H.L. Wegley's Blog

The patriotic theme and passionate writing of blogger, Brock Daniels, seems to have struck a chord with reviewers and judges in the 2017 Readers’ Favorite Awards as books 1 and 2 of the series take Gold and Silver in the Christian Thriller genre. Reviewer, Christian Sia writes: “The conflict is huge and it propels the story swiftly forward. Voice in the Wilderness features a great plot, awesome characters, and a political setting that reflects the drama the world is witnessing in US politics today. It’s a prophetic work.”

As the story of a sitting American president plotting tyranny moves forward into book 2, Voice of Freedom, two minor characters from book 1 burst onto the scene, a pacifist, Julia Weiss, matched with an Army Ranger, Steve Bancroft, weapons specialist. Can the two find common ground when ideology is trumped by the harsh realities of living in a fallen world, a world where POTUS wants to kill them and he has the military at his disposal to carry out his wishes? Brock continues to blog against the tyrannical president and love of America bleeds from every page of his writing.

Reviewer Arya Fomonyuy writes: “The sense of danger that permeates the entire story keeps the reader’s pulse high. Voice of Freedom features very powerful themes and, at a critical time in US politics, this book comes across as a warning of a fate that can befall the government. H.L. Wegley’s writing is as compelling and enticing as the story he tells.”

If you missed these two stories, Voice in the Wilderness is $1.99 for the Kindle version and is available in print. Voice of Freedom is $2.99 for the Kindle and is also available in print.

Voice in the wilderness is endorsed by award-winning author and writing coach, Susan May Warren.
“A terrifyingly real political thriller! An edge-of-your seat race to keep one man from taking over the UnitedStates–don’t miss it!”

The final book in this series, Book 3, Chasing Freedom, has also been released.

How far would you be willing to go if you were chasing freedom?


Chasing Freedom, book 3 in the Against All Enemies trilogy, is the prequel, but was written to be read last. This high-action, romantic suspense novel tells the story of a young woman, an international scholar, whose family flees to the US because of death threats from a drug cartel. It's also the story of Jeff Jacobs, a disgraced Olympic decathlete who wants his honor back, and who risks his life to give the young woman and her family a chance at life and liberty as they battle both the drug cartel and a broken immigration system that has lost sight of the intent of American asylum laws.

Here is page 1:
Why had Papa picked this rundown, isolated restaurant to rendezvous with her? The Sinaloa Cartel's personal vendetta against him had frightened them all, but Redding, California was a thousand driving miles from their home in Nogales. Surely her family was safe here after fleeing to the U.S. from the border town.

Alejandra Santiago steered the compact car she’d rented in Corvallis into the parking lot of the small restaurant on the outskirts of Redding.

Above the mountains to the north, the top of Mount Shasta glowed pink in the fading twilight of the sweltering July evening. What little light remained revealed speckled white walls of a building in dire need of paint.

In his brief phone call, asking if Allie could drive down from the university to see them, Papa had mentioned threats made in Nogales against him and some against her little brother, Benjamin. The cartel was good at intimidation and threatening Benjamin would certainly accomplish that.

Allie, tell me again how this drug kills the germs.

As Benjamin's voice replayed in her mind, she pictured his large brown eyes expressing wonder at each new biological fact his sharp mind assimilated. But even her pharmacy program at Oregon State couldn’t supply enough medical facts to satisfy his ravenous appetite for knowledge.

She loved her family dearly, but Allie adored Benjamin. If the cartel tried to hurt him, she would shoot them all herself. No one, not even their notorious leader, El Capitan, could stop her.

Enough depressing thoughts about a cartel that was a thousand miles away.

Allie got out of her car and walked across the parking lot toward the restaurant, looking for Papa.

She gasped when a sweaty palm slapped over her mouth.

Chasing Freedom on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MAXJQWJ/

Finally, February 26 has arrived and Book 1 of the Against All Enemies series, Voice in the Wilderness , has officially released.
Click here to leave a comment, or scroll to the bottom of the page and leave one, to enter the GIVEAWAY of a signed copy of Voice in the Wilderness. Giveaway ends on Friday, March 4.


Subscribe to H L Wegley's newsletter and get updates about the Against All Enemies series and free extras. If you register for the monthly newsletter, we're offering a free PDF version of the original opening to the novel. These 21 pages contain the backstory of KC Banning and Brock Daniels as children and the original opening to the thriller plot, including the discovery of the computer breach, leading to the inciting incident.


