The Team is made up of devout and highly trained men. These men possess spiritual gifts that range from the physical all the way to the fathomless spiritual-realms. They were once broken men, victims of barbaric tragedies by militant religious groups that roam the backwaters of North Africa. This secret organization is a compact quick strike force built and organized by veteran special forces men that demand giving it all to God - even to death. You will see what genuine faith and service looks like and demands of a person. These men are as tough and well-trained as they come, but weep openly and pray on their knees with indifference to what others may think. The trials and tribulations that God has seemingly punished them with have actually transformed them into some of the most capable fighting men ever seen. 

     If you are a young man, let these men be one more strong influence on your life and ambitions. Perhaps you are middle-aged, let these men plant hope for the future of mankind in you. You may be in your golden years, such as I am, let these men be something to cheer for about our faith and its future. There have always been people men and women that have exemplified Christ just as these men do. It doesn't matter what position you are in life, military, baker, farmer, banker; it doesn't matter. You can be a living and loving example of Jesus Christ to those around you.

Saddest Chapters

      The saddest chapters in the book are chapters 6 and 7.  I am working on the final edits of those two chapters. It is heart-wrenching. One evening, I looked over at my wife to see her with tears running down her cheeks. She was reading those chapters. Well, I said danger, excitement, and humor, but need to add - and a few tears. Unfortunately, the easiest of military battles come with casualties and sadness. Battle in military terms means fighting and harm to people. If our citizens could really consider this before a war, there just might be fewer wars.

 

In the past Twenty years, 5 million African children have been killed in wars on the African continent. In World War II, holocaust deaths are estimated at 11 million Jews. We'll never be certain. The World War I death toll is estimated at 21 million killed and 20 million wounded. Deaths attributed to Mao's revolution in the early 70s is estimated at 20 million. Deaths in the Bolshevik Revolution, 1.3 million. Deaths during Rwandan genocide are estimated at over one million. Man requires God's teachings and to learn from histories past mistakes, sadly, man seems to be very hard of hearing and to be suffering from extreme learning disabilities.

You Just Have to Laugh at Yourself Sometimes

      I wrote a few children's books. Not on purpose. - Steven Wright

      I get a lot of letters from people. They say: "I want to be a writer. What should I do?" I tell them to stop writing to me and get on with it." - Ruth Rendell

     If writers were good businessmen, they'd have too much sense to be writers.  - Irvin S. Cobb

     If Moses were alive today, he'd come down from the mountain with the Ten Commandments and spend the next five years trying to get them published. - Anonymous

     If you can't annoy someone, there's little point in writing. - Kingsley Amis

     I was sorry to hear my name mentioned as one of the great authors, because they have a sad habit of dying off. Chaucer is dead, so is Milton, so is Shakespeare, and I'm not feeling well myself. - Mark Twain

     How the Universe Began, The Jewish Learning Institute. God blessed the Jews with understanding thousands of years ago. I have never been able to express this in an understandable way. This is beautiful. It's almost as though God, himself, is giving this lecture. I suppose he was. Take a little time to listen. You will not be disappointed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLXcWTSJBZ4

Is This Novel Relevant to the Here and Now?

      Over the past ten to twenty years, the world has seen a dramatic increase in Christian and Jewish defamation, suffering from religious extremists and secular group attacks on the opposing side, and various individual-prompted desecration of properties. 

     This novel is about a secret worldwide organization of very devout Christian and Jewish men and women of great power and influence formed to curb these attacks. Their primary method is to let adversaries know that to attack Christians and Jews will no longer be ignored. The price of attacking these two religious groups will come with a good chance of retribution. That retribution will likely come by means of a quasi-military reaction in the form of the organization's special forces unit called The Team. The Team is an African special forces unit made up of South Sudanese, Somalis, Iranians, and Americans. The Team is not a band of bloodthirsty killers. They are all victims of terror, but work hard at leaving revenge to God. The Team trust and lean heavily on God. Prayer and service to God come before all else. Gathering disciples, even from their enemies, is their commission from our Lord, and they are spiritually chained to it.

