Erin Healy to Publish Stranger Things, a Novel of Suspense and Hope #thinplaces #sextrafficking

Bestselling novelist Erin Healy’s latest supernatural thriller, Stranger Things, comes to stores on New Year’s Eve! I can’t wait to read my copy; it sounds amazing and I’ve loved all her other work. In regards to this particular book, human/sex trafficking is a cause I am really interested in and support and I was enouraged to read that she also has a heart for this social issue and incorporated it into her novel.

As an author, she does a wonderful job of mixing spirituality with the supernatural and is one of the masters of allegorical literary fiction.  I have always loved Ted Dekker, which introduced me to Erin after she has co-written several books with him. Both are stellar writers in that they succeed at opening those small windows in your brain to make you think harder and longer during and after reading their books.  They are two of my favorite authors.

When I read Erin’s work, I delve deeper into myself, into humanity, into existence, and into the questions of spirituality and purpose. She reaches out and touches my soul. I imagine this book will also speak to me.

So here’s the synopsis for Stranger Things and a chance to read the first two chapters….then following is a short interview and all the other information about the upcoming book, Erin, and how to connect to her. PLUS there is a chance to enter for a giveway!

Stranger Things, Synopsis~

In the forest’s burned-out hollow, a house of dark secrets also glows with bright promise.

Serena’s career as a high school biology teacher comes to a halt when an angry student makes shocking accusations. Stunned and suspended, Serena retreats to the forest where she usually finds peace of mind. But on this day she encounters a killer and his prisoner—as well as a stranger who dies to save Serena’s life.

The stranger, Christopher, had dedicated his life to rescuing girls from forced prostitution—starting with his sister Amber. They formed a tiny nonprofit organization to protect girls and have been working furiously to bring down John Roman, the powerful criminal who first took Amber and has ruined scores of young women’s lives since.

When Christopher’s grieving colleagues suspect Serena of being in league with Roman, her life spirals further out of control. How will she clear her name? Why did this stranger protect her with his life? And what is the meaning of the visions she sees every time she visits the gutted house where he died?

If you’d like to read the first two chapters of Stranger Things, click here.

Add to your GoodReads shelf NOW!  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18126907-stranger-things

Check out the COOL Pinterest Board here—> http://www.pinterest.com/erinhealybooks/stranger-things/

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ENTER TO WIN~

Enter to WIN one of 10 autographed copies by clicking here (A U.S. shipping address is required and books will be mailed after January 1 2014—-> a Rafflecopter giveaway or go here—> http://www.erinhealy.com/2013/11/30/stranger-things-giveaway/

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Interview with Erin Healy~

Welcome, Erin! (BTW, that always feel a little strange, since it’s my name too-lovely to share it!)  It’s so wonderful to feature you here on the blog. I’ve been a longtime fan of yours for many reasons. I’m looking forward to your answers surrounding some questions on your new book, Stranger Things!

Q:  How was your idea for Stranger Things born?

A:  Two years ago, during a Good Friday service, my pastor (Kelly Williams of Vanguard Church, Colorado Springs) asked the congregation: “If a complete stranger died while saving your life, wouldn’t you want to know everything you could about that person? Wouldn’t you want your life to honor that person’s death?” He challenged us to consider Jesus Christ in a new light—as a stranger, as a savior we might not know as well as we think we do. This idea has roots in Romans 5:8—“While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Before I ever had the chance to know him, while he was a complete stranger to me, Christ died for me. The Message translation says “when [I was] of no use whatever to him.” Why would he do that? Have I investigated him thoroughly enough to connect my own life with his purposes? This is all background, though. Stranger Things isn’t an overtly Christian tale as my previous novels have been, but it’s a parable about these questions.

Q:  Stranger Things sounds like a pretty dark read. Why did you choose to write about sex trafficking?

