*SAMPLES: PERDITIONS GATE*

A New *Sample* from my recently finished futuristic thriller, PERDITIONS GATE: Escape from New Eden.

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There was nothing but darkness with the occasional spire of light intruding into the drainage tunnel from the streets above. Jason tried to move quickly in the cramped quarters. He kept the capsule pistol aimed down the tunnel before him so that the night-vision image coming from the weapons small scope could be fed to his CLDs. Jason finally saw his man lying motionless and perpendicular with the tunnel, its wall cradling him like a baby. Soulman’s right arm was aimed straight at Jason and he held a capsule gun in his hand.
“Jerome, it’s me, Jason.”
Soulman’s arm relaxed and dropped like it had a fifty pound weight attached to it. He had to struggle just to speak. “Jason…I knew you’d find me. I’ve been trying to hold on until you got here. I tried the transmitter; it must have gotten shot away. I didn’t want to die alone.”
“Die? Hey, don’t start talking like that,” Jason said as he crawled closer to his friend.
“I already know, it’s bad, man. No use blowing smoke; I’m done.”
Jason wished he could argue with him, but he knew Jerome was probably right. He plugged an interface cable from his micro computer module on his left bicep into the same on Soulman’s arm. The two units communicated briefly and then when Soulman’s unit acknowledged Jason’s unit as that of the team leader, Nightstalker, it surrendered all of its relevant data.
Physiologic data, coming from Jerome’s uniform, confirmed his self diagnosis. He had shrapnel lodged in his heart, tears in both iliac arteries, liver damage and several small and large bowel perforations. Jerome’s blood pressure was displayed on Jason’s CLD. It was steadily dropping below critical levels despite the auto tourniquet system. Jason could smell the foul odor of blood collecting in pockets under his friend’s uniform.
“Jerome, you’re dying, my friend.” The words cut at his heart to say them, but it was true.
Jerome nodded his understanding and acceptance of the situation.
“Is there anyone—?”
He smiled through the pain as he labored to breathe. “Now, you know I’ve always been more of a player, man. There’s no one ever been waiting at home for me.”
Jerome grabbed Jason’s arm, then he found his hand and squeezed it tightly. “Jason,” he said with great urgency. “Theed’s men, they knew I was coming.”
“What?”
“I know, but it’s true. They were waiting for an assassin to come into that hospital room and you can see they were ready for me.” It was difficult for him to get the words out.
Jason contemplated what his friend was telling him. If it was true, then they had a mole within BABYLON.
“Jason?”
“Yes?”
“I’m afraid.” And with that, Jerome Brown’s stare became blank and the tension in his face became slack. His grip on Jason’s hand lost all strength and he was dead.
Jason turned away from him, still holding the man’s hand. It was one thing to kill a man targeted for assassination you had never met and a completely different experience to watch your best friend die. It made him glad that very few individuals held such a close connection to him, because he never wanted to experience this again.

*SAMPLES: A WORLD WITHIN*--PART II

A WORLD WITHIN: SAMPLE--ATTACK OF THE SPIDER ELVES!

Daniel started to run after the Wil when a thunderous explosion of gnarled tree branches delivered a monstrous creature into the short clearing around the edge of the pond. It was a gargantuan, hairy spider, its body alone the size of a Clydesdale with a man of some sort riding upon a makeshift saddle just behind the crown of black eyes upon its head.
The rider’s hair was silvery white and long with pointed ears that protruded through at the normal place one would expect. He wore a thin beard of the same color and his skin was a ghastly, pale gray. His torso was adorned with a silver breastplate made of layers of metal scales that shimmered with violet color and he carried a long, intricately crafted lance in his right hand. The elf’s form was beautiful and terrible all at once and his steed made him all the more hideous. The elf looked at Daniel and he was frozen with fear.
More ghastly riders appeared, coming through the trees behind the first with their horrid mounts, their eight legs traversing the surface of the mighty forest root system with ease. Daniel tried to run, but he slipped on the ice. His skates were missing, replaced by his normal shoes. The elf rider urged his spider-mount forward to attack the boy with its great, two foot long fangs. Daniel could see the venom dripping as its mandibles opened to reveal the black daggers.
Daniel was snatched away from the jaws by a large bird of prey, nearly his size and powerful. It bore him up swiftly, carrying him by the shoulders. Was he now to be this predator’s next meal? “Don’t worry, lad, I’ll get you out of here,” said Meineke’s voice through the bird.
“Meineke, is that you?” cried Daniel as they soared up toward the twisted branches of the nearby trees.
A blast, like a clear bubble, was hurled off of the end of the elf’s lance. It hit Daniel and Meineke in flight, sounding like a thunderclap. Daniel fell away and landed among heaps of decaying leaves within the gaps in the massive tree roots. Meineke tumbled in the air on a collision course with the thick trunk of a craggy, old tree. His form morphed almost faster than could be seen and he righted himself in time to land on the vertical face of the tree trunk. Meineke was hanging there in his original form, claws set into the porous bark like a defiant squirrel.
He leapt down to the ground with the same elegant precision and found Daniel among the smelly old leaves where the roots hung over them like prison bars. “Come on, Daniel,” said Meineke as he led the boy back into the leaves and intertwining roots.
The Wil was tunneling through, finding their way through the labyrinth created by the roots. Pockets of dead space were littered among the leaves as they tried to keep moving away from the Spider Elves. The spaces between the roots were too small for the spiders to enter, but Meineke could hear them moving around above them, searching for their prey.
Meineke spotted a patch of light and they headed for it. The pair came up through a rotted out trunk that had a large enough hole in its side for them emerge onto the forest floor again. They were running again, with the Spider Elves about twenty yards behind them. Daniel did his best to try and keep up with Meineke. The Wil seemed a natural for such an environment, leaping from root to root and ducking under others to stay ahead of the elven riders and the nightmares they were riding upon.
As they were running through the dense forest, Daniel began to notice something. There was a distinct groaning emanating from all around them. It was like the forest was moaning in agony over the situation. The harder he ran and the closer he and Meineke’s pursuers got to them, the louder the noise became.
The trees were beginning to sway their craggy top branches, yet Daniel felt no wind and the intrusive fog was not being displaced. Could the trees be moving on their own, he wondered. He ran into an area where the roots heaved up in tight bands like a wall before him. Meineke had circumvented it while Daniel was paying more attention to the movement of the forest than his way. He realized, too late, that he was cornered next to a huge old tree with massive boughs.
One of the elven riders was upon him. His mount hissed and bared its venomous fangs for the kill. Meineke was nowhere to be seen. Daniel turned to attempt a climb, but he couldn’t find a purchase anywhere for his incapable, child’s hands. The tree was vibrating underneath his palms and there was a sound like wood twisting under duress. The giant spider lunged forward at the prodding of its rider. Daniel screamed as the sleek black fangs came at him; there was nothing he could do to defend himself.
The ground shook like an atom bomb unleashed, sending Daniel back on his side into the dirt. He looked back at the fiendish predator, only to find one of the massive branches of the tree grinding the spider and its rider into the ground, like a man squashing a bug under his thumb.
The branch began to lift slowly, revealing a ghastly residue from the kill. Daniel thought he might vomit, but that was before the rising branch revealed another elven rider twenty yards away. The rider looked aghast at his former companion’s remains dropping from the branch, intermingled with hunks of arachnid pulp, back into the stew surrounded by eight splayed legs.

*SAMPLES: A WORLD WITHIN*--PART I

A WORLD WITHIN: this is the new young adult fantasy that I'm working on currently. This scene is where Daniel first finds himself in the Living Land with its strange inhabitants...just prior to an attack by Spider Elves! (part 2 of this sample coming soon...spider elves attack!)

