Science Fiction and Fantasy World Weighs in on Sword in the Stars

Hi, all!

I've talked to you about Science Fiction and Fantasy World.com before. They are one of the largest, if not the largest, fantasy and SciFi reader website in the world. Their members include Fantasy heavyweights such as R.A. Salvatore, Joe Abercrombie, Alison Croggon, and many more. A vote of confidence from SSF.com means a lot for the long term interest in a novel. So, I'm stoked to announce that SFFworld.com Moderator, Rob Bedford has given Sword in the Stars a rating of "Recommended." Click below on the cover image to read the review:

Also, in case you missed this one: Wonderful Kat G. over at Science Fiction and Fantasy World just posted a new interview with me. If you'd like to know a little more about where Sword in the Stars came from and where The Dark Sea Annals are going...click on over:

Hi, all! I just had a great time talking with 99.1 Family Radio in Ontario, Canada. I was especially impressed at how well the interviewer knew the books. If you're a reader of my books, or maybe a parent wondering how to inspire your child to read, check out the interview.

Click here to listen to the interview!

Back in the Day: A Fun Interview

Lady Beth just emailed me an interview and I thought other readers might enjoy this peak into my past--a little insight as to how I got so whacked-out in the head. ;-)

Did you take any college classes to become a writer and if so what classes did you take? 

I didn't get a degree in creative writing; my degree was in English/Education so that I could teach English and Reading. There was, after all, no guarantee that I would get published or be able to make living with my writing. That said, all those English grammar classes and literature classes really did help. I think the most helpful class for me was contemporary poetry. The teacher, a published poet named Kathy Mangan, was absolutely brilliant. She taught me so much about the importance of EVERY word, about the emotional power in every word, and about precise language.

Bouncing baby bat at age 1. Note the footy pajamas. And that's my mom holding me.

 How did you find out you wanted to be a writer?   

 

6th grade. The school had a Halloween short story contest and I won a big chocolate cat! Writing = chocolate, what's not to like? Just kidding. That was the first hint that I loved to create with words. It wasn't until much later that I began to think writing was maybe something God wanted me to do. I started writing stories for my students, and I began to see that these stories were having an impact on my students. The lights came on.

Me, age 8. I'm a little excited. Note the lovely 70's curtains!

 

Did you want to be a 'funny and funky' writer or did you want to be a 'serious and mysterious' writer? 

 

Sweet, original question. I think more the serious and mysterious. I've always had a knack for thinking up creepy or just plain "odd" situations. Scenes that scream out for some kind of search or question. I have at least 20-30 story concepts waiting in a digital folder. Hopefully, God willing, I will get to write them all.

Tons of adventures as a kid. Many of these were in Panama City, Florida, with my best friend Hal. Incidentally, Hal was a little bit of a model for Robby Pierson in The Door Within Trilogy.

Did you always have a crazy imagination when you were a kid?  

This shot was from the "Band Days," about 1985 thru 1989. These guys are still best friends of mine.

Yes, very much so. I was the 4th child, the last in line, the baby so to speak. My next nearest sibling was a whole 5 years older, so there wasn't a lot of playtime with siblings. I ended up playing by myself. I drew a ton--often getting in trouble in school for drawing in class! Oops. It might have had something to do with the fact that I was making WHOOSH sounds and laser beam sounds--aloud--while I was drawing. Double oops. And, if you happened to come by my house on a summer day, you might have scene me racing around with a Star Wars landspeeder in one hand and a Tie Fighter in the other. I constantly invented my own stories and plot lines. Imagine me up in a tree with Darth Vader saying to a crabapple, "Luke, I am your father." lol

Thanks for the great interview!
-WtB

Venom and Song Blog Tour Monday thru Wednesday!

Venom and Song

Hi, all!

Christopher Hopper and I are stoked because starting today (Monday), RIGHT NOW, Venom and Song is the featured book for the Christian Science Fiction and Fantasy Blog Tour. That means that bloggers all over the country will be posting interviews, behind-the-scenes info, reviews, and all kinds of Berinfell craziness!

All readers, please check out the blogs below for uber cool stuff about Venom and Song! The tour begins today, but there will be new stuff posted every day of the tour! Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday! Righteous!

PS: if you visit a site and you don't see Berinfell stuff, check back later as we all live in different time zones.

