Who else is a huge fan of suspenseful fiction? Well, it honestly doesn’t get more gripping than Lisa Harris‘ latest release The Traitor’s Pawn. There’s the trading of government secrets, kidnapping and of course, a little bit of romance!

Author Lisa Harris sat down to answer a few questions about the inspiration behind The Traitor’s Pawn as well as what she is working on next. Read on for more!

Want to order your copy of The Traitor’s Pawn? Click here! 

Q: What inspired the idea for your new book, The Traitor’s Pawn?

A: It actually started with a simply hunting scene gone very wrong that I couldn’t get out of my mind, where a woman survives and is a witness of an assassination of a senator. Eventually, I decided that I wanted to make the story more personal to the heroine, so things quickly evolved from there to a story where she is the one in the crosshairs and is being used as a pawn in a much bigger game.

Q: Two of the main characters in The Traitor’s Pawn, Jack and Aubrey, have history together. Without giving away spoilers, can you tell us a little more about their relationship?

A: Because my books usually take place over a very short time span, I love it when my hero and heroine have a complicated history. Something that kept them apart in the past but then, in the end, brings them together. Jack and Aubrey do have a long history, and this unexpected encounter between the two of them in the beginning of the story ends up reminding them both that the feelings they once had toward each other never completely went away.

Q: Did anything surprise you as you were writing the novel?

A: One of the fun things about writing is when I’m headed a certain direction and then a twist in my “author plan” takes me off guard. I always have an end goal for my stories, but there are definitely times where getting there surprises me. In this story, I was surprised when a couple of the good guys turned out to be not so innocent.

Q: Did you face any challenges in creating this story? What was the hardest scene to write?

A: Action scenes are always a challenge for me. For example, in the beginning of the story when Bree is trying to escape her kidnapper, I had to write a fight scene between two experienced fighters, I typically watch YouTube videos for ideas, then I will always block out the scene before writing it down.

Q: Do you see parts of yourself in any of your characters?

A: While I never plan to put any of myself into my characters, I know that I write from who I am. Because of this, the way I look at life, as well as my experiences, does have an impact on my characters. On the other hand, most of my characters – like Jack and Aubrey – who are in law enforcement, are very different from me. They run on adrenaline and don’t hesitate to risk their lives for justice. I would simply run the other way. One of the reasons I write stories like this is because I admire those who daily put their lives on the line to protect our country, and I’m grateful to them.

Q: What do you hope readers will gain from Traitor’s Pawn?

A: Besides a page-turning story that keeps them up all night (sorry!), I hope it reminds them that God redeems even the worst of situations. And that while he knows that life is often filled with injustice and suffering, God is about the long game. He’s more interested in who you become, even if the actual process is difficult. Not that God doesn’t care about the little things, but he’s more interested in our persevering and reaching the finish line.

Q: What new projects are you working on?

A: I’m currently working on a brand new series about a pair of US Marshals that will come out in the fall of 2020, and I am super excited about!

Order your copy of The Traitor’s Pawn by Lisa Harris by clicking here! 

The post Q&A with Lisa Harris Author of The Traitor’s Pawn appeared first on Christianbook.com Blog.

As VBS volunteers we know there is nothing more valuable than advice from a seasoned VBS expert! That’s why we asked two VBS Directors – one from Missouri and one from Arizona – a few questions about VBS.

Read on below to hear their thoughts on everything from top decorating tips to how they recruit men to assist in running a stellar program!

Erika Solidum
Director of KidLife Ministries at LifePoint Church in Ozark, Missouri

Q: What VBS could you never get out of your head?

A: Sin Messed Everything Up in a LifeWay Kids VBS a few years ago. The rap style and catchy lyrics have us singing it and using it year after year as an example. I only have to start the phrase, “but a sneaky little snake in a sneaky little way…” and everyone can finish it.

Q: What is your top decorating tip?

