Into the Fire

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

Colossians 3:17 (NIV)

Signal Fire by Dustin Stevens is Book 10 in A Hawk Tate Novel Series.

Getting an unexpected call from DEA Agent and friend Mia Diaz brings with it an unexpected invitation from the incarcerated "Angel of Death" (aka Angel Abarca) who Tate was responsible for putting there several years ago. It seems the former head of a dominant cartel (aka Lorenzo Gil) to whom the Angel of Death gave his allegiance has been assassinated and it's quietly suspected that his son (Marco) is responsible. Angel has faced two unusual attacks recently because no one crosses him unless they are unaware of the very real threat to their lives. Suffice it to say he's earned his nickname. He'll only speak with Hawk Tate.

Angel wants a deal. He has unlimited information in exchange for securing and protecting his younger sister and the niece he's never met. 

Reluctantly, Tate takes off for California's most southern office of the DEA to arrange a meeting with Angel through Mia and receives his temporary badge and papers to assist Diaz and the DEA in getting the information they need to find out what's happening with this cartel shakeup.

Tate is thrust into the kind of work he used to do almost instantly after the first meeting with Angel. As expected, it's an onslaught designed to tie up loose ends and eliminating the Angle of Death is top priority. Following that is pursuing those close to him and finally getting rid of the DEA members shielding him.

There is some graphic content as far as weaponry and how the different pieces are used and a bit of profanity, but the action is heated and heavy once the story really starts rolling.

I thought the build-up and description of the cartel activity in the beginning chapters, the thoughts and revelations of Marco Gil, were a bit slow and slightly tedious. This isn't an unusual tactic by many of us authors to lay the groundwork for the story, but, for me, the reason for the story is the hero or heroine, so I get impatient waiting for them to appear and get started. 

Hawk Tate is a confident, strong, and gutsy hero. This is an entertaining series, and I recommend it for those readers looking for a hero who doesn't really want to engage in his old ways but will unleash whatever it takes to defend himself or others when thrust into deadly danger. 

Father, please continue to provide the multiple stories you have just for Dustin to tell. Let him be fully aware from whom his talent comes. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.  

A very long time ago that seems not so long ago. 

Father, thank you for protecting me along the way of my confusion and rebellion. Thank you is never enough for rescuing me from myself. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

These are the first two novellas of The Casebook of Atticus Priest by Mark Dawson. Not prequels to his first four Atticus Priest full-length novels but rather picking up after his recent hire of Jeremy, aka "Jez", who keeps a "casebook" of impressions and notes gathered from the unique abilities of Atticus Priest to solve seemingly unsolvable cases. 

As I've mentioned in my reviews of the Atticus Priest full-length novels by Mark Dawson, Atticus is one of my favorite characters. When creating a character who has unusual idiosyncrasies or traits, sometimes it's hard to make them "attractive" to readers. I think Mark has found the perfect construct for Atticus Priest. In the first casebook account, the timing seems a bit off because Jez wasn't around when Atticus was still entertaining his use of recreational drugs – at least I can't remember any recent novels with him smoking joints. Nevertheless, these two novels are typically great detective novels with a little murder thrown in for substance. Easily read quickly, "Jez's" first-person depiction of the cases is perfect from an observer's point of view. 

Both of them very different and very entertaining. I highly recommend the first four full-length novels (Atticus Priest, Murder, Mystery, and Crime Thrillers) before the "Casebook" stories, but either way you won't be disappointed.  

Father, you know all of our hearts. May you bless Mark's and keep him writing the stories you have just for him to tell. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

Great song! Jesus IS alright! 

Thank you, Lord, for being the same yesterday, today, and forever. In the Name above all names, the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

I haven't written many novels. Eleven to be exact. Two are finished but not published. The twelfth one is in progress, although it's been dormant for a few months. 

I'm an indie author who's paid for the publishing of nine of those novels. 

I'm a terrible marketer.

