Celebrating James Bond Day with Pastor Stephen Grant and Ray Keating, Part I

 Originally appeared at KeatingFiles.com – October 3, 2022

 

James Bond Day is October 5. One way to celebrate is with Ray Keating and his creation, Pastor Stephen Grant. From the “Author Introduction to the Second Edition" of Warrior Monk: A Pastor Stephen Grant Novel, here’s what Ray writes about the influence James Bond and his creator, Ian Fleming, had on the creation of Pastor Stephen Grant…

 

        As for deciding to write Warrior Monk, my work as an economist did come into play. Many years ago now, a colleague mentioned that a new priest at her parish formerly worked for the Central Intelligence Agency. That caught my attention, and I filed it away just in case I ever did delve into the fiction realm. 

        A few years later, in 2007, I received word that Hofstra University on Long Island would be hosting a conference titled “Bond, James Bond: The World of 007.” My editor at Newsday agreed that I should cover the event for my column. At that gathering of Bond experts and fans from around the world, I learned that Ian Fleming was 44 years old when his first Bond novel, Casino Royale, was published. That happened to be how old I was at the time of the conference. So, I took that as some kind of sign. I filed my Newsday column on the conference, and then started working on my first novel, featuring a Lutheran pastor who had been a Navy SEAL and a CIA operative. Stephen Grant was born. 

 

Get all of the Pastor Stephen Grant thrillers and mysteries!

 

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Ray Keating is a columnist, novelist, economist, podcaster and entrepreneur. The views expressed here are his own – after all, no one else should be held responsible for this stuff, right?

 

Two great ways to order Cathedral: An Alliance of Saint Michael Novel, which is Ray’s sixteenth work of fiction, and the first in the Alliance of Saint Michael series. Signed paperbacks here and the Kindle edition here.

 

Two great ways to order Ray Keating’s new nonfiction book – The Weekly Economist: 52 Quick Reads to Help You Think Like an Economist. Signed paperbacks here, and paperbacks, hardcovers and Kindle editions here.  

 

Get all of Ray Keating Pastor Stephen Grant thrillers and mysteries in paperback and for the Kindle at Amazon.com and signed books at www.RayKeatingOnline.com.

 

Some of Keating’s best columns and essays are available in Behind Enemy Lines: Conservative Communiques from Left-Wing New York. And his other recent nonfiction book is Free Trade Rocks! 10 Points on International Trade Everyone Should Know. Again, signed books at www.RayKeatingOnline.com.

 

Also, listen to Ray’s podcasts – the Daily Dose of Disney, Free Enterprise in Three Minutes, and the PRESS CLUB C Podcast.

 

Check out Ray Keating’s Disney news and entertainment site at www.DisneyBizJournal.com.

If James Bond Became a Pastor?

 

Check out an article by author and columnist Gene Veith about Ray Keating’s Pastor Stephen Grant thrillers and mysteries series. The piece is titled “If James Bond Became a Pastor.” Read the article right here.

Talking James Bond with the Mid-Modcasters

 I was fortunate to be a guest on The Mid-Modcast Podcast with Craig, Paula and Dave to chat about James Bond. This episode was recorded before we lost Sean Connery, and was posted today. I had a swell time being on with the Mid-Modcasters to talk cool spy stuff. Hope you have a terrific time tuning in!

James Bond as Your Pastor or Priest?

What if someone like James Bond became your pastor or priest? Well, that’s not too far from what it’s like with Stephen Grant – a onetime Navy SEAL, former CIA operative and now a pastor. The just-published DEEP ROUGH is the eleventh Pastor Stephen Grant thriller/mystery. Grab the latest, the first (WARRIOR MONK), and all of the adventures in between. 

Among the praise from reviewers for award-winning novelist Ray Keating are...

“Ray Keating is a great novelist.” – host of KFUO radio’s BookTalk

“I miss Tom Clancy. Keating fills that void for me.” – Lutheran Book Review

“Grant mixes battling America's enemies and sparring with enemies of traditional Christian values, while ministering to his Long Island flock. The amazing thing is that the character works. The Stephen Grant novels are great reads beginning with Warrior Monk, which aptly describes Ray Keating's engaging hero.”  - David Keene, Editor-at-Large, The Washington Times

 “Only Ray Keating could come up with a character like Pastor Stephen Grant.”  - Paul L. Maier, author of A Skeleton in God's Closet, More Than A Skeleton, and The Constantine Codex

The full list of the Pastor Stephen Grant thrillers and mysteries are: WARRIOR MONK, ROOT OF ALL EVIL?, AN ADVENT FOR RELIGIOUS LIBERTY, THE RIVER, MURDERER’S ROW, WINE INTO WATER, LIONHEARTS, REAGAN COUNTRY, HEROES AND VILLAINS, SHIFTING SANDS and DEEP ROUGH.

