Open During Construction

Judging just by the last post date, it's safe to say I've been gone for quite some time now.  And when I came back I realized that cobwebs were collecting in the corners, thus I decided it was time for a change!  I've got a new layout, new approach, and LOTS of new ideas. 

Coming soon...

I'm rejoining the CSFF Blog Tour this month for the sole purpose of promoting two of my favorite author buddies:  Wayne Thomas Batson and Christopher Hopper.  I'll be posting a review of their newest book, Venom and Song, book two in The Berinfell Prophecies, interviews with the authors, and a few other goodies to get you sucked into the world these two amazing guys have created.

In the future...

I'm spending this year to focus on developing the craft of writing.  I've decided to join NaNoWriMo this year and will post updates on that madness.  I'll also be blogging about my other writing projects big and small.  But this is the year for me to really sink my teeth into my writing.  I plan to take full advantage!

I'll also be continuing to do my own reviews besides the tours.  I read so many books that it just seems like a waste not to continue to review them all.  I may even venture into discussing movies, tv shows, and music.

Also - I may be introducing a game or regular feature soon.

Overall, I have big plans to be around this part of the bloggy world a lot more often now.  Scoot over neighbors and make some room, cuz here I come!  ;)

Until next time,
Amy

Day 3 - Faery Rebels: Spell Hunter

Today I'll be taking a brief look into the author of Faery Rebels: Spell Hunter, R.J. Anderson. First, I am pleased to announce the June 22, 2010 release of the second Faery Rebels book, Wayfarer. Here's a look at the cover.

You can pre-order a copy over at Amazon.com by clicking HERE.

Now - about our author. The following is from the bio on her official website (HERE):

R.J. (Rebecca) Anderson was born in Uganda, raised in Ontario, went to school in New Jersey, and has spent much of her life dreaming of other worlds entirely.

As a child she immersed herself in fairy tales, mythology, and the works of C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien and E. Nesbit; later she discovered more contemporary authors like Ursula LeGuin, Patricia A. McKillip and Robin McKinley, and learned to take as much pleasure from their language as the stories they told.

Now married and the mother of three young sons, Rebecca reads to her children the classic works of fantasy and science fiction that enlivened her own childhood, and tries to bring a similar sense of humor, adventure, and timeless wonder to the novels she writes for children and young adults.

Here is a list of links to interesting interviews of R.J. Anderson I found:

• We Love YA
• Look At That Book
• Harmony Book Reviews
• Writing for Children and Teens

Thanks again for joining me here for the CSFF Blog Tour! I'll soon be posting non-tour related reviews for Graceling and its companion Fire, both by Kristin Cashore.

Day 2 - CSFF Blog Tour: Jerusalem's Undead Trilogy

Jerusalem's Undead Trilogy

by Eric Wilson

Book One:  Field of Blood

                                    "1989: Scores of Romanian children contract a life-threatening virus. In Jerusalem, the same year, an ancient tomb is broken into.

Gina Lazarescu is a girl caugtht between an unknown past and a dark future. Will she stand in the gap against the rising evil? Or become victim to it?

Death is not a question. It is the answer. Welcome to a world that hides before your eyes."  (Summary from Jerusalem's Undead Trilogy's website:  HERE.)


Book Two:  Haunt of the Jackals

"1211: Crusaders ship tons of soil from Jerusalem back to Italy, convinced of its holy properties. But something unholy has joined them.

1944: Allied bombs destroy a cemetery only yards from the Leaning Tower of Pisa. A fire rages. A tomb is opened.

In our modern world, Gina Lazarescu is a young woman caught trying to forgive her mother and track down her father. If she fails at either task, she will die."  (Summary from Jerusalem's Undead Trilogy's website:  HERE.)


Book Three:  Valley of Bones

"1911: Rasputin, advisor to the Russian tsars, travels to Jerusalem to unlock hidden relics, both sacred and profane.


