The Blackwood: Still only 99cents!

Merry Christmas! And Happy New Year! The Christmas gift story is: "The Blackwood," a short story starring Mallik and Nock (from the Door Within universe). And it's ready now! The Christmas giveaway is over, but the 14K short story is still just 99 cents!

Here's the premise: 

Something wicked has made its home in Yewland's famed Blackwood Forest. Dozens of Queen Illaria's finest soldiers have ventured in, only to meet hideous, violent ends. Now, it's up to Nock and Mallik to hunt down the threat that lurks among the dark trees. But they will soon discover that they are not the only hunters in the Blackwood.

You can find the Kindle version here:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HI513HE

Don't "Duck" this Post

So, the media frenzy surrounding Phil Robertson's GQ comments has begun. Honestly, I'm grateful. It gets us all talking about painful, honest, and important things.

Just today, I've read some startlingly interesting articles on the topic. Here are a few:

http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2013/12/19/duck-dynasty-bible-religion-palin-robertson-column/4124181/

http://tv.yahoo.com/news/duck-dynasty-fallout-glaad-reeling-biggest-backlash-years-010050637.html?soc_src=mediacontentstory

http://pullingonthepushdoor.wordpress.com/2013/12/19/why-i-cant-stand-with-phil-robertson/

But this next article, really hit home with me. Perhaps it's because I have four teenage kids, and I love them more than life itself, and we have seen the pain of this life infiltrate their otherwise happy lives.

http://intheparlor.wordpress.com/2013/12/19/what-you-believe-about-homosexuality-doesnt-matter/

So having read this article, I agree with it to a degree. We do—all-too-often—focus on the symptoms, rather than the diseases or the very real people who are suffering. But I wonder if there's more too it than simply those who are suffering because of sexual identity issues. So, for what it's worth, here are some of my thoughts:

The "In the Parlor" article is true at its heart. Seriously. Good food for thought. But maybe the massive increase in teen suicides and attempts has a deeper root. Maybe it is the wholesale disregard for the value of human life. Everything from the rise of the new atheism which claims we are mere accidents of naturalism or maybe its the cultural relativism that claims our pursuit of happiness actually does mean: if it feels good, do it. The consequences be damned. Or maybe it has to do with the irresponsible ubiquitous access to social media where hurting kids can publicize their suicidal thoughts, tendencies, and methods, urging other kids to try the same.

Maybe its this world's abandonment of God and His word? Or maybe it's Christianity's wholesale failure to reveal that it actually IS as broken and sinful as everyone else. Maybe if the world could see how hurting we are, how we know the pain it feels, maybe we could talk and actually hear each other. Maybe, we could stop throwing stones long enough to admit our glass cathedrals and actually help each other. Whether it's homosexuality, depression, obsession, addiction, mental illness, violent tendencies or WHATEVER, we are all "born this way." But that is NOT an excuse. It's a clarion call to recognize we ARE born in sin. We ARE at war with the sin in our flesh. And we ALL need the Savior and His remarkable provision of each other to navigate this life.

Raudrim-Quevara, The Red Queen_Amazing Art…and What is your Christmas wish?

Hi, all! Long time, no blog. Sorry about that. Been busy writing, and honestly haven't had much to say blog-wise. But ElizabethH sent this fantastic bit of art in, so I had to post. This is a remarkable interpretation of The Errant King's villain: Raudrim-Quevara, The Red Queen, who shapeshifts into a very formidable dragon. Seriously, you'll be hard-pressed to find a more accurate drawing. Thanks, Elizabeth!

Enjoy all!

Blog Item #2:

Your Christmas Wish
I love the holiday season. I love the music, the trappings, the chill in the air, the red cheeks, and being buried under blankets! I love that Jesus gave us a gift that no one can steal or mar or hinder.

So this Christmas season, I'd like to give ALL my readers a gift. But I need your help.

I'm going to write a Christmas Gift Story. It'll be relatively short. 5-10K words, max. For ten days around Christmas, I'm going to make this story free on Kindle and free as a .pdf download. But I want to know what you want me to write for the gift. Please respond to the poll below. I'll announce the winning Christmas Present Story right after Thanksgiving.

AND THE WINNER IS:

A new Door Within spinoff with Mallik and Nock

Please Give Up Some Applause for Prolific Author and Friend Mr. James Somers: New Books

One of first readers of my Door Within series was James Somers, a medical professional and new author himself. Since then, Sir James of Somers has gone nuts as a writer, penning twice as many new books as I have.

I think of James as the James Rollins of Christian Fiction: the coolest story hooks, righteous high adventure, and truth that will kick you in the teeth. Seriously, if you've not checked out James Somers, give his work a read.

Linked Below is JS's epic series: 

The Descendants Saga:

The first Descendants Saga Audio Book: FALLEN:
http://www.audible.com/pd/Teens/Fallen-Audiobook/B00FN0IOGE/ref=sr_1_2?qid=1381232175&sr=1-2

Fallen can be found on Audible.com, Amazon.com and iTunes.com 

 

Also celebrating the 5th Descendants Saga Novel: "AFTERMATH" : http://www.amazon.com/AFTERMATH-Descendants-Saga-Book-5-ebook/dp/B00F9U5RXQ/ref=pd_sim_kstore_3

 

 

Today's the Day! September 10th! Skyriders...a New Novel by Christopher Hopper

TODAY TODAY TODAY TODAY

I'm going to tell you to go purchase Christopher Hopper's new book: The Sky Riders. Of course, I am. As you know, I'm rather biased because Sir Christopher is one of my best friends in the world. But maybe, just maybe, some of the reasons why he's a good friend to me will help you to understand why this book is worth your time.

