TitleTrakk co-founder's novel to be published by Tyndale!

TitleTrakk.com's very own C.J. Darlington will have her first novel, Thicker Than Blood, published by Tyndale House in late 2009 or early 2010 (official release date not yet confirmed).

The novel is the winner of the 2008 Operation First Novel contest sponsored by the Jerry B. Jenkins Christian Writers Guild and Tyndale House publishers.

This is a novel C.J. started when she was fifteen-years-old. She was about to give up on it but decided to try submitting the novel to this contest.

Find out more of her story to publication by visiting C.J.'s blog.


(l-r: Karen Watson from Tyndale, C.J. Darlington & Jerry B. Jenkins. Photo by Cindi of Selah Studios.)


Working Summary of Thicker Than Blood:

Two sisters, estranged for 15 years. Their blood ties weren't enough. Only something stronger could bring them together again.

Christy Williams finally has her life on track. Her career as an antiquarian book buyer at the renowned used bookstore Dawson's Barn of Books is taking off. Hunter Dawson is teaching her the fine points of purchasing collectible books, and so far she's been able to keep her drinking problem from interfering. But when she discovers her ex-boyfriend, who also works at Dawsons, is stealing valuable books right off the store's shelves, she's unable to stop him for fear he'll expose the skeleton's in her closet.

Things begin to unravel when a stolen Hemingway first edition is found in her possession, framing her for a crime she didn't commit. With no one to turn to, she yearns for her estranged family, especially her younger sister May, who she abandoned in their childhood after their parents' untimely deaths. Now the owner of a failing cattle ranch, May couldn't possibly want a relationship with her, the big sister who didn't even say goodbye all those years ago. Could she?

Soon Christy's fleeing from her shattered dreams, her ex-boyfriend, and God. Could the Triple Cross ranch be the safe haven she's searching for, or will May's new-found faith give her sister even more reason to reject Christy? Will they realize before it's too late that each possesses what the other desperately needs?

Writing for the Soul photos by Cindi of Selah Studios

Vote for the Ending of The Justice Game by Randy Singer

Coming in July 2009 from Tyndale House is Randy Singer's next legal thriller. "This one's personal," he says at his website. In fact, there's a whole factual story around this one. Says Randy in full at his website:

This one is personal.

On December 15, 1988, a sixteen-year-old student named Nicholas Elliot took a Mac-11 assault weapon to Atlantic Shores Christian School and opened fire. He shot and killed a teacher named Karen Farley, wounded an assistant principal, and burst into a trailer where a Bible class was meeting. When he opened fire on the students who had scrambled to the back corner of the trailer, frantically praying, the gun jammed. The Bible teacher, Hutch Matteson, tackled Elliot and prevented the kind of tragedy that hit Columbine High School in Colorado several years later.

Atlantic Shores was the school where my wife taught. The school my kids attended (though they were not there that day). When I learned that Elliot had purchased the gun illegally from a gun store in Isle of Wight County (through a transaction referred to as a "straw purchase transaction"), I ended up representing the family of Karen Farley in an unprecedented lawsuit against that gun store. The verdict shocked everyone.

That was fifteen years ago -- my baptism by fire into the national gun debate.

With this book, I wade back in ...wiser (I hope), more cautious, and with a better understanding of both sides. My goal here is not to make converts (at least, not in the Second Amendment sense), but to fairly present both perspectives and let the reader decide. I've tried to create compelling characters who are gun enthusiasts and others who advocate gun control. In fact, I was so determined to be balanced that I did something I've never done before and, as far as I know, no other novelist has done before or since.

My readers determined the verdict for this book.

I put together an on-line video, showing a news report about the fictional case at the heart of this book and portions of the closing arguments of both lawyers. I asked readers to watch the video and render a verdict. The verdict in this story reflects the verdict of a majority of my readers.

The result might surprise you. If I.ve done my job right, the ending of the book might surprise you as well.

