life IS worth living!

I am deeply concerned for the tweens and teens of this generation. Social media and electronic affirmation has become WAY too powerful in your lives. Technology itself allows you access to information and imagery that no one needs to experience. I'm stunned by how many young people think about or perform self harm like cutting or even worse, suicide attempts. My generation had its problems but things like self harm and suicide NEVER crossed our minds, or rarely did (since I can't speak for all).

If any young person reads this, please take this and plunge it deep into your heart and mind: your life IS precious. No matter how bad it feels today, IT WILL NOT ALWAYS FEEL THIS WAY. It WILL get better!. Even if the whole world dumps on you and seems to despise you, God, maker of heaven and earth, loves you desperately. He dreamed you up out of nothing because He could not imagine His creation WITHOUT YOU IN IT. Every moment of your life is a new opportunity, a new adventure waiting for your first step. Jesus doesn't care what you've done or who posts about how horrible you are. He LOVES you enough to die for you. Jesus went to the cross to set you free. Can't make it through the month? Just lean on Jesus through the week. Can't make it through the week? Just lean on Jesus through the day. Can't make it through the day? Just lean on Jesus through the hour. 

 

Young adults, please understand, there are millions of people just like you, who have gone through tragedy, hellish conditions, depression, bullying, anxiety, eating disorders, destroyed self image, and everything else—and with God's power—have come out the other side to THRIVE in life. One of the scariest things about your life now is that you might believe that your current world hates you. But please understand your current world, as important as it is, is just a tiny drop of water in the ocean of life. Middle school is just one tiny room in a great big mansion. High School is a bigger world still, and yet, still small. College too will expand your world exponentially, and then THE WHOLE WORLD will open up for you. Trust me on this: that guy or girl you're pining away for, believing that he/she is the only one who will ever be just right for you—IS NOT THE ONE. There's a whole world of possible crushes out there. Seriously, and most of them are cuter, too.

God has thrown you the keys to life, and He wants to watch you explore His world. and LIVE. Don't listen to the lies of evil, telling you all kinds of negative things about yourself. YOU are the only ONE of YOU. And you are beautiful to God.

Amazon Blitz Prizes on the Way Soon!

Hi, greatest readers in the known universe!

The Amazon Blitz was fantastic. Thank you all very much for all the support, whether you bought a book (or 3) or Tweeted or told your buddy on the bus, or threw up some prayers, I'm grateful.

Dreamtreaders went from @36,000th all the way to 1,933rd. That's more than a 34,000 place improvement. WHOA.

So, ladies and gents, I've got to get some prizes heading your way. I'm assembling the Prize Pack now and will be emailing them in the next day or two.

Here's what you can look forward to in your Inbox:

Prize Level Four: Dreamtreaders Reaches 2,000th on the sales rank. Here's what you get:
• Hi Rez Image files for Dreamtreaders and Search for the Shadow Key (Dreamtreaders 2)
• Inspiration Pack (Folder full of images and other goodies that inspired the Dreamtreaders Series)
• Dreamtreaders Proposal (A copy of the original book proposal I sent to the publisher)
• Scans of Author Artwork from Dreamtreaders
• Dream Inc. Logo for your blog
• Dreamtreaders Writing Prayers (Before many writing sessions, I write a prayer. These are those.)
• One original unpublished Batson short story.

Dreamtreaders: The Amazon Blitz Protocol. Activation: May 6th

Dreamtreaders: The Amazon Blitz Protocol. Activation: May 6th

http://goo.gl/W70GJN

{Cue Mission Impossible Music}

Your mission, should you chose to accept it, is to purchase Dreamtreaders from Amazon.com on May 6th using the link provided above. That's it. That's all you have to do.

Unless you win.

If you win, you have to do other stuff…like collect prizes.

How do you win? What do you win? Read on.

Dreamtreaders currently sits at 55,000th on Amazon's Sales Rank. Not bad for a book that hasn't been released yet. But not good enough. Each time someone purchases a book from Amazon, it gives a little boost to the sales rank. If people purchase the book in a confined area of time, it gives a multiplied boost to the sales rank. And this boost has a way of lingering...

A ranking in the Top 100 will usually fuel other sales as folks go looking for a "good book" in the sales rankings. And the ranking goes up. 