I've written stories since I was a child, but it wasn't until I was well into adulthood that I wrote that first novel which turned out to be a 400+ thousand-word saga about horse racing as per the Lord's very explicit instruction to me. It took 8 and 1/2 years to finish because I worked 7 days a week in horse racing, home-schooled a few of those years, and did some lay ministry at church. If I'd written it now, having learned so much more than I knew then, it would never have been that long. 

I admire those authors who are structured and disciplined and keep those stories coming according to a plan. I'm not really wired that way. One year I wrote three novels, all over 90K words. That hasn't happened since.

Just some of my "author" thoughts I contemplate now and then. 

Amazon.com : Books by Nicole Petrino-Salter 

Father, thank you for every one of those novels. Apart from you, I can do nothing. That's the truth. Help me to continue to follow your instruction and inspiration. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

     See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ. 

Colossians 2:8 (NIV)

Reading is a pleasure, a joy, a gift for me. 

Lately, I've run into a few people who don't enjoy reading. One explained because of her dyslexia, she found it frustrating which is certainly understandable. The other didn't give a reason for not liking to read. 

I've loved reading since I learned to do it, and while I read a lot of non-fiction books as a young girl – explicitly on horses, horsemanship, and any true stories about horses – novels are my absolute favorites. No surprise to those who follow this blog. 

The inherent value in novels is the beauty of truth being told in story form. No matter the genre, truth shows up somewhere – even if it's an ugly truth about how people can be at their worst.

Those who show disdain for fiction have failed to realize the value found within their pages. I will say, in order to truly enjoy a story, the reader needs to find the genre(s) and author(s) they appreciate. From romance to science fiction, there are books for everyone out there. Never devalue the importance of novels. Written well, they can change your soul, uplift your spirit, and touch your heart. 

Father, thank you for stories, for authors that honor you with their creativity that you've given them, and please bless readers in the process. Apart from you, we can do nothing. Thank you is never enough. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

Ever had one of these kind of days? Yeah, well . . . 

Father, thank you for watching out for me my entire life. Thank you is never enough. You've been so gracious to me. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

This is a different kind of excerpt this Wednesday. The first page of . . . in a love song:

              “Heard it in a love song . . . can’t be wrong.”

                                       The Marshall Tucker Band

              Many waters cannot quench love;

                  rivers cannot wash it away.

              If one were to give

                  all the wealth of his house for love,

                  it would be utterly scorned.

                                       Song of Songs 8: 7 (NIV)

Now the foreword:

Foreword . . .

There are myriad inspirations cited by novelists when asked to discuss the motivation for a particular novel. Readers repeatedly ask, “How do you come up with your ideas for a story?” Answers will range from the mundane to the spectacular.

. . . in a love song  is a unique romance novel for me for a number of reasons.

First of all, it was inspired by the song “Heard It in a Love Song” by The Marshall Tucker Band on their Carolina Dreams album. I’m a lyrics girl so as I listened to the words of this tune, I couldn’t help but picture the “narrator” as a character in a love story. What kind of guy would he be? And of course from there Dale Rivers came to life with several exceptions to the man in the song. And what kind of female would it take to capture his heart and make him want to settle down? Enter Patricia Edison. And how would life change for them if . . . ?

In the second place I’m not a fan of the typical stack of conflicts often woven into romance novels. There is only one primary conflict in this story of two 30-somethings facing love for the first time in their lives.

Thirdly, this story features everyday life with abundant dialogue as if you’re experiencing conversations externally and internally with them. It’s flirty, romantic, and raw at times, not to “offend” but to be real. There are a few unexpected turns in the story, but really it’s all about the “Big Three”: love, romance, sex.  

Finally, I write Christian Fiction. Unashamedly. One thing you will always find in my novels is the contrast of life lived in the world without Jesus as opposed to life lived knowing Jesus personally. The two main characters in this story have a vague awareness of God but it’s not personal in the beginning.

Having said all of that, if you love straight-up romance, I think you’ll fall in love with Dale Rivers’ and Patricia Edison’s love story. 

Raw, Romantic, Redemptive

Father, only you can help me, inspire me, encourage me, and direct me. Apart from you, I can do nothing. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.