Greg Mitchell's Blog, page 14

"Enemies of the Cross" Commentary (Part I)

Well, folks, it's that time again. Book Two of The Coming Evil Trilogy--Enemies of the Cross--has been in stores for a couple months now! Do you have your copy yet? By now some of you have already read it and have, hopefully, been entertained and surprised by the direction the series has taken in its second installment.

Like we did for the last book, I'm going to walk you through the commentary for Enemies of the Cross. However, unlike last time, we're not taking a blow-by-blow account of what's going on in every chapter. Instead I'm going to be covering certain topics that are introduced in Enemies.

As always, MAJOR SPOILERS FOLLOW. Read at your own risk.

First up--the thing that I was sure was bound to excite, confuse, and disappoint people: Dras is alive!

And he's not in the book...

It was always my intention to have this "double fake out". Only a few readers seemed to doubt whether or not Dras actually died at the end of The Strange Man. I purposefully left it vague, but didn't want to leave you all hanging for long. So, in the prologue for Enemies, we quickly inform you that he lived. No doubt some readers are thinking "Yay! Dras is back! On with the story!" while others are thinking "Aw, man, he's alive? What a cop-out." So, I took the middle road--he's alive...and then we promptly remove him from the story, save for that prologue. In fact, he doesn't have a single line of dialogue.

So what gives?

I watch a lot of horror movie sequels. And, time and time again, I discover that the stars of the previous installments are nowhere to be seen in their sequels. Sometimes the hero or heroine has moved, sometimes they died off camera (or sometimes they die in the opening minutes). Some of the supporting cast might still be lingering around, but the hero has moved on to bigger and better things. Usually it can be tracked back to the stars of the originals wanting more money than the studio is willing or able to pay. So those characters are written out of the story and some minor character is given the spotlight instead. Usually when that happens, it's disappointing. But sometimes--just sometimes--it can work.

I like writing with complications. I like setting handicaps for myself to see how I can get out of it. In a novel, I know I don't have to worry about actors' salaries and could have had Dras be all over that book. But, since this was always intended to be a horror movie franchise, I decided to follow the horror movie tropes and put myself in a bind--how do I tell this story without my main character? Suddenly the task fell to the first book's supporting characters. Who are they? Can they carry a whole story? When I wrote the initial script-draft of Enemies over ten years ago, I had a blast writing it. I discovered so much about my "B-listers" as the supporting cast took on a life of its own. It was very rewarding to continue the mythology without Dras, just to see if I could. Did I succeed? Well, I think I did, but I guess ultimately that's up to the individual Reader's judgment :p

As the years (and the drafts) have gone by, I've seen that it's essential to tell Enemies without Dras. He was the glue holding this family together--a fact the characters didn't really understand until Dras was gone. Also, Dras chose to stay and fight the Strange Man in order to save Rosalyn--it's what cost him his freedom and nearly his life. To have Dras pop up in this book and carry on the story seemed to demean his journey in the first book. For The Strange Man to be an effective story, Dras had to die...if only for a time.

If you've read the Book 3 excerpt at the end of Enemies, you already know that Dras' story is not finished yet. There's more for him to do and it will be interesting to re-insert him into the story after the supporting cast has taken center stage and grown so much. What will their relationships look like?

More importantly, what will Dras do when he finds out what happened to Rosalyn?

Tune in next time where we'll meet our newest addition to the trilogy!

Catching Up

For those keeping score at home, I've got a couple things floating around the internet.

First up is a piece I wrote tracing back the inspirations behind my take on "Christian Horror" to Buffy the Vampire Slayer. You can read that over at edgy suspense writer Estevan Vega's site.

Also, fellow Realms author (whom I intereviewed right here) Bruce Hennigan posted an excellent and well thought-out review of Enemies of the Cross. It's a real thrill to see that someone "gets" it.

It's tremendously fulfilling to see that the Trilogy is making progress, but the journey--and the work--is not yet complete. We still have one more book to go! I'm grateful for the support of those who have taken this strange ride with me and I hope we can bring more along.

