Parents - Tell the Truth!

After my post about Santa Claus, I have been more sensitive to parental truth issues. This morning, I read the following article on CNN.com - Click Here

Of course, I found it appalling. A mother helped her daughter win two highly coveted tickets by inventing a tragic event in order to gain sympathy. The following quote was very telling:

"We did the essay and that's what we did to win," Priscilla Ceballos, the mother, said in an interview with Dallas TV station KDFW. "We did whatever we could do to win."

It seems that the mother concocted the story that the girl's father was killed in Iraq, so they wrote about his death in the girl's essay, part of the procedure to win the tickets. Now the sponsor of the contest is "considering taking away the girl's tickets."

Of course they should take away the tickets. That's a no-brainer. But will they?

There was a day that hardly anyone would question that decision, but now the fact that they are only "considering" it reminds me of the hand-wringers out there who would wail about the girl's hurt feelings and her lost opportunity for fun, or that it was her mother's fault so the girl shouldn't be punished. What rubbish! If they let her go, they will forever imprint on the little girl's mind that the lie worked, and that she had the time of her life because of deceitfulness.

Did I mention that the girl is only six years old? I think the mother's lying amounts to child abuse. But, from what I can gather, the lying stands to reason. I have never seen the Hannah Montana show, and I likely never will, but isn't it about a girl who lives a double-life? Isn't she deceiving a lot of people as a plot device? I guess it's no wonder that some Hannah Montana fans have no problem with using deception. (Please don't post comments defending Hannah Montana. If they aren't relevant, I will probably delete them.)

On to another example. I was reading a book yesterday that gives parents advice regarding how to handle bad media influences. Part of it included interviews with parents asking how they instructed their children when they are at a friend's house and the friend suggests watching an inappropriate movie. One father said that he instructs his child to call him using a code phrase that lets him know the situation without the child having to tell him directly. Then he would go and pick up his child, telling the host family that he forgot about an important family issue, so the child would have to come home.

In other words, he would lie. And this was supposed to be a Christian father.

Why not say, "I'm taking my child home, because your child suggested watching a movie that we think is inappropriate. I don't want by child being exposed to influences like that. Yes, I know you can find an alternative, but the fact that your child would suggest this movie at all lets me know that my child shouldn't be over here."

Would I say that? If you doubt that I would, you don't know me very well. Would my child be embarrassed? Maybe. But he would never forget that his father tells the truth and protects his mind.

The father in the book I mentioned will teach his children that it's okay to lie as a way to avoid embarrassment, that it's fine to deceive in order to avoid watching a bad movie. Yet, this father would be filling his child's mind with something more dangerous than a video with some bad words or violence. He would plant in his mind a license to lie, and that will prove to be a far worse influence than the movie would have infused.

Do you ask someone to say you're not home in order to avoid a phone call? Do you call in sick when you're not? Do you tell someone you loved a Christmas gift when you didn't? These are all lies, and there is no good reason to tell them.

Parents, tell the truth. At the very least, say nothing. Just don't lie. Whether it's telling kids to believe in Santa Claus, or approving Hannah Montana's deceptions, or telling a "white lie" to avoid a difficult situation, you are not only corrupting yourselves, you are corrupting your children. They are watching, and they will learn to follow your lead.

******Added Section******

I'm adding to my post, because one anonymous commenter tried to defend the Hannah Montana show. I researched the show further, and it is certainly something I would never let my kids watch. I have read song lyrics. Some are unacceptable. I watched a couple of Youtube excerpts of the show and concerts. She shakes her hips and struts in sexually provocative ways. She kisses boys on the lips, is obsessed with romance, and wears immodest clothing. How old is she? 13? 14? What a horrible role model!

When I see little girls screaming for a glimpse of their heroine, or parents standing in line in freezing weather to snatch up a ticket, I can tell what's going on--glorification of stardom. Fame for fame's sake. Idol worship.

Why would parents allow kids to watch programs with harmful content like this? Do they want their girls to become sexually provocative, hip-shaking harlots? I don't get it.

Amazing Grace - The Movie

I watched the Amazing Grace movie with my family yesterday. That was a fun and meaningful way to spend our Christmas evening.

I enjoyed the portrayal of William Wilberforce. The actor and screenwriter captured the spirit of a man who could not let go of a godly obsession, or perhaps it would not let him go. I understand this spirit well. It is the same kind of passion that has guided and empowered me through the past twenty-five years of my life.

The knowledge that something is desperately wrong burns within. It must be voiced until that wrong is made right. It keeps a man awake at night weeping for those being destroyed be the wrong, not allowing him to enjoy any worldly pleasures while others suffer. It causes him to become a "fool" for Christ, acting and speaking in ways that most professing Christians don't understand. In his zeal to destroy the bastions of apathetic religion and powers-that-be, he carries the whip of Jesus and overturns the money-changers' tables and upsets the religious hypocrites of the day.

Yes, I know that spirit well, and I expect the enslavers of today who oppose what I am doing to become louder and more venomous as the days pass. Instead of sneering cries of "seditionist,"as William Wilberforce heard, I expect to hear more cries of "heretic" as I try to break the chains of those enslaved by the church doctrines of today, the falsehoods that keep believers bound in sin. May God help me as I teach Jesus words, "If therefore the Son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed."

Celebrating Oneness

I neglected to mention our annual celebration of wedded oneness yesterday. Our daughter had surgery to take the screws out of her knee, so we delayed our observance until today.

Susie and I have been married twenty-seven years now, and we want to publicly give thanks to God for giving us this life together. By His grace and power, we trust that the next twenty-seven years will be even better than the paradise we have already lived in.

Thank you, Susie, for being faithful, godly, loving, and sacrificial. You are a living expression of Christ on earth.

By the way, our daughter is doing fine. Surgery was successful, and full recovery is expected.

I Specialize in Turning Off

I have decided to accept my station in life, as well as the fact that others are born for a different task. I am a turner-offer. As I walk through my house, I always find many lights turned on with no one in the room, so I turn the lights off.

