Showing posts with label Randy Singer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Randy Singer. Show all posts

Saturday, 7 April 2012

Coming in September/October from Tyndale House

It's been a bit quiet around here as I have been away for a week enjoying a lovely holiday break with my sister and her family but I'm back with a terrific post of upcoming books from Tyndale House.

I admit I'm thrilled with the cover art and am keen to read them all, especially Randy, Chris and Mel's books :)  Mind you Mel is going to have to work hard to be up to the standard of my favourite military fiction author, Ronie Kendig :)

Love to hear your thoughts on these offerings!



Maureen O’Reilly and her younger sister flee Ireland in hope of claiming the life promised to their father over twenty years before. After surviving the rigors of Ellis Island, Maureen learns that their benefactor, Colonel Wakefield, has died. His family, refusing to own his Civil War debt, casts her out. Alone, impoverished, and in danger of deportation, Maureen connives to obtain employment in a prominent department store. But she soon discovers that the elegant facade hides a secret that threatens every vulnerable woman in the city.

Despite her family’s disapproval, Olivia Wakefield determines to honor her father’s debt but can’t find Maureen. Unexpected help comes from a local businessman, whom Olivia begins to see as more than an ally, even as she fears the secrets he’s hiding. As women begin disappearing from the store, Olivia rallies influential ladies in her circle to help Maureen take a stand against injustice and fight for the lives of their growing band of sisters. But can either woman open her heart to divine leading or the love it might bring?

September, 2012





As the youngest bureau chief and head of the Chicago Police Department's Major Case Squad, Boone Drake seems to have it all under control. Only those closest to him know that just a few short years ago, he lost everything that mattered to him in a tragic accident. After years of healing, his life is back on track. He recently married a wonderful woman named Haeley, adopted her son, bought a beautiful home, and rediscovered his faith. But Boone can't fight the feeling that something is about to go terribly wrong . . . again.

When an all-too-personal case takes Boone to Beijing at a time when Haeley can least afford to let him go, Boone is forced to make a difficult choice. There he becomes enmeshed in a dangerous human-trafficking ring that takes him through the famed Hutong District's narrow streets, alleys, and hovels. Teamed with a former Liberation Army officer, Boone has one chance to pull off an elaborate sting and rescue a young boy before he disappears forever.

September, 2012





When a brilliant billionaire is diagnosed with inoperable brain cancer, he realizes that all his considerable wealth cannot prepare him to meet his Maker. But he has an idea that might: he will stage the ultimate reality show. With his true agenda hidden, he auditions followers from all the world's major religions, inviting them to the trial of their lives on a remote island, where they must defend their beliefs against spiritual challenges.

Oliver Finney, a feisty old judge with his own secrets, is chosen to defend Christianity. As the program takes a strange twist, he quickly realizes he is trapped in a game of deadly agendas that may cost him his life. With Internet access monitored, Finney sends coded messages to his law clerk, Nikki Moreno. Aided by a teen crypto-geek, Nikki soon discovers the key to understanding Finney’s clues in an apologetics book Finney wrote and must race against time to decipher the mysteries contained in the ancient words of Christ before her boss dies defending them.

September, 2012





When Marshall Becker arrives in Lamorlaye, France, to begin the massive renovation of a Renaissance-era castle, he unearths a dark World War II history few in the village remember. The project that was meant to provide an escape for Becker instead becomes a gripping glimpse into the human drama that unfolded during the Nazi occupation and seems to live on in midnight disturbances and bizarre acts of violence.

Populated with a cast of complex characters, “Tangled Ashes” follows Becker’s exploration of the castle’s shadowy past as he seeks to cope with an unbearable present.  From the virtually mute recluse who lives in the gatehouse to the feisty and enigmatic nanny of the owner’s children, every one of the château’s inhabitants seems to have something to hide and something to survive—but none more so than Becker himself.

October, 2012





To everyone who knows her, Annalise Decker is a model wife and mother. She’s a permanent member of the PTA, never misses her kids’ sporting events, and is constantly campaigning for her husband’s mayoral race.

