Christian Science Fiction and Fantasy

A Christmas sci-fi short story

2011-12-24T09:20:00.000-08:00

Christmas sci-fi anyone? Click here to read my short story published at Digital Dragon magazine. Find out what happens when a monster meets a little girl over Christmas break.

New Christian fantasy artist Caleb Havertape

2011-10-22T14:14:00.000-07:00

I had the privilege of meeting Caleb Havertape at a convention in Central California. His booth had a breath taking array of art work, and I think all fantasy art aficionados should be aware of his excellent work. From epic biblical scenes to mythological fantasy, Havertape's style is fresh and authentic.

This is the kind of artist I'd love to have do my next book cover. Or maybe just buy an extra large print and put it on my living room wall. (I actually tried this...my wife is "Considering it..."

To view more of Caleb Havertape's art work, visit him at Scarletthreads.com

Enjoy!

Wisdom for Christian artists from Brian Godawa

2011-08-31T09:14:00.000-07:00

In this short interview conducted as part of the Kings College Distinguished Visitor Series, there is a real treat for artists of every stripe. Wise advice and insight into what it takes to be a serious Christian artist. Give this short 6 minute clip a watch and see for yourself.

Brian Gadawa is an author, Hollywood screenwriter and director. He wrote the screenplay for To End All Wars and is the author of two books Hollywood Worldviews and Word Pictures. He also directed the short horror film Cruel Logic.

I am currently reading his book, "Word Pictures," so look for a forthcoming review of that.

Residential Aliens, an online magazine with a speculative bent

2011-08-22T21:49:00.000-07:00

Residential Aliens, also known as ResAliens, is an ezine specializing in a broad range of spiritually infused speculative fiction. The ezine is headed up by Lyn Perry. I've had the privledge of being published by this ezine (my short story can be found HERE).

Not only does Resaliens put out a continual stream of sci-fi and fantasy short stories on their ezine, but they also have anthologies for purchase (pictured to the left is While the Morning Stars Sing). I happen to think that's a really nice cover.

There are a great deal of speculative fiction magazines and ezines, but there are a relative few that are friendly to a Christian worldview. ResAliens is one of these.

As Editor Lyn Perry explains:

I also embrace literature from a spiritual perspective. Combining spec fic and spirituality, and wanting to contribute to faith-informed genre fiction, ResAliens Press offers fans of science fiction, fantasy, and spiritual & supernatural thriller a quality venue in which to share their passion.

My hope is that both online and in print you will find engaging fiction that is truthful to the human experience yet touches on things eternal.

If you haven't already, please check out some of the stories at ResAliens. And stop by some of these other excellent blogs talking about this excellent ezine.

Noah Arsenault
Brandon Barr
Thomas Clayton Booher
Grace Bridges
Beckie Burnham
Jeff Chapman
CSFF Blog Tour
Carol Bruce Collett
D. G. D. Davidson
Dean Hardy
Katie Hart
Ryan Heart
Bruce Hennigan
Jason Joyner
Carol Keen
Shannon McDermott
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Lyn Perry
Sarah Sawyer
Jessica Thomas
Steve Trower
Fred Warren
Phyllis Wheeler

Interview with Steve Rzasa, sci-fi author

2011-04-05T08:23:00.000-07:00

And now for an interview with Steve Rzasa, author of The Word Reclaimed and The Word Unleashed.

Brandon: What is it that draws you the specific sci-fi sub-category of space opera?

Steve: My parents like to tell me about the time they took me to see Star Wars at the drive-in theater -- when I was about 1. So I figure that youthful overexposure to space opera has permanently etched the subgenre onto my DNA.

Seriously, though, I’ve long been drawn both to Star Wars, Star Trek and pretty much anything involving space exploration. I think it’s because space really is such a deep, mysterious, foreboding place, the depths of which no one has truly searched. It is the last frontier -- often portrayed as wide open and lawless. It’s the perfect place to have an adventure and, as a writer, make up the “rules of the game,” so to speak.

Plus, I really like cool spaceships. Did I mention that?

Brandon: What is "The Face of the Deep" world like?

Steve: The Face of the Deep series (two books, and two short stories that are available at my website, www.steverzasa.com) takes place in a galaxy ruled by the Realm of Five. It is a political alliance of five major worlds (Earth being foremost) with their own cultures, languages and governments. All of the Five answer to the King of the Realm and his Congress of Worlds. The royal secret police keep order in the galaxy, but their obsession is the eradication of any religion that claims itself to be the true path. There is also a group of people -- the Expatriates -- who do not have the social and political might of the Realm worlds, but do have a corner on interstellar shipping. They move the goods. The Martians -- people who once lived on Mars and are now adapted to life on low-gravity worlds -- provide a constant source of raids and terrorism.

Brandon: You have two books in this world, will it end with a third, or will there be more?

Steve: I have finished a third novel that takes place a couple of years after The Word Unleashed (Book 2) and shows how the Realm has changed following events in the first two books. It is tentatively slated for publication by Marcher Lord Press in October 2011. I always hope there will be more -- but that’s up to my publisher to decide!

Brandon: For future projects, do you plan on writing more space opera?

Steve: I do plan on writing more space opera, but there are also some odd ideas rolling around inside my head. I may try a different genre.

Brandon: I'm curious about your writing schedule . . . how often do you write? And for how many hours?

Steve: I write whenever I can find time. Usually that means in the evening after the kids have gone to bed, or at work on my lunch break. Wednesday late mornings are also a good time, because of my schedule. I’d say I’m lucky if I get in a hour of writing a day; some days (on the weekend) I can squeeze in more.

Brandon: What is the most challenging aspect of novel writing for you?

Steve: Coming up with realistic characters and keeping their behavior consistent is by far my greatest challenge. That, and trying to keep the sheer number of characters down! I tend to put in lots.

Brandon: What are your favorite novels?

Steve: Well, definitely works by my fellow Marcher Lord Press authors -- especially Eternity Falls and The Tenth Crusader, both by Kirk Outerbridge. I also enjoy (in no particular order): On Basilisk Station by David Weber; Lt. Leary, Commanding, by David Drake; Dune by Frank Herbert; Merchanter’s Luck by C.J. Cherryh; The Lamb Among the Stars series by Chris Walley; and the Firebird Trilogy by Kathy Tyers.

Steve Rzasa, Christian sci-fi author

2011-03-28T09:29:00.000-07:00

I'm excited to introduce Steve Rzasa, author of two space opera's set in the far future. I had the privilege of interviewing Steve, and in a few days, I'll post it up! But first, a little about Steve's books.

Both novels were published by Marcher Lord Press (the premier Christian publisher of speculative fiction). Book one is The Word Reclaimed, and book two in the series is The Word Unleashed.

Here's the summary for The Word Reclaimed from Amazon:

Baden picked up the wrong book In the far future, the civilized worlds have finally been freed of the curse of religion. Tolerance now rules the five colonies. Thanks to the secret police, no one has been bothered by so much as a hymn in two generations-much less a Torah, Koran, or that most dangerous of books, a Bible. Baden is a young man with an attitude. He spends his spare time salvaging wrecks in deep space, claiming for himself whatever the pirates leave behind. One day, Baden finds a book. A strange and very old book, preserved carefully against the ravages of deep space. Thinking he'll become rich if only for the value of the paper, he takes it. He counts himself lucky beyond all imagining. Until it begins talking to him. Amidst an interstellar war that threatens to overthrow the monarchy and drive great families to oblivion, Baden must evade the secret police and their attempts to get that book. Baden never had much use for religion. But it seems one has use of him.

Alright, check back later for my interview with Steve!

The Resurrection, a novel

2011-03-21T09:02:00.000-07:00

The Resurrection, published by Realms, a division of Charisma House, is Mike Duran's debut novel.

Mike Duran is the author behind Decompose, one of the most thoughtful writing blogs on the net. He's a Christian--an ordained minister to be exact. And now, he's officially a novelist. Every time I find a spare moment to spend at his blog, it's like reading a more mature, synthesized reflection of my own views and thoughts. He blogs mostly on writing but also delves into culture, theology and apologetics. Right up my alley! I guess you could say we'd get along if we hung out.

And we did hang out once, briefly, at a writers group where I found out he lives only twenty minutes away from me.

So what's The Resurrection about? Due to the severe lack of time I have to read these days, I haven't gotten my hands on this book (which I believe is completely my loss), so I can only tell you the back cover blurb. And here it is:

When Ruby Case, an unassuming crippled woman, inexplicably raises a boy from the dead, she creates uproar in the quiet coastal town of Stonetree. Some brand her a witch, others a miracle worker. Yet Reverend Ian Clark could care less. Dogged by demons and immersed in self-pity, Clark is being unwittingly drawn into a secret religious order--one that threatens his very life. But he's about to get a wake-up call.

Together, Ruby and Reverend Clark are thrust into a search for answers... and a collision with unspeakable darkness. For behind the quaint tourist shops and artist colonies lies a history of deceit. And a presence more malignant than anything they can imagine. Yet a battle is brewing, the resurrection is the first volley, and the unlikely duo are the only ones who can save them. But can they overcome their own brokenness in time to stop the evil, or will they be its next victim?

For a more thorough review of this book, check out some of these excellent blogs featuring Mike Duran's book.

Noah Arsenault
Brandon Barr
Red Bissell
Book Reviews By Molly
Keanan Brand
Kathy Brasby
Grace Bridges
Beckie Burnham
Melissa Carswell
Jeff Chapman
Christian Fiction Book Reviews
Carol Bruce Collett
Valerie Comer
Karri Compton
Wanda Costinak
Amy Cruson
CSFF Blog Tour
Janey DeMeo
Cynthia Dyer
Tori Greene
Nikole Hahn
Katie Hart
Joleen Howell
Bruce Hennigan
Becky Jesse
Cris Jesse
Jason Joyner
Carol Keen
Emily LaVigne
Shannon McNear
Matt Mikalatos
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Mirtika
Joan Nienhuis
Nissa
John W. Otte
Gavin Patchett
Sarah Sawyer
Andrea Schultz
Tammy Shelnut
Kathleen Smith
Donna Swanson
Jessica Thomas
Steve Trower
Fred Warren
Dona Watson
Phyllis Wheeler
Nicole White
Dave Wilson

We are intelligently designed--watch the trailer video

2011-02-22T21:45:00.000-08:00

If you're not familiar with some of the top scientists who aren't afraid to challenge the Darwinian explanation of origins, then you should definitely pick up these videos. I've listened to many of the scientists and philosophers featured in these videos. I only hope we continue to encourage our young men and women to go into these fields of study so that science can be free to follow truth, no matter where it leads. Check out the trailer for a peek...

Ray Gun Revival magazine relaunches!

2011-02-13T08:51:00.000-08:00

Check out this fun trailer for Ray Gun Revival, one of the best online sci-fi magazine's in existence! This trailer is two and half minutes long, and really cool!

Brandon's novel nominated for Award

2011-02-08T08:51:00.000-08:00

Brandon Barr's novel, American Midnight, has been nominated for the Christian Small Publisher's Book of the Year Award.

It's a reader generated award, so if you've read and enjoyed American Midnight, please consider voting! To place a vote, simply click HERE

It's been very satisfying hearing the feedback from readers, and whether I win the award or not, I'm encouraged to continue my writing journey. Thank you, readers!

New author Ian Curtis, Part Two

2011-02-03T07:12:00.000-08:00

This is the second part on our feature of new author Ian Curtis whose novel, The Canticles of Andurun: Dragonsong, is the first book in a planned seven book series.

Last post we heard from the author, this time, you have a chance to read the first chapter of Dragonsong.

Simply go to his book blog HERE to check it out!

Featuring new author Ian Curtis

2011-01-30T08:41:00.000-08:00

This week we are featuring author Ian Curtis whose novel, The Canticles of Andurun: Dragonsong, is the first book in a planned seven book series. Ian's blog can be found here.

PART ONE we will hear from Ian about his book, and a little about its formation
PART TWO we'll feature a snippet from the first chapter of his new book

And now for PART ONE, here's Ian's story:

After eight months of correspondence with Strategic Publishing, the Canticles of Andurun Book One: Dragonsong, has finally seen the light of day as of December 28th, 2010. Dragonsong is the first book in a seven book series that tells the tale of a mythical realm named Andurun; and more precisely a continent on this realm known as Kallendaros. In this story the Race of Humans have been brought into subjection by the Dragons. They are fierce and brilliant creatures that were awakened out of the earth by God to punish Humanity for their willful rejection of Him and their constant striving after other gods. For two hundred years, following the fall of their formerly glorious kingdom, Humanity has groaned beneath the burden of the Dragons’ tyranny.

Yet God (in my story He is called the One, or One God) does not leave them without a thread of hope. Ancient prophets foretold of a warrior-king who would be born in the north, and would hail from a mundane lineage. He would come to trample the Dragons beneath his heels and set up a kingdom that would endure until the time of He Whose Right It Is would arrive. This young northern man would be the ancestor of the Messiah, and would be a deliverer of his people. The story involves a clash between two factions of men: those who have capitulated to the will of the Dragons, and those who ardently resist with the hopes that they can be delivered from their oppressive yoke. The main character, Justias Eventine, falls into the latter portion, yet for selfish and childish reasons. When events occur that grant him his chance to escape the fate of subjection, he finds that he must choose between his own will and desires, or following God’s will. The story is ultimately a clash not only between good and evil men, but a more cosmic struggle between our omnipotent God and our adversary, the Devil (known in my books as Azmodal). Book one is part of a trilogy that takes the reader through the trials and tribulations of Justias Eventine as he learns what faith and obedience truly entail. There are villains aplenty and twists and turns galore, with mighty battles and (what I hope) contemplative theology sprinkled throughout. But try not to read too deeply into Andurun. Though I have written this series to God’s glory so that believers might find some edification and enjoyment, and unbelievers might find a well-told tale with thoughts to ponder, this is not a theological treatise. Nor was it meant to be.

Andurun has been a writing habit of mine for about ten years now, and before I began to work on Dragonsong I was involved in making notes about lands, peoples, languages, monsters (this is a mythical realm!) and so much more. Hundreds of pages were devoted to laying down a foundation to this work before I began writing one page, and much has changed since its inception; since I was not a spiritual Christian when I began writing this novel. I was very much living for self, and the story was merely an attempt to gratify my desire to write good fiction. Now I am in fellowship with my God again, I wish that this novel would glorify Christ my Lord.

It has been a long eight months of interchange with Strategic. I have learned much about what it takes to publish and promote a book; it has been a surprise around every turn, to say the least! My wife has done the cover art for it, edited the book (demonstrating very much patience, mostly by bearing with me!), and always listened to my ideas about writing, offering input or just being there to hear me out. She has been a wonderful contributor to this labor of love.

The Canticles of Andurun is available at Amazon, and you may find it if you click the link to my Author Page on Strategic Publishing’s website. It is also be available at Barnes and Noble.com. And for anyone who likes fantasy, and enjoys my book, I now have a Facebook page up and running by the same name as the series. But you will have to bear with me; I am new to Facebook, and I’m still learning how it essentially functions. When there is anything to know about my writing, I will post it there, since I do not wish to saturate my Blog with too much regarding my fictional work.

May God bless this novel, and may it bring Him glory; and to you, my friends and readers, may you be edified and may you simply enjoy Andurun. It has been a long time coming, and God be praised that the day has arrived.

If you are a reader, and have feedback for me concerning my book, feel free to post it on my Facebook account. Good or bad, praise or criticism, I welcome the chance to grow both as an author and as a Christian. I look forward to publishing the next six volumes of Andurun (I am currently writing book five; yes, books two through four are finished). Keep us in your prayers, Ian and Gillian.

Brandon's new novel, After the Cross, sneak peek 3

2011-01-05T06:12:00.000-08:00

If you want a copy early, you can get HERE at the publisher's website. Or you can wait until March when it's officially released! Here's another small portion of the novel:

--

135 A.D., Jerusalem

Tendrils of smoke wafted up into the crisp autumn sky. A faint glow of orange hung over the defeated city as the morning’s first light crested the jagged hills in the distance.

General Sextus Julius Severus stood on a slight rise and basked in his moment of triumph. Not since his campaigns in Britannia had he felt the euphoria of victory against so formidable an enemy. After three years of fighting against Simon bar Kokhba and his rebellious hoard, the fiery death of Jerusalem stood as a testament of Roman will against those who dared to stand up to the most powerful army in the world.

He drew in a long, satisfying breath, and took in the heavy smell of smoke, embracing it like a burnt offering to the gods.

“I thought I might find you here,” a voice said from behind.

Severus pulled out his sword and spun around, pointing it behind him. For a moment, both men stood toe-to-toe, neither one moving. When he recognized Governor Tineius Rufus, he lowered his guard. “If you were standing a step closer, I might have killed you.” He re-sheathed his sword. “You never come up to a soldier like that from behind.”

Governor Rufus stared at Severus, anger painting his face.

Severus immediately wanted to take back his words. Few men, even those who had risen to the rank of general, had addressed the Judean governor in such a dismissive fashion and lived to tell about it. However, thought Severus, if he had any brains, he might treat the incident as a necessary reminder, albeit, an unintentional one. In a treacherous backwater place like this, danger stalked men everywhere, and one could never afford the luxury of becoming too comfortable. Severus knew a few soldiers who had, men who had been given an honorable funeral not long after.

Rufus was a tall man with striking features, who made it a point to accentuate his physical prowess in the presence of others. He pulled back his purple robe, slipping it over his arm in a way that reinforced his status.

“One should mind one’s tone when addressing the highest official in the country, personally picked by Emperor Hadrian himself.”

The words grated in Severus’ ears. Another political appointee enamored with the smell of his own breath. It galled him that any one of the centurions under his command knew more about administering a province than the man before him. But Rufus was right about one thing. Emperor Hadrian had handpicked him, with the specific expectation he maintain order in a country that knew nothing but rebellion. If it weren’t for the legions at his disposal, the sharpened edge of an assassin’s blade would have ended Rufus’ political ambitions long before this glorious day.

“My humble apologies most esteemed Governor. It will never happen again.”

--

That's it for now!

After the Cross, sneak peek part 2

2011-01-02T14:06:00.000-08:00

Here's another snippet from my newest novel, After the Cross, which is available for a limited time from today unitl January 7 at the publishers website, HERE. The novel will officially release in March.

--

May 25th, Castle Bilhorod on the Black Sea, Ukraine

“Everything is set then?” Victor Petrichenko asked.

Zarco placed the phone on its cradle and reclined into the cool leather chair. Victor’s villa overlooking the Black Sea was pompously decorated, in his estimation, though the reds and golds were too overwhelming. Obviously baroque, but poorly overdone. For Zarco, it screamed of power without a proper understanding of how to use it. The more he got to know the president’s son, the more he realized he didn’t possess the sophistication or share the political competence of his father, at least not yet.

“Yes. It’s taken care of,” said Zarco warmly. “Dr. Lewis will convene a panel of experts to comb the document. Rest assured, if there’s a cross to be found, we will find it. Meanwhile, we must keep this under wraps.”

Petrichenko rolled his knuckles rhythmically on the marble desktop. “News travels, Vladimir. Keeping this quiet shouldn’t be our concern. It’s time that I’m worried about. My wife grows worse by the day.”

And you grow more desperate and foolish, thought Zarco. “You haven’t told her anything, have you?”

