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As the year 2023 draws to a close I have to admit I have not written a new book. However, I have done something I have wanted to accomplish for some time. I have taken “The 13th Demon”, “The 12th Demon”, and “The 11th Demon” and reworked them into one volume of an “author’s” cut.
What is an “author’s cut”? When an author signs a contract to produce a work, that author is now an employee of the traditional publisher. The work is no longer completely the author’s. The publisher is a business and, as a business must produce a work that will bring in money. This means shaping that work into something that can sell and, at the same time, not break the bank. Thus, publishers demand strict word count limits. Word count limits translate into page numbers. Page numbers, in the world of printed books, costs money. There must be some kind of break even at 80,000 words as this seems to be the sweet spot for printed books. Any larger than 80,000 words and the basic cost of printing goes up.
Since I have formed my own publishing entity, I am keenly aware of this. The problem for me as an author was trimming my first two works down from over 100,000 words to 80,000 called for substantial artistic sacrifices. Admittedly placing a word limit can be advantageous. It forces the author to be more creative in the editing process. But, I had to sacrifice entire characters and their story arcs to fit the word limits for these books.
Now, I own the works and I have chosen to restore these dissected parts back into the whole. I have also tuned up the “bread crumbs” I placed that led to future story lines. “The 11th Demon” never suffered from the word limit problem. If anything, it was too short to begin with. I have fleshed it out some more to fill in details on the storylines and the “bread crumbs”.
All three books are now available in one ebook volume. The printed version runs over 1200 pages so I am sticking with the ebook version for now and it can be found in any online book source.
Look for “The Chronicles of Jonathan Steel Vol. 1” and enjoy. The work includes new versions of the first three novels, “The 13th Demon: Dark Covenant”, “The 12th Demon: Wolf Dragon”, and “The 11th Demon: Chimera”.
Now here is the really good news. For a limited time, the first thirty readers who access this link to my “bookfunnel” source can download an ebook version of this collection for free! But hurry! The free books are limited to only 30! FREE BOOKS for first 30 readers!
Jonathan Steel, Where are you?
What’s Been Happening with Jonathan Steel?
It has been almost a year since I released the last Jonathan Steel book. So, what have I been doing?
First, I have semi-retired from my medical practice. I’m still working part time. This means more time to work on my writing as July 1st. Here are the projects I am working on:
Rewrite of “The 13th Demon”, “The 12th Demon”, and “The 11th Demon”.
That’s right! I am restoring all three books to their original, long story format. In my agreement with a major publisher, I had to make a LOT of concessions on all three books. Word count limitations forced me to make significant cuts to the first two books. And content restraint required me to make concessions on “The 11th Demon” which is STILL in the hands of Westbow Press!
Here’s what I have done. I have restored “The 13th Demon: Dark Covenant” and “The 12th Demon: Wolf Dragon” to their original length. I am still working on updating “The 11th Demon: Chimera”. Soon, the new versions of 13th and 12th will be available everywhere! Look for the new subtitles. I am hoping to get 11th out by the end of the year.
This has necessitated me holding back on the final two books in “The Chronicles of Jonathan Steel”.
Next Jonathan Steel Book
“The 2nd Demon: Tales of the Grimvox” will explore the backstories of Jonathan Steel, the Captain, Lucas, and a certain new character that emerged in the last book whose name I will not mention because “Spoilers Sweetie!”. It sets up the final confrontation between good and evil as Jonathan Steel must finally defeat the Council of Darkness and the Vitreomancers.
I am working on “The 2nd Demon” rough draft right now.
Next Jack Merchant book:
The response to my Jack Merchant Medical Mystery series has been phenomenal! I am shocked at how well the book, “Shadow Merchant” has been received. I am currently working on the second book in the series “Slice Fatigue”.
Jonathan Steel “spin off”:
If you’ve been reading my books, you have seen hints and suggestions of “The Node of God”. This will be a continuation of the story of the Children of the Bloodstone and will feature a trilogy. The first book is halfway done. World building takes time! Tentative title: “The Node of God: Darksyn Rising”.
Steel, P.I.
In the future, I will be launching a continuation of Jonathan Steel’s story as he moves into the job of a regular private investigator who doesn’t always have to face off with demons. Well, not always.
Non-Fiction books:
“The 5 Minute Atheist” is my personal story of a crisis of faith and my journey of recovery from that crisis through the discovery of Christian Apologetics.
