Christ the King Books

This book has awesome revelations about healing. We bought a number of them so we can share them with people who are seeking truth about healing from the Lord. I'd recommend this highly!!

Healing is still happening today. This book will explain what Jesus meant for us to have in our health.

This book is all you need, beyond the bible, if you are seriously interested in divine healing. It should be noted that this book is written by someone who was very successful in the healing ministry,
as distinct from those who merely theorize. This is an excellent book!

An old book with update from author's son. There is so much to enjoy in this book. I will reread it often.

Definitely a book worth reading. For those who doubt that God still heals today, well that's sad for one thing, but this is a book that can help inspire you to get past those doubts, of course along with the Bible also.

I love Max Lucado. His writings inspire me to be a better person. You can't go wrong with anything he writes be it children's books or adult books.

Lucado does it again. He takes a topic that is often deeply unsettling for many- the end. When Christ comes. And he takes all our worries and uncertanties gently, understandingly and reassures each one. Things that I've been afraid to admit as a Christian such as being worried about being disappointed when Christ comes (hard to explain until you read the book, but an example would be an expectant mother being disappointed because she wants to raise her baby) ...these things we don't want to admit, Lucado understands. He affirms our feelings. However, he also has a way of turning them around and reminding us of Christ's love. Trust Him.

A fantastic read.

Max helps prepare the soul for the coming of Jesus Christ. Not deep theologically, but it is still worth the reading. Very encouraging!

Max Lucado is one of my favorite authors. As a fairly young Christian, I find his books easy to read and understand. His books are written in my language.

"When Christ Comes" is a book every Christian with questions about heaven should read. I read it with my husband as a devotional...it's that good. Somehow it seems that when we think of the end times, we always think of all the bad things that are going to happen and forget about the wonders of heaven. After reading this book, I am VERY excited for heaven...even more than I was before! The content in this book is suitable for new and mature Christians alike! I gave this book to my friend after she first accepted Christ and she LOVED it!

I highly recommend this book to anyone!

I fight monstrous spiritual battles with fear in my daily life with perpetually unanswered questions and unsatisfying answers to them. It is fear of death and the end of the world that puts my heart, mind and spirit into this tailspin. I have searched high and low in all places I dared to approach for musings and discussion about the end of the world, including the Mayan (read: pagan) calendar, controversial prophecies involving the papacy, the fictitious Bible code...you name it, I explored it, and came up with few answers to many of my worries.

Whether I stumbled upon Lucado's book or God led me to the one copy of it in my local bookstore, I don't know. All I know is that, through all that apocalyptic hype and static noise, Lucado drew me to the POINT, that Christ is returning to reclaim His church, to rescue us from the increasing entropy and chaos in this world around us. The POINT is not the pain and suffering we may go through to get there - that's not for us, His chosen ones. It's revenge. It's justice. Whether we live through it (the Tribulation) or not, is not the point. The point is what we do with the time we are given NOW, and searching through non-believers' theories and could-be, half-true prophecies is a huge WASTE of that time. We must keep our eyes on Him through the storms that are to come, and wait patiently for the calm, sweeping as many souls along with us as possible, so they can know His glory and rewards as well.

The only helpful and comforting piece of the truth (aside from the Bible itself) I've come across, and I've looked almost everywhere.

HUNTING THE KING is a fast-paced story of the search for the remains of Christ. And if not Christ's remains, at least those of his family members. Throughout the complex compilation of characters from academia, religion, the military and the past Iraqi regime, you wonder what will happen to the faithful if Christ's temporal remains should be found. The story is very well written. Clenott keeps the numerous characters and their stories clear and interesting and the dénouement is clever. I highly recommend this book.

One of the joys of reading 'first novels' is the pleasure of discovering a mature writer who is able to construct a book with a strong idea, a solid cast of varied and wholly credible characters, and the ability to pull it all together with elegant writing. Peter Clenott seems to have the qualities that define a writer of class - a rich imagination, a commitment to research, a facile way with words, a sense of the arc of a story line that is as smooth throughout the curve, and a style that manages to make a complex story very easy to follow.