The sound of knuckles rolling on marble stopped. “Do you wish to make the conversations between my wife and me your business?”

“You should not get her hopes up, that’s all.”

“Hope? Hope is all she has keeping her alive. And don’t pretend to pass off such a comment as caring about her ever again. I know your only concern is the election and how the arrangements we’ve made will benefit you. But let me tell you something—when I am president, you had better show a little more faith in me, or those arrangements won’t mean a thing. If I put trust in my wife, so should you. You need not fear her telling someone about your map to the Cross.”

“It’s not a map, it’s a letter!” growled Zarco.

Petrichenko fell quiet for some time, and then the rhythmic tapping began again. “Vladimir, let me remind you that with a single phone call I could ruin your arms business, not to mention the other illegal enterprises you’re engaged in. However, I see the value of maintaining these sources of revenue, and want them to continue, but the cost is your cooperation. As I’ve made clear before, do not worry about the election, worry about getting the Cross. Finding it in time is crucial. Make that known to your experts.”

Zarco swallowed his pride, a bitter pill going down. One day, he promised himself, he would never do it again. “Yes, of course.”

--

And that's where I'm cutting it off. Check back later for sneak peek part 3. And you can order the pre-release of the novel HERE at the publishers website.

Sneak Peek at After the Cross part 1

2010-12-30T19:25:00.000-08:00

Since my my publisher, Ellechor, is having a special pre-release sale of my new novel, I'll be doing a few previews of the book.

Here is a scene between archeologist Amelia Lewis, and Bayrum Anil, a museum curator in Istanbul, Turkey...

After a quick run through open grass, [Amelia] bounded up the steps of the Enameled Kiosk’s marble porch. Near the end of the silent corridor, [she] found the museum’s curator, Bayram Anil, hunched over an encasement filled with Seljuk and Ottoman chinaware.

“Bayram.”

The old man spun, a look of horror splayed across his face. “Confound it!” he huffed. “Don’t do that that to an old man.”

Amelia couldn’t keep herself from smiling. “I’m sorry, really I am, but something incredible has fallen into my lap and it can’t wait.”

Dr. Anil lifted his cane and pointed it at her. “Amelia, you’d make a bullish Turkish woman,” he scowled, but his charade quickly fell apart. A warm smile sent friendly wrinkles racing to the corners of his eyes. “It’s good to see you. Where have you been these past two months? I’ve missed our little talks.”

“I am sorry, but I’ve been keeping myself quite busy at the library. We just found something incredible, and I need your help to bring it to light.”

He adjusted his glasses. “What kind of help do you need?”

She glanced at her watch—9:08 a.m.—then took a deep breath. “We’ve uncovered an eight hundred year-old manuscript. It’s a letter purportedly to have been written by one of Saladin’s advisors, Imad ad-din al-Ishfani, and later transcribed by a Christian monk. But more importantly, it indicates that Jesus' Cross was not destroyed after the Battle of Hattin in 1187, but safely hidden away.”

Bayram removed his glasses, as if needing to rid himself of the barrier. “You’re serious? If you’re joking with me—”

“I’m dead serious, Bayram, and judging by the style of Latin used and the age of the parchment, it appears genuine.”

He mulled over her answer, gravity seeping into his half-smile. “What do you plan to do with it?”

“I want to gather a team of experts together to look over the manuscript and do a proper job of authenticating the letter. If this is real, it might be possible to pinpoint most, if not all the actual geographical locations described in the letter. Can you imagine…we’re talking about the most incredible archeological find in history: the Cross of Christ.”

The smile disappeared from his lips. “Where do I come in?”

“We need a facility,” began Amelia, tentatively, “and equipment to do our research. The museum has both of these…if we could use one of your examination rooms perhaps…”

Bayram rubbed his hand over his face. Her question seemed to age the man ten years. She glanced at her watch. Four minutes until she had to make the call to Zarco.

“Amelia, I—” he began, then faltered. “Do you realize what you’re asking? This is Turkey. We are a Muslim country. If it gets out that our museum is facilitating a hunt for the Cross of Christ, there’s no telling what the public outcry might be. There are men in this very city who wouldn’t hesitate to resort to violence.”

Amelia accepted his warning with a nod. As a cautious man by nature, he was right about pointing out the dangers of pursuing such a find, but with such a prize within reach, she would never forgive herself if she didn’t try and make a go of it. “I promise this would all be kept quiet. No one outside of me, you, and a handful of other experts need know anything.”

“No, you don’t understand! You’re playing with fire here.” Bayram glared at her, as if she’d suggested something treacherous. “Conducting research on a Christian artifact of this importance in this country goes beyond controversial—I’m not talking about loosing your privilege to carry out archeological excavations here, I’m talking about you getting yourself killed.”

The strength of his reaction caught her off guard. “I’m willing to take that risk, Bayram.”

His concerned expression turned hard. “And your team? Are they willing?”

“They know the stakes.”

Alright, that's where I'm cutting it off. Check back in a few days for the next installment :)

Special Pre-release sale of Brandon Barr's new novel!!!

2010-12-29T10:45:00.000-08:00

Yes, you heard right! My new novel, After the Cross, released by Ellechor Publishing House will be available today thru January 7. If you want to get your hands on an advanced copy, this is your chance! I'm very proud of this new novel, and am certain it will make for a fun read :)

(Read the back of the book here)

The official release date is March 2011, but if you don't want to wait, act now by clicking HERE to get your copy early.

During this release, I'll be posting teasers from the novel up until January 7. So look back here for a few sneak peaks of the story :)

Brandon's latest short story published

2010-12-09T10:17:00.000-08:00

I published my first childrens short story. It's really short, and hopefully fun :)

The story is titled, The Fairy Princess and the Troll. You can find it HERE, at Stories that Lift.

Enjoy!

Sneak peek at Brandon's new novel

2010-11-14T15:15:00.000-08:00

Early next year, my new novel, After the Cross will be released by Ellechor Publishing. I'm very excited about this new book because it's a completely new endeavor into the world of adventure, suspense, and archeology.

The artist who did the cover is Glenn Kim, the same man behind When the Sky Fell.

Here's what the book is about from the back cover:

Colton Foster, once hailed as a renowned expert in Latin, Hebrew and Greek, had his reputation destroyed when a shadowy antiquities dealer outwits him with master forgeries from Solomon’s Temple. Years later, his career and self-respect still in pieces, a team discovers an 800-year old letter in Istanbul and his life takes a pivotal turn. The job of translating the letter, purportedly revealing the hidden cross of Jesus, is his for the taking, and with it a chance to redeem himself.

Mallory Windom is smart, beautiful, and skilled at getting what she wants. A linguistic prodigy with a dark history, she trusts no one, an important skill in the black market antiquities trade where she regularly sells her expert talents to the highest bidder. When she’s asked to join the same research team as Colton, she eagerly accepts, seeing it as a ticket to the legitimacy she craves.

As Colton and Mallory hunt for Christianity’s most prized relic, mysterious forces seem bent on stopping them at every turn. In a race against time and hired mercenaries, Colton and Mallory’s search leads them to an ancient town in Israel. They soon discover that the most important struggle of their lives is not around them, but from within, testing their beliefs, their ethics, and their growing love for one another.

Long break

2010-10-23T21:24:00.000-07:00

I'm back friends!

I took a bit of a blogging break (sorry about that), but I needed to spend the time reading and writing. Much of my focus during this break was on the defense of the Christian faith (apologetics), and on developing a holistic (unified) Christian worldview. If you are not familiar with either the term apologetics, or do not understand what the term "Christian worldview" means, I strongly urge you to open up time to familiarize yourself with them. Your faith will grow deeper, your witness will become bolder, and you will understand God's design for the world, and our role as Christians in it.

First, I want to recommend the book "Love Your God with All Your Mind" by philosopher J.P. Moreland. It will light a fire under the average Christian, provoking him to be intentional about their time, study, and goals, submitting all things to Christ. As the back cover states: "He challenges us to develop a Christian mind and to use our intellect to further God's kingodm through evangelism, apologetics, worship, and vocation."

Secondly, I want to recommend a list of intelligent Christian men and women. These are Christians who are making a difference by using their minds (or did so in the past). Sadly, most Christians we see represented in the media are more "stimulating personalities" than intelligent Christian thinkers. Of course, we can't expect a secular media to put Christianity's best foot forward. Here is a LIST compiled at one of my FAVORITE sites http://apologetics315.blogspot.com/
The names on this list which have influenced me most are William Lance Craig, Ravi Zacharias, Greg Koukl, Douglas Groothuis, Nancy Pearcey, and Stephen Meyers.

All the above names have websites associated with them, and if you like to watch videos, just type in their names in youtube and prepare to learn.

Brandon's short story, MONSTER published

2010-09-09T07:31:00.000-07:00

My short story, "Monster" is out at Digital Dragon Magazine and it's free to read. It's a blend of sci-fi, fantasy, and horror, and it's a modern day parable of sorts...

Check it out if you like HERE.

And for everyone waiting for more Edit Me Thursdays...there will be more....life's just been real busy.

My TWO favorite Christian speculative fiction novels.

2010-08-23T07:34:00.000-07:00

The Christian Science Fiction and Fantasy blog tour has asked it's tour members to name their favorite Christian speculative fiction books. I have two I'd like to mention!

1) My all time favorite is The Year of the Warrior by author Lars Walker
2) Coming in second is the wonderful story Blaggards Moon from author George Bryan Polivka.

To start things off, I'd like to begin with George Bryan Polivka's Blaggards Moon. This is what I like to describe as a pirate fantasy. It is a stand alone book, and at the same time, a prequel to Polivka's Firefish series (which are great reads!)

Blaggard's Moon, is in a class of it's own. Polivka's characters are what drives this often funny, sometimes tragic story. Several story lines from a score of characters weave together, be it ruthless pirate captains, the bumbling pirate crewmen, pirate hunters, greedy shipping managers, or the main story--which is a love story revolving around Jenta, a poor girl whose beauty makes her a prize in the eyes of the wrong people. If you haven't read this book. It is a must read!

Click HERE for my full review of Blaggards Moon! And here's Part 1 and Part 2 of an author interview.

Now to The Year of the Warrior, a mix of heroic fantasy and historic fantasy set in Viking Norway around 1000 A.D. during the spread of Christianity. This is not only my favorite Christian speculative fiction book, it is one of my top five books ever read in any genre (think The Road by Cormac McCarthy, or Of Mice and Men by Steinbeck). This beautifully written novel is an unknown treasure. Lord of the Rings and The Chronicles of Narnia are considered by many Christians to be literary classics. I would emphatically add The Year of the Warrior right beside them. In comparison to the aforementioned classics, TYOTW is bloodier, more humorous, more tragic, more evangelistic, more raw and real. This is one book that could seriously alter a hostile non-believers feelings about Christianity. It isn't preachy. It is honest. And it is also a gripping battle between good and evil, pagan dieties and the Living God. (and it was published by Baen books, a major secular publisher!)

If you want my full review of TYOTW Click HERE! Or check out some of the Amazon reviews on it HERE. And I also interviewed Mr. Walker on my blog a while back, click HERE for that!

Also, The year of the Warrior is out of print, but it is available electronically at Baen books HERE! (Get it! Or fore-go reading an incredible story!!)

Pictured to the left is Walkers newest book, West Oversea. It is a follow up novel to The Year of the Warrior and it is also excellent. For my review of West Oversea click HERE.

If you want to check out other bloggers opinions on favorite speculative fiction books, click on the list below. But be forewarned, if The Year of the Warrior isn't mentioned, it's likely because they haven't read it!! :)

Brandon Barr
Thomas Clayton Booher
Keanan Brand
Grace Bridges
Beckie Burnham
Morgan L. Busse
Jeff Chapman
CSFF Blog Tour
Stacey Dale
D. G. D. Davidson
Jeff Draper
George Duncan
April Erwin
Andrea Graham
Tori Greene
Ryan Heart
Timothy Hicks
Becky Jesse
Jason Joyner
Julie
Carol Keen
Krystine Kercher
Mike Lynch
Rebecca LuElla Miller
New Authors Fellowship
John W. Otte
Donita K. Paul
Chawna Schroeder
James Somers
Speculative Faith
Rachel Starr Thomson
Steve Trower
Jason Waguespac
Fred Warren
Dona Watson
Phyllis Wheeler
KM Wilsher

Fiction editing: edit me Thursday #4

2010-08-12T07:07:00.000-07:00

Welcome to another Edit me Thursday post where I'll be editing a page submitted by...well...anyone! To submit a one-page piece (or less) of your own writing email me at: bjbstories @ yahoo. com (You're identity will be kept anonymous!)

Disclaimer: About my editing style...I chip a lot, I tweak a lot, and I analyze everything to the Nth degree. So as with anybody’s edits, they’re only suggestions, and they reflect my own writing style. I’ve had many occasions where someone suggests an edit that harmed the story rather than helped it. But hopefully the edits below make good sense.

My Goal: To maintain the author's story and the authors voice while improving the story's flow, structure, vocabulary, clarity, action (non-passivity), and general readability.

When you (anyone reading this blog) finish looking over the changes I made to the entry below, let me know what you think? Did the edits help, or was it better off untouched? Or did you really like/dislike one particular edit I made? Let me know (and the author know) in a comment!

1) Draft sent to me
2) My edit
3) Suggestions and explanations
4) Clean draft with Brandon's edits

1) Draft sent to me

Chance heard a creak in the darkness behind him in the direction of the hallway and he immediately set the mainframe detonator. His checklist of sabotage was finally complete. The door behind him crashed open, and Chance jumped onto the table, changing in mid-leap into an ape. With legs made for leaping, he catapulted himself up toward the window ledge above him, and just in time. He felt the air behind him move; felt the near-touch of his would be captors. He turned to see who it was, and his eyes adjusted in the darkness to see – a tiger. His shock nearly undid him, but as the tiger sprang for him, he reacted quickly, slipping out of the window and leaping into the air, again changing – but this time into a bat. He flapped his wings madly for a moment, and then glided away into the dark shadow of the building. Once in a secluded corner, he changed once again, this time into a cheetah. With quick strides he sprinted across the deserted parking lot and down the nearby street. He knew he wouldn’t have much time to sprint in this form. The cheetah was fast, but only for short sprints. He made it through the small town, and transformed into a dog, as he loped into the grassy sand dunes.

Knowing that pursuit could be right behind him, he continued to run until he was splashing in the shallow waves. As his paws left the ground and he paddled into the water, he transformed back into his normal man shape, and stroked as powerfully as he could into the deeper water, diving under the waves, changing into a shark. He swam on as a shark for a while, and then as the water became deeper, and he left all vestiges of waves behind him, he changed again, lengthening and growing into a whale. As he surfaced to take in air, he heard an explosion behind him, almost deafening in this form. The waves of sound traveled through the water with an intensity he hadn’t anticipated.

2) My edit

Chance heard a creak in the darkness behind him ~~in the direction of the hallway~~ and he immediately set the mainframe detonator. ~~His checklist of sabotage was finally complete~~ ("checklist" snatches me out of the scene...it conjures an image of someone actually making a tally on an actual "sabotage list". And that comes across humorously in my mind. If saying something along these lines is really important, then perhaps "His last act of sabotage was complete" but if this sentence can be removed from the story whole, then remove it.). The door behind him crashed open(.)~~, and~~ Chance jumped onto the table, changing in mid-leap into an ape. With powerful legs ~~made for leaping~~(leap was used in last sentence), he catapulted himself up toward the window ledge above him, and ~~just in time.~~("just in time" is telly. Deflates the power of the next sentence) He felt the air behind him move~~; felt~~ with the near-touch of his pursuer ~~would be captors~~. Reaching the ledge, H(h)e turned to see who it was, and his eyes adjusted in the darkness to see – a tiger. ~~His~~ The shock nearly undid him(.)~~, but as t~~ (T)he tiger sprang ~~for him, he reacted quickly,~~ and he dove ~~slipping~~ out of the window ~~and leaping into the air~~, again changing – but this time into a bat. He flapped his wings madly for a moment, and then glided ~~away~~ down into a ~~the~~ darkened crevice ~~shadow of~~ at the foot of the building (the bat needed to be on the ground before the next sentence when he turns into a cheetah--that's why I made the changes to this sentence). Once ~~in a secluded corner, he changed once~~ again Chance altered shape~~, this time into~~("this time into a" was used already) --a cheetah. With quick strides he sprinted across the deserted parking lot and down the nearby street. ~~He knew he~~ There wouldn’t ~~have~~ be much time to sprint in this form. The cheetah was fast, but only for short sprints. He ~~made it through the small~~ came to the edge of town, his thin lungs weezing.(I felt he should be weezing after the mention of a cheetah only running for short sprints...plus it creates tension) ~~and~~ There, he transformed into a dog~~, as he~~ and loped into the ~~grassy~~ sand dunes.(Can you call sand dunes grassy? Having read the next paragraph, these "dunes" are a beach. perhaps simply call it such... "he loped onto the sandy beach.")

~~Knowing that~~ The pursuit ~~could be right behind him~~ was not over, he could feel it. Call it a canine's sixth sense.(The phrase felt too formal and created distance between the character and the reader, the change I made keeps the reader right there with Chance, adds tension, and even exploits Chance's temporary doggy attributes.) ~~, h~~ (H)e continued to run until he was splashing in the shallow waves. As his paws left the ground ~~and he paddled into the water~~, he transformed back into his ~~normal man~~ human shape, and stroked as powerfully ~~as he could into the~~ for deeper water(.)~~, d~~ (D)iving under ~~the~~ a waves, he changed ~~ing~~ into a shark, and with one thunderous thrust of his tail he was in fifty feet of water and he had become a whale.(I felt with the constant morphing, at the end it became too much, so I felt tightening the details between him going from shark to whale was necessary to preserve the tension.) ~~He swam on as a shark for a while, and then as the water became deeper, and he left all until the last vestiges of the waves lay behind him, he changed again, lengthening and growing into a whale~~. As he surfaced to take in air, he heard an explosion behind him, almost deafening in this mammalian form. The waves of sound traveled through the water climaxing with an horrific intensity ~~he hadn’t anticipated~~.
-Oohh, what will happen next! We are all in suspense! :)

3) Suggestions and explanations

Well, as you can see, I explained most things in the orange font within the edit.

-Basically all I did was tighten, and add a few things to draw the reader into the character(the cheetah's weezing, the dog's sixth sense). Sometimes tightening requires a slight restructuring of a sentence. This is good. To look at each sentence and see if it can be improved, tightened, made more active is always fun, because afterwords you're rewarded with a more potent sentence, and ultimately, a more gripping story.

-One further possibility/suggestion for this piece is to cut out some of the morphing going on. That would help prevent the morphing from being repetitive. Which animal(s) to eliminate would be a tough choice in my opinion.

I found this week's selection very engaging. The author has an exciting story on their hands! And by the way everyone, I had a professional editor go through the last novel I finished and do the same thing. It was wonderful to see what she did, and I learned a ton! Much of what you see above here is a result of what she taught me. Alethea Eason is her name, and she's the author of the YA sci-fi novel, Hungry.

