Books by Christopher Klim, Award-Winning Author of Jesus Lives in Trenton, The Winners Circle, Idiot!, and others.

BOOKS | INFORMATION & REVIEWS

Christopher Klim has been compared to Steinbeck, Hammett, Chandler, and Hiaasen to name a few. His first novel, Jesus Lives in Trenton, became an international cult favorite, followed by the fictionalized study of pyromania in Everything Burns. Without skipping a beat, he launched a literary magazine, the Firecracker Jones juvenile fiction series, and a new comic novel, The Winners Circle, about the true meaning of wealth in America. He has also written a popular book on the writing craft, Write to Publish: Essentials for the Modern Fiction and Memoir Market. His latest novel is Idiot!. Click on any book or scroll down to learn more about or purchase a book.

Christopher Klim's Books (from newest to first)

Idiot!

Idiot! by Christopher Klim

“Klim's finely-honed images threaten to jump off the page.” - Duff Brenna, author The Book of Mamie

"Gourmet food for the mind." - Robert Gover, author One Hundred Dollar Misunderstanding

"Klim has done it again." - Thomas E. Kennedy, international editor StoryQuarterly

"A moving book. It makes you understand just what a few unkind words can do to a person." - MyShelf.com

"Klim cuts a persuasive image of a downsized community, although the individual stories define his real talent." - Midwestern Book Cavalcade

What is the value of one life? Forest ranger Thomas King is a severe dyslexic and perceived village idiot. Alone, he roams the Pine Barrens, hoping to save a failing town. Claire Wethers' children have been stolen by her ex. The former beauty queen privately drowns her fears in whiskey. Their lives appear as marginal as the bankrupt town, but when this unlikely pair merge paths, everything changes.

When they came for Thomas King, he was asleep, locked in a fantastic dream. He was scoring the winning touchdown at Cranfield Lakes High. He’d taken the handoff, tucked the pigskin tight to his ribs, and swept to the open field. Tom knew that his long arms and legs were better suited for wide receiver than running back, but Cranlakers rose in the bleachers and cheered his glorious progress along the gridiron. It was festival season, a time etched in most memories. Beyond the goalposts, bulging ripe cranberries floated atop the bogs awaiting harvest—before the virulent fungus arrived, before the state burned the cranberry vines on a blustery October day. - from Idiot! by Christopher Klim

"I enjoy Christopher Klim’s work. Idiot!, like Klim’s other books (Jesus Lives in Trenton, Everything Burns, and The Winners Circle), always gives me something different than I would suspect. ...a worthy effort from one of my favorite [new] writers." - Armchair Reviews

"Klim makes his characters seem all too real. As I was reading the book, I couldn't help but draw comparisons between Thomas and Sylvester Stallone's character in the film Copland. As Klim weaves his story in and around the train-wrecks that are Claire and Thomas, he makes you want to root for both of them and hope for the best possible end of their tragedies." - Bruce Von Stiers Reviews

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The Winners Circle

The Winners Circle by Christopher Klim

“Clever and funny” - Publishers Weekly

"Clearly establishing author Christopher Klim as an author of considerable storytelling talent." - The Midwest Book Review

"Is there no genre this man can't write in? Klim has what it takes to make it onto The New York Times Bestseller List." - The Word Museum

“Sure to cinch Christopher Klim's place among the top humor novelists of the day.” - The Book Reporter

“I may have just found another favorite author.” - MyShelf.com

“A Roller-Coaster Ride. Great read, couldn’t put it down!” - Editor, Simple Things

“It will make you think twice before buying your next lottery ticket.” - Virtually Yourz

"It starts like the shock of snakebite and reads on like a breeze." - Thomas E. Kennedy, author of The Copenhagen Quartet

“At once ironic and knock-your-socks off hilarious.” - Robert Gover, author of One Hundred Dollar Misunderstanding

Striking it rich is as much a part of American folklore as it is the American dream. For unemployed auto worker Jerry Nearing, it’s the answer to his prayers, but when he wins millions in the lottery, his troubles have only begun. His life swarms with con artists who kidnap his time and money and just might keep him from recapturing the love of his life. Klim's best comic drama since Jesus Lives in Trenton examines the necessity for love, while poking fun at the many ways to be miserable in the lap of luxury.

