Ethan Hawk Leaping Over Hurdles

Update: "Ethan Hawk and the Realm Shift," as survived its first scrutiny at a major publisher. The Editor's "reader" liked the sample chapters and book proposal and the editor has requested more to submit to the "sales board." There is still plenty of competition, as fantasy manuscripts are plentiful, but I take it as good news...so far :)

In the meantime, I'm busy pecking away at the second novel of the "Book of the Prophets" series: Ethan Hawk and the Order of Shaddai.

I always wonder when going from one novel to the next in the series, if I'll be able to maintain the level of intensity and action in the story without having to rehash what I've done before. So far, so good. EH and the Realm Shift is action packed and the second is managing to write itself out in the same fashion. This has to be one of my favorite series to write so far and I certainly hope the Lord will grant my petition to be able to share it in print :)

Chris WAlley, The Shadow of Night

Chris Walley "The Shadow of Night"---

In the spirit of C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien, The Lamb among the Stars series weaves the worlds of science and the spirit, technology and supernatural into something unique and haunting. On the faraway planet of Farholme, humans live in peace under the gentle rule of the Assembly. War and evil are ancient history. But suddenly, almost imperceptibly, things begin to change. Slowly a handful of men and women begin to realize that evil has returned and it must be fought. From the Inside Flap
Imagine a future that todays generation can only dream of. A trillion people live under the gentle rule of the Assembly on over a thousand Made Worlds. Peace and stability have reigned for nearly twelve thousand years, and war and evil are merely ancient history. But all that is about to change.
On Farholmea Made World at the edge of the Assemblystrange and troubling things are happening. Slowly, incredulously, a handful of men and women come to recognize the unthinkable: Evil has returned once more, and it must be fought. Forester Merral DAvanos and his friends are entrusted with the daunting task of confronting their worlds elusive enemy.
Now isolated from the rest of the Assembly, Farholme must fight its battles alone. It falls to Merral to lead the untried forces of Farholme into war against opponents well-hidden and armed with strange powers. Yet even as he faces extraordinary and terrifying foes, Merral finds he has an unexpected enemyhimself.

What people are saying:

When I watch the news I sometimes wonder what it would be like to live in a world where evil didn't exist. What if we didn't need an army, or police, or weapons? Where no one lied, everyone could be trusted, and envy was unheard of? Well, that's the way it was in Farholme, a Made World, copied from Ancient earth, until Merral Stefan D'Avanos saw what he thought was a meteor streaking against the night sky. Suddenly, the peaceful world of Farholme began to change. At first he barely noticed the changes. There were just hints that something was wrong; a deception, a vision, a show of fear. Then Vero, a Sentinel from Ancient Earth showed up to check out what was going on. As Vero and Merral began the investigation, they became embroiled in a desperate battle agains the powers of evil. At first they didn't understand what was happening to Farholme, but both men believed in God and they were willing to follow wherever He led them. Chris Walley has created a world so vivid it seems almost real. This is a fascinating story of the battle between good and evil with a different twist. Full of action and suspense and engaging characters, it pulled me into the story from page one.

I just finished reading the two books that actually make up this single hardcover - Shadow At Evening and Power of the Night (accidentally rebought this book thinking it was a sequel - it's not). My 13 year old son recommended the books to me and I was extremely impressed with the quality of the story and the way that Chris Walley knits together a compelling sci-fi story with a Christian point of view. As a long time sci-fi/fantasy reader, I didn't think it was really possible for it to be done in a believable way, but he does it. His main character's evolution as he comes into contact with evil is a challenge for all believers! A must-read!

ETHAN HAWK GETS HIS DAY!

This picture really reminds me of one of the main villians--had to post it!

Hello All--Just an update: My agent, Gregg Wooding and I are working to prepare a Book Proposal to be presented to publishers in upcoming months. The final touch will be several reviews of the novel by four of Christian Fantasy's finest authors and one Youth Pastor in my area.

I'll not name the authors -- if it gets published I'm sure you'll see them on the cover! -- but I just want to say publicly, if you read this guys -- You're the best for taking time out of your busy schedules to review "Ethan Hawk and the Realm Shift."