It is such a common practice now, I find that I'm surprised to see a light actually in the off state as I go by. I just naturally reach for the switch, so if it's already off, I have to stop myself before I accidentally turn it on. Please don't advise me to get a clapper. My family would think I've gone crazy walking around giving a standing ovation to an empty room.

What I couldn't understand is why all these lights would always be on. Why didn't everyone else turn lights off? Did gremlins break into the house? Did the switches spontaneously flip to the on position?

As I meditated on this, the answer finally dawned on me. When I turn of a light, the very act brings me pleasure. I have done a good thing. I have saved money. I have singlehandedly rescued our fragile environment. I'm a hero!

That means, I assume, that my wonderful children have graciously gone around and turned lights on in order to make me feel good. They have noticed that I'm in a great mood after turning a light off, in spite of my never-ending question, "Who left this light on?" Since I always end up with a smile, they probably thought the question was asked so that I could thank whoever left it on. But since my kids are so humble, they would never volunteer the information. Far be it from them to seek a reward for their kind and noble acts.

After all this soul-searching, I now realize that there are turner-onner people running around doing kind deeds for the turner-offer in the house. We turner-offers need turner-onners in order to make us happy, fulfilled, and content. In my mind, instead of being an annoyance, they are now people to whom I am indebted.

So, I hereby thank you turner-onners. You turn me on!

Christmas Peace

Ever since we as a family stepped out of the mad holiday rush, we have been able to watch the game from the sidelines. It's a lot more entertaining from the bleachers than down in the scrum.

No presents. No Santa. No tree. No decorations. Not even a can of Who Hash. And I don't miss it, not even a tinsel of a bit.

We don't have to fight the crowds at the shopping malls, worry about what we're going to get for Aunt What's-her-name, find just the right tree, fuss over how presents are opened, make sure everyone poses for the camera, clean up the mess, etc, etc.

On Christmas morning, we awake without an alarm, having rested well after suffering no last-minute-preparation anxieties. While the kids roll out of bed, we make cinnamon rolls and hot chocolate and serve them piping hot. With everyone gathered around, maybe with a fire crackling, we read Luke chapter two and talk about the coming of Jesus, our Savior.

No one is sad about not getting that special gift, because no one expected anything. Every child is warm, filled, and happy, even without the latest XBox game, the newest IPod, or the right label on their sweatshirts or the back pockets of their jeans. They have everything they need.

Call me a Scrooge or a Grinch, but we love it this way. And don't tell me that I'm missing out on the fun, because I understand the Christmas game very well. After all, I played it for years. I even carved the roast beast.

But now that I'm sitting back with my mug of hot chocolate, I'll just watch everyone else go crazy. The view is very interesting here on the sidelines. The madness is ... well ... enlightening.

Now if I can just find a radio station that plays something other than "Jingle Bell Rock"!

A Gift for your Husband or Father

With Christmas coming, what do you get for that special man on your list? If he doesn't absolutely despise reading, may I offer a suggestion? If he is a dad, yours or someone else's, maybe he would like my book The Image of a Father. I don't talk about my men's books very much, but I'm going to try to highlight them a bit more. This is my first book, and it comes from my heart as a father of seven children. I look at twelve of God's fathering attributes and how men can reflect those attributes for their children. That way they can see God the Father through their own father. And it's not just for me. I have had many women say that this book helped them to see God as Father for the first time or perhaps see Him more clearly than ever before.

A great way to give this book is to say, "This book reminds me of you and what a great father you are." That way, the man in your life won't think you're giving him the book because he needs help.

My other men's book is called Spit and Polish for Husbands. I think it's important for men to treat their wives like treasures, and this book gives practical tips, sometimes in a humorous way, as well as the spiritual reasons for being a knight in shining armor. Many men have told me that this book has radically changed their lives, and their wives are ecstatic with the changes. As before, a great way to give this book is to say something like, "This book makes me think of you, my knight in shining armor."

I believe that all men can be everything God wants them to be--virtuous heroes for their wives and children. These books will inspire and motivate. They will tell Christian men that they are saints, holy warriors for truth and righteousness, and they are gentlemen who are tender with their lambs.

If you're interested in getting an autographed copy, here is a link for my ordering page: Click Here

Or you can order on Amazon at these links: The Image of a Father or Spit and Polish

An Amazing Review of Enoch's Ghost!

Today I saw a review of Enoch's Ghost on TitleTrakk.com that truly blew me away. I was so overwhelmed, words cannot describe the feeling.

Here is one excerpt that gave me chills (good ones!):

Bryan Davis is on par with fantasy greats J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis and Charles Williams. In some ways, I think he goes beyond these prolific writers when he blends legendary literature and world history.

Then this conclusion:

On a literary level, Enoch’s Ghost along with the other installments, includes enough literary elements to make devout English teachers drool all over themselves. As a teacher by profession, I believe entire curriculums can be constructed around this comprehensive tale. For those interested, Davis’s website does have a link for teachers on how to incorporate his fiction in the classroom.

Parents, just go out and buy the whole lot. Harry Potter doesn’t stand a chance against Dragons and Oracles. Not only is the writing and construction superior, the lessons and values are fully in line with the Bible. As a parent, this is a series of books I want my son to read over and over again.

I am so thankful for this amazing review. It comes at a time when I am in the middle of writing the sequel to this very book. What a way to stoke my creative fire!

To see the entire review, Click here and then thank the Lord with me for how He is working through these books.

The Day Santa Claus Died

Do you remember when Santa Claus died? For many of us, the tragic day when we learned that Santa Claus wasn't real was a day of deep wounds. Innocence was lost. Trust was shattered. Everything our parents told us later forever became suspect.

Those of you who have read my book The Image of a Father know that I advise parents not to teach their children to believe that Santa Claus will visit on Christmas and give them presents. The simple reason is that it's a lie, and any lie can create a shadow of distrust that will hurt your credibility. If you are willing to lie about this, what else are you lying about? Why should they ever believe you again?

