Are you stoked about all the great fantasy now available to read? Are you deliriously happy that we live in the time that Peter Jackson produced unbelievably super cool movies of The Lord of the Rings?
If so, check out my article by clicking on:
Please Consider this Powerful Ministry
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Sunday, March 18, 2007
Suspense Technique #6: Snoopy May Be On To Something!
So far, our efforts to conjure up suspense have leaned mainly on things happening: characters in danger, something unknown or unexpected occurring, depriving our protagonist of his/her goal, etc. But suspense can be built in your descriptive elements as well. While Snoopy rarely got past his famous opening lines, I think even he understood that developing mood and atmosphere creates suspense.
Suspense Technique #6:
Your goal is to describe things with a certain reader-response-emotion in mind. Foreboding, fear, anxiety, disquiet, anticipation, etc.--all ideally will keep your readers flipping the pages. This is why movies have soundtracks, right? Would Jaws have had you on the edge of your seat without "Duhhh, nuuuh, duh-nuh, duh-nuh?" And John Carpenter just about scared me out of my skin with his spine-tingling piano-key chiller in the movie Halloween.
But writers don't have the luxury of a soundtrack to put along with their words. Words are all you've got. Fortunately, words are more than enough to send the imagination spinning. An aside: this ability to use words to bring about an emotional response was one of the things that drew me to writing in the first place. I remember as a teenager reading Stephen King's Christine up in my bedroom and being scared to death. Now, Christine is about a deadly, demonic car…A CAR!! And there I was on the bed in my 2nd floor room--afraid of a car! What was Christine supposed to do…drive up the stairs and knock on my bedroom door?
Still, Mr. King created such a freaky atmosphere that I kept reading late into the night, and…I kept buying his books. To make a reader feel a certain emotion takes talent and skill--but more than anything it takes a willingness to experiment with language. Begin with the emotional atmosphere you are trying to develop. If it's fear, you could throw some dark, shadowy places into the scene. Maybe the hoot of an owl, the scrape of a blade on stone. Make it cold. Invoke as many of the senses as you can. If the mood is discomfort, make it hot, humid, and sticky. Let there be little gnats or mosquitoes buzzing around the protagonist's head.
Another mood-building trick is to make the most of end words (words that end lines, paragraphs, and pages. Here's why. The reader's eye lingers on the word at the end word of a line or paragraph for a few seconds while it does a return sweep (like an old typewriter drops down to the beginning of the new line). The reader's eyes linger even longer on the last word of a page because it takes the reader a moment or two to physically turn the page. The end word floats there in the reader's subconscious…where it paints a lovely mood!
Here's an example of Mood and Atmosphere from my next book, Isle of Swords:
Clouds gathered over Dominica, casting a pall on the stained glass window of the church in Misson. Brother Jerome, one of the monks who helped Father Espinosa care for Misson’s faithful, wiped the sweat from his brow and continued sweeping the stone walk that divided the graveyard behind the church. Father Espinosa, of course, had gone to help fight the fires that sprang up all around what remained of St. Pierre’s mill. And that left Brother Jerome alone in the graveyard. Not that he was afraid to be there alone. After all, Jerome was in the prime of manhood, strong and confident. And it was, in spite of the new cloud cover . . . daytime.
Brother Jerome stopped sweeping a moment and adjusted the collar of his brown robe. The stone walk before him stretched over a hill and followed the graveyard down into a semi-wooded hollow. Brother Jerome swallowed. Wisps of smoke had drifted down into the low-lying areas and now curled slowly around the skeletal trees, the ever-staring statues, and the looming monuments. “Ah! Ridiculous pagan superstition!” he scoffed aloud, finding the sound of his own voice a little bit comforting. “It is nothing. Smoke from a dozen little fires being put out.”
He continued sweeping, whistling a favorite hymn, as he worked his way over the hill and down into the hollow. It seemed to grow quieter as he descended. The gloom deepened as well as he worked his way down the stone walk that wound under the canopies of trees and ended near the shadow of the higher hills. Brother Jerome looked back up the hill to the church, which suddenly seemed a hundred miles away. Feeling as if someone were watching him, he spun around. But the only thing there was a stone angel. She guarded a grave site with outstretched wings. Her large blank eyes made Jerome shiver. Calm yourself! You’ve been down here a thousand times, he told himself.
Then, he heard a short scraping sound—like stone grating against stone. Brother Jerome wheeled around holding up his broom like a weapon. He looked at a large stone sarcophagus just ten feet away. The name engraved there identified the deceased as Jourdan Sebastian Prewitt. Born 1659. Died 1712. Dead only a few years, thought Jerome. The inscription along the side of the stone coffin was in Latin. Thanks to the expert teaching of Father Espinosa, Jerome could read Latin very well. Just this once, he wished he hadn’t been such a good student. The inscription read: Venio cum gladio de mortuis.
I come with sword from death. Jerome started to shake. He heard the scraping sound again. This time longer. And he noticed the slab lid of the sarcophagus had shifted. Then, he heard an otherworldly voice, spoken from far away and yet, still near.
“ . . . waited long enough,” said the voice, heavily accented in French. Jourdan Sebastian Prewitt, thought Brother Jerome. That is a Frenchman’s name!
The stone lid began to move. He could now see a dark gap where the slab had moved away. Tendrils of dust drifted out and curled like fingers around the sarcophagus. “Time to escape this foul tomb,” said the voice. “Time to rise . . .”
Suspense Technique #6:
Mood and Atmosphere
Your goal is to describe things with a certain reader-response-emotion in mind. Foreboding, fear, anxiety, disquiet, anticipation, etc.--all ideally will keep your readers flipping the pages. This is why movies have soundtracks, right? Would Jaws have had you on the edge of your seat without "Duhhh, nuuuh, duh-nuh, duh-nuh?" And John Carpenter just about scared me out of my skin with his spine-tingling piano-key chiller in the movie Halloween.
But writers don't have the luxury of a soundtrack to put along with their words. Words are all you've got. Fortunately, words are more than enough to send the imagination spinning. An aside: this ability to use words to bring about an emotional response was one of the things that drew me to writing in the first place. I remember as a teenager reading Stephen King's Christine up in my bedroom and being scared to death. Now, Christine is about a deadly, demonic car…A CAR!! And there I was on the bed in my 2nd floor room--afraid of a car! What was Christine supposed to do…drive up the stairs and knock on my bedroom door?
Still, Mr. King created such a freaky atmosphere that I kept reading late into the night, and…I kept buying his books. To make a reader feel a certain emotion takes talent and skill--but more than anything it takes a willingness to experiment with language. Begin with the emotional atmosphere you are trying to develop. If it's fear, you could throw some dark, shadowy places into the scene. Maybe the hoot of an owl, the scrape of a blade on stone. Make it cold. Invoke as many of the senses as you can. If the mood is discomfort, make it hot, humid, and sticky. Let there be little gnats or mosquitoes buzzing around the protagonist's head.
Another mood-building trick is to make the most of end words (words that end lines, paragraphs, and pages. Here's why. The reader's eye lingers on the word at the end word of a line or paragraph for a few seconds while it does a return sweep (like an old typewriter drops down to the beginning of the new line). The reader's eyes linger even longer on the last word of a page because it takes the reader a moment or two to physically turn the page. The end word floats there in the reader's subconscious…where it paints a lovely mood!
Here's an example of Mood and Atmosphere from my next book, Isle of Swords:
Clouds gathered over Dominica, casting a pall on the stained glass window of the church in Misson. Brother Jerome, one of the monks who helped Father Espinosa care for Misson’s faithful, wiped the sweat from his brow and continued sweeping the stone walk that divided the graveyard behind the church. Father Espinosa, of course, had gone to help fight the fires that sprang up all around what remained of St. Pierre’s mill. And that left Brother Jerome alone in the graveyard. Not that he was afraid to be there alone. After all, Jerome was in the prime of manhood, strong and confident. And it was, in spite of the new cloud cover . . . daytime.
Brother Jerome stopped sweeping a moment and adjusted the collar of his brown robe. The stone walk before him stretched over a hill and followed the graveyard down into a semi-wooded hollow. Brother Jerome swallowed. Wisps of smoke had drifted down into the low-lying areas and now curled slowly around the skeletal trees, the ever-staring statues, and the looming monuments. “Ah! Ridiculous pagan superstition!” he scoffed aloud, finding the sound of his own voice a little bit comforting. “It is nothing. Smoke from a dozen little fires being put out.”
He continued sweeping, whistling a favorite hymn, as he worked his way over the hill and down into the hollow. It seemed to grow quieter as he descended. The gloom deepened as well as he worked his way down the stone walk that wound under the canopies of trees and ended near the shadow of the higher hills. Brother Jerome looked back up the hill to the church, which suddenly seemed a hundred miles away. Feeling as if someone were watching him, he spun around. But the only thing there was a stone angel. She guarded a grave site with outstretched wings. Her large blank eyes made Jerome shiver. Calm yourself! You’ve been down here a thousand times, he told himself.
Then, he heard a short scraping sound—like stone grating against stone. Brother Jerome wheeled around holding up his broom like a weapon. He looked at a large stone sarcophagus just ten feet away. The name engraved there identified the deceased as Jourdan Sebastian Prewitt. Born 1659. Died 1712. Dead only a few years, thought Jerome. The inscription along the side of the stone coffin was in Latin. Thanks to the expert teaching of Father Espinosa, Jerome could read Latin very well. Just this once, he wished he hadn’t been such a good student. The inscription read: Venio cum gladio de mortuis.
