The Writer's Sword

Pieces of Words #7

2011-11-14T18:44:00.001-08:00

Here's a new collection of quotes that I found inspiring or beautiful and wanted to share with you! Feel free to leave in the comment section any quotes you've recently discovered. I love reading what other people find.

To stop the flow of music would be like the stopping of time itself, incredible and inconceivable. -Aaron Copland

The cure for anything is salt water: sweat, tears, or the sea. –Isak Dinesen

God doesn't want something from us. He simply wants us. –C.S. Lewis

Freedom lies in being bold. –Robert Frost

And justice is really love in calculation. Justice is love correcting that which revolts against love. –Martin Luther King, Jr.

Dust hangs in the air of the nighttime wood; the moonlight makes constellations of the particles where it creeps through the branches overhead. -Forever by Maggie Stiefvater

Don't be afraid of change because it is always necessary for progress. –Joyce Meyer

You will never become greater than you think of yourself. –Jason Vallotton

You're the only you this world has. Don't waste your time trying to be like someone else. –Alyssa Barlow

Once a man is united to God, how could he not live forever? –C.S. Lewis

-Becca Johnson

CSFF Blog Tour: The Bone House by Stephen R. Lawhead -Review

2011-10-25T17:09:00.000-07:00

This month, the CSFF Blog Tour is featuring The Bone House by Stephen R. Lawhead. In conjunction with the CSFF Blog Tour, I received a free copy of this book from the publisher. The Bone House is the second book in the Bright Empires series. If you'd like to read my review of The Skin Map, the first book in the series, you can find it here.

The Bone House continues to follow the stories of the characters we met in The Skin Map, and it also introduces a few new characters. Kit, Mina, and Giles are on the run from Burleigh and his henchmen, Arthur Flinders-Petrie is traveling through ancient worlds with his wife, and Douglas is working to unravel the secrets of the skin map. As these characters travel from one dimension to another using ley lines, they meet historical figures from many different times and places. Befriending these historical people and manipulating events throughout the multiverse, they further themselves in the race to find the skin map and the fantastic secret it holds.

What impressed me most while reading this novel was Lawhead's ability to jump back and forth in various characters' timelines and yet not confuse the reader. I knew what was going on and never got lost. The fact that he was able to write that way and avoid any contradictions or confusion shows what a talented author he is. And I think the shifts along the characters' timelines actually made the book more interesting to read. Plus, it mirrored how the characters themselves were not fixed in any one time or place. I think Lawhead's choice to tell the story in a nonlinear fashion was brilliant.

Unfortunately, I noticed at least one time where the author contradicted himself on a smaller issue. In one scene, Mina hands something to Kit, but then he asks her for it and she passes it to him again. While this is a minor mistake, it did pull me out of the story for a moment and could have been fixed with a little editing.

I felt that the characters were stronger in this second book of the series. I empathized with all of them now, and they all felt distinct in their personalities. Mina is still my favorite character, but now I really like Kit and Arthur as well. And the minor characters, such as Turms and Thomas Young (my two favorites in this category), were just as fascinating and unique as the main characters. No matter which group of people a particular chapter was following, I was always excited to find out what was happening in their lives.

Another fun thing about this book was that it visited so many times and places in the world. I love history, so I enjoyed reading about every reality the characters traveled to. Often, something in the story would ignite my curiosity, and soon I'd be exploring an encyclopedia, learning more about the interesting people, places, and cultures. Books are so fun when they integrate history as part of a story or myth.

I greatly enjoyed The Bone House and would recommend it to anyone who likes science fiction, history, or travel across alternate realities.

If you'd like to read what other people on the CSFF Blog Tour are saying about The Bone House, you can find links to their blogs below.

Noah Arsenault
Red Bissell
Thomas Clayton Booher
Beckie Burnham
Morgan L. Busse
CSFF Blog Tour
Jeff Chapman
Carol Bruce Collett
Karri Compton
D. G. D. Davidson
Theresa Dunlap
April Erwin
Victor Gentile
Tori Greene
Ryan Heart
Bruce Hennigan
Timothy Hicks
Christopher Hopper
Janeen Ippolito
Becca Johnson
Jason Joyner
Julie
Carol Keen
Krystine Kercher
Marzabeth
Katie McCurdy
Shannon McDermott
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Joan Nienhuis
Chawna Schroeder
Kathleen Smith
Donna Swanson
Rachel Starr Thomson
Robert Treskillard
Steve Trower
Fred Warren
Phyllis Wheeler
Nicole White
Rachel Wyant

Becca Johnson

Feast by Merrie Destefano -Review

2011-09-06T02:19:00.000-07:00

Feast by Merrie Destefano is about Maddie, an author who goes to the woods of Ticonderoga Falls to rediscover her inspiration, and Ash, the Darkling who rules there and lives off of the dreams of humans. The Harvest is coming, and both of their lives and the town itself will be threatened by a darkness intent on enslaving or destroying them all.

