Interview with New Author, Jacob Parker!

     They say you should never judge a book by its cover, but if the cover art of Jacob Parker's new fantasy is any indication of how great the story is, it must be a fantastic read. 
     Expected to release in September, Kestrel's Midnight Song will be one of the newest members in the Christian fantasy genre. Its creator is, likewise, a brand new author.
     I had the honor of being able to interview Jacob Parker. Enjoy the story of the Yodeling Dwarf:

     What first inspired you to write Kestrel's Midnight Song?

      I've always had an overactive imagination. And I've always loved reading. By 4th grade I had combined these passions and decided I would be a novelist. Not when I grew up... then and there. Several failed attempts and 2 years later, I gave up. My stories, though filled with action, wandered aimlessly over the course of tens of thousands of words until my characters had adventured into a rut I couldn't get them out of. Then, in seventh grade, I wrote a short story for a school assignment. My teacher sought me out at lunch time, and told me how impressed she was and said, "If you wrote a book, I would buy it." That might not seem very significant, but it reignited my desire to write a novel. So that summer, somewhere around my 15th birthday, I started. The original inspiration was a picture of rolling green hills against a blue sky. I imagined a shepherd journeying across those hills, and thus began The Shepherd, later retitled Kestrel's Midnight Song. This time, I wrote out an outline beforehand, and though it hardly resembles the story that has finally emerged, it helped keep me focused.

      How long did it take to complete the book?

     I wrote it mostly over the course of two summers, and some in my spare time during the school year, for a total of two and a half years.

     Tell us the story of your publication. How did it come about?

     My plan for attaining publication should never have worked, but it did. I started a blog, and my intent was to comment on the blogs of publishing professionals and authors, hoping they would click on my name and follow it to my blog, where I'd posted the first chapter of my story. Then, they would read my chapter, fall in love with it, and email me a request for the full thing. One of the blogs I commented on was Scott Appleton's. He followed my link back, read the first chapter and was "most intrigued." So he sent me an invitation to submit my manuscript for publication consideration under Flaming Pen Press... roughly two weeks after I'd started my blog. Please note that, in reality, it doesn't work like that. Publishing professionals and authors are too strapped for time to follow links. (usually) The author has to go out on a limb and make the initial inquiry. However, a blog with a strong following can be a very beneficial thing to put in a query letter.

     Do you have any plans to write future books?

     Yes, definitely. Kestrel's Midnight Song started as a standalone novel. But now it's a prequel. I'm very excited to begin the series ahead.

     Tell us how you came to know Christ as Savior.

     I grew up going to Church. But I honestly never fully understood what it was all about until years of Church attendance had passed. I thought of Jesus as God who came down to teach. His death didn't make sense until I was in seventh grade. In a conversation with my grandpa, it all clicked. The rest is... the future!

      What do you hope readers will take away with them after reading Kestrel's Midnight Song?

     The best I can hope for on a consistent basis is that it was a riveting story that pulled the reader into an engaging world for a time. But I think the most rewarding reaction would be that they were changed for the better. Kestrel's Midnight Song has definite Christian themes, and if even one person emails me stating that the book aided them in their walk with Christ, that would make all the struggles and trials of writing and publishing a book worth it, instantly.

     
     To find out more about Jacob Parker and Kestrel's Midnight Song, visit http://yodelingdwarf.blogspot.com/

     Post Tenebras Lux!
-ST  

A Crazy Week Deserves A Crazy Post

     Greetings, all! Whew, what a crazy week it has been. 

     Because of the many comments regarding romance on my last post, I plan to write about what my beliefs are on that specific subject. I have mentioned my thoughts on it in various places, but now I want to have the full explanation here once and for all, so that you know where I am coming from. I just have not been able to write it yet. But I am hopeful that the post will be coming very soon.

     In the meantime, for those of you who perhaps do not know, Jacob Parker (a.k.a. the Yodeling Dwarf) is on the way to publishing his first book. Yesterday he finally released a sketch for his cover art. You can see the impressive picture at http://yodelingdwarf.blogspot.com/
 
     One of the things I like to think about often is the similarities between most fantasy stories and our real history. Typically, stories such as Lord of the Rings and The Chronicles of Narnia have a good-verses-evil plot, kind of like the on-going battle between God and Satan. There are so many parallels to be drawn between our lives and the books we read and write. Thinking about this is one of the ways I worship the Author of authors. I am filled with awe when I compare the Bible, God's story, to any other man-written book. The Bible is so much more complex than Tolkien's works, more complex than anything man can create.

