Dancing at Angel Abbey is an entertaining, whimsical, light-hearted novel that also offers deep, thoughtful messages about life and the miracle of it. The story revolves around Kate, a woman who loses her self and her purpose in life, then gets angelic help to bring her back to her divine purpose. She's a partner in a Wall Street law firm who loses her job and her father all in 24 hours, only to discover options she had never considered.
Kate goes home to Angel Falls to see her estranged father the night before he dies and falls into despair at not repairing her relationship with him, while destroying her law career at the same time.
Author Lauren M. Bloom offers a simple recipe for healing:
"...healing comes in the simplest things -- good, plain food, a favorite story, a comfortable place to sleep, the loving attention of familiar friends."
I was captivated by the protagonist and the problems she faced, and inspired by the angelic help she received.
In fact, one of the most interesting aspect of the novel is the introduction to the archangels in heaven, and their commentary at the end of every chapter -- giving us another view of what Kate just experienced. They also sprinkle their messages with advice we can all use.
"You are good enough. Just get out there and do some good." ~ Archangel Michael
I found myself entranced by the imagery used by the author, as well as the story and the many inspirational messages woven throughout. In addition to the angels communicating with Kate through dreams, visions, visitations in disguise, and even actual physical notes, Kate also gets advice from the Lady of Angel Abbey, where she donates her time after returning to Angel Falls:
"...interpreting your memories of the past in the best way rather than the worst is a very good strategy. It can save you a lot of resentment and regret."
I do believe, I do believe, I do believe in angels, and am not above asking them for help. They certainly helped Bloom write a perfect book to read this summer or any time of year -- it's a good read for the beach or during a quiet weekend at home. Either way, it will be hard to put down.
It's easy to see why Dancing at Angel Abbey won the New Age Fiction category in the 2017 International Book Awards.
Here is my interview with Lauren M. Bloom, an attorney, interfaith minister, and award-winning author who believes that listening to the voices of angels can help us discover our best destinies and become our finest selves:
Is there a message you would like readers to take away from your novel?
Life is meant to be a magical, magnificent adventure. We were meant to live in loving collaboration with the Divine, to care for one another and our shared world, and to savor the incredible experiences that come from just being alive. Scary as it gets sometimes, I believe that we're always beloved, and that help and comfort are always there if we remember to ask for them.
Your bio says that you are an attorney and an interfaith minister. Is any of Kate's story modeled on your own experiences?
It is, although I haven't had the kind of direct encounters with archangels that Kate experiences (at least, not yet). However, I know the kind of soul-crushing damage that a hard-charging professional career can inflict. I'm all too familiar with Kate's sense of never being good enough, and of longing for a gentler, more meaningful life. Like Kate, I get tremendous satisfaction out of giving practical help to people who need it, but I can be stubborn about accepting help. And, like Kate, I've had the privilege of being owned and loved by several Siamese cats. All of those experiences contributed to Kate's character and the choices she made throughout the book.
You describe Kate and modern women in general as self-loathing. Why do you think that is, and what is the remedy?
We hold women to ridiculously high and narrow standards in our society. Unless you look like a fashion model, have a successful career, are in an ideal relationship, raise flawless children, live in an immaculate home, and devote your spare time to community service, you're not accomplishing as much as you "should." That message is everywhere in popular culture, and it's positively brutal.
The remedy, I think, is for women to recognize that "perfection" is the last thing we can, or should, strive toward. Rushing around trying to juggle all of those demands is a wretched way to live. Learning to appreciate our "imperfections" as the things that make us uniquely precious isn't always easy, but it allows for a much more comfortable and happy life. It's also better from a spiritual perspective. Perfectionism strangles gratitude, and being genuinely grateful for our imperfectly beautiful selves is a huge first step toward entering into a loving relationship with the Divine.
In your plot, Kate loses her job over a seemingly small lie. Why do you think lying is so pervasive among people when, as one of the archangels says, "...it always gets them into so much trouble?"
People most often lie because they're terrified of the consequences of telling the truth. A lot of the time, there's reason for that fear. Going back to the perfectionism that poisons so much of our society, I'm concerned that we've reached the point where even a minor mistake can ruin a person's life. Kate's lie was relatively insignificant, but I've seen people lose jobs over less. If we want people to stop lying, we have to make it safer for them to tell the truth. Yes, hold people accountable for their mistakes, but keep those mistakes in perspective and make sure that the consequences don't become too severe.