For a long time after he struck it rich, Jerry Nearing was haunted by the specter of a rattlesnake. It rose in his dreams, just as it had in real life. He felt its thin white fangs piercing his skin, remaking his life in a million ways. He often snapped forward in bed, draped in a cold sweat, aware that he was alone and with no one to hear the ricochet pace of his heart. But the strange part, the hardest fact for him to reconcile, was that on the afternoon he almost died beside a stinking pile of manure, people called it the luckiest day of his life. - from The Winners Circle by Christopher Klim

"Mr. Klim has, quite simply, done it again, and my praise sticks in my teeth—you think he'd give a traditionally caustic reviewer a break once in a while! Mr. Klim returns to his home turf of New Jersey to put together an oddly poignant tale of wealth and emptiness, an extended parable about the nature of money in the United States and how it shapes and reshapes our interpersonal connections more than we might wish to guess or acknowledge. This novel is a song sung to the accompaniment of the Invisible Hand playing upon the harp of the heart. … and due to Mr. Klim's eminent skills of depiction (I like to think of him as a Hogarth of the word kingdom for the twenty-first century), we get to look at it from all angles and hear it in high-impact surround sound. There's even a little O.Henry—style twist further along the storyline, but I will not for the life of me reveal it—it knocked me on my ass with laughter and dismay. Not too many books do that to me, these days. The Winners Circle is eminent social commentary by a man who sees what he looks at. Keep 'em coming, Mr. Klim, keep 'em coming!" - The Circle Magazine

“Is it possible to be miserable when you’re sitting on a lot of money? Yes, indeed! His novel is particularly evocative of his home state, but deals with large themes in a clever and compelling way.” - Bookviews

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Firecracker Jones Is on the Case (juvenile)

Firecracker Jones is on the Case by Christopher Klim

“Firecracker Jones is a hit. I liked him and want to see him in many more adventures.” - MyShelf.com

“At times side-splittingly funny... the quirky observations from Firecracker drew me into the story and held me captive until the last page.” - BookPleasures

“Don’t miss this fun but suspenseful novel!” - Virtually Yourz

“I especially liked the way the protagonist uses his disorder in a positive way to problem solve.” - Heartland Reviews

“Life isn’t fair, but Klim manages to have this young hero learn this lesson without succumbing to a boilerplate plot.” - Sisters in the Lord Magazine

“Kids who don't smoke, drink, do drugs or cuss. Those traits make the two boys a definite minority in today's world of teenagers.” - BVS Reviews

"… appropriately geared toward adolescents through its adolescent language and ability to look inside a teenage boy's mind. Accurately displays the bonds developed by young boys and the span of loyalty that true friends share.” - Sime~Gen

“With just the right blend of humor, logic and message, Klim draws readers into the mystery, and they will laugh out loud at the antics.” - CurledUpKids.com

Francis (aka Firecracker) Jones' best friend has disappeared, and none of the adults are talking. Only the coolest ninth grade detective in the history of Crater Valley High School can solve the mystery. Follow 'F' as he overcomes rain, swamps, and horrifying health food dinners to crack his first greatest case.

Vanished! My best friend Ted disappeared over Halloween weekend, and that’s no ghost story. Thursday, we were waxing car windows with soap, and Monday, he didn’t show up at school. By the end of the first week, everyone was talking about it. Ted was set to be the next state record holder for touchdowns in a single season. A kid like that doesn’t just vanish into thin air, but vanish he did. - from Firecracker Jones is on the Case by Christopher Klim

“With just the right blend of humor, logic and message, Klim draws readers into the mystery with appealing, dimensional characters while subtly teaching about confronting fears, change, and loyalty. Kids can relate to the sometimes-clumsy Firecracker, his health-conscious mom and friends Chub and Ted, and will laugh out loud at the antics.” - Midwest Book Review, (Reviewer’s Choice)

“Firecracker Jones (don't tell anyone his real name!) is the boy detective of our times: a tofu-spurning teenager with a sense of humor, a wandering mind and Attention Deficit Hearing Disorder (ADHD). Like his early counterparts—the Hardy Boys, Encyclopedia Brown—he'll make a great series. F.J. has suspense, excitement, comedy and heart. I look forward to more.” - Kathye Fetsko Petrie, author of Flying Jack

“Klim does a wonderful job in speaking the language of a high school freshman. The contrasts he draws between the cool kids like Ted and the geeks like F. and Chub illustrate a wonderful balance of the adult world. … F. displays the true meaning of friendship, going the extra mile, and putting others first …” - The Word Museum

“This could be the perfect summer book. … Adults and children alike will find Firecracker to be a captivating narrator and protagonist as they journey through what is set up to be a great series of detective fiction for young adults around the world. A true every kid, Firecracker is guaranteed to appeal to readers of all backgrounds and ideologies.” - BookPleasures

