The Joys of Editing...

Two Points in this post:

1. The first is an excuse for not posting for a week or so. My edits have just come back for Isle of Fire. So far there aren't any major issues…so far. My editor rocks, and she claims that most of what I need to fix are polishing types of things. Hmmm...we'll see if that holds true. lol Either way, I need to put nose to the grindstone on this, so I'll be sparse in my posts and comments for a time.

2. About Editing. I talk to students quite often, and one message I want to get across to them is "Don't hate your editor." Your editor is like a surgeon--their cuts are made to heal, to cure, to improve.

Still the edits hurt. It feels like rejection...like my ideas aren't good enough. I've discovered that each set of edits is a bit of a puzzle to be solved.

Some edits are "DUH!" things where I have one character with blond hair in chapter 3 and red hair in chapter 18. OOPS. Others are logic things: the moon can't be full because it was full so many days ago. Others are grammar things. All of those are relatively easy to fix.

But what do you do when the editor wants you to change something big? What do you do then? How do you decide when to go to war on something? For me, it comes down to the following grid:

__Is the suggestion something that will fundamentally change the story?
__Is the change an improvement to the story?
__Does the scene/idea work for its intended audience? (helps to test it with readers)
__Does the editor have a valid reason for the change?
__Is there a compromise--something that keeps what I want while granting what the editor wants?
__Am I resistant to the change simply because of ego, or do I really have a good reason for NOT making the change?

How do you deal with edits? Are there other questions that come up when crossing pens with an editor?

Cool New Fan Art!

This righteous image brought to you by Sir Jared of Harrison. Bravisimo, Jared!

Okay, who knows what this piece of artwork depicts? ;-)

The Hunt Continues...and Misc Cool Items of Interest

Ahhhhh, the turkey is done. Delicious, I must say. My mom makes this spectacular stuffing with sausage and walnuts in it--YUM! {Ducks as shirt button pops off and ricochets around the room} Wow.

Misc. Cool Item of Interest #1: Just discovered that Rob Bedford over at supercool fantasy mecca SSFworld.com has a review up for Isle of Swords. Check it out by clicking the link below. For Misc. Cool Item of Interest #2, read all the way to the bottom. I promise it will be worth your while.

Isle of Swords Review from Rob H. Bedford at ScienceFiction and Fantasy World

AND...

Just a reminder that you have until Christmas 2007 (Just one month left) to *enter the:

Isle of Swords Treasure Hunt

*By the way, all it takes to enter is to post here saying, I'm in!
**Holiday Shopping time is upon us. Know anyone who likes fantasy or pirate adventure? Buy 'em a Door Within or Isle of Swords book and join the contest!

Here are the details once more for anyone new to The Hunt:

Might Ye Be Lookin' Fer Treasure?

Announcing the Isle of Swords Treasure Hunt Extravaganza!

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

The Top FIVE Adventurers who accumulate the Treasure Points will receive a signed book of their choice. AND for each of the top 5, 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 might want to go with something a little more fantasy-ish.

For the #1 Treasure Points getter, 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!

*No Guarantee that your character won't get killed off in some horribly unpleasant manner.


Your mission, should you choose to--ah, you know the rest--is simply this accumulate the Most Treasure Points possible by Christmas 2007 by completing any and all of the tasks listed below:

Treasure Points Tasks Key

5 Treasure Points:
•Mention ANY of my books in a blog thread--your blog or someone else's--post the link in your comment.
•Recommend ANY of my books to someone you know--say who it was.
•Post a link to my blog anywhere on your blog--then, post the link here.
•Post a review of any of my books on a non-review site like a blog, school page, etc. Post a link here.

10 Treasure Points:
•Write a review of any of my books on Amazon or any online review site. Post the link for the review once it's up.
•Post cover artwork from any of my books on your blog and make it a link to Amazon or CBD. Post the link in your comment on this thread.
•Post a link for my book's Amazon or CBD page on your blog. Then, post the link here.

20 Treasure Points:
•Write a review of any of my books and post it on three different online review sites. Post the link for the review here once it's up.

25 Treasure Points:
•Recommend ANY of my books to someone you know--say who it was. And then, this person chose to buy the book!
•Spot ANY of my books in a bookstore outside of the state in which you live. Post here to let us know where and when.

50 Treasure Points:
•Buy a copy of Isle of Swords and post when and where you bought it.
•Buy any of The Door Within Books and post when and where you bought it.
•Write a review of ALL of my books and post ALL of them on THREE online review sites. Post the links for the reviews once they're up.
•Buy a copy of any book by one of the Fantasy Fiction Tour Authors: Sharon Hinck, Bryan Davis, and Christopher Hopper.
•Create an Amazon Listmania List that includes The Door Within Books and Isle of Swords.
• Write AND present a book report on any Wayne Thomas Batson, Bryan Davis, Christopher Hopper, or Sharon Hinck book at school. 100pts. if you earn an A+ for that assignment.

75 Treasure Points:
•Go to a store that does not carry my books and special order it from that store.
•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.

100 Treasure Points:
•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.
•Buy one copy of EACH of the Fantasy Fiction Tour Authors: Sharon Hinck, Bryan Davis, Wayne Thomas Batson, and Christopher Hopper. (4 Books total) Post here to say where and when.
•Buy both of Christopher Hopper's books: Rise of the Dibor and The Lion Vrie. Post here to say where and when.
•Buy both of Sharon Hinck's Sword of Lyric Books: Restorer and Restorer's Son. Post here to say where and when.