4) Clean draft with Brandon's edits

Chance heard a creak in the darkness behind him and immediately set the mainframe detonator. The door behind him crashed open. Chance jumped onto the table, changing mid-leap into an ape. With powerful legs, he catapulted himself toward the window ledge above him, and felt the air behind him move with the near-touch of his pursuer. Reaching the ledge, he turned to see who it was, and his eyes adjusted in the darkness to see – a tiger. The shock nearly undid him. The tiger sprang and he dove out the window, again changing – but this time into a bat. He flapped his wings madly for a moment, and then glided down into a darkened crevice at the foot of the building. Once again Chance altered shape--a cheetah. With quick strides he sprinted across the deserted parking lot and down the nearby street. There wouldn’t be much time to sprint in this form. The cheetah was fast, but only for short sprints. He came to the edge of town, his thin lungs weezing. There, he transformed into a dog and loped into the beach.

The pursuit was not over, he could feel it. Call it a canine's sixth sense. He continued to run until he was splashing in the shallow waves. As his paws left the ground, he transformed back into his human shape, and stroked powerfully for deeper water. Diving under a wave he changed into a shark, and with one thunderous thrust of his tail he was in fifty feet of water and he had become a whale. As he surfaced to take in air, he heard an explosion behind him, almost deafening in this mammalian form. The waves of sound traveled through the water, climaxing with horrific intensity.

A review of West Oversea by Lars Walker

2010-08-09T20:47:00.000-07:00

I was delighted to read West Oversea written by Lars Walker. The book is published by Nordskog Publishing, and I have to say they made an excellent decision signing on this author! West Oversea is the sequel to The Year of the Warrior, and Walker has again written a wonderful tale of adventure, heartache, and vikings.

In this epic journey, Irish priest Father Aillil accompanies viking hero, Erling Skjalgsson on a journey to Greenland, and there are many demons and temptations waiting for them along the way.

One of the many blessings of these books is the fact that Walker stays true to the characters that lived in these time periods. With the Christianization of the viking culture, there is an epic clash between the old pagan ways and the new Christianity that is, now in this second book, completely dominant. Christianity and paganism clash in ugly, real, and thought-provoking ways.

I'm a firm believer in showing the WHOLE picture, and though this books is a historical fantasy, it presents an entertaining and enlightening story that doesn't shy away from the reality of that time period.

Also of note is the way Walker writes. He seems to draw inspiration from the original viking histories that have survived over the centuries. It leaves the reader with a powerful sense of the time period.

Did I mention the writing is beautiful.

When I read The Year of the Warrior, Walker skyrocketed to my top five list of favorite authors, and after reading West Oversea, he remains there.

If you want an amazing sword and sorcery historical fantasy that is a shining example of how a Christian author can write fiction that is both deeply Christian, and yet honest, pick up The Year of the Warrior, and West Oversea. You've got to read them both!

(If one wants to read The Year of the Warrior, it's out of print, but you can buy the ebook for $4 HERE. And West Oversea is available pretty much wherever books are sold. I got mine at Barnes and Noble)

Fiction editing: edit me Thursday #3

2010-08-05T07:29:00.000-07:00

Disclaimer: About my editing style...I chip a lot, I tweak a lot, and I analyze everything to the Nth degree. So as with anybody’s edits, they’re only suggestions, and they reflect my own writing style. I’ve had many occasions where someone suggests an edit that harmed the story rather than helped it. But hopefully the edits below make good sense.

My Goal: To maintain the author's story and the authors voice while improving the story's flow, structure, vocabulary, clarity, action (non-passivity), and general readability.

When you (anyone reading this blog) finish looking over the changes I made to the entry below, let me know what you think? Did the edits help, or was it better off untouched? Or did you really like/dislike one particular edit I made? Let me know (and the author know) in a comment!

1) Draft sent to me
2) My edit
3) Suggestions and explanations
4) Clean draft with Brandon's edits

1) Draft sent to me

Areli spun on his heels, flashlight in hand, to find two middle-aged men standing before him. The one on the left was a tall, lean brute of European descent wearing a dirty trench coat and a long white head of hair, which flowed into an unruly beard. His companion was much shorter and seemed to have some distant Asian roots. He was wearing a tight t-shirt and a pair of jogging pants. It was not the rough look of the two that concerned Areli so much as the long steel rod the tall one carried at his right hip.

“Ow’re ya findin’ yerself in these parts at this hour, mate.” A gruff voice issued from the owner of the metal weapon.

“Just on my way out, friend,” Areli replied calmly.
“Had better choose your words more carefully,” sneered the aggressor’s companion, “Wouldn’t wanna give the wrong impression. Not out here.”

“Thank you. I’ll remember that. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ll just be on my way.”

“Sure, sure. Ri’ after ya hand over yer pack,” were the final words from the tall one.
Areli sighed deeply and assumed the stable base he had so often taken on the mat. The dirty syncrete under him, however, was not nearly so stable, nor as forgiving, as the flooring in which he had grown accustomed. Keeping this in the back of his mind, Areli looked rapidly back and forth at the two figures in the night.

The first move came from the smaller of the two. Issuing forward with lightning speed, he attempted to secure the flashlight Areli held in his right hand. Just barely avoiding the lunging arms, Areli delivered a left elbow to the side of the head of the attacker, who, in turn, dropped heavily to the ground. This only barely gave his accomplice time to strike Areli in the left shoulder blade with his makeshift weapon. Staggering sideways, Areli quickly regrouped and reengaged. Blocking another wild swing of the rod with his flashlight, just as the noble warriors did so many centuries before, he caught the dark figure square in the left side of his rib-cage with a tight left fist, followed by a final blow to the jaw with his light, which placed the fiend next to his companion on the ground. Transferring his flashlight to the left hand so he could hold his throbbing shoulder with the right, Areli quickly made off with newfound energy in the direction of the city wall.

2) My edit

Areli spun ~~on his heels~~, gripping his flashlight ~~in hand,~~(.) ~~to find t~~ (T)wo middle-aged men stood ~~standing~~ before him. ~~The o~~ (O)ne ~~on the left~~ was a tall, lean brute of European descent wearing a dirty trench coat ~~and a long white head of hair, which flowed into an unruly beard~~ (too much description). His companion was ~~much shorter~~ ~~and seemed to have some distant~~ a short Asian ~~roots. He was~~ wearing a tight t-shirt and ~~a pair of~~ jogging pants. It was not the rough look of the two that concerned Areli so much as the long steel rod the tall one carried at his right hip.

“Ow’re ya findin’ yerself in these parts at this hour, mate.(,)” came the A gruff voice ~~issued~~ from the owner of the metal weapon.

“Just on my way out, friend,” Areli replied calmly.
“Had better choose your words more carefully,” sneered the ~~aggressor’s companion~~ short Asian, “Wouldn’t wanna give the wrong impression. Not out here.”

“Thank you. I’ll remember that. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ll just be on my way.”

“Sure, sure.(,)" said the tall one, "Ri’ after ya hand over yer pack,(.)” ~~were the final words from the tall one.~~
Areli sighed deeply and assumed the ~~stable base~~ fighting stance he had so often taken on the mat. The dirty syncrete under him~~, however, was not nearly so~~ wasn't as stable, nor as forgiving, as the flooring ~~in which~~ he ~~had grown~~ was accustomed to. ~~Keeping this~~ He kept this in the back of his mind~~, Areli looked rapidly back and forth at the two figures in the night.~~

         The first move came from the Asian ~~smaller of the two~~. ~~Issuing~~ He sprang forward with lightning speed~~, he attempted to secure~~ snatching at the flashlight ~~Areli held~~ in ~~his~~ Areli's right hand. ~~Just barely avoiding the lunging arms,~~ Areli delivered a left elbow to the ~~side of the his head of the~~ attacker's head(.)~~, who, in turn,~~ The man dropped heavily to the ground. ~~This only barely gave his accomplice time to~~ ~~strike~~ (paragraph break)
         An agonizing pain exploded in Areli's ~~in the~~ left shoulder ~~blade with his makeshift weapon~~. Staggering sideways, he ~~Areli quickly regrouped and reengaged~~ saw the tall brute lift the steel rod for a second strike. ~~Blocking another~~ Areli blocked the wild swing ~~of the rod~~ with his flashlight~~, just as the noble warriors did so many centuries before, he~~ then caught the dark figure square in the ~~left side of his~~ rib-cage with a tight left fist(.)~~, followed by a.~~ The man doubled over and Areli ~~final blow to~~ uppercutted the man's jaw with his light, ~~which~~ placing ~~ed the fiend~~ him next to his companion on the ground. ~~Transferring his flashlight to the left hand so he could hold his throbbing shoulder with the right,~~ (paragraph break)
       Areli grimaced as he touched his shoulder. He had to keep moving. ~~quickly made off w~~(W)ith newfound energy he made off in the direction of the city wall.

3) Suggestions and Explanations

It's a good action scene, it just needed tightening and some weeding out of "distance creating language" or passive voice. Finding dynamic ways to rephrase an action sequence really brings the scene to life.

Also, in action sequences. Break up the action. It becomes passive voice all too easily when trying to string too many actions together. It's all about finding that perfect prose flow.

In an action sequence, one can't be too descriptive, because it slows the reader down and diffuses the sense of urgency necessary to create the right cadence for an action scene.

Also the character receives an injury to his arm. I think its necessary for him to remember his pain (touching it and grimacing) that way it maintains the realism, and doesn't move on as if he had never been injured at all. (and a metal pipe to the shoulder seems pretty rough!)

4) Clean draft with Brandon's edits

Areli spun, gripping his flashlight. Two middle-aged men stood before him. One was a tall, lean brute of European descent wearing a dirty trench coat. His companion was a short Asian wearing a tight t-shirt and jogging pants. It was not the rough look of the two that concerned Areli so much as the long steel rod the tall one carried at his right hip.

“Ow’re ya findin’ yerself in these parts at this hour, mate,” came the gruff voice from the owner of the metal weapon.

“Just on my way out, friend,” Areli replied calmly.
“Had better choose your words more carefully,” sneered the short Asian, “Wouldn’t wanna give the wrong impression. Not out here.”

“Thank you. I’ll remember that. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ll just be on my way.”

“Sure, sure," said the tall one, "Ri’ after ya hand over yer pack.”

Areli sighed deeply and assumed the fighting stance he had so often taken on the mat. The dirty syncrete under him wasn't as stable, nor as forgiving, as the flooring he was accustomed to. He kept this in the back of his mind.

The first move came from the Asian. He sprang forward with lightning speed snatching at the flashlight in Areli's right hand. Areli delivered a left elbow to the attacker's head. The man dropped heavily to the ground.

An agonizing pain exploded in Areli's left shoulder. Staggering sideways, he saw the tall brute lift the steel rod for a second strike. Areli blocked the wild swing with his flashlight then caught the dark figure square in the rib-cage with a tight left fist. The man doubled-over and Areli uppercutted the man's jaw with his light, placing him next to his companion on the ground.

Areli grimaced as he touched his shoulder. He had to keep moving. With newfound energy he made off in the direction of the city wall.

My interview, radio show, and a few reviews of American Midnight

2010-08-03T16:50:00.000-07:00

Hey friends,
just wanted to let you know about a few cool things going on.

Right now KM Wilsher is hosting an American Midnight week on her blog. Monday she interviewed me, Wednesday she interviews Mike (my co-author) and then Friday she reviews the book. Go check it out HERE :)

I did a radio interview with the Greenlight Project. It was a round table with Mike Lynch and three other authors. The link to that is HERE.

American Midnight was also reviewed by one of the editors over at Mindflights Magazine. Check out her review at her blog HERE.

And lastly, Bibliophiles retreat reviewed the book HERE.

Sorry to overload you, but I figured I'd get all that out at once!

Author interview with David Gelber

2010-08-02T07:30:00.000-07:00

Today we're interviewing writer (and surgeon) David Gelber, author of the science fiction novel, Future Hope.

First off, I dig the cover on this book. The old fashioned 1930's version of a spaceship is sleek, nostalgic and beautiful. Something about that old science fiction art that was completely free to imagine wild starship designs (not to mention strange monsters living on mars and whole universe of adventure). The reality wasn't quite so captivating--artistically that is--in my opinion. The moon just a bunch of dust and rock? No crater creatures?

Anyways, onward to the interview!

BB: Hey David, nice to have you on the Christian sci-fi blog. Tell us about yourself.

David: My day job is as a surgeon practicing in the Houston Texas area. I was raised in upstate New York, number seven of nine sons. WE were a secular Jewish family. I became Christian at age forty. Christianity struck me as the natural extension of Judaism; really the fulfillment of the Jewish religion. I am married to a wonderful woman, (almost 25 years) and have three teenage children.

BB: When and why did you start writing fiction, and what stories have inspired you most?

David: I started writing in 2006. I had done a little bit of writing in high school and college and thought of becoming a writer, but I decided to take the easy way out and so I became a surgeon. My favorite writers and those that influenced me the most are Dickens and Hugo, particularly “A Tale of Two Cities” and “Les Miserables”

BB: Your novel, Future Hope, has a beautiful cover, how did you come by it?

David: The idea of depicting a spaceship rocketing towards the Garden of Eden came from the cover designer for the original version of the book. The design was modified by the graphic artists at Greenleaf Bookgroup to its present presentation.

BB: Is Future Hope your first book? Did you write anything before Future Hope? Short stories?

David: Future Hope is the first thing I had written in probably thirty five years. I had the idea for the story and some of the characters kicking around in my head for years before I finally put it down on paper. Since then I’ve written a sequel “Joshua and Aaron” and I have about twenty essays that are posted on my blog “heardintheor.blogspot.com”. There’s also a few chapters of “Little Bit’s Story” on my web site. I’m slowly working on this story and posting chapters at www.itpfuturehope.com.

BB: What's Future Hope about?

David: Future Hope starts with two quotes from Genesis, the first God addressing Adam and Eve forbidding them to eat from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil and the second Satan tempting Adam and Eve. The story, as all of humanity’s history can be viewed, depicts the culmination of this struggle between good and evil. Set in the year 2156 the world of that time has solved most of the problems of disease, hunger etc, but at the price of eliminating God and religion from society. The problem of dwindling resources leads to the first voyage through Interdimensional space looking for new worlds to colonize. The pilot, Major David Sanders, ends up in the Garden of Eden, but one where mankind never suffered the Fall. The story follows his struggle to return to earth, a struggle that leaves him a very changed man. The basic question that arises is “Which is better? God’s ways or man’s ways. It is left to the reader to decide.

BB: Your novel is cited as "eco-friendly". How does environment play into your plot?

David: The earth of the future is being depleted, while Eden is a rich, lush garden. There is a message that the depletion of natural resources comes with a great price.

BB: What was your journey to publication for this novel? Any speed bumps? How did you finally get the novel published?

David: I originally self published and then had it published through Greenleaf Book Group. My father, who is almost 95, really enjoyed it and I wanted to have it published while he was still able to read it.

BB: From your perspective, why do you think Christian sci-fi, fantasy, and other "speculative" sub-genres aren't well represented in the Christian community?

David: I think there is a perception that such genres cannot coexist with Christian values, an idea that is certainly false. Future Hope is definitely Christian, but is not whitewashed of any of its “edgy” components.

BB: Now's your time to stand up on a soap box and offer any sage-like thoughts. Is there anything cultural, political, literary, philosophical, or otherwise that's heavy on your heart?

David: The history of mankind can be viewed as a race either towards or away from salvation. When mankind suffered the Fall they chose Satan and a desire to “be like God” over a future walking with God. God has been gracious to send his Son to live and die for us through the Cross. The message of “Future Hope” is that a world heading at light speed away from God will end up desperate and deprived. The true future hope is the hope that we have in Christ.

After some thought on my last edit

2010-07-30T14:43:00.000-07:00

Okay, I was looking at Thursday's edits, and I realized I made a mistake. I think I over-edited the piece! :(
I think I over-edited because I didn't have the fuller perspective of the entire story. Without the entire chapter, (or book) it's hard to do more than just basic edits. I don't think I was justified in cutting so much since I don't have the full chapter that this leads into. From now on for Edit Me Thursday, I'll remember this!!

I think some of the dialogue I cut was fine. So here's a better edit:

“She’s in pain—how is this possible?” Adaiyas said.

“I cannot explain it, First Elf—“

“Cannot explain it? You’re the midwife; it’s your job to explain it!”

“Has your wife experienced pain like this before?”

“What are you suggesting, Corina?”

“If I did not know better, I’d suggest labour pains—“ (This line [and the one below it] only works if Corina isn't an elf. Because if she is, this topic of labour pains wouldn't be brought up. But if she is human or some other species, then it would justify Adaiyas's response below. But if Corina is an elf, it sounds funny for Adaiya's to tell her that "Elves do not suffer labour pains..." )

“Elves do not suffer labour pains, Midwife.”

Corina~~, the midwife,~~ wrung her hands together hopelessly as she stared at the slim elf woman on the birthing mat. ~~No longer clutching to the circular delivery chamber’s birthing pole, her hands now~~ The pregnant elf clutched her swollen belly ~~as she~~ and screamed~~, a tormented wail pierced the late afternoon air~~.

~~First Elf~~ Adaiyas leapt from his stool and took his wife’s hand in his(.) ~~distressed by the sight of t~~ (T)ears flowed ~~ing~~ down her bronze cheeks to mingle with ~~sweat dampened~~ her blond hair. “Do something, Corina. Please.”

~~Experienced hands~~ Corina explored Filarna’s swollen belly. “Something is wrong, First Elf. The baby is not head-down but sideways. Your wife is fully dilated ~~and attempting delivery,~~ but as the baby cannot enter the birth canal, the contractions have it pinned ~~are causing her great pain~~.”

Okay! Now I feel better :)

I couldn't live with my conscious if I didn't amend my over-edit. I can go on in peace now for the rest of the week :)

Fiction editing: edit me Thursday # 2

2010-07-29T07:13:00.000-07:00

Welcome to another Edit me Thursday post where I'll be editing a page submitted by...well...anyone! To submit a one-page piece of your own writing email me at: bjbstories @ yahoo. com (You're identity will be kept anonymous!)

Disclaimer: About my editing style...I chip a lot, I tweak a lot, and I analyze everything to the Nth degree. So as with anybody’s edits they’re only suggestions, and they reflect my own writing style. I’ve had many occasions where someone suggests an edit that harmed the story rather than helped it. But hopefully the edits below make good sense.

My Goal: To maintain the author's story and the authors voice while improving the story's flow, structure, vocabulary, clarity, action (non-passivity), and general readability.

When you (anyone reading this blog) finish looking over the changes I made to the entry below, let me know what you think? Did the edits help, or was it better off untouched? Or did you really like/dislike one particular edit I made? Let me know (and the author know) in a comment!

1) Draft sent to me
2) First edit
3) Suggestions and explanations
4) Clean draft with Brandon's edits

1) Draft sent to me

“She’s in pain—how is this possible?” Adaiyas said.

“I cannot explain it, First Elf—“

“Cannot explain it? You’re the midwife; it’s your job to explain it!”

“Has your wife experienced pain like this before?”

“What are you suggesting, Corina?”

“If I did not know better, I’d suggest labour pains—“

“Elves do not suffer labour pains, Midwife.”

Corina, the midwife, wrung her hands together hopelessly as she stared at the slim elf woman on the birthing mat. No longer clutching to the circular delivery chamber’s birthing pole, her hands now clutched her swollen belly as she screamed, a tormented wail pierced the late afternoon air.

First Elf Adaiyas leapt from his stool and took his wife’s hand in his, distressed by the sight of tears flowing down her bronze cheeks to mingle with sweat dampened blond hair. “Do something, Corina. Please.”