A: Let your church members use their giftings! If you can, put together a team and give them their budget. Let them get creative and you can help resource them. Delegating and letting others lead different areas of your VBS not only helps you, but it allows them to serve and lead. God uses this to grow them in discipleship and it serves the mission of VBS.

Q: What is the most valuable lesson you’ve learned directing VBS?

A: Don’t compare. We live in an area where countless churches might even host the same VBS theme and curriculum. Do what you do well and let God use it how He has planned. He has gifted your people to lead at your church and He will bring exactly who He wants to hear about His love through your ministry.

Q: Should I charge an admission fee for VBS? Why or why not?

A: We do not charge admission. We build the cost of VBS in our budget and I am a firm believer in this. Yes, you will have families who hop from VBS to VBS because it is free ‘childcare.’ But, as with any missional outreach event, we want children to come and we want them to hear about Jesus. This may mean that you get creative to save money in areas to meet budget, but to love people in this way is worth it.

Q: What are the benefits of running an evening VBS?

A: Our church (even before my time as director) has always run an evening VBS. In the beginning, it was because of size and the number of servants needed. Now, it is because we want everyone to have an opportunity to serve. Men come straight from work, throw on their VBS t-shirt, and lead kids. Empty nester couples who still work are able to jump in and serve. Yes, there will be evening conflicts during the summer months. But, overall, parents can bring children without leaving work and more individuals in our church can serve. We love having our evenings together!

Q: How do you get men involved?

A: A couple of years ago, we started doing an elective type activity station model. This means that instead of the traditional recreation and craft time, we allow kids to pick an activity they are interested in for during that time. Men who would have never led a recreation game will come and teach kids about archery or survival skills (used during a safari theme week). It is always a blessing to see these guys love on kids using whatever they are passionate about while they teach them about Jesus along the way.

Q: How do you build up your volunteer team?

A: After directing VBS for a few years and seeing God grow our church, we decided to do a VBS leadership team. This team meets from the beginning and each person is leading a different area of the week. We build up this team by our focused time together, food, and fellowship. They in turn build teams of servants who fulfill the roles in each of their areas to make the week a success (snack team, Bible teaching team, crew leader team, etc). They carry this on and encourage their teams through little notes, candy bars, and treats during the week itself. We love our servant volunteers and we love seeing some of them become VBS leaders after a couple years!

Giselle Ryan
Children’s Pastor at Radiant Church in Surprise, Arizona

Q: What is your secret weapon for surviving VBS?

A: Laughter! You have to have a good laugh every now and then. It helps to put things into perspective.

Q: What is your top decorating tip?

A: Start early. You can never start too early when it comes to decorations.

Q: What is your best marketing strategy to date?

A: Make a cool video explaining how great this event is and play it on Sunday mornings in the adult service leading up to it. It will get the word out in your congregation so they can invite people and it will get you volunteers to serve!

What is your top tip for VBS directors? We’d love to hear your thoughts!

The post VBS Advice from Two Experts appeared first on Christianbook.com Blog.

Here at Christian book, spring time is one of our favorite times of year. The birds are singing, flowers are blooming… and a whole host of new fiction releases hit our desks!

Among those new titles will be this thrilling new read from James R. Hannibal – the author of last year’s bestselling title, The Gryphon Heist. In the new book, Chasing the White Lion, readers are reunited with CIA officer, Talia Inger. In this book we see Talia receive her plum assignment – Russia! But it doesn’t come without a hitch… she must work with the man who assassinated her father. Together they must infiltrate the first-ever internet crime syndicate, capture its boss, and rescue a group of kidnapped refugees. Phew!

If you love a suspenseful read that will have you feverishly turning the pages from start to finish, then Chasing the White Lion is for you! Want to know a little more about the inspiration behind the book? Read on for a Q&A with author James R. Hannibal.

To preorder your copy of Chasing the White Lion, click here. 