Daniel lay on the ice, his face numb from the cold. He was aware of his clothes being wet across his front as he lay facedown on the pond. He wasn’t sure if he had his eyes open or not, but he only saw black. The air was strangely warm and smelled of grass and flowers; more like spring than winter. And there was a definite rustling, like wind forcing its way through the full foliage of tall trees.
He felt a poke at his body, Derek finishing his job, no doubt. Then, he felt it again; two pokes to his ribs this time. Daniel might have laughed at the ticklish sensation if his head wasn’t throbbing so badly. Then, the finger poked at his head and he heard the distinct sound of someone close to his face, biting into something like a piece of fruit and the juice squirted onto his cheek.
Daniel winced and opened his eyes, expecting to find his bullies, but instead there was a thing staring at him and it spoke with fruit juice dribbling down its furry chin.
“What are you then, big nose?” said the creature.
Daniel screamed and his head throbbed hard, turning screaming to wincing.
“Well, I’m not that ugly,” said the creature, placing his curled little hands on his hips, a piece of half eaten fruit in one of them.
Daniel was amazed and suddenly realized his jaw must be dangling open well below his face. The creature was sitting on his haunches, but wouldn’t have been more than four feet tall on his tip-toes. He had a lemur like face, but long ears like a rabbit that fell back behind his head like a ponytail. His short silver fur covered most of his body and his hands and feet were ape-like and appeared good for climbing things.
“What are you?” asked Daniel, bewildered.
“I asked you first, big nose,” said the creature gruffly.
Daniel was suddenly aware that he had been insulted. “I’m Daniel and I haven’t got a big nose.”
“Well, it’s bigger than mine,” said the creature. “I’m Meineke.”
“Are you a monkey, Mr. Meineke?” asked Daniel innocently.
“Look, if you don’t want me calling you big nose then don’t call me a blooming monkey! I’m a Wil, of the noble family too.”
“A Wil, what’s that?”
“What’s a Wil? Aye, you’re not from around here are you?” said Meineke.
“Oh yes, I am. This is my family—” and suddenly Daniel realized that the world around him had changed. The frozen pond was the same, but everything beyond its edge had changed dramatically. No more was there a wide clearing sparsely populated by trees near the water’s edge—this had been replaced by a thickly planted forest of trees that looked centuries old and twisted malevolently by time.
Their bark was gunmetal gray spotted with black and the trunks of the trees were monstrous in width. The branches looked like grisly claws raking the sky in opposition to the sun and great roots covered the entire forest floor like a nest of snakes within the crag of a rock. The dark clouds above seemed married to the treetops and wisps of fog created a murky veil that made it impossible to see what lay in the distance.
“Where am I?” asked Daniel as he surveyed his new surroundings with a mixture of fear and awe.
Meineke continued chewing on his fruit, speaking with his mouth open. “Why, you’re right there,” he said, pointing a finger at him matter-of-factly.
Daniel blinked slowly, becoming exasperated with the little creature’s literality. “I mean, what is this place?”
Meineke stood up and spread his arms to the forest around them. “This awful place is Parengore Forest. It’s the home of the Spider Elves; scary huh?”
Daniel kept his eyes searching the various layers of the forest, expecting something terrible to erupt from the murk at any moment. “It’s not so bad,” he lied.
“Yeah, right,” said Meineke sarcastically. “Well, I normally wouldn’t be caught dead around here if it weren’t for the Wielder.”
“How did I get here? Last thing I remember, I was getting beat up by Derek Wentworth.”
“I haven’t a clue,” said Meineke. “I left my companion to find a place to conduct nature’s business and you were lying here, gone to the world.”
Daniel racked his brain. None of this made any sense: the Wil, this forest, Spider Elves, and his house no longer anywhere in sight. Perhaps, I’m dreaming. “Who is this Wielder person you said you were with?” asked Daniel curiously. If he was dreaming, then he might as well find out what the dream was all about.
“Oh, I’m not traveling with him, me and my companion are looking for—” Meineke paused, listening. His ears twitched and perked up over his head.
“What is it?”
“Shush!” hissed Meineke. He bent his head low, allowing his ears to pick up the vibrations traveling through the ground. Suddenly his eyes widened and he straightened quickly. “Come on, they’re coming!”
“Who?!” asked Daniel, confused.
“The Spider Elves—run!” And with that, Meineke bounded away from Daniel and the approaching rumble. Daniel watched the Wil running away and wasn’t sure what to do. Was this real? He took another fraction of a second to consider it. Whatever a Spider Elf is, I don’t think I want to meet one!

MARCHER LORD PRESS

MARCHER LORD PRESS and WHERE THE MAP ENDS...

I just wanted to say that Jeff's vision of Marcher Lord Press sounds very interesting. As an author currently published with a POD small press, Breakneck Books Publishing, I think it has great potential if done correctly...especially if Jeff can find the right books to publish for the Christian Speculative market and can be effective in marketing them. The ability to get books into distribution with chain book stores is essential to maintaining success. While Amazon is a 10% share of the book market and growing, it can be a fickled place to try and promote a book.

I personally hope Jeff can make a go of it and bring out some new titles for this growing genre. It's a niche market to be sure, but even if you don't sell oodles of books compared to the mainstream, people who enjoy the genre will have another place they can hopefully find some great, God honoring stories. And some overlooked Christian authors may be able to find an outlet for their work to gain some appreciation.

*NEW WRITING SAMPLE COMING TOMORROW--STAY TUNED*

WHERE THE MAP ENDS

WHERE THE MAP ENDS---Speculative Christian Fiction Website is being featured on the Christian Science Fiction Fantasy Blog Tour this month.

There are lots of items you'll be interested in on the site including: Interviews, Booklists, Tips for writers, Forums, and the newsletter you can subscribe to.

Christian Speculative fiction is a genre that is just beginning to try to blossom and Jeff and Where the Map Ends are all about giving it all the help they can.

Check out the site and all of its special features today!!

CSFF BLOG TOUR PARTICIPANTS--VISIT AS MANY AS YOU DARE!

*MORE WRITING SAMPLES COMING YOUR WAY IN A FEW DAYS!*

*SAMPLES: COS2: THE RISE OF LUCIN*

A writing Sample from the upcoming Breakneck Books release: The Chronicles of Soone: The Rise of Lucin.