Feast's plot was tight and well-constructed. Everything happened for a specific purpose, and as the book progressed, the reasons for certain events or details that had seemed insignificant became evident. There was a particularly brilliant moment in the plot which I will discuss in further detail later in this review. When I read that scene, I got so excited that I could barely contain myself. That happens when I find in stories echoes of the Greatest Story.

The characters felt real, and it was fun to get to see things from so many of their perspectives. My favorites were Ash, Maddie, Ross, and Joe. But it was hard to choose favorites, because I liked all of them a lot. They all had unique perspectives and it was cool to see how they thought and to see their varying views on situations. Even the villain’s point of view was enjoyable and not obnoxious like they can be in some books. Merrie Destefano did a great job with her characters.

I had only two small complaints about the book. The first is that there was no explanation for how Ross and Sienna came to like each other. First Ross was terrified of her, and then they were acting like old friends at the end of the book. I would have liked to see what changed his attitude toward her. The only other complaint I had was that the characters would sometimes know names of things or information without first learning about the names or information. But that didn’t happen too often.

This paragraph has spoilers, so read it at your own risk. If you don’t want spoilers, skip ahead to the next paragraph. I liked how Ash's bitterness and desire for revenge were taken from him as the villain was killing him. And I loved what the Legend was whispering then. It reminded me of how God can take something meant for terrible evil and make something amazingly good come out of it. And He knows that it is a joyful thing that will come to pass in our story, even though we don’t understand. That's the part of the book that got me so excited. And now the spoilers are over.

Merrie Destefano does a great job of creating atmosphere through her choice of words. She painted scenes that carried strong senses of beauty, darkness, foreboding, or joy. Her words are lovely and powerful. Sometimes I would read a passage a second time just so I could experience again the atmosphere it held.

Here are some of my favorite descriptions from Feast.

“Leaves, soggy and heavy, muddled to the ground, broken mementos of the narrow bridge between summer and winter.”

“All of her thoughts were being built and fashioned from the ether, fog swirling in tempestuous roiling eddies, patterns that morphed and growled, a womb of cloud and idea that was giving birth as she walked.”

Feast is a beautiful, exciting read, and I recommend it to readers of fantasy and to lovers of words and legend.

Becca Johnson

Pieces of Words #6

2011-08-14T16:35:00.000-07:00

I've collected a lot of quotes by Pastor Bill Johnson of Bethel Church lately, so all the quotes in this post will be from him. My next quotes post will return to being an assortment from all over. Enjoy!

"There is no such thing as worshipping God your own way."

"Favor increases your capacity to sacrifice and give to the Lord."

"On my best day, I’m alive because of mercy. On my worst day, I’m alive because of grace."

"Persistence in prayer doesn't change God. It shapes us for the answer."

"If you knew who God made you to be, you'd never want to be anyone else."

"If you don't live by the praises of men you won't die by their criticisms."

"No one has ever overdosed on encouragement."

"You know your mind is renewed when the impossible looks logical."

"What you tolerate will eventually dominate."

"Lists reveal God. They don't contain Him."

What are some quotes you've read or heard recently that stuck with you? I'd love to read them in the comments!

Becca Johnson

6 Books I'm Most Excited About Being Released Later This Year

2011-06-30T15:18:00.000-07:00

I can't wait to read these books, so I thought I'd share my excitement and the cool covers.

Forever by Maggie Stiefvater
Third in the Wolves of Mercy Falls series
July 12, 2011

Goliath by Scott Westerfeld
Third in the Leviathan trilogy
September 20, 2011

Fullmetal Alchemist volume 26 by Hiromu Arakawa
September 20, 2011

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater
October 18, 2011

Crossed by Ally Condie
Second in the Matched trilogy
November 1, 2011

Fullmetal Alchemist volume 27 by Hiromu Arakawa
Final volume in the Fullmetal Alchemist series
December 20, 2011

What books are you most looking forward to?

