Wednesday, November 18, 2009

CSFF Blog Tour Curse of the Spider King


First, let us look at the cover. I really like the castle one can barely see in the forest. The spider thingies? Not so much. Especially because at first, I thought the spiders and men were joined together like that poor toy in Toy Story that had been joined together by the evil kid, Syd Phillips, who lived next door. When I read the story, I found out the bad guys merely ride the icky spider thingies and are not monsters, except in behavior, of course.
This is my first time on the CSFF blog tour as a reviewer instead of a reviewee. I appreciate the time that the CSFFers put into these three days. I tried to offer something a little different since I had a different slant to draw upon. However this part: the review and the recommendation will be pretty standard.
The tale Wayne and Christopher have spun is delightful. I see it as a young YA. My school librarian friends tell me that about the age of thirteen, the students skip the YA section with their noses in the air and go to the adult section. I know that's not strictly true because many Christian YA books sell well.
I'm hoping The Curse of the Spider King jumps off the bookstore shelves. The characters are intriguing and the plot twisted enough to keep the reader guessing. I'm looking forward to reading then next installment of the Berinfell Prophecies.

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Blog Tour - Curse of the Spider King Day Two

I had the opportunity a year ago to ask Wayne and Christopher some questions before we went on our West Coast Tour.
Here is an interview from that time:
I thought about doing an interview with Wayne Thomas Batson, but then I discovered that he had already done an interview of himself. Seeing that all fantasy authors have a certain affinity for the absurd, I saw nothing wrong with this. So here is Wayne, interviewing Wayne:


Who are you and what do you do?My name is Wayne Thomas Batson, and I am one of the eight authors you’ll meet here and on tour. I’ve written five novels so far: The Door Within, Rise of the Wyrm Lord, The Final Storm, Isle of Swords, and Isle of Fire. These are fantasy and pirate adventure tales full of thrills, mystery, and meaning. (Donita here--Now we can add The Curse of the Spider King.)

Why did you write a fantasy instead of a contemporary story about middle school kids? I mean, you obviously know them well.
Fantasy is absolutely my passion. I’ve always loved tales of knights and dragons, exotic settings, and great feats of valor! And in traditional fantasy, I find the sort of world I’d like to live in. Honor and kindness are revered. Simple lives of tending gardens, working with your hands, and gathering around a table with friends at a pub—I long for such things. I mean, sure, running into a pesky dragon while taking out the trash would be a little inconvenient, but still…

Q: What made you want to write Christian speculative fiction?
Actually, I don’t write Christian speculative fiction. I write fiction that is informed by my identity as a Christian. I know that sounds like semantics, but really, it’s not. If I’m a Christian and a mechanic, and I fix your car…was it a Christian Repair? If the manager at the local McDonalds is a Christian, and I make a purchase there, do I get a Christian Happy Meal? See my point? I am a Christian and Jesus is everything to me. He is my worldview and my life. When I write, I pray that HE comes shining through. But I am NOT writing just for Christians to read. I want everyone to be able to read and enjoy my books on multiple levels: surface and deep. At the surface, come and enjoy a heart-pounding adventure in an enchanting realm. But go deeper than that. See the big questions. Be a thoughtful reader. My thought is, if I get people asking the questions for which Jesus is the only answer, then, I’ve done well.

Q: Are your books influenced by your own childhood in any way?
I think so. Aidan is a lot like I was when I was in my tweens. Creative, hopeful, and thoughtful—but not very outgoing. I always longed for adventure, but most of mine were in my imagination. Aidan’s fear of Robby’s Basement came straight out of my own childhood fear. My parents had a split basement. The unfinished side, the workside as we called it, was the creepiest place on the planet. I was always afraid that some creature lurked in its shadowy confines—that it waited for someone to venture too close to the open door. I used to leap over the side of the stairs onto a couch to avoid going by that basement door.