I will monitor the Amazon Sales Rank for Dreamtreaders all day on May 6th.
The better the ranking, the better your prize(s).

Prize Level One: Dreamtreaders Reaches 10,000th on the sales rank. Here's what you get:
• Hi Rez Image files for Dreamtreaders and Search for the Shadow Key (Dreamtreaders 2)
• Inspiration Pack (Folder full of images and other goodies that inspired the Dreamtreaders Series)

Prize Level Two: Dreamtreaders Reaches 5,000th on the sales rank. Here's what you get:
• Hi Rez Image files for Dreamtreaders and Search for the Shadow Key (Dreamtreaders 2)
• Inspiration Pack (Folder full of images and other goodies that inspired the Dreamtreaders Series)
• Dreamtreaders Proposal (A copy of the original book proposal I sent to the publisher)
• Scans of Author Artwork from Dreamtreaders
• Dream Inc. Logo for your blog

Prize Level Three: Dreamtreaders Reaches 3,000th on the sales rank. Here's what you get:
• Hi Rez Image files for Dreamtreaders and Search for the Shadow Key (Dreamtreaders 2)
• Inspiration Pack (Folder full of images and other goodies that inspired the Dreamtreaders Series)
• Dreamtreaders Proposal (A copy of the original book proposal I sent to the publisher)
• Scans of Author Artwork from Dreamtreaders
• Dream Inc. Logo for your blog
• Dreamtreaders Writing Prayers (Before many writing sessions, I write a prayer. These are those.)

Prize Level Four: Dreamtreaders Reaches 2,000th on the sales rank. Here's what you get:
• Hi Rez Image files for Dreamtreaders and Search for the Shadow Key (Dreamtreaders 2)
• Inspiration Pack (Folder full of images and other goodies that inspired the Dreamtreaders Series)
• Dreamtreaders Proposal (A copy of the original book proposal I sent to the publisher)
• Scans of Author Artwork from Dreamtreaders
• Dream Inc. Logo for your blog
• Dreamtreaders Writing Prayers (Before many writing sessions, I write a prayer. These are those.)
• One original unpublished Batson short story.

Prize Level Five: Dreamtreaders Reaches 1,000th on the sales rank. Here's what you get:
• Hi Rez Image files for Dreamtreaders and Search for the Shadow Key (Dreamtreaders 2)
• Inspiration Pack (Folder full of images and other goodies that inspired the Dreamtreaders Series)
• Dreamtreaders Proposal (A copy of the original book proposal I sent to the publisher)
• Scans of Author Artwork from Dreamtreaders
• Dream Inc. Logo for your blog
• Dreamtreaders Writing Prayers (Before many writing sessions, I write a prayer. These are those.)
• Two original unpublished Batson short stories.

Prize Level Six: Dreamtreaders Reaches 100th on the sales rank. Here's what you get:
• Hi Rez Image files for Dreamtreaders and Search for the Shadow Key (Dreamtreaders 2)
• Inspiration Pack (Folder full of images and other goodies that inspired the Dreamtreaders Series)
• Dreamtreaders Proposal (A copy of the original book proposal I sent to the publisher)
• Scans of Author Artwork from Dreamtreaders
• Dream Inc. Logo for your blog
• Dreamtreaders Writing Prayers (Before many writing sessions, I write a prayer. These are those.)
• Two original unpublished Batson short stories.
• The Official Dreamtreaders' Style Guide: this includes cast of characters, settings, monsters, and just about everything else that appears in the novels.

Prize Level Seven: Dreamtreaders Reaches 25th on the sales rank. Here's what you get:
• Hi Rez Image files for Dreamtreaders and Search for the Shadow Key (Dreamtreaders 2)
• Inspiration Pack (Folder full of images and other goodies that inspired the Dreamtreaders Series)
• Dreamtreaders Proposal (A copy of the original book proposal I sent to the publisher)
• Scans of Author Artwork from Dreamtreaders
• Dream Inc. Logo for your blog
• Dreamtreaders Writing Prayers (Before many writing sessions, I write a prayer. These are those.)
• Two original unpublished Batson short stories.
• The Official Dreamtreaders' Style Guide: this includes cast of characters, settings, monsters, and just about everything else that appears in the novels.
• Sneak Preview Chapter of Dreamtreaders 2: Search for the Shadow Key
• Sneak Preview Chapter of Dark Sea 3: Mirror of Souls
• Personalized Signed Bookplate Sticker for your Dreamtreaders book


