Showing posts with label The Last Con. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Last Con. Show all posts
Thursday, November 24, 2016
If My Suspense Novels Were Amish Romances
I was reminded last week of these hilarious book covers put together by one of my readers (the one and only Andy Doane), depicting Playing Saint and The Last Con as Amish paperbacks. This is probably worth doing with your favorite books... 😄
Friday, September 23, 2016
Monday, August 15, 2016
Pushstarting a Locomotive
But people have bought tens of millions of copies. I don’t get it. I mean, it’s one thing if God is rewarding your positivity (although the Christian Scriptures certainly don’t say a peep about that), but . . . the universe? In the words of Don Draper, “The universe is indifferent.” I even find it a little superstitious when Dave Ramsey tells people that having an emergency fund actually makes emergencies less likely to happen (Murphy stands in for the universe in that case).
And yet . . . it was shortly after I decided to start writing again and committed to finishing serializing my book Out of Sardis online (because no publisher wanted it) that the book got a nibble from a publisher who wanted a look at it. Then another possibility opened up. Long story short, the book is off the interwebs and back in play. Coincidence? Maybe. Matthew 25:21 in action? Ehhhh, maybe. Awesome? Potentially.
The fresh excitement of my writing life in general, though, is more explainable. I’m reinvigorated about a number of projects and am working pretty steadily on a YA manuscript that I really believe will be my best book yet. It’s got a slow-burn mystery wrapped up in a rather frantic plot, not unlike The Last Con, but with the addition of a claustrophobic, isolated rural town (which is something I loved about some of Peretti’s earlier stuff). I can’t wait for you guys to read it.
I’ve got no use for Murphy or the benevolence of the Universe, and I know that God doesn't necessarily wait to help us until we help ourselves, but now that I’ve push-started this locomotive once again and it’s picking up speed, the will to write is no longer a precious commodity. I’ve got more than I know what to do with.
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Tuesday, July 5, 2016
#amNOTwriting: A Confession
So you should never begin a blog post by apologizing for “how long it’s been” since you last blogged or (worse) explaining why it’s been so very long. Writing (and Speaking) 101: always start strong, with a hook, not with a soul-suckingly boring laundry list of tedious events and obligations. But what if you’re writing about the dearth of posts? Is it okay then? Nah, still better to kick it off with something that grabs the reader, like . . .
If I were the kind of guy to use established hashtags on a regular basis, you’d still never see the ironically-broken-English-sounding #amwriting tag from me—at least not since last November, when I finished a short story double-header called God Rest Ye Motor City, which I think is some of my best writing to date, despite having been cranked out in just a few days. “#AmNOTwriting” is more like it (or maybe . . . “#aintwriting” to better mirror the janky grammatical issues of the original?). Yeah, every tweet and post since before Thanksgiving should be tagged with one of those. I’ve spoken at three writing conferences during that time, but I haven’t been writing anything.
I guess that’s not entirely true. I write a sermon every week. Often two. And sometimes a lesson. But that’s a whole different thing.
So what makes a just-starting-out novelist, briefly referred to as “The Suspense Author Everyone’s Talking About,” just . . . stop? I’d like to say it's kind of a Salinger thing. I’ve penned my Catcher and my Nine Stories and now I’m fading into obscurity while the world builds up my mythos. But that doesn’t work when your paperbacks are ranked in the neighborhood of 1,000,000 on Amazon and everyone’s not, in actuality, “talking about” you. So, at the risk of reciting the aforementioned soul-suckingly boring laundry list of events, let me fill you in . . .
My two traditionally published books, Playing Saint (2014) and The Last Con (2015), have performed as one would expect the debut and follow-up of an unknown author to perform—neither breakout smash hits nor total flops. They were nominated for three awards, were finalists in all three, but won none. And, for a variety of reasons, my publisher and I parted ways. Which makes it sound like it was mutual, when in reality they had a contractual right of first refusal and they exercised that right (specifically on a proposal for a Playing Saint sequel).
