This link is to a novel-length story written in collaboration with my husband, John, as an extension of our ministry. It is our hope that this story will be of interest to those who have experienced PTSD, suffered domestic violence, struggled to find help in community, mistakenly believed that sex and salvation are incompatible, searched for the right neighborhood in which to raise children, or wondered where the Church was when you needed it. The story is also for those who would provide pastoral ministry to the wounded. Genesis teaches us that it is not good to be alone and that two will become one flesh. We believe that the message of Genesis applies to all of us, all of us; no one is excluded.
There is no fee for downloading or even printing the story, if you choose. Jesus sent his disciples out two by two with no money in their purse, so we ask for no payment. If you like the story pass it on. That is all the payment we need.
Read Allen and Sue
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“Megan and Nick” is populated with many of the same ordinary people that are found in our first book “Allen and Sue”. Nick believes that letter writing is an art form. He loves to receive and write letters. Megan is a surprise to many people including Nick. Together they experience the confusing, but vital, process of decision-making so common to all of us. And what happens when someone with “new eyes” sees what we think we have “seen” all our lives? “Megan and Nick” is a celebration of hospitality and friendship, ordinary people trying to be open to surprising new possibilities. Writing is part of our ministry to live the same way. The Book of Genesis tells us that two can become one. Is that really possible? Can dreams come true? Ask Megan and Nick.
If you know of someone who may be interested in reading the story, it can be downloaded from our web site, https://joanclarkhouk.com. There is no fee for downloading or even printing the story. Jesus sent his disciples out two by two with no money in their purse, so we ask for no payment. If you like the story pass it on. That is all the payment we need.
Read Megan and Nick
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Welcome to the continuing story of the Allen and Sue family. Billy, you may remember, was Allen and Sue’s second child. It was a difficult pregnancy for Sue, and we almost lost them both. In the Megan and Nick story we find Billy growing into a normal teenager. By normal we mean not exceptionally gifted nor too difficult to live with.
Billy’s family did make a lasting impression on him in important ways. He was blessed by being loved and nurtured in a stable multigenerational family, and second, that family included men who loved and respected women. So now Billy finds himself a young man in the Army with normal attractions to women while carrying on the male family tradition of loving respect for the women he meets. This surprised himself, and the women he comes to know, in unexpected ways. Enjoy. Oh, and we will meet Billy again in future stories.
The story about Billy is about ordinary people. These are the kind of people we know, and the kind of lives they live. All the characters are creations of our imaginations. If you find in this story someone who seems familiar, it is because they are ordinary people. It is your imagination that has rendered them even more familiar. Actually, we hope that happens.
This story is intentionally not, repeat not, a “published” document with “rights reserved.” This story is an extension of our Catholic ministry, and as the Gospel advises, we “take no money in our purse.” So we will take nothing for this creative journey. If you choose to copy the story, we ask that you always include this Introduction Page, and honor the missionary spirit of the authors. We do hope you share it in any way you choose. Billy and all of our other stories are available to be read, downloaded and shared from Joan’s web site: https://joanclarkhouk.com
Joan and John Houk
September 2020
If you know of someone who may be interested in reading the story, it can be downloaded from our web site, https://joanclarkhouk.com. There is no fee for downloading or even printing the story. Jesus sent his disciples out two by two with no money in their purse, so we ask for no payment. If you like the story pass it on. That is all the payment we need.
Read Billy
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As we write this it is a soft morning, light rain, cool breeze, some would say an Irish morning, a good morning to be alive. It was also that kind of morning when the story of Maryam begins.
Five years ago, we began writing love stories. We followed the old adage to write about what you know. After 60 years we have the right to claim success in love, and we like writing about love together. We know a love story when we see it, and we see love in our story. It will have its own dominant theme different than the first three stories, yet familiar.
Story 1, “Allen and Sue” is about two people who suffered the effects of violence in their lives. In Sue’s words, “It’s over” but then she discovers that being over not good enough, and love finds a way to new beginnings.
Story 2, “Megan and Nick” is all about two people, who, in Nick’s words, found “life can flow like a meandering stream in a meadow” only to discover love entering their lives in new and surprising ways, and their meandering stream becomes turbulent.
Story 3, “Billy” is the story of a young man looking for love but love finds him and he was, in his words, “only being himself”.
