I think I have done it. I’ve come up with the ultimate idea for the ultimate Christian novel. This novel seamlessly blends today’s most popular genres into one beautiful, compelling, cohesive whole. I thought you would want to know all about it. So I give to you…
Cassidy: Amish Vampiress of the Tribulation
That’s right. It’s an Amish novel; it’s a vampire novel; it’s an end-times novel. It’s the best of all worlds.
Here is the back cover text:
He is handsome. He is romantic. He is Amish.
Twenty-three year old Cassidy lives a simple life in the Amish countryside of Lancaster County. Simple, that is, until Slade Byler moves into the old Lapp farm. Cassidy finds herself irresistibly drawn to the handsome Slade; but she fears to share the secret that she alone knows. For Cassidy is an immortal, a princess in the long line of ancient Amish vampires. Will Slade’s love grow cold when he learns this great secret? Can she give to him a heart that does not beat?
Meanwhile, the strength of the Antichrist grows as he consolidates his power and seeks to destroy the peace-loving people of Pennsylvania. A blossoming romance unfolds between Cassidy and Slade as the world around them changes forever. They must fight to stay alive, they must fight to keep their forbidden love a secret, but, as Amish, they must not fight at all.
In this irresistible tale of intrigue and adventure, set against global upheaval, the bonnet meets the cape in a story sure to span the ages.
Here is a brief excerpt from the novel itself:
As if for the first time, Slade looked at Cassidy—her hair pulled back tightly and safely encased within a bonnet; her beautiful pinafore protecting her black dress; her long black cape trailing behind her with its red velvet lining peeking out around her ankles.
Cassidy spoke suddenly. “I grow weak for it has been a fortnight since I last tasted fresh blood.”
“I must bring to you a feast,” Slade replied. “I will have to face all the armies of the Antichrist to do it, for you cannot drink the blood of the Amish!”
Her heart stirred with love for the brave, brave man before her, Cassidy pushed her bonnet away from her eyes and moved to kiss Slade. As they came together she felt the smooth, clean-shavenness of his upper lip against her own. She ran her fingers through his magnificent beard. “Oh Slade! What can your buggy do against the forces of the Antichrist?”
“I don’t know. But I will think of something.”
“You must. You simply must.”
Deep in thought, Slade walked a few paces, his eyes fixed firmly on the horizon, his hands thrust deep into his pockets. His suspenders stood like ribbons of blood upon his shoulders. Suddenly he turned and said, “I won’t be taking the buggy, my love. The elders say I can accept a ride in an automobile, right?”
“Yes. As long as you do not own it!”
“And a tank is pretty much an automobile, right?”
“Of course!”
“Then I know what I must do,” he said resolutely, tearing his hat from his head and throwing it to the ground. “You set the table. I’m going hunting!”



Comments (98) »
1. Kevin
November 19, 2009
2:20 PM
Hilarious!
2. Joel
November 19, 2009
2:23 PM
You got a winner!
3. Chelsey
November 19, 2009
2:24 PM
Yes. Hilarious.
4. Bryan
November 19, 2009
2:27 PM
This post should come with a warning! I was eating lunch when I read it and what I was eating shot out my nose I was laughing so hard!!!
5. Grace
November 19, 2009
2:32 PM
Tim, I love it…seriously.
6. Josh
November 19, 2009
2:37 PM
It will be stretched into at least 10 books, yes?
7. Jacob Allee
November 19, 2009
2:44 PM
Not usually into fiction but I might actually read that. lol
8. Lauren
November 19, 2009
2:55 PM
You forgot the werewolves! LOL
9. Ricky St. Claire
November 19, 2009
2:59 PM
Wow, the description was cringe-worthy, and the excerpt barely readable…. and yet I KNOW it’s very much on the mark. That’s why I don’t really read fiction nowadays… even though I’m trying to write my own fiction. I can’t stand the sensationalism… and, really, what position do vampires have anyway? Actually, this is something I’d like to know- I have a Christian friend who is a fan of zombie/vampire stories, and we often discuss the Christian implications of those stories. How should Christians respond to such themes?
10. Daisy
November 19, 2009
3:02 PM
ROFLOL! Oh my, I think you pegged perfectly why I prefer to read fiction written a hundred years ago.
