Novel paints a personal and spiritual picture of self discovery

Chicago public radio contributor and commentor and Emmy Award-winning TV producer Rita Coburn Whack's debut novel Meant To Be is the story of young Patience Jan Campbell's coming-of-age, infused with a spiritual awakening that both leads her toward maturity and frees her from the uncertainties of her childhood.

P.J.'s story begins in the small, working-class African American town of Moleen, Illinios. There she is brought up by a fracturing family and a community that often refects her but, nonetheless, profoundly shapes her future. When her own resourcefulness runs dry, P.J. prays for the guidance of her deceased grandmother, Hannah, whose omniscient spirit continues the narrative. …