Mysteries about the origins of Christianity have been a popular topic for the past decade or so - was Jesus crucified until dead and did he rise from the dead and in resurrection ascend into heaven, or was there more to his important life than tradition and the Church would have us believe - questions that to some casual reader of a book jacket may sound heretical but to others who love historical investigation open new paths of exploring, and even enhancing, our belief systems. Clenott writes with authority and yet with a profound respect for all religions as he traces a mixed group of archeologists, clerics, historians, politicians, Intelligence experts, and military personnel from varied countries in a search for the possible remains of a buried Jesus and his 'earthly family' - all from insights provided by the Book of Hannaniah (the daughter of Jesus and Mary Magdalen) excluded from the Bible. His cast is lead by a fascinating Dr. Molly O'Dwyer who is convinced through her sessions of 'Regression therapy' by a Catholic priest turned professor that she has inhabited the character of Hannaiah and is obsessed with discovering the burial site of Hannaiah and possibly even the grave of Jesus. The book follows the expedition team gathered from various countries to Iraq, a timely current and well-managed proscenium arch for the story. Clenott manages the various aspects of this story by breaking his chapters into fragments that serve to transport the reader to various vantages of the involved and very disparate characters, allowing the story to flow without disruption while at the same time giving the reader a depth of understanding about the forces involved. His knowledge and research is evident on every page as we learn the terrain not only of Afghanistan and Iraq but also of the Vatican and the US and tenets of the world religions. And to keep the novel grounded in credible reality Clenott manages to introduce sidebars of love interest and profound friendships as well as the brutalities of war and conflicts that enhance this story while successfully questioning historical Biblical accuracy.

To offer more of the plot would spoil the adventure for reading Peter Clenott's fascinating tale. HUNTING THE KING is a very fine, very successful work of literature - a book that, once started, is quite impossible to put down. Highly recommended. Grady Harp, May 08

Careful! This one takes you by the neck, drags you to the edge, and throws you over.
Featuring a plot with more twists and turns than a Vermont ski trail, Hunting the King is an all-out race to be first to discover the grave of Jesus, who not only rose from the dead after being crucified (the Easter Resurrection) but might actually have thrived for many years afterward, raised a family, and spent his time working to spread the word of God.

...except we don't actually know all this as fact, and as we follow the opposing forces - one seeking to prevent the infidel Christians from claiming the burial site, and Molly Dwyer and her team who are seeking it for precisely that reason, it's not hard to see the reason in the views of both sides. If this is not enough plot for you, Archaeologist Dwyer has her own demons to fight - dreams in which she finds herself alive during those turbulent years, living as the daughter of Jesus. Could it be she's a reincarnation of Hannaniah? She has the red hair, the eye color. Treachery and double dealing combine with shadowy mysticism as others who share the dream begin to find their way to her side. No one can be trusted. No matter which side prevails, the discovery will be huge, world-changing, and everyone knows it.

It's a lot of story to have on just one stage, but Clenott does an amazing job of reining in the half-dozen story lines, always moving things forward, drawing his cast ever closer to the final moments, and at the same time managing to keep the lid on the actual details of the burial site until just the right moment. It's a masterful job from a writer of genuine ability.

After putting Dan Brown's "DaVinci Code" down in mid-read, disgusted with the failure to produce the payoff promised by the opening, I began this read with reservations. I'm happy to say not any more! If you are one who enjoys fast-paced, devil-take-the-hindmost writing, you should be sure to give this one a try.

Art Tirrell is the author of 2007's The Secret Ever Keeps

One more book in the "just like Da Vinci Code" genre, but the only difference is, this one is good.

In 2003, as America is invading Iraq, a discovery is made that leads Molly O'Dwyer to believe that Hannaniah, the supposed daughter of Jesus, is there and Molly must find the remains before they are lost forever. Being an observant Catholic, she battles herself over the bigger picture. If she finds and reveals them to the world, what will happen to the Christian faith? With a long list of characters that had me a bit confused at times, Molly and her fellow scientist's race through Iraq and Afghanistan following clues that Hannaniah herself left in her poetry. Climaxing in a battle of good vs evil and who can outwit who, Clenot has you on the edge of your seat until the final pages.