Becca Johnson

Retribution Falls by Chris Wooding -Review

2011-06-26T19:55:00.000-07:00

Retribution Falls by Chris Wooding is about the crew of the Ketty Jay, an airship that exists in a world that depends solely on flight for transport. The Ketty Jay's captain, Darian Frey, is a selfish man with terrible luck leading a crew of people who are each running from something. When he's given the chance to attack an airship carrying a large amount of treasure, he goes for it. Unfortunately, everything goes wrong. Discovering he was set up, Frey finds himself entangled in a bigger plot than he could have imagined. Now Frey has the law, bounty hunters, and the most feared pirate in the sky after him, and he must find a way out of the mess before anyone catches up to him.

During the beginning portion of Retribution Falls, I had trouble caring much about the characters. The main character of Frey made enjoying the book initially hard because of how little he cared about anyone but himself. Some of the other characters were not appealing either because of their cowardice or lack of intelligence. I did like Crake and Jez right away, though, so that made it a little easier to get through the parts written from the viewpoints of the other characters. Thankfully, as the book continued and the characters finally started growing and changing, it became easier to enjoy reading the book.

One thing that annoyed me was how the book repeated its descriptions of places and people. It annoyed me because it repeated the same details to the readers as if we'd forgotten since the last time we'd read about that place or person. I would have preferred to read some new detail or even to read the same detail, but worded in a new way.

I was also disappointed in how easy the escapes were sometimes (not always). In the first half of the book, I felt no tension or worry in scenes where the characters' lives were threatened because I knew they'd be just fine. Something would happen at the last minute to save them and they'd escape with barely any damage. That all changed at the end of the book, which made me very happy. If there's danger in a book, I want it to be convincing.

Another thing that bothered me about the book was its frank mentions of certain parts of anatomy that seemed to be mentioned regularly. This, together with mentions of prostitutes (which I guess you'd expect with pirates), frustrated me. I found it in poor taste. The book would have worked just fine without any of that. In fact, it would have been better. All those things did was lower my opinion of the main characters.

Despite these things, by the end of the book, I had come to like most of the members of the crew. I liked Jez, Malvery, Silo, and even Frey, and I liked them more once I'd read their interesting backstories. My favorites, however, were Crake and his golem Bess. Crake's backstory was the coolest and saddest, though it did remind me a bit of the manga Fullmetal Alchemist.

Retribution Falls was full of adventure and daring battles in the sky, which were exciting, especially near the end. It also had some touching moments when characters learned more about each other's pasts or simply came to accept and care about each other. I liked that it had a balance of both.

I would recommend this book to those who like adventure and science fiction, and who don't mind some occasional unsavory elements to the characters.

I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.

Becca Johnson

Pieces of Words #5

2011-04-02T17:56:00.000-07:00

I've found some new quotes. :) I hope you enjoy them!

"I prepared for the end. Then just as everything was going dark, I felt a hand on my shoulder. And when I opened my eyes, standing above me was the creator, your father. He saved me. I guess you could say I was a rescue." –Quorra in Tron: Legacy

"In the old covenant the clean things became unclean at a touch - in the new covenant the unclean things become clean by being touched!" –Pastor Bill Johnson of Bethel Church

"Look at everything as though you were seeing it either for the first or last time. Then your time on earth will be filled with glory." –Betty Smith

"Faith is a no-brainer." –Pastor Bill Johnson of Bethel Church

"Hope is not in imagining that men will change but in knowing that God sees. Men changing or not doesn’t affect my confidence in God. Hope must be rooted in eternity, not in wishful thinking." –Misty Edwards

Do you have any quotes you've heard or read over the past week that you'd like to share? Please feel free to leave them in the comments. I love reading what people find.

Becca Johnson

Pieces of Words #4

2011-03-19T14:29:00.000-07:00

Most of today's quotes come from Twitter. In fact, even the quotes from authors were found by me on Twitter. Enjoy them!