And there are more books in the pipe.
BOOK FAIR!
NOW — If you live in the Shreveport/Bossier area, come see me and a lot of other excellent Christian authors at the upcoming “Wholesome Book Fair”. It will be held at Barksdale Baptist Church, 1714 Jimmie Davis Hwy, Bossier City, 71112 on Saturday, October 28th from 11 AM to 2 PM.
I will have ALL of my books available in print format and Ebook coupons for downloading from Bookfunnel.com. That’s right! You can purchase any of my books for only $2.50 as an ebook and download the book with a special code I will supply to ANY book reader. No need to fool with Kindle, or Apple Books, or Nook, etc. And this will be the ONLY way right now you can get all three updated, 13th, 12th AND 11th demon books!
I will also be featuring books by two other authors, Mark Sutton and Marcus Buckley. For more information on the books available check out hopeagainbooks.com.
I hope to see you THERE! I’d love to meet you!
Aliens in Disguise
Those who accept the authority of the Bible and embrace a Christian worldview take different positions on whether God might have created intelligent life on other planets. This question has been debated at least since Thomas Aquinas discussed it nine centuries ago.
Scholars who believe extraterrestrial intelligence (ETI) physically exists see it as a display of God’s creativity and power. They argue that a God who so obviously enjoys creating, a God of unimaginable power, should not be expected to limit His creative expression to just one planet and its one species of spiritual beings.
Hugh Ross
In my post on May 14th I talked about UFOs and my fascination with them. In my last post I talked about the death of my future. Today, I want to talk about the death of evolution in my writing.
Let me explain.
I was ecstatic when I heard the announcement way back in 1986 that Gene Roddenberry was bringing a brand new version of Star Trek back to television. Star Trek: The Next Generation promised to fulfill all of my nerdy science fiction dreams. Granted, the first season was rocky thanks to a writer’s strike. But, the following seasons were profound. And, the best cliffhanger of all times in television occurred at the end of the third season when Captain Picard appeared on the Enterprise view screen and said, “I am Locutus of Borg”. Read the rest of this entry
Don’t Forget Friday Night!
BOOK LAUNCH — This Friday!
This Friday night from 6 to 8 PM come by the Well, the coffee shop of Brookwood Baptist Church (corner of I-49 and Bert Kouns) and have a free cup of coffee and a snack. I know that many of you have Christmas parties and such, so the event is a come and go affair. I’ll be giving away some gift cards and I will email them to the winner so you don’t have to be present to win.
My latest book, “The 11th Demon: The Ark of Chaos” will be available at a low price of only $10.
In fact, I will have all four books there. My first two books in the Chronicles of Jonathan Steel and my book, “Conquering Depression” — a timely book for this time of year and for this time in history!
So, here is the deal.
Each book individually is $10.
Or, you can buy three books for $25!
Or, you can buy four books for $30!
If you are in a hurry, I’ll have some pre signed books so you don’t have to wait in line. Just grab the book, pay for it, and grab a snack before you leave.
I appreciate all of my readers and I am hoping to make this third book a real success for the Jonathan Steel series to continue. If you don’t live in the Shreveport area, I am planning on asking the local LifeWays in Shreveport, Austin, and Abilene to have a book signing. I held a book signing in Austin and Shreveport before but my son, Sean and his wife, Jenn now live in Abilene and I’d love to show up there for a book signing. You might want to mention this to your local LifeWay!
Also, I am planning on contacting the book store at First Baptist Church Orlando for a book signing sometime in January – February, 2014. They have been so good and faithful to let me sign books and I can’t wait to return to the area!
Hope to see you Friday night. Oh, and yes, the Ark of Chaos will be on the premises along with a creature from the depths of well . . . let’s just say, it’s beastly on the inside!
(A free tee shirt for each buying customer!)
“The 11th Demon: The Ark of Chaos” Book Launch December 6th!
Formal Announcement:
Bruce Hennigan debuts his third book,
“The 11th Demon: The Ark of Chaos”
Friday evening, December 6, 2013
from 6 to 8 PM at The Well, the coffee shop of Brookwood Baptist Church in Shreveport, Louisiana.
Brookwood Baptist Church is at the corner of I-49 and Bert Kouns. (www.brookwoodbaptist.com)
Not only will the new book be featured, but the first two books and Conquering Depression will be available. Bruce will be signing all four books.
Books are $10 each at the book launch only (This is a saving of up to $5 per book).