11. Catherine
November 19, 2009
3:02 PM
Haha! Awesome! :)
12. Tim Challies
November 19, 2009
3:02 PM
How should Christians respond to such themes?
Mockery.
13. Eric
November 19, 2009
3:11 PM
Tim,
As a critic of sorts — I am curious how you will reconcile her demonic nature (which she is surely working to redeem somehow) with the almost obligatory call from the Antichrist to join his army.
If you need an editor let me know.
Ready with the mockery,
Eric
14. Jason R. Kaiser Sr.
November 19, 2009
3:11 PM
I’ll be calling my lawyer! This is plagiarism Challies, and I won’t let you get away with it. Sure, you’ve changed the Shaker characters into Amish, and the amillennialists into premillennialists, and most unforgivably changed my zombies to vampires, but it is essentially the same story!
I won’t stand for it, by Jimeny, I won’t.
15. Michael
November 19, 2009
3:15 PM
You forgot two things:
1. the love triangle.
2. a shunning.
Other than that, spot on. :-)
16. Melissa
November 19, 2009
3:24 PM
This is the best thing I have read all day.
Thanks, Tim. :)
17. Will Adair
November 19, 2009
3:28 PM
You had me at:
“Oh Slade! What can your buggy do against the forces of the Antichrist?”
I don’t know if you will actually see my tweets or not but if you are ever in Wilmington NC area I will buy you dinner for that one. First smile since I came into the office today.
18. Happy Geek
November 19, 2009
3:29 PM
I laughed till I cried.
Absolutely perfect.
19. Stephanie J.
November 19, 2009
3:31 PM
The only element I thought that you forgot were the angels battling demons in another realm…
Nicely done. You sentiments exactly.
20. Robert
November 19, 2009
3:31 PM
Book 2: pagan werewolf Stone Jefferson questions what is going on when he finds a Bible, realizes he was left behind, and hunts his way to Pennsylvania seeking answers. His path brings him into contact with Cassidy, whom he finds strangely attractive and repulsive at the same time. This stirs long repressed anger and jealousy in Slade. If their secrets come into the open, will they be shunned?
Secrets:
Stone is a pagan werewolf
Cassidy is a vampire
Slade and Stone are both drawn to Cassidy
Slade owns his own tank…
stay tuned for the next fifteen books…
21. Stephanie J.
November 19, 2009
3:32 PM
Ummm, that would be, “My sentiments…”
22. Will Adair
November 19, 2009
3:33 PM
Five bucks says Zondervan would pick it up.
23. joey
November 19, 2009
3:42 PM
I would read that book. No, seriously.
24. MisterDubbs
November 19, 2009
3:42 PM
You know, the sad part is that there are people out there who really would think that this story ought to be written.
25. Tim
November 19, 2009
3:48 PM
Ahahah… that is hilarious.
26. Nathaniel Keifer
November 19, 2009
3:48 PM
Absolutely hilarious! I would love to read the entire book!
27. ValleyGirl
November 19, 2009
3:54 PM
Hahahahahahahahaha!!! Too funny!!
28. Kass
November 19, 2009
4:15 PM
Wish I had thought of that. That’s awesomely brilliant.
29. Joel Burdeaux
November 19, 2009
4:26 PM
Perfect except for one minor detail. I’m pretty sure that single Amish men don’t have beards. They grow them to show they’re married.
But, I might be wrong.
30. Donette
November 19, 2009
4:37 PM
I can smell your first million - $ and copies sold!
One question, though, if it reached the NY Times bestseller’s list, would you review your own novel at 10millionwords?
31. Yasmin
November 19, 2009
4:40 PM
“the bonnet meets the cape in a story sure to span the ages” - the laughter attack began here!!
32. Donette
November 19, 2009
4:40 PM
I can smell your first million - $ and copies sold!
One question. If it reaches the NY Times bestseller list, will you review your own novel for 10millionwords?
33. Adam Wilson
November 19, 2009
4:52 PM
That was a perfect way to end my day. Excellent.
34. ValleyGirl
November 19, 2009
4:55 PM
(I love Robert’s sequel, too!!) Careful, we might actually expect you to at least write these into some short e-books!!
35. Mark Fox
November 19, 2009
5:06 PM
That book sounds so good, I would camp out all night to be the first to buy the movie tickets.
