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Dr. Fizzlebop walks fellow scientists through a wondrous experiment about color. You'll learn firsthand how to make a Rainbow Walk in this neato super simple experiment. Plus go deep into the Bible with a devotion about jealousy and a story from Dr. Fizzlebop's childhood. You can experience more fizztastic experiments and devotions in Faith and Science with Dr. Fizzlebop which features 57 easy experiments kids and parents can do together once a week or at their convenience. Building on Dr. Fizzlebop’s desire to show kids how faith and science connect, each experiment connects to a devotional that allows kids to go deeper and learn about God’s amazing design for everything around them. Our expert and guide, Dr. Phineas Einstein Fizzlebop, is a bit quirky and maybe a little cheesy at times, but he is passionate about three things: God, science, and fizz―and all come together wonderfully at Fizzlebop Labs. Guest scientists (families) will journey through the Bible in an extravaganza of experiments and Bible studies full of fun, facts, and fizz.
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By Brock Eastman |
 | Chapter 11
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The Next Chapter
- What do you think Orin will say to Hudson and Rico when they go to rebuild the bridge?
- Do you think there is more to this story? Discuss what might happen next.
- Now write the next chapter in the Wasted Wood and share it with us!
Whew! Chapters 7-9 were a pretty wild ride, weren't they? As always, let us all know what you think in the comments below. Here's some questions to get you started!
Chapter 7
- How could the boys have avoided getting themselves into this predicament?
- Should Hudson help to free Orin or try to save himself? Explain your answer.
- What would you do if you were Hudson?
- Share an experience where you had to choose between helping yourself and helping someone else. How did you come to the conclusion that you did?
Chapter 8
- Do you think it was wise to use fire as a weapon against the troll? Explain your answer.
- Discuss the pros and cons of using fire as a weapon in the woods.
- Pretend for a moment that you are a character in the story. Who would you choose to be and why?
Chapter 9
- Do you think the boys were happy to see Gilbert? Why or why not?
- Do you think Hudson regrets any of the decisions he's made in this story? Which ones?
- At some point in our lives, we have all unfairly given someone a "label" without knowing the true story. Briefly describe a time when you did this. How did it turn out?
- Gilbert says, "No, it's not meant to be on our Earth." What do you think he means?
- Discuss where the Tree Troll might be from.
- Gilbert says, "Disobedience is a slippery slope; it just leads to trouble and more trouble." Do you agree with this statement?
- Have you ever experienced a situation where disobedience has led to more and more trouble? Briefly describe the situation and its outcome.
Welcome back! Were chapters 4-6 a little spooky? Let's talk about it! Comment your thoughts and answers below.
 | Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
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We're glad you're here! Have you read the first three chapters of Wasted Wood? Exciting, weren't they? Lots to talk about today! Here are some questions to get you started. We'd love for you to share your thoughts with us and other fans in the comments below!
Chapter 1
- Describe Hudson's dilemma as the story opens.
- What are at least two things Hudson might be afraid of in this chapter?
- Would you have taken the path through the Wasted Wood? Why or why not?
- Are there any legends like this in your hometown? If so, do you believe them?
- Are there any "haunted" places or structures in your hometown? Do you think the stories about them are real?
Chapter 2
- Was Hudson's avoidance of the truth actually lying? Explain your answer.
- Do you think the punishment Hudson's parents doled out was fair? Or too extreme? Why?
- Could Hudson have handled the situation with his parents differently in hopes of getting a lighter punishment? If so, what could have been done?
- Was Hudson right to feel he was being unfairly treated in comparison to his brother? What could he have done to express his feelings?
- Have you ever felt like you were being unfairly treated by your parents or authority? Explain the situation.
Chapter 3
- Hudson elevated his friends' status equal or above the level of his family. What was the danger in this?
- Do you have friends that you elevate higher than your family? If so, please give at least one example.
- Do you think Hudson considered the consequences of his behavior before he left his house?
- How do you think Hudson's parents would feel if they came in and found their son missing? What might they do?
By Brock Eastman
Article first appeared on Speculative Faith website in January 2012
The quick and purest answer is God — the Master and Creator of the whole world, the universe for that matter. We know from the very beginning of the Bible that God created a wonderful place for His beloved creation (us) to live within. He thought of everything and as John Hammond in the movie Jurassic Park said of his genetically engineered animal park, “I spared no expenses.” Neither did God.
God created man in His own image, and gave us control over all creatures on land, in the sea, and in the sky. He handcrafted a world with soaring mountains, seemingly bottomless sea trenches, puffy white clouds, rolling liquid rock (lava), animals that run, birds that fly, fish that swim, water as ice, fog, or rain. He gave us emotions that gave our life depth and made it real. God crafted a beating heart tot work within our body; providing life blood to our systems, each of which is also handcrafted — from kidneys that clean, a stomach to digest, a tongue to taste, ears to hear, and eyes to see, to a brain to take it all in and make it all work together.
All the above to say, we are His creation, His greatest creation, and He made us in His image. By doing so He made us gifted to be creative like He was. And then He surrounded us with things to inspire our creativity. Wow, what didn’t He think of? The answer nothing.
God created man in His own image, and gave us control over all creatures on land, in the sea, and in the sky. He handcrafted a world with soaring mountains, seemingly bottomless sea trenches, puffy white clouds, rolling liquid rock (lava), animals that run, birds that fly, fish that swim, water as ice, fog, or rain. He gave us emotions that gave our life depth and made it real. God crafted a beating heart tot work within our body; providing life blood to our systems, each of which is also handcrafted — from kidneys that clean, a stomach to digest, a tongue to taste, ears to hear, and eyes to see, to a brain to take it all in and make it all work together.
All the above to say, we are His creation, His greatest creation, and He made us in His image. By doing so He made us gifted to be creative like He was. And then He surrounded us with things to inspire our creativity. Wow, what didn’t He think of? The answer nothing.
So what inspiration do you draw from?
I’m blessed to live in Colorado where mountains abound and our weather varies hourly. In the winter we get snow in the morning and it melts by the afternoon with wonderful warm sunshine. We might have a sunny morning where light rainstorms pass over in the afternoon cooling us off in the summer. The mountains are just a fifteen minute drive away, and I can be lost in pine forests and soaring peaks after pulling off the asphalt and walking a short ways into the wilderness. Animals abound, and while I hope to see a bear someday (at a distance of course), I’ve seen elk, antelopes, fox, eagles, owls, mountain goats, deer, and a lot of other wildlife. God surrounds us with beauty, and it’s easy to draw inspiration from something so majestically created. Some might say, “Well that’s Colorado! I live in ___(Fill in the blank)___.”
I’m blessed to live in Colorado where mountains abound and our weather varies hourly. In the winter we get snow in the morning and it melts by the afternoon with wonderful warm sunshine. We might have a sunny morning where light rainstorms pass over in the afternoon cooling us off in the summer. The mountains are just a fifteen minute drive away, and I can be lost in pine forests and soaring peaks after pulling off the asphalt and walking a short ways into the wilderness. Animals abound, and while I hope to see a bear someday (at a distance of course), I’ve seen elk, antelopes, fox, eagles, owls, mountain goats, deer, and a lot of other wildlife. God surrounds us with beauty, and it’s easy to draw inspiration from something so majestically created. Some might say, “Well that’s Colorado! I live in ___(Fill in the blank)___.”
Well, I grew up in Illinois, where my writing all started. Illinois — flat cornfields, muggy summers, frigid winters — but God laid His beautiful handiwork there as well. There is nothing like the spring rain that drizzles for hours against your window and the ominous thunder and lightning that accompany each storm. The summer, while humid, brings along warmth to swim in wooded lakes and evenings where I can roast marshmallows over campfires at night. The autumn harvest and the orange, red, and yellow leaves that cloak the trees make fall in Illinois my favorite season. Seeing the bright orange pumpkins lying in wait amongst the black earthy fields or running through huge corn mazes with friends is all part of the fall. And although the winters are cold, cold, oh so cold, those first snows are wonderful and glistening as I would walk at night with large fluffy snowflakes flittering down, while holding my wife’s hand.
Those are some of the scenes and memories that float through my mind as I write, but inspiration comes from more than just the nature around us. God has gifted others with a talent I do not possess. Music! I like to listen to soundtracks while I write. Some of my favorites are from movies like, The Village, How to Train Your Dragon, Pirates of the Caribbean, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, The Patriot, Jurassic Park, and Last of the Mohicans. While I’m in no way musically inclined, I did win a blue ribbon for a church talent competition singing a duet of “Awesome God.” (Okay, I admit, as I recall everyone won blue ribbons.) The talent to create imagery and invoke emotion through sound is clearly a gift from God. These composers create the music that sets the mood for my writing while not distracting me with lyrics.
Often I’ll be pecking away on my keyboard and find myself flying down a path I don’t expect my characters to take, then I reflect on what tracks I’ve just listened to, and lo and behold, the tempo or theme of the scene matches the music. Sometimes it’s comedic or dark, fast paced, or a relaxing conversation. But it seems the stories always fit together well, and for that I must thank God.
So again, where do you draw your inspiration from? Ultimately you’re drawing it from God, but what medium has He used to get it to you? The whole Earth is His canvas. It’s wonderful to serve such an awesome and inspiring God. He so often is there when we don’t take the time to notice.
Those are some of the scenes and memories that float through my mind as I write, but inspiration comes from more than just the nature around us. God has gifted others with a talent I do not possess. Music! I like to listen to soundtracks while I write. Some of my favorites are from movies like, The Village, How to Train Your Dragon, Pirates of the Caribbean, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, The Patriot, Jurassic Park, and Last of the Mohicans. While I’m in no way musically inclined, I did win a blue ribbon for a church talent competition singing a duet of “Awesome God.” (Okay, I admit, as I recall everyone won blue ribbons.) The talent to create imagery and invoke emotion through sound is clearly a gift from God. These composers create the music that sets the mood for my writing while not distracting me with lyrics.
Often I’ll be pecking away on my keyboard and find myself flying down a path I don’t expect my characters to take, then I reflect on what tracks I’ve just listened to, and lo and behold, the tempo or theme of the scene matches the music. Sometimes it’s comedic or dark, fast paced, or a relaxing conversation. But it seems the stories always fit together well, and for that I must thank God.
So again, where do you draw your inspiration from? Ultimately you’re drawing it from God, but what medium has He used to get it to you? The whole Earth is His canvas. It’s wonderful to serve such an awesome and inspiring God. He so often is there when we don’t take the time to notice.
By Brock Eastman
Article first appeared in Family Fiction Edge Magazine in January 2014
I hated reading. I really didn’t enjoy writing, and my grades reflected it. I wasn’t exactly the prospect for becoming an author. Why did I need to read when I had Sonic the Hedgehog on Sega Genesis? There was always a new Sonic game and a more enhanced Dr. Robotnik to beat. I’d sit for hours in my blue video rocker chair glued to that black controller, connected to my character through a five foot black cord.
Occasionally I’d venture outside with my friends, but that addictive little blue hedgehog always called me back. I remember one of my friends trying to get me to read Louis Lamoure, I think I made it halfway through a chapter. I’d skim the required reading books, and the grades on my book reports would prove it. In High School, my streak of ‘not reading’ continued and my writing reflected the minimum page or word count required to get a B or C.
It wasn’t until college that I read a book because I wanted to. The series I chose is the oft hated, but mostly beloved Harry Potter series. Now some of you reading this are already averting your eyes, and that’s okay; that’s your choice, like reading the books was mine. But let me tell you something the series did for me and many other kids like me; it got me excited about reading. We could debate the magic of the Harry Potter world as good, bad, etc. but the real magic about the books was the creative world that drew young readers in. My imagination was opened and the characters felt like friends. In fact, it inspired me to become a writer, which I now am. Before I talk about the writing thing, let’s take a bit of a tangent first.
Now why did I decide to pick this series up? Well I met this beautiful girl, and we challenged each other to see who could finish the entire book series first. The only title not out was Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. The only reason I was able to catch up to her was because we both had to wait for the release of the final book. So when it finally came out, we sat in a Borders bookstore (sadly they went the way of the dodo bird) and waited for the midnight release.
The next few days were devoted to reading as much as possible and I am proud to say I won. Now it is debated if my winning was completely above board or not and here is why. Early on in our competition, we went to a friend’s house for a nice home cooked Italian dinner. As we ate, I excused myself from the dinner table to use the restroom. As I passed my girlfriend’s purse I slipped out her copy of The Half Blood Prince and took it with me. Then I proceeded to read it for the next half hour, needless to say my absence in the restroom for so long, was causing everyone else some concern, but no one checked and I made quite a bit of ground on my reading. Now with that confession over, you can judge if I won or not. But I did indeed win in the long run, because the girl married me!