A:  Human trafficking (of which sex trafficking is a subcategory) is the world’s third-fastest growing illegal industry behind drugs and weapons. It is the most horrifying kind of modern captivity I can imagine, and my research proved that even my imagination fell short of reality. I picked it because it’s a real contemporary crisis, but also because it profoundly symbolizes the kind of bondage that Christ came to end (Isaiah 61:1-3). Freeing the captive, physically and spiritually, is a high calling for followers of Jesus who want to express their gratitude for his sacrifice and demonstrate his love through the continuation of his work.

Q:  What does all this have to do with the “thin places” that you’re always talking about?

A:  The traditional (Celtic) definition of a thin place is a physical location in the world where the division between physical and spiritual realities falls away, a place where we can see the greater truth of our existence. In my stories I use the term “thin place” to define moments when a person experiences a sharpened spiritual awareness about what’s really going on in his or her life. Stranger Things  is the first novel in which I’ve combined both ideas. The thin place is a physical location, a burned-out house in a sparse terrain, where Serena discovers her purpose. “There are places in the world where you will encounter things so real that you will be surprised others don’t have an identical experience,” Serena’s father tells her. “But then you will realize that the clarity given to you is a gift from God. Perhaps this gift is just for you, maybe also it will touch the lives of others.”

Q:  Did anything surprise you while writing the novel?

A:  I started with intentions to write about an Asian-based trafficking ring, but in the course of my research was distressed to learn just how close to home the problem lies. Though it’s impossible to get a precise count of how many people are victims of sex trafficking in the US, most estimates fall between 100,000 and 300,000 (mostly women and children). Since I learned this my own awareness has expanded, and I’m happy to see just how many efforts are already underway—not only in the US—to end this atrocity. The Polaris Project is a great place to begin learning about global human trafficking.

Q:  What do you hope readers will take away from Stranger Things?

A:  I hope the novel is layered enough to meet each reader individually. Maybe some will be challenged to investigate Jesus Christ further. Maybe some will use their new awareness of trafficking to do something about it. (I’ve joined the prayer team of a local home for girls rescued from sexual slavery.) To date my favorite response to the book was from the person who found herself looking in a new way at the strangers who surrounded her. She felt unexpectedly protective and concerned, on heightened alert to ways in which she might be able to help them. In other words, ways in which she might be able to do what Christ did for her. So many opportunities! If we all moved through the world with eyes like that, what might change for the better? I love to think of all the possibilities.

Stranger Things Details~

Length: 368 pages
Publication Date: Dec. 31, 2013
Company: Thomas Nelson
ISBN-10:  1401689582
ISBN-13:  9781401689582

Praise for Stranger Things~

Of the novel, Library Journal says: “Serena Diaz’s teaching career came to an abrupt end when a student falsely accused her of sexual misconduct. Seeking solace in the woods, she discovers that a gang of sex traffickers has taken over a vacant house. Serena is almost captured by one of the criminals but is saved by an unknown man who has been shadowing her. He is shot, and Serena escapes with her life. But she is drawn to know more about this stranger who died for her. What follows is a suspenseful story of danger and pure evil. Whom can Serena trust in a world that seems intent on serving its own self-interests? VERDICT – Healy (Afloat; coauthor with Ted Dekker, Burn and Kiss) has written an edgy, fast-paced spiritual thriller that will please Dekker fans.”

Erin Healy, Biography~

Erin Healy is the best-selling co-author of “Burn” and “Kiss” with Ted Dekker and an award-winning editor for numerous best-selling authors. She has received wide acclaim for her novels “Never Let You Go,”,”The Baker’s Wife,” “House of Mercy,” and “Afloat.”

Healy earned her bachelor’s degree in English with a minor in communication studies from Westmont College in Santa Barbara, CA. She began her career as an editor for Christian Parenting Today before serving as a book editor for WaterBrook Press. Healy founded WordWright Editorial Services in 2002 and specializes in fiction book development. She has worked with many popular authors in a number of genres such as Frank Peretti, James Scott Bell, Melody Carlson, Colleen Coble, Robin Lee Hatcher, Gilbert Morris, Lisa Samson, Randy Singer and Robert Whitlow.