Q: What have you seen that discourages or frustrates you about Christian speculative fiction writing and/or publishing?
I am thoroughly frustrated by product placement in both CBA and ABA stores. I know there are a lot of hands involved in determining where a book goes: marketers, distributors, branch managers—and even a local clerk can trump them all by putting a book wherever. Lol

In CBA stores, fiction often gets lumped together with Nursery Rhymes and Beginners Bibles. Come on, dude…if you’re a teenager looking for a book, are you even going to consider something next to A Very Veggie Christmas?

In ABA stores, you often see great Christian SpecFic titles tossed into teeny tiny “Religious Fiction” sections. Yes, the place where no one sees it. That’s another reason why I don’t like delineating my work as Christian Fiction—if I do, it’s just that much easier to get thrown in with New Age Fiction or Taoism. If I do have Christ’s message to share, the books need to be where people can see them. You don’t see Phillip Pullman’s books being pulled from mainstream fiction for a special “Atheistic Fiction” section. Tolkien and Lewis can be found in both sections—religious and main stream. Maybe dual designation is what we should be looking for. Hmmm…

Q: How did you involve your students in the process as you wrote this book?
Fifteen years of students from three different Maryland counties and six different middle schools helped to shape The Door Within. They were my sounding board and my encouragers. In 1992, when The Door Within was only a 17 page short story, my 6th graders pestered me to make it longer...until I did. Then, they helped me to know what parts of the story interested them or made a personal connection. The kids seemed to enjoy being able to critique the teacher's work instead of the other way around. And those discussions took the kids into an amazingly sophisticated level of understanding of literature that they would not ordinarily have attained. "Mr. Batson, you need more foreshadowing in that chapter" or "Mr. Batson, I found that allusion to The Hobbit when Aidan said..." or "There's not enough description in this section. I just couldn't see it." These are 10, 11, and 12 year olds analyzing literature and thinking critically. Good stuff! And in the end, as I flirted with a publishing contract, nailed it down, and began the real process of editing, my students were there to share the suspense, excitement, and frustrations. And when my new batch of students comes in this year, I imagine they will exult in the finished product just as I do.

Q: Adults tend to pass over Young Adult books, thinking they are too simplistic in nature to be satisfying. Personally, I have found many of my most profound reads in this genre. What do you think adults can learn from Young Adult literature?
Grrrr…you hit upon a sore point for me. The same folks who think YA lit. is simplistic are the same characters who underestimate the capabilities and intellect of our kids. Kids are far more perceptive and intelligent than most would believe—and the books they read deal with REAL issues, issues that matter to them with a passion that is hard to imagine.

I think that adults can gain a lot from YA Lit. Especially they can regain their youth, their creativity, their dreams. To quote Gandalf when he spoke about the Ents, the tree people who had become stiff and too tree-ish: “they [parents] will awaken and find that they are strong.”

Q: Are you a seat-of-the-pants writer, or a planner? If a SOTP- how did you keep track of your information? If planned- could you share your method for planning a novel? (Spread sheets, notebooks, a card board box?)
Remember, I said it took me 13 years to write The Door Within? The reason why is that I was then, a SOTP or WWTMS {write when the muse strikes} kind of writer. Ah, I’ll never write like that again. I cannot tell you how many times I needed to rewrite and heavily revise that original manuscript.

By contrast, the next two books in the series: Rise of the Wyrm Lord and The Final Storm, took about 5-6 months each—all because now, I outline.

I’m not an OCD kind of outliner. I created a storyboard organizer, nothing fancy…just boxes and arrows. I use that to outline the plot—my outlines are about 7-10 pages and take about a month to create. Then, I hit the manuscript trail—and this is where the spontaneous takes over. As I work through the manuscript outline, all kinds of ideas come pouring in. “OH! Wouldn’t it be cool if at the end, this happens? Yes, and if so, I’ll need to foreshadow in this chapter, etc.”

I write story points all over the margins, on sticky notes, on the backs of church bulletins—I’ve even been known to write a cool idea on my daughter’s forehead. LOL I’ve learned to take advantage of the cool idea when it first appears, else it departs for good.

For my next series, a 7-Book Epic Fantasy, I knew I needed something more hardcore to outline, so I went surfing and by God’s grace found “SuperNoteCards” by Mindola Software. Most excellent software—is enabling me to keep track of a lot of elements. Love it so far.


