Deserts of White

Coming in March: Finding Faith

2012-02-11T09:01:00.000-07:00

March 29, 2012

I'm wrapping up the edits on my latest novel, Finding Faith, which will be released on Friday, March 29. For those who are interested in a sneak peek of the first chapter, it's available at the end of the Kindle edition of Soul Runner: A Novel of High Adventure. So... if you have a Kindle and want to read it, click the link above to get Soul Runner: A Novel of High Adventure. Which, by the way, is still doing marvelous and selling about 9 copies a day, on average!

The release of Finding Faith kept being put back due to a parade of personal tragedies. First, my sister died at the age of 53 of congestive heart failure following a "routine" surgery. Then my mother suffered two debilitating strokes and an aneurysm (resolved by surgery) that put her in a rehab hospital last July. I'm happy to report she will finally be able to go home on Feb. 28 so my thanks to all of my friends and family who were aware of the situation and your prayers. I was back on course with the book this year when my brother, age 52, suffered a sudden pulmonary emergency due to complications from chemotherapy. He died early on the morning of January 2. As one friend put it to me a couple of weeks ago over lunch, "Your family's really taken it on the chin the past couple years." Yeah.

So to finally be releasing this book is both bittersweet and a blessing. But I'm sure you'll enjoy the story. Without giving too much away, the book follows former Nashville cop turned PI Rachel Sloane, hired by a Baptist church in Indianapolis to find their missing pastor, Joe Faith. Now some people have asked me, "Do you really want to name this pastor Joe Faith? Really?!" After some thought I decided I did. I like to have fun in my books; I like my readers to have fun. Life's too short to take everything so seriously. And while this book deals with the most serious topic I can think of, the Gospel of Jesus Christ and salvation, it's also the most joyous topic.

I will make the first chapter available for download on this blog in mid-March, a couple of weeks before the book's release. So be sure to check back.

Heather Wilson for U.S. Senate

2012-02-05T08:53:00.001-07:00

While I don’t typically discuss local politics on my blog, I felt it was important to make an exception in this case. The reason is because the decisions we all make in our state elections to Congress this year will have a tremendous impact on the United States. It won’t determine the fate of our country—only God has that power—but it will impact how our future leaders govern. In all the history of our country, I can’t recall a more important election (save for perhaps the ones that installed our Congress and elected Abraham Lincoln).

Never have I witnessed a greater infringement on the rights of the American people than today. So much, I think, it would shame America’s founders if they could see it. Every day I learn of or see ways in which the federal government interferes in our daily lives. From the EPA to the IRS, they regulate our work and our pay. They try to tell us what kinds of cars to drive and what types of toilets to have installed in our homes (you know, the “low-water flush” type that you then end up having to flush twice because they just don’t work first time around). Most importantly, they’ve ripped God out of our courts, our schools, our ballots, (attempted to rip him off our money), and in some cases they’ve even tried to remove him from our churches. And they continue to succeed! If you’re in any doubt go read the history of cases tried by the ACLU. Better than 80% of them rail against Christianity.

That’s why I’m urging my fellow Americans, specifically those legal residents of the State of New Mexico, to vote for Heather Wilson. Heather has served in the political arena for more than a decade. She is a veteran, former business owner, wife and mother. I’ll save the rest of it for Heather’s site, so she can tell you about herself in her own words. But let me just add, Heather’s the real deal. I’ve never met her personally (although I do hope I win her Green Chili Cheeseburger Lunch contest so I can), and yet I know she’s the right candidate. As a member of state legislature she has always represented the people of New Mexico with ethics and in the finest traditions of public service.

You see, that’s what it’s really about. Too many of our politicians today don’t understand that they are servants. Jesus demonstrated how humble service was the greatest mark of a leader by washing the feet of every one of his disciples. And what many of our elected officials seem to have forgotten is that authority and power is instantiated by God—He is the ultimate giver of government and rule. And those who do not conduct their authority with a pure heart and by moral standards will answer for it. You can bet on that.

I feel the only way we can wrest back control of our rights before ALL of them are gone is to elect strong representatives who will go to Washington and straighten out that mess. Even if you’re not from New Mexico, you live in some state and you should pray and choose very carefully your representatives this election. America is a Christian nation. May God grant we never forget that.