Twitter:

"Our revelation of humility has to change. There are too many lamps with bushels hanging over them…feeling bad for what they have." –William Matthews of Bethel Music

"Perfectionism is religion, excellence is Kingdom." –Pastor Bill Johnson of Bethel Church

"Faith is much more free to develop when we truly see the heart of God as good." –Pastor Bill Johnson of Bethel Church

"One glance at the Cross dispels any thought that God is somehow holding out on us." –Matt Lockett

"There are things in this world worth fighting for - among them is true friendship. So get in the ring, and keep fighting even if you bleed." –Ivoryline

Authors:

"A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for." –John A. Shedd

"It is never too late to be what you might have been." –George Eliot

Do you have any quotes you've heard or read over the past week that you'd like to share? Please feel free to leave them in the comments. I love reading what people find.

Becca Johnson

Pieces of Words #3

2011-02-23T20:41:00.000-08:00

The quotes for today's Pieces of Words come from a book, a blog, a sermon, and musicians on Twitter. There's some really great stuff here.

Book:

"To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket- safe, dark, motionless, airless--it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable." -C. S. Lewis in The Four Loves

Blog:

"...after awhile you start believing your own lies, which all essentially say the same thing: 'I'm not good enough.' Suddenly, and unknowingly, you defeat yourself. Has anything positive come from guilt and shame? Has any life flourished after believing that it was worthless? The only thing left after believing our own lies is our own defeat." -Matt MacDonald, lead singer of The Classic Crime

Sermon:

"David lost the battle with his eyes, which opened the door for him to lose the battle over his heart, all because he was not in the battle he was born for. When you turn away from the battle you're assigned to, you face the battle you're not equipped for." –Pastor Bill Johnson of Bethel Church

Twitter:

"There will always be someone more talented, but never someone more called. Live according to your calling, not your talent." –Alyssa Barlow of BarlowGirl

"Just when you think you can depend on something or someone, Jesus reminds you that He's your ONLY Hope." –William Matthews of Bethel Music

Do you have any quotes you've heard or read over the past week that you'd like to share? Please feel free to leave them in the comments. I love reading what people find.

Becca Johnson

CSFF Blog Tour: The God Hater by Bill Myers -Review

2011-02-22T15:35:00.000-08:00

This month, the CSFF Blog Tour is featuring Bill Myers' The God Hater. In conjunction with the CSFF Blog Tour, I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.

The God Hater is about an atheistic philosophy professor, Nicholas Mackenzie, who is asked to help with a computer program. This computer program contains an entire world and characters who think, react, and feel just like real people. The programmers believe they have thought of everything and made the program perfect. But every time they run it, the characters end up self-destructing. Nicholas reluctantly decides that they need to introduce religion into the program. But that too fails. Even giving them laws doesn't help, but instead turns them into unforgiving legalists. He is forced to realize that the characters' only hope is for someone to go into the program and show them how to live. So he steps into the program with them as a character just like himself and begins a mission to save them from themselves.

When I read the description of this book, I thought it sounded like a very cool idea and possibly a good book. I was right. This book is fascinating and touching, and it shows man's need for redemption from a Creator-like perspective. I loved reading things I'd heard before about sin, the payment for sin, redemption, and forgiveness in new terms, since most of it was in the computer program's terms. It made things fresh and made me look at them in a new way.

I only had a couple things that bothered me. One problem I had was with an inconsistency I noticed. The programmers said that the characters didn't eat food and instead survived on life units. And yet, later in the book, the characters were eating life units fried in crumbs, drinking wine, etc. Unless I misunderstood something, that was a big inconsistency.

The other thing that bothered me was the ending. Its bittersweet nature frustrated me, and it didn't end with as much resolution as I would have liked. There's a key event I was expecting that I'm upset about being left out. But that didn't diminish my overall enjoyment of the book, and the ending actually was pretty good. It just felt like it was missing something.

I connected with the characters well, especially Nicholas and Alpha 11. I could feel their inner struggles clearly, as well as Nicholas' father-like love and sadness. That was essential to making the book work, and Bill Myers did a great job.

One of my favorite quotes from the book:

"It's impossible to adequately capture every nuance of truth with words. To convey the truths of life...you have to live that life."

I recommend The God Hater to both believers and those who don't yet believe. The philosophy is presented logically and never preaches. It's an entertaining read that also makes you think.

To find out more about The God Hater, please visit the book's website or Bill Myers' Facebook page. You can also read what other people thought about The God Hater by visiting the other blogs participating in the CSFF Blog Tour. Their links are below.

