Where is God? - Dr. John Townsend

 ¹ How long, O LORD ? Will you forget me forever?
       How long will you hide your face from me?
 ² How long must I wrestle with my thoughts
       and every day have sorrow in my heart?
       How long will my enemy triumph over me?
 ³ Look on me and answer, O LORD my God.
       Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death;
 ⁴ my enemy will say, "I have overcome him,"
       and my foes will rejoice when I fall.

 - Psalm 13:1-4 (NIV)

 It's no new question; it's no new plea...the question "Where is God?" has been the cry of people for millennia. From Job to David to Christ himself on the Cross, to you and me today. We see injustice, we see sin, we see sin - or worse, we experience it. The problem of pain lies at the core of Christian theology and countless volumes have been written about it. Where is God? is psychologist and author Dr. John Townsend's attempt to grapple the problem of pain.

Using stories and personal anecdotes, Townsend weaves an easy to understand theology of the problem of pain and reminds us of several excellent truths. Perhaps the greatest point Townsend makes is in the the chapter "Freedom in the Service of Love," where he reminds us that love cannot be forced, for forced love is rape, and rather love must come from a desire to love. In other words, love requires a choice, and if following God is a way to show love, then there must choice to not follow God. This is called sin, and it is this decision that results in the pain of the world.

Past this and through story and Scripture, Townsend paints us a picture of a God who is there, a God who cares, and God who suffers with us, a God who transforms us, a God who does more behind the scenes than we can fully realize, and a God who is loving. Filled with practical advice and Scriptural truths, Where is God? is a great reminder that God will never leave us, and when we cannot see Him, we must have faith - a faith rationalized by what we know of His character. Overall, Where is God? is a great introductory look into the problem of pain and focuses on the practical side of this complex theological question. It's a great look at the problem from a psychologist's perspective. Townsend teaches us that we can stand with David and complete his psalm:

 ⁵ But I trust in your unfailing love;
       my heart rejoices in your salvation.
 ⁶ I will sing to the LORD,
       for he has been good to me.

- Psalm 13:5-6 (NIV)

Where is God? - Dr. John Townsend

Once an Arafat Man - Tass Saada

We will not bend or fail until the blood of every last Jew from the youngest child to the oldest elder is spilt to redeem our land! – Yasser Arafat.

When the bombs blasted overhead and the staccato fire of guns ripped through al-Karameh in March of 1968, young Taysir Saada stood amid it all, gun in hand, ready to defend his people and reclaim his land. Fatah, under the leadership of Yasser Arafat, defeated the Israeli forces in a victory that energized that energized the Palestinian cause.

Taysir—known as Tass—had grown up as a wandering Palestinian. Born in a tent on the Gaza strip, Tass grew up as a refugee without a true homeland. His childhood was spent in Saudi Arabia and Qatar, where he grew to hate the Israelis who had left his people without a home. At the age of 17, Tass ran away from home and joined Fatah to fight for the Palestinian cause. As a soldier, he hated and taught others to hate.

But other things were in store for Tass. After fighting for Fatah, he found himself in America. And in America, he found Christ…or better yet, Christ found him. In 1993, twenty-five years after the fight at al-Karameh, Tass Saada gave his life to Jesus Christ.

From Hate to Love to the story between, Once an Arafat Man details the life of Tass Saada, once Arafat’s chauffeur now missionary to his people in the Gaza Strip. Suspenseful, sobering, terrifying, enlightening, engaging, enthralling, powerful, heart-wrenching, emotional…there just aren’t enough superlatives to convey the wide range of feelings and thoughts that Tass’s incredible story takes its reader through.

As you read about his time in Fatah, you weep at the brutality and yet come to understand the rage and furor of the Palestinian people. In a culture that judges worth by the amount of land one owns, those without a country are considered the most despised. Tass takes us beyond the stereotypes and shows us the lives of real men who fought for a cause they believed just. Then, taken through Tass’s early years in America as a manager of a top-notch restaurant, the reader comes to a collision with the Cross.