Angela
Brandon Barr
Keanan Brand
Amy Browning
Beckie Burnham
Morgan L. Busse
Melissa Carswell
Jeff Chapman
Valerie Comer
Amy Cruson
CSFF Blog Tour
D. G. D. Davidson
April Erwin
Tori Greene
Ryan Heart
Bruce Hennigan
Timothy Hicks
Becky Jesse
Cris Jesse
Jason Joyner
Julie
Carol Keen
Krystine Kercher
Dawn King
Leighton
Rebecca LuElla Miller
John W. Otte
Donita K. Paul
Chawna Schroeder
Tammy Shelnut
James Somers
Kathleen Smith
Rachel Starr Thomson
Robert Treskillard
Steve Trower
Fred Warren
Jason Waguespac
Dona Watson
Phyllis Wheeler
Jill Williamson
Nissa

Huge thanks to all the bloggers for all your hard work on behalf of the mission. Thanks to my readers for checking out some of these great blogs. You may find some great writing resources too!

Do you have the passion? Musical Fuel for Writing, Episode 2

Greetings, all. If you've been visiting my blog for any length of time, you know that I like to listen to music while I write. Symphonic, cinematic rock seems to be the ticket for me. It's grand, it's powerful, it's intense, it's beautiful, it's epic--all the things I want my stories to be. It is some of the most melodic and technically brilliant stuff out there. And over the last coupla years,  I've been blessed to discover some amazing bands. The first band I blogged about was The Orphan Project. To read the interview with OP front man Shane Lankford, click HERE and HERE.

Next up is a band called Stream of Passion. Their first CD Embrace the Storm caught my attention simply because of the concept "Embrace the Storm" really resonated with me. Jesus told us in this life we would have trouble. And yet so many of us get struck with hardship and wonder "Why is this happening to me?" Just the CD title made me think about how I respond to calamity. And I wonder if maybe I ought to just embrace the storm as something Jesus will use to refine my faith, something that will force me to my knees because I have no other place to go. I don't think this is what the band Stream of Passion had in mind with the song, but that's where it took me. 

So I got the CD and listened to it on a long drive to Scranton PA, and WOW. It was so different, so unusual, melodic and delightfully crunchy, that I instantly became a fan. All the musicians in SoP are phenomenal--and I mean literally musicians of the highest order. SoP vocalist Marcela Bovio has a voice that defies category. We'll still try of course. She has the lilt of a Celtic balladeer, the gut punching soul of Nancy Wilson of Heart, and the restless melancholy of Amy Lee of Evanescence. Just make sure you understand that Marcela and SoP are not clones or even derivative of ANY other band. Seriously.

Marcela was kind enough to agree to do an interview for Enter the Door Within, so here it is. Enjoy your visit with Marcela and SoP. 

1. First, could you introduce yourself and the band? My name is Marcela Bovio, I’m the lead vocalist and violinist of Stream of Passion. Together with me in the band are Stephan Schultz (lead guitar), Eric Hazebroek (rhythm guitar), Johan van Stratum (bass), Jeffrey Revet (keyboards) and Martijn Peters (drums). I’m from Mexico, but I live in Holland as the rest of the band who’s all Dutch. 

2. If you were trapped on an island that just happened to have a solar powered CD player, but you could only have one CD to listen to, what would it be? Why?
Just one? Wow… Can it be an MP3 CD player? And can it be a CD filled with MP3 so I can squeeze more in it? J I don’t think I could ever choose for just one CD… But well, if you make me choose right now I’d go for my latest acquisition: Pablo Ziegler – “Tango and all that jazz”.

3. Same scenario as above, but what CD would you beg, “Anything but that!”?? Explain.
If you leave me on a deserted island with a reggaeton CD that would just be plain cruel…
4. Finish the simile. The sound of Stream of Passion is most like ______a hurricane_____________. Why?
Name a Weather Event
We aim to create music that sweeps you away, that strikes you with its intensity and emotions. I think a hurricane is a good description!

 
5. You’ve obviously pleased a lot of ears (mine included) with your outrageously cool sound, but given the powerful messages in your songs, have you heard back from fans about the impact your music has had on them? If so, do you have a favorite letter you could share a piece of?
I don’t have any specific examples, but I have had wonderful messages from people telling me just how much our music has touched them or inspired them. It’s the biggest reward you can get as a musician, to know that people can find themselves in your music.
6. In The Flame Within, it seemed you explored some very different shores from Embrace the Storm. Would you comment on that?
Embrace the Storm was an album that Arjen and I wrote back then without any specific ideas as to where the music should go. We started with some acoustic guitar ideas of his that I worked on and the songs evolved to be what they now are. For The Flame Within we had a way more specific idea of what we wanted, which was to make a more energetic, more live orientated album; we had the intention to write songs that would reflect the intensity of our live shows on how driven we are on stage.

