Wednesday 29 November 2017

Guest Blogger: Dennis Bailey and His Debut Novel: Army of God

Today, my guest is novelist, Dennis Bailey. I first came across Dennis when I saw his debut novel, Army of God on Facebook. As soon as I saw the cover depicting a scene relating to Noah's Ark, I knew I had to investigate this novel further. I contacted Dennis for more information and I liked what I read. From that I offered him this guest post. One of the unique aspects of this novel is Dennis' take on the speculative element he had included in the plot and that you can see on the cover. If you have not worked this out yet, you will just have to read on to find out!

I am reading this novel at the moment and it is very impressive!

So sit back and let Dennis describe the background to his novel and identify the unique speculative aspect  he has included. But first a little about Dennis:

Dennis Bailey is a retired police detective, sex crimes investigator, and devoted researcher of the Word of God. His experience in the criminal justice system gives him a unique insight into the workings of the perverse criminal mind. Combined with his investigative and analytical skills, he uses this knowledge to search the Scriptures for personalities from which to create unforgettable characters and story lines.

Now let me hand you over to Dennis so he can describe the background to his debut novel: 

Hello, I’m Dennis Bailey and I’m the author of the just released Biblical thriller, Army of God. It’s a novel set during the time of the great flood recorded in the book of Genesis, and tells the story of how the animals of Noah’s Ark rose up to defend it against an invading army. But before telling my story, I’d like to thank Peter for giving me the opportunity to spotlight the novel on his website.

I wish I could say it has been my lifelong desire to become a writer, that like so many famous authors the itch had followed me since childhood. It hasn’t. In fact, it wasn’t until four years after I’d retired from a 28-year police career that I gave any thought to the idea of writing fiction. I had read Jerry Jenkins’ hugely popular Left Behind series, a chronology of end times events detailed in the Book of Revelation, and I felt a call to try something similar with one of my favorite Old Testament stories, Noah’s Ark. That’s when I sat down for the first time and began typing a scene for a story that had been on my heart for years. I was fifty-four.

Thus was the genesis of the idea for my first novel. It is an effort to bring to life the characters of Noah’s time in a suspense-filled, action-packed adventure while maintaining full fidelity to the Scriptures.

Now I know what some of you purists are thinking, “How does a novel that purports to adhere to the Bible include as part of its storyline a premise about the animals defending the ark?” My answer is that just because it wasn’t recorded doesn’t mean it couldn’t have happened. Lest we forget, Noah’s entire one hundred-plus year ordeal is condensed into four short chapters (Genesis 6-9) of Scripture. Undoubtedly, numerous details of events that occurred during this period were never documented, meaning that we must turn to other supplemental sources to fill in the blanks.

In this case, you may be surprised to learn that several ancient Hebrew texts reference a confrontation where a group of people trying to break into the ark were destroyed by the animals that surrounded it. And while the details of such a struggle are not recorded as part of the Biblical record, the Scriptures are rife with examples of how God called to service members of His animal kingdom. Students of the Bible will remember how He commanded armies of frogs, lice, and flies to afflict the Egyptians preceding the Exodus, shut the mouths of lions to spare His servant Daniel, and sent the great fish to keep Jonah from fleeing to Tarshish.

Now if the Lord could use those creatures, I didn’t consider it heresy to suggest that the animals identified in Genesis 6 could have been organized to form an army capable of protecting the ark.

Of course, all this is mere conjecture, offered as background to support the premise of a fictional story. On the other hand, I hope the reader will allow their imagination to consider the possibilities this story proposes, recognizing the awesome power of God and His ability to use the whole of His creation to help exercise His will.

Incidentally, that scene I wrote eight years ago . . . it never made it into the story. But I doubt you’ll notice the difference.

Here’s a description of the novel to peak your interest:

One of the most beloved and enduring stories of all time . . .
One of the most recognizable characters in history . . .

A plot by a rival to kill Noah and his family is thwarted by a beautiful young woman, who joins them as they flee the ancient Biblical city of Eden. A year later, the Lord reveals His plan to destroy the earth by flood and commands Noah to build an ark. Only the news is met with skepticism and opposition from members of his own family. Eventually, word of the ark reaches Eden, prompting the rival to send an army of five thousand men to destroy it.

However, Noah has an army of his own.

Action, adventure, and suspense combine with the Biblical account of Noah’s Ark to create a heart-pounding page-turner that will stay with you long after the flood waters have receded.