Book Sales Explode on Kindle

2012-01-29T17:39:00.000-07:00

It hardly seems possible but effective this week, downloads of Soul Runner: A Novel of High Adventure and Chaser have literally exploded. Since I entered Amazon.com's KDP Select program, nearly 1100 copies of Chaser have been downloaded and more than five times that many of Soul Runner: A Novel of High Adventure! Here's the latest numbers:

#	Title	ASIN	Units Sold
1	Chaser: The Adventures of Chad Remington	B003FSTLXQ	1089
2	Soul Runner: A Novel of High Adventure	B002NPBT32	5506

I'm just in shock right now! But what excites me most is that many more people are being exposed to the Gospel of Jesus Christ than ever. This makes it all worth it, in my humble opinion. Are the sales figures nice? You bet! But I'm even more intrigued by the notion that people will be exposed to the story of God and what He can do (and is doing) in people's lives. This also provides a platform for me to write more faith-based fiction and non-fiction.

So it's with tremendous joy that I pass on this most recent news about my books and thank every one of you readers for your support. This is truly an outpouring of blessing from God and I hope that my words will inspire and encourage those of you who are struggling in these very tumultuous times. God bless and I'll keep you apprised of new developments.

First of New Changes

2012-01-22T10:03:00.002-07:00

Greetings! After taking some time off to grieve the loss of my brother, Mike, I'm getting back into the swing of things. Some may recall my post about changes for 2012.

Change #1: The first of these has been implemented following a recent discussion with another writer and close friend. We discussed the new Kindle Digital Select Program, and she talked about what great success she's had with making her books exclusive through the program for a time. Intrigued by her success, I decided to give it a whirl (although I'm cautiously optimistic since I believe agreeing to exclusivity can be a perilous path for the writer). But then I realized that making it exclusive for 90 days through Kindle isn't really any different then if I granted first publishing rights to one publisher.

What this means: It means that I've dropped Smashwords as my distributor. I wasn't making anything through them anyway. I am in negotiations with Kobo Books now to sell directly to them, so my e-books will still be available after a 90-day exclusive run with KDP Select (as long as the program's in play). After that, I'll pull my books from the Select program and publish them through Kobo Books in .EPUB format. They will still be available for sale through Kindle, they just won't be free. Trade paperbacks will continue to be available from Amazon.com, the CreateSpace publisher's store, online retailers, and by special order through traditional book retailers or libraries.

Change #2: My website has received a face-lift.

What this means: The links to Smashwords have been removed (of course) and links to Kindle put in their place. After the books run 90 days on the program, I'll add the Kobo Books links (once we've reached an agreement, of course). Content for my upcoming books in the Binary Guerrilla™ series will be initially available through Kindle. The videos/book excerpts will be delivered by the online course delivery system I'm building through Learnable.com. The first course will cost only $19.95! I'll also be making peripheral material available for sale directly through my web site once I've finished building my e-Store.

One last thing I'd like to quickly discuss is why I've made some of the changes I have. The truth is my writing has to make money; this is how I help supplement my full-time income to support my family, a commandment that comes directly from God, by the way. If I don't make money on my writing then I can no longer write and have to go find a part-time job. Could you see me being a door greeter at Walmart? Yet it's my responsibility to make sure they are fed, clothed and sheltered. Unfortunately, there are many men in the world today who don't do this and quite frankly they have no right to call themselves men. Yeah, that's my opinion but I base it on Biblical principles. The point is I will do everything I can to keep my work as inexpensive as possible but I must take advantage of any programs I can that will help me generate income. That's just reality and I won't pretend otherwise because to do so would be disingenuous.

I'll get back soon on more developments as they materialize.

Remembering Michael Guenther (1959-2012)

2012-01-11T20:17:00.001-07:00

I was in the shower when my wife came into the bathroom, handed me the phone and said, “It’s your dad. You need to take this call.” Nude and soaking wet, I wiped my face with the towel, put the phone to my ear and braced myself for the news. I had half expected to hear of the loss of my mom who has been fighting a long battle to recover from two strokes and surgery last July. I was hardly prepared to hear my dad’s next words: “Jon, Michael died this morning.” I was completely blown away, never daring to think for a moment something like this could happen after already having lost two sisters (2008 and 2010, respectively) in addition to many other tragedies that have befallen my family these past few years.

My brother, Michael A. Guenther, departed this world to be with our Lord on January 2, 2012. He was only 52 years old. Mike was one of those guys who had something to say about everything, and a large majority of the time it was just plain funny. While he and I didn’t see eye to eye about everything, I can report that Mike was one of the most generous and giving guys I’ve ever known. Mike had a talent, a talent for accepting people for who they were and in whatever life circumstances they found themselves. He was no pushover, mind you, but he was a fine man, devoted husband and loving father. And he was one of the best brothers a guy could ask for.

