Author John C. Dalglish shares more than a name with P.D. James's famous detective

It's funny what draws us to a particular author or book. I was drawn to mystery/suspense author John C. Dalglish because his surname reminded me of P.D. James's great detective, Adam Dalgliesh. Yes, they're spelled differently. Like I said, these connections are funny.

What I found in Dalglish is a kindred spirit; a man who believes riveting suspense and killer action isn't defined by the amount of sex, gore, or profanity laced within its pages. Rather, it's the intricacy of the plot, attraction to the characters, and the amount of adrenaline pulsing through your veins as you turn the pages. 

Book ten of the Det. Strong series is now in print, proving he's found a winning formula that keeps bringing readers back for more. He also has a new "Chaser" series. Both are available through a variety of outlets, including Amazon and Kindle.

John C. Dalglish and friend

Tell us about Det. Jason Strong. The name is very evocative. What do readers need to know about this character?

The name for the character Jason came about as most of my names do; made up on the spot. What I think is interesting is that Jason was just a character to fill a roll, and was never meant to be a series. I tell people that I met Jason at the same time they did, when he walked onto the page. It wasn't until I was near the end of the book that I mentioned to some co-workers how much I liked the character. I decided to make a series out of him if the first book was well received.

We've heard other authors say they spent their entire lives writing their first book, but only got a few months to write all the ones after that. How has writing gotten easier or harder over the years?

I was discussing this with my wife this morning. I feel very fortunate that the stories come out of my head and onto the page in a fashion that I'm happy with. I rarely scrap large sections of a book. Obviously, there is much editing and tweaking, but the basics come out fairly organized. As far as easier-versus-harder, I can only speak for myself; it becomes harder to put out a good book, simply because you learn more about what a well-written book is, and how to do it. To write properly is hard, but more satisfying as you hopefully see yourself improve.

Take us behind the scenes regarding your writing process. Do you create an outline, start with characters and let the book write itself, or...?

I am very much an outline guy. I will begin with my basic premise, and write a series of scenes as bullet points. Things like- 'Jason goes to victims house', Vanessa goes to crime lab'- then start at the top. New ideas and scenes are added or subtracted by the story as it develops, but I continue to write in order. The most fun in the writing experience for me is watching what happens as I write the scenes. Details, conversations, action; they all come as I write and it's very exciting for me. (Hopefully, for the reader, too.)

You were born in Canada, but became an American citizen in 1991. How do you think your cross-cultural experiences have affected your writing?

I'm not sure the cultural differences have made much difference. Having said that, the fact that I have traveled in both countries, has given me a wider array of description possibilities.  My own feeling is that the life experiences, which give a writer something to draw on when he looks at emotions and reactions, are more important.

When people look you up on Amazon, they will see that you identify your books as "clean suspense." Tell me what you mean by that and why that's important to you.

Well, let's see; that's kind of a long story, but let me shorten it some. The first published draft of "Where's My Son?" had two or three swear words, and a little more descriptive violence than I would have preferred. I felt I needed them for realism. However, when I wrote "Bloodstain", I found I just preferred to leave it out. Following the publishing of the first two books, I received many letters thanking me for not using excessive language and sex. I discussed it with my wife, and made the decision to write 'clean' books. We reasoned that some of the top selling movies and books in the world were done by Disney, and there had to be a group of people that felt like we did. As a result, I went back and edited the first book and have been writing in that fashion ever since.

 How do you think the decision to not include gratuitous violence or sex has either helped or hurt your sales?

Without question, it has been a good decision. I have a police officer friend who I spoke to about this. I asked him if every third word from a cop was a cuss word. He laughed. "Hardly, that they were normal folks with normal feelings". He didn't say they don't swear, just that it doesn't occur at the level portrayed in movies. I still, ten books in, get letters thanking me for books that are 'clean'. They are the type I would read and I'm glad others do, too.

 You share surnames with one of my favorite characters of all time, Inspector Dalgliesh from the P.D. James novels. Ms. James has had a huge influence on my writing, as have Brandilyn Collins, Frank Peretti, and Sue Henry. Who are some of the writers who have most influenced your work?

Peretti is a good one, I enjoy his books a lot. Tom Clancy, and of all people, Erma Bombeck.  She taught me how to be funny in a book.

I asked you about Det. Jason Strong earlier, but you have another series that could probably be best described as "science (and faith) fiction." What is the Chaser Series?