Q: As a former tactical deception officer offer and stealth pilot, you have experienced your share of danger and intrigue. How does your past experience affect your books?

A: In thriller writing, a classified past is both a blessing and a curse. I’ve had amazing experiences I’m never allowed to speak of in public, and those hidden experiences meant my first three novels had to pass through multiple program security offices because publishers could ever see them. However, even though I can’t talk about my real experiences, I can draw from them as I write, giving me an edge. Research is a little easier too. Any writer can find the information I put into my stories, but it will be a difficult hunt. I have the unfair advantage of knowing which rocks to overturn.

Q: Can you provide a brief description of your new book, Chasing the White Lion?

A: CIA rookie Talia Inger returns to infiltrate the world’s first crowdsourced crime syndicate, known as the Jungle. But venturing into the Jungle with Tyler and Talia’s grifter friend Valkyrie means venturing into a past she’s been trying to avoid. The truth about her father may reveal enemies close to home. Also, the deeper she goes into the Jungle’s darkness, the more the line between right and wrong blur. Talia must learn to trust God and her team, and she must help Valkyrie see that even in the darkest shadows, no one is beyond the saving love of Christ.

Q: In Chasing the white Lion, you take readers deep undercover into the criminal underworld where the main heroine, Talia, hopes to rescue kidnapped refugee children from a human trafficking network. How did you come up with the plot for your book?

A: Compassion International’s mission of empowering impoverished children inspires me. Compassion gives children hope, dignity, and identity. These are in short supply in border refugee camps where neither nation wants to recognize a child’s existence. That lack of identity makes these children prime targets for criminal enterprises. I wanted to bring this to light and bring to light the power of Compassion’s work. By extension, every sponsor is as much a hero as Talia. In essence, the crime syndicate in my story will learn that they messed with the wrong kids.

Q: Talia is not only a CIA officer, but she is also in charge of an elite team of thieves. What type of research was required to accurately portray her role?

A: Thieves and magic go hand in hand. I am bound by a nondisclosure, but I can say that my research on this story led me to an opportunity for remote study with a pair of the most famous magicians in the world. What I learned about deception and misdirection became key pieces of the adventure.

Q: What do you hope readers will gain from reading Chasing the White Lion?

A: My ultimate hope is that readers will see the power of child sponsorship and choose to become heroes themselves through Compassion International or some other child sponsorship program. Beyond this, I hope that Talia and Valkyrie will help readers see that we can trust in God for all things – anytime, anywhere – and that no one is beyond the saving love of Christ. He is reaching out. Simply take his hand.

Q: Who is the target audience for your book?

A: The target audience for this story is adult thriller-lovers, leaning toward new adult. The story focuses primarily on characters in the millennial age range, and I hope their battles, frustrations, and triumphs will connect with millennial readers.

Q: What are you working on next?

A: The story I’m working on now is a spy-left-out-in-the-cold story loosely related to the biblical story of Job. I am incredibly excited about this story and the message it holds.

To preorder your copy of Chasing the White Lion, click here. 

The post Q&A with James R. Hannibal Author of ‘Chasing the White Lion’ appeared first on Christianbook.com Blog.

Bestselling author of the Blue Justice series and Elite Guardian series, Lynette Eason has returned with a brand new action-packed book, Collateral Damage! In typical Eason Style, Collateral Damage promises to have readers gripped from start to finish.

To learn more about the new series, Lynette Eason answered a few questions for readers about the themes and inspiration behind the story. No doubt you’ll be adding this book to your must-read list!

To order a copy of Lynette Eason’s new book ‘Collateral Damage’ click here! 

Q: Collateral Damage is the first book in your new Danger Never Sleeps series. How many books will be part of this series?

A: There will be four books

Q: How are the books in the series connected?

A: The books are connected via four friends who met while in the military. The series follows their lives and adventures and the men they meet – and fall in love with – along the way.

Q: Collateral Damage deals with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). What type of research was required to write about this subject?