In a remarkable conversion experience, Tass became a follower of Jesus Christ. From this point on, the book tells of Tass’s formative growth in Christianity and his Muslim family’s enraged reaction when he told them of his conversion. The reader is taken on the journey through the beginning of Tass’s ministry Hope for Ishmael. From riding around the country asking to speak in churches and mosques, to getting the chance to again meet and share the Gospel with his former leader, Yasser Arafat, Once an Arafat Man is a truly remarkable story.

In a day when the very term Arab stirs up negative emotions in the minds of many, this book is a much-needed look into the perspective of the Palestinians, and what great works God is doing amongst the children of Ishmael today.

The children of Ishmael and the children of Isaac have lived close to each other in this region from ancient times. Through the peace that comes from Yasooa/Yeshua/Jesus, we can recover the family relationship that has been lost. - Tass Saada

Note: Tyndale House Publishers provided me with a complimentary copy of this book or ARC.

Once an Arafat Man - Tass Saada

Protect - Paul J. Watson (with Interview)

Terra’s twin moons reflect dimly in the night sky, silently watching the Devastator and his Dekaloth ravage the land. Every four hundred years, the Devastator comes forth to battle the people of the planet of Terra, but the people are not left defenseless. For with every Devastator comes a Protector. Relm is that Protector.

Relm is heir to a sword given to his family by a descendant of the Satorens, an ancient and now dead Terran race. When he wields the sword, it glows brightly and gives him the power to literally vaporize his enemies. As the forces of Darkness grow greater, Relm is forced to accept his destiny as the Protector and find a way to unite the countries of Terra and save them from the hands of the Devastator.

Protect is a can’t-put-down, must-get-more fantasy, as Watson weaves his tale of the battle for Terra. In order to have a chance at defeating the Devastator, Relm must unite the three countries and main races of Terra: Ondoria, the land of Humans; Volero, home to the fox-like Velopens; and Legartha, the country of the big green Legarthans. As Relm sets about his task, he finds among each one of Terra’s races.

Satoren prophecy predicts the Protector will fall. Relm must pray that his fate is not so determined.

In his debut novel, Watson has emerged with an in-depth fantasy, managing to flesh out an entire world in one novel, and leaving the reader begging to know more. Part allegory, the astute reader will discover that beyond the skin of the novel lies a deeper and more profound truth. Good storytelling combined with unexpected twists makes Protect a thoroughly engaging and enjoyable read. Watson is absolutely astounding, creating a compelling story with a meaningful message.

One of the more unique things of this book is the varying font system used to portray the different races of Terra. The Velopens are an elegant people, and their speech patterns reflect it. The legarthans are rough and live in mountains. The speech of Dekaloth reflects their ancient evil. This results in a visual delight, letting the reader mentally see the characters that are talking. It’s an ingenious device that really works well in the novel.

Overall, don’t miss out on Protect. This is one you want to read. As an added bonus, it comes with a free audio edition on mp3 available for download on the publisher’s website. Check it out now at Amazon!

And now for a Christian Critic exclusive! Author Paul J. Watson was kind enough to take time out of his busy life to answer a few of my questions regarding the novel. Paul is a North Carolina native who is currently working on his master of arts in communication at Liberty University.

TCC: Before I talk about your novel, Protect, I want to focus on you as a writer first and how the novel came to be. Let me start with a litany of questions. First of all, you wrote this novel as an undergrad at Liberty. Can you talk about how you balanced normal college life while writing a novel? Were you originally thinking of trying to publish the novel, or was it done more so for the experience of writing?

Paul: Yes; for nearly the entire process of writing it, I did it as a hobby. I wrote when I felt like writing, which kept it fun. I also would write other stories during the process, so that helped keep writing fresh for me. I still had friends, went to class, did homework, etc., but, like I said, this was my hobby. Basically, some guys play "Halo," I write fiction.

TCC: I’d definitely choose writing over Halo any day. So you finished the manuscript and deciding to try to publish it. How did you break into the world of publishing? I hear that Dr. Towns (Liberty University co-founder) had some influence there.

Paul: When I finished the first draft of Protect, I went and talked to the co-founder of Liberty University, Dr. Elmer Towns. He in turn introduced me to his friend Leslie Stobbe, who just happened to be a leader in the Christian Writer’s Guild with decades of experience. I’d hit gold. Both of them have and still mentor me in writing, teaching me how to write a proposal, giving me advice on the publishing world, etc. So, long story short, Les sent out my novel’s proposal to several different publishers, and Tate offered me a contract. And here I am today.

