Dan Walsh's Blog, page 34

The Foundation of True Peace

This is the 3rd post to a new feature in my blog - "Perfect Peace - Hope for the Fretting Soul." Planning to make this at least a weekly update. I've been quite busy this past week, finishing up the final edits on my first novel co-authored with Gary Smalley and developing the storyline for Book 2. I'll try to post a more fuller update sometime this week. If you're curious, feel free to "Like" my author page on Facebook (usually post to that once a day). You can get there by clicking here.

But enough on that, let's talk about the foundation of True Peace, or...what is necessary to experience real peace in our souls at the most basic level. And why the overwhelming majority of people never experience it.

At the Last Supper, Jesus said many profound things to His disciples; some of them were troubling to hear. At one point to comfort their hearts, He told them this: "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you." (John 14:27, NKJV). Peace is a wonderful thing, especially in times of trouble.

Everyone wants peace in their personal life and the world to be at peace, right?

Well, not everybody. It can't be everybody or we'd have it already, wouldn't we? I grew up in the sixties, during the height of the Vietnam War. I vividly remember the "peace protests" on the news. Thousands of protestors fighting with hundreds of policemen in riot gear, holding up signs that cried out for peace. Think of the irony: thousands of people screaming, swearing, punching, throwing rocks, breaking windows, being injured and causing injuries to others in an effort to bring about world peace. Some "peace protestors" actually set off bombs and killed people.

True peace is an elusive thing.

I read an article by a military general who'd said in the seven-thousand years of recorded history, man has only known peace on earth 5% of the time. Isn't that amazing…and sad? I think I believe that statistic. Just looking back at the last one hundred years, it certainly seems true. All the men who fought and survived World War I are dead now but, at the time, it was so horrible and so devastating and conducted on such a massive scale, when it was over it was dubbed "the war to end all wars."

People at the time were certain man had finally learned his lesson, that whatever our differences may be, war was not the answer. And yet, just twenty-one years later World War II began, plunging the world into an even larger conflict on an even grander scale, killing over five times as many people.

Why? How could such a thing be possible?

Five years later, came the Korean War. Then in the sixties and early seventies, the Vietnam War. Besides these conflicts, there was the ever-present threat of nuclear annihilation between the United States and the Soviet Union. Then, just as that threat seemed to dissipate when the Soviet Union fell apart, Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait and the Gulf War began. Less than a decade later, 9-11 occurred and a new war on terror began; our soldiers were off fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq.

These are just the conflicts that have involved the United States. Dozens of other wars between other nations occurred during this time.

I mean…can't we all just…get along? Apparently not.

Like I said, true peace is an elusive thing. In the world, and in our hearts. If you ask me, only one thing is required for wars to keep happening and relational conflicts between people to keep occurring, from now until the end of the age. Do you know what that one thing is?

People being born.

That's it. Here's the equation: Keep having babies = No peace on earth.

Everyone knows those cuddly, cute, almost angelic little beings we take home from the hospital will turn on their parents and start demanding their own way, even before their first birthday. It happens without exception. Doesn't matter if they're a boy or girl, born here or in any other country or culture around the world. Children will rebel against anyone who tries to tell them what to do, even when those leading them have the best interest of the child at heart.

Why is this?

Have you ever wondered why we never have to teach or train children how to be bad or misbehave? Every single one of them knows how to do this instinctively. There are no exceptions to this rule. It's as certain as any universal law of science. Children will be selfish and seek to do as they please. They will argue and fight with each other, and with those who try to guide them.

Again…why is this so? Especially if it's true that man is born basically good. Where is the evidence for this…basic goodness? I see no trace of it. All we see, and all we've ever seen since mankind appeared on the earth, is conflict between people. In marriages and families, at school and work, in neighborhoods and cities, and between nations. Why?

The Bible tells us plainly. We are all born in a condition it refers to as "sin." What is the essence of sin? It is man going his own way, doing his own thing (or at least seeking to), while living with other men and women seeking the very same thing. And all this without any interest or desire in seeking to please the will of Him who made us. In Isaiah 53:6, it says: "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way."

This is why we have no peace, not in the world or within our hearts; nor can we ever have true peace on our own. Because the foundation of true peace is missing. True peace can only come to us, is only possible for us, when we enter into peace with God. The very next line in Isaiah 53 says: "And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity (sin) of us all."

The prophet is referring to Jesus Christ, what He did on the cross. Jesus came to earth, sent by His Father, free from the contamination of sin. He lived His entire life obeying all of God's commands and resisting every temptation, so that He might become a perfect sacrifice for our sin. Having lived this way, He then offered Himself on the cross in our place, so that the wrath we deserve for all our sins―all of our selfishness and disobedience, all the times we did our own thing instead of obeying God―could be poured out on Jesus instead of us.