The brutality of the time and place are not lost on the reader, Clenott manages to carry the reader through Abu Ghraib and into the beauty of the country that protects their traditions and will fight to withhold them.

What I respected Clenott for was his implying but not really coming out and saying who the mother of the child was. Mary Magdalene's name had been mentioned in the book as a follower, but it was never said outright that she was the mother of Hannaniah. I'm glad he didn't get caught up in the current hype and let the reader reach their own conclusion. The one thing that did caused me to mark the book down one star was the fact that the lead character was a diabetic, but yet was able to go long days without eating and only needing one insulin shot. I don't know why Clenott included this tidbit about his character since it really wasn't necessary and for me, drew me away from the story. Having lived with my father, a diabetic for years, this didn't make sense to me and kept drawing me away from the story.

Apparently, this is the first in a planned series and I look forward to see more from this writer and Molly O'Dwyer.

Peter Clenott has written a Da Vinci Code for the discerning reader. There's plenty of suspense, action, and more than a few plot twists, but this tale of religious intrigue is a lot less dense and convoluted. To put it another way, I felt Dan Brown stuffed Da Vinci with a little too much padding--Clenott gives you the essential good stuff without any fluff.

The heroine of the piece is Molly O'Dwyer, an American archaeologist who discovers a long-lost burial mound in ancient Babylon on the eve of the American invasion of Iraq. What's particularly refreshing about her is that Molly is a fully-developed character with completely believable personal problems and beliefs that affect her reactions to the situation in which she finds herself. The story hinges on her efforts to discover whose remains are in the tomb and how it relates to the mysterious Gospel of Hannaniah, which is the story of the alleged daughter of Jesus. Since her discovery can undercut the foundations of the church and leave billions of believers with no basis for their faith, Molly's got her work cut out for her.

No tale of international religious intrigue would be complete without a cast of spies, slightly mad scientists, and secretly evil church hierarchy and Clenott doesn't disappoint in that department. To it he adds a setting that couldn't be more contemporary--the Middle East about to plunge into war--and an intriguing plot that holds you through the final riveting revelations.

Hunting The King is an intellectual thriller with overtones of a historical novel and enough action and intrigue to please even the most discerning fan of the genre.

A powerful tale for 'children' of all ages.....I was spellbound! Beautifull written, every page made me fall in love with the "People of the Book". This is a story that families will enjoy for generations to come. I'm eagerly awaiting the rest of the trilogy!

A Child of the King is a very well written book. It happens in the land of Withershins, where Prince Abbadon reigns. Jotham, a boy reaching maturity, lives at the orphange at Flotsam Manor. He always suspects that unseen eyes are spying him, and thus earns him the reputation of "weirdo". Yet Jotham is very skilled at his craft in woodworking, and his imagination comes alive in it. After moving to Acraisia, Jotham learns of a King in the land of Dominus that will adopt him and be a father to those who have no father. Jotham sets out to find this King and his son, Prince Morning Star. Yet Jotham's friends, Alfric and Gwyneth, try to persuade him otherwise, that all he hears is just lies.
This book shows two worlds, good and evil, and shows the wars of truth and lies raging between them. The characters of God's three persons, Satan, and Christians are marvelously portrayed in this story.
In my personal opinion, I think this book should have a sequel. I can see it becoming a trilogy like Lord of the Rings. Yet, sadly, Bill Bright is gone, and Marion R. Wells has not written more. Perhaps it was never meant to have a sequel, and perhaps they left it for imaginations to soar.

The story's main character is Jotham. He learned to be a wood crafter while in the orphanage and then began work in Acrasia. The back of the book describes it best:

"[The authors] take us to a place that seems familiar, yet full of suspense and mystery. The authors bring us to a world that pits good against evil in the larger-than-life kingdoms of Prince Morning Star and Prince Abaddon. Read as these mighty rulers battle for the hearts of Jotham and the people of Withershins."