Book Launch Special:
3 Books for $25
4 Books for $30
Sign up for free giveaways!
There will be a special announcement about a new, upcoming book!
Come and enjoy free drinks and snacks!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Almost Ready for the 11th Demon?
Well, I just sent the final galley proof corrections for the text and the cover of my latest book back to my publisher. That’s right! “The 11th Demon: The Ark of Chaos” will soon be available! I don’t have a firm release date but it should be within the next month. When the final cover comes back to me, I’ll post it.
For those of you who have not read my first two books, this book will be a continuation of the story of Jonathan Steel. You can enjoy this book without reading the first two, but I highly recommend getting the first two books BEFORE you read “The 11th Demon”. Both books are available from links at this site. They are in ebook format for iBooks, Nook, and Kindle. And, they are in paperback form as well.
Tentatively, the paperback format of “The 11th Demon” will retail for $19.99 and the ebook for $3.99. And, if you would like for me to come to your area for a book signing, let me know. Right now, I haven’t planned for a launch party as in the past because our coffee shop at Brookwood Baptist Church is no longer open at night. I will have to come up with different plans!
Now, some of you may have an obscure former book entitled “The Ark of the Demon Rose”. Portions of that book have been adapted into this newest story. But, trust me, you will NOT want to miss the new book. It has all new story lines. I reveal Cephas Lawrence’s backstory. Why does he collect ancient books and documents on demons? Who is in the mysterious picture on his desk? I reveal the cause of Theophilus’ fall into drugs. What did he do in his past that filled him with such self loathing that he gave up his church and turned to a life of drugs? And, why does he call Jonathan “Chief”?
Oh yeah, let’s talk about Vivian. I hate her. Do you? She is a pain in my side. The woman is a devious ingenue! What made her that way? Where did she get her demons? What happened in her past to make her the evil thing that she is? Well, you’ll find out!
“The 11th Demon: The Ark of Chaos” is a very personal story. It is a settling in of my characters. It is about their growing relationships and Jonathan’s acceptance of his inevitable role to battle demons. It is revelatory and there is a very important flashback that asks more questions than it answers about Jonathan and his relationship to his father, “The Captain”.
On top of that, this story is a slow, smoldering burn building to a rip roaring climax that, I hope will leave you turning the pages as quickly as possible.
Halloween is coming and there is no better time than now to read some scary books. Pick up my first two books and remember “The 13th Demon” is the first book! Read them in the next few weeks and get ready for the arrival of “The 11th Demon”! Keep an eye on this site for the formal announcement of its release.
And, in the meantime, whatever you do, DO NOT OPEN THE BOX!
“The Telling” a Book Review Day 3
There is something that Mike Duran is very, very good at. Like in his “The Resurrection” Mike Duran has the ability to take the “Christian point of view” and tweak it ever so slightly to make it, well, slightly oblique. In “The Resurrection” Mike Duran chose to push the boundaries of our Biblical understanding of spirits and ghosts and create the “Cellophane Man”, a frightening ghostly figure that haunted the life of the main character. Mike even included an additional addendum at the end of the book discussing the theological underpinnings of such a possible creature as a ghost.
In “The Telling”, Mike Duran goes one better. He turns the concept of the fallen angels on its head, bringing in “dark angels” with decidedly un-Biblical powers in addition to those every Christian would anticipate. And here lies a challenge that is at the heart of all Christian Speculative Fiction. How far does an author go to present a story that appeals to the secular audience and yet conveys the “truth” of Christianity I mentioned on Day 1? Or, should a Christian author write a story that can ONLY be enjoyed by Christians? Mike has talked about this challenge on his blog at length and the reader can visit his blog for more information on this “controversy” in Christian fiction.
In “The Telling”, Mike Duran pushes the accepted abilities and identities of the fallen angels slightly beyond the literal scriptural description. Some Christians may find this troublesome. In “The Telling” we hardly ever hear the name of Jesus or mention of God and these “dark angels” seem to be able to possess anyone, regardless of their walk with God. I say “seem to be able”. For, if you pay very close attention, Mike never crosses the line. There are moments when the reader believes that the darkness will triumph only to fall to the presence of Good.