So, we're geared up and gung-ho, praying hard and hoping for the best as Ethan Hawk and the Realm Shift begins the journey through the gauntlet that is the publishing industry.

For anyone interested, I have sound bytes over on my MYSPACE page where you can listen to a select chapter of Ethan Hawk and the Realm Shift including some pretty cool intro music!

Auralia's Colors by Jeffrey Overstreet

Jeffrey Overstreet's "AURALIA'S COLORS" is a delightful fantasy novel where four great Houses have forgotten their distant past and connection to one another. In particular, House Abascar has banished color from their daily lives at the behest of a jealous queen. The lives of the people have lost all joy, celebration, meaning. The Wintering of House Abascar threatens to bring down the kingdom itself.

Then a mysterious, young orphan girl begins to harness the colors of the Expanse into wonderous gifts which have a power all their own. Auralia's Colors may be the salvation of this House or its very undoing!

I thoroughly enjoyed "Auralia's Colors." Overstreet's prose is as lyrical as poetry. There are some unconventional literary things going on, but unless you are a literary pharisee, it's nothing that should detract from the story. I would highly recommend the novel, but there is a question that arises for me having read it and one I would love to have discussion over.

"Where is the Christianity in Auralia's Colors?"

I've honestly searched for the allegory, the veiled references to faith, redemption, Christ, God, even the basic good versus evil, and I've not found them. This prompts me to wondering: does Christian Fiction need to be Christian? I'd love opinions on it!

In the meantime, get Auralia's Colors for yourself, it's a wonderful story!

ETHAN HAWK Audio segments on MYSPACE!

Hey guys, I've got three ETHAN HAWK audio segments loaded up on my author page at MYSPACE. click the link to check it out and please leave comments, add me as a friend and so forth. There are also a few audio files for A WORLD WITHIN as well, if you're interested!

ETHAN HAWK AUDIO AT MYSPACE

Ethan Hawk is proofed and sent!

Hey guys, my latest novel manuscript (#5), Ethan Hawk and the Realm Shift, has been proofed and sent to my agent Gregg Wooding. This is a big relief, but leaves me waiting now to see if any of the queried publishers are going to respond positively. I've always got more writing work to take on, so I'll just stay busy with it and pray!

This picture from the web reminded me of the main villian in Ethan Hawk - a Nephilim conqueror named Mordred who is sometimes indwelt by a demon named Jericho.

Out of four series I've started so far, this one may be my favorite...but when you put so much into a novel it's really hard to pick favorites!

SCARLET BY STEPHEN LAWHEAD

SCARLET by Stephen Lawhead--After losing everything he owns, forester Will Scarlet embarks on a search for none other than King Raven, whose exploits have already become legendary. After fulfilling his quest--and proving himself a skilled and loyal companion--Will joins the heroic archer and his men.
Now, however, Will is in prison for a crime he did not commit. His sentence is death by hanging--unless he delivers King Raven and his band of cohorts.
That, of course, he will never do.
Wales is slowly falling under the control of the invading Normans, and King William the Red has given his ruthless barons control of the land. In desperation, the people turn to King Raven and his men for justice and survival in the face of the ever-growing onslaught.
From deep in the forest they form a daring plan for deliverance, knowing that failure means death for them all.
Scarlet continues Stephen R. Lawhead's riveting saga that began with the novel Hood, which relocated the legend of Robin Hood to the Welsh countryside and its dark forests. Steeped in Celtic mythology and the political intrigue of medival Britain, Lawhead's trilogy conjures up an ancient past and holds a mirror to contemporary realities. Prepare for an epic tale that dares to shatter everything you thought you knew about Robin Hood.

What's being said by fans--"When I read HOOD I have to admit that I began it fully expecting to take in the story with a grain of salt. I was pleasantly surprised that Lawhead could re-imagine the story of Robin Hood and convey his image in a manner that captured me in the first chapter. SCARLET is a sequel that does not disappoint. The character development was flawless and I could feel myself emphasizing with Will "Scarlet" Scatlocke and at least relating with the Sheriff (but not quite empathizing). The thing I found greatest about this book was that while it's still a story about Robin Hood, it is mostly related as narrative by Will Scatlocke and Will plays as the central character. Both HOOD and SCARLET are great novels for those interested in a more grown-up version of the story of Robin Hood as well as those that enjoy historical fiction (although I cannot vouch for how historically accurate/inaccurate the books are). They are reminiscent of Mary Stewart's MERLIN TRILOGY in that both relates fantastic tales of seemingly far-fetched accounts that may or may not have occurred in a manner that is, at the least, believable if nothing else. These KING RAVEN novels are the first novels I've read by Stephen R. Lawhead so I'm not giving my review based from the standpoint of someone who loves all things Lawhead. Having said, if TUCK is as great as the first two novels in this series, I may become a Lawhead fan after all."

