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G. A. Bixler,  Reviewer for Independent Professional Book Reviewers

Do you believe in fate?  Fate, “the supposed force, principle, or power that predetermines events,” as defined by the dictionary, is known under many names¾destiny, kismet, predestination, foreordainment, foredoom, luck, or just coincidence¾and is often described by individuals around the world.  Arlene Uslander and Brenda Warneka have experienced acts of fate in their lives.  In The Simple Touch of Fate: How the Hand of Fate Touched Our Lives Forever, they share not only their own stories but have gathered over fifty real stories by real people, in a thought-provoking anthology, that leaves you with one question:  if it weren’t fate, how and why did these events happen? 

As a lover of suspense and mysteries, I enjoy reading or hearing about events or activities that leave us wondering and questioning.  I especially enjoy “little” acts that happen.  For instance, was it a coincidence that one of the authors chosen for this anthology, Patricia Patteson, had also been included in an anthology, Mist on the Mon, that had sat on my bookshelf for many years, unread, but was immediately pulled and enjoyed when it was included in this book?  

Or was it fate that a daily newsletter I read before I began to write this review, covered a mysterious life-saving event, but in that story, the writer attributed her story to guardian angels? Personally, I no longer question such things.  In fact, based upon a book, As You Wish by Christine Massot Simpson, a resident of Canada , for whom I had the privilege to help edit and publish her book, I now use her phrase, “A God Incident” whenever I confront such events. 

Let me share a little about my favorites from The Simple Touch of Fate. If you don’t believe in fate, then these short stories just may force you to reconsider—is there something or someone, somewhere that controls events in our lives? 

Jacob! Jacob! Reborn.   The date was September 11, 2001.  Jacob Herbst often traveled by plane; however, work-related activities prevented his taking a scheduled flight from Boston’s Logan Airport at 8:45, American Airlines, Flight 11, to Los Angeles.  How do you thank a man who could not make an important meeting, causing an unexpected delay, for saving your life?   

Desert Boomerang.  Two soldiers meet in Iraq ; one is standing guard at a barren traffic control point and helps the other by giving him directions.  Months later, the same two soldiers meet at the site of an accident on a deserted road and the favor is returned. Only this time, lives are saved!  For the man just happened to be part of a medical unit... 

We all Cross Paths for a Reason. A birth mother and her now-grown daughter are reunited through an automobile accident and a woman’s willingness to work overtime.  Just a coincidence? 

Time for Life.  A man and a woman, members of one family, but located in different places—both trying to catch the train—fail in their efforts due to various reasons.  They missed the most disastrous train crash in the United Kingdom in 42 years. 

“Honor, Courage, and Commitment”: Saving Jack Roush.  When a small plane is in trouble, it happens to hit near the home of an ex-marine, specifically trained “to save a pilot in an upside-down plane from a watery grave.” 

Grandmother Spirits.  In a time of family distress, a woman prays to the spirits of grandmothers for the needs of a family.  Was it a coincidence or a direct response to prayer that allowed a son just arriving in Hiroshima to be able to make a free call to his mother? 

The Angel That Couldn’t Fly.  My favorite!  A wonderful answer to why the chicken crossed the road... 

Lanie Shanzyra P. Rebancos, Reviewer for The Readers and Writers Network

Ms. Uslander and Ms. Warneka compiled different wonderful stories on how fate had changed every characters' lives. Like the story of  "The Amazing Tablecloth," it simply showed that when God worked His miraculous ways, everything is possible no matter when, how, or where, and in the end, people will still meet again somehow. In the tear-jerking story of "Mother's Voice," I could relate somehow for it reminded me of my friend's mom who passed away last year, and as well as the story of "The Seat in the Window." This particular story of fate really brought many memories of my second child. He came into this world too early for his time; I had a miscarriage when I was four months pregnant.

"Finding Daniel Joseph," "The Sapphire Ring," and "The Fate of Aspirin" were the stories that really tickled my senses. To have found true love and happiness in different times and places were truly a very romantic surprise.

Ms. Uslander and Ms. Warneka's anthology will surely touch your heart. Each story will open the windows of your soul with just one simple touch of fate.

 
Cathy A. Pulsifer, an editor at Words of Wisdom 4U!

When I was younger, things happened in my life that made me wonder if they were a coincidence or was it fate? And now, as the years have passed, I strongly believe in fate -- everything happens for a reason.