I come with sword from death. Jerome started to shake. He heard the scraping sound again. This time longer. And he noticed the slab lid of the sarcophagus had shifted. Then, he heard an otherworldly voice, spoken from far away and yet, still near.
“ . . . waited long enough,” said the voice, heavily accented in French. Jourdan Sebastian Prewitt, thought Brother Jerome. That is a Frenchman’s name!
The stone lid began to move. He could now see a dark gap where the slab had moved away. Tendrils of dust drifted out and curled like fingers around the sarcophagus. “Time to escape this foul tomb,” said the voice. “Time to rise . . .”
Now, it's your turn. Write an opening line, paragraph or two that
will really hook us using Mood and Atmosphere Post it here.
Once I have twenty or thirty of them, I'll have my veteran Quality Fiction Team {ie: my lovely wife and me} select a winner who will receive a signed copy of Isle of Swords OR
The Door Within Paperback with "Lost Chapters!"
Only two entries per person, so get crafting and submit them when they are ready!
will really hook us using Mood and Atmosphere Post it here.
Once I have twenty or thirty of them, I'll have my veteran Quality Fiction Team {ie: my lovely wife and me} select a winner who will receive a signed copy of Isle of Swords OR
The Door Within Paperback with "Lost Chapters!"
Only two entries per person, so get crafting and submit them when they are ready!
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
The Door Within Trilogy, Author's Cut
RESEARCHER CLAIMS TO HAVE DISCOVERED THE LOST SCROLLS
by Biff Newsbreaker
PANAMA CITY, FLORIDA--Researcher Jackson Smythe purchased the 40 year old, single family home on the banks of Bayou George, he expected some surprises. "Spiders, snakes, an occasional gator," says Smythe. But he never expected what he found in the basement of the house. "The place was a wreck. Tools, scrap wood, mason jars full of nails and screws. So I was straightening up down there, and I heard a strange sound. It was kind of like a whoosh, followed by a whip crack." That was when Smythe realized there was something else in his basement. "A clay pot," says Smythe with an infectious grin. "Just standing there in the middle of the floor as if it had always been."
When Smythe attempted to open the clay pot, it shattered revealing three ancient scrolls. And ancient is the right word. Scientists have determined that the three parchments date back to the first century. But the contents of the scrolls are the most shocking development. "These scrolls," claims Smythe, "are the Lost Scrolls of Alleble!" Experts agree. "It has been widely postulated," explains Dr. Michelle Black of The Integrity Institute, "that the original source documents: The Door Within, The Wyrm Lord, and The Final Storm Scrolls are incomplete. Gaps in the histories recorded, mentions of other people and places, but no development. We believe that Mr. Smythe's discovery will complete the knowledge base."
While the so-called "Lost Scrolls of Alleble" have been questioned by some skeptics, followers of King Eliam here on Earth are ecstatic. "The best adventures never end!" exclaimed a gleeful Austin Roenicke of Santa Monica, California. "Never alone!" agreed Samantha Knowles of Seabrook, Maryland. Coast to coast, the Lost Scrolls are making a big splash.
I'm excited to announce that I've just completed the Lost Scrolls for the new Door Within Trilogy Paperbacks. These new editions of The Door Within, The Rise of the Wyrm Lord, and The Final Storm will be designed like the Director's Cut DVDs of favorite movies. The books will be longer, @ 25 pages on average and will include, deleted chapters, extended scenes, author and editor commentary, and even new bonus material written especially for fans.
Here's a breakdown of what Door Within readers can expect:
THE DOOR WITHIN, LOST CHAPTERS EDITION
Release Date: April 10th
Includes:
• Deleted Chapter: Original Chapter 1, where Aidan learns that his family will leave their lifetime home in Maryland to move to Colorado. And something startling happens in Aidan's room.
• Deleted Chapter: Original Chapter 2, where readers meet Robby, Aidan's best friend, and follow he and Aidan on a local adventure.
• Deleted Chapter: Original Chapter 3, where readers will begin to understand Aidan's fear of the underground. Something alarming dwells in Robby's basement!
• Deleted Chapter: Original Chapter 4, where readers witness Aidan's departure from Maryland. If you've even had to move and left dear friends behind, you will SO connect to this chapter.
• Author and Editor Commentaries
THE RISE OF THE WYRM LORD, LOST CHAPTERS EDITION
Release Date: June 5th
Includes:
• Deleted Chapter: Original Chapter 1, where readers can follow Antoinette Lynn Reed as she explores the landscape of a nightmare.
• Extended Chapter: Original Chapter 2, Aidan's first day of high school where he finds himself coming face-to-face with the Trench Coat Clan, and their leader, the mysterious Blue-eyed Microscope.
• Extended Chapter: Original Chapter 4, where readers will meet Aidan's peculiar new teachers and discover how his faith in King Eliam changes the way Aidan lives on Earth.
• ALL NEW MATERIAL: Remember the feast in Queen Illaria's Castle? In the published version of Wyrm Lord, readers don't get to experience much of the festivities. Now, readers will see the infamous belching contest between Mallik and Sir Rogan. And best of all, learn how Farix, the most mysterious member of The Twelve, came to Alleble--an adventure you won't want to miss.
• Author and Editor Commentaries
THE FINAL STORM, LOST CHAPTERS EDITION
Release Date: August 7th
Includes:
• Extended Chapter: Original Chapter 20, for the first time, readers will learn how Paragal gathered a secret army to overwhelm The Elder Guard on the night of The Betrayal.
• Extended Chapter: Original Chapter 21, readers will remember Kaliam and Merewen's marriage, but never were able to see Kaliam's romantic (if clumsy) proposal. Learn one of Kaliam's most guarded secrets.
• Extended Chapter: Original Chapter 31, where readers will experience the full wedding ceremony and celebration as Kaliam and Merewen marry, even as the final storm approaches.
• ALL NEW MATERIAL: Ever wonder what your favorite characters were up to while Aidan, Antoinette, and Robby were not in The Realm? In this double-length chapter, readers will go on an adventure to the chilling world of Frostland. Something has been hunting in the forests there, and it's up to Nock and Mallik to do something about it.
• Author and Editor Commentaries
by Biff Newsbreaker
PANAMA CITY, FLORIDA--Researcher Jackson Smythe purchased the 40 year old, single family home on the banks of Bayou George, he expected some surprises. "Spiders, snakes, an occasional gator," says Smythe. But he never expected what he found in the basement of the house. "The place was a wreck. Tools, scrap wood, mason jars full of nails and screws. So I was straightening up down there, and I heard a strange sound. It was kind of like a whoosh, followed by a whip crack." That was when Smythe realized there was something else in his basement. "A clay pot," says Smythe with an infectious grin. "Just standing there in the middle of the floor as if it had always been."
When Smythe attempted to open the clay pot, it shattered revealing three ancient scrolls. And ancient is the right word. Scientists have determined that the three parchments date back to the first century. But the contents of the scrolls are the most shocking development. "These scrolls," claims Smythe, "are the Lost Scrolls of Alleble!" Experts agree. "It has been widely postulated," explains Dr. Michelle Black of The Integrity Institute, "that the original source documents: The Door Within, The Wyrm Lord, and The Final Storm Scrolls are incomplete. Gaps in the histories recorded, mentions of other people and places, but no development. We believe that Mr. Smythe's discovery will complete the knowledge base."
While the so-called "Lost Scrolls of Alleble" have been questioned by some skeptics, followers of King Eliam here on Earth are ecstatic. "The best adventures never end!" exclaimed a gleeful Austin Roenicke of Santa Monica, California. "Never alone!" agreed Samantha Knowles of Seabrook, Maryland. Coast to coast, the Lost Scrolls are making a big splash.
I'm excited to announce that I've just completed the Lost Scrolls for the new Door Within Trilogy Paperbacks. These new editions of The Door Within, The Rise of the Wyrm Lord, and The Final Storm will be designed like the Director's Cut DVDs of favorite movies. The books will be longer, @ 25 pages on average and will include, deleted chapters, extended scenes, author and editor commentary, and even new bonus material written especially for fans.
Here's a breakdown of what Door Within readers can expect:
THE DOOR WITHIN, LOST CHAPTERS EDITION
Release Date: April 10th
Includes:
• Deleted Chapter: Original Chapter 1, where Aidan learns that his family will leave their lifetime home in Maryland to move to Colorado. And something startling happens in Aidan's room.
• Deleted Chapter: Original Chapter 2, where readers meet Robby, Aidan's best friend, and follow he and Aidan on a local adventure.
• Deleted Chapter: Original Chapter 3, where readers will begin to understand Aidan's fear of the underground. Something alarming dwells in Robby's basement!
• Deleted Chapter: Original Chapter 4, where readers witness Aidan's departure from Maryland. If you've even had to move and left dear friends behind, you will SO connect to this chapter.
• Author and Editor Commentaries
THE RISE OF THE WYRM LORD, LOST CHAPTERS EDITION
Release Date: June 5th
Includes:
• Deleted Chapter: Original Chapter 1, where readers can follow Antoinette Lynn Reed as she explores the landscape of a nightmare.
• Extended Chapter: Original Chapter 2, Aidan's first day of high school where he finds himself coming face-to-face with the Trench Coat Clan, and their leader, the mysterious Blue-eyed Microscope.
• Extended Chapter: Original Chapter 4, where readers will meet Aidan's peculiar new teachers and discover how his faith in King Eliam changes the way Aidan lives on Earth.