Starting April 2, I'll be posting my behind-the-scenes "end notes" on Enemies. Don't miss it! But, be ye warned: It is full of spoilers. Want to start reading the book today? Here are some handy links to the Kindle and Nook versions. Enjoy.

Interview with Mike Dellosso!

What with promoting Enemies of the Cross, it's been awhile since we've had an interview on the blog. I've really missed doing these as it gives me a chance to shine the spotlight on someone else for awhile, plus it's actually really encouraging to me to meet other authors and hear about their journey. Writing is, by nature, a lonely profession, whereby authors hide in their caves for months at a time. It's nice to step out into the light and see what the rest of the world is up to.

Today we've got a really great interview with my fellow Realms author, Mike Dellosso. Mike has been an encouragement to me in my own journey and I'm kind of stunned that I've not asked him to stop by before now. But we're here to fix that. His latest book Frantic is on shelves now and, in fact, came out the same day as Enemies. Seeing as we're with the same publisher in the same genre, I'd consider that competition if it were any other author, but I feel like Mike and I are co-laborers, so I'm happy to turn things over to him today for this insightful talk.

Greg Mitchell: First off, thanks for being here, Mike! Correct me if I'm wrong, but you've published five novels, the most recent being Frantic. What's Frantic all about?

Mike Dellosso: Frantic is the story of a trio of characters on a harried and dangerous journey to discover what it means to really trust. Marny Toogood has lived under a "curse" his entire life and has therefore avoided much contact with people. That is, until he receives a desperate plea for help from Esther Rose, the over-protective sister of William, a boy with cerebral palsy and a very special gift. All three find themselves on the run from Esther and William's maniacal and possessive "uncle" and wind up somewhere much more dangerous.

Here's the back cover copy:

Can a deranged serial killer be stopped before it's too late?

For gas station attendant Marny Toogood it's just another day on the job when an urgent message from a young girl in the backseat of a car draws him into a daring rescue attempt. Now on the run with the girl and her brother, Marny begins to realize he must conquer his own past and surrender all to Christ.

As they face kidnapping, underground cults, and other evils, can Marny trust the simple faith of a child and stand his ground against a power so twisted?

GM: Sounds pretty intense--and I love the cover! Take me back to the beginning. You're a real down home, salt of the earth kind of guy. You've got a beautiful family, you listen to country music, you're a faithful Christian man—what draws you to writing thrillers with murders and kidnapping and pure evil? What did it for you? What started you on that path?

MD: Growing up I was always intrigued by the supernatural, by weird science, fringe stuff. My favorite TV shows were The Twilight Zone, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, then The X-Files, Fringe, and now The River. So when I began writing fiction it just seemed like a good fit for me. In all my stories I weave in my family and biblical values. That's the most important thing for me. I love to thrill the reader, to entertain his or her imagination, but I also want to hit him or her in the heart with a powerful message.

After my father committed himself to Christ and gave up drinking (he made a complete 180), I was raised in a solid family with involved parents who led by example. I couldn't have asked for a better upbringing. I think that has impacted me in more ways than I realize when it comes to my priorities in writing, my motivation, my goals. I want my writing to be more than entertainment—it has to be more if it's going to mean anything for eternity.


GM: What was it like getting your first novel The Hunted published? Looking back, you're building quite an impressive library of works—what was it like for you in the early days, shopping around the manuscript, trying to break in to the business?

MD: It was frustrating, discouraging, exasperating . . . like so many experiences. I had this finished manuscript, a story I loved, and felt like it weighed a thousand pounds and I had to carry to the top of an unclimbable mountain. There were so many times I was ready to throw in the towel and just stop trying. But my wife always told me: "Live like it's already happened." That's what real faith is all about, isn't it?