So Harry Potter inspired me to read and it also inspired me to write, but the writing thing is twofold. One I thought how cool would it be to create my very own world, or at least my very own characters. And two I want to write a book series that is a bit more ethical than Harry Potter. You see my real beef with the Harry Potter series is not the magic, because, sorry to burst your bubble, but magic isn’t real. My opposition to the series is the lack of an honorable hero. You see, though Harry appears to be a great hero, he sort of got there through a whole lot of lying, disobedience, and arrogance at times. To tell kids that Harry is a hero, when he overcame evil by committing many wrongs of his own, seems wrong. Sure little Billy, steal that candy bar as long as in the end you overcome a great trial. NO! WRONG!
I wanted to give readers characters they could really look up to, characters they could learn from and trust. Something else I wanted to do, specifically for The Quest for Truth, was provide a story without unnecessary death. This wasn’t in reflection of Harry Potter, but of many series for kids and young adults, and not just in the secular marketplace. How often do our kids read of a sword slicing through someone, or a gun fight? We probably wouldn’t let them watch it on TV, so why would we let them read it in a book?
So with the desire to provide authentic moralistic heroes and a storyline without unnecessary death, I began writing The Quest for Truth. And though this kid who hated reading and writing, hadn’t read anything until he was in college, and hadn’t written anything larger than a few thousand word research paper, wrote a 100,000 word manuscript with no prospect of getting it published. After all I was a college student in the middle of the cornfields of Illinois getting a degree in Marketing. It wasn’t until later that God opened up some pretty amazing doors.
The fact is God has His plans for us. Jeremiah 29:11 (ESV) says; ‘For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.’
So what are you waiting for? You just read this nearly 1000 word article; go read some books. Perhaps you’ll be inspired to write a story of your own!
A directly indirect approach to teaching your kids character through fiction.
By Brock Eastman
Article first appeared in Family Magazine in August 2015
Stories are powerful tools that can awaken a reader’s imagination and inspire them. Have your kids ever pretended to be a character from a book you’ve just read; acting out the scenes, dressing in costumes? Maybe your kids wrote their own story or shared ideas of what came next in the book. Reading fiction to your children is a great way for indirect teaching and opens a world of possibilities for inspiration.
With four kids six years old and under, my wife and I look for great books that teach our kiddos lessons. Sometimes this is simply through the themes of the stories or bright illustrations. For our preschool-aged children, a lot of the books are directly teaching something: ABCs, 123s, Potty Training, Sharing, Being Kind, Colors. At their age, our kids accept this teaching and results are relatively immediate. As kids get older, they see through this sort of direct teaching, and it’s time to change tactics to help guide them along on life’s journey.
Your pre-teen or teen probably rolls her eyes when you hand her that nonfiction book about dating or having strong moral character. (Of course, you may have those perfect kids who never do anything of this sort.) When I was a teen and my parents tried suggesting what I should do with my spare time, I generally went the other direction whether they knew it or not.
With four kids six years old and under, my wife and I look for great books that teach our kiddos lessons. Sometimes this is simply through the themes of the stories or bright illustrations. For our preschool-aged children, a lot of the books are directly teaching something: ABCs, 123s, Potty Training, Sharing, Being Kind, Colors. At their age, our kids accept this teaching and results are relatively immediate. As kids get older, they see through this sort of direct teaching, and it’s time to change tactics to help guide them along on life’s journey.
Your pre-teen or teen probably rolls her eyes when you hand her that nonfiction book about dating or having strong moral character. (Of course, you may have those perfect kids who never do anything of this sort.) When I was a teen and my parents tried suggesting what I should do with my spare time, I generally went the other direction whether they knew it or not.
There is a solution to getting these often direct lessons in a nonfiction book into the minds of your kids through the power of fiction. Generally perceived as entertainment, fiction books can provide the exact same values and lessons you wish your adolescents to pick up on. The genres and stories run the gamut, from what authentic love looks like to Biblical allegories, powerful character traits, epic tales that shine light on deep friendship, heroic feats that teach kids to stand up for what they know is right even in the face of adversity, or telling the truth no matter the consequences.
As an author, I not only look at the theme of my entire series and each individual book when I write, but I also try to provide examples within the details of the characters starring in my stories. Take Oliver for instance: he’s got great leadership skills, he’s strong, he’s confident, and he’s courageous—he’s everything a young man wants to be. But he’s also at times arrogant, quick to anger, impatient to listen, and not willing to work as a team. Oliver needs to be relatable to his readers, but he also has to grow right alongside them. We watch his character develop, and in the end, the readers see traits they wish to embody.
If you think back to the books you loved most growing up—or even now—you’ll probably find in some way you relate to a character, whether through their past, their journey, or who they become. Maybe it’s not that you’re just like them, but they embrace the traits you aspire to have. They may give you the courage to make a change in your life or conquer a fear. What characters in stories have done for you, they can also do for your kids.
When shown through the characters of an exciting adventure or emotional journey, character traits can connect with a reader without making them feel the lesson is being forced upon them. Your kids will find themselves relating their own lives and their own journeys to the characters of the story. Even vast epics like the Lord of the Rings teach character traits your kid will relate to such as you can accomplish things greater than yourself, being wealthy is not the most important thing in life, be honest with others and yourself, be courageous, and size doesn’t matter, having “heart” does.
And if your kids still resist a fiction book handed to them by you, enlist the help of a cool aunt or uncle, or perhaps an older cousin. Personal recommendations for books go a long way in engaging a reader. Often if someone likeminded has invested in reading a book or series, your kid is more likely to see the investment as worth their own time.
As an author, I not only look at the theme of my entire series and each individual book when I write, but I also try to provide examples within the details of the characters starring in my stories. Take Oliver for instance: he’s got great leadership skills, he’s strong, he’s confident, and he’s courageous—he’s everything a young man wants to be. But he’s also at times arrogant, quick to anger, impatient to listen, and not willing to work as a team. Oliver needs to be relatable to his readers, but he also has to grow right alongside them. We watch his character develop, and in the end, the readers see traits they wish to embody.
If you think back to the books you loved most growing up—or even now—you’ll probably find in some way you relate to a character, whether through their past, their journey, or who they become. Maybe it’s not that you’re just like them, but they embrace the traits you aspire to have. They may give you the courage to make a change in your life or conquer a fear. What characters in stories have done for you, they can also do for your kids.
When shown through the characters of an exciting adventure or emotional journey, character traits can connect with a reader without making them feel the lesson is being forced upon them. Your kids will find themselves relating their own lives and their own journeys to the characters of the story. Even vast epics like the Lord of the Rings teach character traits your kid will relate to such as you can accomplish things greater than yourself, being wealthy is not the most important thing in life, be honest with others and yourself, be courageous, and size doesn’t matter, having “heart” does.
And if your kids still resist a fiction book handed to them by you, enlist the help of a cool aunt or uncle, or perhaps an older cousin. Personal recommendations for books go a long way in engaging a reader. Often if someone likeminded has invested in reading a book or series, your kid is more likely to see the investment as worth their own time.
Ahoy, here be some Pirate lingo fur ye ta use on ye 'Talk Like a Pirate' day with ye wee buckos.
- Ahoy - A pirate greeting, like "Hello!"
- Arrr, Arrgh, Yarr, Gar - A pirate terms that can be used in sorts of situations
- Avast - A command to stop and be alert.
- Aye - Pirate for “Yes"
- Aye aye - A pirate’s acknowledgment of the Captain’s orders
- Belay - A pirate may use this in regards to preventing someone from doing something
- Booty – A pirates plunder; treasure or other valuable items
- Bucko - Pirate for friend
- I'll Crush Ye Barnacles - A pirate threat to a foe or fellow pirate
- Jolly Roger - Most recognizeable symbol of the pirates; a skull and crossbones
- Lad - What a pirate might call a young person
- Maroon - When pirates leave someone on an island or desert coast
- Matey - Pirate for companion or close friend
- Savvy - Pirate for, "Do you understand?"
- Shiver me timbers - What a pirate says when caught byu surprise
- Walk the plank - A pirate punishment for their enemies, or a traitor
- Weigh anchor - Pirate for, “Let’s go.”
- Yo-ho-ho - A happy pirate expression
#Coffee and a #Book and some #ReadAloud time together! Grab your copy of #DaddysFavoriteSoundfrom LifeWay, Christianbook.com, Target,Amazon.com, Books-A-Million, Harvest House Publishers or find more locations atDaddysFavoriteSound.com. Preorder by 3/31 and get #FREE stuff!
The five islands of Abra have always been home to Runners -- sent on missions by their owners. When Eric is conscripted as a Runner and discovers an incredible power, he must race against an evil Queen to rescue a mysterious girl who has power of her own.
Laura Martin has released her third book, it's not from the same world as Edge of Extinction (Remember #Dinosaurs) but it's equally as exciting and as inventive! Float is an inspiring story that helps us find the hero within, even when we feel like an outcast. A great story for all ages and for families to read aloud together.
From the Publisher:
From the critically acclaimed author of the Edge of Extinction series comes this fast-paced, action-packed, and heartfelt adventure about a group of kids with uncontrollable abilities, perfect for fans of Gordon Korman, Lisa McMann, and Dan Gutman!
Emerson can float…he just can’t do it very well.
His uncontrollable floating is his RISK factor, which means that he deals with Reoccurring Incidents of the Strange Kind. The last place Emerson wants to be is at a government-mandated summer camp for RISK kids like him, so he’s shocked when he actually starts having fun at camp—and he even makes some new friends.
But it’s not all canoeing and capture the flag at Camp Outlier. The summer of fun takes a serious turn when Emerson and his friends discover that one of their own is hiding a deadly secret that puts all of their lives in danger.
It’s up to the Red Maple boys to save themselves—and everyone like them.
Praise for Float:
“A fun, funny, and fast-paced summer camp romp full of pranks, plot-twists and goofy superpowers. Emerson’s adventures (and misadventures) teach us that the greatest power of all comes from the friends who push us to overcome our perceived limitations and make the most of every moment.”
- John David Anderson, author of Ms. Bixby’s Last Day
“Simply superb. Martin’s novel feels exactly like summer camp should; the antics of the boys and the friendships they develop will make readers wish they were roasting marshmallows in the woods with their best friends.”
- Booklist
“With lots of action, great dialogue, and plenty of humor, Martin’s style and tone are reminiscent of Gordon Korman and Dan Gutman.”- School Library Journal
“Martin conjures a sense of wonder and whimsy.”- Publishers Weekly
From the Publisher:
From the critically acclaimed author of the Edge of Extinction series comes this fast-paced, action-packed, and heartfelt adventure about a group of kids with uncontrollable abilities, perfect for fans of Gordon Korman, Lisa McMann, and Dan Gutman!
Emerson can float…he just can’t do it very well.
His uncontrollable floating is his RISK factor, which means that he deals with Reoccurring Incidents of the Strange Kind. The last place Emerson wants to be is at a government-mandated summer camp for RISK kids like him, so he’s shocked when he actually starts having fun at camp—and he even makes some new friends.
But it’s not all canoeing and capture the flag at Camp Outlier. The summer of fun takes a serious turn when Emerson and his friends discover that one of their own is hiding a deadly secret that puts all of their lives in danger.
It’s up to the Red Maple boys to save themselves—and everyone like them.
Praise for Float:
“A fun, funny, and fast-paced summer camp romp full of pranks, plot-twists and goofy superpowers. Emerson’s adventures (and misadventures) teach us that the greatest power of all comes from the friends who push us to overcome our perceived limitations and make the most of every moment.”
- John David Anderson, author of Ms. Bixby’s Last Day
“Simply superb. Martin’s novel feels exactly like summer camp should; the antics of the boys and the friendships they develop will make readers wish they were roasting marshmallows in the woods with their best friends.”
- Booklist
“With lots of action, great dialogue, and plenty of humor, Martin’s style and tone are reminiscent of Gordon Korman and Dan Gutman.”- School Library Journal
“Martin conjures a sense of wonder and whimsy.”- Publishers Weekly
More from Laura Martin - DINOSAURS
Readers can make all the difference to an author's success. If you've read The Quest for Truth and enjoyed it, would you consider doing all or at least a few of the below items. Reviewing a book lets others know that they should invest their time and money it the book! I'm hoping to get The Quest for Truth books up to 500 reviews each. Would you help?
Here is my list for awesome #Questers! Have you?
Thank you for your support it means the world to me. And as we get ready for the launch of Hope your help is sure to make the release of the final book, a HUGE SUCCESS!
Here is my list for awesome #Questers! Have you?
- Told your friends and Family about The Quest for Truth?