This, my friends, is true love. The love of God at work in the most profound way possible. Jesus died for our sins and obtained for us a full and complete pardon from God. That is, if we put our faith in Him and what He's done for us on the cross.

Receiving Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior is the foundation of true peace. We can never expect to have peace in our hearts, or with others, until we first experience peace with God.

We'll look at where True Peace is found next time.

Perfect Peace - Intro Thoughts

This is now the second post to this new feature on my blog, which I'm calling "Perfect Peace - Reflections for the Fretting Soul." If this were a book, what follows might be called the Introduction. As I mentioned last time, I'll give each of these posts the same label, so that it will be easy for someone who wants to read all of them and only them (and not all the other things I include in my blog from time to time).

I suppose it's fair to say this blog is not for everyone (at least this section about God's Peace). The Scripture that inspired the title for this is found in Isaiah 23:6:



"You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on you. Because he trusts you."

If I had come to a blog like this at certain points in my life―whole seasons of life, in fact―it wouldn't have done me a bit of good.But at other times it would have been like a man stranded in the desert sun finding an oasis of palms and spring water. Like the time right after my best friend died suddenly, leaving behind a grieving widow and five children. Or the time when I lost my job unexpectedly and had no idea how we'd survive financially. Or like that difficult year when one of our children lost their way and was seriously thinking of jumping headlong into a destructive lifestyle.

This blog would have helped me then. Oh, it most certainly would have helped me then. For it was during these crucibles of life I learned its lessons. I suspect it might help you, because…well, you're still reading it, even after I told you what it will be about and suggested it might not benefit you.

Perhaps you are aware of a lack of peace in your soul. In certain ways your mind is not at rest. There may be things that trouble you, unsettle you. Just thinking about them can rob you of joy. Unanswered questions. Unanswered prayers or prayers that were answered, but it seemed like the wrong answer. You don't know why God did what He did or allowed it to happen.

You try not to think about these things, try all sorts of things to blot them out. But they keep popping back up. When you do something to alleviate the stress they cause, it doesn't last very long. The fretting thoughts are right there to greet you when you're done. Why is that? And why is what I just described the common experience for so many people?

I think it's because, deep inside, we know these things that unsettle us are real. They aren't figments of our imagination. Life really is hard and full of uncertainty. The longer we live, the more obvious this becomes. We don't feel in control, because…we're not.

Too many things have happened. Too many unwanted surprises. Things we worked hard for did not happen; other things we never wanted to happen happened instead. Not just once or on rare occasions. But a lot of times, more times than we can count. And each time life ambushes us this way, we become more aware of how little control we have.

And so we worry…and fret. Then worry and fret some more. About the things going on in our lives now. Or the things that may come after that. Even when things are going well, we worry about what might happen to bring these nice days to an end. I have been a Christian since my senior year in high school. I was a fulltime pastor for twenty-five years. I know―both from the Scriptures and from a thousand life experiences―that God is faithful. He doesn't lie. His promises are true.

And yet, I am still prone to fret.

Catch me in an unguarded moment. Ask me what I'm thinking (like my wife does so often), there's a 50/50 chance I am worrying―or at least on a path to worrying―about something. I don't do it on purpose. And it's not always about big, scary things like I mentioned at the beginning. I'm talking about a more subtle form of anxiety that runs beneath the surface, like a low-grade fever.

Robbing me of joy. And hope. And peace.

But through years of living with these trials and uncertainties, I've learned something; it's almost like a secret. It's been right there in the Bible all along, but for so long I missed it. I see so many other believers in this hectic, hurried age who seem to be missing it also. I'm talking about a way to experience Perfect Peace consistently and, in those times when our mind wanders, how to find our way back quickly. It's a kind of peace the world cannot give and cannot take away. It costs nothing. It is always available to every Christian, at every moment of the day.

That's what this section of my blog will be about. Learning this secret. Not just in our heads, but in our hearts.

I could simply tell you the secret I've learned to Perfect Peace and be done with it. Off you go. Perfect Peace is now yours. But it wouldn't be yours. You would just know that it's possible. That it's something available to you, if you are in Christ. Having this information is not the same as living in the good of it, day after day, week after week.

So week after week, we're going to look intently at this truth of God, this promise God holds out to us. A promise of Perfect Peace.The goal will be to apprehend it, to own it, to develop a new habit that helps us keep our minds "stayed on Him."

Please understand, I'm no expert on this. As I've said, I've learned these things out of necessity. The Lord has brought me through a number of difficult and challenging experiences that forced me to depend on Him completely, often for months at a time, just to make it through each day with my sanity intact. In fact, I should prepare you…much of what you will read will not give you a fond impression of me. It will seem I am, for the most part, making frank admissions of serious weaknesses and failures.

That will be on purpose.

