Saturday, March 28, 2009

First Sales of The Bones of Makaidos

The Bones of Makaidos is now out in some stores. This is a photo of me at the Salt Shaker bookstore in Enumclaw, Washington, with one of the first purchasers of the book. She created a costume to match the characters on the cover. Very cool!

The official release date is April 1. I'm not sure which stores will have the book that early, but it will help if you call your bookstore right away to make sure they have it on order.

Please report what the stores tell you, and also let me know when you get your own copy.

Monday, March 23, 2009

Father's Day Offer For Churches or Other Groups

If you are involved with a church or other group that would like to give a meaningful gift to its male members on Father's Day, consider this. I am offering to sell copies of The Image of a Father and Spit and Polish for Husbands at a big quantity discount.

Here is the breakdown:

1 to 9 copies - $5 each
10 to 99 copies - $3 each
100 or more copies - $2 each

This refers to total copies purchased, that is, 50 copies of one book and 50 of the other would be 100 copies and qualify for the $2 price.

I would also have to charge for shipping costs, which I would have to calculate based on the number of books requested.

If you or someone you know might be interested in this offer, please contact me by email at bryan (at) dragonsinourmidst (dot) com.

Saturday, March 21, 2009

Christian Book Expo



I am at the Christian Book Expo in Dallas this weekend, and yesterday I had the opportunity to participate in a young authors panel with Bill Myers and Robert Elmer.

We had a lot of fun discussing writing and story planning along with the aspiring writers in the audience. Considering that the expo doesn't seem to be very well attended, I thought the number of people attending our panel was quite hight.

If you live in the Dallas area, I hope you can come out today. We will be doing the panel again at 2:00 pm. For more information about the expo, click here.

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

The Bones of Makaidos - Chapter One

The Bones of Makaidos is almost here, so I'm posting a link to the first chapter - Click Here.

Remember, although the release date is April 1, your bookstore might not have the book by then unless you order in advance. Call now to make sure your store has ordered it, and ask when it will arrive.

Those of you who call, I would appreciate it if you would report here what the store says.

Sunday, March 15, 2009

Books for Men - Part 1

Some blog readers might not know that, in addition to my three fantasy series, I also have two non-fiction books for men, The Image of a Father and Spit and Polish for Husbands. From time to time, I will post an excerpt from one of the books. With Fathers' Day approaching, you might think about getting a copy of one of these books, especially for a new dad or newlywed husband.

It's important, however, to be sensitive. Some men might not take it the right way. They might think you're sending a signal that they are not the husbands or fathers they ought to be. That's why I recommend these for newbies in the field of fathering and husbanding. They might know they need help.

Still, I'm sure anyone, man or woman, will enjoy these books, and they are very inexpensive, only five dollars plus shipping. Click here to order an autographed copy of The Image of a Father, or click here to order Spit and Polish for Husbands.

This excerpt is from the introduction to The Image of a Father.

With summer twilight casting a feather-soft glow on my daughter’s drooping eyes, I sing her toward dreamland, each word shushed in an envelope of whispers.

Oh Lord, you’re beautiful.
Your face is all I seek.
For when your eyes are on this child,
Your grace abounds to me. (Lyrics by Keith Green. © Birdwing Music/BMG Songs. All rights reserved. Used by permission.)

I kiss her forehead and watch her gentle smile fade. Tight wrinkles dig into her brow, signaling a question at the crossroads of her mind. “Daddy?” she asks, her eyes fluttering open. “What does God look like?”

What a question! How can I possibly answer it? A hundred duties await my attention. Every night brings a tug-of-war of fatherly responsibilities. On one side, bills and fix-it projects pull like gargantuan gods, busy work that must wait for every juvenile head to finally nestle in its pillow. On the other side, the peaceful solitude of gentle lullabies and butterfly kisses pull back, nightly reveries with my children that transcend time. Tonight my daughter wins the battle and I tuck her covers in at the sides as I try to think of an answer that will make sense to her world of concrete realities.

“Jesus told us that God is spirit,” I begin. “We can’t see our heavenly Father with our eyes, but we can sort of see Him by watching other people.”

“Like who?”

“Well, that’s an easy one. Remember what Jesus said? ‘He who has seen Me has seen the Father.’ Jesus is full of truth, mercy, and love. So is God the Father. If we watch Jesus, we’ll know what God the Father is like.”

“But Jesus isn’t here anymore. I can’t watch Him.”

I stroke her hair, aware of her lovely lack of abstract thought. She’s right. Jesus isn’t here anymore. Though I could explain the theological truth of “Christ in us,” the indwelling Holy Spirit who reveals the character of God to our hearts and minds, such a nebulous concept is surely out of her reach. There no longer walks a flesh and blood Savior who fills our eyes with the Father’s glory. At this moment I fully realize the gravity of my position in her sight, and its burden squeezes my chest. Dare I tell her my thoughts?