So my agent sent the prop on to some other publishers, along with a proposal for a book I’m currently calling Clinch, which has a rather out-there premise, involving a paramedic, a long-lost treasure, an Indian tribe, and a woman who runs a junk shop by day and decides to become a super hero by night—all in a sleepy little Midwest tourist town. Not surprisingly, Breaking Saint (as I’ve been calling the Playing Saint, pt 2) was a none-starter. No one wants to do the sequel to a modestly-performing thriller owned by the competition. (In fact, a couple editors seemed kind of confused to have received the proposal.) And Clinch was just too unconventional, they said. Too fringe. Too niche. Too midlist. But we like the writing and please send us any future projects that are more marketable.
In early April, I decided to start another project while I waited to hear back from the remaining publishers considering these proposals. I would write a nonfiction book I’d been outlining for quite some time and serialize it, releasing a chapter at a time on The Blazing Center, an awesome online magazine that has published my work in the past. I was thinking I’d write one chapter every couple weeks. To date, I’ve written (waaaait for iiiit) one chapter. And, if I’m honest, that one was already written, almost a year earlier. Chapter 2 remains half-done. It’s been almost three months.
While #notwriitng, I’ve been barely-active on social media (at least on my author accounts), occasionally sharing the sort of stuff authors of Christian fiction are expected to share, along with a few things I actually wanted to. It’s been no secret that I’ve had something of an ongoing struggle with pandering, whether with my “image” as an author or with the actual content of my books. More on that in a future post. Suffice to say, in response to all this, I wrote most of a book proposal that I’m fairly sure would get picked up by an advance-paying publisher if I were to put it out there. And yet, I really had no interest in writing it. Or writing at all.
But wait! Come to think of it, I have been writing something over the past few months. Me and my buddy Ted Kluck have been writing a sequel to the end-times satire we put out in 2012. It’s the last thing any mainstream CBA publisher would touch. But I’m writing like an animal. Seriously, I can’t stop. Maybe because it’s refreshing to write without the pressure of trying to break out of the midlist, without dulling the sharp edges to suit the market, without subconsciously trying to target a demographic that is unlikely to get what I really want to say. Instead, I can write for the hundred or so people who actually e-mail and tweet me, asking when they can read my next book, because they loved the last one. I can write what I want to read. It’s stupid stuff at the moment (seriously, the plot involves a drug called “Ultragest” that shortens the human gestation period to six weeks), but it’s freeing in a weird way. It's the means, not the end, but it actually has me writing again.
So here’s the updated confession: My name is Zach and I’m a midlist author. (“Hiii, Zach.”) And I’m cool with it. I #amwriting, but I’m on no one’s 2016 list. It’s been nearly a year since The Last Con came out and I finally feel the desire to write again—not from without (you should have another book in the works or you'll be a year behind!), but from within.
And here’s what I see in my future: I’m not waiting for one of the Big Six (which I think have become the Big Four) to sign me again. I’m not waiting for anything.
And I’ll keep you in the loop, right in this space. Here’s a hashtag I’ll actually use: #MidlistMondays. Most Mondays for the foreseeable future, starting next Monday, I’ll explore a different aspect of life in the literary limbo where I currently reside,having decided to just get comfortable here, light up a fine cigar, and craft some books that I would want to read. Books like Playing Saint. Books like The Christian Gentleman’s Smoking Companion, which I wrote and published with Ted and which has sold almost as many copies as either of my traditionally published novels.
While I respect all the podcasts and workshops and books about how to get your foot in the door of the Publishing Machine (I even contributed to one) as well as all the advice, freely (and not-so-freely) given by industry veterans, about how to keep your career moving up and your “platform” expanding . . . when it actually quenches your desire to write, it’s time to let all that go.
Walk into your local Barnes and Noble today and I’m not sure whether you’ll find one of my books on the shelf. I actually kind of doubt it. Maybe soon they'll be on the bargain table.
But I’m writing. And that feels good.
.
Confession: I haven’t been writing.
If I were the kind of guy to use established hashtags on a regular basis, you’d still never see the ironically-broken-English-sounding #amwriting tag from me—at least not since last November, when I finished a short story double-header called God Rest Ye Motor City, which I think is some of my best writing to date, despite having been cranked out in just a few days. “#AmNOTwriting” is more like it (or maybe . . . “#aintwriting” to better mirror the janky grammatical issues of the original?). Yeah, every tweet and post since before Thanksgiving should be tagged with one of those. I’ve spoken at three writing conferences during that time, but I haven’t been writing anything.