- Asked your local public library, church library, and school library to order The Quest for Truth?
- Reviewed The Quest for Truth on these online retailers?
- Taken (Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Mardel, Christian Book, Books-A-Million)
- Risk (Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Mardel, Christian Book, Books-A-Million, Family Christian)
- Unleash (Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Mardel, Christian Book, Books-A-Million, Family Christian)
- Tangle (Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Christian Book, Books-A-Million)
- Truthful Test (Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million)
- Coming Storm (Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million)
- Reviewed The Quest for Truth on Goodreads.
- Liked my Author facebook page?
- Followed me on Twitter?
- Followed me on Pinterest?
- Re-pinned the covers? Taken, Risk, Unleash, Tangle, Coming Storm, Truthful Test
- Subscribed to my YouTube channel?
- Added me to your circle on Google?
- Subscribed to the Phoenix eNewsletter?
Thank you for your support it means the world to me. And as we get ready for the launch of Hope your help is sure to make the release of the final book, a HUGE SUCCESS!
Cause it's a superstitious day. Enter the Wasted Wood for #FREE. Add the Wasted Wood eBook to your cart and use code FRIDAY13 @ checkout.
FREE download! #EntertheWoods.
FREE download! #EntertheWoods.
This mountain is so inspiring. And today I'm working on the final revisions to Hope. Thanks God for the big dose of BEAUTY!
Interview by Brock Eastman
Featuring Moving Target
Praise for the Elite Guardians Series
“A thrill ride from the first page until the last. Set aside some time, because you won’t want to put it down.”
--RT Book Reviews, 4½ stars, Top Pick
“With each new novel, Eason continues to get better. Always Watching is among her best.”
--LifeIsStory.com
“A stellar beginning to what promises to be another terrific series from this inspirational author.”
--Bookpage
“Lynette has written another fast-paced book--lace up your tennis shoes and grab a water bottle. It’s a race against death.”
--DiAnn Mills, author of Deadlock
“Readers will be looking forward to book #2 with a great deal of anticipation, which is exactly what happens when #1 is as good as this one.”
--Suspense Magazine
“Eason’s second Elite Guardians novel draws readers in with the mystery and warms their hearts with romance.”
--Booklist
In January, bestselling author Lynette Eason releases book three of the explosive Elite Guardians series that has readers hooked and asking for more. Eason’s heart-pounding suspense reaches new heights in Moving Target with a madman who has a dangerous game to play.
Quinn Holcombe’s friends throw him a surprise party—only Quinn doesn’t show up. They search and find little beyond evidence that Quinn and Maddy McKay just decided to take a long-overdue vacation. But it soon becomes apparent that they left against their will.
Maddy awakens in a cement room, dazed and confused as to where she is. It’s not long before she realizes that she has been captured by a madman, someone who chooses hunting humans as his method of revenge. Maddy faces the terrifying truth—if she doesn’t do something fast, she will become nothing more than helpless prey.
Maddy and Quinn are forced to run for their lives, hoping to find the killer before the next game begins. Because if they don’t win this game, they will lose their lives.
Continuing the Elite Guardians series, Eason hardly gives readers the time to catch their breaths before sweeping them away once again in this spellbinding suspense thriller. Readers will find themselves wracking their brains for answers and flipping furiously through pages in Eason’s newest novel.
Can you briefly describe your new novel?
Moving Target is a cross between Hunger Games and Survivor. At least that’s how it starts out.
What are some elements that you think need to be in every suspense novel?
Suspense! LOL. Conflict, a hero or a heroine or both, a goal, and someone who gets in the way of that goal (the villain). And, of course, a happy ending.
The Elite Guardians series is all about an all-female bodyguard agency. If you were in an all-female bodyguard agency, what would your special skills be?
Oh, this one took some thinking. I think reading body language. I’m really pretty good at it. LOL. I’m also a pretty good shot with a Glock 17 so . . .J
Where have you found the most inspiration for this series? Movies, books, music, etc.?
Lynette: I would say I’ve found the most inspiration simply from researching what bodyguards do, who they’re responsible for, and how they interact with their clients. Movies are always a good source of inspiration as well.
What faith message do you want people to take from Moving Target?
Lynette: Moving Target is about two people who have overcome so much in their past to get to where they presently are . . . and still have more to overcome. But it’s about seeing that God is in the small things. That he’s working in every aspect of our lives and is always waiting for reconciliation with those who desire it.
There is one more book coming in the Elite Guardians series. What can you tell us about this upcoming book?
Lynette: Chasing Secrets will release in the fall of 2017. It’s Haley’s story. She’s the last of the four bodyguard friends. I also introduce a new character, Steven Rothwell, who is Haley’s love interest—and the guy she allows to help her when it’s clear someone wants her dead.
Lynette Eason is the bestselling author of the Women of Justice series, the Deadly Reunions series, and the Hidden Identity series, as well as Always Watching and Without Warning in the Elite Guardians series. She is the winner of an ACFW Carol Award, the Selah Award, and the Inspirational Readers’ Choice Award. She has a master’s degree in education from Converse College and lives in South Carolina. Learn more at www.lynetteeason.com.
Revell is a division of Baker Publishing Group. Each Revell publication reflects relevance, integrity, and excellence. For more information, please visit www.revellbooks.com.
Featuring Moving Target
Praise for the Elite Guardians Series
“A thrill ride from the first page until the last. Set aside some time, because you won’t want to put it down.”
--RT Book Reviews, 4½ stars, Top Pick
“With each new novel, Eason continues to get better. Always Watching is among her best.”
--LifeIsStory.com
“A stellar beginning to what promises to be another terrific series from this inspirational author.”
--Bookpage
“Lynette has written another fast-paced book--lace up your tennis shoes and grab a water bottle. It’s a race against death.”
--DiAnn Mills, author of Deadlock
“Readers will be looking forward to book #2 with a great deal of anticipation, which is exactly what happens when #1 is as good as this one.”
--Suspense Magazine
“Eason’s second Elite Guardians novel draws readers in with the mystery and warms their hearts with romance.”
--Booklist
In January, bestselling author Lynette Eason releases book three of the explosive Elite Guardians series that has readers hooked and asking for more. Eason’s heart-pounding suspense reaches new heights in Moving Target with a madman who has a dangerous game to play.
Quinn Holcombe’s friends throw him a surprise party—only Quinn doesn’t show up. They search and find little beyond evidence that Quinn and Maddy McKay just decided to take a long-overdue vacation. But it soon becomes apparent that they left against their will.
Maddy awakens in a cement room, dazed and confused as to where she is. It’s not long before she realizes that she has been captured by a madman, someone who chooses hunting humans as his method of revenge. Maddy faces the terrifying truth—if she doesn’t do something fast, she will become nothing more than helpless prey.
Maddy and Quinn are forced to run for their lives, hoping to find the killer before the next game begins. Because if they don’t win this game, they will lose their lives.
Continuing the Elite Guardians series, Eason hardly gives readers the time to catch their breaths before sweeping them away once again in this spellbinding suspense thriller. Readers will find themselves wracking their brains for answers and flipping furiously through pages in Eason’s newest novel.
Can you briefly describe your new novel?
Moving Target is a cross between Hunger Games and Survivor. At least that’s how it starts out.
What are some elements that you think need to be in every suspense novel?
Suspense! LOL. Conflict, a hero or a heroine or both, a goal, and someone who gets in the way of that goal (the villain). And, of course, a happy ending.
The Elite Guardians series is all about an all-female bodyguard agency. If you were in an all-female bodyguard agency, what would your special skills be?
Oh, this one took some thinking. I think reading body language. I’m really pretty good at it. LOL. I’m also a pretty good shot with a Glock 17 so . . .J
Where have you found the most inspiration for this series? Movies, books, music, etc.?
Lynette: I would say I’ve found the most inspiration simply from researching what bodyguards do, who they’re responsible for, and how they interact with their clients. Movies are always a good source of inspiration as well.
What faith message do you want people to take from Moving Target?
Lynette: Moving Target is about two people who have overcome so much in their past to get to where they presently are . . . and still have more to overcome. But it’s about seeing that God is in the small things. That he’s working in every aspect of our lives and is always waiting for reconciliation with those who desire it.
There is one more book coming in the Elite Guardians series. What can you tell us about this upcoming book?
Lynette: Chasing Secrets will release in the fall of 2017. It’s Haley’s story. She’s the last of the four bodyguard friends. I also introduce a new character, Steven Rothwell, who is Haley’s love interest—and the guy she allows to help her when it’s clear someone wants her dead.
Lynette Eason is the bestselling author of the Women of Justice series, the Deadly Reunions series, and the Hidden Identity series, as well as Always Watching and Without Warning in the Elite Guardians series. She is the winner of an ACFW Carol Award, the Selah Award, and the Inspirational Readers’ Choice Award. She has a master’s degree in education from Converse College and lives in South Carolina. Learn more at www.lynetteeason.com.
Revell is a division of Baker Publishing Group. Each Revell publication reflects relevance, integrity, and excellence. For more information, please visit www.revellbooks.com.
Interview by Brock Eastman
Featuring Ghost Heart
A brilliant transplant surgeon. A rogue organ broker. A ghost child.
And the legend that could destroy them all.
A brutal murder convinces surgeon Mia Kendall there’s more than she imagined to the mysterious spike in heart transplant rejections. Determined to find answers before she loses another patient, Mia gets sucked into a dangerous international medical web. With time running out for her youngest transplant recipient, Mia is forced to partner with a disillusioned ex-military pilot who flies brokered organs across East Africa. But searching for the truth will prove costly for the unlikely duo racing to stop a madman before he annihilates a rare and cursed bloodline.
From best-selling author Lisa Harris and award-winning author Lynne Gentry comes a chilling, hypnotic medical thriller that will take you from the suburbs of Cincinnati to the jungles of Africa.
"Ghost Heart delivers on every level! What a romantic, adventurous ride!!! This well-plotted action-packed thriller had me glued to the pages."
~Elizabeth Goddard, award winning author of Targeted for Murder
Brock: How did you come up with the idea for Ghost Heart?
Lisa: Just over a decade ago, a newspaper picture of a terrified albino caught Lynne’s attention. As she read about the horrors these fragile people face, she couldn’t believe such evil existed in the world. She called me because I live in Africa and asked me to find out if what she’d read was true.
To be honest, until Lynne wrote to me about the article she’d read, I’d never heard of these barbaric crimes. But after doing some further research, I discovered that what she’d read was true. Once we learned that the witch doctors use the pale skin and hair of these fragile people to make good luck charms and potions, we knew we had to tell their story.
Brock: True, many people from history have stories that have to be told. Tell us about the main characters. Who are they? What makes them unique?
Lynne: Dr. Mia Kendall is an American transplant surgeon who moves to Africa to find
herself in the surgical ward of a government hospital and in training health workers
in rural communities. She longs for a life purpose that goes beyond the lucrative
medical practice her father offered her. Both brilliant and beautiful, she fears the
senseless and ugly side of love, and hopes that giving her heart to the poor will be
her salvation.
Race Daniels left America to lose himself in Africa. An ex-military pilot, he wants to
get even with God, his country, and the medical community who failed his wife.
Smart and cocky, he justifies his transport of brokered organs because the dying are
being saved. But when this Midwestern son of a Nebraska farmer learns what’s
really in his organ transplant coolers, he will have a hard time forsaking his moral
roots.
Brock: Give us one fact about each main character that no one else knows.
Lisa: We made out some pretty extensive character profiles when we started the book. Here’s a couple that didn’t make it into the book. Race has a scar in his chin that he got in a bar room fight while in the Academy. As for Mia, she’s book smart brilliant, but not always common sense smart and is somewhat naïve about people.
Brock: Love working on character development. In three sentences, what is this book about?
Ghost Heart will take the reader on a death-defying adventure from the center of the American heartland to the treacherous African wilds. This glimpse into the potential for good or evil lurking beneath the surface of everyone's skin ends in a final confrontation which will either stop a madman or annihilate an entire people.
Brock: Do you outline the entire book before starting, or do you write as you go and let the characters take control of the story?
Lisa: Because we were co-writing this book, we did a lot of planning up front including an outline and in-depth character profiles. Then as we wrote the story, we continued to keep track and rework the storyline so it would come together in the end.
Brock: How do you believe this story relates to the lives of readers?
Lynne: We wanted to explore the reality that no matter who we are or where we come from, beneath the color of our skin we are all alike. And I believe that’s something everyone can relate to.
Brock: Yes, we can. What is your favorite genre to write for?
Lisa: While Lynne has written a time travel series as well as contemporary small town series, I write romantic suspense which is definitely my favorite.
Brock: Any certain research required for the book, or is it all from your imagination?