I would like to support that teaching with anecdotes. Did your parents tell you that Santa Claus was real? If so, when you learned the truth, did it hurt you emotionally? Did it harm your trust in your parents? If you have a story like that, please post it or send me an email. Thank you.

Eternity's Edge is Finished!

I finished writing the second Echoes from the Edge book, Eternity's Edge, and turned it into Zondervan. It's a great relief to have it done. I am very excited about this story. It could be the most emotionally charged story I have ever written, and I think it could very well stir some controversy, unless, of course, the controversy gets edited out along the way.

I will urge Zondervan to make it clear that the story is designed for readers thirteen years and older.

I have heard that the cover for this book will be ready soon. I will post it here when that happens.

Eternity's Edge is scheduled to arrive in late 2008, maybe November.

Now, I will begin work on Last of the Nephilim, book 3 in the Oracles of Fire series. Please pray for me. My time to write this is very short, and I want to write the best book ever.

Tour Photos

Now that I have a few minutes to upload a few photos, I can show you what I've been doing.

The photo to the left shows me speaking to the students at MEI Middle School in Abbotsford, British Columbia. The four hundred or so students were a polite, attentive group, and they gave me an enthusiastic welcome. I talked about how God has guided me through my author's journey, and I gave them good reasons to believe that reading Christian fantasy is an excellent way to grow closer to God. I told my "dime and two pennies" story, and that seemed to make quite an impression. (I told that story in an earlier blog entry.)

In the photo to the right, I am speaking to the fifth graders at MEI Elementary School. They also proved to be a great group of kids. It seems that the younger the students are, the more willing they are to ask questions, so we had a great Q&A time.

Finally, in the photo to the left, I have a chance to rest for a moment as we are setting up for a signing at the Angel Christian Supply store in Surrey, B.C. We had a nice turnout, and the proprietor, a lady named Marlene, was a great host. I am thankful for the bookstore managers who have helped me so much during this tour.

Tomorrow, I have a signing at the House of James bookstore in Abbotsford, then I begin my journey home. Thank you everyone who has been praying for us!

Northwest Book Tour winding down

So why haven't I posted many updates during this book tour? Because the schedule has been insane.

Monday included a homeschool group, a bookstore signing, a long drive out to Poulsbo, a banquet speech with a writers' group, and a drive back to the motel.

On Tuesday, I spoke at a school's chapel service, then stayed to speak five more times to various classes. When that was over, I promptly drove to Sequim, which took well over three hours, and spoke for two and a half hours to a homeschool group. Then, I had to drive three hours back to my motel.

On Wednesday, I did a 4.5 hour seminar with a homeschool group, drove to North Bend to pick up my daughter, then drove to Canada.

Thursday included a one-hour talk to the entire MEI Middle School, then four writing workshops for various grade levels. When I got back to my motel, I collapsed on the bed and slept until morning.

Now it's Friday, and I have it pretty easy today. I speak to the MEI Elementary School this morning and drive to Surrey for a bookstore signing this afternoon. Saturday will include breakfast with fans at House of James bookstore in Abbotsford and a signing afterward. Then I will drive back to the Seattle area, spend the night with friends, and fly home on Sunday.

I appreciate your prayers. I have a sore throat, and I'm losing my voice. Please pray that I will endure and speak effectively. May God use me to reach many more young people with the love of Christ.

Spokane Appearances

My time in Spokane has been great. I visited two public schools--Salk Middle School and Shaw Middle School--and one private school--Northwest Christian Elementary School. I spoke to five groups of students at Salk and then a parents' group in the evening. We had about eighty show up for the evening sessions, which was fantastic.

The feedback was phenomenal. I heard from a teacher that one parent was so moved by my appeal for positive fantasy for children, she was in tears (in a good way). Apparently many parents gained a new perspective. I'm very happy with the results.

The bookstore appearances went very well, too. I sold about sixty books at the Christian Supply Store, so that's really good.

Tomorrow, I'm off to Seattle. Please pray for a safe journey, good health, and positive results.

Northwest Book Tour Travel Day

I am sitting at the Nashville, TN, airport waiting to take off to the state of Washington for my ten-day book tour. I will be traveling all day, and I will begin my tour tomorrow. I hope to keep my blog up to date with stories from my school, homeschool group, and bookstore appearances.

Stay tuned!

Change to Schedule in Washington

I posted that I had a book signing scheduled in Federal Way, WA, on November 13. That was moved to Monday, November 12, from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm. Here are the details.

November 12 - 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm
Family Christian Store
31835 Pacific Highway South
Federal Way, WA 98003
(253) 839-3920

Preparing for a journey to the Northwest

I will be in Spokane and in the Seattle area in November, so the weather here in western Tennessee has been perfect for training. Today is our fourth consecutive day of rain, wind, and cold. I know Seattle veterans are probably saying, "Only four?" but I have to get used to it a little at a time. Last year when I visited Seattle it rained for ten consecutive days, so I have felt your pain.

Below is my schedule for that visit so far. I hope my readers in the Northwest will make plans to come out and see me. I would love to meet you and sign any books you would want signed. I might add a couple of appearances, so keep an eye on my online schedule at this link.

There are still a few openings in my schedule in the Northwest, so if you want me to visit your school or group, please let me know as soon as possible.