I had a desire to do a pure Christian series, and the concept came to me as a takeoff on Touched By An Angel. What events could I create in a life after death scenario? I pitched the idea to my son, who is a fantasy author, and he liked it.

One of your books that has grabbed my attention and never let go deals with brothers Donnie and Billy Jarvis. Tell us about those characters and how you came up with the book "For My Brother" in which they appear.

You know, I'm not sure where the exact idea came from. My wife and I love the real life crime shows, and a lot of my basic ideas come from what bubbles up while watching them. The relationships in that book stem from events in my own life, and how events impact people's futures.

 Finally, do you consider yourself a Christian author or an author of books who is a Christian, if you catch the distinction. What do you think the secular market is like for those who refuse to play to the "Fifty Shades of Gray" and "Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" crowd?

First, as I think most believer's would say, I am a Christian. Everything I write, say, and do is shaped by that fact. So, I guess the latter statement would be true. As far as the "Fifty Shades" thing, I believe that Hollywood, Amazon, and anyone else in publishing, is willing to profit from a selling entity. I think the "Left Behind" series is a perfect example of that. Perhaps I'm naive, but I believe people want a good book, a story they get lost in, one that they feel sorry when it's over. I'm not sure the amount of sex or language determines that.

John C Dalglish's website is http://jcdalglish.webs.com/. You can find his author page at http://www.amazon.com/John-C.-Dalglish/e/B007LS4SV6

Irene Hannon Reveals Her Buried Secrets

Irene Hannon is a bestselling author in two genres.  She describes her novels as “edge-of-the-seat suspense or tender, heartwarming romance without gratuitous violence, explicit love scenes or vulgar language.” However they are described, the fact is that her books appeal to both readers and critics alike. She has won the Romance Writers of America’s top award for inspirational novels twice and been nominated for the honor four more times, She’s also won the Reader’s Choice Award (for "Fatal Judgement") and Retailers Choice Award (for "Deadly Pursuit") for her suspense novels.  It’s a real privilege to spend a few minutes with this talented author.

Irene, tell me about your decision to not include gratuitous violence or language in your books.

 I think best-selling author Mary Higgins Clark said it best. I heard her speak a few years ago, and during the Q&A someone in the audience asked her this question. Her response? “Because you don’t need them to tell a good story.”

How has that helped your sales? Conversely, how has it hurt?

I think excluding those elements has helped rather than hurt my sales. I've had so many readers write to say it was refreshing to find a compelling novel they could share with a daughter or mother or grandmother without having to worry about R-rated content.

You and Brandilyn Collins are two well-known authors who have given us both mystery/suspense novels and romances. Janet Evanovich is probably the most famous author to move between the two genres. What was the thinking behind going from one genre to another?

In the beginning, I only wrote contemporary romance because the research required for suspense novels overwhelmed me. I had no contacts in law enforcement or the military, and there was no internet. (Yes, this was back in the dark ages!) Once I had the research tools and contacts I needed, I expanded my repertoire to include suspense. I enjoy both genres, and moving back and forth between them gives me variety. Also…no matter the genre, what intrigues me most with any book are the people on the pages. I love trying to understand the forces that shaped the characters and the choices they make, even when I don’t agree with those choices. And I enjoy taking readers along on that journey. The genre I choose is simply a vehicle for delving into the minds and hearts of my characters as I put them in some very challenging situations and watch how they respond.

How have changes in the publishing industry affected your books and the way you publish and market them?

While the world of self-publishing has exploded in recent years, I still publish traditionally—that is, with an established publishing company. They take care of the publishing and the vast majority of the marketing for my books. However, in this digital age, authors are expected to establish a social media presence, so I have a website, and I’m active on Facebook and Twitter.

You left the corporate world to be a writer. Talk about that transition.

The transition was easy; the decision to make it wasn't. For most of my years in the corporate world, I juggled both my writing and corporate careers. However, as I rose in the ranks at my company I had less and less time or energy for my fiction writing. I finally reached the point where the day job became 24/7 and I knew I had to give up one of my careers. It was a tough decision in many ways, because I truly had a dream job—the kind one of my suspense-novel villains would kill for! Yet as I was struggled with that choice, several things happened that convinced me it was time to focus on fiction. It wasn't exactly writing in the sky…but very close. And I've never had a single regret about walking away. As for the transition—I enjoy being by myself, love having the flexibility to arrange my working hours to suit me, and am so grateful on snowy mornings like today that I have a ten-step commute to my office!

