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MP3 Billie Jo Gerver - I Fed an Angel
1 MP3 Songs
COUNTRY: Country Pop, CLASSICAL: Traditional
Details:
Feeding an angel through music, prose
A Martinsburg woman is teaming with a man who lives in Canada to help the
homeless.
By Crystal Schelle, Weekender staff writer
MARTINSBURG - A year ago, author F.K. Wilson of Oshawa, Ontario, was
patrolling the Internet looking for a publisher who might be interested in
his novel, "I Fed an Angel."
Although he may not have meant to e-mail songwriting publisher Billie Jo
Gerver of Martinsburg, the mistake actually turned out to become a blessing.
Both Wilson and Gerver say they hold a special place in their hearts
for the homeless. And that need of wanting to help the less fortunate has
led them to forge their creative juices in a project that will help the
homeless in both the United States and Canada.
Their project is Wilson''s novel, "I Fed an Angel," (2005) along with a
compact disc of a song of the same name written by Gerver.
For Wilson, it was a simple act of kindness that spurred on his need to
help the homeless. He says he was driving in his town of Oshawa when he saw
a homeless man. He gave the man some money, hoping that he would use it for
food instead of drugs or alcohol.
"I stopped at a red light about 10 feet away, and he actually went into a
coffee shop," he says in a telephone interview from his home.
When he arrived home 20 minutes later, Wilson says he received a call
from his wife''s best friend. On behalf of his wife, he had written her a
poem and she was calling to say thank you. "She said, ''Why don''t you write
for a living?''"
Wilson was already working on the manuscript of "I Fed an Angel."
Today, Wilson says there is buzz about his novel. It tells the story of a
happily married man who is wrongly convicted of a crime. When he is
released after 20 years, he finds himself homeless. And although he is
hungry himself, he shares half a sandwich with another man.
"His whole life then changes," Wilson says.
The novel has changed Wilson''s life and his partner Gerver''s as well.
"I had just registered with BMI music, when several days later I received
an e-mail from F.K.," Gerver says.
She returned his e-mail, unaware at first that he had a book. "We
started talking about the homeless," she says.
Gerver has also been fighting for the homeless. Several years ago in
Nashville, Tenn., she had met a homeless man named David who touched her
heart. Her meeting with the man inspired her to write the song "Jesus in
Disguise."
She says Wilson shared with her a few chapters of the book. In some parts
she was crying. "It''s sad, but it''s inspirational and uplifting, too," she
says.
Gerver says she felt inspired. "I Fed an Angel," the song, is being
played locally on 97.5 FM. It will also be available online through
https://www.tradebit.com.
Although Gerver appears on the compact disc dressed as an angel, that
isn''t her singing on the single. She left the singing up to the
professionals, but the words are hers.
Gerver says she was apprehensive at first about getting into any type of
business relationship with someone she met over the Internet, let alone in
another state. She says she listened and made sure what he was saying was
adding up.
"I just felt he was sincere," Gerver says about Wilson''s plight to help
the homeless.
The song "I Fed an Angel" is a country pop tune. "It speaks to the
homeless like a parable," she says.
The writing of the song, "just came so fast." After talking with Wilson,
Gerver says she changed a few things, but it''s still mainly the same song
she wrote.
Regardless, she says her partnership with Wilson fits wonderfully because
of her own burden for the homeless. "A lot of this is God''s work," she says.
Writing fiction came late in life for Wilson, a New York City native. "I
didn''t know for years that I had this special gift," he says. "I didn''t
realize."
Today, Wilson says editors are telling him that his book could be a
"bestseller." He says he''s already had screenwriters who are turning "I Fed
an Angel" into a film script. And all of this for a novel that was just
released last weekend.
While most first-time authors would be dreaming of building mansions
and driving Ferraris, Wilson is thinking of the amount of money that may be
raised from his book for the homeless.
When it came to the cover of his book, Wilson decided to use Gerver in
the same angel outfit she appears on the CD. His press release calls their
partnership "a brotherly/sisterly bond."
In addition to the money he hopes to raise from the sale of the book on
his Web site and traditional outlets, he''s also selling the book by using
the homeless. The men and women not only earn a percentage of the sales,
but the shelter where the person is staying also earns a portion of the
money.
Wilson has plans for a cookbook and coloring book for "I Fed an Angel."
In the meantime, Gerver has signed with TAXI, an independent artist and
repertoire company, in the hopes of having big name artists cut her songs,
like "Canceled Policy."
The partnership with Wilson has inspired Gerver to write outside of the
scales. She''s working on her own novel, "Final Call," on homelessness and
driving under the influence. "I''ve always wanted to write a book," she says.
Wilson says he has bigger plans than just the book. "I want to change
the world," he says.
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- Staff writer Crystal Schelle can be reached at 263-8931, Ext. 213, or
cschelle@https://www.tradebit.com.
Crystal Schelle
Living editor
The Journal
207 W. King St.
Martinsburg, WV 25401
(304) 263-8931, ext. 213
cschelle@https://www.tradebit.com.
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