by Jason Joyner | May 12, 2007 | Blog, CFBA, fiction
This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
RANSOMED DREAMS
(Multnomah April 16, 2007)
by
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Amy Wallace is a member of the CFBA and an avid Blogger. A self-confessed chocoholic, this freelance writer is a graduate of the Gwinnett County Citizens Police Academy and serves as the liaison for the training division of the county police department. Amy is a contributing author of God Answers Moms’ Prayers, God Allows U-Turns for Teens, Chicken Soup for the Soul Healthy Living Series: Diabetes, and A Cup of Comfort for Expectant Mothers. She lives in Georgia with her husband and three daughters.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Drama. Tragedy. Thriller. Romance. Can these four actually go together? Amy Wallace’s meaty first book of the Defenders of Hope Series, RANSOMED DREAMS, has successfully united these genres.
It is one of those books that after you read a little and put it down, the desire to see what will happen next is so strong that it will occupy your thoughts, compelling you to make the time to finish. But watch out! It is best consumed where no one will hear you cry because, if you have children, it will hit you like a stab in the gut and wrench you with a twist of the knife.
Although the subject at first depresses, the characters are so real and likable that you need to see what will become of them.
This book will NOT bore you.
BACK COVER COPY:
Chained To Yesterday
When tragedy struck and Gracie Lang lost everything, her faith crumbled, and nothing but the drive for justice propelled her forward. But after two years of dead-end searching, the truth Gracie seeks is the very thing her stalker will stop at nothing to hide.
Forgiveness Unlocks the Future
An FBI agent in the Crimes Against Children Unit, Steven Kessler spends his days rescuing other people’s children and nights caring for his son. He’s through with God, embittered by his ex-wife who abandoned them both, and definitely doesn’t expect what’s coming next.
The Past Is the Key
A plot to kidnap a British ambassador’s daughter dangerously intersects Steven and Gracie’s worlds–a collision that demands a decision. But are they willing to pay the high ransom required to redeem dreams and reignite hope?
ENDORSEMENTS:
Steeped in police intrigue and rich characters, Ransomed Dreams entertains, educates, and captivates. Amy Wallace is a fresh, vibrant voice in the Christian market
~Mark Mynheir, Homicide Detective and Author of The Void
Ransomed Dreams had me hooked from the start and didn’t let go until the deeply satisfying ending.
~Kristin Billerbeck, Author of What a Girl Wants
by Jason Joyner | May 3, 2007 | Blog, books, CFBA, fiction
Some books just have a great concept that makes a reader wonder, “Why didn’t anyone do this before. It’s fabulous!”
Today’s book featured in the CFBA is one such book. Tribulation House, the third book by novelist and magazine editor (and all around busy guy) Chris Well. I had an interview with him that I posted here. Today I want to review TH.
Here’s the back cover blurb:
IT’S NOT THE END OF THE WORLD—WHICH COULD BE A PROBLEM…
Mark Hogan has it all. The job. The family. A position on the board at church. All he’s missing is a boat. Not just any boat—a 2008 Bayliner 192.
When Reverend Daniel Glory announces that the Rapture is taking
place on October 17 at 5:51 am, Hogan realizes his boat–buying days are numbered. So he does what any man in his situation would do—he borrows a load of money from the mob. Not that there’s any risk involved: After all, when the Rapture comes, Hogan will be long gone. The mob will never find him. But when Jesus fails to come back on schedule, Mark Hogan finds the mob is in no mood to discuss the finer points of end–times theology…
You’re smiling already, right?
Honestly, this could be a real one-note story that falls flat. Thankfully, Chris is a talented writer who keeps things moving by incorporating the story into the world of the Kansas City mob and the law enforcement trying to take them down – the world that was the setting for his previous two novels, Forgiving Solomon Long and Deliver Us from Evelyn. We get to follow along with lovable, comic book geek detective Charlie Pasch as he finds his groove. Detective Tom Griggs has some confrontation to do and a major surprise. Other new characters are brought in to fill out this tale, all connected to our Rapture-watching protaganist in various ways.
This is Well’s most blatantly Christian novel, and pokes some good natured fun at those who stand around watching the sky for Jesus’ return a little too much, while giving us a nudge in the right direction. Humor is hard to pull off, but he does it with just the right touch of speaking to serious issues as well.
One of his strengths is his unique characterizations. He seems to be trying to restrain himself as far as number of characters, but still does a great job of making each distinctive. For the most part he makes the mobsters believable creatures without making them vulgar (although one gangster calling another “dum-dum” didn’t ring true). The main character gets so self-focused you want to smack him, but that is probably how he should be treated!
