Download Good News After Bad – A Gospel Novel, a FREE ebook, HERE.
For the last few months, it’s been nothing but bad news. First, COVID-19 has brought death to our doorsteps. We’ve been scared and confused. We’ve asked tough questions: What is life all about? What, if anything, happens after we die? If there is life after death, how do we attain it?
Now, with the murder of George Floyd, the focus has changed: it seems clear that we all demand justice and equality for ourselves, but some find it challenging to extend the same to others–especially those with different skin tones. Why is that? From where does racism come? Is there anything we can do to help us get along?
Serious questions all.
The good news is that my novel, Good News After Bad, has serious answers.
The protagonist in the story has studied the overarching story of the Bible and is convinced it’s true—it makes sense of this life and the life hereafter. He’s an idealistic college kid. Maybe, a bit naive. He wants others to have what he has, so he sits at a Starbucks bistro table, hoping to get into conversations about God. When he does, in theory, he’ll communicate God’s way to live this life and God’s plan to save the world from death, and do so by remembering six simple words: God, man, fall, offer, Jesus, and response. The Gospel in Six he calls it. With his system, he’s certain he can respond to the hardest questions thrown at Christians with well-reasoned answers.
If you’re a Christian and you’re not sure if you can answer the hard questions with the gospel but want to, then this novel’s for you.
If you’re a seeker and have questions about God, Christianity, the Bible, and want answers, then this book is for you as well.
Either way, pull up a chair and join the conversation. See if my guy can do what he thinks he can.
If you’re intrigued already, download the FREE ebook HERE. If you’re not there yet, scroll down to learn the story behind the novel, to read an excerpt, and then to download Good News After Bad.
– Robert Brown
Good News After Bad chronicles four make-believe conversations around a Starbucks table. The first session ties the basic outline of the Bible to the Gospel in Six. The second shows how the Bible (and the Gospel in Six) responds to the serious challenge of sexual identity politics. The third takes a more detailed look at the overarching story of the Bible. The last conversation digs into the evidence for the truth of Christianity.
More ABOUT Good News After Bad.
From Chapter 1
Caine glanced through the plate glass into the coffee shop. Satisfied Claire was safely waiting in line, he looked back to Finn. “Before I say more, I need to get something out into the open. This isn’t what you think. I’m not here for me or because of my wife,” he said, wincing.
“Oh. Okay. No problem,” Finn said. “Who, then?”
Caine breathed deep. You’ve got no choice, mister, so get after it. “A client,” he said.
“Say what? A client? What’s that got to go with me?”
“I’m trying to get there. Man, this is so embarrassing. See, I’m a private detective, and this old lady—sorry, a friend—hired me to find out something for her. Probably just wants to talk, and she concocted a wild scheme to keep me coming back—and to make me extremely uncomfortable. Can you tell? Anyway, she’s the mother of my old partner when I was with the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department—I’m retired now and doing my own thing. A PI. Being a friend and all, I couldn’t just tell her no. I mean, she wants me to—” Caine cleared his throat and tugged his shirt collar.
You’re rambling. What a joke! Caine thought.
“To find out what?”
“This is crazy.” Caine swallowed hard. “She wants me to find out stuff on … Jesus.”
“Dude? Stuff on Jesus?”
“Yep. I can’t believe this. It’s like I’m trapped in a scene from one of those bad Christian movies my wife drags me to.”
“We’re sneaking up on it, Mr. Caine. What stuff?
“Yeah, sorry about that. Okay. Well, she said it this way: Why did Jesus have to die so I—she—can go to heaven? That’s exactly what she asked me.” Caine threw up his hands. “Whew! That’s it. There, I said it.”
“Huh? I don’t get it. Why not just have her come here on her own?”
“She wants it to be like a case. Two hundred bucks a day plus expenses. She wants me to find out and report back to her. Just trying to get her off my back.”
“Really? For reals?”
”For reals. No way I’d be here if it weren’t.”
“Nope. No way. I don’t think so,” Finn said as he glanced exaggeratedly around the courtyard.
“What? What are you looking for?”
“You’re punkin’ me, right? I’m looking for a hidden camera or my guys! Honestly, dude, I think maybe your boys and their buddies from church have you here to punk me. You know, get some big guy—a hard-nosed detective—to show up. I’ve been telling everybody that no one’s stopped to ask a single question, and then you show up and drop your crazy intro on me. There’s no way, bro. This is a joke, right?”
“I wish.” Caine chuckled. “No, I’m here on official business. No joke. No cameras.” He opened his leather jacket by the lapels to reveal the satin lining. “No wire. You wanna pat me down?”
“You’re serious?”
“About the case? Unfortunately.”
Finn clapped. The crack echoed through the courtyard. “Bro! Me … in a real detective’s case. Sweet!”
1. To read Good News After Bad online,click HERE.
2. To download the ebook for an Apple, Android, or most other smartphones/tablet devices, click HERE.
3. To download the ebook for a Kindle device, click HERE.
Send me an email at rbrown@gospelnovel.com.