Experienced hands explored Filarna’s swollen belly. “Something is wrong, First Elf. The baby is not head-down but sideways. Your wife is fully dilated and attempting delivery, but as the baby cannot enter the birth canal, the contractions are causing her great pain.”

2) My edits

In this section, I tried to maintain the authors vocabulary choice. I moved phrases/words around, tightened, combined, and generally tried to create a nice blend of action and dialogue.

First half:

2nd half

3) Suggestions and explanations

In this section, I explain some of the major things I did to edit a piece:

The dialogue between Adaiyos and Corina needed tightening. I felt the way somethings were revealed was slow. IE: "Elves do not have labor pains". I also like to get peoples names out on the table quickly, and I don't like it done in dialogue.

-You'll notice that I cut some of the dialogue out of the original sequence. This, in my opinion, definitely helped the flow of the scene.

-the term "First Elf" felt too formal for this setting. And the scene itself felt like it was from the First Elf's POV.
This title can be established at a less intense scene perhaps.

-Also, through the edits I was able to drop the word count from 185 to 138.

4) Clean draft with Brandon's edits:

“She’s in pain!” cried Adaiyas. “How is this possible—Elves do not have labour pains?”

“I cannot explain it,” said Corina without looking at him.

Adaiyas tore his eyes from his wife and glared at the midwife. “It’s your job to explain it!”

Corina wrung her hands together hopelessly as she stared at the slim elf woman on the birthing mat. The woman clutched her swollen belly as she screamed.

Adaiyas leapt from his stool and took his wife’s hand in his. Tears traced down her bronze cheeks as she grimaced. “Do something, Corina. Please.”

Corina explored Filarna’s swollen belly with her hands. “It is the baby’s position..The child is not head-down but sideways. Your wife is fully dilated, but the baby cannot enter the birth canal, the contractions have it pinned. That is what’s causing the pain.”

Blog renovation

2010-07-26T09:05:00.000-07:00

As you can see, I've changed up the blog a bit....I'm going to keep tweaking things. We'll see what comes of it :)

Edit me Thursday #1

2010-07-22T07:33:00.000-07:00

This is the first of what I hope to be many Edit me Thursday posts where I'll be editing one of your pages, or one of my own. To submit a one-page piece of your own writing email me at: bjbstories @ yahoo. com

About my editing style...I chip a lot, I tweak a lot, and I analyze everything to the Nth degree. So as with anybody’s edits they’re only suggestions, and they reflect my own writing style. I’ve had many occasions where someone suggests an edit that harmed the story rather than helped it. But hopefully the edits below make good sense.

When you finish looking over the changes I made to the entry below, let me know what you think? Did the edits help, or was it better off untouched? Or did you really like/dislike one particular edit I made? Let me know in a comment!

1) Draft sent to me
2) First edit
3) Second edit (with suggestions and explanations)
4) Clean draft with Brandon's edits

Draft sent to me:

Fire ravaged the lands, bright persimmon oranges and mustard yellows, silently flickering in the weak morning light. The flames rose from the rubble like desperate fingers reaching up from the grave, grasping for another chance to cling to life. Thick black smoke poured from everything, from the ruins of the once magnificent Fiaj Hall to the tiny houses of the rural countryside of Foro, and when it was done rising it covered the ground with an ashen blanket.
The bodies were broken and scattered in every way imaginable, almost as if some cruel artist positioned them thus. Children entombed in the protective embrace of their parents, dead with a whimper. Lovers melted together from the extreme heat of the bombs, dead with a sigh. Preachers crushed beneath their altars, dead with a prayer. Not a soul survived the destruction of the bombs.
Life was not to be found in the small country of Morrta, but for the bacteria and the worms, and even they would not last long. The radiation would see to that, like it would ensure that the country would never live again.

First edit:

Fire ravaged the lands, bright persimmon oranges and mustard yellows, silently flickering in the ~~weak~~ morning light. The flames rose from the rubble like desperate fingers ~~reaching up~~ from ~~the~~ a grave, grasping for another chance ~~to cling to~~ at life. ~~Thick b~~Black smoke poured from everything, from the ruins of the once magnificent Fiaj Hall to the tiny houses of the rural countryside of Foro, and when it was done rising it covered the ground with an ashen blanket.
The bodies were broken and scattered in every way imaginable, almost as if some cruel artist positioned them thus. Children entombed in the ~~protective embrace~~ arms of their parents, dead with a whimper. Lovers melted together from the ~~extreme~~ heat of the bombs, dead with a sigh. Preachers crushed beneath their altars, dead with a prayer. Not a soul survived the destruction of the bombs.
Life was not to be found in the ~~small~~ country of Morrta, but for the bacteria and the worms, and even they would not last long. The radiation would see to that.~~, like~~ [line break]
iIt would ensure that the country ~~would~~ never live again.

Second edit (with suggestions and explanations in orange)

Fire ravaged the lands, bright persimmon oranges [the words "bright" and "persimmon" seem to summer-day-ish for the scene set here. Actually, "orange" also isn't menacing. Perhaps "twilight oranges" or "crimson reds" would work better. Or perhaps, "bloody persimmon oranges" ...one dark word can redeem the other two neutral words and bring them to the dark side. But still, "persimmon's" and "oranges" are fruits, and that combo might confuse the reader at first as to the image being painted. In the end, I'm thinking "crimson red".] and mustard yellows, silently flickering in the ~~weak~~ morning light[I try not to leave two adjectives back to back because they tend to break up the sentence flow and make it feel clunky...I only leave them when I feel they're absolutely necessary. That's why I deleted "weak". And below here I delete "Thick" for the same reason.] . The flames rose from the rubble like desperate fingers ~~reaching up~~ from ~~the~~ a grave, grasping for another chance ~~to cling to~~ at life. ~~Thick b~~Black smoke poured from everything, from the ruins of the once magnificent Fiaj Hall to the tiny houses of the rural countryside of Foro, and when it was done rising it covered the ground with an ashen blanket.

The bodies were broken and scattered in every way imaginable, almost as if some cruel artist positioned them thus. [I've numbered the following three sentences. Each is a very powerful image, and well crafted. Unfortunately, one must be cut to maintain the poetic flow of the prose. In my "Brandon's draft below, I chose to keep the "Children" and the "Lovers" because they were more emotionally packed] (1)Children entombed in the ~~protective embrace~~ arms ["arms" is more powerful because of its simplicity. "protective embrace" creates distance because it's formal] of their parents, dead with a whimper. (2)Lovers melted together from the ~~extreme~~ heat of the bombs, dead with a sigh. (3)Preachers crushed beneath their altars, dead with a prayer. Not a soul survived the destruction of the bombs.

Life was not to be found in the ~~small~~ country of Morrta, but for the bacteria and the worms, and even they would not last long. The radiation would see to that.~~, like~~ [line break]

iIt would ensure that the country ~~would~~ never live again. (I felt moving this sentence to its own paragraph made a nice dramatic ending to the prologue and heightened the finish)

Clean draft with Brandon’s edits:

Fire ravaged the lands, crimson reds and mustard yellows, silently flickering in the morning light. The Flames rose from the rubble like desperate fingers from a grave, grasping for another chance at life. Black smoke poured from everything, from the ruins of the once magnificent Fiaj Hall to the tiny houses of the rural countryside of Foro, and when it was done rising it covered the ground with an ashen blanket.

The bodies were broken and scattered in every way imaginable, almost as if some cruel artist positioned them thus. Children entombed in the arms of their parents, dead with a whimper. Lovers melted together from the heat of the bombs, dead with a sigh. Not a soul survived the destruction of the bombs.

Life was not to be found in the country of Morrta, but for the bacteria and the worms, and even they would not last long. The radiation would see to that.

It would ensure that the country never live again.

Bryan Davis, the Christian fantasy guy

2010-07-19T16:57:00.000-07:00

If Dontia K. Paul is the queen of the fantasy section on Christian bookshelves, Bryan Davis would be the reigning king. He is the author of the Dragons in Our Mist series, and the Oracles of Fire series. With his newest book, Starlighter, word has it he is beginning a third series called Dragons of Starlight.

His fantasy is geared for a young adult audience, and when I was a young adult, I generally avoided young adult books and went straight for the grown up stuff. That was just my mindset.

I wonder how many young adults work this way? I know there are lots who totally scoop up YA fiction, but I think there's a lot of kids that were like me...who looked at the shelves and thought, "I don't want to read kid books" and went straight for the regular fiction sections. In fact, I never once went down the teen isle when I was a teen. I always bypassed that stuff for the adult fiction.

Now that I'm older, I'm picking up some of the classic teen fiction here and there--the stuff that loved by adults too--like The Giver, or The Hunger Games. I know I missed out on some good reads, but hey, I found a lot of good books in the adult section too :)

Now I want to throw a question out to you...When you were a teen, what section of the book store did you go to? OR if you are a teen, what's your view on the teen section verse the adult section.

And one last question? What other good teen fiction did I miss out on? Any names come to mind??

For more on Bryan Davis' new book, check out these other fellow CSFF bloggers:

Brandon Barr
Beckie Burnham
Jeff Chapman
R. L. Copple
CSFF Blog Tour
Stacey Dale
D. G. D. Davidson
Jeff Draper
April Erwin
Andrea Graham
Tori Greene
Nikole Hahn
Ryan Heart
Becky Jesse
Cris Jesse
Jason Joyner
Julie
Carol Keen
Krystine Kercher
Dawn King
Leighton
Jane Maritz
Rebecca LuElla Miller
John W. Otte
Donita K. Paul
Crista Richey
SarahFlan
Chawna Schroeder
Rachel Starr Thomson
Steve Trower
Fred Warren
Dona Watson
Phyllis Wheeler
Jill Williamson
KM Wilsher

Brandon's got news

2010-07-17T07:34:00.000-07:00

I'm planing some exciting things here at Christian Science Fiction. And here they are...

1) Editing: making stories shine. I'm going to show examples of how to clean up and tighten writing in 2nd/3rd drafts by taking early drafts of my own writing (short stories, novels) and exposing their not so pretty beginnings. But I'm not stopping with my own writing...if anyone would like to submit a portion (about 1 page) of their own writing, I'd be happy to go through it, edit it, and use it for this feature on the blog. You could choose to be named, or request that your name be kept anonymous. For anyone wishing to do this, email your one-page piece of fiction to bjbstories@yahoo.com

2) Author Interviews: I'm going to be interviewing both published authors, and unpublished. It's fun to hear how different writers work, their goals, inspirations, and throw a few off-the-wall writing questions at them.

3) I'm going to be giving the blog a huge renovation. I'll keep this a surprise...

4) I've created a separate blog for my novel, American Midnight. My wife is co-piloting the site, and she adds a fresh female perspective. So go and befriend it if you like :) New American Midnight Blog

Back from Spirit West Coast!

2010-07-07T08:07:00.000-07:00

Spirit West Coast was a sensational time. So many people who picked up the book were really drawn to the story. It was fun seeing the different ways people decide if a book is for them.
1) There are the "back of the book" readers
2) Then there's the cover-art-sold-me-readers (no need to read the back!)
3) The endorsement page inspectors
4) The read-the-first-page-readers (there were also some who opened to a random page in the middle of the book)
5) Lastly, there were those who, of course, did some combo form of the above 4 methods :)

Several people who bought the book even came back and gave me updates on where they were at in the story! That was fun.

At an event this big, you meet a lot of fellow writers too. Lots of teenagers love to write, and it was cool encouraging them and hearing about there great ideas.

There were some other cool booths at the festival. My favorites were the Crown of Life Comics (there blog is HERE) and a fabulous Christian artist Caleb Havertape.

And the last bit of good news...American Midnight was review over at Angie's blog! Check it out :)

2010-06-28T09:30:00.000-07:00

Hey friends! Me and my wife our leaving this Tuesday for Spirit West Coast Monterey, the huge Christian music festival. The festival runs from July 1st through 3rd and it's at the Luguna Seca Raceway in beautiful Monterey. We'll have a booth on the main walkway to sell my new book, American Midnight. My co-author, Mike Lynch will be joining us too. It's going to be a ton of fun :)

Here are some of the bands that will be playing during the festival:
-Newsboys
-Jeremy Camp
-Third Day
-Jars of Clay
-Group One Crew
-Kutless
-Family Force 5
-Barlow Girl
-Hawk Nelson
-Sanctus Real
-O.C. Supertones
And about 30 other bands (Check out the complete list HERE)

If anyone happens to be going, stop by and say HI! :)

I'll be back Sunday, so until then, have a wonderful week, and enjoy the Lord!

A satirical poem on our modern culture

2010-06-25T14:41:00.000-07:00

I ran across this poem listening to a Ravi Zacharias message...it's a really powerful illustration of how far we've fallen in modern times.

Creed
by Steve Turner

We believe in Marxfreudanddarwin

We believe everything is OK

as long as you don't hurt anyone

to the best of your definition of hurt,

and to the best of your knowledge.

We believe in sex before, during, and

after marriage.

We believe in the therapy of sin.

We believe that adultery is fun.

We believe that sodomy’s OK.

We believe that taboos are taboo.

We believe that everything's getting better

despite evidence to the contrary.

The evidence must be investigated

And you can prove anything with evidence.

We believe there's something in horoscopes

UFO's and bent spoons.

Jesus was a good man just like Buddha,

Mohammed, and ourselves.

He was a good moral teacher though we think

His good morals were bad.

We believe that all religions are basically the same-

at least the one that we read was.

They all believe in love and goodness.

They only differ on matters of creation,

sin, heaven, hell, God, and salvation.

We believe that after death comes the Nothing

Because when you ask the dead what happens

they say nothing.

If death is not the end, if the dead have lied, then its

compulsory heaven for all

excepting perhaps

Hitler, Stalin, and Genghis Kahn

We believe in Masters and Johnson

What's selected is average.

What's average is normal.

What's normal is good.

We believe in total disarmament.

We believe there are direct links between warfare and

bloodshed.

Americans should beat their guns into tractors .

And the Russians would be sure to follow.

We believe that man is essentially good.

It's only his behavior that lets him down.

This is the fault of society.

Society is the fault of conditions.

Conditions are the fault of society.

We believe that each man must find the truth that

is right for him.

Reality will adapt accordingly.

The universe will readjust.

History will alter.

We believe that there is no absolute truth

excepting the truth

that there is no absolute truth.

We believe in the rejection of creeds,

And the flowering of individual thought.

If chance be

the Father of all flesh,

disaster is his rainbow in the sky

and when you hear

State of Emergency!

Sniper Kills Ten!

Troops on Rampage!

Whites go Looting!

Bomb Blasts School!

It is but the sound of man

worshipping his maker.

Matt Mikalatos...a fellow blogger published by Tyndale

2010-06-21T10:07:00.000-07:00

It's really cool to see a blogging friend turn into a success story. Matt Mikalatos was one of the first friends who started stopping by my blog. And I remember jumping over to his blog many times. And now, he has a very unique novel called Imaginary Jesus, and it's published by Tyndale.

Well, this is cool. It makes me wonder which of my other blogger friends will be announcing some great feat...KM Wilsher? Kat Heckenbach? Robert Treskillard? Logan Stewart? Chawna Schroeder? Christian Miles?...I could go on and on...there are so many great writing friends I have on this blog. And a good number I didn't mention are already published.

Having Matt as part of the blog tour is really special. It made me realize how beneficial blogging communities are. We are able to make friends with people all over the country--all over the world--who share are love for writing. When they have success, it spurs us on, and we get to share a little of their joy. When we have a success, we get to share it with the friends we've made through the blogosphere, and their enthusiasm and encouragement propels us onward in our writing adventures.

Well, back to Matt. I popped on over to Amazon to check out what the reviewers are saying...wow, out of 34 reviews, 25 are five star, and 7 are four stars. That's impressive!

In case you're wondering, Matt's blog is called "The Burning Hearts Revolution". Go check it out. And over at the Tyndale website, they have a video interview up which is really cool. Check it out HERE.

And since I haven't actually read his new book, go check out what my fellow CSFF blog tour members are saying about Imaginary Jesus. Do they agree with the Amazon reviewers wild acclamations? I'm heading off to find out for myself :)

Brandon Barr
Keanan Brand
Grace Bridges
Beckie Burnham
Valerie Comer
R. L. Copple
Amy Cruson
CSFF Blog Tour
Stacey Dale
D. G. D. Davidson
Jeff Draper
April Erwin
Andrea Graham
Tori Greene
Becky Jesse
Cris Jesse
Jason Joyner
Julie
Carol Keen
Krystine Kercher
Dawn King
Leighton
Rebecca LuElla Miller
John W. Otte
Donita K. Paul
Crista Richey
Chawna Schroeder
Rachel Starr Thomson
Steve Trower
Fred Warren
Phyllis Wheeler
KM Wilsher

American Midnight is on Amazon now

2010-06-20T11:32:00.000-07:00

Amazon finally listed my book! Yay :)

They still haven't uploaded the cover art, but at least it's up, HERE.

American Midnight is here!

2010-06-14T22:27:00.000-07:00

Great news! My new book, American Midnight, published by Silver Leaf Books, is now available!

Available in Trade Paperback at:

-Barnes and Noble (best price!)

-Silver Leaf Books

-autographed copy (email me bjbstories@yahoo.com)
-Amazon

-Borders (Coming, date pending)

Availabe electronically on:

-Amazon Kindle

-The Nook

-Ipad

What’s the book about? Read the back cover:

At eighteen, Tania Peters still carries deep scars from her mother’s tragic death, and when she’s betrayed by someone close, pain and confusion threaten to swallow her whole. But underneath all the hurt, she senses the hand of purpose on her life and finds hope in an exciting new political movement.

The Unity Party seems to offer everything —tolerance, compassion, and a plan to unite society. But not everyone sees the movement as good. Tania’s two brothers, Jeremy and Greg, have become bitter enemies over the ideals of the Party, and her father, a church pastor, fears that this promised “unity” is a threat to churches across the country.

Tania doesn’t share her father’s faith and sees no room for a loving God in the world she’s come to know. Instead, she gains strength from her rising celebrity within the Unity Party, finding friendship, acceptance, and even the first traces of romance. But none of these things can save her when her extremist brother plots to bring down the Unity Party in their home town of Midian.

Pitted between the Party’s utopian promises and the Christian friends and families who find themselves on the outside of this new American dream, Tania must choose between her long dormant faith in God and her future with the Party.

...But that one decision could cost her everything—including her life.

What are the reviewers saying...

"From Page One to The End, novelists Brandon Barr and Mike Lynch capture the readers’ attention and holds them spellbound! American Midnight is a gripping, beautifully-written story that will sometimes (literally!) leave you breathless. I’m adding this one to my ‘Keepers’ shelf!"

--Loree Lough, author of 74 award-winning novels, including the recently-released Tales of the Heart and Prevailing Love

"A modern mix of 1984 and The Hiding Place, American Midnight is thought-provoking and chilling, a clarion call for today's culture."

--Chawna Schroeder, Imagination Investigation

“This latest work from Brandon Barr and Mike Lynch fulfills their promise as authors. AMERICAN MIDNIGHT is a big, panoramic novel rich with right questions for our era and with characters we can both cheer for and learn from.”