To further tantalize you, check out the Army of God video trailer:



To learn more about Army of God and future titles, visit my website at www.dennisbaileyauthor.com. You can also find me on Facebook and Twitter,

If your interest in this novel has been piqued from reading this and you would like to read more or buy this novel, please click on the PREVIEW or BUY icon on the image below: 


Thank you, Dennis, for explaining the background to Army of God. Speculative fiction always has a great drawcard and I love your take  on this. Who would have thought of the animals of the Ark defending it? I pray that readers will receive this novel well and it serve its purpose in sowing a seed of faith in any reader who considers that the account of Noah's Ark is not just a story but one of truth and paves the way for God's plan for the salvation of man while also showing God for who He is and His faithfulness to mankind.

Saturday 25 November 2017

Author/Novel Spotlight: Steven Luhring and Debut Novel, Scrooge and the Question of God’s Existence

Today I a spotlighting novelist, Steve Luhring. Steve contacted me requesting me to review his new novel, Scrooge and the Question of God's Existence. When I read the blurb and discovered it dealt with apologetics, I was excited. I love this genre of Christian fiction. I have read two other author's novels in this genre, Keith A. Robinson's Origins Trilogy and Dr. Paul Maier's book A Skeleton in God’s Closet and More Than A Skeleton. These books got me hooked to read more in this field.  I applaud author's like these three as they are equipping us to have a defense to the faith we have in Christ Jesus, just as it says in 1 Peter 3:15
  but honor the Messiah as Lord in your hearts. Always be ready to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you.
Like these author's, I have found that fiction and story are very effective to do this. 
So without further ado, sit back and let Steve Luhring describe his passion for apologetic fiction and the background to this new novel. I must confess I am looking forward to reading this. I can see I am going to be captivated and better equipped in how to give a defense when challenged as to why I believe in God.

But first, a little about Steve and his journey to being published novelist:

Thanks Peter! Glad to be visiting your blog. I am really excited to talk about my new novel and how it came about. 

I started pursuing in earnest my passion for Christian apologetics (otherwise known as “defending the faith” or “dealing with doubt”) after stumbling upon a Dr. William Lane Craig podcast in 2007. I vividly remember listening to the first podcast while shoveling snow in my driveway. It was quickly clear to me that Dr. Craig’s effectiveness rested not only in his command of the facts and logical argumentation, but also in his ability to communicate concisely and persuasively - and with wit no less. From that point I was hooked. Within about a year, having gained reasonable and convincing answers from a Christian point of view to some of life’s biggest and toughest questions and with enthusiasm only building to learn more, I felt that I needed some productive outlet for sharing. I began teaching bible studies at my church that focused on dealing with doubt and answering the big questions in life, like “Does God Exist?” Over the years, I’ve been a student of the writings of other great, persuasive Christian apologetics including Dr. Paul Maier, C.S. Lewis, Professor John Lennox, G.K. Chesterton, Greg Koukl, Frank Turek, and Ravi Zacharias (whom my son and I had the privilege to hear speak in person at a nearby university earlier this year). During that time I also had the idea for the Scrooge book which I see as an ambitious attempt to reach both the heart and the mind through a gripping story.

Now let's look at Scrooge and the Question of God’s Existence which was released on Amazon on July 1st, 2017 in Kindle format and paperback: 

Scrooge and the Question of God’s Existence is an adaptation of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. It’s set in the modern day and chronicles the overnight adventures of the world-famous atheist, Ebenezer Scrooge. Scrooge is on a crusade to rid the world of religion and things could hardly be going better. But his fortunes soon change and he has a “Dickens of an evening” filled with ghostly encounters during which he’s given a chance to reconsider the meaning of life and his answer to the question of God’s existence. But Scrooge is a brilliant, hard-core skeptic, so the thought of the ghosts convincing him of anything or bringing about a change of heart is, as Scrooge would put it, a “bah-humbug!”