Eventually, The Hunted did find a home with Realms. The whole thing was kind of anti-climactic. We were on vacation in Maine when the publishing board met to make a final decision about whether to offer me a contract or not and every day I'd go to the local library there in the small town where we stayed to check my email. And every day there was nothing. I just about went crazy. Then on the last day I received an email saying the editor who was handling my project left the company and the discussion was postponed to the next month. I was devastated, certain it would be canned. Even my agent was discouraged.

But, praise God, the editor who picked it up was even more excited about it. A month later I received an email saying they were offering me a contract. I'd always imagined jumping up and down, running around the house screaming, but instead I sat at my computer and said, "cool."

GM: Ha, it's funny you say that, because it was anti-climatic for me too. Very sobering. Once I got my contract, it was just this quiet peace, quickly followed by the feeling of "Now the real work begins."

The "Christian Fiction" genre draws its fair share of criticism—both from outside and inside the industry—for being "contrived, unrealistic, lame, etc", but you've always struck me as one of its supporters. Why stay in the CBA (Christian Booksellers Association) rather than setting your sights on the general market? Or do you believe success in both can be achieved? Do you feel the CBA gets a bum rap?

MD: For me, including a strong, clear faith message in my books is very important. It's what I'm all about. I believe God has blessed me with the ability and the opportunity to get my stories out there and I need to honor Him with them. I've always said that I don't want to go to heaven and have God asked me what I did with the platform He gave me and reply, "I wrote a compelling story." (I'm thrilled to hear Tim Tebow saying that same thing in regards to his testimony on the football field). I want my stories to be for more than just entertainment. And my brand of story won't fly in the general market.

GM: See, it's very intriguing to hear you say that so bluntly!

MD: I have nothing against Christians writing in the general market but I feel called to write the kind of stories I do primarily to inspire, encourage, and challenge Christians. My hope is then that those Christians will share the books with their family and friends and the message will be spread that way. As a Christian author writing for a Christian publisher who is part of the CBA, I have very little impact on the general market and reader, I realize that, so I rely on my readers to spread the word.

I think the CBA does get a bum rap, yes. The CBA is there for a purpose, to reach the Christian reader, to give him or her an alternative to the general market stuff that's out there. I feel too many people want it to be something it's not. It's not perfect and maybe it could be more focused on the lost and weary traveler but I've always believed reaching those folk is the job of individuals, not corporations or associations. Evangelizing is done by people, one on one.

GM: That is the conundrum of Christian Fiction, I think, exactly. If we write to evangelize, then we're probably only spinning our wheels by doing it in an arena clearly marked "Christian Fiction". That's something I struggled with in my first book for Realms--trying to figure out who I was writing to and what I wanted to accomplish (aside from telling a cool story, that is)--but with the second one, I'm much more relaxed with the idea that I'm writing to a primarily Christian audience so I'm tackling more things that that group experiences. So I agree--there's a sort of struggle going on in the CF industry over what it should all mean.

But that's a battle for another day! In writing all these scary things, you've got to have a favorite scary movie, right? If so, what is it? Why?

MD: I Am Legend by a long shot. Love it. Will Smith is one of my favorite actors and the story is both intriguing and moving. And, whether they intended it or not, has a beautiful spiritual message to it. The life is in the blood. One man's death provides life for everyone else. Sacrifice. The power of darkness. It's all there.

GM: Have you faced any criticism regarding your dark subject matter; that it doesn't belong in a "Christian" book? If so, what's your take on that? For instance, as I understand it, you've committed the unpardonable sin in your fiction: You've killed an innocent dog! :p

MD: Sure I've faced criticism. I get incredulous readers (even friends) asking me how I can entertain that kind of stuff in my mind. You know what, though? Darkness is real in the world, sin is real, and we can't hide our faces from it. I never, ever, glorify darkness in my books but show sin for what it is, a disease that infects and ruins and spoils anything beautiful. It's a destroyer that brings nothing but pain and mayhem. But there is always hope, always love, always light.

I walk a fine line as I'm sure you do too, Greg, on how far to delve into that dark matter, how much to entertain in my own mind. Knowing the power and lure of dark things, I take it very seriously and walk that line carefully.