--Bruce McAllister, author of Dream Baby

''Barr and Lynch are the new dynamic duo of Christian Suspense! What Tim LaHaye and

Jerry Jenkins did for end times writing, Barr and Lynch surpass with American Midnight. AM is a must read ripped out of today's headlines and masterfully blended with prophetic overtones. Each chapter takes us ever deeper into a web of intrigue...complex and artistically written. Bible scholar or not Barr and Lynch provide us with not only a great read but also a story that will provoke you to move beyond what you thought was possible.''

--Lisa Collins, lcollinsauthor.blogspot.com

"Torn from tomorrow's headlines, American Midnight is a fast-paced ride with a touch of romance that is sure to hold you enthralled!"

--Amy Deardon, author of A Lever Long Enough

"A riveting political thriller. Barr and Lynch have crafted a convicting and timely tale that will entrance readers of various genres. Be sure to pick up this page-turner at your earliest opportunity...lest time run out all too soon.

--Melissa Meeks, Bibliophile's Retreat

"With conspiracies on every side, suspense, romance and more, American Midnight is a cautionary tale examining family and what it means to take a stand for God. It handles some difficult questions, but the answers aren't always as neat and pat as we would like."

--Cathi Hassan, Cathi's Chatter

"American Midnight is a non-stop, compelling read. Several times I was running in the wake of the main character’s footsteps, crying with her and cheering her on."

--Paulette Harris, inspirational writer

American Midnight update and blog update

2010-05-30T19:26:00.000-07:00

Hey friends, just wanted to give you a heads up on a few things.

1) My new novel, American Midnight...Well, clearly it isn't here yet. Otherwise there's be a lot of excitement on here!! Our publisher, Silver Leaf Books, is having a little trouble with our new printer (no need to go down that labyrinthine road). But needless to say, the book is coming...HOPEFULLY in June! Because I have two big venues to sell the book at in July...and I'm already committed.

2) Other news...I'll have some new Christian sci-fi author interviews here on the blog in the next week or so. I'm looking forward to hearing about these authors endeavors.

3) My newest solo project which I'm tentatively titling "Mind Rider" is still chugging along...

4) My son, Nathan Kal-El Barr, is 7 months old today! Hurray :)

5) Lastly, A question for any friends reading this... any thing cool and significant going on in your lives, writing-wise or other?

A review of By Darkness Hid

2010-05-19T09:30:00.001-07:00

Hello everybody. Amanda here again to do another review.

Brandon actually got me By Darkness Hid by Jill Williamson as a Christmas gift. I read it right away and thoroughly enjoyed it!!! I was glad to have to skim back through it to refresh myself for this review. In some places, I found myself actually reading word for word, page by page because the action was so intriguing.

By Darkness Hid separately follows two main characters, Achan and Vrell. Their stories end up converging toward the end of the book.

Achan Cham is a young man, who has been raised as a stray. He is the lowest of the low. However, a knight chooses Achan to train as his squire. Achan finds himself in several surprising situations throughout the story. Situations in which his status as a stray does not help.

Achan also has a repressed gift of bloodvoicing. He is able to hear other people’s thoughts and communicate with his mind to other bloodvoicers. Achan learns of his gift, previously thought to be a myth, and learns how to use it properly.

Vrell Sparrow, is a young woman the crown prince of Er’Rets wants to marry. Vrell does not want to marry Prince Gidon, so she disguises herself as a boy, a stray, and goes into hiding. Her gift of bloodvoicing is sensed by the evil Master Hadar and he “captures” her to train as his apprentice. Vrell, struggles to keep her mind closed so she can keep her secret identity.

Achan and Vrell’s bloodvoicing gifts bring them together and they become friends and help each other.

I feel that my summary does not do the book justice.

Like I said above, I thoroughly enjoyed By Darkness Hid. The story was so easy to read. I read it through the first time pretty quickly. If I can read through a book quickly, I take that as a good sign. It means that the story was written smoothly. It means that I did not have to stop and question characters’ actions or motives. It means that the author did a great job drawing me into the world of the story.

The plot of the story was full of intrigue and suspense. I would definitely classify this book as a “page-turner”.

For another great review check out Rebecca LuElla Miller’s blog. She dives into the deeper meanings behind things in the book.

Brandon Barr
Keanan Brand
Gina Burgess
Beckie Burnham
Melissa Carswell
Valerie Comer
Karri Compton
Amy Cruson
CSFF Blog Tour
Stacey Dale
D. G. D. Davidson
Jeff Draper
Emmalyn Edwards
April Erwin
Sarah Flanagan
Andrea Graham
Tori Greene
Ryan Heart
Joleen Howell
Becky Jesse
Cris Jesse
Jason Joyner
Julie
Carol Keen
Krystine Kercher
Dawn King
Leighton
Rebecca LuElla Miller
New Authors Fellowship
John W. Otte
Crista Richey
Chawna Schroeder
Andrea Schultz
James Somers
Rachel Starr Thomson
Steve Trower
Fred Warren
Dona Watson
Phyllis Wheeler
KM Wilsher

Christianity is the most reasonable worldview

2010-05-11T14:36:00.000-07:00

Every human being has a worldview. A worldview provides answers to questions such as: why am I here? Do I have a purpose? How did the universe begin? Why do I perceive evil in the world? Where does morality come from?

Whether someone is a Buddhist, Jew, Christian,agnostic, atheist, or holds some other label of belief, one can take that belief, and see if that worldview fits with reality. Does it answer the above questions adequately in accord with reality.

As a child born of Christian parents, at some point I began to question my parents beliefs. This was more of an intellectual searching, for I had experienced God personally, spiritually, but nonetheless, questions began to creep in. Was the Christian worldview true, or was it lacking in comparison to another worldview? Did another worldview excell at explaining the world around me?

I began to explore the realm of Christian apologetics (which is the pursuit of defending the Christian faith). I watched debates between Christians and atheists, Christians and Jews, Christians and Muslims. The men debating were experts on the topics, most holding doctorates. In this way, I was able to hear the best responses from both sides, and this allowed me to understand the other sides best arguments for why their worldview is best. To my delight, I found over and over again that it was the Christian worldview that won out in these debates.

These Christian apologists have my deep respect. And for this blog, I want to highlight the most influential of these Christian defenders in my life, Dr. William Lane Craig. This man's work has personally strengthend my faith by showing that intellectually, Christianity is the most robust worldview. I have watched almost a dozen debates of his, and listened to hundreds of hours of his podcasts...the man is a wonderful brother in Christ who has devoted his life to serving God in the field of apologetics. If you do nothing else, please, go check out his website at www.reasonablefaith.org. It has free audio and video of his lectures, debates, and speeches

Here's a short bio of Dr. Craig:

William Lane Craig is Research Professor of Philosophy at the Talbot School of Theology. With earned doctorates in philosophy and theology, he has established a reputation as one of the most prominent Christian philosophers of our day. His publications, debates, and internet presence have made him a highly visible champion of Christian faith. His seminary textbook, Reasonable Faith, is widely considered to be the best book on Christian apologetics today. God is Good, God is Great: Why Believing in God is Reasonable and Responsible (IVP), edited by Craig and Chad Meister, was chosen as Christianity Today’s Book of the Year in the Apologetics/Evangelism category.

And below here is an interview with Craig and a little more info on the book. Check it out and please comment me and let me know what your thoughts are on this topic.

We are currently experiencing a renaissance of interest in Christian apologetics. Due to the virulent attacks of the New Atheists, the Internet Infidels, and all manner of Biblical Bashers, along with a rising anti-evangelical bias in the media, evangelical Christians are demanding training in how to defend their Christian faith. There is a need for a well-rounded training manual that provides the “how-tos” of defending the Christian worldview. William Lane Craig’s new book, On Guard, intends to be that manual.

A highly accessible, visual, and concise book loaded with helpful figures and interesting sidebars, On Guard is a one-stop guidebook to learn how to defend your faith. Combining the four core arguments for God’s existence with a case for the historicity of Jesus, this readable book also addresses difficult issues such as the problems of suffering and religious relativism.

An interview with On Guard author William Lane Craig

Q: What is apologetics? Why do you think we’re experiencing a renewed interest in Christian apologetics?

Apologetics is the study of the defense of our faith and Scriptures. This is taken directly out of Scripture where Jesus appealed to the evidence of his miracles and fulfilled prophecy as authentication of his claims, and the Apostle Paul does the same:

“As was his custom, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3explaining and proving that the Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead. ‘This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Christ,’ he said. 4Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a large number of God-fearing Greeks and not a few prominent women (Acts 17:2-4).

In Scripture we are commanded to:

“Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect (I Peter 3:15).”

Q: Your works are well known in seminary and intellectual circles. What caused you to write a more readable and relatable guide on apologetics?

As I speak around the country and other parts of the world, increasingly, people have responded so positively to what I have said in lectures and debates with atheists that they, too, would like to learn some basic logical principles of reasoning and arguments for our faith. Christianity stands head and shoulders above any other world view, and you can show why with confidence.

Q: Describe how the American culture has slowly but surely become post-Christian. What can we expect as our culture continues on this path?

People in the United States still believe in God, but religious relativism has become the conventional wisdom of the day. Jesus Christ has become politically incorrect. I have seen on campuses where I speak that Christians are now labeled “immoral” because they are not open-minded, but are intolerant and bigoted.

Q: What are some of your experiences as you’ve lectured and debated in the European world, where Christian belief has become somewhat antiquated?

The sobering thing is that where Christianity has retreated, especially in Europe, false views fill this void, and people succumb to views like secularism and Islam. They then find themselves without a proper foundation to fight these ideologies.

Q: What caused you to pursue apologetics with such vigor? Why would you encourage others to consider training in apologetics?

I became a Christian at the age of 16, when I sat down behind a gal in my German class, and, well, she was the kind of person that was always so happy that it just made me sick! I was feeling particularly miserable, and so I asked her, “Sandy, what in the world are you always so happy about anyway?” And to my shock, she replied, “Well, Bill, it’s because I’m saved. I know Jesus Christ as my personal Savior and Lord!” To make a long story short, within 6 months, I committed my life to Christ. Then I felt the daunting responsibility of sharing with my family and friends the truth of Christianity. But how? That began my quest for a sound defense.

Q: How do you envision that On Guard might be used?

On Guard can easily be used by pastors in referring the book to students who want in depth answers especially when challenged by their teachers in high school or professors at the university. Youth pastors can use this book to mentor students. I also see groups like Bible studies, Sunday school classes, and home groups learning together these timeless arguments and evidence. I have even received a letter from an Australian Sunday School teacher who uses this material to teach his eight and nine year old students!

Star Wars Day

2010-05-04T14:10:00.000-07:00

Today, May 4th, is Star Wars day. I just discovered this special day, and I'm pleased to share it with all. Right up there with Christopher Columbus, Saint Patrick, and all the presidents of the United States, we know have Star Wars.

So, in honor of Star Wars day, would anyone like to share about their favorite character in the series? I'm going to have to go with Han Solo. I can't think of another character who transformed as much as he did between episode 4 and6

May the 4th be with you...I mean, may the force be with you.

Review of Raven's Ladder

2010-04-28T09:05:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone. I'm back for another book review! Jeffrey Overstreet's latest novel in the Auralia's Thread series, Raven's Ladder, seemed like a book I would enjoy. I recently discovered that I am definitely a fantasy fan. I love being taken to a new place and feel like I am discovering a new world.
Unfortunately, this book presented some difficulties from the get go.

Difficulty one: It's book three in a series. I didn't realize that when I picked it up.

Difficulty two: On top of jumping in on book three of a series, it's a fantasy novel, which makes it that much harder to take in. Fantasy requires so many more descriptions of the world, how it works and interacts with the creatures living within it. By book three, the author doesn't explain the world as much as in book one, or even book two. So I felt thrown into this world that I didn't fully understand, and that made getting into the story more difficult.

Difficulty three: The story felt dense. It wasn't light reading. The character dialogue, though unique and well-written, didn't allow me to flow through the story as much as if it were more modern English.

I really wanted to enjoy this story. I kept re-reading what I'd just read in hope of understanding it a bit more.

I did like how Overstreet named his creatures, animals and plants in the story. He named them after their characteristics. The puffdragon was a lizard that puffed out a horrid stench. Stingerflies and fangbears weren't described, but you can guess what those are like. The naming of unfamiliar things in this way made it a bit easier for me to catch on.

I thought it was interesting that the book was marketed as a stand alone book. Nowhere on the cover does it indicate that it is a part of a trilogy. When my husband realized that I was having a hard time understanding the story, he clued my in.

My recommendation. Read books one and two before you get to book three. Now check out these other CSFF blog tour sites featuring Raven's Ladder.

Brandon Barr
Rachel Briard (BooksForLife)
Keanan Brand
Beckie Burnham
Melissa Carswell
Valerie Comer
CSFF Blog Tour
Stacey Dale
D. G. D. Davidson
Shane Deal
Jeff Draper
April Erwin
Ryan Heart
Becky Jesse
Cris Jesse
Jason Joyner
Julie
Krystine Kercher
Dawn King
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Nissa
John W. Otte
Donita K. Paul
Crista Richey
Chawna Schroeder
Andrea Schultz
James Somers
Robert Treskillard
Steve Trower
Fred Warren
Phyllis Wheeler
KM Wilsher

Getting your book on the bookstore shelves.

2010-04-26T10:32:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday my lovely wife will be giving her review of Raven's Ladder, but first, I wanted to use the book as a jumping off point to briefly talk about the difficulty of getting your book on the shelves of bookstores.

Early this week I stopped in to our local Barnes & Noble, and as always, I walked into the sci-fi and fantasy section to check out what new titles they had out. I was surprised to find Raven's Ladder placed right in the center of the new releases, and here's why. There are a large number of sci-fi and fantasy publishers like Tor, Daw, Baen, Eos, etc. who usually have rule and reign over any other publishers in the sci-fi/fantasy sections of secular bookstores. AND! Even within those big companies the bookstores usually only stock the bigger name authors who have proven track records. Unknown authors within these large companies aren't given near the promotion as the big authors. So...how did Raven's Ladder find its way on to the exclusive sci-fantasy shelves? Well, I don't know...

But I can tell you this, with its great cover, and its prominent position, it's going to be bought. Exposure is huge in a bookstore. Overstreet, is not a small name in the Christian community, but it's not a big name either. Donita K. Paul and Bryan Davis are about the only Christian spec authors I know that can regularly be found in the exclusivistic sci-fantasy section. But here Overstreet has...overcome. At least in my local Barnes & Noble.

For most new authors--even of big publishers--you're lucky to have your book on a shelf. So how do you get to that point? Self-promotion. Not what any author wants to hear. A combination of hiring a big publicist, lots of money, and hitting up all sorts of events is one way to get big (and I suspect it's a way many authors HAVE gotten big). But what about the average Joe/Jane writer...how can they get on those sacred shelves?

When you find out...let me know.

Actually, I believe there is one thing that can make the impossible possible, and that's God. But then I remind myself, God doesn't care about "getting big," God cares about restoring us and the world through us to Him. So maybe we write a great book and only a few people will ever read it. It's the simple fact that we are doing it to glorify Him that brings a smile to his face. This life is not about us, it is about Him.

Personally, I have to fight my ego and pride daily, and remember my ultimate purpose in life. With friends and family, with work, and with writing, the ultimate fulfillment of life which we were created for is to glorify God, and enjoy Him forever. That is human purpose. That is the only place I can find absolute satisfaction and live a fulfilled life, not in selling books.

Brandon Barr
Rachel Briard (BooksForLife)
Keanan Brand
Beckie Burnham
Melissa Carswell
Valerie Comer
CSFF Blog Tour
Stacey Dale
D. G. D. Davidson
Shane Deal
Jeff Draper
April Erwin
Ryan Heart
Becky Jesse
Cris Jesse
Jason Joyner
Julie
Krystine Kercher
Dawn King
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Nissa
John W. Otte
Donita K. Paul
Crista Richey
Chawna Schroeder
Andrea Schultz
James Somers
Robert Treskillard
Steve Trower
Fred Warren
Phyllis Wheeler
KM Wilsher

Brandon at LA Times book festival

2010-04-23T10:21:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! Just wanted to let you know I'll be selling pre-order's of American Midnight at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books this Saturday and Sunday (24th-25th). I'll also have When the Sky Fell too. If you're going, feel free to stop by the Whispering Angel booth where I'll be stationed. I was fortunate to have my short non-fiction story "Running for Malaika come out in a Whispering Angel anthology, and was asked to come join them!

I'm excited about this event! Whether I sell a few books or not, it'll be a great time. Maybe I'll see you there!

Reality mirring fiction: American Midnight

2010-04-18T09:05:00.000-07:00

Do you remember the Christian militia group that burst into the news when federal authorities arrested them for plotting crimes against the government...a truly frightening thought. Christians? Wasn't Jesus the one who said to "love your enemies," and to "turn the other cheek?"

Scriptures can be twisted, and the lesson this Christian militia group leaves with us is this: We must watch our lives and doctrine closely.

In my novel, American Midnight (due out in a couple weeks!!) small groups of Christians take up arms, plot, and prepare in case the need to fight back should arise. The novel explores the psychology of how a Christian might slip into so militant a stance towards government authority? And even worse, what effects their actions might have on all of Christendom.... In a cultural landscape ripe with tension, how will a secular, relativistic culture begin viewing systems of belief who won't budge because of their adherence to absolute truths.

In American Midnight the government begins flirting with the idea of building an American utopia, and the church digs it's toes in against the cultural shift towards relativism. But then there is the small group of militant believers who threaten to draw the two together and make the situation explode...

Review of Lost Mission by Athol Dickson

2010-04-12T09:11:00.003-07:00

Hello! It’s me again, Brandon’s wife, Amanda. This time I’m reviewing Athol Dickson’s Lost Mission for the CSFF Blog Tour.

I began reading Lost Mission right after I finished Faery Rebels. I figured I’d better start reading right away because it didn’t seem like it was going to be “my type of book”. By the cover, I thought it was going to be a boring history story. The back of the book didn’t capture me either.

By the end of the first chapter, there were definitely things I liked. I liked the “storytelling” feel. I liked the description of Fray Alejandro on the first page and I liked the transition from the past to the present. But, I have to say, all that didn’t make me want to keep reading. I read a little here and a little there, but the story still didn’t grab me…yet.

While I was taking my time with this book, my loving husband so kindly informed me that the review was to be posted in a few days. I had planned on just reading as much as I could and reviewing based on that. After all, I was only on page 50. Well, two days after that, I was on page 79 (Chapter 9) and then…I finished the book that evening!!! (A crazy feat, saying I was at home taking care of our 5 month old all day)

Now I can tell you, despite my initial hesitations, that I thoroughly enjoyed Lost Mission. Athol Dickson definitely has skill in the art of storytelling.

I absolutely loved the way he incorporated the past with the present and created parallel characters within the two time settings. The story of friars establishing missions in California was paralleled and interwoven with the story of a Mexican woman, Lupe, and her calling to minister to Americans (which I though was a totally interesting way to go, saying as usually Americans, especially Californians, such as myself, are the ones going on mission trips to Mexico. I never even thought about Mexicans coming and witnessing to Americans). It was also wild that the Americans who needed to be ministered to were actually Christians!! An interesting spin.

