Christians: Get Down, Get up, Get out…and Vote!

This post was very difficult for me to title because I had so many possible titles in mind. One contender was: "One Christian's Plea to Christians in America." Another possibility was: "Election 2008: Image versus Substance." I'm still not sure I have the best title, but in any case, I have a lot on my heart as this Presidential election draws near. But first:

Official Disclaimer: Read on at own risk. I'm going to discuss a ton of very serious issues related to this election, including Abortion and Same Sex Marriage. And I am very definitely going to advocate for my readers (of voting age) to vote a certain way in this election. If you are young and your parents don't want you reading this, don't.



That said, I begin my admonition.

In the famous words of Geddy Lee, “If you choose not to decide, you’ll still have made a choice.” If you are a Christian, you need to get out and vote. Specifically, research the issues and where the candidates stand on them, get on your knees and in the Word, then get out and vote. You absolutely must not “sit this one out.” If you do, you remove your Jesus-influenced voice from the public arena. You surrender. You punt. You give up. But you have made a choice: the wrong one. Whenever Christians give up their right to any part of society, the cause of Christ suffers…and to a great degree, society suffers.

Looks at the arts and entertainment sectors of America. Christians have by and large allowed worldly tastes to rule, and are suffering through years of trying to play catch up. Consider the kinds of shows that are commonplace on TV today. Consider the perverse messages of some of today’s music. Not even cartoons are safe these days. If Christians drop out, the vacuum will be filled by that which is antiChristian. Where else have Christians thrown in the towel? Public education, legislation, government, the sciences…well, that’s a pretty long list, and perhaps a subject for another time.

Think of it this way: if Christians aren’t out there voting, who will be? In the last several elections I’ve heard some encouraging news reports about the % of professing Christians getting out there to vote. And I think even in the most recent election, even the press has picked up on how powerful the Christian vote can be, but still…STILL, there are so many Christians by % not voting. In this election more than ever, we need to change that and get out there in scary huge numbers.

I've heard some very respectable brothers and sisters say things like, "I'm not voting because I can't really support either of the candidates." Or perhaps something like, "I'm voting for Obscure 3rd Party Candidate A because he stands for more of what I believe in." Again, with all due respect, I disagree with both of these stances. In this election, Christians have a chance to make a difference. And as I will show, there is very real good that can come out of our choices at the polls. But sitting it out doesn't do any good. That's akin to not going to church because you can't find a pastor who agrees with everything you do. I bet the enemy loves that kind of logic. And for those who want to vote for an obscure candidate of some 3rd party, the only thing you'll do is guarantee a victory for likely the most liberal party. I just don't buy that a 3rd party is ever going to make it in the US. If we don't like the candidates, then we need to work harder to get better candidates to win the primaries...not wait for the presidential election and waste our votes.

And of course, some voters will be scared off by the local and national media who seem to be declaring that the election’s a done deal…that one candidate has it all locked up. Polls this, polls that. Blah, blah. And maybe they’re right, if Christians sit this one out. I’ve been a Christian for 18 years and I’ve never once been asked to participate in one of these polls. Have you? Hmmm…So ignore the hype and vote.

Then, the question becomes whom do Christians need to vote for? Here’s where the research comes in. There are many things to consider in this election and, again, if you listen to the mainstream media, you’ll get force-fed the all kinds of spins. We’ve got to dig just a little deeper, and not very far, mind you, to get to the heart of this.

There are dozens of websites available so that you can see where candidates stand on things that matter to God. I intend to discuss a few of those issues here in this post. But here are a couple of links where you can go point by point through all the issues. And notice I said see where the candidates stand on things that matter to God, not things that matter to you. They aren’t always the same, are they? Right now, we’re all feeling a pinch in the wallet, but should our vote be cast due to economics when there are issues of life at stake?

http://www.2decide.com/table.htm

http://projects.washingtonpost.com/2008-presidential-candidates/

Before I get into who to vote for, may I suggest how you should not decide your vote? Don’t be a part of the pendulum effect. A pendulum does nothing but mindlessly swing back and forth. Some people vote that way. They get a Democratic President for 8 years, and then say, “Well, we’ve had them in the House long enough, let’s just go head and see if the other guys can get it done.” And now this year, we’ve had Republicans finishing up an 8 year term, so what will many do? Back and forth, back and forth. It is not a very intelligent way to vote.

So do just a little bit of homework. Do a lot of praying. And then vote.

Now, who to vote for: for me as someone who wants to follow God’s heart and His word, I don’t think I can vote for anyone but McCain/Palin. With all due respect to my Christian brothers and sisters who have decided to go another way, I absolutely disagree.

First, allow me to remind younger voters of what we had the last time we had a Democratic President. During Bill Clinton’s terms, we had a near impeachment because of a President who lied under oath. We had the leader of our country model adultery for all to see. We had a leader whose cabinet and advisers could not convince him to capture Osama Bin Laden when we had the chance. We had an administration who gave military technology and secrets to China. We had a president who advocated for abortion, even the hideous partial birth abortion. And we had a president who lobbied for homosexual marriage. What will we get with Obama? More of the same. I know, I know. Obama is not Bill Clinton. No, he’s not. But Obama seems to think that John McCain is George Bush, so indulge me a little comparing please.

If you look at Obama’s voting record, you will find that he is even more liberal than Clinton was. And on matters of life, especially abortion, he is crystal clear. Saddleback church did a forum with both Obama and McCain. Rick Warren asked Obama about abortion, about when an unborn child should have human rights. Obama’s response, “that’s above my pay grade.” Well, folks, if abortion is an issue above Obama’s pay grade, I suggest that running a country is WAY above his pay grade. Interestingly enough, McCain’s answer to the same question was, “I believe unborn children have human rights at conception.” Want to hear it for yourself, you can check it on YouTube. And craziness of craziness, Obama still hasn't released his birth records to confirm that he is a natural born citizen.

