Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Review of I Know Why the Angels Dance

Here is a link to a new review of I Know Why the Angels Dance: Click Here

This book will be out in the next couple of weeks. I am looking forward to seeing how God uses it to bring comfort to hurting souls.

You can pre-order from me by Clicking Here, or you can choose one of the links below.

Click here for Amazon

Click below to order from Christianbook.com





578408: I Know Why the Angels DanceI Know Why the Angels Dance

By Bryan Davis

Monday, September 28, 2009

A Simple Contest

From now until the end of October, anyone ordering I Know Why the Angels Dance from me will be entered into a drawing for a free copy of Starlighter when it comes out.

Here is the link for ordering: Click Here

If you ordered it from me and want to be included in the contest, post a comment here.

You might want to order multiple copies to have on hand as gifts to those who are grieving. After reading this book, you will understand its value for those who need spiritual comfort. As a reminder, I am donating all royalties to charitable causes.

Thursday, September 24, 2009

I Know Why the Angels Dance Release

I Know Why the Angels Dance will be at the publisher's warehouse by October 9, so it should be in stores within a couple of weeks after that. There were several reasons for the delay, including a new cover design. I'm glad everything has been resolved, and I'm looking forward to the release.

Now is a good time to order online at one of the links below. This book will be a great gift for friends and family in grief situations, so it might be a good idea to keep a couple of copies on hand.

As I have stated before, I am donating all royalties to charitable causes, including (at this time) World Vision and Voice of the Martyrs.

Would you like a preview? Click Here to read the first chapter.

Please help me spread the news about this book.

Click Here for the book's website (in development).

Click here
for a recent review of I Know Why the Angels Dance

Click here for Amazon
Click here to order from me
Click below to order from Christianbook.com





578408: I Know Why the Angels DanceI Know Why the Angels Dance

By Bryan Davis

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

A Charge for Young Men

A Charge to Young Men
by Bryan Davis
Click here for a pdf version

Whether you love books or broadswords, as a young man you are wired for greatness. You want to take a step above the norm and rise high above mediocrity. You desire excellence in all things. From head to heart, you want to be a knight in shining armor.

As a knight, your weapons and armor are many and varied—wisdom from above, unblinking courage, a rock-like steadfastness of spirit, unshakable faith, and swords both physical and spiritual. No matter which weapon you choose, make sure you are battle-ready, trained for the conflicts that lie ahead. This training requires discipline of body, mind, and soul, so that your righteousness through Jesus Christ will shine and never fade.

If you embrace this passion and put it into practice, you will be a bright light in a culture that prefers dimness. Some will be drawn to your light, to your high standards, because they feel within themselves a calling to be more than they are now. Others will be repelled, because they cannot stand the thought that someone is mounting the summit while they have chosen a lower path. These might try to drag you down.

In either case, your example will stand firm. You will lift up those who reach out for help, and you will resist those who try to pull you into their mire. You will be a hero to those needing a champion, and you will be unblemished though detractors hurl invectives.

God is the power behind your steadfastness, and His standards are the code that guides your behavior. Many have marched this path before you. Your foundation has been built with the bricks of men who are unafraid to flex their muscles and is held together by the mortar of masculine courage. With faith in God’s promises, you can follow that code. You can change the world.

How? By living the standard. You will tell the truth in a world of lies, remain loyal in a land of betrayal, and work faithfully in a culture of excuses. Even your friends might think you are overzealous, and in this zeal you might stand alone. Yet your peculiar faithfulness makes you trustworthy, even in the eyes of pretenders. Your loyalty is unquestioned, even among the unfaithful. If a lie of expediency whispers its desire to be told, a horde of lesser men will stampede to tell it. Not you. To speak a falsehood is to spew poison, and you will not allow a drop of venom to leave your tongue, even if offered the treasure of Solomon or threatened with death.

Our culture celebrates the lie. It laughs at the deceptive antics of bumbling fools on television. It elects politicians who tell the most convincing fables. It winks at “white lies” that allow a man to skip an annoying meeting or avoid a tiresome caller by saying, “Oh, I can’t talk to him right now. Tell him I’m out to lunch.”

And with one shady statement, this man falls from being a knight to being a knave. He thinks he’s running with the big dogs, but he’s really wallowing with the pigs.