While her interest in supernatural fiction grew she while working with Dekker (she edited 12 of his well-known, heart-pounding stories before collaborating with him as a co-author), her interest in the spiritual realm has always been a part of her. “The Irish girl in me is fascinated by the concept of thin places, a Celtic name for locations in the world where the veil between physical and spiritual realities is so delicate that a person can see through it. For me, thin places are revelations about what it means to be a spiritual creation in a physical world. I write supernatural suspense novels from a Christian worldview, with eyes open to God’s mysterious side and where His world world intersects ours,” she explains.

Healy currently resides in Colorado Springs, CO, with her husband, Tim, and two children. She is a member of International Thriller Writers and the American Christian Fiction Writers.  Erin can be contacted through her website www.ErinHealy.com or through Facebook at erinhealybooks.

Social Media Links to Connect with Erin Healy:

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You can help by using these hashtags for posts you might share related to Stranger Things or search for them on your sites to follow the updates or get involved in the conversation: #StrangerThings #ThinPlaces #SexTrafficking

Death Haunts Alister, Will it Haunt You? Check out Keith Rommel’s The Cursed Man.

Alister Kunkle has been in seclusion for 25 years in Sunnyside Capable Care Mental Institution. He won’t look or speak to anyone, for fear it will fatally harm them. You see, Death takes a personal interest in anyone he communicates with and he is tired of watching this curse play out. He hides away in a small cell with no outside contact until Dr. Anna Lee shows up determined that her psychiatric skills can help cure Alister. Is she really what she seems? Is the curse real or a figment of his imagination? When I first agreed to read and review author Keith Rommel’s book The Cursed Man, the first stand alone novel in his Thanatology series, I told him that “a book having a character with the name of Alister (in any spelling) is on my ‘Top Ten Things that Make Me Want to Review a Book.” It was all in jest, but truly, isn’t that a name that just makes you want to read a suspense novel?

I’m glad that “Alister” led me to read the book because Rommel’s novel has left me haunted for a week now. It engaged so many thoughts in me about life and the universe forces surrounding us, that I must highly recommend this book if you are looking for a thrill ride of drama that will keep you guessing until the very end. It was a quick read for me; I read it in one night so as not to put off the ending and it was reminiscent of my favorite short stories of Edgar Allen Poe and Stephen King. King has penned several stories playing around with the notion of Death, and Rommel’s story was just as good as the master of suspense. It was almost leaning toward having a Ted Dekker quality in its novel form, yet had a harder evil tone than Dekker’s final chapter finales. This time Death certainly is the serial killer and good might not win out.

The Cursed Man’s spooky quality and lingering aura could send chills up your spine deep into the night and keep you pondering about your mortality and the state of humanity. The writing quality was excellent and Rommel is certainly an author to watch if you like the horror suspense genre as much as I do. I look forward to reading the second book in this series, called The Lurking Man, sometime in 2012.

And speaking of The Lurking Man, guess what?!? Keith is having a CONTEST to name the female main character in his next upcoming book, The Lurking Man (second in the Thanatology series). Answer three questions on his site about The Cursed Man, then starting with a sentence he has given you, write a short story (300 words) utilizing the name you choose. There will be a voting period in which people will vote on the name for the book. To view all the details, please go to: http://keithrommel.weebly.com/contest.html.

I also had the pleasure to sneak into the mind of Keith Rommel with an exclusive interview below (after the giveaway information) in which he answers all my deep, comical, and intense questions with ease. Take a more comfortable seat, and read on; you won’t be disappointed.

GIVEAWAY

Keith has graciously agreed to GIVEAWAY, no strings attached, TWO copies of The Cursed Man, to two lucky readers of this blog! All you have to do is read the interview and in the comments of my blog, tell me what inspired you or what you learned or even just something you liked about it. You can also go to my facebook page (www.facebook.com/almehairierin (friend request me if you need to)) and leave me a comment on my wall, or under the link posting for this particular blog, or you can go to Twitter and give me a mention at @ErinAlMehairi (www.twitter.com/ErinAlMehairi).