Obama on Abortion

On issues of homosexual marriage, again, you’ll find Obama doing a lot of tap dancing. He defines marriage as one man and one woman, but seems to have no conviction about the morality of the issue. God clearly says homosexuality is a sin. I didn’t say it. I didn’t interpret it strangely to make the text of the Bible sound that way. It is what it is. But the bottom line is that homosexuality is a sexual sin. It is one of many: adultery, sex outside of marriage, incest, etc. All of those things are sexual sin. If Obama tried to change the definition of marriage to include clauses for parents marrying children or to state that married couples could include mistresses in their marriage covenant, then I’d have a problem with that too.

Now McCain does have some issues in his voting record which make me wonder how steadfast he’ll be on these issues. But the fact that he chose a very conservative running mate in Sarah Palin is very hopeful. He could have chosen a liberal like Joe Liebermann. But he did not. And check the actual Republican platform for this election—the philosophy and point by point plans for the Republican party for this new term. You’ll see that the platform is possibly the strongest conservative platforms in the past 30 years, including Reagan’s platform. Check this out:

2008 Republican Platform


Compare it to the Democratic Platform:

2008 Democratic Platform

And remember, we are not just electing a President. We are electing the Supreme Court. What I mean is, the next sitting president will likely appoint 2-3 supreme court justices, maybe more. If Obama is in office, you know what kind of judges he’ll likely appoint.

McCain/Palin is the way to go. I see it as a battle between style and substance. McCain is about as stylish and eloquent as a pitt bull. But Obama…wow, the man can speak. He is very charming. He is very persuasive. He is the trendy pick. Hollywood loves him. That in and of itself scares me. Seriously, if Tom Cruise and Susan Sarandon are voting Obama, that’s all I need to know. YIKE.

Go back and analyze any of Obama’s speeches. Get out a little pad of paper. Count the number of opinions versus the number of facts. You’ll be absolutely astonished. You will find that Obama’s message of hope and change is based on thin air. His stated opinions outnumber the facts he presents by a ridiculous margin. And if you happen to watch a speech that was fact-checked afterward, you’ll see just how few of Obama’s facts actually are facts. Take his 30 minute ad last night for example. Yahoo did a very comprehensive fact check on it. WOW. Obama is singing pie-in-the-sky. Don’t you believe it for a minute. Do the same kind of check on McCain. Much more substance. Many more facts.

Obama's 30 Minutes of Fame

What do you want really, style or substance…charisma or character? For a Christian, it has to be substance and character. John the Baptist may have eaten locusts and looked kinda weird, but he knew sin when he saw it. And John the Baptist knew Jesus the Messiah when he saw Him.

Funny that the Pharisees didn’t.

You, Christian man or woman reading this. Yes, you. Pray hard. Think hard. Get out and vote.

Motiv8 Blog Tour, Author Bryan Davis

Author Bryan Davis
A Man Serious about Jesus
and Serious about Fantasy

I first met Bryan Davis at the ICRS conference in Atlanta, 2004. Then, I was a wannabe author and he had just had his 2nd Dragons in Our Midst book published. I remember I told him I thought it was cool that he wrote fantasy in the Christian market and he was quick to point out, "I write contemporary fantasy." At that time, I had no idea what that meant. lol. But I caught a glimpse of how serious Bryan is about the fantasy he writes as a ministry for the Glory of God. It was only a glimpse. But don't let my dramatic intro and the picture above fool you. Bryan is no Grinch. He's quite the opposite. His heart is already three sizes too big.

Since 2004, I've gotten to know Bryan quite a bit better. We've toured together twice and done a number of joint signings, speaking engagements, etc. Some of that time, we've roomed together, navigated some scary terrain together, and drawn swords together. And I must admit I've been SO challenged to be a stronger, more pure Christian just by watching Bryan in action. You see, Bryan's one of the most UN-selfish men I've ever known. Need someone to drive and extra 300-400 miles, Bryan leaps in without a second thought. Need a hand carrying something, Bryan is there. Need someone to talk to, Bryan will listen. He's the kind of guy who will dive in front of a bus to be the one who gives you the shirt off his back.


But he is serious. He is so serious about serving God and doing his level best to maintain holiness that he inspires others around him to do the same. Through his books and through his thriving forum, he encourages young people to be real life heroes. There are untold thousands of youths doing the right thing and serving God because Bryan Davis stood in a gap and told them, with God's power, they could indeed do the right thing.


Bryan Davis is also an extremely funny guy. You should hear him do a Stallone impersonation. He gave me a copy of his book, Spit and Polish for Husbands. It's all about being a better husband, but Bryan wrote it in such a way that you're laughing all the way through. Thing is, when the laughs fade, you're sitting there thinking about all the wisdom you've gained and convicted that you can indeed be a better husband.

Bryan Davis is the Author of three book series:

Two Cool!

What was supposed to be just one announcement has turned into two. My publishers just let me know that Isle of Swords Won the 2008 Silver Moonbeam Award. This is a mighty cool award to win because winning books are those that most inspire young people to read. As a reading teacher and an author, I am very grateful that my books are getting kids to read.

And now, for the big announcement...

Do you recognize the two rogues dueling in these two pictures?


If you said, well, that's you, Mr. Batson, dueling with author Christopher Hopper, you'd be 100% correct. And in spite of the way it must seem in these two photos, we are actually very good friends. So much so that two years ago, we began traveling to Scranton to write together. We found that our styles are very similar and our interests as well. We even joked that it might be cool to someday write a book together.

God tells us to trust in Him, and He will give us the desires of our heart. And well, to my complete joy, He has. Christopher Hopper and I have just contracted with Thomas Nelson to write not one, but two books together. It will be a Fantasy Series (surprise, surprise) and will quite literally turn the "Portal Fantasy" cliche on its head. More on the books as soon as we are at liberty to reveal. But for now, I thank God because writing with Christopher is an honor and a great, great bit of fun. We're about 20,000 words in, and all I can say is, you're going to LOVE this!

Motiv8 Blog Tour: Wayne Thomas Batson and The Roots of Darkness

On the West Coast Tour, I was taken off-guard by a fan who asked me rather bluntly: "Paragal, I don't understand--he had everything--why'd he do it? Why'd he betray King Eliam?"