I guess that’s not entirely true. I write a sermon every week. Often two. And sometimes a lesson. But that’s a whole different thing.
So what makes a just-starting-out novelist, briefly referred to as “The Suspense Author Everyone’s Talking About,” just . . . stop? I’d like to say it's kind of a Salinger thing. I’ve penned my Catcher and my Nine Stories and now I’m fading into obscurity while the world builds up my mythos. But that doesn’t work when your paperbacks are ranked in the neighborhood of 1,000,000 on Amazon and everyone’s not, in actuality, “talking about” you. So, at the risk of reciting the aforementioned soul-suckingly boring laundry list of events, let me fill you in . . .
My two traditionally published books, Playing Saint (2014) and The Last Con (2015), have performed as one would expect the debut and follow-up of an unknown author to perform—neither breakout smash hits nor total flops. They were nominated for three awards, were finalists in all three, but won none. And, for a variety of reasons, my publisher and I parted ways. Which makes it sound like it was mutual, when in reality they had a contractual right of first refusal and they exercised that right (specifically on a proposal for a Playing Saint sequel).
So my agent sent the prop on to some other publishers, along with a proposal for a book I’m currently calling Clinch, which has a rather out-there premise, involving a paramedic, a long-lost treasure, an Indian tribe, and a woman who runs a junk shop by day and decides to become a super hero by night—all in a sleepy little Midwest tourist town. Not surprisingly, Breaking Saint (as I’ve been calling the Playing Saint, pt 2) was a none-starter. No one wants to do the sequel to a modestly-performing thriller owned by the competition. (In fact, a couple editors seemed kind of confused to have received the proposal.) And Clinch was just too unconventional, they said. Too fringe. Too niche. Too midlist. But we like the writing and please send us any future projects that are more marketable.
In early April, I decided to start another project while I waited to hear back from the remaining publishers considering these proposals. I would write a nonfiction book I’d been outlining for quite some time and serialize it, releasing a chapter at a time on The Blazing Center, an awesome online magazine that has published my work in the past. I was thinking I’d write one chapter every couple weeks. To date, I’ve written (waaaait for iiiit) one chapter. And, if I’m honest, that one was already written, almost a year earlier. Chapter 2 remains half-done. It’s been almost three months.
While #notwriitng, I’ve been barely-active on social media (at least on my author accounts), occasionally sharing the sort of stuff authors of Christian fiction are expected to share, along with a few things I actually wanted to. It’s been no secret that I’ve had something of an ongoing struggle with pandering, whether with my “image” as an author or with the actual content of my books. More on that in a future post. Suffice to say, in response to all this, I wrote most of a book proposal that I’m fairly sure would get picked up by an advance-paying publisher if I were to put it out there. And yet, I really had no interest in writing it. Or writing at all.
But wait! Come to think of it, I have been writing something over the past few months. Me and my buddy Ted Kluck have been writing a sequel to the end-times satire we put out in 2012. It’s the last thing any mainstream CBA publisher would touch. But I’m writing like an animal. Seriously, I can’t stop. Maybe because it’s refreshing to write without the pressure of trying to break out of the midlist, without dulling the sharp edges to suit the market, without subconsciously trying to target a demographic that is unlikely to get what I really want to say. Instead, I can write for the hundred or so people who actually e-mail and tweet me, asking when they can read my next book, because they loved the last one. I can write what I want to read. It’s stupid stuff at the moment (seriously, the plot involves a drug called “Ultragest” that shortens the human gestation period to six weeks), but it’s freeing in a weird way. It's the means, not the end, but it actually has me writing again.
So here’s the updated confession: My name is Zach and I’m a midlist author. (“Hiii, Zach.”) And I’m cool with it. I #amwriting, but I’m on no one’s 2016 list. It’s been nearly a year since The Last Con came out and I finally feel the desire to write again—not from without (you should have another book in the works or you'll be a year behind!), but from within.
And here’s what I see in my future: I’m not waiting for one of the Big Six (which I think have become the Big Four) to sign me again. I’m not waiting for anything.