2004: With yet another tragedy in her wake, Gina Lazarescu makes a discovery that renews her hope for the future.

Even as Akeldama Collectors amass forces, Gina and Cal search Jerusalem for a secret that will raise up their own holy army--a valley of bones prepared to fight for the souls of mankind."  (Summary from Jerusalem's Undead Trilogy's website:  HERE.)

Join me back tomorrow for some more about Eric Wilson.

CSFF Blog Tour: Haunt of the Jackals

Haunt of the Jackals: 

Book Two of Jerusalem's Undead Trilogy

by Eric Wilson

Important Links:

*Amazon:  Haunt of the Jackals 
*Jerusalem's Undead Trilogy website
*Author Eric Wilson's website

Admittedly, I came back to the CSFF Blog Tour a little late and didn't get a chance to read this one.  I did, however, do a little research and came up with a fantastic review from TitleTrakk.com for today.  Check it out HERE.

More to come tomorrow on day two of the CSFF Blog Tour for Haunt of the Jackals.  Please be sure to check out the other tour participants by clicking the links below:

Brandon Barr
Wayne Thomas Batson
Jennifer Bogart
Justin Boyer
Keanan Brand
Amy Browning
Karri Compton
Amy Cruson
CSFF Blog Tour
Stacey Dale
D. G. D. Davidson
Jeff Draper
April Erwin
Karina Fabian
Beth Goddard
Todd Michael Greene
Timothy Hicks
Becky Jesse
Cris Jesse
Jason Joyner
Julie
Carol Keen
Dawn King
Mirtika
Nissa
John W. Otte
James Somers
Speculative Faith
Rachel Starr Thomson
Robert Treskillard
Steve Trower
Fred Warren
Phyllis Wheeler
Jill Williamson
KM Wilsher

Fantastic Fantasy: Twilight

Twilight

by Stephenie Meyer

Important Links:

Amazon.com: Twilight

Author's Website: StephenieMeyer.com

Recommended Age: 16+ (due to mature themes and content)

Twilight is not a typical vampire book, or a typical romance. I'm not into either, and I loved this series. The characters are believable, as are their relationships. The whole vampire thing is essential to the plot but not its main focus. The good guys are "vegetarian" vampires - they don't hunt humans. The rest of the vampires do, but the emphasis is more on self-control than about blood-sucking.

Essentially, the story follows Bella, a clumsy, all-too-human character who falls for an amazingly, dazzlingly, decidedly NOT human guy. His family is one of the only groups of vampires that don't hunt humans, and their story is deep and intricately woven into the story. Also, Bella's best friend, other than Edward, turns out to be a member of a tribe of mortal enemies to vampires. This causes a few issues that only their mutual love for Bella can overcome (later in the series).

The cast of characters from Bella's dad to all of Edward's "family" enriches the story and gives way to some elements of humor. The Cullen family all posess qualities to be admired, such as: unparalleled self-control, compassion, restraint, respect, strength, and loving enthusiasm.

In the end, Bella desperately wants Edward to turn her into a vampire, but he refuses. His only goal is to protect Bella and be with her for the rest of her mortal life. She wants to spend eternity with him and he wants her to have a normal life and not to be what he calls a "monster." That whole issue is seen throughout all four books.

In the end, the appeal of Twilight isn't vampires or romance, but tangible relationships that we can all relate to and become enthralled with, right alongside Bella. Stephenie Meyer's writing style is familiar, yet original. The pacing and plot of the books are easy and interesting at the same time. Each book holds its own mysteries and revelations, bringing the reader closer to the moment Bella, and all of us, are dying to reach.

Twilight is the first book of the Twilight Saga, which, in its entirity, and in order, includes: Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, and Breaking Dawn.

*A spiritual note: There is a debate among characters about the existence of a soul within a vampire and their final destinations, if any. The conclusion to that debate is clearly one of faith. Also, Edward comments that even he can't believe this world was all created by accident (smart guy).