400 Treasure Points:
•Buy The Door Within, Rise of the Wyrm Lord, The Final Storm, and Isle of Swords (ALL FOUR of my books). Post here and tell where you bought them and when.
•Buy all of Bryan Davis's Dragons in Our Midst Books (4) Post here to say where and when.


Note: Each of the preceding MAY be repeated as many times as you like.

Note #2: Each of the preceding must be performed from this day (September 18th, 2007) forward. But, upon further review, I have decided to allow contestants to count THREE past book purchases for Treasure Points. So, if you bought The Door Within, Rise of the Wyrm Lord, and The Final Storm last year, you can count those three, but no others.

Note #3: To claim ANY Treasure Points, you must post a comment on THIS thread explaining how you accomplished it.

Note #4: I may add to the list of Treasure Point Tasks at any time--and likely will because my twisted mind is always churning...

Note #5: 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 #6: You cannot kill several birds with one stone. Make sure you indicate in your post how many Treasure Points your accomplishment earned you. In other words, you can't buy one copy of The Door Within, count it for 25 points and then count it AGAIN once you buy the whole series 100 points.

Note #7: Any and all of the requirements are subject to change as I see how this develops. I want to keep it fair.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Misc. Cool Item of Interest #2: Remember we just learned that Corner of the Sky Entertainment decided not to pursue The Door Within Trilogy for a future movie? Well, I've recently learned that another incredible opportunity may be on the horizon. I can't give details yet, but soon, a very connected person on the West Coast will be getting copies of The Door Within Trilogy and Isle of Swords for review. If he likes what he reads…good things could happen.

Please pray. I'll provide more details when I can.

Never alone.

--Wayne Thomas Batson

A Visit to Second Baptist School, Houston Texas Part 1

I'm not even sure how she got my contact information. But about a year ago, I got an email from Brenda McManus, Head of Media Services at Second Baptist School of Houston, Texas. She wondered if I might be interested in coming down to Houston for a school visit. My initial thought was, "Sure…I'd love to come to Texas, but it's a bit of a hike from Maryland." Brenda didn't flinch. She made it possible for me to fly down to Houston and even set me up in the most unique hotel I've ever been in, the Hotel Indigo. Everyone I met at Second Baptist thanked me for coming, but…really, I was the one who was treated to a special event.
Here are some pics from the event.

Photo #1

Photo #2

Photo #3

Photo #4

Photo #5

Photo #6

Okay, creative visitors to EtDW, what would be a funny caption for any of the photos above?

Much more on this incredible visit in a future post.

This Just In...

I've just heard from my contact at Corner of the Sky Entertainment. It looks like The Door Within Trilogy is not their idea of movie material. There's a chance they will provide me with some contacts at other production companies who might be interested. I'll keep you posted.

Funny…I don't feel disappointed. God said No, for now. That's all I need to know. His plans are the best plans. His timing is the best timing. And besides...

I hear Peter Jackson is busy now anyway. ;-)

Suspense Technique Contest: The Trail of Breadcrumbs...and the Winner is:

You probably thought I forgot about the Suspense Techniques Contest! Nope. I was just snowed under by a deadline. But now that I am up and breathing again, I'd like to announce the winner of the 5th Segment of the Contest: Trail of Bread Crumbs. This is when an author employs foreshadowing to hint at larger, more important events to come.

I know this was a struggle for many of the writers who frequent EtDW. But in the end, I think we ended up with some VERRRRY promising work. I could totally see some of these being published--that is, of course, if the authors can fill a manuscript with such high-caliber material.

Afters several reads, I must grant the well-earned win to...{waits for suitable drum roll and fanfare} {Beautiful wife Mary Lu hands him envelope, sealed with gold trim.} {Slowly, unbearably slowly, he tears at the seal.} {He yelps after enduring a level 5 Paper cut.} {Opens the envelope and clears throat}

And the winner is...
Everlasting Scribe

Here's her winning entry:

“Lie down ole bones, lie down”
“Lie down old bones, lie down,
Don’t you know that you are dead?
You are, dead and buried dead and buried,
And so you can not dance, no, you can not dance”

The words piped out, tangling the brightness with mischief, and seemed to scuttle along the before Mynasthoa. He frowned slightly, and left the shade where he’d been playing hide and find with the nooning brightness of Aledal’s suns. The intensity of the light rolled over him like honey filling up all of his senses and threatening to overload them. Mynasthoa took several deep breaths, blinking in the brightness, and the light finally gave up the disorientation slid away.

“Lie down ole bones, lie down”
“Lie down old bones, lie down,”

The rhyme he’d known in his childhood repeated itself in a breathy taunt, though it sounded as if it were coming from behind rather than in front as it had when it started. The singer had to be very near him.

Mynasthoa turned slightly as several people pressed pass him; there were two venders trotting behind their push carts of wares, headed to the scarlet awnings on the other side of the avenue to show their goods to those trapped there by the brilliance of the nooning hour, a man and two small girls that held hands tightly and ran along the near side of the street, perhaps looking for the other half of their family, and a pair of street artists running for cover their caps jingling with coins they’d earned from telling stories to the stranded shoppers.

No Aledalian child would be familiar with the chant, he ran a hand through his hair smearing his fingertips with grit and sweat, before giving his locks a gentle tug as if that would release the answer from where it was hiding in his mind. It wasn’t something that a merchant would sing; it was too provoking and rude to be found in a salesman’s mouth. No Talebearer would start off their roll of stories with something so archaic, stories of heroes and daring escapes and kings and princesses running afoul of luck and then having everything turn out well, were what people wanted to hear.

