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Luana  Ehrlich

One Night in Tehran: A Titus Ray Thriller

Christian Books & Bibles

Days after his escape from Iran, he starts searching for answers, meanwhile, an assassin begins his own search—for him. Veteran CIA officer, Titus Ray—on the run from the Iranian secret police—finds shelter with a group of Iranian Christians in Tehran. While urging Titus to become a believer in Jesus Christ, they manage to smuggle him out of Iran to freedom in Turkey. Returning to the States, he discovers his Iranian mission failed because of political infighting within the Agency. In a hot-tempered outburst, he delivers a scathing indictment against the Deputy Director of Operations, and, as a result, the deputy forces Titus to take a year’s medical leave in Oklahoma. Before leaving Langley, Virginia, Titus learns he’s been targeted by a Hezbollah assassin. Now, while trying to figure out what it means to be a follower of Christ, he must decide if the Iranian couple he meets in Norman, Oklahoma has ties to the man who’s trying to kill him, and if Nikki Saxon, a local detective with an intriguing past, can be trusted with his secrets.

Book Bubbles from One Night in Tehran: A Titus Ray Thriller

Chapter 32: What Really Happened To Titus One Nigh

Titus Ray, a veteran CIA operative, is a battle-hardened intelligence officer, who's been on numerous covert operations while serving his country. He's never had an interest in Christianity, and, while he was growing up in Michigan, his family never went to church nor did they ever speak the name of Christ except in a curse word. Despite that, one night in Tehran, while hiding out from the Iranian secret police in the home of some Iranian Christians, he made a commitment to follow the teachings of Jesus and become a believer. Now, he's learning how that decision is going to affect his life in the context of hunting down terrorists and dealing with his co-workers, not to mention how it affects his family and friends.

Chapter 31: Titus Discovers Prayer Power

In the opening chapters of One Night in Tehran, Titus finds it difficult to pray. He hasn't heard many prayers in his lifetime, and he's not familiar with the practice. Once he's stumbled through a few instances of praying, he realizes he can talk to God as easily as he can talk to another person. In the final chapters of the story, he's beginning to recognize God not only hears prayers, He also answers them. In this excerpt, Titus admits to knowing very little about prayer, but he's more than willing to learn. That attitude will help him as he seeks to figure out what it means to follow Christ in his everyday life, and in his next adventure as well.

Chapter 30: Tension In This Scene Very Real

When I wrote the last chapters of One Night in Tehran, the tension written into each scene was very real. That's because I wasn't exactly sure what was about to happen to Titus. Terrorists were everywhere. There was a gunfight going on, and I only had a general idea of how everything was going to play out. I just hung on and, like a cameraman following the action on a movie set, recorded what was happening and tried not to interfere.

Chapter 29: Anything Can Be A Weapon--to an Author

When I tried to imagine what Titus might discover in the car of a trunk to use as a weapon, I remembered the hanging baskets I'd recently purchased. When I took one of them out of the trunk of my car, one of the plastic prongs used to attach the handle to the basket had broken off. That piece of plastic came to mind when I was writing this chapter, and it seemed like the perfect weapon for TItus to use.

Chapter 28: Unearthing a Childhood Memory

As I was writing this scene in One Night in Tehran, I realized I was relying on a memory from my childhood to describe the garage on Paul Franklin's property. My grandparents lived in a house very similar to the one described in Chapter 28 when I was a teenager. It was located in Malden, Missouri and had a detached garage. I was usually pretty bored when we visited there, but one time, I decided to explore the garage. Since the side door was locked, I tried looking through the small window, which was caked over with dirt. It was dark inside, and it took a few minutes for my eyes to adjust. All I could see was my grandfather's car, which was a great disappointment. But, that experience helped me to write this scene and, as it turned out, what happened to Titus after he looked inside the garage, was a lot more exciting!

Chapter 27: When Life Is Really Hard

Nikki Saxon, the Norman detective in One Night in Tehran, had a difficult childhood, and, even though her story is a fictional one, it highlights how difficult real life can be for many, many people. The institution she describes in this excerpt,The Children's Home, is based on Oklahoma Baptist Homes for Children. This is an organization which offers a place of refuge and hope for hurting children on four different campuses in the state of Oklahoma and is affiliated with the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma.While Nikki's story is a heart-breaking one, she went on to become a responsible adult and a self-confident young woman. Many children from homes where there is abuse, drug use, and criminal activity going on are never given the opportunity to thrive as Nikki was. As you read Nikki's story, remember to pray for those children and seeks ways you or your church could minister to them.