GM: Indeed.

MD: And yes, I have had dogs killed in my novels, not for pleasure but to show the extent of the vileness of the villains. And I get a lot of flak for it too. I've had several readers tell me they don't mind if people die in a story but if I kill a dog they'll never read another of my books. I find that astounding and still can't understand that line of thinking.

GM: Ha, ha. On the flip side to that, how do you respond to the critics that believe you're only trying to disguise a sermon with your fiction? I've dealt with those before, with the mindset that that the story or characters suddenly mean nothing or have no merit, because the author is trying to "say" something. I'm torn between trying to defend myself and just throwing up my hands in aggravated surrender. Is that a battle you face?

MD: With every book. And I am trying to disguise a sermon with my fiction. I say that unapologetically. And what's wrong with that? Every story has an agenda, really, something the author is trying to say. Jesus' parables were all sermons disguised as stories. Somewhere along the line sermons got a bad rap and were banished to Sunday mornings only. I disagree. I believe our lives should be sermons. Everything we do should have an agenda, a higher meaning, purpose, a message behind it. So why should it be different with my fiction?

The challenge is to weave the theme seamlessly into the story so the message isn't jarring. And with every book I've written I get email after email from readers saying I succeed at that. They say there is obviously a strong faith message there but it doesn't feel like I'm preaching at the reader because I tell the story through the eyes of the characters, not me as narrator pushing my agenda.

GM: Another fine line to be walking!

Your real life has been touched by actual horror: You're a cancer survivor. No doubt people ask you about that all the time, but would you say that's affected your writing voice?

MD: Absolutely. Coming off cancer I didn't want to write, I couldn't. I was so spent emotionally and physically that I needed time to regroup and gather my head. I emerged with a sharper focus on why I was writing, my purpose for it, my motivation, my priorities. Cancer will do that to you. It made me more empathetic towards others too. All of that has served to sharpen my writing and stories, to make them more character-oriented, give them more meaning, more impact.

When you battle something like cancer suddenly all those things that seemed to matter so much before no longer matter. Little things don't bother you. That's helped me stay on course with my writing and not compromise why I write and what I write.

GM: What excites you about writing? I know it's hard for me to stay focused sometimes. I think "Man, I quit. I'm just going to keep at my day job and spend my evenings zoned out in front of the tube." What keeps you coming back?

MD: I feel the same way often, but what keeps me coming back is the readers and knowing my stories are touching people and making a difference in lives. I feel this urgent need to write, to produce stories, like the whole thing is so much bigger than me and the "job" of writing and supplemental income it gives my family. There's a much greater purpose there and it keeps me motivated and brings me back into focus when I get distracted by all the stuff of the world. I want my stories to make a difference, I want them to mean something, to be more than just a good story. If I've accomplished that in the life of even one reader than I've been successful at what I've set out to do.

GM: That's a great attitude to take. What are you working on right now?

MD: Well, I'm working on a couple different things. I have Rearview coming out in May. It's a novella that's part of the 7 Hours project. I've teamed up with six other authors to write a serial about time and consequences (the other authors are Travis Thrasher, Robin Parrish, Rene Gutteridge, Tom Pawlik, Ronie Kendig, and James Wilson). The books will release as e-books from Tyndale in May. Be looking for them. This is truly ground-breaking stuff.

I'm also working on the edits for A Thousand Sleepless Nights, my first contemporary drama under a new pen name, Michael King. It is due to release in October. You can check out Michael King at http://www.michaelkingbooks.wordpress.com/.

And I'm also working on my next suspense novel, The Prodigy. Due out Feb, 2013.

All that while trying to promote Frantic . . . and work a full-time job, and put my family first, and church stuff. It's all quite frantic right now.