THE snow was falling heavily as Kale stood on the porch watching Olson chopping wood for the fire hearth. It was still very cold but he was getting used to it now. The countryside around their home was completely white except for the black spires of bare trees jutting up out of the surrounding hillsides. It was absolutely beautiful, he thought.
The women were inside finishing the supper dishes together and chatting away about their guest. Olson was puffing on his pipe, in between strokes with the axe. Kale thought, how strange to try and do such a strenuous task while inhaling flavored smoke. Still, the aroma was pleasant, hanging in the frigid evening air. The sun could still be seen vaguely through the thick clouds, casting a pale glow across the land as dusk battled for dominance.
“Would you like to take a whack at it, Master Soone?”
“Please, Kale is fine; and yes, I would be happy to.”
Kale jumped down off the porch and picked up another axe propped against the porch foundation and took up a position at the stump as Olson placed another thick log on top for him. He raised the axe high over his head and brought it down precisely, sending the two pieces of log down off the side of the stump.
It was satisfying, even relaxing in a way. Olson gave him a sly grin through his beard as he puffed again on his pipe. Kale placed another log up for the kill and then he brought the axe up for another hit. He looked at Mr. Barone again. Olson was blankly staring out into the trees around them. He was no longer puffing, but listening.
Then Kale noticed that the noises of nature around them had suddenly fallen silent. It would not have been strange had their not been so much activity from the cold climate birds and tree dwellers only a moment before. Then Kale felt something else—danger.
He heard only a whisper, like a blade dividing the air. The cracking and splitting of wood followed after as a large tree came crashing through the frozen limbs of the other trees. Kale jumped toward Olson and snared the older man in time to pull him out from under the thunderous explosion of wood and snow hitting the ground behind them.
Kale was back to his feet in a flash, rolling away from Olson as his kemstick leapt off of his leg to his hand. He did not ignite it; not yet.
Kale scanned the trees with his eyes trying to squint through the heavy flakes of falling snow. Olson lumbered back to his feet, shaking the snow off as he looked at the fallen timber lying in the place he had just been standing.
Kale was sure it was not an accident. His senses surveyed beyond his eyes, taking in every detail he could with his mind, but something seemed familiar about the lack of feedback he was getting from his surroundings.
Then, Kale heard it again; that whisper and his mind caught the source just in time. He snapped his arm up to the side of his head as the kemstick blazed to life. Something bounced off of its rod of dispersion energy and landed in the snow. He turned and found a sword, vibrating, blade straight down, in the snowy ground. The sword leapt out of the ground, sailing away to find the hand of its owner who was now visible in the clearing of trees ahead of them, about fifty yards away.
Kale half expected to see the dark clad wraith he had faced in the woods upon his arrival and again in the streets of Briceton. Instead, there was a human male of regal stature. He looked like a warrior and power emanated from him that Kale alone could sense.
“Lord Elam,” said Olson in hushed tones.
“I see they told me the truth, Olson Barone!” his voice boomed across the expanse between them. “You have broken the law by harboring this off-worlder!”
“But he is good. He fought away the Agonotti who invaded our town this morning.”
“You do not realize who you are dealing with, Barone. He is working with the Agonotti to deceive you. His people attacked our home city this afternoon, killing the twins and Colossus!”
“Colossus is dead?!”
“At the hand of one of these off-worlders, like him!”
That statement peaked Kale’s curiosity a great deal. Others like himself—off-worlders? Could his father have actually found him and so quickly? The thought was actually comforting at the moment.
“Surrender, off-worlder, and I will have mercy on you,” said Elam.
“Kale, you had better give up peacefully. We don’t dare oppose the Guardians,” instructed Olson, fearfully.
“So, this is a Guardian?”
“Lord Elam, the leader of the Guardians,” said Olson.
“I don’t need your mercy, sir! I haven’t done anything except try to help these people. Surely, that isn’t against your law.”
“You’re a spy and a murderer!” shouted Elam, angrily.
“I haven’t killed anyone except those creatures, so far!”
Elam shot forth in fury, his body spinning like a missile on target with his sword extended for the kill. He covered the distance between them in seconds. Kale’s weapon deflected Elam’s strike. The Guardian leader’s sword was suddenly encompassed in a dispersion field as well. “It looks like we have something in common after all, Elam,” said Kale.
There was a furious exchange of blows between them. Kale flipped away, for a moment sensing something in the trees behind him. Sniper!
He deflected one shot, allowing another to pass near him. He whipped another kemstick from his leg clip and hurled it at the tree about three feet below the sniper’s position. It severed the upper portion of the tree which toppled, under its own weight, and came crashing down into the snow with the shooter entangled among the branches. Kale engaged Elam again.
Kale noticed Olson on the porch trying to usher Juli and her mother back inside as the battled raged. It was best that they stay out of this—Kale certainly didn’t want Juli or her family hurt because of him. Elam was quite skilled with a blade and Kale knew it was time to up the ante a bit.
Kale flipped over the downed sniper’s roost and called his other kemstick to his hand from the snow, where it had landed. He launched into Elam again with dual kemsticks, trying to overpower the Guardian leader. The elder man blew him back into the air with a kinetic thrust. It was unexpected, but Kale recovered; somersaulting and then landing on his feet.
So, that’s how it’s going to be.
Kale noticed others rushing in on armed hover-bikes from the woods around them. He disengaged Elam to dash away from the streams of blaster shots coming at him. Kale ran into the woods as the hover-bikes followed; ten in all.
The shots pelted the snow and timber around him as he dodged about through the trees evading the attack. It was only a moment before the bikes would overtake him. Kale, unexpectedly, flipped back on the one bearing down upon him and made one exacting strike as he tumbled in the air past the pursuer. A momentary flash of light was all that the rider perceived. The rider’s body tumbled into the snow as the hover-bike veered and slammed into a tree.

STAY TUNED FOR WRITING SAMPLES

Stay Tuned into this blog for a new feature: SAMPLES*

SAMPLES will be actual writing samples from manuscripts I've recently completed or that I'm currently working on. Now, I won't be giving whole chapters at time, but will feature enough to give you the idea of a scene and the intensity of it.

I hope to get feedback from readers and fans of Chronicles on my upcoming projects by doing this and of course to try and keep the blog interesting.

The first SAMPLE will be taken from The Chronicles of Soone: The Rise of Lucin, scheduled by Breakneck Books for release in November of 2007. I'll post the sample in the next post, probably tomorrow...so STAY TUNED TO THIS BAT-CHANNEL!

PERDITIONS GATE: Escape from New Eden is finished!

Wheeew! I finally finished my third novel, PERDITIONS GATE: Escape from New Eden. I've still got to proof the whole thing, but I'll be setting it aside for about a week (probably) so that when I do proofreading things will stand out better.

Now I can go scamper through the dandelions!! Oops...it's still winter, no dandelions. Maybe packing peanuts will do?

There is a second novel to this series vaguely outlined already: subtitle: "Hell on Earth"

But next up to the plate will be A World Within, the young adult / childrens fantasy novel. Hopefully the anthology short story version of this one will appear later this year and at least I've already got that much (30 pages) written on it that will begin the novel version.

Fantasy and Sci-fi Fantasy are very fun to write for me because I like dreaming up cool stuff more than researching real places and stuff. So, this one will be fun (I think).

HAVE YOU ORDERED YOUR VERY OWN CHRONICLES OF SOONE TEE-SHIRT YET?

New Breakneck Books GEAR!

We can't believe it!~

Neither can I...now you can purchase Breakneck Books GEAR!! These awesome tee-shirts are available on 10-15 colors and have the logos of all of Breakneck Book's novels on them. Choose your favorite book's tee-shirt and order it. They arrive in 3 days and are garanteed not to fade! They even have kids sizes!!

Wrapping Up PERDITONS GATE!

Well, I'm on the last chapter of PERDITIONS GATE: Escape from New Eden and soon it will be time to laze about on the couch watching T.V. and taking it easy...ahhhhhh....

Are you kidding?! Of course it won't be. There's so much left to do!

I'll put the book aside for about a week and then begin proofing the manuscript. It's already under submission with one proposal requested by a Christian Publisher --to remain nameless at this time. And hopefully that will pan out.

I've just received an epiphany on the next book in the P.G. series and the tentative title; let me know what you think: PERDITIONS GATE: Hell on Earth.

If you think it sounds a bit strong, then remember the setting is the Great Tribulation period from Revelation and the wrath of God is falling on a sin darkened world at the time--so, I think it's not too strong, yet who wouldn't find it compelling to investigate? By the way, if you've thought this was some Left Behind clone, you'd be happily mistaken. Anyone who's read my Chronicles of So0ne series, should know well, that my novels are relentless on action and P.G. is no exception. And since I like the sci-fi element, it's set in the year 2094.

Next up to the plate is my new Young Adult / Childrens novel: A World Within. This one is already submitted in short story form with an upcoming fantasy anthology and so far it looks promising to get in. But the full novel is next to be written and I'm really looking forward to it. It's difficult not to compare stories with the epitomies of different genres you write in, but this young adult fantasy may be Narnia-ish, yet it will be completely different and follow my action packed style of writing (I am what I am).

I hope to finish some reading in the near future, but I just can't get away from the keyboard with my own writing.

Light At the Edge of Darkness

Light at the Edge of Darkness is a Christian Anthology that spans a number of genres from speculative to sci-fi to horror.

The Anthology is to be released April 2007 and you can learn more about this book at the website.

This Anthology contains 28 awesome stories including "Undeniable" by A.P. Fuchs.

Check it out!!

New Cover for The Chronicles of Soone: The Rise of Lucin*

Well, as promised, this is the new cover for The Chronicles of Soone: The Rise of Lucin, which is scheduled to be released by Breakneck Books in November 2007.

I hope everyone caught the awesome interview with Christian fantasy author, Wayne Batson! If you didn't then your in luck...just scroll down and check it out.

The Rise of Lucin will be a darker chapter in the Chronicles trilogy. Think Star Wars episode III. The bad guys spend a lot of time with the upper hand and by the end of the book, several major characters die. But I think anyone who has enjoyed the first book, Heir to the King, will definitely enjoy this one and hopefully will be on the edge of their seats for the third book when the time comes.