I appreciate my readers and so do the authors, so they love to giveaway books in hopes you’ll read them and spread the word. What have you got to lose? You’ve only got something to gain!!

INTERVIEW WITH KEITH ROMMEL

Hi Keith, thank you so much for agreeing to an interview to accompany my review of your novel The Cursed Man. Let’s dive right in to our Q and A on your well-written horror/suspense novel—the first stand-alone novel in your Thanatology series.

Q: First of all, I pride myself in being well read and educated, but I had to look up the meaning of Thanatology! I see it’s the study of death and dying and now see how it relates to your book. Your main character, Alister, has caught the interest of the entity called Death and dying surrounds him. I realize now that I don’t know much about this area since I completely avoid talking about Death because it scares me …well…to death! So the question is, how did you become interested in the storytelling of death and dying and why?

A: It is like a big blue elephant standing in the center of the room. You know it’s there, staring at you, but you don’t want to look at it or talk about it because if you do, you might get its attention. That is why I wrote about it.

(Erin comments: True, and it makes for a really good story too as being confronted or singled out by Death is certainly an eerie proposition!)

Q: How do you feel most people deal when confronted with the topic of death? Why are we so obsessed with birth and try to hide our feelings about death?

A: A little over two years ago, I found out my father was terminal with cancer ten days before my son was born. I was unclear how much time my father had left, but I knew his prognosis was not good. I clearly remember the confusion in my heart as I celebrated the birth of my son while I began to prepare myself for the worst. Dad passed about a month later and it brought me to a very dark place. For me it was a place of anger and sadness and it overshadowed the blessings I had in my life. The healing hand of time has worked wonders on me, but the void that was left behind is still there, raw and bothersome. But the joy of having my son and watching him grow is a Band-Aid given to me by God. Birth is a time for celebration, and death (in cases such as my own) is a private time to grieve and find understanding.

Q: What role do you feel that religion and God play in Thanatology? How do they play into your book?

A:  I purposely tried to keep the theme of religion obscure in The Cursed Man as I tried to challenge myself as a writer. I had a tendency to lean towards religion earlier in my writing career, but this time around I wanted to create something that did not have a clear villain like Satan or a powerful entity such as God. When you peel back all the complex layers of the plot, The Cursed Man is a story about a man and a firm belief that death shows him favor by allowing him to live. But yet, his price for such a gift is that everyone around him dies. Therefore, the theme of death was the presence that needed to remain on center stage.

(Erin comments: Yet, Death certainly is a powerful entity, isn’t it? We certainly feel its power, and to some degree the power of evil, in your book. I know I certainly felt it. I would explain more why, but I don’t want to spoil it for new readers.)

Q: What lessons of good and evil can we take away from The Cursed Man?

A: For me, the strongest lesson is given at the very end of the novel. Though I cannot go into what the details are because it would be a spoiler to the story, it is an event that is based off of a true story. I was standing in the kitchen at my grandmother’s house and I was in my late teens. My uncle was telling me a tragic story about a family friend and that story made such an impression on me I based The Cursed Man on it.

Q: What were your hopes when you set out to write a novel in the horror/suspense genre?

A: My hopes for writing The Cursed Man were very simple: if I gave someone an experience that they didn’t feel cheated after they plunked down some of their hard-earned money after they read my novel, then I had reached a certain level of satisfaction. For a long time, I believed in the story and worked very hard to get it to a professional level. I had agents show the story great interest, but never to a level of acceptance. I remember feeling confused and determined all at the same time. How could they not see what I saw? I’ll show them! And just when I was ready to give up and try my hand at self-publishing, the novel was picked up by Sunbury Press. They are a small press company, and when they offered to publish The Cursed Man, I remember the overwhelming joy. For days I walked around with a great big smile. Finally, someone saw the hard work I’d put into the book. Oh, and I recently received some emails from readers that have been nothing short of gratifying and inspiring. It has truly been a humbling experience.

Q: I know you like to read comic books, and so do we at our house. I’m curious, what part do you feel comic books play in both society and storytelling?