“Don’t you know that you are dead?
You are, dead and buried dead and buried”


Mynasthoa scowled and turned on his heel moving back under the protective awning but as he did so, his long coat brushed up against his back and then whispered out again as someone insinuated an arm between his ribs and inside coat pocket

“Stars take it” he swore and spun with the motion of the intruder, catching a wrist and yanking the thief hard against himself. Dust scuffled up from the cracked stone road, and he felt the gazes of the clustered citizens snap to him as his prisoner writhed and twisted.

“Ah, there will be no biting, for I will bite you back and you’ll go home with half a hand” he warned as the pick pocket lowed their head and he felt teeth set against his knuckles. There was a hoarse word and he laughed. “Manners now, manners. And I caught you out, so by law you owe me seven times what you took” There was a hard inhale from the small frame and then Mynasthoa’s leather courier roll dropped onto the ground. So that’s what they’d been after. Odd.

“Now that’s a start, much better one than trying to rob this old man” Mynasthoa smiled grimly “Tell you what, I’ll take what is mine and you keep what is yours and we’ll be friends. What do you say to that?”

“I’d say that you never were one for knowing what was yours and what wasn’t” the thief murmured. Mynasthoa’s eyes widened and the tension in his arms slacked on the other frame, just enough. The thief broke his hold and spun away from him, dipping down between his feet a moment to snatch the dropped papers and then she straightened, black hair fierce in the brightness and eyes that were too blue to be purple and too purple to blue looked straight into his own. She slipped the paper down inside her jerkin and straightened her arm. A cylinder twanged into her hand and she squeezed it, out shot two lengths of pole and she stepped to the side, twirling the staff through her long fingers. “I wonder though, dear Rulebook, if in our time apart perhaps finally you’ve learned how to dance.” He backed away, giving ground and fumbled for his own calibone as her collapsible one struck at his boot tips.

Wayne's Take:
Scribe, this is your second win. I'm wondering if you've got a future bestseller squirreled away here. Seriously, the foreshadowing you employ is top shelf. The old poem about bones and death serves to add historical authenticity, but you absolutely must have something planned for that later on. The dialogue also drops hints, I think. The supposed thief and the Mynasthoa have a history, and we readers are dying to know what it is. Brilliant stuff. Email me and let me know what book and for whom you'd like it signed.

Honorable Mentions to: Josh (okay, what lurks below deck?) Patrick (not really the overwhelming suspense--trail of breadcrumbs, per se, but just too good a story not to mention.) Eve (Love the potion concoction and the tension).

There's still time to enter suspense technique #6 and especially #7. I'm not quite sure "The What If Twist" technique came clear. Hmmm....

Write on!

-WtB

From the files...

Getting ready to teach a poetry introduction to my English classes, I delved into my digital file folders and found a bunch of poems I wrote in 2002. They were all from portfolio of poetry I wrote for a class at McDaniel college. Amazing class! Published Poet Kathy Mangan taught the course--and taught me SO much about writing...the economy of language, muscular verbs, enjambment, etc. Here's one of my favorites:

During the Game

One moment--I’m there, in my easy
chair. Monday Night Football flickers before my vacant
stare as my wife folds
laundry in the bedroom upstairs.
The children finally put away
for the night, exhausted from activities--tag, catch, kick
the can--that I did not share
with them. I recline in peace,
my fingers coated with salt, spice, grease,
my tongue still wet from my last drink.
The two minute warning, I begin to stand breath caught
heart stut-
ters, mind tingles, gray fringes close
in, vision fading.
Pressure, like a phantom
standing on my chest, crushesmebent-
over in agony as tiny knives
jog from my shoulder down my arm.
Next moment--the only
thing that matters, my
wife’s hand gripping
mine through the cold
rails of the hospital bed.

Funny how life can change in an instant. And until that sudden moment, how easy it is to take things…people for granted. So what about you? Are you cherishing the blessing of life? Are there people and things you need to be more attentive to?

Borders at the Woodlands

Had a great signing at the Borders Bookstore at the Woodlands (Just outside of Houston) here in Texas. And as the saying goes, they do things BIG in Texas! This was a monster of a Borders store.

Leslie, the store manager, had a great spot for me in the front of the store. We later decided that we would set up chairs and do a few readings upstairs. A couple of families showed up right away. These were fans of The Door Within books and had just purchased Isle of Swords. Very nice people...very happy with my books, so I was very grateful. The evening wet very well. I had the opportunity to hand-sell and introduce my books to a dozen new readers--always a good thing.

I read "Echoes of Cannon Fire" and "Race for the Mill." Lots of fun. Can I just tell you, I love reading scenes with Jacques St. Pierre. He's such a winning maniac! lol

Funny anecdote. Do you know what happens to people who come to a toll booth but don't have the cash money to pay? I didn't know either...until this afternoon. My publicist picked me up and drove us to the Borders event on I610. Apparently, I610 is a toll road. Who knew? We hit the first toll booth, and my publicist says, "Uh, oh. I don't have any cash." I reach for my wallet. "Uh, oh. I don't have cash either."

So my publicist gets a ticket. Off we go. Five miles later, another toll booth. Repeat steps 1-3, and now my publicist has two tickets. I610, a toll road. Who knew? Now we know. lol

Hello from Houston...

