The path to publication has many unexpected treasures along the way--things you never thought about, but enjoy so much when you stumble across them.

For me, one of those unexpected treasures has been writing to authors I admire, and asking them to consider my work for possible endorsement. I've been quite pleased with the list of folks who have written back to me and said, "Sure, send me an ARC and I'll read it." That includes Jonathan Kellerman, Lee Child, Jasper Fforde, F. Paul Wilson, Tess Gerritsen, David Dun, Peter Blauner, James Rollins, Joe Nassise, William Hjortsberg, Robert Liparulo and Justine Musk. Now, that doesn't mean these folks will love it and trip all over themselves to endorse it, but it's awfully nice of them to respond to my inquiries and say, "I'll take a look."

Of course, I've been disappointed by a few "no" answers--James Lee Burke, Kelley Armstrong, Carolyn Parkhurst and Peter Straub among them--but all of them have written polite responses. So really, how can I complain? And, I've just started to approach folks; I have plenty of other people to hit up.

Even better than asking folks to read the work, though, is having them actually respond with an endorsement. It's nice to know someone other than your mother gives a thumbs-up to your work. Here are the first three blurbs I've received:

"I've been a fan of T.L. Hines' writing for some time, and WAKING LAZARUS is the smart, stylish, compassionate, life-affirming thriller I've been waiting for. Readers will no doubt agree. Hines' protagonist Jude Allman is as original and fascinating as any in recent fiction. A page-turner, and a remarkable debut."
--C.J. Box, Anthony Award Winner and author of OUT OF RANGE and IN PLAIN SIGHT

"T.L. Hines is a fresh voice in the field of suspense, balancing dark moods with moments of emotion and redemption. He creates a likeable, conflicted character in Jude Allman, then pits Jude against an unforgettably chilling villain. I found myself holding my breath in more than one scene. With flawless pacing, Hines leads us to a final twist which is startling, yet satisfying."
--Eric Wilson, author of EXPIRATION DATE and DARK TO MORTAL EYES

"WAKING LAZARUS has one of the most compelling opening lines in all of literature--and a riveting story to back it up. T.L. Hines probes characters' thoughts and motives to give readers a psychological thriller that is both suspense-filled and spiritually complex."
--James BeauSeigneur, Author of The Christ Clone Trilogy

Thanks to these fine, fine authors who have been kind enough to read and respond to the work so far. Thanks to the authors who have been kind enough to read an ARC.

Oh, and thanks to my mother. She really does like the book.