Whether it does or not, thanks for taking this journey with me. In a very real sense, you are always the jury. And, just like in my real trials, I've got a few butterflies as I submit my case to you.

For The Justice Game, the jury is out.

Update: the video to watch and then cast your vote is live at Randy's website! Click here to watch. Or, watch the video below and then visit the website to cast your vote.


Read our interview with Randy Singer.
Read our review of By Reason of Insanity.

Valley of the Shadow by Tom Pawlik

Tom Pawlik's debut novel Vanish has received great kudos (it won the 2006 Christian Writers Guild Operation First Novel contest). But he's not a one hit wonder. His sophomore novel, Valley of the Shadow, is coming in July 2009 from Tyndale House.

Summary:

Conner Hayden is certain he survived his near-death experience for a reason.

He thinks it’s to save the life—and soul—of Mitch Kent. Mitch’s body remains on life support while his spirit is trapped with the old farmer Howard Bristol in the Interworld—a strange and dangerous dimension that Conner narrowly escaped during his brush with death in Pawlik’s award-winning debut novel, Vanish.

Meanwhile, in the Interworld, Mitch receives a warning from a mysterious stranger: Howard is not who he appears to be, and Mitch must flee immediately. Pursued by Howard and a terrifying, deadly creature, Mitch soon learns the truth about what happened to him and that his only hope of survival lies at the very edge of the Interworld.

Tom also said this at his blog:

The sequel follows the stories of Conner, Mitch and Devon--oh and Howard too, while introducing a couple of new characters as well. I also developed more details around the basic scenario presented in VANISH and added in some new elements of the unknown to keep readers guessing.

Veiled Freedom by J.M. Windle

Coming in June 2009 (Tyndale) from Jeanette (J.M.) Windle is Veiled Freedom.

Summary:

When a disillusioned Special Forces veteran, a relief worker with stars still stubbornly in her eyes, and an Afghan medical school dropout intersect on the streets of Kabul in Veiled Freedom, they can’t predict an explosion of events that will test the hypocrisy of Western leadership and Afghanistan’s new democracy and face each of them with the true meaning and only Source of freedom.
Read our interview with Jeanette.

Breach of Trust by DiAnn Mills

Coming in March 2009 from DiAnn Mills and Tyndale House is an interesting new book. No full descriptions are available as yet, but we believe the series is about women CIA operatives in various parts of the world.

Nothing But Trouble by Susan May Warren

Coming early next year from Tyndale is Susan May Warren's next book. Here's how she describes it in an interview with Annette M. Irby.

I’m so excited about my new series – I’m calling it the misadventures of PJ Sugar, PI-wannabe. It’s the story of a bad-girl gone good who returns to her hometown ten years after being run out of town for a crime she didn’t commit. She returns home hoping to start fresh, and ends up right back where she started – getting caught up in a murder, and eventually landing back in the county jail, again for a crime she didn’t commit. Can PJ Sugar ever escape trouble, or is she destined to be known as Nothing But Trouble. (And that’s the name of the book). I’m working on a fun website now, and will have it up with previews, etc, in a few weeks. It’s the first in what I’m calling the “PJ Sugar- Trouble” series. And it’s got all my favorite elements – romance, suspense, a strong spiritual thread and lots of good humor. It hits the shelves in February.

Fossil Hunter by John Olson

Coming in May from Tyndale:

Summary:

In the desolate Iraqi desert, a lone shepherd stumbles across a whale fossil. Initial analysis indicates that it could be a new species-a discovery that could shed light on the evolution debate. Paleontologist Dr. Katie James is asked to lead an expedition to recover the rest of the fossil before her archrival, Nick Murad, can find it first.

Visit John's website here.

Tyndale signs G.P. Taylor

According to Christian Retailing, Tyndale has recently signed author G.P. Taylor "to a multiple book deal to publish 'The Dopple Ganger Chronicles,' a new series of 'illustronovellas' featuring manga-style graphics ... The series will feature at least six books, with the first book, The First Escape, scheduled for release this fall, Tyndale officials said."