Ethan Hawk Going Fishing!

Hello all! My new manuscript for Ethan Hawk and the Realm Shift is going fishing in the publishing industry that is...guess what, already have seen some interest!

A query has been sent to one Christian publisher and the editor has already requested the Book Proposal and sample chapters!!

That's a very good start....Personally, I'm very excited about the potential for this series. The series is outlined for four books, but there is excellent potential for more the way the story is set up. If I'm anything in this game, it's persistent! And I'm continuing to forge ahead in hopes of publication for my novels.

This just in...Rise of Lucin is not dead in the water yet...One publisher is still holding onto the manuscript pending a decision. And my agent is still working for the manuscript as well.

UPDATED: "Ethan Hawk and the Realm Shift" has been completed in a personal record of 1.5 months! I owe that to previous chapter outlining for the whole four book series. It allowed me to ZOOOOM! Admittedly I added some chapters and made minor changes when the story called for it, but overall I did not have to deviate from the original ideas. The queries are going out to a number or publishers, so...In the end, the Lord's will be done!

FLASHPOINT by Frank Creed

FLASHPOINT by Frank Creed may just be one of the freshest pieces of Christian Fiction to come along in years. I've personally never read a christian novel quite like it. Frank Creed pushes the reader into a cyber-punk future where some Christians are become hyper enhanced warriors called Sandmen (anyone remember Logan's Run?) and Frank has included plenty of ultra-cool technology to help out in the fight against the One World Government which has seized control of the world. One of the coolest aspects of the many awesome fight scenes between sandmen and their foes is the way Mr. Creed takes the reader right into the action in "Bullet-Time" to catch every cool move as it happens. And if you're looking for family friendly, all of the "Kill'n" is done with tranquilizers by the Christians. "Thou shalt not Kill" is still in effect here for these high tech, mindware enhanced believers, but they still mean business. This short novel is full of "ultra-fresh" sci-fi ideas and its protags are two teens who are bent on rescuing their parents and their church. If you loved the Matrix, Terminator, or the like then you'll find "Flashpoint" to be fresh and fun reading from cover to cover and it leaves you wanting the next installment!--James Somers: Author "The Chronicles of Soone."

I've also had the opportunity to interview Mr. Creed:

1.) What was your inspiration for Flashpoint and this series?

This has to do with my whole life. During the Iran Hostage Crisis, I heard TV reporters using the term "fundamentalist terrorist" without regard. I'd been taught in Sunday-school that those who believed in the Bible were Fundamentalists. That bothered me and it was the planted seed.
Shortly before being saved in the early 1990s, I read a copy of Hal Lindsey's, Late Great Planet Earth.
I always wanted to write fiction, but as a fan of science fiction, and with my new fascination in eschatology, everything clicked. Christ coming in the near future? Cyberpunk (near-future dystopian high-tech sci-fi), was the perfect genre.
I did learn soon that obsession with the end Times was not very useful. The Gospel is all about love, and new believers are easily distracted.

2.) You are obviously a big action fan. What influences the way you write an action scene?

Congratulations on asking the hardest question I've ever had to answer in an interview. (No problem,) My short answer is life. And I mean all of it, highs and lows. Pack it all into 60k words. What don't kill ya' makes you stronger. Yeah that's a cliche, but when you can pack all that pain into so little space--that's action. Blow by blow.

If one wants to learn how to write a tight action scene, check the Cyberpunk series called Shadowrun. Thanks to Kevin Lucia's Titletrack, I discovered Mel Odom's Website and I got to nag him one night to write another of my top three favorite cyberpunk novels. Run Fast, Die Hard is a classic. Argent, his main character rocks. One of my top ten novelists replied by next morning. I Smiled.