 
7. With a voice like yours, you could have chosen just about any musical genre. Why progressive metal? It’s a genre that allows you to do a lot, and that’s why I like it. There’s the chance to do very delicate soft parts as well as louder passages, use classic technique, you name it.
8. The Art of Loss is an incredible opener. Can you give us some behind the scenes insight as to how Stream of Passion decided on that track as the first track?
We thought it really summed up what we wanted to say as a band with this new album; it has a lot of drive, some exotic feel to it, very melodic as well as heavy moments.

 
9. What’s next for Stream of Passion?
We have some more dates planned, and hopefully add a couple more cool gigs for the year. Besides this we’re already busy writing stuff for a new album.

10. Finally, just wishful thinking here, but if one of my books were to be made into a movie, would Stream of Passion consider doing a track for the movie? Never done anything like that, but it would be a nice challenge!

Again, huge thanks to Marcela Bovio for taking the time out of the very busy SoP schedule. Check out Stream of Passion's newest CD: The Flame Within!

Note: As always, with ANY media that you watch or listen to, please use discernment. 

Next up in the Musical Fuel series: Theocracy.  

 

Interview with Author JA Konrath: Suspense, Pacing, and Giving Back

If you like Serial Killer Mysteries along the lines of James Patterson but with laughs and introspection in the vein of Robert Crais, JA Konrath could be a writer you'd enjoy. No mistake, these are not kids books. These are grab-you-by-the-throat, scary, white-knuckling chillers, oh yeah…with a side of hearty laughs.

I first met JA through the pages of Writer's Digest. He wrote an hour by hour account of how he became a published author. It was very inspiring and so funny I think I hurt something. At the time I read it, I was just a wanna be. Something about JA's selfdeprecating style just made feel like, wow, maybe it could happen to me. His M.O. is work hard and never give up, and you will get published.

So I visited JA's website: A Newbies Guide to Publishing, and found loads of information about the business of publishing--insider tips on everything from impressing editors to negotiating royalty rates. And JA just made the info available FREE. No sign up fee. No email address. Just here's the treasure, come and plunder.

By the way, JA has recently compiled most of his Publishing/Writing/Promoting into one resource that you can download, again FREE. Download the Newbies Guide to Publishing HERE.

JA, being the marketing genius that he is went on a special kind of booktour. He literally drove cross country and visited over 600 bookstores. He went in, met the staff, managers, etc. shook hands, gave stuff away, and thanked all the sellers for getting his books and helping the public get a hold of them. JA and I hooked up on the Maryland leg and visited a gazillion stores. As you can see from the picture above, this was JA and me AFTER the day's touring. We were exhausted. But it was great fun getting to know him.

JA continues to work as hard as ever, and his books continue to do well. He's generously agreed to show up here for an interview. Enjoy a visit from JA:


WTB: How important is suspense in terms of selling books? How do you build suspense?

JA: Suspense is what keeps a reader reading. It's all about revealing and withholding information.

The goal as a writer is to present unresolved situations; in other words, to make a big mess. The point of the narrative is to resolve the situation and clean up the mess.

In the case of thrillers, the suspense often comes from characters in trouble, and villains getting their just desserts.

To create suspense, write a situation where the reader is forced to ask questions, the main one being, "What happens next?" This is done through conflict, and the promise of conflict.

Happiness, while wonderful in real life, is boring in fiction. Compelling fiction heaps problems onto characters. If these problems are meted out at a pace that makes the reader want to read faster, you've achieved suspense.

In short, suspense is the action that happens in between the question and the answer.


WTB: One of the things I love about your Jack Daniels Mysteries is the pulse-pounding pacing. Your books just never drag. Do you create pacing as a conscious choice? If so, how can aspiring writers improve their pacing?

JA: I appreciate the compliment. Whether we like it or not, we live in a fast food, MTV, web-surfing world, and people's attention spans have gotten shorter. As writers, we need to hold their attention, and pace is a smart way to do that. James Patterson has the right idea, writing books that are 300 pages long that have 120 chapters.