     So, a few days ago I was mulling over this subject and came up with a... a thing. I have no clue what to categorize this thing as. It's not really a song. Definitely not a poem. Not a story. Anyway, here it is. It is speaking from Christ's point of view. Let me know what you think!:

If you ever find you've grown up in Neverland; if the yellow brick road doesn't lead you home; and if your Mount Doom is too high for you to climb, let My love come and comfort you.

If your Wonderland is far from wonderful; if the winter has kept you frozen for one hundred years; and if you feel like your only friend has disappeared in the mud, let My love come and strengthen you.

I am the Author of your story; I know every word. I fight beside you in all of your battles. I am your strong Hero, the King over all, the Rider of the white steed. Won't you let Me pour my love over you?

If you fall to the enemy's strong cunning power; if the dragon is too mighty for you to fight; and if the darkness shadows you and your past comes to haunt, let My love come and carry you.

They call Me Faithful and True. Let My love come running to you.

Post Tenebras Lux!

-ST 

The Truth about Clear Truth

     There is something that annoys me a lot, and that is when authors are vague in their descriptions of truth for fear of being "preachy". It makes me so sad when I see Christian authors try to water down the gospel so as not to offend anyone. God has given us a Truth that needs to be told, whether people want to hear it or not.

     Don't get me wrong; I am not saying we should shove it down their throats and beat them upside the head with it. But I think we certainly do not need to be cautious about pointing to God in fiction. People can interpret "truth" and "faith" and "love" as meaning anything they want it to in this day and age; from Islam to New Age it differs. But real truth, love, and faith can only be found in one place, or rather, in one Person.

     Do people even care? Will it really affect anyone? Yes. I can tell you from experience that God can touch a hard heart through fantasy when nothing else could.

     No, I'm not going to tell you that I was saved through The Princess and The Goblin. I became a Christian when I was six years old, and lived my whole life going to church and believing in God. However, when I was in my early teens, my family decided to move across the country, away from our friends and everything I had grown up with. I became very sad, although if you had asked me then I would probably have said I was fine. I began to build walls around my heart in a sort of quiet rebellion against God and my family. All I wanted to do was be alone and read fantasy. I went through so many books during that time.

     Finally, I picked up C. S. Lewis's fantasy book The Magician's Nephew. I had already read all of The Chronicles of Narnia years ago, but I had run out of stuff to read on this particular day. I remember sitting on my bed, recalling the plot as I read. If you don't know the story, GO READ IT! But seriously, the gist of it is that a boy named Digory accidentally brings an evil Empress into the fantasy land of Narnia. In that land, Digory sees Aslan the Lion, who is the Christ figure of the story, and realizes that Aslan can help Digory cure his dying mother. Desperate, Digory attempts to ask Aslan for help, but because Digory brought evil into Narnia, Aslan appoints Digory to go on a quest that will defeat the wicked Empress. Digory agrees, knowing that it is his duty, but feels ignored by the Lion and thinks that he will now never get a cure for his mother. The scene comes to a point where Digory at last blurts out:

     "But please, please - won't you - can't you give me something that will cure Mother?" Up till then, he [Digory] had been looking at the Lion's great feet and the huge claws on them: now, in his despair, he looked up at its face. What he saw surprised him as much as anything in his whole life. For the tawny face was bent down near his own and (wonder of wonders) great shining tears stood in the Lion's eyes. They were such big, bright tears compared with Digory's own that for a moment he felt as if the Lion must really be sorrier about his Mother than he was himself.

     "My son, my son," said Aslan. "I know. Grief is great...."

     I started to cry as I read this, because it reminded me that God really, truly cares. He doesn't just care about us, He cares about the things we care about (as long as they are not sinful, of course). This passage was a moment of truth, real truth, for me. I saw that He knew my heartache, even knew my rebellion, and still loved me. I had been looking at His giant claws, expecting them to rain wrath on me for my rebellious spirit, but all the time He knew my pain and was aching to comfort me, He just wasn't able to until I let Him. It didn't all end there, but my regression from rebellion had begun.

     This is why I believe vagueness doesn't help anyone. We are up against so much, from Harry Potter to Twilight; people who read fantasy are just not hearing the truth.We can reach people though fiction, even fantasy. So why would we not? To create a bestseller? Oh, yes, I'm sure that's what Jesus would have done. (Excuse the sarcasm, bear with me.)