Noah Arsenault
Red Bissell
Thomas Clayton Booher
Keanan Brand
Kathy Brasby
Rachel Briard
Beckie Burnham
Morgan L. Busse
Carol Bruce Collett
Valerie Comer
Karri Compton
CSFF Blog Tour
April Erwin
Amber French
Andrea Graham
Tori Greene
Katie Hart
Ryan Heart
Joleen Howell
Bruce Hennigan
Becky Jesse
Cris Jesse
Becca Johnson
Jason Joyner
Carol Keen
Emily LaVigne
Shannon McDermott
Matt Mikalatos
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Mirtika
MollyBuuklvr81
John W. Otte
Sarah Sawyer
Chawna Schroeder
Andrea Schultz
Tammy Shelnut
Kathleen Smith
James Somers
Donna Swanson
Jessica Thomas
Steve Trower
Fred Warren
Dona Watson
Nicole White
Dave Wilson

Becca Johnson

Dark Mirror by M.J. Putney -Review

2011-02-16T01:40:00.000-08:00

I just finished reading an ARC (advance readers' copy) of Dark Mirror by M.J. Putney. I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.

Dark Mirror is about a girl named Tory who lives in England in the early 1800s. The book is slightly an alternate history story, because in its England, magic is a real thing and is commonplace. Magic is a useful tool embraced by the commoners, but the nobility has been taught to view it as wrong and disgraceful. Tory is the daughter of an earl and looks forward to finding a high-ranking husband. When she discovers that she has magical ability, she is determined to hide it. If anyone finds out about her magic, she could be disowned from her family and rejected by everyone she knows. Despite her resolve to keep her power hidden, she has no choice but to reveal it when an accident occurs. She is sent to Lackland Abbey, where young people of the nobility are sent to be cured of their magic. Once there, she will have to make many choices concerning sacrifice, bravery, duty, and love.

This is a fun book filled with adventure, likeable characters, and magic. I don't think I ever got bored, even during the slower portions of the plot. M.J. Putney combined a rich, realistic-feeling historical setting with a complicated, detailed world of magic. It was fascinating, especially when the magical powers were being explained or when people were learning how they could use their magic in new ways. The magic was also described beautifully and clearly. I looked forward to the magical parts of the story most.

As I was reading and increasingly more characters were being introduced, there was a point where I got concerned that I'd never be able to remember, let alone keep track of, all of the characters. However, they all had distinguishable personalities and important roles to play. I was pleased to discover that I had no trouble keeping all the characters with their personalities and abilities separate in my head. Each person was an interesting character, and I came to care about all of them. I'm now glad that there was such a large cast of characters to enjoy.

Tory, the main character, was a nice choice for a heroine. She was smart, kind, and wanted to do the right thing. It was refreshing to read a book where the main character started off already having some wisdom and strong virtues. That way, Tory could work on building her strengths and adding to them, taking the story deeper than if she'd been a spoiled, selfish child. I really liked that about her.

I only have a few complaints about the book. One is that some of the foreshadowing was too obvious for me. I knew what the inciting incident would be before it happened. (An inciting incident is the first conflict that sets the plot in motion.) The clues were on the pages leading up to it and they stood out clearly to me as hints as to what was about to happen. Also, in the same night that a character mentions preparing for a possible danger, that danger happens. On one page the character was finally discussing the need seriously (even though the need had been there before), and on the next page or so the danger struck. It seemed too set up to me.

Also, the love story did not seem entirely believable to me. It would have been a good romance, but I didn't see how the characters suddenly fell in love with each other. And saying they had a magical connection isn't enough to explain it for me. I would have liked to see more development of the love before the characters were declaring their undying love for each other. Because the love story was not rooted in a deep relationship (at least not that we the readers saw), it made a scene that would have been much more powerful seem just slightly overdramatic. I really wish we'd been allowed to see the relationship develop more. It would have been good.

Speaking of romance, M.J. Putney's history as a romance writer started peeking through here and there. It seemed like she couldn't resist throwing in a little suggestive dialogue between Tory and her love interest. It didn't seem plausible considering what era these characters came from, and it also bothered me. I would have preferred if she'd stuck to keeping the book mostly a fantasy book about magic and adventure.

But aside from those few things that I mentioned above, I really enjoyed Dark Mirror. It had a well-developed setting, an exciting plot, and interesting characters. If there is a sequel, I will most definitely be reading it.

I recommend this book to anyone who likes fantasy, history, time travel, or romance.