**** Here is a book that will lift your heart and strengthen your faith. I enjoyed every minute I spent within the pages of this novel and am happy to recommend it. ****

Biblical truths can often be taught more effectively via a a fictional story than the normal teaching and preaching we usually experience. Christ set the example for us by telling stories to teach His truths. Bill Bright and Marion Wells have followed that example in a profoundly effective way in this book. The illustrations of God's love, forgiveness, redemption and restoration have put a whole new focus on theological concepts I've intellectually understood for many years, but perhaps not deeply experienced in my heart. Reading this allegory I sensed a new and deeper understanding of God's heart, of how He really feels about me as His child. Prince Morning Star's interactions with Jotham in areas of trial and temptation I likewise experience has given me a whole new perspective on what it really means to have a victorious personal relationship with Christ--to be a child of the King!

Collaboratively written Bill Bright and M. R. Wells, A Child Of The King is a fantastic and entertaining tale set in the mystical land of Withershins. A simple orphan's quest to find his father plunges him into an inexorable tidal wave of dark machinations, kings, princes, power struggles, and a great deal more in this magnificently engaging and fully satisfying fable.

I am a pastor of a non-denominational Christian church in Vancouver, Washington. We have a midweek book study and we have been studying through "APPOINTED" by David Busch and it has been a thought provoking, exciting study. So much confusion abounds regarding the study of "end-times" events and the APPOINTED sheds a great deal of light on this subject, with numerous scriptural references to back up all the points the author makes throughout the book. Mr. Busch is not a doomsday, finatical, end times enternainer, but a student and teacher of the Word of God. It has answered many questions for me that I have had for quite some time. We plan on continuing on after we finish APPOINTED with Mr. Busch's second book in the series entitled "The ASSYRIAN" and I am excited to hear that there is a third book in the series that is about to be released. If you don't have this book, it is worth purchasing.

I highly recommend this book as a study tool for any Christian who may be interested in the relationship of the Feasts of the Lord as found in the Old Testament and Israel's Messiah. David does an outstanding job in presenting the many wonderful ways that the Lord Jesus Christ fully fulfilled each of the four Spring Feasts. He goes on to remind the reader that God has always been about details and that just as the Lord Jesus Christ fulfilled the details of the Spring Feasts, He will certainly fulfill the details of the Fall Feasts in His second advent. This book is a must read for any Christian interested in the on going debate between Reform Christianity and Dispensational Christianity.

The Appointed is a marvelous book detailing Isarel's feast days and how they point to the Lord Jesus Christ! This book brings the meaning of those biblical feastivals to life like no other.

David Winston Busch brings out all the splendor of the Lord Jesus Christ as He is pictured in these feast days and it makes my appreciation for God's Word even better.

I would, and have, recommended this book to anyone who would love to glorify God thru the Lord Jesus Christ in His faithfulness to one day give believing Israel their earthly kingdom.

David makes it clear in this book that because Christ fulfilled the first 4 feast days in His first advent, that He will also fulfill the last 3 days right on schedule!

I thank the Lord for brother David and his passionate labour in the Word of God rightly divided.

Once I started reading the book "Appointed" by David Busch the author had my attention immediately. I have always had an attraction to the Feasts of the Lord introduced in the Book of Leviticus, Chapter 23 and that interest was magnified by the work Marv Rosenthal had done with that subject. I grew to know them as "the footprints of the Messiah" and/or "Divine appointments of the Lord".
The cover to David's book is a wonderful attraction and the charts contained in the book are excellent aids to enable one to follow along with the authors thoughts, plus they can be used as great summary points or tools to share the content of the book with friends.
I think David's proper perspective in "rightly dividing the word of truth" has aided him in coming to the conclusions he has come to in his book. He certainly has convinced me with a vast amount of scripture and personal study as to the timing of these marvelous Fall Feasts. He will most certainly cause a stir in the traditional teachins of the tribulation period. His view about who the ten nation confederacy may be and who and where the Anti-Christ will rise from are very convincing and most importantly defended brilliantly with Scripture.
His zeal for evangelism can also be notice in the book. This book is a must read for anyone with an interest in the 70th Week of Daniel. I highly recomment that men like Marv Rosenthal, Hal Linsey, the folks at Israel My Glory, The Mid Night Call, Dave Hunt, Jenkins and LaHaye, etc. read this book. It is a subject and book that one would expect these men to comment on. This book needs to be in your Christian library. I do believe David has another book ready to go and a contemplating a third. I noticed he has been invited to the Midnight Call Bible Prophecy Confrence in September. Can't wait to hear what David has to share.