• ALL NEW MATERIAL: Remember the feast in Queen Illaria's Castle? In the published version of Wyrm Lord, readers don't get to experience much of the festivities. Now, readers will see the infamous belching contest between Mallik and Sir Rogan. And best of all, learn how Farix, the most mysterious member of The Twelve, came to Alleble--an adventure you won't want to miss.
• Author and Editor Commentaries
THE FINAL STORM, LOST CHAPTERS EDITION
Release Date: August 7th
Includes:
• Extended Chapter: Original Chapter 20, for the first time, readers will learn how Paragal gathered a secret army to overwhelm The Elder Guard on the night of The Betrayal.
• Extended Chapter: Original Chapter 21, readers will remember Kaliam and Merewen's marriage, but never were able to see Kaliam's romantic (if clumsy) proposal. Learn one of Kaliam's most guarded secrets.
• Extended Chapter: Original Chapter 31, where readers will experience the full wedding ceremony and celebration as Kaliam and Merewen marry, even as the final storm approaches.
• ALL NEW MATERIAL: Ever wonder what your favorite characters were up to while Aidan, Antoinette, and Robby were not in The Realm? In this double-length chapter, readers will go on an adventure to the chilling world of Frostland. Something has been hunting in the forests there, and it's up to Nock and Mallik to do something about it.
• Author and Editor Commentaries
The Door Within Lost Chapter Editions are now available for preorder in all bookstores and on most online booksellers.
New Desktop Image!
Here's my most recent Door Within Desktop Image. As always, I created the art with Bryce 6.1 from Daz Studios. I did a little bit of postrender with Appleworks.
Wednesday, March 07, 2007
The Rumblings of Small Stones...
Hey, just a head's up to those who visit here. I've recently been invited to write over at a great fantasy/scifi site called Speculative Faith. I'll be posting every other Thursday.
My post this week is something that's been simmering on my mind for a long time. Check it out if you get a chance. I'm wondering if you are willing to be like small stones...
Click this link to go to the article: Rumbling of Small Stones.
My post this week is something that's been simmering on my mind for a long time. Check it out if you get a chance. I'm wondering if you are willing to be like small stones...
Click this link to go to the article: Rumbling of Small Stones.
There's a reason it was a Secret.
It's a Bonus Day here in my hometown of Eldersburg. A little clipper system made it over the mountains and began dumping a nice feathery layer of powdery snow on the area. And so, my school system called out, giving me and my kids the day off. Bonus.
So now, I have time to play with the kids, time to write, time to blog.
I was checking through the bestseller list on Amazon and I saw that #1 on the list was this cool looking book called
The cover looks like an old parchment with a red wax seal. I thought, "Mannnn…this has got to be a fantasy." But I'd never heard of the author.
So I read the synopsis and then the reviews…and, guess what? It is a fantasy. The problem is, the author doesn't seem to know that. Rhonda Byrne presents The Secret as if it's nonfiction, self help. And apparently people are being fooled…in droves.
Let me be blunt: This book is absolute rubbish. It's dangerous. It will give itching ears what they want to hear, promise the moon, and deliver anguish.
Now, I haven't read it, so some might say I'm being unfair. Look, I've read what the publisher says about it. I've read what the author says about it. And I've read dozens of reviews. Here are some of the claims this book makes:
• There's a secret that existed from the dawn of time, a secret that all the great religions and philosophies have had a part of. This secret will allow you to change your life.
• If you learn the secret "You'll begin to understand the hidden, untapped power that's within you, and this revelation can bring joy to every aspect of your life."
• "The law of attraction is a law of nature. It is impersonal and it does not see good things or bad things. It is receiving your thoughts and reflecting back to you those thoughts as your life experience. The law of attraction simply gives you whatever it is you are thinking about."
• "This is really fun. It's like having the Universe as your catalogue. You flip through it and say, `I'd like to have this experience and I'd like to have that product and I'd like to have a person like that.' It is You placing your order with the Universe. It's really that easy."
• The author claims that folks who are overweight can be made thin by the secret.
• The author claims that people can ward off disease or cure disease with the secret.
• The author even makes the claim that natural disasters could be averted if people could all align themselves with the secret.
• The author claims that if you see a lady/man you want as your mate, just think it into happening.
Is your blood boiling yet?
Mine is. This is a new age panacea, snake oil guaranteed to cure all your ills. It is hellish fraud. My heart aches for the sick or infirm who might read The Secret. When it doesn't work, how will they feel? Guilt, blame, despair.
In one sense, The Secret proposes to make gods out of ourselves. We control the universe, we pray to ourselves, we heal ourselves, and decide our own future.
In another sense, it reduces people to rudimentary organisms, stimulus response-reflex driven zombies. All we need to do is press the right buttons and the little food pellet plops at our feet.
People are not gods. Nor are they single-cell drones. We are precious, sentient beings made in the image of the one true God. He loves us and waits for us to pray to Him.
Disease, disaster, unmet needs, longings for relationship, horrible tragedy, and all the evil in our society are a result of living in a fallen world. Sin, our sin, broke the world and continues to make it worse. We will never be rid of all this until we reach Heaven. God made a way for people to know this. He made His incredible love known to us. He made a way for us to endure the hardships of this life. He offers us contentment through adversity, NOT the elimination of adversity. And this is NOT a SECRET. This is the message we need to give away through our love and through our words--every day of our lives.
What I want to know is how does a book like this get to #1 on the bestseller list? I suppose, a publisher recognizes the $$$ potential. After all, the public showed its interest in supernatural secrets--and its gullibility--with the DaVinci Code. But it just galls me to see it succeed.
Please read what the publisher has to say about The Secret:
"The Secret is truly the most outstanding book to date that we have published. I am so pleased that Rhonda Byrne was able to bring together this life-changing information so masterfully. This book gives hope for what many have been waiting for-- a shift in the way the world thinks. Its a very exciting time that we are living in, and I as well as everyone at Beyond Words and Atria Books are grateful to be a part of it." --Cynthia Black, President, Beyond Words Publishing
Chilling.
I wonder if the publisher will feel so self-satisfied when the first lawsuits roll in. Can you imagine? The parents of a child who committed suicide over a failed attempt to use the secret. Families whose marriages have collapsed through "secret" infidelities. Clinically overweight or depressed people who throw away their medication in favor of the secret. I truly hope that people will not be duped and experience this kind of tragedy. But I fear they might.
So now, I have time to play with the kids, time to write, time to blog.
I was checking through the bestseller list on Amazon and I saw that #1 on the list was this cool looking book called
The Secret.
The cover looks like an old parchment with a red wax seal. I thought, "Mannnn…this has got to be a fantasy." But I'd never heard of the author.
So I read the synopsis and then the reviews…and, guess what? It is a fantasy. The problem is, the author doesn't seem to know that. Rhonda Byrne presents The Secret as if it's nonfiction, self help. And apparently people are being fooled…in droves.
Let me be blunt: This book is absolute rubbish. It's dangerous. It will give itching ears what they want to hear, promise the moon, and deliver anguish.
Now, I haven't read it, so some might say I'm being unfair. Look, I've read what the publisher says about it. I've read what the author says about it. And I've read dozens of reviews. Here are some of the claims this book makes:
• There's a secret that existed from the dawn of time, a secret that all the great religions and philosophies have had a part of. This secret will allow you to change your life.
• If you learn the secret "You'll begin to understand the hidden, untapped power that's within you, and this revelation can bring joy to every aspect of your life."
• "The law of attraction is a law of nature. It is impersonal and it does not see good things or bad things. It is receiving your thoughts and reflecting back to you those thoughts as your life experience. The law of attraction simply gives you whatever it is you are thinking about."
• "This is really fun. It's like having the Universe as your catalogue. You flip through it and say, `I'd like to have this experience and I'd like to have that product and I'd like to have a person like that.' It is You placing your order with the Universe. It's really that easy."
• The author claims that folks who are overweight can be made thin by the secret.
• The author claims that people can ward off disease or cure disease with the secret.
• The author even makes the claim that natural disasters could be averted if people could all align themselves with the secret.
• The author claims that if you see a lady/man you want as your mate, just think it into happening.
Is your blood boiling yet?
Mine is. This is a new age panacea, snake oil guaranteed to cure all your ills. It is hellish fraud. My heart aches for the sick or infirm who might read The Secret. When it doesn't work, how will they feel? Guilt, blame, despair.
In one sense, The Secret proposes to make gods out of ourselves. We control the universe, we pray to ourselves, we heal ourselves, and decide our own future.
In another sense, it reduces people to rudimentary organisms, stimulus response-reflex driven zombies. All we need to do is press the right buttons and the little food pellet plops at our feet.
People are not gods. Nor are they single-cell drones. We are precious, sentient beings made in the image of the one true God. He loves us and waits for us to pray to Him.
Disease, disaster, unmet needs, longings for relationship, horrible tragedy, and all the evil in our society are a result of living in a fallen world. Sin, our sin, broke the world and continues to make it worse. We will never be rid of all this until we reach Heaven. God made a way for people to know this. He made His incredible love known to us. He made a way for us to endure the hardships of this life. He offers us contentment through adversity, NOT the elimination of adversity. And this is NOT a SECRET. This is the message we need to give away through our love and through our words--every day of our lives.
What I want to know is how does a book like this get to #1 on the bestseller list? I suppose, a publisher recognizes the $$$ potential. After all, the public showed its interest in supernatural secrets--and its gullibility--with the DaVinci Code. But it just galls me to see it succeed.
