For those of you have asked about Hunting Grace, the follow-up to Leaving Ruin, I can only tell you that it is languishing on my shelf at the moment, a big sprawling book that is complete, but not even close to right. The writing process is strange. Leaving Ruin tumbled out quickly, in less than a year. I have been working on Hunting Grace for nearly eight years now, and there it sits, so many words later. The problem is one of focus, both in the work itself and in the process. As far as the process goes, I’ve had a full-time job for nearly two years now, and that has forced the writing work into the background. And in terms of the novel itself, those who read it (and there have only been a handful, including an agent and a cultural critic who I respect a lot) praise the writing, but not so much the story. They wonder if Cyrus has actually lost his mind, which is not really what I have in mind, so I’m not communicating as clearly as I’d like. That said, there’s a lot in it that I like. But don’t look for it on the shelves any time soon.
Maybe I should just publish it online, serial fashion, and see what a few readers think.
Just a thought…
JEFF BERRYMAN 
I do hope Cyrus finds Grace. Is he looking in the right places? She is longing to be found. I would consider it an honor to be allowed to preview the story.
As it happens, I’m re-reading Leaving Ruin right now, getting acquainted again with Cyrus’ humanity. His brand of struggle/temptation/faith/fidelity/love/human-“ness” is food for the soul and hope for the self-doubting, as he still encounters Jesus through all that overwhelming humanity of his.
Perhaps your years of distraction from Hunting Grace have now (in God’s timing) brought you to the right place and through the right set of human circumstances to understand Cyrus even better … and to prime the creative pump again. If you need someone to taste-test the waters from that pump, I’d be willing. After all we (the readers of Leaving Ruin) love Cyrus too, and we’d have his best interests at heart through honest, benevolent criticism/praise/commentary/discussion.