November 2012

Again, I will just post a bunch of pictures and try to finish up from last year. These are from November. I really do have good intentions, but...

Tom's parents took the boys to a UM football game.

Kids doing school, even Haven!

More homework

Daniel's 15th birthday

Ethan's 5th birthday

 

Haven crying about something!!

Ethan's birthday cake

Ethan and his buddy

Pit stop

Girls and their friends

Peter

Ethan on the plane

Sam took Andrew, Sarah, and Rachel for a ride!!

Watching the planes

Ethan and another buddy

Ethan and Haven on the Wii

Dad and the boys playing a game

Haven deciding whether to do 'school' or suck her fingers :)

Sarah, Abby, and Rachel all matched

THE TENTH PLAGUE by Adam Blumer

If you have never read FATAL ILLUSIONS, by Adam Blumer, you ought to!! This is his 2nd novel, due to be released on the 29th. Tom has already agreed to get it for me :) Here is a summary and an interview with Adam, who, by the way, is a friend of mine from way back!

                                                

The Tenth Plague Blog Blitz

1                    General Information

2                    Book Summary, About the Author

3                    Endorsements

4                    Interview

General Information

Title:                            The Tenth Plague
Publisher:                    Kirkdale Press
Release Date:             January 29, 2013
ISBN 13:                     978-1-57799-524-1
Format:                        E-book
Genre:                         Christian suspense/thriller
Author Website:          http://www.adamblumerbooks.com
Author Facebook:       http://www.facebook.com/AdamBlumerNovelist
Twitter:                       https://twitter.com/adamblumer

Purchase Links:           Vyrso:             http://kirkdalepress.com/books/the-tenth-plague/
Price:                           $7.49

The book will be available for purchase at Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com on release day, January 29.

Book Summary

Water turns to blood. Flies and gnats attack the innocent. Marc and Gillian Thayer’s vacation resort becomes a grisly murder scene, with a killer using the ten plagues of Egypt as his playbook for revenge.

When their friend turns up dead, Marc and Gillian put their vacation on hold, enlist the help of a retired homicide detective, and take a closer look at the bizarre plagues as they escalate in intensity. Meanwhile, a stranger is after the Thayers’ newly adopted baby. Will they uncover the truth behind the bitter agenda before the tenth plague, the death of the firstborn son?

About the Author

Adam Blumer is the author of Fatal Illusions (Kregel Publications) and The Tenth Plague (Kirkdale Press). A print journalism major in college, he works as a freelance writer and editor after serving in editorial roles for more than twenty years. He lives in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula with his wife, Kim, and his daughters, Laura and Julia.

Endorsements

“Suspense of biblical proportions! Adam Blumer does a masterful job transforming the biblical plagues to a modern-day scenario full of twists and turns that will keep you riveted until the very end.” —Bonnie S. Calhoun, publisher of Christian Fiction Online Magazine and author of Cooking the Books, a Sloane Templeton mystery

“An intriguing premise with suspense that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Blumer’s crafted a great thriller in The Tenth Plague.” —Graham Garrison, author of Hero’s Tribute and Legacy Road

“The Tenth Plague delivers a compelling premise of . . . murder that will thrill readers of clean Christian fiction!” —Bryn Jones, author of The Next Chapter

“Adam Blumer’s Tenth Plague sweeps an ordinary couple into a current of extraordinary events—all with a mentally deranged man calling the shots. Here’s a novel that will keep you wondering what can possibly go wrong next!” —Rick Barry, author of Gunner’s Run

“Adam Blumer writes a suspenseful story with a passion for God not often seen in today’s marketplace.” —Creston Mapes, best-selling novelist

“An almost-forgotten mine disaster, a misguided conference on Bible translation, a twisted take on the book of Revelation, a botched ATF-FBI operation, a gifted autistic child—Adam Blumer has woven these strands and more into a page-turning tapestry of a mystery. You won’t want to lay this one aside till the author has tied up all the loose ends.” —Richard C. Leonard, author of Heart of the Highriders and Silence of the Drums

“A chilling tale that keeps readers turning pages and pondering its truths. The Tenth Plague is a solid entry in Adam Blumer’s bibliography, and fans of thrillers with spiritual depth will find much to enjoy.” —C. J. Darlington, author of Thicker than Blood and Bound by Guilt

Interview

1.      What was your inspiration behind The Tenth Plague?

One day I was reading the book of Revelation and came across 22:18–19. “I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book” (ESV). My mind began playing the “what if” game. Would God really bring a biblical plague on someone who tampered with His Word? I chatted with a few theologian friends, and the plot emerged from there.

2.      How does this novel compare with your first novel, Fatal Illusions?

Though the plot, of course, is different, the two novels share a number of similarities. Both are set in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, where I live. I like to write about average folks like Marc and Gillian Thayer, a pastor and his wife who face unexpected, even threatening, events. Of course, there’s another really bad killer who wants to do them harm, and their retired homicide detective friend, Chuck Riley, once again comes out of retirement to help them. I also like to weave in a historical event that somehow relates to the present day. In Fatal Illusions, it was the killer’s obsession with Houdini; in The Tenth Plague, an old mine disaster plays an important role. The past always plays an important role in the present—a running theme in my novels. Overall, I like to write about redemption: how biblical truth offers the answers to the complicated issues of life. Stories, like parables, present some of the best ways to illustrate biblical truths.