Although there will always be someone willing to accuse you of wrongdoing, you must be careful never to give your enemies a real reason to question your character. You are called to be a beacon fueled by true purity. You are to reflect to the world what you really are in your heart—holy and pure. Your ability to remain unstained in this culture is the light that will draw other people to the same standard by which you live. Your duty is to keep yourself spotless by abstaining from anything that would soil your reputation. Why? Because the light you shine is easily dimmed in the eyes of others.

Men of lesser nobility fear this standard, yet not because of a specific portion of its grand design or a particular rule of conduct. They fear the specter of a man who actually follows these precepts, for once you prove that such a standard is attainable, those who prefer mediocrity no longer have an excuse for their behavior, and your light exposes them for what they are.

Many of you will choose a young maiden to help you in this quest, someone who will support you with strength of her own, someone who will bind your wounds and whisper words of encouragement as she sends you charging back into battle. Choose carefully—not the woman who attracts with smiles and skin, but rather the woman who proves her heart through service, discernment, and integrity. If she finds joy in worship and hard work, peace in the midst of persecution, and contentment even when her pockets are empty, then she will be the soul mate you need to endure the long and difficult road ahead. Since she embraces the same standard you hold dear, she will lift your arms should they sag in weariness and infuse you with assurance should your confidence falter. Face and form will change through the years, but a saintly woman’s heart will last forever.

So as you go forward as a living example of this standard, pay heed to the counsel of those who have blazed the trail. It is a long journey, filled with potential hazards, but it is one that a young man who lives by the sword of the Spirit will be able to complete, and you will find applause at the end of the road, not only from those who have cheered you along the way, but from God, Himself, who created the code of conduct and fashioned you into the exemplary model He hoped you would be.

Monday, September 21, 2009

Starlighter Cover

Here is the cover of Starlighter, the first in the four-book Dragons of Starlight series from Zondervan. Scheduled for release on April 1, 2010, it is designed for young adults. Although the story involves dragons, it's not related to any other series I have written.

For a higher resolution image of the cover, Click Here.

You can pre-order it from Amazon, or you can pre-order an autographed copy from me by Clicking Here.

Following is a description of the story. Please let me know if you have any questions or comments.

Jason Masters has heard his older brother Adrian’s tales about dragons kidnapping humans. Supposedly, almost one hundred years ago, a dragon stole away several humans and enslaved them on its own planet. These Lost Ones, as Adrian called them, live terrible lives as cattle. Yet, the Underground Gateway, the portal to the dragon planet, still exists somewhere, and a secret society of the same name has long tried to find it so they can rescue the Lost Ones.

When Adrian leaves to find the portal, Jason takes his place as the Governor’s bodyguard. Although the government has tried to cover up the evidence, he learns that the legends are true, and after being accused of murder and learning that Adrian’s life is in danger, he has to conduct his own search for the portal, a journey filled with danger and intrigue.

Aided by a gifted young lady named Elyssa and an eccentric escapee from the dungeon named Tibalt, Jason ventures into the wilderness to locate Adrian and the Lost Ones. Yet, what he finds on the dragon planet proves to the biggest surprise of all. Koren, a lonely slave girl, is a powerful being called a Starlighter, the slaves' only hope for survival and rescue, though most refuse to believe that their ancestors ever came from another planet.

A Charge for Young Women

She is born with a passion to uplift, empower, and support. She is the mainstay and sail for the captain’s ship. She is the heat in the warrior’s resolve and the salve that heals his wounds. She is the heart that pumps vitality to every joint and sinew. Yes, she is a woman.

Every girl in existence has been lovingly fashioned—from her caring and sensitive brain, to her tender and compassionate hands, to her tireless feet—to be a pillar of strength and resolve. While she might not be a warrior who draws a sword, she is the healer who strengthens the warrior’s hands and heart. Without her, every weapon would drop in futility, every muscular arm would wilt, and every pair of tired legs would shuffle home in defeat, for the heart that drives the warrior forward has stopped beating.

Some young women choose to take up the sword themselves, to step out alone in the midst of darkness to carry a lantern to the lost, to battle oppression and bring relief to the abused and neglected, or to transport life-giving supplies to the destitute wherever they may be. Their partner is the Spirit of Christ, and their sword is His word. They must know Him well if they hope to shine His light and pierce the darkness without the help of an intimate human partner.

Speak the truth. Live the truth. Be the truth. Never let the faithless ones persuade you to abandon any of those three principles. Remember that you are an oracle of fire, as is every faithful follower of our Lord. For all true disciples possess the pure silver, purged of all dross, and the fire of God’s love burns within, an everlasting flame that others, even those who give lip-service to the truth, will never comprehend until you are able to pass along that fire from heart to heart.