With help from many angels, Kate leaves the practice of law and discovers her divine destiny. Do you believe we all have a destiny that is mapped out for us?
I don't believe that anyone has a predetermined "divine destiny," because that would make us nothing more than pieces on a game board. As beings with free will, we make choices that are more or less consistent with our better selves, and the choices that bring out the best in us are, in my opinion, the choices that lead us to our best destinies. It can be very tempting to pursue things like power, money and fame just to have them. There's nothing inherently wrong with those things, but it's important to remember that we literally pay for them with our lives. If we're miserable, they just aren't worth the price.
Your protagonist gets a lot of angelic help in finding her true life's work. How do you think one can best find meaning and purpose in their lives?
It starts, I think, with recognizing that meaning and purpose can come from many sources. What makes you genuinely happy? Anything you do that leaves you feeling as though your time was well spent is a step in the right direction, whether it's building a skyscraper, reading to a child, singing a song, petting an animal, saying a prayer, writing to your Congress member, or calling your grandmother. Maybe you want to make the world a better place, or maybe you just want to enjoy some time alone or with someone you love. Maybe it's what you do for a living, or maybe it's what you do when you're not at your "day job." Each of us only has so much time in this life. Spending it in a way that seems meaningful to you is important enough that it's worth devoting enough time to figuring out how you really want to spend the rest of it.
If someone wants help from the angelic realm, how would you recommend they ask for it?
Just ask. Don't worry about choosing the perfect words, don't worry about things you've done that you wish you hadn't, don't fret about not being good enough. Just ask, keep asking, and keep an eye out for miracles. The angelic realm doesn't always answer right away or exactly as expected, but an answer always comes, and it's always to the good. There have been times in my own life where it's taken me years to realize just how important it was for me not to get exactly what I wanted. Once that realization finally dawns, however, I'm always grateful that the angels took better care of me than I would have taken of myself.
You mention that self-forgiveness may be the ticket to heaven. Do you believe most people are too hard on themselves?
Heavens, yes! And I think the people who struggle hardest to be "good" are the ones who tend to punish themselves the most. There's nothing wrong with having dreams, and ambition can be a wonderful thing if it arises out of a happy excitement about life's possibilities. But even the highest achievers among us fail at least as often as they succeed. I also believe that it can be very difficult to forgive anyone else if you're unable to forgive yourself. Time spent agonizing over mistakes, whether they're your own or someone else's, is time wasted. It's better to forgive, and to devote that time to something more productive and pleasant.
You write that miracles happen every day. Can you explain that?
In my opinion, it's a mistake to think that miracles have to be huge and flashy. The fact that each of us is here at all, that we're surrounded by beauty if we stop and look for it, that love exists, that there are an infinite number of things we can do, to care for Creation and each other, all of those are inherently miraculous. Here's a simple example. Think of a piece of music, a painting, a book you like that was created by someone you never met. Even though you don't know that person, you immediately recognize the work as belonging to its creator and, if you thought for a minute or two, you could probably explain exactly what it is about that work that makes it his or hers. Nobody else could have created exactly that song, painting or book. Each of us is that unique. If that's not miraculous, what is?
What advice would you give to aspiring writers?
Read as much as you can of what you love, and write what comes to you. If it surprises you, so much the better. (I'm normally a non-fiction writer and would never have imagined writing Dancing at Angel Abbey. Once the idea for the book came to me, though, it wouldn't leave me alone. Then, the characters started saying and doing things I didn't expect. That got a little nerve-wracking, but it ultimately made the story a whole lot more interesting than it would have been if I'd stuck with my original plot.) Only give early drafts to people whom you trust to be both honest and kind, and get a good editor. Finally, don't handcuff yourself by believing that your story has to be "big" or "important." If it speaks to you, write it down, and trust that it will speak to other people, too.
How can readers learn more about your work or connect with you?
Come visit me dancingatangelabbey.com, or find me on Facebook at www.facebook.com/authorlaurenmbloom/ and Twitter at @authorlaurenbloom. Let's talk about angels!
Dancing at Angel Abbey is available at Amazon.com.
Namaste!
Becca Chopra, author of The Chakra Diaries, Chakra Secrets, Balance Your Chakras-Balance Your Life, and The Chakra Energy Diet
