Waiting for Amy: A Pilgrimage Into The Mind

by Michael Patrick Small

Wade, a 69 year-old retired teacher is desperately searching for meaning to the rest of his life. As he sets off to walk across Spain on the famous Camino de Santiago de Compostela, he has much to contemplate. He wants to rekindle his faith in God and come to terms with a dark secret he’s held for nearly forty years. But neither are easy.

His journey of self-discovery attracts yet more challenges. His pilgrimage becomes filled with enigmatic characters, obsessions, temptations and weak decisions. And when he meets a mysterious old man, Diego, who delivers some cold, hard truths about his life, Wade remains in denial.

Vainly pursuing female company – for simple sex or a full-blown loving relationship - regardless of Diego’s advice, hinders Wade’s spiritual progress. But who cares when Angelina, a captivating young Swedish woman less than half his age stumbles into his life?

Will Angelina reciprocate his love?
Will Wade continue to repeat the habits that have hampered his life, personal growth and spiritual development?
Will he ever make the breakthrough he needs to move forward with his life?
Or will karma step in and open the floodgates for his past to finally catch up with him?

Find out in this profound, memorable and psychologically stimulating novel which will capture your heart, soul and mind in equal measure.

271 pages, Paperback

Published February 28, 2019

About the author

Michael Small taught English as a Foreign Language for many years until his retirement. Some time later, after walking the Camino de Santiago de Compostela, he resolved to fulfil a lifetime's ambition and write his debut novel - Waiting for Amy.

These days he lives in Devon, by the sea; but he is a frequent visitor to northern Spain and Germany, where he has friends and family.

Reviews

[Grady · Rating 5 out of 5]

A memorable pilgrimage

British author Michael Small, now retired from teaching English as a Foreign Language, makes and impressive writing debut with an illuminating novel set in Spain, reflecting his impressions after walking the Camino de Santiago de Compostela. And that locale is of paramount importance in this novel of spiritual and physical awakening, as Michael shares in his Introduction: ‘Whereas pilgrimages in the Middle Ages were undertaken strictly for spiritual reasons, modern followers of the yellow arrows [markers along the trail] often have more secular motives…’

Wade is an older gentleman who sets off on a pilgrimage of self-discovery along the Camino de Santiago de Compostela. He longs for discovering love and passion and the accompanying lust, but he also longs to come to grips with God and his faith. As journeymen discover, there are many influences along the way, persons of interest, and chief among them is old man Diego who opens windows of retrospection for Wade, revealing aspects of his being as well as secrets he has attempted to bury. Wade’s confrontation with his past and the growing needs of his present and future provide the many aspects of points of view and pathways to contemplative realization.

Offered in contemporary terms and language, this novel allows the reader to explore along side Wade in this journey we all should make. This is a very fine story, well written, and a moving and involving invitation for reflection, acceptance and change. Highly recommended.

[Michael Patrick Small · Rating 5 out of 5]

I obviously can't review my own book, but the following is reproduced from the review of a reader on Amazon who doesn't have a Goodreads account:

https://www.amazon.com/WAITING-AMY-Pi...

5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Read - Life revealed on Camino
March 8, 2019
Format: Paperback
Verified Purchase
Michael Small has crafted an incredible story that captured the life lessons that are relearned on the Camino de Santiago. Through the development of his protagonist, he reminds us that anyone who is at a crossroad or is struggling with their circumstances of life, should walk the Camino. Serendipity doesn’t exist- things happen for a reason.
Just like life, his characters are real, raw and often share too much information. My recommendation is to read ‘Waiting for Amy’ before it becomes a movie! It’s hard to believe this is is first book. Well Done!

[Valery · Rating 5 out of 5]

Waiting for Amy: A Pilgrimage Into the Mind by Michael Small is the debut novel by this promising new author. We follow Wade the protagonist, who at sixty nine years old walks the Camino de Santiago de Compostela, looking for a spiritual awakening and maybe even some companionship. The author writes richly as we follow Wade along his path, evoking detailed descriptions of the journey, along with introducing a series of eccentric characters, most notably Diego. The old man opens Wade's mind, causing him to reevaluate his past and his present. With a series of bad decisions, challenges and more, Wade must turn to Diego to look inward and re-examine everything about himself, good and bad. This is a thought provoking novel, one that stimulates your mind, while posing many existential questions. Highly recommend for something a little different and memorable.

[Sharon Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

very inspiring. Great story. learned some things I didn't know. gave me some things to think about