GM: I hear you, brother. Well, I've told my wife before that I want to be Mike Dellosso when I grow up--

MD: That's funny because I'll be 40 this year and still find myself asking what I want to be when I grow up :)

GM: You've got a great attitude about things, loyal fans, and you're churning out books year in and year out. From my vantagepoint, you're on your way to the top. What's "the top" for you, though? Where would you like to see this crazy career take you?

MD: Realistically, the top for me is to get to the point where I can do this writing thing full-time. For me, that's the pinnacle.

Idealistically, I've already reached the top. I write stories that are impacting people's lives, touching hearts, challenging, inspiring, encouraging. It doesn't get any better than that, it just doesn't.

GM: So true. Thanks so much for stopping by, Mike. Best to you and Frantic. When people come to me wanting to read up on you and your books, where shall I send them?

MD: You can send them to my blog http://www.mikedellosso.wordpress.com/ or to my Facebook page http://www.blogger.com/www.facebook.com/mikedellosso.

That does it for this interview! Thanks for reading and tune in a couple weeks from now where I'll begin the commentary for Enemies of the Cross! You still have time to get caught up on the book before then. In the meantime, since Mike brought it up, I'll leave you with the trailer to Will Smith in I Am Legend.
UPDATE: THIS JUST IN! Mike has been gracious enough to offer you a chance to win a FREE autographed copy of Frantic! Leave a comment below to enter--winner announced TOMORROW!

Listen to "The Zoo" Interview!

Last night I had a great time doing a podcast with one of my oldest friends, James "Shamrock Jim" Stacey on his show "The Zoo". Normally they discuss politics, but James and his co-host Kirk were kind enough to make some room for me while we discussed Enemies of the Cross. What followed was an intense hour of talking about writing, horror, religion, my series, Christian Horror, and the very nature of what it means to be a Christian creative type. Needless to say, it got pretty deep! It was super-fun and now the whole show is available for you to listen or download. My episode is number 156.



We had a little bit of technical difficulty at the very beginning (isn't that always the way?), but things right themselves at about the two minute mark. I hope everyone takes a listen and enjoys!

Interviews and Review!

Enemies of the Cross has been out for a little over a week! Exciting! Word is starting to spread on the internet and here are three points of interest for those keeping track at home.

Fellow Realms author Lena Nelson Dooley posted a quite insightful interview with me at her blog. Take a sec to read it and leave a comment over there for your chance to win a FREE copy of the book!

Christian Horror site A Flame in the Dark has posted another interview with me. Check them out and support the Christian Horror movement!

And, finally, Kat Smith gave a most positive review to the book--but beware of minor spoilers!

Local Book Signing!

Haven't you heard yet? Enemies of the Cross is in stores now! I'm already hearing that the book is darker and more complex and mature than the first. It's sure to take everything you know about The Coming Evil and turn it on its head. Find out what all the talk is about!

For everyone in the Northeast Arkansas region, today we're announcing a book signing. I will be selling and signing copies of, both, The Strange Man and Enemies of the Cross at the Lantern Bookstore in Paragould, Arkansas on Saturday, March 3 from 2-4 PM.

I hope everybody who's able will come and support their local brick and mortar booksellers.

Release Day!

It's finally here!



Now available wherever fine books are sold. You can also purchase it online at Barnes and Noble, Christianbook.com, as well as Amazon! Go out and grab your copy today! Kindle and Nook versions will be announced as they become available in the coming months.

To commemorate the release, here's an interview I recently did with Family Fiction about the book!

Also, stay tuned to this blog. In a month or so, it'll be time for my commentary to the book. You won't want to miss it.

"Enemies of the Cross" Soundtrack

It's that time again folks! The release of Enemies of the Cross is tomorrow! In preparation for the big day, I'm revealing the soundtrack to the book--that is, the music that inspired me while writing the story.

It goes without saying (but I'm going to say it anyway) that this is completely unofficial! The music selection does not reflect Realms Fiction, and none of the artists or bands listed here endorse the book--though it'd be nice if they did.