After an awkward silence, my first thought was something like, "Well, what do you mean, why did he do it? He's a villain. That's the kind of thing that villains do." But as soon as I thought it, my mind reprimanded me quickly, and I realized, no, there's a lot more to it than that's just what villains do. And I think we Christians have a bit to learn from Paragal's fall, his betrayal, and his descent into his new identity.

So, at the risk of weirding some of you out a little bit, I've chosen to allow Paragor to appear as guest blogger today. He will answer the question for us: Why'd you do it? And after you read, if you have questions for Paragor, submit them as comments, and Paragor will respond. Read on, but don't be surprised if you recognize a bit of yourself in Paragor. Learn from his mistakes. For him, it's too late, but not for you.

EnterTheDoorWithin (EDW): We have the unusual experience of welcoming Paragor, the Prince of Paragory to the blog. Paragor, thank you for taking the time to visit with us.

PARAGOR: It is no noble impulse that drives me here…a respite, nothing more.

EDW: Before we begin, readers will want to know…well, how can they trust anything you have to say?

PARAGOR: All has been laid bare. His light is so terribly brilliant. I am impelled to tell the truth.

EDW: Paragor, why do you think King Eliam chose you to be Alleble's first Sentinel?

PARAGOR: I always assumed my prowess in battle was the principal reason. Among the Elder Guard, I was best with lance, sword, and bow. I always loved the competition, and drove myself to be unsurpassed. In the end, no one even came close to my skills at warcraft. And when others shrank back from terrible dangers, I forged ahead. No one in the history of the Elder Guard achieved skills and valor as I did, and as I said, for most of my time in the Realm, I believed that is why I was chosen Sentinel over the others. But since then, I've had quite some time to examine the events of my life more closely. And though it horrifies me to admit what I have discovered, I must admit it now. King Eliam chose me as Sentinel because…he loved me.

EDW: He chose you out of love, but…you betrayed him. And King Eliam knew you would...

PARAGOR: Press me no more! Your words burn as unquenchable fire. And yet, it is true. Even as I held the Blue Blade aloft above his neck, I saw love in his eyes. In his infinite wisdom, his timeless perspective, King Eliam knew I was not worthy of his love, and still, he gave it.

EDW: You saw love, but went through with it anyway. Why?

PARAGOR: I had to find out.

EDW: I don't understand…find out what?

PARAGOR: Of course you do not understand, and nor will you if I explain.

EDW: Please, go on. Maybe someone will read this. Maybe it will--

PARAGOR: Enough. I have no pity. But neither have I pride…any longer. You wish to know how I could slay King Eliam in cold blood even though I saw that he loved me still. What you do not understand is that I had already travelled so far down the bitter road, that I had to find out if the end would bring me what it promised.

EDW: I still don't--

PARAGOR: No, you wouldn't...not yet. You see, I did not just wake one morning and think, "Ah, today I shall go and kill the King of the entire Realm." It does not work that way.

EDW: I think that's what our readers really want to know. What changed you? Why weren't you content with your position? What happened?

PARAGOR: Your questions allow me too much grace…as if I am somewhat of a victim in all this. Make no mistake, I made the decisions all along the way. I chose the path I trod. It began I think early in my career as Sentinel. It was little things, really…things I should have guarded against but did not. King Eliam gave me the privilege of reading all the scrolls in the Library of Light. This was ecstasy for me as my thirst for lore could hardly be quenched.

I read and read and read and found myself drunk with the adventures of the Realm. And suddenly I realized that I was not as great as I first thought. In the span of history, my tale was just one among many. I should have been content. But I was not. I felt drawn to greater things, which is again one of the reasons King Eliam chose me as Sentinel. It was a strength, but every strength, like a sword, has the other side of the blade. It cuts just as deep.

I began to gain audiences with rulers from other kingdoms: Frostland, Clarion, Baen-Edge, and others. My wisdom was to them very great. They coveted my thoughts on even the most idle subjects. I found I enjoyed the authority and notoriety. And again, I felt the need for more. They began to deliver unto me riches and countless relics of their kingdoms, and my treasuries began to grow. I began to make trips to the armory and enjoyed what I could purchase. Somehow there always seemed to be a new sword or a novel piece of armor I had not seen before. Of course, I had to have them.

With my own coffers filled to overflowing and with countless Glimpses coming to me for counsel or simply to enjoy my presence, I began to look over my shoulder. I was Sentinel, but how much did I really rule? King Eliam was always greater, and it was simply understood by all. I shook such thoughts away. Comparisons are seldom of any noble use. But I did not push the thoughts far enough away.

In weak or tired moments, I welcomed them back and played with them in my mind. What if Paragal had more power? What if Paragal wrote the next scroll of Alleble? What if Paragal sat on the white throne? Each time, such thoughts came with persistent guilt. "Ah, what madness am I thinking?" I would say to myself. "No, I am fortunate to be so honored by the King. How dare I think of more?" But they were wisps of smoke, shadows of my former character as it slipped away.

Soon, aside from duty house, I began to spend less and less time with King Eliam. Of course, I was at my post…always on time if not early…there for all to see. But at the changing of the guard, I vanished, finding far too much pleasure alone. I began to seek a little more of everything. More. It was what I always sought but was never quite able to grasp. I should have learned from the smaller failures, but I did not.

King Eliam came to me several time, wondering if I was well. But in my mind, I made him a villain, pestering me, prying…accusing. By making him out to be the problem, I was better able to justify the new and somewhat disturbing ideas clambering into my mind. I began to make secret alliances and agreements. I found the promise of wealth and power was not just of interest to me and so my plan grew.

Ah! How many times did I second guess myself? I could have stopped the wheels of my plot so many times, but it took on a life of its own. Even as the Elder Guard and their families were rousted from their beds, I could have stopped it all. I remember hesitating at the rear throne room door. I stood at the bottom of that winding stair and gazed into the torchlight. I wondered how history would record my actions, and for the briefest moment, I regretted the path. And yet, nothing in my pride, nothing in my reputation, nothing in my past successes, nothing in my treasuries could quite satisfy me. Surely, this last deed would grant me all I'd ever wanted and I would be satisfied. I took the stair and never looked back.