Please read what the publisher has to say about The Secret:
"The Secret is truly the most outstanding book to date that we have published. I am so pleased that Rhonda Byrne was able to bring together this life-changing information so masterfully. This book gives hope for what many have been waiting for-- a shift in the way the world thinks. Its a very exciting time that we are living in, and I as well as everyone at Beyond Words and Atria Books are grateful to be a part of it." --Cynthia Black, President, Beyond Words Publishing
Chilling.
I wonder if the publisher will feel so self-satisfied when the first lawsuits roll in. Can you imagine? The parents of a child who committed suicide over a failed attempt to use the secret. Families whose marriages have collapsed through "secret" infidelities. Clinically overweight or depressed people who throw away their medication in favor of the secret. I truly hope that people will not be duped and experience this kind of tragedy. But I fear they might.
Sunday, March 04, 2007
One of those days...
Speaking engagements and book signings are a blast most of the time. I absolutely LOVE having an opportunity to read my work to kids {and big kids, lol}. I break into English accents and immerse myself in the characters and just generally have a blast! The pic below shows me at a local elementary school. I read snippets from The Door Within and Rise of the Wyrm Lord and made the kids jump a few times. Heh, heh, heh. A great response from all involved. ;-) Most book-related events have gone that way for me, and believe me, I'm thankful. But...
There are times when things don't really go as planned. Take this last Friday for instance. I was at a middle school and speaking to about 250 sixth graders. This is, by the way, the grade I teach at my school, Folly Quarter. So I went there thinking, piece of cake. {He rolls eyes at his own tragic hubris}
So, thinking the event starts at 1:30, I get to the school at 12:50 to set up. I walk in and I'm met at the door by one of the coordinating teachers. She rather cryptically says, "Whew, we were worried you might not make it." Puzzled, I smile and make small talk. It was nice for them to meet me there, I thought. I have lots of medieval/fantasy props that I set up, including a forty foot faux castle wall made of ribbed cardboard.
Inside, several teachers are flying around, helping me set up, shouting out questions like "Where does the candelabra go?" and "What should I do with the dragon hourglass?" Scratching my head and feeling a bit of ice in the bottom of my stomach, I clarify, "We start at 1:30…right?"
"No, we have to start by 1:15 at the latest." EeeeeeeeYaaaaaaaahhh!!!
And so began a comedy of errors. Allow me to list the things that went wrong. Now remember, this is all in one (one hour) performance:
1. My opening English accent joke (that usually gets a roar), goes right over their heads. Whoosh. I deliver the punchline and get…chirp, chirp, chirp.
2. I usually pick a kid to hit the space bar on my laptop during the powerpoint portion of my show. Usually this works out well…but not this time. The kid I chose was way too busy talking to a friend to hit the slides when I asked, so half the show I'd look up and see I was 1-2 slides behind. DOH!
3. I mic my sound system for the Door Within Promo video, but it's an old school. So when the kickin' guitar riffs and thumping bass beat come in--it sounds like a cross between a terrorist attack and a giant who had a bean and beef burrito about an hour back.
4. Half way through my sneak preview reading of Falon's Stair, the forty foot faux castle wall unhooks itself from the stage and begins to do its impression of the Berlin Wall. Down it went. But on with the show.
5. At some point during the performance (I think after the first 10 minutes), several of the sixth grade teachers decide that they should have some extra planning time. So they leave their kids and the auditorium. Now 6th graders are wonderful kids--and this school has a really nice bunch. Buuuutttt...leave them on their own? So it has now become me and the six or seven teachers remaining to handle crowd control. That puts it at about 31 kids for every adult. Hmmm...it was a good thing I brought my broadsword.
6. And then, the worst of it all {for me} came during the signing portion. A sixth grader comes up. I glance, see the long hair, the earring, the smile. "Greetings M'lady," I say. "What can I do for you."
"Uh…I'm a guy," he replies. Immediately, I break into damage control. "I'm SO sorry. Mannn, see I have long hair too. If it wasn't for the goatee, people'd make the same mistake with me. Blah, blah, blah." OHHHHggghhhh. I'm an idiot. The kid is like, "No problem. I'm not worried about it." But I know…I've just crushed this young man's spirit. I quickly scan the auditorium for an escape route, a rock to hide under, or a grenade launcher to eat. No such luck. I must endure.
And so ends one of those days...
What are your experiences at signings? For authors--ever had a bad one? Readers: what do you like not like about them? Anyone you've seen who was good?
There are times when things don't really go as planned. Take this last Friday for instance. I was at a middle school and speaking to about 250 sixth graders. This is, by the way, the grade I teach at my school, Folly Quarter. So I went there thinking, piece of cake. {He rolls eyes at his own tragic hubris}
So, thinking the event starts at 1:30, I get to the school at 12:50 to set up. I walk in and I'm met at the door by one of the coordinating teachers. She rather cryptically says, "Whew, we were worried you might not make it." Puzzled, I smile and make small talk. It was nice for them to meet me there, I thought. I have lots of medieval/fantasy props that I set up, including a forty foot faux castle wall made of ribbed cardboard.
Inside, several teachers are flying around, helping me set up, shouting out questions like "Where does the candelabra go?" and "What should I do with the dragon hourglass?" Scratching my head and feeling a bit of ice in the bottom of my stomach, I clarify, "We start at 1:30…right?"
"No, we have to start by 1:15 at the latest." EeeeeeeeYaaaaaaaahhh!!!
And so began a comedy of errors. Allow me to list the things that went wrong. Now remember, this is all in one (one hour) performance:
1. My opening English accent joke (that usually gets a roar), goes right over their heads. Whoosh. I deliver the punchline and get…chirp, chirp, chirp.
2. I usually pick a kid to hit the space bar on my laptop during the powerpoint portion of my show. Usually this works out well…but not this time. The kid I chose was way too busy talking to a friend to hit the slides when I asked, so half the show I'd look up and see I was 1-2 slides behind. DOH!
3. I mic my sound system for the Door Within Promo video, but it's an old school. So when the kickin' guitar riffs and thumping bass beat come in--it sounds like a cross between a terrorist attack and a giant who had a bean and beef burrito about an hour back.
4. Half way through my sneak preview reading of Falon's Stair, the forty foot faux castle wall unhooks itself from the stage and begins to do its impression of the Berlin Wall. Down it went. But on with the show.
5. At some point during the performance (I think after the first 10 minutes), several of the sixth grade teachers decide that they should have some extra planning time. So they leave their kids and the auditorium. Now 6th graders are wonderful kids--and this school has a really nice bunch. Buuuutttt...leave them on their own? So it has now become me and the six or seven teachers remaining to handle crowd control. That puts it at about 31 kids for every adult. Hmmm...it was a good thing I brought my broadsword.
6. And then, the worst of it all {for me} came during the signing portion. A sixth grader comes up. I glance, see the long hair, the earring, the smile. "Greetings M'lady," I say. "What can I do for you."
"Uh…I'm a guy," he replies. Immediately, I break into damage control. "I'm SO sorry. Mannn, see I have long hair too. If it wasn't for the goatee, people'd make the same mistake with me. Blah, blah, blah." OHHHHggghhhh. I'm an idiot. The kid is like, "No problem. I'm not worried about it." But I know…I've just crushed this young man's spirit. I quickly scan the auditorium for an escape route, a rock to hide under, or a grenade launcher to eat. No such luck. I must endure.
And so ends one of those days...
What are your experiences at signings? For authors--ever had a bad one? Readers: what do you like not like about them? Anyone you've seen who was good?
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
James Cameron…Jeer or Cheer?
You've no doubt heard that on March 4th, famous Hollywood director James Cameron will be releasing a documentary about a "recently" discovered ossuary containing {ahem} the remains of Jesus Christ, his wife (Mary Magdalen), and their son. In his press conference, Mr. Cameron detailed how the names inscribed on the plot and some DNA evidence prove {Must contain gag reflex} statistically that this is most likely the tomb of the Jesus of the Bible.
I have to admit, I'm a fan of Mr. Cameron's moves: The Terminator, Aliens--classic SciFi, baby. But this…C'mon. He doesn't need to do this kind of sensational ploy to make $$$. Just make another Aliens movie.
But really, I'm concerned that once again, the press and media will hype this out of context and the same gullible people who were duped by the DaVinci Code will jump on this bandwagon too. Don't let it go there please.
Here's a great response I found on {of all places} Yahoo Answers:
But Bar Ilan University Professor Amos Kloner, a former IAA archaeologist who oversaw the excavation 27 years ago and has authored detailed reports on the findings, said the IAA was "very foolish" to loan the ossuaries.
"There is no likelihood that Jesus and his relatives had a family tomb," said Kloner.
"They were a Galilee family with no ties in Jerusalem. The Talpiot tomb belonged to a middle-class family from the first century CE [Common Era]," he said.
During an interview with the film's producers, Kloner said that "Jesus, son of Joseph" inscriptions had been found on several other ossuaries in Israel, along with the other names.
"It makes a great story for a TV film," said Kloner, "but it's impossible. It's nonsense."
That about says it all....
So much for the sensation.
But I say, Cheer Mr. Cameron's efforts. Once again, people of all ilks will be talking about Jesus. And when they open up the subject…
I have to admit, I'm a fan of Mr. Cameron's moves: The Terminator, Aliens--classic SciFi, baby. But this…C'mon. He doesn't need to do this kind of sensational ploy to make $$$. Just make another Aliens movie.