This was simply for fun and to give you guys a peek into my writery process when crafting Enemies of the Cross. Like last time, in order to enhance your listening experience, I have included scene names and page numbers to correspond with each song, so you have a better idea where it fits into the narrative.

I have been careful to keep the scene names vague, but just in case, beware of minor spoilers.

Enjoy!



1. "Recognizer" (Tron Legacy) - Daft Punk - PROLOGUE, page 1
2. "Tokyo" (Resident Evil Afterlife) - Tomandandy - TITLE TRACK
3. "Eden" - Hooverphonic - TRYSDALE, page 34
4. "Highway to Hell" - AC/DC - DODGING PINK ELEPHANTS, page 55
5. "Twilight Time" - The Platters - LATE NIGHT VISIT, page 109
6. "Simple Man" - Lynyrd Skynyrd - THE OASIS, page 127
7. "Distorted Angel" (Tricky Remix) - Elvis Costello - TEMPTING, page 248
8. "Rectifier" (Tron Legacy) - Daft Punk - CHASE AND BURNING, page 256, 293
9. "Hunter" - Bjork - THE RAVE SCENE REVISITED, page 264
10. "Blind" - Korn - PICKING A FIGHT, page 282
11. "A Cold Heart Turns" - Rebecca St. James - WHAT HAVE I DONE?, page 284
12. "Made of Steel" - Our Lady Peace - THOSE PRECIOUS WORDS, page 317
13. "Overcome" - Better Than Ezra - EPILOGUE, page 318
14. "Cutting" (Resident Evil Afterlife) - Tomandandy - CUT TO BLACK, page 319
15. "Brick by Brick" - Train - END CREDITS

"Underground Rising": My Thoughts

February 7th is looming ever closer and, with it, a time of horrors (of the good kind, though) thanks to the newest installment in The Coming Evil Trilogy. But, today, I want to take this opportunity before the marketing blitz surrounding Enemies of the Cross takes hold, and talk about the Biblical Cyberpunk anthology I was recently involved in: Underground Rising, set in the world of Frank Creed's Underground series.


The book came out back in November, but I wanted to give it some time before I posted the following.

I'm not going to call this a review, because I'm really not going to tell you what the stories are about, though they are all top-shelf stuff, people. If you're not at least familiar with Frank Creed's futuristic series, be prepared to be a little dumped-in-the-middle-of-things, but I think you'll figure out your way as the stories progress.

What I am going to do is share with you my experience in reading this anthology for the first time. I submitted my story "Ex-Communicator" years ago for this project. I had no idea who else Frank had contacted about working in the anthology, I never read their stories, never even heard what they were about. In preparation for the mega-interview I conducted back in November, I asked Frank for an e-copy of the finished product, so I at least could review and see who my co-contributors were. I was initially surprised to see that some of the men and women I call friends in the Christian Fiction community were listed, so I knew that I was in good company. When I sat down to actually read the book…I had an experience.

Seeing my story featured first was an instant thrill, sure. I hadn't read it since I submitted it and it read so good I was convinced someone else had wrote it :p It's one of the finest things I've written, I believe. But then I turned the page and read the next story. Then the next. And something started turning in my mind. A thought, pulling itself together. I didn't know what it was, so I went ahead and read the next story. That same thought, getting clearer, beginning to excite me. Read the next. My heart was pounding, that thought poking at my mind. I felt moved. Elated. I had to stand up and walk around for a bit, all of this feeling coming out of me. I read the next story and it suddenly dawned on me what I was seeing.

As I said, I knew some of these authors. I'd heard of most of the others. I knew, firsthand, that while we're all Christians, we come from different denominations, different educations, different family lives, different political leanings, different countries. I've seen us leave comments on discussions about Christian Fiction and the nature of writing about our faith. We disagree. Sometimes we argue. But here, in this one little anthology, that's all gone. There is a unity in this book that I can only begin to articulate. Here, in this book, we've rallied behind our leader into this tech-noir world of Sandmen and Neros—Frank Creed—and we're telling stories about the church under persecution. About faith tested by fire. Some of the stories are slam-bang action, some are thoughtful accounts of simple believers trying to live under a government that would kill them for their beliefs. Each writer has brought his or her own voice, his or her own journey to this project—but we're all telling the same universal story.