Prize Level ULTIMATE: Dreamtreaders Reaches 1st on the sales rank. Here's what you get:
• Hi Rez Image files for Dreamtreaders and Search for the Shadow Key (Dreamtreaders 2)
• Inspiration Pack (Folder full of images and other goodies that inspired the Dreamtreaders Series)
• Dreamtreaders Proposal (A copy of the original book proposal I sent to the publisher)
• Scans of Author Artwork from Dreamtreaders
• Dream Inc. Logo for your blog
• Dreamtreaders Writing Prayers (Before many writing sessions, I write a prayer. These are those.)
• Two original unpublished Batson short stories.
• The Official Dreamtreaders' Style Guide: this includes cast of characters, settings, monsters, and just about everything else that appears in the novels.
• Sneak Preview Chapter of Dreamtreaders 2: Search for the Shadow Key
• Sneak Preview Chapter of Dark Sea 3: Mirror of Souls
• Sneak Preview Chapter of Ultra Top Secret Future Novel Concept
• Personalized Signed Bookplate Sticker for your Dreamtreaders book
• Your name in the Dreamtreaders Scroll Section to be printed in the back of Dreamtreaders: Search for the Shadow Key.
• Potential Dreamtreaders Book Party: If Dreamtreaders gets to #1, we will try to find a central location and date, meet at a restaurant or bookstore for dramatic readings, booksigning, prizes, etc. Note: Each person who attends will have to take care of own travel expenses. I wish I could pay for it all, but I have four teenagers. Nuff said.


How to collect your prizes:

Starting on May 6th, if you purchase a copy of Dreamtreaders, email me at batguy21784 (at) yahoo (dot) com. Put this in the subject line: I Blitzed Amazon

I will reply to your email and attach a ZIP File with all the goodies in it.

If we reach a high enough level, I'll also need a mailing address and a name for whoever I'm signing the bookplate sticker for.


 What Else Can You Do?

Buying Dreamtreaders is huge. If you do that, thank you. But there are other things you can do to help that Sales Rank number climb:

• Blog about it with pics and links
• Tweet it out
• Facebook
• Instagram
• Any other social media
• Word of mouth

May 6th, a Day that will live on in Dreamtreader Lore forever! Will you join the Blitz?

Yes, Even You.

So another Easter has come and gone. Hymns have been sung, "He is Risen!" has been shouted from the rooftops, and empty tombs have been on display. But you might be wondering, "What's all the hubub?" 

Or, more accurately, you might secretly be wondering if God might forgive even you. Here's the gospel truth: 1 Timothy 1:15, "This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief." 

Jesus came to save sinners. All of us. The worst of us. That's why He came and died and rose again. That's the reason. You might be thinking, "but you don't know what I've done." You might be able to name some pretty horrific things too. I know I could. Seriously, if some of your sins were broadcast live on tv, you might realistically need to think about leaving the country. But those sins, even the blackest sins, aren't hidden to God.

Take an honest look at the worst of your sins. Any of them in there worse than putting the Son of God to death? I mean, what about those rancid, nasty Jews and Romans who laughed at Jesus and spat on him, and tore his flesh up with whips, thorns, nails, and blades? Your sin approach that level? Could anyone's sins ever reach that level? We're talking about God's only Son, innocent of all charges, being tortured and murdered. And yet, while hanging on the very cross that would kill Him, Jesus said, "Father, forgive them. They know not what they do." DO YOU HEAR THAT? It's the cry of love.

Forgiveness, right from Jesus' bloody lips. If God can forgive them, He can forgive you. Anything and everything. God has written you a blank check, signed in Jesus' blood, paying the debt price for every sin you ever have or ever will commit. But it's FAR more than just a debt cancellation. It's actually a payment for all sin PLUS infinitely more riches. You are given eternity. You are given peace with God. You are given the ability to choose to love. You are given freedom. You are given power. You are given the love of God for each moment of every day.