Cyberpunk is all about action:
Top novels Wolf and Raven, Run Hard Die Fast, Striper Assassin, by Michael Stackpole, Mel Odom, and Nyx Smith.
Top Films: The Matrix, Blade Runner (genre debateable--sue me), Johnny Nemonic.
Sci-fi aside? Die Hard, Raiders, and Bourne--all-that. My big complaint about action films, if bullets miss there has to be a reason why.

3.) Would you say that, as a writer, you have been more influenced by movies or other books? And what are your favorites?

Both--but there's another fiction source--gaming. Tabletop dice-rolling role-playing games and first-person-shooter computer games have shaped a big part of my fiction. Props to TSR (now Wizards of the Coast), and ID Software. Gaming fires imagination. For purposes of evangelism and discipleship, look for Flashpoint the Role Playing Game in 08.
All-time favorite movies: The Matrix, Schindler's List, Monty Python and the holy Grail.
All-time favorite authors: George Orwell, CS Lewis, and ML Tyndall.

4.) Are you a disciplined writer or seat of your pants? Do you outline everything first or allow the mood to strike?

Beginning and end. I do write out a rough outline before I begin a fiction project.
But from my creative approach, a story must tell itself. I detail the outline as I go.

When it comes to fiction there is no moral absolute. There is no proper way. We're all created in the image of the Creator, so we fallen-scribes have that going for us. I cannot believe a number of creative methodologies through which successful authors approach.

5.) What can we expect in the future from Frank Creed as a writer and this series?

War of Attrition: Book Two of the Underground: the Unholy Trinity, trauma-action, and a surprise at the end--stand alone novels only in this series. Necessary background data included.

In coming months, Frank Creed the writer will be offering manusript evaluation services

6.) How did you come to be published with the Writer's Cafe Press?

Here comes the big secret. Marry a schoolteacher. I met my wife online, on May 9, 2003. Cynthia edited many things for local schools and education organizations, and offered to edit Flashpoint.
We wound-up marrying. Because it took her two years to get her Green Card, the only thing we could think of for her to make income was her editing skill. She started a business called the Writer's Café. After years of editing and networking, she learned that the Web and trend for corporate outsourcing had changed the publishing industry forever. A small independent press could now do everything that the traditional houses had been doing for decades.
When she told me she wanted to publish Flashpoint, it was very exciting, but that excitement was tempered by an amateur feeling. Face it, being published by your wife is a short step away from being published by your mom. I gained confidence quickly as she published a fantasy anthology (Tales for the Thrifty Barbarian), and A Child Underground, the memoirs of a Holocaust survivor. By the time the Biblical speculative fiction Anthology, Light at the Edge of Darkness, was compiled in August of 06, my confidence was complete.
I may be sleeping with my publisher, but our business relationship is completely professional. She respects me as an artist, and I get the same kind of deadlines, contracts, and expectations as everyone else she publishes. We work well as a team and I expect this to be a huge advantage as together we live the crazy-paced lifestyle. Book signings are also desperately needed weekends away.
Just as everything else in my life goes into my books, how God gave me a gift like Cynthia, is absolutely unreal. In conclusion: marry a schoolteacher! TWCP is currently booked through Dec of 2008.

Thanks for taking the time, Mr. Creed and I hope all goes well with your exciting new Christian Action series.
To be interviewed by the Chronicles of Soone mastermind. The honor is all mine, Mr. Somers.
To God be the glory,Frank Creed--novelist & founder of the Lost Genre Guild

THE WAY OF THE WILDERKING

Let me just say that THE WAY OF THE WILDERKING is an awesome finale for the series!! The Wilderking Trilogy has become one of my all time favorite stories period--secular or christian!

Jonathan Rogers has capped off his Wilderking Series in style with this last edition to the trilogy! I rushed out to get this book after reading The Secret of the Swamp King and I wasn't disappointed! Mr. Rogers continues to ramp up the action and it seems the only one who doesn't realize Aidan is the legendary Wilderking of prophecy is Aidan himself. But that will all change in this exciting conclusion to the series. There are exciting moments and sad ones as well. But it all comes together wonderfully and never disappoints. Dobro Turtlebane is in rare form as he leaves the swamps with Aidan and tries to mingle with civilizers for the first time...not to be missed!--James Somers, author: The Chronicles of Soone.