TCC: What all was involved, once you had a publisher, in getting the book published?

Paul: The whole process from signing the contract to when it was released was around a year. The process is pretty extensive, but let’s just say there was a lot of editing that needed to be done, which meant working a lot with my editors. Then there’s working with a graphic designer to produce a cover, an illustrator for the map, the layout designer, the audio book reader and producer, and finally working with my marketing representative. Tate Publishing wasn’t a self-publisher (I'd call them more of a partnership publisher), so that appealed to me.

TCC: Well, I’m certainly glad you got it out there! The whole design is awesome, cover and everything is stellar. I haven’t listened to the audio book yet, but I certainly plan on it. Moving on to the actual novel, you do some interesting things with different fonts. What inspired that?

Paul: The font thing was fun. It was inspired by two things: the first was an old RPG making video game software program I was working with in which a character spoke with different capitalization (HeRe'S aN eXaMpLe). As you can see, that doesn’t read well and takes forever to do. So this is where the second inspiration came in. In earlier drafts, Relm wrote a note at the beginning of the story, which I thought would look more authentic if it looked like it was actually hand written, so I made the note to be written in a different font. I'm a visual person, so I thought that since I couldn't do the weird capitalization speech, I could have different creatures speaking in different fonts. It took a while to do that, but as a visual person, I think it worked really well.

TCC: I think so too. Really made the words leap off the page. Past the fonts, you do an excellent job in the story of fleshing out the world of Terra. How did you conjure up an entire world in order to write about it in Protect? What was the inspiration?

Paul: Remember that video game software? Well, some of the characters you could pick from the program inspired my creations. For instance, there was a lizard-like creature in the game and a wolf-like creature. As for the other creatures, the question "Would it be cool if...?" came to mind before creating them. 

TCC: Ok, last question. Protect left me wanting MORE. It speaks of an ancient race called the Satorens, and attributes the arrival of humans upon earth as something the Terrans call American Astronauts. Please tell me you’re planning on fleshing out this back story. Do your readers get to see more of Terra?

Paul: Right now I'm writing a prequel that has Talgamare, Benyok, and some new characters searching for a series of journals from one of the first astronauts that outline their arrival to Terra and their interaction with the Satoren people. It'll likely be shorter than Protect, but let's just say there's still plenty of action, drama, and unique characters. Plus I take characters away from Ondoria and out onto the ocean. And there’s an evil secret organization. I love those. Unfortunately, I'm trying to get through graduate school, so writing it is taking some time. I'll keep people posted about it on my Web site, www.ProtectNovel.com.

TCC: Awesome! I can’t wait to read more. Thanks for taking the time out to talk with me. I wish you luck in all your future writing endeavors. And for you readers who are wondering who or what Talgamare and Benyok are…what can I say? Read the book.

Protect - Paul J. Watson (with Interview)

Art and the Bible for Children - Josh Olds and Barry Stebbing

The very observant among you might recognize one of the two authors. Several years ago, in my early teens, I had the honor of co-authoring a Bible story book for children with artist and art teacher Barry Stebbing. Stebbing and his publishing company How Great Thou Art is well-known in homeschooling circles as a provider of quality art curriculum. Art and the Bible for Children was an attempt to combine Stebbing's masterful art lessons, with vivid art made by his art students, and stories adapted from the Bible by yours truly.

From the Creation to Revelation, these Bible stories complement the artwork that jumps off the page. After each story, there is an art lesson that ties in with the story. Children will not only be able to read this adaptation of the Biblical account, but they will be able to see it come to life as they draw it for themselves. The adaptations are - of course - superbly magnificent.

But don't take my word for it. One year after it's release, parents and reviewers and art students have had nothing but good things to say about Art and the Bible for Children:

• Cathy Duffy, a well-known homeschool curriculum reviewer and author of Top 100 Picks for Homeschool Curriculum, writes that:      "Art & the Bible for Children could stand alone as a Bible storybook with its wonderful retellings of Bible stories in order through both the Old and New Testaments."