Lisa: We spent a lot of time researching everything from heart issues, to the black market organ trade, to the albino issues. So yes, lots of research—along with a lot of imagination of course!
Brock: How much leeway do you gives yourself with facts in a Historical Thriller?
Lynne: With this thriller, we tried to stay as accurate as we could with the facts. That’s why we did do so much research. So while something like this probably wouldn’t happen, it definitely could.
Brock: Where do you like to write?
Lynne: I have a cozy office, but when I need a change of pace, I love to sit outside. Especially, if I can find a place near the water.
Lisa: I don’t have an office, so I tend to move around with my lap top. I usually sit either at the dinning room table or in a comfy chair in my room.
Brock: Nice! What do you hope readers take away from the series?
Lynne: Beneath the color of our skin we are all alike. Because my novels always
speak to the intrinsic worth of each of us, I long for the day we can all learn to look
past outward appearances.
Lisa: In most of my suspense novels, I turn to real life events that affect our world
today. In highlighting things—like the issues facing albinos today, I hope that people
will step up and get involved in their own communities and make a difference.
Brock: In what ways does your faith impact how you approach writing?
Lynne: I believe our faith is built in the dark, during times of foggy uncertainty when we cannot see what lies ahead. While not knowing the future can be terrifying, it has been in the valleys that I have felt God’s presence more than ever. I don’t have all the answers when it comes to faith, but I know God is using my struggles to make me into the person he had planned. Because I believe all of us are a work-in-progress, so to speak, I try to bring that hope to the struggling characters in my stories.
Lisa: My faith is always a part of the stories I write. And while it isn’t always overt, I often weave in issues I’m dealing with in real life.
Brock: Very true. Coke or Pepsi?
Lynne: Coke
Lisa: Neither (I don’t drink soda)
Brock: Favorite season?
Lynne: I love fall. The smell of chili in the crock pot and a fire in the fireplace.
Lisa: We don’t have fall where I live in Mozambique, which means it primarily either really hot in the summer or almost perfect temperatures in the winter. So my favorite is definitely our winter.
Brock: Do you have a favorite Bible verse?
Lynne: Isa. 43 has sustained me on many occasions. Here’s my favorite snippet: “Behold, I am doing a new thing … making a way in the desert … streams in the wasteland so I can proclaim his praise.
Lisa: I love this reminder from 2 Corinthians 4:17 that says “ For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.”
Brock: Why did you feel that writing about the atrocities happening to albinos was a story that needed to be told?
Lynne: We both have a heart for those suffering prejudice and discrimination. People with albinism are not ghosts. They are human beings.
Lisa: And this issue goes far beyond the horrors facing albinos. All around the world people are discriminated against. Sometimes it’s for the color of their skin. Other times it’s for their faith or beliefs. But in the end, we are all human beings and we all bleed the same color.
Brock: How does co-writing a book differ from writing your own story?
Lynne: There is a creative give and take that makes the storytelling process more difficult, but in the end we believe also makes the story more powerful.
Lisa: This was the first time I’d ever done anything like this, but while it was challenging, it was also a huge blessing to me. It allowed us to each take our strengths and put them together, while also learning from each other.
Featuring Ghost Heart
A brilliant transplant surgeon. A rogue organ broker. A ghost child.
And the legend that could destroy them all.
A brutal murder convinces surgeon Mia Kendall there’s more than she imagined to the mysterious spike in heart transplant rejections. Determined to find answers before she loses another patient, Mia gets sucked into a dangerous international medical web. With time running out for her youngest transplant recipient, Mia is forced to partner with a disillusioned ex-military pilot who flies brokered organs across East Africa. But searching for the truth will prove costly for the unlikely duo racing to stop a madman before he annihilates a rare and cursed bloodline.
From best-selling author Lisa Harris and award-winning author Lynne Gentry comes a chilling, hypnotic medical thriller that will take you from the suburbs of Cincinnati to the jungles of Africa.
"Ghost Heart delivers on every level! What a romantic, adventurous ride!!! This well-plotted action-packed thriller had me glued to the pages."
~Elizabeth Goddard, award winning author of Targeted for Murder
Brock: How did you come up with the idea for Ghost Heart?
Lisa: Just over a decade ago, a newspaper picture of a terrified albino caught Lynne’s attention. As she read about the horrors these fragile people face, she couldn’t believe such evil existed in the world. She called me because I live in Africa and asked me to find out if what she’d read was true.
To be honest, until Lynne wrote to me about the article she’d read, I’d never heard of these barbaric crimes. But after doing some further research, I discovered that what she’d read was true. Once we learned that the witch doctors use the pale skin and hair of these fragile people to make good luck charms and potions, we knew we had to tell their story.
Brock: True, many people from history have stories that have to be told. Tell us about the main characters. Who are they? What makes them unique?
Lynne: Dr. Mia Kendall is an American transplant surgeon who moves to Africa to find
herself in the surgical ward of a government hospital and in training health workers
in rural communities. She longs for a life purpose that goes beyond the lucrative
medical practice her father offered her. Both brilliant and beautiful, she fears the
senseless and ugly side of love, and hopes that giving her heart to the poor will be
her salvation.
Race Daniels left America to lose himself in Africa. An ex-military pilot, he wants to
get even with God, his country, and the medical community who failed his wife.
Smart and cocky, he justifies his transport of brokered organs because the dying are
being saved. But when this Midwestern son of a Nebraska farmer learns what’s
really in his organ transplant coolers, he will have a hard time forsaking his moral
roots.
Brock: Give us one fact about each main character that no one else knows.
Lisa: We made out some pretty extensive character profiles when we started the book. Here’s a couple that didn’t make it into the book. Race has a scar in his chin that he got in a bar room fight while in the Academy. As for Mia, she’s book smart brilliant, but not always common sense smart and is somewhat naïve about people.
Brock: Love working on character development. In three sentences, what is this book about?
Ghost Heart will take the reader on a death-defying adventure from the center of the American heartland to the treacherous African wilds. This glimpse into the potential for good or evil lurking beneath the surface of everyone's skin ends in a final confrontation which will either stop a madman or annihilate an entire people.
Brock: Do you outline the entire book before starting, or do you write as you go and let the characters take control of the story?
Lisa: Because we were co-writing this book, we did a lot of planning up front including an outline and in-depth character profiles. Then as we wrote the story, we continued to keep track and rework the storyline so it would come together in the end.
Brock: How do you believe this story relates to the lives of readers?
Lynne: We wanted to explore the reality that no matter who we are or where we come from, beneath the color of our skin we are all alike. And I believe that’s something everyone can relate to.
Brock: Yes, we can. What is your favorite genre to write for?
Lisa: While Lynne has written a time travel series as well as contemporary small town series, I write romantic suspense which is definitely my favorite.
Brock: Any certain research required for the book, or is it all from your imagination?
Lisa: We spent a lot of time researching everything from heart issues, to the black market organ trade, to the albino issues. So yes, lots of research—along with a lot of imagination of course!
Brock: How much leeway do you gives yourself with facts in a Historical Thriller?
Lynne: With this thriller, we tried to stay as accurate as we could with the facts. That’s why we did do so much research. So while something like this probably wouldn’t happen, it definitely could.
Brock: Where do you like to write?
Lynne: I have a cozy office, but when I need a change of pace, I love to sit outside. Especially, if I can find a place near the water.
Lisa: I don’t have an office, so I tend to move around with my lap top. I usually sit either at the dinning room table or in a comfy chair in my room.
Brock: Nice! What do you hope readers take away from the series?
Lynne: Beneath the color of our skin we are all alike. Because my novels always
speak to the intrinsic worth of each of us, I long for the day we can all learn to look
past outward appearances.
Lisa: In most of my suspense novels, I turn to real life events that affect our world
today. In highlighting things—like the issues facing albinos today, I hope that people
will step up and get involved in their own communities and make a difference.
Brock: In what ways does your faith impact how you approach writing?
Lynne: I believe our faith is built in the dark, during times of foggy uncertainty when we cannot see what lies ahead. While not knowing the future can be terrifying, it has been in the valleys that I have felt God’s presence more than ever. I don’t have all the answers when it comes to faith, but I know God is using my struggles to make me into the person he had planned. Because I believe all of us are a work-in-progress, so to speak, I try to bring that hope to the struggling characters in my stories.
Lisa: My faith is always a part of the stories I write. And while it isn’t always overt, I often weave in issues I’m dealing with in real life.
Brock: Very true. Coke or Pepsi?
Lynne: Coke
Lisa: Neither (I don’t drink soda)
Brock: Favorite season?
Lynne: I love fall. The smell of chili in the crock pot and a fire in the fireplace.
Lisa: We don’t have fall where I live in Mozambique, which means it primarily either really hot in the summer or almost perfect temperatures in the winter. So my favorite is definitely our winter.
Brock: Do you have a favorite Bible verse?
Lynne: Isa. 43 has sustained me on many occasions. Here’s my favorite snippet: “Behold, I am doing a new thing … making a way in the desert … streams in the wasteland so I can proclaim his praise.
Lisa: I love this reminder from 2 Corinthians 4:17 that says “ For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.”
Brock: Why did you feel that writing about the atrocities happening to albinos was a story that needed to be told?
Lynne: We both have a heart for those suffering prejudice and discrimination. People with albinism are not ghosts. They are human beings.
Lisa: And this issue goes far beyond the horrors facing albinos. All around the world people are discriminated against. Sometimes it’s for the color of their skin. Other times it’s for their faith or beliefs. But in the end, we are all human beings and we all bleed the same color.
Brock: How does co-writing a book differ from writing your own story?
Lynne: There is a creative give and take that makes the storytelling process more difficult, but in the end we believe also makes the story more powerful.
Lisa: This was the first time I’d ever done anything like this, but while it was challenging, it was also a huge blessing to me. It allowed us to each take our strengths and put them together, while also learning from each other.
 |  |
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Publishing takes time and costs money. That's where I need you to step up and come along side me and the amazing authors and editors that Crimson Pulse Media is working with. Would you consider a small monthly donation of $3? You'll get some cool new rewards, which include an e-copy of every Crimson Pulse Release. Plus if you upgrade to $8 a month, you'll get one Crimson Pulse paperback of your choice every Christmas!
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Interview by Brock Eastman
Featuring Cardiac Event
Cardiologist Dr. Kirk Martin continually crosses swords with Dr. Cliff Hamilton, so he is surprised when Hamilton asks him to care for him after a heart attack. When he is ready for discharge, Hamilton is found dead in his hospital bed, and Martin is suspected of murdering him.
After another doctor is found shot to death, Martin’s girlfriend, nurse Janet Rush, reminds him to be careful because he may be next. Can he save his own life while searching for the identity of the real murderer?
“There is so much action in his latest release, with just the right amount of romance, it makes it hard to go on without finishing one more chapter.”
Romantic Times, 4 ½ stars, “Top Pick”
Brock: How did you come up with the idea for this book?
RLM: I was thinking about the various medical specialists who literally hold a patient’s life in their hands with certain procedures. One of these is the interventional cardiologist who performs cardiac catheterizations, inserts stents, uses balloons to dilate obstructed coronary arteries, etc. Then, as novelists do, I asked myself a question: “What would a cardiologist do if he had another doctor on the table, one with whom he had major differences? Would he be tempted to let something bad happen to them? And what if the patient died? Would the cardiologist be investigated as a murderer?” Once I came up with these questions and populated the story, I was off and running with this novel.
Brock: Yes, intriguing questions often inspire great book ideas. Tell us about the main characters. Who are they? What makes them unique?
RLM: The protagonist is Dr. Kirk Martin, and his girlfriend/near-fiancé is nurse Janet Rush. Martin crosses swords early in the story with Dr. Cliff Hamilton. We also meet nurse Anna Scott, who figures significantly in the plot, as well as the chief of staff, Dr. Ed Bardwell and a number of other characters. Each character depicts medical professionals and the behavior they might exhibit when faced with a given situation. I suppose their uniqueness lies in the fact that the reader need not suspend disbelief when they encounter their actions. This could have happened.
Brock: Give us one fact about each main character that no one else knows.
RLM: Dr. Kirk Martin has wanted to be a doctor since his teens, but he didn’t choose cardiology until he was a sophomore in med school. Nurse Janet Martin loves her work, but she longs for the day she can become a full-time wife and mother.
Brock: In three sentences, what is this book about?
RLM: How about one sentence? A doctor takes on the responsibility of caring for a colleague he doesn’t like, but when that colleague dies, the treating doctor is a suspect in his murder.
Brock: Do you outline the entire book before starting, or do you write as you go and let the characters take control of the story?
