Today, I am spotlighting Christian novelist, Jason A. Dimmick. He contacted me throgh this blog. One of my aims for this blog is to promote debut Christian authors so after accepting to review his novel Armor of the Fallen: Wielder of the Gauntlets, Book 1, I offered him this post to help increase his exposure and promote his novel. I am looking forward to reading this and others in the series.
So without further ado, sit back and allow yourself to explore the world of Jason A. Dimmock.
Hello, my name is Jason A. Dimmick and “Wielder of the Gauntlets” is the debut novel in my debut series “Armor of the Fallen”. I am a carpenter by trade and have worked most of my life doing construction. I currently, however, work in a local high school as the night custodian foreman. That’s right, I clean toilets used by teenagers for a living. Glamorous work it is not, but it’s not as bad as you might think and I’m very grateful for what God has provided. Plus it has allowed me the opportunity to pursue a side career of becoming a Christian author.
As a former teen leader and now young adult Sunday school teacher in my church, I have a burden to reach out to the teen and young adult market with inspiring tales of fiction that stay true to the founding principles found in God’s word. Tales that I hope and pray will help them in their daily walk with God while be entertaining and fun to read.
I was born and raised in the farm country of central Pennsylvania where I still reside with my supportive wife Talisa, and two children Alanna and Torin. Along with writing, I have a passion for anything automotive related, the power sports industry such as ATV’s and side by sides, and martial arts. I will be combining the first two into a vlog in which I will be talking about self-publishing, writing, or whatever is on my mind at the time, while exploring in my side by side or in my truck. It will be called “Author Trek” and will be airing on youtube spring of 2017.
Now let's have a look at Wielder of the Gauntlets:
An ancient power calls. A modern warrior rises. An age old battle will be fought for the last time.
The life Tim is living is not the life God has intended for him. Now he is faced with a choice that will determine the fate of all mankind. After spending the last twelve years of his life in an orphanage, Tim must now move away from everything and everyone he knows to live with an uncle he never knew he had. What happens while with his uncle will not only drastically change Tim's’ life forever, but will place the fate of mankind in his hands and answer all the questions Tim has about his past. The Gauntlets have chosen their Wielder. Will Tim answer the call and fight against the Fallen?
Answer the call. Wield the Gauntlets. Fight the Fallen. Protect all mankind.
The first book in the Armor of the Fallen trilogy, Wielder of the Gauntlets, deals with a choice all Christians face in their daily walk with God, Service. In this day and age it’s so easy to give God lip service and say we will serve him but when things get tough we are so quick to turn our backs and blame God for the trials we are under. Often for the Christian, this leads to a walk apart from God.
Main Book Theme: The call and answer of a Christian for Service
As the story progresses throughout the series, we will see Tim faced with many choices that mirror what we as Christians face ( howbeit in a much more fantastical way) in our daily walk with God. My goal is to make the story and inspirational tale for young Christians and ultimately show to them the rewards of fully giving their lives over to God to serve him in whatever he calls them to do where ever he calls them to go.
If what you have now read has whetted your appetite for more, here is an excerpt and Jason's reason for choosing it:
Chapter twelve of Wielder of the Gauntlets encompasses every aspect and idea seen through out the entire book and gives a great impression on what to expect out of the book as a whole. From fast paced action to the Christian themes and battles we are faced with on a day to day basis. I wanted my book to be full of action with very little dull moments. Action keeps the reader engaged and makes the story compelling to read, driving the reader to the next chapter. This chapter takes place in the heat of a battle between two secondary characters that play an important role in the main protagonist, Tim, development and shows what kind of action a reader can expect. There is also a strong Christian theme seen in chapter twelve. While the book as a whole carries the main theme of being a servant for God, there are several underlying themes that are seen through out the book that deal with the walk of a Christian. In chapter twelve we have an underlying theme of an internal struggle over a family member who has turned away from God and fallen into what would seem to be a point of no return in their spiritual walk. Most, if not all Christians, has a least one family member or friend that we have a burden to lead to Christ but they always fight us to the bitter end. We see this take place in Ju-Long over his brother Kau. We see how Ju-Long, like a lot of us, get to the point where he feels that there is no longer any good left in Kau to save. Is there any good left in Kau? You’ll have to read the book to find out. But I will say that most times in our life we give up on someone long before God does.
~~~~~~~~~~~~Start of Excerpt~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ju-Long circles around the edge of the stage till he reaches one of the corners. He takes a deep breath and allows the gauntlets' energy flow to increase. He bends his knees, widens his stance, and channels the energy down into his legs. The world around him slows to a standstill. Ju-Long launches off the floor, leaping directly for Rhi-Nu. He covers the distance between them with ease, throwing a kick aimed at Rhi-Nu's chest. Just inches from impact, Rhi-Nu's armor glows. Rhi-Nu dodges left and Ju-Long's foot simply grazes by. The instant Ju-Long's feet hit the floor, he spins around and throws another kick. Rhi-Nu is too slow and the kick makes a dull thud as it strikes the steel armor. Ju-Long instantly follows up, not giving Rhi-Nu time to react. Ju-Long jumps, spins and brings his leg around to land a kick against the side of Rhi-Nu's head. Ju-Long lands, jumps back out of reach and allows the flow of energy to return to normal. Rhi-Nu just stands there and grins.That didn't do much, says Tim.
I wasn't meant to, replies Ju-Long.