- I’m going to finish Chapter 2 of Out of Sardis and send it to The Blazing Center.
- I’m going to finish Breaking Saint and it will be available to readers next year, even if I put it out independently. People keep asking if there will be another Parker Saint book. There will, God willing.
- And I am going to reboot my gritty, modern retelling of the story of the prophet Elijah, through a new upstart publisher where a bunch of blood and bullets are not a deal-breaker. I’m hoping to make it a trilogy.
And I’ll keep you in the loop, right in this space. Here’s a hashtag I’ll actually use: #MidlistMondays. Most Mondays for the foreseeable future, starting next Monday, I’ll explore a different aspect of life in the literary limbo where I currently reside,having decided to just get comfortable here, light up a fine cigar, and craft some books that I would want to read. Books like Playing Saint. Books like The Christian Gentleman’s Smoking Companion, which I wrote and published with Ted and which has sold almost as many copies as either of my traditionally published novels.
While I respect all the podcasts and workshops and books about how to get your foot in the door of the Publishing Machine (I even contributed to one) as well as all the advice, freely (and not-so-freely) given by industry veterans, about how to keep your career moving up and your “platform” expanding . . . when it actually quenches your desire to write, it’s time to let all that go.
Walk into your local Barnes and Noble today and I’m not sure whether you’ll find one of my books on the shelf. I actually kind of doubt it. Maybe soon they'll be on the bargain table.
But I’m writing. And that feels good.
.
Monday, June 27, 2016
Inspy Award Interview
For the second year in a row, I'm on the shortlist for an Inspy Award! They will be announced tomorrow.
Today, they posted a short interview with me on the Inspy website. I talk about what inspired The Last Con, the challenges of writing suspense, and what sort of stuff I'm reading, writing, and listening to at the moment.
Click here to read it.
It sort of feels like a repeat of last year, in that I'm up against Ted Dekker, as well as Carrie and Ronie. Of course, that doesn't exactly bode well in that Ted won last year with an almost identically titled book. : )
Oh well. Either way, it's an honor to make it to the finals!
Wednesday, June 8, 2016
These Go to 11!
I'm super-stoked to have been the guest on this week's episode of one of my favorite podcasts, "These Go to Eleven" with Greg Dutcher and Nathan Bell.
It's an hour of great conversation, about writing, publishing, podcasting, cigars, and all sorts of other stuff. You can listen here:
But even if you don't have a full hour to listen, at least take five minutes to hear me fulfill my life's dream (meaning, something I've wanted for like a year) of being berated by the one and only, angry fundamentalist (and fully fictional) preacher, Rev. James King!
It's an hour of great conversation, about writing, publishing, podcasting, cigars, and all sorts of other stuff. You can listen here:
But even if you don't have a full hour to listen, at least take five minutes to hear me fulfill my life's dream (meaning, something I've wanted for like a year) of being berated by the one and only, angry fundamentalist (and fully fictional) preacher, Rev. James King!
Thursday, February 11, 2016
Answers for week 3 of Con/Heist Movie Trivia
Monday, February 8, 2016
Week 3: Con/Heist Movie Trivia
Long before I wrote The Last Con, I was a huge fan of con and heist movies. This is the last of three quizzes to test your knowledge and griftiness (part 1 and part 2 are here). Eight clues for eight movies,
each week.
Name the following movies based on the synopsis:
5. A remake. A team of thieves-with-hearts-of-gold seek revenge against a thief with no heart of gold and an evil, pencil-thin mustache. Starring two rappers, two Acadmy Award winners, a Transporter, a Monster, Jack Bauer's dad, and a bunch of MINIs.
6.Another remake. A team of thieves-with-hearts-of-gold seek revenge against a rich guy who doesn't seem all that bad, but isn't as cool as the thieves, so we want them to come out on top. Starring everyone who was cool in 2001. Followed by a crappy sequel and a good sequel.
Name the following movies based on the synopsis:
5. A remake. A team of thieves-with-hearts-of-gold seek revenge against a thief with no heart of gold and an evil, pencil-thin mustache. Starring two rappers, two Acadmy Award winners, a Transporter, a Monster, Jack Bauer's dad, and a bunch of MINIs.