EDW: Well, did it? Did the end of the road deliver all that it promised?

PARAGOR: I would laugh were it not for the wrenching in my gut. NAY! That road has no end! I slew the King, but that was not enough. I had the Elder Guard left, and they would contend. I put them to the fire. And then, there was the First Scroll in the locked chest on the ninth level of the Library Tower. And even with knowledge of my own future, I could not be assuaged. Oh, misery…I chased…I grasped and clutched. There was nothing to gain and everything to lose.

EDW: I'm sorry.

PARAGOR: And to think…I might have been loved.

The Number 8 and a Warning...

8

So 8 authors just visited 8 cities in 8 days. The Motiv8 Fantasy Fiction Tour. I was blessed to be one of them. And now, I get the news that Isle of Fire hit #8 on the CBA Young Adult Bestseller List. I'm really starting to like the number 8.

Now that the tour is finished, the 8 authors have covenanted to continue "Cross Promotion." In other words, we know that readers never have enough good books. And we also know that DoorWithin/Isle of Fire readers don't necessarily know about the books of the Bryan Davis, Donita K. Paul, Eric Reinhold, Sharon Hinck, Christopher Hopper, Jonathan Rogers, and L.B. Graham. And their readers don't necessarily know about my books. So we want to get the word out every way we can. To that end, Monday will begin the first Fantasy Fiction Blog Tour. Check out their websites each week to see who their blogging about. You will DEFINITELY find out some things about your favorite authors you never knew before. And, since my last name is first alphabetically, Monday begins my week.

And now, the Warning: As a part of the blog tour, my blog will be visited by a very dark presence. Be prepared.

PS: I'll also have an announcement for you some time later in the week.

1,824,640,802,600,500,345 million stars!

Well, I'm back from the Fantasy Tour. Lots of stories to tell. I'll have to take it slow and post a little at a time. You can also see the tour video journals on fantasyfictiontour.com.

In other news, the Isle of Fire Treasure Hunt ends tomorrow. Last Call for Treasure Points.

And finally: I've had lots of good reviews, and I am SO thankful for every kind word. We creative folks are awfully sensitive and notoriously thin-skinned about things said concerning our books. So when a nice review comes along, it is very meaningful.

I received a review today from a 9-year old boy. He read Isle of Fire and wrote a very sweet review. The last line made me laugh out loud. Read it if you wish, but beware of a few SPOILERS if you haven't read Isle of Fire yet.

This book is about some pirates and monks who travel around the world to find Thorne and the Merchant. They started working with the monk when they found Cat. Cat is not his real name, it is his nickname. They don’t say what his real name is, so I just call him Cat. Cat is a boy who lives with the monks because his mom died and his dad is evil and left him on an isle of fire. Cat is afraid that he looks like his dad and will become like his dad. Anne found Cat when he was a boy on the island. Cat and Anne are on a journey to find Scully and the Merchant. Anne is Ross’ daughter who saved Cat from the island. Cat and Anne kind of like each other.
The Merchant is evil and Scully works for him. Thorne is a pirate and a good fighter who is friends for Red Eye and works for Ross on his ship called Robert Bruce. A boy named Hooper and a lady named Lady Dolphin and Sir Nigel found Hooper on their ship and they are helping him find his parents. Until then they decide to take care of him. I think Lady Dolphin is using Hooper to help her find her dad’s journals.
I liked this book and I recommend this book to people who like pirates and adventure and a lot of fighting and capturing. I give this book 1,824,640,802,600,500,345 million stars and I know that’s not a number.
The End

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!

Fantasy Fiction West Coast Tour: Friday through Monday

If you've just watched the video above, you probably noted that LB Graham and I were absent for the Canada trip. We're both full time teachers and already taxing our annual leave to take the week off. So we had to fly in late Friday evening.


Shown above: Good morning, Seattle. Hmmm, what do you know...rain!

Author L.B. Graham demonstrates the proper novel-writing technique. Note the one finger typing.

On Saturday morning, we traveled downtown Seattle and visited TBN studios. The Fantasy Fiction Tour authors became the guests of the week on TBN show Exit 16. It's usually a variety show on the latest music, but they went for fantasy this time! As you can see above, we donned our cloaks, capes, swords, and bucklers back stage.

Then, on stage, guest host and agent extraordinaire , Gregg Wooding , interviewed all 8 authors plus Chris and Allan Miller who guested with us. The Miller Brothers have begun a new fantasy series called The Code Bearers. These guys are just the coolest around, and I have a feeling their books are going to make a HUGE splash in the market.

Later that same day, the Fantasy Tour headed to the Logos Harvest Bookstore on the other side of Seattle. And there, I finally got to meet Sir Cody and his family. We've been corresponding for over a year, and they drove 4+ hours to come see us. See above: here with my agent and good friend Gregg Wooding and author and friend Christopher Hopper.

True story (as you can see in the video below): The manager at the Logos bookstore asked us if we might do a little swordplay outside to draw attention to the store. OOPS. Not five minutes into a little duel, we caused a traffic accident. Author Bryan Davis and I had clashed swords a bit when CRASH. Apparently, the lead car was looking for the bookstore and saw us. He stopped rather quickly, and the driver behind was apparently looking at the goofballs dueling and slammed into the back of the first car.


Then it was off to Enumclaw (which I pronounced Nemunclaw and a half dozen other incorrect ways) where the Salt Shaker Bookstore threw us the coolest book party we could imagine. Signs hanging from the rafters, castle walls, torches--the works. What a huge turnout!

Then, Sunday, we went to Portland and Medford. Portland was a very special meeting as we gathered in a public gazebo in the middle of an open air mall. So many special fans came that day, including a very special young lady who showed me photos of her room which she had decorated in very stylish Door Within decor.

Special shout to Ben. I didn't get to meet you, but I'm praying for you. Stay strong in His mighty power.

