In over 33 years of home buying and selling, our experience with
Bill Sahadi was the best we ever had. Bill immediately became a
trusted advisor and advocate for us during the buying process.
His knowledge of real estate processes and the local area are
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was handled very well, and our process went without a hitch. will recommend him to anyone. ~ Robert Glitz, Whispering Pines
BILL SAHADI
WHERE 20 YEARS
OF EXPERIENCE & PERSPECTIVE MEET!
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910-638-0888 • Email: bsahadi@foreproperties.com
www.ForeProperties.com • www.allthingsmoorecounty.com
OUR HEARTS con't from p. 8
that we are not born to hate, but rather hate
is instilled in us by outside influences. Love is
stronger than hate.”
Blessed with a diverse group of friends and
a great family, Thomas never even considered
race while growing up. Thomas considers,
“It was later in my life when I encountered
race via the media and through watching
television. I began to grow a sense of needing
to defend the African Americans because I
felt strongly about one group of people being
treated differently than others—racism is
horrible! Period. Because I look at everything
from a Biblical perspective, I know we are all
created in the image of God. It is important to
know that we are not born seeing color. The
earlier we learn this, the faster we can bring
healing to our divided world. It is so important
for all of us to put ourselves in someone else’s
shoes and feel empathy.”
That a slave girl and an owner’s daughter are
friends sets the book apart in the marketplace.
Thomas informs, “Most books focus on how
we need to be friends with everyone, or they
are historically written to educate us on what
slaves endured at the time. My book is an
historical fiction about a true friendship and
written for younger adults which is a rarity in
today’s market.
Self-published in 2018,Thomas writes under
the pen name Jen Thomas. Remembering
the process, Thomas shares, “Self-publishing
is actually easier than one thinks; however,
stores often do not want to sell self-published
books. Getting it into the hands of a publisher
is a different story. Over the last two years, I
have learned to narrow down the audience to a
particular age group and subject line.
Editing the manuscript was time
consuming, but marketing the book was the
fun part in the process as Thomas designed
posters, flyers, business cards and bookmarks.
Upon visiting and emailing the independent
bookstores who work with self-published
authors, Thomas began her book tour which
lasted three months! She exclaims, “I closed
my tour with my sweet friend Leanne Brady
who lives in a beautiful cottage in the Village
of Pinehurst. From her beautiful home with
about thirty-five guests in attendance, Brady
featured my book. We had food, a champagne
toast and a chance for guests to buy the book.
From visiting the small, local, independent
bookstores to meeting all of the wonderful
people, the book tour was a success.”
As Thomas seeks to capture a new
audience of 6-9 year olds, the book is being
rewritten into a three-part series for children.
Thomas shares, “I have a nagging feeling that
I will continue the original book into a series
as well. As Addie and Kate grow together, my
hope is that the series will grow along with
them! Working together for the continued
cause of equality, the earlier children read
about equality and love, the quicker they will
have knowledge of the subject. The new series
will hopefully be available December 2020.”
Available from online bookstores such as
iBooks, Kindle, Apple and Barnes & Noble,
Our Hearts are the Same is also available in
paperback through Amazon.com. Thomas
hopes to be the change we want to see as
the racial divide continues all over America.
Thomas slows, “To fix the racial divide we
are all going to have to dig deep, educate
ourselves, listen to the other person and have
compassion! Love always wins because truly
Our Hearts are the Same.” ☐
For more about Thomas, see next column.
Photo Below: Jen Thomas witnessing
the ventilation holes at the First African
Baptist Church in Savannah, GA.
Local Author Thomas Shares
All about you...Well, that’s probably
a memoir itself. I didn’t really start finding
myself until the last two years. I depend on
my hand being in God’s hand, and I thrive the
most when I am hearing God’s Word. I like my
quiet time in my quiet place. My children are
the best thing I have ever done.
Favorite book? My favorite book(s)
are the Mitford Series by Jan Karon. In these
books, I find simplicity. Love. Kindness. God’s
Word. They are just the best books ever!
Favorite author? Probably John Grisham.
He grabs me from the first sentence!
Advice for others following their
dreams? Yes. Keep writing! Research what
others are reading for the age group for which
you are writing. Find your tribe of supporters,
and let them help you. Self-publishing works!
Email independent bookstores and host with
them. They will answer!
What do you wish you would have
known starting off that you know now?
Let a professional design your book cover. Put
forth the money for good design, and then use
the images for your marketing material.
Favorite part of writing? It sends
me into another world—how my characters
become actual people. Because it is fiction, I
love that I can create any world. I also love to
incorporate morals and values into the stories.
Most difficult part? Finding synonyms
for certain words that are used repeatedly.
Thank goodness for technology! Writer’s block
is always difficult but eventually goes away.
Advice for young people? Educate
yourself on both local and worldwide issues.
Do not surf the Internet and depend on
social media because it is neither factual nor
realistic. Find a legitimate way to educate
yourself on what you believe, follow your
passions and then speak out loudly.
Life is? Life is a roller coaster for sure,
with times in the dark valley and times on
the mountaintop, but all worth the ride. Life
is making decisions for yourself with which
others do not agree, but purge on and make
them anyway. Life is cruel; so make it kind.
Life is unfair; so make it peaceful.
Local Favorites? I love the Christian
Bookstore and their fudge samples. I love
SoPies pizza by the slice. I love Sweet Basil
and their precious little place. I love walking
the Reservoir. I love the SCC library. My
grandfather’s dental chair in the Carthage
Museum. The Ice Cream Parlor for their ice
cream and their tuna melt. Thrift stores.
Favorite Bookstore? The Christian
Bookstore downtown Southern Pines. E
Shaver Booksellers in downtown Savannah,
GA. Island Bookstore, Duck, Outer Banks, NC.
All small, heartfelt and independently owned.
Moore County is? HOME. Moore County
is devoted and historic, all the things I love
most. Moore County is COUNTRY LIVING.☐
OUR HEARTS con't. next column
OUR HEARTS continued
p.10 The Pinehurst Gazette, Inc. No. 140
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