• Exodus Books writes that:     "The stories are simple and easy to understand, yet hold true to the word of God."

• An Australian blogger gushes over the book, saying:     "I simply must give this one a plug!...Favorite Bible stories are written at an elementary level for each child to understand...Perfect for homeschool lessons, Sunday Schools, or Christian schools.

• A CBD.com reviewer gives the book 5 stars and writes:     "This book is more than what I had ever imagined it to be. I was looking for an art program and received a Bible study, also. Two books in one. How's that for a deal?"

• How Great Thou Art publishing, in their official product description, puts the book as one of their best:     " We, at How Great Thou ART Publications, believe this is the very best of our curriculum."

 A year after the release and nearly six years after the writing of Art and the Bible for Children, I am deeply humbled and touched to have played my part in creating this wonderful product. So whether you're looking for a children's introduction to art, or to the Bible, I must heartily recommend this wonderful book.  You can find it on sale at CBD.com for only $14.99. If you do buy the book, be sure to let me know how you like it!

Sample Page

 

Art and the Bible for Children - Josh Olds and Barry Stebbing

About Me

WARNING! You have entered the pretentious and egotistical zone! Readers sensitive to me-centric blather should look away now! But for anybody who would like a look into the man behind The Christian Critic, here it is:

There once lived a kid named Josh. Josh had a rare and unfortunate disease. Josh had to read books constantly in order to stay alive. As he got older the size of the books grew in length and breadth and depth and he consumed more and better books, until his disease was forgotten and only his addiction to reading remained.

Feeding his addiction left Josh's wallet empty but his mind full of useful knowledge and grand and wondrous Stories. But books! books! he was dying for a lack of new books! His shelves were full to overflowing but he needed the thrill of something new to stay alive. He needed a way to get more books.

His brilliant mind, strong from the hours of reading and absorbing information quickly concocted a masterful solution. He would become a book reviewer! Not only would it provide him with a reason to get more books, and a reason to find time to read books, and perhaps even a reason to get free books, it would also allow him to do his second favorite thing: tell other people his opinion.

And so it began, slow at first...then it built gradually. Now Josh always has books to read! Not to mention, Josh reviews off-site at a wonderful reviewing website called Fiction Addict and satisfies his other obsession - theology - by publishing theological musings for The Christian Manifesto.

*ahem*

That's the glamorous version. The real version is that my name is Josh, I love to read good books and promote and publicize good authors. I began The Christian Critic using the books in my library and now I'm trying to build on that foundation. My reviews have received good feedback from authors and publicists alike and I'm always looking to find new and exciting books. By day I am a gymnastics coach and by night I am an online student at Liberty University. My free time is spent reading (no duh) and writing. As a writer, I have one published book, a Bible story book for children. More information on that can be found here.

If you are a reader, then welcome. My home is your home. Pick through my library and see what I think of what I've read. You may even encounter a fun contest or two. Know an author you absolutely love and think I'd love too? Drop me a line to let me know. Agree or disagree with my review? Comment on the blog and tell me. Sometimes I let my mind wander to the writer part of me and post my thoughts on various subjects. Either way, be sure to not only follow me here but follow my Facebook page as well. That's probably the best way to interact with me. You can also find me on Twitter.

If you are an author/publicist and you would like for me to review a book, shoot me an email and let me know.

Now if you'll excuse me, I've a book to read...

Josh Olds

Disclaimer: Nearly every book reviewed for this site was obtained as a complimentary review copy from the publisher. Every review represents my true and honest opinion.

About Me

Contests

March 14-19 - Start Here by Alex and Brett Harris - See details here!

April - The Bride Collector by Ted Dekker - Details coming soon!

Always be on the lookout for random contests on the FB fan page!

Contests

Author Profiles

Sometimes The Christian Critic switches its focus from the books to the authors behind them.

• 10/07/09 - Jeremy McNabb
  
• 10/22/09 - Frank Redman
  

Author Profiles

Interviews

It's always a pleasure when authors stop by to chat about their books and the life of an author. 