36. Ken McKinley
November 19, 2009
5:19 PM
Of course as the books progress, the mood of the story must get darker, a strain of some government concoction must be released that turns humanity into mindless, flesh-eating zombies, every recognizable, non-Muslim land mark must be destroyed, and humanity must band together in pure humanistic fashion with Cassidy and Slade as their chosen leaders, to stop the anti-christ and his super computer reality.
37. Tracey Bateman
November 19, 2009
5:24 PM
Okay, first of all, no self-respecting Amish, vampire princess is wearing a black cape with red velvet lining….much to flashy. Plus, she can’t drink Amish blood? Isn’t that sort of an infringement on her feeding rights?
LOL This was so funny actually. I do have a friend writing an Amish, Vampire series. and I bet she makes it work
38. Jessica
November 19, 2009
5:31 PM
Awesome! I work at a bookstore, and this would sell forever.
39. Vicky
November 19, 2009
5:45 PM
Please make it available for my Kindle! And free for the first month.
40. Jules
November 19, 2009
6:12 PM
I’m absolutely howling with laughter.
41. Suzanne
November 19, 2009
6:14 PM
Let us know when you are approached about the movie rights.
42. DDP
November 19, 2009
6:17 PM
Maybe I should consider becoming a writer…seems the standards have been lowered a bit. lol
43. Elda
November 19, 2009
6:18 PM
You should finish that and submit to NaNoWriMo?
44. Jessica Watson
November 19, 2009
6:49 PM
Too funny. Sadly, I can see the teenage girls in my literature class lining up to get an autographed copy.
45. Matt
November 19, 2009
7:02 PM
YES! … but you forgot the zombies. It has to have zombies too. ;P
46. Lukas VanDyke
November 19, 2009
7:18 PM
Stange but cool. =)
47. Reg Schofield
November 19, 2009
7:26 PM
I needed a good laugh . Thanks Tim ….
48. Brenda@Coffeeteabooksandme
November 19, 2009
8:13 PM
Thank you, I needed a good laugh tonight.
This is perfect!
49. junia
November 19, 2009
8:15 PM
WOW WOW WOW Hilarious.
Are you forgetting the wayward sister or the playboy long lost brother who comes back to begin a (safe) love triangle?
50. Jerry Eicher
November 19, 2009
8:16 PM
This is really, really, hilarious. I laughed so hard I had to sent a copy to my editors at Harvest House.
51. Terry Stauffer
November 19, 2009
8:42 PM
And I thought satire of modern evangelical stuff was impossible these days. Well done!
Has Doug Wilson seen this yet?
52. DLE
November 19, 2009
8:47 PM
Tagline:
Just wait till Rumspringa!
53. Tammy
November 19, 2009
10:32 PM
speechless.
54. Sue
November 19, 2009
11:50 PM
Where is Francine Rivers when you need her?
55. Michael
November 19, 2009
11:55 PM
It will be a masterpiece. Can’t stop laughing!!!
56. Paula
November 20, 2009
12:03 AM
From Phil Johnson’s Twitter:
@challies No surprise here. I knew the minute I saw your suggestion that someone would bite.
Book deal?
Need to fix this plot problem first:
They must fight to stay alive… Why does Cassidy need to fight to stay alive if she’s immortal?
We live in an “Amish” county and always appreciate fresh insight into the lives of our neighbors : )
57. Sarah
November 20, 2009
12:58 AM
Strange, yet intriguingly interesting…
58. Andrew Faris
November 20, 2009
1:27 AM
Best post in the history of Challies.
Sorry if that’s disconcerting.
59. Allen W. Jerkins
November 20, 2009
1:52 AM
“They must fight to stay alive, they must fight to keep their forbidden love a secret, but, as Amish, they must not fight at all.
In this irresistible tale of intrigue and adventure, set against global upheaval, the bonnet meets the cape in a story sure to span the ages.”
Truly classic.
60. Carrie, Reading to Know
November 20, 2009
2:25 AM
=D Perfect. hahaha….
61. fivefootgirl
November 20, 2009
5:45 AM
Hilarious!!!!!!!!!
Tim, you’re a genius and your ultimate Christian novel idea is AWESOME!
I totally support this!