The apostle Paul learned about the value of knowing his limitations and wrote about it to the Corinthians. After going through a particularly difficult trial, one where he pleaded three times with God to deliver him, Paul wrote this:

But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:9-10)

Paul learned what it meant to be content with weakness. He learned how to keep his mind stayed on the Lord, no matter what the circumstances.

He learned the secret of Perfect Peace.

My hope is that, through our time together, you will learn it, too. Jesus died on the cross, not just so that you and I might have the peace with God that saves us from wrath and judgment, but that in this life we might enjoy―even in the midst of severe trials―a "peace that surpasses understanding" (Phil 4:6-7).

He promises us a Perfect Peace.

Perfect Peace - A New Blog Feature

I've decided to add something new to my blog posts, which have traditionally been more about updates and things going on in the book world or my writing life as an inspirational fiction author. From time to time (hopefully at least once a week), I'm going to start sharing another layer of who I am as a writer.

For years, I've been keeping a journal of things God has been speaking about in my quiet times. Some of you might be aware I was a fulltime pastor for 25 years before becoming a fiction author. I've shared some of these journal writings with people who've asked from time to time, and they said they've found them very helpful. I suppose that's because I'm just like everyone else, and my problems and challenges are the same faced by thousands of Christians every day.

I'll label these all the same in this blog, so they'll be easy to find as time goes by. Look for the label, "Perfect Peace - Reflections for the Fretting Soul." The title is a clue. There will be a theme, mainly because the things I'll write about are things God has used to help this Fretting Soul learn how to trust Him more and live free from the tendency to worry and fret about everything.

I don't think I'm a pessimist. That's not why I'm prone to worry. I worry because life is hard, and things I don't want to happen seem to happen a lot. Even when things are going my way, I'll worry they won't keep going my way. Why? Because that's what happens. They don't keep going my way. Something happens. Something always happens.

The Bible is full of promises. And this is one of them. This life will be filled with trouble (I'm paraphrasing here, but a dozen verses that say this just popped into my head). We can no more dodge problems and trials in this life than we can dodge raindrops running through a parking lot. Trouble-free living is not what the Christian life offers. As a matter of fact, at the Last Supper, one of the last things Jesus promised His disciples was, "In this world you will have tribulation." (John 16:23).

But that's not all He said. He followed that with, "But be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world." While the Bible promises a life filled with trouble, we're also promised a life filled with joy and peace. How is that possible?

It's not.

Not on our own, that is. By ourselves, we'll just drift into worrying and fretting about everything. That will lead us into even more trouble. We'll do things that make our situation worse, and make us feel worse about our situation. The secret to experiencing that promised joy and peace doesn't come because we prayed a prayer and became Christians.

Here's one of my favorite verses that reveals the narrow path to experiencing true peace in this life. A Perfect Peace.

"You will keep Him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on you. Because he trusts you." (Isa. 26:3)

That's what we'll be talking about. How to do that. How to keep our minds "stayed on Him." That's what I've been learning how to do, and it's made an amazing difference in my life. So come on back if you're like me (or know of friends who are), prone to worry and fret, but yearning to finally live free of it.

Jesus wants to give us a peace the world cannot give, and cannot take away.

A Getaway to Charleston & Savannah - Sites in The Discovery

Cindi by famous B&B - Two Meeting St InnJust put the finishing touches on a little getaway Cindi and I will be taking soon to two locations featured in my upcoming novel, The Discovery. We're celebrating a little on this trip, since I've just finished my new book with Gary Smalley called, The Dance (due out this time next year). But the real purpose of the trip is to promote my next book and get some fun pics of locations I actually write about in the novel.

I plan to create a special page of photos in Facebook and on my website, taking readers to these places in Charleston and Savannah, as well as adding a number of photos of historic spots in Daytona Beach (a large part of the "book within a book" in The Discovery take place in Daytona during WW2).

Fancy 18th Century backyard Charleston GardenI'm also hoping to connect with a number of bookstores and souvenir vendors in Charleston, making them aware of how The Discovery features this wonderfully historic town (which gets over 4 million tourists a year). Many of them feature books about Charleston in little displays inside the store.

If you've never visited Charleston, check into it. Cindi and I went there on our 10th anniversary (now 25 years ago), and fell in love with the place. We've probably visited it easily 20 times since. Never get tired of it.

Februrary Updates - The Discovery Weeks Away

I haven't updated my blog in over a month. So let's start with a quick health update (since my "stabbing" on Jan 10th). The surgery proved to be a great success. All the concerns the doctors hoped to address are dramatically improved. I've had one significant side effect. Insomnia. I guess after 4 days in the hospital where they wake you up every 2 hours, then 2 weeks sleeping at home on my back (which I never do), my sleep patterns got all out of whack.

