Brandon and I are happy to announce the imminent arrival of our latest novel, After the Cross. And so you know something of the story, two linguists, Mallory Windham and Colton Foster, follow a trail of clues described in an 800-year old letter that claims to reveal the final resting place of Jesus' cross, only to find themselves battling against time, hired mercenaries, and each other. They soon discover, however, that the most important struggle of their lives is not around them, but within, testing their beliefs, their ethics, and their growing love for one another.
Published by Ellechor Publishing, After the Cross is scheduled to be released this March. You can find out more about the book at: http://www.ellechorpublishing.com/
We'll be sure to give you any updates as they become available.
Hey friends! Brandon and Mike are going to be at Spirit West Coast Monterey, the huge Christian music festival. The festival runs from July 1st through 3rd and it's at the Luguna Seca Raceway in beautiful Monterey. They'll have a booth on the main walkway to sell their books, American Midnight and When the Sky Fell. It's going to be a ton of fun :)
Here are some of the bands that will be playing during the festival:
-Newsboys
-Jeremy Camp
-Third Day
-Jars of Clay
-Group One Crew
-Kutless
-Family Force 5
-Barlow Girl
-Hawk Nelson
-Sanctus Real
-O.C. Supertones
And about 30 other bands (Check out the complete list HERE)
If anyone happens to be going, stop by and say HI! :)
Have a wonderful week!
At eighteen, Tania Peters still carries deep scars from her mother’s tragic death, and when she’s betrayed by someone close, pain and confusion threaten to swallow her whole. But underneath all the hurt, she senses the hand of purpose on her life and finds hope in an exciting new political movement.
The Unity Party seems to offer everything —tolerance, compassion, and a plan to unite society. But not everyone sees the movement as good. Tania’s two brothers, Jeremy and Greg, have become bitter enemies over the ideals of the Party, and her father, a church pastor, fears that this promised “unity” is a threat to churches across the country.
Tania doesn’t share her father’s faith and sees no room for a loving God in the world she’s come to know. Instead, she gains strength from her rising celebrity within the Unity Party, finding friendship, acceptance, and even the first traces of romance. But none of these things can save her when her extremist brother plots to bring down the Unity Party in their home town of Midian.
Pitted between the Party’s utopian promises and the Christian friends and families who find themselves on the outside of this new American dream, Tania must choose between her long dormant faith in God and her future with the Party.
...But that one decision could cost her everything—including her life.
What are the reviewers saying...
"From Page One to The End, novelists Brandon Barr and Mike Lynch capture the readers’ attention and holds them spellbound! American Midnight is a gripping, beautifully-written story that will sometimes (literally!) leave you breathless. I’m adding this one to my ‘Keepers’ shelf!"
--Loree Lough, author of 74 award-winning novels, including the recently-released Tales of the Heart and Prevailing Love
"A modern mix of 1984 and The Hiding Place, American Midnight is thought-provoking and chilling, a clarion call for today's culture."
--Chawna Schroeder, Imagination Investigation
“This latest work from Brandon Barr and Mike Lynch fulfills their promise as authors. AMERICAN MIDNIGHT is a big, panoramic novel rich with right questions for our era and with characters we can both cheer for and learn from.”
--Bruce McAllister, author of Dream Baby
''Barr and Lynch are the new dynamic duo of Christian Suspense! What Tim LaHaye and
Jerry Jenkins did for end times writing, Barr and Lynch surpass with American Midnight. AM is a must read ripped out of today's headlines and masterfully blended with prophetic overtones. Each chapter takes us ever deeper into a web of intrigue...complex and artistically written. Bible scholar or not Barr and Lynch provide us with not only a great read but also a story that will provoke you to move beyond what you thought was possible.''
--Lisa Collins, lcollinsauthor.blogspot.com
"Torn from tomorrow's headlines, American Midnight is a fast-paced ride with a touch of romance that is sure to hold you enthralled!"
--Amy Deardon, author of A Lever Long Enough
"A riveting political thriller. Barr and Lynch have crafted a convicting and timely tale that will entrance readers of various genres. Be sure to pick up this page-turner at your earliest opportunity...lest time run out all too soon.
--Melissa Meeks, Bibliophile's Retreat
"With conspiracies on every side, suspense, romance and more, American Midnight is a cautionary tale examining family and what it means to take a stand for God. It handles some difficult questions, but the answers aren't always as neat and pat as we would like."
--Cathi Hassan, Cathi's Chatter
"American Midnight is a non-stop, compelling read. Several times I was running in the wake of the main character’s footsteps, crying with her and cheering her on."
Brandon and I have recently finished writing our next novel, American Midnight, which has a tentative release date of February 2010 from Silver Leaf Books. This is an early review by Melissa Meeks, who was gracious enough to read the book for us.
For those that enjoy a riveting political thriller you just may find a wonderful new novel to ad to your TBR come February. Michael Lynch and Brandon Barr have collaborated on American Midnight and proven themselves to be a dynamic duo based on the manuscript I had the pleasure of being thoroughly buried in this past several days.
Thankfully the only literal burial was when one of the characters in the story experienced flashbacks of events she had witnessed prior to the book’s time frame. Truth and Peace collide in this action / adventure tale with a dash of romance. The Unity Party platform is paving the way for one world religion and an elected government hoping to delude Americans into craving the reign of a Biblical Antichrist for the reputed lack of conflict being promised.