A: Comic books were introduced to me when a teacher suggested that I read them to help with a reading comprehension problem. I have read and collected comic books since I was in junior high and continue to do so today. Comic books are an important art form that suffers from a persona of being nerdy and uncool. Of course, I feel much differently about it and believe they can influence young people into the love and rewards of reading. Most movies that people are flocking to see are based off of comic book titles and they probably don’t even realize it. Without pointing out the obvious titles such as Superman and Batman, to name a few movies that come from the comic platform would be : The Crow, Men in Black, Cowboys & Aliens and Kick Ass.

The flow of storytelling is unique in the sense that it is done through both words and pictures. It makes for a quick and easy read, and the story usually comes out once a month and is a continuation from issue to issue. For parents that have children that don’t like to read, I suggest going to your local comic shop and picking them up a copy. There are plenty of titles to choose from, and it can actually be used as family time to open up discussions. Something that becomes quite addicting is going to the comic store every Wednesday to see what new books have hit the racks. You’ll be amazed by what you might find and how fun they really are.

Q: Now on to a little about you as an author: How do you work over 50 hours a week, commute, make time for your wife and 2 small children and EVER find time to write? What advice do you give others in the same situation?

A:  I believe if it is your passion and you are doing it for the right reasons, you will make and find the time. My formula is simple and I’m sure that countless other writers abide by it: get an hour less sleep tonight, or wake up a little earlier in the morning. Set a reasonable goal for yourself (maybe a word count per week) and try and write at least one paragraph a day.

Q:  Tell us about your writing process and what you’ve learned about yourself as a writer and also about the industry over the years.

A:  I have learned quite a bit over the years. The first and foremost thing is that I had to find my voice on paper and that has taken me a long time to accomplish. I often compare it to how a kid grows into a young adult, and years later, into a wiser, more mature adult. Some days my writing voice comes out easier than others, but I found it important that I no longer pressure myself to “get it done.” I write when I can and try to make time to do so. Small press and self-publishing is the new “in.” With social media sites and a well-written book, you will find a fan base. Set real expectations as to how many copies you think you are going to sell and study your craft. Join writing groups (I suggest Critique Circle, my handle is Krommel). There you won’t have your best friend telling you how great your stuff is. You’ll have writers (some of them very experienced) critiqing your work and giving you good, constructive feedback to help you learn and grow.

Q: Tell us a little about the man behind the scary story The Cursed Man.

A:  First, I am a husband and father of two. I have a passionate belief that hard work does pay off and that everyone should follow his or her dreams no matter how big or small. I did and will continue to do so whether I sell one book or a million. It is my passion and has been for years.

Q: What is next on the horizon for you?

A:  The response to The Cursed Man has been so positive that I want to stay focused on the Thanatology series. I am looking to release The Lurking Man sometime in spring of 2012, which is book 2 in the Thanatology series. I am then going to quickly follow it up with two more novels that explore different genres (Thriller, and religious fiction).

Q: Where can readers or other authors find Keith Rommel online, and how do they connect?

A:  I encourage readers and writers alike to contact me, whether they look me up through my website: http://keithrommel.weebly.com or through Goodreads.com, Librarything.com and of course Twitter (@keithrommel). If you follow me on Twitter, I always follow back (it’s just good karma).

Thank you, Keith, for the exciting new book and for answering my interview questions. It has been a pleasure to connect with you. Best wishes in all your continued work.

Introducing the Start of My Fiance’s Novel, “The Truth”

I want to take an opportunity on my blog to introduce you to my fiance, Tim Busbey. He is a freelance writer and aspiring author who plans to finish is first book, “The Truth,” this year! I’ve read up to 20 chapters so far myself and it really keeps me wanting to read it. Well, it isn’t fun you know….I mean I can’t because he hasn’t finished it yet! A great book that ties in history, secrets, paranormal, religion and science fiction makes up a great recipe for what I think is set to be a winner. With locals in India, Treasure Coast off of Florida and many more, this book travels you places in search of Truth.  I know you’re saying I’m probably bias, but truly I think it is a fast-moving thriller that is well-researched and well-written.