I now believe sleeping well is one of God's great underrated gifts.

After over a month of being up most of the night, then finally falling asleep at 7am from sheer exhaustion, and trying one remedy after another, I've just now begun to sleep through the night (compliments of 2 Benadryl). Hopefully, after my clock gets reset, I'll wean off this and be back to normal.

So on to better things...

The Discovery Only 4 Weeks Away!

Things are ramping up for the release of my next book, The Discovery. I really enjoyed writing this book, and it's been great to see how it's being received. My wife, Cindi, has loved all my books so far but she agrees with award-winning author Sarah Sundin (who reviewed the book for an endorsement) that this novel is my best so far. Hard for me to say.

But it will hit the shelves (and be ready for Ebook downloads) on April 1st, less than 5 weeks from now.

I've received 2 more significant reviews for The Discovery the past few weeks. The first was from Christianbook.com, who featured it in their print catalog in a section called, "New and Recommended." This is a HUGE online and catalog book distributor. Here's their review:

"You don't often find a novel that appeals to men and women alike--but Walsh delivers one here! Taking you on a scavenger hunt leading to mystery, romance and intrigue, this book-within-a-book will tug at your heart and keep you in suspense. You'll get so caught up in the WW2 thriller you'll forget it's also a contemporary story. A feel-good read that commemorates the courage, integrity and sacrifice of the 'greatest generation.'"

-- Christianbook.com (Christine, Fiction Editor)

The 2nd big review came from RT Book Reviews magazine, which is the largest book review magazine in the country, covering every fiction genre (romance, historical, suspense, inspirational, etc.). They gave The Discovery a 4.5 Stars/Top Pick rating in the Inspirational category (their highest). Authors often await this magazine's review of their work, hoping for the best. To get this rating is extremely gratifying. This is now my 3rd novel (out of 5) to get it.

RT Books has also interviewed me about the book. It should show up on their website very soon.

Here's their review:

"Yet again, Walsh has crafted a novel so engaging that you will lose all sense of time as he draws you in and makes the reader a part of the story. Based on historical facts, this is the perfect blend of history, suspense and romance. Walsh's "book within a book" concept is intriguing.The reader will be reminded that God alone can give us the peace that surpasses all human understanding."

-- RT Book Reviews Magazine

I've also learned from my publisher that USA Today plans to interview me for their fiction blog, an article about men who write romantic books. My novels are more like strong love stories (of the Nicholas Sparks variety) than traditional romances. I'm looking forward to this opportunity to hopefully reach a brand new block of readers.

My First Gary Smalley Novel Almost Done!

Dr. Gary SmalleyThis week I'm writing the final few chapters of my first novel co-authored with Dr. Gary Smalley. I have a love/hate thing going when I get to this stage of a book. I love it, because by this point everything is humming. I know the characters very well, all the things I've been building in the plot are fusing together, and things really flow. I hate it because it flows too fast. I can still only write so much in a day, but I wish I could sit down and write the whole thing in one long blast.

For those who haven't read about this before, if you scroll through recent archives, you'll get a glimpse of what this project is about. I'm actually writing the book, drawing from some of Gary's most recent bestselling books on Marriage, Family and Relationships.

I've been sending him 2 chapters at a time to get his input or anything he'd like to add. In about a week, I'll finish the book, clean it up some, then send him the completed novel. He'll have it for a week or two, then send it to me with any further notes. I'll fix it up some more and send it in to the best editor in Christian fiction. This is not just my opinion, last year my editor, Andrea Doering, won the ACFW's Editor-of-the-Year award.

In mid-March, I'll start putting together the storyline for Book 2 of our series. The plan is to start writing this book on April 1st. Oh...I almost forgot. We've confirmed the title for Book 1 of the series will be called, The Dance.

Starting the New Year with a Stabbing

I'm writing this, laying on the couch, the victim of 4 stab wounds.

I'm guessing that starting off this post with this sentence peaks your curiosity more than if I said, "I'm recovering from surgery." Because that's what really happened. But my doctor actually used the "stab wounds" description to adjust my expectations for the recovery. This past Tuesday, I had my left adrenal gland removed lathroscopically. It's an amazing procedure (though I'd probably faint if I saw it done for real).

In the past, the surgeons would have had to make a major incision that would take months to heal. Now they stab you in 4 places to get what they're after, and you're left with very little scarring and a recovery that's more like 2 weeks. Although, he wasn't kidding about being a stab victim. I don't write murder mysteries but feel like I could really write a crime scene now from the victim's perspective pretty easily.

I'm hoping to get back on my writing schedule by the end of the week. Might be a little longer before I can start tackling any house chores.