• 12/08/09 - Erin Healy
• 12/22/09 - Paul J. Watson 
• 02/10/10 - Travis Thrasher 

Interviews

Speaking My Mind

Occasionally, when I have no book to read, or when I've read an especially thoughtful book, I like to do a little writing. Whether it's theology, philosophy, or the current culture, below you can find those times where I've spoken my mind.

• 12/14/09 - Towards Discipleship: A New Church Model
• 11/23/09 - Jesus: Creator or Created?  
• 11/19/09 - True Beauty and God's Love 

Speaking My Mind

Review Archives

A
B
Bazow, Tom - Gedden's Armor
C
Craig, William Lane - On Guard
D
Dekker, Ted - The Bride Collector
Dekker, Ted and Medearis, Carl - Tea With Hezbollah
Dekker, Ted (Thomas Hunter) - To Kill With Reason
Duvall, J. Scott & Hays, J. Daniel - Grasping God's Word
E
Eldredge, John and Staci - Love and War
F
G
H
Habermas, Gary - Why Is God Ignoring Me?
Harris, Alex and Brett - Start Here
Harris, Josh - Dug Down Deep
Healy, Erin - Never Let You Go
I
J
Jeremiah, David - Angels
K
L
Liparulo, Robert - Dreamhouse Kings #1: House of Dark Shadows
Liparulo, Robert - Dreamhouse Kings #2: Watcher in the Woods
Liparulo, Robert - Dreamhouse Kings #3: Gatekeepers
Liparulo, Robert - Dreamhouse Kings #4: Timescape
Liparulo, Robert - Dreamhouse Kings #5: Whirlwind
M
N
O
P
Pace, Jim - Should We Fire God?
Petrino-Salter, Nicole - The Famous One
Platt, David - Radical
Q
R
S
Seay, Chris - The Gospel According to LOST
T
Thrasher, Travis - Ghostwriter
Thrasher, Travis - Every Breath You Take
Thrasher, Travis - Broken
U
V
W
Wiersbe, Warren - Be Free
Wiersbe, Warren - Be Skillful
Wilson, Eric - Dark to Mortal Eyes
Wilson, Eric - Expiration Date
Wilson, Eric - Aramis Black #1: The Best of Evil
Wilson, Eric - Aramis Black #2: A Shred of Truth
Wilson, Eric - Jerusalem's Undead #1: Field of Blood
Wilson, Eric - Jerusalem's Undead #2: Haunt of Jackals
Wilson, Eric - Jerusalem's Undead #3: Valley of Bones
X
Y
Yousef, Mosab Hassan - Son of Hamas
Z

Review Archives

Towards Discipleship: A New Church Model

I was recently pondering the issue of doubt in the Church. I’d read a statistic that said the main reason that young adults left the Church was because of intellectual skepticism—they just didn’t believe the claims of Christ to be true. How can that be? I thought. What is the Church NOT doing that so obviously needs to be done? Not only is the Church at large not bringing in souls to Christ, we’re losing those that grow up in the ranks of the Church. And though the topic could certainly be expanded upon much more, I’ve taken Paul’s words from Ephesians 4 and tried to answer this crucial question. I think we’ll find that this actually stems out into an even more root issue into discovering what Church and Worship are really all about.

So how can we keep our Christian young people committed to Christ? How can we keep them from growing up in the Church and yet still being intellectually doubtful? First, the local Church needs to train believers and grow them to maturity in the faith. That is the summation of the matter. These young people are not being brought into maturity in Christ. Paul pins this job on the Church, saying that every member of the Church has a spiritual gift given specifically to mature ourselves and others in the faith: 

“It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.” (Eph. 4:11-13, NIV)

Instead of this vibrant community that Paul pictures, mutually building up one another and encouraging and strengthening one another in their faith and helping fulfill one another’s spiritual and physical needs, the church has become a building that one goes to in order to worship God by singing songs and sitting through a message. Church is an hour a week, maybe all of four hours if one has Sunday school, and Sunday evening and Wednesday services. Instead of something the body participates in, it has become something we go to.