It sounds too good to be true. Shoot, it is too good to be true. But it is true. We have God's word on that. And by the way, the dude who wrote the verse back there and called himself --present tense-- the chief of sinners, that would be the Apostle Paul who wrote 2/3 of the New Testament and spread the message of Jesus saving sinners all across the world. Yeah, that's how God rolls.

It's a blank check. But you have to put your name on it. You have to know that all your sin and yuck and fear and selfishness—all of it is obliterated by Jesus. Believe and you will be saved. Accept the gift of eternal life from Jesus. You'll never regret it. Even if you live ten trillion years, you'll never ever regret it. Because you will live ten trillion years…and more…with Jesus.

Get Ready to Blitz Amazon, May 6th for Dreamtreaders!

Are you ready to BLITZ Amazon? Dreamtreaders, Book 1 releases Tuesday, May 6th. If you like fantasy / adventure / contemporary weird, and you are thinking of purchasing Dreamtreaders, please consider purchasing from Amazon on Tuesday, May 6th.

The Blitz is a contest where everyone wins -something- but the more people get involved, the better the prizes become. More details coming soon! Visit www.enterthedoorwithin.blogspot.com in the coming days for more details.

Here's the Amazon link for Dreamtreaders: http://is.gd/gONxPf

New Release: GHOST on Audiobook!

I'm thrilled to announce that my supernatural thriller "GHOST" is now available on audiobook! The reader, Brandon McKernan is absolutely brilliant. 

He nails the characters and tone...even some pretty monstrous voices. One was so spot-on perfect that I almost ran off the road. Seriously, if you like audiobooks, please check out GHOST: 

http://is.gd/BS2qb7

Son of God & Noah: What to Make of Hollywood's Ventures into Christianity?

Begin Rant Now.

Two movies getting a lot of press in Christiandom lately: Noah and The Son of God. I wish the press was better. And I wish so much of the negativity wasn't coming from Christians. No offense meant to my Christian friends or family, but I have some thoughts on this:

1) I'm going to see both movies. I don't really care about all the negative press. I want to decide for myself.

2) I'll tell you what though: the previews of Noah gave me chills based on the visual representation of the power of God at work. That alone is worth my money.

I've seen the previews of Son of God. Again, chills. Just seeing the Lord walking on water makes me want to cheer and worship.

3) I tend to think movies in general and these in specific fall into the category of "Permissible based on level of Faith." If you feel a weakness to the content, DON'T see it. If something about it will skew your belief system, fine, stay home. But why jump out there acting like there's no way anything redeeming could come out of these movies? There are a couple of articles circulating that basically condemn both movies for being the worst thing next to the antiChrist. I mean, come on peeps. These so called experts spouting off about heresies unnumbered, well, they are imperfect people too. Imperfect with their own baggage, biases, and slants.  

4) This reminds me of the "Christian" reaction to so called "secular" music: if it doesn't honor God overtly and according to the latest checklist, hold up a cross, spew negativity, and stick head in sand. For me: I know some of that music is not meant to honor God, per se. But certain songs make me praise Him for the melody, or the lyrics, or both. Don't agree? Fine. Let's agree to disagree and try -JUST TRY- for once to do the whole unity of the Body that Jesus was so keen on.

I think we Christians need to chill on getting all wadded up over movies and media, unless they depict Noah as a Transformer who worships the Devil while juggling kittens. Amen?

PS: If we want to show the movie-making powers that be that we want more Christian oriented movie fare, we might want to be a little less picky. 

End Rant. 

Epilogue #1: Just got back from Son of God, the movie. Seriously glad I didn't listen to the naysayers. Last thing in the world I want to do is start a debate within the family of God, but from my heart-of-hearts, I can't see anything in the movie that was so wrong, so heretical that any Christian would discourage others from seeing this movie. And I would think that any skeptic or unbeliever watching the movie would be confronted by the truth of Jesus in a powerful way. 

For me, the movie absolutely showed Jesus' humanity, the gladness in His heart, the mercy, the compassion. SPOILER ALERT: not much of a spoiler, really because it was a relatively small scene. But I just LOST IT when Jesus knelt down to the woman caught in adultery. The first thing He does is lift. her. chin. Something about that just cracked my heart right open. Jesus is the lifter of our chin. I thought the movie was stunningly beautiful and meaningful. It reminded me of how critically important the creative arts are to spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Lots of Book News!