The honors you've earned for your books is so long, I can’t even begin to list them here. Suffice to say, you epitomize a successful author. When you speak to would-be authors, what advice do you give them?

Learn the craft. Write, rewrite, and rewrite some more. Develop a thick skin. Listen to constructive criticism. Don’t expect to be an overnight success. Build writing into your routine—don’t wait for inspiration to strike. Professional writers write whether they’re in the mood or not. And don’t give up your day job until you have a long track record of success and a nice nest egg put aside. Believe in your dream. And enjoy the journey.

If people are just becoming familiar with your books, which suspense and which romance would you suggest they start with?

It depends on individual taste. There are many readers who enjoy all my books, and some who prefer one genre over the other. If you’re a Karen Kingsbury or Debbie Macomber fan, I’d say start with the romance. Hope Harbor, a story set in a charming fictional town on the Oregon coast, will be out in July. If you like a Nora Roberts-type romantic suspense novel, go for the suspense. My style is very similar to hers—without the sex and vulgarity. Buried Secrets is about to hit store shelves.

In addition to being an author, you also enjoy singing and have done some stage acting. Any desire to make the leap to TV? (Erle Stanley Gardner actually appeared as a judge in several episodes of the Perry Mason TV show…any fantasies about being a character in the dramatization of one of your series?)

I would love to have one—or more—of my books made into a movie or TV show. And yes, it would be great fun to play a role! I don’t have much film experience, but I've done lots of performing in community musical theater.

I read an interview in which you had some interesting comments about the Christian Fiction genre. Just  the term “Christian Fiction” makes some people snicker and others roll their eyes. Can you revisit your comments.

Sad to say, there’s a certain stigma attached to Christian fiction in some circles. Many people who've never read a book in the genre assume the novels are preachy and contain heavy-handed faith content. I wish there was some way to overcome this stereotype. Most of the Christian fiction novels I've read are wonderful, well-written, engaging stories that do very little overt preaching. I think anyone who enjoys a good, “clean” novel would discover many gems in the Christian fiction section of the local bookstore.

First For Women magazine just carried a very glowing review of your most recent novel, Deceived. Talk about the marketing involved in getting national attention for your work.

That placement was amazing. The magazine reaches more than four million readers! But I can’t claim any credit for it. The publicist at my publishing house got the book into the right hands, and they chose to feature it. That’s one of the advantages of going with a traditional publisher. They have contacts the average author doesn't.

When you write, are you writing for yourself or is there a particular reader to whom you are directing your work?

I’m cognizant of readers as I write, and I do read—and listen to—the constructive criticism they send. But in the end, I write the stories that interest me. For example, Amish fiction is big now. So are young-adult dystopian books. Historical fiction has a large fan base, too. None of those appeal to me as a writer. Even within the suspense genre, there are certain things I avoid. Some writers like to pen thrillers, where worlds are at stake and buildings blow up on every other page. Others infuse their books with an adventure vibe. Again, not my style. In fact, I do something most writers in my genre avoid. I reveal the villain very near the beginning of the book. That’s why my books are classified as suspense versus mystery. I take readers inside the villain’s head—which can be a very scary place!—and let them see what he or she is planning. Readers then know more than the hero and heroine, which ratchets up the expense. The books are about whether or not the hero and heroine can stop the villain from carrying out his or her nefarious plan rather than whodunit.

 I've been asked a question that I’d like to also ask you: When you create a particularly nasty villain, have you ever been asked, “Where did that person come from? How long have they been living inside you?”

No one’s ever asked me this. I have no idea where the truly nasty villains come from. They don’t live inside me, that’s for sure! I’d walk a wide circle around most of them. They just appear and take on a life of their own. I observe them, listen in on their internal thinking, and write their story.

When you are not writing, who do you enjoy reading? Are there any performers/musicians to whom you’d like to give props for energizing/entertaining you between projects?

I read eclectically. Fiction, with rare exception. And I read many different authors. For pure relaxation, I enjoy contemporary romance or coming-of-age stories. I don’t read many suspense novels for fun, especially when I’m writing in that genre, as I find them too intense after a full day of living in that high-stakes world. As for musicians/performers…I work in silence, so no music is playing while I write. I love to sing, so I tend to do that rather than listen to music when I have spare time. I do like mellow jazz, like Stan Getz, for relaxing during dinner. I also watch very little TV. I’d rather take a walk or read a good book or visit with family or friends.