Christopher is a kindred. When we met, within 15 minutes we both felt as if we'd known each other for 20 years. We had so much in common, especially our creative thinking and sense of humor, it was literally kinda creepy. But, one of the things that makes him so dear to me as a friend is that he breathes Jesus. And that means, he breathes hope. If you've spent much of your life as a Christian, perhaps you've found yourself a little disillusioned because of how some Christians treat each other…and the world. CH will be the first to tell you he's not perfect, but I found in him a genuine heart after God, someone whose very existence was, to me, a kind of proof positive that Jesus is real, and that His love for people is unconditional.

"…one of the things that makes him so dear to me as a friend is that he breathes Jesus."

So what? Can the guy write?

Fair question. Maybe he's a swell guy and all, but his books have to be worth your time. When I read CH's first book, Rise of the Dibor, I knew. I just knew. Here's one of those guys who just looks at the world so differently, who just finds that nugget of coolness you never saw coming. Honestly, he reminds me a bit of C.S. Lewis because he finds a way to communicate an incredible concept in a way that will fill every reader with a kind of "Oh, my, gosh! I've always thought that, but could never figure out how to envision it! WHOA!" I've seen CH's writing grow since that book 1. We did cowrite three books together, after all. The Berinfell Prophecies. And over that time, I had the honor of watching CH take risks with his prose and become an excellent storyteller. He always had spectacular ideas, but now, his writing skill has caught up. Sky Riders is the very first time that Christopher Hopper has been truly unleashed. The story is going to blow your mind.

"Sky Riders is the very first time that Christopher Hopper has been truly unleashed."

I spent close to 100 hours writing with Christopher (in person at our writing bootcamps or via skype), and I've had to endure CH telling me little bits and pieces of Sky Riders, stuff that makes me feel like this book is going to be very big. Like Amazon #1 YA Fantasy Big. Seriously, it has all the ingredients: a protagonist you'll ache for, a mission worth fighting for, mysterious, sinister, creepy villains, a rich fantasy setting that you—HAVE NOT SEEN BEFORE—creatures, steampunk technology, and that hard-to-describe quality that makes a story haunt you for months after reading it. Sky Riders will make you think, and you'll be richer for it.

TODAY, September 10th, get yourself a copy of The Sky Riders by Christopher Hopper. This is one adventure you won't want to miss.

For more information of The Sky Riders, as well as, free desktop art and other freebies, visit:

http://www.christopherhopper.com/the-sky-riders-an-inventors-world-novel/

GHOST is FREE on Kindle: Today Only! September 4th, 2013

My new THRILLER for Kindle: 

GHOST*. 

Free. 

Today Only. September 4th. 

Enjoy. 

*(Ages 16+)

Click below for free GHOST:
http://is.gd/Xb5ZVu

Absolutes in Writing. Really?

It seems to me that there is a growing population of writers who are more than ready to dish out advice about what other writers should not do. If you want your prose to read as a professional's should read, don't do this. Avoid that. Don't use -ly adjectives. Don't tell. Don't use exclamation points. Don't use colorful speaker tags; only 'said.' Use passive voice and you'll be burned at the stake!

It sounds sage, but is it really? Think about it. Why does language have adverbs? In school, we learned that it is to describe how an action is performed. It just so happens, that in English, a very high percentage of adverbs end in -ly. And yet, the words have a very important and useful function.

And what about telling? Uhm...if we all quit telling, the world would be a very sad place, as there would be no stories. After all, what is narrative? It's storyTELLING. Surely, the 'show; don't tell' axiom has merit. Your words should vividly paint a picture. But so much of your tale will absolutely be 'telling.' Don't stop. Just get good at telling.

Exclamation points have a purpose. They communicate volume, tone, emotion, and context. Use them. Use them well. And speaker tags? What a crock. Twenty years ago, the advice was "avoid the overuse of 'said' as a speaker tag." After all, 'said' is so vague and impersonal…and boring. Now, it's use 'said' or no speaker tag at all. In the immortal words of Colonel Sherman Potter, "Horse Hockey!" If the use of a vivid speaker tag helps the reader 'live' the scene, shriek, gasp, howl, and growl away!

And lastly, what of the revered, axiom to never use Passive Voice. Tell that to Tolkien. There are legitimate uses for Passive Voice. That's, uhm, why we have a passive voice in our language. Yes, yes, there are definitely errors to be made with passive voice. It's kind of putting the cart before the horse, so to speak. But if you are doing passive voice on purpose, with a purpose, go for it. 

In many cases, what the writing pundits mean when they issue all the prohibitions is this: know what you are doing, and don't waste words. In writing, there are few absolutes, so don't get bullied. Experiment with language. See what works for the story you wish to tell. And do it all…well.

Won't -THAT- Be a Day?

The last day at the beach. {HUGE sigh}. Seriously, I think God implants in each of us a pang of longing. And on vacations, especially those full of family & friends, and the beauty of nature (mountains, the ocean, etc), that deep ache is felt more keenly. The vacation itself doesn't fulfill. After all, the vacation comes to an end. But it does hint at what will ultimately fulfill: eternity with Jesus in Heaven. 

Won't -THAT- be a day? When all the burdens of sin, sickness, weakness, and age...all fall away. When we finally are all we were ever meant to be. When we meet Jesus face-to-face, walk and talk with Him. When we are together with family and friends to whom we will never have to say goodbye? When the passage of time is irrelevant and there is no longer any fear or sorrow? Won't -THAT- be a day?