Get paperbacks and for the Kindle at

https://www.amazon.com/Deep-Rough-Pastor-Stephen-Grant/dp/107308843X/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

Spy Stuff: Bond 25 Starts Filming

If you missed it, the announcement that the 25^thJames Bond movie was beginning principal photography came recently. 

I not only immensely enjoy the James Bond films, but Ian Fleming and Bond played a role in terms of getting me started writing the Pastor Stephen Grant novels. As I noted in the new Introduction to the second edition of Warrior Monk:

     As for deciding to write Warrior Monk, my work as an economist did come into play. Many years ago now, a colleague mentioned that a new priest at her parish formerly worked for the Central Intelligence Agency. That caught my attention, and I filed it away just in case I ever did delve into the fiction realm. 

     A few years later, in 2007, I received word that Hofstra University on Long Island would be hosting a conference titled “Bond, James Bond: The World of 007.” My editor at Newsday agreed that I should cover the event for my column. At that gathering of Bond experts and fans from around the world, I learned that Ian Fleming was 44 years old when his first Bond novel, Casino Royale, was published. That happened to be how old I was at the time of the conference. So, I took that as some kind of sign. I filed my Newsday column on the conference, and then started working on my first novel, featuring a Lutheran pastor who had been a Navy SEAL and a CIA operative. Stephen Grant was born. 

I truly have gotten excited and humbled when a reviewer here and there has compared the Grant novels to Fleming’s Bond. How freaking cool is that?

Bond 25 – the movie has no title as yet – will be released on April 8, 2020. What do we know about it? Here’s the summary from the Bond people:

Bond has left active service and is enjoying a tranquil life in Jamaica.  His peace is short-lived when his old friend Felix Leiter from the CIA turns up asking for help. The mission to rescue a kidnapped scientist turns out to be far more treacherous than expected, leading Bond onto the trail of a mysterious villain armed with dangerous new technology. 

The return of Felix Leiter is most welcome.

I’m definitely ready for Bond 25. How about you?

- Ray Keating

Celebrating the Anniversary of Publishing THE RIVER #6

Celebrating the Anniversary of Publishing THE RIVER

To celebrate, the Kindle price has been slashed nearly 60 percent – from $6.99 to $2.99. This anniversary sale celebration only lasts for this week, so take advantage right now!

From a Washington Times review of THE RIVER: “The book also highlighted my own inner search for truth in having made the transition from being a former active member of the U.S. intelligence community to being a Lutheran pastor. Undeniably, ‘thou shalt not kill’ is an important part of the Bible, but during my own spiritual journey, those words took on a heightened level of contemplation. Mr. Keating's writing does not gloss over how things are and the responses we often hear, and that made the story richer for me because it wasn't neat and sexy like a shaken martini in a James Bond thriller. It was a great blend of so many elements that actually happen in the intelligence community.”

Go to

https://www.amazon.com/River-Pastor-Stephen-Grant-Novel-ebook/dp/B00KBXSGR0/ref=pd_sim_351_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=KYWTMY23HXY41QM4SQM6

Luther Meets Bond!?!

Love this...

Ian Fleming and Ray Keating?

From a Washington Times review of THE RIVER: A PASTOR STEPHEN GRANT NOVEL written by a pastor and former CIA officer:

“What Ian Fleming's 007 series has probably done for ex-MI-6 agents and Tom Clancy has done for retired CIA officers, Mr. Keating has done for the minority of former CIA agents who have served their country by working in the intelligence community, but now wish to serve God.”

Is James Bond a Good Guy?

In a review, Ray Keating tries to answer the question: Is James Bond a good guy?

Offers a look at the new Bond book - Trigger Mortis - and movie - Spectre.

Read the article at

http://aleteia.org/2015/11/21/is-james-bond-a-good-guy/

Reader/Reviewer Quote of the Day

Reader/Reviewer Quote of the Day:

What Ian Fleming's 007 series has probably done for ex-MI-6 agents and Tom Clancy has done for retired CIA officers, Mr. Keating has done for the minority of former CIA agents who have served their country by working in the intelligence community, but now wish to serve God.

                                                                 - Washington Times review of The River

The Next Thriller Master: Ray Keating

The Next Thriller Master!

Love Clancy, Ludlum, Grisham, Cussler, Griffin, Morrell, not to mention Ian Fleming’s James Bond? Then you’ll love Ray Keating’s PASTOR STEPHEN GRANT NOVELS, as they have been compared to the works of these mystery/thriller masters.

Get Keating’s WARRIOR MONK, ROOT OF ALL EVIL?, AN ADVENT FOR RELIGIOUS LIBERTY, and his latest, THE RIVER, at Amazon.com.

KFUO’s “BookTalk” host calls Keating “a great novelist.”

In The Washington Times, a former CIA operative and current pastor declared, “What Ian Fleming’s 007 series has probably done for ex-MI-6 agents and Tom Clancy has done for retired CIA officers, Mr. Keating has done for the minority of former CIA agents who have served their country by working in the intelligence community, but now wish to serve God.”