November CSFF Blog Tour

This month we're looking at Scarlet by Stephen Lawhead, the second installment of the King Raven Trilogy.

If you haven't already, check out book one of the series, Hood.

Here's the Amazon.com description of Scarlet:

After losing everything he owns, forester Will Scarlet embarks on a search for none other than King Raven, whose exploits have already become legendary. After fulfilling his quest--and proving himself a skilled and loyal companion--Will joins the heroic archer and his men.

Now, however, Will is in prison for a crime he did not commit. His sentence is death by hanging--unless he delivers King Raven and his band of cohorts.

That, of course, he will never do.

Wales is slowly falling under the control of the invading Normans, and King William the Red has given his ruthless barons control of the land. In desperation, the people turn to King Raven and his men for justice and survival in the face of the ever-growing onslaught.

From deep in the forest they form a daring plan for deliverance, knowing that failure means death for them all.

Scarlet continues Stephen R. Lawhead's riveting saga that began with the novel Hood, which relocated the legend of Robin Hood to the Welsh countryside and its dark forests. Steeped in Celtic mythology and the political intrigue of medival Britain, Lawhead's trilogy conjures up an ancient past and holds a mirror to contemporary realities. Prepare for an epic tale that dares to shatter everything you thought you knew about Robin Hood.

Fantastic Fantasy - Wayne Thomas Batson

As a fan of Fantasy, I've decided to start a series of posts about books I'm reading, have read, recommendations, and so forth. As you can see by the title, it's called Fantastic Fantasy. I'll feature different authors and their books and try to give very fair reviews and let you know if I'm having trouble being unbiased. My intention is to keep this a fairly regular feature, but we shall see. Also, check out my Shelfari link here or in the sidebar.

My first installment is, appropriately, one of my very favorite authors, Wayne Thomas Batson:

Wayne Thomas Batson:

The Door Within

As many of you already know, I'm a HUGE fan of Wayne Thomas Batson. His books speak so well of the Christian walk, while disguising themselves as amazing Fantasy Fiction. Today, I'm going to review the first book of his that I read, The Door Within.

Author Links

Blog: Enter the Door Within

Amazon Link: The Door Within

Recommended Age: 12+ (Although, my daughter began it when she was 8.)

The story begins with a very average kid, Aidan, who lives in the shadow of his best friend's great achievements. Aidan's grandfather's failing health tears him away from his friends and home, as he and his parents journey to Colorado.

Aidan cannot see the good in the move, but his own anger is left behind as he discovers three mysterious clay pots in his grandfather's basement. Glowing and containing "The Story," the pots open a whole new adventure that has little to do with his own will and everything to do with the will of King Eliam.

Aidan's journey through The Door Within teaches him to look beyond his circumstances and find the greater purpose he may serve.

Aidan discovers an unseen world, The Realm, populated with human-like creatures called Glimpses. His purpose becomes clear; he is to be the 12th knight of the Elder Guard. How an awkward teenage boy can become a knight and fight an evil force in two weeks, is beyond Aidan's comprehension. However, he steps forward and accepts his task with greater courage than even he realizes.

His journey of faith in himself and faith in King Eliam teaches him that to serve is to be loved and that we are "Never Alone."

Swords, knights, strange creatures, evil traitors, castles, dragons, and adventure await all who dare step through The Door Within. I recommend this book to my non-Christian friends more often than my Christian friends. Why? This book will capture their imaginations and take them for a ride, all the while, asking themselves, "Can I, like Aidan, be Never Alone!?" It's a quiet ministry that begs our hearts to find our own greater purpose.

As a Christian, I felt the book speak to me of the rocky and sometimes overwhelmingly difficult path of Christianity. We, like Aidan, have family and friends whom we want to see in Heaven, but who smile and pat our heads in the "that's cute" way. We've all faced trials that seemed impossible, yet find ourselves standing on the other side asking ourselves, "How in the world did I get through that?"

