Why am I passionate about this?

A few years ago (okay, decades, really), I left the seminary to become a young evangelist, then a denominational youth director, a college public relations director, a guest lecturer, an adjunct professor, and a pastor in three churches. And now I write. 

I was in Israel when terrorists landed on the beach, intending to attack a hotel filled with travelers. Maybe my hotel. Their mission was thwarted, but I started thinking about terrorists attacking my homeland. And then it happened. Over the years, I’ve studied issues involving terrorism and even graduated from the Seattle FBI Citizens Academy. This is why I write inspirational thrillers today.


I wrote

September Strike

By Ward Tanneberg ,

Book cover of September Strike

What is my book about?

My book is a gripping drama of faith and courage during political upheaval and global chaos.

John Cain is depressed…

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The books I picked & why

Book cover of The Vicar of Christ

Ward Tanneberg Why I love this book

This is one of my absolute favorite novels. It's an older book, and it's so well written.

The story revolves around the life of Delan Walsh, who is at first a salty-talking Medal of Hero Marine Gunnery Sargent, then a Supreme Court Justice, a monk, and finally, the Pope.

I loved the extraordinary detail in every phase of this story. I especially learned a great deal about the US Supreme Court, and for me, a non-Catholic, the amazing and intimate insights into the Vatican were the best. I highly recommend this one, as it is both entertaining and insightful.

By Walter F. Murphy ,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The Vicar of Christ as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The New York Times Bestseller is now available in its 35th Anniversary Edition, featuring an extensive new introduction by Justice Samuel Alito of the U.S. Supreme Court. (NOTE: Only the new edition from QUID PRO BOOKS is an all-new printing and includes the new Foreword, even if this description erroneously appears under used copies of old versions.) This book is universally considered to be an unusual, fascinating, and well-written observation of the life of a man who was first a hero and Medal of Honor winner from a brutal war, then Chief Justice of the United States, later a monk…


Book cover of A Calamity of Souls

Ward Tanneberg Why I love this book

I love how the story drew me into the racially charged Civil Rights 60’s era with totally believable characters: a white male lawyer who is in over his head, defending a black handyman charged with murdering a white elderly couple, and an experienced female black attorney who partners with him to defend the accused.

A well-written storyline and an unlikely cast of characters kept me up late. I’ve read many Baldacci books, giving this story a definite Five Stars. It might be his best!

By David Baldacci ,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked A Calamity of Souls as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Set in the tumultuous year of 1968 in southern Virginia, a racially-charged murder case sets a duo of white and Black lawyers against a deeply unfair system as they work to defend their wrongfully-accused Black defendants in this courtroom drama from #1New York Timesbestselling author David Baldacci. 
 
Jack Lee is a white lawyer from Freeman County, Virginia, who has never done anything to push back against racism, until he decides to represent Jerome Washington, a Black man charged with brutally killing an elderly and wealthy white couple. Doubting his decision, Lee fears that his legal skills may not be enough…


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Book cover of The Joy of Writing Sex

The Joy of Writing Sex by Elizabeth Benedict,

Do you freeze up when your characters drift into the bedroom? Are you puzzled about how much to say and how to say it? What to call the body parts that bring us so much pleasure and so much anguish?

If you’re writing a novel and there’s a sexual encounter…

Book cover of The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell

Ward Tanneberg Why I love this book

When Bob Dugoni learned I was interested in inspirational thrillers, he suggested I read this book, thinking I might enjoy it. He was right.

The author’s protagonist, Sam, who is born with a rare ocular albinism and sheltered by a loving mother, is unusual as the main character. It was easy for me to engage with his struggles of guilt, acceptance, and finding meaning in this coming-of-age story. I could identify with Sam’s experiences of being bullied and found his determination to be an overcomer inspiring. 

By Robert Dugoni ,

Why should I read it?

5 authors picked The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Wall Street Journal and New York Times bestselling author Robert Dugoni's coming-of-age story is, according to Booklist, "a novel that, if it doesn't cross entirely over into John Irving territory, certainly nestles in close to the border."

Sam Hill always saw the world through different eyes. Born with red pupils, he was called "Devil Boy" or Sam "Hell" by his classmates; "God's will" is what his mother called his ocular albinism. Her words were of little comfort, but Sam persevered, buoyed by his mother's devout faith, his father's practical wisdom, and his two other misfit friends.

Sam believed it was…


Book cover of The Women

Ward Tanneberg Why I love this book

I found this historical fiction novel about a US Army nurse, Frankie McGrath, serving in Vietnam and eventually returning home to a nation void of appreciation and thanks to be both emotional and profound. I was especially moved by Frankie’s homecoming, finding little acceptance in family, among male Vietnam veterans, and the nation.

The author’s extensive research and exceptional writing skills make this a compelling read for both men and women. 

By Kristin Hannah ,

Why should I read it?

62 authors picked The Women as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The missing. The forgotten. The brave… The women.

From master storyteller Kristin Hannah, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Nightingale and The Four Winds, comes the story of a turbulent, transformative era in America: the 1960s. The Women is that rarest of novels—at once an intimate portrait of a woman coming of age in a dangerous time and an epic tale of a nation divided by war and broken by politics, of a generation both fueled by dreams and lost on the battlefield.

“Women can be heroes, too.”

When twenty-year-old nursing student Frances “Frankie” McGrath hears these unexpected…


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Book cover of Snow on Magnolias

Snow on Magnolias by Betty Bolté,

Magnolia Merryweather, a horse breeder, is eager to celebrate Christmas for the first time after the Civil War ended even as she grows her business. She envisions a calm, prosperous life ahead after the terror of the past four years. Only, all of her plans are thrown into disarray when…

Book cover of The Pawn

Ward Tanneberg Why I love this book

This was my first, but not last, novel by Steven James.

The protagonist, Special Agent Patrick Bowers, goes to North Carolina to seek out and capture a serial killer who calls himself the Illusionist. I enjoyed the suspense factor from the very beginning, which kept me continuing from one chapter to the next. I was on the edge from the beginning to the last page and was pleased to know this was the first of several in the Patrick Bowers Files. 

By Steven James ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Pawn as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Special Agent Patrick Bowers had only met one man who made him truly afraid. Until now. When he's called to North Carolina to consult on the case of an area serial killer, he finds himself in a deadly game.
Cunning and lethal, the killer is always one step ahead of the law, and he's about to strike again. It will take all of Bowers's instincts and training to stop this man who calls himself the Illusionist. And just when the pieces start to come together, Bowers realizes they're not quite adding up. Can he unravel the pattern and save the…


Explore my book 😀

September Strike

By Ward Tanneberg ,

Book cover of September Strike

What is my book about?

My book is a gripping drama of faith and courage during political upheaval and global chaos.

John Cain is depressed and grieving and wonders if his marriage is over. He has decided to leave the ministry, but first, he must fulfill a promise to his daughter—a trip to Israel—and then he's quitting. When radicals storm his church in California, launch a deadly attack on Boston, and capture his tour group in Israel, John and his family are suddenly thrown into the vortex of ancient religious and political hatred. America has been taken hostage! 

Book cover of The Vicar of Christ
Book cover of A Calamity of Souls
Book cover of The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell

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Book cover of Snow on Magnolias

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