I'm in Houston now. Very nice accommodations here at the Hotel Indigo. I feel more like I'm in the Caribbean than in Texas---not a bad thing, mind. My swords and I made the trip in one piece. Had the strangest bout of in-flight-fear on the way. Usually, I have no troubles with flying, enjoy it actually. But for whatever reason, every bump of turbulence gave me the heebie jeebies. I kept having thoughts of there being nothing I could do if something went wrong--no back up plan, no escape. YIPE. I prayed A LOT--not a bad thing, mind.



See what I mean about the hotel? I feel like I'm sleeping in a tropical aquarium. lol. More tomorrow after the signing at Borders. I also plan to do some writings on Dark Sea Annals. I am SO stoked about this series! More on this soon.

Never alone!

Houston...we have no problem.

Well, I'm off to Houston, Tx. tomorrow. Never been to Houston. 2nd Baptist Church School has invited me to come down and present Door Within and Isle of Swords to their students. Really looking forward to it. I also have a signing event at a Houston Borders store. Borders has SO been behind the Door Within books and Isle of Swords, so I hope I can sell a ton of books for them. Who knows? Have sword, will travel. Please pray that my swords make it onto the plane. LOL. Oh, and that I do too.

Reuters National TV Interview: Oct. 18, 2007

A subtitle to this post should be: "And How Not to Get from JFK International Airport to Downtown NYC." You would not believe the hassles I went through to make this interview. lol Note to self: Next time, take the subway.

For those of you unfamiliar with Reuters, they are an international news service that covers news all over the world and then supplies other news agencies who could not cover such stories first hand. They are to TV what the Associated Press is to print news.

My good friend and swordbrother, Christopher Hopper was kind enough to share the spotlight with me in NYC. Sir Christopher had been invited by Reuters Journalist Natasha Israni to do an interview discussing the growth of Christian Fantasy and a myriad of other topics. Afterward, Ms. Israni interviewed me on the same subjects. All I can say is thank you God for such an opportunity. And Ms. Israni was a wonderful interviewer. She had a disarming spirit about her. Christopher and I both felt very comfortable.

The TV feature will be available in about 2 Weeks, and I will post a link as soon as I get it. But in the mean time, Christopher's talented wife (unbeknownst to me) did a little filming and put together a nice video to give you a flavor of the experience. Thanks, Jennifer. And major props to Grandath Films.

Hope you enjoy:

The Joy of Clicking SEND

I just sent the manuscript of Isle of Fire off to my publishers. I cannot tell you what a magnificent feeling of exhilaration that was. The joy, the relief...the cosmic sigh. lol

This was by far the most difficult book to write--not because there were problems with the plot or writers block. But the deadline was the tightest I've ever had. Up til now the fastest I've ever had to write a book was 5 months for Rise of the Wyrm Lord. This one, I had to write in a little more than three months.

There were many times when I just didn't think I would make the deadline. There were times when I wanted to quit. This has been a tough fall for me and my family. Stealing hours and days from my wife and children just as the kid begin the school year and my wife begins a new career was not what anyone needed.

The thing is, God made it happen. God was faithful with the ideas. He supplied the time through those around me and various amazing circumstances. And the book is finished and off for review.

Of course, it'll be back soon. No doubt with many things to fix. {sigh}

Bark of the Bog Owl by Jonathan Rogers: CSFF Blog Tour Day 1

I must admit I initially avoided Bark of the Bog Owl when I saw it sitting on the shelf in Christian Bookstores. I noticed it for sure. How could I not? Very cool, ancient-looking cover, complete with mysterious heraldric symbols and gator-skin.

But as I read the blurb, it came off to me as being for much younger children. So, shamefully, I didn't give it a try. That was until my son Bryce took an interest in reading. Of course, none of my kids want to read my books, but they'll read just about anything else I give them. So I picked up Bog Owl.

One word review: ENCHANTING.

OK, I lied. More words coming up: Seriously though, BotBO was enchanting--the kind of tale that knocks down the walls of your cubicle and whisks you off to some place other. My boys and I couldn't wait to jump back into Corenwald--esp. when we got to read more about the Feechies! Original Fantasy Race Award for Mr. Rogers for his fascinating Feechies.

That's my one complaint, however, not enough Feechie action. But that's minor. My boys and I loved the book. Sir Jonathan is a gifted storyteller, and, by all accounts, a true gentleman.

Treasure Hunt Update!

Hello, all! I'm happy to say I've met the deadline for Isle of Fire--thank you for the prayers and most of all THANK YOU, GOD!! More on that soon. Look for a post called "The Joys of Clicking Send" coming soon.

I wanted to UPDATE everyone on the Isle of Swords Treasure Hunt Contest. See the sidebar for new scores.

From now on, please post your new accomplishments as COMMENTS on this POST. I've listed the rules below for easy reference. Note the new Point Getter: Book Reports in School.

Also, if you're new to the contest, please don't feel like you cannot possibly catch up. You absolutely can. We have now entered the preChristmas corridor. Buying books as gifts could allow you to amp up your points in a hurry.

There are also lots of nonCostly methods of adding up the points: recommending the books is really easy, esp. if you make a recommendation to lots of friends.

And remember, all of the tasks are repeatable. I mean you can't post the same review twice on Amazon, but you CAN post the same review on a GaZillion different review sites.

Until next time: Never Alone!

5 Treasure Points:
•Mention ANY of my books in a blog thread--your blog or someone else's--post the link in your comment.
•Recommend ANY of my books to someone you know--say who it was.
•Post a link to my blog anywhere on your blog--then, post the link here.
•Post a review of any of my books on a non-review site like a blog, school page, etc. Post a link here.

