Dynamo

by Eleanor Gustafson

Overview

Jeth Cavanaugh is searching for a new life along one of Pennsylvania’s mountain ridges when he stumbles upon a stable of show jumpers owned by Rob and Katie Chilton. Throw in a volatile stallion named Dynamo, and Jeth will do anything to work there. Jeth earns his living by training and showing Rob’s jumpers, but Dynamo is his primary passion.
Everything changes when God enters his life—in the unconventional form of a hard slap by an old girlfriend—and ignites a new, greater passion within Jeth. But along with fervor comes fear at the undeniable evidence of God’s hand on his life. Inexplicable events, both good and bad, make him moan plaintively, “Why does God do this to me? I get the feeling I’m being set up for something.”
He is, indeed. Jeth’s life is anything but predictable, much like the God he serves. The real Dynamo and his ultimate trainer emerge out of an excruciating mix of disaster and brokenness, which are never beyond the reach of redemption.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781629110066
Publisher:	Whitaker House
Publication date:	03/11/2014
Pages:	304
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x (d)

About the Author

Eleanor K. Gustafson has been publishing both fiction and nonfiction since 1978. Her short stories and articles have appeared in a number of national and local magazines. The Stones, published by Whitaker House in 2009, was her fourth novel. In many of her stories, Eleanor explores the cosmic struggle between good and evil in light of God’s overarching work of redemption. A graduate of Wheaton College in Illinois, she has been actively involved in church life as a minister’s wife, teacher, musician, writer, and encourager. She has enjoyed a variety of experiences, from horses to house building, all of which have helped bring color and humor to her fiction. She and her husband live in Massachusetts, where he taught philosophy for many years. They have traveled extensively, interacting with their three children and eight grandchildren, and enjoy visits to the family forest in Chester, Vermont.

Editorial Reviews

03/10/2014
Jeth Cavanaugh can wrangle and ride horses into performing beyond expectation, but he can’t ride away fast enough from a wrecked personal life. He meets Rob and Katie, a young couple running a small up-and-coming horse farm, who offer Jeth a second chance professionally, and then personally, introducing him to the idea of true forgiveness and grace—and a new life as a Christian. His devotion to their horse, Dynamo, parallels his exciting but turbulent new relationship with God, both passions bringing him unexpected challenges, joys, and sorrows. When his past comes back to haunt him, Jeth is forced to choose between old habits and new beliefs. Though the plotline follows a redemptive arc, Jeth’s spirituality is often expressed in rather mysterious ways. Gustafson (The Stones) also wraps up loose ends much too tidily. Horse lovers, however, should delight in the author’s obvious expertise and affection for all things equine. (Apr.)

Publishers Weekly

In Dynamo, Eleanor Gustafson weaves four threads—the man, his horse, his faith, and his God—into a tapestry of redemption. You won’t need to be a lover of fine horses to care about the journey of one man and how his horse Dynamo took him on the ride of his life. You’ll find wisdom in this journey.
—Jane Kirkpatrick, New York Times best-selling author, All Together in One Place


Ellie Gustafson’s newest offering, Dynamo, is aptly named—a dynamic story, well-written and engaging, expertly carrying the reader from page to page. Highly recommended!
—Kathi Macias, Award-winning author of more than thirty books, including the Extreme Devotion series


Once again, Eleanor Gustafson has woven a story that will linger in her readers’ minds long after the cover is closed. It is a riveting tale, set in a world of high-stakes horse shows and stable intrigue, and an unflinching look at some of the best and worst in human relationships. Through experiences that range from the mundane to the mystical, we see and feel Jeth’s struggle. Surrounded by people who are, in the extraordinary way of ordinary people, heroes and failures, victims and villains, he begins to discern the path he is to follow. As is so often the case in real life, that path leads neither where he planned nor where he feared.
—Sally Wilkins, Teacher and author, Sports and Games of Medieval Cultures


Packed with the fascinating world of show horses, Dynamo is a rich tale of redemption, renewal, and hope. Readers will appreciate the fast-moving plot, and root for the lifelike characters. May God “hug your soul” as you read this story.
—Alice J. Wisler, Author, Rain Song, How Sweet It Is, and Hatteras Girl


In typical Ellie Gustafson style, Dynamo is a complex interweaving of characters and relationships that wrestles with some of the central issues of life. The problem of good versus evil plays out in the world of show horses in a way that fascinated me, despite my being totally unfamiliar with that milieu. That the book held my interest speaks well of Ellie’s skill as a storyteller. Please wonder with me: Will this tale get the sequel it deserves?
—John A. Nunnikhoven, Author, Voices Together: A Guide to Praying the Psalms


You’ll like this book—especially if you enjoy memorable people, frustrating problems, and unexpected outcomes. Eleanor Gustafson writes a stimulating story about the fascinating world of show horses as it intersects with the life-changing world of discipleship. Her characters persuade us that even imperfect Christians can demonstrate wisdom and courage in our secular world.
—Dr. David A. Dean, Author, Good Grief, and Professor Emeritus, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, Hamilton, Massachusetts


Ellie writes you into the heart of her story, and you can’t get out until it’s over!
—Lois Shaw, Coauthor, Today’s All-Star Missions Churches and Missions in the Twenty-First Century 


As Dick Francis brought detective fiction to the world of horse racing, Ellie Gustafson brings theology and the redemptive grace of God to the world of show horses. We find suspense and mystery, as well, as the hand of God shapes the lives of Jeth and Janni. Interludes between action sequences provide quiet moments for the reader to ponder the deeper mysteries of the Word of God.
—Dr. George Varghese, Principal Researcher, Microsoft Research; winner of the 2014, Koji Kobayashi Award for Computers and Communications

From the Publisher