Steve explains why he wrote this novel: 

I’ve always loved Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol and had recently seen it performed at a university near my home. It occurred to me that however uplifting I found the overnight transformation of Scrooge, it would be much more meaningful and satisfying for me if Dickens had been able to incorporate the life-changing apologetics that I’d recently learned. Dickens’ story, modified to incorporate the apologetics that I wanted to share, was the story I most wanted to read. But because it had not been written, I decided to write it. After I had completed a draft of the book, I shared it with a hero of mine, Dr. Paul Maier (a Christian author with over 5 million books in print). Dr. Maier’s book, A Skeleton in God’s Closet, was a real inspiration for me in writing this book because of its breakout success in combining Christian apologetics with an extremely entertaining fictional story. He, if anyone, would be able to tell me if I was on the right track. Dr. Maier did not know me before I contacted him. My aim was to merely get his feedback based on a short excerpt. To my surprise though, he not only read the excerpt, but read and loved the entire book. He then further shocked me by agreeing to edit the book and to write the foreword. His involvement was a game-changer for me in my expectations for the book and the potential for it to make a real positive impact for those dealing with doubts about God and the Christian faith. Here’s an excerpt of what he wrote in the foreword of the book, “While Charles Dickens' immortal story is a compelling tale of transformation, imagine what it would look like had Dickens been ambitious enough to have had Scrooge go on to tackle some of the greatest questions in life, such as: Does God exist? If so, why is there such evil and suffering in this world? Is there meaning and purpose in life? Is there an after-life? Is freedom worth fighting for, and what's at stake if we lose it? These pages are bold enough to do exactly that, and do it brilliantly.”

In addition to Dr. Paul Maier’s A Skeleton in God’s Closet, inspirations were C.S. Lewis’ The Screwtape Letters and The Great Divorce. My Christian apologetics influences include Dr. Maier, C.S. Lewis, Dr. William Lane Craig, Professor John Lennox, G.K. Chesterton, and Ravi Zacharias (whom my son and I had the privilege to hear speak in person at Michigan State’s Breslin Center earlier this year). This book was written to be accessible. There are many wonderfully thick books on apologetics written by Ph.D.s who have spent the best years of their life studying the topic. Unfortunately, those books are largely unread by wider audiences. Although beneficial, many people find apologetics to be bad tasting medicine. By leveraging Dickens’ story I’ve attempted to provide “a spoon full of sugar to help the medicine go down.” People should not be intimidated by the apologetics or philosophical arguments in this book. I’ve gone through great pains to deliver concise, almost intuitive, argumentation without losing too much of the potency of the scholarly, more robustly developed arguments.

More recently, another college professor, Dr. Joel Heck of Concordia University Texas, has lent his support to the books saying, “The choice of a modern retelling of the Scrooge story is very clever, perhaps even brilliant.” Dr. Heck is a C.S. Lewis scholar and author of the book, From Atheism to Christianity: The Story of C. S. Lewis.

Steve has provided an excerpt to highlight the theme of apologetics when discussing whether God exists or not and how to address this with the person who does not believe:

The following excerpt from Scrooge and the Question of God’s Existence conveys the conversational tone of the apologetics in the story, the human side of the two characters involved in the disagreement, and the importance of winning the person, not merely the argument, and the hopefully fair treatment of the atheist – both as a person and his point-of-view.
***
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Start of Excerpt~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Christmas a humbug, uncle! You don't mean that I’m sure?" Scrooge’s nephew, Fred, inquired.

"I do," said Scrooge. "Merry Christmas! What right have you to be merry? What reason have you to be merry? The Christmas story is a myth. You believe in a myth! If I could work my will, every idiot who goes about with 'Merry Christmas' on his lips, should be boiled with his own pudding, and buried with a stake of holly through his heart."
"Uncle!"

"Nephew! Keep Christmas in your own way, and let me keep it in mine."

"Keep it! But you don't keep it."

"Let me leave it alone, then. Much good may it do you! Much good it has ever done you!"

Christmas has done me good, the ultimate good I’d say. I believe its promises and it gives me hope for beyond the grave. Life is utterly absurd and meaningless without a loving God. I have nothing to lose and eternity to gain. And I feel great joy in serving my Creator.”

Karl Marx liked to call what you feel the opium of the masses. Can I just tell you that you sound like a fool?” Scrooge stood energetically as he made his point, then turned his back to Fred and walked over to the corner of the room to retrieve his winter coat.

Uncle, I believe the Christmas story is true, I really do. I have every good reason to believe it and have no convincing reason to doubt it. Let’s reason about it together.” Fred offered with a grin.

If Christmas and all of Christianity is not a myth, then why is God so hidden?” questioned Scrooge in a dismissive tone.