A Bona fide Bestseller Now

A few days before going in for the surgery, God gave me a wonderful gift. He allowed me to see my 4th novel, Remembering Christmas, make the ECPA's Bestseller List for Jan 2012. For those who don't know, ECPA stands for "Evangelical Christian Publisher's Association." It's kind of like the New York Times bestsellers list for Christian authors (although, if your book makes it to the NY Times list, it's doing even better).

Most fiction writers have a similar Bucket List, when it comes to their writing hopes and dreams. It would look something like this:

Write the best novel you can and get it ready for publication.Land a great literary agent (one with lots of clout, experience and connections).Get a book deal from a major publisher (one that pays advances & royalties and works hard to promote your book).Hold your first novel in your hands, then actually see it on bookstore shelves.Read great reviews about your book in major publications.See one of your books win a Book-of-the-Year award.Get a mufti-book deal with your publisher (big enough to write fulltime).See one of your books make the bestseller list. Click on the pic to see it bigger
 To my utter amazement, since the summer of 2007 when I checked Item #1 off my list (The Unfinished Gift), God has allowed me to check every other item off in fairly quick succession. Including--as of this month--Item #8. Unlike the movie, Bucket List, I could certainly die a happy man without experiencing all these things, but I'm humbled and extremely grateful to God for allowing me these wonderful opportunities.

And I'm also grateful to all of you who've purchased my books and told others about them. You're a big reason why all this has happened, too.

Some Early Reviews for The Discovery

The publicity effort for my 5th novel with Revell, The Discovery, is already underway. It's release is now only 10 weeks away. My wife, Cindi, thinks this is my best book yet. It's hard for me to say (like picking out your favorite child). But I've received some very encouraging early reviews (hoping they're a sign of more to come).

"Thrilling, romantic, and intriguing. In The Discovery, Dan Walsh takes a fascinating sidebar of World War II history and crafts a suspenseful, beautifully written, and deeply satisfying story. This is his best novel yet!"

-- Sarah Sundin, award-winning author of the
Wings of Glory series
"The Discovery is an immensely enjoyable read. Mr. Walsh fashions two stories that come together perfectly to form a satisfying conclusion. The story centers on Gerard Warner, a hugely successful novelist, who dies and leaves his Charleston estate to his grandchildren. One of them, Michael, longs to follow in his grandfather's footsteps. His grandfather was well aware of Michael's talent and planted certain clues in the mansion he left to Michael and his wife, Jenn...The Discovery is a masterful bit of storytelling. It is, above all else, a love story for the ages, one of sacrifice and devotion that will leave readers with a renewed passion for their loved ones. As I neared the end of the book I let out a huge sigh and experienced a wonderful sense of wellbeing and happiness. Dan Walsh did it again: He touched my heart."
--The New York Review of Books
The reviewer, John M. Wills, is himself an accomplished author of crime thrillers (and a retired FBI agent). I can't wait for the book to release, scheduled for April 1st.

Some More Christmas Updates

[image error] Christmas is just one week away now, but it almost feels like Christmas came early for me. Some wonderful things have been happening for my newest novel, Remembering Christmas.

It's been 2 weeks since my last blog update, mainly because I've been so busy. Besides, writing the book I'm working on now (the first one with Gary Smalley), I've been doing blog and radio interviews promoting Remembering Christmas, as well as a little traveling. I finished the final edits on The Discovery (the book coming out in April) and I'm almost done with the rewrites for The Reunion (the book that comes out next Sept).

After posting this update today, I'm taking the rest of the day off to take Cindi out, so we can finish our Christmas shopping. It will be our first Christmas buying gifts for our new grandson. We can't wait!

Here's what's been going on:

A Great Review on Crosswalk.com

[image error] Many of you would know about this site. It's the largest Christian website on the Internet. Hundreds of thousands of people visit Crosswalk.com or one of the many sister-sites connected to it. Which is why we were so thrilled to read the excellent review written by Susan Ellingburg, a contributing writer in their "Culture" department.

The review is too long to reproduce here, but here are a few excerpts. First, she does a really good job summarizing the story, without giving too much away. Then she adds her comments:

The author's deceptively simple style allows events to unfold without forcing the characters into far-fetched situations or over-the-top emotions. The result is a story that's completely believable, even (maybe especially) the truly poignant sections. All the characters (even the quirky ones) ring true and their actions are true to form.  Reading this book feels like listening to a friend give his testimony—assuming that friend is a gifted storyteller, of course. 

Dan Walsh also deserves high praise for perfectly capturing the eighties vibe. Everything from early stars of contemporary Christian music (Keith Green, the Pat Terry Group, and more) to TV shows ("Who shot JR?") to the price of gasoline (over—gasp—$1 a gallon!) brings the Reagan era to life. So many authors skip over these things but it's the little touches that make all the difference. This attention to detail spills over into every aspect of the story, making Remembering Christmas a tale that readers will enjoy any season of the year. 