To create a fast pace, first focus on action scenes--these are the scenes where things are happening. The scenes with the conflict.

Next, make sure things get worse for your protagonist before they get better. Escalation is essential.

Short chapters, short paragraphs, show don't tell. Dialog is better than internal monologue. A fast paced book has a lot of white space on the page.

Finally, make sure you cut scenes that aren't needed. Backstory and lengthy description tend to weigh stories down.


WTB: Having read your articles in Writer's Digest as well as on your blog: Newbies Guide, I think it's awfully generous of you to give so much information away, esp. on getting published. Why do you do it?

JA: Because the chicks dig it.

Seriously? Because no one helped me. I spent a lot of years, struggling and depressed, trying to figure out this business. It was like scaling a wall with no end in sight. I vowed that if I ever made it, I'd help other writers so they wouldn't have to go through that.

The Internet is a perfect vehicle for sharing information. For the first time in the history of fiction writing, writers can instantly access one another. What a wonderful group resource we have, and I'm happy to contribute to the knowledge pool. I've made a lot of mistakes. I've tried a lot of different things. I've learned quite a bit. What good is all of that if I don't share it with others?

For example, I'm currently on a blog tour, visiting as many blogs as I can during the month of March, in anticipation of my horror novel, AFRAID (written under my pen name, Jack Kilborn) coming out March 31. I had no idea if this tour would be a worthwhile endeavor.

But my Google hits have gone up about twenty percent. My Amazon.com numbers have spiked higher. I'm getting more email than usual, and higher traffic on my website and blog. Best of all, this blog tour didn't cost me a thing. I'll post more detailed results on my blog in April, but I think this tour was a smart thing to do.

Contrast that to mailing 7000 letters to libraries, which I did a few years ago. That took a very long time, cost a lot of money, but overall wasn't a worthwhile investment.

Live and learn. But the only good knowledge is knowledge that is passed on. Or else everyone has to reinvent the wheel.

Then there's the trickle down effect. If you help others, they may link to you, increasing your brand awareness and name-recognition. Some may become fans. Some fans may become book buyers.

There's really no downside to generosity. Which is why I encourage everyone reading this to be generous and buy all of my books. Except AFRAID. That one is probably too scary...

Joe

I'll second what JA said about "AFRAID." Again, since I know so many kids check out this site, remember these are adult books. I'm talking Silence of the Lambs kind of scary. You've been warned.

Coming Soon!

Over the next couple of months, I am honored to welcome not one but two very cool guests. Of course, I won't tell you exactly who, but I will say, one of them will rock your world. The other might scare you half to death. Oh, and there are two more clues below.

Fiction, Character Development, etc.

Every once in a while I get an interview request from a student. As I do, I like to post them here in case any of my readers have similar questions. Here's one about the merits (and dangers) of fiction, as well as, a bit about character development.

About ten percent of people would argue that fiction is a waste of time. What would you say to them?

I'd say for those few sad people, perhaps, it is a waste of time. Maybe they are a bit close-minded. ;-) However, I might suggest that they have not yet found the right book. I didn't like fiction until 6th grade. I could read very well (both my parents were teachers), but I never read for fun...until my cool cousin gave me a copy of The Hobbit. That changed everything. I found a deep connection between Bilbo and myself. I found a longing to visit other lands and to dare to try some important deed. That's when fiction became a friend. I've read The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings 14 times since then, and I get something new from them each time.

What impact would you say that fictional books, movies and other story-telling mediums have on people?

The impact of all types of media on people is much more profound than some might believe. And like other benign entities, reading fiction can have a positive or negative influence. If a book is morally sound, readers, especially young readers, can absorb lessons about life. "Ah, that character lied and it blew up in his face, so therefore I won't make that mistake." Reading fiction can also arouse our curiosity and prompt us to dare to do great things in life. Ask any leader if there was a book that had a profound impact on them. Chances are there was. But the impact can also be very negative, esp. if the book is not morally sound. Once again, we absorb what we read and add the content to our prior knowledge banks. If the character is rude to his parents, breaks rules, and gets celebrated for it, the reader thinks, "Ah, I can achieve a kind of glory by doing those same kinds of things." There is also a fault in comparing the fictional world to the real world. A wife who constantly reads romance fiction might begin to think of her husband as quite the pudgy clod compared to the handsome beaus that populate the fiction she reads. And that's bad news.