Because of this, we miss out on Paul’s direct command to be the Church. God gave us gifts, and whether we’re the preacher or the pew-sitter, we have a responsibility to build up the body of Christ and make believers mature in the faith! Why? So that we won’t doubt so easily or be ensnared by false doctrine:

“Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.” (Eph. 4:14-16, NIV)

Paul draws a direct correlation between maturity in Christ and the discipling of the Church to having a firm and confident faith free of doubt. Discipleship teaching within the community of the local Church is integral to training a generation of confident Christians. And yet, we have a generation of Christians who know very little about the faith they claim to possess. The Church isn’t even sure what spiritual maturity is anymore! A study by the Barna Group shows that 81% of American Christians define spiritual maturity as “trying hard to follow the rules.” Even pastors fall into this categorization. Barna says, “Most pastors struggle with feeling the relevance as well as articulating a specific set of objectives for spirituality, often favoring activities over attitudes.“ (B)

With a law-based description of what spiritual maturity is, it is no wonder that those in the Church are depressed and disappointed and doubtful. They can’t be saved by the law! Paul makes this emphatically clear, going as far to say that “You who are trying to be justified by law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.” (Gal. 5:4, NIV) This serves only to foster spiritual immaturity rather than bring about true spiritual maturity, which is about “attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ” (Eph. 4:13, NIV), or put more simply, acting like Jesus. 
So it’s the job of the Church to get people to act like Jesus. Notice that it’s not just an intellectual learning of things, it’s a practical doing of things. Orthodoxy is only a part of spiritual maturity; it must be followed up with orthopraxy. Instead of the church service being something that is observed by the pew-sitter, Church needs to be something that is participated in by the pew-sitter. And with that foundation from the Church, the individual has to go away from the community of believers to apply that teaching in the home.

The home was instituted by God before the Church. And as such, it must function as the primary institute of spiritual training. It provides the opportunities for the orthopraxy integral to building up a mature Christian. Children can grow up, watching their parents acting like Jesus and following in their footsteps. They can get the imagery of what God is like when He’s called Father, and they can picture how much God loves us when the Church is called His bride. They can be involved in the process of sanctifying themselves and becoming more like Jesus in their attitudes and thoughts.

But if the Church does not disciple its people into the maturity necessary to teach and build those up who are immature in the faith, then the entire structure of the Church falls apart, and doubt will envelop us. In a national study on youth and religion, thousands of formerly religious teenagers were asked why they fell away from their faith. Given the choice to answer however they wished, 32% said it was due to intellectual skepticism. (SS) If the Church and the Christian home does their jobs in training those that are immature in the faith, especially our Christian young people who grow up in the Church, this number would drop dramatically.

Removing doubt is all a matter of discipleship. Doubters are wanting answers to their questions. “God said it, I believe it, and that settles it for me” is just way too naïve. We as the Church must be prepared to “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.” (1 Pet. 3:15, NIV) And that includes church kids. But we better give them good reasons, and not “cuz yer momma and me says so,” or else we could find ourselves facing the last Christian generation.

B – “Many Churchgoers and Faith Leaders Struggle to Define Spiritual Maturity” http://www.barna.org/barna-update/article/12-faithspirituality/264-many-churchgoers-and-faith-leaders-struggle-to-define-spiritual-maturity

SS – Christian Smith, Soul Searching: The Religious and Spiritual Lives of American Teenagers (New York: Oxford University Press, 2005), 89.

Towards Discipleship: A New Church Model

Burn - Ted Dekker and Erin Healy (With Exclusive Interview)

What would you do with a million dollars? Or perhaps more importantly, what would you do for a million dollars? Janeal Mikkado knows the answer to both those questions. Or at least she thinks she does. Having grown up as an outcast within her Gypsy colony for only being part-Gypsy, Janeal longs for a way out into the world. She gets her chance when she is confronted by the drug lord Salazar Sanzo, who promises her a way out and makes her an offer she can’t refuse.

You’ll have to read for yourself what exactly that offer is. Suffice it to say that a million dollars is involved. And suffice it to say that things go horribly, horribly wrong. Janeal pays the price for her selfishness. The Gypsy camp goes up in flames as Sanzo inflicts his wrath. When all is said and done, the whole colony has been laid to waste. Over 130 dead in what the FBI calls the Mikkado massacre. But Janeal survives.