Guest Post on Master Thriller Writer J.A. Konrath's Site

Author J.A. Konrath is a pioneer in the eBook field. He was one of the first to herald it's potent arrival in publishing. And he was one of the first to make an ultra-successful leap into the eBook market. He is also one of the most generous writer's of his or any time.

The guy's website "A Newbie's Guide to Publishing," really is a one-stop-shop for writers and writers-to-be, offering insight into the craft and business of being an author, stuff you cannot find anywhere else.

Recently Joe (the J in J.A. Konrath) took up uber author Tess Gerritsen's charity fight against Alzheimer's Disease. And he generously offered a guest post spot on his blog for any writer who would donate $100 to the charity. I was all over that. Not only is it a fantastic charity to support, but any chance to tap into a new marketplace is worth taking.

So, here's my spot on Konrath's site. Hope it's something that you can use, or at least find some entertainment value.

Batson Post on Konrath

Creature Feature: Fan Art from The Door Within Trilogy

Hi, all! One of ridiculously fun things to do as a fantasy author is to create new worlds full of strange, spectacular, and often creepy creatures. The Door Within Trilogy was my first book series that required this sort of creature creating. So, when a reader recently sent me some hand drawn pictures she'd done, I was gabberflasted at how perfectly she captured the look of these beasties.

Here they are for you to enjoy also!

 ©E. Hornberger, 2013. All Rights Reserved.

Start the Fireworks! GHOST is here!

GHOST: A New Thriller from Wayne Thomas Batson

About the Story: Ghost fits into the genre of Supernatural Thriller, in the same vein as Jim Butcher's Dresden Files, the X-Files, Nightstalker, etc. But, it's also very much a Detective Thriller in the vein of "Lone Wolf" murder mysteries like Lee Child, Brad Thor, and Stephen Hunter.

"Fans of Lee Child and Jim Butcher will love this series!"
—The Underground


Protector and punisher…

Hunter and hunted…

Down-to-earth and otherworldly…

John Spector, aka GHOST, isn’t your ordinary investigator.

He carries a shiny badge, a billfold ID, and a mysterious silver suitcase. His mission? Seek the forgotten ones, the abandoned ones, the ones no one else can or will help. Visit blunt force trauma upon the world’s blackest souls and deny the devil his day by any means necessary. And never stop. Never.

For more than a decade, the "Smiling Jack" killer has been posting photos of his victims on the Web, daring anyone to catch him, daring anyone to care. But when no missing person files match and no victims are ever found, the FBI closes the case.

Years later, a digital camera washes up on shore, and GHOST finds it. Each macabre photo becomes a clue that will lead GHOST and FBI Special Agent Deanna Rezvani on the trail of one of the most diabolical killers of this world…or beyond.

"No one gets away with murder. Not for long."

For my younger readers, please note that this is a story for older readers. At the very least, age 16+ Why? It won't be for sex and bad language––that's a promise. And it won't be for gratuitous violence either. I'd say the violence and bloodshed would be on par with my pirate books.

So why the audience designation? Two reasons: these books will deal with the criminal element, and some of the scenes / topics may disturb younger readers. Ghost is a special sort of investigator who will go after the worst of the worst criminals, the ones no one else can or will catch. These are villains who have literally been getting away with murder...or worse. Another reason for the change in reading audience is that these books will be on a whole new level of intensity. Seriously. We're talking, white-knuckle, pit of your stomach, fear. There's a point to it all as well, and hopefully a message of hope.

Want a sneak preview chapter of GHOST? Click HERE: http://is.gd/GMXnrO

Don't have a Kindle, but still want GHOST? No worries, they have Kindle apps for just about any electronic device you have. The paperback version of GHOST will come out later in the summer because formatting for print is a time-consuming beast. If you've been a faithful reader and want to support my writing efforts, please consider getting one or the other (or both) as it will really help the Amazon sales numbers in both categories.  GHOST for Kindle will only be $3.99!

Thank you for being fantastic readers and for following my books from Door Within to Dark Sea and now beyond!

Here's the link to purchase GHOST: http://is.gd/PHqG2t

 
And now...a GHOSTLY offer...

Be one of the first 100 people to purchase GHOST on Kindle for $3.99, email me, and I will put your name (or name of your choice) in a special GHOST Patrons section in the Print Version of GHOST, due out later this summer. The reason I say "or name of your choice," is that some of you might wish to honor someone else or use a screen name. Whatever name you wish. Your chosen name will appear in the first edition of the first GHOST book of what will, hopefully, be a long running series.

If you purchase GHOST for Kindle on July 4th, email me at: batguy21784(at)yahoo(dot)com

Put GHOST PATRON in the subject line. Seriously, I cannot thank you enough for helping this dream come true. 

Reminder Note: GHOST is thriller fiction intended for ages 16+.

PS: Here's a sneak peek at the cover for GHOST, Book 2: Minister of Fire!

GHOST is avaiable TODAY! and...A GHOST-ly Proposition! Storming Amazon!

My newest novel, GHOST releases TODAY: July 4th, 2013. This marks my first solo effort away from traditional publishing, meaning: in an effort to better support my family, I've decided to do this whole book from scratch. Doing it that way requires a lot of overhead costs: cover design, interior design, editing, proofreading, advertising, etc. That said, the potential earning power on Amazon Kindle is 6-7 times what I might hope to earn with a traditional publisher. 

Here's the link to purchase GHOST: http://is.gd/PHqG2t

But, the do-it-yourself approach has risks of its own. There's no automatic shelf space, no automatic catalog ads, no publisher buzz. So, in an effort to land GHOST with a huge splash, I'm looking for book-patron-warriors: folks who love good fiction with a pure message; folks who want to see more indy writers succeed; and folks who just want more of a good thing.

