By the time you read this newsletter, The Persian Gamble will only be days from release. I must say that the wait for this book has felt incredibly long. In the publishing world, the time between turning in a manuscript and actual publishing can be anywhere from six months to a year. However, that time is not idle.

Soon after I submit the book, the edits start coming back. Some changes are minor—rewording sentences, reorganizing paragraphs, removing repetitions. Some are major—rethinking plot lines, restructuring chapters, adapting characters. Each recommendation from the editor is just that—a recommendation. Thus, every single one needs to be either approved or rejected. After the initial edits come the proof edits. There’s also the cover design and, after that, approving the book layout. But ultimately, there comes that moment when everything has been checked and rechecked, and all has been signed off. This is when the long wait begins.

But on Tuesday, March 12, the wait for The Persian Gamble will finally be over. So far, the responses from advance readers have been great. Friends like Mike Huckabee, Shannon Bream, Sean Spicer, Lee Strobel, David Limbaugh, and Porter Goss have all been very positive in their reviews. Early critiques have also been strong. Ryan Steck on his very popular website, The Real Book Spy, recently wrote in his featured review, “With his ripped-from-the-headlines approach and stunning ability to survey the geopolitical landscape, Joel C. Rosenberg continues to mix his unique blend of prophetic fiction and nonstop action unlike anyone else working today . . . and The Persian Gamble is his boldest, most daring thriller to date.”[1]

It is a satisfying feeling to know that all the hours of writing and editing have paid off. I am very excited about The Persian Gamble. Marcus Ryker is just plain fun to write. He’s tough, but his deep faith balances what could be an out-of-control passion for justice. I wouldn’t want to cross him, but I’d love to spend an afternoon hanging out with him at a coffee shop, listening to his stories. I’m looking forward to others getting to know this man as well as I do.

What I’m most excited about, however, is knowing that all who read this book will be introduced to a God who cares, a Jesus who saves. The possibilities presented in this book can be frighteningly real. Steck, in his review, said, “Known for his uncanny ability to predict world events before they take place, a skill that prompted U.S. News & World Report to call him a ‘modern-day Nostradamus,’ Rosenberg offers up a terrifying glimpse of where the conflict between Russia and the United States could be headed.”[2] Even if the eventualities in The Persian Gamble happen as presented, as Christians we need not be afraid. We have a God who has everything in his hands, and we have a Savior who has paid the price for our eternal life. All we need to do is surrender ourselves to him and receive him as our Savior and Lord. When we do, then come what may with Russia or China or Turkey or North Korea, our eternity will be secure in Jesus Christ. If that message is clearly received by this book’s readers, then it will have accomplished its purpose.

-Joel

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[1] Steck, Ryan. “Featured Review: The Persian Gamble by Joel C. Rosenberg.” The Real Book Spy, 11 Feb. 2019, therealbookspy.com/2019/02/04/featured-review-the-persian-gamble-by-joel-c-rosenberg/.

[2] Ibid.