Q: What is your favorite part of writing? Could you share your favorite scene in one of your books?
I absolutely LOVE the invention stage—the time when the initial concept comes together. Sometimes this is during outlining and other times it is preoutline. But it’s so cool when my mental movie projector just starts pulling together people and scenes. I get tingles, goosebumps, and a sense of Godly assurance that this story is going to ROCK.

One of my favorite scenes from The Door Within is where Aidan is lost in Falon’s Labyrinth. He makes a tragic mistake and discovers at last how the creature Falon was able to be everywhere at once. I’d tell you more, but that’d ruin a fun little adventure for anyone who hasn’t yet read The Door Within.

Q: Any musical inspirations that help you write?
I have strange musical tastes. While writing though, I listen to progressive heavy metal. I know what you’re thinking: a.) How can you possibly concentrate with that noisy music? But Prog Metal is really quite classical and symphonic. It’s also driving and epic—an adventure in every song. b.) And, secondly, isn’t that evil? I choose here to respectfully agree to disagree with my Christian peers who think that a particular style of music is inherently evil. The bands I listen to may not all be Christian, but they are mostly positive or ask the big questions of life. My particular favorites are The Orphan Project, Angra, Dream Theater, and Evanescence. Oh, and I like Yo-Yo Ma too.

Q: I'm sure you get some terrific mail from readers. What are some of your favorite notes or comments you've received?
I get lots of fun comments like “Cool books!” and “I loved the part where…” Those are all nice, but, every once in a while, I get a correspondence that knocks me over. This was one of my favorites:
“I just needed to tell you my son finished the Door Within series last night. And at our night prayer he looked over to us and said these books have changed him. He had tears in his eyes. I asked him how and he couldn't quite find the right words but he said that the path between Jesus and he has become closer. What more could a parent want from a story. And we were worried he wouldn't find anything after reading Harry Potter!! My son is named Gabriel meaning strength of God. And I know these books have played an important part of his spiritual journey. Gabe is a 9 year old boy ready for the King's army. Thank you for opening a door for Gabe to some of heaven's mysteries that his father and I could never in a million words explain.”

Q: Have you found the process of "getting published" to be difficult and do you think that it's getting harder to break into the industry as a Christian fiction writer?
Getting published IS hard, and is probably getting harder. But, here’s the thing: if you write a great book, you will get published—but only if you persist. It’s daunting to pile up rejections. But you’ve got to work at your craft all time, making your product harder and harder to resist. Timing is important also. Pay attention to where the entertainment market is going, not just books, but all media. If you know that winter 2008 Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit will come out, you may have a better chance selling a fantasy title. The Door Within took 13 years to get published, and I needed every one of them. God put me through the fire, taught me to write all over again, and allowed me to learn about the business side of publishing. Now, I’m better prepared than I ever would have been years back.

Q: Do you have ideas or plans for novels outside of your current genre? And is Isle of Swords/Isle of Fire Pirate Adventures?
I have about 20-25 concepts for future novels. They exist in folders (backed up about 100 times, lol) on my various computers. Some are as short as a paragraph; some are as long as 10 chapters. Isle of Swords and Isle of Fire are pirate adventures—so not really fantasy. Of course, there is still room for a little fantasy in such a tale.

After Isle of Swords and a possible sequel, I plan to jump back into fantasy. I’ve been soaking up ideas for what may be a huge—I mean, epic—fantasy series. The plot grows exponentially every time I think about it. So many interesting fantasy races are popping up and introducing themselves. Creatures—ah, the bestiary is growing crowded. I’m about 15,000 words into the first book and have done the principal outline for all seven books in the series. I promise (God-willing) it will be the most epic tale I’ve ever written.

Thank you, Wayne, for interviewing yourself. You did a fine job. Much better than if I had made a list of questions. Donita K. Paul

From the Motiv8 tour, pictures of Christopher Hopper and wife, Jenny:

Thanks to Amanda Davis for the pictures of the MOtiv8 tour.

This first picture in the Christopher Hopper Gallery is not Christopher, but Amanda.
