November 8 - All day

Salk Middle School

6411 N Alberta St
Spokane, WA 99208
(509) 354-5600

November 9 - 9:30 am to 10:30 am

Northwest Christian Elementary School

1412 W. Central Ave

Spokane, WA 99205

(509) 328-4400

November 9 - 12:30 pm to 2:45 pm

Shaw Middle School

4106 N Cook St
Spokane, WA 99207
(509) 354-5800

November 9 - 3:30 pm to 6:30 pm

Book Signing

Christian Supply Store

9310 N. Division

Spokane, WA 99218

(509) 487-6942

November 10 - 11:00 am to 1:30 pm

Book Signing

Barnes & Noble

Market Pointe I Shopping Center
15310 E. Indiana Ave.
Spokane, WA 99216
509-922-4104

November 12 - 10:30 to 12 noon

Homeschool Class

Lighthouse Christian Center

10711 80th Ave. East

Pulayllup, WA 98373

November 12 - 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm

Family Christian Store

31835 Pacific Highway South

Federal Way, WA 98003

(253) 839-3920

November 13 - 9:00 am to 9:45 am

Chapel Speaker

The Bear Creek School
8905 208th Avenue NE
Redmond, WA 98053

November 13 - 6:30 pm to 9:00 pm

Homeschool Group meeting

Faith Baptist Church

7652 Old Olympic Highway

Sequim, WA

November 14 - 10:00 am to 3:30 pm

Homeschool group classes

Lighthouse Christian Center

10711 80th Ave. East

Pulayllup, WA 98373

November 15 and 16 All day

M.E.I. Middle School

4081B Clearbrook Rd.

Abbotsford, B.C.

V4X 2M8

November 17 - 8:00 am to 10:00 am

House of James Bookstore

2743 Emerson Street
Abbotsford BC V2T 4H8

New Christian Online Store

I'd like to highlight a new Christian web store called "All Things Christian." It's more than a store; it's a ministry. You will find it by clicking here.

Here is a quote from their website:

First and foremost, we donate 25% of our profits back to the Christian Community! Ministries like Focus on the Family, Campus Crusade, Compassion International, World Vision, and many more, are benefiting through your purchases. This is not your run of the mill Christian bookstore. Not only do we sell the usual stock of Christian Books, Music, Gifts, Movies, Bibles, and Church Resources, but we want to be here for you. We offer parent resources and websites for parents. We direct you to wonderful links for bible study and online bible lookups. We also want to offer pray and support to you. You can request prayer that will stay anonymous, or you can request to have it posted to our site so that all visitors can come together and pray. Nothing beats the power of prayer.

The store was also kind enough to set up a page just for my books. It looks great. Click Here.

If you want to support a store that isn't there just for profit, try them out.

Harry Potter removes his mask

I have criticized the Harry Potter series many times, and in my efforts, I sometimes felt alone among authors of my genre. I am hoping that after J. K. Rowling's recent revelation, my lonely voice among Christian fantasy authors will change.

It seems that Ms. Rowling has publicly revealed her true intent, to promote acceptance of homosexuality and to encourage rebellious attitudes. I knew of the second intent long ago, but the promotion of homosexuality came as a mild surprise.

Here is an article from cnn.com: Click Here

"Dumbledore is gay," the author responded to gasps and applause.

So, the only wise authority figure in the story has a sinful sexual orientation, and Rowling is proud of this fact. It comes as no surprise that Ms. Rowling's admirers would applaud this revelation. Such is the unbiblical world view of this author and many of her fans.

Here is another interesting excerpt:

Rowling, finishing a brief "Open Book Tour" of the United States, her first tour here since 2000, also said that she regarded her Potter books as a "prolonged argument for tolerance' and urged her fans to "question authority."

It seems that she admits to using these books to promote acceptance of what most Christians would consider a sinful deviation God's design, as well as an attitude that would be suspicious of authority. Now no one can argue that she didn't have this intent.

One more excerpt:

Not everyone likes her work, Rowling said, likely referring to Christian groups that have alleged the books promote witchcraft. Her news about Dumbledore, she said, will give them one more reason.

And rightly so. This announcement should give Christians reason not to like her work. Her motivations are directly opposed to the biblical truth that homosexuality is an abomination to God (Leviticus 18:22) and that fostering rebellious attitudes is akin to causing little ones to stumble, an extremely dangerous offense.

Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it is better for him that a heavy millstone be hung around his neck, and that he be drowned in the depth of the sea. (Matthew 18:6)

I hope this revelation puts a nail in the HP coffin, and I pray that Christians who support Ms. Rowling's harmful material will finally see the light. I might get flamed for posting this opinion and for slamming another author, but highlighting the intent behind these books, and the fact that they are a dangerous influence in our culture, is a responsibility I can't ignore.
*****
Since I first posted this, I have received a couple of critical comments. Because of one of these comments, a heart-felt plea for compassion, I have edited this post in order to choose words that are less likely to be misunderstood.

I'm also adding some thoughts from my response to that comment, because it would be wrong for me to overlook the commenter's plea. His sincerity was touching and deserves much more than a passing glance. (For the rest of my response, see the comments section.)

Disapproval of homosexuality doesn’t equate to hatred. I don’t hate anyone who claims a homosexual orientation. What I believe about it is grounded in Scripture, and I don’t believe God creates anyone that way. Such a belief should not lead anyone to think that I have any hatred or lack compassion.

True compassion involves helping someone out of a problem, not saying it’s okay to be there. It is showing someone the way out of sin, not making someone feel comfortable in it. Ms. Rowling wants people to be comfortable with homosexuality. I want people to leave it behind and find true freedom in Christ. That's what real compassion is all about.

Last of the Nephilim Cover

I thought you might want to get a look at the next Oracles of Fire book cover. It's called Last of the Nephilim, and it should be out in the spring of 2008, the Lord willing. For a larger image, click here.

If readers of Enoch's Ghost would like to guess who the two girls on the cover are, go ahead and post your guess. No fair posting the answer if I have already told you or you learned it through my message forum.

If you are so inclined, please pray for me as I write. I have a lot of work to do, and, it seems, not enough time to do it. God has always strengthened me in the past, and I trust that He will do so again, but I would appreciate prayer from God's faithful.

Thank you for praying for my daughter

Many of you know that my daughter Amanda fell from her horse on September 2 and broke her femur. She is now walking short distances without her crutches. Although she still has pain, especially in her knee, her recovery has been remarkably fast.

We are thankful to God for this progress, and I thank all of you who have prayed for her.

God is good, all the time.

Florida Christian Writers' Conference: Teens & Scholarships

It's not too early to plan for the 2008 Florida Christian Writers' Conference. I will be teaching the Teen Track, so I hope many of my readers who also enjoy writing will want to come to the conference.