Updates on my writing: PERDITIONS GATE: Escape from New Eden, my new futuristic action thriller, is a few chapters away from completion and I'm already beginning to send out query letters and such to agents. Also things are looking good for my new young adult fantasy series, A World Within. The short story anthology version is complete and will hopefully appear in an upcoming fantasy anthology this summer...I'll keep you updated. And of course, this story is going to be my next full length novel too. So, alot is going on this year...

STAY TUNED FOR MORE AUTHOR INTERVIEWS IN THE NEAR FUTURE AND MORE UPDATES AS THEY COME IN!

Wayne Batson Interview--Day 3

The Final Storm by Wayne Thomas Batson is the featured book for DAY 3 of our interview with Mr. Batson. Don't forget to visit Wayne's website www.thedoorwithin.com and his blog www.enterthedoorwithin.blogspot.com

Now for our final section of the interview! And stay tuned for the "special unveiling" of the new Chronicles of Soone cover : The Rise of Lucin, coming tomorrow!

12.) How do you see "Magic" fitting into Christian fantasy? A good thing or bad?
With all due respect to my Christian family members who feel strongly that we ought not to read or write about magic, I don’t have a problem with it if it is handled properly. If good characters, protagonists start invoking the names of demons to cast spells, well, that’s not good, is it? But when you create an imaginary world, it operates necessarily by the rules the author creates. Why couldn’t magic be a part of this world? Readers are shrewd enough to know that the magic used by the characters in the story is no more likely to be something real in our world than dragons or monsters.

13.) What is your favorite fiction novel?
The Lord of the Rings. Hands down. I’ve read The Trilogy fourteen times and counting. Tolkien’s books are what drew me into fantasy fiction.

14.) What or who do you feel has most inspired the direction of your writing?
Tolkien’s books, as said above, took me to places that amazed and inspired me. Aside from that, teachers and students are the ones who helped me to see I could actually write a good story. Thank you Mrs. Mangum and Mr. Spero!

15.) What one lesson do you hope readers will take away from The Door Within trilogy?
There is hope. Even in the bleakest moments of life, there is a plan for you, a loving father listening for your call, waiting for you to turn to Him. Never alone!

16.) What can we look forward to seeing in the future from Wayne Thomas Batson?
Isle of Swords is next, a high seas pirate adventure! In it, a lad with no memory comes between two of the Caribbean’s most notorious pirates and their quest for the greatest treasure the world has ever known!

After Isle, I have a HUGE, MONSTER, EPIC fantasy tale I want to begin. It’s been buzzing around in my mind insistently for well over a year. I’ve got a dozen word files with bits and pieces of plot, neat characters, wild locales. I can’t wait!

Thanks, James! Great talking with you.

-Wayne Thomas Batson

STAY TUNED TOMORROW FOR THE UNVEILING OF THE NEW COVER FOR "The Chronicles of Soone: The Rise of Lucin" coming in November 2007!

Wayne Batson Interview--Day 2

The Rise of the Wyrm Lord by Wayne Thomas Batson is the book featured on DAY 2 of our interview with Mr. Batson.

Don't forget to visit Waynes website, www.thedoorwithin.com and his blog at www.enterthedoorwithin.blogspot.com

Now on to the second part of our interview!

7.) Have you found the process of "getting published" to be difficult and do you think that it's getting harder to break into the industry as a Christian fiction writer?
Getting published IS hard, and is probably getting harder. But, here’s the thing: if you write a great book, you will get published—but only if you persist. It’s daunting to pile up rejections. But you’ve got to work at your craft all the time, making your product harder and harder to resist. Timing is important also. Pay attention to where the entertainment market is going, not just books, but all media. If you know that winter 2008 Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit will come out, you may have a better chance selling a fantasy title. The Door Within took 13 years to get published, and I needed every one of them. God put me through the fire, taught me to write all over again, and allowed me to learn about the business side of publishing. Now, I’m better prepared than I ever would have been years back.

8.) Christian fiction is such a new genre, what do you predict might happen for it; growth or do you see it struggling for acceptance?
I’m an eternal optimist. That said, I see Christian Fiction having HUGE growth over the next 5-10 years. We’re starting to see Hollywood make more “family friendly” or “wholesome” movies, and I think the reason is that the heartland of America still yearns for that which is noble and good. And I think we will see more and more Christian publishers sign and promote more “crossover” titles—books with Christian themes versus preachy tomes. Our society seems to be welcoming to crossover titles so long as they don’t hit people over the head with the Jesus Stick. I’m a firm believer in the gradual evangelism approach. You write a story that makes the reader ask questions that ONLY Jesus can answer.

9.) Your Door Within trilogy has been compared to C.S. Lewis' Narnia. Do you find this sort of "profiling" to be a good thing or are writers being expected to fill shoes they never intended to fill?
To have my name in the same sentence as C.S. Lewis is humbling to say the least. I don’t really see it so much as profiling as it is a way for people to get a handle on the type of tale I tell. Readers do it all the time when they shop for a new book. “I’ve read all Tom Clancy’s work. You have anything like it?” The Door Within Trilogy certainly has some similarities to Lewis’s work, but there are enough HUGE differences. It’s not derivative. In fact, I’m ashamed to admit it, but I’ve still never read The Chronicles of Narnia all the way through.

10.) Which of your trilogy books has been the most popular and why do you suppose that is?
A little hard to say at this point because all three titles have not had the same time on the market, but The Final Storm took off the fastest. I think the reason for this is that it’s the series finale, and uh, well…I left readers with an evil cliffhanger in The Rise of the Wyrm Lord. ;-)

11.) As a Christian, have you found it more difficult to write in the realm of fantasy and stay true to your faith?
Not really. Criticisms of my work have been about minor things, but not my theology. I think the fantasy genre, by its very nature, allows a writer to explore unique ways of expressing your faith.

STAY TUNED FOR THE CONCLUSION OF OUR INTERVIEW TOMORROW!

Wayne Batson Interview--Day 1

The Door Within by Wayne Thomas Batson is our featured book for day one of our interview with Mr. Batson. I'm personally reading this book and have been enjoying it very much. Mr. Batson the physical and spiritual conflicts of the Christian life into a wonderous allegorical fantasy world that never ceases to thrill.

Don't forget to visit Wayne's website at www.thedoorwithin.com and his blog at www.enterthedoorwithin.blogspot.com and now onto our interview with Mr. Batson!

1.)How long have you been writing and is the Door Within the first novel you tried to have published?
I’ve been writing since the 6th grade. Seriously, when I won a short story contest, and they gave me chocolate—I was hooked. The Door Within is the first novel I tried to get published. Initially though, I was very naïve about the business. I submitted my manuscript to dozens of publishing houses, before the story was really “there,” and I didn’t use an agent. So, I piled up the rejections.

2.) Do you have a favorite scene in the trilogy? If so, what is it?
There are big action scenes or wild twists that gave me chills when I wrote them. Falon’s surprise in the Labyrinth or Captain Valithor’s return in The Door Within. The discovery of The Sepulcher and the epic battle in the Blackwood from Wyrm Lord. The fireworks display over the Blue Mountains and the huge battle in The Final Storm—they all mean a lot to me. But my favorite scene is a smaller, tenderer moment. It’s when Aidan, Antoinette and Robby find themselves locked away in the dungeon at the end of Final Storm. It is here that Aidan announces that if he must die, then so be it. He would rather die with the praises of his King on his lips, than to live while denying Him.

3.) Why do you write for young readers in particular and do you find them to be more enthusiastic fans?
I’ve been a middle school reading/English teacher for sixteen years, so I’ve always loved the tween audience. Truthfully, there wouldn’t be a Door Within series if it wasn’t for my students. And they are enthusiastic. They are such a wonderful mix of cleverness, curiosity, and creativity—fantasy just works for them, perhaps more than any other age group.

4.) What is your favorite fan comment or experience?
A young lady emailed me after she finished the Door Within Trilogy and had this to say, “I truly cried during this book. It all touched my heart so strongly! I couldn't stop crying. My sister asked me if I was upset. I answered her: "No, Maggie. No, far from it!" I knew in my head, I was certain at that point, and still so certain, that I loved God. I love God!!! And I know that he loves me. I am certain for the first real time in my whole life.

