucker, author of The Day the Angels Fell

"I have one complaint about The Surface of Water. Cynthia Beach's novel needs a warning label: Caution: Contents Are Compulsively Addictive. Though I had little time to spare, I could not turn my eyes away from this gaze behind the veil of a megachurch pastor and the affiliated human machinery. But don't think you know what the gaze reveals. Beach surprises at every turn, bringing us a fresh, sweeping, deeply wise exploration of success, fame, and faith."

--Leslie Leyland Fields, author of Your Story Matters: Finding, Writing and Living the Truth of Your Life

About the Author

Cynthia Beach is a professor of creative writing at Cornerstone University and author of Creative Juices for Writers. She has an MA in journalism from Wheaton College and an MFA in fiction writing from the Northwest Institute of the Literary Arts. She is also a trained spiritual director. Cynthia directs a faith-based writing workshop, Scriptoria, with Gary D. Schmidt. She lives near Grand Rapids, Michigan, on a quiet seven acres with her husband, Dave.