To read the full review, Click Here .


An Amazing Giveaway Sponsored by Revell

[image error] Over the last 2 weeks, and running until Dec 21st (so there's still time to enter), my publisher, Revell, has been doing a wonderful giveaway to promote Remembering Christmas.

They are offering a $250 Visa gift card to the winner, PLUS an additional $250 gift card for the winner to give away to a caring friend (someone who reminds them of  Art and Leanne Bell, the owners of The Book Nook in Remembering Christmas). The 2nd Prize winner gets a beautiful Nativity set (like the one that keeps selling out at The Book Nook).

If you're reading this before Dec 21st and would like to enter, it's easy. Just Click Here . You don't even need to buy a copy of the book.

Still a Bestseller on Amazon!

[image error] I mentioned 2 weeks ago that Remembering Christmas had spent over a week at #1 on Amazon in 3 different categories. Well...it continued between #1 and #3 for the last 2 weeks in those same categories and, although it's dropped a little, it's still in the top 10 right now. My other 3 novels did well, but I've never seen numbers like these before. It's been pretty exciting.

And on top of this, there are now 65 customer reviews, averaging 4.5 Stars. Amazon now lists this as one of the 3 Top-rated Christmas books (right next to Glenn Beck's mega bestseller, The Snow Angel). I have to admit, reading what everyone is saying doesn't hurt. I remember back to the lonely hours, over weeks and months, writing this book, wondering about its future. So satisfying now to see how it's affecting readers.

Click Here if you'd like to view it on Amazon.

Local Success in My Hometown

I've also seen some encouraging things in Daytona Beach, where Cindi and I have lived since we were in grade school (both of us moved down here from up north when our fathers began working on the Apollo space program).

[image error]
For two Sundays in a row, Remembering Christmas was featured in the Daytona Beach Sunday News Journal, and once in their "GO386" online entertainment guide.

Also, the Halifax Historical Museum, our local museum, bought 10 copies of Remembering Christmas to sell there. I got to know the staff a bit when I researched The Discovery, my next book. They gave me some excellent help turning up historical details for the book. Much of it is set in Daytona Beach during WW2.

If you're ever in town, watching a NASCAR race or enjoying the beach, make sure you take some time to tour the historic downtown area on Beach Street, right along the Halifax River. And stop in to visit the folks at the museum. It's housed in what used to be a very classy looking bank near the corner of Orange Ave. It's filled with wonderful exhibits about the history of the area. Here's a link to their website, Click Here .

Above is a picture Cindi took. I'm standing next to the rack in the museum holding copies of  Remembering Christmas. She took it last week when we attended there annual Christmas party.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Fun December Updates - Remembering Christmas #1 on Amazon

This last week has been kind of a whirlwind of activity with my newest book Remembering Christmas. And all this coming on top of 3 writing assignments happening at the same time. First, my main task is writing the book I'm co-authoring with Gary Smalley (just finished chapter 13). Then my beloved editor, Andrea, sends me the edits for The Reunion, the book that comes out next Spring (the edits are due before Christmas). Then the copy editor, Kristin, sends me the final proofs for The Discovery, the book coming out in April (due in less than 2 weeks). Yikes.

But for a writer, these are good challenges. Great even. I remind myself of this when I'm tempted to complain. Here are some of the fun updates to share about my latest book, Remembering Christmas:

#1 on Amazon!

For pretty much all of last week, my new novel, Remembering Christmas, has been ranking at #1 or #2 on Amazon's bestsellers list in 3 categories: Christian Fiction, Christian Romance and Christmas books. It had been ranking between #10 and #15 before (and I was thrilled with that).

But it jumped right up there and stayed there a while. It was actually ahead of mega bestselling author Karen Kingsbury's new book, Longing. I couldn't believe it. And in the Christmas category, it pulled ahead of Glen Beck's huge bestseller, The Snow Angel.

Not sure how long the book will stay in this "zone," but it's a first for me to see these numbers. At one point, my third novel, The Deepest Waters, was ranking at #4 in Christian fiction. So for a few days, I had 2 books in the top 5.

At the moment, there are 55 customer reviews on Amazon for Remembering Christmas, 49 of them are either 4-5 Stars.

#10 on ECPA's Weekly Bestseller's List

Early last week someone sent me a link about an article written in Christian Retailing magazine. It talked about the impact Christmas novels were having on sales in bookstores nationwide. In fact, four of the top 10 bestsellers that week (the week before Thanksgiving) were Christmas novels. And my book, Remembering Christmas, was #10. Two fellow Revell authors' Christmas books were also in the top 10. Suzanne Woods Fisher's A Lancaster County Christmas, and Melody Carlson's Christmas Shoppe.

It was so encouraging to read this, because this list is a broader reflection of sales nationwide, since it includes the retail bookstores. To read the full article, Click Here .

