One of my favorite books

This is really and truly one of my favorite books. I read this while on the road, traveling back and forth to Cincinnati with the monkeys. Life was in one of those totally crazy times and I was worn out--physically, mentally and emotionally. I only meant to read the first hundred pages because time was so tight, but after a few paragraphs there was NO way I could stop before hitting the end of the book.

I laughed enough to make my husband ask what was so funny. I cried enough he asked what was wrong. And I laughed and cried at the same time. I love Kirstie Donovan. I love all the characters and hated to see the last paragraph come to an end.

Karla Akins, the author of The Pastor's Wife Wears Biker Boots put us in Kirstie's head and heart. We got to experience life with her--the good, the bad, and the ugly, all laced with a generous dose of humor. I don't have an autistic child, but thanks to Kirstie, I have a glimmer of what a mother's life must be like with one. It's given me compassion for families with autistic children.

The Pastor's Wife Wears Biker Boots
Pastor’s wife, Kirstie Donovan, lives life in a fishbowl, so when she hops on the back of a bright pink motorcycle, tongues start to wag at the conservative, century-old First Independent Christian Community Church of Eels Falls.

Kirstie loves roaring down a road less traveled by most women over forty, but she’s not just riding her bike for the fun of it. Kirstie has a ministry. However, certain church members have secrets to hide, and when God uses Kirstie’s ministry to fill the pews with leather-clad, tattooed bikers, those secrets could be exposed…and some will stop at nothing to hide the truth.

Join Kirstie and her motorcycle “gang”—two church matrons and a mouthy, gum-smacking non-church member—as they discover that road-toughened bikers are quite capable of ministering to others, and faith is fortified in the most unexpected ways.


Let's listen in on a few questions Karla answered...

How did your book come to life?
I learned to ride a motorcycle at the tender age of 47. And so many funny things happened to me, I thought the same concept would make a good book. I also wanted to give a little insight into what it’s like being a pastor’s family, what it’s like to live with autism, and how it feels to go through some of the things Kirstie goes through.

Who is your favorite character in the book and why?
This is a tough one! There are many quirky characters in the book. Of course Kirstie is my first favorite because she’s a pastor’s wife like me. I guess my second favorites would be Opal and Atticus. Opal is someone in her 60s who’s never married and scared of her own shadow. You’ll have to read the book to find out who Atticus is.

Why will readers enjoy your book?
If they like reading about how people relate to one another in hilarious and unexpected ways, they’ll love it.
(Patty here: This is so very, VERY true!!)

Is anything in the book based on your own life?
The fact that I’m a pastor’s wife who rides a motorcycle, of course, is something like me, but Kirstie isn’t like me at all. She has a lot more energy! Ironically, when I wrote the book, a couple of things that are in the book did happen to me later. I write about Alzheimer’s and had no idea at the time that my mother-in-law with Alzheimer’s would come to live with us. I write about the preacher’s son’s trouble with the law, and had no idea we, too, would be experiencing some of the same heartbreak. You can read about that on my Prison Ministry page on my website. It’s almost as if the Lord was preparing me well for what we were to go through. Sort of a foreshadowing. God is so good that way.

What is your favorite scene in the book?
Oh my goodness, that’s so hard because there are so many that I love. I love the scene with the pastor’s family’s pet bull mastiff when he interrupts a church meeting after a swim in the pond. I also love the part where the women get locked in a Harley Davidson dealership after hours. But perhaps the best part is when they all go to jail. Then again there is that love scene…




Purchase The Pastor's Wife Wears Biker Boots here.

Here's what readers are saying:
Pastor Aaron Donovan isn't perfect, but his wife is--perfectly hilarious. Kirsten Donovan is not what some of the congregation think she should be, but she's exactly what others need to keep their spirits charged and their engines revved. With three sons, an oversized dog, crazy friends, and a hankering for the rush of the wind in her face, Kirsten meets life with a gentle grace--and big black leather biker boots.

With unpredictable hilarity, author Karla Akins captures the trials and triumphs of life as a pastor's wife, complete with autistic kids, dogs, grumpy congregants, motorcycle gangs and all. I'm getting a copy for my pastor's wife! ~Davalynn Spencer.

I love to read a good book. And boy did I get my hands on a good one this time!