THE SECRET OF THE SWAMP KING by Jonathan Rogers

THE SECRET OF THE SWAMP KING by Jonathan Rogers. I've got to hand it to MR. Rogers, he's done a wonderful job of following up on young Aidan Errolson. He's now a few years older and a member of King DArrow's court. True to the biblical parallels with David, Aidan has incurred the jealous wrath of his king. He may be the most loyal member of King Darrow's court, but Aidan is sent on a suicide mission to the Feechiefen Swamp in order to retrieve the legendary Frog Orchid. King Darrow thinks to see the end of young Aidan, but he meets up with his friend Dobro and becomes a Feechie friend to all Feechies. There's someone impersonating the legendary Wilderking out in the Feechifen and Aidan must find out who is enslaving Feechies to the civilizers ways of war and commerce. This book has more action and more intrigue to it. I loved it and read it in two days. Highly recommended!--James Somers, author: The Chronicles of Soone.

THE BARK OF THE BOG OWL by Jonathan Rogers

Bark of the Bog Owl, by Jonathan Rogers was a book I actually thought I might not have much interest in. I was given the book to review and absolutely fell in love with the engaging story, great writing and fun characters. Can a fantasy story which lacks: dragons, elves, and magic really be so good? Oooh Yeeaah! There's plenty of action for young Aidan Errolson and his Feechie friend, Dobro Turtlebane. In fact, let me say that Dobro may be one of the most fun characters I've read about in a long time. There's nothing but page-turning-fun going on in this first book of the Wilderking trilogy. I got the first for free, but I had to go get the second and third myself and read both in two days apiece! The story stands out for its lessons on faith in the One God and for the inventive parallels with the story of young David from the bible. I highly recommend the entire series--James Somers, author: The Chronicles of Soone.

AND WE HAVE AN INTERVIEW WITH JONATHAN ROGERS:

1.) Is the Bark of the Bog Owl your first novel and how long did it take you to get published?

Yes, it was my first novel. I was blessed to find a publisher very quickly. I finished Book 1--or, rather, a version of Book 1--in December of 2002, my agent started shopping it around (as Book 1 of a trilogy) shortly after the new year, and it sold in the spring. I spent part of 2003 making edits--editor Gary Terishita asked me to make the book longer by about a third--and The Bark of the Bog Owl came out in the spring of 2004. So it was a pretty whirlwind-ish process. At the time I didn't appreciate how unusual that was.

2.) Did you go through the whole submission rejection thing before finding an agent and publisher or was it a quick process for you? [this is covered in the previous answer]

3.) How did you come by the decision to make parallels with your Aidan character and King David from the Bible?

Eugene Peterson gave me a whole new way of looking at David's story. His book Leap Over a Wall demonstrates how much narrative richness there is to be mined there. Peterson has a lot to say about the "earthiness" of David's story, and that had a big impact on me...though in the end, the "earthiest" people in the book are the feechie folks, not Aidan. Peterson got me thinking about David, but I have to say, I think my story gets better the farther it strays from David's story.

4.) Feechies have to be some of the most fun characters I've read about in some time. How did you come up with Dobro Turtlebane?

One summer I worked on a construction crew with a fellow whose hobby was hunting wild hogs in the swamp--without a gun. He had some dogs that would catch the hog by the ear, and he would tie it up and carry it out of the woods on a pole. He was about as earthy a fellow as you could ever hope to meet. I filed that guy away, and ten years later when I sat down to write the Wilderking, he became Dobro Turtlebane.

5.) Most fantasy novels revolve around Dragons and Elves and stuff like that. Was there a conscious effort on your part not to include these sort of characters in your Wilderking novels, and if so, why?

Yes, I suppose you'd say I made a conscious decision not to include dragons and elves. In my very first outlines of the story, I don't think I had quite decided whether the feechiefolk would be elfish, magical creatures or just swamp people. It didn't take long for me to decide it would be more fun if the feechies were so different from "civilizers" that they just seemed magical. So feechies can disappear, but not the way an elf or a sprite disappears. They disappear the way a snake disappears. I once saw a copperhead on a leaf-strewn trail, and in the second it took me to bring it to a friend's attention, the snake just melted into the leaves. Even knowing it was there, I still couldn't see it for ten seconds or more; the camouflage was that good. That's not magic, properly speaking, but the effect was very much the same as magic.