And that is what I have to thank you for. You brought me, not back to God, but fully to God. You are doing wonderful work by spreading God's messages, and I'm sure I'm not the only one that thinks that. You set such an amazing role model to young Christians of what a child of God looks like. I would hug you now, if I could!”

I’m still astonished when I read it. God gets all the credit, but to be along for the ride is…well, a dream come true.

5.) Have you done many book signings and were you surprised by the turnout one way or another?
There’s a Barnes and Nobles near the school where I teach. I did a signing there for The Door Within, and in about ten minutes into the event, the place was PACKED!! I signed 200 copies of The Door Within that night. Another special signing was at a local HisWay Christian Books. A wonderful young lady who works there, hand-painted four shields (four foot shields) based on The Door Within books. She had them arranged in the store for the signing, complete with broadswords, helms, and a rather interesting battle axe. How cool is that?

6.) Are you a disciplined writer, utilizing rigid outlines or do you write when the mood hits and create as you go?
Definitely an outliner. But my outlines are fluid. I spend as much as a month outlining the story, and that’s where a lot of the coolest ideas hit me. Then, pounding the keyboard for the manuscript is much easier.

STAY TUNED FOR TOMORROWS --DAY 2 INTERVIEW!

Chronicles of Soone 2 Update*

LOOOK! It's a bird...It's a plane...it's Super...uhm, well, yeah, it is a plane. Sorry.

If you're just standing around waiting for the next Chronicles of Soone novel to come out later this year, then I have good news!

The awesome new cover is nearly complete for The Chronicles of Soone: The Rise of Lucin. The book is going into the editing phase as we speak and we'll be having an advance showing of the new book cover here on the blog, very soon. Now, the new cover will be slightly incomplete as it will be finalized with some author reviews and blurbs that will grace it by the time of press, but you will get the ARC (advance reader copy) view and man does it look good so far.

Authors who have already laid claim to an ARC of "The Rise of Lucin" for review and cover blurb purposes are: Wayne Thomas Batson (The Door Within trilogy), R.W. Ridley (The Oz Chronicles series), Sarah Onderdonk (Little Sins, Big Problems), and our good friend Jeremy Robinson (Raising the Past & The Didymus Contingency).

The Christian Science Fiction Fantasy blog tour is coming up on January 22nd, for Wayne Thomas Batson's Door Within trilogy and we'll be having a three part - three day interview with Mr. Batson during the tour. The next post after the last portion of Wayne Batson's interview will reveal the new Chronicles of Soone cover.

I hope you will all join us for the blog tour and Wayne Batson's interview and then be sure to check back the next day for the unveiling of the cover for, The Chronicles of Soone: The Rise of Lucin.

Arms of Deliverance, by Tricia Goyer
Tricia Goyer is the author of five novels, two non-fictionbooks, and one children's book. Tricia was named Mount HermonChristian Writers Conference "Writer of the Year" in 2003. In 2005,her book Life Interrupted was a finalist for the Gold Medallion.Also in 2005, her novel Night Song won ACFW's Book of the Year forLong Historical Romance. In 2006, her novel Dawn of a ThousandNights also won Book of the Year for Long Historical. She's writtenover 250 articles for national publications and hundreds of BibleStudy notes for the Women of Faith Study Bible. Tricia lives inMontana with her husband and three kids where she homeschools,leads children's church, and mentors teenage mothers.

Interview: Raising the Past author, Jeremy Robinson

Raising the Past, by Jeremy Robinson, was an exhilarating page turner for me. being a fellow author with Jeremy as Breakneck Books, I had been eager to read the novel and wasn't disappointed. I had previously read his first bestselling fiction novel, The Didymus Contingency, and had enjoyed the unique time travel story which involved a return to the time of Jesus Christ's earthly ministry, but I have to say, as good as that one was, I really enjoyed Raising the Past even more. The book is blur of action from cover to cover and anyone who's read my work knows that's what I really enjoy.
I contacted Mr. Robinson about sharing a little with us and he was glad to do so. The following is a short interview Jeremy did for us and gives us a bit of insight into the views and experiences of this up and coming novelist.


1.) Having self published your first fiction novel, The Didymus Contingency, in 2005, do you think you've benefited from the experience? If yes, in what way?

Absolutely. Publishing The Didymus Contingency myself was the best thing I’ve ever done for my career. It has sold and is still selling thousands of copies. I signed two foreign translation deals for the book ( Romania and Bulgaria ). I landed a top literary agent. And it provided me with thousands of loyal fans who are gobbling up my second novel, Raising the Past.

2.) I've noticed you're quite diverse, being both a published fiction and non-fiction writer. Which area do you feel most holds your heart and why?

My heart is with fiction. While non-fiction is good for the money aspect, it’s not nearly as satisfying for me personally. The Screenplay Workbook evolved from worksheets my friend and I were making for our personal use...and making a whole book just seemed like the next logical step. That we put it together in a month and sold it the next is a bit amazing. It was my first published book though, and in that way opened up a lot of doors. The second non-fiction book, POD People, was written out of necessity. I receive e-mails almost everyday (three so far today, two yesterday, etc, etc) asking for advice on marketing Print-On-Demand books. I like to respond to all of these e-mails, but it was eating up time that I’d rather spend writing. So I put the book together and now when I receive those e-mails, I just point people to the book.

While those projects are great fun, they do little to satiate my desire to tell stories and entertain people through words. Thus, my heart is with fiction.

3.) Having read Raising the Past myself, I can honestly say that it was an excellent sci-fi thriller and had me furiously turning pages. Tell us the one thing that most excites you about the story, perhaps your favorite scene in Raising the Past, and why?

There is a lot I like about Raising the Past. It’s a blend of so many genres I love and its pace was as fun to write as I hope it is to read. But I really enjoy the twist at the end and the way the book tosses around the idea of free will. The novel is based on a screenplay I wrote years before and the screenplay, being limited by 120 pages, lacked the interesting ending and in depth theme. So those elements that make the story something special are what excites me most, because as it was in screenplay format, they didn’t exist.


4.) When you're writing do you find yourself to be an outliner and a disciplined schedule setter or are you more of a "when-the-mood-strikes" kind of a writer?

I'm very disciplined when it comes to sitting down and writing. Once I get into a novel I try to write at the same time everyday for the same amount of hours, usually from 1pm to 5pm. This only changes when I approach the end of the book, then I’ll write in the morning and late into the night as well.

As for outlines, I start by laying out key scenes—things I know will be in the book, and then I come up with an ending—where I know I’m going to end up. As for a detailed outline, I create several “where I’ve been and where I’m going” outlines along the way, plotting out all the minor scenes from one key scene to the next. I do this perhaps four times throughout the writing process, mostly as a guide to keep me from forgetting anything important and to help continuity. They aren’t rigid though. I like the story to lead where it may and don’t bind myself to any outlines. This is how the cool new ending in Raising the Past came about. It sort of developed on its own.


5.) What one thing do you believe has most inspired you to be a novelist?

I can’t say I was inspired to be a novelist at all. I have always been inspired to tell stories. It’s been an innate passion of mine my whole life. First I started with art. This stayed true through college where I was an illustration major. I moved on to comic book illustration and ended up writing a few issues. From there I took up screenwriting and then moved on to novel writing. The move to novel writing (at first) was more of an odds choice. There are 300 movies made every year and something like 40,000 screenplays written every year. Those are bad odds, especially in an industry where who you know is more important than how good your story is. With books, the odds are better and I took a stab at it with The Didymus Contingency. I was pretty surprised that after spending so much time on art and screenwriting (not the most literary of writing) that I had a knack for novel writing. The Didymus Contingency was the first prose fiction I’d ever written. It shows (a little) but I’ve tirelessly dedicated myself to improving as a writer. Raising the Past was my second novel and the growth is evident, just as it is between Raising the Past and my recently finished fifth novel, Kronos.

6.) Having written both Christian fiction and secular fiction novels, briefly explain why you have chosen to write in both areas when most authors stick to either religious fiction or non-religious fiction?

