Did you ever see the movie 'Signs?' (Forget for a moment that its star, Mel Gibson, has drawn a lot of bad publicity to himself lately.) In that film, seemingly random acts and objects take on monumental significance. A failed baseball career, a horrific accident, and even a simple glass of water all play a part. Fate arranges them so at just the right time, a family in crisis gets the exact help it needs exactly when they need it. The result is an amazing film, a testament to the creative mind of writer/director M. Night Shyamalan.

Sometimes, though, truth is as artfully arranged as fiction. In 'The Mystery of Fate: Common Coincidence or Divine Intervention?,' edited by Arlene Uslander and Brenda Warnecka (2010, R. J. Buckley Publishing), a variety of authors tell stories that seem made up for a Hollywood movie screen...and yet they're all true. "Fate" is one name given to the mysterious force that seems to arrange events, for better or for worse.

Depending on his or her personal beliefs, the reader may chalk these fascinating true stories up to coincidence, or to the intervention of guardian angels or a Higher Power. What is Fate? Does Fate have a will of its own, lining up events and people for a deeper purpose? Or does it only seem that way after the fact? The reader will have to make up his or her own mind about these questions.

In these stories, the dead speak, soul mates are found in the most unlikely places, men and women defy death and long-lost family members are reunited. The result is an unforgettable reading experience. I must confess the romantic stories are my favorite ones, whether it's people connecting across cultures or long-lost lovers being reunited in unique ways.

Readers can find this book in paperback or in e-book for Kindle on Amazon.com.