RLM: I’ve always written “by the seat of my pants” so far as the flow of the story goes, but I start with an idea—a “hook” if you will. Then I populate the story, adding more characters as things develop. And I always have what I hope is a satisfying ending in mind, although I generally don’t know who the ultimate “bad guy” will be when I start writing.
Brock: How do you believe this story relates to the lives of readers?
RLM: Although people enjoy reading about the inner workings of a medical practice, there’s a lot here that’s applicable to how non-medical people handle problems as well.
Brock: What is your favorite genre to write for?
RLM: I’m not certain if what I write is suspense or a mystery or a thriller, but it will always be medical.
Brock: Where do you like to write?
RLM: Although some people take their laptops and write elsewhere (porch, living room, a coffee shop) I have an office in our home, and I do all my writing there.
Brock: Yes, sometimes changing your setting is the key to get your creative juices flowing. Are you a full-time or part-time author?
RLM: I’m not sure it’s possible to be a part-timer in this profession, because of the time necessary in marketing and writing the next book, but if there’s such a thing as a part-time author then I’m one.
Brock: I can understand that. How long does it usually take you to write a single book?
RLM: I usually can finish writing a novel in six to eight months. Novellas are shorter, but I find them harder to write, so they take about six months as well.
Brock: What is your "how I got published" story?
RLM: Although I wrote or edited a number of textbooks while practicing medicine, I had no ideas about writing outside that activity. But after the death of my first wife, I wanted to turn my journaling into a book to help those going through the same experience… but I had no idea how to do it. Finally, I attended a writer’s conference, where I not only acquired the knowledge to eventually write that non-fiction book (The Tender Scar: Life After The Death Of A Spouse, which is still in print after a decade), but was challenged by a couple of authors to try my hand at fiction. After four years writing four novels that garnered forty rejections, I got my first contract for a novel. I’ve now had eleven novels and three novellas published, the most recent one being Cardiac Event.
Brock: What is the one author, living or dead, who you would co-write a book with and why?
RLM: I’d probably team up with the late Robert B. Parker, because he wrote clean, simple declarative sentences and kept the reader guessing until the end, both of them things I try to do as well.
Brock: Describe your feelings when you opened the box and saw the first published copies of your very first book?
RLM: “Wow!”
Brock: Coke or Pepsi?
RLM: Dr Pepper (this is Texas)—when that’s not a choice, Coke.
Brock: Soft shell or hard shell tacos?
RLM: Soft shell.
Brock: Favorite place to vacation?
RLM: Although we’ve loved many places we’ve gone (especially the Black Forest of Germany overseas, North Carolina here in the US), lately I’ve found myself thinking, “There’s no place like home.”
Brock: Favorite season?
RLM: Spring (golf, baseball, moderate temperatures … need I say more?)
Brock: Do you have a particular drink or food you consume when you write? Like coco, raspberry tea, animal crackers?
RLM: Mid-morning, I take a break for an energy drink, often blended with various fruits.
Brock: Favorite color?
RLM: Blue
Brock: Do you have a favorite Bible verse?
RLM: Psalm 139, especially verse 4: “Even before there is a word on my tongue, behold, O Lord, You know it all.”
Brock: A beautiful verse indeed! Do you listen to music while you write? If so, what are some examples?
RLM: No, I find myself getting involved in the music instead of writing, so I want quiet.
Brock: Yes, it can be distracting at times. What might our audience not know about you?
RLM: I played semi-pro baseball. (I could throw a curve ball but not hit one, so that career path was a dead end). And while in the Air Force I participated in a helicopter rescue, even though I’m afraid of heights.
Brock: If you weren’t a physician or a writer, what career path would you have followed?
RLM: In high school, I thought briefly about going to law school. I might have made a decent jurist, but the everyday practice of law probably wouldn’t work for me.
Featuring Cardiac Event
Cardiologist Dr. Kirk Martin continually crosses swords with Dr. Cliff Hamilton, so he is surprised when Hamilton asks him to care for him after a heart attack. When he is ready for discharge, Hamilton is found dead in his hospital bed, and Martin is suspected of murdering him.
After another doctor is found shot to death, Martin’s girlfriend, nurse Janet Rush, reminds him to be careful because he may be next. Can he save his own life while searching for the identity of the real murderer?
“There is so much action in his latest release, with just the right amount of romance, it makes it hard to go on without finishing one more chapter.”
Romantic Times, 4 ½ stars, “Top Pick”
Brock: How did you come up with the idea for this book?
RLM: I was thinking about the various medical specialists who literally hold a patient’s life in their hands with certain procedures. One of these is the interventional cardiologist who performs cardiac catheterizations, inserts stents, uses balloons to dilate obstructed coronary arteries, etc. Then, as novelists do, I asked myself a question: “What would a cardiologist do if he had another doctor on the table, one with whom he had major differences? Would he be tempted to let something bad happen to them? And what if the patient died? Would the cardiologist be investigated as a murderer?” Once I came up with these questions and populated the story, I was off and running with this novel.
Brock: Yes, intriguing questions often inspire great book ideas. Tell us about the main characters. Who are they? What makes them unique?
RLM: The protagonist is Dr. Kirk Martin, and his girlfriend/near-fiancé is nurse Janet Rush. Martin crosses swords early in the story with Dr. Cliff Hamilton. We also meet nurse Anna Scott, who figures significantly in the plot, as well as the chief of staff, Dr. Ed Bardwell and a number of other characters. Each character depicts medical professionals and the behavior they might exhibit when faced with a given situation. I suppose their uniqueness lies in the fact that the reader need not suspend disbelief when they encounter their actions. This could have happened.
Brock: Give us one fact about each main character that no one else knows.
RLM: Dr. Kirk Martin has wanted to be a doctor since his teens, but he didn’t choose cardiology until he was a sophomore in med school. Nurse Janet Martin loves her work, but she longs for the day she can become a full-time wife and mother.
Brock: In three sentences, what is this book about?
RLM: How about one sentence? A doctor takes on the responsibility of caring for a colleague he doesn’t like, but when that colleague dies, the treating doctor is a suspect in his murder.
Brock: Do you outline the entire book before starting, or do you write as you go and let the characters take control of the story?
RLM: I’ve always written “by the seat of my pants” so far as the flow of the story goes, but I start with an idea—a “hook” if you will. Then I populate the story, adding more characters as things develop. And I always have what I hope is a satisfying ending in mind, although I generally don’t know who the ultimate “bad guy” will be when I start writing.
Brock: How do you believe this story relates to the lives of readers?
RLM: Although people enjoy reading about the inner workings of a medical practice, there’s a lot here that’s applicable to how non-medical people handle problems as well.
Brock: What is your favorite genre to write for?
RLM: I’m not certain if what I write is suspense or a mystery or a thriller, but it will always be medical.
Brock: Where do you like to write?
RLM: Although some people take their laptops and write elsewhere (porch, living room, a coffee shop) I have an office in our home, and I do all my writing there.
Brock: Yes, sometimes changing your setting is the key to get your creative juices flowing. Are you a full-time or part-time author?
RLM: I’m not sure it’s possible to be a part-timer in this profession, because of the time necessary in marketing and writing the next book, but if there’s such a thing as a part-time author then I’m one.
Brock: I can understand that. How long does it usually take you to write a single book?
RLM: I usually can finish writing a novel in six to eight months. Novellas are shorter, but I find them harder to write, so they take about six months as well.
Brock: What is your "how I got published" story?
RLM: Although I wrote or edited a number of textbooks while practicing medicine, I had no ideas about writing outside that activity. But after the death of my first wife, I wanted to turn my journaling into a book to help those going through the same experience… but I had no idea how to do it. Finally, I attended a writer’s conference, where I not only acquired the knowledge to eventually write that non-fiction book (The Tender Scar: Life After The Death Of A Spouse, which is still in print after a decade), but was challenged by a couple of authors to try my hand at fiction. After four years writing four novels that garnered forty rejections, I got my first contract for a novel. I’ve now had eleven novels and three novellas published, the most recent one being Cardiac Event.
Brock: What is the one author, living or dead, who you would co-write a book with and why?
RLM: I’d probably team up with the late Robert B. Parker, because he wrote clean, simple declarative sentences and kept the reader guessing until the end, both of them things I try to do as well.
Brock: Describe your feelings when you opened the box and saw the first published copies of your very first book?
RLM: “Wow!”
Brock: Coke or Pepsi?
RLM: Dr Pepper (this is Texas)—when that’s not a choice, Coke.
Brock: Soft shell or hard shell tacos?
RLM: Soft shell.
Brock: Favorite place to vacation?
RLM: Although we’ve loved many places we’ve gone (especially the Black Forest of Germany overseas, North Carolina here in the US), lately I’ve found myself thinking, “There’s no place like home.”
Brock: Favorite season?
RLM: Spring (golf, baseball, moderate temperatures … need I say more?)
Brock: Do you have a particular drink or food you consume when you write? Like coco, raspberry tea, animal crackers?
RLM: Mid-morning, I take a break for an energy drink, often blended with various fruits.
Brock: Favorite color?
RLM: Blue
Brock: Do you have a favorite Bible verse?
RLM: Psalm 139, especially verse 4: “Even before there is a word on my tongue, behold, O Lord, You know it all.”
Brock: A beautiful verse indeed! Do you listen to music while you write? If so, what are some examples?
RLM: No, I find myself getting involved in the music instead of writing, so I want quiet.
Brock: Yes, it can be distracting at times. What might our audience not know about you?
RLM: I played semi-pro baseball. (I could throw a curve ball but not hit one, so that career path was a dead end). And while in the Air Force I participated in a helicopter rescue, even though I’m afraid of heights.
Brock: If you weren’t a physician or a writer, what career path would you have followed?
RLM: In high school, I thought briefly about going to law school. I might have made a decent jurist, but the everyday practice of law probably wouldn’t work for me.
Author Website: http://rmabry.com and http://rmabry.blogspot.com
Author Facebook: http://facebook.com/rmabrybooks
Author Twitter: http://twitter.com/RichardMabry
Author Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/RichardMabry
Interview by Brock Eastman
Featuring Second Chance Amish Bride
Caring for her late cousin's young kinder is Jessie Miller's duty—even if it means seeing their father again. Years ago, she thought Caleb King might be her husband—until he met her cousin and Jessie's dream was cut short. Laid up with a broken leg and a demanding dairy farm, Caleb needs her.
But Caleb wants no woman around…and not reminder of the wife who abandoned her family before her death. Especially since he fears Jessie will throw a wrench in his plan to remain a single dad. She's gentle and kind, and if Caleb isn't careful, she may be just what his little Amish family needs.
Brock: How did you come up with the idea for this series?
Marta: I really wanted to do a series of books about siblings who had all been affected by a single traumatic event in their family. It turned out to be the three King brothers, and I loved exploring the different ways each of them had reacted and how each of them found love and hope for the future.
Brock: Tell us about the main characters. Who are they? What makes them unique?
Marta: Jessie Miller is a single Amish woman who has given up the expectation of love for herself but who finds contentment in helping others, including her nieces and nephews. She is gentle and loving but also very firm in her belief as to what's right for the children in her care, even when her belief runs counter to their father's opinions. Caleb King has reacted to the abandonment of first his mother and then his wife by distrusting women, and he's convinced he can raise his two young children on his own. But when disaster strikes he's forced to accept the help he doesn't want, and in doing so, he begins to learn that only through forgiving the past can he find the future he wants for his family.
Brock: Give us one fact about each main character that no one else knows.
Marta: Jessie cherishes the memory of a single afternoon spent with Caleb, more than half in love with him before she realizes he only has eyes for her cousin. Caleb can never let anyone know that beneath his anger and lack of forgiveness for the wife who deserted him and their children, he harbors the deep guilt that it might have been his fault.
Brock: In three words, what is this book about?
Marta: How about three phrases? This book is about forgiving the wrongs of the past, learning to trust God in the present, and gaining hope for a brighter future.
Brock: Do you outline the entire book before starting, or do you write as you go and let the characters take control of the story?
Marta: The very idea of letting the characters take control makes me nervous. I always plan my stories in advance, but I leave enough freedom to take advantage of the serendipitous scenes that seem to pop up when I'm writing.
Brock: How do you believe this story relates to the lives of readers?
Marta: I think most of us who have lived for a few years have experienced being let down by someone we love, and most of us have felt guilty about things left undone and wrong choices made. If it speaks to a few people who are struggling with these problems, then I'll have done what I set out to do.
Brock: What is your favorite genre to write for?
Marta: Since I write both romance and suspense, my favorite genre varies. When I'm in the midst of accounting for all the clues, secrets, and hidden motives of a suspense plot, I tend to think longingly of the more character-driven romances. And when I'm writing my way through the middle of a romance and trying to find new ways of making emotion come alive, I get lots of ideas for suspense! I guess a writer is never really satisfied!