I’m a Christian. It’s who I am, so it sneaks into my books, sometimes more blatantly than others. But I’m not a “Christian author” like Jerry Jenkins, Frank Peretti or Ted Dekker. I write mainstream books for a mainstream audience (Christian, non-Christian, etc) and sometimes they have Christian or Biblical themes / plot devices. Sometimes they don’t.

7.) As a consumer, what do you find to be the top three selling points for a fiction novel?

When I go to the book store there are actually three things I do to make a decision about buying a book. It’s pretty simple. 1. The cover. The book has to draw my attention...and then it has to hold it. If the cover gives me enough information about the story and it looks good, I’ll pick the book up and read the back cover. If that's good, then I move on to step two. 2. The author. I always read dedications and acknowledgements. I don’t think many people do this when considering a book, but I always do. They tell me what kind of person the author is. Most authors are nice and very gracious in their acknowledgements, but a few aren’t and I’m less likely to buy a book from an author who seems...unfriendly. 3. I read the first sentence. If it grabs me, I read the first page. If I find myself turning the first page to read the second, I’ll probably buy the book. I was a reader at a literary agency and this sort of became a habit, judging a book by the first few pages, but I’ve never disliked a book I’ve bought, so it seems to work for me.


8.) What is your favorite "fan" comment or experience?

My favorite fan letters have been from non-Christian fans of The Didymus Contingency who recognize the book as being a positive portrayal of Jesus Christ, but who aren’t put off by it. So far I’ve received fan letters from Buddhists, Muslims, Jews, atheists, agnostics and good old “I don’t believe in anything” types. All enjoyed the book regardless of their different beliefs, and that’s really what I wanted the book to be. It’s nice that people can appreciate my Christianity without feeling assaulted by it.


9.) Is there any area of your writing that you hope to improve upon?

I sometimes notice that in my haste to write action I sometimes forget details, things that make the story more tangible. I go back and add where it’s missing, but I’d like to get it on the first time through. Also, something I’ve worked on for a long time is my “cheesiness factor”. This is a hold over from my days writing comic books (and reading comics for years) and involves corny jokes and melodrama. It’s pretty much out of my system now, but I still have to watch out for it.

10.) What can we all look forward to, in the future, from Jeremy Robinson?

There is a lot on the table right now and I don’t have any specifics, but I’m expecting at least one 2007 release, perhaps two. I’m not going to speculate as to which of my novels these will be (though I have an idea). I’ll be writing my sixth novel this winter and spring and my seventh this summer and next winter....I hope. I’m researching both now and will decide which to go forward with in the next week.

New Interviews Coming

In the interest of giving readers more content on the blog, I'm going to be doing some interviews with several authors I've come to know recently, upon reading their work. They're quite talented authors and I'm sure many of you will be interested in hearing from them.

Our first author scheduled will be the bestselling author of The Didymus Contingency, Jeremy Robinson, and a fellow Breakneck Books author with his second fiction offering, Raising the Past.

Our second author interview will be with the IPPY award winning author of The Takers: Book One of the Oz Chronicles, R.W. Ridley with his upcoming release of the sequel, Delon City.

And our third scheduled author will be fellow Breakneck Books author, Sean Young, with the release of his debut historical thriller, Violent Sands.

Until then, I leave you with the links to the book trailers on the book titles and RW Ridley's Taker's trailer is found on the amazon plog. They're all quite good and I'm looking forward to sitting down (virtually) with these talented authors to discuss their work.

I hope you'll grab a sandwich and join me!

Interview with Warner author, Jeff Rivera

How long was your novel out in self published form and how were its sales during that time? Forever My Lady was out for about a year before it was purchased by Warner. It had about 8000 books in circulation at that time.

Did you use Print on Demand for digital printing or did you do a print run for your novel?
I did print on demand.

How big was your initial print run and what percentage (if any) were sold versus given away as a promotion?
My initial print run I think was just 25 books (that's all I could afford at that time). As soon as I would sell some copies I would then reinvest every penny in printing more books. I think I gave away about 100 copies the rest were sold. I also made the book available online as a free ebook for a time too, then I cut it down to just a couple of chapters that were available to read.

What process did you go through to promote it? I did mostly online promotion because I didn't have ANY money at all. I did everything from participate in forums, email blasts, and online interviews. But the real success came from after people read it they told their friends. 100% of my success as a self-published author is because of the readers. Another thing I did was sold the book face to face at speaking engagements and any where I possibly could.

Why did you decide to go from self publish to trade publisher and what steps did you take on your way to publishing with Warner? I guess because I was looking to go the next level, I knew I had to find the right editor so did research online for the houses I wanted to be with and eventually hooked up with the right agent at Levine Greenberg Agency who helped me. I knew I had to prove there was an audience for my niche market, so I was prepared with a marketing plan of how to reach them. I'm glad I self-published and I would do it all over again if I had to. I loved every moment of it (except living on Ramen noodles, unemployed, and panicing about where the rent money was going to come) but the process of writing, printing, and promoting it, I loved every moment of it.

How much effort did you put into seeking agent representation or a publisher contract before deciding to self publish your book "Forever My Lady?" I didn't put any effort at all into seeking an agent. I knew from the beginning I was going to self-publish. I did however have representation for the screenplay version of "Forever My Lady" which is how the novel began.

Do you regret not seeking trade publication for your novel, through agent and publisher submissions, before going the self publishing route? Why or why not?
I don't regret it at all. It was a wonderful experience and I would do it over again. And I just might self-publish more books, who knows. But things are going really well with Warner (Hachette Book Group) and I plan on having a long-term career working with them. As far as self-publishing, it's what I wanted to do from the beginning. I wanted to be that one exception to the rule, the guy who self-publishes and eventually gets picked up by a major publisher.

What has self publishing first, taught you "not" to do again? I learned not to do anything that you can't track the results to, so you know exactly if your time and energy is worthwhile in certain areas of promotion or sales or if you should refocus elsewhere. For example James Redfield (the author of Celestine Prophesy) told me on the set of his movie that he gave copies of the self-published version of Celestine Prophesy to bookstore clerks and they promoted the book for him naturally but for me it didn't work as well as other things I did.

What do you see as the greatest benefit to your overall success, by self publishing before contracting with Warner? I got to learn about the business end of the publishing industry. I recognized that even when signing with a big publisher you still have to go out there and promote and so things won't change that much for me in terms of efforts to promote once the Warner edition comes out in Summer of 2007. I'll still do just as much promotion and probably more. I cannot sit back and wait for the company to do everything.

What would you say to writers who believe that a manuscript should be shelved if it doesn't find a home with a Publisher or Agent representation?
I would take a good look at your story, do "real people" outside of the industry think it's great? Not just your close friends and relatives, if they do think it's great then definitely consider self-publishing, if anything, just to get the story out there.

Would you say that self publishing your book, to begin with, has better prepared you for publishing with Warner? If so, how?
Definitely, the lessons I learned from promoting the book helped me win the deal. Before Warner made an official offer they asked us (my agent and I) how they should market it. I wouldn't have known how to create the marketing plan if I hadn't based it on what I'd done already.

What would you say is the best marketing strategy for an author, self published or not?
In order to see the results immediately then I would say do speaking engagements but only in places where the people are already there (ie: the Optimist Club, college classrooms, business conferences -- wherever your target market is), not in a situation like a booksigning where you have to promote in order to get people to show up. In terms of online promotion I would say adding your link to your website to the signature of your email and the signature of any forums you might participate in.

What is the most important thing, about self publishing a novel, that you see authors doing wrong?
They get a horrible cover. The cover is 90% of the sale. Or they claim they're too shy to promote the book themselves. Even if you have the next Gone with the Wind you can't sit by and wait for people to come to you, you have to promote.


Any final advice to authors who are having a rough time getting published and might be considering self publishing their book?
Do what's best for you. Don't listen to the "experts". Consider what they have to say, but follow your own instincts. And if you're going to commit to self-publishing don't expect sales to happen over night (they could, anything's possible) but plan on spending even as long as 3 years promoting that title. Also, don't spend some much time promoting you forget to write your next few books. Have them lined up because the first thing people say after they finish reading your book is "where's the next one?" Have the next one ready. If I could do it over again and knew the book was going to do so well I would have written Forever My Lady 1 and Forever My Lady 2 at one time.

