The reaction and reader response to these prophetic novels tended to fall along the lines of people who like prophetic novels and people who don't. :-) There are lots of folks who don't agree with the eschatology presented in these stories, so I suspect these books aren't exactly their cups of tea.
But the most amazing thing to me was the fact that the second book, BY DAWN'S EARLY LIGHT, won the Christy Award in the program's inaugural year. I remember that one of the Left Behind books was also a finalist, so everyone assumed that Jerry's book would take the prize. I was thrilled just to be nominated.
That night at the awards ceremony, for each category they had all the finalists come up to the stage (I'm glad they don't do that anymore!). Then they announced the winner, and all I remember is gaping at Jim Bell and some other friends down front. Then I turned to Jerry, who was on my right, and said, "I'm so sorry!"
It was a very "pinch me" moment, but I still have the award sitting on a shelf in my office, so I suppose it really happened. That story--of the Third Temple and Jerusalem--was so interesting, though, it practically wrote itself.
Tomorrow: your questions, so if you have any, please leave them in the comment box. Thanks for dropping by!
~~Angie
It's been a while since I've read the books so maybe my memory's a little rusty but w/o spoiling the book for others, the 3rd book had a different set of characters from the 1st two. i don't remember reading whatever happened to the previous characters. i think i remember feeling like Spear was a completely different storyline from the others. maybe my memory is just fuzzy, but was that intentional?
ReplyDeleteInteresting the comment about "folks who like prophecy books and folks who don't". Your books definitely make folks think, whether they want to or not.
ReplyDeleteI remember reading Uncharted and "enjoying" the book because it was good and so well-written. . . and yet it was also unsettling.
So my question is....whether with this series of prophecy or other topics, have you ever had a story line or concept (either that you've thought of or that's been presented to you) that you've thought "I can't/don't want to deal with that." I would imagine that we all have those issues that stop us short, but you have written on such a wide variety of things. Not trying to delve into the recesses of your mind, but just wondering if there are things you avoid (you don't have to say what they are) or if the research and writing are the way you deal with them.
Am I making any sense at all?!
Wow. I'm impressed.
ReplyDeleteI want to put a plug in for a blog I'm doing for the Florida Christian Writer's Conference in case any of your readers are writer or want to be. It's moving to Lake Wales in Leesburg (I think) Florida this. My blog for that is http://flcwc.blogspot.com/ If that's wrong, just click on my name and it'll take you to the profile.