Aidan's journey is one that we can all relate to, whether Christian or not, but does an amazing job of leading us up to those big questions in life.

Until next time friends...

CSFF Blog Tour - Austin Boyd's The Return

With nothing left for him on Earth, Rear Admiral John Wells didn't hesitate to lead a third NASA team to Mars, but he never dreamed that one day they'd look out their laboratory module into the lights of a slow-moving vehicle not their own. In the third installment of the Mars Hill Classified series, life on Mars becomes increasingly more unpredictable as the past collides with the future, and nothing, not even the dead, is as it seems...
(back cover of The Return)

Well - unfortunately, I only just received my copy of The Return. I'm afraid that one week has not been long enough for me to finish or even get into this book. I'm going to post anyway and hopefully bring some interesting information to you all.

Be sure to check out Austin Boyd's website as well, to find out a little more about the man behind the Mars Hill Classified series, published by NavPress.

Here's an updated list of CSFF Blog Tour participants:

Trish Anderson
Brandon Barr
Jim Black
Justin Boyer
Grace Bridges
Amy Browning
Jackie Castle
Valerie Comer
Karri Compton
Lisa Cromwell
CSFF Blog Tour
Gene Curtis
D. G. D. Davidson
Janey DeMeo
Merrie Destefano or Alien Dream
Jeff Draper
April Erwin
Beth Goddard
Marcus Goodyear
Jill Hart
Katie Hart
Sherrie Hibbs
Christopher Hopper
Becca Johnson
Jason Joyner
Kait
Karen
Dawn King
Tina Kulesa
Rachel Marks
Karen McSpadden
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Eve Nielsen
John W. Otte
Lyn Perry
Deena Peterson
Rachelle
Cheryl Russel
Chawna Schroeder
Mirtika Schultz
James Somers
Steve Trower
Speculative Faith
Laura Williams
Timothy Wise

I haven't updated my sidebar list yet, so this will do for now. Make sure to check out who's posting what and leave comments so they know you've come by.

Happy touring!

New Weekly Poll

Poll Question:

As a Speculative Fiction fan, what do you tend to read?

Make sure to vote and discuss this topic with us.

I, myself, tend to read a combination of both. When I discovered The Door Within Trilogy, I actually didn't know it was a Christian series. I had found it at my local library and instantly fell in love with it. After ordering all three from Amazon.com, I kept noticing parallels to the Christian life and struggles I've personally faced. The more I read, the more I was convinced that the author must be a Christian. I'd had little experience with Christian Fiction up to this point and assumed it would be blatent and preachy. The words God and Christ never appeared on the pages, but the story was all there.

Eventually, I got into contact with Wayne Thomas Batson and discovered that not only was he a Christian, he was a Christian author published by a Christian publisher. My initial suspicions were at last confirmed. This realization opened up a whole new genre for me. I had found my writing home.

I still love any good Fantasy. It may be secular, and if it's Christian - Bonus! Now though, I'm constantly exposed to excellent Christian Fantasy books and can't fit them all in to my reading schedule. It's a good problem to have.

My favorite kind of book to read, and what I hope to get published some day is a Fantasy that has an amazing story, told by a great story-teller, that has subtle suggestions of faith. The kind of book that a non-Christian would be just as likely to pick up and read as a Christian, and end up wondering where they personally fit into the grand scheme of things. It's like a ministry unto itself, without turning away the people that need to hear the message the most.

Books on Writing

I'm so excited! I've just recieved and begun reading 3 new books on the craft of writing. I really want to learn the craft and turn whatever natural ability, or lack there of, into a deep and meaningful endeavor.

On the advice of those authors much wiser than myself, I've headed over to Where the Map Ends. This site is amazing! I highly recommend checking it out. Especially for an unpublished author, this site explains the ins and outs of the publishing world. The creator of the site, Jeff Gerke, has filled the site with everything Specualtive Fiction. He's a fan, an author, an editor, an acquisitioner, a Christian, and full of incredible information.