3.      What was one of the most important lessons you learned during the writing of this novel?

The power of the collaborative process. I had a fairly strong first draft, but I was stuck. A novel editor provided a creative springboard and helped me see where my true story lay. Without her help, I doubt this story would have seen the light of day.

4.      What part of writing this novel took the most work?

This novel required a ton of research. From an old mining tragedy to autism, from adoption law to anthrax, from pheromones to the Oklahoma City bombing, the research for this one required much more than I ever expected. I’m so thankful for technology and ease of access, thanks to the Internet. Without Google and so many resources at my fingertips, I’d probably still be researching this story. 

5.      So far, what has been your favorite work experience in life?

During one summer between years in high school, I worked at a library, a book lover’s paradise. Granted, a lot of the work involved stocking shelves, but being surrounded by so many fascinating books and interesting authors was pure heaven. I was born a die-hard book lover, and I’ll probably die one too. 

6. Consider the qualities that make you unique. How do these qualities come out in your writing?

I love suspense fiction and history, so a blending of the two always seems to come out in my writing. In high school, I won awards in calligraphy; Gillian Thayer, my female lead, is into calligraphy in a big way (it’s her job). I’ve always been intrigued with how one’s past impacts his or her present and future. This is a recurring theme in my novels because it’s part of who I am. Now that I think about it, what I write is inseparable to some degree from who I am.

7. Introduce your plot summary and main characters. What is your favorite part of the story?

Water turns to blood. Flies and gnats attack the innocent. Marc and Gillian Thayer’s vacation resort becomes a grisly murder scene, with a killer using the ten plagues of Egypt as his playbook for revenge.

When their friend turns up dead, Marc and Gillian put their vacation on hold, enlist the help of a retired homicide detective, and take a closer look at the bizarre plagues as they escalate in intensity. Meanwhile, a stranger is after the Thayers’ newly adopted baby. Will they uncover the truth behind the bitter agenda before the tenth plague, the death of the firstborn son?

My favorite part is when the firstborn son is revealed and the novel culminates in the tenth plague. This is the most suspenseful and action-packed part of the story, with several key characters in jeopardy. I had a blast writing it.

8. One of the main themes of The Tenth Plague is confronting and dealing with your past. What can readers take away from this theme, especially in a novel that deals with religion and death?

Both the villain and my heroine, Gillian Thayer, grapple with heartbreaking real-life issues from their past. But how they respond shows two very different paths. My hope is that readers will see the stark contrast in the context of biblical truth presented in the story. The bottom line is that God is enough, and He offers the solution to every problem of life. This is another repeated theme in my stories. Thank you for the opportunity to talk about my latest project.

Some content used by permission of Kirkdale Press

Additional Content 

What are two things about you people might find surprising?

I took lessons to play the accordion in junior high and high school (wanna hear a polka?). When I was a tween, I was a ventriloquist and had a dummy named Andy. I used to entertain the younger kids in children’s church with routines I made up.

How did you meet your wife? I understand it’s an amazing story.

In the spring of 1995, still single and disillusioned with dating, I gave up on the idea of dating anyone ever again. I decided to go on a trip to the Holy Land as sort of a spiritual pilgrimage; I wanted to meditate on God and see what He wanted to show me about Himself. Wouldn’t you know it? What I least expected happened. At the Boston airport, I met Kim, a gorgeous brunette (her church group met mine) who’d brought the same novel to read on the airplane, A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens. No kidding. Then at London’s Heathrow Airport, the ticket person thought she and I were a couple and put us together on the all-night flight to Tel Aviv. Kim didn’t care for her sardines, so I ate them. The relationship appeared to be promising. To cut to the chase, we chatted in Jericho, conversed in Nazareth, and talked nonstop in Jerusalem. On the way home I sat beside her on the plane. A few weeks later, I visited her in Milwaukee and met her parents. By New Year’s, we were engaged. Pretty amazing, huh? I now tell singles not to look for a marriage partner. Seek God, and He’ll put you on a collision course if marriage is His plan for you. 

**Any of you people from Ann Arbor Baptist Church reading this blog...when did Ana and Tom Johnson go to the Holy Land? I'm thinking it was about the same time. I wonder if they went on the same trip...Kim was from Falls Baptist. I'll have to email Ana and find out.

I really need to make a New Year's Resolution!!

Here is my feeble attempt at finishing up the pictures from the end of the year. I just went through all 3 months and got them ready. Now all I need to do is upload them here. Maybe, just maybe, this new year will be better for the Weadock Blog...maybe :)

(I'll add captions tomorrow, maybe...it's way too late for that right now.)

Sorry, it's blurry, but this is Peter's first piano recital!!