10 Treasure Points:
•Write a review of any of my books on Amazon or any online review site. Post the link for the review once it's up.
•Post cover artwork from any of my books on your blog and make it a link to Amazon or CBD. Post the link in your comment on this thread.
•Post a link for my book's Amazon or CBD page on your blog. Then, post the link here.

20 Treasure Points:
•Write a review of any of my books and post it on three different online review sites. Post the link for the review here once it's up.

25 Treasure Points:
•Recommend ANY of my books to someone you know--say who it was. And then, this person chose to buy the book!
•Spot ANY of my books in a bookstore outside of the state in which you live. Post here to let us know where and when.

50 Treasure Points:
•Buy a copy of Isle of Swords and post when and where you bought it.
•Buy any of The Door Within Books and post when and where you bought it.
•Write a review of ALL of my books and post ALL of them on THREE online review sites. Post the links for the reviews once they're up.
•Buy a copy of any book by one of the Fantasy Fiction Tour Authors: Sharon Hinck, Bryan Davis, and Christopher Hopper.
•Create an Amazon Listmania List that includes The Door Within Books and Isle of Swords.
• Write AND present a book report on any Wayne Thomas Batson, Bryan Davis, Christopher Hopper, or Sharon Hinck book at school. 100pts. if you earn an A+ for that assignment.

75 Treasure Points:
•Go to a store that does not carry my books and special order it from that store.
•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.

100 Treasure Points:
•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.
•Buy one copy of EACH of the Fantasy Fiction Tour Authors: Sharon Hinck, Bryan Davis, Wayne Thomas Batson, and Christopher Hopper. (4 Books total) Post here to say where and when.
•Buy both of Christopher Hopper's books: Rise of the Dibor and The Lion Vrie. Post here to say where and when.
•Buy both of Sharon Hinck's Sword of Lyric Books: Restorer and Restorer's Son. Post here to say where and when.

400 Treasure Points:
•Buy The Door Within, Rise of the Wyrm Lord, The Final Storm, and Isle of Swords (ALL FOUR of my books). Post here and tell where you bought them and when.
•Buy all of Bryan Davis's Dragons in Our Midst Books (4) Post here to say where and when.


Note: Each of the preceding MAY be repeated as many times as you like.

Note #2: Each of the preceding must be performed from this day (September 18th, 2007) forward. But, upon further review, I have decided to allow contestants to count THREE past book purchases for Treasure Points. So, if you bought The Door Within, Rise of the Wyrm Lord, and The Final Storm last year, you can count those three, but no others.

Note #3: To claim ANY Treasure Points, you must post a comment on THIS thread explaining how you accomplished it.

Note #4: I may add to the list of Treasure Point Tasks at any time--and likely will because my twisted mind is always churning...

Note #5: 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 #6: You cannot kill several birds with one stone. Make sure you indicate in your post how many Treasure Points your accomplishment earned you. In other words, you can't buy one copy of The Door Within, count it for 25 points and then count it AGAIN once you buy the whole series 100 points.

Note #7: Any and all of the requirements are subject to change as I see how this develops. I want to keep it fair.

Uh, Oh...

The problem is no longer will I meet my word count by the deadline. 85,000 words, by the grace of God, will be no problem. But...

Now, can I actually finish the book within 85,000 words? Gulp. You ever been reading a book and it's toward the end, and you notice, hey, there's not more than an inch of pages left. How can this possibly end in that little bit of pages?

That's where I am right now. Hmmm...

Still, I'm in no danger of going like 20,000 words over like some other times. {ahem}

But my goal isn't just to finish. It's to finish strong.

I have been to the hurricane...

Ok, who am I kidding? I'm still in the middle of it.

I'm about 13-15 thousand words short of my word count. The deadline is in one week. I just got back from three days and two nights with 180 sixth graders at an outdoor education center where I had virtually no time to write. I cheated. I wrote anyway. Still, it wasn't enough.

While at camp with the kids, BBBBBRRRING!! My cell phone. It's Gregg, my agent. "Wayne, I just heard from Reuters. They want you to fly out to NYC to join Christopher Hopper for an interview about Christian Fantasy."

"Uhhhhh, ok." {Thinks to self: Cool, I get to do TV again. Cool, I get to hang with my swordbrother, Sir Christopher again. Uh, oh…now, when do I write?}

This is a tight squeeze. I don't actually know that I'll be able to meet my deadline. But I also know God is into the impossible. So, I'm going to trust that He'll make it all come together…

Somehow.

I'll get back to adding Treasure Hunt Points after Oct. 20th. Thanks for all you're doing to spread the word!

Never alone.

-WtB

Isle of Swords Release Party: The Aftermath

I really need to hit the writing trail, but I just can't NOT say something about the event this past Friday. I was driving to the Barnes and Noble store prior to the event, and a special song between me and God came on: Nichole Nordeman's Brave. I head that and just started praying, God you love me, and you have big plans, don't you?

I was instantly reminded of Nathaniel being wowed when Jesus said He'd seen Nathaniel beneath the fig tree...even when Jesus wasn't there. Jesus said (WIV translation*), "Dude, you believe because I saw you under the fig tree? Get real, I have other things to show you that will blow your shoes off!"

I felt like God was saying to me, "You think me putting a song on the radio was big? You just wait."