I had a seminary professor that continually cried, "Whatever one decides to do with the Old Testament is what they will do with the Book of Revelation!" Nowhere have I seen this scenario more realized than in this refreshing work by David Busch. The author maintains that the Appointed Feasts of Israel find their eschatological fulfillment in the various event scenarios that surround the Second Coming. He builds on the premise that just as the Spring Feasts were literally fulfilled in the soteriological work of Christ's first coming,the consummation of His redemptive plan will find the same in reference to the Fall Feasts and His Second Coming. Previous efforts concerning the Fall Feasts have ranged from the ridiculous to the plausibly entertaining; that is until this one arrived. David limits his work to the boundaries of the Text which is welcomed and refreshing. He presupposes his readers to have a firm grasp of the Book of Daniel, and, rightly so. Why bother with prophecy if you're missing the eschatological key. Throughout this work, the author holds himself to the highest of standards and, correctly, expects no less from his readers.

Far from breaking from many of the great dispensational scholars of the past, David actually edifies their work yet builds and expands on many of their conclusions. For the last ten years I've looked for a source that correctly identifies the geography of the Antichrist. Scripture is silent as to any invasion coming from the traditional view of the west (Roman Antichrist and 10 EU nations); only the north and the ten nations being "round about" Israel. David offers this much desired source. By correctly identifying the person and his place, he then presents an eschatological scenario that never breaks from context and comprehension, thus bringing clarity never before realized.

This entire scenario is perfectly placed in reference to the "times and seasons" revealed in the Fall Feasts. Furthermore, David understands that "tellin ain't sellin" and only proves his stance from the Text (Acts 17:11).

Finally, he presents a chronology of the extra 75 days of Daniel's 70 week prophecy that, I believe, will clarify eschatology as we know it.

Throughout this work, David Busch acknowledges the words of the wise King Solomon, "It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honor of kings is to search out a matter (Pro 25:2)." I recommend this book as a "must read," you will be better for doing it!

I found this book to be well written and researched. James Jesse Strang is a unique character (A King no less!) in the history of Michigan. This book inspired me to visit Michigan's Beaver Island. As a compliment to this book I would also suggest reading Guardian of the Great Lakes The U.S. Paddle Frigate Michigan By: Mr. Bradley A. Rodgers.

I'm a relative of his and have recently become interested in learning about him. So please if you know about him tell me.

This work is a fairly standard, straight-forward biography of King Strang. It is very well researched, documented, and foot noted. It would appear that Mr. Van Noord dug deeper into his reseach than most authors dealing with James Strang have in the past. The book enlightened me on several points regarding King Strang that I had previously read and Mr. Van Noord found to be incorrect. If you are interested in learning about a fascinating man and those around him this is the book. However it gives only a sparce and very typical Beaver Island history and does not touch on the legendary (and I believe, mythical) Mormon, Beaver Island treasure at all. If those items are your points of interest, look elsewhere.

Mormonism's second prophet wasn't the famous Brigham Young -- he may have seized control of many of the Church's institutions, but he never claimed to be the "Prophet". That mantle was seized by the insteresting historic figure, James J. Strang, who led his portion of the Mormon Church from Nauvoo, Illinois, to Voree, Wisconsin, and then to Beaver Island, Michigan at the same time that Young was leading his branch to Utah.

Van Noord's book is a great biography of Strang which makes close use of Strang's journals, letters, books, and draws a great deal from the newspapers which Strang's church published. Strang's many successes both on Beaver Island and then also in the Michigan legislature, imply that he was quite a brilliant and eloquent character. The book leads you to wonder what might have happened had he not been assassinated.