6.Another remake. A team of thieves-with-hearts-of-gold seek revenge against a rich guy who doesn't seem all that bad, but isn't as cool as the thieves, so we want them to come out on top. Starring everyone who was cool in 2001. Followed by a crappy sequel and a good sequel.
7. A good "Christian film" (which is unusual). A con man
must pretend to be his priest brother in order to dodge a dangerous
criminal who is out to get him. The soundtrack is incredible, including
Moby, Jennifer Knapp, and Sixpence!
8. Two reckless youths discover they are related while on a summer trip and plan an elaborate con with their parents as the marks. Both have pronounced British accents, despite allegedly being from Boston and California, hinting that a deeper con yet might be in play.
8. Two reckless youths discover they are related while on a summer trip and plan an elaborate con with their parents as the marks. Both have pronounced British accents, despite allegedly being from Boston and California, hinting that a deeper con yet might be in play.
Thursday, February 4, 2016
Answers for week 2 of Con/Heist Movie Trivia
Here are the answers for week 2 of Con/Heist Movie Trivia.
1. Out of Sight
2. Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
3. The Usual Suspects
4. Maverick
5. The Inside Man
6. Jackie Brown
7. Identity Thief
8. Confidence
Click here for part1 and check back next Monday for part 3.
1. Out of Sight
2. Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
3. The Usual Suspects
4. Maverick
5. The Inside Man
6. Jackie Brown
7. Identity Thief
8. Confidence
Click here for part1 and check back next Monday for part 3.
Monday, February 1, 2016
Week 2: Con/Heist Movie Trivia
Long before I wrote The Last Con, I was a huge fan of con and heist movies. Last week, I launched a series of three weekly quizzes to test your knowledge and griftiness. This is week two of a three week game of "Name the con movie." Eight clues for eight movies,
each week.
This week, we've got screenshots with all faces either erased or obscured with my own mug. Enjoy.
Answers posted on Thursdays.
This week, we've got screenshots with all faces either erased or obscured with my own mug. Enjoy.
Answers posted on Thursdays.
Thursday, January 28, 2016
Answers for Con / Heist Movie Trivia, part 1
Below are the answers for part 1 of the Con/Heist Movie Trivia game. Check back next Monday for part 2.
1. Reservoir Dogs
2. Paper Moon
3. The Score
4. Sneakers
5. Snatch
6. Catch Me If You Can
7. Boiler Room
8. Grifters
1. Reservoir Dogs
2. Paper Moon
3. The Score
4. Sneakers
5. Snatch
6. Catch Me If You Can
7. Boiler Room
8. Grifters
Sunday, January 24, 2016
Con/Heist Movie Trivia, part 1
I've been a huge fan of con and heist movies for years and years—long before I wrote The Last Con. If you like them too, you'll want to check back here each Monday for the next three weeks for my con movie trivia.
Eight clues for eight movies each week.
Below are four movie quotes. Identify the grift/con/heist movie without googling. If you google, you will get crippling diarrhea.
Eight clues for eight movies each week.
Below are four movie quotes. Identify the grift/con/heist movie without googling. If you google, you will get crippling diarrhea.
Answers will be posted here on Thursdays.5. "You're always gonna have problems lifting a body in one piece. Apparently the best thing to do is cut up a corpse into six pieces and pile it all together."
6. "Two little mice fell into a bucket of cream. The first mouse quickly gave up and drowned, but the second mouse, he struggled so hard that he eventually churned that cream into butter and he walked out. Amen."
7. "The Notorious BIG said it best: 'Either you're slingin' crack-rock, or you've got a wicked jump-shot.' Nobody wants to work for it anymore. There's no honor in taking that after school job at Mickey D's; honor's in the dollar, kid. So I went the white boy way of slinging crack-rock: I became a stock broker."
8. "You have a visitor, Mr. Dillon. A very attractive young lady. She says she's your mother."
Tuesday, January 19, 2016
Tuesday, November 24, 2015
The Official Imaginary Soundtrack
Before I started writing novels, I wrote a few screenplays. And before that, I made a whole lot of movies in my mind. Maybe that's why I had no choice but to compile the official soundtrack of the imaginary movie of my latest book The Last Con. Here's a listing by scene. Mild spoilers, so if you haven't read it yet, go get it, read it, then check out this post. Or, better yet, get the book and read it while listening!
