Asking You Anything
Reversing the AMA.
I’ve had some interesting experiences over the years regarding my books. I’ve gotten a few threats, because who hasn’t? (No, seriously, if you’re in the public eye, I just assume death threats come with the territory. I’m still confused about one or two of them. Okay, I get that you hate me, but why?)
However, I’ve gotten more than a few letters that tell me that my books have brought them A) Back to the Church, or B) converted to Christ.
I’ve had at least two direct messages telling me that “I’ve read your books, and now I’m bringing my entire family back to church”
I’ve had at least another two people tell me I was instrumental in bringing them into the church. One became Catholic, one became Orthodox—make sense of that, if you can.
I’ve puzzled over this for the past few years now. And, like that one panel at LibertyCon where I just passed out because I was coming down with shingles, it has occurred to me that I could just … ask.
I have social media and I’m not afraid to use it.
So, I guess my question is: if you’ve been affected by my writing in some way, tell me how.
Better yet, tell me why.
Because you have to understand that my confusion stems from my perception of my books.
I write shoot ‘em ups—perhaps blow ‘em ups. They’re fun, fast, exciting reads.
Or, as Father Dwight Longenecker called them: Shlock.
So when people say that my vampire novels brought them back to church, or that my Saint Tommy novels made them convert … I smile and nod and say thank you, and spend hours afterwards scratching my head.
Because why? How?
Again, feel free to ask me anything in the comments. If you get an email, you can ping me through the comment button at the top.
And please, feel free to buy a book, or leave a book review. Either would be greatly appreciated.
True Story...
There once was a guy named Jimbo. He read a series called St Tommy NYPD. In that series, the aforementioned saint has a home for wayward girls who once made their money by providing sexual favors. Jimbo respected that.
Jimbo, however, doesn't have the funding to build a home like that. But he does have a love of God. And, while he doesn't always make sense to people (and brother, if you've never described a fictitious Catholic saint as "The kind of Christian I've always wanted to be" in a Protestant church you can't truly appreciate the looks I... err... Jimbo got when "he" did it.) he does see himself as having some type of an obligation to do God's work. That makes sense to lots of people. Jimbo sees them doing it all the time.
And so, inspired in part by one Thomas Nolan, Jimbo has been making inquiries in beginning a prison ministry through his own church. He'd like to think that St. Tommy would approve. Tommy himself seemed to understand that it was important to minister to ALL of God's children and not just those who followed society's rules and Tommy was a cop.
Now, Jimbo told God he'd do it. He never told God he KNEW HOW to do it and there's probably going to be a process before he can get started. But, once he gets there, he'll serve with the love of his Lord, and the inspiration provided by one Catholic saint who never actually existed.
"But we hold this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassing power may be of God and not from us."