No one knows that Annalise was once Deidre O’Reilly, a troubled young woman whose testimony put a dangerous criminal behind bars. Relocated through the Witness Security Program to the sleepy town of Deep Haven, Deidre got a new identity and a fresh start, which began when she fell in love with local real estate agent Nathan Decker. Twenty years later, Annalise couldn’t be more unprepared for her past to catch up with her. When Agent Frank Harrison arrives with news that the man she testified against is out on bail and out for revenge, Annalise is forced to face the consequences of her secrets. Will she run again, or will she finally find the grace to trust those she loves most with both her past and her future?

October, 2012




Desperate to escape haunting memories, J. D. Jessup travels from Nashville to Tucson and volunteers on an organic farm. The hardened landowner has one prevailing rule: If J. D. sees an “illegal,” call the border patrol. But when an early morning ride along the fence line leads him to a beautiful young woman named Maria, near death in the desert, his heart pulls him in another direction. 

Longing to atone for the choices that drove him to Tucson, J. D. hides her and unleashes a chain of deadly events he could never have imagined. Soon they are running from a killer and fighting for their lives. As secrets of their pasts emerge, J. D. realizes that saving Maria may be the only way to save himself.

October, 2012








Sergeant Lance Corporal Bekah Shaw joined the United States Marine reserves to help support herself and her son when her ex-husband, Billy Roy, decided they were no longer his responsibility. But when her team is activated and sent to Somalia on a peacekeeping mission, Bekah struggles with being separated from her son and vows to return safely.

Once a successful Somalian businessman, Rageh Daud has lost everything. Determined to seek revenge on the terrorists who killed his wife and son, he teams up with a group of thieves, killers, and others displaced by war. Despite his better judgment, Daud becomes the protector of a young orphaned boy—who becomes a pawn between the warring factions.

To defeat the terrorists and bring peace to the region, Bekah and her team must convince Daud that they are on the same side.

October, 2012

Thursday, 22 March 2012

Character Spotlight ~ Randy Singer's Mace & Jamie


Randy Singer's legal thrillers are always on my 'must read' list. Look for his latest, The Last Plea Bargain, available now from Tyndale House

Synopsis

Plea bargains may grease the rails of justice, but for Jamie Brock, prosecuting criminals is not about cutting deals. In her three years as assistant DA, she’s never plea-bargained a case and vows she never will. But when a powerful defense attorney is indicted for murder and devises a way to bring the entire justice system to a screeching halt, Jamie finds herself at a crossroads. One by one, prisoners begin rejecting deals. Prosecutors are overwhelmed, and felons start walking free on technicalities. To break the logjam and convict her nemesis, Jamie must violate every principle that has guided her young career. But she has little choice. To convict the devil, sometimes you have to cut a deal with one of his demons.

Enjoy meeting Mace & Jamie!


Brief physical description

Mace James is a former felon (assault and battery) who experienced a jailhouse conversion, went to law school after he served his time, and was licensed to practice law (yes, it can happen). He became the law school professor who wears faded jeans to class, a black t-shirt and flip flops (every law school seems to have one).

Mace looks more like a UFC fighter than a law school professor. He has a bodybuilder’s physique, tattoo sleeves covering both arms, and is completely bald. He has a dark complexion, square chin, and a broad nose that has been on the wrong side of too many fights.

Jamie Brock is a hard-nosed young prosecutor who never plea bargains a case. Her mother was killed during a home break-in and she has devoted her life to helping victims obtain justice.

She’s athletic, headstrong and relentless. Prominent cheekbones, dark-brown eyes, a determined jaw, and short dark hair. She sees the world in black and white. In her view, Mace has sold his soul to the dark side, trying to keep death row inmates from getting what they deserve.

She works out her frustrations by running, kayaking and playing Frisbee with her black lab, appropriately named “Justice.”

Actor/famous person

Mace: a younger Bruce Willis.

Jamie: give Kiera Knightley a haircut and you’re getting there.

Strengths and weaknesses

Mace: You’ve heard the saying that whatever doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger. Mace is living proof. He was convicted of assault and battery because he helped a friend in a fight (a little too effectively, it turns out). Now, he works the defense side in death penalty cases. He believes everyone is entitled to a second chance and he doesn’t give a rip about appearances. Weaknesses? He’s willing to bend the rules to get to the right result. Doesn’t trust the system. And takes every case personally.
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Jamie: Strengths? She is focused, determined and doesn’t care what people think. If you are the victim of a violent crime, you want Jamie working your case because she takes it personally. Not to mention the fact that she’s lethal in the courtroom. Weaknesses? She doesn’t do nuances. There are good guys and bad guys. Period. Plus, she’s been devastated by the loss of first her mother and now her father. When your world is as black-and-white as Jamie’s world, and you learn that things are not as they seem, it can be devastating. Her other weakness—she keeps God and even her closest friends at arm’s length.