Chapter 26: The Bible and Iranians

One Night in Tehran puts the spotlight on the persecution of Iranian Christians. It's a subtle thread running throughout the course of the thriller. One of the characters describes how he came to faith in Christ by reading the Bible, which is the single greatest means of conversion around the world. "Faith comes from hearing and hearing comes from the Word of God," Romans 10:17. In the plotline, an Iranian military man is given a Bible by his Christian girlfriend and becomes a believer. Anyone is able to come to faith in Christ by reading God's Word.Most Christians don't feel they are able to touch the lives of men and women in other countries, who don't know the Lord. But, by simply praying for them to have access to a Bible, lives can be changed forever.

Chapter 25: Secrets Hidden in Twigs' Diner

All good thrillers include a diner, a place where assets can meet their handlers, reporters can interview witnesses and operatives can plan a kidnapping. Twigs' Diner in Oklahoma City is just such a place, but it exists only on the pages of One Night in Tehran. Titus meets his friend Danny there to discuss a murder suspect, and Danny ends up telling him why the diner is called Twigs. Even though the diner isn't real, the story behind why the place is called "Twigs" is very real. The incident about the owner, described by Danny, occurred in my family when one of my sisters left a note for my mother about what she wanted for breakfast the next morning. She was about five years old and "twigs" has been a running joke in my family ever since. Read the chapter and be privy to one of my many family secrets.

Chapter 24: Oklahoma City is the "City"

Most residents in Norman, Oklahoma speak of going to the "City" when referring to Oklahoma City. Since Nikki Saxon, a Norman Police Department Detective, is a lifelong resident of the area, she uses that designation for Oklahoma City in One Night in Tehran. However, Titus, my protagonist in the novel, is a temporary resident of Norman and questions what Nikki means when she uses that word. Titus' question also helps clarify this for any readers who may not understand her reference.

Chapter 23: Does the CIA operate within the U. S.?

Don't expect to run into a CIA intelligence officer in your neighborhood Wal-Mart. Most covert officers carry out their assignments overseas. However, contrary to what most people think, the CIA is permitted to operate within America's borders to address some specific issues of foreign intelligence and terrorism. According to Executive Order 13470, the CIA can conduct almost any kind of activity, if the President so directs. The CIA also has branch offices in big cities throughout the United States and owns numerous safe houses, where defectors can be interrogated, intelligence operations can be planned, and liaisons can occur without unwanted interference and scrutiny. Most members of the local enforcement community are not informed when the CIA is operating within their area.

Chapter 22: The husband is always a suspect

When I was doing research for One Night in Tehran, I came across this statistic: 30 percent of all homicides in the US are the result of domestic violence. However, in this case, Bashir was immediately cleared because he had an excellent alibi and was seen by several people in a very public location. After the husband, police investigators turn to other family members, followed by close friends and acquaintances. Only rarely are homicides committed by someone the victim did not know. The investigation of the murder in this fictional novel highlights the great service performed by law enforcement officials everywhere. We owe a debt of gratitude for their work in keeping us safe on a daily basis.

Chapter 21: It's Dangerous Out Of A Comfort Zone

CIA interrogators have testified that the most successful interrogations are those in which the target is taken out of his/her comfort zone. In this chapter, Titus is questioned by a local detective and discovers he's having difficulty answering her questions, not because he's guilty, but because he's not comfortable in an environment that most people would consider normal. As Titus learns, one's comfort zone is not necessarily a stress-filled situation, rather, it can simply be an activity which most people do every day. Comfort zones are dangerous places sometimes. They can be detrimental to an understanding of the world and create barriers of miscommunication.

Chapter 20: Avoiding the back stairwell

Here's a comment I often hear when discussing One Night in Tehran with my readers. "I'm never using a back stairwell again." That's probably a smart decision. Whenever I use an isolated stairwell in a building, I usually end up vowing I'm never going to do so again. A slow elevator is a better choice and much safer. I ignored that advice, however, when I attended a church with a second story and a convenient back stairwell. When I ascended those stairs, there were very few times I wasn't thinking about how to use them in a mystery novel. If you find yourself studying places you visit every day as a good location for a murder, be careful! You're either a future criminal or a future author.