Fred had clearly been hoping Scrooge would engage him with questions and jumped at the challenge but tried to hide the excitement he felt having finally gotten Scrooge to open the door to this line of discussion. So he calmly took a seat, leaned forward with his hands on his knees and continued, “Perhaps the very nature of God makes it such that we as finite creatures cannot look directly upon him. But as with the sun, while we can’t look directly at it, we can’t see our world without it.”

I can see the world without God quite nicely, thank you.”

You say that, but why is the world even here, and what’s it all for? 

Can you explain why it exists? Why is there something, rather than nothing after all?”

Scrooge paused and pretended to think carefully, pulled his coat on, and then said with a sneer, “I don’t care. Now you need to listen to me. You may have gotten an A+ in Sunday school for faithfully repeating what your teachers said, but I’ve given the best years of my life to scholarly work …”

Now wait. Why is there something rather than nothing, Uncle? It’s a profound question that a thoughtful person would consider before dismissing the idea of God. In fact, many have started with that question only to have their thoughts lead them all the way to God.”

It’s profound to you perhaps, but it’s a hum-bug to me.”

Fred continued, “In faith there is enough light for those who want to believe and enough shadows to blind those who don't. You say God is hidden, but you close your eyes to the explanation for the universe that has been written on man’s heart since the beginning. God, as an explanation for the universe, is something that rings true to me. God’s creation is evidence of God himself. I believe the reason there is something rather than nothing is because, dear uncle, God created it! You ask why God is hidden. Maybe the simple answer is that he wants us to make a choice of the heart to seek him that we simply could not make if he first overpowered mankind with a tautology of his existence. Admit it, uncle – it is possible that God exists.”

Scrooge repeated rotely: “It’s possible that God exists.” Then he continued sharply, “It’s just terribly unlikely in my view – so unlikely that it’s not worth considering. I know this will hurt your feelings, but I can’t respect a person such as yourself who believes in miracles. Quite honestly, they strike me as ridiculous. Miracles are quite amusing. And oh! What fun! Yes, like when an old lady sees the face of a saint in a potato chip and every fool proclaims – it’s a miracle!”

Fred replied in a firm but pleasant manner, “So if one miracle claim turns out to be false or even patently ridiculous, then all the rest are guilty of being false? Guilt by association, right? It makes sense to me that if God exists and created the universe, then any other miracle you imagine is too difficult for God is, in fact, a piece of cake compared to the creation of the universe out of nothing. If you don’t have certainty on the origin of the universe and the existence of God, why do you think you can rule out miracles right off the bat?”

Scrooge had completed the gathering up of his things to leave. In an attempt to end the conversation, he replied hurriedly, “OK then, I’ve changed my mind. I do believe in one miracle – it’s a miracle that I’m still entertaining this ridiculous conversation. Good afternoon! I’m sure you have other important things to do as well. Perhaps, my miracle-loving nephew, you’re singing Christmas carols later with the Tooth Fairy?”

Fred didn’t waste his time taking offence at his uncle’s teasing and instead stayed true to his original purpose. “Uncle, I do have plans for later, but I was hoping to include you. That’s actually why I’m here – to invite you over for Christmas dinner tomorrow.”

You can’t be serious!” Scrooge scoffed as he walked out of the office and onto the street with Fred following close behind.

Yes, I am! Come! Dine with us tomorrow. "

I’d dine in Hades first! Good afternoon."

"I want nothing from you; I ask nothing of you; why can’t we be friends?"

"Good afternoon," said Scrooge more firmly.

"I am sorry, with all my heart, to find you so resolute. But I have made my visit in the spirit of Christmas, and I'll keep my Christmas humor to the last. So a Merry Christmas, uncle!"

"Good afternoon!" said Scrooge as he stormed down the street in the direction of his office on campus, leaving Fred behind.

It was near the end of the day, and it was cold and getting colder. The setting sun was entirely hidden by fog that was billowing in, providing a gloomy, dream-like ambience for his walk. The diffused, dim daylight that remained was vanishing quickly. House lights and streetlights were now casting a hazy glow into the street. As he walked, he replayed the conversation with his nephew in his head. Fred’s probably pretty proud of himself for that little performance. What a fool. I’m not so cruel as to do it, but all I had to do is ask him about my little sister, his mother. One of the gentlest, sweetest creatures on the planet – dead and gone. Where was God when she died on the delivery table giving birth to Fred? Upon reaching his office, he hurriedly closed up for the day.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~End of Excerpt~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Amazon reviews have been very favourable, all 5 Stars: 

on July 10, 2017
Format: Kindle Edition|Verified Purchase

“Is life without God truly meaningless?” Scrooge asked aloud.