When it comes to “Christian” writing, do you see that more as what is left out of a book or what is put into it?

Neither. For me, it’s simply a worldview that underscores what I write. It’s organic to the story; a subtle element that guides what goes on the page and how characters react. It’s not something I consciously think about as I write. My books have been classified as Christian fiction, but I consider myself more a Christian writer than a writer of Christian fiction.

For more information on Irene, visit her website, http://www.irenehannon.com/index.html. You can also sign up for her newsletter and follow her on Twitter or Facebook. 

An Interview with Author Raymond Benson

Raymond Benson

I first met author Raymond Benson while working on a series of articles about famous people from the Permian Basin of West Texas. Raymond has the distinction of being, up to that time, the only American to pen James Bond novels for Ian Fleming Publications, Ltd. He also authored the first two Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell books under the pseudonym David Michaels.

In addition, Raymond has designed video games, produced plays, written novelizations of numerous Bond films, and currently has his own series of suspense novels (Check out the Black Stiletto series available from Amazon and B&N.com). As if all that weren't enough, he is one of the world’s foremost experts on Ian Fleming and James Bond, as well as an accomplished pianist.

I have to start with a Bond question: You know the franchise intimately. When Daniel Craig took over as Bond, it was a highly controversial decision. You've seen your own share of Bond controversy, being an American who carried on the franchise. What is your take on the current state of Bondage?

   Bond is in a good place.  Daniel Craig is doing very well in the role and the last film was the most successful one in the franchise, which is the longest and most successful franchise produced by a single production company in cinema history.  The literary side is still prolific with new authors appearing to write the adult Bond books, as well as the young adult “Young Bond” books.

The last few Bond books have featured different authors each time out. Any idea why they aren't going with one author? Any desire on your part to take another turn at Bond? As Bond (Sean Connery) says in “Dr. No” when he’s about to shoot Professor Dent—“You’ve had your six.”  I had my six.  They don’t go backwards and re-hire authors, just like they don’t go back and re-hire actors to play the role (except in the case of Connery in 1971).  Since my tenure as Bond author, the publishing landscape has changed and the copyright holders changed their publishing philosophy... by hiring a big name author to do one book every three years or so, the publication becomes more of an event.

I’m thrilled to see your Bond books are back in print after a hiatus of several years.  As you reflect on that period, what are your takeaways? It’s been 13 years since my last Bond novel, so it’s been a while.  I remember those seven years (1996-2002) as Bond author as being on a roller-coaster.  A lot of work, a lot of angst, a lot of pleasure.  The biggest perks were traveling the world and meeting cool people.  Now I feel as if I’ve moved on; that was a part of my life and career that was important, but now... I’m on to other things.

My favorite Bond book of yours is The Facts of Death. Which one of your Bond books gets the most continued praise from fans and why? Everyone has an opinion, but I think “High Time to Kill” might be the one most fans mention.  It’s my favorite.  For one thing, it takes place in the Himalayas, which is a location never used in any of the films or other books.  It’s a mountain climbing adventure, and that made it unique, I guess.

Having the weight of the Bond franchise’s success on your shoulders was quite a responsibility. You also carried the Tom Clancy Splinter Cell series. Take us behind the scenes on what’s involved. Also, how much freedom did you have to take characters where you would verses following a prescribed formula? I wrote only the first two Splinter Cell books.  The videogame was already established with, I think, two titles.  So the character was pretty much set by games, but I had full freedom to create the stories.  For the first book I was told I could create new characters for Sam Fisher’s team, which I did. Fans preferred the team from the games, so in my second book, Fisher meets and hooks up with the familiar characters.  There are several authors who do this kind of “media tie-in” work.  It’s good bread-and-butter work.  They can be original novels tied to a specific, already-created universe, or they can be strict adaptations of an existing storyline.  My Bond film novelizations followed the screenplays.  My “Metal Gear Solid” books followed the plots of the two videogames.  On the other hand, the Splinter Cell books and other media tie-in novels have all been original stories.  It depends on what the licensor wants.  It’s work for hire. 