Lupe was such an inspiring character. Her faith, optimism and thankfulness were convicting. Lupe endured such hard circumstances, yet she praised the Lord through it all. Even when she was dying in the desert, she praised God for her friends back home, for the beauty of the desert, for saving her from a worse fate. Lupe always wanted to do what was right in serving the Lord. She sacrificed so much of herself for others and for God. If only we could all be like Dona Lupe, so desperate for guidance and wisdom.

I also loved the sense of mystery throughout the book. I never felt like I knew too much—I always was thirsty for more. And at the same time, I never felt like the author was forcefully or unrealistically keeping me in the dark. I think this is a credit to Dickson’s ability as a storyteller.

Dickson brought up some pretty interesting issues. Illegal immigration is, of course, a huge issue in California. I appreciate the way Dickson shed new light on that situation. He made me see it in a new way. He made me feel for the immigrants (in the story) and all they go through to get here and the struggle to make ends meet while supporting the rest of their family in Mexico. The characters of Tucker, Delano, Fray Benicio and Fray Guillermo also caused quite a stir. Their sins, as Christians, were doing what might be called “good” things for the wrong reasons or by the wrong means. It was interesting because even though an all Christian community, providing for people in need, immersing one’s self in a culture in order to witness to them all sound like great things, the reader has to comes to grips with the fact that in this story, they aren’t.

Well, to wrap it up, I loved every aspect of this story; characters, plot, romance, craft, mystery, resolution…all of it! And, I don’t say that lightly, because, like I said, I began the book with low expectations. It is a great book for Christians and non-Christians alike. I highly recommend it.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book through the CSFF blog tour. Please check out these other CSFF tour members for more thoughts and reviews on Lost Mission.

Brandon Barr
Keanan Brand
Amy Browning
Valerie Comer
CSFF Blog Tour
Stacey Dale
D. G. D. Davidson
Jeff Draper
April Erwin
Timothy Hicks
Jason Isbell
Becky Jesse
Cris Jesse
Jason Joyner
Julie
Carol Keen
Krystine Kercher
Dawn King
Rebecca LuElla Miller
New Authors Fellowship
John W. Otte
Donita K. Paul
Crista Richey
Chawna Schroeder
James Somers
Steve Trower
Fred Warren
Phyllis Wheeler
KM Wilsher

Prologue of my newest work in progress

2010-03-28T16:31:00.000-07:00

Well, first off, as you can see by the picture on the left, I've been a bit distracted and VERY busy with my 5 month old son Nathan. The spare time I once had is no longer there, and so I have had to work hard to make time for writing.

I wanted to share with my blog friends and any passersby a glimpse at my newest novel. The story could fall under many labels, near-future sci-fi, science fantasy, Contemporary fantasy, thriller. But at the heart of my endeaver is to tell a character story that agonizes over deep questions and feels more like real-life than your average paperback thriller.

The following is the current draft of my prologue...and I'm sorry you won't really get a picture of my "vision" in this scene, but at least you'll get to see some of what I've been toiling on these past few months.

PROLOUGE:

“YOU MOVE—HE DIES!”

Danje Suhad’s English was poor, but the 9mm pointed at Senator Strauss’ head was crystal clear. The diners in the restraunt obeyed unquestioningly, frozen where they sat.

With his free arm, Suhad shoved the senator through the kitchen doors. A few cooks and waiters hunkered down on the floor. Senator Strauss gasped in pain as Suhad shoved the gun hard into his ear.

“You move and I kill him! I kill this pig, you move.”

Suhad pushed his hostage forward, towards a back door that led to the alley.

“Please,” moaned Strauss. “What have I done to you?”

Suhad’s eyes fixated on the back of the senators expensive suit. “You send your soldiers to fight against God’s. You smother the world with your pornography and sin.” Suhad slammed Strauss against the back door sending him stumbling to his hands and knees in the alleyway. A car idled outside. Suhad’s brother, Nabeel, sat in the front seat staring out at him anxiously. Strauss attempted to stand. Suhad kicked his legs out from under him and he crumpled again onto the wet asphalt. “You are worthy of nothing but death.”

The sound of distant sirens wafted in the air. The car door banged open and Nabeel stood and shouted in Lebanese, “Kill him and let’s go!”

Suhad’s eyes widened. A ghost-like shadow stirred behind his brother. Before he had taken his next breath the shadow had taken on bone, then ligament, then organs, then flesh, each arising one after the other at an unfathomable speed. It was as if Allah were forming a man from the dank elements of the alley, as he had Adam on the sixth day of creation. Suhad gaped at the male figure standing behind his brother, dimly illuminated by a pulsing neon sign hanging above.

An angel of Allah?

A gun glinted in the man’s hand. A shot shook the alley and Nabeel’s head rocked forward in a burst of blood. In that instant, Suhad’s last thoughts swam around the impossible singularity that the man now swiveling a gun towards him had materialized out of thin air—an angel of Satan?—and then a second bullet tore through his frontal lobe.

A review of Faery Rebels: Spell Hunter

2010-03-21T21:44:00.001-07:00

Hey friends, for the first time ever, I’ve invited a guest to participate in the CSFF blog tour here at Christian Science Fiction. This guest is my lovely wife, Amanda. You’ll be seeing her around more often, because she is a ferocious reader, who’s been known to consume a 600 page book in two days. And with an ace like that in my back pocket, it’s hard not to use it. Hope you like her (and if you don’t, keep it to yourself.) (That was supposed to be funny...)

Faery Rebels: Spell Hunter

Reviewed by Amanda Barr

Hello everyone. Well, I’m new at this whole reviewing thing, and your about to read my very first attempt. So here it goes!

Pros:

I found Faery Rebels: Spell Hunter to be fun, easy read. R. J. Anderson creates a faery world enmeshed within our own modern one. I was fascinated by the rules and laws of this Faery realm, and I felt the author did a great job bringing them out through the dialogue. She was never “telly” in doing this. I also was captivated by the faerys’ social dynamics, as they were very different from the humans. This, in turn, posed problems for the faerys’ in dealing with humans because they didn’t understanding them. Anderson did a good job of describing “human” items and interactions from a feary’s point of view.

The story kept me guessing the whole time. Who is the “bad guy”? What is Knife going to choose to do? Who gave Knife the diaries?

I loved that it was a clean story. No language, no violence really, no immoral relations. The lack of those elements makes it an easy book to recommend to female friends.

***warning SPOILERS beyond this point***

I also enjoyed the message of friendship and self-sacrifice. The faery’s were a extremely self-centered race, and as Knife grows in her understanding of humans, she is amazed to discover the beauty in selflessness. She takes this back with her into the faery realm and begins to show other faeries how to be “friends.” Simple things, like hugs and conversations, are not common in the Oak, the place the faeries live. As Knife learns things that friends do, she revolutionizes the way things are done in the Oak among her closest faeries.

The romance totally caught me off guard. I was not expecting it at all! But once it was revealed, it worked! I found myself thinking, “Why didn’t I see that coming?” I guess I just figured that a relationship between a faery and human COULDN’T happen, so it WOULDN’T. Thinking back, Anderson puts in many clues that this could happen, but I didn’t catch on.

A few things I thought were interesting...neither pro’s or con’s, just interesting. There was no clear villain. As I was reading, I was trying to figure out who the “bad guy” was, but once I reached the end, I was still trying to figure that out.

Also, there were no clear Christian elements. This is neither good nor bad, I just thought it was interesting. Maybe there is an allegory in the story I didn’t pick up on or something.

Cons:

The main thing I didn’t like was the message it sends to young ladies about rebelling. Knife wasn’t rebelling to do what she knew was right. That would have been okay. She was rebelling just to rebel, which, I believe, is the wrong reason. She didn’t know that leaving the Oak or making friends with Paul would solve the problem of the faerys’ missing magic. She did those things just because she wanted to. Over and over, Knife goes against authority and the laws of the Oak out of curiosity of the outside world. Young girls are already under enormous pressure to break boundaries and rules, and experience things for themselves—even when warned of the dangers. But I think this is contrary to what young Christians should do.

Another thing. Throughout the story it was unclear to me when the queen was lying and when she was telling the truth. I know she was supposed to be lying at certain times, but even when Knife thought she was telling the truth, I was still questioning if she was or not. So I never really figured out if the queen was “bad” or not.

Lastly, There were a few instances where the characters reacted in ways I felt were not justified. For instance, when Paul is looking through his photo book with Knife and gets upset. I understand why he got angry, but his actions of throwing the book, ripping out the picture and telling Knife to “shut up” did not seem to be in his character. He did not have a history of loosing his temper, so these actions of came out of the blue, in my opinion.

All in all, I enjoyed the book. I laughed and I cried, but I also questioned some. I have to say that I would not recommend this book to young teenagers I know who may be struggling with their parents or other authority figures, but for the right group of girls this is an entertaining book filled with friendship, love and magic.

Well, hope you enjoyed Amanda's review. We received this book as part of the CSFF blog tour. If you would like to check out some other reviews by fellow CSFF tour members, follow the links below!

Sally Apokedak
Brandon Barr
Amy Browning
Melissa Carswell
CSFF Blog Tour
Stacey Dale
D. G. D. Davidson
Jeff Draper
April Erwin
Timothy Hicks
Jason Isbell
Becky Jesse
Cris Jesse
Jason Joyner
Julie
Carol Keen
Krystine Kercher
Dawn King
Rebecca LuElla Miller
New Authors Fellowship
Nissa
John W. Otte
Donita K. Paul
Crista Richey
Chawna Schroeder
Andrea Schultz
James Somers
Steve Trower
Fred Warren
Phyllis Wheeler
KM Wilsher

New dinosaur discovery!!

2010-03-03T21:50:00.000-08:00

I came by this astonishing article over at The Onion (www.theonion.com). Fascinating, just fascinating.

Paleontologists: 'We've Been Looking At Dinosaurs Upside down'

SALT LAKE CITY—In a paradigm-shattering revelation that has shocked the scientific community, paleontologists from the Utah Geological Survey offered definitive proof Wednesday that, for the past 175 years, everyone has been looking at dinosaur fossils upside down. "How they moved, what their appendages were for, we were wrong about everything," said Dr. Brian Kirch, explaining that new evidence indicates the animals slid along on what was once believed to be their backs. "Basically they scooted around by grabbing nearby vines with their mouths and pulling their bodies. Almost like a snake. What we used to think were legs were actually big flippers that flapped about in the air, driving them forward. Incredible." Kirch told reporters that when you think about it, paleontology makes a lot more sense now.

Why the beginning of your novel is so important

2010-02-21T19:27:00.000-08:00

...In the beginning (your full name here) created the concept of his/her novel, but still the novel was formless and void, and darkness lay over the pages of the novel--a darkness with limitless potential to become anything (your full name here) desired it to become. For (your full name here) had not yet penned a word down, and thereby was not bound or restrained to half-concocted characters or plots not fully exploited...the novel still had all the potential of achieving perfection within the author's mind...and (your full name here) patiently plotted his/her characters, seeking thirstily for the culmination of drama and the zenith of emotion his/her characters could reach. And (your full name here) plotted his plot with patient attention, testing many roads leading to potential outcomes, but waiting, waiting, waiting for that one road--the road of roads, that would lead him/her to maximum power for his characters whom he lovingly has shaped in perfect unity alongside his plot of plots. And in the end, when the novel is done, (your full name here) said, "It is VERY good."

The beginning of your novel determines how you will reach the end. Even though you may go back and completely change your beginning to fit your ending, you nevertheless got to that ending from your initial beginning. Your characters began from that beginning. Your plot, your world, your themes, sprang from those first few chapters...those first 7,000-10,000 words.

For me, it is crucial that I painstakingly create the start of my novel, fleshing out my characters, my plot, my world, my themes and changing them over and over again until I find the right mix that will serve as my foundation for the rest of the novel. The end might still be undecided and the second half may still be fuzzy, but at least--through patient plotting--I've given myself an excellent beginning to spring from.

From the get go we want a clear focused attack that will send our characters into terrible struggles and heart-wrenching situations. We want our characters to have flaws that heighten the drama around them and draw the reader into their inner turmoil. And we want to carefully create secondary characters to amplify the struggles and flaws--within and without--our main characters.

Having a strong foundation to begin upon allows an author to quickly and efficiently get into his/her characters. It allows the plot to sizzle from the start. You've heard the writing advice, "start your novel as late as possible and in medias res," well in my opinion, to do this with the most force and power, you don't want to start off with a half-cocked plot, and a general idea for a character. It can even be tempting to have the plot down, but not the character, or the character down, but not the plot. Both of these situations are a recipe for disaster in my opinion, and a REAL pain to edit out later!!

No, if you want to grab the reader by the scruff of his neck and keep him reading, you've got to show a little patience at the start, figure out a dynamic character and a thrilling plot, and then you'll be glad you did as you hurtle that reader headlong into the tsunami you've prepared for them.

More pirate adventures with Polivka's, The Hand that Bears the Sword

2010-02-09T14:20:00.000-08:00

Book Two in the Trophy Chase trilogy is The Hand that Bears the Sword. George Bryan Polivka never lets me down. To this point I have devoured the first book in the trilogy, The Legend of the Firefish, and the prequel, Blaggards Moon. (check out my reviews Here and Here).

In a wonderfully created world peopled with pirates and common folk reminiscent of the pirate era of our own time, Polivka tells his heart wrenching tale full of human dilemmas that I found tugging at my heart again and again. His descriptions are vivid, fun, and yet sometimes brutal. It is a world very much like our own many centuries ago...much unexplored, new dangers, new monsters.

And in this world, faith in God is put to the test in excruciating ways. I've said it before, and I'll say it again, Polivka's heroes strengthen my faith. They are men and women I want my children to read about.

Has anyone else read any of Polivka's novels? What are some novels that struck you as amazing adventure novels?

How important is a platform for writers seeking publication?

2010-01-27T07:59:00.000-08:00

Building a platform is one of the farthest things from your mind when you first start writing. Maybe your even still asking...what is a platform?

Well, let me start with an example. Andrew Peterson, the author of North! Or Be Eaten had a platform before he ever submitted his manuscript to a publisher or agent (Yes, agents look at platform too).

Peterson's platform...he's an accomplished Christian musician with 12 albums released thus far. (He's also had a top ten radio hit and was nominated for a Dove Award).

So when Peterson submitted his manuscript, he had a leg to stand on. Now when I say "a leg" I do mean only one. He had to have another thing to stand on...and that's a great story! But having that combination of platform and story is a one-two punch. (To check out detailed reviews of North or Be Eaten, scroll down to the bottom of this post and check out some of the great blogs talking in depth about Peterson's book. And from what I'm hearing, its a wonderful book!)

Not all platforms are alike (most of us don't have a spotlight on us as musicians or pastors do) and we're certainly not celebrities who can get whatever we write published. There are other ways for ordinary people to build up their writer's resume to become more appealing to publishers and agents.

1) Creating a blog is a great way to start telling people about your writing. (However, I must warn you that blogs wind up being much more than just a platform, you end up making lots of friends as well as great connections in different areas of the publishing industry). Eventually, if you have a book published, your blog can become a sort of news outlet for your readers, as well as a means of interaction with them. We humans were made to interact and have relationships; that's what makes blogs so endearing.

2) Short story publications. These are key! To have your short stories published accomplishes three things. First, they provide a credit to put on your resume. Second, they show the world what type of writer you are, and readers might be drawn to follow you along when they fall in love with your writing. Third, they help polish your own writing. We writers are constantly learning and growing, and with each story, we build upon our knowledge and stretch ourselves.

3) Networking. I personally never imagined how easy it is to network....the hardest part is trying. Let me give you some examples in my own life. Why not join a local writers group? You are bound to come away with not only great friendships and stronger writing, but also contacts who can help direct your writing path. For instance, I was fortunate to join a group in my city led by Bruce McAllister (twice nominated for the Hugo Award) and a man whose had dozens of short stories published in top magazines, and had a Hugo nominated novel come out by DAW in the late 80's. He gave me tons of great wisdom and inside thought.

Another networking example. Mike and I wrote an archeological adventure novel and decided to shoot for the moon and contact a well known figure in the field who was both a published author and an adventurer who starred in several biblical archeological documentaries. It was while I was watching one of those documentaries when I thought, "hey, this guy might like my book". Well, I emailed the institute which he founded to see if I could get his email. To my shock, they gave me his phone number!!! I hardly knew what to do, and I had my co-author Mike call him (because I was too nervous to do it). To make a long story short, he wanted us to send him the novel, so we did, and after he read it, he gave us a glowing phone call in which he told us how much he loved it and promised to give us a quote for the book. He also offered to give it to his agent--talk about a recommendation! If Mike and I didn't already have an agent, we'd have jumped all over that offer.

Now the three examples above of platform building are just the essentials. Writers can use their personal skills, talents and personalities to create other platforms for their writing. But, remember, platforms provide only one leg (unless you're a celeb), the other leg is a great story with good story-telling, and in the end, it's the story-telling leg that is the most important.

I hope this little overview helps. I also want to direct you to Moonrat's editorial blog post that touches on this very topic. It's VERY enlightening about the publishing industry!

For those of you who want to find out more about Peterson's novel, North! Or Be Eaten, check out the following blogs!

Brandon Barr
Justin Boyer
Amy Browning
CSFF Blog Tour
Stacey Dale
Jeff Draper
April Erwin
Todd Michael Greene
Ryan Heart
Timothy Hicks
Becky Jesse
Cris Jesse
Jason Joyner
Julie
Carol Keen
Krystine Kercher
Dawn King
Rebecca LuElla Miller
New Authors Fellowship
Nissa
Donita K. Paul
Crista Richey
Chawna Schroeder
Andrea Schultz
James Somers
Steve and Andrew
Rachel Starr Thomson
Robert Treskillard
Fred Warren
Jason Waguespac
Phyllis Wheeler
Elizabeth Williams
KM Wilsher

The difficulty of starting a novel...

2010-01-26T14:35:00.000-08:00

I felt I had to get some writing thoughts out to my blog readers...for a little sympathy, advice, and perhaps a few, "I feel the same way('s)"

I've personally found starting a novel very, very difficult. I don't know if I would have ever attempted novel writing if it weren't for Mike Lynch, getting me into the action. Mike never seems to have trouble (he's a machine) (from the Andromeda galaxy actually, isn't that right Mike? j/k). So far I've co-authored three novels with him, but never have I sat down and written one on my own.
Book one, When the Sky Fell, was written by Mike entirely, and then I came and edited and trimmed and gave my two-cents.
Book two, American Midnight, we went every other chapter
Book three, After the Cross, same thing, every other chapter.

Book four...it's my solo project. I've had this story rollicking around in my brain for five years now. I wrote it as a novella, then wrote five scenes from the novel I had in my head. After that I scrapped those, and changed the world from far future sci-fi to near future sci-fi (or modern day sci-fi). Since this switcheroo I've written three false starts, scrapped them, and now finally, I think I have the full vision. And I'm super excited!!! All the previous drafts just didn't feel right...something wasn't quite right.

Monday morning, the 25th of January, I got 600 words down in 4 hours of writing. That's normal for me when starting a novel. I really fine tune things at first. The beginning is the birth of the main characters and I can't be lax with that. So I imagine until I get about 5,000 to 10,000 words down, that I'll be going pretty slow. Then maybe I'll be able to attempt doubling my output... I'm a slow writer compared to most (or maybe you're slow too, like me!). If I get down 1,000 words in 5 hours, I'm very, very happy.