Your inspiration for the characters

As a lawyer, the inspiration for many of my stories, and my characters, comes from real life cases. The Last Plea Bargain was no exception.

Relz
On November 13, 2001, Hamilton Somerville, heir to the DuPont fortune, was found dead in his home in Orange County, Virginia. When an autopsy revealed fatal amounts of morphine and oxycodone in his blood, murder charges were filed against his second wife. I represented Hamilton’s daughters in a case against their stepmother under the Slayer Statute.

I learned a lot in that case about a daughter’s quest for justice, about the struggle to forgive your father’s killer, about restoring your father’s name.

The emotions in that case were raw and unfiltered. Even after we won back the family estate, I couldn’t get the case out of my mind.

The themes from that case became the themes of The Last Plea Bargain. Much of Jamie Brock’s personality and drive came from what I saw in the Somerville daughters. Avenging your father’s death can be a powerful motivator.

Background to the story

Jamie Brock’s mother was killed during a home break-in when Jamie was just sixteen. Driven by this, Jamie became a prosecutor who never plea bargains a case.

But when Jamie’s nemesis—the lawyer who represented her mother’s killer—is arrested for poisoning his wife, Jamie’s world is turned upside down. The lawyer, Caleb Tate, devises a way to bring the entire justice system in Atlanta, Georgia to a screeching halt. Jamie finds herself at a crossroads. One by one, prisoners begin rejecting deals. Prosecutors are overwhelmed, and felons start walking free on technicalities.

To break the logjam and convict her nemesis, Jamie must re-evaluate every principle that has guided her young career. But she has little choice. To convict the devil, you sometimes have to cut a deal with one of his demons.

Relz Reviewz Extras
Reviews of By Reason of Insanity & False Witness
Character spotlight on Alex Madison from Fatal Convictions
Character spotlight
on Quinn Newberg from By Reason of Insanity
Character spotlight
on Jason Noble from The Justice Game
Visit
Randy's website
Buy Randy's books at
Amazon or Koorong

Wednesday, 31 August 2011

10 Authors You Need to Read

Here are 10 brilliant writers, who are equally amazing people, and whose books completely captivate me! 

The links will take you to their pages on the also amazing FamilyFiction website (whose magazine I write for) and you can check out their books.  You will soon see I love a whole range of genres from military thrillers to historical romance but I can't recommend these authors enough.  

I'd love you to check them out, read one of their books and come back and let me know what you thought!

TL Higley 

Here are covers of some of my favourite books they have written :)









I had to do this list really quickly as I kept thinking of other authors who I would like to add!!  Maybe next time :)

Sunday, 3 July 2011

False Witness by Randy Singer

Synopsis:~

Clark Shealy is a bail bondsman with the ultimate bounty on the line: his wife’s life. He has forty-eight hours to find an Indian professor in possession of the Abacus Algorithm—an equation so powerful it could crack all Internet encryption.

Four years later, law student Jamie Brock is working in legal aid when a routine case takes a vicious twist: she and two colleagues learn that their clients, members of the witness protection program, are accused of defrauding the government and have the encrypted algorithm in their possession. After a life-changing trip to the professor’s church in India, the couple also has the key to decode it.

Now they’re on the run from federal agents and the Chinese mafia, who will do anything to get the algorithm. Caught in the middle, Jamie and her friends must protect their clients if they want to survive long enough to graduate.


My take:~

If you want to enjoy an intriguing legal thriller, Randy Singer is a sure bet, and his recent stories just keep getting better and better. False Witness is a repackaged edition of this story, originally published in 2007 and I have to admit it shows. It still contains the many twists and turns I have come to expect from Singer but the characterisation is not up to the standard of his more recent works. Clark and Jessica Shealy felt distant to me, as opposed to Jamie and her friends, which had an impact on my investment in the story. If this had been my first Singer book, I may have felt differently, but admiring the skills he displays in his more recent works, made me a little more fussy with this story. That said, there is plenty to enjoy in False Witness, as the Chinese mafia pursue an Indian professor who holds the key to crack all internet encryption codes, student lawyers battle it out against experienced attorneys and the FBI decides to stop at nothing to ensure the Algorithm does not fall into the wrong hands. So when you pick up False Witness, make sure you get your hands on By Reason of Insanity, Directed Verdict, Fatal Convictions and more from this talented lawyer/pastor.