I was blown away when I realized this. You may not think it's that big of a deal, but I've really struggled with Christian Fiction in the past. Not the "genre", itself, but all the division among those who write it. There are so many internet-based arguments on how to get "the message" out—or if we should even try to get one out at all. We argue over who's right and who's doing this or that better. It's tiring. It's discouraging.

But not in Underground Rising. This is the Body of Christ, working in unison. All unique, but unified to share stories of surviving when the world is against you. It reads like a family getting together for dinner, after many years apart. Everyone's equal at the table, telling stories, sharing their troubles and their triumphs. Everyone gets a turn to speak, and, once they're finished, we all sit and nod with meaningful tears in our eyes because we understand exactly what they mean because we've lived it too, we just didn't know it.

This is a story about survivors, about soldiers, about heroes. They're covered in mud, hiding in shadows, scraping for every meal, and hated by the world. Like the heroes of the Bible, these characters struggle with their doubts, bicker with one another, but ultimately love and forgive and turn heavenward for hope.

I'm sorry, but I think that, if you're not a Christian, you're just not going to be able to fully appreciate what this book represents. "For those who have ears, let them hear". However, even if you're not a Christian, I'd plead with you to read this. I believe this is us at our best. This is "Christian" Fiction at its best. It's not about preaching, it's about living. It's about sharing our stories.

I can't give Underground Rising a review, because it wasn't a book to me. It was an experience that I lived through. I'm proud to stand in this anthology with my fellow authors—my brothers and sisters in Christ. They've encouraged me and given me a little more fire in my furnace to keep on keeping on in my own writing journey. For that, I thank all of you, guys, and I thank "the Boss". I think He had something to do with this all along.

I encourage everyone to head over and check it out. Enjoy your weekend!

Everything You Need to Know About "The Coming Evil"!

In just a few short weeks, on February 7th, the second book in The Coming Evil Trilogy--Enemies of the Cross--will be invading bookstores across the nation. Can you believe it? For some of you, you've waited a whole year for this book. For those of you who bought the original self-published version of The Strange Man, you've been waiting since 2007! For me, I've been waiting since 1999!! I'm extremely excited that the trilogy is finally moving along, at long last.

To better equip you for February 7th, I've prepared a helpful guide to give you a crash course in the world of The Coming Evil. Whether you've read The Strange Man and need a refresher, or whether you've never heard of this story and you're ready to jump into Enemies of the Cross blind, here's everything you need to know about Book One to get ready for Book Two.

Obviously, this thing is full of spoilers, so if you've yet to read The Strange Man, you still have plenty of time to order your copy and get it read before Enemies of the Cross is unveiled. The book is available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, CBD, and for you e-readers, it's also on the Nook and Kindle!

Ah, enough plugging. On with the guide:



In The Strange Man, we are introduced to the small country town of Greensboro, a once-thriving community that served as the last stop on the way to the City, but has now fallen on hard times since the highway was moved. Shops have closed up, jobs have been lost, and families are struggling. At a time when the collective mood of Greensboro is one of apathy and bitterness, it is the perfect striking point for the demon known only as "the Strange Man".

For over a hundred years, the people of Greensboro have told stories of a cadre of monsters lurking in the North Woods. But now those stories take on a whole new meaning as the Strange Man and his horde of flesh-eating gremlins descend upon the brittle town during the night of the terrible storm. The Strange Man was banished to the North Woods long ago by the faith of the town's forefathers and, now that that faith has diminished, he is ready to exact his revenge from the shadows.


His first victim is Eldon Granger, a homeless man living in the North Woods, who tells half-true ghost stories to the local children. Next is Lindsey McCormick, a pretty young woman whose car is found at the bottom of Greensboro Park Lake. Her body is never recovered. The demon also visits the bedroom window of five-year-old Millie Walker, though no one will believe her chilling tale.