I guess you could say I went down the path of seeing how "magical" the natural world could be, and decided that, for my purposes, it was magical enough. If you've ever been to the Okefenokee Swamp or Mammoth Cave, it's hard to picture a fantasy setting that could be more fantastic. And though I've never encountered a dragon, I suspect it would be a lot like encountering an alligator.

In he original proposal for the Wilderking, there's a swamp goblin in Book 2. My wife talked me out of it. In a world with feechiefolks and alligators, she said, what do you need with a goblin?

6.) As a writer, would you consider yourself to be very disciplined and do you outline everything prior to beginning a novel or are you a spur-of-the-moment / seat of your pants type of writer?

I always have a good idea of where a story will end before I start writing. But I give the story a lot of freedom to unfold the way it wants to unfold. I always have an outline--sometimes detailed, sometimes not--but I'm never afraid to throw out the outline. And I always expect a lot of treasures to reveal themselves after I've started writing. Here's an example: When it was time to hunker down and finish Book 3 of the trilogy, I went to my in-laws' farm in South Georgia to write. Eating supper at a restaurant, one of the locals (a man I had only met that night) sat down at my table and got to telling about a bar fight he had gotten mixed up in. Within twelve hours, a feechiefied version of that story was in the book, in the exact form it exists now. (If you've read The Way of the Wilderking, it's the scrape Aidan and Dobro get into at Ma Pearl's public house). It was never in any outline, but it's a pretty important scene in the book.

I like what Anne Lamott says about writing a book. It's like driving at night: you can't see very far ahead, but you can see far enough. You can't see around the next curve, but by the time you get there, your headlights will provide you with the illumination you need to negotiate around it.

7.) What would you say the greatest change in your writing has been since becoming published?
[blank]

8.) What key piece of advice would you give to writers who are struggling to get published in today's Christian marketplace?

Hmmm...I don't know about giving advice to hypothetical people--people whose real situation I don't know. But I do have a few general remarks on the subject of publishing.

I have a cousin who builds houses, and he tells his clients, "If you weren't happy before you got a granite countertop, you probably aren't going to be happy after you get a granite countertop." Which is to say, a big, fancy house won't make your life fulfilling. Likewise, if you weren't happy before getting a book published, you probably won't be happy after getting a book published. Don't look to the things of the world to do what they can't possibly do for you. I do think that's an important thing to keep in perspective.

On a related note, we all hope our writing will have an impact on the people who read it--I know I do. But it's helpful to remember that the people we're really going to have an impact on are the people we see every day. I say that by way of encouragement. People who are "struggling to get published in today's Christian marketplace" are going through the struggle (hopefully) because they want to make a difference in people's lives. If that's your earnest desire, you can be sure you'll have opportunity to do that, whether you get published or not. If there were some way of totalling up such things, I know I've had more influence (for good or for ill) on the people God has put in my life than on everybody who has read my books put together. I realize that we're not talking about a huge number of people who have read my books, but I suspect the same would be true for most authors.

9.) What made you decide to join up with the Christian Science Fiction & Fantasy blog tour?
[I'm afraid I don't have anything interesting to say on this topic: Rebecca Miller asked if I was interested, and I said yes--though I'm still not clear on what a blog tour is, exactly.]

10.) What are you working on now and should we be looking out for new novels from you in the near future? If so, can you give us a teaser to whet our appetites?

I have started a novel for grown-ups. It's neither science fiction nor fantasy, but a quiet book about a quiet life well-lived.

Thanks so much for doing the interview and for writing such an enjoyable series of novels. I look forward to reading what you come up with next.

Thanks for having me on your blog, James. It's been a pleasure.

ETHAN HAWK and the REALM SHIFT

Well, I just couldn't wait any longer. I've already dived into my next novel and series start-up for Ethan Hawk. I've got the prologue done and will soon finish chapter one for "Ethan Hawk and the Realm Shift."