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Everything Burns

Everything Burns by Christopher Klim

“Absorbing reading.” - Booklist

“Moves smoothly and builds to a surprising climax.” - The Compulsive Reader

“A small publisher out of New Jersey has found a gifted novelist.” - Bookviews

“A great mystery/suspense novel. Once again, Christopher Klim has shown remarkable talent for providing human drama and suspense." - BVS Reviews

“Klim is excellent at weaving plot lines. … It's that level of suspense that locked onto me and made me stay up all night reading this intense novel.” - The Word Museum

“Holy smokes! Dark and haunting. And like the smell on your skin when you've been near a fire, the scenes and characters stick with you, smoldering in your thoughts long afterwards...” - Kathye Fetsko Petrie, Editor/Publisher Local LIT; author Flying Jack

Someone is setting the buildings aflame and burning innocent children. Photojournalist Boot Means must stop this killer before he creates his masterpiece fire. With Klim’s trademark city grit and striking scenarios, Everything Burns delves into the psyche of a true pyromaniac for the author’s most suspenseful story yet—a most surprising sequel to Jesus Lives in Trenton

Boot Means stopped his motorcycle at the curb and jumped off. Ladder trucks hummed outside a line of shops in Concho’s commercial district. A hardware store on Harp Street stood gutted, and wisps of gray smoke crept from the second floor apartment windows. He was late. The flames were already knocked down. That’s how the firemen put it—’knocked down’—as if they had toppled a big bully and left him for dead. - from Everything Burns by Christopher Klim

“Klim manages to integrate wisecracking characters and dramatic action without confusing the reader. Though not an easy task, he has employed the same engaging combination of contrasts that we enjoyed in such shows as MASH and NYPD Blue.” - Book Crazy Radio

“Everything Burns is just as good as, if not better than, its illustrious predecessor. … the bullet train of his prose is even slicker and sexier than it was the last time. … I particularly adore above all else in Mr. Klim’s voluminous literary arsenal: his staccato, terse, jerkily brilliant array of dialogue. … I would advise my current audience to run, not walk, to their nearest bookstore.” - The Circle Magazine

“Everything Burns is Klim's second novel featuring Boot Means–raised in foster care, an outsider yet resourceful and wise beyond his years, a unique and potent character who is earning his place in the pantheon of mythic American legends.” - Robert Gover, author One Hundred Dollar Misunderstanding

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Write to Publish: Essentials for the Modern Fiction & Memoir Market

Write to Publish by Christopher Klim

“I swear if I had read this book twenty years ago I would be on a book tour right now.” - Book Crazy Radio

“His passion is contagious. This is one of the best handbooks I’ve come across, fun to read and full of useful information.” - Writers World

“Write to Publish is a more-than-you-bargained for look at the publishing world, honed to meat-of-the-matter perfection by Klim.” - The Boox Review

“[Klim] takes a nonacademic approach when offering the novice advice on how to hone writing and effectively reach agents and editors. - Library Journal

"I am confident that by following his very detailed advice from point A to Z, there is no way that you could prevent your work from finding its way into the printed world society.” - MyShelf.com

"Write to Publish is a must have reference book for beginning fiction writers." - Heartland Reviews

“His easy to read style of writing enables a writer from any background to start the engine of their thoughts.” - Express Yourself Books

“The guidelines and working structure are so clear that even the most jaded fiction writers would benefit …” - The Compulsive Reader

Christopher Klim's popular seminars on writing and publishing are attended by hundreds along the east coast. In his lectures on fiction and memoir techniques, he reveals effective ways for reaching editors, agents, and ultimately readers. In Write to Publish, Christopher Klim outlines story craft and provides vivid examples and lessons for the emerging writer in a competitive book market.

Storytelling is the oldest art form, dating back to the Stone Age, before written language. Imagine cavemen around a campfire. The one who described the hunt in a compelling fashion probably garnered the most attention. This scenario has changed little over time. The necessity for a relevant story remains as vital to humans as food and water. A story forms a metaphor for life experience, delivered in an infinite variety of styles, contexts, and mediums. It is how we make sense of the highs and lows and everything in between. A good story holds a mirror to our lives. A great story changes our lives. - from Write to Publish by Christopher Klim

“Write to Publish covers all the typical areas you would expect … [But] two sections separate this book from other basic writing books. … a chapter on professional revisions that actually goes through the items that should be examined in the review process … [And] information on how to get your book published – tips for writing query letters, dealing with agents, submission etiquette, and even dealing with rejection.” - The Midwest Book Review

