COEUR d'ALENE - It's been seven years since Frank Peretti went on a road trip.

Then, it was to promote the book "House," that he wrote with Ted Dekker.

It was a journey of long days, many miles and not much sleep that took him around the country, but one that's necessary and part of the publishing world.

Well, he's back.

The Silver Valley resident and best-selling author is out there again.

He's been in Charlotte, N.C., Orlando, Fla., Baltimore, Dallas, Colorado Springs and Knoxville, Tenn.

The month-long tour has him criss-crossing the country, chatting with fans, signing books, and leaving behind a loyal legion of followers of his books.

Saturday, Peretti will be back in his home territory when he stops at Hastings in Coeur d'Alene and highlights his newest book, "Illusion."

While he enjoys the banter with readers, this trip hasn't been the easiest of experiences

"It's been kind of jarring in a way," he said.

A lot, Peretti said in a phone interview, has changed in the publishing world in seven years. People's tastes are different.

There is a huge market for anything zombie. There seems no end to the thirst for more vampires.

And all everyone is talking about these days is "The Hunger Games."

"I'm going to read those books," Peretti said from his room in Seattle.

But first, there's that tour to wrap up.

And it's the not the same game anymore.

"In the old days, which were not so long ago, we did more of our PR in the press, on TV and radio," the 61-year-old said.

Now, he's conducting interviews on Skype. Comments are posted instantly on Facebook and twitter. Everything and anything is repeated quickly and often, at hyper speeds. It's not magic.

"It's a whole new ball game," Peretti said.

One thing that hasn't changed: A great story by a great author equals great sales.

"Illusion" landed on the New York Times best-seller list this month.

"I'm happy about that," Peretti said. "I thought it was good and it seems it is."

About Peretti

He was born in Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada. Growing up in Seattle, he loved telling stories, drawing comics and using his mom's portable typewriter.

He was often bullied in school, which later led him to write "The Wounded Spirit."

After graduating from high school, he played the banjo with a bluegrass band, then worked as a musician and odd-job man for a small recording studio.

He and his wife, Barbara, were married in 1972. He studied English, screen writing and film at UCLA before spending five years helping his father pastor a small Assembly of God church in the Seattle area.

It was when he wrote a book of good versus evil, of the battle between light and dark, of the war between angels and demons, his career took off.

Now, according to his website, here's the rest of the story:

"During those five years he labored at night, on weekends, any chance he got, to write his first novel, "This Present Darkness," the book that would catapult him into the public eye - eventually. Numerous publishers rejected the novel and Frank gave up his pastoring position to work in construction and odd jobs to make ends meet. Even after Crossway Books published "This Present Darkness" in 1986, the novel sat on store shelves largely unnoticed.

Two years later, Frank was working at a local ski factory when word-of-mouth enthusiasm finally lifted "This Present Darkness" onto a tidal wave of interest in spiritual warfare. The book appeared on Bookstore Journal's best-seller list every month for more than eight years.

He followed "This Present Darkness" with "Piercing the Darkness." Together, they sold more than 3.5 million copies.

Other books include "The Oath," "The Prophet" and "Monster." He also wrote "The Cooper Kids Adventure Series," with sales topping a million copies.

In all, Peretti has written 19 books.

He still plays the banjo and is learning the guitar. He is part of the worship team at church, and is a licensed pilot, and loves spending time outdoors with Barbara.

About "Illusion"

While Peretti's books are often of the supernatural theme, "Illusion" is framed around magic, more along the science-fiction line.

"It's a weird situation," Peretti said, chuckling.

Briefly, here is a summary:

"Magicians Dane and Mandy Collins are about to retire when a car accident claims Mandy's life. A grieving Dane goes to see a new magic act - and is shocked to find a 19-year-old version of his Mandy. When the two reunite, can they uncover the conspiracy behind their meeting, Mandy's supernatural magic, and who's following them?"

Peretti, a Christian, likes this one because it allows him to take a new direction with the usual element of mystery.

There's a "time reversion" as Dane finds his wife again, this time a younger version. His feelings haven't changed. He misses and loves his wife.

In one way, Mandy stays in the present, but her physical body "rewinds." She and Dane find each other again, but their ages are 40 years apart. They are separated by time, but still connected.

The typical love story is one of two people who haven't met yet. That's not the case here.

"It's a different kind of love story," he said.

"This is a story about two people who have already been in love, already married 40 years," he said.

Pulled apart in a mysterious manner, they have to fall in love all over again.

"There is a haunting love between them," he said.

About marriage

"Illusion" is dedicated to his wife, Barbara, and their 40 years of marriage.

"That's where all this emotion comes from," he said.

Peretti called it an "exploration" of the kind of people who commit their lives to their spouses and stay together through the ups and down.

"This book is a wonderful adventure. It's always a wonderful love story a really nice portrait of love and marriage," he said.

Such love isn't easy to find or keep.

Relationships change as the years pass. People don't always feel the same. They look elsewhere for satisfaction or happiness. Homes break up. Husbands and wives move in different directions.

The Perettis have held strong because they founded their marriage on God.

"We let the Lord God and our savior Jesus Christ be the center of our marriage," he said. "That's where love really comes from. Keep the love alive, keep the source of love in your midst."

Each person in a marriage must be humble, teachable, forgiving, accepting, willing to change, willing to bend, "willing to be a better person than you were yesterday," Peretti said.

"You can't ask for a better environment for growth and maturity than the marriage relationship," he said. "That's why God made it."