Becca Johnson

Sapphique by Catherine Fisher -Review

2011-02-11T22:15:00.000-08:00

Tonight, I finished reading Sapphique by Catherine Fisher. Sapphique is the sequel to Incarceron. If you haven't read Incarceron, you need to. It’s good. I'll try to avoid spoilers in this review for those who haven't read Incarceron yet.

Sapphique is the continued story of two groups of characters. The first group is made up of prisoners inside Incarceron (a living prison as large as an entire world to those inside it) who are trying desperately to find a way out. The second group consists of people Outside of Incarceron who are trying to defeat both the Prison and the stifling rule of Protocol (a requirement that everything stays like it was hundreds of years ago to prevent further nuclear desctruction to the world). Old characters, such as Finn, Claudia, Jared, Keiro, the Warden, Attia, and Incarceron itself, return in this book. New characters, like Rix, are also introduced. And of course, Sapphique (the only prisoner to Escape) is again present in this book through the many references to him and the "excerpts" from the stories about him.

What first got me to pick Incarceron off the shelf was the beautiful cover. Isn't it lovely and intriguing? And the cover for Sapphique looks just as great, if not better. What intrigued me further and got me reading was the idea of a futuristic prison that was alive and that had a personality of its own. I'm glad the cover and the idea drew me into reading Incarceron, because I've really enjoyed it and Sapphique.

I liked the way the author described some of the things in Sapphique. I especially liked when she worded something differently or turned recurring themes around so that the reader saw them in a new way or understood that they could stand for a separate idea in the story.

The story jumped from point of view to point of view, but it didn’t bother me like it does in some books. One moment we knew what Finn was thinking, and then suddenly we only knew what Claudia knew. But the shifts from one point of view to another weren’t jarring and I actually liked them, because then I could know various character’s secrets as they became important to know (there were a lot of secrets).

It was interesting switching back and forth between the world of the Prison and the world of Outside. The Prison was filled with despair, fear, technology, and all sorts of strange sights. The plants were made of metal and some of the people were part machine. The Outside was like history with its castles, political intrigue, balls, faked pleasantries, and scenic countryside. And yet, the two places had so many things in common, such as danger, illusion, and the desire for escape.

The book was never too slow, which made me happy. The last hundred pages or so grew so much in intensity that I was unable to put the book down. I was hurrying through the pages, excited to find out how everything was going to work out in the end. I love it when that happens.

Although I enjoyed reading the book, I was fairly confused when I reached the end of it. Either I’m not catching on, or some of the questions were never truly answered. They were given answers that might be true…but they might not be. At least, that’s how I understood it. *MAJOR SPOILER WARNING* I’m still confused as to who Sapphique was. Was it really Jared, or was he just filling the role for the prisoners and Incarceron? And if Jared really was Sapphique, how on earth did that happen? I’m just a little perplexed. *END SPOILER*

My favorite characters have always been Keiro and Jared, so it was fun to see them both play important roles in Sapphique. Keiro was entertaining with his arrogance and bluntness. He always had some plan for getting out of trouble. And, despite his best efforts, there were moments when he showed that he did have a heart. Jared was just as kind and intelligent as before, but we got to see more of his loyalty, fear, and courage in this book. I liked other characters in the book, but these two were the ones that stood out to me. They’re very different, but both fascinating characters.

Here are some of my favorite quotes from the book:

"People will love you if you tell them of your fears."

"Perhaps the Prison is in us."

"The stable was hung with small golden lanterns, like the ones used at Court. Or perhaps these were the stars, taken down and propped here and there, hung on wires."

I recommend this book to anyone who likes fantasy, steampunk, or adventure.

Becca Johnson

Pieces of Words #2

2011-02-09T00:34:00.000-08:00

Pieces of Words posts are collections of quotes that I come across that are beautiful, amuse me, make me look at something differently, or stick with me. Today, I have quotes from a song, a movie, and a sermon. Enjoy!

Song:

"We can be who we are. Now we are alive. We can fight. They cannot contain us. It’s who we are. We are undying. We won’t hide our faces from the light. Eliminate the space between us. It’s who we are. We are forever." –"Who We Are" by RED

Movie:

"Destiny is not the path that's given to us, but the path that we choose for ourselves." –Megamind

Sermon:

"Unbelief forces me to live in thirst within the reach of water." –Pastor Bill Johnson of Bethel Church

Do you have any quotes you've heard or read over the past few days that you'd like to share? Please feel free to leave them in the comments. I love reading what people find.

