An Intriguing New Book... Hmmm...

So, I’m back after a very full spring semester, and today I decided to go apply for a job at the Berean Christain Bookstore in my area (yep… we still have one. :D).  As it happens, (and this is really, really freakin’ amazing), the general manager goes to my church.  I met him last Thursday after our writers group which takes place in a conference room at Berean.  He saw me as I was walking out and said, “Hey, don’t you sing on the Worship Team at Riverside Community Church?” (my church.)  Of course I said yes, because… well, because I do.  Then he said, “I knew I’d seen you before.  And that’s so cool because I will be singing with you on Sunday.”

Wow.  Now that’s just awesome. :D

Well, I had planned last Thursday to apply at Berean before I ever met the man, but then when I told him on Sunday, he told me to definitely come back and apply.  Don’t know what that means, exactly, but it can’t be all that bad.

Anyway, while I was there today, I decided to check out the books, of course.  You can’t go into a bookstore and not look around a bit… (at least I can’t).  Berean has a bookshelf at the very front of the store for local musicians and authors.  I thought it would be interesting to start there today, and as I was gazing over the shelf my eye fell on a book titled simply “The Chair” by Jim Eller.

 I honestly couldn’t tell you what compelled me to pick this book up.  Its cover wasn’t the most spectacular, but it really wasn’t bad looking either: clean and to the point.  The book was self published and the blurb on the back was an intriguing excerpt.  Now, I’m not the fondest of excerpt-blurbs, but this one really wasn’t that bad.  Flipped open the book and read the first chapter.  Again, very intriguing.  I would have continued reading but I had an appointment to make, and the book was $12.00 which I don’t have to spend.

 To be completely honest, I probably would have bought it just so I could keep reading.  I even put it on my list of books that I would like to look into and possibly buy in the future.  (That's a pretty extensive list... <_<) It’s not very often that I pick up a book on whim and read through the first chapter while I’m still IN the store… the whole first chapter, mind you, not just part of it.  If a book catches my eye it usually only takes ½ of the first chapter for me to decide whether or not I’d like to finish reading it.  If the first ½ of the first chapter grabs my interest and really intrigues me, then I’ll finish reading the first chapter.  And possibly read on while still standing in the middle of a busy store. (yes… yes, sometimes I find books like that at Wal-mart.  I’m not that picky of where I find the book, as long as the book is good. ;D)

Now many writers have been warned against self-publishing, and I honestly don’t know how well this book is doing on the market.  What I do know is that I read that first chapter without even realizing it until I had finished it completely.  That, to me, is what marks the beginning of a good book.  I haven’t read on, so I don’t know what happens in the book, or how well thought out the plot is, or how colorful and fleshed out his characters are, but that first chapter was GOOD.

I emailed the guy and found out he goes to a local church that’s affiliated with my church.  Then I invited him to our writers’ group.  Who knows whether he will come or not, but it should be interesting.  I would post a picture of the cover, but I couldn’t find one online.  I would post his website address, but I really wasn’t that impressed with his website and he doesn’t have an Amazon account for this book.  However, I did find a book trailer that seems to tell more about the book, and boy does it look interesting!  The tag line for the book is, “Faith lies somewhere between Obedience and Fear”.  “The Chair” is, apparently, a supernatural thriller.  It read like one too.  Reminded me a little bit of Ted Dekker, but not the same style… not really.  It was it’s own style.

Anyway, enough of my ramblings.  Here’s the trailer, and you can decide for yourself whether this book looks like a keeper or not. :D