Fifteen years later, Janeal’s buried past resurrects itself when she discovers that Salazar Sanzo had been captured. Digging into this, she discovers that maybe she wasn’t the only one to survive the fire after all. Even more disturbing is Sanzo, who appears intent on coming after her with newly kindled intentions of revenge. Her success of the past fifteen years could be undone in an instant if it was discovered that she was responsible for the Mikkado massacre. Janeal finds herself confronting the demons of her past and the conflictions of her present to secure the dreams of her future. But nothing—nothing—will ever be the same again.

Burn is Ted Dekker and Erin Healy’s second collaboration, the first being 2008’s Kiss. I thought Kiss was great, but things only get better with Burn. Unlike Kiss, which was admittedly pretty predictable (and here I must stop and say that those who disliked Kiss because they “saw it coming” need to realize that it is the message of the story, not its unpredictability, that makes for a great novel), Burn was a bit more subtle while carrying just as powerful a message. There is a battle raging within, the kingdom of darkness and light—a John and a Judas residing in the heart. Burn takes this concept of light versus darkness to a place every Dekker novel goes—the very extreme. It pushes it to a new level to tell a powerful story of the war of good and evil inside us all.

And now for a Christian Critic EXCLUSIVE!

An author interview is a new first for this site. And for the debut, I was lucky enough to get Erin Healy, the co-author of Burn, to take time out to answer a few of my questions. Erin is an award-winning editor and owner of WordWright Editorial Services, a consulting firm specializing in fiction book development. Burn is her second collaboration with New York Times bestselling author Ted Dekker. Without further ado, on to the interview!

TCC: This is your second co-authored novel with Ted, (the first being 2008’s Kiss) but you worked with him as an editor on many of his previous books. Exactly what projects did you work with Ted on?

Erin: I've worked on nearly all his books since and including Blink (rereleased later as Blink of an Eye): Thr3e (still a favorite of mine), Obsessed, House, Showdown, Saint, Sinner, Adam, all of the Circle Trilogy, a few of the Lost Books, Boneman's Daughters, and two more books that will release next year.

TCC: Kiss marked your transition from editor to author. Was there much of a change in going from editor to co-author? And for Burn, what part did you play in writing the manuscript? 

Erin: There was a huge change, because editorial skill sets and writing skill sets don't overlap very much. So when we started, I had a steep learning curve. In one sense, I became the writer and Ted became the editor. My responsibility was to lay down the first draft, and then Ted and I dived into it together, hacking it apart and rewriting it until we both were happy with it.

TCC: Of the two novels, which seemed easier to write? Do you have a personal favorite? 

Erin: I'm pretty sure I can speak for Ted in saying we both like Burn better than Kiss. It's more thematically rich, and the device is more wild and crazy! Though Kiss is a great story, it was much harder to write than Burn, mostly because it was my first novel and our first collaboration. We had to work out a lot of knocks to get that story running like a smooth machine.  

TCC: What was the original idea that sparked the theme of Burn?

Erin: Interestingly enough, Ted and I were working independently on our own ideas for a story about . . . well, I can't give up any plot spoilers, so I'll just say we both had ideas for separate stories about regrets, second chances, and this Christian concept of dying to self. As we started talking, we thought, why not throw both of these into one cooking pot and see what we come up with? It worked great, and it's one of the reasons I think Burn is a stronger story. As far as the content goes, we were both equally invested in our passion for it.

TCC: You're working on a third collaboration with Ted, this time tackling a sequel to Blink of An Eye, set for what I assume will be a January 2011 release. What can you tell us about this book and how far are you into writing it? As a sequel, will readers need to have read Blink of an Eye first? 

Erin: This was our original plan, but we recently decided to shift gears and fully focus on our respective solo careers, which is especially exciting for me as my first solo novel is about to be released. 

TCC: So the sequel has been scrapped? Or is Ted planning on completing it himself?

Erin: It means the sequel has been scrapped ... for now. :) But maybe Ted and I will pick it up, or another collaboration, on another day.

TCC: Well, then to move onto your solo career, you've got a book coming out entitled Never Let You Go. I'm really excited about this novel. What can you tell us about it?