Becca Johnson

Pieces of Words #1

2011-02-04T01:23:00.000-08:00

I’ve decided to do a variation on the weekly quotes I used to post. What I have in mind will be called Pieces of Words and will sometimes be posted more often than once a week, sometimes less often. It depends on if I find some good pieces. These posts will be collections of words from songs, poems, stories, blogs, other nonfiction, etc. that I thought were beautiful, that touched me, that stuck out to me, or that made me think. Sounds fun, doesn’t it? So, here’s my first Pieces of Words post. Enjoy!

Songs:

"And when you’re finally in My arms, you’ll look up and see love has a face. And I will be your hope." –"Not Alone" by RED

"You’re not so far that I can’t get to where you are." –"Invisible" by Disciple

Story:

"He infected it."
"With a disease?"
"A desire. And desire can be a disease, Claudia."
-The Warden and Claudia from Sapphique by Catherine Fisher

Nonfiction:

"Maybe every breath we take is the outcome of the breath we took before it." –Joy in her blog post life beside the silverscreen.

Happy adventures!

Becca Johnson

Matched by Ally Condie -Review

2011-01-30T11:59:00.000-08:00

Last night, I finished reading Matched by Ally Condie. This book is the first of a trilogy.

Matched is a dystopian novel that takes place in a world where the Society decides everything for the people. The Society tells its people when and what they will eat, what they will wear, where they will live, what job they will have, who they will marry, and when they will die. They have also reduced all the art in the world to the 100 songs, 100 poems, 100 paintings, and 100 stories. The Society claims that they have made everyone's lives perfect because they have simplified everything and chosen the best things for them.

Cassia believes in the Society and dreams of having a perfect life with the boy she is about to be Matched to. When she sees on the screen at the Matching ceremony that her Match is Xander, her childhood friend, she couldn't be more happy. But later, when she goes to read more about Xander, something goes wrong. For a moment, she sees a different face on the screen. She knows this boy, Ky, too. The Society tells her that it was a mistake, but now Cassia can't get Ky off of her mind. Her growing love for him and a secret her grandfather gives her drive her to begin questioning the choices made for her and those around her. She will have to choose whether she goes along with what the Society has planned for her, or if she will go against everything in her world and make her own choices in her life.

This is a beautiful story about words, stories, choice, remembering, and love. Poetry played a large role in Matched, and sometimes the writing itself seemed almost poetic. I really liked this book's story, characters, and that it made me think.

Through this book, we see how dull and empty life would be without choices, and yet we must be responsible for every choice we make. We see the power of words (particularly poetry and stories in this case) and how, once they're in you, they take hold and draw out ideas that can change everything forever. And we see what risks love is willing to take and how it protects even when it is wounded or doesn't understand.

I could envision the world that Cassia lived in and I liked the way that the author chose to describe things. Like I said, there were times that it felt poetic. The characters were all unique and I think I came to love all of them for different aspects of their personalities. Yes, I even liked the "bad guys" a bit. The way that the Society worked was filled with detail. It seemed like the author had thought of just about everything. When I read this book, it felt like I was in that world with those characters, and that's what I love about reading.

I wasn't too surprised by most of the twists in the story, but it took me long enough before I caught on that I still enjoyed it. *SPOILER WARNING* I figured out early on the reveal about how the elderly die. Other times, I figured things out just pages before they were revealed, like where Ky and the other workers were being sent. *END SPOILER WARNING*

There were a few times that I noticed inconsistencies. These mostly had to do with a character suddenly knowing the name for something that they didn't know before. Thankfully, the inconsistencies were not big problems and didn't occur too often.

My favorite character was Ky. I loved the way he told stories and his quiet bravery. But even though he was my favorite, I liked both Xander and Cassia quite a lot as well. Usually in a book that has two love interests for the girl, I come to love one and despise the other. But in Matched, I like both Ky and Xander. I have my preference for who should get Cassia (Ky), but I'd actually love to see both guys happy in the end.

One of my favorite quotes from the book:

"Is falling in love with someone's story the same thing as falling in love with the person himself?"

I recommend this book to anyone who loves dystopian stories, science fiction, poetry, romance, or something that makes them think.

You can find out even more about Matched by visiting the book's official website or Ally Condie's website.