I digress. The Tools for Writers section is chalk full of resources and information. I particularly zeroed in on the first link on the list Books and Conferences for Improving Your Writing. Here I found several book recommendations, but the number one was a book called Self-Editing for Fiction Writers by Renni Browne and Dave King.

My brother gave to me a gift card for an online book-seller and I purchased that title as well as Fiction Writer's Workshop by Josip Novakovich and Write Great Fiction - Plot & Structure by James Scott Bell. All 3 books were recommended by Jeff Gerke and all three have now arrived at my doorstep.

I've begun to read Fiction Writer's Workshop and couldn't be more pleased. I was looking for a book that would challenge me like Wayne Thomas Batson's Suspense Techniques. I wrote well when challenged and was eager for more. This book has provided just such an outlet. It's set up like an actual workshop; each chapter explains and illustrates a concept and is then followed by writing exercises. I've only gotten through the first chapter, and I've already been stretched in my writing. There are twelve exercises at the end of chapter one, and I've finished about half.

I really believe that being a writer means that you write. Just like a brick-layer lays bricks. So if I want to grow as a writer, I need to pursue a better understanding of the craft and my own abilities. God keeps opening the doors toward writing and I keep stepping forward in faith. His plan is the only thing that matters. I hope to honor God and speak to those who need to hear His words through my writing, like so many gifted authors have done before me.

July CSFF Blog Tour - Day One

It's that time of the month again. This time the Christian Science Fiction & Fantasy Blog Tour is highlighting the second book of the Dominion Trilogy - Fearless, by Robin Parrish. Check out Robin's website and Robin's blog.

More tomorrow...

Used Curriculum Sale

For many home-schoolers, summer break began as soon as the weather got warmer. Around my house, we actually quit mid-May. Our trip to California was an educational experience in itself, but we couldn't really get back into our school schedule after the vacation. Our minds would've been on important summer musings. So - we took off early and our summer began in May.

Home schooling is one of the coolest lifestyles God could bestow upon a family - well, our family anyway. It's so flexible, enriching, and miraculous. I could go on and on about the joys of home school, for now though, I'll get on with my current topic.

Friday, June 22nd, I'll be joining many other parents in a frenzy of book shopping at the annual Used Curriculum Sale for CCHE (Clark County Home Educators) group to which I belong. I'm actually really excited about the whole experience, now that we've finished our first year and ironed out many of the wrinkles we ran into initially.

Last August was when we decided to pull our daughter out of her private Christian school, in order to attempt what we felt God was leading us to do - home school. We just dove right in and I attempted to research curriculum over the internet with moderate success.

I decided to try one publisher for all subjects, since this was our first exposure to the huge variety of curricula in existence. Bob Jones University Press seemed to fit our needs best. I had found an amazing website of reviews done by parents who'd actually used each type of curriculum: HomeSchoolReviews.com. This was and still is an amazing asset to our family. I highly recommend this site for even seasoned home-schoolers looking for a new curriculum.

BJU Press was a blessing. The lessons were laid out and the Teacher's Editions taught me how to teach my daughter. I had help - backup so to speak. Initially, all of these things saved my sanity and curbed my worries of, somehow, damaging my little girl's education.

After the first week or so though, I realized that even home school books didn't have to be followed to a tee. So - I improvised. In Math, my daughter was quite a ways ahead of the book, so I let her take the test and if she scored 90% or higher, she could go on to the next one. In English, the book was arranged so that every other chapter was about writing a different kind of essay (persuasive, compare and contrast, etc.) - well what third grade kid really likes to write an essay every other week? Not mine. So - we reviewed the material and moved on to more grammar and sentence structure type stuff. The point is that I altered nearly every book from it's original state, to something that fit my daughter's learning style. That's the beauty of being her teacher.