The Pastor's Wife Wears Biker Boots! is a zany, exciting, and hilarious story of Kirstie Donovan, a pastor's wife from Eels Falls, Indiana, who decides (with the help of a few friends of hers) to get her very own Harley and start riding motorcycles. This, much to the chagrin and of course disdain, of a few not-so-supportive members of her rural little church, the First Independent Christian Community Church of Eels Falls.

Kirstie has a lovely knack for getting herself into trouble. Between wearing leathers to ride her bubble gum pink Harley, and trying to minister to rough around the edges bikers, Kirstie and her "gang" of Lady Eels on Wheels, find themselves in many adventures and a bit of trouble throughout the entire book.
And of course, every pastor's wife has that one person (or more) who does their level best to make the pastor's job more difficult, and Kirstie and her husband, Aaron are no different. But they continue to show the love of God even to these people, while ministering to and drawing in bikers to their little 100-year-old church. As the Harley's rumble in, things start jumping, and Kirstie finds that she has a motorcycle ministry!

If you love a story that is full of adventure, laughter, and excitement, The Pastor's Wife Wears Biker Boots! will meet all your requirements and then some. From the moment I started reading, I laughed, I cried, I got mad (hey, sometimes people just make me mad - real OR fictitious), and I laughed some more. Along with that I found myself watching and cheering as one person after another either came to know the Lord or grew in their faith in Him.

This book is a definite must-read! ~Shelley Wilburn

I'm not the only one loving and talking about The Pastor's Wife Wears Biker Boots.
This is a fantastic book!!


Karla Akins is a pastor's wife who rides her own motorcycle. She is the mother of four boys and one step-daughter, and grandmother of five. She lives in North Manchester with her husband who is the pastor of Christian Fellowship Church, her twin teenage boys with autism, mother-in-law with Alzheimer's and three rambunctious dogs. Karla and her husband have been in ministry together for 30 years. You can contact Karla for speaking engagements via her website at KarlaAkins.com. A more detailed bio can be found here: Biography

You can connect with Karla online here...
Twitter: @KarlaAkins

Website: KarlaAkins.com

Blog: KarlaAkins.com/blog

Facebook author page: facebook.com/karlakakins

This is one of those books that I can highly recommend. You do not want to miss this one. 
Really.

In case you missed it earlier, you can purchase The Pastor's Wife Wears Biker Boots here.

15 comments:

  1. Anonymous8:52 AM

    Great, GREAT review & interview, Patty! I absolutely LOVE this book, too. Can't wait to get my hands on my very own AUTOGRAPHED COPY! *wink* And I admit that my favorite scenes in the book are the same as Karla's. I also loved little Opal. She reminds me of my Grandma Ann...although Gma never learned to ride a bicycle, much less get on a motorcycle! Haha! Love this book, love this review, and love you & Karla! Hugz! ;-]

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    1. Oh yeah! I LOVED Opal. LOVED her!!! And Atticus... LoL. An unexpected, fun twist! =]

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    2. So glad to know you two loved Atticus and Opal. They're kind of my faves, too! :-) Patty, thanks for this lovely, lovely post. I'm blessed to have you in my circle!

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  2. Wonderful interview, Patty. And it's a wonderful book. I'm a bit biased!

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  3. Terrific interview, Patty and wonderful book. Though I'm a tad biased.

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    1. Biased or not, it's a fantastic book!! Normally I'm all about romances, but I loved this one. Karla's humor is GREAT!! =]

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  4. Aw shucks, y'all are so nice. :-) Shelley, you have an autographed copy waiting for when you come to speak at my book launch retreat!! Linda, if if weren't for you I'd not be in print. And Patty, thanks SO MUCH for this awesome review! What a great way to start my Monday!

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    1. Karla, thanks so much for being here, today. I love recommending your book to friends. =]

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  5. Terrific interview and I loved the book. Bought one for my pastor's wife.

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    1. That's a great idea, Davalynn! Pastor's wives are very special people. =]

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    2. Let me know how your pastor's wife likes it, Davalynn! And thank you!

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  6. Patty, I love reading books about fellow pastors' wives. LOL! This looks like so much fun. Thanks for the review.
    Bonnie

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    1. Thanks for stopping by and reading, Bonnie! Happy Pastor's Wifing!

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  7. Awesome interview, Patty and I LOVE the video! Karla, your book sounds so fantastic!
    I am looking forward to reading it!!

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    1. Thanks, Kate! Be sure to let me know how you like it!

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