Then, off we went to the Medford gig at the Evangel Bookstore in the Rogue Valley Mall. The book buyer for the chain, Dannal Newman and all the staff there did an astoundingly righteous event for us, including cool candelabras, treasure chests, and posters. I need to get some pics from Christopher from those events. Too cool not to see for yourselves.


The next series of pictures shows some of the INCREDIBLE scenery on our drive from Medford to Sacramento (where we are tonight).Is it just me, or does the above pic remind of you of Weathertop in LOTR? Can't you just see the black riders appearing out of the mist?

And last but not least, here is mount Shasta! God is the creator. All praise to Him.

More soon. Plus, the announcement I've been promising should be just days away.

West Coast Fantasy Fiction Tour, Day One: Sleepy in Seattle

Greetings from the lovely Hilton Garden Inn in Seattle, Washington. After 7 hours of flying, it feels really good to have room to stretch out. ;-) Busy day tomorrow:

TV Interview with TBN Network, 12pm.

Harvest Logos Bookstore
3:00pm - 5:00pm
115 N. 85th St. #100
Seattle, WA 98103
206-781-8725

With a surprise guest appearance!

Salt Shaker Bookstore
6:30pm - 8:30pm
1456 Cole St.
Enumclaw, WA, 98022
360.825.7258

And don't forget, you'll be able to tune into events LIVE. Just click on over to www.fantasyfictiontour.com and click Watch Live.

More as the Tour unfolds.

Never alone.

-W

Reviews…and the Final Quest!

Greetings, all! I just received a very nice surprise from TitleTrakk.com. One of their staff wrote a phenomenal review of Isle of Swords...with a promise of reviewing Isle of Fire soon. Please check it out by clicking one of the links below:

TitleTrakk Review

Also, just three weeks left on the Isle of Fire Treasure Hunt, so it's time for the FINAL QUEST.

Your Task: Write a review of Isle of Swords and/or Isle of Fire for Amazon. Email me the body of the review and when you posted it. Because I'm trying to build buzz for the pirate books right now, I'll award you 200 points for the review (400 for both). If you've already written one, that counts. Just email me a reminder with the body of the review.

Multiplier 1: Get someone else to write an Amazon review for IOS and IOF. Just email me who you encouraged to do it, the body of the text, and when it was posted.

Multiplier 2: Isle of Swords currently has 32 reviews. Isle of Fire has 8 reviews. I want to see Isle of Swords reach 50 reviews. If we get the 18 reviews to push to 50 by the end of the Treasure Hunt (Oct. 18), everyone who wrote a review gets a bonus 1000 points. If we get the 22 reviews for IOF to push it to 30 reviews by the end of the Treasure Hunt (Oct. 18), everyone who wrote a review gets 1000points.

NOTE: If this happens, I'll need you to email me your review and personally claim your points--even if you wrote your review long before this quest began!

Multiplier 3: If we write enough reviews to get IOS to 50 --AND-- IOF to 30, everyone who wrote reviews gets 3,000 points!

NOTE: If this happens, I'll need you to email me your review and personally claim your points--even if you wrote your review long before this quest began!

About reviews--Make sure your Amazon review adheres to the following:

1. Reviews must be at least 5 sentences.
2. Reviews must include a little about the story (but NO SPOILERS).
3. Reviews must include what you like and don't like about the story.
4. Reviews must include who you think would like the story (Ex. Teens will especially love Isle of Swords because many of the main characters are all teenagers.)

PS: If you are in the contest and are too young to leave a review on Amazon, your parent can post one for you.

Treasure Hunt...coming down to the wire! New Quests, and an Announcement, well...sort of.

The Isle of Fire Treasure Hunt is sailing along on gale winds! I've updated the scores and, as you can see, there are lots of contenders. See below the amazing creations of two of our treasure hunters! The rather professional-looking display was created by Rien and the poster/T-shirt combo was Erica's! Surely, the two a' you be pirates of the highest order!

ALL Treasure Hunters, be aware: I will not be updating the Treasure Points again, UNTIL THE CONTEST IS OVER, OCTOBER 14TH. So, if you've been hording points in an eBay like attempt to win at the end, go ahead and start shooting me emails with your points!





Two New Quests:

#1 Finish reading Isle of Fire. Post a review on Amazon. Send me the link. 200 points.

#2 Visit and comment on all 8 of the Fantasy Tour's Author's blogs' most recent posts! Wow, that's a lot of possessives! eMail me when you've done it. 100 points.

Announcement #1: Gigantic Isle of Fire Release Party

Where: Barnes & Noble Ellicott City, Maryland
Long Gate Shopping Center
4300 Montgomery Road
Ellicott City, MD 21043
410-203-9001

When: Friday, Sept. 26th, 6pm-close.

Aside from the annual HisWay event, this is my favorite Signing Haunt each year. It's my local B&N, and the CSM, Amber, really knows how to throw a party. Last year it was standing room only for the readings and swashbuckling. And I personally signed over 300 books. It was absolutely nuts that night--but way fun.

Look for more of the same this Friday. If any of you bloggers or treasure hunters are in the Maryland area, drop by! I'd love to meet you and sign your books!

Announcement #2: Actually, this is a teaser announcement. But something rather unexpected has happened. I had some plans, but God had other plans. And you know what? I like the new plans A LOT. There are still some things that must be finalized before I can be more specific, but for now, just know that this will be a first for me and a very special announcement. (Oh, and no, it's not a movie deal, sigh)

West Coast Fantasy Fiction Tour

Hi, all! The Fantasy Fiction Motiv8 Tour Schedule has been set. The map above shows roughly the path we will take during the 8 day trek. The Schedule of Events is listed below. Please tell anyone you know along the route to come out and see us. And please pray for the last details of the tour: travel, lodging, finances, and all that will come together.

