Dear Reader,
Lots of people have asked me how I made the jump from football to fiction. It’s a fair question!
The genesis of Monday Night Jihad goes back about ten years to when my brother started keeping a journal of all the football stories I told. He always tried to talk me into writing a book, but for a long time it wasn’t something that interested me. Then about a year and a half ago, I began to think about the possibility of incorporating a military/terrorist element with all of my own football experiences. My goal was to give readers a great story full of action, adventure, a little bit of romance, and of course, football.
After having lengthy discussions with my pastor, Rick Yohn, about the concept, I remember asking God to show me whether or not this was something He would like me to pursue. Eventually I became convinced to go forward. My desire in writing this book was-and still is-to contrast the more radical elements of Islam with what I view as true Christianity.
Many have attempted to distort the Jesus of the Bible, and so my hope and prayer is to honor the real Jesus. Second Corinthians 11:4 speaks of people who preach about a Jesus who is “different” from the true Son of God. My hope is that through this story each reader sees Jesus Christ for who He is-the eternal God who created all things. He is the God-man who took on human form to bring us hope. He is the one who allowed Himself to be the perfect sacrifice for us all. He is the one who suffered a brutal death on a Roman cross. He is the one who physically rose up from the grave. He is the one who now indwells all believers. He is the one who will return to take those who believe in Him to be with Him for all eternity. It is to this Jesus that I dedicate this book.
Thanks for taking the time to read Monday Night Jihad; I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as Steve and I have enjoyed working on it. Be looking for our next Riley Covington thriller, due in stores in early 2009!
Sincerely,
Jason Elam