Customer Reviews

THE SIMPLE TOUCH OF FATE: How the Hand of Fate Touched Our Lives Forever

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"The Simple Touch of Fate" is a winner. I fell in love with this book. It is reality in a new light. People look at their own lives a little differently after reading this. It gives hope and inspiration a new twist. From Desert Storm to 9-11 and beyond, you will read real life drama at its best.

Now listen up all you guys, before you go thinking, ahh, another girly book, I want you to know there are many male contributors to this book, war heroes even, so please don't blow it off.

Judy Bridges, Columnist for; " The Stump" Literary Magazine

What is fate? Are the paths of our lives already determined, without our ability to change them, or do they consist of choice, chance and luck, with coincidences thrown in here and there to spice things up? The individuals who contributed their stories to Arlene Uslander and Brenda Warneka's book, The Simple Touch of Fate, certainly belief in destiny - and how it has worked in their favour.

This is a collection of individual tales of unusual circumstances that seem to have no other explanation than that of fate for those concerned. What about Jacob, who through a series of events and a rearranged business meeting, missed the flight from Boston's Logon Airport at 8.45, that would have carried him to his death on September 11th? Or the story of Cynthia, who worked late one night - when she should have gone home - in her job as a nurse one to attend an emergency, and found the patient to be her real mother who had had her unwillingly adopted at birth?

The Simple Touch of Fate is a pleasing compilation of 55 stories and accounts that do not need a scientific justification of whether they are actually the result of some kind of divine intervention. It is how the individual makes sense of them that is important. How many people have missed flights that would not have led to their death? And how many people have been in circumstances which have led to their life lost? Does fate work both ways?

There may well be no explanation at all; it's just good luck and bad luck, but the enjoyment of this book comes from how the contributors interpret their own situations, and from amazement at how chance may throw out such odds, if fate is not a probable rationalization for you. Whether you believe in destiny or not, this collection makes a delightful book to read, pick up and dip into, as you desire.

In their book The Simple Touch of Fate, editors Arlene Uslander and Brenda Warneka have collected the stories of ordinary men and women whose lives have been changed by circumstance, choice, or divine intervention, otherwise known as fate. From the dramatic to the every-day, each of the contributors to the book share with readers an intimate look at how they feel their lives have never been the same since that moment.

From the man who missed Flight 11 out of Boston on the morning of September 11, 2001 because of an unscheduled meeting that ran long, to the man who missed his friends by going to the wrong bar, but ended up meeting the woman who became his wife, the contributors to the anthology bare their souls for us. Stories from war-torn parts of the world are arranged next to stories from contributors who could be your friends and neighbors. Events that happened more than fifty years ago are juxtaposed with those that could have occurred last week, giving each writer's story a 'just happened' quality that is sure to make readers take pause at the end of a chapter. Love, death, heartbreak, missed opportunities, and narrow escapes from disaster mark the pages of The Simple Touch of Fate, leaving the reader to ponder if everything really does happen for a reason.

Even the development of Uslander and Warneka's editorial relationship could be described as fate. Warneka was the first to respond to an online bulletin board posting of Uslander's seeking submissions for the book, then responded again when Uslander posted another request for help with the query letter for the book. "How could you have had books published if you can't write a good query letter?" Warneka wrote. The correspondence had begun, and the friendship, and collaboration, soon followed.

Uslander and Warneka have accepted some outstanding work from writers around the world for this book. While the writing style of dozens of authors obviously varies from story to story, the earnestness and honesty with which these writers share their experiences and convictions are unified by their belief that this event, phone call, or circumstance clearly happened for a reason.

The editors include an 'About the Editors' section that really adds to the reader's overall appreciation of the book. Learning more about Uslander and Warneka and how this project came about offers a nice behind-the-scenes glimpse at who these women are, and adds warmth to the book, like it's been put into your hands by a friend.