The only problems with Van Noord's book are that he does not seem to be an expert in the field of Mormon history generally, and he has relied on informants in the modern Utah church -- the great rival of Strang's church -- for some of his information on Mormonism. Additionally, the biography definitely leaves you wanting a larger history of the Strangite church.

All in all, the book is an excellent read. I picked it up and nearly read it cover to cover uninterrupted, as I couldn't wait to find out what happened to Strang next.

I have done extensive study on the subject of Jas. Strang and his followers. I found this book and several others extremely fair-minded considering the controversies (as well as present day prejudices) surrounding this utopian experiment. I welcome other comments. My great-great grandfather was present at Strang's coronation on Beaver Island, Michigan.

So the Ghost of Christmas Past came to visit me this year. He came through a porthole in the ethers otherwise known as Google, after I entered my name. There he showed me "Under a Christmas Star," a book published by an apparently Mormon outfit called Cedar Fort. This was a collection of new Christmas tales by various writers.
Here is how the Cedar Fort website touts it:
Under a Christmas Star is a collection of Christmas stories---not sappy or sentimental ones, not dark or hard to understand ones, but stories that uplift and inspire---tellable tales. These are the brightest and most prized Christmas Stories. Most are true stories about people touched by the light of the Christmas star.
One writer was singled out for praise in an Amazon.com review by a teacher who said she was going to read the stories to her third-graders. That writer, by the way, was. . .
Me.
Not since I walked into the living room at age 11 and saw a gleaming lime-green ten-speed Schwinn Varsity under (well, beside) the Christmas tree have I had such a Christmas shock. You see, Cedar Fort didn't bother to mention to me that they were publishing my story that is not dark or hard to understand and uplifts and inspires tellable (sic) tales, and paying me a whole lot of Christmas nothing for it. Nor did they mention to me that my story was so compelling that they used it as the inspiration for the cover illustration of the book: Santa Claus pumping gas into a taxi cab.
Merrrrrrrry Christmas, Rip!
Now, when I say Ghost of Christmas past, here is what I mean: the story that Cedar Fort---a Utah-based outfit that publishes religious tracts and Mormon-themed stuff under Latter Day Saints Books---published without consulting me concerns one of my oldest, most personal and cherished Christmas memories. And I don't have many! Allow me to summarize:
When I was ten, I was sent on a Greyhound bus to visit my mother on Christmas Eve. My father and jealous stepmother had fought about it for days, but my father prevailed and I was dispatched to Newport Beach, California, with a paper-bag suitcase and a whole lot of ambivalence. I was to call a cab upon arrival, in order to be taken to the hotel where my mom worked as a cashier.
One problem: the old man had forgotten to give me cab fare---which I discovered just as the taxi arrived around 7 p.m.. To make a wonderful story short and less than artful, here's the punchline: Santa Claus was at the wheel. Really. His halls were fully decked. Red suit, black gloves, nylon beard. I didn't tell him I didn't have any money, figuring I could just bolt when I got to the hotel.
In the end, I confessed, and Santa explained that in all the Yellow Cabs on Xmas Eve in the area, only one had a Claus, and if you got him, you rode for free. See? Great story, eh? It sure as hell thrilled me as a kid, let me tell you. Father Christmas was watching over me that night, if not my father. There is more to the tale, but I don't want to get into that here. You can read it in full detail in my forthcoming novel, which should be available in late January, if you want.
Or you can read it in the Cedar Fort book, which I ardently, fervently, and otherwise enthusiastically hope you. . .do not.
Here's why:
I wrote the story used in "A Christmas Star" for the L.A. Times in the early 90's, and they slapped the cheesey headline on it: "How Santa Spread Cheer Without Eight Tiny Reindeer." At the time, I was writing regular essays/columns for what was called the "Life and Style" section, more affectionately known as "Strife and Bile" for its pandering to political correctness and touchy-feely sentimentality. I wrote about a hundred columns for L&S before being offered a regular gig there---only to have said offer rescinded because, as one enlightened editor ruled, "we have too many white male columnists here." (See 10/11/06 Riposte.)
(Merrrrrrrry Christmas, Rip!)