One of the many things about Mike people don’t know is that he led a fellow veteran to Christ while serving in the Air Force. Today, that individual pastors a large church and has traveled all over the world, winning thousands to Christ. If I went on about all of the things I knew about Mike it could fill a book. Unfortunately, I have neither the stamina nor the room for that here. What I can say about his death is that our tomorrow isn’t guaranteed, and that circumstances such as these should remind us that the calling of our souls to the salvation of Jesus Christ through the grace and mercy of God the Father is an urgent one.

Whether you believe in God and the Gospel is not for me to judge. But what I can tell you is that I know my brother’s death committed him to eternal life. One day I expect to see him again in Heaven. I pray his life and death will serve as a reminder that our time is short here on Earth. As Hebrews 9:27-28 reminds us: ²⁷And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment; ²⁸So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

So it is this that I remember most about my brother: that he has now entered his eternal rest with our Lord Jesus Christ. And that for all mankind, now is the accepted day of salvation!

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

2011-12-26T21:20:00.001-07:00

It surprised me to see the somewhat negative reactions to the new Sherlock Holmes movie, which I went to see today with my wife and some friends. We all enjoyed it! When I went to see the first movie I can remember doing so with some reticence. Would the writers treat the Holmes legacy in a sacrosanct fashion? Would they tell a good story and would the script add to the Sherlock Holmes legend? Could Robert Downey, Jr. pull it off after taking roles in the Ironman franchise or would he flop? Most of all, would Hollywood do this justice or ruin it like they so many other great literary giants?

For those who are familiar with the “real” Sherlock Holmes (those stories that came from the pen of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle), it may come as some surprise to note that I thought the entire cast and crew did a fantastic job with the first movie. And after having seen the sequel today, I can say I am no less happy with their treatment of this franchise. Frankly, the edgy and somewhat ingenious Sherlock Holmes whose ways border on eccentric lunacy, paint a picture of the somewhat unstable and idiosyncratic Holmes of literary legend. What’s more, Hollywood managed not to ruin this one by introducing a bit of “steampunk” to the films, something that has enhanced the flight of Victorian-era fancy that dominates the film from the opening shots.

Sherlock Holmes is not the prim and proper detective as portrayed in so many early film attempts. While I most certainly enjoyed the verve of actors like Basil Rathbone and Ronald Howard (and in fact have all of those movies and 39 episodes of the television show, respectively), I can say with a certainty that the careful and astute reader of Sherlock Holmes knows the character to be much different than in those portrayals. The Holmes interpretation by Robert Downey, Jr. and Guy Ritchie undoubtedly captures Sherlock Holmes much more in the way I’ve always envisioned him.

Frankly, while the movie is excellent I still conclude it is no substitute for reading every one of the four novels and 56 stories surrounding a character who is, in my humble opinion, the greatest fictional detective ever invented. There is no substitute for the literature, and if you’ve seen the movie but never read any of Doyle’s written works on Sherlock Holmes you’re doing yourself an injustice. In the end I would have to say I recommend both the films and the stories. Long live Sherlock Holmes. “And now let us depart, Watson,” cried he. “The game is afoot!”

Changes for 2012

2011-12-18T16:00:00.000-07:00

Today I finished editing the latest Stony Man manuscript, putting to bed my thirty-third novel for the Gold Eagle imprint. As I look back on my career, I have to admit that it’s been fun and challenging. I’ve learned a lot writing these books and I have a strong, nostalgic connection to the characters I’ve read about since eighth grade and writing about since 1998.

The fact is, however, that I would like to put my focus into other efforts—particularly my books—so I’m pulling back from the series and will reduce my output for Gold Eagle to a maximum of one book per year. While I still fully plan to release two new Christian books in 2012, Finding Faithe and Future Dim, I also intend to turn to writing technical books on web programming. I already have a new publisher who has expressed interest in my work in this area, and if we can come to an agreeable contract, I’ll release the book through them in April of next year.

What does all of this mean? I guess for many of my readers it means there won’t be too much in the action-adventure genre coming from me in the near future. I’m not ready to leave the Gold Eagle program entirely but there are projects, fiction and non-fiction, that I’ve put off far too long and if I don’t get them started now I may never get another opportunity. I don’t know what the publishing schedule will be for my books currently in inventory with Gold Eagle but as I learn of the dates of each release I will announce them here.