Also, in a sort of outdated early-aughties fashion, I'm going to tag five other authors to do this with one of their own books: Cliff Graham, Dani Pettrey, Carrie Stuart Parks, Susie Finkbeiner, and Ted Kluck. (Since Ted writes non-fiction, I guess we're talking the soundtrack of a documentary.) No need to designate a song for every single scene, and don't forget to tag some authors yourself . . .
TRACK 1 - AFTER THE OPENING SCENE IN THE CHURCH, THIS WOULD PLAY OVER THE CREDITS. Lecrae - "The Drop"
TRACK 2 - CAGLIOSTRO, HAVING ARRIVED IN MALTA, ENTERS THE CATHEDRAL OF ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST. Gregorian - "Nothing Else Matters" (Metallica)
TRACK 3 - DANTE GOES INTO THE COUNTY JAIL. Trip Lee - "Snitch"
TRACK 4 - LEAD-IN TO THE YOUTH GROUP MEETING IN THE CLICHED YOUTH GROUP ROOM. The Newsboys -"Breakfast"
TRACK 5 - WHEN FLETCHER IS DRIVING BACK INTO DETROIT FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE LEAVING PRISON. Rancid - "Detroit"
TRACK 6 - CAGLIOSTRO'S SWANK PARTY-SLASH-SEANCE. "Crystalize" by Lindsey Stirling
TRACK 7 - THIS WOULD PLAY OVER AS FLETCHER FIRST HAS A LOOK INSIDE BELLTOWER'S MANSION. FM Static - "Man Watcha Doin'?"
TRACK 8 - THIS WOULD PLAY AS FLETCHER AND HIS CREW RACE AWAY FROM BELLTOWER'S HOUSE AFTER THE HEIST. Steve Taylor - "Only a Ride"
TRACK 9 - LEAD-IN TO THE INNER-CITY YOUTH CENTER "He Reigns" by Kirk Franklin
TRACK 10 - WHEN FLETCHER IS TRYING TO SLEEP IN HAPPY'S VAN. Just the beginning of "God's Great Dance Floor" by Chris Tomlin
TRACK 11 - WHEN DANTE WALKS BACK TO HIS CHURCH AND SEES THE ROBED MAN ON THE STREET CORNER. Andy Mineo - "Never Land"
TRACK 12 - AS FLETCHER AND HIS FAMILY WALK BACK TO THE SANCTUARY OF THE CHURCH AT THE END. "All That I Am" by Rend Collective
TRACK 13 - OVER THE END CREDITS. "Don't Waste Your Life" by Lecrae
.
.
.
Also, in a sort of outdated early-aughties fashion, I'm going to tag five other authors to do this with one of their own books: Cliff Graham, Dani Pettrey, Carrie Stuart Parks, Susie Finkbeiner, and Ted Kluck. (Since Ted writes non-fiction, I guess we're talking the soundtrack of a documentary.) No need to designate a song for every single scene, and don't forget to tag some authors yourself . . .
TRACK 1 - AFTER THE OPENING SCENE IN THE CHURCH, THIS WOULD PLAY OVER THE CREDITS. Lecrae - "The Drop"
TRACK 2 - CAGLIOSTRO, HAVING ARRIVED IN MALTA, ENTERS THE CATHEDRAL OF ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST. Gregorian - "Nothing Else Matters" (Metallica)
TRACK 3 - DANTE GOES INTO THE COUNTY JAIL. Trip Lee - "Snitch"
TRACK 4 - LEAD-IN TO THE YOUTH GROUP MEETING IN THE CLICHED YOUTH GROUP ROOM. The Newsboys -"Breakfast"
TRACK 5 - WHEN FLETCHER IS DRIVING BACK INTO DETROIT FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE LEAVING PRISON. Rancid - "Detroit"
TRACK 6 - CAGLIOSTRO'S SWANK PARTY-SLASH-SEANCE. "Crystalize" by Lindsey Stirling
TRACK 7 - THIS WOULD PLAY OVER AS FLETCHER FIRST HAS A LOOK INSIDE BELLTOWER'S MANSION. FM Static - "Man Watcha Doin'?"