And God had incredible things in store:
• 70 people were there for the readings
•That quadrupled before the night ended
• @180 Isle of Swords books sold
• @80 Door Within books sold
• That's about triple my best turnout ever
• The line was SO long that one of my students read 100 pages of Isle of Swords while waiting!
• I signed from 7:30-10:15...Straight.
• Lines stretched all over the store.
• The store had great decorations, contests, food, etc.
• Folks had a blast.
• God is awesome.

Thanks to Scribe for taking lots of photos and putting together this slideshow. Apparently, Photobucket needs to make its advertising money by plastering Disney all over the slideshow. Doh.

I've also included some other good shots outside of the slideshow.

*Wayne's Ignoble Version

Reflection...

My Lord came to me early in the morning while darkness still held the horizon in its fleeting grip. "Must it be now?" I asked drowsily, still not quite awake…not quite sure. He nodded. It must be now, so I flung off the blankets and sleep and followed Him.

The streets of gold were gray in the morning twilight. It felt cold to my bare feet. Nonetheless, it was not unpleasant. More of the happy coolness of chill grass on a Summer evening or a Fall breeze that asks for a blanket but does not require it. But He led me off the road and onto a path of His making.

Over quiet, shadowy hills and through flower beds that bowed as the Master passed and even suffered me to wander clumsily in their midst. We ducked under thick boughs of trees whose days could not be numbered and stepped over roots that went as deep as creation. At last He led me to a steep incline. It was an arduous mission, to climb to that precipice, and yet I was not tired when we reached the pinnacle at last.

My Lord gestured for me to sit, and then He sat down beside me. I looked from that point, high upon a mountain, across a great valley veiled in purple shadows. Then I looked at Him. He seemed in no hurry. I looked to the horizon and back to Him--must have been ten different times. And still He simply stared off to the distant mountain peaks. He said nothing.

Then, all at once, there was color. The gray world was set aflame in brilliant red, gold, orange, and pink. The sun rose behind those mountains, kindling the vaporous clouds with a fiery border. I gazed in wonder at the colors that, before, had seemed so routine, so meaningless…

And yet now…tears streaked down my face, and I finally understood it all. I looked to my Lord and asked a deeply personal, desperate question: "Forever?" I asked.

My Lord took my hand and said, "Yes, forever. Do you understand?"

I bit my lip and nodded.

Upon further review...

Well after long deliberation…none of the newly brainstormed title options came out on top. Turns out my favorite, Cauldron of Fire, gave too many witch vibes. So, my publisher went back to an earlier list of possibilities and chose my daughter's idea as the title for the sequel to Isle of Swords. And you know what? It fits the story pretty well, but not in the way that you might think. And I'm kinda liking it. Of course, my daughter is deliriously happy. ;-)

Door Within: The Movie?

I noticed Scribe's wonderful request for prayer for Friday's Isle of Swords release party. She is so right when she said that Bryan, Sharon, Christopher, and I are grateful beyond words for your prayer cover during the Tour. So please pray for the event.

You know, I thought and hoped the Tour would go well. I really believed it would. But I was still thinking WAY too small. God had other things in mind. Who would have thought we'd never pay for a hotel room...not once? Who would have thought we'd have lines around the corner for our first signing at the International Christian Retail Show? Who would have thought that RNS, the Religious News Service, would pick up on the Tour, and that AP would pick up on the Tour, and the Washington Post would pick up on the Tour, and that Fox and Friends would pick up on the Tour? Is there anything that our God cannot do? Is there anything that we can imagine that God cannot, by a single thought of His, completely surpass?

Well, I have some news. And really, I don't know what will happen. So I am asking for prayer for this as well. An executive from Corner of the Sky Entertainment is considering my books for movie potential. Meaning: they are reviewing my books, their place in the entertainment market, the potential for nationwide interest, etc. and deciding whether they want to purchase the movie rights. It appears that the decision will be made this week. THIS WEEK.

I truly believe there are some serious spiritual battles going on in this. I cannot explain why exactly, but I know there are. Corner of the Sky Entertainment is no lightweight. One of their latest projects was Evan Almighty. So please pray for the execs at Corner of the Sky Entertainment, pray for the numbers to look good, and the decision to be made...exactly as God wants it. Even if it is a NO answer.

Never alone.

-WtB

Isle of Swords Release Party: Come as you are, or be a pirate!

Presents

Isle of Swords Release Party
Friday, September 28th, 7-9pm
Barnes & Noble
4300 Montgomery Rd
Ellicott City, MD 21043
(410) 203-9001

I'd like to personally invite you to come to the Isle of Swords Release Party. This should be a very exciting evening. I'll be there doing dramatic readings from Isle of Swords, as well as, a special sneak peek at something else coming in the not to distant future.

•Pirate Costume Contests

•Special Photo Op Sessions

•Snacks

•Prizes

•Book Signing

Thomas Nelson Publishers will even be flying my publicist in to help with the event. Secretly, I think they want to know just what I do at these things. ;-) There may also be local press.
That said, the bigger the turnout, the better. I'd like to see that Barnes & Nobles store absolutely swamped with folks...and pirates. I'll be dressed in full pirate garb, including my new cutlass from RealArmorofGod.com. See below:

Come if you can. I'd love to see you there!

Never alone.

Wayne Thomas Batson

PS: Please do not post any Treasure Points on this thread. Post them HERE.

Isle of Swords Treasure Hunt Extravaganza!

Might Ye Be Lookin' Fer Treasure?

Do you like to solve mysteries?

Do you like to hunt for hidden treasure?

Would ya' care t'hit the high seas on a noble mission fraught with danger?

Do you like to talk like a pirate? Arrrrr....

