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Matthew wrote a blog post for his stop here. Here is what he writes:
The topic of this post is how I became
interested in linking the Bible with suspense.
Regardless of your religious views, the
Bible is one of the most interesting books of all times. Combining history,
poetry, music, narrative, epistles, and parables, it practically contains
something for everyone.
At some point, however, I think many
readers of the Bible reach a point where they ask themselves, “How much of what
I’m reading is fact, and how much of what I’m reading is fiction?”
As a child I stood in awe of the
familiar Bible stories: Adam and Eve, Noah and the flood, Moses and the Red
Sea, David and Goliath. I was especially captivated by the Gospels and the
central role Jesus played in bringing about salvation to humankind. I was
always mystified by the concept of the Holy Trinity: how three could be one and
one three.
As I got older I began to question
certain aspects of my Catholic faith. Was there really a heavenly afterlife?
Did the priest’s incantation over the bread and wine really change them into
the body and blood of Christ? Was a virgin birth conceivable? Had Jesus walked
on water, healed the sick, restored sight to the blind, and raised the dead?
I think the Bible is the most
suspenseful book ever written. To me suspense is inherent in the very issues it
raises. What could be more suspenseful than answers to questions like, Is there
a God, and, if so, what type of God is He/She? Did Jesus rise from the dead,
and was he truly the son of God? Is there an afterlife?
Unlike other fictionalized suspense, I
wanted to place something “real” at the center of my novel, something that
carried enormous consequences, if true or false. To me, that is the definition
of suspense: whether or not something is true. The Brothers’ Keepers asks fundamental questions and proposes answers
to them. Of course, it is fiction, but the questions and issues raised aren’t. They
impact nearly every facet of our lives, from the social to the political, to
the type of human being we are and strive to become.
I hope you find The Brothers’ Keepers among the most suspenseful books you’ve ever
read!
Blurb
Most
of us are familiar with Jesus’ parents, Mary and Joseph, and Jesus’ purported
spouse, Mary Magdalene. But what about Jesus’ siblings? What role did they play
in early Christianity?
Contemporary
Jesuit and renowned religious historian Nicholas Branson is about to find
out…and the answer will shake the foundations of the Judeo-Christian world.
It
all starts with the murder of a United States Senator in a confessional, and
the discovery of a strange religious document among his possessions. At the
urging of his FBI friend, Branson joins the investigation. His effort to
uncover the truth behind the murder draws him into the search for an
eight-hundred-year-old treasure and into a web of ecclesiastical and political
intrigue.
Excerpt
Father Rawlings drained his cup and
set it on the table. “What I’m about to tell you may sound ridiculous and
melodramatic. At best it will seem the stuff of conspiracy theories and spy
novels. However, I assure you it is not.” He fixed Branson with a steely gaze.
“As God’s soldiers, we are engaged in a battle, Nicholas. As real as any battle
ever waged. The war we fight has raged for centuries, but the battle we fight
now could well be the last. And we, you and I, the Roman Catholic Church as a
whole, must emerge victorious. Nothing less than the foundations, the stability
of the Christian world is at stake.” He smiled again, this time with
bitterness.
“Of course it sounds unbelievable,
even paranoid, but believe me, it is neither. I choose my words carefully. I
don’t make bold assertions I cannot support. I assure you I am telling you
exactly how things stand, exactly what is at stake. Before I go on, however, I
must demand a pledge from you, your promise to help the Church in the epic
struggle in which we currently find ourselves. We require your guarantee, your
warrant if you will, that you will use all your energies, resources, and powers
to secure the interests of the Church, and that you will let nothing deter you
from the task at hand. With this binding agreement comes an inexhaustible
supply of resources: anything and everything you deem necessary to accomplish
your mission. But I must have your pledge before we proceed.” Rawlings rose
from his seat, motioning for Branson to stand as well. “Before you give me your
answer, listen again to Jesus’ words: ‘He who is not with me is against me.’
Nicholas Branson, tell me now: Are you with our Lord, or against Him?”
Author bio and links
Dual
diagnosed* from an early age, Matthew Peters dropped out of high school at
sixteen. He went on to obtain an A.A., a B.A. from Vassar College, and an M.A.
and Ph.D. from Duke University. He has taught various courses in a variety of
disciplines throughout North Carolina. He is committed to increasing the
awareness and understanding of the dual diagnosed. In addition to The Brothers’
Keepers, he is the author of Conversations Among Ruins, which features a dual
diagnosed protagonist. Currently, he is working on a sequel to The Brothers’
Keepers.
*The
term dual diagnosed refers to someone suffering from a mood disorder (e.g.,
depression) and chemical dependency.
Website: http://www.matthewpetersbooks.com/
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/MatthewPeters65
Amazon:
http://amzn.to/1qklgNK
Barnes
& Noble: http://bit.ly/1q8gsMs
MuseItUp
Publishing: http://bit.ly/1l90G1B
Thanks for hosting!
ReplyDeleteThanks for hosting.
ReplyDeleteMy pleasure, Matthew!
DeleteEnjoyed reading the guest post today.
ReplyDeleteThanks for hosting me, Nickie!
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