Ray Blackston
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| Ray Blackston | |
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| Born | Georgetown, South Carolina |
| Occupation | Novelist |
| Nationality | American |
| Period | 2003 - present |
| Genres | Christian |
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Influences
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www.rayblackston.com |
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Ray Blackston is an award-winning[2] Christian novelist. He quit his stock-broking business in 2000[1] and started writing Christian fiction. He has written six novels; the first three were part of a series which started with his debut, Flabbergasted (2003). His most recent novel was called Last Mango in Texas, released in March 2009.
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[edit] Biography
Blackston was born in Georgetown, South Carolina. He did his schooling in Texarkana, Texas and obtained a BS degree in Finance and Economics from the University of South Carolina.[3] Blackston worked as a stockbroker for two years and a financial consultant for several firms such as AT&T, Allie Signal, and General Electric.[3] He then left his job in the corporate world and started writing[4] his first novel, Flabbergasted. After initial rejection of the manuscript,[1] the novel was published in May 2003 by the Baker Book Group.[5] The book was well-received by critics and readers alike,[citation needed] though some criticized the book for its excessive use of a particular style.[6] The book was written as a beach novel for young believers. The design of the cover has attracted praise for its different-looking, fresh feel.[citation needed] The cover is illustrated with the lime green car, which is featured in the novel as being owned by Darcy, a supporting character to the book's protagonist. Flabbergasted was one of three finalists for the Christy Award for best first novel[7] (2004) and was selected by the Dallas Morning News as the Inspirational Novel of the Year in 2003.[1]
After Flabbergasted, Blackston wrote two more novels, A Delirious Summer (2004) and Lost in Rooville (2005). Both utilized the characters from Flabbergasted. After Lost in Rooville was published, Blackston chose the Time Warner Book Group (now called Hachette Book Group USA) to publish his next novel from amongst several publishers who showed interest in publishing his books.[5] His first novel which did not utilize characters from Flabbergasted, A Pagan's Nightmare, was then published on October 25, 2006. Blackston has described A Pagan's Nightmare as[5]
| “ | the last few pagans on earth, running desperately from legalistic zealots who hope to capture and "convert" them | ” |
Blackston released his next novel, Par for the Course, on February 12, 2008. Like the Flabbergasted trilogy, the action in Par for the Course takes place in South Carolina and addresses young adult Christians in relationships. Except for cameos, however, the characters in Par for the Course are all new.
Blackston's most recent novel was Last Mango in Texas. It features young adults in Texas, with trips to Alaska, France, and Africa. According to his web site, Blackston said the book began as a prequel to Flabbergasted, before he decided to take it in a different direction with a new cast. Blackston stated he's also working on a non-fiction book about relationships from a Christian perspective.
Blackston also serves on the Missions committee of his own church. He has traveled to Ecuador during a summer missions program.[4]
[edit] Novels
- Flabbergasted (2003), ISBN 978-0-80-071837-4
- A Delirious Summer (2004), ISBN 978-0-80-075958-2
- Lost in Rooville (2005), ISBN 978-0-80-073057-4
- A Pagan's Nightmare (2006), ISBN 978-0-44-657959-9
- Par for the Course (2008), ISBN 978-0-44-617815-0
[edit] Influences
The author has been known to list the following works as his favorites, which also influenced his writings:[1][3]
- Works by the Apostle Paul, specifically Ephesians and Philippians
- Angela's Ashes, Frank McCourt
- The Water is Wide, Pat Conroy
- Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, Annie Dillard
- Bird by Bird, Anne Lamott
- The Testament, John Grisham
- Gilead, Marilyn Robinson
- The Single Truth, Lori Smith
He also states that Flabbergasted is amongst his list of favorite books.[1]
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d e f Gina (2006-11-14). "Novel Journey: Author Interview ~ Ray Blackston". http://noveljourney.blogspot.com/2006/11/author-interview-ray-blackston_14.html. Retrieved 2007-11-15.
- ^ CA Staff (2003-09-03). "Christian Activities Staff on Flabbergasted". http://www.christianactivities.com/articles/story_bookbeat.asp?ID=2822. Retrieved 2007-11-23.
- ^ a b c "Ray Blackston Biography". http://www.hachettebookgroupusa.com/authors/36/3600/index.html. Retrieved 2007-11-14.
- ^ a b "FaithfulReader.com - Ray's Biography and Interview". 2003-11-10. http://www.faithfulreader.com/authors/au-blackston-ray.asp. Retrieved 2007-11-14.
- ^ a b c "RayBlackston.com - Interview with Ray". August 2006. http://www.rayblackston.com/interview.htm. Retrieved 2007-11-15.
- ^ Noel Lloyd (2003-05-03). "Phantom Tollbooth: Flabbergasted review". http://www.tollbooth.org/2003/books/rblackston.html. Retrieved 2007-11-14.
- ^ Jana Riess (2005-03-28). "Lighten Up: CBA editors talk about funny faith fiction". http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA512059.html?industryid=47143. Retrieved 2007-11-15.[dead link]