Chapter 19: Titus Tries To Explain His Faith

Telling another person you've had a personal experience of faith is never easy. Often, it's very intimidating. As Titus tells Katherine, a CIA analyst, his own story of coming to Christ, he's disconcerted at the intensity of her response to his testimony. As he discovers, God prepares the heart of someone to whom a witness is given beforehand, so that when the word of God is heard, the unbeliever's heart is soft, like freshly cultivated soil, ready to receive the seed of faith. The more Titus tells others of his faith, the more excited he becomes at sharing what God has done for him. Although he experiences rejection, ridicule and apathy, there are times, when he encounters someone like Katherine who's ready to hear what he has to say. This will be true of everyone who has the courage to speak a word of faith to others.

Chapter 18: Putting A Dog In A Thriller

I love animals, especially dogs. I grew up with a boxer that my family adopted from an animal shelter. The odd thing about her adoption was that we were vacationing in Kansas at the time, and we lived in Missouri. Needless to say, driving back to Missouri in a station wagon full of four kids and a dog was an adventure my parents talked about for a long time. Dogs gets into their owners' heads as well as their hearts, and I've come to believe they understand our emotions better than we understand them ourselves. Titus is a man who has lived for years on skill and instinct; not so much on emotions. However, after he becomes a believer, he begins to be more aware of his feelings. With that in mind, it seemed appropriate to add Stormy to his story. Titus, who has never had a dog before, comes to realize what a powerful friend a four-legged creature can be.

Chapter 17: Mossad, A Top-Notch Spy Agency

Mossad, Israel's intelligence agency, is one of the best secret service agencies in the world. No other intelligence gathering entity has more successes at protecting itself from its enemies. Many of its exploits have been publicized, including the arrest of Adolf Eichman in Argentina for crimes he had committed against Jews in Germany and, more recently, for developing the Stuxnet computer virus which slowed down the Iranian aspirations to build a nuclear bomb. In 2001, Mossad is rumored to have warned the United States that Isalmic jihadists had slipped into the country and were planning a series of attacks, but this information was either not believed or was ignored, and the result was 9/11. Mossad's motto is taken from the Bible: Proverbs 11:4 "Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors, there is safety."

Chapter 16: Featuring the OU vs. Texas rivalry

In Chapter 16, I included a brief glimpse into the ongoing rivalry between the University of Oklahoma football team and the University of Texas football team. The two teams play each other in the Cotton Bowl each year, and the communication between the fans of each school can get mean, if not downright vicious, the week before the big game. In this excerpt, Titus encounters a hotel desk clerk in Dallas who reminds him that he really shouldn't be wearing an OU ball cap while he's in Texas. While there's a good-natured exchange between the two, Titus is virtually clueless about this rivalry. He's wearing the cap in order to play the role of just an ordinary guy. Since the reader knows his true identity, Titus' answer has a special meaning that has nothing whatsoever to do with football. Later on in the story, the ball cap plays a different role, which my readers will want to discover for themselves.

Chapter 15: Putting "Easter Eggs" Into My Thriller

For anyone who doesn't know, "Easter Eggs" are hidden messages or insider jokes placed in a book, movie, or television program. I put several of them in One Night in Tehran. Chapter 15 contains at least three. As you can read in this chapter excerpt, the last name of the veterinarian treating Stormy was named Barnett. My daughter's married name is Barnett, and, while I was writing this book, she received her Ph. D. We both share a love of dogs, so it seemed fitting to give this character her last name. The physical therapy center mentioned here is also an Easter Egg. Therapy in Motion does exist in Norman, Oklahoma and the owner is one of my neighbors. She didn't know I was writing her business into the book, but when it was published, I gave her an autographed copy. Now, several people who have read the book and have come in for therapy want to meet Kevin, Titus' physical therapist. Unfortunately, she doesn't have a Kevin working for her yet!

Chapter 14: Why I Included This Scene

In Chapter 14, Titus attends a worship service in a church for the first time in his life. Sure, he'd been inside a church before for weddings and funerals, but he'd never attended a church service in his life. Doing so was much like taking part in some tribal ritual. He had no idea what he was doing, what he was supposed to be doing and how he was to act and dress. I included this scene for several reasons.First, it gave the reader more insight into Titus' spiritual background, and, second, the church became the means for his encounter with the Iranians later on in the story. However, I also included the scene to show how difficult and strange it is for non-churchgoers and unbelievers to feel comfortable in a church service. Titus decided to get involved in the church because a pastor gave him a list of volunteer options and then explained why God would be glorified if he participated in them to connect with other people. The spiritual reason behind the practical application made sense to him and that's how a non-churchgoer began attending church.