Well, the Times paid me for that article, about $350 or $400, I guess, which enabled me to buy a few extra ginger snaps to go with my eggnog that Yule. But the Times also did something that would make Santy frown, that would take the rosy red glow right out of his cheeks, something very, very un-Christmasy---something you would expect from Scrooge and Marley, Ltd.
Some might call it extortion. The Times called it "business."
This noble newspaper changed its freelance contracts to claim total rights to whatever it purchased---as opposed to traditional first-publication-only. And if freelancers didn't sign such a contract, the Times would not buy their work.
At least they didn't send someone to your home to break your knuckles.
At that time, I was what was termed a "regular contributor" to the Times. This meant I was a full-time employee without any of regular rights or regular benefits of full-time regular employees. This is also called "business." What's more, because I was angling for that full-time column which was later withdrawn due to my gender and race, I cut back all other freelance work. The Times, at that moment, comprised about 90 percent of my regular income.
Then there was the little complicating fact that I could just barely manage to get up and walk to the store every day to buy groceries, courtesy of a paralyzing three-year bout with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. My Times paychecks, after rent, were going to doctors and supplements. Typing was a workout.
Did I want to sign that contract? Every bit as much as I would like to congratulate George W. Bush for a job well done in Iraq.
Did I sign that contract? You betcha.
Did I think that someday my Santa-in-the-taxi column might be licensed to a proselytizing Mormon publisher for profit? And used for the cover illustration?
You betcha I didn't.
And there are more presents under this tree:
The "author" of "Under a Christmas Star" is one Carol Jean Coombs. That's correct. Author. My name and story are in this book, but Carol Jean Coombs is on cover as the author, apparently because she compiled the contents. Gee, I'd sure like to be considered an "author" for compiling a bunch of stuff written by other people!
You're welcome, Carol, baby! Glad to oblige!
Of course, it just fills me with the Christmas spirit that Carol liked my story enough to want to compile it. And whew, that compiling is hard author work! Here's what Carol said to a little newspaper: "Getting permission from the copyright holders was time-consuming and because some of the stories are 20 to 40 years old, a real challenge." Right! Almost as hard as writing! I wonder how much of an author challenge it was to secure my column from the fine people at the L.A. Times.
Yes, of course I looked into suing. I know that's just so humbug of me, but gee, it's the season. So I spoke with an excellent attorney who specializes in theft of one's work. Well, it turns out that I have every bit as strong a case as Saddam Hussein had in that Iraq courtroom. Even if I wanted to sue, there is the little matter of the Times extortion---er, contract. And another little matter called a statute of limitations which gives me three years after publication to file (it's been five.) And another little matter called settlement not covering lawyer fees.
Ho ho ho.
It's just another example of legalized crime that defines our world, of course. I mean, you wonder why criminals bother to break any laws, when you can steal legally. No---no one here has broken any laws---not the Times, not Cedar Fort, not author Carol Jean Coombs. Moral and ethical laws are another matter, but anyone who believes in such things can go fly a reindeer.
Still, I can't help but say this is all not very. . .Christian.
So there you have it. My writing has helped enable some Mormons to make some money. Of course, I do not like or approve of the Church of the Latter Day Saints---I think their members are painting without a brush, buttoning without a shirt---and I suspect the Church would not like or approve of me. The closest I've ever come to a Mormon Church was stumbling around on codeine outside the Tabernacle one morning about 5 o' clock (long story.)
In the meantime, I hear that "Under a Christmas Star" is quite popular. A friend in Atlanta told me that when it was given away as a gift at a recent book club party, there were "ooo's and ahhh's."
I'm a commercial success at last.
Why, you might even call me a Christmas Star!
---RIP RENSE

This is a great Christmas Book to add to your Christmas book collection. The stories in this book are inspirational and full of the Christmas spirit. This is a book that the entire family will enjoy!!

I couldn't put it down. The stories are without exception warm and meaningful. I am giving this book to my grandchildren. Sharing these stories is sharing the best of Christmas with them.