Here is the website: Click Here

There are scholarships available for teenagers. Please see this link for more information.

We are not setting a specific due date for applications but will begin awarding scholarships immediately based on application essays and need. Once the scholarships are awarded, we will stop accepting applications. Please send application essays and contact information to me at flwriters@dragonsinourmidst.com

New Book Cover

Here is a first look at Beyond the Reflection's Edge, book #1 in my new series, Echoes from the Edge. It is unrelated to my other books, but it is a contemporary fantasy/mystery blend for the same age group.

The basic plot: Nathan Shepherd, sixteen years old, loses his parents as the result of a double murder. In order to be safe from the murderers, Nathan goes to live with a new family, his father’s old college buddy and his teenage daughter, Kelly.

A strange mirror in Nathan’s bedroom sometimes shows images that aren’t in front of it, including past events, unfamiliar scenes, and people who are supposed to be dead. Nathan obtains his mother’s violin, which plays beautiful music along with voices that only Kelly can hear. Nathan also inherits his father’s camera, which takes photos of people and places that aren’t there ... or at least they don't seem to be there.

These odd devices launch Nathan and Kelly on an exciting journey through multiple dimensions as they track down the mysteries surrounding the deaths of Nathan’s parents. They soon learn that the cosmic fabric that separates the dimensions is crumbling, leading to a potential catastrophic event called interfinity. As they try to prevent this end-of-the-worlds disaster, their own efforts add to the interdimensional deterioration, forcing them to make one life-and-death choice after another.

I'm very excited about this series. Pre-publication readers are giving me great reviews. Look for it to come out in May of 2008. I will give updates on my blog and newsletter as the time gets closer.

Progress Update

I am working on the second book of the Echoes from the Edge series. I passed the 40,000 word mark, so it is definitely in high gear now. I expect to finish it by the end of October.

I will begin working on Last of the Nephilim immediately afterwards. That one should go very quickly.

Post Deleted

Dallas and Longview, Texas, area Appearances

I will be in Texas later this week, specifically in Longview and Dallas. My schedule is below. If you live in the area and have time to come out and see me, I would love to meet you.

September 20 - 1:30 to 5:00 pm

Homeschool Group

Letourneau University

Education Building - Room 120

2100 South Mobberly

Longview, TX

September 21 - 1:30 to 2:30 pm

Speaking to combined literature classes

LeTourneau University

2100 South Mobberly

Longview, TX

September 22 - 12 noon to 2:00 pm

Mardel Christian Store

2300 Coit Road, Ste. 100

Plano, TX

September 22 - 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm

Mardel Christian Store

3714 Lavon Drive

Garland, TX

My daughter is home

After falling off her horse and breaking her femur, my daughter Amanda (known to some of you as Legossi) had surgery to insert a rod through her bone. Because of this, she will not have a cast, but the rod will stay in her thigh for the rest of her life.

She is now recovering at home. She is able to get around on crutches for short distances and is still in considerable pain. We appreciate your continued prayers.

Prayer for my daughter Amanda

My 16-year-old daughter, Amanda, fell off her horse yesterday and broke her femur. She had has two surgical procedures to repair it. She now has a hard road of therapy ahead.

I would appreciate it if you would pray for her recovery.

What about Billy and Bonnie?

I have been flooded with e-mails and message forum posts asking what happened to Billy and Bonnie, the two main characters from the Dragons in our Midst (DIOM) series. Apparently many readers expected to learn of their fate in Enoch's Ghost, the sequel to DIOM.

Enoch's Ghost is part of a new series, so it has new main characters. Billy and Bonnie are mentioned in the book, but other characters take center stage. Some readers weren't expecting that, so they were confused and/or disappointed.

Don't worry. I'm planning on bringing Billy and Bonnie back, but readers will have to be patient a little while longer. My next book, Last of the Nephilim, will continue to feature the new characters, but in the fourth book, The Bones of Makaidos, if all goes according to plan, Billy and Bonnie will return and play crucial roles in the story.

Please spread this news to other readers. I'm sure they'll be happy to hear it.

Back to Editing

I received the detailed edits from Zondervan for Beyond the Reflection's Edge. Whew! I have a lot of work to do! That means I might not be posting much for a while, unless some important news pops up.

Montrose Conference - final day

This has been one of the busiest conferences I have ever attended. I taught nine workshop sessions, did a keynote address, critiqued many manuscripts, and conducted a critique group that lasted over four hours.

Since I taught the Teen Track, I met a dozen or so wonderful teenagers who are dedicated to writing. Many of them were quite good at the craft, and they seemed to learn a lot. At the critique group, we had a great time going over their work. Although it lasted almost until midnight, laughter kept us awake. We had a blast.

I have enjoyed this conference greatly. It is well run, the organizers are friendly and helpful, and the conferees have been a delight. Not only that, the food was super. I have to exercise extra hard when I get home.

Montrose Writers Conference

I will be at the Montrose Writers Conference next week. I'm not sure if I will have the chance to enter any blog posts during that time. If anything earth-shaking comes up, I will try to let my faithful readers know.

I would appreciate prayer for travel safety. Thank you for your support!

Fantasy Fiction Tour Ends - Or Does It?

The 2007 Fantasy Fiction Tour has come to an end ... at least for now. But with so many seeds planted on the east side of the U.S., and with Wayne Batson appearing on national television, I expect that the groundswell for Christian fantasy will continue to grow.

I also expect that we will do another tour next year, if not in conjunction with ICRS in Orlando in 2008, then maybe during the school year so we can visit schools and homeschool groups along the way.

I'm posting the final three tour videos below. Enjoy!

Fantasy Fiction Tour Last Sunrise

It's the morning of the last day of the Fantasy Fiction Tour. It's raining steadily at my host family's home in New Jersey. At about 9:30, Wayne Batson and I will journey back into New York and join our fellow authors Sharon Hinck and Christopher Hopper for the final stop in this exciting tour. Sharon and Christopher stayed at a mission church in Brooklyn, and they will drive to our Manhattan stop.