If you've already read the novel and love the characters, you'll enjoy seeing how it all began. If you haven't read the book, this is a great introduction that starts out before the thriller-level story begins.


Book 2 in this series, Voice of Freedom, will release in May. It continues the story of the six young Americans thrown together in Voice in the Wilderness and it completes the story of the USA in crisis. How will Hannan's power play end? Is there any hope for a failed America?


If you missed it, here's the trailer for Voice in the Wilderness. It starts by showing a picture of nine-year-old KC Banning, the girl with a target for bullies painted on her face and hair. If you download the outtakes/alternate beginning, you can read an entry in young KC's journal, an entry which gives you insight into this remarkable young woman who, even at a young age, loves her country.




What people are saying about Voice in the Wilderness:

If you're looking for a rich and creative adventure through a dystopian future in the heart of America's powerbase, then Voice in the Wilderness will be a wild ride that you won't forget anytime soon.


This book is worth a read if you like thrillers, politics, or both, or even if you like a little romance. There's something for everyone.

There was so much passion and great monologues, thoughtful narration, and philosophical asides.....this was definitely an action-packed novel, but there were some serious social undertones that would make this book appealing and thought-provoking to far more people than your average action crowd.



Thanks to all my beta readers and reviewers who took a chance on a relatively new author. Your reviews tell me you weren't disappointed. That's what every author seeks first --  to tell an entertaining story that evokes a powerful emotional response. If we don't to that, anything else we try to accomplish in our writing fails.

H. L. Wegley

"...has just the right amount of romance in it to reach out to the hearts of romantics, yet, is a page-turning thriller..."
‎Author‬ & Reviewer Lu Ann Worley (AKA ‪‎LAWonder10‬), on her web site Rockin' Book Reviews, has packed an incredible amount of information in her post about ‪ Voice in the Wilderness ‬, about me as a person and a writer, and she's holding a ‪#‎giveaway‬ of a signed copy of the book through Dec 29. It's a book that will motivate every citizen to evaluate the state of America and, if need be, to re-engage politically for the sake of our children and our grandchildren. If you want a nutshell description of where we are as a nation, watch the author video: http://bit.ly/1OxnIcW
If you want to see where we could be in the very near future, and learn more about H L Wegley, read Lu Ann's review: http://bit.ly/1NzCD6x
If you want a graphic picture of the dystopian future that's possibly only months away, read the book: http://amzn.to/1EuEWnq
If you want hope for the future, read the entire series, releasing across the year 2016: https://www.facebook.com/HLWegley/?re...
"A terrifyingly real political thriller!" --Award Winning Author Susan May Warren
"What a powerful and compelling book!" -- Author Roger Bruner
“…totally blew me away! It is one of the most profoundly interesting books I have read in a long time…” --Lu Ann Worley Author/Reviewer

Secrets and Lies by Janet Sketchley

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Heaven’s Prey, book 1 in Janet Sketchley’s Redemption’s Edge series, dealt with the issue of the extent of God's grace. God's grace is often described as sufficient to cover all of any person's sins. Sketchley illustrates this in book 1 by God’s forgiveness of serial killer, Harry Silver.
However, God's grace goes much further than redemption, and that is what Book 2, Secrets and Lies, deals with, the extent of God's grace. Secrets and Lies emphasizes, through the heroine, Carol Daniels, that we can trust God in all circumstances of life, and that His grace has the power to change us, shape us, and strengthen us.
Carol Daniels experiences these truths in the context of a well-written romantic-suspense story. Life has taught Carol to distrust people, even the likable DJ, Joey, who attempts to befriend Carol and her teenage son, Paul. She believes she has reasons to distrust God, too. She must deal with the worry that Paul will follow the path of his father, a man who lived a life of dissipation, and with the fear that Paul will follow her dead son into drug use. If Carol is going to trust God and learn the full riches of His grace, she must do so while people and events related to the crimes of her imprisoned, serial-killer brother, Harry Silver, bring danger to her and Paul.
Both the suspense and the romance grow slowly to a powerful, action-packed climax that I will not spoil for readers. But, I believe there are enough unresolved issues surrounding Harry Silver to fill another novel in this series.
Women 40+, especially women of faith, will enjoy Secrets and Lies. With that audience, this is easily a five star book. I'm a guy who likes sky-high stakes and more intense action, but I did enjoy the story.