As the rain pours, the Strange Man encounters The Rave Scene, a hangout for young twenty-somethings looking to escape their dreary small town life. It is here that the demon fixates on Rosalyn Myers--an outsider in Greensboro, haunted by the memory of her father who committed suicide years ago. The bogeyman is attracted to Rosalyn and seeks to corrupt her. However, there is someone standing in his way: Dras Weldon.

Dras is a foolish young man who's refused to grow up. His is a life of monster movies and comic books. He lives life only for himself, drinking away his nights and sleeping away his days--much to the disapproval of his older brother, Reverend Jeff Weldon. Jeff and his wife Isabella have tried to get Dras to commit to the faith he once claimed as a child and return to the Good Church of the Faithful, where Jack Weldon--the boys' dying father--served as pastor for years. Dras is content to live in eternal adolescence, but is forced to face reality when the Strange Man approaches him. What Dras doesn't know is that he is marked by God and the Strange Man cannot destroy him. Instead, the demon hopes to remove the boy from Rosalyn's life by threatening him. Terrified by a head-on confrontation with a creature he believed was only a story, Dras briefly considers the Strange Man's offer to leave town and save his life.

But, with Rosalyn's soul hanging in the balance, Dras rises to the challenge of standing up to the monster who would harm his best friend.

Sobering up, he puts aside his immaturity and attempts to share his faith with Rosalyn, an effort that is an utter failure thanks to Dras' lifelong hypocrisy. Time is running out as night falls, and Dras tries to convince his brother to help him in his battle. But after a lifetime of being disappointed by Dras' actions and attitudes, Jeff refuses aid. Hurt by the dismissal, Dras strikes out on his own, facing down the Strange Man's demonic brood of gremlins. The monsters chase after Dras, tearing through Main Street, but by the grace of God and the power of the Holy Scriptures, Dras manages to survive in time to reach Rosalyn's side at The Rave Scene, where she's gone to blow off some steam.

However, in retaliation for Dras' defiance, the Strange Man orchestrates a plot to frame Dras for the mysterious disappearance of Lindsey McCormick and the murders of Deputy Dane Adams and little Millie's older brother TJ Walker--all victims of the demon's cruelty. The bogeyman petrifies Millie into corroborating his story to Sheriff Hank Berkley, a tired man who's just barely keeping the town together in the midst of this bizarre onslaught. While the town comes alive with talk of "gremlins", Hank struggles to make sense of it all. Dras pleads with him via radio that the bogeyman from the old stories is real and has returned, but refuses to turn himself in for the crimes he knows he didn't commit.

Dras confronts Rosalyn one last time in The Rave Scene, pleading with her to listen to him--to turn herself over to God in order to be saved from the monster's plans. Before Dras is able to finish, however, Deputy Ryan Stevenson and a band of angry lawmen arrive to arrest Dras for the murders they believe he's committed. Dras decides that he can't run forever. The Strange Man has him trapped, but Dras believes God can bring some good out of it. Praying that he's told Rosalyn enough that she can carry on the battle without him, Dras surrenders himself to the police--who viciously beat him. Even when Jeff, having come to his senses and deciding to help his brother, arrives with his wife Isabella, they can do little more but watch helplessly as Dras is beaten. Sheriff Berkley arrives and breaks up the carnage, and, as Dras' friends gather around his broken and still body, the Strange Man calls out to Rosalyn's spirit, tempting her to join him in the darkness.

But Rosalyn's eyes are only on Dras.

Defeated for now, the demon retreats to the North Woods and the lake where he murdered Lindsey McCormick. Her death has served as a catalyst, polluting the waters of Greensboro Park Lake and turning them thick and black. The Strange Man is angered by his personal setback, but knows that the real battle for the soul of Greensboro has only just begun...

To be continued in Enemies of the Cross, in stores February 7th!