Recently, my latest novel, The Kremlin Conspiracy, was included in a reading list published in The American Spectator. In the article entitled “Books! Books! For Christmas, for the Reader You Love,” Quin Hillyer writes, “Rosenberg is making a name for himself as a writer of international thrillers rooted in faith and freedom. Most of his novels have focused on the Middle East, but this tale of post-Soviet intrigue is every bit as good.”[1] I am blessed and encouraged by his kind words.

This got me thinking. I believe there are likely four categories of people who may read this newsletter: Those who know me through my novel writing. Those who connected with me through my nonfiction books. Those who may not even know me as an author, but have followed my meetings with international leaders or news interviews. Finally, the infamous multiple-choice answer—D. All of the above.

I feel deeply blessed by all the opportunities God has given me to share His truth. I’ve got to admit, though, that deep down I am a storyteller at heart. I love taking people on a journey to places they’ve never been, letting them experience events both heartwarming and terrifying, letting people laugh even as they are wiping away tears—all the while, sharing the Christ of the Scriptures and the reality of the world’s situation. I write stories I want to read, filled with people I love getting to know.

It was sixteen years ago that my first novel, The Last Jihad, was published. That was the first in a series of five novels that centered on Jon Bennett and Erin McCoy. With each book, I had an idea of the direction that the story would go. However, along the way the twists and turns sometimes surprised me, and the words that occasionally came out of the characters’ mouths had me thinking, “They just said what?” I know it sounds strange since the story and the dialogue are both coming from my fingers typed onto my keyboard, but that’s the joy of writing. You’re never quite sure what’s just around the bend.

Since that first series, I’ve written the Twelfth Imam trilogy with its protagonist, David Shirazi; the Third Target trilogy centered on journalist J. B. Collins; and the first two books of my new series, The Kremlin Conspiracy (the second of which, The Persian Gamble, releases March 2019). I’m enjoying getting to know Marcus Ryker, the hero of these most recent books—the quintessential tough guy with his heart in the right place. In among these series, I published one standalone book, The Auschwitz Escape. This story is near and dear to my heart as a Jewish Christian. Set during World War II, it illustrates the incredible risks that many Protestants were willing to take to reach out a lifeline to the doomed Jewish population.

What an honor it is to meet with political and religious leaders in America, Israel, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and numerous other countries. God has given me a great opportunity to make an impact on the world stage. However, some of my greatest joy comes when I step away to my office and close my door to the world. There in that solitude, my imaginary friends and I gather together to fight a few battles and right a few wrongs, all the while showing people the truth and hope that are found in Jesus Christ.

-Joel

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[1] Hillyer, Quin. “Books! Books! For Christmas, for the Reader You Love.” The American Spectator, 23 Nov. 2018, spectator.org/books-books-for-christmas-for-the-reader-you-love/.