I take a deep breath and draw my hands back to my lap. “Then it’s up to me to show you what God looks like.”

She grins at me, her sleepiness chased away by playful thoughts. “Really? Did you go up to heaven and take a picture of Him or something?”

I poke her nose with my finger. “No, silly goose. It’s just that I’m your father, and it’s my job to show you what God is like. When God makes a father, He pours a bunch of His own qualities into him, the stuff that makes good fathers.”

“Like what?”

“Like protection, guidance, and—” I pause for effect and then tickle her ribs. “And anything that makes you smile.”

She giggles and pushes my arms away, and I gently take her hands into mine. When she settles down, she grins again and says, “I think I’d rather have a picture.”

I straighten my frame, my head held high, absurdly showing off my profile. “Well, then, think of me as your picture of God.” We both laugh, and I tuck her in tightly once more, whispering to settle her thoughts. “I can’t be everything God is, Sweetheart, but I can show you how He loves you like a father. I’m not a picture from a camera, but I am like an image of His fathering ways.” I caress her cheek with tender fingers and add, “Will that be enough?”

She smiles and her eyes begin drooping again, her voice stretching into a yawn. “That’ll be enough.”

I watch her eyelids close, and I sigh. Will I be able to fulfill my promise? Can I possibly bridge the gap between heaven and earth and reflect God’s perfect love in a way she can understand?
What does God look like, anyway? Do I know Him well enough myself? I pray that my feeble attempts will be empowered by God’s own desire to show His fathering character to my children.

With tears welling in my eyes, I finish my song, hoping my sweet girl will learn the everlasting song of God’s love, fusing her soul with God as she bears witness of His fathering heart in mine.

I want to take your word and shine it all around;
First, help me just to live it, Lord.
And when I’m doing well
Help me to never seek a crown;
For my reward is giving glory to you.

Saturday, March 14, 2009

Hard Cover versions of the Dragons' Series and Posters

Did you know that you can buy any of the Dragons in our Midst and Oracles of Fire series in library binding style hard cover? I just received several copies of Last of the Nephilim in that edition, and they look great. You can also buy posters of any book cover.

You can get them by clicking here and then clicking on the book image of your choice. On the book ordering page, you'll see an option for ordering the library bound edition or a poster.

If you want to get the entire Dragons in our Midst set in paperback or library binding, click here. You can also order the four-book set in paperback.

If you want to get the entire Oracles of Fire set (three books in hard cover right now), click here. You can also order the four-book set in paperback.

The sets are for U.S. orders only. If you live outside of the U.S., email me, and we can discuss shipping charges.

If you order multiple posters, the system will overcharge you for shipping. I will refund the difference.

Christian Book Expo - Reminder

Next weekend I will be at what is probably the biggest Christian author/public show in history. It's called the Christian Book Expo, and it will be held in Dallas from March 20 through March 22. More than 200 authors will be there ready to meet their readers. There will be book signings, panel discussions, writing workshops, and much more.

And best of all, it's free for people 17 and under!

Here are the two events I will be in:

Friday, March 20 5:00-6:00pm (signing, meet & greet 6-7 pm)

Saturday, March 21 2:00-3:00pm (signing, meet & greet 3-4 pm)

They are the same event, repeated. Here is the description:

Writing Workshop for teens with fantasy fiction authors Bryan Davis, Robert Elmer, and Bill Myers

Join fantasy fiction authors Bryan Davis, Robert Elmer, and Bill Myers for a fun and interactive writing workshop for teens. The authors will talk about their journey to becoming published authors, how teens can jumpstart their writing careers, and how their faith inspires their Christian fantasy stories. Pick up a copy of their latest books for teens with FREE bookmarks and get your books signed by the authors!

So, if you live in the Dallas area, mark your calendars and come on out. Even if you don't live nearby, it might be worth making the journey. Just think, 200 authors in one place. I will definitely be walking around the building hoping to meet a bunch of people.

If you want to know more, Click here for details.

Saturday, March 07, 2009

Dragons in the United Kingdom

My dragons books are set for distribution in the United Kingdom. With new covers that emphasize the dragons, a UK distributor is rolling out the first four books beginning in April.

Check it out by clicking here.

Cincinnati Area Book Signing

I hope to see all my readers in the Cincinnati, Ohio, area at the following event:

March 10, 2009 5 pm to 7 pm
Book signing
Family Christian Store
Shoppes At Florence Mall
7901 Mall Rd
Florence, KY 41042-1409

Bring the books you already own, and I'll be glad to sign them. I also have posters to give away.

Unfortunately, I won't have The Bones of Makaidos. It won't be out until April 1, but I do have some posters of "Bones," so if you ask for one, and I still have them available, I'll give you a poster.