Chapter 13: Is the Sabra Refugee Camp Massacre A R

Unfortunately, the Sabra Refugee Camp Massacre was a real event. Titus recollection of the events which transpired are correct. Although the Israelis took no part in carrying out these atrocities, the general in charge of the camp, Ariel Sharon, was held responsible. Sharon, who later became Prime Minister of Israel, denied any claims of responsibility for these actions. However, as far as I know, no Americans were killed in the camp, and Paul Franklin's story is just that--a fictional story.

Chapter 12: Are There Sleeper Cells In America Tod

Before I wrote One Night in Tehran, I researched the premise behind the overall plot of the book. Namely, there are Hezbollah terrorists, with ties to Iran, already living in the U.S. I had heard reports of such activity on news reports for several years, but the most amazing documents I found were interviews by our own Congressional representatives about such activity. Rep. Sue Myrick, R.-N.C.was outspoken about this on a radio interview in late 2012. She insisted she and her colleagues had seen information indicating Mexican drug cartels were aiding Hezbollah penetrate our borders and live undetected in cities all over America. Then, in February 2104, as reported by Newsmax, an Iranian military official said, "The Islamic Republic has terrorist sleeper cells in the United States that are ready to launch attacks on key population centers once given the command from Tehran." While Iran may not be able to defeat the US militarily, there is no doubt in my mind that should the US endanger their nuclear ambitions, they will attempt to wreak havoc throughout our nation. Embedded terrorists would be one method of accomplishing that.

Chapter Eleven: Buying A Bible Can Be Intimidating

Titus was like a fish out of water when he entered the Mardel's Christian Book Store in Norman, OK in search of a Bible. Although he had never owned a Bible of his own, even for those of us who have owned several Bibles, choosing the right Bible can be an intimidating and exhausting task. Titus decided to pray and ask the Lord which Bible he should buy. As events unfolded, this was a very wise decision, and it made a huge difference in his life. I included this scene in One Night in Tehran in order to encourage readers to have a checklist when purchasing a Bible, one that includes readability, study notes and preferred Bible version. As Titus discovered, praying about such an important purchase, should always be the first step in acquiring a new Bible.

Chapter Ten: Persecution of Christians in Iran

Youcef Nadarkhani, the Iranian Christian pastor mentioned in Chapter 10, is a real person and representative of all people of faith who are regularly imprisoned, tortured, and persecuted throughout the world today. While his plight was widely known and his notoriety probably aided in his being released from his Iranian prison cell, most believers undergoing persecution ultimately suffer and die in obscurity. Please join me in praying for these fellow believers. I pray for them to be released, to be strengthened physically, to have their faith deepened, and to be encouraged by God's presence. Titus asked himself a legitimate question I've often ask myself: "Would I willing to give my life for my faith?" To many people around the world today, this question is not a fanciful one. They are being forced to answer it on a daily basis. What is your answer?

Chapter Nine: Is Titus' House A Real House?

The house the Agency rented for Titus Ray in Norman is a real house--sorta. Although I took a little literary license in my description of it--there's no security fence or remote controlled gate--this house belonged to a friend of mine. I say belonged because he and his family have moved from Norman since I published the book--there's no correlation between these two events. When I realized Titus was coming to live in Norman, I knew he had to have a home outside of the city limits--he needed a gun range--and he didn't need to have any nearby neighbors. As I was visiting my friend's house one day, I saw Titus standing in the dining room, staring out across the lake and wondering if an assassin had him in his crosshairs.

Chapter Eight: Should Titus Quit The Agency?

I started writing this series after asking the question: What would happen if a CIA intelligence officer embraced Christianity? What would happen to his career if he became "born again"? In this excerpt, Titus is struggling with this question, wondering if his new faith is compatible with his career. I've known new believers who have wrestled with this question, and, although they didn't have a career in which lying and deception were skills to be envied, working at a particular job can sometimes present a unique set of temptations that can test a person's faith and walk with the Lord and may ultimately lead to seeking a new career.

Chapter Seven: Why I Chose Norman, Oklahoma

Since this is my first novel, some people might naturally assume I chose Norman, Oklahoma--where I have lived for the past twenty years--as the location of the terrorist activity in the book because a writer is always told to write "what you know." However, as this excerpt illustrates, Norman has been at the forefront of several terrorist events in the last twenty years. Besides the Murrah Federal Building bombing in 1995, many of the 9/11 hijackers attended the Airmen Flight School in Norman. There have always been rumors, guesses, and conjectures, especially among law enforcement personnel, that, the Saudi students were able to "hide in plain sight" in Norman because they were aided by others in the community who were sympathetic to their cause.