-Amy Brozio-Andrews, Absolute Write.com

A nice read that allows one to ponder the nature of the Universe - coincidence or a guiding hand (or a bit of both). Whether they are stories of chance meetings that lead to romance, those of a more mystical nature, or the heart wrenching stories that involve surviving a great tragedy, the stories in this compilation are of excellent quality.

THE SIMPLE TOUCH OF FATE; HOW THE HAND OF FATE TOUCHED OUR LIVES FOREVER, is a collection of many short stories. It is a well-written compilation that will entertain and warm the hearts of readers. Whether you are a believer in fate or think that random happenings are merely a simple set of circumstances, this book will capture your interest and give you plenty of food for thought.

We have all heard a story or two about someone being in the right place (or wrong place) at a specific time that resulted in circumstances that altered a life forever. Do you believe that we get a "nudge" to go in a certain direction? If you do, you will love this book. If you don't, I can guarantee that you will be a believer of fate by the time you are done reading. The stories are written in a short, easy to read style. There are stories from different generations, during different wars, tales of people narrowly escaping death, and stories about the course of a life being changed by a split second decision. There is a narrative account of a man that escaped the horror of 9/11. There are stories about birth and death. Those are just a few of the descriptive, anecdotal pieces you will find in this book. The co-editors, to be truthful and accurate, have verified each story.

I found it to be very interesting and had a hard time putting this one down. The stories stay with you long after you turn the last page. There is such an assortment of incidents that people have recorded that it is almost impossible to deny that there is a force at work that is much bigger than we can see. I would highly recommend this book for readers that are easily touched by the human spirit and all the oddities that happen which cannot be explained.

The Simple Touch of Fate
by
Arlene Uslander and Brenda Warneka


Reviewed
by
Ameasha
Brown

The defination of fate has many meanings such as the supposed force, a principal, or power that predetermines events. The inevitable events predestined by this force. A final result or consequence; on an outcome. If anyone has read Greek and Roman mythology it reads of Fates the three Goddesses Clotho, Lachesis and Atropos, who control human destiny. It real boils down to what if. What if I took that train, what if I didn't stay late at work, what if the bus wasn't late? Arlene Uslander and Brenda Warneka have compiled a beautiful book of stories that are not only heart felt and touch home in a lot of ways, but are true also. They tell of stories of September 11th 2001 and I know anyone with any kind of emotion, felt that day. I am Canadian, remembering that day, I sat and watched as it happened with tears streaming down my face. Another story of being in the right place at the right time to lend a hand and save a life. One story of finding a biological parent years after an adoption, another on the Service men and women fighting in Iraq and how close they come to death and how brave they are still holding on with amazing faith, willpower and the love of a fellow human being. I have only touched on a few, but there are more than fifty stories in this wonderfully put togeher book that raised the little hairs on the back of my neck and touched my heart. I know it will touch the hearts of many readers. I strongly recommend this book for those who have become skeptical about life and need a reminder, and for those who do believe in fate, reading this book will only impress more deeply and enhance what you already believe. Also stop by the site [...], you are more than welcomed. The Book can be ordered through Amazon.com and other online bookstores, or directly from the publisher: [...] The co-editors are also looking for more stories and can be contacted through the website. Excellent read!

Fate. Indefinable yet tangibly woven through our lives. The Simple Touch of Fate is a wonderful missive of short stories reflecting fate in action. Young and old, rich and poor, this country and that, you will be ensnared as you relive their "fate" experiences. From a chance meeting that opened up new opportunities to a delayed meeting that saved one's life, you will be amazed how Fate's simple brush can redirect your life.

My favorite of the entire book is "The Amazing Tablecloth." Years, hardships, loneliness gone after decades because the right man was at the correct flea market, after a well-appointed storm, looking for this item, when somehow that tablecloth caught his attention and a previous non-thought morphed into a possibility then gelled into a reality. If that isn't the finger of fate, I don't know what is.

Believe me when I tell you, you cannot read this and remain unchanged.

