Nine Lives to Eternity is a true chronicle of cheating death time and again. This inspirational and faith-driven human triumph details the aftermath of my many harrowing experiences and mishaps, any of which should have resulted in certain death. Each time, I was somehow incessantly saved by guardian angels. The numerous near-death experiences accounted for twenty-six fractured bones and rendered me unconscious on five separate occasions, yet somehow I lived to tell my compelling story of survival and triumph over death. By the release date of this book, the good Lord has allowed me to somehow, someway survive up until and beyond the celebration of my fifty-fifth birthday. Trust me when I reiterate that my life hasn�t been a painless journey while defeating death on a habitual basis. Beginning as a mere infant at the age of nine months old and then continuing through fifty-five years, I�ve cheated death again and again. During my life�s journey, I�ve survived an unfathomable twenty-seven encounters with death. I�ve escaped death through seven different machinery and equipment mishaps. I�ve avoided horse or mule death challenges no fewer than five times. Although one of my life�s greatest pleasures has always been motorcycling, I�ve paid a price by suffering through five singular accidents that should have terminated my life. Few in life could survive even one automobile crash, yet I�ve lived to describe three separate vehicular collisions. In addition, I�ve escaped death from toxic fumes twice and twice averted death threats while working within dangerous third world countries. I�ve even fallen from a rooftop, nearly crashed in an airplane, and lived through a poisoning, yet by the grace of God, I�ve failed to become a fatality statistic. I�ve often joked that for every day in which I don�t read my own name within a newspaper obituary column that becomes a really good day for me. To survive so many brushes with death is difficult to absorb. My goal-driven ambitions have unfortunately brought me to the threshold of death numerous times. I�ve driven myself to limits that few would attempt. Early in life, I set a goal for myself to try and fit three lifetimes of experiences into my short time on this planet. As a youth, I never believed that I would survive beyond an age of forty years. Most certainly, my high-risk behaviors reduced my odds for a lengthy existence. As my life unfolded, the numerous encounters with death became staggering. Between the ages of nine months up until nine years, I faced death three times. From the ages of ten years through my nineteenth birthday, death crossed my pathway four more times. During my tumultuous twenties from the ages of twenty years through twenty-nine years, I survived eight separate death encounters. Between the ages of thirty years through thirty-nine years, my chances of death slowed down to two. By the ages of forty years through forty-nine years, the Grim Reaper visited me on three separate occasions. As I reached midlife, I discovered that the pace of my death engagements was increasing. From the ages of fifty years through fifty-five years, I�d already amassed five singular close encounters with death. Perhaps that assertion should come as no surprise. Since reaching my fifties, I�d done little to slow down or reduce my zest for life and risk-taking determination. Few adults when faced with their own midlife crisis will attempt such outlandish feats as mountain climbing to the summit of Devils Tower in Wyoming or riding a motorcycle nonstop for ten thousand miles or consulting in the midst of a war within the country of Afghanistan. I�m thankful for each and every day that I�m allowed the privilege of living. I try to give thanks and praise to my Lord every day for granting me the tenacity to overcome even the worst of survival odds. Through my strong faith and spirituality, and by never accepting defeat, I�ve been able to constantly repel the onset of death. It is my sincerest hope that the pages of my true story will provide some level of hope and inspiration for anyone suffering from some of the curveballs that life can throw. As a young boy, I would lay awake in bed on many a night dreaming of the world that I would one day discover. Strangely, I somehow always believed that my life would come to a premature ending since my adrenaline-driven choices have often placed me in harm�s way. Throughout my existence, I�ve never chosen a path of least resistance. In my lifetime, I�ve tended to trek down the pathway least-often traveled, believing that the rewards of such a journey would outdistance the challenges. And they have. The challenges I�ve faced in my lifetime could be summed up in the well-known quote which states, �That which will not kill you shall make you stronger.� I�d like to share my own personal quote, which says, �Have no fear, as death draws near.� Such a statement is not meant to be gruesome or sinister, but it simply acknowledges our human mortality. I strongly believe that the more one lets the Lord into their hearts, the easier one can accept the next step to eternity within God�s heavenly paradise. I would pose this question: if someone such as me has faced off with death twenty-seven times and still I have little fear of dying, why then should you? As I draw my story to a close, I�ve come to really appreciate the blessings and the gifts in my life. Throughout life�s journey, I�ve been surrounded by the love and support of my family. I never really believed that I would one day grow old with my loving wife, Astrid, but perhaps we shall. At the writing of this story, my youngest son, Travis, his wife, RaeLynn, and my lovely infant granddaughter, Hiltina, bring me such pride and joy. My eldest son, Trevor, his wife, Theresa, and their unborn baby epitomize how much there is to look forward to in life�s journey. With the break of each day�s new dawn, I�m ever thankful to be one day closer to eternity. After reading this account, one�s view of life, one�s apprehension of death, and one�s belief in angels will never be the same again.
Scott D. Gottschalk was raised on a livestock and cropping farm in southeastern Minnesota near the small village of Byron. While obtaining a Bachelor of Science Degree with a double major in Animal Science and Agriculture Education, he began writing his first nonfiction book. "The Folk and Their Fauna", the story of one man´s love affair with animals, has been a people favorite with the ever-excalating popularity of animals in America. Following a horrendous motorcycle collision that placed him in the throes of death, he wrote a second nonfiction book. Few people have experienced even one close encounter with death, yet Scott has somehow cheated death a phenomenal twenty-seven times. He attributes much of his survival towards divine intervention. Throughout his existence, people have continually remarked that he has the uncanny "nine lives of a cat", but in truth Scott has actually survived an amazing nine lives three times over! "Nine Lives to Eternity" a true story of repeatedly cheating death; an inspirational and faith-driven human triumph, has truly made an impact on readers around the world. This life-affirming book outlines each of the author´s twenty-seven brushes with death. Scott believes in guardian angels, because he´s personally been touched by angels. His most recent release is a fiction book which was as entertaining for him to write as it has been for others to read. "Terrifying Tales Unleashed", unsettling stories to remedy peaceful slumber, allowed Scott to venture from his previous nonfiction books and let his imagination run wild. Within this book, one can delve into the macabre dark side with plots that twist and turn. It is a menagerie of short stories covering many popular genres including horror, science fiction, and suspense/thriller. During Scott´s lifetime, he has not only been a farmer, but has worked more than three decades for Land O´ Lakes, Inc., helping serve the farmers who feed our planet. Additionally, he´s served as an international consultant where over the years he has fulfilled international consulting assignments in dangerous third world nations, all while trekking across six different continents. Scott and his wife Astrid live in central Minnesota near the small village of Kimball. They have two adult sons sons, Trevor and Travis. Their entire family enjoys time together by motorcycling along with exhibiting antique tractors and vintage farm equipment. Scott D. Gottschalk is an author and a highly regarded professional public speaker. He can be contacted at GottschalkScott@Yahoo.com