Saturday, October 31, 2015

Jamie Blaine

Jamie Blaine is a licensed psychotherapist and crisis interventionist who has worked in mental hospitals, megachurches, rehabs, radio stations, and roller rinks. His writing has been featured in such outlets as Salon, OnFaith, Bass Guitar, Drummer UK, The Weeklings, The Nervous Breakdown, and Ultimate Classic Rock.

Blaine's new book is Midnight Jesus: Where Struggle, Faith, and Grace Collide....

Recently I asked the author about what he was reading. Blaine's reply:
One of the great blessings of working in the publishing industry is getting advance copies of all the great books out there. I have shelves overflowing with books and a kitchen table stacked with more galley copies than I have time in the day to read. What a wonderful problem to have.

Greg Renoff’s Van Halen Rising is everything I’m looking for in a rock biography. Rock books are hot right now and what works for me is something that captures the mood of the music. I don’t like rock books that take an academic approach. Be fun, be light, be well written. Greg’s book does all of those things. Best music book of the year, for me. Also with that is the AC/DC FAQ by Susan Masino, The Eagles FAQ by Andrew Vaughn and Sinister Urge, a new Rob Zombie bio by my friend (and boss) Joel McIver. When I was eleven, I wanted nothing more than to be a rock writer. That’s one dream that came true.

Inspiration wise, I’m reading Jimmy Wayne’s Walk to Beautiful, Seth Haines’ Coming Clean and Amber Haines’ Wild in the Hollow. The honesty in three books encourages me greatly about the state of Christian publishing. It doesn’t have to be all motivational speeches, transcribed sermons and quick-fix blogs.

Just for fun? There’s As If! The Oral History of Clueless and We Don’t Need Roads: The Making of the Back to the Future Trilogy.

Neil Strauss is one of my favorite writers and a great influence of mine. His new book The Truth: An Uncomfortable Book on Relationships is a harrowing read. But an incredibly important book. If it doesn’t shake you, it should.
Visit the Midnight Jesus website.

The Page 99 Test: Midnight Jesus.

My Book, The Movie: Midnight Jesus.

--Marshal Zeringue