     In this novel, you will see how adulterated our worship of God has become in America and Europe. You will see how Christians in Africa reflect a much more accurate image of Jesus Christ than those in America and Europe. Some may and will think these characters are fictitious extremist, but they have no experience with Africa and its peoples. Their daily and past sacrifices in daily life and for their religious beliefs is why they chose South Sudan. African people know what it is like to have their faith tested at the sharpened edge of a machete; to see people around them give their lives for their faith. The Team are not a made up fiction, in fact, they are the African standard. What have we Americans and Europeans demonstrated in our faith to be the main makeup of a team of devout followers willing to sacrifice their lives if necessary? We have our faithful followers, but they are dwindling in numbers. 

     In conclusion, not just the Third World, the entire world needs God and his heroes. The Team introduces the world to our Lord's type of hero. The hope is for The Team to give hope and encouragement to future and current Christians and Jews. Matthew 7:7  “Ask and it will be given to you…”  I asked, and it was given to me. Pray with faith and conviction.

 

 

 

Switch Hats and Back to Work

      Less than 3% of all published authors ever make a living at writing. Writing words is cheap. Publishing books is expensive. A person had better have all of his ducks in a row when he deals with an agent or a publisher. There are many items on the to-do list once you finish the writing portion. To start with, the editing, that you do all by yourself, is very time-consuming. Keep a large bottle of antacids handy. Outlines... stories about your stories; you reduce your 3 or 400 page novel to three pages to entice the agents, publishing boards to continue their interest. Writing back-cover ads to grab readers in 25 words or less. When choosing a book to buy, the average reader spends 20 seconds. You have 20 seconds to grab that person's interest - to handcuff them to the book. Word counts that change moment by moment in editing. The word counts must be accurate. Table of contents with their chapter descriptions that must keep a reader going through the dead spots that every book has. Most writers are good for about three chapters. Then the inspiration dries up. You must develop and express your marketing plan(s) to the agent and publisher. Yes, you are the main marketing executive of your book, on top of all the other titles you carry on your back. Give the agents and editors your current lecture circuit itinerary. Social media: websites, blogs, Facebook, Twitter. How many thousands of subscribers, likes, followers on that wonderful social media. Professional photos of yourself. Business cards for all the important people you know and are endorsing your book. Be able to give several very valid and alluring reasons why people should and will buy your book over that famous person's book next to yours. Don't forget the video of you speaking like a world-famous orator to convince some stranger(s) how well your book will sell. Sell yourself constantly. Thanks to Steve Laube, literary agent, for all this info. My answer to these exciting facts is that horrid facts never discourage the talented. 

     I tell you all this not to discourage. I tell you this to let you know there are potholes in this profession that are common to the craft - not just to you. Armed with this info, you will not be surprised by these demoralizing holes in the road. Writers must be a one-man or woman corporation that has boiled their normal two-thousand employee force down to - uno, you, or, if you are fortunate to have the funds, hire an editor or a general assistant to handle social media, etc.

     Personally, I write because I love to write, and I'm very good at it. I hate writing like someone else, or copying the style of current trends. I strive to write different - like me, yours truly. Furthermore, I may not get published again, but that is not the end of the world for me. My pay is that I get to write for God in a very non-God society, and it makes me feel empowered. I was born stubborn and a little over-sure of myself. God cracks his whip on me occasionally. You'd better include some armor in this brutal writer's market.

     Famous writers lush over their prolific artistic talents with the written word. How they excelled in their formative years by their pens. In the third grade, I was reading Mad Magazine. In the sixth grade, I hand-wrote a 364-page novel. My teacher took it from me and shredded it in front of the class for not listening to her diatribe. She didn't deter my writing. I was well aware that the novel stunk. Growing up, I read such classics as the annual DC Superman Edition, Batman, a lot of the Marvels, and still managed to get the award for reading 25 library books during the school year. I loved Tom Sawyer and all the other Mark Twain classics. I read all the Horatio Hornblower collection. To this day, I read and collect military and war books. I sound like a nut. Keep a little of your own personality. Don't sell everything God blessed you with. I picked the toughest market and the toughest genre to write in to thank my Lord for everything he has done for me. Other genres are tedious. I harbor no regrets in choosing to abandon the secular market, where some told me that I would have success. However, success to me is measured in service to God, love of family, and service to my country.