In December, I received news that my current publisher of Fatal Illusions, Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas, had decided to give the rights back to me for the novel. This unexpected development led me on a path of having to learn the basics of self-publishing rather quickly so I could republish Fatal Illusions myself. Advice from several novelist friends led me down a road that soon became more involved than I expected, but thankfully God helped me sift through an avalanche of information and chart a workable path. Bottom line? I am happy to report that Fatal Illusions should be released within the next few days, with me as my own publisher. Introducing Meaningful Suspense Press. Once I weighed the pros and cons of self-publishing, becoming my own publisher made sense. Plus there are a good many advantages. For example, I can have a sale whenever I choose, and of…
My latest novel (Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas) is due for release in late 2019; I hesitate to give the date because release dates notoriously change for me. The latest title is Kill Order. Don’t worry. There is no major body count in this novel, and I’m always sensitive about violence in what I write. I think the title will make more sense when you read the story. And I’m eager for you to. What’s this one about? Here is the back cover teaser. Kill Order When he sleeps, the past his mind erased comes alive … Grammy Award-winning pianist Landon Jeffers is at the height of his career when doctors discover a malignant brain tumor and give him only a few years to live. Desperate, he turns to a so-called miracle worker and agrees to the insertion of a medicinal brain implant. He feels better than he has in…
Let’s Roll: Ordinary People, Extraordinary Courage by Lisa Beamer is a highly moving and inspiring book, with the right balance of harrowing details and faith elements to ground this true story in hope. For those unfamiliar with this story, Lisa is the wife of Todd Beamer, one of the many unsung heroes who perished on United Airlines Flight 93 a few minutes after ten a.m. on September 11, 2001, in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Evidence from phone calls before the plane went down reveals that Todd and other passengers on board determined to take back the plane from the terrorists; unfortunately, their efforts ultimately led to their deaths, yet their sacrifice undoubtedly spared many more lives than those lost on the plane. This is the story of what happened that day, particularly Todd’s role. Let’s Roll is in some ways Lisa and Todd’s life story, in another a gripping, detailed account of how heroic deeds…
If you’re a big fan of CCM (Contemporary Christian Music), which I’m not, you may readily recognize the song behind this movie. So far it is the best-selling single in Christian music of all time. You may even have some knowledge of Bart Millard’s story and the true events that shaped his life and inspired him to write the song “I Can Only Imagine.” Though I had heard the song, I knew nothing about Bart’s story when I watched the movie. This was probably an advantage because I had no idea how the story would unfold. The movie explores a very familiar theme: forgiveness. Bart grew up listening to Amy Grant and other CCM artists, whose music helped him escape the reality of an abusive father. We see Bart’s dad burn Bart’s homemade helmet. Later, we hear his parents arguing. Bart lies in bed and braces himself when his bedroom door…