View all my reviews

The Testament by John Grisham

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


After 15 years I read Grisham's The Testament for the second time. Over the past several years I've studied the craft of writing fiction, become multi-published, and am writing my 9th novel. Grisham violates many of the cardinal rules that I was taught, especially those related to point of view. He hops heads faster than a water skipper with a large-mouth bass on its tail. But, does that really matter?
When I turned off my internal editor, I read a great redemption story, told powerfully, with characters I will not forget. The main message -- no one is beyond redemption, but sometimes they need someone who understands that truth to believe in them and to point the way.
When I finished the book for the second time, I realized the real testament was not the will that most of the book talks about. There are two testaments in the story, one written out of hate, the other out of love and understanding. Read the book for yourself and see which is the most impacting.
I seldom read a novel more than once, but The Testament has a permanent spot on my bookshelf, because I will read it again ... and again -- not to learn the rules of writing but to peer into the heart of a writer.



View all my reviews

What lurks in the shadows behind the scenes of our stories?
We all know stories have power but, behind their scenes, other stories lurk in the shadows, and they have power too, more than we sometimes realize. A humorous illustration of this is up on Behind the Scenes, a blog series from Castle Gate Press about interesting stories behind the writing.
Their current post, Lee, Me, and the Power of Story, features Lee and me (H L Wegley) … oh, yes, and my wife, Babe:
http://www.castlegatepress.com/behind...

My publisher, Pelican Book Group,is making its entire catalog of eBooks free through Lent (April 2). The more than 300 free eBooks include my 4-book Pure Genius Series:

#1 Hide and Seek
#2 On the Pineapple Express
#3 Moon over Maalaea Bay
#4 Triple Threat

Check it out. It's an incredible offer for eBook readers.

What reviewers are saying
“Triple Threat reads as fast-paced and action-packed as a 007 movie.”
“…an awesome Christian thriller. This book will keep you on the edge of your seat.”
“…captured me from the first page. Triple Threat, a contemporary drama, does not slow down until the very end.”

Giveaways
Giveaway on Patti Shene’s blog of an autographed copy of Triple Threat. Stop by & leave a comment for a chance to win this high-action, romantic suspense story that's drawn all 5-star reviews.

Giveaway on Sharon Srock's Women of Valley View of an eBook, your choice of formats, of Triple Threat Provide a caption for the picture on her blog to enter. Giveaway ends Dec. 5.

Giveaway on Shannon Vannatter's blog of another autographed copy of
Triple Threat Leave a comment to enter. Giveaway ends Dec 6.

Interviews
An interview with the 20-year-old heroine, Katie Brandt on Genesis 5020

An interview with author, H L Wegley, on author JK Brown's blog.

Who but Katie Brandt, IQ 180+, would think of using a fake honeymoon as a cover to spy on cyber terrorists while she hacks their laptop? The fake groom, Joshua West, isn't amused as the honeymoon goes south, then threatens to take Josh and Katie’s lives with it. Where does this all happen? Whistler, BC, some of it suspended 2,500 feet above Whistler Valley. Triple Threat, an inspirational, high-action, romantic suspense story with triple threads, cyber-terrorism, sweet-and-sour romance, and a well-defended faith.

To enter the giveaway for an autographed copy of Triple Threat, visit my blog:
http://www.hlwegley.com/blog/triple-t...
and scroll all the way to the bottom of this page and leave a comment that includes the words "Triple Treat" and provide a contact e-mail address (to be used only to contact the winner). If you win, you can alternately bite your nails and laugh all the way through a short, fun, information-packed read. The winner will be chosen on Wednesday, November 19. Here’s a photo of the setting for several scenes of Triple Threat (click on the image to see the Hi Res version):

 

Since Triple Threat concludes the 4-book Pure Genius Series, I am giving away an eBook collection of the entire series in the winner’s preferred eBook format. This series tells the story of how a family of geniuses came together against incredible odds — through battles with nature, terrorists, and international human traffickers. If you want to enter the drawing for the Pure Genius Series eBooks, scroll all the way to the bottom of this page and leave a comment that includes the words Pure Genius Series eBooks and a contact e-mail address (to be used only to contact the winner). The winner will be chosen on Wednesday, November 19. Here are the eBooks the winner gets:

To read more about the books, or purchase them, here are some links to Triple Threat for online book sellers:
Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Triple-Threat-P...
Barnes & Noble:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/tripl...
Christianbook.com:
http://www.christianbook.com/triple-t...
Pelican Book Group:
http://pelicanbookgroup.com/ec/index....