And, finally would ya' care to help a brother out?

Beginning today, I'm embarking on a journey, and I'm hoping you'll come along for the ride.

Announcing the Isle of Swords Treasure Hunt Extravaganza!

Your mission, should you choose to--ah, you know the rest--is simply this accumulate the Most Treasure Points possible by Christmas 2007 by completing any and all of the tasks listed below:

Treasure Points Tasks Key

5 Treasure Points:
•Mention ANY of my books in a blog thread--your blog or someone else's--post the link in your comment.
•Recommend ANY of my books to someone you know--say who it was.
•Post a link to my blog anywhere on your blog--then, post the link here.
•Post a review of any of my books on a non-review site like a blog, school page, etc. Post a link here.

10 Treasure Points:
•Write a review of any of my books on Amazon or any online review site. Post the link for the review once it's up.
•Post cover artwork from any of my books on your blog and make it a link to Amazon or CBD. Post the link in your comment on this thread.
•Post a link for my book's Amazon or CBD page on your blog. Then, post the link here.

20 Treasure Points:
•Write a review of any of my books and post it on three different online review sites. Post the link for the review here once it's up.

25 Treasure Points:
•Recommend ANY of my books to someone you know--say who it was. And then, this person chose to buy the book!
•Spot ANY of my books in a bookstore outside of the state in which you live. Post here to let us know where and when.

50 Treasure Points:
•Buy a copy of Isle of Swords and post when and where you bought it.
•Buy any of The Door Within Books and post when and where you bought it.
•Write a review of ALL of my books and post ALL of them on THREE online review sites. Post the links for the reviews once they're up.
•Buy a copy of any book by one of the Fantasy Fiction Tour Authors: Sharon Hinck, Bryan Davis, and Christopher Hopper.
•Create an Amazon Listmania List that includes The Door Within Books and Isle of Swords.

75 Treasure Points:
•Go to a store that does not carry my books and special order it from that store.
•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.

100 Treasure Points:
•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.
•Buy one copy of EACH of the Fantasy Fiction Tour Authors: Sharon Hinck, Bryan Davis, Wayne Thomas Batson, and Christopher Hopper. (4 Books total) Post here to say where and when.
•Buy both of Christopher Hopper's books: Rise of the Dibor and The Lion Vrie. Post here to say where and when.
•Buy both of Sharon Hinck's Sword of Lyric Books: Restorer and Restorer's Son. Post here to say where and when.

400 Treasure Points:
•Buy The Door Within, Rise of the Wyrm Lord, The Final Storm, and Isle of Swords (ALL FOUR of my books). Post here and tell where you bought them and when.
•Buy all of Bryan Davis's Dragons in Our Midst Books (4) Post here to say where and when.


Note: Each of the preceding MAY be repeated as many times as you like.

Note #2: Each of the preceding must be performed from this day (September 18th, 2007) forward. But, upon further review, I have decided to allow contestants to count THREE past book purchases for Treasure Points. So, if you bought The Door Within, Rise of the Wyrm Lord, and The Final Storm last year, you can count those three, but no others.

Note #3: To claim ANY Treasure Points, you must post a comment on THIS thread explaining how you accomplished it.

Note #4: I may add to the list of Treasure Point Tasks at any time--and likely will because my twisted mind is always churning...

Note #5: 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 #6: You cannot kill several birds with one stone. Make sure you indicate in your post how many Treasure Points your accomplishment earned you. In other words, you can't buy one copy of The Door Within, count it for 25 points and then count it AGAIN once you buy the whole series 100 points.

Note #7: Any and all of the requirements are subject to change as I see how this develops. I want to keep it fair.

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

The Top FIVE Adventurers who accumulate the Treasure Points will receive a signed book of their choice. AND for each of the top 5, 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 might want to go with something a little more fantasy-ish.

For the #1 Treasure Points getter, 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!

*No Guarantee that your character won't get killed off in some horribly unpleasant manner.

And the winning title is...

Probably Crossing Swords. Turns out a pirate novel for YA readers called "Dead Reckoning" came out last year. I searched all over, checking all the names, but never saw that one. Oh, well.

Thanks for all the quick help. You all rock.

Interview with Orphan Project, Part 2

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

And now, the interview with Shane:

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

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

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



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

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



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

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


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

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

"we are all orphans until..."

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

You Are Invited!

Please click on the invitation below.

I know that visitors to Enterthedoorwithin come from far and wide, so it might be impossible for you to get to Maryland for this event. But if you know anyone in the area who likes pirates, please forward the invitation to them. The more the merrier!

A Special Visit!

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

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

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

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

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


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


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

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

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

"we are all orphans until..."

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

Advice for Aspiring Authors...9/3 Update

Seems like lately I've been getting a lot of requests for advice from young and/or aspiring authors on the topic of getting published. So I thought it might not be a bad thing to write an article on the subject. I don't think there's a one-size-fits-all answer on how to get published, and I certainly don't claim to be the ultimate authority on the subject. But for whatever it's worth, here's my advice:

(Begin Large Parenthetical Lament: Oh, and by the way, my clock is on the blink lately. Silly thing. No matter what I do--oil the gears, install fresh batteries--it still only gives me 24 hours in a day! Sheesh. Can't get anything for your money these days. All that to say, I won't write the whole article in one sitting. I'll probably post and then edit and add to this same post as time allows. ;-) So check back often if the topic interests you. End Large Parenthetical Lament)

#1 Work on your novel's opening chapter relentlessly. It is the critical chapter of your book. You must intrigue, captivate, and hook your reader there, or you will likely never be published. Editors receive hundreds if not thousands of manuscripts each week, so they have very little time for dull exposition in the opening. Go after your reader. Create suspense that won't quit.