But really, I'm concerned that once again, the press and media will hype this out of context and the same gullible people who were duped by the DaVinci Code will jump on this bandwagon too. Don't let it go there please.
Here's a great response I found on {of all places} Yahoo Answers:
But Bar Ilan University Professor Amos Kloner, a former IAA archaeologist who oversaw the excavation 27 years ago and has authored detailed reports on the findings, said the IAA was "very foolish" to loan the ossuaries.
"There is no likelihood that Jesus and his relatives had a family tomb," said Kloner.
"They were a Galilee family with no ties in Jerusalem. The Talpiot tomb belonged to a middle-class family from the first century CE [Common Era]," he said.
During an interview with the film's producers, Kloner said that "Jesus, son of Joseph" inscriptions had been found on several other ossuaries in Israel, along with the other names.
"It makes a great story for a TV film," said Kloner, "but it's impossible. It's nonsense."
That about says it all....
So much for the sensation.
But I say, Cheer Mr. Cameron's efforts. Once again, people of all ilks will be talking about Jesus. And when they open up the subject…
Saturday, February 24, 2007
Suspense Technique #5
You ever play the Hot & Cold game? A friend hides something in the room/house while you aren't watching. Then, you begin the hunt. As you travel, your friend calls out warm, warmer, hot, hotter, hottest, red hot as you draw near to the hidden object or cool, cooler, cold, colder, coldest as you travel father away. There's a ton of suspense and anticipation in this game. You follow your friend's prompts like a trail of breadcrumbs, all the while trying to guess where the object is hidden. If that could be done in your writing, imagine the suspense you could build. You place a winding path before the readers and leave a trail of breadcrumbs for them to follow. Suspense Technique #5 is:
The technical/literary term for this technique is foreshadowing, literally meaning to cast a shadow of something yet to come. You want to make the shadow indistinct, so that the reader won't know for sure what it is, but…they can and will guess. And whenever you can get your reader making inferences and predictions, you will draw them in. Think about it this way: your reader wants to be clever, wants to figure things out, and wants the payoff to a) discover they were right or b) have the author fool them in a really surprising (OH, I didn't see that coming) kind of way. You, the author, drop a trail of breadcrumbs for the reader to follow.
There are many ways to pull off this technique. You can have a detail, a character's softly spoken words, a prologue, etc. stand out like a sore thumb from the story at large. The Movie War of the Worlds (Tom Cruise version) begins with this very odd microscopic view of water droplets (voiced over by Morgan Freeman, I believe). And at the beginning of the movie, you find yourself wondering, "what was that all about?" Then, at the end, you discover that water (or was it germs in the water) kills the alien invaders.
Another way is much more subtle…a hint dropped early in the story that comes to fruition. I loved Gandalf in the Mines of Moria telling Frodo, "For good or ill, Gollum may still have a part to play in this tale." Boy did he.
I am a big fan of this technique and attempted to use it heavily in The Door Within books. In Book 1, the reader discovers that Falon (and all mortiwraiths) must remain underground because exposure to sun or moon will kill all of her race. But…if something could cloak the sun and moon, then lookout! And in book 3 we see Falon unleashed. The who first chapter of The Door Within is massive foreshadowing for the climax of the series.
Because you use this strategy a little at a time, spread out over the course of your story, it's a little more difficult to pull off in a short text example.
"We're all friends here," said Kellen the Storm Leader. "Most of us have fought and bled together. I do not believe the traitor is among us."
Nods were exchanged throughout the circle of warriors assembled in Gale Keep. But so too were uncertain glances. Suspicion still lingered and, like a slow acting poison, it threatened to weaken the group. If not for Kellen's unassailable will, they would have foundered long ago.
As they funneled out of the keep, every knight met Kellen's gaze and returned his grim smile. But Vesyr kept his interaction with the Storm Leader short, hoping Kellen would not notice the slight twitch that had developed under Vesyr's right eye.
YOUR TURN: Create a story excerpt where you drop a trail of breadcrumbs for readers to follow. Two entries per person. The author with the best use of Suspense Technique #5 will receive a signed copy of either Isle of Swords OR The Door Within, The Author's Cut!
The Trail of Breadcrumbs
The technical/literary term for this technique is foreshadowing, literally meaning to cast a shadow of something yet to come. You want to make the shadow indistinct, so that the reader won't know for sure what it is, but…they can and will guess. And whenever you can get your reader making inferences and predictions, you will draw them in. Think about it this way: your reader wants to be clever, wants to figure things out, and wants the payoff to a) discover they were right or b) have the author fool them in a really surprising (OH, I didn't see that coming) kind of way. You, the author, drop a trail of breadcrumbs for the reader to follow.
There are many ways to pull off this technique. You can have a detail, a character's softly spoken words, a prologue, etc. stand out like a sore thumb from the story at large. The Movie War of the Worlds (Tom Cruise version) begins with this very odd microscopic view of water droplets (voiced over by Morgan Freeman, I believe). And at the beginning of the movie, you find yourself wondering, "what was that all about?" Then, at the end, you discover that water (or was it germs in the water) kills the alien invaders.
Another way is much more subtle…a hint dropped early in the story that comes to fruition. I loved Gandalf in the Mines of Moria telling Frodo, "For good or ill, Gollum may still have a part to play in this tale." Boy did he.
I am a big fan of this technique and attempted to use it heavily in The Door Within books. In Book 1, the reader discovers that Falon (and all mortiwraiths) must remain underground because exposure to sun or moon will kill all of her race. But…if something could cloak the sun and moon, then lookout! And in book 3 we see Falon unleashed. The who first chapter of The Door Within is massive foreshadowing for the climax of the series.
Because you use this strategy a little at a time, spread out over the course of your story, it's a little more difficult to pull off in a short text example.
"We're all friends here," said Kellen the Storm Leader. "Most of us have fought and bled together. I do not believe the traitor is among us."
Nods were exchanged throughout the circle of warriors assembled in Gale Keep. But so too were uncertain glances. Suspicion still lingered and, like a slow acting poison, it threatened to weaken the group. If not for Kellen's unassailable will, they would have foundered long ago.
As they funneled out of the keep, every knight met Kellen's gaze and returned his grim smile. But Vesyr kept his interaction with the Storm Leader short, hoping Kellen would not notice the slight twitch that had developed under Vesyr's right eye.
YOUR TURN: Create a story excerpt where you drop a trail of breadcrumbs for readers to follow. Two entries per person. The author with the best use of Suspense Technique #5 will receive a signed copy of either Isle of Swords OR The Door Within, The Author's Cut!
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
CSFF Blog Tour Day 3: Where the Map Ends
And now for something completely different…
These words, uttered by the infamous Monty Python troupe also very much remind me of Jeff Gerke's Where the Map Ends.
If you haven't already, check out the Fantastic Visions section. I love Fantasy art. As you can see above, I dabble in a little 3D art myself. Actually helps me create settings for my books. But the artists on Jeff's site make me look like a toddler with a gray crayon.
Check out THIS
And THIS...
And THIS...
And THIS...
And Future Published Authors: don't forget this section because you're going to need someone to illustrate your cover!
These words, uttered by the infamous Monty Python troupe also very much remind me of Jeff Gerke's Where the Map Ends.
If you haven't already, check out the Fantastic Visions section. I love Fantasy art. As you can see above, I dabble in a little 3D art myself. Actually helps me create settings for my books. But the artists on Jeff's site make me look like a toddler with a gray crayon.
Check out THIS
And THIS...
And THIS...
And THIS...
And Future Published Authors: don't forget this section because you're going to need someone to illustrate your cover!
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
CSFF Tour, Day 2: Where the Map Ends
Where the Map Ends: An Author's Armory
Remember that scene from Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers, the scene where Aragorn is discouraged by the situation at Helm's Deep?* He knows a cloud of orcs is about to descend, and he knows that the defender force of those who "have seen too many winters…or too few" will be sorely inadequate to face the coming storm. Aragorn meets a young lad, sees the fear in this teen warrior's eyes, and something changes for Aragorn. He decides then and there that the odds may be in the enemy's favor, but there is hope. He breathes life into this young warrior's heart, and in so doing, Aragorn finds his own strength. Then, the good part: a pounding, pulsing brass musical score playing beneath the scene, Aragorn enters the armory and starts gearing up. Belts tightened, swords--and daggers--sheathed, coats of mail girded, and bows slung! Aragorn is ready for battle.
This scene is remarkably applicable to the Christian writer, esp. to one not yet published. You may be struggling, not knowing where to begin. Maybe you're daunted by questions: Is there a market for Christian Fantasy or SciFi? How do I get an agent? Maybe even…What font, size, and spacing should I use for a manuscript? Maybe, like Aragorn, you feel called to do something great but feel inadequate for the task. The enemy may seem huge--overwhelming even. But then…you visit the armory, Where the Map Ends, and everything changes.
Mannnn, if I'd only known all this about fifteen years ago…LOL
The main page of the Jeff's site is enough to stir the writing passion God has placed within you. Don't believe me? See what it did for author Christopher Hopper. But if the passion is already simmering, but you just don't know where to start, may I suggest you begin Where the Map Ends.
*Yes, I'm a LoTR geek and fiercely proud of it.