This is a trick. This is not Christopher Hopper:
This also is not Christopher Hopper. This is Jenny Hopper:










This is a Canadian lady who is not related but very nice.





This is Jenny Hopper, Christopher's wife.
Pictures of her often have a camera hiding her face
as she was the official videotographer of the trip.


And the info on Christopher Hopper. A blog entry entitled Crazy White Bald Dude



Hey! He's the one who claims that title. It is not PC in my book to point out his race, his lack of hair, or his inclination toward zaniness. But Christopher is all of those things. He is a youth pastor in New York. Not New York City. His neighbors are cows, not suits (meaning big city, corporate types, riding the subway, hailing taxis, and rushing through life.)
However, I have to admit that Christopher is often in the rush mode. God has gifted him in many areas, and Christopher is a good stewart of his talents. He's a husband, father, musician, author, and preacher. He is one of the original Fantasy Fiction Tour members. His energy powered the tour at times the rest of us were beginning to drag.
Christopher and his lovely wife, Jennifer, were responsible for the daily broadcasts of our tour down the West Coast.

Monday, November 16, 2009

Blog Tour - Curse of the Spider King

One book written by two talented men.


I am very fortunate to call these two men my friends. Like many Christian fantasy authors, they are as much fun to be with as to read. Christopher Hopper has a bald head and a fantastic personality. He can do so many things, compose, sing, play the guitar, etc. Almost anything but the ability to grow long locks of beautiful hair. He has a lovely wife who is equally talented, but she can grow hair. Christopher is also the head of a Christian school and is a youth pastor.
Wayne Thomas Batson is also fun to be with. And he has a full head of hair. When last I saw him, it was gathered in a MAN'S ponytail. (A female's ponytail sticks out from the middle of the skull. A male's ponytail is anchored at the base of the skull. These things are important to know.) He, also, is multitalented. And he teahces school. It is my belief that anyone who teaches public school, particularly the middle grades, is a candidate for some type of metal, one that recognizes going above and beyond the call of duty.



This book is worth looking into.

Curse of the Spider King at CBD
Curse of the Spider King at Amazon

Author and series links:
Wayne Thomas Batson's blog
Christopher Hopper's Web site


The Berinfell Prophecies Web site



Here are the links to the others who are participating in the blog tour. Stop by and say hello.





Brandon Barr
Justin Boyer
Amy Browning
Valerie Comer
Amy Cruson
CSFF Blog Tour
Stacey Dale
D. G. D. Davidson
Shane Deal
Jeff Draper
Emmalyn Edwards
April Erwin
Karina Fabian
Todd Michael Greene
Ryan Heart
Timothy Hicks
Becky Jesse
Cris Jesse
Jason Joyner
Julie
Carol Keen
Krystine Kercher
Tina Kulesa
Melissa Lockcuff
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Mirtika
Nissa
John W. Otte
Cara Powers
Chawna Schroeder
James Somers
Speculative Faith
Robert Treskillard
Fred Warren
Jason Waguespac
Phyllis Wheeler
Jill Williamson
KM Wilsher
.

Monday, November 2, 2009

What Should Jeff Publish Next?

Now this sounds like fun. Have you ever wondered what an editor has to go through to find and decide on which book to put in the next release line-up?

There are a lot of good manuscripts to choose from, but you also have to consider what sells. So I might love a story about a pink fairy and her struggle to overcome the stigma of being pink, but how many people are going to buy it? Maybe me (but I've already read it) and the author's best friends and relatives.

My friend Jeff Gerke runs Marcher Lord Press, and here is his fun idea where readers can participate in the selection of the manuscripts to be published.

Official news release:

Marcher Lord Press, the premier publisher of Christian speculative fiction, announces the debut of a revolution in fiction acquisitions.

"Marcher Lord Select is American Idol meets book acquisitions," says publisher Jeff Gerke. "We're presenting upwards of 40 completed manuscripts and letting 'the people' decide which one should be published."

The contest will proceed in phases, Gerke explains, in each subsequent round of which the voters will receive larger glimpses of the competing manuscripts.