The flow of energy increases again, this time only going as far as Ju-Long's arms and shoulders. He charges forward, closing the gap between them. Once in range, he throws a punch at Rhi-Nu's side. It hits with a resounding ring as the metal of the gauntlets strikes the steel armor. Rhi-Nu looks down, amused by the hit. Ju-Long immediately throws a punch to the other side, but it is met with the same effect as the first.
Rhi-Nu shakes his head, "Kind of embarrassing, isn't it?"
A massive energy surge from the gauntlets runs through Ju-Long’s body, filling every muscle with added strength and speed. Ju-Long drives upward using every muscle in his body to propel him. He brings his right arm up, throwing an uppercut that hits squarely under Rhi-Nu's chin. The punch has such a great amount of force behind it that Rhi-Nu is lifted off his feet and sent backwards a couple feet before landing on his back. The crowd around erupts in cheer as Rhi-Nu lies there still. Ju-Longs walks over and kneels down, making sure that Rhi-Nu is out cold but otherwise fine. He looks up at Kau expecting to find him looking angry and frustrated at yet another defeat. Instead, he finds Kau sitting there looking as smug as ever with a big grin on his face.
That's when Ju-Long notices that Rhi-Nu's armor is glowing. Dimly at first, but growing steadily brighter. Rhi-Nu's arm shoots forward and grabs hold of Ju-Long's gauntlet. Ju-Long pulls against it to break free but the grip is too strong. A symbol begins to form on the front of Rhi-Nu's armor as if it is being burned on by an invisible branding iron. His body arches upward and the glow burns to a brilliant flash of light. Rhi-Nu suddenly rolls to his side and hurls Ju-Long into the air. Soaring across the stage headfirst, a graceful flip in midair allows Ju-Long to land on his feet as Rhi-Nu rises to his feet. The symbol on the chest of Rhi-Nu's steel armor glows bright red against the silver glow of the rest.
Demon Guard? What does that mean? Tim asks as he reads the symbol.
That means that Rhi-Nu is no longer in control. He is now a slave to the armor.
Ju-Long looks up at Gwan and Gwan meets his eyes with a look of fear. Ju-Long breaks eye contact and looks around at the crowd who has gone silent over the change of events. With a slight nod, Gwan acknowledges what Ju-Long is hinting at, then calls some men over to give them instruction. The men quickly disappear into the crowd and start evacuating all the villagers from the village square, quietly and orderly. Ju-Long motions to Gwan to leave as well, but Gwan shakes his head in disagreement. With a sigh of disapproval, Ju-Long looks to Kau.
"Do not look at me that way, brother," says Kau. "I've had about all I can stand of your self-righteous attitude. You're worse than the missionary these days. Oh—that reminds me." Kau reaches into his pocket and throws what he pulls from it onto the stage near Ju-Long. "I've heard he has been forced to take a little bit of a detour on his way back."
Ju-Long looks down to find a small Bible lying in front of him. Picking it up, he opens the front cover to find a picture of a man, woman, and small child smiling in front of a little church. Tim notices the man in the picture looks just like Pastor John from the orphanage but quickly dismisses the thought as just a coincidence. An evil smile beams across Kau's face. As Ju-Long looks back up to Kau, the last bit of hope Ju-Long has so desperately been clinging on to for his brother's salvation shatters and fades. Gwan, seeing what was thrown onto the stage, rushes over and grabs Kau by his collar raising him off the platform floor.
"What have you done!" Gwan demands.
"Careful now, brother. Wouldn't want you to break any vows."
"Tell me!"
"Gwan!" shouts Ju-Long from the stage. Gwan snaps out of his rage and releases Kau from his grip.
"Don't worry, little brother," Kau says to Gwan. "The missionary is perfectly fine. For now, anyway. I just needed some assurance that Ju-Long wouldn't back out of this fight. Regardless of the outcome, as long as Ju-Long continues to fight, the missionary will be returned free from harm. However—and make no mistake about this—try to flee or send anyone to find him, and he will meet your God before the sun has set on this day."
Gwan begins to reply "You bett—"
"Kau," interrupts Ju-Long, "make no mistake about this. I will defeat this abomination and you will return the missionary, or else."
"Or else what, Ju-Long? You'll do like Father and banish me away again? Oh, how I do grow tired of your rhetoric."
A single tear breaks free from Ju-Long's heart and rushes to his eye for escape. As it goes, it collects all the hope, love, and mercy Ju-Long still has for his brother and locks it within. Finding release from his eye, it slides down his cheek and hangs from his chin, unwilling to let go. But there is no going back from the path it has taken. Ju-Long's gauntlets begin to glow vibrantly as their power rages through his body. The tear finally gives in and releases its grip, falling to the stage floor. The tear, like Kau, is lost forever.
"Or else I will do what Father truly set out to do the day you were banished. I will send you to face your eternal judgment."
~~~~~~~~~~~~End of Excerpt~~~~~~~~~~~~
You can find out more about Jason and his novel at the following social media platforms:
Twitter: @JasonDimmick
Youtube vlog: Author Trek
Jason states the Wielder of the Gauntlets will be released on March 17, 2017. It will be available in e-book and paperback formats from Amazon. Also available in KDP Select for free for the first five days of launch.
Readers and reviews are an author's best asset, so I encourage any reader of Christian mystery and suspense, fantasy, spiritual warfare, supernatural, Christian inspirational, to consider reading Wielder of the Gauntlets and submit a review on Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes and Noble and on Google+, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest (or any other social media you subscribe to).
Looking forward to your review of the book.
ReplyDeleteI have one more book to review, then will be reading this
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