Hi, wonderful reader warriors of The Realm!

It may seem that I've been in exile these post Christmas months. That is, in fact, only half true. I've had some pretty tight deadlines that have kept me snuggled up with my Mac desktop. And, you may have heard that we here in Maryland have had one humdinger of a winter. Storm after storm, the latest being a 22 inch blaster. Lots of fun, but often involving a little extra…well everything: time, work, projects, etc.

During that time, some strange things have happened. My oldest daughter somehow grew up. She got accepted into UMBC's medical/nursing program. Yay, Kayla! But how'd she get to be 18? Seems like only yesterday, I was singing "Isn't she precious…" to little Kaydoodle in the swing. [Sigh] That's what happens when you become a professional writer. There's so much joy in the craft of storytelling, but you have to be willing to allow time to accelerate beyond control. In every worthwhile endeavor, it seems, there is a sacrifice.

Enough waxing nostalgic. You probably want to know about books! There's a ton of news.

I'll start with the oldest news first.

In the midst of crashing through Dark Sea 3: Mirror of Souls, I got the idea for a short story based on The Door Within universe. A few weeks later, I released The Blackwood, exclusively on Kindle. And by exclusive, I mean you can pretty much download an app that will allow you to read the Kindle file on any electronic device you own.

Want to know more about The Blackwood, click HERE.

Next up: Dreamtreaders! I've started a new trilogy with Thomas Nelson / Harper Collins Publishers. This one examines the world of dreams and poses the question: what if your dream come true turned out to be your worst nightmare? Want to know more about Dreamtreaders? Click HERE.

Dreamtreaders Book 1 Releases May 6th! We'll be having a release party, Amazon Blitz, contest. So look for that.

And, because I just couldn't wait to show you, here's the cover for Dreamtreaders 2: Search for the Shadow Key:

NOTE: the tagline shown here will be changed to: "Some Doors Should Never Be Opened."

Next up, news on The Dark Sea Annals.

Book 1: The Sword in the Stars and Book 2: The Errant King have been out for quite a while. But book 3: Mirror of Souls has been in the works for two years now. Thank you for your patience. This series is dear to me as its kernel concept crashed into my imagination back in the early 1990's. I have outlined 7 books in this epic series, and GOD WILLING, it will be a massively epic life's work, kind of tale. AMG publishers picked up the series, and they have been absolutely AWESOME to work with. Really felt like a family publisher. But just after I signed on with them for books 3-7 of the Dark Sea books, the entire publishing world was turned upside down by eBooks.

Long story short, the 5 book contract has become kind of an albatross for both AMG and me personally. The marketplace for print books has begun to dry up, and it's harder and harder for small publishing houses to get books into the major chains. And so, in a very mutual decision and very friendly too, AMG and I are parting ways. They have agreed to give me back the rights to the entire series. Yeah, how often will a pub house do that? That's how cool they are. They want to see the books reach their mission potential as I see it. For that, I am supremely grateful.

So, where does this leave my readers and Dark Sea 3, Mirror of Souls? In good hands, I hope. I will be revisiting Sword in the Stars and The Errant King, reediting, repackaging, and republishing them in eBook format AND print paperback. And I will release them and Book 3 Mirror of Souls at the same time, hopefully, this Holiday Season, mid Novemberish.

Finally, for my older readers, I'm stoked to announce that my first THRILLER novel for 16+ GHOST has been enough of a success to warrant continuing the series. I have two more books already outlined. GHOST 2: Minister of Fire will be released by midSummer 2014. Yep, that would be this summer! God willing. I'd appreciate prayers for all my writing projects. Time is hard to come by and I want these tales to honor the Author in Chief.

If you haven't checked out GHOST yet, please do. You can check out the Kindle version HERE and the paperback HERE.

Thank you for reading and, as always, for being faithful to the One True King and His mission.

Never alone, Endurance and Victory, and Anchor First, Anchor Deep.

-Wayne

Guest Post at Speculative Faith: How do writers do "New?"

Any writers out there? Here are some tips for you on how to write something NEW. http://www.speculativefaith.com/2014/01/03/how-to-do-new/

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!