Regardless of their intentions many Christians and the true Church as a body soon see through the smoke-screen and concoct their own variety of projects to eliminate the Party. Will the Believers who’ve been roped into this elaborate fraud see True Light before it’s too late? Can the ones already fingered as enemies of this disquieting masquerade be saved by those still under the radar? Tania along with her friends and family will discover if God is Truth as His word declares or if the human order wrought by this new political entity taking over a once free country will prosper despite their evil intentions.
Loss in many forms has plagued Tania throughout her past and present yet as people continue to inform her along the way, she has been spared not as a horrid joke to see her continue suffering but because the One who spared her despite all the close calls has a purpose for her on this earth. If we walk or even run from ultimate Truth, when God has His hand on us we will find the enemy’s efforts to coerce us towards “escape” foiled in order for that purpose to be realized.
Barr and Lynch have crafted a convicting and timely tale that will entrance readers of various genres with a dose of Truth not overtly presented even by contemporary churches in many instances. Be sure to pick up a copy of this page-turner at your earliest opportunity and don’t – I repeat don’t bury it in the TBR lest time run out all too soon.
If you are interested in reading other reviews and/or blogs written by Melissa Meeks, you can find them at:
Also, if anyone looking for editing help with their manuscripts, Melissa would be happy to talk to you about it. Her e-mail address is: melissa.meeks@organizingdetails.com
For those looking book reviews or blog tour posts, Melissa would also be happy to talk to you about that. For those services you can reach her at: inquiries@bibliophilesretreat.com. Although she can't promise to accept every request she receives she does welcome all inquiries.
Sci-fi author Mike Lynch publishes first novel and meets his readers
by Ramon Giwargis, Almaden Valley Times
What would we do if 1,000 alien ships headed toward earth to attack us? How would we react? Would we stop them? These are the questions swirling in the mind of sci-fi author Mike Lynch.
"Ever since I was a kid, I loved science fiction - movies, TV shows," Lynch said. "It's something I know a lot about and have an interest in."
With an unwavering interest in science fiction and a creative mind, Lynch went to work writing his first now, titled "When the Sky Fell." After many months of perseverance and rejection letters, he finally heard the news that would change his life. "When I got the e-mail from the editor that they wanted to green-light my manuscript, I wouldn't believe it," Lynch said. "My wife came in an asked what was wrong. She read the e-mail and started crying."
Lynch found out that the publishing house had approved his manuscript for print. The process of getting the "green light" from a publisher takes many years, in addition to talent and luck. Ninety-nine percent of aspiring authors do not get published.
To help share his story and present readers with "When the Sky Fell," Lynch spent three hours of his Saturday at the Almaden branch Barnes and Noble bookstore. Giving one-to-one attention to each individual, Lynch spent hours speaking to his loyal fans while introducing news readers to the plot of his book. Lynch still had time to sign books and offer publishing advice to aspiring writers.
Long-time friend and fellow sci-fi fan Craig Sanborn came to Barnes and Noble to encourage and cheer on Lynch. "I just really wanted to support him," Sanborn said. "It's so incredible and awesome that he's following his passion and dream. The fact that Mike enjoys some of those old sci-fi TV shows is really great. I like the way he writes and what he puts in there."
Most sci-fi fans appreciate the out-of-this-world ideas and scenarios cooked up by Lynch's imagination.
"I like the salvation thread," said Tina Swanson, who highly recommends "When the Sky Fell." "I find it very detailed and it really does create some graphic images. It's an excellent book. I'm enjoying it. It's a good story and I support him 100 percent."
Barnes and Noble story manager Ali Dangidang welcomes local authors like Lynch to her store and considers it a win-win situation. "We love having authors come in," Dangidang said. "It's a great experience for the community. I hope he sells out. I tend to put authors where there is a lot of traffic to socialize with folks. People come in and want to see what's going on. It creates a community connection."
For Lynch, a history major from San Jose State University and father of two, following his heart and childhood interest led him to triumph. He credits his current success to the fact that he believe in the material he was writing. "You have to believe in the story and not give up," Lynch said, offering the following advice to young writers: "Perseverance. That's what it takes. You have to keep trying, trying, trying."
While Lynch looks forward to his future and writing the sequel to "When the Sky Fell," he always remembers the milestones leading up to his first publication. Most people do not realize that steps needed to publish a book, and Lynch enjoys offering his assistance and advice. "One of the things that's good to have is an objective pair of eyes read your manuscript," Lynch explained. "Someone who knows writing, but not a family member; you need to hear where it needs work."
The business is filled with rejection letters, so Lynch mentions that developing a thick skin helps too. But after years of perseverance and never losing sight of his goal, Lynch has become a successful published author. With his hard work and determination, he proves to others that anything is possible.
Brandon and I are happy to announce the imminent arrival of our latest novel, After the Cross. And so you know something of the story, two linguists, Mallory Windham and Colton Foster, follow a trail of clues described in an 800-year old letter that claims to reveal the final resting place of Jesus' cross, only to find themselves battling against time, hired mercenaries, and each other. They soon discover, however, that the most important struggle of their lives is not around them, but within, testing their beliefs, their ethics, and their growing love for one another.
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