Purchase GHOST on Kindle this July 4th at $3.99, and I will put your name (or name of your choice) in a special GHOST Patrons section in the Print Version of GHOST, due out later this summer. The reason I say "or name of your choice," is that some of you might wish to honor someone else or use a screen name. Whatever name you wish. Your chosen name will appear in the first edition of the first GHOST book of what will, hopefully, be a long running series.

If you purchase GHOST for Kindle on July 4th, email me at: batguy21784(at)yahoo(dot)com

Put GHOST PATRON in the subject line. Seriously, I cannot thank you enough for helping this dream come true. 

Reminder Note: GHOST is thriller fiction intended for ages 16+.

More about the novel below the cover image:

About the Story: Ghost fits into the genre of Supernatural Thriller, in the same vein as Jim Butcher's Dresden Files, the X-Files, Nightstalker, etc. But, it's also very much a Detective Thriller in the vein of "Lone Wolf" murder mysteries like Lee Child, Brad Thor, and Stephen Hunter.

For my younger readers, please note that this is a story for older readers. At the very least, age 16+ Why? It won't be for sex and bad language––that's a promise. And it won't be for gratuitous violence either. I'd say the violence and bloodshed would be on par with my pirate books.

So why the audience designation? Two reasons: these books will deal with the criminal element, and while there will be no explicit scenes, there will be topics that will disturb younger readers. Ghost is a special sort of investigator who will go after the worst of the worst criminals, the ones no one else can or will catch. These are villains who have literally been getting away with murder...or worse. Another reason for the change in reading audience is that these books will be on a whole new level of intensity. Seriously. We're talking, white-knuckle, pit of your stomach, fear. There's a point to it all as well, and hopefully a message of hope.

Want a sneak preview chapter of GHOST? Click HERE: http://is.gd/GMXnrO

So, mark your calendars.

GHOST will release on July 4th, 2013 for Amazon Kindle. 

Don't have a Kindle, but still want GHOST? No worries, they have Kindle apps for just about any electronic device you have. The paperback version of GHOST will come out later in the summer because formatting for print is a time-consuming beast. If you've been a faithful reader and want to support my writing efforts, please consider getting both as it will really help the Amazon sales numbers in both categories.  GHOST for Kindle will only be $3.99!

Thank you for being fantastic readers and for following my books from Door Within to Dark Sea and now beyond!

PS: Here's a sneak peek at the cover for GHOST, Book 2: Minister of Fire!

GHOSTs on the 4th of July?

You may be thinking that I got my holidays mixed. "Ghosts," you say, "are for Halloween; not Independence Day."

Well, to that I respond: "This is not that kind of GHOST."

About the Story: Ghost fits into the genre of Supernatural Thriller, in the same vein as Jim Butcher's Dresden Files, the X-Files, Nightstalker, etc. But, it's also very much a Detective Thriller in the vein of "Lone Wolf" murder mysteries like Lee Child, Brad Thor, and Stephen Hunter.

For my younger readers, please note that this is a story for older readers. At the very least, age 16+ Why? It won't be for sex and bad language––that's a promise. And it won't be for gratuitous violence either. I'd say the violence and bloodshed would be on par with my pirate books.

So why the audience designation? Two reasons: these books will deal with the criminal element, and while there will be no explicit scenes, there will be topics that will disturb younger readers. Ghost is a special sort of investigator who will go after the worst of the worst criminals, the ones no one else can or will catch. These are villains who have literally been getting away with murder...or worse. Another reason for the change in reading audience is that these books will be on a whole new level of intensity. Seriously. We're talking, white-knuckle, pit of your stomach, fear. There's a point to it all as well, and hopefully a message of hope.

Want a sneak preview chapter of GHOST? Click HERE: http://is.gd/GMXnrO

So, mark your calendars.

GHOST will release on July 4th, 2013 for Amazon Kindle. 

Don't have a Kindle, but still want GHOST? No worries, they have Kindle apps for just about any electronic device you have. The paperback version of GHOST will come out later in the summer because formatting for print is a time-consuming beast. If you've been a faithful reader and want to support my writing efforts, please consider getting both as it will really help the Amazon sales numbers in both categories.  GHOST for Kindle will only be $3.99!

Thank you for being fantastic readers and for following my books from Door Within to Dark Sea and now beyond!

PS: Here's a sneak peek at the cover for GHOST, Book 2: Minister of Fire!

AUTHOR PALOOZA is coming! June 29th

 

Author Palooza 2013

June 29th

 

 

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS From 12-1PM  Lunch With Best Selling Fantasy Author
WAYNE THOMAS BATSON!

 

We will be dining at Nora’s Cafe just two doors down from His Way. Those attending the lunch with Wayne Thomas Batson are responsible for buying their own food but the fun and fellowship with Wayne are absolutely free! Please RSVP to hiswayevents@gmail.com by
June 27th to reserve your seat at the table. 

 

From 1:15-1:30PM* The Door Within Costume Contest/New Fan Contest:

 Fans of Wayne Thomas Batson’s best selling trilogy
come as your favorite character from the series 
for a chance to win one-of-a-kind prizes!
Bring  friends who have never read the series for  a chance at MORE prizes!

 

PRIZES FOR THE FAN WHO BRINGS THE MOST PEOPLE TO INTRODUCE TO THE DOOR WITHIN AND ALSO THE WINNERS OF THE COSTUME CONTEST: 

ONE OF A KIND ALTERED BLANK JOURNAL FOR SKETCHING OR WRITING FEATURING THE FAMOUS BEGINNING OF “ADVENTURES ARE FUNNY THINGS” POEM FROM THE DOOR WITHIN

 

From 1:40-2:00*
 Listen as Author Tyrell Rogers  shares from his book, the  dynamic graphic novel, Hey Bully! and talks about having a heart for the bullied and the bullies!
You won’t want to miss this.