Now that I have a chance, I will post some photos from earlier days. At the Christopher Matthews store in Bel Air, MD, I had the great pleasure of seeing a neighbor from the days I lived in Baltimore, Gloria Ernst. You can see her in the photo at the upper right. We had a great turnout at this store and sold a lot of books. One young man bought or brought all of my books to be signed, as you can see in the next photo.

Next, we traveled to Newark, DE, and signed books at a Family Christian Store. This was a last minute addition to our tour, so there was very little promotion. Still, a few enthusiastic fans showed up, including Justin, who often posts comments on our blogs.
I'm including a photo of Christopher hugging our good friend, Justin. We also had a visit from Michael, a great supporter of Christian fantasy. He came fully dressed in a terrific bard's costume and played his Celtic harp. It had a lovely sound, and he played with great skill. He is a professional storyteller who uses his stories to plants seeds for the gospel. If you're interested in contacting him, go to www.tellitlikeitis.com. You can see him in the next photo playing his harp.

From that store we traveled to the Days of Knights store in Newark, a fantasy and gaming store. We had a decent crowd of people and had a lot of fun talking at length to aspiring writers. I had a great talk with one of the workers there about Harry Potter and why the stories are harmful to young readers. Frankly, since this was a secular store, I was surprised at his ardent dislike for Harry, but I agreed with him on every point. I also met a young man named Benjamin who is a fan of my books. He had a lot of great questions, so it was fun interacting with him. The next photo shows me at the front of the store.

The next day, we went to Brooklyn and signed at the Timeless Treasures store. I don't have any good photos from that stop. After the signing, we went to a lively service at the Brooklyn Tabernacle, a huge church sanctuary that was attached to the store. Unfortunately, the loud bass guitar made Amanda's heart hurt, and it did the same to mine. We excused ourselves early and waited for the others, who were kind and gracious, as usual, and left soon after. Although the physical pain from the service is gone, my heart still aches spiritually. Those who know me well understand why. If you don't, please don't ask.

I am thankful for my hosts, Roheryn and family. I will also post a photo of her, showing that she is her usual crazy self. It's so great to be able to see her again and meet her family. Right now, she and my daughter, Legossi (Amanda), are out visiting Roh's horse, Carlo.

I probably won't post again until I get home. I hope to wrap up my blog posting for the tour at that time. Thank you to all who supported us with prayer, hospitality, and coming out to our stour stops.

Fantasy Fiction Tour New Video

Here's a video from Barnes & Noble in Ellicott City.

Fantasy Fiction Tour Day Eight

I am posting from the home of the famous Roheryn, my friend and faithful poster on my message forum. I am thankful for all the host families who have shown such wonderful hospitality.

Today we drove from Newark, DE, to Brooklyn, NY, and had a signing at Timeless Treasures bookstore. We had good talks with customers, but, unfortunately, the store only have four of my books on hand, two copies of Tears of a Dragon, book 4 of Dragons in our Midst, and two copies of Eye of the Oracle, book #1 of Oracles of Fire. The two copies of Eye sold without a problem, but no one wanted to buy book #4 when they hadn't read books one through three.

Tomorrow morning we go to Manhattan for a signing at another Timeless Treasures bookstore. Then we get to go home! I'm looking forward to seeing my wife and two of my daughters again. It has been too long.

Again, I don't have photos ready. I hope to post a lot of photos when I get home as well as the remainder of the videos.

Fantasy Fiction Tour Day Seven

I'm posting from a mission church in Brooklyn, NY. For now, I'll just post a new video from when we were in Alexandria, VA. More to come.

Fantasy Fiction Tour Day Six

Three more signings today, plus a drive-by signing at a Borders store. We began in Bel-air, MD, at the Christopher Matthews store where quite a crowd of young people gathered. We stayed busy talking and signing the entire hour. From there we went to Newark, DE, and signed at a Family Christian store and The Days of Knights store. Both stores gave us opportunities to speak at length to quite a few fantasy fiction enthusiasts.

I don't have time to post photos tonight. I'll try to make up for that tomorrow. For now, here are the newest video releases. Enjoy!

Fantasy Fiction Tour Day Five

Ready for another update? After signing at the National Presbyterian Church in Washington, D.C., where we had a great time speaking to a youth group, we did another signing at a Barnes & Noble store in Alexandria, VA. We did several readings there to a relatively small, but interested audience.

The final stop of the day was at the Barnes & Noble in Ellicott City, MD. That event was amazing! We were again mobbed by people and sold dozens and dozens of books. The photo above shows just part of the crowd. At times they backed up all the way to the door, and we signed almost nonstop until the store closed.

As some of you know, I used to live in Maryland. My boss from when I worked at the railroad in Baltimore showed up. We didn't have much time to talk, but I was greatly blessed that he came out.

Below, you will see the video updates of the most recent tour days. These are really great. Enjoy!

Fantasy Fiction Tour Day Four

What a great day! After driving from Raleigh, NC, we had a signing at a Barnes & Noble in Richmond, VA. Quite a few people drove hours to come out and see us, and we sold a good number of books. We were busy talking to customers the entire time. The manager was super excited and had us sign all of our leftover books. He said he would put up a display in the front. To the right is a photo of us at this Barnes & Noble.

After that, we drove to Ellicott City, MD, for our next signing at His Way Bookstore. The traffic was terrible! We lost well over an hour because of the bumper-to-bumper mess and arrived at the bookstore about forty minutes late. We were in touch with the store representative several times, and she kept telling us that people were waiting patiently for our arrival. So, when we arrived, we expected a line of people, but we weren't prepared for the mob that greeted us. Even though we had well over an hour left in our appearance time, it took the entire hour and twenty minutes to sign books for the people who had waited. It was amazing! Some bought all six of my books, including one boy who came all the way from Rochester, NY!

As you can see in the photo, some readers showed up in costume. We had such a great time signing and speaking to the fans, we didn't have an opportunity to do a reading. That's not a bad problem to have at all!

