What happens when people start seeing Jesus on a downtown Trenton billboard? Award-winning author Christopher Klim has the answer, and it's pure comedy in Jesus Lives in Trenton.
Photojournalist Boot Means shoots the bathing suit girls for a local Trenton tabloid. He's on the verge of being laid-off, when people claim to spot Jesus on a local billboard. They see his face in a picture of biscuits and gravy, and as Boot follows one miraculous claim after another, he muscles his way into a regular column and ultimately more exposure than he can handle.
When Boot works the Jesus story into the national spotlight, people arrive from out of town, not the least of which are the leaders of two evangelistic ministries with competing agendas. Melanie Dove, a floundering pop/gospel singer turned preacher, wants to use the Jesus of Trenton to inflate her sagging television ministry. Paul Andujar, a reformed murderer, wants to expand his prison ministry at Trenton State Prison. Boot is a former orphan, searching for fame. He gets drawn into the battle between the ministries and compromises everything as he grasps for success.
Set in the desperate urban landscape of Trenton, NJ, this mainstream adventure-comedy delves into the heady world of TV evangelism and the seamy underworld of cult organizations. It's a hilarious, darkly woven ride you'll never forget.
Review: "Understated humor and lack of pretension lend this wry urban fable undeniable charm. ... Klim's lighthearted entertainment possesses genuine heart."
-Will Hickman, Booklist, February 2002
"Christopher Klim is that rare talent who brings characters and stories that resonate with the working class and excite the sensibilities of literary connoisseurs. Maybe he's the New Jersey reincarnation of John Steinbeck. More likely he's destined to become someone quite unique in the pantheon of American novelists."
-Robert Gover, author of The One Hundred Dollar Misunderstanding
"With the edgy wit of Carl Hiaasen, and the detailed, clear description of Raymond Chandler, Christopher Klim takes us on an accurate, fun, and sometimes scary look inside the newsroom of a small city daily newspaper. Mr. Klim makes us a part of the daily struggle of journalists who must compete in an overcrowded market as their newspapers attempt to redefine their identity on the whims of their readers and publishers. Christopher Klim's Boot Means's search for the truth redeems an otherwise dark, brooding, and desperate character. One cannot help but admire him and want him to succeed."
-Bradley Grois, photojournalist, Trenton Times
"The novel begins on a raucous, lighthearted note, yet there is darkness woven throughout. What dominates is a wacky roller coaster effect for the reader to just hang on to wherever Boot will take him or her."
-Don Ellis, publisher, Creative Arts Book Company
Bio: CHRISTOPHER KLIM worked on observation and exploration satellites for the space program, until departing for the private sector to develop leading-edge communications technologies. He has worked as a bartender, a freelance photographer, and an assistant to a master chef. In his lectures, writings, and workshops, this award-winning storyteller entertains with contemporary tales that extend the American experience while transcending the ordinary. He raises his two young children in New Jersey. He is currently affiliated with runny noses, strange meals, and conversations that make no sense whatsoever.
More information about Jesus Lives in Trenton and Christopher Klim can be found by visiting www.ChristopherKlim.com