None of this is meant to imply I’m leaving writing. I’m just ready to apply myself to more worthwhile efforts, get a chance to step back and sort of “re-brand” my writing. Not to worry, though. I will continue to blog at Ctrl+Alt+Pub and you will definitely see increased output at Binary Guerrilla—especially since this is the launching site for Guerilla ASP.NET in C#, the first book I have planned on web programming. So I look forward to 2012 and I hope you, my readers, will look forward to it as well.

Pulp Action-Adventure or Classic Lit

2011-12-12T23:32:00.002-07:00

There are days when I just get a kick out of some of my readers. While doing a vanity check via Google I happened across these reviews for two of my books in The Executioner series. Reviews, positive or negative, don't really bother me that much since they really amount to little more than someone's opinion. I don't get all bent if a restaurant critic doesn't like the same food I do, so why puff up when someone doesn't particularly like my stories? It's okay. Really.

What sort of bugged me about these two reviews, however, was that Mr. Hawken's treating these books like they should be literary classics. Really? Come on! It's Mack Bolan. It's pulp fiction (the Cadillac of action-adventure, to be sure). but after more than 700 books published in a series that has now had more than two dozen authors contribute to it, I'm pretty sure nobody's looking for The Count of Monte Cristo here.

So for those who may be less familiar with my work in these series, let me give you a little perspective. At the peak of his career, Don Pendleton was writing four of these novels a year and it took a toll on his health toward the end. This was one of the reasons Don franchised the characters to Harlequin back in 1979. Now fast forward to my first book for the series, which I wrote in the fall of 1998; it was published in 2000. Since then I've written 32 books for Gold Eagle and I'm presently wrapping up #33. So if we divide 33 books by 13 years that gives us about 2.5 books a year (and most of those are the thick ones, an average of 85,000 words each).

I get four months to write a Mack Bolan or Stony Man book, 3 months The Executioner. I do my best to research and to be as accurate as possible, but my paramount consideration is to ENTERTAIN (add exclamation points, ad infinitum). And from the feedback I've received by most, I've done a pretty good job. What I don't try to do is create the next great American novel with these works. That's not in the spirit of Mack Bolan character or in the vision Don had of him. Understand that this series began as a study of the metaphysics of the violence and, right or wrong, it should continue in that vein.

Are they sometimes outrageous and unbelievable? Heck yeah, that's the fun of it! Who goes, for example, to see a James Bond movie because it's "edgy and realistic?" Puh-leease, folks! If you don't like my books and want to chew them up in reviews, no problem. But don't take the fun out of it by going after shallow research or graphic violence or lack of a serious undertone. That just chaffs me like starched underwear.

Another glowing review for Soul Runner

2011-12-10T22:48:00.001-07:00

I was pleasantly surprised to receive a very nice review for Soul Runner: A Novel of High Adventure from a local author I don’t even know here in New Mexico. He had some very nice things to say about the book, and I was pleased to hear he enjoyed an adventure book that didn’t contain any cursing or sex. And for the most part, I don’t feel the violence in the book is “gratuitous” since I feel it’s within the context of storytelling. I have taken the occasional criticism for the torture scene in the book but I was extra careful not to go too far with that scene and I stand by it on its own merits.

To date, I believe Soul Runner: A Novel of High Adventure is still the best novel I’ve ever written (although Finding Faithe is really shaping into a great book)! I’m looking forward to revisiting the characters and telling the continuing story of Bram Aronsfeld and Ileana Tarus. In the meantime, if you’ve read the book and enjoyed it please tell others like Reynold J. Conger has done in this wonderful review, or simply post your own thoughts here or on Amazon.com. I appreciate the support of all of my readers and will strive to continue bringing you quality, entertaining Christian fiction.

My New Blog

2011-12-10T18:25:00.000-07:00

A friend suggested not that far back that I consider creating a way to subscribe to my blog via email. I'd not really thought about that until he explained how it was much easier to get email updates through a blogging system. I figured this was better than having to take the time to program something. Made sense and I while I like to program my time is precious (what little of it I have); rather divvy that up between family and writing.

In trolling Blogger I discovered that this address had become available again (don't know who had it before me) so I snatched it up. This should now make things much easier on me, and give my readers and other interested persons a way to subscribe to my blog and receive updates automatically. Thanks, Erick, for the good suggestion!

Here's a quick rundown for the next six months:

Chaser's Return will be available in all formats on December 19
My latest book in the Stony Man series, Armed Resistance, will be out February 2012
Finding Faithe will be available in March 2012

If you're interested in technology, particularly programming in ASP.NET and C#, then you'll want to check out my blog Binary Guerrilla.

Finally, I've begun the preliminary work on my first full-length science fiction novel, Future Dim. I'll be posting an excerpt soon so check back then.