Local author Nada Jabbour Hatem, a longtime Fairfax County resident, will be signing copies of her newly-released novel “Whom My Soul Loveth” on Saturday, May 11, from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. at Family Christian store located at 45591 Dulles Eastern Plaza, Sterling, Va., 20166.

The story centers around Dalal Abu Suleiman, an only child and heiress to one of the wealthiest and the most influential families in Lebanon. The newly adopted Christian faith by this pampered teenage girl—as her name suggests—causes her to lose everything at one point. She is torn from her own home and country, forsaken by her own mother and family, loses her identity and goes through the shadow of the valley of death for the sake of Christ.

Hatem will meet with readers to discuss the book and her inspiration for writing the novel. Copies of the book will be available for sale. The book is available for purchase nationwide ($20.99, paperback, 978-1622306862; $9.99 e-book 9781625096432) and is already receiving rave reviews.

“It is my deep desire that this Christian love story will generate laughter—even amidst possible tears—and draw readers of all ages and all walks of faith to the heart of God,” said Hatem.

An accomplished poet, Hatem was born and raised in Lebanon, and has been living in the United States for nearly 35 years. While studying at a private school in Lebanon, she was the leading actress in multiple plays in which she performed, and her acting talent began to be noticed. She later would use this talent to write, direct and perform in many other Christian plays.

In late 1977, she found herself, her husband, and two small children preparing to leave her homeland in Lebanon for America, due to the raging civil war that had been ongoing for two years. At first, she and her husband resisted leaving, but one evening when they returned home from a weekend at her parents, they found a bullet lodged in her 2-year-old daughter’s pillow, and the decision to leave Lebanon was already made. A few weeks later, Hatem and her family made their home in a Washington, D.C. suburb. Over the past 20 years, she has penned more than 600 poems, and has written numerous Christian skits, plays, performances, magazine articles and daily devotions in both Arabic and English.

The book has been published by Xulon Press, a division of Salem Communications. “Whom My Soul Loveth” is available for purchase through Xulon Press, and online through amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com in both paperback and as an e-book. For more information about “Whom My Soul Loveth” and the author, visit: http://christianreading.com/nhatem.