62. SJT
November 20, 2009
7:05 AM
I don’t think so, Tim. : D LOL!
63. Andrew
November 20, 2009
8:19 AM
LOL!
64. Barrett Young
November 20, 2009
8:46 AM
This line almost made me spit coffee on my monitor. It sold the book to me.
“They must fight to stay alive, they must fight to keep their forbidden love a secret, but, as Amish, they must not fight at all.”
65. Denita
November 20, 2009
8:47 AM
Soon To Be Posted In The Next CBD Christmas Catalog, next to Joel Olsteen’s “How To Win Friends and Influence People With Vaguely Gospel-ish Sound Bites”
66. beth
November 20, 2009
9:15 AM
And those other details about Cassidy … her slender frame, her frail hands, her thin, perfectly oval face … these are always the descriptions of the heroine in “Christian” novels.
67. Matt Wolfgang
November 20, 2009
9:19 AM
Tim, that was totally awesome! Keep those sequels coming!
68. Eric
November 20, 2009
9:56 AM
RE: Paula
They must fight to stay alive… Why does Cassidy need to fight to stay alive if she’s immortal?
Everyone knows you can put a stake through a vampire’s heart to kill them… that is, unless Tim is going to mess with traditional vampire lore some to make his book more interesting.
I also find his timing very coincidental, since today is opening day for the second movie of the most famous vampire novels of late.
69. Curtis Sheidler
November 20, 2009
9:58 AM
I will IMMEDIATELY remove The Discipline of Discernment from my bookshelf to make space for this magnificent tome. It will sit in the center of my very favorite and most-used shelf, right between The Left Behind Study Bible and Your Best Life Now.
70. Jan
November 20, 2009
10:20 AM
LOL! You are hilarious! If I had been drinking coffee, I too would certainly have spit it onto my monitor! (this all strikes me as being particularly funny considering my location and its proximity to “amish country”)
Please tell me occasionally you’re going to catch us up on the story occasionally LOL
71. Renee
November 20, 2009
10:23 AM
Tim,
I laughed and I impressed over your ability to write comedy and romance, eventhough it was all tongue-in-cheek. Unfortunately, the romance and the magic that enthralls the many young girls who are hungry for incredible love and who read these types of books to satisfy but a tincture of that divine hunger, are getting a shallow counterfeit from the hands of the one who hates God and His creation. It’s the beautiful side of evil, really, and while time is running out, young minds are being saturated with bloody filth when they ought to be saturated with the knowledge of the ONE who loves them most and who is returning.
Part of me hates that I’m ever so serious about these things and that I don’t laugh readily, but I see the implications of these vampire stories. I have a feeling God’s not laughing either.
72. Victoria M.
November 20, 2009
11:46 AM
Hilarious! Thank you for brightening my day. :)
73. kelli
November 20, 2009
11:56 AM
you’d better get that trademarked… someone else will come along and steal your bestseller :) It shocks me to see so many women getting inot the whole vampire-werewolf thing.
74. Jason
November 20, 2009
1:02 PM
Needs something with a little Tolkien flavor though…
75. Casandra
November 20, 2009
1:27 PM
hahaha, a friend had a link to this on her facebook. I’m so glad she shared! :-) We got a good laugh out of it! Thanks!
76. Jaimie
November 20, 2009
4:14 PM
Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant.
Mind if I tout this one to Chris Weitz?
77. Andrew Vandever
November 20, 2009
4:19 PM
“Their unlikely alliance is made complete by the addition of an elf and a dwarf who accompany them on their quest to deliver a flash drive containing a virus that will put a stop to the AntiChrist’s evil virtual schemes.”
78. Laura
November 20, 2009
4:28 PM
Love it. Absolutely love it.
79. Martin
November 20, 2009
4:41 PM
Not funny; my grandmother is Amish. Not really.
80. kj.matovich
November 20, 2009
7:08 PM
Wow…
I am being absolutely serious here… you should write that as a Christian comedic satire, and add some commentary at the beginning about how ridiculous it all is, and you would sell out every Christian store, and possibly “secular” store, in America! I’d buy it… and I’ve never even read a vampire or an amish-love-story book!
And really, go copywrite the thing, before someone steals it… the link to this post has gone fairly viral at least amongst my FB friends…
81. Camille
November 20, 2009
7:43 PM
Tim,
Have you ever reviewed Nathan Wilson’s book, Right Behind? Sounds like you guys have a similar funny bone!
