The Promise (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9781964982052)

The Promise relates the life of a retired Air Force Colonel pilot, James P. Gordon, who never married and is settling into a completely new lifestyle. The only love of his life, Samantha Marissen, the daughter of an extremely wealthy self-made businessman, Ed Marissen, who took a small manufacturing company and turned it into an aerospace giant, Marissen Aerospace.

Early on, the young Air Force Captain met and fell in love with Samantha Marrisen. The two became quite an item, so much so that Ed Marissen determined to put an end to the relationship. After more than twenty years, the now-retired Air Force pilot is thrust into world events as his life crosses paths with his lost love once again.

Samantha Marissen, recently divorced from an emotionally and physically abusive man, fled the country as a means of escape from her father and relief from the horrors of the legal destruction of her character by her ex-husband during the divorce. She is arrested in an unstable foreign country and charged as a spy in an unwarranted retaliatory act against the United States. She is held captive for trial far from her estranged family, with only her love of God and the protection of a sympathetic soldier.

James Gordon, a man with no family yet still strong in his faith, is called to lay his life on the line to bring Samantha home. Her time of captivity and his period of intense training prove their love still strong as both overcome serious obstacles to remain alive. Unknown to Samantha is the love and concern of the friends she and Jim shared during their time together, she thought long-forgotten, who prayed for her safe return with James Gordon.

The author, Craig Timothy Michaels, was born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri, and is married with five grown children, three daughters, two sons, and 18 grandchildren. During his younger years, he participated in all the usual happenings of life: schooling, sports, and dating. As a now-retired mechanical engineer, Craig and his wife enjoy membership in a solid, active Christ-centered church near their home, taking part in the various studies, events, and ministries available. Over many years, Craig developed a story in his mind that continued to grow until he finally decided to put it on paper. That story became "The Promise." Always an avid reader of science fiction and espionage novels, Craig combined both in the book while incorporating a romantic theme throughout the story. He has begun a sequel to The Promise, tentatively titled Beyond the Moon.