Note from Quin: Thanks to Rob Holbert at Lagniappe for this little article on my new novel, and please note that I will be reading some short passages from Mad Jones, Heretic, taking questions, and doing a book-signing Thursday, Nov. 9, at Page & Palette book shop in Fairhope, AL. And BUY THE BOOK HERE.

BY ROB HOLBERT

If you read the words “Quin Hillyer” and “Jones” together in a sentence right now, you’d probably assume the well-known political pundit and essayist was pontificating on the upcoming senatorial clash between Roy Moore and Doug Jones. But these days, Hillyer is concentrating a bit more on a Jones of his own creation — “Mad Jones, Heretic.”

“Mad Jones” is Hillyer’s first work of fiction, and it has been recently published and is now available to the public. In the satirical novel, Hillyer invents a modern-day Martin Luther who posts a set of religious theses on Mobile church doors and quickly develops a national following. The novel hit the streets just a week before the 500th anniversary on Oct. 31 of Luther nailing his famed 95 Theses to the church door in Wittenberg, Germany, and giving birth to the Protestant Reformation.

Hillyer fell back upon his educational background and personal interests in Luther and religion in general.

“As a theology major in college, I wondered two things: What would happen if somebody nailed new religious theses to church doors today? And, how can people overcome anger at God when struck by tragedy?” he said…. [later in the story]

“I set up a scenario, so common today, of instant fame driven by modern mass communications, and of politicians and media all jumping into the fray without really knowing what they are talking about,” Hillyer said. “It lets me do satire on modern media, politics and religion, all at the same time — with some subplots involving, separately, race and sexual morality, too.”

Hillyer will be having a reading/book signing at Page & Palette book store in Fairhope Thursday, Nov. 9, 6-7 p.m.

 

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