Gold Rush Prodigal (Saga of the Sierras)
Bodie Thoeneis a writer about whom John Wayne once said, "She has that rare kind of talent that captures the people and the times!"Born in Bakersfield, California, to a family of Irish and Jewish heritage, the fiery little redhead claimed from an early age she wanted to be a writer. Bodie's goal seemed impossible, however, when midway through grade school it was discovered that she had dyslexia, a learning disability that made it difficult for her to read. Her mother refused to accept that this was a problem they couldn't overcome, and together they worked with a young teacher until at last Bodie could read at grade level and above."Both my parents instilled their can-do outlook on life. Reading opened the world to me. I began to write stories of my own."By the young age of fourteen, Bodie had a job as a stringer reporter for The California Newspaper. "They paid me fifty cents an inch for one article a week. The most I ever made was twelve dollars, but I felt rich!"Bodie continued her college education as a Journalism-Political Science major in San Jose, California. She covered the Bay-area political unrest of the Vietnam era as an associate forU.S. News and World Report.Her career as a journalist seemed assured, but she says, "I thought to myself that there has to be more to life than writing about riots and peace marches."Bodie married Brock Thoene during their sophomore year in college. They settled in Waco, Texas, where Brock attended Baylor University. It was here that Bodie began to write fiction out of the stories she gleaned from old Texas cowboys. The birth of their first child did not stop her from writing. "I held her with one arm and typed with the other!"Publication ofThe Fall Guycatapulted Bodie into national attention and acclaim. Shortly after that she went to work for John Wayne's Batjac Productions and ABC Television as a writer and researcher, working with the top writers in the motion picture industry. Among those who work with her, she is known as one of the finest character and action writers in the business. Her work is currently featured inAmerican West, Saturday Evening Post,andSmithsonianmagazine, as well as other national publications.Bodie's interest in Israel, which culminated in THE ZION CHRONICLES, stems from her days as a student. In 1978 she spoke to John Wayne about her hope to one day write a novel about the exciting events surrounding the rebirth of Israel. He encouraged her with his reply: "That's one you ought to do. It's the story of the Jewish Alamo!"With the publication of the first book in THE ZION CHRONICLESThe Gates of Zionshe was awarded the Gold Medallion Book Award by the ECPA.Raised in a Christian home,Brock Thoenetells people that he began going to church even before he was born! His close-knit family was early able to impress on Thoene the importance of the family unit.In his first book, PROTECTING YOUR INCOME AND YOUR FAMILY'S FUTURE, Thoene combines his education and business expertise, introducing biblical guidelines that will assist families in making wise financial decisions.Using biblical principles to direct his life is important to Brock. Having accepted the Lord as his Savior at the age of seven, he came to a new understanding of the work of the Holy Spirit through the ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ while he was in college. A graduate from Cal State University with an MA in Education, Brock and his wife Bodie became active in Campus Crusade and other lay-ministries, including the Campus Life program in Bakersfield.Brock and his wife Bodie make their ranch home in California. Their family includes four children.size : 5.2 x 8