Forever Changed is Book of the Year Finalist with Foreword Magazine. Just why would a nice Jewish boy grow up to be a despised tax collector in first century Jericho? Then you must ask yourself, why would Zacchaeus go out on a limb to see the latest in a long line of would-be Messiahs? It's easy to forget that personalities of ancient times had real lives. Joys, disappointments, growing pains, short comings, maybe just a bad day. There is so much more to see when one digs beneath the obvious and finds, the world has changed in two thousand years but life is much the same. Zacchaeus did have a life but a life full of surprise he could have lived without. He was six when his dad announced, Zacchaeus, your mother is dead. A short boy, picked on by his peers, now motherless and without a refuge. Until he becomes enchanted with his religion. A new sanctuary. He considers a rabbinical career but happens on his mentor with one of the many town harlots. His dreams are shattered, his hopes vanish and his faith, well that too has disappeared. He joins his father in the tax collecting business, becomes set for life and the big man in town. When his father dies, Zacchaeus inherits the worst of tax routes. A blind man, a woman with an issue of blood, a demoniac and a widow about to bury her only son. They don't have his tax money and beg off for thirty days. Zacchaeus is in trouble. His collections are due. He returns to his route, but now Yeshua has passed by. Zac is amazed. They have his taxes and their lives are changed. He rushes to town to see this Yeshua but the crowds are too big. He can't get to Yeshua. He can't even see him. I know what I'll do. I'll run to the center of town and wait for Yeshua to pass by. He did. Yeshua did not pass by. He stopped right under Zacchaeus. Come down, I'm coming to your house today. A holy man in a sinner's house. Zac throws a party and invites the whole town. He knows something has changed and that something is him.
Mac McConnell, an entrepreneur at heart, expanded a modest picture framing studio into three art galleries, won Small business of the year, featured in Inc Magazine, and Decor magazine as innovative management. Mac, a record setting pilot and TaeKwon-Do Black Belt, sold it all founding One Way Productions - way.org - writing and performing hundreds of Biblical one-man dramas - including Narrator of the Emmy award winning Fort Lauderdale Christmas Pageant, throughout the US and the Middle East. He and wife Linda, live in Ft. Lauderdale, FL.
Current historical novellas published: Forever Changed, 97800980045116, The Cradle To Cross Trilogy - 978009800458161 which includes, Joseph, The Father's Journey 9780980045130 - Bozra, The Shepherd's Journey 9780980045109 and Hadad, The Innkeeper's Journey 9780980045123
Footsteps of St. Peter, A Judean Chronicle, Book I, the Early Years is the 2010 release, with a street date of Nov. 1st
Forever Changed is a finalist for Book of the Year. Bozra won a Dove award and Mom's Choice award.
The Cradle to Cross Trilogy was selected the winner of Anthologies and Compilations from Independent Publishers and Finalist at Book of the Year.
Born: Jacksonville, FL
Married: Wife Linda
Resident: Ft. Lauderdale, FL 40 years
BUSINESS AND AFFILIATIONS
Founder of the Artful Framer Gallery and owner from 1974 to 1995
MIami Herald Small Business of the year 1989
Leadership Broward VII 1989
Small Business Leader of the year 1990
First Chair of The Theater Company of Plantation 1991
Past President of the Plantation Chamber of Commerce 1992
World Aviation Speed Record Holder
Black Belt TaeKwon-Do
Sold business of 21 years to form One Way Productions dedicated to Spreading Good News Dramatically.
THEATRICAL
Narrator/Script writer for the Emmy award winning Fort Lauderdale Christmas Pageant
Actor/Author of 6 one-man dramas. Performing in U.S., Kiev, Ukraine, Scotland
Jerusalem and Greece.
HIGHLIGHTS
1990 - Tyler Moss in Crossing Delancey; -
1990-Captain Bracket in South Pacific
1990 - 2008 Simon Peter in Emmy Award winning Fort Lauderdale Christmas Pageant
1994 - 2008 Scriptwriter for Fort Lauderdale Christmas Pageant
1992 - 2009 Touring and performing One-man dramas
1999 - 2009 "Acting Nautrally" Drama Workshops
1996 Featured Dramatist at Fishnet Festival
1996 Directed "Another Kind of Love" for Wesleyan Youth Conference
1997 Directed Christmas Eve special at Coral Sky Amphitheater
1997 Patrick Henry for Reclaiming America
1997 Featured Dramatist Music in the Smokies
1998 Patrick Henry for Lift up Your Eyes Conference
2000 Patrick Henry for Concerned Women for America Conference
2000 Zacchaeus for 10th Annual Heart of Florida Women's Conference
2001 Featured dramatist, Grand opening of The Holy Land Experience
2001 Dramatist for "The Boggs"; summer camp to 1400 youth
2001 Drama Tour in Scotland
2002 Keynote Speaker, Music Conference, CA
2002 Featured Dramatist, Kempke Music Conference
2002 Drama Workshop Leader, Coral Festival
2002 Premier of "In His Steps"
2003 In concert as dramatist with Michael Card
2003 Easter Pageant Director, Messiah Baptist, KS
2003 Debut "Last Words of St Paul"
2004 Featured Dramatist, National Retreat, Salvation Army
2005-2007 As St. Paul during "Footsteps of Paul" tours in Greece and Turkey
2006 Feature article in the Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel
2006 - 2009 Authoring historical novels, the Journeys
2007 Feature article in Today's Christian
2007 Feature article in the Miami Herald
2008 Dove Award for historical novel, Bozra, A Shepherd's Journey
2009 Mom's Choice Silver Award for historical novel, Bozra, A Shepherd's Journey
2009 Finalist, Book of The Year for historical novel, Forever Changed.
2010 Cradle to Cross Trilogy, winner of Anthologies and Compilations from Independent Publishers.
2010 Cradle to Cross Trilogy, finalist for Book of the Year.