This question, which for many is the ultimate question…resonates throughout this amazing book, “Scrooge and the Question of God’s Existence.” At first, the reader may say, “I’ve heard this story before!” But let this reviewer reply, “Nay…not in this way.”

You are familiar with the idiom, “You can’t have your cake and eat it too.” In general, this phrase means that you cannot have two incompatible things at the same time. Steve Luhring has written a notable exception to this rule. The book is not only well-written and entertaining…it is enlightening and nourishing to the soul.

You may think you are reading just a clever re-telling of the Christmas Carol story, but as you take a bite you discover that you are also feasting on the words of some of the world’s brightest minds. G.K. Chesterton, C.S. Lewis, Blaise Pascal, John Lennox, Ravi Zacharias, Dostoevsky, Martin Luther, William Lane Craig, Leibniz, Nietzsche and John Newton…to name a few!

In his re-telling of an iconic classic, Luhring dives into topics that many Christians and atheists flee from. He successfully addresses the question of theodicy, the application of law and gospel, the idea that we are to hate sin yet love the sinner…and the existence of good, evil and an objective moral law…doing so in the midst of a brilliantly written and thought out story.

The characters are believable and truly representative of the great separation of beliefs that are represented in our world today. What I also appreciated in the dialogue of the story was the honesty in which Christianity and atheism were presented. It isn’t the “good, humble Christian,” versus the evil and dark atheist, but an honest portrayal of people struggling with life’s most difficult questions.

The author does seem to have a disturbing proclivity to Black Label beer lamps...but I'm willing to let that pass.I leave you with this tidbit to brighten your day.

“As a follower of Christ, I do not live as those who have no hope. I’ve got a very different reason now for whistling past the graveyard. Since Christ has conquered death, it has lost its sting. I don’t need to fear it. My reason, most simply put, is joy.”


I was not disappointed. I wondered if it would be historical fiction
on November 1, 2017
Format: Kindle Edition

Initially I read this book because I was smitten with the idea of someone reworking Dicken's A Christmas Carol in such a way that the ghosts, well, ask more important questions. I was not disappointed. I wondered if it would be historical fiction, but the structure consists of a frame story set in relatively contemporary times (Religious rights are in tension with other sought rights.). In that sense, there is some political treatment, but it quickly gives way to the re-treatment of A Christmas Carol.

Mr. Luhring, as a writer myself, I must wag my finger at you a little for the intensely inspired scene of quick masterful writing! If only my own writing came about that way!

More seriously though, there is a very winsome way in which the main character in the frame story provides ample reason for the apologetic and philosophical arguments presented. He's an intellectual. A college man, through and through.

I really enjoyed this. I feared it might get a bit political during the set up, but it was overall very satisfying, as both a story and commentary about the intellectual rigor that benefits from Christianity's biblical teaching and our Christian history of academic integrity built around TRUTH.

 
on July 9, 2017
Format: Paperback|Verified Purchase

Luhring’s ability to skillfully interlace the extraordinarily important questions facing all of us regarding our existence, our purpose and God’s role in it, into the familiar story of A Christmas Carol was just terrific. You’ll enjoy the story and you’ll appreciate the thought provoking Christian apologetic ideas.

This book is appropriate for mature middle school aged children on up. This is a great book for families to read and discuss together.



on October 23, 2017
Format: Kindle Edition
Excellent!!! I got online after just finishing reading this book to send it to a few of my friends. I was disappointed to find it was only available for kindle. It is very well-written and keeps the reader engrossed throughout the story. What a creative idea to weave the questions many skeptics have about God's existence into the age old story of Scrooge.

on July 2, 2017
Format: Paperback
Storytelling has always been one of the most powerful forms of persuasion and Luhring’s idea to interweave apologetics arguments into a classic story known by many people is quite clever. This was not forced or unnatural at all, but very seamless, engaging, and compelling. It is an excellent story and I hope that God will use it to open many hearts and minds.

You can follow Steve on Facebook.