82. kim replogle
November 20, 2009
7:43 PM
ha! i laughed so hard, i cried. very funny. i enjoy your blog immensely. thanks!
83. Obsessed with "Left Behind"
November 20, 2009
9:37 PM
I am doing my best to make this go viral among my peculiar circle of Religious Studies scholars and Baptist preachers. Still laughing!
84. Adrian Jackson
November 20, 2009
11:36 PM
Love the satire.
Just one problem, I read “I Kissed Dating Goodbye” and I’d feel uncomfortable exposing my heart to the compulsions of physical romance suggested in this novel.
85. Jonathan Frei
November 21, 2009
10:32 AM
you may be on to something here…
86. Aaron
November 21, 2009
11:24 AM
Tim, the demands for you to actually write and publish this are growing.
Seriously.
87. Sandie McFerran
November 22, 2009
10:59 AM
Oh my.. that was just way too funny .. and alarming.. there are those who actually follow this type series! You have a great FanClub Base, we all will be in line to buy copies.
BUT .. at least one of those creeping into the love triangle should be secretly seekeing to engage the ‘wrong’ person into the arms of further sin. One cannot be PC without giving room to the rest of the world .. you would be hearing from at least one of the groups seeking re-dress.
Other than you missed a PC point - your movel is already off to a great laughing-stock start.
One more thing.. have it released in paperback at the same as the hardback and the audios .. may as well catch those who wait for the cheaper editons right off the bat.
88. Bill Soistmann
November 22, 2009
8:55 PM
This is clearly the funniest things I’ve read all day.
89. Sula
November 22, 2009
10:10 PM
Sorry, I didn’t get it. What if Cassidy were a Baptist, or Calvinist, or Presbyterian, or Methodist, or Pentecostal, or Catholic, or Mennonite, or whatever Christian denomination?
Maybe I overlooked a tag “joke” here. Christian joke making fun of other Christians who don’t belong to their group.
No, I’m not Amish. I just thought there was really a sensible Christian fiction being introduced here, so I clicked it. I was wrong.
90. SaraJ
November 22, 2009
11:43 PM
Two people sent me the link to this post, and both times my husband and I read it and laughed till we cried. It’s sure to be a bestseller!
— SJ
91. dan abbey
November 23, 2009
4:23 AM
brilliant, love it!
92. Becky
November 24, 2009
12:58 AM
I can’t wait for the line of clothing and the Disney version of the movie to come out too.
Could Miley Cyrus pull off the lead?
(Ooh, I think I just threw up in my mouth.)
93. Phillip Gibb
November 24, 2009
8:13 AM
ha ha ha ha,
maybe adjust the story to make use of Angles and Fallen Angles.
possibly a girl sent to lead a pastor astray, but she falls in love with him, when she is given the choice to accept Jesus then the greatest battle is fought between Angles and Demon while the girl’s bad ‘boss’ seeks to kill her before she decides. Almost like Frank Peretti’s Piercing the Darkness .
Phill
94. Matthew Festa
November 25, 2009
12:49 PM
INSTANT CLASSIC! :-D
95. lando
November 26, 2009
11:53 PM
I sell books and i love to laugh- but i don’t think this is funny or even good satire- Because it assumes that the Amish way of life is not as correct as other evangelicals and so its okay to laugh at them. If an Amish person read this I think it would be hurtful.I don’t see much “spiritual discernment” in this post or in the comments.
96. Kirsty
November 27, 2009
12:46 PM
He is not making fun of the Amish - but the huge number of Christian novels set in the Amish community. Making fun of cliches, not people.
97. jwscholar
December 2, 2009
11:40 PM
This parody isn’t making fun of the Amish, but a series of novels about the Amish. There’s a difference.
But, just for the record, I’m pretty sure Amish theology places them squarely outside the realm of orthodoxy. The Amish “church” is not a true church and teaches salvation by works—I don’t think we can say most Amish are Christians. Certainly, there are some who are, just as there are some Roman Catholics who are Christians.
98. jwscholar
December 3, 2009
4:51 PM
Oh and lando, I don’t think you need to worry about an Amish person reading a website. :D