Brock: How many books are planned for this series?
Marta: The Brides of Lost Creek series is planned for three books, although there may be other stories in the future that take place in Lost Creek.
Brock: Any certain research required for the book, or is it all from your imagination?
Marta: Writing about the Amish always takes research, but since I have known Plain People for most of my life, much of the research has already been done. Even so, questions often come up in a particular book that send me off on a search for an answer.
Brock: How do you strike the right balance in your book?
Marta: I try to thread the romantic relationship in my books with the protagonist's inner and spiritual issues. I find that one will influence the other, sometimes in ways I don't expect, or perhaps a moment of understanding in one relationship will become reflected in the main romance plot.
Brock: Why did you choose to focus on a male protagonist?
Marta: In this particular series, I give fairly equal weight to the male and female protagonists, but I began this story with the hero, because he is the one with the critical problem that kicks off the action of the story.
Brock: Yeah, makes sense. Are you working on the next book in The Brides of Lost Creek series?
Marta: I have already written the second book in the series, although we're still discussing possible titles. I typically alternate between writing a romance and writing a suspense.
Brock: Can you give us a hint at the next book in the series?
Marta: The next book in the series is about Daniel, the brother of the hero in the first book. All three brothers were greatly affected by the fact that their mother deserted the family when they were young, and so each story shows how a particular brother comes to a resolution of that past relationship.
Brock: Do you plot or outline the entire series before you begin writing, or do your books take on lives of their own? Or is there a combination?
Marta: When I begin a series, I typically sketch out the general opening situation of each book, since I want to be sure I haven't repeated myself in any way. The books are connected through the characters and the setting, and so I need to have a good handle of those characters as they are presented in each book. Then I begin with the first book and write a detailed synopsis of that story.
Brock: How much leeway do you gives yourself with facts in a Historical Romance?
Marta: Since I'm writing Amish fiction set in Pennsylvania, I work very hard to be sure that every custom or event I'm describing is accurate to a Pennsylvania Amish community. The fact that some traditions and customs vary from one church district to another gives me a certain amount of leeway in deciding what those are for my fictional community.
Brock: Where do you like to write?
Marta: My family knows that I can write anywhere, at any time. In the car, sitting at the airport waiting for a flight, on vacation…wherever. I learned that when I started writing while my kids were young, and I had to write while waiting for kids to finish rehearsals, practices, lessons, etc. It was good training, but my favorite spot is in my recliner with a laptop in front of me and a hot cup of Earl Grey tea on the table next to me.
Brock: Are you a full-time or part-time writer?
Marta: Full-time, in the sense that I don't now have another job. However, I do try to pace myself, so that I always have time for grandkids, church work, and fun with my husband.
Brock: Yep. As authors, we have to keep adjusting writing to our lifestyles. And that brings us to our next question. How long does it usually take you to write a single book?
Marta: I usually plan on three months for a shorter book and four months for a longer one. However, life happens, and sometimes the schedule becomes skewed. I find that working steadily, even for a short time each day, keeps my mind in the book, so that I'm never really away from it.
Brock: What is your "how I got published" story?
Marta: I had long wanted to write, but I finally started actively trying to be published when I was working as a Director of Christian Education. I read so many of the short children's stories that were published to illustrate a Biblical theme that I began to wonder if I could do that, so I tried. To my considerable surprise, my first story sold on its third excursion into the world. I earned the magnificent amount of $16, and after that, there was no turning back. I owe a great deal to that first sale to Story Friends magazine!
Brock: What was your favorite book as a teen or child?
Marta: When I was a child I read anything and everything, especially all the Nancy Drew books, but the book that stayed with me to be read and re-read was Little Women. Everything about it touched me emotionally, and I still love it.
Brock: In what ways does your faith impact how you approach writing?
Marta: I have always, from those first children's stories for Sunday School magazines, had a spiritual truth that was at the heart of each story. Even when the story is not openly inspirational, that germ of truth is a part of it.
Brock: Love it when God works through your writing like that. Amazing, truly amazing! Favorite place to vacation?
Marta: I love to travel, but the place that is most relaxing for a vacation is at the beach. Or on a cruise ship!
Brock: Nice! Sounds fun! Favorite season?
Marta: Spring. I love watching the appearance of each sign of spring from the earliest bulbs through the perennials.
Brock: Do you have a particular drink or food you consume when you write? Like coco, raspberry tea, animal crackers?
Marta: Stash Double Bergamot Earl Grey tea and shortbread cookies.
Brock: Do you have a favorite Bible verse?
Marta: Now we see in a glass darkly, but then we shall see face-to-face. Now we understand in part, then we shall understand fully, even as we are fully understood.
Brock: Favorite pasta dish?
Marta: I'm partial to my own homemade manicotti, although I'll happily eat anyone else's if offered.
Brock: What do you hope for your children and grandchildren?
Marta: That they grow to be loving individuals, reflecting Christ to everyone they encounter.
Brock: Certainly a wonderful goal to strive for. What's coming in the next year for you in publishing?
Marta: The next book in my romantic suspense series will be out in November, and the next book in the Brides of Lost Creek series will be out in May, 2018. Also next year, the first seven of my Pleasant Valley Amish books will be re-released in mass market, so I hope they'll reach a brand new audience.
Interview by Ashley Eastman
Featuring Fatal Mistake
Each day could be her last…
Tara Parrish is the only person ever to survive an attack by the Lone Wolf bomber. Scared and emotionally scarred by her near death, she goes into hiding with only one plan–to stay alive for another day. She knows he’s coming after her, and if he finds her, he will finish what he started.
But not if he can help it.
Agent Cal Riggins has had only one goal for the past six months–to save lives by ending the Lone Wolf’s bombing spree. To succeed, he needs the help of Tara Parrish, the one person who can lead them to the bomber. Cal puts his all into finding Tara, but once he locates her, he realizes if he can find her, the Lone Wolf can, too. He must protect Tara at all costs, and they’ll both need to resist the mutual attraction growing between them to focus on hunting down the bomber, because one wrong move could be fatal.
"Serial killers, romance and bombs, oh my! Fatal mistake is a thrill ride from page one. Hop on, strap in, and prepare to be entertained!"
- Lynette Eason - bestselling, award-winning author of the Elite Guardians series
Ashley: What was your inspiration for writing the White Knights series?
Susan: The White Knights series was born during the six weeks I spent with FBI agents at the FBI Citizen’s Academy. I saw the agent’s incredible hearts for helping others. I also saw how that heart for others motivated them and also how it took a toll on them. When things turn ugly and law enforcement professionals can no longer control the situation, making them unable to provide the needed help, they take it harder than most people.
I thought about how a group of agents on a special team that deploys to particularly difficult situations might behave if they couldn’t provide help. Then I wondered how being a Christian might impact their actions and knew I had to put their faith to a test. To challenge these agents, I had to find really BIG problems that they couldn’t simply use their tremendous skills and abilities to solve on their own. I wanted them to realize they couldn’t rely on their own strength and training, but must turn to God and each other for help, only then could they succeed on the job and in life.
Since the team is a Critical Incident Response Team, I needed to look at news headlines to see the type of incidents these agents might respond to. For Fatal Mistake I chose a serial bomber who has struck so many times and escaped capture that the agent in charge of the investigation has learned he can’t bring in the bomber on his own and the reader sees him struggle with this realization.
Ashley: Tell us about the main characters. Who are they? What makes them unique?
Susan: Tara Parrish is your everyday woman who is faced with an extraordinary challenge. At first she runs from the seemingly insurmountable problem, but then digs in and starts to fight back. I think this is how many of us first face a challenge, and that the reader can easily see themselves in her and can imagine being in her shoes.
Cal Riggins is an FBI agent whose past lost of a person close to him has left him driven with the need to protect others. In Fatal Mistake that pushes him beyond reasonable limits to find the Lone Wolf bomber. And when God doesn’t respond in Cal’s timing, he takes things into his own hands. I know I do this at times and I’m sure readers do, too, and can relate.
Ashley: Give us one fact about each main character that no one else knows.
Susan: Tara grew up on a farm. As a child she wanted to be a farmer just like her father. That ended when her parents were killed in crash.
Cal must live in Washington D.C. for his job, but he secretly wishes he could live in the boonies somewhere without any neighbors and lots of land surrounding his home.
Ashley: In three sentences, what is this book about?
Susan: How about three phrases? Serial killer. Terrifying bombs. Learning to trust God through it all, even when all seems lost.
Ashley: Sad truth right there. It seems like we trust God the most during tough trials in our life. Do you outline the entire book before starting, or do you write as you go and let the characters take control of the story?
Susan: Though I at first I didn’t use outlines, after writing a few suspense books with intricate details that needed to be kept track of and resolved, I decided I would spend a lot less time rewriting if I started to outline. So I created my first outline and have never looked back.
Ashley: How do you believe this story relates to the lives of readers?
Susan: Well, hopefully none of the readers will ever experience a bomb, but they can identify with Cal and Tara as they struggle with trusting God and others. They both must learn to trust God and leave the outcome up to Him. And, isn’t that the core of faith and something we all struggle with at times?
Ashley: Sure is. What is your favorite genre to write for?
Susan: Suspense, particularly romantic suspense is my favorite genre to not only write but to read as well. I love the combination of fast paced action. The mental challenge of figuring out who the bad guy is and a healthy dose of romance combined with all of it.
Ashley: How many books are planned for this series?
Susan: There are six members of the White Knights team and each book features one of the team members so there is potential for six books.
Ashley: Any certain research required for the book, or is it all from your imagination?
Susan: There was a tremendous amount of research required about bombs and FBI investigative procedures for this book. I found myself being very interested and yet terrified at what I discovered about bombs, as you can easily obtain items needed to create a bomb.
Ashley: How do you strike the right balance in your Romance Suspense book?
Susan: I try to balance romance and suspense equally. I have the riveting, move along at a fast pace suspense, then I slow it down with character issues and romance. It seems to balance quite well in my opinion and readers often confirm that for me.
Ashley: Are you working on the next book in the series?
Susan: The next book is called Kill Shot and it is completed and will release in February 2018
Ashley: Can you give us a hint at the next book in the series?
Susan: Sure. Here’s the back cover copy.
Some fears haunt you forever….
As the ballistics and weapon’s expert for the FBI’s special task force nicknamed the White Knights, Rick Cannon has known the Department of Defense was developing self-steering bullets. Rick feared these smart bullets–which have one hundred percent accuracy that can turn even a novice into a lethal sniper–would eventually end up in the hands of the wrong people. But since the ammunition was still in the development stage, he figured they had plenty of time before that happened. He was wrong. Dead wrong.
Until they become reality.
When a homeless vet is killed with a smart bullet, it’s clear that the ammunition has been stolen, and the Knights are called in to find the thief and stop the killings. But they aren’t the only ones desperate to find the killer. Therapist Olivia Dobbs is well known for her success in counseling military veterans with PTSD. When she discovers one of her clients moments after he is murdered, she becomes both the FBI’s prime witness, and suspect.
Despite the mutual attraction that immediately sparks between them, Rick can’t–no he won’t–let Olivia interfere with his investigation. But when the sniper trains his rifle on her, Rick must recall all the skills he learned as a Marine sniper to make sure the next bullet fired isn’t a kill shot that takes Olivia out.
Ashley: Were any scenes or characters cut from the book? Can you give an example?
Susan: I had a scene where Tara and Cal visit the FBI forensic lab in Quantico but had to cut it due to word count. In prep of writing authentic FBI stories, I attended my local FBI Citizen’s Academy and graduated in 2016. The academy was a combination of classroom lectures, firearms simulator, shooting hand and long guns at the FBI shooting range with agent instructors, and blowing up and disarming bombs with their bomb experts. I loved every minute of the academy and am still a member of the alumni group. I hope to visit FBI Headquarters in D.C. in December along with a visit to Quantico where FBI agents train.
This academy inspired me to not only write about my White Knights, but to share details with readers that are authentic and convey the incredible integrity, compassion, and caring that FBI agents possess. This scene accomplished all of that. I loved sharing details like the biovestibules that serve as airlocks to keep contamination to a minimum, and the sheer magnitude of the 500,000 square foot building with over 500 employees all devoted to crime scene analysis. I think this allowed me to convey the big job the FBI crime scene employees have to do and the cost of crime in our country. Who knows, maybe the scene will be resurrected and modified for another book in the White Knight series.
Ashley: Where do you like to write?
Susan: I have rheumatoid arthritis and I often have painful joints so I mostly write sitting in a comfy recliner to minimize the pain. I have a view out over our backyard and my garden, and I am a gardening fanatic, so that is a very inspiring view for me. Of course, at times the garden calls to me, and I can’t resist so I go out there when I should be writing. But these little trips out into God’s beautiful world also helps me work out story problems, too.