A: I talked to a number of people about this disorder. Most people who have it don’t really like to discuss it. However, some people are more open – especially those who want to make sure the disorder is represented correctly. I also talked to those who had loved ones who suffered from PTSD, and they were able to give me pointers on how to make sure my story reflected it accurately.

To order a copy of Lynette Eason’s new book ‘Collateral Damage’ click here! 

Q: One of your main characters is a former Army special ops sergeant. How did you learn about the tasks and perils associated with this profession?

A: I did a lot of online research, but the coolest thing EVER was when I was at the Mountainside Marketing Conference this past January and I met a guy who was teaching there. Turns out he had the exact same position as my hero, Asher! This wonderful man, Vincent, read each scene and gave me feedback down to which energy bar would be eaten! He offered me terminology for gear and vocabulary in the action scenes, etc. It was a fabulous divine appointment that only God could have orchestrated.

Q: You have two very different settings for your book. Can you please let readers know why you chose these locations?

A: I’ve always been interested in the war in Afghanistan and the Middle East. I know some soldiers who are serving over there, so I knew I could get accurate information on that locale even though I’ve never been there myself. The other location is Greenville, South Carolina, and that’s simply because that’s where I live. I’m familiar with the location, and it’s easy to write about!

Q: Your second book in the series will release August 2020. How is your next book similar or different from Collateral Damage?

A: It’s similar in that it still has some of the military aspects, but very different in that it deals with a different theme, different characters, different conflicts.

To order a copy of Lynette Eason’s new book ‘Collateral Damage’ click here! 

The post Q&A with Lynette Eason, Author of Collateral Damage appeared first on Christianbook.com Blog.

Attention all you fans of Lynette Eason – and those of you who just LOVE a good Christian suspense read! Eason has returned with brand new book in the Blue Justice series, Called to Protect. In this new release, Eason explores the incredibly important issue of human trafficking through her character, Chloe St. John.

Want to know more about the inspiration for the book as well as what’s next for the bestselling author? Read on!

To purchase Called to Protect by Lynette Eason, click here.

Q. Why did you decide to write a series based on a law enforcement family?

A. I thought it would have interesting dynamics and be fun to write characters who understood each other yet had a lot of differences too. I wanted to show that a family can disagree and still come together to support each other when needed.

Q. Your series is set in Colombia, South Carolina. Why did you utilize this location for your new series?

A. I went to college in Columbia, so I’m fairly familiar with the area. I also liked the setup of the law enforcement for the city because it fit into my plans with what I wanted to do with the series.

Q. Human trafficking is a hot topic in the news. What type of research was required to effectively write a novel based on this issue?

A. It’s a hot topic for good reasons. Human trafficking is prevalent and a huge moneymaker for those who exploit others. I think it’s also something that people have a hard time believing can happen in their own backyard, so to speak. The research was intense and in-depth.

Q. Chloe St. John is a K-9 cop working with her Dutch shepherd partner, Hank. Was there anything new you learned about K-9 divisions when writing Called to Protect?

A. I did! I learned a lot. I learned about the way dogs track and how they’re trained. It’s an incredibly interesting process. I had a K-9 trainer who was willing to answer any questions I had, so having the input of a professional was especially cool.

Q. Do you have a favorite character in Called to Protect?

A. I love Chloe St. John. She just really appeals to me. She’s strong and fierce and funny. She’s also got an independent streak but isn’t afraid to ask for help when she needs it – for the most part anyway.

Q. What is one of the main points you hope readers gain from your book?

A. First, I want readers to love the story. Next, I want them to get how big a problem human trafficking is and that we can’t turn a blind eye to it.

Q. What are you working on next?

A. I’m working on Book #3 in the Blue Justice series. It’s Brady St. John and Emily Chastain’s story. It also deals with human trafficking but from a whole different perspective than in Called to Protect.

To purchase Called to Protect by Lynette Eason, click here!

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