“Practical, good-humored advice. What Klim includes is unusual and very helpful: examples of his own query letters and a novel synopsis, examples of what a short story first page should look like, as well as a novel submission. … something I’ve never seen in “how to” books; he dissects his own short story by showing us the parts, including a character sketch and an extremely helpful “scene and sequel analysis,” which leads the reader through the building blocks of creating this story.” -Deborah Kaple, author of Dream of a Red Factory

“Klim covers the process of writing publishable novels, memoirs, and short stories from concept to marketing. A must read for all who labor with an eye toward publication. Klim's insights into the craft–plot, characterizations, pacing, viewpoint–are laced with wit and wisdom.” - Robert Gover, author of One Hundred Dollar Misunderstanding

“The greatest value of this book is that it covers all the relevant areas of getting your fiction book written and published. … Other books tend to not be as thorough in covering all of the aspects of writing and publishing.” - Readers Preference Reviews

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Jesus Lives in Trenton

Jesus Lives in Trenton by Christopher Klim

“Understated humor and lack of pretension lend this wry urban fable undeniable charm. ... Klim's lighthearted entertainment possesses genuine heart." - Booklist

“Klim has a colorful past, and it comes to life in the pages of Jesus Lives in Trenton, which has an ear for realistic dialogue and an eye for city grit that would make Dashiell Hammett proud ..." - Philadelphia Weekly

“It all comes together in a compelling and funny new novel called Jesus Lives in Trenton.” - Mark Drucker, KYW News Radio Philadelphia

“The book is indeed a riotously funny, quick read. However, it also works on a deeper level, serving as an allegory about man's thirst for grace in a chaotic world.” - Time Off

“Laden with laughs, insight and an overflowing abundance of literary skill. Amen." - The Boox Review

“The interesting characters, hilarious plot, and believable but humorous dialogue keep the readers turning the pages. ... JESUS LIVES IN TRENTON is delightful.” - Writers World

“Boot Means is no ordinary man. ... Klim drew upon his personal experiences to bring Boot Means to life.” - The Home News Tribune

“With televangelists on the prowl, ex-con ministries and illegal activities possibly surrounding both, Jesus Lives In Trenton brings forth a story that could have been ripped from the headlines.” - BVS Reviews

What happens when people start seeing Jesus on a downtown Trenton billboard? Klim's highly praised and cult favorite first novel is the exhilarating story of tabloid photojournalist Boot Means. He has discovered big trouble in Trenton, but it's his chance to erase his impoverished past as an orphan and launch into fame. Set in the desperate urban landscape of Trenton, NJ, this mainstream social satire delves into the heady world of televangalism and the seamy underworld of cult organizations.

In the beginning, before Jesus appeared, before someone claiming to be Boot Means’ biological father showed up, Boot was attacked by two naked women in a Trenton hotel lobby. He knew how to defend himself, having grown up in foster care, but as an emerging photojournalist, he expected a scuffle with a political mob or a ghetto riot, not a gang of bathing beauties gone wild. - from Jesus Lives in Trenton by Christopher Klim

“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 One Hundred Dollar Misunderstanding

“Christopher Klim gives us a slice of life, complete with funny characters, amusing situations, yet with an underlying theme of melancholy that makes us want to hug this poor little orphan kid who just can’t seem to grow up and get it together. The book can be enjoyed on many levels, metaphors and allegories abound, and the irony revealed at the end allows the true believer a little smile and nod.” - Book Crazy Radio

“[Klim] has managed to stake his claim amid a welter of clever plot twists, machine-gun dialog, and generally amusing scenarios. ... this book was such a damn good read, I'm going to pretend to my editor that it got lost in the mail, and keep this review copy for myself. It'll look good on my shelves. ... nestled snugly in between Seth Morgan's Homeboy and Robert Stone's Dog Soldiers.”- The Circle Magazine

“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’ search for the truth redeems an otherwise dark, brooding, and desperate character. One cannot help but admire him and want him to succeed.” - Trenton Times

“I now regret not reading Christopher Klim's debut novel, Jesus Lives in Trenton, when it was first sent to me in 2002. … Other reviewers have stated that it has a hilarious plot. In fact, Boot is more than a representative of a dying profession. I like the fact that the novel doesn't have a happily-ever-after ending. Boot's eagerness gets him into a world of trouble where he loses more than he gains. … I can't wait to move onto the second Boot Means novel.” - The Word Museum

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