ILLUMINATED By Matt Bronleewe

Coming Soon--An interview with Matt at Infuzemag.com.
Illuminated is an excellent read. Just received it today--and can't put it down! Vicki


Christian Fiction Blog Alliance Introduces

Illuminated by Matt Bronleewe Thomas Nelson, Publishers, 2007

Matt Bronleewe is a recognized producer, songwriter and author. The former member of the band, Jars of Clay, earned numerous awards producing and co-writing albums that sold a combined total of over 20 million copies. His songs were recently recorded by Disney pop sensations, Aly & AJ, American Idol finalist Kimberley Locke, and more. Bronleewe has worked with Grammy Award-winning artists such as Michael W. Smith, International pop singer Natalie Imbruglia and Heroes star Hayden Panettiere.

Born in Dallas, Texas, Bronleewe grew up on a farm in Kansas where he lived until he left for college in 1992. At Greenville College in Illinois, Bronleewe formed the band Jars of Clay with his dorm roommate and two neighbors, and the group soon found success. Though Bronleewe opted to leave Jars of Clay early on to pursue an academic career, he soon found himself in Nashville, co-writing, producing, and playing music professionally.

Bronleewe expanded his love of story telling beyond music into authorship. He is currently writing a five book series for Thomas Nelson Fiction. Illuminated, in stores now, begins the adventurous series about rare manuscripts and the mysteries within. Bronleewe lives in Brentwood, Tenn., with his wife and three children. He continues to write and produce music, and he volunteers through his church to help disadvantaged youth in the community. Bronleewe enjoys reading, taste-testing good food, and watching sports, as well as indulging his interests in art, architecture, design, and science.


ABOUT THE BOOK:
IT'S BEEN 500 YEARS IN THE MAKING...PREPARE TO BE ILLUMINATED. August Adams has failed his family before. He's sacrificed relationships in pursuit of adventure, fame, and money. Now the very lives of those he loves depend on his ability to decipher a centuries-old puzzle encrypted in the colorful hand-painted illuminations that adorn three rare Gutenberg Bibles. It's a secret that could yield unimaginable wealth, undermine two major religions, and change the course of Western civilization. Two ruthless, ancient organizations are willing to do anything to get their hands on it. And August has the span of one transatlantic flight to figure it out. If he fails, those he holds most dear will die. If he succeeds, he'll destroy a national treasure. The clock ticks, the suspense mounts, and the body count rises as August pits his knowledge and his love for his family against the clock, secret societies, and even Johannes Gutenberg himself.

"...this rare breed of suspense thriller combines mysterious hidden clues, secret societies, buried treasure, double agents, and the Knights Templar...if you turned National Treasure into international treasure, traded DaVinci codes for Gutenberg Bibles, married it to Indiana Jones, and added the pacing of 24 you'd be in the neighborhood of Illuminated...on a scale of one to 10, this one goes to 11."-Aspiring Retail Magazine