With thanks to B&B Media Group for my review copy

Relz Reviewz Extras

Review of By Reason of Insanity

Character spotlight on Alex Madison from Fatal Convictions

Character spotlight on Quinn Newberg from By Reason of Insanity

Character spotlight on Jason Noble from The Justice Game

Visit Randy's website

Buy Randy's books at Amazon or Koorong

Thursday, 26 August 2010

Character Spotlight ~ Randy Singer's Alex Madison

Alex Madison


You can't get much better than a Randy Singer legal thriller! Always brilliantly executed with great characterisation and edge of your seat suspense, be sure to get your hands on his latest, Fatal Convictions. And if you need more convincing, check out the spotlight below as you are sure to be intrigued by Alex and the inspiration for his character.

Over to you, Randy:~


Brief physical description
Alex Madison is a Virginia Beach surfer who is trying to become the lawyer that everybody expects him to be, a prolific litigator like his grandfather. He’s thin, medium-height, with a perpetual two-day shadow, blue eyes and dirty blonde hair that he buzzes in the summer. If you met him at the Beach, he’d be wearing board shorts and flip flops. But he dresses up nice and when he walks into the courtroom he will turn a few heads. He’s quick with a smirk or a one-liner and has this ornery look that made all of his teachers reserve a seat for him in the front row.
Alex was raised by a stern but loving grandmother who infused in him a sense of destiny. He’s got just enough moxie to care less about what others think which serves him well when he lands the most controversial case in Virginia Beach history.
Think pro surfer C.J. Hobgood
Strengths and weaknesses
Strengths: an independent streak; tenacious; cares about others; creative thinker; can think on his feet.
Weaknesses: falls hard for a pretty face; not very disciplined; will avoid confrontation with co-workers and friends; needs to be more of a spiritual leader at his church.
Quirk (if any)
Not sure if these are quirks, but Alex has a few peculiarities. He’s a lawyer who never graduated from law school. In Virginia, you can apprentice under an established lawyer for three years and then take the Bar. Alex did this with his grandfather.
Also, Alex became the preacher at his grandmother’s small church when he filled in one Sunday after the real preacher retired. But Alex has never been to seminary. In short, he’s got two jobs, and he doesn’t feel qualified for either.

Your inspiration for the character
Alex and I share the same two disparate occupations (lawyer and preacher) but that’s where the similarities end. Ironically enough, Alex’s character was inspired in part by one of the shadiest lawyers in fiction and in part by one of the most inspiring. He’s a bit of a cross between Paul Newman’s character in The Verdict (shameless ambulance-chaser) and Atticus Finch from To Kill A Mockingbird (willing to defend an innocent man who everyone else abandons).
In fact, The Verdict opens with Paul Newman in a funeral home trying to solicit a wrongful death case from the widow by pretending to be a friend of the deceased. Fatal Convictions opens in a hospital where Alex goes to pray for some church members and then slips down to the hall to solicit cases for his firm. That’s where he meets a Muslim imam who will ultimately be accused of instigating honor killings.
Background to the story
My idea for the book came when I asked this question: What makes To Kill A Mockingbird the best legal thriller of all time?

My answer: Because Atticus Finch performed the highest duty of a lawyer, representing a man he believed was innocent, a man nobody else would defend. Then I asked a related question: What would that look like today? My answer was Fatal Convictions. Who would defend a Muslim imam accused of honor killings? Granted, my protagonist, Alexander Madison, is no Atticus Finch. And I'm no Harper Lee. Nevertheless, I hope you'll find the story both thought-provoking and entertaining.

Thanks so much, Randy ~ your spotlights are always top-notch! I'm very much looking forward to reading and reviewing Fatal Convictions.


Relz Reviewz Extras

Review of By Reason of Insanity

Character spotlight on Quinn Newberg from By Reason of Insanity

Character spotlight on Jason Noble from The Justice Game

Visit Randy's website

Buy Randy's books at Amazon or Koorong

Sunday, 24 January 2010

Coming in 2010 from Tyndale House

Tyndale House have some great books coming your way this year from debut author Gina Holmes to seasoned writers, Randy Singer and Sally John.