 From 2:15- 2:35*
Join  Author Gordon Smart for a dramatic reading from his book Breakfast with Judas and learn more about the mysterious man who dares the  book’s hero, John Thomas,  to reexamine what he knows about Jesus

From 2:35-3:00PM*
Author Wayne Thomas Batson takes center stage with a reading from the beloved Door Within trilogy and has a time for questions and answers from his fans.

*All times are flexible and authors will stop at any point to sign copies of their books, so do not hesitate to ask them to do so!

Behind the Scenes: Imagination Station #8: Hunt for the Devil's Dragon

Adventures in Odyssey. 

Yeah, I know. Just say it, and you conjure up all manner of cool stories. Seriously, I listened to them on the way home from work for ten years. My whole family loves them. So, when Focus on the Family invited me to guest write for a couple of their Odyssey spin-off, Imagination Station books, it was a no-brainer. Backflip with a twist.

So, Episode #8 Hunt for the Devil's Dragon is out now, and I am STOKED. Just recently, Focus invited me to be a part of their weekly Podcast. We talked about what went into Devil's Dragon, writing, and quite a bit of other stuff. Lots of fun. So click over and give a listen. Leave a comment! I'd love to hear from you.

Here's the podcast link:

http://whitsendblog.org/2013/06/author-wayne-thomas-batson-talks-about-hunting-for-the-devils-dragon/

 

 

Lord, Make Me a Sledghammer of Your Will...

Roll over. Play dead. Fetch. Heel. Sit. 

You're probably thinking that the list above is a collection of doggie commands.

What if I told you that these are actually commands for Christians?

No, not commands from God. These are the commands that the world and the enemies of our soul throw at Christians every day. And every day that passes, these shouted commands become louder and louder and louder.

The sad thing is: too often, we Christians obey. We roll over for the world's whims. We play dead by behaving just like everyone else. We fetch by amusing the world with Christian infighting. We heel by compromising what we believe. And we sit on our butts when we ought to be serving. Please understand, I'm not calling you for your splinters without first wrestling with the telephone pole stuck in my own eye. I'm as guilty of this as anyone else.

But it makes me wonder: How did we get here?

How did we Christians come to the place where we are outworked, outsmarted, out-faithed, out-argued, out-created, and outdated by the world? How indeed.

Like many Christian troubles, I suspect we got here because of three things: 1) We've forgotten who we are.  2) We've forgotten to fight.   3) And worst yet, we have doubted our God. 

This could easily be the subject of a multi-volume book series, but this message is so urgent that it has to be brief and to the point.

1: We have forgotten who we are. You, Christian! Yeah, you! God says you are a royal priesthood, a chosen people, Sons and Daughters of the MOST HIGH GOD. You are ransomed by the blood of Jesus Christ. Your debt is settled. You are citizens of Heaven. Nothing can do you much relative harm, not even death! Now, don't go getting a fat head. Arrogance is just as bad (or worse) than ignorance. But soberly, SOBERLY, understand that you are not to be anyone's puppy dog. 

1 Peter 2:9
"But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light."

Galatians 4:6-7
"Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba, Father." So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir."

John 15:15
"I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you."

Brothers and sisters, KNOW who you are in Christ. How dare anyone treat you like something to be wiped from the bottom of their shoe! How dare the enemy or his demons tell you that you're worthless! You are God's chosen people. You may be weird, but that's okay. John the Baptist ate bugs. And Jesus spit in the mud and healed someone's sight with it. If Jesus calls you "friend," if He says you were worth dying for, then you are absolutely precious.  

2: We have forgotten to fight. Somehow, we Christians have been conned into believing a little too hard in "Blessed are the meek" and "turn the other cheek" doctrine. Have you looked at those verses in context? Are they really saying, "Followers of Christ, whenever confronted with evil, let it walk all over you?" Are we commanded to wave the white flag to the world? Does Jesus ever advise us to stick our head in the sand and pray that the big, bad evil world will go away? I don't think so.

¹⁰ Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. ¹¹ Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. ¹² For our struggle is not against ^[a]flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. ¹³ Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.
Ephesians 6:10-13

Have you ever looked at the Full Armor of God? You do realize that there's a SWORD included, right? And friends, that sword is not for slicing cucumbers.

FIGHT. That sword is the Sword of the Spirit. Get on your knees and pray. Jesus talked about having twelve Legions of Angels on call, but He didn't use them because He had a different mission to accomplish. But us? We are in a struggle. This is war. God doesn't mince words on this. We are in the fight of our lives, and there are eternal consequences. So surrender is NOT an option.

To fight, however, we need to recognize our enemy. Our struggle is not against people. Not really. It will FEEL that way. But it is NOT that way. If someone comes against you, against your view of Jesus, it is only because that person has been raised in a poisoned world and--like most of us currently or at one time--has been deceived. If someone tries to tell you that what is wrong is actually right, remember, this person has likely been conditioned over a lifetime to believe that lie. So what we do is actually kind of sneaky in a cool, subversive way. We pray. We ask God to vanquish the demon structure upon which the person is standing. We ask God to knock down the strongholds of evil and to use us as the sledgehammer with which He might do it.

And then, we hit below the belt.