On the Radio

I also had 3 radio interviews this past week. I've done radio interviews for my other books before but never 3 in one week.

The first was for ReachFM. We did some taped interviews with Anitra Parmele who has a daily radio show hosted from Calvary Chapel church in Fort Lauderdale (I'll actually be down there visiting Anitra and doing some special events this weekend in the area). The radio spots will be running all this week, and Revell has donated 10 of my books to give to listeners (5 each of The Unfinished Gift and Remembering Christmas).

Then I was interviewed by Andy Farmer on Author's Corner with KNEO radio, station in Neosho, Missouri. And finally on blog radio on the G Zone with host Giovanni Gelati. Giovanni had read the book, loved it, and we chatted for almost 45 minutes, not just about the new book but a whole bunch of behind-the-scenes things. You can hear this interview by clicking here .

Well, I better get back to my writing assignments, so I can keep my head above water. Thanks to all of you for buying and downloading copies of the book. Don't worry about me. I can handle the excitement.

Christmas Season Begins!

It's now officially okay to start listening to Christmas music! For me, I mean. Not that anyone else needs my permission. The Thanksgiving weekend is when something happens inside, and I now get "in the mood" for all things Christmas. I want to hear the music, see decorations everywhere, drink egg nog (in moderation), watch Christmas movies...the whole bit.

And a whole lot is happening this week with my newest novel, Remembering Christmas. Starting today. Cindi and I will be driving an hour south for a booksigning at the Calvary Chapel bookstore in Melbourne, FL. They're doing all kinds of special events at the store today. This will be my 3rd time there. The first two were to visit the Book Club that meets at the church.

Other Book Club News

Speaking of Book Clubs, I'll be calling into one that meets in Niceville, FL this Thursday evening. This is a way for me to spend time with people when it's too far to drive. I've visited Book Clubs this way in many different states. A Book Club selects one of my books to read that month and someone sets up a speakerphone in the middle of the room. I call in while they're meeting so they can ask questions and we can chat a while. If you're Book Club would like to do this, just email me at dwalsh@danwalshbooks.com.

But I'm doing an even bigger Book Club thing that starts on Thursday, December 1st. I hope you'll join me online at The Book Club Network (TCBN) this week. I'll be featured on their main page, and we'll be giving away 5 copies of my new book, Remembering Christmas.

If you love fiction, this is a site you have to join. TCBN connects Book Clubs together from all over the country with the authors who write the books they love to read. Even if no book club meets in your area, there are many online clubs you can join at this site. Fred and Nora St. Laurent coordinate all this activity and they're such gracious and friendly hosts. Hope to see you there this week. Click Here to check out TCBN.

Join Me at Suzanne Woods Fisher's Blog

Suzanne Woods Fisher
This Friday, bestselling Amish author Suzanne Woods Fisher will be interviewing me on her blog. If you leave a comment or ask a question, you'll have a chance to win a signed copy of Remembering Christmas.

Suzanne is a fellow author at Revell, and she has a great Christmas book out also now, called A Lancaster County Christmas. My wife Cindi loved it (I'm reading it now). She has a huge following of devoted fans and writes both fiction and non-fiction books about Amish life and culture. She also hosts a weekly radio show called Amish Wisdom.

We got to spend some time together this past September at the ACFW conference, and learned she and my wife Cindi have something in common, they are both dog lovers and love to work with dogs. Cindi is a dog trainer who works with shelter dogs and Suzanne raises puppies for Guide Dogs for the Blind.

To visit Suzanne's Blog, Click Here .

A Major Award...Details Coming!

Plans are underway with Revell, my publisher, for a HUGE CONTEST to help get the word out about Remembering Christmas. Details will be firmed up and announced THIS WEEK. The contest will have some serious prizes, much bigger than anything I've been involved in before. And much nicer than that old "Leg Lamp" won by the Dad on Christmas Story.

I'll put up a separate post about it this week once I get the full story. But the plan is to offer prizes that connect to the storyline in the book, centered on Art and Leanne Bell, the owners of The Book Nook.

Friday Updates - The Blog Tour

My publisher, Revell, put together a blog tour that's been running all this week for my newest novel Remembering Christmas. For those who don't know what that is, it's one of the marvels of the internet. My book goes on tour without me. And it has, throughout the US and Canada, with 62 bloggers participating. They each get a copy of the book and agree to read and review it in the same week.

Before I go further, I want to thank all of you who participated this week (even the handful of you who didn't care for the book...which I'll get to later). It's a busy season of life and I appreciate the time you invested in my work.

I haven't read all the reviews yet, and more will be coming in over the weekend, but I've read quite a few. Most have blown me away, far exceeding what any author could hope for from a review. I'll paste a sampling below. Just excerpts, though; space won't allow reprinting the entire review (I'll create a link with each blog name, so you can click on it and read the whole review if you want).