Anything take your fancy? I'd love to hear your thoughts.....



Crossing Oceans by Gina Holmes

Jenny Lucas swore she’d never go home again. But being told you’re dying has a way of changing things. Years after she left, she and her five-year-old daughter, Isabella, must return to her sleepy North C
arolina town to face the ghosts she left behind. They welcome her in the form of her oxygen tank–toting grandmother, her stoic and distant father, and David, Isabella’s dad . . . who doesn’t yet know he has a daughter.

As Jenny navigates the rough and unknown waters of
her new reality, the unforgettable story that unfolds is a testament to the power of love and its ability to change everything—to heal old hurts, bring new beginnings . . . even overcome the impossible.

A stunning debut about love and loss from a talented new voice.

Releasing May, 2010



The Last Operative by Jerry B Jenkins

Jordan Kettering wants to go quietly into the sunse
t. His career as an NSA intelligence officer has taken a significant toll. His two adult children are little more than distant acquaintances. His wife has been patient and supportive, but he knows she has deserved better. That was part of the reason they were going to London. He wanted her to see Europe like a tourist. But that was before he was given intelligence information during the recent mission to Germany. The threat is grave—bigger than 9/11. And the risk is compounded by the fact that someone inside the NSA is involved. The most hidden place in Kettering’s past will have to be unmasked in order to meet the challenges of this mission.

Releasing July, 2010




Fatal Convictions by Randy Singer

Alexander Madison is part lawyer, part pastor, and part con artist. When a Muslim imam is accused of instig
ating honor killings, Alex must decide whether to take the case that every other lawyer in town is running away from. He doesn’t realize until it’s too late that defending the imam may cost him the one thing in life he cares about most.

Fatal Convictions is the story of a lawyer willing to risk it all and the women who must choose between faith and love.

Releasing July, 2010









Ransomed Dreams by Sally John

Sheridan Montgomery leads a charmed life as the wife of Eliot, U.S. ambassador to Venezuela. But an attack on their lives cripples Eliot, and they retre
at to a remote Mexican village. As Sheridan quietly cares for her husband, she sees her dreams slipping away. Luke Traynor shatters their reverie when he arrives to tell Sheridan of her father’s heart attack and the evidence implicating him in a conspiracy. Sheridan returns to Chicago to untangle the web of her father’s past and is forced to confront her feelings for Luke, a trail of deceit, and the truth about her marriage.

Releasing July, 2010







The Witness by Josh McDowell

From Monte Carlo to Morocco to Egypt and into Petra, Marwan Accad is pursued by authorities for murders he did not commit. Tracked by advanced intelligence-surveillance technology, his every location is eventually found out, thrusting those he loves into danger. Nurtured by a bitter past that equipped him with what he needed for his company to thrive, Marwan Accad never looks back. Yet the way forward promises only uncertainty, and living each day is a lie in which corruption and greed play in the lives of man. For whose lie is he going through all of this? Even as Marwan races against time to find his pursuers and
their motives, he must grapple with what is beyond his life, with what is eternal.

Releasing July, 2010




Still House Pond by Jan Watson

Lilly Gray Corbett loves living on Troublesome Creek, but she would mu
ch rather play with her best friend than watch her little brother and the twins. Her mama, Copper, is often gone helping to birth babies, and Lilly has to stay home. When Aunt Alice sends a note inviting her to visit in the city, Lilly is excited to go, and Copper reluctantly agrees to let her. Later, when they hear the news that the train crashed, Copper and her husband, John, rush to find out if their daughter is injured . . . or even alive.

Releasing August, 2010

Tuesday, 28 July 2009

Special Character Spotlight ~ Randy Singer's Jason Noble


Today the spotlight shines on............................Jason Noble

Randy Singer is a must read author in my book! His brilliant courtroom dramas are filled with intriguing characters, plenty of unexpected twists and with his latest, The Justice Game, an ending determined by his readers!

Don't miss this insight into his young protagonist, Jason Noble and be sure to run out and get a copy of The Justice Game!


Thanks Randy:~


Brief physical description

I hope this is not cheating but I pulled a couple of descriptive passages from the book:


“Jason didn’t have the stone-carved
jaw of a movie actor, but he was in good shape and had received more than a few comments about his eyes. ‘Sleepy.’ ‘Intriguing.’ Or, on courtroom days like today, when he had his green contacts inserted, ‘piercing.’”