When I was younger, things happened in my life that made me wonder if they were a coincidence or was it fate? And now, as the years have passed, I strongly believe in fate -- everything happens for a reason.

At times, we don't see the reason that something happens, but it is there. Often, things that happen appear to be negative, but if you look for the positive, you will find it. Sometimes, you don't see it for months or even years, but there is a positive associated with every negative.

The Simple Touch of Fate contains wonderful stories of people and how fate touched their lives. Many times, it initially appeared to be a negative situation but the outcome turned positive, sometimes many years later. As I read The Simple Touch of Fate, it reinforced my beliefs in fate - everything happens for a reason.

The stories in the book will make you laugh, some will make you cry and others will inspire and motivate you. Arlene Uslander and Brenda Warneka have done a great job in collecting stories of fate. If you've ever doubted that fate is part of our lives, then you'll want to read this book!

I highly recommend "The Simple Touch of Fate"!

Fate (fât) n. 1. the power or agency supposed to determine the outcome of events before they occur; destiny 2. a) something inevitable, supposedly determined by the power b) what happens or has happened to a person or entity; lot; fortune


That is Webster's New World College Dictionary Fourth Edition's rather clinical definition of fate. It is something inevitable, unavoidable, certain. But to the real people behind the stories in Arlene Uslander's and Brenda Warneka's book, THE SIMPLE TOUCH OF FATE, fate has a different definition.


Says Thomas Wilson, "...when people are touched by the hand of fate, they know it" (p. 1). And, indeed, the contributors to Uslander's and Warneka's book knew that fate had played a hand in their lives...a play that would change direction of their lives forever.


For some, fate meant a feeling or obstacle that held them out of disaster's way. For those, fate kept them from taking a route that would have meant their demise. For others, fate found them uncertain at a crucial decision-making time in their lives and directed them to a clear path. For still others, fate meant comfort at a time of loss, or a chance meeting that resulted in a reunion never thought possible. Fate, as the stories show, can take so many forms.


Take, for example, an ill mother who speaks just one word before dying - and a daughter who hears it at a time she desperately needs to. Or a drowning child suddenly given one last thrust of energy that saves her life. Or a "spirit board" pounding out a life-saving message to a little girl. These are just some of the stories found in THE SIMPLE TOUCH OF FATE.


The stories in Uslander's and Warneka's book are quite varied, contributed by people from all walks of life. A great deal of them revolve around avoiding tragedy, the kind of stories that make one wonder if there is something more "out there". But a few of the stories are the strange, no explanation, goosebump-creating tales that defy even the staunchest doubter.


It is impossible to put down this book without feeling a glimmer of inspiration and a reason to explore your own faith in whom exactly is the director of our lives. Painstakingly chosen and carefully edited, the stories in THE SIMPLE TOUCH OF FATE are just a scratch on the surface of what wonderment may exist in this world. It is my prediction that Uslander and Warneka are onto something glorious with this endeavor - something that will turn into volumes upon volumes of people reaching out with their incredible tales - perhaps in doing so, extending their own hands of fate.

Contributed by:
Jennifer Brown
Bookpleasures

Ms. Uslander and Ms. Warneka compiled different wonderful stories on how fate had changed every character's lives. Like the story of "The Amazing Tablecloth", it simply showed that when God worked His miraculous ways, everything is possible no matter when, how, or where and in the end people will still meet again somehow. In the tear-jerking story of "Mother's Voice", I could relate somehow for it reminded me of my friend's mom who passed away last year and as well as the story of "The Seat in the Window". This particular story of fate really brought many memories of my second child. He came into this world too early for his time, I had a miscarriage when I was four months pregnant.

"Finding Daniel Joseph", "The Sapphire Ring", and "The Fate of Aspirin" were the stories that really tickled my senses. To found true love and happiness in different times and places were truly a very romantic surprise.

Ms. Uslander and Ms. Warneka's anthology will surely touch your heart. Each story will open the windows of your soul with just one simple touch of fate.