Michelle at His Way was fantastic! She prepared an unbelievable array of decorations for the signing, including hand-painted banners, book display units, a fabulous window display, among others. You can see some of the banners in the next photo.

On Sunday we will go to church in Washington, DC, and speak to a youth group, then do a signing at the church. After that we will go to Alexandria for a Barnes & Noble signing, followed by another Barnes & Nobel signing in Ellicott City, MD.

We have heard that a reporter from the Washington Post will come to the Alexandria signing. That will be terrific!

Fantasy Fiction Tour Day Three Extra

Here are the videos from days one and two of the tour.

Fantasy Fiction Tour Day Three

Today was a great day for meeting people. At our Charlotte stop at Barnes & Noble, at least a dozen people were waiting for us when we arrived. Some came to see Wayne, some to see me, and many to meet all of us. One brought a story for Wayne and included a wonderful testimony about how Wayne's books changed her life. A lovely young lady who is a regular on my forum brought me a beautiful painting of a dragon's eye. I will treasure it for years to come. Over to the right, you can see her with her painting.

In the next photo, you can see us posing with several of the fans and well-wishers who came to see us at the Charlotte store.

Next came Raleigh and a Borders store. Again we met some great fans as well as people who have never heard of our books. It's fun to get acquainted with people who seem already familiar with our hearts and minds because they have read our writing. At Raleigh I became reacquainted with a lady I met at the Florida Christian Writers Conference ten years ago. That was a fun experience.

I also had the opportunity to see one of the moderators on my message forum. You can see him, Knight of Heaven below with Legossi and me.



Tomorrow, on to Richmond and Ellicott City!

Fantasy Fiction Tour Day Two Extra

I forgot to post the Youtube video of our second day at ICRS. Enjoy!

Fantasy Fiction Tour Day Two

We began the day in Knoxville, TN, at the Cedar Springs Christian Store. As you can see in the photo, they put us up on a stage and treated us like important knights. I suppose when you carry swords around, people often act nicely.

Some wonderful fans came by, and we were able to introduce a number of customers to our books. We had a great time!

From there we traveled to Asheville, NC, to a Barnes & Noble store. A wonderful lady named Kathryn came along who happened to be a stage combat instructor. She began an impromptu lesson on swordplay out in front of the store. It drew quite a crowd. You can see in the photo Sir Wayne Thomas Batson doing battle with said lady.

Needless to say, we had a blast! Now we might do sword battles at every store!

Fantasy Fiction Tour Day One

Day one of the Fantasy Fiction Tour was exciting! After departing the Atlanta show (see photo), we rolled into Manchester, TN, and spoke to a homeschool group. It's always great to speak to homeschoolers, because they spread the word about books they enjoy.

Then we went on to Nashville for a signing at a Borders store. Quite a number of fans came out in costume, as you can see in the next photo. Our visitors included Phil Keaggy, well known Christian musician and a friend of Christopher's.

We got into our host home near Knoxville at 1 a.m., so we're tired. I hope to post more later.

ICRS Atlanta Day Two

Today was a very busy day; a signing for Enoch's Ghost by myself, a signing for Enoch's Ghost with the other three authors on the Fantasy Fiction Tour, a signing for the new audiobook for Raising Dragons, and a bookstore signing with Sharon Hinck at the Lifeway Christian Store in Douglasville. In the photo, you'll see the four of us signing at ICRS.

I'm tired now, but it was a blast. We had quite a line of people at the four-author signing, so that was great, a very nice launch for our books and the tour. At the bookstore signing I met some wonderful young people, including a family that drove four hours just to meet me. I was overwhelmed! I am thankful to God for all these opportunities. What a blessing!

If you want to see a highlights video of the first day at ICRS, go to
Day One Video

For other tour information, go to Fantasy Fiction Tour Website

Tomorrow we will go to Manchester, TN, for a homeschool group gathering, then on to Nashville for a signing at Borders. Please pray for us as we travel.


The tour starts tomorrow.

We're Almost Ready to Roll!

The first day of ICRS is over. The four fantasy authors had a great time at a "Meet and Greet" session at the Tsaba House booth. In the photo you'll see from left to right, Wayne Thomas Batson, Christopher Hopper, John Cooper (a sponsor who gave us the swords), me, and Sharon Hinck.

We have a signing event together at ICRS tomorrow, and we'll be hitting the road on Wednesday morning. As you can see from Christopher Hopper's suave combination of knight wear and cool fashion, we will be stunning.

The audio version of Raising Dragons is being released tomorrow. I will be signing it at the Oasis booth at 3 pm, then at the Lifeway Christian Store in Douglasville, GA, from 5:30 to 8:00 pm. If you live in the Atlanta area, I'd love to see you at the Lifeway store!

Fantasy Fiction Tour Begins!

The International Christian Retailers' Show (ICRS) begins at the World Congress Center in Atlanta today. Christian publishers come to this convention to show their books to potential buyers, bookstore managers from all over the world.

This is the big kickoff for the Fantasy Fiction Tour. At 11 am today, the three other authors and I will be at a "Meet and Greet" event. We will be in costume, cloaks, swords and shields, to mingle with the attendees. We'll pose for photos, talk to readers, and just be crazy fantasy authors.

We'll take some photos, and I hope to get them on the blog tonight.

I have my wife and two of my daughters with me. Please pray for me wife. She is having a reaction to something that's causing terrible itching. I might have to find a doctor here in Atlanta for her.

For more information about the tour, go to http://www.fantasyfictiontour.com/

Leaving Tomorrow - Last minute rush

I will drive to Atlanta tomorrow for ICRS, so today I have to finish editing Beyond the Reflection's Edge, pack for the Fantasy Fiction Tour (thanks for the list!), go to various stores to get what I need for the tour, and prepare for nine classes I'm teaching at a writers conference immediately after the tour. Maybe that's why I'm up at 4:30 in the morning!