TRACK 8 - THIS WOULD PLAY AS FLETCHER AND HIS CREW RACE AWAY FROM BELLTOWER'S HOUSE AFTER THE HEIST. Steve Taylor - "Only a Ride"
TRACK 9 - LEAD-IN TO THE INNER-CITY YOUTH CENTER "He Reigns" by Kirk Franklin
TRACK 10 - WHEN FLETCHER IS TRYING TO SLEEP IN HAPPY'S VAN. Just the beginning of "God's Great Dance Floor" by Chris Tomlin
TRACK 11 - WHEN DANTE WALKS BACK TO HIS CHURCH AND SEES THE ROBED MAN ON THE STREET CORNER. Andy Mineo - "Never Land"
TRACK 12 - AS FLETCHER AND HIS FAMILY WALK BACK TO THE SANCTUARY OF THE CHURCH AT THE END. "All That I Am" by Rend Collective
TRACK 13 - OVER THE END CREDITS. "Don't Waste Your Life" by Lecrae
.
.
.
Monday, November 9, 2015
Re-Launch! (And Free Short Stories)
If you're looking for a quick and exciting read this week, I have two short stories on Amazon that are absolutely FREE today and tomorrow. Why now? Am I suddenly and prematurely filled with the Christmas spirit weeks before Thanksgiving like some sort of social pariah stringing lights while the neighborhood kids are still counting their candy?No.
Rather, it's part of my RE-LAUNCH for my novel The Last Con.
Speaking of which, if you haven't read The Last Con, the e-book is currently on sale for $2.99 (Including Kindle, Nook, iTunes, and kobo)
I know, right?
The theme is danger, but also the theme is my book The Last Con.
Click any of these graphics, or really click anything at all to be taken to the event page.
Monday, September 14, 2015
Podcasts! Everywhere!
You may not be aware that I host a weekly podcast, together with prolific author Ted Kluck, called the Gut Check Podcast. It's a niche-of-a-niche humor type thing, in which we also talk about publishing (including promoting our own books) and skype in with a motley crew of regulars (some famous) to discuss whatever happens to be on our minds that day.
Without any research (not even googling), I'm going to assume that we made podcast history when Ted and I played a double-header with NYT bestselling novelist Cliff Graham. Cliff has been on our show before (and by "show," I mean two guys talking into USB microphones), but what made this unique is that, immediately after recording the Gut Check Podcast with Cliff as a guest, we proceeded to record Cliff's Good Battle Podcast with us as the guests. I know—groundbreaking.
Here are the links:
The Gut Check Podcast, Episode 24 - The Cliff Graham Episode
The Good Battle Podcast, Episode 18 - Zachary Bartels & Ted Kluck
In addition, I was happy to pop up in Noah Filipiak's “Behind the Curtain Ministry Podcast” recently. We talked about self-promotion as it relates to writing and to being a Christian.
You can find that link here:
Behind the Curtain Episode 7
.
Here are the links:
The Gut Check Podcast, Episode 24 - The Cliff Graham Episode
The Good Battle Podcast, Episode 18 - Zachary Bartels & Ted Kluck
In addition, I was happy to pop up in Noah Filipiak's “Behind the Curtain Ministry Podcast” recently. We talked about self-promotion as it relates to writing and to being a Christian.
You can find that link here:
Behind the Curtain Episode 7
.
Friday, September 4, 2015
I'm Just Like Jesus, They Tell Me...
My son and I just finished the Gospel of Luke. Ideally, we read a few chapters of the Bible together every night, but it's actually more like three to four times a week. Still, we've made it through three
books of the Bible now. He loved the story of Jesus and he remembers details I would never expect a seven-year-old to retain. He loved the post-resurrection appearances of Jesus so much (especially the road to Emmaus) that he has opted to read John next and get the story of our Savior from another angle.
So, anyway.
A new Christian bookstore opened today in an outdoor mall near our house, so he and I went to check it out. As most authors are wont to do, I wandered by the fiction aisle and was pleased to see that they had a couple copies of The Last Con and one copy of Playing Saint. Just then, an employee happened by and said, "Can I help you find anything?"