Would you say that you can tell a lot about an author through what he writes?

No question. Any writer worth his salt will put a bit of himself into the story--many times it's unconscious. But it's still there. It can be catharctic, therapeutic, and fun to fuel a tale with a bit of you. But it can also be narcissistic. You don't want every character to be you wearing a wig. And certainly there are more activities in the world than your experiences, so you've got to branch out. When I read Tolkien, I'm quite sure that I'm getting "him" in the package. I believe he's a bit of Frodo and Gandalf rolled into one. I can tell Tolkien was fond of deep friendships, things that are green, and good food. I am too incidentally.




Some people say that detailed vivid descriptions are the way to go, but at the same time others say that you should leave things up to the reader’s imagination. That seems like a paradox to me. What’s your opinion?

I'd say that writers NEED vivid description in order to activate the reader's imagination. The sticking point is exactly how much vivid description does a writer need? And of course there's no exact answer or formula. I believe in immersing the reader without drowning him. If you've got a mountain range to describe, what really needs to be mentioned? The reader has seen mountains before, so what makes these mountain's different? Do the peaks stab up into the clouds like fangs? Are they cloaked in shrouds of mist? Are they blanketed in endless patches of purple and yellow flowers--those things might matter, depending on the mood you wish to convey. When describing a person, don't give us the police line-up description. Do we really need to know that the sweater is 30% polyester? Include the quirky details instead: he had thick eyebrows, a moustache, and goatee, and if he frowned in just the right way, he looked like Abraham Lincoln.


How do you make a main character likeable? …my novel is written in 1st person so I’d say this is an important issue.

I'd say begin with a bit of self inventory. Why do you like the people you like? Make a list of different people and why you like them. Readers like characters for many of the same reasons. And when you go to create characters, you help readers get to know these beings the same way you get to know real people: actions, words, looks, attitudes, thoughts. Show, don't tell. Bonnie was miserable. (NO). Bonnie wrung the corner of her notebook. It was all she had to strangle at the moment. The tears came fast and furious. Her throat thickened to the point that swallowing was pain. etc. etc.

West Coast Fantasy Fiction Tour: Update a Long but Wonderful Day

Lots happened today, our 2nd full day in California. We began with a LIVE interview on Central Valley Today, a cool variety show in Fresno, CA. Donita K. Paul was originally scheduled to be interviewed with Christopher Hopper, but she bowed out in order to spend more time at the Children's Hospital. I ended up filling in, and it was a blast.

Click HERE to see the broadcast!

Interview with Orphan Project, Part 2

Tonight, I'm continuing an interview with Shane Lankford, the lead vocalist for a new Christian Rock Band called Orphan Project. I had the opportunity to catch OP live last weekend, and they ROCKED the house for Him. You can just tell there's passion in and behind the music. Orphan Found, their first CD is available for sale. Click HERE. It's a CD that will instantly become one of your faves.

And now, the interview with Shane:

1. Some Christians get a little uneasy about Rock Music--even more so with heavy stuff. How do you respond to that? Do you feel that the Christian message can mesh with hard rock?

Shane: well, my initial response is...most of the people who say that are pretty old and don't "understand" the younger generation, but with that said...there is alot of horrible music out there and a decent amount of it can/is lumped into the "hard rock" genre. I believe there is good music and bad music...and I'm not too keen on saying there's Christian vs. secular music. I believe God gives us music as a blessing and if it's played with your talents to glorify God, and it is GOOD musically then it is good music and all must appreciate it.

I don't like the fact that it seems like everyone you meet these days is a "musician"...I think instruments are learned and focused on too much by people who really shouldn't be playing an instrument, but they want to 'cause it's "cool". Again, back to the original question...yes the Christian message can definitely mesh with hard rock, but you must be prepared to play/create/write whatever style you are writing to the absolute best of your ability (and seriously...some people's best cannot really be considered good music...imho) to the glory of God...not neccessarily speaking/singing about Christ...but the Spirit of the Gospel must be sensed in what people hear...that way your music is as deep as the weight of the message. Boy, I hope that makes sense, but it's a subject that I believe the mainstream Christian populus doesn't take seriously enough.



2. I read on your bio that you are actually an adopted orphan. Is that right? How has that impacted your experience of God?