Oct. 4 noon - TBN interview, Seattle Washington
Oct. 4 3-5 - Harvest Logos Bookstore, Seattle, WA
Oct. 4 6:30-8:30 - Salt Shaker bookstore, Enumclaw, WA
Oct. 5 - lunch with readers, Portland, OR
Oct. 5 - 6-8 pm Evangel Family Bookstore, Medford, OR
Oct. 6 - 1:30-2:30 Trinity Christian School, Sacramento, CA
Oct. 6 - 6pm-8pm Barnes and Noble, Sacramento, CA
Oct. 7 - 11am-noon - Children's Hospital, Madera, CA
Oct. 7 - 3-4 pm FresnoREAD charity event, Fresno, CA
Oct. 7 - 6-8pm Berean Christian Stores, Fresno, CA
Oct. 8 - 9am -3pm Reedley High School events, Reedley, CA
Oct. 8 - 6-8pm Cultural Arts Night, Reedley, CA
Oct. 9 - 9-11 am St. Genevieve High School, Panorama City, CA
Oct. 9 - 1-2:30 pm Bethany Christian School, Sierra Madre, CA
Oct. 9 - 5-7 pm Valley Book & Bible Bookstore, Van Nuys, CA
Oct. 10 - 8:50am-1pm Village Christian Schools, Sun Valley, CA
Oct. 10 - 2-4pm West Covina Christian School, West Covina, CA
Oct. 10 - 7-9pm Calvary Chapel Church, Huntington Beach, CA
Oct. 11 - 11am-1pm Library Event to be confirmed
Oct. 11 - 2-4 pm Barnes and Noble, San Diego, CA
Oct. 11 - evening event TBA, San Diego, CA

TODAY is the DAY...Isle of Fire Official Release!

Hi, all! Just a reminder that Tuesday, September 9th is the OFFICIAL release date for Isle of Fire. I know that the long-awaited sequel has appeared in some stores, but I really appreciate those who are willing to wait and purchase Isle of Fire from Amazon on the release day. I'm hoping to make a huge leap on Amazon's bestseller list that day and start a wonderful cycle of visibility for the whole Isle of Swords/Isle of Fire duology.

And for those in the Treasure Hunt, remember there are big time points available! Thanks so much to my readers.

Here's what you do:

STEP 1: Go to my sidebar where you'll see links to all my books.

STEP 2: Click once on the Isle of Fire cover. This will cause a small Isle of Fire window to open.

STEP 3: Click on the link that says "This book at Amazon." This will take you directly to Amazon's Isle of Fire Page. (Note: It's very important that you go to Amazon through my link. In that way, I can verify sales traffic from my site to Amazon, as well as, earn a few Amazon credits.)

STEP 4: Purchase as many copies of Isle of Fire as you want. My mom suggests you buy 6-8 copies. ;-)

STEP 5: Forward your Amazon receipt dated 9/9/08 to me. My email is: batguy21784(at)yahoo(dot)com. Of course use the symbol @ for at and a . for dot. lol

STEP 6: Along with the receipt, notice what Isle of Fire's sales ranking is. Right now it's at 44,000th. In your receipt eMail, please include what the sales # is at the time of your purchase.

STEP 7: Check back to Amazon's Isle of Fire page throughout the day and see if Isle of Fire climbs to 100th or better. If so, much bonus points for any Treasure Hunter contestants who makes a purchase!

Thanks so much for being wonderful readers and for spreading the word!


-Wayne Thomas Batson

Motiv8 Fantasy Fiction Tour Promo Video!

Hey, all! Grandath Films is at it again. Check out Christopher Hopper's newly created Fantasy Fiction Tour Promotional Video!

Here's the link if you can't see the video from here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTyXj7wg3xQ

By the way, I've --Finally-- updated the Treasure Hunt Points. Sorry about the delay. Busy with some interesting developments. But the Hunt goes on!

A new QUEST will be coming soon!

The Countdown has Begun...

Avast ye, Readers, today be August 20th. In just three short weeks, Isle of Fire will be released to all ye pirates out there. And fer those a' ye who be a part of the Treasure Hunt, don't forget the serious booty in it for you, should you buy from Amazon on the release date.

200 Treasure Points:

•Buy Isle of Fire from Amazon.com on the day of September 9th! email me the receipt. Anyone who does this gets a bonus of 500 Treasure Points if Isle of Fire appears in Amazon’s top 100 bestselling books that day!

You Oughta Be in Pictures & New Quest

Seen below are Treasure Hunters NateT and Jon M (Jon's in the middle pic) as they've charted a course to local bookstores in search of my books. Look what they found. Amazingly this Barnes & Noble store was having a sale: Buy one copy of The Final Storm and get two children free!




And now for the new QUEST.

419,375

That's the current Amazon bestseller ranking for Isle of Swords Hardback. That means out of the 3+ Million books Amazon sells, Isle of Swords is selling 419,375th best. That's not so hot.

Here's the quest. Buy a copy of Isle of Swords from Amazon from now until, well, until I say STOP, you'll get 300 points for the purchase. And this is repeatable. So if you want to buy Isle of Swords for yourself, and then for your cousins Larry, Moe, and Curly, you can do that: 300, 600, 900...get the picture? As always, email me the receipt.

Bonus Opportunity #1: Purchase Isle of Swords from Amazon, but use the widget link in my sidebar to get to Amazon and make the purchase, you get a bonus 50 points. Just be sure to tell me in the email that you went through the link to Amazon off my blog.

Bonus Opportunity #2: If my Amazon Sales Ranking # for Isle of Swords should dip below 10,000th at any time in the next two weeks, everyone who has purchased Isle of Swords during that span gets a bonus 100 points. *Of course, I don't check Amazon every ten minutes, but one might see the ranking before I do. EMAIL me to let me know. If you have such technical expertise, do a screen capture and send me the image too! It'd be fun to post that!

Happy Hunting!

-Wayne Thomas Batson

Eight Fantasy Authors. One Story.

What would happen if you took 8 published fantasy authors and turned them loose to write a story together? The phrase "dangerous minds" seems applicable.

Well, that's just what we've done. The 8 Authors of the Motiv8 Fantasy Fiction Tour are writing a story together. And best of all, it's free for you to read. For now anyway. Heh, heh, heh.

