A Breath of Fresh Air: Biblical Storytelling with Prisoners is now published and available from Wipf and Stock Publishers. I received a copy a week ago. This is me with my book, standing in my kitchen, right after I brought it in from the mailbox.

My book references this Circle of the Word website. Here is a description from Wipf and Stock:

Breath of Fresh Air: Biblical Storytelling with Prisoners challenges the behemoth of mass incarceration through the convergence of biblical storytelling pedagogy, restorative justice principles, and peacemaking circle structure. Circle of the Word is an interactive, creative process of engagement with biblical stories. It is a spiritual intervention that addresses an American criminal justice system that is retributive, discriminatory, and out of control. Boomershine reports on the impact of Circle of the Word for incarcerated men and women and grounds Circle of the Word in a multifaceted foundation: the study of the Bible as performance literature, the history of prison reform in Enlightenment England, the doctrine of the Word of God, and the development-of-hope theory. Since the purpose of the book is both advocacy and empowerment, a how-to chapter is included with details for implementation. Participation in Circle of the Word has proven to be a transformative experience for men and women directly impacted by mass incarceration–discovering community in the midst of isolation and hope in the midst of despair.