3 For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. 4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 2Cor10:3-5

Christians don't fight with conventional weapons. We fight with love. We fight with service. We fight with encouragement. We fight with shared experience. And, don't forget this: we fight with greatness. Be GREAT for God. If you want to write: be a great writer. If you want to be an accountant, then be the best one you can be. You know why? Greatness brings glory to God. Greatness makes people ask questions. We fight with all these weapons, but we DO fight.

When the blowhard at the office scoffs at the very notion of God, you do NOT sit in silence. You do NOT walk away. And you do NOT laugh along with him. When the smart-allecky secular humanist princess in your sociology class explains in no uncertain terms that people of faith are weak; that human spirit is strength, you do NOT miss the chance to counter. When the heckler gets on your facebook page and tells you that you are an intolerant bigot, you don't bend over and say "thank you, sir, may I have another."

Do NOT succumb to the playground-name-calling tactics of the world: You are intolerant. You are a homophobe. You are judgmental. Seriously, the world uses name-calling as a "Silencing Club," to batter down the fearful so that you won't speak anymore truth. Don't let those accusations cow you. Answer them. "I am not intolerant. You are using the world incorrectly." "I am not a homophobe any more than you are a Christ-o-phobe." "I am not judgmental. I am discerning. There is a difference. Let me explain it to you." And after all this, the secret weapon: love. "Can I get you a cup of coffee?" or "I heard you need a babysitter. My daughter..." or "You need some help with your move?" Bammm, just try to stop those missiles.

Important Sidenote: There is one population, however, we need to stop fighting. Each other. When Christians fight each other, satan laughs. The world laughs too.  And mankind loses.

²⁰ “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, ²¹ that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. ²² I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— ²³ I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. John 17: 20-23

This is serious. We Christians have become WAY too WELL-KNOWN for shooting our wounded. We argue over just about every point of doctrine you can think of. We make mountains out of molehills, major on the minors, and act like we've each cornered the market on truth. People, Jesus wants us to be one. ONE. Why? So that the world will know that God sent Jesus for them. So that the world will believe that God really loves THE WORLD. If Christians can't even seem to love other Christians, what in the world would lead anyone to believe we could love the world? If we bicker over baptisms and rock music and tv shows, and every other cotton-picking thing, who wants to be a part of that? If that's what God's all about, then who wants to know God? 

We like to get all righteous, don't we? "This is a point of doctrine I must defend because it's true." Or, "I must correct my wayward brother who has clearly erred in this bit of theology." Or worst-of-the-worst, "This poor fellow in THAT denomination may not really be a Christian because...blah blah." Excuse me? Does that sound like being one? Actually, it sounds like dividing the Body of Christ. How many of you want to get to Heaven and hear Jesus say to you, "Why did you cut up my body?"

Does that mean there are no points of doctrine upon which we must stand? No, of course not. Jesus is Lord. He died for us so that we could have eternal life. It is the gift of God, the grace of God, through faith. Are there other points? Probably, but I dare not mention any more out of fear that you'll start a fight with me. That would be funny...if it weren't so sad. 

What does God say about theological arguments and infighting? 

Romans 14:19 "Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification."

I Thess. 5:11 "Therefore encourage each other and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing."

Titus 3:9-11 "But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, but these are unprofitable and useless.  Warn a divisive person once, then warn him a second time.  After that, have nothing to do with him.  You may be sure that such a man is warped and sinful; his is self-condemned."

¹⁰ I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, ¹¹ and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.
¹² Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. ¹³ Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, ¹⁴ I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

¹⁵ All of us, then, who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. ¹⁶ Only let us live up to what we have already attained. Philippians 3: 10-16

⁸ Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. ⁹ For we know in part and we prophesy in part, ¹⁰ but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. ¹¹ When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. ¹² For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
¹³ And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13: 8-13

There is no room for questioning another believer's salvation. There's no room for red-faced sweaty arguments on premillenial, amillenial, postmillenial dispensations. There's no call for bickering over styles. And there's certainly no room for judgment. See the verses up there? There's not a one of us who has it all figured out...at least not down here on earth. We see through a smudged glass. We've each got hold of some truth, and we each know it in part. But we don't KNOW IT ALL.

Can you imagine what would happen if every Christian denomination came together to serve? Can you imagine if Christians stopped shunning those who struggle with sin? Can you imagine if Christians put aside our petty arguments and went out and did some good? The world would trample the bushes trying to get in the doors of the local church.

3: We Have Doubted Our God: Look, I hate to admit it myself. I hate to peal back the curtain or lift off the carpet to reveal the unseemly truth. But I'm also getting too old to delude myself any longer. The reality is: IF I am more afraid of the world than I am of missing service to God, I really don't believe God. Not in an eternal sense. I may well have believed that Jesus died for me. I may have crossed that line of faith into eternal life. But, in terms of day-to-day life, I looked sheepishly away and decided, "God is not powerful enough to help me here." Or, "God doesn't love me enough to sustain me through all this." Or, "God is not enough to risk the rejection I'm likely to feel if I..."

If we really believe that God is who He says He is...that He created the world, that He holds time in the palm of His hand, that He is omniscient, omnipresent, and omnipowerful...then, we don't roll over. We don't play dead. And surely, we don't heel.

So my prayer is that God will embolden me to fight, to love, to understand, and to server. That God would forge me into a Sledgehammer and then use me to knock down the devil's strongholds in this world. It's a dangerous prayer, I think. But honestly, aren't you a little sick of satan beating you like a pinata? Aren't you a little tired of the world using Jesus as a punchline? Aren't you searingly, achingly tired of all the hurt in this world? So, get on your knees and pray. Then, get up and fight.

Are you with me on this? Want to join the Sledgehammer Club? If so, leave a comment.