As I said, though most of the reviews have been extremely encouraging, there are a few that "go the other way." Admittedly, I'd like every one who reads the book to love it. That's not gonna happen, this I know. As of this post, for example, there are 37 reviews on Amazon. 27 are 5-Stars, another 4 have given the book 4-Stars. That's 31 out of 37 reviews that are very positive. But we've got a couple of 3's and even a couple of 2's in there. I imagine for the potential reader, it might be confusing to read some of the negative reviews compared to the rest.

At first, it confused me. It seemed almost like these folks were reading a different book. Some of the things that deeply and positively affected the majority, didn't move these people in the least. It goes to show that no one can write a book that makes everyone happy, and there are a variety of "taste buds" at play when someone picks up a book to read (or clicks a button on their E-reader).

But I wanted to speak to one thing I picked up as I read a couple of the more negative reviews. Some didn't like the main character, Rick. They felt like he was a selfish, self-absorbed young man who didn't treat his parents or those around him very well (this is true, Rick does start off that way). It didn't seem to matter that by the book's end, that all changes.

As I read their comments, I realized some people don't like to read books with characters who have a "dark side" at Christmastime. They prefer their Christmas books to be light and cheery all the way through. That's okay. I'm not here to mock that. Thankfully, there are plenty of Christmas books out there like that to be read and enjoyed. But my novels are not like that. Certainly, not my Christmas books. I prefer to write tales  more in the Dickens tradition. Take Scrooge for example. Not a nice guy, really for most of the book. But considering how the story goes, and where things end up....would we really want Ebeneezer to start off any other way?

Well, enough analysis. Here are excerpts from the 4-5 Star reviews that came in this week (and thank you every one for reading the book, getting what I was aiming for, and taking the time to write about it).

Blog Tour Samples:

"Dan Walsh writes beautiful storiesfull of tender moments, and just as each of his previous three books did, RememberingChristmas touched my heart…Walsh does a masterful job of showing how hurtsand childhood perceptions can impact our lives as adults and the impact thatunconditional love makes in a life, even years after the seeds are sown. Thisis a wonderful book to read for the holidays. It's definitely one for my keepershelf, and I suspect reading it may become an annual tradition." -- Mocha With Linda
"Remembering Christmas by Dan Walsh is the best Christmas book I'veread this year. In this book you really find out what Christmas is reallyabout…A very beautiful, tender story full of love, forgiveness and hope. Ihighly recommend this for a fantastic book to add to your Christmas shelf. Fivestars for sure!" -- Trinity's Rose Garden "Remembering Christmas by Dan Walsh is abeautiful story about a man who remembers the Christmas that changed his life…Ivery highly recommend this book! If you haven't read a book by Dan Walshbefore, then you need to. He is a brilliant story teller, and his stories areemotional and powerful. This story is deeply moving, and packs a powerfulmessage. It's sure to get you into the Christmas spirit. Be sure to check outhis other books: The Unfinished Gift,The Homecoming (which is a follow-upto The Unfinished Gift), and TheDeepest Waters. He has become one of my favorite Christian fiction authorsand I have come to look forward to his Christmas stories." -- Life in Review by Michelle Vasquez
"Dan Walsh is easily one of my newfavorite authors, and I told him that last time I read one of his books. I havecompared him to Nicholas Sparks for the Christian book enthusiast. I have beenreading a lot of Nicholas Sparks' novels lately, and have to admit I preferDan's books to his. I know when I read one of Dan's books that it will be kept'clean' while still holding the mystery and romance that I enjoy in novels."
-- Melinda Joy "Fans of Nicholas Sparks will finda new author to love in Dan Walsh...for me, he writes circles around any NewYork Times best-selling author. His books are filled with engaging characters,rich story, and deep faith in our unchanging God…Once again, Dan createsmemorable characters that pull up a chair in your imagination and settle in fora good, long while. From J.D., the homeless man who looks forward to his dailyMcMuffin to the sassy co-worker that keeps putting Rick in his place, you'lllove each and every person you meet. Be prepared for a surprise or two alongthe way."
-- A Peek at My Bookshelf
"Remembering Christmas by Dan Walsh is a good book to read this holiday season. Likeother novels written by Walsh, this book jumps right into the life of the maincharacters… It's the third book I've read by this author and Dan Walsh'swriting style reminds me of Nicholas Sparks. My hope is someday his books willbe published into a movie for all to enjoy…If you need a good Christmas giftidea for someone who enjoys reading, I'd recommend putting together these threebooks - Remembering Christmas, The Unfinished Gift, TheHomecoming."-- Women's Bible Cafe  What more could I add to this but...God bless us, everyone.