Remember that scene from Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers, the scene where Aragorn is discouraged by the situation at Helm's Deep?* He knows a cloud of orcs is about to descend, and he knows that the defender force of those who "have seen too many winters…or too few" will be sorely inadequate to face the coming storm. Aragorn meets a young lad, sees the fear in this teen warrior's eyes, and something changes for Aragorn. He decides then and there that the odds may be in the enemy's favor, but there is hope. He breathes life into this young warrior's heart, and in so doing, Aragorn finds his own strength. Then, the good part: a pounding, pulsing brass musical score playing beneath the scene, Aragorn enters the armory and starts gearing up. Belts tightened, swords--and daggers--sheathed, coats of mail girded, and bows slung! Aragorn is ready for battle.
This scene is remarkably applicable to the Christian writer, esp. to one not yet published. You may be struggling, not knowing where to begin. Maybe you're daunted by questions: Is there a market for Christian Fantasy or SciFi? How do I get an agent? Maybe even…What font, size, and spacing should I use for a manuscript? Maybe, like Aragorn, you feel called to do something great but feel inadequate for the task. The enemy may seem huge--overwhelming even. But then…you visit the armory, Where the Map Ends, and everything changes.
Jeff Gerke, creator of
Where the Map Ends.
Jeff Gerke has put together an Armory for the Christian Writer. You want tips to improve your writing, click HERE. You want ideas to get you started or unblocked, click HERE. You want an overview of how to get published, click HERE. Agents, Advances, Marketing, Writing a Synopsis--it's all found at the click of a button on Where the Map Ends.Where the Map Ends.
Mannnn, if I'd only known all this about fifteen years ago…LOL
The main page of the Jeff's site is enough to stir the writing passion God has placed within you. Don't believe me? See what it did for author Christopher Hopper. But if the passion is already simmering, but you just don't know where to start, may I suggest you begin Where the Map Ends.
*Yes, I'm a LoTR geek and fiercely proud of it.
Sunday, February 18, 2007
Where the Map Ends...
The February CSFF Blog Tour ventures into new territory for the next coupla days. We won't be reviewing a book at all, but rather a righteous SciFi/Fantasy Website called:
Where the map ends.
I've only begun to explore its richness. But so far it seems to be a treasure trove for anyone who likes to write or read SciFi/Fantasy. I particularly enjoyed the interview with Frank Peretti.
The booklist ROCKS as well. Just make sure (ala the Matrix) that you take the RED pill.
More over the next coupla days. Click on the link above or in the sidebar to go…Where the map ends!
The booklist ROCKS as well. Just make sure (ala the Matrix) that you take the RED pill.
More over the next coupla days. Click on the link above or in the sidebar to go…Where the map ends!
Saturday, February 17, 2007
Suspense Technique #4
I don't know what kind of person you are. Maybe you're easy going. Things just roll off your back. Something doesn't go your way…no sweat. There's always the next time. Not me. Now in general, I am pretty easy going. I am a good listener. I'm calm. I rarely get so upset that I yell and scream or any of that. But when I set my expectations on something and it doesn't pan out…awwwwww shucks. I'm as mad as a hatter. I rant. I rave. I tell you if there's something I'm after I put "missile lock" on it and anything that gets in my way gets vaporized. I'm like a bull dog clamping down on a bone.
So why do I bring this up? Cheap therapy, you say? Well, maybe. But I really was just trying to preface the next Suspense Technique:
The whole expectations thing is pretty universal thing (maybe not to the degree I experience), but by and large when people set their hopes on something and it doesn't happen, we hurt or we get angry or in some cases, we try to get even. Heh, heh, heh.
When things don't meet our expectations, we get FRUSTRATED. Folks, this is the heart and soul of suspense. And not just at the beginning to hook the reader, but throughout the story to keep them hooked.
Here's what you do. You make it clear that your main character has some kind of goal he/she wants to achieve. Then you put every obstacle you can think of in the path of sed character to frustrate his/her efforts. You get to play God with the "smite" button as in the famed Far Side cartoon. Remember the golden rule of fiction: Just when you think it couldn't possibly get any worse for the main character, you make it worse.
But be careful. You can overdo this one. Every so often you throw your main character (and the reader) a bone. You let them have just a taste of fulfillment. And then…you yank the rug our from under them, and make them turn the page.
Here's an example:
There she was: Alison Wingate. She always walked home from school with the same group of her girlfriends. But at the corner of Maple St. and Elvis Lane, she always bid her friends a fond adieu. Six months, Bryce had planned it--since the beginning of summer. He'd had a crush on Alison since the 7th grade. Now they were seniors. And she'd finally dumped that meathead football player, Jake Thunder--butt or whatever his name was. Now was Bryce's chance. Every aspect of his plan had been meticulously mapped out. Nothing could go wrong.
Except that it could. Alison turned the corner, and Bryce stepped out into the sidewalk with the dozen exotic purple roses he'd ordered. But when Alison turned the corner, she wasn't alone. One of her girlfriends was still with her. Oh, no! Not Becky Snodgrass! Bryce looked at the roses and up the sidewalk to Alison and Becky. What if Becky thought they were for her? She would think that too. Becky had slipped him a most disturbing note during newspaper class. Bryce freaked. But what could he do? He saw Alison look up. Did she see him? He wasn't sure.
Roses and all, he dove into the bushes…and put his elbow right into a hornets nest. The black and white bees streamed out in an angry flood. He felt their stings even as he tore himself free from the bushes. Screaming, he came through the other side of the hedge, saw sparkling water and leaped for it.
He plunged deep into the swimming pool. The bees drowned but they stung him a few more times for good measure before they died. Bryce finally came up from the water and found himself face-to-face with a pit bull.
This is the 4th Contest in the Suspense Techniques Series. Come on, you know you want to make your characters miserable. Have at it. Winner gets either a signed copy of Isle of Swords or Door Within extended dance remix. ;-) Btw, I have not judged the previous entries. I'd still like to see a few more authors get involved first. And I use author correctly. Published or not yet published, you are authors.
So why do I bring this up? Cheap therapy, you say? Well, maybe. But I really was just trying to preface the next Suspense Technique:
FRUSTRATION
The whole expectations thing is pretty universal thing (maybe not to the degree I experience), but by and large when people set their hopes on something and it doesn't happen, we hurt or we get angry or in some cases, we try to get even. Heh, heh, heh.
When things don't meet our expectations, we get FRUSTRATED. Folks, this is the heart and soul of suspense. And not just at the beginning to hook the reader, but throughout the story to keep them hooked.
Here's what you do. You make it clear that your main character has some kind of goal he/she wants to achieve. Then you put every obstacle you can think of in the path of sed character to frustrate his/her efforts. You get to play God with the "smite" button as in the famed Far Side cartoon. Remember the golden rule of fiction: Just when you think it couldn't possibly get any worse for the main character, you make it worse.
But be careful. You can overdo this one. Every so often you throw your main character (and the reader) a bone. You let them have just a taste of fulfillment. And then…you yank the rug our from under them, and make them turn the page.
Here's an example:
There she was: Alison Wingate. She always walked home from school with the same group of her girlfriends. But at the corner of Maple St. and Elvis Lane, she always bid her friends a fond adieu. Six months, Bryce had planned it--since the beginning of summer. He'd had a crush on Alison since the 7th grade. Now they were seniors. And she'd finally dumped that meathead football player, Jake Thunder--butt or whatever his name was. Now was Bryce's chance. Every aspect of his plan had been meticulously mapped out. Nothing could go wrong.
Except that it could. Alison turned the corner, and Bryce stepped out into the sidewalk with the dozen exotic purple roses he'd ordered. But when Alison turned the corner, she wasn't alone. One of her girlfriends was still with her. Oh, no! Not Becky Snodgrass! Bryce looked at the roses and up the sidewalk to Alison and Becky. What if Becky thought they were for her? She would think that too. Becky had slipped him a most disturbing note during newspaper class. Bryce freaked. But what could he do? He saw Alison look up. Did she see him? He wasn't sure.
Roses and all, he dove into the bushes…and put his elbow right into a hornets nest. The black and white bees streamed out in an angry flood. He felt their stings even as he tore himself free from the bushes. Screaming, he came through the other side of the hedge, saw sparkling water and leaped for it.
He plunged deep into the swimming pool. The bees drowned but they stung him a few more times for good measure before they died. Bryce finally came up from the water and found himself face-to-face with a pit bull.
This is the 4th Contest in the Suspense Techniques Series. Come on, you know you want to make your characters miserable. Have at it. Winner gets either a signed copy of Isle of Swords or Door Within extended dance remix. ;-) Btw, I have not judged the previous entries. I'd still like to see a few more authors get involved first. And I use author correctly. Published or not yet published, you are authors.
Friday, February 16, 2007
Grand Slam Homerun--I can't believe how good this movie was.
I taught Language Arts in Anne Arundel County for eight years. My first year, someone handed me Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson. I read the book and just about fell out of my bed. I wondered, how did Katherine Paterson spy on me when I was ten without me ever knowing?! I was Jess Aarons. The crazy little kid who drew all the time; the one who made up adventures and imaginary worlds (shocked aren't you?).
So I was ecstatic to finally see a REAL movie made of such a wonderful book. My wife and I took all of our kids. I cannot possibly tell you how wonderful this movie was. Walden Media in cooperation with Disney stayed so true to the book (though the trailer would lead you to believe otherwise) that I found myself tearing up at parts that weren't sad, just accurate. That's so rare when a book goes to the sceen.
And afterward, my children and I spoke about things, things of God and heaven, and how we Christians never have to say goodbye, but only…until later. I'm telling you, RUN do not walk to see this movie! Tell all your friends and their friends. Introduce your friends to total strangers, and then tell them to see the movie also!