     There is nothing wrong with writing for entertainment. But why not use the gift God has given you to encourage and point people to Him and Him alone? I challenge you to write with godly purpose. It will be rewarded.

Post Tenebras Lux!
-ST

Book Review- Curse of the Spider King

     What would you do if you discovered you were an Elven lord from another world? What if you were being hunted by beings who could take on the form of anyone, even your most trusted friends and family? What if you suddenly gained incredible power that could enable you to see the future, walk on air, or read thoughts? These are the exciting questions Curse of the Spider King asks.
     Hundreds of years ago, the mighty kingdom of the Elves was overtaken by the Spider King. Though the Elven Sentinels of Allyra fought valiantly, they were no match for the Spider King's forces, and the enemy succeeded in capturing the seven prophesied lords of Allyra, all of whom were still only babies. 
     The surviving remnant of Elves were forced to flee underground to escape total annihilation by the Spider King. There they hid for centuries, until rumors spread that the Elven lords were still alive... but not in the world of Berinfell....

     Curse of the Spider King follows seven young teenagers- teenagers who think they are human. But there are others who know better. Some want to bring them home, back to their rightful place in Berinfell. Some want them dead. Who can be trusted? There is nowhere to hide. Will anyone escape the wrath of the Spider King?

 I found Curse of the Spider King to be very intriguing. All around, it was a very good book that I would recommend to any teenager. My favorite thing about it is how the evil Wisps can only be slain using words that parallel the Scripture!

If this book sounds like something you would enjoy, click on the link on the side bar.

If you want more information on the authors of this book, here are the links to their blogs:
www.christopherhopper.com
www.enterthedoorwithin,blogspot.com

You Might Be a Creative If...

     Just for fun, I want to share a blog post from one of my favorite authors, Wayne Thomas Batson. Mr. Batson is the writer of the Door Within Trilogy and the Isle of Swords pirate books. He is currently co-authoring a new fantasy series with Christopher Hopper; their first book, Curse of the Spider King, is due out next month. I hold Mr. Batson in high respect for his great imagination, kid-friendly characters and story lines (although older people may certainly enjoy his works), and especially his obvious love for God.

     I found the below post on his blog and loved it. I hope you will, too! (And yes, I identify with most of the "ifs") Enjoy!

I've had a lot of time off of work lately. It began with my kids getting a stomach virus (that was fun). Then, my school system had parent conferences, so I had Friday off. We had Tuesday off for elections, and then an ice storm hits so Wednesday, I'm off again. Wednesday morning, lucky me, I spike a 103.1 fever and come down with the flu, so there goes the rest of the week. So, I've had a lot of time off. Besides doctor-ordered rest, guess what I did?

I fired up my computer, loaded up my 3D art program: Bryce 3D (by Daz Studios) and CREATED. I created my fool head off. I was picturing one of the settings for my new fantasy series and trying to make a 3D rendering of it, and you know what? I had SO much fun doing it! That got me thinking: I am a Creative. God made me that way. In fact, to one degree or another, I believe God made us all creative. God did, after all, make us in His image. And He is The Creator. Ever seen a sunset or the forest after an ice storm? Nuff said.

But I believe it's abundantly clear that God has given some people a special talent for creating--and not just the talent--but the DESIRE to create. These people are CREATIVES. I started thinking about the special kind of nutty-ness that defines us creatives. Think about it this way: sculptors, architects, painters, artists, musicians, writers, etc.--we spend days, weeks, months, even years creating something that our audience will devour or experience for a relatively short time. I just got reader mail from a 12 year old who read my whole Door Within Trilogy in a weekend. A WEEKEND. Those three books took me a total of FIFTEEN YEARS to write, and WHOOSH, he's done in two days. Look at some of the brilliant architecture in the world, esp. Europe. Breathtaking---absolutely breathtaking. And yet the tour bus drops off people to look at it for a few minutes...an hour, maybe, and off it goes. It's like your mom when she spends days working on Thanksgiving dinner only to have it gobbled* up in a brief feeding frenzy that would put a school of bull sharks to shame. WHOOSH, and it's over.

