Author, Center Stage: Smith/Boyer, The Ground Kisser

Please welcome Thanh Doung Boyer and Lisa Worthey Smith to Author, Center Stage. It’s an honor to host them, and to have them share Thanh’s remarkable story with you. Let’s start with the basics. What’s the book about?

Saigon had fallen. With communism breathing down their backs and their wealth and freedom wiped out, Thanh's parents had to make an agonizing decision. Without enough gold to pay for boat passage for all eight family members, they had to choose whether to stay together and face whatever came in Vietnam or risk separating the family to give a child a chance to survive. They had only hours to decide.

Under the cover of darkness, two weeks after her twelfth birthday, Thanh left on an overloaded riverboat set for Australia through the pirate-riddled South China Sea. If their boat could survive that, then Thanh would find a way to have her family join her Down Under.

But that would never happen. One after another, obstacles most people can’t even imagine threatened to take her life.

This is the true story of Thanh Dương Boyer’s strength, courage, and perseverance in the harshest of circumstances to fulfill the dream of living under the banner of freedom. The Ground Kisser is a faith-building, flag-waving story that will inspire you to recognize the important things in life, treasure them, and take action to preserve them—even if it cost your life.

In the preface, you talk a bit about why you’ve chosen to write the book now and what two of your goals are. The book has only been out for a short time, but how have you seen these goals manifest through the book and your speaking?

Thanh: I have spoken to many of our veterans especially the Vietnam Veterans. They told me that hearing a thank you from the other side have given them a lot peace. And they would say to me, it was all worth it. People have also commented about how they have taken for granted of what they already have here. Being born in the U.S. soil is a blessing enough. Those that are Christians said they see the Gospel lay out through out the book and pray for the unbelievers to see that.

How did the two of you come together to write the book? What was your working arrangement like?

Lisa: After my previous release, The Wisdom Tree, I asked God to show me what He wanted me to do next. Meanwhile, Thanh knew God wanted her to write her story but because English is not her native language, she asked God to send her an author. A mutual friend gave her a copy of The Wisdom Tree. She told me she immediately felt that God sent her the author she asked for. God answered two prayers at once.

Thanh contacted me online and we arranged to meet at my home. I listened to her story and saw the potential to touch hearts through it. We prayed and I took a lot of notes. She came back several times over eighteen months and I listed major events, let her review my drafts, and asked many questions—always listening for her voice so her story would be in her words. I asked her many times about her goals for the book and worked to weave themes of love of family, patriotism, and gratitude into her story.

I think we worked well together. We consider each other sisters now. 

Even though your life has been vastly different from most of the young people who may read your book, how do you think your story can influence them? What did you learn during your life’s trials that they can apply to their own lives today?

Thanh: I hope it helps them to appreciate the freedom that they have. And that freedom was defended and sacrifices of others before them. They need to learn from others that have lived in an oppressive government so we don’t repeated here in the U.S. Life trials are inevitable. BUT if they have God and lean on Him, everything is possible. Trials built characters and God is more concern with our characters than our emotions/feelings.

In what ways does your faith encourage your writing?

Lisa: My faith is always the reason for my writing. I adopted Psalm 102:18 several years ago as a mission statement for my writing; “This will be written for the generation to come,
That a people yet to be created may praise the LORD.”

Do you plan to continue writing? If so, what’s next?

Thanh: I believe this is my first and last. Unless God tells me otherwise.

Lisa: I am drafting a book about the first family, Adam and Eve. I have long been intrigued with the Jewish writings that were not canonized into Scripture. I am using those writings as the basis for the story. My working title at this point is The First Family.

Please list any online presence that either of you have that you’d like to share with readers (social media, website, etc.) 

Facebook page for the book: The Ground Kisser 

Website - www.thegroundkisser.com

Instagram - thegroundkisser

Twitter @BoyerThanh @lisawsmith57

Where can people buy The Ground Kisser?.

https://www.amazon.com/Ground-Kisser-Thanh-Dương-Boyer/dp/1947523368/ 

Long-time Bible student and teacher, Lisa Worthey Smith has been called The Parable Teacher for her ability to express biblical truths within everyday events and nature. Her story, The Wisdom Tree, about an olive tree growing up in the garden of Gethsemane at the time of Jesus, led Thanh Boyer to contact her to help her write her memoir. As one of the Vietnamese boat people, hers is a story of courage, perseverance, and survival through unimaginably difficult circumstances.

Thanh’s gratitude to live in the USA led radio talk-show host Barry Farber to dub her a Ground Kisser. Her mission is to thank all our military, especially those who left their families and homes to protect her family and her home.

Together, Lisa and Thanh hope to inspire people to recognize the freedoms and wealth we enjoy in the United States with the phrase #IAmAGroundKisser.