The Christian Community often decries the lack of quality family movies coming out of Hollywood, but we need to shell out the $$$ and support good stuff when it comes out. This is such a film. Katherine Paterson must be deliriously happy with the result. I know I was.
Author Talk with Christopher Hopper and Wayne Thomas Batson
You may remember a coupla weeks back I posted a few times about the tremendous opportunity I had to work with another fantasy author in what we termed, "Writer's Bootcamp." It was anything but a military drudgery. We had a creative field day, brainstorming and helping each other break through writer's block.
You may also remember that we spent quite a bit of time at a pub called The Banshee, crafting ideas in the spirit of (if not the genius of) Tolkien and Lewis. During that time, we set up a video camera and answered a few Frequently Asked Questions. Check out the video…if you're really bored. LOL
Oh, and if you're expecting "author clothes" and stuffy stilted "writer chat," you might not want to watch. ;-)
The video is above. Enjoy it if you have 10 minutes to kill. HA!!
You may also remember that we spent quite a bit of time at a pub called The Banshee, crafting ideas in the spirit of (if not the genius of) Tolkien and Lewis. During that time, we set up a video camera and answered a few Frequently Asked Questions. Check out the video…if you're really bored. LOL
Oh, and if you're expecting "author clothes" and stuffy stilted "writer chat," you might not want to watch. ;-)
The video is above. Enjoy it if you have 10 minutes to kill. HA!!
Thursday, February 15, 2007
Isle of Swords Final Cover!
Hey, Tommy Nelson Publishing just sent me the final artwork for the Isle of Swords cover! I'm getting SO stoked! Let me know what you think. If you were browsing the aisles at a bookstore, would you notice this?
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
In the meantime...
I'll be posting Suspense Technique #4 very soon!
But in the meantime, I have a quandary I'd like to run by readers and retailers. I'm a Christian, and I'm a writer, and my publisher is a Christian Publisher. My mission as a Christian Author is twofold: write good quality fiction and hopefully get my nonChristian readers to start thinking about the big questions of life--question for which IMHO Jesus is the only answer. I wrote The Door Within books so that someone familiar with the Bible would pick up on the allegories, the parallels, and the symbolism. But I wrote it with the intent that ANYONE could simply enjoy the thrilling adventure. Truth is there, but I don't want to be preachy.
So here's the issue: my books go to Christian Bookstores and Secular Bookstores. In a Christian bookstore, The Door Within Series (and presumably Isle of Swords) can be placed in a number of sections and still be found by readers shopping for new books.
BUT, in the secular chains: Borders, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, etc. my books are being shelved and displayed very differently. Borders shelves the books in with regular fiction, but the others put my books in "Religious Fiction" or worse, "Religion." The problem with the latter is that in these giant mainstream stores, the "Religious Fiction" sections tend to be squirreled away into tiny, very non-visible parts of the store. Guess how much traffic these little sections get? Yep. Not much--not compared to the regular fiction sections.
I've spoken to several store managers, and they agreed that it's the publisher who decides how a books should be labeled. The bookstores then shelve the stock according to the publisher prescribed label. So there's the rub: my publisher says where the books go, but I'm concerned that my books will miss half (or more than half) of my mission field.
Any thoughts? Where do you shop? And where do you look first? Or is this much ado about nothing?
But in the meantime, I have a quandary I'd like to run by readers and retailers. I'm a Christian, and I'm a writer, and my publisher is a Christian Publisher. My mission as a Christian Author is twofold: write good quality fiction and hopefully get my nonChristian readers to start thinking about the big questions of life--question for which IMHO Jesus is the only answer. I wrote The Door Within books so that someone familiar with the Bible would pick up on the allegories, the parallels, and the symbolism. But I wrote it with the intent that ANYONE could simply enjoy the thrilling adventure. Truth is there, but I don't want to be preachy.
So here's the issue: my books go to Christian Bookstores and Secular Bookstores. In a Christian bookstore, The Door Within Series (and presumably Isle of Swords) can be placed in a number of sections and still be found by readers shopping for new books.
BUT, in the secular chains: Borders, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, etc. my books are being shelved and displayed very differently. Borders shelves the books in with regular fiction, but the others put my books in "Religious Fiction" or worse, "Religion." The problem with the latter is that in these giant mainstream stores, the "Religious Fiction" sections tend to be squirreled away into tiny, very non-visible parts of the store. Guess how much traffic these little sections get? Yep. Not much--not compared to the regular fiction sections.
I've spoken to several store managers, and they agreed that it's the publisher who decides how a books should be labeled. The bookstores then shelve the stock according to the publisher prescribed label. So there's the rub: my publisher says where the books go, but I'm concerned that my books will miss half (or more than half) of my mission field.
Any thoughts? Where do you shop? And where do you look first? Or is this much ado about nothing?
Sunday, February 11, 2007
Suspense Technique #3
The term "cliffhanger" embodies the concept of the 3rd Suspense Technique. It brings to mind visions of a main character (Sylvester Stallone, maybe?), dangling by one hand from the edge of a precipice. One wrong move, even a breath of wind, and your hero will plummet to a most unsavory death. And unlike the Coyote in the Roadrunner cartoons, this death will be pretty final. ;-) And on TV, the words "To be continued..." usually pop up at the worst possible moment leaving the main character in his/predicament (and you the viewer as well) until the next episode. Putting a character in peril is a great way to hook your readers. The 3rd Suspense Technique:
There are also subtle ways to create peril. What you do is create implied danger. A menacing shadow, a stranger following the hero but staying just out of sight, the doctor looking at the hero's test results and shaking his head. I like this kind of danger because it allows the reader's imagination to go crazy. Lovecraft, the father of modern horror was a master of this. The villain you don't see is often scarier than the one you do see.
Here's an example:
1. Rachael stared at the gray expanse before her. Now that the bridge was destroyed, the web was the only way to cross the gorge and rescue her baby sister from the Varlocks. Rachel knew the web was strong enough to bear her weight. But, if it came to it, Rachael would gladly accept a quick fall and a painless death, smashed upon the rocks below. It was the alternative that concerned her more. The spider rumored to cling inverted beneath the web, waiting for the vibrations of something edible prancing upon her web--that was the fear. For death in the webs of this creature would mean long and slow, endless pain, as the creatures digestive fluids, cell by cell, consumed Rachael's flesh. Rachael clenched her fists and stepped out onto the web.
The contest and reward are the same for this technique. Good luck.
PERIL
Certain genres are more conducive to this technique. Fantasy is certainly wide open for it. There are a couple of ways to pull off peril. One is obvious physical peril--an unsuspecting lass walking beneath a falling piano, a young guy racing his motorbike towards a gaping chasm, or as in The Door Within, a young hero being chased by a bad guy with two pointy swords.There are also subtle ways to create peril. What you do is create implied danger. A menacing shadow, a stranger following the hero but staying just out of sight, the doctor looking at the hero's test results and shaking his head. I like this kind of danger because it allows the reader's imagination to go crazy. Lovecraft, the father of modern horror was a master of this. The villain you don't see is often scarier than the one you do see.
Here's an example:
1. Rachael stared at the gray expanse before her. Now that the bridge was destroyed, the web was the only way to cross the gorge and rescue her baby sister from the Varlocks. Rachel knew the web was strong enough to bear her weight. But, if it came to it, Rachael would gladly accept a quick fall and a painless death, smashed upon the rocks below. It was the alternative that concerned her more. The spider rumored to cling inverted beneath the web, waiting for the vibrations of something edible prancing upon her web--that was the fear. For death in the webs of this creature would mean long and slow, endless pain, as the creatures digestive fluids, cell by cell, consumed Rachael's flesh. Rachael clenched her fists and stepped out onto the web.
The contest and reward are the same for this technique. Good luck.
Thursday, February 08, 2007
Suspense Technique #2
Tonight's suspense technique is in one aspect related to Mystery. In fact, when you think about it, all suspense techniques begin with a kind of mystery.
Tonight, we take a look at the suspenseful power of:
Suppose you're walking through a park and come across a little girl sitting on the curb and sobbing uncontrollably. What's the first thing you'll ask her? "What's wrong, sweetie?"
Okay, maybe "sweetie" isn't your style, but I bet you'd still ask her what's wrong. It's only natural when we see someone experiencing some intense emotion to wonder why? For this technique to work, you begin your tale with a main character exhibiting an intense emotion. It doesn't have to be sadness. It can be any emotion at all. Just make it intense. Intense anger, intense fear, intense anxiety, intense joy--Intense! And, as always, remember to show not tell.
This type of hook works because the reader wonders WHY the character is so happy, sad, angry, etc. The reader reads on to find out.
Here's an example:
1. Detective Black glanced back over his shoulder. His partner--for once--had been true to his word and driven away after dropping Black off. A cool wind whispered through the pines and pulled at the last brown, shriveled leaves that fall had not claimed from the oaks. Black navigated the stones with detached familiarity. He'd been there enough, but he was not at home there…never would be.
Black's knees buckled as he walked around the hill. He saw the stone. He saw the dates. He saw the name. He swallowed back his guts and approached the site. He pulled a small brown mass from his coat. It was a little stuffed bear wearing a football helmet. He gently laid it by the stone. I very like that, Daddy, he would have said. No strength could hold back the torrent. He fell to his knees and embraced the stone. His body wracked with sobs. He choked, trying in vain to say his name.
Feel like you've got the hang of the Intense Emotion Suspense Technique?
Now, it's your turn. Write an opening line, paragraph or two that
will really hook us using Intense Emotion. Post it here.