So, why do we creatives do it? Why spend so much passionate effort to create something so fleeting? I think the answer is multifaceted. Part of the answer, I've already mentioned: we were made to create. We create because we need to. It's in us and we need to let it out. We create because, if we didn't, part of us would go clinically insane. It's who we are. In his mega bestselling book, The Purpose Driven Life, Rick Warren talks about the importance of doing what "we were made to do." There is a satisfaction we feel when we create. If we didn't create, we'd walk around feeling like something was unfinished...and waiting.

But I think also, we create because we want to please others. Now, don't misunderstand me. My main goal in life is to please God. Jesus said the greatest command is to love God. But then what? Jesus said, love your neighbor. I believe that creativity in its many forms (art, music, fiction, etc.) shows love to out neighbor. People are encouraged, uplifted, inspired, provoked, and comforted by creativity. Why else do we hang paintings or matted photos in our homes? Why do we have little crafty knick-knacks on the shelf? Why do we feel moved when we hear a certain song? Art touches people. Imagine a world with an absence of creativity. What would that be like? Uhhggh. I don't like the looks of that picture either.

Our creative expression can be love and light to the world. And I don't just mean paintings of Jesus, praise hymns, and conversion stories. Nothing wrong with those things--all good. But any quality expression of our creativity. A painting of a sunset. A song about your wife. A good old adventure story. It all** shows love to the world. The only thing is that love and light have to be broadcast to other people. You can't hide a light under a basket. You can't keep your love to yourself. What good does that do? Sure, I can draw something and enjoy it myself. But why stop there. Maybe someone else would find joy in it as well.

But that's where another characteristic of the Creative can get in the way of our desire to create: we tend to be our own worst critics. Creative types tend to want their creation to be "just right." And that's a good thing to a degree. We don't want to publish a story that is poorly written. We don't want to record a song if the tune is discordant. But we cannot allow our own perfectionism or self-doubt to keep us from loving the world with our art! You might think that your work isn't good enough. But how will you ever know? If you don't have someone else experience your creative expression, how do you know if it's good? Sure, start small. Share it with one other person, a parent, a teacher, a trusted friend. But do share it. Get some feedback. Get some training. Practice. And then...share it some more!

I am convinced that RIGHT NOW, sitting in various places all over the world there are the following people: a) photographers and artist whose images *could* adorn galleries and homes and remind people of the greatness of God's creation. b) composers and songwriters whose melodies *might* lift thousands from the jaws of depression and give them hope. c) writers whose stories *could* change the lives of a generation. I have no doubt that there are thousands of such CREATIVES out there, but still dormant. And for every thousand of those whose works *might* have a sweeping impact, there are hundreds of thousands of people whose creativity *could* impact on a smaller, more local scale. Maybe the one kid at school who listens to your song, looks at your picture, or reads your story, maybe he was contemplating suicide…but won't go through with it because of your loving him though your creativity.

So, are you a CREATIVE? I bet you know if you are.

But just in case you don't, here's a little nonScientific/nonAuthoritative way of finding out. I put this in the format made famous by comedian Jeff Foxworthy and his "You might be a redneck if..."

So here is:

You might be a Creative if...***

1. You find yourself sizing people up for future characters.

2. You're watching a movie and think, "I could do better than that!"

3. You have rock-hard callouses on your fingers from clutching a drawing pencil, as well as, smudges all over the side of your pinky finger and palm.

4. You're left handed.

5. You just can't get that little melody out of your head.

6. You find yourself scrawling little story ideas on napkins, sticky notes, church bulletins, your arm, and...your little brother's arm.

7. You call your cell phone to leave yourself a story idea.

8. You can't wait for __________ to end so that you can go work on your story, song, etc.

9. You're angry because your computer's art program only works with 600 colors.

10. You find yourself laughing OUT LOUD at something you've written.

11. You nearly run off the road because you've got an idea that MUST be written down.

12. Your dream was so offbeat there just has to be a story in there somewhere.

13. The most wonderful thing you've ever seen is: a blank sheet of paper.

14. The most terrifying thing you've ever seen is: a blank sheet of paper.

AND FINALLY, you know you might be a CREATIVE if: You find yourself giggling like an idiot when you make something YOU KNOW IS GOOD.

I think it's time to take the basket off of our light. Don't you?

*pun intended.

**Like any good thing that God gives us, creativity can be misused. So art, music, fiction, etc. that leads people away from God, isn't cool.

***Official Disclaimer: If these things are not true of you, that does not necessarily mean you are NOT creative. These are just humorous reminders.
Posted by WayneThomasBatson