Ashley: Are you a full-time or part-time author/writer?
Susan: I am a full-time writer. I had six books release this past year. If I didn’t work full-time, that wouldn’t have been possible. It was barely possible as it was. So far, I only have two books and two novellas releasing in 2017, which is a much more manageable schedule.
Ashley: How long does it usually take you to write a single book?
Susan: After I have plotted the book and written a synopsis, which can take weeks, I can get the rough draft written for a trade-length book like Fatal Mistake in a month. But my rough drafts are very rough, and what then follows is months of editing. During this time I work on editing the book, then set it aside and come back to it several times so I see it with fresh eyes. So all in all, I’d say it takes about four months to complete the book.
Ashley: What do you hope readers take away from the White Knights series?
Susan: Hope and trust in God. Simple as that. No matter how bad life can seem there is always hope. My wish is that the characters’ struggles resonate with the reader, and they can see the characters work their way out of a problem and move into the light of hope by trusting in God. Then the reader can see anything is possible, and they, too, have reason to hope.
Ashley: When did you realize you wanted to become a writer?
Susan: I always wanted to write a book but like many people today, I was too busy to sit down and do it. Then I was struck with a chronic illness, and I was forced to sit for long periods of time. A type A personality, I couldn’t sit and do nothing so I started writing. As the disease progressed, I had to quit my job and I had more and more time to write. Soon I was writing full time and actively pursuing publication.
Ashley: What was your favorite book as a teen or child?
Susan: As a child I didn’t have a favorite book, but I can tell you the Nancy Drew mystery series was my all time favorite series to read. I couldn’t wait until the latest book came out.
Ashley: What are your hopes for your future as an author?
Susan: I hope to continually improve my craft and hope to continue writing for publication as long as I can. I love writing and am so blessed that God has given me the opportunity to have this career.
Ashley: In what ways does your faith impact how you approach writing?
Susan: My faith impacts my writing in that it is so woven into who I am that it slips into my books without me even realizing it. I recently wrote my Agents Under Fire series which is a clean read series for the general market not the Christian market, and I discovered that I couldn’t write a single book without making my characters believers.
Ashley: Coke or Pepsi?
Susan: Neither. I can’t drink carbonated beverages so my choice of drink is water. Okay, fine, I do drink like a zillion cups of coffee in the morning.
Ashley: Soft shell or Hard Shell tacos?
Susan: Funny you should ask. I was a soft shell taco person all the way, but lately I had a craving for hard shells, and so we had them last week. It reminded me that when I was pregnant with my first daughter, I had such bad morning sickness that I was constantly sick. The only food I could keep down were tacos and they had to be hard shell tacos from Taco Bell.
Ashley: Favorite place to vacation?
Susan: Honestly, I haven’t had a vacation in years as we have spent every moment of free time the last two years remodeling our house, and I would vacation just about anywhere if given the opportunity.
Ashley: Favorite season?
Susan: Spring/early summer is my favorite time of year for two reasons. We live in rainy Oregon. It’s a beautiful area of the country because of all the rain, but almost daily rain from October to July is a bit much. So when spring arrives so do sunny days, which signal the beginning of gardening season. Over the winter, I spend days drooling over seed catalogues and pictures of my veggie garden from the prior year. Coming up with a new plant rotation, buying fertilizer and seeds, and dreaming of the veggies I’ll harvest. And then spring arrives and yes…finally, I can get outside in the sunshine and dig in the dirt and I am a happy girl!
Ashley: Do you have a particular drink or food you consume when you write? Like coco, raspberry tea, animal crackers?
Susan: When I am struggling to get words on paper for a rough draft and my late afternoon slump arrives, peanut M&Ms provide much needed brain power. LOL
Ashley: Do you listen to music while you write? If so what are some examples?
Susan: I never used to listen to music when writing, but lately I found that it helps me concentrate. Right now I often listen to oldies like Art Garfunkle’s Breakaway album or the Best of Bread.
Ashley: Is there anything about yourself that might surprise your readers?
Susan: 1. I once recorded radio commercials for a company I used to work for. It was so odd hearing my voice on the radio.
2. I once raced a turtle. I grew up in Turtle Lake where we held annual turtle races so it doesn’t seem as odd as it sounds, right?
3. I used to play trumpet. Not only in high school and college, but as an adult I also I played at church for years.
Ashley: How you create characters and are they are based on people you know?
Susan: Characters aren’t based on people I know, per se, but are from a lifetime of watching and studying people. I have a degree in psychology and have always been fascinated with what makes people do what they do, so putting together character traits to form a unique and complex person is really enjoyable for me.
Featuring Fatal Mistake
Each day could be her last…
Tara Parrish is the only person ever to survive an attack by the Lone Wolf bomber. Scared and emotionally scarred by her near death, she goes into hiding with only one plan–to stay alive for another day. She knows he’s coming after her, and if he finds her, he will finish what he started.
But not if he can help it.
Agent Cal Riggins has had only one goal for the past six months–to save lives by ending the Lone Wolf’s bombing spree. To succeed, he needs the help of Tara Parrish, the one person who can lead them to the bomber. Cal puts his all into finding Tara, but once he locates her, he realizes if he can find her, the Lone Wolf can, too. He must protect Tara at all costs, and they’ll both need to resist the mutual attraction growing between them to focus on hunting down the bomber, because one wrong move could be fatal.
"Serial killers, romance and bombs, oh my! Fatal mistake is a thrill ride from page one. Hop on, strap in, and prepare to be entertained!"
- Lynette Eason - bestselling, award-winning author of the Elite Guardians series
Ashley: What was your inspiration for writing the White Knights series?
Susan: The White Knights series was born during the six weeks I spent with FBI agents at the FBI Citizen’s Academy. I saw the agent’s incredible hearts for helping others. I also saw how that heart for others motivated them and also how it took a toll on them. When things turn ugly and law enforcement professionals can no longer control the situation, making them unable to provide the needed help, they take it harder than most people.
I thought about how a group of agents on a special team that deploys to particularly difficult situations might behave if they couldn’t provide help. Then I wondered how being a Christian might impact their actions and knew I had to put their faith to a test. To challenge these agents, I had to find really BIG problems that they couldn’t simply use their tremendous skills and abilities to solve on their own. I wanted them to realize they couldn’t rely on their own strength and training, but must turn to God and each other for help, only then could they succeed on the job and in life.
Since the team is a Critical Incident Response Team, I needed to look at news headlines to see the type of incidents these agents might respond to. For Fatal Mistake I chose a serial bomber who has struck so many times and escaped capture that the agent in charge of the investigation has learned he can’t bring in the bomber on his own and the reader sees him struggle with this realization.
Ashley: Tell us about the main characters. Who are they? What makes them unique?
Susan: Tara Parrish is your everyday woman who is faced with an extraordinary challenge. At first she runs from the seemingly insurmountable problem, but then digs in and starts to fight back. I think this is how many of us first face a challenge, and that the reader can easily see themselves in her and can imagine being in her shoes.
Cal Riggins is an FBI agent whose past lost of a person close to him has left him driven with the need to protect others. In Fatal Mistake that pushes him beyond reasonable limits to find the Lone Wolf bomber. And when God doesn’t respond in Cal’s timing, he takes things into his own hands. I know I do this at times and I’m sure readers do, too, and can relate.
Ashley: Give us one fact about each main character that no one else knows.
Susan: Tara grew up on a farm. As a child she wanted to be a farmer just like her father. That ended when her parents were killed in crash.
Cal must live in Washington D.C. for his job, but he secretly wishes he could live in the boonies somewhere without any neighbors and lots of land surrounding his home.
Ashley: In three sentences, what is this book about?
Susan: How about three phrases? Serial killer. Terrifying bombs. Learning to trust God through it all, even when all seems lost.
Ashley: Sad truth right there. It seems like we trust God the most during tough trials in our life. Do you outline the entire book before starting, or do you write as you go and let the characters take control of the story?
Susan: Though I at first I didn’t use outlines, after writing a few suspense books with intricate details that needed to be kept track of and resolved, I decided I would spend a lot less time rewriting if I started to outline. So I created my first outline and have never looked back.
Ashley: How do you believe this story relates to the lives of readers?
Susan: Well, hopefully none of the readers will ever experience a bomb, but they can identify with Cal and Tara as they struggle with trusting God and others. They both must learn to trust God and leave the outcome up to Him. And, isn’t that the core of faith and something we all struggle with at times?
Ashley: Sure is. What is your favorite genre to write for?
Susan: Suspense, particularly romantic suspense is my favorite genre to not only write but to read as well. I love the combination of fast paced action. The mental challenge of figuring out who the bad guy is and a healthy dose of romance combined with all of it.
Ashley: How many books are planned for this series?
Susan: There are six members of the White Knights team and each book features one of the team members so there is potential for six books.
Ashley: Any certain research required for the book, or is it all from your imagination?
Susan: There was a tremendous amount of research required about bombs and FBI investigative procedures for this book. I found myself being very interested and yet terrified at what I discovered about bombs, as you can easily obtain items needed to create a bomb.
Ashley: How do you strike the right balance in your Romance Suspense book?
Susan: I try to balance romance and suspense equally. I have the riveting, move along at a fast pace suspense, then I slow it down with character issues and romance. It seems to balance quite well in my opinion and readers often confirm that for me.
Ashley: Are you working on the next book in the series?
Susan: The next book is called Kill Shot and it is completed and will release in February 2018
Ashley: Can you give us a hint at the next book in the series?
Susan: Sure. Here’s the back cover copy.
Some fears haunt you forever….
As the ballistics and weapon’s expert for the FBI’s special task force nicknamed the White Knights, Rick Cannon has known the Department of Defense was developing self-steering bullets. Rick feared these smart bullets–which have one hundred percent accuracy that can turn even a novice into a lethal sniper–would eventually end up in the hands of the wrong people. But since the ammunition was still in the development stage, he figured they had plenty of time before that happened. He was wrong. Dead wrong.
Until they become reality.
When a homeless vet is killed with a smart bullet, it’s clear that the ammunition has been stolen, and the Knights are called in to find the thief and stop the killings. But they aren’t the only ones desperate to find the killer. Therapist Olivia Dobbs is well known for her success in counseling military veterans with PTSD. When she discovers one of her clients moments after he is murdered, she becomes both the FBI’s prime witness, and suspect.
Despite the mutual attraction that immediately sparks between them, Rick can’t–no he won’t–let Olivia interfere with his investigation. But when the sniper trains his rifle on her, Rick must recall all the skills he learned as a Marine sniper to make sure the next bullet fired isn’t a kill shot that takes Olivia out.
Ashley: Were any scenes or characters cut from the book? Can you give an example?
Susan: I had a scene where Tara and Cal visit the FBI forensic lab in Quantico but had to cut it due to word count. In prep of writing authentic FBI stories, I attended my local FBI Citizen’s Academy and graduated in 2016. The academy was a combination of classroom lectures, firearms simulator, shooting hand and long guns at the FBI shooting range with agent instructors, and blowing up and disarming bombs with their bomb experts. I loved every minute of the academy and am still a member of the alumni group. I hope to visit FBI Headquarters in D.C. in December along with a visit to Quantico where FBI agents train.
This academy inspired me to not only write about my White Knights, but to share details with readers that are authentic and convey the incredible integrity, compassion, and caring that FBI agents possess. This scene accomplished all of that. I loved sharing details like the biovestibules that serve as airlocks to keep contamination to a minimum, and the sheer magnitude of the 500,000 square foot building with over 500 employees all devoted to crime scene analysis. I think this allowed me to convey the big job the FBI crime scene employees have to do and the cost of crime in our country. Who knows, maybe the scene will be resurrected and modified for another book in the White Knight series.
Ashley: Where do you like to write?
Susan: I have rheumatoid arthritis and I often have painful joints so I mostly write sitting in a comfy recliner to minimize the pain. I have a view out over our backyard and my garden, and I am a gardening fanatic, so that is a very inspiring view for me. Of course, at times the garden calls to me, and I can’t resist so I go out there when I should be writing. But these little trips out into God’s beautiful world also helps me work out story problems, too.
Ashley: Are you a full-time or part-time author/writer?
Susan: I am a full-time writer. I had six books release this past year. If I didn’t work full-time, that wouldn’t have been possible. It was barely possible as it was. So far, I only have two books and two novellas releasing in 2017, which is a much more manageable schedule.
Ashley: How long does it usually take you to write a single book?