At times, we don't see the reason that something happens, but it is there. Often, things that happen appear to be negative, but if you look for the positive, you will find it. Sometimes, you don't see it for months or even years, but there is a positive associated with every negative.

The Simple Touch of Fate contains wonderful stories of people and how fate touched their lives. Many times, it initially appeared to be a negative situation but the outcome turned positive, sometimes many years later. As I read The Simple Touch of Fate, it reinforced my beliefs in fate - everything happens for a reason.

The stories in the book will make you laugh, some will make you cry and others will inspire and motivate you. Arlene Uslander and Brenda Warneka have done a great job in collecting stories of fate. If you've ever doubted that fate is part of our lives, then you'll want to read this book!

I highly recommend "The Simple Touch of Fate"!

 

Judy Bridges, writer for The Literary Stump magazine:

     "The Simple Touch of Fate is a winner! I fell in love with this book. It really is reality in a new light. People will look at their own lives a little differently after reading this. It gives hope and inspiration a new twist. From Desert Storm to 9-11 and beyond, you will read real life drama at its best.”  

Amy Brozio-Andrews, Managing Editor of Absolute Write Newsletter:

       “In their book, The Simple Touch of Fate, editors Arlene Uslander and Brenda Warneka have collected the stories of ordinary men and women whose lives have been changed by circumstance, choice, or divine intervention, otherwise known as fate.  From the dramatic to the every-day, each of the contributors to the book share with readers an intimate look at how they feel their lives have never been the same since that moment. From the man who missed Flight 11 out of Boston on the morning of September 11, 2001 because of an unscheduled meeting that ran long, to the man who missed his friends by going to the wrong bar, but ended up meeting the woman who became his wife, the contributors to the anthology bare their souls for us. Stories from war-torn parts of the world are arranged next to stories from contributors who could be your friends and neighbors. Events that happened more than fifty years ago are juxtaposed with those that could have occurred last week, giving each writer’s story a ‘just happened’ quality that is sure to make readers take pause at the end of a chapter.  Love, death, heartbreak, missed opportunities, and narrow escapes from disaster mark the pages of The Simple Touch of Fate, leaving the reader to ponder if everything really does happen for a reason…. "

Midwest Book Review:

“Collaboratively compiled and edited by Arlene Uslander and Brenda Warneka, The Simple Touch of Fate is an impressive anthology of true stories revealing inexplicable connections, coincidences, and revelations of the right time and place which have changed people's lives forever. A revealing collection, The Simple Touch of Fate showcases events that will inspire even the most dogged believer in blind chance to wonder ‘Was this meant to be?’"

Heather Froeschl of www.BookReview.com and www.Quilldipper.com:

Fate means different things to different people, but in general it is described as a moment when our destinies are guided by something we cannot explain, a moment when things happen that seem coincidental, miraculous or simply amazing. In The Simple Touch of Fate the editors have compiled over 50 true stories of fated events.  The collection will give readers a satisfying sampling of the variety of fate's guidance in our lives.

Examples of chance events, from the reuniting of a husband and wife separated over years and oceans by the chance purchase of a tablecloth at a yard sale, to a woman's astounding luck at winning it big twice on the slot machines of Las Vegas on the same date a year apart, will amaze you and leave you wondering if these events are coincidences.  Read on and discover that we all cross paths for a reason, we are all sometimes in the wrong place at the wrong time, but are also sometimes in the right place at the right time.  How does it all equal out?  Sometimes it doesn't.  There are instances of devastating results of fate in this book, balanced by unbelievable tales of good fortune. 

The editors share their own instances of the hand of fate and have compiled a unique collection that is sure to be appreciated by readers who have even a hint of appreciation for the unknown, the mystical and the fact of life that not everything can be explained.

Kathy Bosworth for Denise's Pieces Book Reviews:

“The Simple Touch of Fate is a collection of many true short stories. It is a well-written compilation that will entertain and warm the hearts of readers. Whether you are a believer in fate or think that random happenings are merely a simple set of circumstances, this book will capture your interest and give you plenty of food for thought. We have all heard a story or two about someone being in the right place (or wrong place) at a specific time that resulted in circumstances that altered a life forever. Do you believe that we get a "nudge" to go in a certain direction? If you do, you will love this book. If you don't, I can guarantee that you will be a believer of fate by the time you are done reading…. "

Sheila Roe, Regular Contributor, AOL City Guide, Phoenix, Arizona: 