Many girls will choose to partner with another in this pursuit, hoping to be the light, the energy, and the drive that pulses within the breast of another. Yet, some never discover what it means to be such a heart. They never learn the secret of the captain’s sail or the recipe of the healing salve. Why? Because they listen to a counterfeit call, a trumpet blaring a falsehood—that their beauty is a lure to capture rather than an inspiration to set free. The inner desire to help and support becomes a lust to take and own. The hope to hear words of affirmation that she has been a good and faithful helpmate transforms into a hopeless search for eyes that admire and lips that speak words of appreciation for her outward appearance rather than for the beauty of her soul. And such a search never ends in true satisfaction.

You, however, are listening to your creator’s call, a gentle voice within that whispers reminders of how you were really fashioned, to be a woman of virtue, of inner beauty, of priceless value. The trumpet announces your need to strut, expose, and seduce, while the inner voice sings of ways to dress your soul in virtue—to feed the hungry, cover those laid bare, infuse encouragement into the hearts of the downtrodden, and nurture the victims of poverty, disease, and abandonment.

As a young woman of virtue, you understand what will happen if you heed the trumpet’s call to lure with flesh and flair. You will draw attention, but from whom? Someone who values face and form but not the heart. He will take, use, and abuse. His desire is for his own benefit, because what his eyes perceive is a girl who offers to fulfill the cravings of his body, and he responds, not with love, but with lust for his own satisfaction. And when your flower of youth fades, he will not perceive value in your soul, and you will never achieve the holy union of hearts for which you were created.

If you listen to the creator’s call, you will suffer temporary loss. When you pour out compassion and pity instead of skin and superficiality, you will be considered old-fashioned, out-of-touch, a prude. Yet, within the fair bosom you are saving for a true warrior, you will be nurturing a heart of unspoiled beauty, for it has not been taken at a cheap price. It has not been hardened by a wolf who captures, abuses, and leaves. And with such a heart, you will be able to reach out and be the captain’s sail, the warrior’s reason for drawing his sword, and the soothing salve for hearts less whole than your own.

The heart of a woman is more precious than pearls, and a man of worth sees it as a priceless treasure. He knows that she is the energy that drives his purpose, and without her, the pursuit of his vision for God’s purpose will be sluggish indeed. For the honor of taking that heart to join with him in fulfilling that vision, he will give his life, his heart, and his soul. The woman who has prepared her heart for that adventure will never regret the small price she paid. Scorn fades, and satisfaction blossoms. Contempt crumbles to dust, and contentment rises in its place. Ridicule is forgotten, while refreshment of the soul lives for as long as the heart pumps its life-giving energy.

Whether you take up the sword yourself or choose to unite with a warrior, now is the time to live according to this standard. It might seem that you are walking the path alone, yet, you are never alone. The One who planted the heart within you will never leave your side, and He will continue to sing the song that fashioned you as a woman of virtue. Listen. It is there. You will have to tune out the surrounding noise, but the sounds of love and virtue will never be silenced, if only you know the Singer and His song.

(For a pdf version of this, please click here. Feel free to share this with others with appropriate credit given.)

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

The Bones of Makaidos in Hard Cover

I now have copies of The Bones of Makaidos in hard cover with a vinyl-style coating. You can order them at this link. (Scroll down to the hardcover option.)

Many readers have said that this is their favorite book in either dragons series, so I assumed some would want it in a more durable format. These copies are from the third printing, which means they include a couple of extra sentences clarifying Bonnie's role as an Oracle, and the dragon family tree at the front is clearer than in previous printings.

This would be a great gift for readers who love the series and this book in particular. Please let me know if you have any questions.

Friday, September 11, 2009

Price Decreases on Books and Audio Books

I have lowered the prices on several books and audio books at my shopping site (Click Here).

All audio books are $10 each in MP3 format and $20 each in CD format.

You can buy all four Dragons in our Midst audio books for $35 in MP3 format or $78 in CD format.

You can buy all four Oracles of Fire audio books for $35 in MP3 format (CD format available soon).

The Echoes from the Edge books are $10 each or $27 for the three-book set.

Spit and Polish for Husbands is only $3.

The Bones of Makaidos is still only $8, while supplies of the second printing last.

If you want a copy of the third printing of The Bones of Makaidos (which includes a short clarification of Bonnie's role as an Oracle of Fire as well as a clearer dragon family tree image), the use this link. The price is $13 for the new printing.