For more information about the tour, go to http://www.fantasyfictiontour.com/

Fantasy Fiction Tour Prep - Getting Practical

Okay, I'm asking for your help. I am leaving on Sunday, July 8 to head for the ICRS convention in Atlanta, then leaving from there to go on the tour. I won't get home until July 19 or 20, depending on my driving schedule.

Considering that this is an unusual trip, driving all over the East with three other authors, my daughter, and an author's wife, while staying with people we've never met, what should I bring along? What practical items might I need, especially something helpful that I might not think about.

Help me make a list.

For more information about the tour, go to http://www.fantasyfictiontour.com/

Fantasy Fiction Tour Prep Continues

So what do you pack for a tour that lasts 13 days, if you include ICRS time and travel time? Everything! Besides our clothes, we have books, banners, swords, shields, and costumes!

At the upper right, you can see my darling daughter Amanda modeling the elvish-style cloak Sharon Hinck will be wearing at our appearances. We will all have similar cloaks as well as swords and shields, so it should be a lot of fun. At least we'll attract attention.

In order to haul everything, I will be renting a small trailer, but that presents another problem. I'm wondering how I'm going to get around in New York with a trailer. First, what's the best way to get to New York from Newark, Delaware? Hauling a trailer will make the New Jersey Turnpike expensive. Should I park the trailer somewhere outside of the city and drive in? Take the subway in? A bus?

If there are any veterans of New York travel out there, please give me some advice.

Just a couple of days, and I'll be taking off. Please pray for us!

For more information about the tour, go to http://www.fantasyfictiontour.com/

Tour Preparation

Since I'm the primary driver on this tour, I'm making sure we know where we're going. Today, I am plotting detailed maps to every stop along the way. The hard part will be choosing the stores where we will make "unannounced" drive-by signings. In other words, we'll stop at a store at whatever time we happen to be going by, charge in, sign all the books we authored, and ride off into the sunset.

But what if they don't have any of our books? That would be a bummer. So, I will be searching the Internet for stores that are near our route, calling them to see if they have some of our books, and asking them if it's okay if we stop by. So much for being unannounced.

That means my planning and map plotting will take quite a bit of time. And I don't even know how many "unannounced" restroom stops we're going to have to make. If there are too many, we'll have to start rationing the water.

Learn more about the tour at http://www.fantasyfictiontour.com/

Fantasy Fiction Tour is almost here!

What's the Fantasy Fiction Tour all about?

1. Four fantasy authors on the road together for nine days

2. Sixteen official appearances and many unannounced stops along the way

3. Authors selling and signing wildly imaginative fantasy novels

4. Authors and fans wearing fantasy-inspired costumes, complete with cloaks, swords, and shields

5. Contests for best costumes and door prizes for fans

6. Video recording at each event and daily blogging as the tour goes along

7. Authors speaking about their books and answering your questions

And probably a lot more fun that we haven't even thought of yet!

Here are the authors who will be at each event:

Wayne Thomas Batson - The Door Within series
Bryan Davis - Dragons in our Midst and Oracles of Fire series
Sharon Hinck - The Sword of Lyric series (Book 1 - The Restorer)
Christopher Hopper - The White Lion Chronicles

Here is our current schedule:

Wednesday July 11th
1:00pm – 3:00pm
Heart & Hearth Home Education Support Group

First United Methodist Church
105 Church Street

Manchester, TN 37355
Contact: Linda Reed (tnhomeschooler[at]yahoo[dot]com)
931-596-3171

Wednesday July 11th

6:00 pm to 8:00 pm

Borders

2501 West End Ave.

Nashville, TN. 37203

615-327-9656

Thursday July 12th
12:00 - 2:00pm
Cedar Springs Christian Store
504 N. Peter’s Rd.
Knoxville, TN
865-690-5253

Thursday July 12th
6:00pm - 8:00pm
Barnes & Noble
Dreamland Shopping Center
83 South Tunnel Rd.
Asheville, NC 28805

Friday July 13th
12:00 - 2:00pm
Barnes & Noble
4720 Sharon Rd.
Charlotte, NC 28210
704-554-7906

Friday July 13th
6:00pm - 8:00pm
Borders
404-101 E. Six Forks Rd
Raleigh, NC 27609
919-755-9424

Saturday July 14
12:00pm - 2:00pm
Barnes & Noble
5501 West Broad Street
Richmond, VA 23230
804-282-0781

Saturday July 14
6:00pm - 8:00pm
His Way Christian Bookstore
Normandy Shopping Center
8450 Baltimore National Pike
Ellicott City, Maryland 21043
410-465-7546

Sunday July 15
10:00 am
National Presbyterian Church
4104 Nebraska Avenue N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20016
202-537-0800

Sunday July 15
3:00pm - 5:00pm
Barnes & Noble
Potomac Yard Bookstore
3651 Jefferson Davis Highway
Alexandria, VA 22305
703-299-9124

Sunday July 15
6:30pm - 8:30pm
Barnes & Noble
Long Gate Shopping Center
4300 Montgomery Road
Ellicott City, Maryland 21043
410-203-9001

Monday July 16th

1:00 pm - 2:00 pm
Christopher Matthew's Christian Store
The Festival at Bel Air
5 Bel Air South Parkway
Suite 1421
Bel Air, MD 21015
410-569-0690

Monday July 16th
4:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Family Christian Store
1105 Churchmans Rd #1107
Newark, DE 19713-2112
Phone: (302) 368-7002

Monday July 16th
6:00pm – 8:00pm
The Days Of Knights Store
173 East Main Street
Newark, DE. 19711
302-366-0963

Tuesday July 17th
5:00pm - 6:30 pm
Timeless Treasures Christian Gift & Bookstore
163 Livingston St.
Brooklyn, NY 11201

Wednesday July 18th
12:00noon - 1:30pm
Timeless Treasures Christian Gift & Bookstore
673 8th Ave.
Manhattan, NY 10036

For more information about the tour, check out: http://www.fantasyfictiontour.com

I hope to see you at one of these events!