“Fate as a universal concept. Choose to call it what you may: destiny, luck, kismet or fate. The common thread in this anthology is the presence in everyday lives of a force that intervenes. While that force may cause a shift that bears tragedy, this collection of more than 50 personal tales focuses ultimately on the positive. Culled from the experiences of people across the globe, each story carries the imprint of its author, allowing their personal perspectives to light the way to their conclusions. While some simply allow for the presence of destiny, others connect their experiences to a higher power, whether guardian angel or God. No matter the reader's theological stance, by the end of the book, readers are loath to attribute the events to simple luck. The stories, all of which are represented as factual, span several decades and cross the globe, adding elements of timelessness and universality to the concept of fate. This collection of stories from others opens the door to considering forces at work in your own life. Perhaps most satisfying though, is finally learning the answer to ‘Why did the chicken cross the road’?"

J.Carol Kirchner, Reader, Savannah, Georgia:

“What a great collection of stories! I’m still trying to figure out which one is my favorite! Each one of them is a unique and personal gift for the reader! I’m betting on a second edition!" 

Jennifer Brown, Reviewer for Bookpleasures

 Fate (fât) n. 1. the power or agency supposed to determine the outcome of events before they occur; destiny 2. a) something inevitable, supposedly determined by the power b) what happens or has happened to a person or entity; lot; fortune

That is Webster's New World College Dictionary Fourth Edition's rather clinical definition of fate. It is something inevitable, unavoidable, certain. But to the real people behind the stories in Arlene Uslander's and Brenda Warneka's book, THE SIMPLE TOUCH OF FATE, fate has a different definition.

Says Thomas Wilson, "...when people are touched by the hand of fate, they know it" (p. 1). And, indeed, the contributors to Uslander's and Warneka's book knew that fate had played a hand in their lives...a play that would change direction of their lives forever.

For some, fate meant a feeling or obstacle that held them out of disaster's way. For those, fate kept them from taking a route that would have meant their demise. For others, fate found them uncertain at a crucial decision-making time in their lives and directed them to a clear path. For still others, fate meant comfort at a time of loss, or a chance meeting that resulted in a reunion never thought possible. Fate, as the stories show, can take so many forms.

Take, for example, an ill mother who speaks just one word before dying - and a daughter who hears it at a time she desperately needs to. Or a drowning child suddenly given one last thrust of energy that saves her life. Or a "spirit board" pounding out a life-saving message to a little girl. These are just some of the stories found in THE SIMPLE TOUCH OF FATE.

The stories in Uslander's and Warneka's book are quite varied, contributed by people from all walks of life. A great deal of them revolve around avoiding tragedy, the kind of stories that make one wonder if there is something more "out there". But a few of the stories are the strange, no explanation, goosebump-creating tales that defy even the staunchest doubter.

It is impossible to put down this book without feeling a glimmer of inspiration and a reason to explore your own faith in whom exactly is the director of our lives. Painstakingly chosen and carefully edited, the stories in THE SIMPLE TOUCH OF FATE are just a scratch on the surface of what wonderment may exist in this world. It is my prediction that Uslander and Warneka are onto something glorious with this endeavor - something that will turn into volumes upon volumes of people reaching out with their incredible tales - perhaps in doing so, extending their own hands of fate.
 

Fate means different things to different people, but in general it is described as a moment when our destinies are guided by something we cannot explain ­ a moment when things happen that seem coincidental, miraculous or simply amazing. In "The Simple Touch of Fate" the editors have compiled over 50 true stories of fated events. The collection will give readers a satisfying sampling of the variety of fate's guidance in our lives.

Examples of chance events, from the reuniting of a husband and wife separated over years and oceans by the chance purchase of a tablecloth at a yard sale, to a woman's astounding luck at winning it big twice on the slot machines of Las Vegas on the same date a year apart, will amaze you and leave you wondering if these events are coincidences. Read on and discover that we all cross paths for a reason, we are all sometimes in the wrong place at the wrong time, but are also sometimes in the right place at the right time. How does it all equal out? Sometimes it doesn't. There are instances of devastating results of fate in this book, balanced by unbelievable tales of good fortune.

The editors share their own instances of the hand of fate and have compiled a unique collection that is sure to be appreciated by readers who have even a hint of appreciation for the unknown, the mystical and the fact of life that not everything can be explained.
Heartwarming and inspirational.