Well, just wanted to let you know what I've been toiling over the last few months...any thoughts??

How do you go about starting your novels? Do you find the process difficult?

My short story now an audio production!!!

2010-01-20T09:20:00.000-08:00

"At the End of the Time Jump" is a short story I wrote back in 2005, and to my delight, it's now out in AUDIO form!

Paeter Frandsen over at Spirit Blade Productions is putting out some awesome audio stories in the sci-fi/fantasy/horror genres that revolve around a Christian worldview. I am honored to be a part of that now!

My story is read by talented voice actor, Christina Boyd. Produced by Taylor Kent and Paeter Frandsen. And mixed and directed by Taylor Kent (who runs Snark Tank Productions)

Here's the link to my story "At the End of the Time Jump" Enjoy!

Christian movie review of Avatar

2010-01-17T21:55:00.000-08:00

First off, Sorry this review is so LATE! As usual I waited for the crowds to thin out before I went to check this film out. Going into the movie, I didn't know too much about it. Yeah, I'd heard it was supposed to be visually stunning, and yeah, I heard it was big budget, but I've seen many movies given those titles in which I left the theater utterly disappointed.

So how did Avatar measure up?

Message and themes behind the movie...this was its weak point. As a Christian, it was a mixed bag for me. But lets start with the good stuff...and there is LOTS of it!!

1) Lets start with the visuals. I watched the movie in 3D, and it really was like nothing I'd seen before. Computer graphics...what computer graphics? Those were real aliens...real mech suits...real floating mountains. It was beautiful. The world that Avatar captures is filled with wonderful intricacies that come alive. Strange and fascinating alien creatures fill the story...In essence, the creativity was off the charts, and the execution of the graphics was seemless.

2) The story. The moon Pandora is rich with a extremely valuable mineral sought after by a large mining company. But on Pandora are tribes of large, blue skinned natives called the Na'vi. The mining company spots a motherload of the precious mineral underneath the hometree of a local Na'vi tribe. Attempts to prompt the natives to move fail because the hometree is a highly spiritual place and the Na'vi are intimately attuned to the "energy" of the land.

The scientists with the company have tried to get to understand the natives using Avatars--vat grown bodies of the natives that humans can control by linking them to their minds. When the scientists behind the Avatars get to know the natives, they wind up caring for them far deeper than the company would like. The tribal aliens are humanoid, intelligent, and sentient, so the scientists find no way to justify forcing them off their land.
The mining company has different plans though...and the scientists must choose which side to stand on.

There is a GREAT deal more to the story, but that's the nutshell version. For a full (Spoiler ridden) version, Check out Wikipedia's Avatar summary titled "plot".

3) Characters. Cameron did an excellent job fleshing out the characters in his movie. I have to say this was the one of the best character sci-fi films I've ever seen. Paraplegic marine Jake Sully is wired into an alien body which he controls with his mind. One of the charming things about this is that he now has a pair of legs--alien legs, and he is able to live normal when hooked up to his Avatar. Well, he meets Neytir, one of the alien Na'vi. Neytir's character is beautifully created with Cameron's graphics department. She is the princess of the tribe and is told by her father to train Jake Sully in the ways of the Na'vi. The relationship that develops between the two turns romantic...but only after Jake Sully proves that he is willing to risk his life to become part of the Na'vi. I never felt at any point that Cameron hadn't earned something...each character arched and there was no pushing the plot along with unearned lines. (However, I've read other Christians reviews who said the lines in the film were laughable...all I know is at no point did I feel this way. More on the Christian reviews later.)

There are a number of other characters who were fully alive. The foremost in my mind was the movie's bad guy, the head of the mining company's military outfit. Though we don't dig into his character much, I found him a great bad guy! He was like the terminator in his rigid mentality as well as his brute strength...which was pretty frightening. By the end of the movie, you really want to see justice done to him!

4) Messages and themes in Avatar. This is the area where I felt let down. Unfortunately what could have been one of the best sci-fi movies I've ever seen was underlaid with allegories of twenty-first century politics as well as spiritualism. The second (spiritualism) I can at least expect/understand from a secular movie, though I don't like it, but the politics...come on, they should have more respect for the audience.

The Iraq war lines. Several lines in the movie are parallels of modern day slogans used for the Iraq War. "shock and awe campaign," "pre-emptive action," and the suggestion to "fight terror with terror" is clearly a dig at the "War on terror". These only served to cheapen the movie. Whether one was for or against the Iraq War, it shouldn't matter, because the parallel's between the Na'vi and the mining company don't match at all the complexities between the Iraqi's and the Americans and why war broke out. The Na'vi are clearly innocent...they've done nothing wrong...they are peaceful...so paralleling them to Iraq is completely absurd. To enjoy the movie, I had to push these lines in the back of my brain for later. Once I did that I was still able to completely enjoy the movie and then later talk over the issues with family.

The spiritualism. The Na'vi came across to me as a mixture of tribal Native American's and African's, and incorporated into their culture was the belief that the earth is alive, and all living things have energy...you know, the basic New Age stuff. Well, as a Christian I could have certainly done without this, but I could have hardly expected the non-Christian filmmakers to make the Na'vi religion monotheistic in a Judeo/Christian worldview. Lets face it, the monotheistic view of God is really unpopular right now because it reminds everyone of Christians...and we're deemed pretty unintelligent by the political left (who this film is tailer-made for).

I was willing to put up with this spiritualism, because I know what is truth and what isn't truth. The danger I see is in the hordes of "Christian" teens who see the film...these teens come from "Christian" families which don't teach a comprehensive biblical worldview. This is sad, because teens, if parented by a mom and dad who really teach them (scientifically, logically, philosophically, archeologically, etc.) that the God of the bible is the being behind the reality in which we live--that teen could watch Avatar, have a great movie experience, and come away discussing with his parents where the movie had bought into a false religion. Seriously, this movie could make a great discussion starter...I know it did for me and my wife. I recommend the movie for Mature Christians only--and that includes adults. Since there are lots of underlying messages, the viewer needs to be sophisticated enough to see them, otherwise they could soak them up without knowing it.

5) Christian reaction to the movie. I found some reviews that I felt were good and balanced over at Christianity Today and CBN. I also felt Focus on the Family did a good job in review, and if you want to know every bad word or sexual innuendo in the movie, they list them all!

But I was greatly disappointed with other Christian reviews... imbalanced. Here's some quotes from them...

I want to put this as plainly as I can. This film is so uniquely awful that it should be legal for me to enslave and neuter any movie critic who gives it a positive review. -Good News Film Reviews

My response: Um...after skimming this guys rant-laden review, I now know not to ever rely on this site again! I can't say this guy comes across as a "loving" Christian. I'd say this guy is a shining example of how Christians can go the extra-mile to be divisive.

Should you see Avatar? The intense publicity surrounding the film, as well as several ecstatic early reviews, have set the bar very high. For this critic, Avatar doesn't come anywhere near clearing that bar—not in the performances, not in the lavish visuals and certainly not in the film's entirely derivative storytelling. In order to attain even a modicum of satisfaction from the film, one should see it only on a big screen, preferably in 3D. -Crosswalk

My response: This guy just said the "lavish visuals" didn't meet his expectation!?! He has just discredited his entire review by showing he is utterly biased!!

If you think Pandora looks like a great place to live, consider the beginning of what's known as the Lord's Prayer:
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, in earth as it is in heaven.
What do you think life on earth would be like if God had his way? Children would grow up in homes with two loving parents, employees would be impeccably honest, employers would be generous, crime would not exist, there would be no pedophiles, scamers, spamers, or drug dealers. There would be no addicts, no gamblers, no AIDS or herpes. Imagine the prosperity that would be possible.
You can hug all the trees you want and nothing will do more to help the planet earth than a revival. -Movieguide: Capitalism, Christianity and Avatar

My response: Okay, like many of the negative reviews I read, these reviewers totally don't get sci-fi/fantasy. It's make believe. This reviewer felt like the movie was trying to make the Na'vi homeworld better than God's plan for the earth...this entire review actually read like the reviewer thought the movie was proposing an alternate truth--not fantasy--but truth. It's clearly a fantasy (even though I do agree it has underlying messages that I don't agree with) the fact is almost all secular made movies have messages I don't agree with. Why get extra mad at Avatar? Most movies are set in the real world--and thus speak more directly to the real world, but Avatar is fantasy...

AVATAR is a visually stunning, but slow, shallow and abhorrent, science fiction adventure pitting evil human capitalists against heroic, spiritually sensitive aliens on the planet Pandora, who worship a false deity and nature. Too graphically intense for children, AVATAR has an abhorrent New Age, pagan, anti-capitalist worldview that promotes goddess worship and the destruction of the human race. -Movieguide: Get rid of Human Beings Now!

My response: Shallow? Abhorrent? I don't know what to say. The anti-capitalist was a theme in several of the Christian reviews above, and I totally don't get why they say that. Yeah the movie had a bad company who wanted this special mineral so badly they were willing to do evil to get it, but that doesn't make the movie anti-capitalist! What, we can't have any movie with a bad company in it??? And then there is the claim that it promotes the destruction of the human race...well, just because the few humans in the bad company were...um, bad, doesn't mean the movie was saying all humans were bad. I find this over-the-top!

In conclusion, I'm certainly glad I saw the movie, and I want to see it again! It's a great story with characters that I cared about and set in a beautiful world that's utterly brought to life. I just wish Cameron hadn't put so much agenda and politics into the background and disrupted his otherwise breath-taking film.

Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones

2010-01-15T13:45:00.000-08:00

Unlike Episode One, Jar Jar Binks isn't an issue. Sure he's given the position of senate representative (something he's clearly unqualified for), but at least he's undergone some serious intelligence training and--for the most part--no longer plays the bumbling fool. Overall, Attack of the Clones is a slight improvement over Episode One.

The good:
We've got more great visual effects. Like the first movie, it's a joy to see amazing new worlds both beautiful and hostile. Theirs something plain cool about the mixing of untamed planets and advanced technology. Theirs something fascinating about exploring new worlds, but to be able to do it in a sweet spaceship, that's totally rad...

I also enjoyed Boba Fett the bounty hunter...he was an almost sympathetic bad guy. Especially so since he had his son with him. Then there was the epic battle at the end with three fun monster-aliens, tons of jedi, the clone army vs. the droid army, and of course Yoda battling Count Dooku (I remember the audience going wild when I first went to see it in theaters).

The Bad:
Again, poor character development. The first movie was so-so, but this one was stiff. The lines were often simplistic and lacked depth. And then there was the romance between Anakin and Princess Amidala. It was totally forced. She had no reason to be so in love with him, and he had no reason to be in love with her. Anakin was just a kid in the first movie, why would he be desiring her...he barely new her...if he'd been a teen, then yeah, but he was just a boy. She'd have koodies still. And then on her end, why would she fall for him with all those cheesy lines he gave her. As a viewer, nothing in the romance was earned. My wife even protested saying: "What has he done to make her say that!"

So in conclusion, Attack of the clones was better than Episode One, but a far cry from what it could have been. But I'm looking forward to watching Episode Three...I remember it being the redeeming gem in the bunch!

Star Wars: The Phantom Menace

2010-01-09T13:17:00.000-08:00

I've decided to go back through the entire Star Wars series (all six, new and old), and take a close look at what made some of these movies so fantastic, and others so...problematic.

Unfortunately, The Phantom Menace falls under the second category. I find it incredibly difficult to mess up Star Wars...we've got Jedi with lightsabers, really cool looking space ships, bizarre creatures from thousands of worlds, exotic locals of various planets and solar systems, and not to mention the story itself...so how did they manage to ruin a sure shot movie?

Insert Jar-Jar Binks and the Gungans.

As far as I'm concerned, The Phantom Menace would have been a great Star Wars contribution if it weren't for Mr. Binks and the moronic Gungans. This ridiculous race single-handedly managed to ruin an entire movie.

For one, Jar Jar himself is characterized as a fool. Just listen to the way he talks, and sadly the entire degenerate race of Gungans talk as Jar Jar does. And how does he talk? Like a fool, a half-wit. I guess George Lucas was willing to sacrifice every adult and teenage Star Wars fan's love for the series for the sake of fourth grade fart humor...which is what Jar Jar amounts to...(sigh).

I found myself over and over mumbling angrily during the movie, "Kill it! Somebody please! Put it out of its misery!" My wife elbowed me a few times, but then I think she began to side with me as the buffoon continued to ruin Star Wars.

As I watched, I asked myself...Why on earth did Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi ask the creature for help? Surely their Jedi wisdom would have warned them that this was a foolish creature in desperate need of a quick lightsaber swipe to the neck...

Again and again the Jedi take Jar Jar along when they should have--at the very least--left him behind.

Then to make matters worse, during the climactic battle scene, we have Jar Jar, the prince of fools, doing all sorts of stupid, klutzy things and gibbering like a brainless salamander, and then what happens!?! All his foolishness amounts, not to his desired demise, but to him helping win the war. As the flappy-eared caricature stumbles over droid parts in a dance of uncoordinated buffoonery, he accidentally kills approaching droids by haphazardly discharging their weapons, thereby saving his own life (to my utter frustration). And then, again, when he should have been crushed to death by bouncing blue energy balls which he accidentally unloosens, he winds up, instead, knocking out large droid fighting vessels (and he of course survives).

The entire race of Gungans should have stayed in the swamp. Jar Jar was not an exception to his race, he seemed to be the rule. The Gungan King was a blathering nonsensical being who acted like a child. He even spit raspberries into the air when he was excited.

In conclusion, the movie was great, except for Jar Jar and the Gungans. I know I don't stand alone in this conviction. The massive number of anti-Jar Jar websites is a testimony to that. It seems Jar Jar annoyed just about everyone...except for the elementary aged audience.

American Midnight Cover!!

2010-01-02T14:10:00.000-08:00

Alright, Here it is, the long awaited cover for American Midnight...

American Midnight teaser:

"A family torn apart, a country under siege from within, terrorist schemes on many levels, and it's all coming to a head in a quiet little town in Iowa." -Cathi Hassan

I have a whole host of great endorsements that will be featured inside the first page of the book. But I'm going to save those for the publication date...don't want to get anyone too excited when the release date isn't yet here.

When is the release date you ask...all I can say is 2010...that might mean February...or it might mean a later month.

Here's a link to my November blog post where I show other pictures taken for the front cover HERE.

Christmas, star wars, and my Christmas sci-fi short story

2009-12-24T08:29:00.000-08:00

Well its' Christmas time, and over at Digital Dragon Magazine they've reprinted my short story, "The Seeker" which is my Christmas sci-fi story. If you haven't read it, and would like to, check it out HERE!

Also, if you want to see a BIZZARE 1978 Christmas Star Wars with the actual Star Wars cast, check out this video below!! Happy "life day" to you all...? Hmmm... No, Merry Christmas!!

A lone voice in the world of music...

2009-12-17T22:24:00.000-08:00

I am abundantly blessed to have discovered a singer and song writer by the name of Josh Garrels. He is a lone voice crying out in the wilderness of Christian music. The words to his songs are organic, gritty, real, fresh, poetic, original, powerfully creative and they are led by the spirit. I know that they are led by the spirit because the spirit within me leaps when I still myself and listen to the words and the music.
I'm drawn to God, I'm led into worship of Him, and I'm struck by the truth behind the words again and again in so many ways.

Listening to this singer/song writer reminds me that in all Christian arts, it is possible to break barriers of genre, form, and construct, and to bring something fresh, organic, gritty, and spirit led into the art--be it film, fiction or music.

Here's some of my favorite Josh Garrel's video's. But if you really want to appreciate his music in quality sound, go to his website and listen to the songs on his playlist...they are a small sampling of his work. I especially encourage you to listen to "SISU" "Zion and Babylon" "Rabbit and Bear" "Sweet River Roll" "Train Song"...there are so many...I'll stop here. Enjoy the vids...

This song is titled "Travel the Land"

This is his song "Joyful Boy"

Testing those who claim to be prophets

2009-12-10T20:25:00.000-08:00

Here is yet more of my personal research in defending my faith. Many groups claim to be the only group whom God speaks to today. They claim they have actual prophets (or a prophetic organization) able to properly lead them in our current day and age. However, each of these groups I've encountered fail the Biblical test for prophets. Here's my research, some of which was gleaned from Ron Rhodes literature.

How the Bible views prophecy; and the test for ALL prophets

Index

1) All true prophets speak truth 100% of the time when speaking for God

2) Requirements of prophecy

3) Biblical teachings on determining whether a prophet is true or false

4) Did prophets in the Bible make errors? Lets take a look

1) All true prophets speak truth 100% of the time when speaking for God

-Nowhere in scripture can you find a prophet who speaks one false prophecy and yet isn’t abhorred by God. All true prophets speak only truth when they specifically claim their words are from God. Why? Because God sends them the message. But someone who speaks a false prophecy hasn’t heard from God, but instead speaks out of his own mind’s imagination.

2) Requirements of a prophecy

-A prophecy cannot go against what God has already established in scripture by His word. (For instance, a prophet couldn’t say: “I heard the word of the Lord, and he told me that homosexuality is not a sin.” This clearly would contradict what God has already established in his word.)

-A prophet’s prophecy must come true. (For instance, if someone says the Lord says such and such will happen at this date, it had better happen. If it does not, then the man has not heard from the Lord, and has spoken falsely. He is not a prophet of God)

3) Biblical teachings on determining whether a prophet is true or false

-Deuteronomy 18:15-22 proclaims that if a prophet presumes to speak anything in the Lord’s name, and it doesn’t come to pass, he is to be killed.

-Isaiah 44:24-26 states that the Lord foils the signs of the false prophets and makes fools of diviners. The Lord carries out the words of his servants and fulfills the predictions of his messengers.

-Jeremiah 28:1-17 is the story of the false prophet Hananiah, and a genuine prophet of the Lord, Jeremiah. Hanniah speaks falsely for God, Jeremiah’s prophecy comes to pass.

-Mathew 7:15-23 warns of false prophets saying a good tree bears good fruit, a bad tree bad fruit. What is the fruit of a prophet—his prophecies. Prophecy that come to pass equals good fruit, prophecy that does not come to pass equals bad fruit.

Additional passages regarding false prophets:

-Jeremiah 23:9-40

-Galatians 1:6-9

-2^nd Corinthians 11:1-4...13-15

-1^st Thessalonians 5:19-22

4) Did prophets in the bible make errors? Let’s take a look

-1^st Chronicles 17:1-15 explains how King David desired to build God a temple and Nathan told him “Whatever you have in mind, do it, for God is with you.” But then later, in a dream God speaks to Nathan and informs him that David is NOT to build the temple.

So did Nathan give Nathan a false prophecy?—no! Nathan doesn’t claim that God told him that David was to build God’s house; Nathan makes a human judgment here, not claiming to speak for God. Nathan says, Yeah, build the Lords house, God’s with you.”

You must understand that God WAS with David, clearly! God did so much through David, and Nathan saw it, and knew it. So when Nathan says, God is with you, He isn’t making a prophecy, he’s simply stating what he knows.

However, God has another plan for David’s son Solomon to build the temple. So he DOES speak to Nathan, and Nathan faithfully tells David what the Lord said.

-Luke 19:11 “While they [the disciples] were listening to this, he went on too tell them a parable, because he was near Jerusalem and the people thought (NW: were imagining) that the kingdom of God was going to appear at once.”