The first phase will consist of no more than the book's title, genre, length, a 20-word premise, and a 100-word back cover copy teaser blurb. Voters will cut the entries from 40 to 20 based on these items alone.

"We want to show authors that getting published involves more than simply writing a great novel," Gerke says. "There are marketing skills to be developed--and you've got to hook the reader with a good premise."

Following rounds will provide voters with a 1-page synopsis, the first 500 words of the book, the first 30 pages of the book, and, in the final round, the first 60 pages of the book.
The manuscript receiving the most votes in the final round will be published by Marcher Lord Press in its Spring 2010 release list.

No portion of any contestant's mss. will be posted online, as MLP works to preserve the non-publication status of all contestants and entries.

Participating entrants have been contacted personally by Marcher Lord Press and are included in Marcher Lord Select by invitation only.

"We're also running a secondary contest," Gerke says. "The 'premise contest' is for those authors who have completed a Christian speculative fiction manuscript that fits within MLP guidelines and who have submitted their proposals to me through the Marcher Lord Press acquisitions portal before October 29, 2009."

The premise contest will allow voters to select the books that sound the best based on a 20-word premise, a 100-word back cover copy teaser blurb, and (possibly) the first 500 words of the book.
The premise contest entrants receiving the top three vote totals will receive priority acquisitions reading by MLP publisher Jeff Gerke.

"It's a way for virtually everyone to play, even those folks who didn't receive an invitation to compete in the primary Marcher Lord Select contest."

Marcher Lord Select officially begins on November 1, 2009, and runs until completion in January or February 2010. All voting and discussions and Marcher Lord Select activities will take place at The Anomaly forums in the Marcher Lord Select subforum. Free registration is required.

"In order for this to work as we're envisioning," Gerke says, "we need lots and lots of voters. So even if you're not a fan of Christian science fiction or fantasy, I'm sure you love letting your voice be heard about what constitutes good Christian fiction. So come on out and join the fun!"

Marcher Lord Press is a Colorado Springs-based independent publisher producing Christian speculative fiction exclusively. MLP was launched in fall of 2008 and is privately owned. Contact: Jeff Gerke; www.marcherlordpress.com.


Friday, October 2, 2009

Christian Speculative Fiction

In the name of promoting the writing and reading of Christian speculative fiction (that's science fiction and fantasy and even odder stuff), I'd like to announce the release of the new set of novels from Marcher Lord Press. (Jeff Gerke, the publisher, is a friend of mine. And in turn, he is a friend to all Christian readers who are thirsting for more quality speculative fiction written from a Christian world view.)

I know you or someone on your Christmas list would love these books.

In this, Marcher Lord Press's third release season, they're featuring three science fiction novels. They're tremendous stories. Everything done by Marcher Lord Press is top-notch, from the book covers, typeset, and binding to the thought-provoking tales within.


And today (Sept. 2nd) through Sunday they're offering some great launch party bundles--including one with free shipping and another with a free Marcher Lord Press T-shirt--so go to www.marcherlordpress.com/New_Store/ and see what they've got cooking.

Hey! Spread the word to other readers of Sci-fi.

Thursday, September 17, 2009

The Olglivie Obituary

We beg your pardon in the delay of this official notice. I had seen Leonard Ogelvie the day before his demise. He often comes into the newspaper offices due to his business as a travel agent. We double checked the facts and found, not only had he died of a sudden illness, but evidently a friend speedily took care of his funeral arrangement. His body was interred today at City Cemetery. Most curious is that a headstone has already been placed at the grave.

We ran many advertisements for Ogelvie's World Tours and the subsidiary business, Leonard Land Travels, where all travel was with on land, by car, bus, or train. He also wrote travel articles for the Sunday addition. A very knowledgeable man.

Since we found no relatives in our brief inquiry and only people who knew Leonard Ogelvie superficially, we shall comment on our experience of this well-thought-of, though curiously private man. His only friend must have been the man who made the funeral arrangements and he left town immediately after the short graveside service.