Below is the link to Tim’s page on Scribd, where the first 10 chapters are posted. He’d love you to read them and offer feedback. He is constantly reworking his chapters right now. Below that link is half of Chapter 1, just to give you a taste. For more information on Tim and/or his novel, go to his blog at www.timbusbey.wordpress.com

  

Check out the start of Tim’s book, “The Truth” at:

http://www.scribd.com/tbusbey

  

Chapter 1

 

In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will

prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.

A cts 2:17 (New International Version)

 

Columbus, Ohio – The Ohio State

 

Searing flames!

Flash!

Streaks of fire blazing across the skies, destroying the earth!

Flash!

The screams! The cries of anguish!

Flash!

Buildings crashing to the ground as the Earth buckles underneath them.

Flash!

Noooooooooo!´

Anne Thompson shot upright in her bed as her scream trailed off into the darkness.

What the ?

Anne quickly spun toward the voice as the darkness gave way to illumination. As her eyes
struggled to adjust, Anne saw that the voice belonged to her terrified roommate, Brandie Logan.
The dreams again?´ Brandie asked. That’s the third time this week. You’ve got to do
something about this.

Anne shook her head, trying to shake away the remnants of the now-familiar nightmares.
Anne pulled her shoulder-length blonde hair out of her face as she looked around the crowded
dorm room in Halloran Hall she had shared with Brandie for the past three months. Her heart felt
like it was about to burst out of her chest. It took her a moment to get her bearings and realize it
was just another dream. It seemed so real. But, they always did.

The dreams had started a year ago. At first, they were just an occasional annoyance that Anne
dismissed as simple manifestations of her anxiety; the kind of stress most girls her age feel over
graduating from high school, going to college, boys – the usual teen drama. Now, the nightmares
had become an almost nightly occurrence. And they were starting to take a toll on her, both
physically and mentally.

A 2010 Thriller, Eight Days to Live, by Iris Johansen is Reviewed

I have to admit, I hadn’t read any novels of the bestselling author Iris Johansen before. Her well-known forensic character, Eve Duncan, just hadn’t come my way. I read two book jackets by her and bought them both not knowing even where they fell in line with other books surrounding her recurring characters. 

I chose to read her book, Eight Days to Live (came out in 2010) purely on the premise that the character in this book (which happened to be the adopted daughter of Eve Duncan) was an artist who gets embroiled in a mystery of monumental proportions.  Eight Days to Live was definitely a book I couldn’t put down and read through it quickly because of that. It was very suspenseful~full of intrigue, thrilling villains, heroes, paranormal and romance all rolled into one!

When Jane, the main character for this particular novel, is pinpointed by vicious killers to die on April 1 (8 days from the start of the book), she didn’t know why. All she realized was that she had painted a portrait of a man she saw in a dream and then named it Guilt.  When she has a gallery debut, an unknown business man makes an absurd monetary offer on it and the same night the gallery owner, and her friend, is violently murdered. 

As powerful men start killing those around her and come after her, she starts on a mission to find out why. She even pulls in Caleb, a “hunter” that Eve had used on a previous forensic case to find a serial killer. His known tracking instincts prove helpful, as well as his paranormal gift of being able to mentally penetrate the minds of others to get them to do exactly what he wants them to do. However, with his power comes a real desire to hunt to kill bad men and this scares all that are around him. Even with knowing this, Jane feels connected to him somehow and ultimately he helps her to see that her dreams are visions of the past. He helps her to embrace this side of her and even assists in her dream states when they are needed to find out further information. The subtle dance of romance between them in the book is very intriguing.

As Jane, Caleb, and team pursue these powerful men closer, they uncover a type of religious cult worshiping one of the most well-known betrayers in history.  The mystery surrounding the cult and Jane’s dreams are thrilling and suspenseful. This is definitely a plot you won’t want to miss.  This book is for anyone loving historical fiction, secret society mysteries, paranormal gifts, action and suspense!

To learn about the book, or more on Iris Johansen, go to www.irisjohansen.com where book excerpts are available.