This gem includes 25 stories that will appeal to readers of all ages. Most are true. Each story tells of the warmth and love of others--the real light of Christmas. They uplifted and inspired me. The author selected her best stories, most unavailable elsewhere, from a collection gathered over more than 40 years. Authors vary from famous writers and newspaper reporters to people who just wanted to share a personal Christmas experience. The 25 stories are short-- perfect for the whole family to read together each night throughout December. This is a book I will read over and over again--at Christmas time or whenever I want to remember the goodness we all have inside us.

Most collections of stories, Christmas or otherwise, have a bunch of mediocre selections, a few good ones, and one or two great ones--but this book manages to have ALL great ones. Plus, they're not those sappy ones that make you roll your eyes; they're touching without being obnoxious. Maybe it's because almost all of the stories are true experiences, told in a straightforward way. My personal favorites are "The Gold and Ivory Tablecloth" by Howard Schade, "A Christmas Gift I'll Never Forget" by L.D. Hummel, and "My Christmas Miracle" by Taylor Caldwell. Okay, also "How Santa Spread Cheer Without Eight Tiny Reindeer," by Rip Rense. (I'm a school teacher, and I'm going to read some of these to my third graders in December.) Enjoy the joy!

The familiar text is augmented by brightly colored illustrations reminiscent of modern stained glass windows. This is an outstanding holiday book to add to collections in church and public libraries or for personal giving to Christians of any age.

The familiar text is augmented by brightly colored illustrations reminiscent of modern stained glass windows.This is an outstanding holiday book to add to collections in church and public libraries or for personal giving to Christians of any age.

The glorious stained-glass cathedral windows of England inspired Fiona French to create this wonderful celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. The words, directly from the book of Luke from the King James Bible, are brought to life with bright beautiful designs. Although the traditional words may be too advanced for very young readers, they will be drawn to the book for the illustrations. This concise version of the Nativity would be an asset for personal collections.

The familiar text is augmented by brightly colored illustrations reminiscent of modern stained glass windows.This is an outstanding holiday book to add to collections in church and public libraries or for personal giving to Christians of any age.

Mr. Foote does an excellent job of presenting the birth of Christ from the perspective of an innocent child. In this day and age when folks seldom appreciate the "Gift" of the birth of the son of God, it is so refreshing to happen across a work of art such as what Mr. Foote has crafted. His artwork jumps off the pages at you and the simplistic message of the gift of Jesus Christ is as always, a timely message. This isn't a Christmas book, this is something everyone should add to their library.

The Bible tells this story several times - the meaning all the same. God sent His Son as our Savior and sent him to us in a form which only a rare few could ignore--a baby. Dan again retells the story and sights some very human feelings and thoughts in a way children can relate. The story helps me as an adult realize that the birth and the coming of our King had very human aspects.

Dan shows that children play a very important part in helping others..."for you know not when you might be entertaining angels".

He makes the Birth of our King REAL!

Dan has kept the story true to the Scriptural account of the birth of Jesus with some imagination through the eyes of a child. I think it is an excellent telling of an old story and the artwork is second to none. The colors are bright and eye catching for the children. Dan, in his art, was not afraid to portray things they way they are in real life.

I bought a copy for each of my grown daughters, who each have 3 children of their own, and one for my wife and me.

The author wrote this book for children so that they can learn the wonder and joy in the birth of Jesus. I happen to know Dan and always marvel at his love for family and friends. He is truly a gift to publishing and you and your children will enjoy and treasure this Christmas season book.

Absolutely gorgeous. Stunning illustrations. Magical ... haunting ... I cannot say enough.

I love Christmas books for children and when I discovered this one, I couldn't believe it. It is a definite heirloom and one to be shared with the entire family. This book was not totally set for the younger age group but for everyone. It isn't entirely encompassed with baby words and illustrations like others I've seen. The pictures are also quite beautiful.

This hardbound book is absolutely beautiful, consisting of wonderful illustrations based upon the gospels of Matthew and Luke (KJV).

The illustrator Gennady Spirin, is masterful, brilliant, and elegantly captures the essence of the birth of Jesus Christ.

The construction of the book itself, 33 pages in length, is designed for adults and mature children and is most definitely not a plaything for toddlers.

Purchase this book and establish a new and wonderful Christmas family tradition.