When Ronald and Teresa Riddle decided to move out of Pontiac, they turned to their faith to help them decide where to go.
Their prayers led them to the Clarkston area, settling at Bridge Water Apartments in Independence Township.
‘We asked the lord to lead us to where he wanted us to go,? Ronald said. ‘This has been ideal ? we love it here.?
They have been taking part in all Clarkston’s community activities, including Taste of Clarkston last week.
‘I’ve always liked Clarkston,? said Teresa, who in the 1960s would visit a friend living on Warbler Drive in Independence Township’s ‘Birdland.?
‘We’d walk all over, to the high school and junior high and Clarkston Elementary, shop in the stores on Main Street all day long,? she said.
Ronald is an author, researching and writing novels telling stories from the Old Testament, in the days of Adam and Eve, Noah and the Flood.
He finished ‘The Genesis Chronicles? in 2003, and followup ‘Adams Chronicles? in 2007.
He got the idea for the stories while studying the Bible, he said.
‘I was reading the book of Genesis, and I thought, man, this would make a good story,? he said.
His stories are based on his religious belief that the Bible is true, using the King James Bible as a starting point.
‘I used it as an outline, then created a novel around it,? he said. ‘It still required a lot of research.?
For his first book, set before the flood, he read up on archaeological findings on society thousands of years ago, then extrapolated what it would be like before the Biblical flood.
‘My theory was that society built up after the flood would be a shadow of what might have been there prior to the flood,? he said. ‘It would have been a very high level of society.?
The books tells the story of Adam and Eve and their descendants in dramatic narratives, with action and dialogue among humans, angels, demons, and God.
‘I try to stick with what the Bible says ? those are the facts,? he said. ‘Like Paul Harvey says, this is the ‘rest of the story.??
How did he write dialogue for God?
‘It was very difficult ? I didn’t want God to say anything that wasn’t biblical,? he said. ‘I’d go to the Bible and look at where there is spoken language of God.?
His first book was self published, the second through Publish America.
‘I learned a lot, writing my first book,? he said. ‘I’ve drawn closer to God through writing.?
He enjoys authors Erma Bombeck, Dr. William P. Grady, John R. Rice, and Dr. Tom Malone, a pastor in Pontiac.
‘My favorite author is Harry Carr (his pastor at Shalom Baptist Church),? he said.
Ronald was ‘born again? in 1973, a night he remembers clearly. Travelling on business, he had stopped to talk to a local pastor about his religion. That night, he had an epiphany.
‘I realized all of a sudden that I could not point to a time in my life when I asked Christ to be my savior,? he said.
‘I fell to my knees and asked Jesus into my life ? my life has been different since then.?
He joined a local Baptist church, serving as janitor, mission board member, Sunday school teacher and secretary, junior church assistant, and bus ministry worker.
He also met Teresa.
‘She’s a great partner for me to have,? he said. ‘Our talents blend together.?
He grew up in Port Huron and lived in Drayton Plains and West Branch as well as Pontiac.
He served in the U.S. Navy from 1962-1968 as a radioman about cruisers U.S.S. Oklahoma City and U.S.S. St. Paul. His service included deployments to the Sea of Japan to support operations during the Vietnam War.
After the Navy, he worked for Western Electric and Michigan Bell, retiring in 1993.
Teresa grew up in Arkansas, and has a teaching and masters of business administration degrees.
They are partners in two online business enterprises, Christian Writ Bookstore and Teresa’s Cards Etc.
With Christian Writ, Ronald sells Bibles and other religious books. For Teresa’s Cards Etc., she designs and prints greeting cards, including encouragement cards for missionaries.
‘Cards for missionaries seems to be an open market,? she said.
‘No stores seem to have them, we’ve found,? Ronald said.
She is working on a set of cards people can send to the military overseas.
‘I always wanted my own bookstore ? this is close,? Teresa said.
For more information, call 877-422-7982, or check www.christianwritbookstore.com or www.teresascardsetc.com.