Jeff, thank you for your time and sharing your publishing experience with us. When can we expect to see your book coming from Warner and are they requiring any big changes to the book before publication?
Thanks for the interview. Forever My Lady is coming out July 2007. No big changes to the Warner edition just lots of copy-editing. :D

Booksigning in Johnson City, TN

Now, you might be saying, "James, you're looking kinda girly there," but this is not my picture.

A book signing can be a lonely experience even for a famous person like anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan, seen here at her booksigning near the president's Crawford, TX ranch.

Fortunately, we had a few visitors at the Mr. K's booksigning for the Chronicles of Soone, over the three hours I was there. It's interesting to me to see what happens at a booksigning--this was my first.

We sold about 10 signed copies and I'm grateful to those who stopped by the table. For the most part, if someone investigated the table and book, then they got a copy, but I was surprised at how little people even bothered to investigate.

This had me wondering about how unnoticed one's book can be in a bookstore if it's not a bestseller at the front of the store. My book was showcased at the table and yet few people gave me more than a passing glance. Now, imagine the new or midlist author whose book doesn't receive the big press and marketing campaigns that land it up front "face out" in your local Barnes & Noble. It's easy to see how these books, relegated to a "spine out" life can go completely unnoticed and then, eventually, out of print with their publisher due to low sales.

This gives emphasis to the fact that today's author must be proactive in their own promotion of their work. The fact of the matter is, most books receive very little attention, otherwise.

James

New Series: A World Within

Hello, everyone and Merry Christmas! I've begun a new series just this week called, A World Within.

This is a fantasy series and will be somewhat reminiscent of LOTR or Narnia in scope, but with my style. I love lots of action, so we'll see what happens.

I'm actually beginning this series as a short story that will hopefully appear in a new fantasy anthology sometime after summer in 2007. I was asked by author, William Kooiker, to be a part of the project and hopefully my story will make the cut. Normally, I don't write strictly "High Fantasy" with wizards and elves, etc, but the Lord gave me a different angle and I'm hoping everyone will enjoy it. The great thing about sci-fi / fantasy is that you can build your worlds and characters from scratch which is alot of fun!

Chronicles of Soone continues to do well with Breakneck Books and I should be approaching or past 300 copies sold by now. Perditions Gate (my other new thriller series) is well underway and I hope to be submitting the first book to agents and publishers in the spring 2007.

For anyone interested in the new series: A World Within, here is a brief synopsis, that I'm working from.

A World Within

Daniel Harwick: Master Hardwick is quite wealthy, or at least he comes from money. This is how he has come to be a resident at Ekhart Academy for Young Boys. Children should be seen and not heard, they say. Master Hardwick’s parents, however, prefer neither from their only son. He’s not athletic, but rather scrawny yet brilliant and imaginative and his antics have made him some enemies among the older boys.

William Harding: William is Daniel’s best friend. Daniel has helped him to keep his grades up so that he can remain at Ekhart Academy on the scholarship for the less desirable that was given to him for playing soccer. In return, William often looks out for Daniel’s welfare among the other boys, some of which would like to catch him alone. Within the Living Land, young William will appear as a Mem, a vision that advises and strengthens Daniel’s resolve in the situations he must endure. He claims to have been dragged into the Living Land by Daniel, but he cannot physically aid him there.

Meineke: is a Wil. A Wil is a high spirited shape shifter approximately three feet tall. A Wil desires nothing more than to be free. They tend to answer to no one, but the arrival of Mortis in the Living Land has changed everything and now the inhabitants search for the Wielder. Mortis searches for the Wielder as well so that he may take the life from him and bring death to the Living Land, becoming all powerful.

Mortis: is a purveyor of death. He hails from a void known as Necrom and his power is the ability to animate the inanimate and control it. Mortis seeks to extend the borders of Necrom across the entire living land. Since he has no direct power over that which possesses life, he seeks to stamp it out completely and become all powerful. Only the Wielder can stop him.

The Wielder: is the sustainer of the Living Land. He has never been seen by any of the Living Land’s many inhabitants, but they know of him. The Wielder holds the power of the Living Land at his disposal, but when he finally appears to put a stop to the encroachment of Necrom, will he know how to utilize this power? When young Daniel Harwick finds himself transported into the Living Land, he has no idea that he is the key to winning the conflict taking its toll there.

The Living Land: is the world within young Daniel Harwick’s mind only he doesn’t yet know it. He is transported to this place when an injury leads to a massive head trauma and coma. There are many strange inhabitants in the Living Land, all born of the imagination of the Wielder. A desperate battle rages in the Land to prevent Mortis from spreading the Necrom void across the land. In the meantime, a brave band of warriors including: A human male, a griffin, a Wil, and a female from the Order of the Bard, has been dispatched to search for the Wielder. Little do they realize just how close he might be.

Book Signing This Weekend!

Well, I'm going to be having my first book signing this weekend, Saturday December 16th, and I'm frankly quite nervous about it. This being my first, I'm not really sure what to expect.

I've read plenty of stories where an author shows up, but no one else does. I certainly hope that I can have all copies sold by the end of it. I've got about 30 copies that are either on consignment in this independent bookstore already or that I'll have with me when I come. I've put out hundreds of flyers for it over the past week and the store owner has a list of contacts that she sends out signing announcements to when they have them--so, we'll see what happens. I'll post about it next week.

If anyone is local to Johnson City, Tn -- the signing is at Mr. K's new location on Roan street near the mall from 1pm-4pm. I'm hoping to have a powerpoint going with some new samples of the Chronicles Comic pages that have been produced by artist, Ed Watson.

James

Blog tour participants

Here are the blog tour participants this month as we showcase Kathryn Mackel's wonderful second book "Trackers" for the Birthright series!

Jim Black Jackie Castle Valerie Comer Frank Creed Gene Curtis Chris Deanne Janey DeMeo April Erwin Beth Goddard Todd Michael Greene Karen Hancock Elliot Hanowski Katie Hart Sherrie Hibbs Sharon Hinck Joleen Howell Jason Joyner Karen and at Karen¹s myspace Oliver King Tina Kulesa Lost Genre Guild Kevin Lucia and The Bookshelf Reviews 2.0 - The Compendium Terri Main Rachel Marks Shannon McNear Rebecca LuElla Miller Caleb Newell Eve Nielsen John Otte Cheryl Russel Hannah Sandvig Mirtika Schultz James Somers Stuart Stockton Steve Trower Speculative Faith Chris Walley Daniel I. Weaver

Christian Science Fiction/ Fantasy Blog Tour

Trackers, by Kathryn Mackel, is the second book in the sci-fi fantasy "Birthright series."

This book is getting some excellent customer reviews over at Amazon.com and it was published october 2006, by Westbow Press.

Read the reviews, check out the book and then head on over to the website for the birthright series for more great information.

The genre of Christian Sci-fi/ fantasy isn't exactly new, but it is limited by a lack of titles. This is something we as Christian writers hope to see change with time and new Christian writers who are being published.

Email Mishap!

Well, I've had a mishap with my old email. I really need to get in touch with my partner on the comic book proposal, Ed Watson. Ed if you read this, my new email is jamessremos@yahoo.com and for anyone else, as always I'm very open to comments from readers.

Chronicles is doing pretty good right now, but an after Christmas slump is expected. Maybe that won't be the case. It's in the Lord's hands anyway, right? Of course it is.

I've been working on my new series, Perditions Gate, and have come up with what I believe to be a very good query letter for the time when I finish the novel and send out to agents for representation. Thanks to everyone I asked for opinion's from on the query letter. Your comments really helped alot! Hopefully it will find agent representation easily, when the time comes next year. Also in the Lord's capable hands.

James

C.O.S. Gets Awesome New Review / Interview at Fantasybookspot!

Well, I'm skipping through the dandelions with joy today. My debut novel, The Chronicles of Soone: Heir to the King has just received an excellent review / interview combo over at Fantasybookspot.

www.fantasybookspot.com/node/1465

This site reviews everything under the sci-fi / fantasy sun from bestsellers to...well, me. Anywho, this is an excellent review from a group of people that have a good reputation for telling it like it is, and I certainly appreciate that.

