About the Book

Book: Unexpected Hope (Sully Parkway Comfort Dogs Book One)

Author: Pam Green

Genre: Contemporary Christian Fiction

Release date: October 15, 2024

When Jack Shelton hightails it out of Lexington, Virginia, for the suburbs of Washington, DC, he just wants out. Now. First on the agenda: put mountains and miles between him and his hometown memories. Second: find a job as a reporter. Fast.

Those two things—no other expectations. If he gets that far, maybe he’ll make room for God in his life again.

Then Jack wanders into the Church on the Parkway, and a case of mistaken identity entangles him in ministry with a team of broken people and a golden retriever puppy.

Can Jack get back on track with his new career plans, or will he find something unexpected as he travels Sully Parkway with Team Hope?

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Pam Green made her writing début in fifth grade when drafted to write the class play, Ghosts! Ghosts! Ghosts! At twelve, she fell in love with the French language. After a satisfying teaching career, she still peeks in the windows of empty schools while traveling and lingers in school supply aisles in August. Her stories show that God is always working in the lives of His children and seeking new members of His family.

More from Pam

“Sully Parkway? Where’s that? I’ve never heard of the Church on the Parkway either. This area is changing so fast nobody can keep up!”

Life in the Virginia suburbs outside Washington, DC reflects the fast pace of our nation’s capital, and I know I’ve fooled some residents by sticking Sully Parkway and its non-denominational megachurch somewhere—and everywhere—in the area.

Welcome to my world! Sully Parkway is anywhere I want it to be!

You’ll have no difficulty recognizing the Church on the Parkway, or COP. Maybe it’s your church, with all its shortcomings, victories, quirky characters, inspiring leaders—and comfort dogs?!

Yes, COP takes its outreach responsibilities seriously, and they started a comfort dog ministry!

What Christian hasn’t struggled in situations where words fail to soothe a hurting soul? Real life comfort dogs, such as the 100-plus golden retrievers deployed by the Lutheran Church Charities, are ambassadors of Christ’s love in a range of challenging situations, from the minor anxiety of learning to read aloud to the unthinkable tragedy of a school shooting, and everything in between.

I fell in love with these sweet creatures of God who know intuitively how to reach out to hurting humans. Find out how Hope, COP’s golden retriever puppy, grows into her mission.

You’ll discover that some of the hope she brings is completely unexpected!

Interview with the Author

1)What does success as an author look like to you?

That’s such an important question, and my answer changes during each stage of my writing. When I started, it was to finish my book and get it out on Amazon. What a great feeling that was! Now I’d say I want to reach and entertain my ideal reader–and may their tribe increase!

2)Which part of the book was the most difficult to write?

I can’t think of a part of the book that was more difficult than the others. I enjoyed the challenge of depicting the actions of Hope and her doggy friends Chico and Marcus in believable ways.

3)What inspired this book?

I was inspired by the LCC Comfort Dog ministry when I read about their compassionate presence after the Uvalde, Texas school shooting a few years ago. These dogs and their handlers can minister for Jesus in places where Christians aren’t always welcome. With their personal Bible verses on their harnesses, they spark gospel conversations and inspire confidences that might never occur otherwise. Since we don’t have a comfort dog ministry in our church, I invented one for my readers, located in the Church on the Parkway.

4)What is your favorite Bible verse or life verse?

I have many favorite Bible verses during different seasons of my life. Usually, a particular verse captures my attention toward the end of the year and becomes a focal verse for the next calendar year. As I near a milestone year age-wise I chose Psalm 92:12-15:

The righteous flourish like the palm tree

and grow like a cedar in Lebanon.

They are planted in the house of the Lord;

they flourish in the courts of our God.

They still bear fruit in old age;

they are ever full of sap and green,

to declare that the Lord is upright;

he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.

5)What are you reading right now?

I just finished Pearl in the Sand by Tessa Afshar, a new author for me, and I’m ready to begin her novel, Daughter of Rome.