Our offices have dealt with Mr. Ogelvie for over twenty years. He was always honest, straightforward, and prompt in paying his bills. In his early business days he was often hurried and somewhat abrupt, very focused on establishing his career. A sudden change came over him a few years back and all those working on the paper made note of it. We often noted how relaxed and amiable he became. The sudden adjustment in personality was odd, but none of us felt we knew him well enough to ask what was the pivotal point of his transformation, although we often speculated.


We announce his death today with sorrow. He was a man many would have like to know better. His sudden passing has brought home a truth we would all benefit from observing. A simple question, a few words of conversation, and we might have known how a gruff business man turns into a kindly, thoughtful, but reclusive entrepreneur. His businesses thrived after this alteration, but his personal life seemed stuck in an undeveloped state. Our chance to befriend Leonard Oglivie has passed. The picture below was submitted anonymously, handed to us by the mortician at Heavenly Estates, and presumably taken by the friend who arranged for Oglivie's last resting place.

Friday, September 11, 2009

In Great Company

If you live in or near Denver, you have got to come to this event. Next week I am going to the American Christian Fiction Writers Conference.


ACFW is a pretty big organization which promotes finely crafted Christian fiction. On Saturday over 100 Christian novelists will gather for a public booksigning.

Here's the particulars:


Date: September 19, 2009

Time: 4:00 to 5:30 p.m.

Place:Denver Marriott Tech Center, 4900 S. Syracuse Street.


You can buy the authors' books through the ACFW conference bookstore in the hotel.

Or bring copies you already own to have signed.


Here is a list of authors who will be there:

Carolyne Aarsen
Diane Ashley
Ruth Axtell Morren
Karen Ball
Rick Barry
Christina Berry
Lauralee Bliss
Diana Brandmeyer
Sandra Bricker
Margaret Brownley
Candace Calvert
Robin Caroll
Jeanie Smith Cash
Colleen Coble
Brandilyn Collins
Mary Connealy
Shirley Connolly
Margaret Daley
Susan Page Davis
Mary Davis
Janet Dean
Megan DiMaria
Lena Nelson Dooley
Wanda Dyson
Leanna Ellis
Pamela Ewen
Miralee Ferrell
Linda Ford
Tina Ann Forkner
Darlene Franklin
Judy Gann
Jeff Gerke
Rhonda Gibson
Debby Giusti
Sandra Glahn
Elizabeth Goddard
Winnie Griggs
Rene Gutteridge
Cathy Marie Hake
Lisa Harris
Mary Hawkins
Roxanne Henke
Cynthia Hickey
Patti Hill
Denise Hunter
Annette Irby
Myra Johnson
Liz Johnson
Jenny Jones
Eileen Key
Laurie Kingery
Kathleen Kovach
Harry Kraus
Jeanne Marie Leach
Tosca Lee
Julie Lessman
Loree Lough
Elizabeth Ludwig
Richard Mabry
Debbie Macomber
Joyce Magnin
Gail Gaymer Martin
Jude Martin-Urban
Debby Mayne
Aaron McCarver
Vickie McDonough
Dana Mentink
Robin Caroll
DiAnn Mills
Stephanie Morrill
Janelle Mowery
Jill Elizabeth Nelson
Kevin Parsons
Golden Keyes Parsons
Donita K. Paul
Tracie Peterson
Allie Pleiter
Cara Putman
Tara Randel
Deborah Raney
Sandra Robbins
Kim Sawyer
Marc Schooley
Michael Sheehan
Shelley Shepard Gray
Ann Shorey
Beth Shriver
Sandra Lee Smith
Virginia Smith
Betsy St. Amant
Therese Stenzel
Stuart Stockton
Alison Strobel
Michelle Sutton
Camy Tang
Donn Taylor
Janice (Hanna) Thompson
Missy Tippens
Pamela Tracy
Carrie Turansky
Deborah Vogts
Jenness Walker
Dan Walsh
Susan May Warren
Michael Webb
Kit Wilkinson
Lisa Wingate
Beth Wiseman
Kimberley Woodhouse
Lenora Worth
Cheryl Wyatt
Kathleen Y'Barbo