Erin: Never Let You Go releases in May 2010. It's a supernatural thriller about a young single mother, Lexi, who is paid an unwelcome visit by an old friend. He demands she testify on behalf of the killer who murdered Lexi’s sister. If she refuses, he’ll harm Lexi’s daughter. Within hours, she also learns that her estranged husband, gone seven years, is attempting to reconnect with their little girl. The strangely timed reappearance of the friend, the killer, and the husband terrifies Lexi, but the significance of this event is greater than she can predict. Never Let You Go is a novel about the high price of bitterness and forgiveness, neither of which it seems Lexi can afford to pay.

TCC: Lastly, what does the future hold for Erin Healy? And where can your fans find you and interact with you (such as on Facebook, Twitter, etc.)? 

Erin: Excitement and great novels, I hope! At least two more solo books are in the works for me, and I'll be chatting about them as they get underway. My website www.erinhealy.com is undergoing a redesign that should be complete by February. Follow me on Twitter @erinhealybooks. I have a sometimes-blog at www.erinhealyblog.blogspot.com, but that will soon be resident on my website. And my Facebook fan page is (heaven help me): http://www.facebook.com/pages/Erin-Healy/59683195940 As soon as y'all get me to 1000 fans I'll get a nicer domain name for that!

TCC: Well, Erin, thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to talk with me. I certainly do appreciate it, and I know the fans do as well. Readers! Please show your support for Erin by clicking on those links up there and becoming her fan on Facebook. (And you can do the same for me by clicking on those buttons up in the top left there.) And remember that Burn releases January 12, 2010.

Erin: Thanks so much, Josh. I'm grateful for your efforts! 

Burn - Ted Dekker and Erin Healy (With Exclusive Interview)

Blackout - Jason Elam and Steve Yohn

Professional Football League linebacker Riley Covington finds himself under pressure once more. But unlike most PFL linemen, it’s not a goal line stand to win or lose the game. If Riley loses the game he’s playing, the entire nation could crumble.

If you’re familiar with the first two Riley Covington thrillers, Monday Night Jihad and Blown Coverage, then you know that Riley isn’t your average ordinary everyday PFL linebacker. He’s also stopped two terrorist plots and is deep into Middle Eastern affairs. He just wants to play football, but his former life as Special Ops keeps interfering. Blackout ends not too long after Blown Coverage ends. Riley and his Colorado Mustangs are in the offseason getting ready to start training camp.

Football soon becomes the last thing on Riley’s mind when the FBI comes to get him while he is vacationing in Alaska. They take him to see Scott Ross, Riley’s friend and former Special Ops teammate, and the current team leader in the Counter Terrorism Division.

His team has uncovered a plot to smuggle two EMPs—electromagnetic pulse bombs—into the USA. Denote them and the most technologically advanced country in the world gets its tech permanently and completely fried. Ross wants Riley’s help because back in his Special Op days, Riley had been an EMP expert, and had even written on the subject. Blackout tells a twofold tale of the PFL Riley Covington, the Counterterrorism Riley Covington, and the one man struggling to win the game on and off the field.

I found the book to be very entertaining and informative. I learned a lot about the Islamic faith and gained new insight into the insider’s world of professional sports. There were times that the book, in my opinion, got a bit overly preachy in its point but overall I felt that the authors did a good job balancing the action-packed story with deeper thought-provoking content.

The reason for the book’s success in the areas of faith and football is due in large part, I would think, to the coauthor Jason Elam (Yes, the 2 time Super Bowl champion Jason Elam). In addition to being an NFL kicker, Jason is also working on his Masters of Apologetics at Liberty University.  Other author Steve Yohn has a Bachelor’s in Biblical studies.

Overall, Blackout is a fun witty book that will make you make you make to suspend some disbelief. But it raises an all too serious issue in the threat and devastation of an EMP attack. It’s a gripping, believable tale with unbelievable characters. I liked Blackout, I really did. I might even like it more once I pick up the first two books in this series and find out exactly how a Special Ops genius turned into a PFL linebacker.

-I am a part of the Tyndale blogging program. I received a complimentary ARC copy of this book for review-

Blackout - Jason Elam and Steve Yohn