Live Fire with Chuck Holton

Any fiction novel goes through several rough drafts before it goes to print. Allah’s Fire was no different. In fact, we agonized over several endings before choosing the one you’ll read in the book. This picture is one of several book covers that we considered before deciding on the present one.

Just for fun, I thought I’d post the text of one of the alternate endings we explored. In the end, it was discarded because it was too complicated. Once you’ve read it, send an email to the address printed in the back of the book and let us know what you think!

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Okay, how’s this for wierd. You may have heard that the tongue is a fire, but would you believe that someday the tongue might be able to navigate to a fire?

The tongue can lie, it can slip, it can perhaps roll, and soon it may be able to see.

This article tells of a new technology that may allow Army Rangers to have 360 degree night vision – with their tongues, which I’m sure has been something they’ve wanted for years.

Work on the infrared-tongue vision for Army Rangers isn’t as far along. But Raj said the potential usefulness of the night vision technology is tremendous. It would allow soldiers to work in the dark without cumbersome night-vision goggles and to “see out the back of their heads,” he said.

I can see the Rangers now; “Yeah, all this new body armor and weaponry is great, but what I really need is to be able to see with my tongue.”

Your tax dollars at work, folks.

If I were President. This would be my limo.

On page 29 of Task Force Valor – Allah’s Fire , the team is riding in a new type of hardened transport vehicle. Well, if you were wondering what the Cougar Hardened Engineer Vehicle looks like, here’s a picture of one that I took in Iraq in September. This thing weighs over 30,000 pounds and can withstand a blast of 30 pounds of TNT to its front and rear axles, deflect rifle rounds, and get nine people to their destination in air-conditioned comfort on run-flat tires.

Sounds like the next maker of must-have SUVs. Talk about getting the kids to soccer practice safely! I love the manufacturers tagline: “Drop your purse, it’s not a hummer.”

If you’re reading my new novel Allah’s Fire, you’ll recall a scene that takes place at the Beirut Movenpick Hotel. Task Force Valor has to meet an operative there, then follow him to the hotel’s marina to continue their mission.

The picture above was taken at that very marina, on a research trip I made to Beirut in September, 05. There are more pictures from that trip here.

Also, if you haven’t already read it, you might like this trip report that I filed just after returning from Lebanon.

Stay tuned, I’ll be posting more photos that go with the book soon!

An Easter egg, in modern parlance, has taken on a different meaning. It is an unexpected surprise, perhaps a message, an image, or a sound, hidden in a Web site or in an application program.

Or in this case, a book. The Task Force Valor Series will be full of Easter eggs. Little surprises that most readers will never notice – but if you’re looking for them, you’ll find some cool stuff.

That’s all I’ll say for now – if you happen to find an easter egg in Allah’s Fire, send me an email about it!

StumbleUpon If you ever find yourself thinking you’ve seen everything there is worth seeing on the net, check out Stumbleupon.com. It’ll keep you busy for hours (with which you probably could be doing something productive) staring at sites around the net that are amazing, interesting, thought-provoking and bizarre.

“I’ve been giving empty sacrifices too long.
You don’t care how well I fake the law.
But the choicest things I bring to your table
don’t disguise the absence of my heart.
Open up my soul and overflow.” – Graham Davis, Overflow

Graham Davis is the worship minister at Calvary Church of the Nazarene in Annandale, Virginia; as well as a highly sought after worship leader for youth retreats around the country. He’s also one of my very good friends, and a passionate disciple of Christ. Graham writes, produces and sings completely original songs, and his lyrics are powerful and poetic.

Graham and I recenlty tag-teamed a group of youth in Carson City, Nevada at a city-wide youth retreat. We also shared the stage at the juvenile detention facility there for a one-hour engagement. I can say from personal experience, Graham knows how to do worship! You can now purchase copies of his CD Facedown here on Live Fire. Click here to listen to a sample mp3 recording of one of his songs. You’ll love it!

Graham also accepts a limited number of engagements each year. If you’d like to schedule him, send your request to heygraham at hotmail.com.

I travel a lot. For this reason, and since I’m not a terrorist, airport security is, for me, something like TBN – it was conceived with good intentions, but now it’s just annoying.

It always makes me smirk when I watch some elderly person or small child being – as frequent travelers have come to call it – “gate raped.” The fine TSA people do a wonderful job of adhering to the letter of the law – and I’m not sure the spirit of the law ever made it past the white house. I was just perusing the TSA website, and was somewhat shocked to find out some of the things that ARE and ARE NOT allowed to be carried on a plane.

For instance, I can carry on a seven inch screwdriver. Or scissors, as long as they aren’t more than four inches. That’s cool. I think it shows that the TSA is finally getting a dose of common sense in their thinking.

I cannot, however, carry on any matches that are “strike anywhere.” Safety matches are okay, though. Since everyone knows those dratted things are impossible to light. So maybe the common sense only goes so far.

Personally, I don’t think we’ll ever see another airline hijacking. 9/11 ruined the hijacking industry for good. Because from now on, anyone who tries to take over a plane will be:

1. Pummelled by everyone around him.
2. Shot by an air marshall, then pummelled by everyone around him
3. Foiled by a locked cockpit door, then shot by an air marshall, then stabbed with a few screwdrivers, sheared by a scissors, fed a few packets of safety matches, and then pummelled by everyone around him.

Bottom line, the TSA needs to stop groping old ladies and focus more on keeping explosives off of planes, though I don’t think that is too much of a worry either, since the “guided missle” capability of planes is what turned the terrorists on, anyway.

I’m all for security – but Political Correctness posing as security really bugs me.

On a lighter note, check out these amazing machines - there’s a cool homeschool project!

Task Force Valor, Book 1 is now available! The title of this first-of-three in the TF Valor Series is “Allah’s Fire.” You can now purchase a copy signed by me!

Harriet Klausner wrote an excellent review of the book here.

You can read an excerpt of the book in .pdf format, click here.

To listen to an mp3 of me reading the first chapter, click here.

Click here to purchase Allah’s Fire!
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goods and services provided by Live Fire Ministries.

I believe it’s a good thing, once in awhile, to go back to where you started. For me, this involves a trip to Carson City, Nevada.

I first gave God the keys to my life at the First Baptist Church in Carson City back in about 1973. Tomorrow, I’ll be speaking at that church for the first time, more than 30 years later. I stopped by there today, and images flooded my memory as I strolled through the old nursery, looked into the baptistry, and sat in the same worn pews that I knew so well as a child. It felt good, and I was thankful for that place, and the people who poured their lives into me from the time I was a spitfire toddler until I was a trouble-making teen.

It made me want to somehow return the favor. Then I realized that the best way to thank those who mentor you is to live a life they would approve of. Then pour yourself into someone else.

This evening, Graham and I led worship at the juvenile detention center here in Carson City. Through no small amount of grace on God’s part, that was the first time I’d been inside that particular building. It was a moving experience, and we really felt like we were able to connect with some of the kids. Very enjoyable.

Hopefully this weekend will bring more opportunities like this as Graham and I tag-team Carson’s youth during a city wide youth retreat.