When a character like M is killed off in Skyfall, it has a seismic affect on the franchise. I'm assuming that currently, the screenwriters are the engine pulling the train. Take us behind the scenes on how those changes affect things like novels written for Ian Fleming Publications. The film series does not affect the literary series.  Two separate entities.  The only time they intentionally connected was when in 1996 I was told by the Fleming people to “make M a woman” in my books to mirror the Brosnan-era films, when Judi Dench was cast as M.  Otherwise, there is no attempt to create canonical universes between the literary Bond and cinematic Bond.

Tell us about your Black Stiletto series. It’s my magnum opus, so far.  It’s a five-book serial, one big story told in five parts.  The Black Stiletto was a feminist before that word was in our vernacular.  In the late 1950s, she puts on a mask and costume, calls herself the Black Stiletto, and becomes a vigilante for social justice.  She’s active for five years (each book is one year in her career) and becomes world-famous—but no one knows her identity.  Then she mysteriously disappears and over the years becomes a legend.  Cut to the present—a grown man is taking care of his mother, who has Alzheimer’s and is in a nursing home.  He discovers that *she* was the Black Stiletto, and has to deal with that burden of knowledge, as well as protect her from elements of the past that she was hiding from.  So it’s two parallel stories, one in the past, one in the present.  It’s not only action/adventure, but it’s a family story, too.

What gave you the idea to write about a retired superhero with Alzheimer’s? My mother-in-law died of Alzheimer’s.  My wife and I went through around twelve years dealing with it.  I had in my mind to write some kind of story about a son who finds out a dark secret about his mother with Alzheimer’s—but I didn’t know what that was.  Then, one day, I was having lunch with my literary manager, Peter Miller, and he suggested that I need to write something the female readers would like because women buy the most books.  I facetiously said, “Well, with all the superhero movies out now, why not a female superhero?”  We laughed and then he got serious and said, “You know, that’s not a bad idea.”  So I went home, thought about it, and voila!—I combined that idea with the other one about the son... the dark secret he discovers is that his mother was once a superhero.  Well, no super powers, but a masked vigilante.  Same thing.

Though Alzheimer’s is involved, there’s nothing slow or infirmed about your series. Talk about the use of flashbacks and parallel story lines. It was a challenging thing to do, because I knew it was five books from the beginning.  When I started, I knew what the first book was, and I knew how the serial would end in book five.  I *didn’t* know what took place in-between!  It was also fun to research the time period of 1958-1962.  Bringing in all the references to the pop culture at the time was a blast and, I think, helps the believability of the story.

The series moves along at a great clip. Library Journal said Black Stiletto is Ian Fleming meets Stan Lee. That’s pretty high praise. Actually Library Journal said it was a “mashup of the work of Gloria Steinem, Ian Fleming, and Mario Puzo, all under the editorship of Stan Lee.”  That’s a pretty apt description!  They nailed it.  The series is done.  The books come to a very satisfying conclusion.  As for the future of the books?—they've been optioned in Hollywood for a possible movie or TV series.  I can only keep the fingers crossed and hope that something happens.

Who were your literary role models? How did they influence your writing? Ian Fleming was obviously an influence.  I started reading Fleming when I was nine years old in the sixties.  Growing up I liked Alistair MacLean and some science fiction.  As an adult I started to read Stephen King and John Irving and Larry McMurtry and Richard Adams and all sorts of folks.  My favorite living writer is Ruth Rendell.  These days I read a lot of thrillers because that’s what I write. 

People imagine the life of an author as glamorous. For me, just starting out, ninety-nine percent of it is sitting hunched over a keyboard. Not much glamorous about that. As a very accomplished author, what’s your take on the literary life? Glamorous?  Are you kidding?  There’s nothing glamorous about it.  It’s a lonely profession, but you’re usually your own boss.  With the advent of the Internet and social media, the writer’s job is now not only to write but to market oneself.  I spend a good part of the day doing the Facebook and Twitter thing because it’s expected.  Agents and publishers today won’t bother with an author unless they have a social media presence.  But now there’s also the e-book and self-publishing model that is changing the face of publishing, and with that the job is even more do-it-yourself, including the publicity.  Like with any of the arts, making a living as a writer is elusive.  You simply have to love it and be convinced there is nothing else you could do.

Currently, you live in the Chicago area. You've also resided in New York and also know London well. What influence did Midland/Odessa (born in Midland, raised in Odessa) have on you? How does it continue to affect you? Never lived in London, but I made frequent trips there during the Bond years.  The New York years were important, I spent a good eleven years there.  Austin, Texas, was also a major memory-builder, as I went to college there in the seventies.  But West Texas?  Oddly, I've often used it as a setting in my original novels.  Odessa figures prominently in the Black Stiletto books.  A fictional town not unlike Odessa appears in a few of my other books, including one I just completed that is a stand-alone drama dealing with the death penalty.