If you have liked what you have read so far and your interest piqued, you can read a further excerpt of this novel or buy it by clicking on the BUY/PREVIEW icons below:


Readers and reviews are an author's best asset, so I encourage any reader who likes reading in the genres of Christian inspirational, apologetics and fantasy, to consider reading Scrooge and the Question of God's Existence 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).

Wednesday 15 November 2017

Guest Post: Julius Schenk, His New Novel, Ghosts of the Living: Fallen Angels (Crowdfunding campaign)

Today my guest is novelist, Julius Schenk. I first met Julius in a Facebook group promoting his new novel, Ghosts of the Living: Fallen Angels, and the Crowdfunding campaign to enable in its release. I liked what I saw about this novel, so offered him a post to promote it or write about being a Christian and speculative fiction. 

So without further ado, let me introduce you to Julius Schenk, discuss his novel and his attitude towards being a Christian writer and his crowdfunding campaign. 

Over to you, Julius!

Thanks, Peter. First, I’d like to thank you for this chance to spread the word. Before I talk about my project and what it involves, I think it’s a good idea to introduce myself. My name is Julius Schenk I am a young(ish), Christian fiction writer from Australia.

Unlike many in the faith, I wasn’t born into a family that went to church, I didn’t have a Christian upbringing, I found my own way to Jesus when I was older, through my new wife and our shared experiences as we travelled around the globe doing voluntary work. The reason I think this is important is that not always being a Christian, I feel I know the world and things a non-Christian is exposed to daily. I have always loved fantasy, sci-fi, gaming, and punk rock music. When I first became a Christian I struggled a lot because every tv show I’d ever watched, every book I’d read or movie I’d seen, had done some work to make me think to be a Christian, was being a fool, believing something that couldn’t be true.

I feel that we live in a world of media. We are exposed on all sides by images, messages, opinions, and most of them are against faith. Even the tv shows I love, often seem to subtly, or not so subtly undermine what we believe.

My reaction to this isn’t to try to ban these things or to shut myself off from them, but rather, see if we can’t use them, as Christians to help spread the message instead.

I’ve written a three-part Christian historical fiction series, about a young(ish) woman who struggles with her faith and must fight against demonic influence and crime during the Victorian era in London. I believe it’s exciting and fun, I know that based on previous books it will gain around 10k downloads. What this makes me think, is if I was a non-Christian still, and someone wanted to reach me to get me to think about faith, or even open my mind to it just a little bit. Then having the message in an exciting book, tv shows, great music or movie, would have a lot more chance than someone knocking on my door and asking me directly about Jesus.

When I think that 30% of the world follows some form of Christianity, I know that 30% of books certainly don’t have a Christian focus, or music or any other form of entertainment media. This project is to raise money so that I can promote my book well so I can get the word out further than I could on my own. As a writer, I’d love to be personally successful, but more than that, this is about trying something different. As such, as part of my campaign, I will be offering space in the back of my book. What I’d love is so when people finish reading it, they can find information, so they could go to an alpha course, find a church near them, or consider Christian volunteering. 

We all know the world has changed, and many are changing to share the good news in new ways, Social media, Facebook, now has a lot of Christian messages. But more than this, I feel we need to not only use new methods to get the word out but also have a new format for that message.

The ways you can help this is to embrace your creativity. It’s a God-given gift and can be used to help share the gospel with people. If you like writing, try writing a book, if you can sing or play an instrument, think of recording some songs, if you do film, think of using it to help with the message. I’d love to see that in a few years’ time, the bestselling book isn’t “50 Shades of Grey” or something we all know is making the world a worse place, but is a great Christian fiction book, that both believers and non-believers, can enjoy and learn from.

To whet your appetite about Ghosts of the Living, here is the description: 

Born cursed at birth, Genevieve can see the memories of others in all she touches and where she goes, now she must use her God-given power and faith to help fight the rise of demonic influence and wave of possession, sweeping London. Set in 1890. 

The first four chapters can be found, ready to read, right here: 


Julius describes the reason for his crowdfunding campaign: 

As a young(ish) Christian who loves fantasy, Netflix and playing computer games I know to reach a new generation with a message of faith, we need to embrace new techniques and ideas. I've been a writer for five years, and a Christian for only two, I want to use my combined passions to get good stories and ideas out there. I need your help so my book, which is awesome, gets the attention it deserves and the Christian voice can be heard in the world of publishing and entertainment.

