| Ted Dekker | |
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| Born | Indonesia |
| Occupation | Novelist |
| Genres | Fantasy, Thriller, Psychological thriller, Horror, Mystery |
| Notable work(s) | Circle Trilogy, Thr3e, BoneMan's Daughters, Adam Book |
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Influences
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| Official website | |
He was born October 24, 1962. Ted Dekker is a New York Times best-selling author best known for novels which could be broadly described as suspense thrillers, though he has also made a name for himself among fantasy fans. Early in his career he wrote a number of spiritual thrillers and his novels were categorized as Religious Fiction. His later novels are a mix of mainstream novels such as Adam, Thr3e, Skin, Obsessed and BoneMan’s Daughters, and Fantasy thrillers that metaphorically explore faith. Best known among these is his Circle Series: Black, Red, White, Green, The Lost Books, Chosen, Infidel, Renegade, Chaos, Lunatic, Elyon, and The Paradise Books: Showdown, Saint, Sinner, House (with Frank Peretti), and Skin.
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Biography
Dekker was born to missionaries who lived among the headhunter tribes of Indonesia.[1] As a result his parents’ work often included extended periods of time away from their children.[2]
After leaving Indonesia, Dekker graduated from a multi-cultural high school and took up permanent residence in the United States to study Philosophy and Religion at Evangel University. After attaining a Bachelor's Degree, he entered the corporate world. But his personal drive left him restless and, after many successful years, he traded corporate life for wide range of entrepreneurial pursuits.
In the early nineties while visiting a friend who had just written a book, Dekker decided to pursue a long held desire to be a novelist. Over the course of two years he wrote two full length novels before scrapping both and starting from scratch and rewriting both. It was then that Dekker realized that storytelling was what satisfied him.
He sold his business, moved his family to the mountains of Western Colorado and began writing full-time on his third novel.
Early writing career
His first four offerings to publishers were dark and edgy, which were all rejected (Including his now bestselling novel, Black). Later Dekker penned Heaven’s Wager, which he described as being a more "Christian book." Four offers came in and Dekker attained a three book deal with Thomas Nelson for similar books.
Dekker proceeded to write 6 more supernatural thrillers and quickly rose to the top of the bestsellers lists, dubbed the new master of Christian Thrillers. These titles included: Heaven’s Wager, When Heaven Weeps, Thunder of Heaven, Blessed Child, A Man Called Blessed, and Blink.
Later writing career
He then turned back to his roots and penned Thr3e, his first mainstream novel which included some strong spiritual themes. The book won several awards and landed at the top of several bestseller’s lists.[citation needed]
Since then Dekker has written in two primary genres, mainstream serial killer novels and fantasy, each of which is very different from the other.
As of 2009 his Mainstream novels include Thr3e, Obsessed, Skin, Adam, and BoneMan’s Daughters, the first of what he calls his ‘New York’ novels, published by Hachette.
His fantasy novels include: Black, Red, White, Green (Circle Series), Showdown, Saint, Sinner, and House, co-authored with Frank Peretti. He has also penned 6 young adult novels in the Lost Book series, a spin off of the Circle Series.
Interestingly, publishers and bookstores sometimes don’t know quite how to categorize Dekker. Although he has always distanced himself from the religion of Christianity,[citation needed] his early books planted him in the religion section of most stores. His later books are found in general fiction and in some religious stores where he is an anomaly. Even so, his novels seem to explore themes that resonate with people of faith. His books have been received favorably by fans, drawing many to his website and Facebook page.
Beginning in June 2007, fans gathered in Nashville TN of their own accord to discuss all things Dekker with a focus on the Circle Series. They dubbed the event 'The Gathering'. In 2008, over 200 showed up. In 2009, over 500 spent $100 a ticket and congregated for the first fully produced Gathering event. They crossed the country, passionate about the stories that have them buzzing.
In 2008, seven years from the publication of his first novel, Dekker’s novels had sold roughly 4 million copies worldwide.[citation needed] Two of his novels, Thr3e and House, have been made into movies with more in production. As of 2009, Dekker resides in Austin with his wife Lee Ann and two of their daughters.
Recurring themes
Dekker has frequently described his novels as pure escapism with inescapable truth in which he often plumbs humanity’s ongoing struggle with evil. As such many of his novels are set in the darkest of settings. Common thematic elements that appear in his novels include:
- A desperate struggle that typically plunges the protagonist into a hopeless situation from which they must find their way out, such as being stalked by a serial killer.
- A vivid distinction between the forces of good and evil, typically utilizing stark imagery of darkness and hopelessness contrasted with light and love.
- The existence of a spiritual reality that, while unseen, consistently proves itself as real as the visible world. The centrality of faith.
- The ideal that love and self-sacrifice are life’s greatest discovery and highest purpose.
Bibliography
Novels
The Caleb Series
- Blessed Child (with Bill Bright)
- A Man Called Blessed (with Bill Bright)
The Martyr's Song Series
- Heaven's Wager (October 2000)
- When Heaven Weeps (May 2001)
- Thunder of Heaven (February 2002)
- Martyr's Song
Other
- Blink (January 2003)
- Thr3e (September 2003)
- Obsessed (February 2005)
- Blink of an Eye (November 2007)
- Adam (April 2008)
- Kiss (with Erin Healy, January 2009)
- BoneMan's Daughters (April 2009)
Books of History Chronicles
The Circle Series
- Green (September 2009)
- Black (February 2004, August 2009)
- Red (May 2004, August 2009)
- White (September 2004, August 2009)
The Paradise Novels
The Lost Books
- Chosen (December 2007)
- Infidel (December 2007)
- Renegade (May 2008)
- Chaos (May 2008)
- Lunatic (with Kaci Hill, May 2009)
- Elyon (with Kaci Hill, May 2009)
Other
- House (with Frank Peretti, March 2006)
- Skin (April 2007)
Other titles
- The Promise (September 2005)
- The Drummer Boy (October 2006)
Non-fiction
- The Slumber of Christianity: Awakening a Passion for Heaven on Earth (July 2005)
Graphic novels
- Black (2007)
- Red (2007)
- White (2007)
- Chosen (2008)
- Infidel (2008)
- Renegade (2009)
- Chaos (2009)
- Green (2009)
Films
- Thr3e (2007)
- House (2008)
- Adam[3]
- Blink of an Eye
- A Day in the Life of Ted Dekker (2009)[citation needed]
Upcoming
- Burn (January 2010) (with Erin Healy)
- Tea with Hezbollah (non-fiction) (January 2010)
- The Bride Collector (April 2010)
- Immanuel's Veins (September 2010)[citation needed]
- The "Blood Book" (2010)[citation needed]
- The Priest's Graveyard (Working title) (TBA)
- Blink Again (Working title) (January 2011) (with Erin Healy)
References
- ^ "Why We Fear Violence" Teddekker.com Written on March 19, 2009.
- ^ "About Ted" Teddekker.com April, 1910
- ^ ?http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_(2007_film)#Release
External links
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