Who are some authors and/or musicians to whom you’d like to give props for either influencing your work or simply entertaining you between projects?

That list could fill pages.  You know, I’m also a film historian and I teach Film History at the College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, so the movies do influence me.  I’m also a musician and lover of music of all types.  But to just name a few “heroes”---   Authors:  Ian Fleming, Ruth Rendell, Jim Thompson, Richard Adams.  Film:  Stanley Kubrick, Alfred Hitchcock, Ingmar Bergman, David Lynch, Woody Allen.  Music:  The Beatles, Ennio Morricone, Jethro Tull, Robert Wyatt, Mike Oldfield, Frank Zappa, and many purveyors of “progressive rock.”

To learn more about  this talented author, visit his webpage: www.raymondbenson.com.

Behind The Scenes at "Death Knocking, Life Calling"

The question was an extremely fair one: If Death Knocking, Life Calling is Randy Gallaway's life story, what is it that you did? Why is your name on the book? The person had read The Ecuadorian Deception and was surprised to see that Death Knocking was written in the first person, but that person wasn't me. So I was asked about it.

Since you might be wondering, too, here's the back story:

1. Memoirs written by a third party are not uncommon. Most "ghost writers" are now "co-writers." Leon Panetta, Art Briles, "The American Sniper," Jimmy Fallon, Johnny Cash, Loretta Lynn, and countless others used a co-writer. Just because someone has an incredible story doesn't mean they know how to translate it into print.

2. To maintain the power of the story, it was highly effective to leave Randy's life
 in first person.

3. It was also important to me that Randy and Mary Ann be able to use the book to raise money for their worldwide efforts to help others. Randy has dedicated his entire life to selflessness. If I could help him to increase the amount he's able to raise to help others, all the better. Writing the book in the third person would have made that awkward.

4. However, as a regular speaker at churches, civic clubs, and special events, I also wanted to make sure my name was on the book. Having a book (or books) in print is the coin of the realm when it comes to getting speaking engagements.

Randy and Mary Ann

The process for writing the book was the same as is used for standard biographies of living individuals. First, I spent months, even years, interviewing Randy and Mary Ann. Like everyone, they remembered things in snippets, not whole cloth. We might be talking about Randy's college days and he'd recall something about the amputation of his arms. I couldn't very well say, "Let's save that for another day." So any rabbit trail or unscheduled excursion they wanted to go on was fine by me.

At the end of our interviewing period, I was left with the literary equivalent of a five thousand piece jigsaw puzzle that someone dumped in the middle of my office floor. So my wife Caryl and I began putting the pieces together to reconstruct Randy's life in a way he would recognize.

The process was maddening, since I am not the most patient person in the world. But my wife's keen gift for organization was an incredible blessing. So we'd put chapters together, edit them, and then make sure it carried Randy's and Mary Ann's voices. To help with that, we incorporated our daughter, Sarah. She worked for Randy and Mary Ann while at Texas Tech. She was the one who introduced us. She knew when something sounded like them and when it sounded like me.

Chinese students listen to Randy

Finally, once the book was done, we fact-checked it with Randy and Mary Ann. That task completed, the book went through another several months of editing and refining. The finished product is one of which we are all very proud.


When my daughter introduced me to Randy, she said, "His story's going to be made into a movie one day. Don't you want to be the person who wrote the book?" I am more convinced than ever that the right person will come along one day and Randy's story will be headed to the big screen.

Henry and Marilyn Blackaby. Henry wrote
"Experiencing God," He and son Richard
graciously endorsed "Death Knocking." 

But more important than that is the fact that his story is full of incredible pearls of wisdom that people need to hear. It is also a story of hope. Regardless of the circumstances, if you are still breathing, God hasn't given up on you. Don't give up on yourself.

I'm excited people want to read the book. We are having trouble keeping up with the demand, and that's a very good thing. I'm excited people want to know how the book came to be. That indicates an even deeper level of interest similar to those who not only enjoy a movie, but want to watch a documentary of how the movie was made.

This summer we begin work on a sequel of sorts. So it's back to the puzzle factory. And clear a space on the floor. It's about to get messy again.