Susan: After I have plotted the book and written a synopsis, which can take weeks, I can get the rough draft written for a trade-length book like Fatal Mistake in a month. But my rough drafts are very rough, and what then follows is months of editing. During this time I work on editing the book, then set it aside and come back to it several times so I see it with fresh eyes. So all in all, I’d say it takes about four months to complete the book.
Ashley: What do you hope readers take away from the White Knights series?
Susan: Hope and trust in God. Simple as that. No matter how bad life can seem there is always hope. My wish is that the characters’ struggles resonate with the reader, and they can see the characters work their way out of a problem and move into the light of hope by trusting in God. Then the reader can see anything is possible, and they, too, have reason to hope.
Ashley: When did you realize you wanted to become a writer?
Susan: I always wanted to write a book but like many people today, I was too busy to sit down and do it. Then I was struck with a chronic illness, and I was forced to sit for long periods of time. A type A personality, I couldn’t sit and do nothing so I started writing. As the disease progressed, I had to quit my job and I had more and more time to write. Soon I was writing full time and actively pursuing publication.
Ashley: What was your favorite book as a teen or child?
Susan: As a child I didn’t have a favorite book, but I can tell you the Nancy Drew mystery series was my all time favorite series to read. I couldn’t wait until the latest book came out.
Ashley: What are your hopes for your future as an author?
Susan: I hope to continually improve my craft and hope to continue writing for publication as long as I can. I love writing and am so blessed that God has given me the opportunity to have this career.
Ashley: In what ways does your faith impact how you approach writing?
Susan: My faith impacts my writing in that it is so woven into who I am that it slips into my books without me even realizing it. I recently wrote my Agents Under Fire series which is a clean read series for the general market not the Christian market, and I discovered that I couldn’t write a single book without making my characters believers.
Ashley: Coke or Pepsi?
Susan: Neither. I can’t drink carbonated beverages so my choice of drink is water. Okay, fine, I do drink like a zillion cups of coffee in the morning.
Ashley: Soft shell or Hard Shell tacos?
Susan: Funny you should ask. I was a soft shell taco person all the way, but lately I had a craving for hard shells, and so we had them last week. It reminded me that when I was pregnant with my first daughter, I had such bad morning sickness that I was constantly sick. The only food I could keep down were tacos and they had to be hard shell tacos from Taco Bell.
Ashley: Favorite place to vacation?
Susan: Honestly, I haven’t had a vacation in years as we have spent every moment of free time the last two years remodeling our house, and I would vacation just about anywhere if given the opportunity.
Ashley: Favorite season?
Susan: Spring/early summer is my favorite time of year for two reasons. We live in rainy Oregon. It’s a beautiful area of the country because of all the rain, but almost daily rain from October to July is a bit much. So when spring arrives so do sunny days, which signal the beginning of gardening season. Over the winter, I spend days drooling over seed catalogues and pictures of my veggie garden from the prior year. Coming up with a new plant rotation, buying fertilizer and seeds, and dreaming of the veggies I’ll harvest. And then spring arrives and yes…finally, I can get outside in the sunshine and dig in the dirt and I am a happy girl!
Ashley: Do you have a particular drink or food you consume when you write? Like coco, raspberry tea, animal crackers?
Susan: When I am struggling to get words on paper for a rough draft and my late afternoon slump arrives, peanut M&Ms provide much needed brain power. LOL
Ashley: Do you listen to music while you write? If so what are some examples?
Susan: I never used to listen to music when writing, but lately I found that it helps me concentrate. Right now I often listen to oldies like Art Garfunkle’s Breakaway album or the Best of Bread.
Ashley: Is there anything about yourself that might surprise your readers?
Susan: 1. I once recorded radio commercials for a company I used to work for. It was so odd hearing my voice on the radio.
2. I once raced a turtle. I grew up in Turtle Lake where we held annual turtle races so it doesn’t seem as odd as it sounds, right?
3. I used to play trumpet. Not only in high school and college, but as an adult I also I played at church for years.
Ashley: How you create characters and are they are based on people you know?
Susan: Characters aren’t based on people I know, per se, but are from a lifetime of watching and studying people. I have a degree in psychology and have always been fascinated with what makes people do what they do, so putting together character traits to form a unique and complex person is really enjoyable for me.
Title: Swipe
Author: Evan Angler
Series Title: The Swipe Series
Readability Age Range: Recommended for grade 6 and up for content
Genre(s): Science Fiction
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Year Published: 2012
Spoilers: Yes
Summary:
Would you rather take a single oath of allegiance to your government or disregard the pledge and fall into a life of poverty and neglect? It seems like a simple decision, right? That’s the choice Logan Langly and all other Americans have to make on their 13th birthday. If Logan was any other twelve year-old on the dawn of his thirteenth birthday, he would be excited to finally receive his mark and begin his true journey into life, but Logan has one issue: when his sister Lily went to receive her mark, she never returned. Aside from his fear of turning out like his sister, Logan becomes nervous for a different reason: he discovers he is being watched. As the new school year begins in the town of Spokie, Logan encounters Erin Arbitor, the daughter of a government agent for the Department of Marked Emergencies or DOME. Erin doesn’t like Spokie, and wants to leave as soon as possible. She discovers information about a markless man named Daniel Peck, who seemingly kidnaps 12 year olds before they can take the oath. His next target? Logan. In a series of events, they try to find Peck and turn him in. However, as time passes, Logan suspects that Peck is actually be trying to help him and that the system he grew up under may contains dark secrets.
Review:
The Swipe Series is written in a manner that makes you relate to the characters and their situations, almost as if the world we live in is heading in the same miserable direction. This book reminds you not to blindly follow your leaders, but to question what powers you allow your government, and to make sure to pay attention to the ever-changing world we live in. I enjoy Swipe each time I read it. There are some darker elements such as disrespect and prejudice. I found the series a unique take on the biblical end times, each installment edging closer and closer to Jesus’ return.
Conclusion:
The Swipe Series is a fresh new take on Christian fiction. It has all the action and dystopian feel from current popular fiction, and if it was sitting on a shelf, you might not even see the difference between it and your average teen fiction. However, unlike most other teen series, it maintains the censorship and standards most parents desire for their young readers. I first read through the series when I was in middle school. It has all the action, plot twists and thrilling scenes to keep you up reading all night. Whether you’re looking for a good read to finish off the summer or just something to keep the kids occupied during a long car ride, this could be your next favorite series.
Christian Beliefs/Non-Christian Beliefs:
In an era dominated by apocalyptic fiction, there is one clear truth- The prophecies in Revelations will eventually come to light. The Swipe Series focuses on a world where corruption and socialism are accepted and the populace is being cruelly deceived into receiving what could be considered the mark of the beast. Aside from the frightening, realistic truths, remember that this is written for tweens and young teens and isn’t written to scare you into paranoia. It is a simple work of fiction to encourage and guide you to question the decisions you make so lightly, and to live in a way to prepare for Jesus’ return. It is a definitive reminder that we are in the world but certainly not of it.
Authority Roles:
In a dystopian future after a major war, the American government decides to consolidate society into two groups: those who are committed to following the new authorities, and those who become outcasts. The system is simple: on your thirteenth birthday, choose allegiance and be rewarded with social security along with the ability to pay for food and necessities. Those who pledge an oath of allegiance are given a mark to bear on their arm, this mark acts like an ID and credit card rolled up into one. With it, you can purchase groceries or check in at events, but without it, you lack the freedom to gather food or make a decent living.
With this new government comes some disrespect, from markless against the marked authorities and the reverse clearly seen as well.
Violence:
Kids in a group playfully wrestle and punch each other sometimes aggressively.
Kissing/Sex:
None
Profanity:
Phrases like “Screw it up” or “Sucks” are used occasionally, some name calling “Tightwad; cheapskate; misers; stingy skinflints” etc. is thrown around. One character talks in a clearly prejudiced way against the markless.
Discussion Topics:
Living under a Corrupt authority, The Christian Response to Non-Christian Leaders, Prejudice
Additional Notes:
There is some disrespect against some authorities including sneaking out at night. Erin hates Spokie and regrets her father’s choice to bring them there. Unsure of who he can trust, Logan becomes lonely/depressed in the midst of his paranoia.
Author: Evan Angler
Series Title: The Swipe Series
Readability Age Range: Recommended for grade 6 and up for content
Genre(s): Science Fiction
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Year Published: 2012
Spoilers: Yes
Summary:
Would you rather take a single oath of allegiance to your government or disregard the pledge and fall into a life of poverty and neglect? It seems like a simple decision, right? That’s the choice Logan Langly and all other Americans have to make on their 13th birthday. If Logan was any other twelve year-old on the dawn of his thirteenth birthday, he would be excited to finally receive his mark and begin his true journey into life, but Logan has one issue: when his sister Lily went to receive her mark, she never returned. Aside from his fear of turning out like his sister, Logan becomes nervous for a different reason: he discovers he is being watched. As the new school year begins in the town of Spokie, Logan encounters Erin Arbitor, the daughter of a government agent for the Department of Marked Emergencies or DOME. Erin doesn’t like Spokie, and wants to leave as soon as possible. She discovers information about a markless man named Daniel Peck, who seemingly kidnaps 12 year olds before they can take the oath. His next target? Logan. In a series of events, they try to find Peck and turn him in. However, as time passes, Logan suspects that Peck is actually be trying to help him and that the system he grew up under may contains dark secrets.
Review:
The Swipe Series is written in a manner that makes you relate to the characters and their situations, almost as if the world we live in is heading in the same miserable direction. This book reminds you not to blindly follow your leaders, but to question what powers you allow your government, and to make sure to pay attention to the ever-changing world we live in. I enjoy Swipe each time I read it. There are some darker elements such as disrespect and prejudice. I found the series a unique take on the biblical end times, each installment edging closer and closer to Jesus’ return.
Conclusion:
The Swipe Series is a fresh new take on Christian fiction. It has all the action and dystopian feel from current popular fiction, and if it was sitting on a shelf, you might not even see the difference between it and your average teen fiction. However, unlike most other teen series, it maintains the censorship and standards most parents desire for their young readers. I first read through the series when I was in middle school. It has all the action, plot twists and thrilling scenes to keep you up reading all night. Whether you’re looking for a good read to finish off the summer or just something to keep the kids occupied during a long car ride, this could be your next favorite series.
Christian Beliefs/Non-Christian Beliefs:
In an era dominated by apocalyptic fiction, there is one clear truth- The prophecies in Revelations will eventually come to light. The Swipe Series focuses on a world where corruption and socialism are accepted and the populace is being cruelly deceived into receiving what could be considered the mark of the beast. Aside from the frightening, realistic truths, remember that this is written for tweens and young teens and isn’t written to scare you into paranoia. It is a simple work of fiction to encourage and guide you to question the decisions you make so lightly, and to live in a way to prepare for Jesus’ return. It is a definitive reminder that we are in the world but certainly not of it.
Authority Roles:
In a dystopian future after a major war, the American government decides to consolidate society into two groups: those who are committed to following the new authorities, and those who become outcasts. The system is simple: on your thirteenth birthday, choose allegiance and be rewarded with social security along with the ability to pay for food and necessities. Those who pledge an oath of allegiance are given a mark to bear on their arm, this mark acts like an ID and credit card rolled up into one. With it, you can purchase groceries or check in at events, but without it, you lack the freedom to gather food or make a decent living.
With this new government comes some disrespect, from markless against the marked authorities and the reverse clearly seen as well.
Violence:
Kids in a group playfully wrestle and punch each other sometimes aggressively.
Kissing/Sex:
None
Profanity:
Phrases like “Screw it up” or “Sucks” are used occasionally, some name calling “Tightwad; cheapskate; misers; stingy skinflints” etc. is thrown around. One character talks in a clearly prejudiced way against the markless.
Discussion Topics:
Living under a Corrupt authority, The Christian Response to Non-Christian Leaders, Prejudice
Additional Notes:
There is some disrespect against some authorities including sneaking out at night. Erin hates Spokie and regrets her father’s choice to bring them there. Unsure of who he can trust, Logan becomes lonely/depressed in the midst of his paranoia.
Jesse Sheppard
Jesse is a Writing and Editing Major at a Small Christian College in Kansas where he is a freshman. In His Free Time, He Enjoys Reading, Writing and College Theater.
For many decades, stories of betrayal and blood have surrounded the mysterious land of Aragnar, a nation inhabited by winged warriors. A bloodthirsty king has taken the Aragnarian throne, and he is now coming to claim the rest of the world for himself... Aragnar amounts to little more than legend within a small village on Whitecliff island, but not for long. When Maria Fellbane's quiet life is interrupted by strange visitors, her destiny is forever altered as the stories of Aragnar come to life. As prophecy and war collide, will Maria be able to stand strong in her faith, or lose everything she loves?
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