10 Free Signed Copies of The Door Within: Get Yours at Free Book Friday!

What's this you say? 10 Free Signed Copies of The Door Within??? Well, you don't get all ten copies, silly! But you could win one. I'd like to introduce you to the best thing to happen to teens since Cliff's Notes. It's called FREE BOOK FRIDAY.

What is FBF Teens?

It's simple. Every Friday, we give away free young adult books!

Each week, we feature a new YA author with a chance to win autographed copies of his/her book.

Just sign up using the entry form on the left sidebar (on the FBF site!). Winners are chosen at random and posted every Friday morning. Hence the name, "Free Book Friday!"

AND not just The Door Within but several other ridiculously cool young adult books. Just click here:

http://is.gd/rzXbAF

 

Get Ready to Take Amazon.com by Storm!

Has your broadsword been collecting dust? Has it been awhile since you've grabbed a pitchfork, lit up a blazing torch, and charged a castle? Well, you're in luck!

This May 7th, we are Storming the gates of Amazon.com to try to propel the Re-Release of The Door Within Trilogy into the hands of many of this generations Young Adult Readers!

If you read the original release, you're probably in your twenties now. But a new generation of young readers is ready and waiting. Here's what you can do:

1) Purchase a copy of a Door Within book during the May 7th Amazon Blitz; give the book to a young reader you know.

2) Blog / Facebook / Tweet/ etc. about The Door Within books whenever you can and as much as you can. Talk about any impact the books have had on you, favorite scenes, characters, quotes, etc. Please mention the Amazon Blitz date: May 7th!

3) Word of mouth. Talk it up. Text it up. Let friends and family know about the Door Within books. 

4) Use The Door Within books as seed-planting. While not a perfect allegory by any means, The Door Within books do contain a lot of Jesus Truth. Use the books as a bridge to talk about eternity with friends and family who might not yet believe.

If you do any of the above, email me at: batguy21784(at)yahoo(dot)com. Put the following in the Subject Line of the email: Door Within ReRelease Promotion. I will put your name in the Acknowledgments Section of my newest book (Soon to be announced!). I will also provide you with lots of cool Door Within freebies here on my blog!

If you purchase a book, email me at: batguy21784(at)yahoo(dot)com. Put the following in the Subject Line of the email: Door Within ReRelease PATRON. I will put your name in a special Patron Section of the Acknowledgments Page of my newest book. THEN, email Thomas Nelson Publishing at: info(at)tommynelson(dot)com  and they will send you an all new Epilogue to The Door Within Trilogy. 

In the name of The One True King, I thank you.
-Wayne Thomas Batson, 2013

Open the Door Within for Someone New! Re-Release Date: May 7th

It brings me ridiculous joy to announce that Thomas Nelson Publishers will ReRelease the entire Door Within Trilogy on May 7th, 2013! 

The first book, The Door Within, came out in 2005 originally. A publishing executive at Thomas Nelson first took an interest in the story when we met in the summer of 2004 at a convention in Atlanta, Georgia. At that time, I was unpublished…a hobbyist writer and full time teacher here in Maryland. But the story had been at work in my heart and mind for ten years.

When God smacked me upside the head and let me know in no uncertain terms that LIFE could be found nowhere else but in HIM, I ran with the Gospel and told just about everyone I knew. One encounter with a couple who was (and is) very dear to me left me heartbroken, frustrated, and angry. I spilled my Jesus-guts to them. Their reaction: "How cute."

It left a powerful mark in my life: how could people look at the life-saving, life-changing news that Jesus died for them, to forgive their sins, save them, give them heaven forever, and new life here—how could people look at that news and think it was some silly notion? How could people not see the urgency in the message? It was as if a person, sick and blistered with cancer, lying in a hospital bed and refusing the offer of a cure for cancer because "it simply couldn't be true."

The seeds of the Door Within story were sewn in that season. At the time, I was about to begin a short story unit with my 6th graders at Arundel Middle School. As I preached to them the glorious fun it could be to create people, plots, and settings, they fired a shot across my bow: "Mr. Batson, why don't you write a story? You're always telling us how cool it is to write." That was it. I was cornered. So I wrote a 17-page short story in green ink on loose leaf paper. It was called "The Faith of a Child." Nine years of students badgering me to write more and more…and more, it became The Door Within.

When the book came out, I prayed and asked God that the story might change one life. Just one, I asked. God had much bigger plans. Nearly half a million books later, God is still on the move with The Door Within Trilogy. And a new phase begins on May 7th, 2013. I hope you'll raise a sword and join in the new offensive.

If you've read this far, you're likely a pretty dedicated reader of my stories. So, I'm asking you a favor: Help the new generation find The Door Within Trilogy.

If you read the original release, you're probably in your twenties now. But a new generation of young readers is ready and waiting. Here's what you can do:

1) Purchase a copy of a Door Within book during the May 7th Amazon Blitz; give the book to a young reader you know.

2) Blog / Facebook / Tweet/ etc. about The Door Within books whenever you can and as much as you can. Talk about any impact the books have had on you, favorite scenes, characters, quotes, etc. Please mention the Amazon Blitz date: May 7th!

3) Word of mouth. Talk it up. Text it up. Let friends and family know about the Door Within books. 

4) Use The Door Within books as seed-planting. While not a perfect allegory by any means, The Door Within books do contain a lot of Jesus Truth. Use the books as a bridge to talk about eternity with friends and family who might not yet believe.

If you do any of the above, email me at: batguy21784(at)yahoo(dot)com. Put the following in the Subject Line of the email: Door Within ReRelease Promotion. I will put your name in the Acknowledgments Section of my newest book (Soon to be announced!). I will also provide you with lots of cool Door Within freebies here on my blog!

