Introducing debut Australian Author Ian Acheson

If you're a fan of Frank Peretti's Darkness novels, you'll want to check out Ian Acheson's debut novel, Angelguard, from Kregel publishing which releases this month in the US and Canada and soon internationally.

I've invited Ian here today to tell us a little about himself and his new book.

Please tell us about yourself, Ian.

I’ve lived in Sydney, Australia, all of my 49 years. I have a twin brother, and two older siblings. I’m married to Fiona, and we have two sons, one has just turned 20, and the other is 17. I first came to know the Lord when I was a teenager, however, went through a rocky stage during my 30s. The Lord called me back 10 years ago.

I’m a freelance strategy consultant with a background in professional services, telecommunications and health.

How many years did it take to sell your first book?

10 years. Angelguard is my first novel. A number of people have told me my journey to publication is really interesting. I actually wrote a four-part post on the journey as it has paralleled my reawakening as a Christian. During these years I’ve sensed God’s active pursuit.

One key revelation I had on signing my contract was that our stories are God’s and He invites us to write them. Which is kinda cool, especially knowing that we have the Creator of the universe as our Executive Editor.

That is really cool. Tell us about Angelguard

Angelguard reveals the timeless supernatural war that continues unabated and how it intersects with our physical world. In bringing the warring angels and demons to the forefront of a rollicking tale that crosses the globe, I wanted to highlight the ferocity of this conflict. The physical story focuses on three acts of terrorism that occur within weeks of each other. 

Yikes, not for the faint of heart, then. What inspired you to write Angelguard?

Every week we hear of some natural disaster or act of war or terror being inflicted on the innocent. Increasingly, people are searching for spiritual answers amongst all the confusion, fear and mistrust created by these events. At the same time, we’re seeing an ever-increasing release of vampire, zombies, and other supernatural-type productions across all media channels.

I think many of us, both Christian and non-believers, don’t fully appreciate the battle that Jesus, Paul and Peter talk a lot about in the New Testament.

I expect most of you are familiar with Frank Peretti’s “Darkness” novels of the late 80s. These, together with the classics of Tolkien and CS Lewis, inspired me to write fiction that demonstrated the intersection of the physical and supernatural realms.

What are you working on now?

The sequel to the Angelguard Chronicles: Wrestling with Shadows. This novel will get a lot closer to the struggles we as individuals have with sin and the core influences that drive each of us.

I also spend time each week writing for my blog, ianacheson.com. This is a relatively new thing for me so I’m madly trying to produce, whilst learning all those new skills that are probably second nature for those of you experienced bloggers.

Where can fans find you or your books on the internet?

All the usual places you find Christian books on the web, such as Amazon, ChristianBooks.com and so on. The novel launches in the UK in late March and then in Australia around May. However, all ebook forms are available now.

Also, you can find Ian at his website: http://ianacheson.com/

And on Twitter: @achesonian

And Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ianachesonauthor

Thank you for visiting with us today, Ian. I'm looking forward to reading your book!

Sandra Orchard is the award winning author of several romantic suspense novels, including the RT’s Reviewer’s Choice award nominee, Critical Condition. She writes for Harlequin's Love Inspired Suspense line, and her upcoming June release, Deadly Devotion, debuts her new mystery series with Revell Publishing. A member of ACFW, RWA and The Word Guild (Canada), Sandra loves to encourage other writers in their journey. She hails in Niagara, Canada. You can learn more about Sandra and fun bonus features for her books such as deleted scenes and location pics at www.SandraOrchard.com or connect at www.Facebook.com/SandraOrchard