The Fantasy 4 Fiction Tour #3- Bryan Davis

Today, I will highlight Bryan Davis, the author of the Dragons in Our Midst and Oracles of Fire series. You can visit him at Bryan Davis' blog or Bryan Davis' website. I got the following information from The Fantasy 4 Fiction Tour website.


BRYAN DAVIS
Fantastic 4 Fantasy Fiction Tour
Author of Bestselling Series Oracles of Fire and Dragons in Our Midst
Biographical Sketch

Bryan Davis is the author of the best-selling Dragons in Our Midst and Oracles of Fire series, contemporary/fantasy blends for young people. His book, Eye of the Oracle, hit number one on the January 2007, Young Adult CBA best-seller list. His newest book, Enoch’s Ghost, will be released in July.

Bryan is the author of several other works including The Image of a Father (AMG) and Spit and Polish for Husbands (AMG), and four books in the Arch Books series: The Story of Jesus’ Baptism and Temptation, The Day Jesus Died, The Story of the Empty Tomb (over 100,000 sold), and Jacob’s Dream. Bryan lives in Winter Park, Florida with his wife, Susie, and their children. Bryan and Susie have homeschooled their four girls and three boys.

Bryan was born in 1958 and grew up in the eastern U.S. From the time he taught himself how to read before school age, through his seminary years and beyond, he has demonstrated a passion for the written word, reading and writing in many disciplines and genres, including theology, fiction, devotionals, poetry, and humor.

Bryan is a graduate of the University of Florida (B.S. in Industrial Engineering). In high school, he was valedictorian of his class and won academic awards in English, Algebra, Advanced Math, and Science. He was also a member of the National Honor Society and voted Most Likely to Succeed.

He continues to further his writing education through membership in the Writing Strategies Critique Shop in Daytona Beach (1996 to present) and by attending relevant writing conferences and conventions. Although he is now a full time writer, Bryan was a computer professional for over 20 years.

Questions and Answers

• Why do you write fantasy?
Because I want to imitate Jesus. Remember how he told us about a camel passing through the eye of a needle? That was a fantasy story. Such tales stretch our vision, allowing us to see beyond the physical, and since our battles are in the spiritual realm, this is the realm we need to understand. Fantasy is the most effective tool for explaining the gospel to our culture, so I want to use that tool to change the world for Christ.

• What makes your fantasy tale different from most other fantasy books?
Most of the action takes place in our contemporary world rather than in another realm like Middle Earth or Narnia. I bring the fantasy elements into the everyday lives of “real” kids. My readers can identify with their circumstances and go along for the fantastic ride with them. I have heard from hundreds of readers how these fantasy characters were so real, they wanted to be just like them, including taking their faith as their own.

• Who is the intended audience for your novels and why do you write for this audience?
My intended audience is youth, ages ten to sixteen, or anyone young at heart. I even heard from one ninety-four-year-old reader who has enjoyed my books. Our youth culture has been attacked by forces far greater than what my generation encountered. They need spiritual weapons to defend against, and even to go to war against, those forces. Unfortunately, too many times our culture, and even the church, has told young people that it’s normal to be rebellious, that they don’t have the power to completely obey God. I believe young people still feel how God wired them, to be heroes and heroines for His kingdom. I want to fuel that fire before they’re too old to remember their wiring.

• Tell me about a current project.
I just finished the second book in the Oracles of Fire series, Enoch’s Ghost, and I will soon be working on book number three, Last of the Nephilim. These stories continue the Dragons in our Midst saga. Thigocia is the only dragon left in the world, and she is searching for her long lost human son, born to her while she was in human form. Three human characters help her in a search that literally takes one of them to the gates of Hell, to the very edge of the lake of fire. What they learn will mean life for some and death for others.

• How do you think coming together for The Fantasy Fiction Tour demonstrates the gospel message?
All four of us have a passion to build God’s kingdom, and we are coming together to share hammers, nails, and encouragement as we build. This kind of cross-publisher support demonstrates that this effort isn’t about money; it’s about communicating something we all believe in. Sure, we hope to sell more books, but that’s so more people will read the stories that we believe will lead them closer to God. The foundation for the gospel is love, and love is selfless. That’s the spirit we hope to illustrate as we work side by side.

• What do you hope to accomplish during the fantasy tour?
Over the last few years, I’ve noticed that quite a few Christians are skeptical of fantasy. They have good reason for their skepticism. With all the dark fantasy stories available, they are wise to be careful. I want to calm their fears by showing them how powerful fantasy can be in leading readers to Christ and strengthening their faith. I want to work to make fantasy a mainstream way of communicating spiritual truth.

• What advice can you give to aspiring fantasy fiction writers?
Don’t copy what has already been done—another form of Middle Earth, a new Narnia, or a Christian imitation of Harry Potter. Be bold. Write themes you’re passionate about rather than what you think the market wants. Don’t be afraid to make real heroes.

About Enoch's Ghost:
Enoch’s Ghost, the second book in the Oracles of Fire series, picks up the exciting Dragons in our Midst story where Tears of a Dragon and Eye of the Oracle ended. Walter, Ashley, and Karen ride the dragon Thigocia in search of her son, Gabriel. When they find an army of giants hibernating in the depths of the earth, they meet a mysterious girl named Sapphira Adi who claims to be thousands of years old. Sapphira reveals a sinister plot. The giants will soon awaken and rise to conquer and destroy, and only dragons can defeat them. Since only two dragons remain on the earth, and one of them is reluctant to fight, doom seems certain. With Excalibur at his side, Walter plunges into an ancient world to find a mysterious ally who could help them save the world.

You can buy Enoch's Ghost on Amazon.com.

Happy adventures!

Becca Johnson