Even though every Bible translation I looked up (15 in all!) translated the underlined word above as either “thought” or “supposed” I’ll go with the new world translation’s rendering even though it flies in the face of Greek diction.

Some might say, look the disciples WERE IMAGINING when the kingdom of God was coming and they were wrong. Response: The disciples never said, “I’m speaking for the Lord here. At this point in their lives, they are following Jesus and trying to glean from his teachings—many of which they just didn’t get and had to ask, or Jesus would have to explain them, such as in this case if you continue reading Luke 19:11-27.

No where in the scriptures does it record the disciples going around at this point saying “Thus sayeth the Lord, the Kingdom of God is nigh.” The disciples were wrong, but they weren’t claiming to be God’s mouth piece to humanity at this point, they were just saying what they thought.

-Proverbs 4:18 “The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining brighter till the full light of day.”

Some will claim that a prophet can be wrong at first, as long as they get better and better as they continue on in righteousness. But as we’ve read from the above verses. This is absolutely contrary to God’s word. Proverbs 4:18 is not speaking about prophets and prophecies—it doesn’t claim to be! This is taking a verse completely out of context and ignoring verses like Deuteronomy 18:20-22 and all the others mentioned above.

-Acts 1:6 “So when they met together they asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”

Here the disciples/apostles didn’t know, and they asked Jesus. But just because they didn’t know, doesn’t mean they were going out and saying “Thus sayeth the Lord...” If they had been going out and proclaiming “Thus sayeth the Lord” they would have been wrong, but they didn’t. Why? Because God hadn’t spoken to them. So here in Acts 1:6, they just didn’t know. Is there anything wrong with that? No.

-Jonah 3:4-10; 4:1-2

In these verses, Jonah proclaims God’s wrath on Nineveh and in this case he does claim to be speaking for God. When he proclaims this coming doom to Nineveh, the Ninevites actually listen, and repent! And then God turns his wrath away.

So what Jonah says does not come to pass. But wait! Jonah wasn’t wrong. He told Nineveh exactly what God told him to say. It seems God has left open a repentance clause, and scripture backs this up. In Jeremiah 18:7-8 it says: “If at any time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be uprooted, torn down and destroyed, and if that nation I warned repents of its evil, then I will relent and not inflict on it the disaster I had planned.”

Clearly Jonah’s prophecy wasn’t a false one, because his prophecy, according to scripture, was contingent to whether or not Nineveh changed their ways.

-Paul and Peter’s disagreement and more

In the new testament people disagree at times, and many times people are wrong (like the disciples in Luke 19:11. But this has nothing to do with prophecy. These instances, such as the case with Paul and Peter, they are looking at the scriptures and they come to different conclusions. However, Paul and Peter reconciled their differences. What does this mean? It means that sometimes believers will disagree on minor points about what the Bible teaches. But what this can’t be taken as is a way to justify failed prophecy. If Paul and Peter had both said “Thus sayeth the Lord...” about their disagreement, then we have a problem. But no, there disagreement was based on human wrong thinking. As humans, we can come to wrong conclusions. But as a human (or organization) we claim to be speaking the words of God. If what is prophesied does not come to pass, then the prophecy was devised in the mind of man, not of God. That prophet is a liar.

No such thing as real "gods"

2009-12-09T08:01:00.000-08:00

THERE IS ONLY ONE TRUE GOD, AND NO ACTUAL/REAL “gods”. I've found that statement necessary when talking with those who deny the trinity. Those who deny the trinity believe Jesus was "a god", "an exalted angel", or they believe literally that Jesus was God's son (and diety), but that Jesus and the Father are not one God, but two Gods.

These trinity deniers fall roughly into two camps. Either they are polytheists or henotheists.

-A henotheist is someone who follows one God (even believes they are the most powerful God who created all things) but they believe that there are other "gods" (Created by God) but they do not follow these other "gods"

-A polytheist simply believes in many Gods. They can likewise follow only one if they choose.

So what does the Bible say on this subject...here's what I've researched:

Declarative statements that there is but one God, and no other.
Old Testament
-Isaiah 45:5

New Testament
-James: 2:19

Verses declaring that “gods” are not “gods” at all--they are either lifeless or demonic.

Old Testament:
-Deuteronomy 32: 15-21, 36-39
-Psalm 4:2; 96:4-6; 106:28, 36-38; 115:2-8;
-Isaiah 41:21-24; 43:10-13; 44:6-23; 45:14-24; 46:5-9;
-Jeremiah 2:26-28; 5:7; 10:1-16;
-Ezekiel 20:32; 43:7;
-Daniel 5:22-23
-Hosea 4:12; 8:4-6; 14:3
-Joel 2:27
-Amos 2:4; 5:26
-Jonah 2:8-9
-Micah 5:13
-Habakkuk 1:11 (showing man makes what is not god, god.); 2:18-20

New Testament:
-Acts 14:12-18; 17:16-31; 19:23-27 (is the goddess Artemis real? Of course not.)
-Romans 1:19-25
-1st Corinthians 10:18-20, 12:2

The concept of “gods” is pagan. The bible address this over and over again in the above verses, showing how “gods” are really nothing at all. What is God, or god? God is the maker of all things, omnipotent. “gods” can range from wooden carvings to demons, but it doesn’t matter, because all a “god” is is something that says it is GOD, when it is not. Think about it...

The bible says there is only one God. So there is one upper-case God, and no lower-case gods. The lower-case god is something that is only called god because man gives it the respect or worship or devotion that is due to God the one and only.

When the bible calls Satan the “god” of this earth, it is in the same context as the verses above. Satan is “god” in the same way an ashteroth poll is god. Mankind calls them gods...treats them as gods...maybe worships them as gods, but that does not make either truly a god. There is, and only can be, ONE God, according to the scriptures.

One last illustration. Lets suppose you had a friend who was a workaholic and his chief goal in life was to make as much money as he could. This friend believes once he makes millions of dollars it will bring him fulfillment, happiness, and peace. You are naturally concerned about his lifestyle and you go to him and say. “Friend, money is your god.” Or again you could say, “Friend, you serve the god Mammon (which is a pagan god of wealth).” Now by saying these statements, you are certainly not saying that money itself is actually a god, or that the pagan god Mammon is an actual entity (though certainly its conception and continued presence is due to Satan and the demons). What you ARE saying is that your friend is devoting his life to making money, and this pursuit of this has eclipsed God’s rightful place as head of his life. Jesus taught that the greatest commandment is to love the Lord—heart, mind, soul, strength. And since this friend’s heart, mind, soul, and strength are in pursuit of money more than God, he is placing money in God’s seat. He is an idolater.

Two verses used to defend “gods” and a council of gods.

-Psalm 82
Verse 1 reads: “God presides in the great assembly; he gives judgment among the ‘gods’...”
Verse 6-7 reads “I said, ‘You are ‘gods’; you are all sons of the most high.’ But you will die like mere men; you will fall like every other ruler.”
This verse cannot be isolated from the rest of scripture. Considering the weight of verses declaring there is but one God, and all the ‘gods’ of the nations are lifeless idols, this verse is not referring to actual ‘gods’. The term ‘god’ was used of rulers in the Near East, for they were seen as deputies of God.
In Psalm 82 the psalmist, Asaph, says these ‘gods’ do the following:
-“defend the unjust”
-“show partiality to the wicked”
-“know nothing...understand nothing.
-“they walk in darkness”
There are several interpretation of this passage, most of them agree that this Psalm is speaking poetically of corrupt earthly rulers using imagery from the surrounding nations who believed in a council of gods. It’s depicting the rulers of the nations as knowing nothing, and walking about in darkness, and being unjust. God exhorts them to “Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed. Rescue the weak and needy...”
The verse concludes by asking God to “judge the earth, for all the nations are your inheritance.”
By the descriptions used, these certainly sound like men, not “gods”. Considering the pagan world the Israelites found themselves in, it makes sense for a poet to use this imagery to show that God is truly sovereign over all.

-John 10: 34-36
Why did Jesus quote Psalm 82? Because he was saying, “If unjust rulers were called ‘gods’, how much more so should the son of God. The word of God came to the rulers, but Jesus was and is the word of God.

Jesus is God as seen in creation

2009-12-07T10:37:00.003-08:00

Well I've been incredibly busy studying the Bible the past three weeks as I've been meeting with a particular group who doesn't believe that Jesus is God. It's been hard finding any time to post...so I thought I'd post a little tidbit of my research. This specifically adresses the connection between the father and the son in creation. Hopefully you find this interesting!

CREATION

--Jesus creates:

Colossians 1:15-19 Speaking of Jesus: “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and form him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all this fullness dwell in him...”

--A quick note: the New World Translation adds the word “other.” This is not in the Greek. It was added to make this verse fit in with Jehovah’s Witness doctrine.

Other verses describing Jesus as creator:

John 1:2-3,10; Hebrews 1:1-3, 10

--God creates:

-Isaiah 44:24 states: “This is what the Lord says—your redeemer, who formed you in the womb: I am the Lord, who has made all things, who alone stretched out the heavens, who spread out the earth by myself.” In this verse God states plainly that he alone made the heavens and the earth by himself. If Jesus created, how can God say he created alone, or by himself? Some try to say, “God created the world through Jesus” to explain this. But clearly that doesn’t alleviate the problem. Let me give an example: If two people write a book together, they are co-authors, neither can claim that they wrote the book alone or by themselves—unless of course the two co-authors were the same person. For Father God to be able to say he created the world alone and by himself, Jesus has to be God himself. This is one of the very reasons Christians believe in the trinity...because the Bible demands that we do.

-Psalm 102:25 “In the beginning you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands.” It says clearly that the creation is the work of God’s hands, but it is the work of Christ’s hands.

-Psalm 95:5-7 “The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land. Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care.” Here Gods hand forms the dry land. It also says to bow down in worship to the Lord our Maker. And it also refers to God as our shepherd. If Christ’s hands formed the land, then our we to bow to him, for he made us? And isn’t he our shepherd?

More verses:

-Read Isaiah 48:13 and then Hebrews 1:10

--The Holy Spirit creates:

Holy Spirit creates: Genesis 1:2, 26-27; Job 33:4

If God created alone, by himself the heavens and the earth, with his own hands, and yet Jesus explicitly created all things, then either God is a liar, or he is a multi-person being.

Photo shoot for American Midnight

2009-11-30T21:46:00.000-08:00

Wow, I never thought I'd be involved in a photo shoot...it was a ton of fun. American Midnight is my newest novel, co-authored with Mike Lynch. The reviews I'm getting back on it are really amazing, and it's getting me excited. But I'll save the reviews for another post.

Saturday the 28th we shot the cover girl for the book. Her name is Christine, and she did an absolutely wonderful job!! The photographer was Adam Kazmierski...he's incredibly talented and his work is just amazing. Adam is also putting together the entire cover with additional photographic elements (I'll be posting that some time later in December) You can check out Adam's professional website HERE.

Below are just a smattering of 250 pictures we took...and guess what, we can only pick ONE!

There were dozens more I wanted to put up, but I don't want to overload my blog page. All the pictures above haven't been touched up by Adam, this is just the raw footage...

Books I'm thankful for

2009-11-25T17:45:00.000-08:00

It's a pleasant thing to think back at all the books that have moved you over the years. Above all books the Bible has influenced my life, but it's hardly a mere book, is it now...

In the very beginning I remember Bill Wallace's books, Snot Stew, and Totally Disgusting! which tickled my young funny bone with cat and dog capers. But I also remember his more serious book, Beauty, about a boy and his horse. Great reads for Children. I also remember my aunt reading to me the Chronicles of Narnia...those are some great memories.

Next came Jurassic Park in fifth grade. I devoured the book (I was a huge dinosaur enthusiast) and discovered grown-up fiction (and ended up reading almost every Michael Crichton novel written). In 7th grade Lord of the Flies made a big impression on me. In 10th grade it was Ender's Game and Speaker for the Dead. Also in 10th grade was Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451. That book rocked my world with its beautiful prose. I then continued to devour everything Bradbury, including his short stories.

I went on to read Lord of the Rings and Dune in high school. Both incredibly memorable.

In college I devoured the Chronicles of Narnia all over again but also much of his great Christian works, The Screwtape Letters, The Great Divorce, Mere Christianity, The Problem of Pain, and many others. Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men was amazing! So to were his books The pearl, The Red Pony, and Tortilla Flat.

More recently I have discovered my love for Christian apologetics. Lee Strobel's books, William Lane Craig's amazing work, Nancy Pearcy's Total Truth.

And recent fiction gold mines have been George Bryan Polivka's Firefish novels and Blaggards Moon, Adam's Water Ship Down, McCarthy's The Road, and now Lars Walkers The Year of the Warrior.

I look forward to what's around the corner! SO...what books are you thankful for?

Profound...brilliant...you MUST read Lars Walker's "The Year of the Warrior"

2009-11-20T18:24:00.000-08:00

Let me start this off by saying...if you don't read this book, you will be missing out on one of the most powerful and profound novels ever written by a Christian.

Lars Walker's The Year of the Warrior published by Baen Books left me awestruck. Don't judge this book by it's pulp-fiction cover; this is a historical sword and sorcery novel that transcends the genre. I feel as if any attempts on my behalf to convey the sweep of this story will utterly fall short, but I'll try and give little tidbits.

The historical aspect:
In this novel Walker plumbs the depths of the dark ages as the the pagan Norse religion begins to be supplanted by Christianity in Norway around 1000 A.D. Walker probes the uncomfortable horrors perpetrated by men in the name of Christianity: "Be baptized or die," becomes the mantra of the Church. And fighting this misguided version of Christianity is the brutal religion of the Viking Norsemen. For Christians reading this story, it is a harsh confrontation with an often overlooked period of history...the inglorious, tragic attempt to win the world for Christ by the sword. However, Mr. Walker creates two of the most memorable characters ever written, Father Aillil an Irish priest who despises God, and a mighty Hersir named Erling, who as a Christian, aquires Aillil to be his priest.

The story is stuffed full of adventures, heart-wrenching drama, agonizing moral dilemma, titanic battles between men, and gods (demons). And that leads into the fantasy side of the story...

The fantasy aspect:
The gods of Norway don't sit idly by. Aillil calls them demons, but the pagan Norsemen's gods show themselves in many shapes and forms, driving the motives of men, infiltrating human minds, and often manifesting themselves bodily in open warefare with Aillil, Erling, and any who dare disrupt their dominion over Norway. There are Berzerkers, Ogres, underground women, and werewolves. And there are the Norse gods Thor and Freydis! Spiritual warfare on an epic scale.

The skill of the writing:
Walkers writing is flawless. Historical scholarship, excellent storytelling, and powerful prose collide in this novel. I am confident he will one day be recognized as one of the great writers of the 21st century--and not just by Christians. Just read the reviews by these amazon reviewers who picked up his book (Click HERE). Mind you, this novel was not billed as Christian fiction, most, if not all, of the reviews are by non-Christians. Truly, for a Christian author to write a story revolving around Christianity that is not only palatable to non-Christians, but highly praised--that is a feat of no easy doing.

Warning:
This book does not skirt the brutal world in any way. Though the author is not grotesque, there is much violence in this book ranging from violent battles to infanticide and rape. They are certainly crucial to the story and are not written in a glorified manner (like many horror movies nowadays). I would recommend this novel for adults (and young adults who are mature).

Now, about purchasing this book. It is out of print!! However there are two ways you can get it.
1) Buy it as an E-book from Baen Books HERE.
or if you're like me, choose option 2
2) Email the author and buy a copy directly from him. Lars Walker's email is lars@larswalker.com

And also! Walker has a new book out that is a sequel to The Year of the Warrior. It is called West Oversea, but it's also a stand alone. To read a review by Gene Edward Veith on Mr. Walker's newest novel, go HERE.

Visit Lars Walkers website (I'd especially recommend clicking on his link "About my books". He gives great insights into reasons to write for God's glory.)

And check out my interview with Lars Walker HERE!

Buy this book...you won't regret it!

Judging a book by its cover

2009-11-15T22:31:00.000-08:00

Curse of the Spider King is co-authored by Wayne Thomas Batson and Christopher Hopper, and it is book one in a series titled "The Berinfell Prophecies."

Judging a book by its cover is a natural and logical tool of every book buyer . Most avid readers will have bought books simply because of their cover art at least a few times in their life. Heck, that's how I found Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card, and that was one of the greatest fictional finds of my life.

Still, how often have we picked up a book with a captivating cover, and frowned as we trudge our way through...maybe not even finishing the story.

And then that begs even more questions...how many imaginative feasts do we skim over because the cover art doesn't meet the fancy of our eye?

And that begs an even further question...how often have we read a book, and once finished, look at the cover art and say aloud, "Tis a mismatch!" Well, likely we've never said it in those exact words (I certainly haven't), but one gets the point.

A sad reality about most cover art is that it's ultimately up to the publisher. Tragic really, considering the person who could best match the story within with a fitting cover is the author himself.

So, back to the Curse of the Spider King, what does this cover tell you about the story within? Having not read the story, this is what the cover tells me in short, succinct sentences.
-Fantasy, Humor (the way the men look riding on the spiders), Tolkienesque, fairy tale, young adult/teen, slightly whimsical (because of the font).

What does the cover art tell you?

And to find out what the story IS about, check out the following blogs on the CSFF blog tour.

Brandon Barr
Justin Boyer
Amy Browning
Valerie Comer
Amy Cruson
CSFF Blog Tour
Stacey Dale
D. G. D. Davidson
Shane Deal
Jeff Draper
Emmalyn Edwards
April Erwin
Karina Fabian
Todd Michael Greene
Ryan Heart
Timothy Hicks
Becky Jesse
Cris Jesse
Jason Joyner
Julie
Carol Keen
Krystine Kercher
Tina Kulesa
Melissa Lockcuff
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Mirtika
Nissa
John W. Otte
Cara Powers
Chawna Schroeder
James Somers
Speculative Faith
Robert Treskillard
Fred Warren
Jason Waguespac
Phyllis Wheeler
Jill Williamson
KM Wilsher

Do Hard Things: a teenage rebellion against low expectations

2009-11-12T10:45:00.000-08:00

The book, Do Hard Things, was inspiring. It's geared for teenagers, and since I work at a youth group, the title caught my attention. It's filled with stories of teenagers who have decided to do hard things. Challenging things that no one would expect capable of a teenager. And therein lies the problem, our culture expects little from teenagers, but teen authors (and brothers) Alex and Brett Harris are out to free young people from this stigma by encouraging them to step up and be men and women, and to go out and purposely do hard/challenging things for the glory of God.

As a writer, I was inspired by their message of excellence. The Harris brothers point out the need to strive for excellence in all our efforts, and this is indeed a message our often lethargic society needs to hear. Their words and the many stories contained in their book Do Hard Things, reminded me that I am an ambassador of God, of Christ's gospel, and that everything I do in this life can be (should be) a testimony to my transformed life as a child of God. Excellence, hard work, diligence, sacrifice, love. We run this race to win it, not to jog merrily along.

Words like excellence, hard work, diligence, sacrifice, servanthood, focus, etc...they don't sound good in the worlds ears, but as one who has knowledge of God, I know the truth. Such words, such deeds, are the only way to live a fulfilled, satisfied life provided God is the strength for them. He designed us, not the world. Why live for less when we can Do Hard Things...Great things, to the glory of God.