So after a year of tweaking the books to suit us, I'm able to recognize much better what our specific needs are. This is a tremendous advantage when picking out curriculum for our next school year. I've finally made some decisions and hope to find at least a few of these curricula at the sale on Friday. We'll be going with the following:

*Math - A Beka
*English - Rod & Staff
*History/Social Studies - Bob Jones Heritage Studies (an excellent program)
*Science - Neoe Science (Chemistry 2, Physics 2, or Biology 2)
*Spelling - A Reason For... (Level E)

As for Reading and Bible, we do our own thing. My daughter reads everyday, on her own, and I have her either write a short journal entry on what she's read, or tell me, in order to check her comprehension. This is unconventional, but I want her to develop a love for reading that is personal, and not just read because I said so. (I also developed a rewards program where she gets one penny per page she's read, only after she's finished the entire book.)

For Bible, I've taken a more practical approach. I've prayed about it, and for now, we're using an amazing teaching Bible my dad gave me a few years ago and trying to apply it to our everyday lives. If she's having a disagreement with her friends, we look up what the Bible says about that. If her attitude is a problem, we'll look it up. I've also found a really great devotional series for her called Devotions for Girls: God and Me, and one for me, as well, (God's Little Devotional Journal). Our goal, even in summer, is to start our day with a page in our devotional books, so we start out focused on the Lord, which gives us perspective throughtout our day.

So while all the children in the land are dreaming of swimming pools, ice cream trucks, and sleepovers, parents like me are preparing for the fall year of home school. The sale this week will be a fantastic opportunity to buy, as well as sell, my used curriculum. Every year, kids move up a grade and others leave behind the books we'll be needing and vice versa. It's a beautiful thing. All those discount books, all that knowledge, all waiting to be delivered and found.

Most people don't realize that home school does, in fact, cost money. It's not as much as private school, but it's definitely not free. So local sales like this one are a chance for us to sell the old books and hopefully get some money toward next year's learning.

It's funny because it's not even officially the end of her 3rd grade school year, and I feel like 4th grade will be fantastic!

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Update: The sale was fantastic! I found about 70% of what I needed for our upcoming 4th grade year. Yay!

My Shameful Admission

Okay - so the word is out now due to discussion on others' blogs - I haven't read Lord of the Rings.

I've now finished The Children of Hurin.

SPOILER WARNING - if you haven't finished it yet, don't read on.

I was impressed by the story-telling and language. However, I was pretty disappointed with the ending. Long story short, everyone lives horrible lives and then dies. It was an intricately woven bit of literature, just not too cheery.

A curse is placed upon all of Hurin's kin and the story follows how this curse plays out. I'm glad Morgoth isn't a real life threat, although it chillingly reminded me of the One who is pure evil.

And when I say that everyone dies, I mean EVERYONE. Any character we get to know or like is a goner through various means. Hurin's daughter flings herself to her death while pregnant, his son is slain by an evil sword of his own will, Hurin's wife dies at the kids' burial site, then Hurin himself dies there too.

As an introduction to Tolkien, I may have chosen the wrong book. I was, however, advised to try reading The Hobbit, so I went to my local Christian book store and picked it up. I'm a sucker for hardback books and was so excited to find my choice there.

So my new reading adventure begins today. I'm sure it'll be fantastic and I already know that the main character makes it through the end alive because LOTR has Bilbo in it and it's a later date chronologically.

My daughter is knee deep into Harry Potter. She's now reading Chamber of Secrets and doing very well. I've come up with a new incentive. She's getting paid a penny per page, but will only recieve her money if she finishes the book. My theory is that she'll be encouraged to read bigger, more challenging books and therefore, be enriched further and develop a deeper love for reading.

It just wasn't working to have her read for a set period of time each day anymore. It worked for a couple of years, but now she ends up thinking of it like a chore instead of a privelage. It's the whole positive reinforcement thing.

So far, so good. I'll keep it up as long as it works. If it becomes ineffective, then I'll rethink and formulate a new attack strategy. Mwah ah ah...