"Every word of God is flawless;
He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him.
Do not add to His words,
or He will rebuke you and prove you a liar."
Proverbs 30:5-6 (NIV)
Into the Fire
Passionate thoughts about the world of writing and the Power of God
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For saps like me, I cry at Christmas commercials. This one is no exception. So many tears. Loved it. Kudos to those who make commercials worth watching, who address more than just the "commercial" objective.
Father, you, above all, know the joy and pain of "Christmas". Thank you for the sensitivity. Sometimes it's embarrassing, but mostly it tells me I care so much more deeply than I care to admit. Thank you is never enough. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.
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All of God's blessings be upon you. Be thankful, grateful, and blessed as you remember the first Thanksgiving of our country.
Father, thank you for the privilege of allowing me to be born in this One Nation under God. I treasure it. Thank you is never enough. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.
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Authors, writers, hopefuls, and wannabes: this is the one podcast you don't want to miss!
Michael J. and Robin Sullivan have created a multiple seven-figure impact on the publishing industry by harnessing the power of Kickstarter to build a loyal audience. By focusing on the quality of every element in a book's publishing, Michael and Robin have created a voracious loyalty among their fans. By refusing to scrimp and save on publishing, their books are of unparalleled quality.
They invite other authors to follow their journey and in this podcast they share the vision and the compelling reasons behind the roadmap that has made them the most startling publishing duo working today. Lauded by Brandon Sanderson, friends of J.A. Konrath, Blake Crouch, and others, the Sullivans are proven industry powerhouses you need to be paying attention to.
Listen to the interview here, buzzsprout.com/1910701/117237, or anywhere pods are cast.
This is brought to you by Jody J. Sperling who is an author and podcaster. He lives in rural Nebraska with Ashley and their three sons.
Father, I ask your blessing upon these authors and publishers. Let each one who writes know from whom their talent comes. Thank you for your writers/authors. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.
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Too soon? Never! Enjoy!
Father, you sent your Son. Born to die to give us life. Thank you is never enough. Desperate for Jesus. Holy Spirit, fill us up. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.
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Uncharted by L. T. Ryan and Gregory Scott is Book 3 in The Blake Brier Series.
A heinous discovery by kids spending the day on a boat is the first of several horrific events happening in this coastal town. When Blake receives an unexpected call from an FBI Agent regarding a dire situation with an old friend he never thought would want to see him again, he agrees to assist in any way he can. He informs the woman (Haeli) with whom he's getting serious about the limited information he has and takes off to find out how he can help.
Upon arrival, he's surprised to find it's his former late lover's sister whose daughter Lucy has gone missing. The two women who are the young girl's moms are frantic with her disappearance fearing she's run away with a no-good kid she'd been seeing. Mending the past is foremost for the woman who appreciates he's come so far to help them find Lucy.
The facts are slim until connections begin to form, but it's slow-going as to who's involved in what eventually looks more like kidnappings than those of runaways.
Uncharted is at times a gruesome story – definitely not for all readers. Although well-written and inclusive of small hints as to who the evil antagonist is, those hints prove illusive until very close to the end. I will say there were a few things that didn't work for me, but overall it's an interesting story with plenty of drama and tension – a satisfactory ending, but not without certain sorrows.
Due to an unforeseen outcome from his trip, Blake faces a new challenge when returning home.
Father, please continue to bless L. T. and Gregory with the skills you've given them to create stories. May they know from whom those abilities come. Thank you for them. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.
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If a ruler listens to lies,
all his officials become wicked.
Proverbs 29:12 (NIV)
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Five reasons I like my novels/writing . . .
Okay, before I commence with my actual Friday Five, I want to explain that I'm not bragging about my books or my writing. What I'm pointing out is that if we authors don't like our stories, how can we expect anyone else to enjoy what we've written? I write what I want to read. So, having said that, I'll tell you why.
- The characters in my novels are crafted so that the reader can find something in them or about them that will resonate as real.
- The dialogue between characters points to who they are as individuals and fills them out to the reader.
- The described locales will remind readers of places they know or places they can picture in their minds.
- The conflicts in the plot are not convoluted, exaggerated, or unrealistic, making them more reality based, less formulaic.
- The spiritual conflicts in the stories present a supernatural reality that is present in every person's life if they're paying attention.
If you're interested in my "Raw Romantic Redemptive" novels, you can find them here. And here.
Father, you're the creator of every inspiration. Apart from you, I can do nothing. Thank you is never enough. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.
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Many years ago, having fun with my new Konica 35mm in a black and white self-portrait (my first "selfie" before they were called that). It was my birthday gift before I jetted away to the trip of a lifetime: almost 3 months in Europe and Great Britain. Just turned 20.
Lord, you rescued me from myself after the journeys that eventually led me to you. Thank you is not enough for all that you've done for me. Nor will it ever be. Still desperate for you. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.
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Tsunami by L. T. Ryan and Brian Shea is Book 9 in A Rachel Hatch Novel Series.
How do you begin a review when you loved the story until the ending? I would've given this novel 4 and 1/2 stars until I read the ending. I hated the ending. It was cruel and indicative of heading a different direction from what the reader had been set up to believe in previous books to finally gain some satisfaction. But, no, it was a complete turnaround from all that had been implied by those previous stories. And I hated it.
It felt like a ploy for a future book to begin a new series which I'd planned to read regarding the underlying hero in the previous novels. Now? I doubt I'll start that series.
Immersed in the character Rachel Hatch (aka "Hatch"), second only to my favorite heroine Raleigh Harmon, both of these leading ladies have suffered the tragic losses of their fathers, have had difficult relationships with their mothers, and are as tough as they come until the depth of their emotional chaos surfaces. Hatch is military grade, a tough operator even after enduring her physical scars that stretch the length of her right arm. She's suppressed her emotions for years to be ready to carry out heroic acts after considering herself a failure at the one where a good friend died.
Hatch is reunited with her previous romantic interest Cruise and together they work for a private protection company called Talon. The romance has become one-sided for Cruise, and he's noticed Hatch's distance from that part of their lives. Their assignment is to be extra protection for a Japanese billionaire (and his young daughter) who plans to revamp an idle nuclear plant on the Oregon coast. It's noted that a group of protestors will be there and might possibly try to interfere. That interference comes quickly and successfully. And when it comes down to Hatch being the primary one to stop the event, she hesitates.
In one respect this story is about Hatch's hesitations. It's about making those split-second decisions that amount to life and death outcomes. When called upon to do that, she's equipped and ready to execute except for when there's a real reason not to make certain decisions which seem obvious. Those hesitations are caused by emotional chaos at point of contact, and they've cost her personal peace every time. Her guilt is enormous, her torturous afterthoughts immense.
Perhaps the longest hesitation of her life costs her the most when, after tragedy and trauma, she makes the decision she knows she wants.
A Rachel Hatch Novel Series will continue, but, for me, this climactic story took a wrong – and perhaps convenient – turn, pointing to a lack of creativity for continuing in the direction it seemed to be aiming.
Father, thank you for all those you've gifted with the skills to tell stories. Please continue to bless these two authors in their partnership and individual books. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.
Into the Fire 