Here is the change I made. On page 345, the third to last paragraph now begins this way:

"The essence of such an Oracle is spiritual in nature. You will not create fire with your hands, yet fire will burn in your heart with far more boldness and passion than ever before. As an Oracle, you will look through portals to the hearts of those lost in shadows, you will feel the heavy sadness…"

Wednesday, September 02, 2009

New Cover for I Know Why the Angels Dance

I'm excited about this new cover for I Know Why the Angels Dance. If you would like to see a high-resolution image, Click Here. I am thinking about making posters for this cover. If you think you would buy one, let me know. That will help with my decision.

As I have mentioned before, this novel is not like any other I have written. It is contemporary fiction for adults, especially parents, and it is also suitable for teenagers. It is overtly spiritual, not a tale with hidden meanings or images that point to biblical truths, but rather a straightforward story of faith in Jesus Christ.

Also, I will be contributing all royalties to charitable causes. Right now my planned charities include World Vision and Voice of the Martyrs.

I attended a funeral over the weekend, and I wanted to give a copy of this book to the grieving family, but since it's not out yet, I couldn't. I'm looking forward to having plenty on hand to give away to those suffering in sorrow. Once you read the book, you might think about that, too. If you have one or two copies on hand to give to someone who has suffered a great loss, you will always be ready with a tangible blessing that will never be forgotten.
Here is the text from the back cover:

When the darkness of unspeakable tragedy collides with the infinite glory of heaven, what happens? What salve can heal the deepest of wounds when dawn breaks and the nightmare is real? What words can console a grieving father or mother when the blossom of the womb fades and falls? Images of hope, soft words that set the mind at ease, beautiful memories brought home by a beautiful story.

I Know Why the Angels Dance is a healing salve; it incites a cleansing catharsis; it serves as a holy image-maker, mending hearts and minds with glimpses of heaven’s glory. It opens spiritual eyes. We are all on a collision course with the unknown. Will it be a plunge into darkness or a passing from one existence into a brighter one?

Two fathers, one in the light and one in darkness, each face the reality of that passage, and both struggle to find and apply the healing balm. Yet, God uses the faith of a child to reach out to the downcast—the hand of an extraordinary girl leads them to the healing they long for.

The reality of death meets the hope of the ages, and the victory comes in the visions and songs of a little girl. After reading I Know Why the Angels Dance, you will cherish life and family like never before, and the passage everyone must make will no longer be a leap into darkness. It will be a step into glory.

New Reviews:
This book should be on every physician’s desk. It would help them gain a better understanding of emotional suffering and how they can go beyond merely performing the physical aspects of their job.—Scott VanLue, MD

You have struck the delicate balance between the assault on our physical senses when a beloved child dies and the promise we believe through our faith in Jesus Christ. Not only is it written with the grace of a poet, it poignantly strikes the chord that brings the heart to tears even while the spirit within us sings.—Rosemary Upton, author of The Court and the Kingdom and Glimpses of Grace

This novel is a masterful tale of sorrow and hope, sure to leave readers searching for love and healing that can only be fulfilled in Jesus. It is interwoven with genuine portrayals of Christians and non-Christians, their respective questions in life, and their bond as human beings living in a world paradoxically full of suffering and beauty. After reading this stirring book my heart knows why the angels dance, and I yearn to make them dance again and again. –Nicole Cragin

Incredible! I was immediately drawn into this book from the first page. The characters were so real that they became friends whom I fussed at or cheered. Tears freely flowed as I read the final pages! It encouraged and challenged me to remember that each believer’s life has a profound effect on the people around us. That God calls us to obedience even when we don’t understand what He is asking us to do, and in that obedience we can draw others to His throne of grace. –Ruth Vath

Truly remarkable. Never before have I been so convicted, overjoyed, and emotionally moved while reading a book. Through the point of view of a preteen brimming with love for God, Mr. Davis reveals the trials that come with hardship. This book raises the deep topics of how to express grief and joy in times of loss and how to share the Good News with others despite one's greatest fears. I Know Why the Angels Dance not only displays the sorrow that comes with loss but also shows the profound joy and abiding love that stretches far beyond this mortal world. –Jessica Sly

I Know Why the Angels Dance is available for pre-order from Bryan at this link: Click Here

You can also pre-order it from Amazon, Christianbook.com, and many other online booksellers.

The book is scheduled to be out by the end of September.