Chapter 6: More About The Iranian Secret Police

VEVAK, or the Ministry of Intelligence and National Security of the Islamic Republic of Iran, is responsible for civilian intelligence in the country. However, this definition doesn't begin to cover the full scope of its activities. VEVAK is considered one of the most vicious secret police agencies in the world, and conservative estimates put the number of people murdered by them at well over one million people. While they regularly torture and intimidate Iranian citizens for committing minor crimes, Iranian Christians are more at risk of being recipients of their brutal practices than any other group.

Chapter 5: Titus and the Iranian Christians

Titus was brought to faith in Christ after living with a group of Iranian Christians for three months following the discovery of his covert operation by the Iranian secret police. Although Javad, Darya, Mansoor, and Rahim are fictional Iranian Christians, their stories are shared by millions of persecuted Christians around the world. These are stories of torture, beheadings, stonings, imprisonment, and lesser forms of punishment meted out to them simply for naming the name of Christ. Yet, these believers continue to lift high the name of Jesus, to witness of the faithfulness of Christ and to go to their deaths praising God for the opportunity to do so.

Chapter 4: Titus Is Drawn To Strong Men

Titus had a difficult time relating to his father when he was growing up. This stemmed from his father's alcoholism and his reticence about his experiences in the Viet Nam War. Thus, it should come as no surprise to anyone, that whenever Titus encounters a strong man, one who is full of self-confidence and is approachable, Titus is immediately drawn to him. Roman Hudson was such a man, and because of their relationship, he became enamored with both guns and the intelligence game. Once Titus became a covert operative, he continued to admire such men, but he rarely considered himself an equal with them.

Chapter 3: Are Looks Important For A CIA Offic

In this excerpt from Chapter 3, the main character in One Night in Tehran, Titus Ray, sounds as if he might be a bit vain about his looks. That's only because he is. The CIA tries to recruit people who are outstanding in every way, except for their physical characteristics. A person shouldn't be too short or too tall--that would make them more noticeable, especially in an overseas environment, where they are already apt to be remembered because they are foreigners. Neither should a recruit be too beautiful or too ugly, because that too would make them stand out in a crowd. The goal of a CIA recruiter is to find men and women who, while being trustworthy, intelligent and physically strong, look very ordinary and forgettable. Titus Ray qualified because he had a face that "blended."

Chapter 2: Are CIA Safe Houses For Real?

A CIA safe house is nothing new to Titus Ray. He's been housed, briefed and debriefed in them throughout the Middle East and the Washington D.C. area for the past twenty years. The Gray, the CIA safe house in One Night in Tehran, is located in a gated residential area, but, most likely, the residents of this posh neighborhood have no idea the mansion down the road belongs to the US government. How can you tell if your neighbor is a member of America's clandestine agency? Here are a couple of things to ask: Do they entertain a lot of "faceless" people? Do they ever invite you over for dinner?

Chapter 1: Introducing Titus

Titus Alan Ray, a Level 1 CIA intelligence officer, has been with the Agency for twenty years, having joined shortly after his graduation from the University of Michigan with a degree in International Studies and Languages. His career, however, began in Latin America, specifically Mexico, where his arrogance and hot temper almost got him dismissed from the Agency. Fortunately, Titus redeemed himself with the Agency when, during the beginning of the Iraq war, they pulled in all intelligence officers who had scored high in language aptitude and began training them in Middle Eastern languages, including Arabic, Farsi and Hebrew. After quickly achieving fluency, he became a Middle Eastern operative, under the direction of Operations Officer, Douglas Carlton.

Prologue to One Night in Tehran

One Night in Tehran features Titus Ray, a veteran CIA operative, who's been a Level 1 clandestine officer--the Agency's highest status--for many years. However, after he's brought to faith in Christ by a group of Iranian Christians, he begins one of the most amazing adventures of his lifetime. Titus believes he's safe after evading the Iranian secret police in Tehran. However, a week after he returns to the States, he learns he's being stalked by a Hezbollah assassin sent by the Iranians.Now, in the midst of a personal career crisis, he must decide whether the Iranian couple he meets in Oklahoma is tied to the assassin who's after him. Later, when he finds himself involved in a murder and meets the beautiful detective who comes to investigate it, things really get complicated.

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