The ending will leave you wanting more, I can promise you that! (Grrr…) Again, Chris has a quick pace that carries you through the book, an enjoyable read that tickles your funny bone and pricks your conscience.
by Jason Joyner | May 3, 2007 | Blog, books, CFBA, fiction
Some books just have a great concept that makes a reader wonder, “Why didn’t anyone do this before. It’s fabulous!”
Today’s book featured in the CFBA is one such book. Tribulation House, the third book by novelist and magazine editor (and all around busy guy) Chris Well. I had an interview with him that I posted here. Today I want to review TH.
Here’s the back cover blurb:
IT’S NOT THE END OF THE WORLD—WHICH COULD BE A PROBLEM…
Mark Hogan has it all. The job. The family. A position on the board at church. All he’s missing is a boat. Not just any boat—a 2008 Bayliner 192.
When Reverend Daniel Glory announces that the Rapture is taking
place on October 17 at 5:51 am, Hogan realizes his boat–buying days are numbered. So he does what any man in his situation would do—he borrows a load of money from the mob. Not that there’s any risk involved: After all, when the Rapture comes, Hogan will be long gone. The mob will never find him. But when Jesus fails to come back on schedule, Mark Hogan finds the mob is in no mood to discuss the finer points of end–times theology…
You’re smiling already, right?
Honestly, this could be a real one-note story that falls flat. Thankfully, Chris is a talented writer who keeps things moving by incorporating the story into the world of the Kansas City mob and the law enforcement trying to take them down – the world that was the setting for his previous two novels, Forgiving Solomon Long and Deliver Us from Evelyn. We get to follow along with lovable, comic book geek detective Charlie Pasch as he finds his groove. Detective Tom Griggs has some confrontation to do and a major surprise. Other new characters are brought in to fill out this tale, all connected to our Rapture-watching protaganist in various ways.
This is Well’s most blatantly Christian novel, and pokes some good natured fun at those who stand around watching the sky for Jesus’ return a little too much, while giving us a nudge in the right direction. Humor is hard to pull off, but he does it with just the right touch of speaking to serious issues as well.
One of his strengths is his unique characterizations. He seems to be trying to restrain himself as far as number of characters, but still does a great job of making each distinctive. For the most part he makes the mobsters believable creatures without making them vulgar (although one gangster calling another “dum-dum” didn’t ring true). The main character gets so self-focused you want to smack him, but that is probably how he should be treated!
The ending will leave you wanting more, I can promise you that! (Grrr…) Again, Chris has a quick pace that carries you through the book, an enjoyable read that tickles your funny bone and pricks your conscience.
by Jason Joyner | May 1, 2007 | Blog, CFBA, comics, fiction
This week’s CFBA tour is for Tribulation House by the talented Chris Well. I’ve known about Chris before his first novel, Tribulation House later this week, as well as continuing my discussion about the Christian Marketplace.
1. You write “laugh-out loud crime thrillers” with gangsters and some rougher elements. How do you deal with the CBA market informal guidelines and realistically portraying these characters? Any problems with dealing with the issue of hardened criminals and the use of cursing?
Frankly, I don’t *want* to write novels that are vulgar: There is enough ugliness in the world without my *adding* to it. Yes, my stories do involve a lot of broken people making a lot of bad choices (and doing a lot of bad things), but a creative writer should be able to leave something to the imagination of the reader.
2. TH is your 3rd book. Was it harder to write your first novel, or iskeeping up with deadlines with your full-time work more challenging?
Each novel is a new journey of discovery for me — so while some elements of the process are getting easier, each time out I am still trying to stretch for something new. If I’m not flying without a net, I am certainly playing close to the edge of the net. As such, I hope each novel is a better read — and I hope I never become so complacent that I stop pushing to that “next place.” And, yes, it is tough doing all this with a day job. But I like what I do, so that is not going to change anytime soon. (Plug: Sign up at http://www.myccm.org!/)
3. What process do you use to keep a handle on your characters and their always interesting quirks?
With these Harvest House books, I got locked into an “ensemble” format, the hardest part of which is coordinating all the different crazy people doing all the separate stories (that still have to criss-cross throughout the novel).
So … it usually means I have to stop every 1/3 of the way or so and re-read everything before I go on. And do a lot of revising as I go. And then eventually make some sort of chart or graph or timeline, and then I write all these bullet points down on index cards …
Let’s just say that at some crucial juncture with all three –FORGIVING SOLOMON LONG, DELIVER US FROM EVELYN, and TRIBULATION HOUSE– there was finally a point where I literally sat down with scissors and a printout and cut up all the different scenes and made everything fit in the right order. So I think you can understand why the projects I’m working on right now are limited to the single-person perspective. (And they are going WAY faster!)
