by Deb Bataller, CBN Asia

Are you a single woman still looking for Mr. Right to complete you? A hopeless romantic desperately waiting for Prince Charming to sweep you off your feet? Or maybe you’re a workaholic who thinks love isn’t for you, and you’re contemplating of embracing the single life for good?

If you are single, whatever your situation is, then Solo Flight, one of the recent releases of OMF Literature, is for you.

Not a Book by Accident

Solo Flight is written by two most unlikely friends. It tells the love story of Francie Castaneda-Lacanilao, who, after 53 years of being single, finally got married when her knight in shining armor came along.

When award-winning children’s books author Grace Chong and Teacher Francie casually met for the first time, both did not know that it would be the start of a wonderful partnership.

“I did not even know Teacher Francie, but I was told she was buying all my books because she owns a school. We met in a corporate meeting, and during the chat she told me about her love story. I was so fascinated and so kilig,” shares Chong.

“I was thinking to myself it will make a good book, but that was it. Surprisingly, OMF Literature asked me if I was interested in writing her love story. I said yes, and the rest was history.”

Indeed, their first meeting was not an accident. The two met several more times and they finally decided to partner writing the book. Teacher Francie was the storyteller and Grace the storywriter.

Teacher Francie says, “Grace is a very wonderful person and a very good writer. I was really very pleased that she was able to put into words all the memories and stories that I’ve been keeping for the longest time.”

An Uplifting Read

With Chong’s casual writing style, Solo Flight speaks very spontaneously. Its conversational tone makes it easy for readers to relate to the book’s message.

What makes this book a must-read for singles are the various true-to-life experiences that women can learn from. Aside from Teacher Francie’s story, the book also features a gamut of differently told stories of eight single women—why they decided to be or ended up being single.

One would surely find inspiration and encouragement as the book not only promotes enjoying one’s single blessedness. It also uplifts the single woman’s point of view from the hopeless picture of a spinster or soltera to a higher purpose of waiting faithfully on God, not on a dream man.

Flying Solo or Tying the Knot?

Solo Flight aims to take off society’s unnecessary pressure on singles. Being married is not the only way to do well in life. One can choose to be single yet genuinely happy, as Chong advocates in the book.

She says, “Because not everybody will end up on the altar, we are hoping this book will help single women journey more joyfully and to be happier with their status in life, to really think that it’s a blessing to be single, to do the things that they like to do.”

Solo flight, in aviation, is a milestone in a pilot’s life; likewise, it is a major feat for any person to decide to be single. Chong explains further, “It’s not really flying solo, because as we said in the book, God is always with you. He is actually the one guiding your flight, how far and how high you should go, when to take off and when to land.”

Though the book talks about the journeys of single ladies, it also gives a fresh take to the other side of the story: women who said goodbye to the word “single,” like Teacher Francie, who has found her happily ever after with the man of her dreams, even in the prime of her life. Indeed, no one is too old for love!

“The Lord had really seen me through my singlehood,” she shares. “The reason I wanted to write about my love story is to encourage singles—young or old, those who are frustrated or those who are probably losing hope that they will ever marry—that they have to be complete, and that they need a man to complete them. There is nothing like waiting for God’s best. You can settle for second best, but God gives the very best. God in His own time really has a perfect will for each one.”

Grace Chong is the award-winning and best-selling author of the Oh, Mateo! series for children, also from OMF Literature. Francie Castaneda-Lacanilao is the founder and directress of The Learning Tree School.

Solo Flight is now available on all OMF Literature bookstores nationwide.