A New Book

A new book released today, and I'm excited to be able to tell you about it.

I've never read one of Ted Dekker's books before. To be honest, they never particularly appealed to me. I don't generally care for the thriller genre or futuristic stories or things that mess with my mind. In fact, when this month's list for CFBA review's came out, I chose not to review this one.

But then I got another invitation from a publicist. And the info about this book, Kiss, sounded intriguing:

This psychological thriller has a theme of valuing painful memories. Shawna McAllister is trying desperately to remember her past, finding that when she does it is so painful and terrifying that she wonders if if would be better to forget.

At a spiritual glance, God uses our history to point us in HIS direction. Shawna’s past could potentially save lives, but it is when she is finally able to remember, it is then that she is able to accomplish what it is that God has called to her to do. As people, when we are redeemed, we turn away from our past-but that doesn’t mean that God can’t use it for good and to help others as well as ourselves.

And, what also intrigued me was that Dekker had a co-author for this novel. This is his first novel ever to be co-written with a woman. The publicist stated that this "put a fresh new feminine twist to the book and evolved into an intense read for everyone!"

Well, she was right. This was a fascinating book that I had a hard time putting down. Of course I loved that it was set in central/southeast Texas and I recognized many of the locations/landmarks mentioned. And the story itself was gripping, heart-wrenching, and not at all what I expected. Kinda like life can be sometimes!

Book Summary:
Sometimes dying with the truth is better than living with a lie.

After a car accident puts Shauna McAllister in a coma and wipes out six months of her memory, she returns to her childhood home to recover, but her arrival is fraught with confusion. Her estranged father, a senator bidding on the White House, and her abusive stepmother blame Shauna for the tragedy, which has left her beloved brother severely brain damaged.

Leaning on Wayne Spade, a forgotten but hopeful lover who stays by her side, Shauna tries to sort out what happened that night by jarring her memory to life. Instead, she acquires a mysterious mental ability that will either lead her to truth or get her killed by the people trying to hide it. In this blind game of cat and mouse that stares even the darkest memories in the face, Shauna is sure of only one thing: if she remembers, she dies.

About the Authors:
Ted Dekker is the son of missionaries John and Helen Dekker, whose incredible story of life among headhunters in Indonesia has been told in several books. Surrounded by the vivid colors of the jungle and a myriad of cultures, each steeped in their own interpretation of life and faith, Dekker received a first-class education on human nature and behavior. This, he believes, is the foundation of his writing.

After graduating from a multi-cultural high school, he took up permanent residence in the United States to study Religion and Philosophy. After earning his Bachelor's Degree, Dekker entered the corporate world in management for a large healthcare company in California. Dekker was quickly recognized as a talent in the field of marketing and was soon promoted to Director of Marketing. This experience gave him a background which enabled him to eventually form his own company and steadily climb the corporate ladder.

Since 1997, Dekker has written full-time. He states that each time he writes, he finds his understanding of life and love just a little clearer and his expression of that understanding a little more vivid. To see a complete list of Dekker's work, visit The Works section of his website.


Erin Healy is owner of WordWright Editorial Services, a Colorado-based consulting firm specializing in fiction book critique, manuscript development, and editing for publishers. Kiss, co-authored with Ted Dekker, is her first novel. Erin is the director of the Academy of Christian Editors and former editor of Christian Parenting Today magazine. She and her husband, Tim, are the proud parents of two children.

You can purchase Kiss here.

Happy (albeit suspenseful!) reading!