Great book! Just finished it this afternoon. I’m an indie pop songwriter/performer who on occasion will get a gig on the fringes of the Christian alterna-scene…I’ve played shows with folks in your book such as Half Handed Cloud, Sarah Masen, and Bill Mallonee. In fact, my first (and only) appearance at Cornerstone was in 2004, the year you were there, I think.

Your book was very interesting and fun to read. I loved it, but for some weird reason reading about all that stuff just made me creeped out and nauseated (not unlike how I feel after hearing CCM music or playing these kinds of shows). And I don’t know how to explain it without sounding unclear or snotty or mean.

But you did a great job with the book. If you’re interested, you can read Matt Fink’s opinions of me at the All Music Guide, or check out the entry about me in your copy of Mark Alan Powell’s Encylopedia of Contemporary Christian Music. And email me if you’d like me to send you some CDs…I’d like you to hear some faith-based music from the good-old liberal mainline Protestant world, without all that “evangelical” baggage. There’s almost nobody (well, actually nobody that I know of besides me) in CCM who will admit or celebrate an affiliation with a mainline denomination.

Keep up the great writing!

Jonathan Rundman

It has been a long time since I’ve written a fan letter. The last one was to Jimmy Stewart, who was too old and sick to write back, but his secretary did. I was thrilled.

Anyway, I loved _Body Piercing Saved My Life_.

I am choked up right now and I’m not even sure exactly why. Your book was very refreshing to me. Jesus is so wonderful, but somehow those of us who follow Him don’t always convey that to the rest of the folks. I’m grateful that you saw who we really are and wrote about it.

More than anything else, I appreciate your candor and honesty. And your willingness to see that all Christians are not hypocrites and finger pointers.
(Actually, I AM a hypocrite and a finger-pointer, but not ALL the time!) You were honest and fair about us, our music, and our relationships with Jesus.

Thanks for writing the book and for listening to the people who shared their hearts with you.

And please know that an overweight, middle-aged, radical Christian mom in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania prays for you and your family.

God bless you. I really mean it.

Julie Hamilton
Lititz, PA

PS: Have you heard The Violet Burning? They are amazing! My favorite CD of theirs is Drop Dead.

I was wondering where I could get a t-shirt like the one featured on the cover of your book! I have been looking everywhere, and I can’t find one with that design! The only ones I can find look like this one at this website: http://www.thepraisefactory.com/transfers/YAD/kids/K-265.JPG I’d like something a little less graphic..

Thanks!!!
Nicole Kaprielian