Other good news includes some excellent reviews from happy AMAZON.com customers that have bought the book--if you're one that left a nice review over there, I appreciate you! One of the reviews at Amazon is by R.W. Ridley, the author of the gripping young adult horror novel, The Takers: Book One of the Oz Chronicles. I've read and really enjoyed that book, so his kind words mean alot to me as a fan of his writing.

My publisher has recently told me that, Chronicles is doing well so far, and also that the new VIDEO TRAILER has been viewed 500 times so far. CLICK HERE if you haven't seen it yet.

To everyone that has purchased the book, I appreciate you so much and hope to return with the second installment of C.O.S. this coming year. My publisher is waiting to see how this first book does before committing "COS: Sons of Perdition" to the 2007 line-up. So, the more word of mouth this first book gets, the better the chances of getting the next book out in '07.

Please Help me get the word out--if you've enjoyed the first book!

James

Some Secrets Will Have to Wait...

To those who have been following the blog and the Chronicles series so far...I'm sorry to say that I can't reveal the character that will die in the second book, except to say, "It's a major one. But the series will still go on beyond it."

Sorry to be that way, but how else can I maintain the suspense and give people some gripping piece of prose-candy to savor when it comes? All I can say is, that when I saw "Spock" get killed in Star Trek II, I was peeved, but it was gripping. I want to keep Chronicles gripping as well. I promise readers won't be disappointed when it comes time for the second installment to come out, hopefully in 2007. Think of Heir to the King as "A New Hope" and my Sons of Perdition as "The Empire Strikes Back"--I liked Empire better and I like the second Chronicles even better.

So far customer reviews are calling Chronicles the next "Star Wars" and that is high praise indeed. I'm a star wars fan, so I really appreaciate those types of wonderful comparisons. May it become as successful!

James

Things are moving right along

Hello,
Well, The Chronicles of Soone: Heir to the King has officially been released. It is selling some copies on Amazon-USA-U.K. and is selling some through Barnes and Noble locally. I have talked with one independent bookstore chain owner who has agreed to stock some copies of the book on consignment in possibly two of the store's locations (where I live now-Johnson City, Tn-and my hometown-Oak Ridge, Tn). The owner also offered to host a booksigning in the J.C. store which is a nice location. I've never done a book signing before since this is my first published novel, so I hope everything goes well and people actually show up. The signing should be in mid-December.

The second Chronicles novel is on submission with a couple of publishers and agents including Breakneck Books, but I doubt it would be released, even by Breakneck, before this first novel has been out one year. I'm not sure whether or not another publisher would be interested in picking up on the second book in a series, but Breakneck's acquisition editor has already shown interest in the whole series, so long as it maintains the same level of interest and action--personally, I think it's even better, but I might be the slightest bit partial?

The Chronicles comic proposal is well underway and material for 10 full comic pages of six panels each has already been written by myself and artist, Ed Watson, is working on the art for those pages. He has recently completed sketch character designs for several other main characters in the series and I'm very pleased with the result. These designs may be seen at the Amazon.com bookpage for The Chronicles of Soone--just click on the thumbnails below the cover image. Ed Watson and I are hoping the comic proposal will be finished in time to meet the December 31st deadline at Dark Horse comics, for their "New Recruits" program. This is an exciting opportunity to have our work viewed and Lord willing, published!

My new novel series is well underway and the first book, Perditions Gate: Escape From New Eden, is about 60 pages in. I've got a way to go, but hopefully the book will be going out under submission by the spring of 2007. There's alot of research going into this book--I want to be sure that I maintain biblical accuracy first and foremost. The book is not the typical apocalyptic Christian fiction, Left Behind clone that many may be trying to put out in the wake of its success. The actual judgments take place as a background setting in the novel, with the plot being primarily character driven. Of course, there is still plenty of action and the plot is really about to heat up to a roaring fire where I'm at right now. This series has comic potential as well and Lord willing I'll pursue it at a later time if I have the chance.

My children's book, Chloe & Sam: Living in the Kingdom, is out on submission to a few publishers and agents and Lord willing it will be accepted somewhere. The book is a children's picture book taking the perspective of two children living in the millennial kingdom of Jesus Christ.

For anyone buying the new book--please give me a buzz by way of email--and if you like the book then please stop by the Amazon page and leave a review.

Thanks,
James

So Much Happening--Comic Proposal Underway

Wow, there is so much going on right now. The Chronicles of Soone: Heir to the King is about a week away from worldwide release, the second Chronicles novel, Sons of Perdition is out on submission, my new thriller novel series, Perditions Gate, is well underway, and I'm also working on a new children's book series called "Cloe and Sam: Living In The Kingdom" which will have a different angle than any other Christian children's book I've ever seen, and now I have some artwork to share from the Chronicles of Soone: comic proposal that is in the works.

This is the character design for Tiet Soone, pictured with his ignited Barudii blade. Ed Watson, the Joe Kubert School graduate I'm working with on this proposal, is putting together some wonderful artwork to compliment my scriptwork and I'm very excited about getting this comic proposal out to comic publishers in the near future.

Please keep your eyes out for The Chronicles of Soone: Heir to the King. It should be appearing in the next few days at Amazon.com and available through all the major retail bookstores as well as the big online booksellers like B&N, Borders, waldenbooks, etc. The book is also featured as an upcoming Breakneck Books title in the back of bestselling author, Jeremy Robinson's Raising the Past...I've read this action thriller and boy is it good. I devoured it in a weekend and was not disappointed!

Stay Tuned for more!

Chronicles of Soone November 1st Release!!

Hello,

The official release date for The Chronicles of Soone: Heir to the King is November 1st, 2006. As I understand it, the book may appear a little earlier than that for pre-ordering.
This is a very exciting time and I hope the book will be well received by readers.

Stay tuned!

Chronicles Coming In Two Weeks--samples@BNB

Hello everyone,

The Chronicles of Soone is about to be released worldwide in app. two weeks--it may show up at Amazon.com for pre-ordering, but it's not certain that will happen. Also you might want to check out the two sample chapters that may be read at the Chronicles page at Breakneck Books website!
I will be sending out an html email newletter announcement of the release to every email contact I have--if you would like to be on the list to receive this notice then please send me an email tietsoone@yahoo.com and I will certainly be glad to include you. Also feel free to drop me a line for whatever reason--you never know if anyone is actually reading the Blog unless people contact you--so feel free!
I've just completed and sent out, to the artist, the comic book proposal script and hopefully we'll be seeing some exciting things for the series in the future. When the proposal pages are completed, the artist and myself will begin the process of submitting it to comic book publishers.

The manuscript for The Chronicles of Soone: Sons of Perdition has been sent to my publisher and hopefully they will desire to publish it sometime late in 2007, maybe in a year which would be best.

I'm hoping to resume PERDITIONS GATE soon, but with the Chronicles release about to happen, I'm buzzing about trying to prepare, so that people will know about it and where to find it.

An ad for Chronicles also appears in the back of Jeremy Robinson's new release from Breakneck Books, "Raising the Past"--I'm reading it now and it's quite good, as expected.
Chronicles has just received a new review over www.wrenreviews.blogspot.com and a review is forthcoming over at www.fantasybookspot.com as well.

If you are following the book, you are appreciated--don't be a stranger--send me an email and let me know who you are. I will always try to be very accessible to people interested in my work.

James

Beginning New Book

Hello everyone,

My book, The Chronicles of Soone, is about to be released worldwide through Breakneck Books and the second Chronicles book: Sons of Perdition is nearly ready for submission. Only a little editing remains.

I am beginning to move into full time writing on a new book, mentioned in previous posts: PERDITIONS GATE: Escape From New Eden. I'll try to keep regular updates on the book as it moves along. I'm very excited about this one.

As for the second Chronicles book--I'm hoping this will be my Empire Strikes Back--tighter and carrying even more punch than the first. I'm not sure who the publisher will be yet. Updates on that as it goes out for submission--of course Breakneck Books is on that list and we'll see who wants it.

James