Later in the book, I share Kelly Starling’s first impressions about Jason—Kelly is the lawyer opposing Jason in the case.

“When Jason Noble and Case McA
llister came walking down the aisle, Kelly sized them up, positioning herself so it looked like she was talking to her client. McAllister looked old, weathered, and confident, walking with a slight limp. His thin and rounded shoulders revealed his age, but his eyes were sharp, and he had a sly half-smile on his face, as if surveying a masterpiece he had just painted. Jason Noble was young and decent-looking, in a carefree surfer sort of way. He had penetrating green eyes and dark shaggy hair. He looked like maybe he had just left a frat party at the University of Georgia, the yin to Case McAllister’s yang.

Kelly made
a note—Jason would probably do okay with young female jurors. But other than a kind of roguish charm, she couldn’t figure out why MD Firearms might have chosen him to help on the case. He was only two years out of law school—nearly five years younger than she. And Kelly herself was relatively young and inexperienced to be trying a case of such magnitude. Jason, she concluded, was probably just there to carry Case McAllister’s briefcase.

Actor/famous person

This is hard because I really didn’t have a famous person in mind as I created Jason. However, I think the closest celebrity is Jim Sturgess, especially as seen in his role in 21—a geeky rogue trying to make his way in a world where he
is incredibly gifted but also out of his element.

Strengths and weaknesses


He is a gifted performer which makes him a very talented trial lawyer. I remember as a law student clerking at a firm in New York and telling an experienced lawyer that I thought my debate background would help me do well in trials. His reply: “Not really. If you want to prepare for a career as a trial lawyer, try acting.”

One of Jason’s greatest strengths is that he is a gifted actor. He has an innate flair for the dramatic and an ability to connect with people. But, like many great performers, he is ill-at-ease around people in social settings. He has a number of weaknesses. A very rocky relationship with his father. A devastating past secret that he would do anything to cover up. And a willingness to sometimes push the ethical limits if he believes a higher cause is at stake.

His biggest challenge is maintaining the front of being a laid-back and self-confident trial lawyer when he actually feels like he’s going to throw up at any moment.


Quirk (if any)

I don’t know if you’d call this a quir
k, but he is rather shy around women. This can lead to some erratic (though not necessarily quirky) behavior.

Your inspiration for the character

Jason came about because I wanted to explore the dynamics of living with a devastating secret and how that secret affects someone emotionally an
d spiritually. Blackmail is the order of the day in The Justice Game and Jason must decide whether to come clean about his past or compromise his client’s case in order to keep the past under wraps. I once heard Rick Warren say that courage comes when you have nothing left to hide. I wanted to explore that in the life of Jason. I also wanted to look at the conflicted life of a person who tries to project an image that is very different from who that person really is at the core of his being.

Background to the story


After the target of an investigative report storms a Virginia Beach news studio, he executes one of the reporters on live television before the SWAT team is able to take him down. Fol
lowing the victim’s funeral, her family files a lawsuit against the gun company who manufactured the killer’s weapon of choice.

The lawyers for the plaintiff and defendant—Kelly Starling and Jason Noble—are young, charismatic, and highly successful. They’re also easy blackmail targets, each harboring a personal s
ecret so devastating it could destroy their careers. Millions of dollars—and more than a few lives—are at stake. But as Kelly and Jason battle each other, they discover that the real fight is with unseen players intent on controlling them both.

Wonderful insight, as always - thanks so much, Randy :) I always enjoy anticipating what you are going to come up with next!



On Thursday the spotlight shines on Colleen Coble's Shannon Astor & Jack MacGowan from Lonestar Secrets - yay!

Relz Reviewz Extras

Review of By Reason of Insanity

Character spotlight on Quinn Newberg from By Reason of Insanity

Visit Randy's website

Buy Randy's books at Amazon or Koorong

Wednesday, 4 March 2009

Character Spotlight ~ Randy Singer's Quinn Newberg and Aussie Giveaway

Today the spotlight shines on..........................................................Quinn Newberg


Randy Singer is one of the best writers of legal thrillers I know. I have devoured every one of his novels but By Reason of Insanity eclipsed them all. I have selected By Reason of Insanity as my book club's June selection - its going to be fun!