If you purchase a book, email me at: batguy21784(at)yahoo(dot)com. Put the following in the Subject Line of the email: Door Within ReRelease PATRON. I will put your name in a special Patron Section of the Acknowledgments Page of my newest book. You will also receive loads of freebies, including exclusive never-before-read Door Within material, artwork, etc.

In the name of The One True King, I thank you.
-Wayne Thomas Batson, 2013

Showdown at High Noon: The Story At Last

{Cue Spaghetti Western Whistling} The gunslinger appears at the edge of town just as the church bell tolls high noon. The click of his mouse announces his arrival, and intensity shines out from his squinting eye-slits. The wireless keyboard, holstered at his side, shifts as the gunslinger steps forward. On the far end of the dirt road, separated only by whirling eddies of dust and careening tumbleweeds, is the Story. An elusive villain, wanted by every author in the land, and known to be as slippery as an eel, as mercurial as lightning, and as dangerous as life itself. The staredown begins. The gunslinger's hand twitches ominously at his side. He knows this chance is fleeting. He knows the stakes. His eyes narrow. His thumb slides against the knuckle of his forefinger. The wind stops. The time has come.

The Power of an Undivided Heart

Psalm 86:11 “Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart.” 

This is my new "Battle Cry."

Division is a killer. Divorce. Politics. Civil War. A house divided cannot stand. And yet, for many of us Christians, we get up every morning and ring the doorbell to enter our own divided house. Hmmm, ten extra minutes before work. I could spend some time in prayer -OR- I could stop by the fast food joint. Stomach grumbles. Hashbrowns, here we come.

Paul often wrote about the battle within: new man (born again, spirit alive) versus old man (sin-stained flesh and bone body). It's not a pretty battle either. Paul laments "what a wretched man I am." Have you ever felt that? I have. 

I've been a Christian for 23 years, and I'm still in that battle. Too often, my heart is divided: usually between SELF and God. I want versus what God wants. On one level, I really do want to be rid of selfishness. But, on another level, I'm like Gollum: seeking my precious (selfish desires) at all costs.

I wish I had an easy answer to fix this. But, I don't. But reading this Psalm this morning gave me a thread to grasp. The Psalmist apparently had a clue: ASK. He pleaded with God to "give" him an undivided heart. That seems like a winning prayer if I've ever heard one. So, it's my new battle cry.

How about you? What are your "secrets" for avoiding or overcoming a "divided" heart? 

You Cannot Have it Both Ways

America is paddling quickly in dangerous waters toward an unyielding and more perilous destination. With one breath we seem to want to exert a "moral right" to just about anything we want. Gay marriage, polygamy, divorce on demand, premarital sex, abortion, legalized drug use, ad infinitum. And yet, with the next breath, we deny that there is such a thing as absolute right and wrong. But we cannot have it both ways. Work it out with any kind of logic, and you'll see it ties itself in knots.

To insist on certain "rights," asserts that there is a right and a wrong. But when we push people with such contradictory views to define the standard upon which "their rights" are based, we get a mish-mash of pragmatics and emotions. In other words, such relativistic folks will say, we have a right to whatever works and whatever feels good, so long as it doesn't infringe upon anyone else's right to whatever works and whatever feels good.

The thread that unravels this whole mess is this: If two individuals find their "whatever works" and "whatever feels good" at odds, whose "whatever works" and "whatever feels good" takes priority, and how do you decide? How long do you think it will take before this rationale turns into "might makes right?"

Others may claim that there actually IS an objective right and wrong, but they will refuse to define it. It's just something that is "self evident." But, if this is true, we have to ask WHY would there be a self-evident right and wrong? How did it get there? Most relativistic people don't want to go there because that line takes you directly to God. For there to be an absolute right and wrong it MUST come from something outside of us. Otherwise, we fall right back into "whatever works" and "whatever feels right," and eventually…mob rules and might makes right.

Wake up, America, before you demand so many freedoms that you drown in them.

Longing for the Straight Path...

Trust in the Lord with all your heart
And do not lean on your own understanding.
⁶ In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He will make your paths straight.
-PROVERBS 3:5-6 
 

Back in the day, these verses were the bedrock that kept me from emotional ruin. In my early 20's when everything I'd planned on seemed to be crumbling around me, and I JUST-COULDN'T-UNDERSTAND how it had all gone so wrong, I used to recite these verses hundreds of times a day. 

20+ YEARS LATER: these verses have come to life in me again, but in a very different way. Back then, I think it was just comforting to know that "my own understanding" was never supposed to be completely adequate. BUT NOW, I realize there is so much more there than simple comfort. There's action for me, which I dig. And there's an iron clad promise. How many iron clad promises do you get from the WORLD? Few, and the ones you can count on, you probably don't want anyway.

But here, I'm told, #1: Trust in the Lord & #2 In all my ways, Acknowledge Him, and HE will make my paths straight. Mannnnn, that feels so good. Oh, to have my paths all be straight. Not to say I won't have trouble or that I might not wander, but…if I consider my plans, my daily schedule, my work, my responses...and I acknowledge God in them, then the path that results will be straight by God's standard. How do we acknowledge God? 

I think it's equal parts recognizing God's sovereignty in this area of your life and inviting God to rule over it and guide you. It is probably far deeper than that, but that's how I see it. So, as I sit down to work on a new novel today, I ask, "God, I acknowledge you in this effort today. Let it please you. Let it be yours. And please make my path straight. Amen."

What path lies ahead for you that you deeply desire God to keep straight?