This tale will be cumulative effort written in serial form, meaning: a little at a time. If you'd like to check it out (please do), click on the link below or visit the Motiv8 site and click on the "Group Fiction" link.

Go Now to the Eight Author Tale!

If you read the story, leave a comment to let us know what you think.

Never alone.

-WtB

Contest Update, Quest #3, and Videos

Hi, all

Spectacular first couple of weeks in the contest. Scores are up to date as of now.

Please check the Treasure Points Section of the original post for a few new point getters. ;-)

Okay, it's Quest Time:

Big Time points available here, but it will require sacrifice. Here's the deal. Moms need adventures too. Moms work so hard and often for very little thanks. But when you do say thank you to a Mom without them prodding it out of you, it means a TON!!

The task: Using your own earned money--be it allowance, odd jobs, part time job, whatever so long as you personally earned the money--then go and buy one of Author Sharon Hinck's books: The Restorer, Restorer's Son, Restorer's Journey, Symphony of Secrets, or preorder Stepping into Sunlight. Give it to your mom and thank her for all she's done for you.

eMail me the receipt and tell me how you earned the $$$ for the thank you gift. Do this by July 31st, and you earn 300 Treasure Points! Note: this is nonrepeatable. One time only.


And check out the YouTube book promotional videos made by some of my awesome readers!

Feeling Adventurous? Ready to Sail? Come One, Come All! Enter the ISLE OF FIRE TREASURE HUNT CONTEST!

I’ve hinted and nudged long enough. Today is July 9th, precisely two months from the release of my new pirate adventure novel: Isle of Fire. I’m very happy with this novel, and I hope you’ll have as much fun reading it as I did writing it. The early reviews are very strong. But I am not content to simply let the book come out on its own. I want to set ablaze* the bookstores, the online communities, the word of mouth recommendations with talk of Isle of Fire.
*Editor’s Note: Wayne is not actually planning to set fire to anything.

Therefore, I am starting a contest on this blog, similar to the Isle of Swords Treasure Hunt, only better. The quests? Better. The excitement? Better. The prizes? Better.

To the Winners Go the Spoils:
(uh...here's what you can win)

For the #1 & 2 Treasure Hunters (the adventurous ones who accumulate the most Treasure Points) I will give you one copy of every new book I write...for LIFE. That means, should the Lord allow me to live long enough to write all the stories rattling around in my head, you will get a signed copy of each one sent directly to you. Of course, if you move and don't give me your new address, then…someone else will be getting all those books. Doh! AND I will name a character** in my next fantasy series after you. That's correct: I'll use your real name, your username, or a character name you create as a character in my new fantasy series. Of course, if your name is Bob, we’ll need to go with something a little more fantasy-ish.

**Editor’s Note #2: No Guarantee that your character won't get killed off in some horribly unpleasant manner.

For the #3, #4, and #5 Treasure Hunter: I will send you a signed copy of any book I’ve written AND give you a choice of A) sending you a signed copy of an original, unpublished fantasy short story I’ve written called “Forget Me Not.” –OR- B) You can invite a bunch of your friends together some evening, and I will personally call and talk to you and your friends about the books, about writing, about your favorite kind of pizza—whatever’s clever.

Here are the guidelines:

1. The contest begins today: July 9th and will continue for 3 Months, ending October 9th. (or slightly after I return from the Fantasy Fiction West Coast Tour).

2. To enter, post a comment here to let me know you are participating. You will also have to send me an email with your real name and address to verify your participation. I will keep your personal information private.

If you are a younger reader PLEASE get parent permission to join the contest and participate in these activities.

Please send the information to:

batguy21784atyahoodotcom

Of course, when you email, replace the above at with the @ symbol and the word dot with an actual dot .

3. Then, begin completing the tasks below to earn Treasure Points.

4. Be on the lookout for special Quests and One-Day Events where you can earn buckets of Treasure Points—but these are limited time only when they come up. So, check the blog here often.

5. All tasks must happen between July 9th and Oct. 9th. There are no exceptions. No working backward.

6. Prepare to go surfing. For some quests, I’ll be sending you to the Motiv8 Fantasy Fiction Tour Site and/or the sites of the 8 authors on the tour. And only in those places will you find clues to a great riddle you must solve—mega Treasure Points!

7. Finally, and this is HUGE: I am looking for a big turnout for the HUNT, so while the contest begins today, it will not be ACTIVE until we have at least 40 people in the contest***. We had 33 contestants last time, so we’re trying to surpass that number and have the greatest impact. 40 people entered is the magic number, so get your friends involved in the contest.

***Editor’s Note #3: this does not necessarily mean that the contestant is totally active the whole time. Entered counts.

Treasure Points Tasks Key

10 Treasure Points:

•Mention ANY of my books in a blog thread--your blog or someone else's—email me the link AND post it in your comment here. (You can do this up to 10 times, totaling up to 100 points).

•Post a link to my blog anywhere on your blog--then, email me the link AND post it in your comment here.

• Visit the Motive8 Fantasy Fiction Tour Website. Read an article (or three) and post a comment there. (You can do this up to 10 times, totaling up to 100 points).


20 Treasure Points:

• Put a banner ad for the Motiv8 Fantasy Fiction Tour up on your site. Email me for the source code.

• Call someone you know on the West Coast. If that person comes to see us on the Fantasy Fiction Tour, you score 20. Just have that person introduce himself and tell us that you get the Treasure Hunt Points. If that person buys one or more books from any of the authors, you get 100 Treasure Points for each book purchased!

•Post cover artwork from any of my books on your blog and make it a link to Amazon or CBD. Email me the link and post the link in your comment on this thread.

• Email a digital photo of you with a store employee in a bookstore where any of my books are shelved. In the photo, I must be able to see the book on the shelf and in your hands. Every photo you send is worth ten points, but each photo must be from a different store, and with each photo, include the name and address of the store as well as the name of the employee. Please let me know if I am allowed to post the photo on the blog. This is repeatable for each of my five books: The Door Within, Rise of the Wyrm Lord, The Final Storm, Isle of Swords, and Isle of Fire (when it comes out in Sept.)