The story begins with Ethan, now over one hundred years old, telling his own story to a group of children in the city of Emmanuel in the kingdom of Nod. As idolatry becomes prevalent and the people begin to move steadily away from the Most High God, the old storyteller has come to tell of the days when a Deliverer was sent from God to bring the people back to his fellowship and to deliver them from their oppressors. None of the children realize that he is the Deliverer the story is talking about...at least not yet.

THE CHRONICLES OF SOONE COMPLETE!

Well, almost anyway...I've just finished the chapter outlines for the remaining two books in my Chronicles of Soone series. Tentative subtitles are:

The Chronicles of Soone: War Machine

The Chronicles of Soone: Apocalypse

I really hope these and Rise of Lucin get a chance with a Christian Publisher--yep, I'm still waiting to hear what the verdict will be on COS: Rise of Lucin. But in the meantime I've been able to not only outline these, but four novels for my next series, Ethan Hawk, as well. This will all save me a ton of actual writing time when it comes down to it. Please continue to keep me in your prayers for this publishing contract! I've heard back from two publishers which have declined publication--the third is undecided at this time. The Lord's will be done!

ETHAN HAWK and the REALM SHIFT

I'm very excited about the new series I'm working on at the moment. This one has Nephilim as the enemy and used in a way I haven't seen yet. Ethan Hawk is God's young Deliverer in the story, only he doesn't realize it yet (in Moses-esque fashion). He will be empowered more like a judge though, as God has given him special gifts to utilize in the fulfillment of prophecy in this fictional world and the Kingdom of Nod.

I've just finished completely outlining 31 chapters for the first book and I'm planning on continuing to outline the second book now as well. I don't want to get into writing another novel until I hear news about Chronicles of Soone: Rise of Lucin with these publishers. On another positive note: I've just completed a complete revision of COS: Heir to the King (already published with Breakneck books). I'm not sure what will be done with it--remain at Breakneck or what--but I intend for this much needed revision to come out some way. Stay tuned...

Update: I've just completed chapter outlines for the entire four novel ETHAN HAWK series. The fantasy anthology, LEGENDS & FABLES may appear on amazon.com as early as next month which has my "A World Within" story in it. I sure do hope to hear from my agent soon, with good news on Chronicles of Soone: Rise of Lucin. The waiting game is the hardest part of being an author from what I 've experienced so far...I would gladly swap a deadline for it!

The RETURN by AUSTIN BOYD

The Return by Austin Boyd: With nothing left for him on Earth, Rear Admiral John Wells didn't hesitate to lead a third NASA team to Mars, but he never dreamed that one day they'd look out their laboratory module into the lights of a slow-moving vehicle not their own. In the third installment of the Mars Hill Classified series, life on Mars becomes increasingly more unpredictable as the past collides with the future and nothing, not even the dead, is as it seems.
Meanwhile, back on Earth, the fate of hundreds, including John Wells' family--presumed dead these last six years--rests precariously in the hands of Malcolm Raines, self-proclaimed Guardian of the Mother Seed and Principal Cleric of Saint Michael's Remnant, and his insidious plans for the Father Race.
Wells will find himself in a race against time and all odds to expose the truth: about Mars, about Malcolm Raines, and, if he's very brave, about himself.

Austin Boyd: A Navy pilot, nuclear weapons officer, and spacecraft engineer, Austin Boyd flew three thousand hours in war and peacetime operations, designed satellites, and built classified systems to track terrorists. A world traveler, NASA Astronaut Finalist, and inventor with multiple patents, he served in key Navy space assignments before retiring to Huntsville, Alabama, where he lives with Cindy, his wife of twenty-eight years, and their four children. He continues to support NASA, military space, and aviation through his work with a major defense contractor. An active Christian, Boyd has served in a variety of lay ministries devoted to evangelism, stewardship, and crisis pregnancy. In addition to writing the Mars Hill Classified series, Boyd has also penned dozens of technical articles about space issues and has written award-winning poetry.