I love this insight into Quinn Newberg, a quintessential skeptic and lawyer extraordinare!
Over to you, Randy:~

Brief physical description

Quinn Newberg is a Las Vegas criminal defense attorney, described by the media as a “legal magician.” He is a little over six feet, angular and lean, with the fluid movements of an athlete. He has the mysterious look of a Vegas illusionist, with straight black hair and a trim goatee. Dark eyebrows shade expressive almond eyes that seem to dance and spark in ways that have you nodding your head when he speaks.

Think of a taller version of Apolo Anton Ohno, the Olympic speed skater.

Rel:~ It wasn't how I pictured Quinn but now I have thought about it, Apolo is just right!


Strengths and weaknesses


Strengths

Quinn is a showman from Vegas, the show capital of the world. He learned his theatrics at Vegas magic shows and applies them in the courtroom—combining the flair of a performer with the unpredictability of a high stakes gambler.

Underneath the flamboyant exterior is a guy incredibly loyal to his sister and niec
e, a man with a strong (though misguided) sense of honor and justice, and a tenacity that pretty much knows no bounds. He is also extremely practical and realistic, unafraid to confront enormous challenges head on.

Weaknesses


He doesn’t see the spiritual dimension in life. Everything is fair game for his legal manipulations and maneuverings. The insanity plea is nothing more than a tactical maneuver. He also has deep-rooted insecurities that spring from an abusive childhood.

Quirk (if any)

He loves to gamble and he’s pretty good at it. He’s not above teaming up with another Vegas card shark to cheat wealthy out-of-towners for a good cause. He is more calculating than most compulsive gamblers, but he still has a hard time knowing when it’s time to fold—in cards or in life.

Your inspiration for the char
acter

With Quinn, I wanted to dive inside the mind of a spiritual skeptic. I decided that Las Vegas would be a good place to find one. And what occupation would be
better than that of a trial lawyer—not just any trial lawyer, but one who specializes in the insanity plea for criminal defendants?

I wanted to shine a sliver of light in the darkness. To do that, I needed it dark. The work of criminal defense lawyers is dark.

The work of a criminal defense lawyer with an abused
childhood representing an accused serial killer—that’s real dark.

But if it’s going to be dark, I wanted a protagonist whose personality would help lift him above that a little. So, I pulled together a composite. The passion of a friend who practices criminal defense law and always believes he has justice on his side. The showmanship of Tom Cruise in A Few Good Men. And the intensity of David Blaine, a famous Vegas illusionist. Add two cases that are very personal in nature, shake vigorously and bake—and out pops Quinn Newberg.


Backgrou
nd to the story

I wrote By Reason of Insanity to help readers think about whether a spiritual dimension
exists. Quinn doesn’t think so. But then, how can he explain the supernatural visions that his client has about serial murders? Either she’s guilty or there’s another dimension—a God who speaks to those who are willing to listen.

Prior to writing this book, I was intrigued by reports of Muslims who have been led to Christ after seeing visions (typically during Ramadan). Does God sometimes communicate with us in extraordinary ways right here in the United States? I think He does. But we must also realize that God has already fully revealed Himself to us through His written Word and would never show us anything in visions or dreams inconsistent with His Word.

Putting all that together, here is a brief synopsis of the story:

Quinn’s latest client is Catherine O’Rourke, a Virginia Beach reporter accused of being the serial killer named the Avenger of Blood. Catherine maintains her innocence, though she claims to have seen visions with graphic details of the crimes—details only the killer would know. Quinn doesn’t believe in the supernatural and thinks these “visions” are nothing more than the product of a fractured personality disorder, triggered by a traumatic event in Catherine’s past.


Quinn knows insanity cases are unpredictable, but nothing in his past has prepared him for this one. To win, or even survive, he’ll need more than his famed legal maneuvering and biting sarcasm.

On this case, he’ll need a miracle.


Loved this, Randy ~ thanks for giving us some of your valuable time to share this spotlight!


Aussie Giveaway

I have a copy of Randy's book to giveaway!

To be eligible to enter you MUST have an Australian mailing address, leave contact details and a comment before midnight on 15th March, 2009


Relz Reviewz Extras

Review of By Reason of Insanity

Visit Randy's website

Help render a verdict for Randy's next book, The Justice Game

Buy Randy's books at Amazon or Koorong

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