Also by this author: Midnight
Published by Moody Publishers on August 1, 2006
Genres: Fiction, Christian, Suspense
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If the wages of sin is death, Michael Grey is about to get paid. A seemingly innocent phone call begins a chain reaction of suspense that sends a clean-cut businessman hurtling through a fast-paced, breakneck collision with the consequences of desire. Each unexpected twist and shocking turn will leave readers breathless for a resolution, but when it finally arrives you won't see it coming.
Picture it. You’re a businessman out in New York City. The business deal went bust and you’re just hanging out in a place downtown until the plane ride back to your lovely wife. Then this gorgeous young lady approaches you and asks if she can sit by you. Not a big deal, right? You’re not the kind of guy that girls named “Jasmine” give her phone number to. But you are today. And you might be a married man back home, but here in the big city you’re just another nameless face in the crowd.
From a literary standpoint, Blinded is one of the most unique novels I’ve ever read. Written in the present tense and second person, Travis Thrasher invites you to become Michael – a family man who finds himself distracted by, then concerned for, a young woman he meets while on a business trip. You soon find yourself in a tangled web of mystery and deceit with things becoming deadly.
Thrasher is one of the best pure writers I know of today. What other author would even attempt a second person novel, let alone do it well enough to get it published? Blinded takes us on a journey throughout New York City as you yourself wrestle with figuring out just who this Jasmine is, what she wants, and who is after her and why. You’ll never see the end coming, which is nothing at all like you’d expect.
Undoubtedly, some may find Thrasher’s writing style a turnoff for this novel, but at the very least it forces readers and fans to acknowledge Thrasher’s wide range of talent and artistic ability. For me personally, the use of the first person works better in getting me into the character’s head. The second person may have worked better had the character been more generalized and not given a name, but that would have been impossible given the storyline.
In any case, Thrasher gives us another solid story told in an incredibly unique way that will leave you with a new appreciation for the loves of your life, whoever they may be.
Mini Q&A with Travis
Josh: How did you pitch the concept of a story told in the second person?
I think I said “How about I do a story in second person?”
My editor said for me to try it and he’d see if it worked. He liked what he saw so said go for it. This was after several beers so . . . I’m joking.
Josh: Who is the primary audience for this novel? Do you think that even though the main character is male and it’s told in the second person, women will be able to enjoy the novel?
Travis: The primary audience for Blinded is a great question. I’d love to say guys, but really it’s just fiction readers willing to read something out of the box. I don’t think “enjoy” is the right word to use for women reading this. My hope is that they find it interesting to be inside the mind of a man who is not a complete pig but also is struggling with temptation.
About Travis Thrasher
Bestselling author Travis Thrasher has written over 50 books, spanning genres in fiction, nonfiction and children’s literature. His inspirational stories have included collaborations with filmmakers, musicians, athletes, celebrities and pastors.
With the childhood goal of pursuing a writing career starting in third grade, Thrasher worked for 13 years at Tyndale House Publishers after graduating college. His experience working with as Author Relations Manager allowed him to understand the writing life as well as training him to work with a variety of personalities. This experience has proven to be invaluable with varied writing projects in the decade he’s been a full-time writer.
His novels are as diverse as the people he’s worked with, ranging from love stories to supernatural thrillers. Publishers Weekly said “Sara and Ethan are two of the most real and sensitive lovers to grace the genre” when reviewing his first novel, The Promise Remains. They also stated “Thrasher demonstrates a considerable talent for the horror genre” in a review for Isolation years later. His readers have enjoyed the unpredictability of his novels, whether it’s due to a unique style such as second person or a twist they never saw coming.
Thrasher’s storytelling ability has also allowed him to work with others on their books, from musicians like country musician Scotty McCreery and Journey keyboardist Jonathan Cain to the Robertsons of Duck Dynasty. He has also penned novels based on songs such as Paper Angels with Jimmy Wayne and novelizations for films including Do You Believe? and God’s Not Dead 2. Upcoming projects continue to expand his talents, with projects including The Black Auxiliary about the lives of the 17 American black athletes who competed in the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin, and Baby Don’t Hurt Me about comedian Chris Kattan’s life and time on Saturday Night Live.
Travis lives with his wife and three young daughters in the Grand Rapids, Michigan area.
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