It's been awhile since I've posted a book review. But after reading (actually, listening to) Blessed Child by Ted Dekker and Bill Bright (founder of Campus Crusade for Christ), I couldn't wait to post a review. This novel is, without a doubt, one of the best stories I've read for quite some time. Is it because of the excellent storytelling prowess of Ted Dekker, the lovable characters, the fast pace, or the intriguing premise set forward by Bill Bright? Honestly, I don't know, probably all of the above. What I do know is that I couldn't wait to get back to the story, every time I put it down.

​If you are familiar with my work, you will know that I love speculative fiction that makes you rethink your understanding of the world around you. Blessed Child is definitely in that category. It seamlessly weaves together speculation about the spiritual world, fast-paced action, romance, and intrigue to keep your attention and pluck at your heartstrings.

​Caleb is a young child who was raised in a monastery in Ethiopia. When soldiers launch an unexplained attack to destroy the monastery, two relief workers from the west rescue young Caleb and bring him to Los Angeles. But it soon becomes evident that this is no ordinary child. Despite having never left the monastery, Caleb begins to change the world around him and leaves all involved scrambling to react. Likewise, his story will change the way you view the world.

​If you haven't read this book, I highly recommend doing so.

Till next time.

It has been an exciting couple of weeks here at Hearts of Compassion. My second novel, Restoration's Journey, is sprinting down the home stretch to Release Day, March 1st!

Many of you, my faithful blog readers, have already heard from me about the exciting opportunity to be the first to read this new novel. For those who haven't, now you are.

In our world of thousands of new books hitting the market each month, it is absolutely critical for a new book to launch with excitement, expectation, and an abundance of reviews and preorders. That first day only comes one time for a book. My goal is to ensure that Restoration's Journey captures as much spotlight in that brief moment as possible.
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So, I am looking for readers who would be willing to offer honest reviews on March 1st in exchange for a free ARC (Advance Review Copy) of the novel.​​​ To keep expenses down and to keep the flow of publishing proceeds headed to Living Water International, I am primarily looking to provide ebook copies, though I will have a few print copies available.

If you would like to participate with us in this exciting pre-launch activity, drop me a quick note​ through our contact form.

Stay tuned for the first sighting of a printed copy of Restoration's Journey!​

We just returned from a week of camping. I love the slow-paced vacation option camping offers our family. Swimming, kayaking, fishing, biking, campfires, S'mores, and my favorite, reading! There is no better way for a writer to tweak his or her story telling ability than through reading a variety of authors. You can learn from those who've mastered the craft, and you can learn from the mistakes of others. As you can see from the covers above, there are some excellent storytellers in my list from this past week.

I began by completing Luana Ehrlich's debut novel One Night in Tehran. The second book in the series, Two Days in Caracas, recently released in June. This was a great read for a debut novel. I have made an intentional effort this year to read both new-to-me authors, and indie authors. This book qualified in both regards.

The next book I read was really more of novella from Stephen King. Many years ago, I watched the movie Langoliers. This was my first exposure to King's unique story telling ability. While I am not a big horror fan, Langoliers is more of a speculative fiction than some of his more traditional horror stories. So, in preparation for my vacation reading, I picked up the Four Past Midnight ebook, which contains the Langoliers story. I'm not usually one to read or watch a story more than once, but I thoroughly enjoyed reading this story.

From there, I went on to read a couple series continuations. The first was Silver Hand by Stephen R. Lawhead. I really enjoyed book one of this series, though I haven't written a blog review of it. These books do stand alone, but there is a tight thread running between them. Whereas, the next series book I read, Watcher in the Woods by Robert Liparulo, is really more like the second act in a three part story. This series has a great premise, but I would have preferred the books had been combined rather than sold as three separate novels.

The final novel, which I began reading while camping, and I hope to finish yet this weekend, is Distortion by Terri Blackstock. I was first introduced to Terri's writing through her great series called Cape Refuge. I read these books back before I started writing In The Image of Man. Without a doubt, Terri's writing along with Frank Peretti's Darkness series had the most significant influence on my own writing.

Back to reading. . .

'Till next time.

I have read many resources on the craft of writing. From these I have gleaned, and I’m sure missed much valuable information. However, I do not believe I have read anything as valuable to the development of a quality story as the book Story Trumps Structure by Steven James. I’ve read several of this author’s novels, a couple of which I've reviewed previously in this blog. I absolutely love Steven's engaging and suspenseful writing. This book brings an under-the-hood look at his thought process while creating those enthralling stories.

So much has been written about plotting, outlining, creating backstory, point of view (POV), grammatical good and bad, and on and on it goes. As its title suggests, this isn’t that book. Instead, Story Trumps Structure is a guide to really thinking through your story. How do you escalate tension? How do you create it in the first place? And, why do you need it? It guides you to think through your plot twists, overall and in each scene. There are many other valuable story considerations presented, such as cause-effect, story progression, and the value of organic writing, just to name a few.

The book also examines character development. This is the best, if not only, book I’ve read on character status, and the value varying status between characters. There are other character considerations, which I have observed in other resources, such as quirks, transformation, uniqueness, and attitude. But, even in these more common considerations, his approach is fresh and effective. I also really enjoyed his discussion of character intention.

I read this book, as I often do, between the first draft of my next novel and the rewrite process. I believe Steven’s insights will prove invaluable in taking my own writing to the next level. I only wish I had read this book before writing my first novel. Yes, I have much to learn about my craft, as I believe we all do.

This book will remain on my writing desk for years to come and I give it a “14 dog-eared pages” rating!

‘Till next time.

The truth will set you free!

Or, will it? If someone knew your deepest darkest secrets, would the revelation set you free? Or would it entrap you forever in bondage.

Written by Harlan Coben, one of today’s top suspense authors, the novel The Stranger provides an intriguing look into the world of truth and deceit. How would you react if a perfect stranger approached you and revealed a life-shattering secret about your friends or family? Would you believe them? Could you bury your doubts? This is the dilemma faced by Adam Price, when a total stranger rocks the foundation of his seemingly perfect American-dream family.

This is the first Coben book I have read. I have heard much positive feedback with regards to Coben’s writing and The Stranger did not disappoint. His development of believable and relatable characters set the stage for a riveting read. I found his writing to be both entertaining and thought-provoking. I especially liked his reflection on how we seek the “American Dream,” when in reality dreams are so fragile and fleeting upon awakening.

For me, the ending of the story was unexpected, yet, slightly disappointing. Perhaps, this is appropriate given the fragility of our dreams in light of the overwhelming power of the truth. You’ll just have to see for yourself what your think. But, I don’t think you’ll regret the time you invest to devour this story.

‘Till next time!