4. What is your favorite comic book story arc? What is Charlie’s?
Wow. Um, off the top of my head: “Unthinkable,” FANTASTIC FOUR Vol. 3, #67-71 (2003), by Mark Waid and Mike Wieringo. Plus KINGDOM COME, ASTONISHING X-MEN, WATCHMEN, COMMON GROUNDS, THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS, BATMAN: STRANGE APPARITIONS, X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST …
I like a lot of comics. (And so does Charlie.)
by Jason Joyner | May 1, 2007 | Blog, CFBA, comics, fiction
This week’s CFBA tour is for Tribulation House by the talented Chris Well. I’ve known about Chris before his first novel, Tribulation House later this week, as well as continuing my discussion about the Christian Marketplace.
1. You write “laugh-out loud crime thrillers” with gangsters and some rougher elements. How do you deal with the CBA market informal guidelines and realistically portraying these characters? Any problems with dealing with the issue of hardened criminals and the use of cursing?
Frankly, I don’t *want* to write novels that are vulgar: There is enough ugliness in the world without my *adding* to it. Yes, my stories do involve a lot of broken people making a lot of bad choices (and doing a lot of bad things), but a creative writer should be able to leave something to the imagination of the reader.
2. TH is your 3rd book. Was it harder to write your first novel, or iskeeping up with deadlines with your full-time work more challenging?
Each novel is a new journey of discovery for me — so while some elements of the process are getting easier, each time out I am still trying to stretch for something new. If I’m not flying without a net, I am certainly playing close to the edge of the net. As such, I hope each novel is a better read — and I hope I never become so complacent that I stop pushing to that “next place.” And, yes, it is tough doing all this with a day job. But I like what I do, so that is not going to change anytime soon. (Plug: Sign up at http://www.myccm.org!/)
3. What process do you use to keep a handle on your characters and their always interesting quirks?
With these Harvest House books, I got locked into an “ensemble” format, the hardest part of which is coordinating all the different crazy people doing all the separate stories (that still have to criss-cross throughout the novel).
So … it usually means I have to stop every 1/3 of the way or so and re-read everything before I go on. And do a lot of revising as I go. And then eventually make some sort of chart or graph or timeline, and then I write all these bullet points down on index cards …
Let’s just say that at some crucial juncture with all three –FORGIVING SOLOMON LONG, DELIVER US FROM EVELYN, and TRIBULATION HOUSE– there was finally a point where I literally sat down with scissors and a printout and cut up all the different scenes and made everything fit in the right order. So I think you can understand why the projects I’m working on right now are limited to the single-person perspective. (And they are going WAY faster!)
4. What is your favorite comic book story arc? What is Charlie’s?
Wow. Um, off the top of my head: “Unthinkable,” FANTASTIC FOUR Vol. 3, #67-71 (2003), by Mark Waid and Mike Wieringo. Plus KINGDOM COME, ASTONISHING X-MEN, WATCHMEN, COMMON GROUNDS, THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS, BATMAN: STRANGE APPARITIONS, X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST …
I like a lot of comics. (And so does Charlie.)
by Jason Joyner | Apr 25, 2007 | Blog, CFBA, fiction
This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing THE HEIR (Bethany House March 1, 2007) by Paul Robertson.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Paul Robertson is a computer programming consultant, part-time high-school math and science teacher, and former independent bookstore owner in Blacksburg, Virginia. This is his first novel.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Jason Boyer Just Got an Inheritance to Die For
The fortune wasn’t supposed to befall him. Jason Boyer had known all along his father’s business empire would pass to different hands. Which suited him just fine. The money was crooked and the power corrupt. But when an accident claims the old man’s life, everyone is stunned by the unveiling of the will. With the passing of the Boyer crown, power-hungry politicians and shady business partners all try to force Boyer’s hand. Fighting the temptation of influence and riches, he simply wants to be a better man than his father–but attempting to stand for what’s right soon brings murderous consequences. As those closest to him are endangered–and news emerges that his father’s accident may be something more sinister–Boyer finds himself fighting for his soul…and his life!
Is There Any Escape for The Heir?
All the money he could ever crave. In the splintering crash of a car plunging through a railing, Jason Boyer’s life is changed. All the fame he could ever desire. But the last thing he wanted was the throne of his father’s corrupt business empire. All the power he could ever wield.The estate should have gone elsewhere, but the will was changed. And now everything is Jason’s. But gaining the whole world just might cost him his life.
THE HEIR is a Grisham-like tale of intrigue and murder with a lot of humor and well-drawn minor characters.
Endorsement: “In THE HEIR, Paul Robertson serves up politics, privilege, and murder with a side of acerbic wit. What a fabulous book–a great mix of angst, humor, and ultimately, hope.” T.L.HINES–author of Waking Lazarus and The Dead Whisper On