What I like most about this book is its ability to appeal to unbelievers. I suggest any reader purchase a copy and pass it off to their skeptical friends and family. It reads like a fast paced supernatural thriller that is not connected to Christianity. In fact, there is a North American Indian character that one could suspect represents the worldview of animism as we see in ancient North American Indian religions. But, the overarching reality of this story is that God is present. Good triumphs over evil. Satan’s minions will flee when confronted with a Christ follower. In the end, the story is one of redemption and love. And that, my friends, is what all of us should celebrate.
I highly recommend “The Telling”. Powerful, creepy, scary, edgy, and filled with wonderful characters and fascinating locales.
Once again, I want to remind everyone that I am giving away a limited number of my book, “The 13th Demon: Altar of the Spiral Eye” in anticipation of the launch of my second book, “The 12th Demon: Mark of the Wolf Dragon” on October 16, 2012. If you would like to receive a FREE copy with NO obligation, just fill out the form below.
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“The Telling” — A Book Review Day 2
I like little maps. I like little hand drawn maps. When I think of Middle Earth, I can see Tolkien’s hand drawn map of that far country. Mike Duran has a little hand drawn map in the front of his book, “The Telling”. I find it intriguing because I now want to see what is about to happen at each of these places. If something wasn’t going to happen in these places, then why put them there? Here are some of the most important places:
Marvale Manor — an old hotel that has been converted into as assisted living center. This is where Annie, the grandmother to Tamra, has noticed that people are NOT what they used to be. Something is up in Marvale Manor. And, that something started down in the maintenance area where a young man with a really bad headache has opened his mind and his heart to the darkness around him and is searching for his lost notebook.
Lanrel House — Not far from Marvale Manor, this is where the nursing home residents live. It is here that this young man goes to see his father. Which young man? Read the book to find out. For, his father is the key to everything that is transpiring in the town of Endurance.
Silverton — The town that once thrived after the discovery of silver in the mine overlying “Otto’s Rift”. Over a century ago, a terrible tragedy befell the entire population of region. It was the Madness of Endurance!
The Book Swap — a house open to anyone who wants to trade one used book for another. It is here that Annie hopes her granddaughter, Tamra, can persuade Zeph to lend her a certain book containing information that may be the key to the “madness” of Endurance.
The Vermont — once a theater that thrived, it is now shuttered and closed. But, inside this building is a secret that will prove to be the beginning of the salvation of Endurance.
Shiloh — A small church where as a young boy, Zeph practiced his “telling” to a willing and unsuspecting audience, often with surprising outcomes both good and bad.
The Black Pass — Tall black pillars on either side of the road that leads into Endurance and nearby is Dawson’s Rut, home of a roadside souvenir shop. Zeph Walker will see an ancient artifact that will seal his fate and reveal his destiny!
All of these interesting names reside inside the town of Endurance. But, the one place that is the most important to this story is Otto’s Rift. Here, forces of darkness are gathering, seeping out into the world of light and goodness, gathering their strength and increasing their numbers for a terrible onslaught on the world of man.
I will not reveal more of the plot for to do so is to ruin the story. Mike Duran has created a fascinating and very real landscape for his tale of impending doom. I highly recommend the book, “The Telling”. Follow the map to a suspenseful and frightening story.
Tomorrow, I’ll conclude with my thoughts on the spiritual side of Mike Duran’s story.
Remember, if you would like to receive a FREE copy of my first book, “The 13th Demon: Altar of the Spiral Eye” fill out the form below. I still have a few books left and there is no obligation!
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FREE copy of “The 13th Demon”!
On October 16, 2012 the vampires arrive!
“The 12th Demon: Mark of the Wolf Dragon” will be available on that date. But, you may not know much about Jonathan Steel or his encounter with “The 13th Demon”. So, I am going to put some of my promotional copies of “The 13th Demon: Altar of the Spiral Eye” to good use. I have a limited amount of copies and I will send you a copy for FREE! No strings attached. I will NOT use your contact information for anything but to mail you a signed copy of “The 13th Demon: Altar of the Spiral Eye”.
All you have to do is to fill out this form and send me your mailing address. I will send you a copy of the book as long as my copies last. All I ask is that if you like the first book, on October 16th buy the second book! I’d love to see “The 12th Demon: Mark of the Wolf Dragon” hit the best seller list and prove that Christian fiction is for real. This book is an alternate view of vampires and is different from any previously published view that I am aware of. It is an inspirational answer to the Twilight series, the vampire diaries, and so on.
So, let me hear from you and see if you can get your hands on a FREE copy of the first book in the Jonathan Steel Chronicles.
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Bruce Hennigan 
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