Thinking I'd be clever or cute or something, I said, "Have you ever read either of these books?"
"No, I don't believe I have," she replied.
"They're amazing," I quipped, planning of course to aw-shucksingly reveal that I had written them after building them up to a ridiculous degree.
"Amazing? Really?"
"Oh, yes," I said. "Maybe even brilliant."
"What is?" called another clerk asked from behind the counter.
"These two," clerk #1 said, carrying my books over to her.
At this point, my son called me over to look at some comic books we don't yet have. (Aside: Kingstone Bible Comics are the money!) I kind of forgot about the whole shameless self-promotion thing until we got up to the counter and saw my books sitting there.
"Thanks for the recommendation," the clerk said. "I'm going to pass it on to my husband."
In a little too deep to come clean directly I just nodded and expectantly handed her my debit card, which, incidentally, bears my name. She didn't notice.
As we left the store, my son says, "Huh. You're kind of like Jesus."
"How?" I asked.
"You know, pretending to be someone else."
Yeah. That's one way to look at it.
.
So, anyway.
A new Christian bookstore opened today in an outdoor mall near our house, so he and I went to check it out. As most authors are wont to do, I wandered by the fiction aisle and was pleased to see that they had a couple copies of The Last Con and one copy of Playing Saint. Just then, an employee happened by and said, "Can I help you find anything?"
Thinking I'd be clever or cute or something, I said, "Have you ever read either of these books?"
"No, I don't believe I have," she replied.
"They're amazing," I quipped, planning of course to aw-shucksingly reveal that I had written them after building them up to a ridiculous degree.
"Amazing? Really?"
"Oh, yes," I said. "Maybe even brilliant."
"What is?" called another clerk asked from behind the counter.
"These two," clerk #1 said, carrying my books over to her.
At this point, my son called me over to look at some comic books we don't yet have. (Aside: Kingstone Bible Comics are the money!) I kind of forgot about the whole shameless self-promotion thing until we got up to the counter and saw my books sitting there.
"Thanks for the recommendation," the clerk said. "I'm going to pass it on to my husband."
In a little too deep to come clean directly I just nodded and expectantly handed her my debit card, which, incidentally, bears my name. She didn't notice.
As we left the store, my son says, "Huh. You're kind of like Jesus."
"How?" I asked.
"You know, pretending to be someone else."
Yeah. That's one way to look at it.
.
Tuesday, July 21, 2015
Autographed Book Sale
I've got a couple big boxes of books in my closet, making it hard to reach my vast assortment of ties, most of which I don't where anymore because they're kind of '90s, but will still never get rid of. Anyway.
In the interest of getting books out of my way and into the hands of readers, I'm offering a limited number of signed copies of the following:
The Last Con - $11
Playing Saint - $11
42 Months Dry - $10
The Christian Gentleman’s Smoking Companion - $9
If you're someone I see regularly, knock $3 postage off the price and I'll just hand it to you. Also, feel free to tell me who to sign it to or even what to write. You can Paypal me below.
In the interest of getting books out of my way and into the hands of readers, I'm offering a limited number of signed copies of the following:
The Last Con - $11
Playing Saint - $11
42 Months Dry - $10
The Christian Gentleman’s Smoking Companion - $9
If you're someone I see regularly, knock $3 postage off the price and I'll just hand it to you. Also, feel free to tell me who to sign it to or even what to write. You can Paypal me below.
Thursday, July 16, 2015
Family Fiction Double-Edged
When Playing Saint came out, I was super-jazzed that Family Fiction Edge put me on the cover of their October issue. Well, they were among the first to interview me about the new book as well. Click the pages below to see the full issue.
Wednesday, July 8, 2015
Allow Me to Read to You
The Last Con came out yesterday. If you're wondering whether you should buy it, you totally should. You can read the back cover copy here and read some excerpts here and here.
However, maybe you don't feel like reading right now. In that case, just click PLAY below, sit back, and let me read to you. Just...just click the thing and listen. Don't make it weird.
However, maybe you don't feel like reading right now. In that case, just click PLAY below, sit back, and let me read to you. Just...just click the thing and listen. Don't make it weird.
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