Please check out my campaign: Ghosts of the Living: Christian Fantasy series. The video from the campaign explains it all: 



Follow me on Facebook and Twitter

I also run a site, Christian Bookfinder you can add your book, for some extra promo! Thanks again and I hope this can be the beginning of a new wave of great Christian writers, getting the support they badly need for their work.

Thanks Julius for encouraging us about how being a Christian can impact your writing from this perspective and reach readers with the Gospel. I am looking forward to reading and reviewing Ghost of the Living and the remainder of the series.

I encourage readers of this post to consider contributing to Julius' crowdfunding campaign to enable this novel to be released. I have contributed already. This is one way to support Christian authors and Christian fiction. 

Saturday 11 November 2017

Blog Tour: The Student and the Slave: an Adventure Novel with a Giveaway. New Novel by Annie Douglass Lima

Today I am hosting author, Annie Douglass Lima, in her blog tour to promote the release of her new novel. 

This exciting new young adult action and adventure novel, The Student and the Slave, is now available for purchase! This is the third book in the Krillonian Chronicles, after The Collar and the Cavvarach and The Gladiator and the Guard. 

The series is set in an alternate world that is very much like our own, with just a few major differences. One is that slavery is legal there. Slaves must wear metal collars that lock around their neck, making their enslaved status obvious to everyone. Another difference is the popularity of a martial art called cavvara shil. It is fought with a cavvarach (rhymes with "have a rack"), a weapon similar to a sword but with a steel hook protruding from partway down its top edge. Competitors can strike at each other with their feet as well as with the blades. You win in one of two ways: disarming your opponent (hooking or knocking their cavvarach out of their hands) or pinning their shoulders to the mat for five seconds.

Click here to read about life in the Krillonian Empire, where the series is set.

First, a little Information about Books 1 and 2: 


Book 1: The Collar and the Cavvarach 

Bensin, a teenage slave and martial artist, is desperate to see his little sister freed. But the only victory in the Krillonian Empire's most prestigious tournament will allow him to secretly arrange for Ellie's escape. Dangerous people are closing in on her, however, and Bensin is running out of time. With his one hope fading quickly away, how can Bensin save Ellie from a life of slavery and abuse?

Click here to read chapter 1 of The Collar and the Cavvarach. 


Bensin, a teenage slave and martial artist, is just one victory away from freedom. But after he is accused of a crime he didn’t commit, he is condemned to the violent life and early death of a gladiator. While his loved ones seek desperately for a way to rescue him, Bensin struggles to stay alive and forge an identity in an environment designed to strip it from him. When he infuriates the authorities with his choices, he knows he is running out of time. Can he stand against the cruelty of the arena system and seize his freedom before that system crushes him?

Click here to read about life in the arena where Bensin and other gladiators are forced to live and train. 

And now, The Student and the Slave, with another awesome cover by the talented Jack Lin!


Is this what freedom is supposed to be like? Desperate to provide for himself and his sister Ellie, Bensin searches fruitlessly for work like all the other former slaves in Tarnestra. He needs the money for an even more important purpose, though: to rescue Coach Steene, who sacrificed himself for Bensin’s freedom. When members of two rival street gangs express interest in Bensin’s martial arts skills, he realizes he may have a chance to save his father figure after all … at a cost.

Meanwhile, Steene struggles with his new life of slavery in far-away Neliria. Raymond, his young owner, seizes any opportunity to make his life miserable. But while Steene longs to escape and rejoin Bensin and Ellie, he starts to realize that Raymond needs him too. His choices will affect not only his own future but that of everyone he cares about. Can he make the right ones … and live with the consequences?

Click here to order The Student and the Slave from Amazon for $2.99 a discounted price of just 99 cents through November 31st! 

About the Author:

Annie Douglass Lima spent most of her childhood in Kenya and later graduated from Biola University in Southern California. She and her husband Floyd currently live in Taiwan, where she teaches fifth grade at Morrison Academy. She has been writing poetry, short stories, and novels since her childhood, and to date has published fifteen books (three YA action and adventure novels, four fantasies, a puppet script, six anthologies of her students’ poetry, and a Bible verse coloring and activity book). Besides writing, her hobbies include reading (especially fantasy and science fiction), scrapbooking, and international travel.


Other books by Annie Douglass Lima : 


Student poetry anthologies edited by Annie Douglass Lima:

Connect with the Author Online:



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