Story 4, “Maryam” is afraid. Then she is befriended by identical twin girls, Dorothea and Bertha. The twins may look alike, but they are very different people. Will the twins really help? Maryam will find love or will love find her, or maybe not? Even on soft mornings we cannot be sure.
Maryam and all of our other stories are available to be read, downloaded and shared from this web site.
Joan and John Houk
June 2021
Read Maryam
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As we write “Jennifer”, we remember ancient stories. The world is always new, but some stories continue to be repeated. So Jennifer’s story reflects the stories of people we know today yet takes us back, connecting the new and the old.
Six years ago, we began writing love stories. We followed the old adage to write about what you know. After 60 years we have the right to claim success in love, and we like writing about love together. We know a love story when we see it, and we see love in our story. The Jennifer Story will have its own dominant theme different than the first four stories, yet familiar.
Story 1, “Allen and Sue” is about two people who suffered the effects of violence in their lives. In Sue’s words, “It’s over” but then she discovers that being over not good enough, and love finds a way to new beginnings.
Story 2, “Megan and Nick” are Allen and Sue’s best friends. Their story is all about two people, who, in Nick’s words, found “life can flow like a meandering stream in a meadow” only to discover love entering their lives in new and surprising ways, and their meandering stream becomes turbulent.
Story 3, “Billy” is Allen and Sue’s only son. Billy’s Story is the story of a young man looking for love but love finds him and he was, in his words, “only being himself”.
Story 4, “Maryam” is afraid. Then she is befriended by identical twin girls, Billy’s daughters, Dorothea and Bertha. The twins may look alike, but they are very different people. Will the twins really help? Maryam will find love or will love find her, or maybe not? Even on soft mornings we cannot be sure.
Story 5, “Jennifer” is Allen and Sue’s first child whom everybody loved. She had a perfect life. In her words, “I would call it idyllic if it didn’t sound fairytale-ish.” Then everything changed, and again in her words, “Mom, I don’t even know where I am.” Can Jennifer find herself? What kind of help will she find, or not?
All five stories continue the story of Allen and Sue and their family and friends. Love always wants to be forever. Everyone who has experienced love knows that this is true. Our Christian hope is that our love for one another does not disappoint.
Jennifer and all of our other stories are available to be read, downloaded and shared from this web site.
Joan and John Houk
January 2022
Read Jennifer
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“Joey” is a love story. We began our life as storytellers in our senior years as extensions of Joan’s ministry to preach the Gospel of Jesus the Christ and John’s search for a creative outlet. These two life forces bubbled up into one continuing story with discrete episodes, which we have made public sequentially. The sources for our stories are the people and situations we have experienced in our lives and in the lives of the people around us. There is no intention of being autobiographical or even biographical, but the characters and situations are from life as we have experienced it. We write love stories because that’s what we know, and a love story is at the heart of the Gospel of Jesus the Christ.
Story 1, “Allen and Sue” is about two people who suffered the effects of violence in their lives. In Sue’s words, “It’s over” but then she discovers that being over not good enough, and love finds a way to new beginnings.
Story 2, “Megan and Nick” are Allen and Sue’s best friends. Their story is all about two people, who, in Nick’s words, found “life can flow like a meandering stream in a meadow” only to discover love entering their lives in new and surprising ways, and their meandering stream becomes turbulent.
Story 3, “Billy” is Allen and Sue’s only son. Billy’s Story is the story of a young man looking for love but love finds him and he was, in his words, “only being himself”.
Story 4, “Maryam” is afraid. Then she is befriended by identical twin girls, Billy’s daughters, Dorothea and Bertha. The twins may look alike, but they are very different people. Will the twins really help? Maryam will find love or will love find her, or maybe not? Even on soft mornings we cannot be sure.
Story 5, “Jennifer” is Allen and Sue’s first child whom everybody loved. She had a perfect life. In her words, “I would call it idyllic if it didn’t sound fairytale-ish.” Then everything changed, and again in her words, “Mom, I don’t even know where I am.” Can Jennifer find herself? What kind of help will she find, or not?
Story 6, “Joey”, a sequel to “Jennifer”, begins with Jennifer and Joseph, and Jennifer is afraid of Joseph. COVID-19 happens, and many people suffer. Joey grows up in this world, but it wasn’t easy as you may remember. People loved Joey for good reasons. Maybe you will too.
“Joey” and all of our other five stories are available to be read, downloaded and shared from Joan’s web site: https://joanclarkhouk.com
Joan and John Houk
November 2023
Read Joey