Because some people live in small towns without any bookstores, I will allow you to ask friends to get photos for you. The friend must be in the photo along with the store employee.

•Create an Amazon Listmania List that includes The Door Within Books, Isle of Swords, and Isle of Fire. Post and email the link. (10 Listmania Limit: 200pts total)

•Write a review of any of The Motiv8 Authors' Books on Amazon or any of the following online review sites: CBD, Goodreads, Shelfari, ScienceFictionandFantasyWorld.com, etc. (Note: Limit of 4 reviews per author, so that's 80 points per author, not per author per site)

50 Treasure Points:

• Write a review of any of my books on Amazon or any of the following online review sites: CBD, Goodreads, Shelfari, ScienceFictionandFantasyWorld.com, Borders, Barnes & Noble, Incredibooks (see below), or any other review site that I approve. Email me the link and post the link in your comment on this thread. And yes, you can write ONE review for a book and post it multiple places. Each review posted gets you 50 points. So post away!

Note: If you review on Incredibooks, it might be a little confusing at first. Here's the way to do it:
First, find one of the books on Incredibooks. Then scroll down to the comments section and leave a comment with your review. That's all there is to it! Here are links to all of the books that you can review for the contest:

http://incredibooks.com/2007/11/30/isle-of-swords/
http://incredibooks.com/2007/10/17/the-rise-of-the-wyrm-lord/
http://incredibooks.com/2007/09/13/the-door-within/

• Make a poster about Isle of Fire and put it on a school, church, or store bulletin board. The poster has to be at least eight and a half by eleven inches, which is the sized of standard paper, and it must have an image of the book cover.

You can get the book cover image by clicking HERE. A poster needs to include where a person can purchase the book locally, or if there is no local place to get it, mention that it can be purchased online at Christianbook.com, Amazon.com, or another online bookseller.

A poster is worth 50 points, but you won't get extra points for more than one poster at the same school. You may put the poster up in many different places, but only one credit per establishment. To get credit for a poster, please send me a digital photo of you at the place where you placed it. And please include whether or not I have your permission to post the photo on my blog.



100 Treasure Points:

• Watch for Today Only Quests Coming Soon.

• Recommend One of my books to someone. If that person buys it, send me a scanned photocopy of the receipt by email. The receipt must show the store name and the date, and the date must be on or later than today's date, July 9th, 2008. Every bookstore receipt is worth twenty points.

• Amazon gives authors the power to create Purchasing Links for their books. I've created links for each of my five books. Email me and request the HTML code for each of my books linking to Amazon. Put this code on your website or blog, creating a sales link to Amazon, and you get 100 points (max of 500: 1 code link for each book). Please note: this HTML code is directly from Amazon.com. I have them posted on my site and have had no problems. But I cannot be liable if some virus or wee beastie gets into your site because Amazon’s code had it embedded or some such.

•Buy a copy of Isle of Swords and email me when and where you bought it and the receipt.

•Buy any of The Door Within Books email me when and where you bought it and the receipt.

•Buy a copy of any of the 8 fantasy fiction tour author’s books: Sharon Hinck, Bryan Davis, Christopher Hopper, LB Graham, Donita K. Paul, Eric Reinhold, or Jonathan Rogers. email me when and where you bought it and the receipt.

• Write AND present a book report on any Wayne Thomas Batson book at school. 100pts. if you earn an A+ for that assignment.

150 Treasure Points:

•Go to a store that does not carry my books and special order it from that store. email me when and where you bought it and the receipt.

•Go to a store that does not carry my books and persuade them to carry any of my books. Then, post here to tell us what store has now agreed to carry my book(s).

•Buy any of my books and donate them to your church library. Then post here to say where you bought them and what church received them. email me when and where you bought it and the receipt.

• Make a video supporting Isle of Fire and post it on Youtube or Godtube. You can interview people, use music or artwork, or even recruit people to join the contest. If you don't mind, I would like you to include a positive comment or two about the book. Make it imaginative, funny, insightful, anything (within reason) to attract attention.

Posting a video will be worth 150 points, but only one video per person per book will count. As the contest draws to a close, I will award an additional 500 points to the person who makes the best video (in the opinion of the judges).


200 Treasure Points:

•Buy Isle of Fire from Amazon.com on the day of September 9th! email me the receipt. Anyone who does this gets a bonus of 500 Treasure Points if Isle of Fire appears in Amazon’s top 100 bestselling books that day!

•Buy a copy of ANY of my books for the Youth Group Leader of your church. Post a comment here to tell who, when, and where –AND- email me the receipt.

The Amazing Open Category:

•Suppose you have an idea for something that you think will promote one or all of my books, BUT you don’t see it posted on my blog. Email me your idea. If it’s good, I’ll tell you how many points it’s worth—I like to reward creativity! I will then post your idea on my blog so others can do it too. But you will get more points for being the creative one who came up with the plan.


Note #1: If possible, batch your Treasure Points. In other words, say you’ve done 7 tasks. You can email me about them all at once rather than 7 separate emails.

Note #2: I may add to the list of Treasure Point Tasks at any time--and likely will because my twisted mind is always churning...

Note #3: Keep track of your own Treasure Points. I will keep a running tally in my sidebar and try to update it every week or two. But you should keep your total as well.

Note #4: Any and all of the requirements are subject to change as I see how this develops. I want to keep it fair.

Note #5: I hope this competition stays loving and friendly. Although I hope you want to win the books, I also hope you want to share with others the benefit of reading The Door Within Trilogy, Isle of Swords, and Isle of Fire. Since my books book don’t overtly preach, it's a great opportunity to introduce your friends to a story that will get them asking questions.

My thanks to Author Bryan Davis. I got many ideas for the improved treasure hunt from his Beyond the Reflection’s Edge Contest. In fact, I “borrowed” many of Bryan’s direct wording. Thanks, Sir Bryan.

May the fair trade winds fill your sails!