REVIEW: This fast-paced thriller is sure to please fans of the Mars Hill series. Boyd’s third adventure is filled with danger and suspense. The characters are strongly written and even readers who have not read the prior books in the series will enjoy The Return. Boyd tackles tough topics such as cloning, space exploration and colonizing Mars. All of these topics can be found in some form or another in our media today. The Return will give readers a glimpse of what life might be like were any of these things to happen in our lifetime. While it’s scary to even think about, these issues do need be thought through and Boyd brings them to life in a believable way to allow readers to do just that. --Jill Hart

Ethan Hawk and the Realm Shift

I'm about to begin my next series start-up entitled: Ethan Hawk and the Realm Shift. This will be another young adult Christian Fantasy novel series...yes, I write new start-ups before finishing the remaining books for other series. It keeps boredom away and besides, I'm waiting with the hope of selling one to a big commercial Christian publisher. So, that's more opportunities to sell something and then write the sequels under a contract!

Anywho, Ethan Hawk and the Realm Shift incorporates Nephilim in a way I've not seen before and should be really cool. I'm going to be trying a different writing technique: plotting out the whole thing chapter by chapter before I ever begin writing. This is new to me--normally a seat of his pants--get in the mood writer.

I'm still waiting to hear news on The Chronicles of Soone: Rise of Lucin from my agent, Gregg Wooding. Hopefully, I'll get good news to share in the days ahead.

James

ISLE OF SWORDS has ARRIVED MATEY!

Hey folks...I just happened to find WAyne Batson's new book, ISLE OF SWORDS, yesterday! I wasn't expecting it to be out yet...but I got it bundled with a free copy of The Door Within-lost chapters version...two for one! You can't beat that. I just looked at my wife with puppy dog eyes and she gave in and let me buy it!

I'm already about 1/3 of the way through it and its very good--very piratey! I can tell WAyne has been vegging out on Pirates of the Carribean and probably an abundance of piratey research, because you really get the feeling your onboard.

I'll not give away any of the story, but its very engaging, as WAyne's writing style is very engaging in all that he has written.

I also am reading The Bark of the Bog Owl, by Jonathan Rogers and this is a very different writing style, but very good as well. I would highly recommend both of the books at this point!

LEGEND OF THE FIREFISH by GEORGE BRYAN POLIVKA

From Publishers Weekly: Swashbuckling is the best way to describe Book One of the Trophy Chase Trilogy. Without wasting time, Polivka's first novel drops readers into a fantasy world filled with action, where chivalry is alive and well, and sword fights are frequent. Packer Throme—a failed seminarian turned master swordsman—sets out on a great quest, but not in search of fame. He hopes to honor God by stowing away on (former) pirate Scatter Wilkins's ship Trophy Chase, convincing its captain and crew to seek the legendary firefish—a feat that could raise Packer's fishing village from poverty and win the heart of his longtime love, the beautiful Panna Seline. Happily, Polivka gives this heroine a backbone, not to mention a mighty right hook and her own part to play in this adventure. "It was wrong to have let her, and thousands of young women just like her, believe they had no power, no strength, and therefore could have no place or position," Panna reflects angrily about the plight of women. Though the Packer-Panna romance finds considerable ink, this is a tale almost entirely of pirates, warriors, stormy seas and battles with monsters. The Christian message is palpable, and Polivka's characters relatively complex. With the nonstop action that cuts between multiple story lines, readers will be flipping pages eagerly.

"I am one soldier in a great army of many, many thousands who have been enchanted and changed by the works of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien. When I first ventured into Middle Earth, the outcome of the battle between good and evil, between creation and destruction within my own soul was far from certain. In a very real way the eternal loyalties of my heart were forged in Narnia. It is therefore my sincerest prayer that you will find your journey into the Kingdom of Nearing Vast worthy, if only in some small measure, of so rich a heritage, and so complete a victory.”—George Bryan Polivka, author of Legend of the Firefish

LISTEN TO THE PREACHER!

Hey, guys for any of you who may be interested...I have a preaching broadcast which you can listen to via the WEB on Sundays from 1pm-1:30pm. These are sermons from the services at Grace Baptist Church where I pastor. Just click on the link to the right in the sidebar (on Sundays 1pm) and you'll hear the "KEEP ON THE FIRING LINE" BROADCAST.

Hey and Waterbrook Multnomah Publishing -a Christian imprint of Random House- also has the manuscript reviewing it!