Shane: yes, I was adopted when I was 4 months old...so not really an orphan off the street, but adopted nonetheless. The impact on me spiritually is tremendous! What greater representation of God's grace to me, when He called me by the Spirit's leading into His family! What happened to me physically has also happened to me spiritually...very cool! Adoption into the kingdom is such a blessing and I don't believe it's making as great an impact as it should. I think the issue is that I believe that God "chose" me first (predestined) and I didn't choose Him...therefore He adopted me into His family!!! Praise the Lord!



3. Okay, I'm going to get a little weird--I'm a writer; it's what I do. LOL But here's the situation: You've just been welcomed into heaven. You've had some meaningful time with the Savior already. While wandering some streets of gold, you notice some people coming towards you. Turns out, they listened to Orphan Project when they were on earth. Now here's the question: what would you most want to hear these people say to you?

Shane: Wow, now that's a great question...I guess in a nutshell I would hope they'd say that OP gave them a message of hope found only in the Gospel of Christ. In the darkness of ourselves Christ breaks through and cleanses us and gives us hope from ourselves! I just want to be as real a messenger of the Gospel as possible and how it impacts man in real life.


Take care & God bless,
Shane Lankford
Orphan Project
www.orphanfound.com
www.myspace.com/orphanproject
www.shoutlife.com/orphanproject

"Voice of Visual Cliff"
www.visualcliff.net
www.myspace.com/visualcliff

"we are all orphans until..."

“I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you” (John 14:8,
NIV).

A Special Visit!

I am so stoked about this weekend. 6PM this Saturday evening at Chaplegate Presbyterian Church, one of my favorite new bands, Orphan Project, will be live and in concert...and I'm going!

I was fortunate enough to become an online friend to their lead vocalist, Shane Lankford. And Shane kindly agreed to do a three-part interview here on Enter The Door Within. So enjoy meeting Shane and Orphan Project. And, if you like powerful music with a powerful message, pick up their debut CD, Orphan Found. You can find it HERE.

Hey, Shane. Thanks for agreeing to let me interview you and your band Orphan Project. For the folks who don't know you and the band, would you introduce yourself, the band, and tell us a little about how you got together?

Hey man, thanks alot for giving us a chance to tell our story! Anyway, I'm Shane Lankford and I do lead vocals, and the other members of the band are Bill Yost (bass & vocals), Tim Kehring (drums & vocals), Scott Spivey (guitars & vocals) and unfortunately we are currently looking for a keyboard player. As far as how we got together, this lineup of Orphan Project is a remnant of the original lineup of 6 members. Actually, the new music and new direction is mainly due to Bill Yost encouraging me to continue on with OP after John Wenger (responsible for all music on Orphan Found) left. Way back in the beginning (2002) I wrote the concept for "Orphan Found" and met with John Wenger to have music put to it. When we got in the studio to record the cd we called in some session players (Scott Spivey being one of them) and so from there, in order to take the sound live we formed a band. The 2 new tunes we have written will be typical of the "band sound" of Orphan Project: (www.myspace.com/orphanproject)

I heard the Orphan Found track on CPR#2 (Christian Progressive Rock Anthology #2) and bought the CD that instant. Like the first chapter of a good book, it hooked me. Then I bought the Orphan Found CD and love it.The music is so rich. How would you describe your sound?


Our sound would be described as a musical version of "desperation meeting Hope." Musically and lyrically dark & deep growing into the knowledge of Hope...Hope being Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God! (Note from Wayne: When you listen to OP, you'll hear influences of Kansas, Rush, Dream Theater, etc., but they really are just influences, echoes that resonate, but believe me Orphan Project has a sound all their own--soulful, artistic rock that haunts and blesses at the same time.)


The message of your first CD, Orphan Found, is powerful. Does it reveal a bit of your mission as a musician? How so?

Yes, I believe it does. Well, I believe that music first is a gift from our Creator, a blessing from above so therefore the opportunity to be involved in music (or anything in life) must be taken seriously. We are called to do our best in all things...so, writing powerful, thought provoking music should be our goal...ultimately glorifying God in all we do.

Take care & God bless,
Shane Lankford Orphan Project
www.orphanfound.comwww.myspace.com/
orphanprojectwww.shoutlife.com/orphanproject
"Voice of Visual Cliff" www.visualcliff.netwww.myspace.com/visualcliff

"we are all orphans until..."

“I will not leave you as orphans;
I will come to you” (John 14:8, NIV).