#2 Work on your language. I don't mean punctuation and spelling--though those things better be sparkling in any manuscript you send out. But I mean the words from your palette--what you will use to paint the picture in the reader's mind. Take a contemporary poetry class--seriously. You will never learn more about making every word count.

#3 Read widely in the genre you want to publish. But read like a scientist rather than a spectator. Remember the parts you like and scrutinize them. What made them interesting? How did the author craft the plot? What made the twists and turned work? Every well written book is a treasure or resources that we can all learn from.

#4 Don't just write about what you know. I know, I know...you've heard other author's say it; you've heard your teachers preach it: write what you know. And the theory behind the advice is good. Write about what you know because you have the inside info, the details, and the experience to write about that topic or field. You play county soccer? Good, now go write a story about a character who plays county soccer. You have piano practice every Thursday? Wonderful, now go write about a character who plays piano. Now that's fine advice if you're writing for an audience of one or two. Will it work to get you published? Uh...not so much.

Writing what you know will not get you published unless, of course, your day job is: CIA Code Breaker, Supernatural Phenomenon Investigatory, CSI Agent, or Tour Guide for the Amazon Jungle. What I'm saying is, the average, day to day life is not interesting enough to be the plot of a book. Now, if something interrupts that normal life: a tragedy, a phenomenon, a mystery--well, now we're talking. Most readers want a story to grab them, to move them, to take them places they've never been to before. Most publishers want the same thing.

So, how do you write about stuff you don't know? 1. Research: watch the Discovery Channel, read National Geographic, surf the World Wide Web--there's a novel plot, character, or setting just waiting for you. 2. Make it up: Now, this especially applies to the whacked lot of writers who want to write fantasy or scifi. You get to open your mind and just create. Make things the human eye has never seen before. Tweak reality. Have fun. Chances are, if you have fun, your readers will too.

(More to come...)

Suspense Technique #4, Frustration. And the Winner is:

Whew! A plethora of authors entered the contest on Suspense Technique 4: Frustration. {Uh, El Guapo, I do not think plethora is the right word.} Nevertheless, I've debated the winner of this one over and over. One of the potential winners was dripping with powerful suspense. I was reading it and everything got quiet around me...that's when you know you've got something good. But its main competitor made the best use of the actual technique.

So, it gives me great pleasure to announce the winner:

Pais Charos!

Pais, email me your snailmail and what book you'd like signed, and I'll get one to you as soon as possible.

Here's Pais' winning entry:

Laura raced down the stairs, envelope in her hand.

“Mom! I'm going to the post office, I'll be back in a few minutes.”

Her mom walked out of the kitchen, wiping her hands on a towel. “The post office? Why don't you just put it in the mail box and let the mail man get it tomorrow.”

“Because,” she grabbed her keys and purse from the table beside the front door, “It needs to be postmarked by today, or....” she glanced at her watch. 3:50! The post office closes in ten minutes! “I gotta go!” She turned, giving her mom a hurried wave and flew out the door.

She threw her purse and the envelope into the passenger seat of her car, strapped herself in, put the key in the ignition, and turned it.

Nothing.

Laura narrowed her eyes, and turned the ignition again. The car still wouldn't start. She sighed heavily and popped the hood , then flung the door open and walked towards the front of the car. Reaching in she grabbed the oil dipstick and pulled it out, looking at it. She scowled and rammed it back in, then slammed the hood closed. She looked at her watch again. 3:52.

Laura grabbed her purse and the envelope and ran back to the front door. She opened the door a crack and popped her head in. “Mom, my car won't start, can I take yours?”

Her mom's voice floated out of the kitchen. “Sure, honey! The keys are right there on the table.”

Laura grabbed her mom's keys and slammed the door shut behind her, running full speed towards her mother's car, parked right beside hers.

She sat down, buckled in again, and turned the ignition. The car purred to life and Laura smiled. She put the car in gear, and backed out of the driveway, then turned around and took off down the road.

A few minutes later, Laura sat at the second red traffic light. She ran her hands through her hair and rubbed the back of her neck. Only two traffic lights between my house and the post office, and they both had to be red. Her eyes darted to the clock. 3:57.

She scowled again, and glared at the red light. Turn green, turn green, turn green!

The traffic light changed to green, and Laura waited impatiently for the person in front of her to move, then followed it. She was on the homestretch, the final leg of this race to the post office! She smiled again. I might actually make it in time.

She turned the final corner, and pulled into the parking lot, just as her clock ticked to 4:00pm. She parked in front of the post office and looked up at the door with a heavy heart.

Closed.

Pais Charos: Using the time limit mechanism was genius. Nothing ups the frustration like feeling time slipping away. Every obstacle--each one annoying by itself--was amped to the next level with the addition of time. Cool.

Honorable mentions go to:

Patrick: devastating story hook. I was all over this. I'm still wondering how the king was beheaded. Hmmm...

Cecilia: If you'd given your protag something besides a birthday, something that she REALLY wanted or needed--something the readers could buy into--yours might have won. If she was looking forward to that night because her mother was at last due to be back in the castle after years of separation, and it happened to fall on the night of the attack--now what would have been gut-wrenching frustration. Still splendid work.

Amy: Brilliant stuff. He was trying so hard to get out of the kingdom and then to run into the boy with the mysterious past...awesome.