Once I have twenty or thirty of them, I'll have my veteran Quality Fiction Team {ie: my lovely wife and me} select a winner who will receive a signed copy of Isle of Swords OR
The Door Within Paperback with "Lost Chapters!"
Only two entries per person, so get crafting and submit them when they are ready!
Tonight, we take a look at the suspenseful power of:
INTENSE EMOTION
Suppose you're walking through a park and come across a little girl sitting on the curb and sobbing uncontrollably. What's the first thing you'll ask her? "What's wrong, sweetie?"
Okay, maybe "sweetie" isn't your style, but I bet you'd still ask her what's wrong. It's only natural when we see someone experiencing some intense emotion to wonder why? For this technique to work, you begin your tale with a main character exhibiting an intense emotion. It doesn't have to be sadness. It can be any emotion at all. Just make it intense. Intense anger, intense fear, intense anxiety, intense joy--Intense! And, as always, remember to show not tell.
This type of hook works because the reader wonders WHY the character is so happy, sad, angry, etc. The reader reads on to find out.
Here's an example:
1. Detective Black glanced back over his shoulder. His partner--for once--had been true to his word and driven away after dropping Black off. A cool wind whispered through the pines and pulled at the last brown, shriveled leaves that fall had not claimed from the oaks. Black navigated the stones with detached familiarity. He'd been there enough, but he was not at home there…never would be.
Black's knees buckled as he walked around the hill. He saw the stone. He saw the dates. He saw the name. He swallowed back his guts and approached the site. He pulled a small brown mass from his coat. It was a little stuffed bear wearing a football helmet. He gently laid it by the stone. I very like that, Daddy, he would have said. No strength could hold back the torrent. He fell to his knees and embraced the stone. His body wracked with sobs. He choked, trying in vain to say his name.
Feel like you've got the hang of the Intense Emotion Suspense Technique?
Now, it's your turn. Write an opening line, paragraph or two that
will really hook us using Intense Emotion. Post it here.
Once I have twenty or thirty of them, I'll have my veteran Quality Fiction Team {ie: my lovely wife and me} select a winner who will receive a signed copy of Isle of Swords OR
The Door Within Paperback with "Lost Chapters!"
Only two entries per person, so get crafting and submit them when they are ready!
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
Suspense Technique #1
Suspense Technique #1 of 7
I begin with a golden oldie, tried-and-true, and probably already familiar to you:
Mystery fiction and thriller fiction often begin with a crime: a theft, a kidnapping, a murder. There are interesting clues left at the scene (or no clues), but the case is as of yet unsolved by the detective/ protagonist--and especially not by the reader!
But to employ this technique, you don't need to be writing a traditional detective story within the mystery genre. You can hook the reader with mystery in any genre you write. Just begin the story with something that is unknown to the reader and make it as alluring as possible. And try to do this right at the beginning of your tale. Here are some examples of how mystery might be employed in the opening lines:
1. The voice on the other end of the phone was frantic, breathless…urgent. "Go! Go now!" he said. "It's locker 44 in the basement of the train station."
"I don't understand," Margaret said. "How does this involve me--?"
"Shut up!" said the voice. "There's no time. Go now. If the others find out you have the key, they'll do anything to stop you."
"I'm calling the police," Margaret said, wiping tears away. "I'll give them the key."
"I wouldn't blame you," said the voice. "But if the police go to that locker, they won't find what you can find if you go RIGHT NOW. Margaret, I'm begging you. Go to the locker now. If you don't, you'll miss the one chance to change the way you are. You know what I'm talking about…don't you, Margaret?"
Okay, so here we have mystery on several levels: a) what in the world is in the locker? b) who is this person on the other end of the line? c) Who else is after the key? d) What is it about herself that Margaret wants desperately to change? e) And finally, how will whatever is in the locker help Margaret change?
Here's another:
2. Zach knew better than to upset his grandfather. The guy was pushing seventy, but he still had broad shoulders and those ridiculously swollen forearms from thirty some-odd years working as a blacksmith. His temper, like the hot coals in his forge, was not to be trifled with. Still Zach wanted to know, and for the first time in a hundred visits to Grandpa's house, the old man had left the storm doors unlocked.
A little more subtle here. a) Zach knew better--how? b) What did Zach want to know? c) Why had Zach's grandfather kept the storm doors locked? d) And what is down in the storm cellar?
Last one:
3. "Get him out of here!" commanded Nazlund, pointing through the window at the approaching shadow of Lysander on the front walk. For a moment, Isabelle thought Nazlund might conjure a lightning bolt, but thankfully, the guards ran to the door and intercepted Lysander.
"Troublemaker," Nazlund muttered.
Isabelle nodded. That's exactly what Lysander was. The nerve of that old wizard scaring me like that. "Beware of the child you carry," he says. How dare he--"Oh, OH!! It's happening. Ah, the pain! Help me!"
Nursemaids flew into action, and Nazlund stepped aside to let them work. "Bear down, m'lady," said one of the maids.
"Here it comes," said the other.
Isabelle grunted and pushed with all her might. She could feel the pressure, and then…a sudden release. The room went silent. The nursemaids stared. Even Nazlund backed away.
"What?" Isabelle cried. "What's wrong with my child?"
Yike, every mother's nightmare. The mystery here includes: 1) What does Lysander the wizard know about Isabelle's child? 2) Is Nazlund the one Isabelle should be listening to? 3) And of course, what is wrong with Isabelle's child?
Feel like you've got the hang of the Mystery Suspense Technique?
I begin with a golden oldie, tried-and-true, and probably already familiar to you:
MYSTERY
This type of hook has been around since the dawn of fiction, but if anything, it has only become a more potent force with age. Mystery simply means to show the reader a glimpse of something enticing, but not tell them what it is…yet.Mystery fiction and thriller fiction often begin with a crime: a theft, a kidnapping, a murder. There are interesting clues left at the scene (or no clues), but the case is as of yet unsolved by the detective/ protagonist--and especially not by the reader!
But to employ this technique, you don't need to be writing a traditional detective story within the mystery genre. You can hook the reader with mystery in any genre you write. Just begin the story with something that is unknown to the reader and make it as alluring as possible. And try to do this right at the beginning of your tale. Here are some examples of how mystery might be employed in the opening lines:
1. The voice on the other end of the phone was frantic, breathless…urgent. "Go! Go now!" he said. "It's locker 44 in the basement of the train station."
"I don't understand," Margaret said. "How does this involve me--?"
"Shut up!" said the voice. "There's no time. Go now. If the others find out you have the key, they'll do anything to stop you."
"I'm calling the police," Margaret said, wiping tears away. "I'll give them the key."
"I wouldn't blame you," said the voice. "But if the police go to that locker, they won't find what you can find if you go RIGHT NOW. Margaret, I'm begging you. Go to the locker now. If you don't, you'll miss the one chance to change the way you are. You know what I'm talking about…don't you, Margaret?"
Okay, so here we have mystery on several levels: a) what in the world is in the locker? b) who is this person on the other end of the line? c) Who else is after the key? d) What is it about herself that Margaret wants desperately to change? e) And finally, how will whatever is in the locker help Margaret change?
Here's another:
2. Zach knew better than to upset his grandfather. The guy was pushing seventy, but he still had broad shoulders and those ridiculously swollen forearms from thirty some-odd years working as a blacksmith. His temper, like the hot coals in his forge, was not to be trifled with. Still Zach wanted to know, and for the first time in a hundred visits to Grandpa's house, the old man had left the storm doors unlocked.
A little more subtle here. a) Zach knew better--how? b) What did Zach want to know? c) Why had Zach's grandfather kept the storm doors locked? d) And what is down in the storm cellar?
Last one:
3. "Get him out of here!" commanded Nazlund, pointing through the window at the approaching shadow of Lysander on the front walk. For a moment, Isabelle thought Nazlund might conjure a lightning bolt, but thankfully, the guards ran to the door and intercepted Lysander.
"Troublemaker," Nazlund muttered.
Isabelle nodded. That's exactly what Lysander was. The nerve of that old wizard scaring me like that. "Beware of the child you carry," he says. How dare he--"Oh, OH!! It's happening. Ah, the pain! Help me!"
Nursemaids flew into action, and Nazlund stepped aside to let them work. "Bear down, m'lady," said one of the maids.
"Here it comes," said the other.
Isabelle grunted and pushed with all her might. She could feel the pressure, and then…a sudden release. The room went silent. The nursemaids stared. Even Nazlund backed away.
"What?" Isabelle cried. "What's wrong with my child?"
Yike, every mother's nightmare. The mystery here includes: 1) What does Lysander the wizard know about Isabelle's child? 2) Is Nazlund the one Isabelle should be listening to? 3) And of course, what is wrong with Isabelle's child?
Feel like you've got the hang of the Mystery Suspense Technique?
Now, it's your turn. Write an opening line, paragraph or two that
will really hook us using mystery. Post it here.
Once I have twenty or thirty of them, I'll have my veteran Quality Fiction Team {ie: my lovely wife and me} select a winner who will receive a signed copy of Isle of Swords OR
The Door Within Paperback with "Lost Chapters!"
Only two entries per person, so get crafting and submit them when they are ready!
will really hook us using mystery. Post it here.
Once I have twenty or thirty of them, I'll have my veteran Quality Fiction Team {ie: my lovely wife and me} select a winner who will receive a signed copy of Isle of Swords OR
The Door Within Paperback with "Lost Chapters!"
Only two entries per person, so get crafting and submit them when they are ready!
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