Becca Johnson

CSFF Blog Tour: The Wolf of Tebron by C.S. Lakin- My Review

2011-01-05T01:45:00.000-08:00

The CSFF Blog Tour is featuring The Wolf of Tebron by C.S. Lakin this month. On Monday, I posted a brief warning about where not to read the book’s description. Today, I’ll be posting my review of the book. I just finished reading it tonight, so everything is pretty fresh in my mind and I may still be mulling over how I feel about the story as I write this.

For those of you who missed my Monday post, here’s my favorite description of the book (taken from the back cover copy):

Joran dreams of living a simple life as a blacksmith in his forested village of Tebron. But when his wife, Charris, disappears in a whisk of magic, his dream shatters as he is forced to go on a perilous journey to the ends of the world to rescue her. The goose woman tells him he must solve the riddle of the three keys, and will wear out three pairs of shoes before he battles the Moon—who has trapped Charris in a sand castle perched above the sea.

Dismayed and fearful, Joran sets out alone, but along the way finds unlikely companionship in a wolf named Ruyah, who becomes his guide and trusted friend. In true fairy-tale tradition, Joran must face daunting challenges—within and without—in order to bring Charris safely home.

My favorite thing about this book is Ruyah, the wolf. I love wolves and I love loyal characters. Ruyah is both of these things, so I had a great time reading about him. He is a beautiful picture of patience, wisdom, protection, faithfulness, and love. Joran could not have asked for a better companion.

I also enjoyed the author’s descriptions of the fantastical places that Joran and Ruyah visited. I could feel the strangeness of one, the peace of another, the beauty and mystery of another, the oppressiveness of another, and the desperation and urgency of yet another. She did a great job of conveying each place’s flavor, and her descriptions seemed to fit perfectly. For example, I would picture the Moon’s house much like she described it. No detail seemed out of place or missing in the picture she wove.

There was one thing that bothered me while reading the book. Ruyah often quotes the sayings of wolves, but these sayings are actually taken from people like C.S. Lewis and G.K. Chesterton. A few other characters also quote famous people. I wish that the author had written the ideas in her own words, or had even written them so that they were in terms that a wolf would use when Ruyah said them. I think that would have been a nice touch. For me, reading the quotes was occasionally frustrating because they sounded so familiar or because I could identify them immediately. Even if I didn't know where I knew them from, I knew that they were from somewhere else. It was like being repeatedly pulled out of the story and into our world. It might not be that way for people who wouldn't recognize the quotes, but it bothered me. One of the many reasons that I read is to find a new way of looking at something. I wish that the concepts in the quotes had been reworded so that I would have been forced to look at the familiar ones anew.

The book provided a clear picture of what things like anger can do to a person and to a life. I liked how it showed the spiritual side of that in a tangible way. It’s a very important warning to all of us about letting anger and other negative emotions take root in our lives. I also liked the way it showed what it required for Joran to overcome each of the negative influences in his life and to “loose the three keys.” Each of those moments was depicted in powerful, beautifully triumphant scenes.

I look forward to reading the next book in The Gates of Heavens series. It should be a wonderful read.

If you're interested in reading more about The Wolf of Tebron, you can check out C.S. Lakin's website or her blog. Also, please take a moment to visit the other blogs participating in the CSFF Blog Tour:

Noah Arsenault
Amy Bissell
Red Bissell
Justin Boyer
Keanan Brand
Grace Bridges
Beckie Burnham
Jeff Chapman
Christian Fiction Book Reviews
Carol Bruce Collett
Valerie Comer
CSFF Blog Tour
D. G. D. Davidson
April Erwin
Andrea Graham
Nikole Hahn
Katie Hart
Ryan Heart
Bruce Hennigan
Becky Jesse
Cris Jesse
Becca Johnson
Jason Joyner
Julie
Carol Keen
Dawn King
Shannon McDermott
Matt Mikalatos
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Joan Nienhuis
Nissa
John W. Otte
Chawna Schroeder
Tammy Shelnut
Kathleen Smith
James Somers
Rachel Starr Thomson
Robert Treskillard
Fred Warren
Phyllis Wheeler

Enjoy the adventure!

Becca Johnson

CSFF Blog Tour: The Wolf of Tebron by C.S. Lakin- A Musical Thought

2011-01-05T01:17:00.000-08:00

The CSFF Blog Tour's featured book this month is The Wolf of Tebron by C.S. Lakin. My review is coming next, but I wanted to post this music-related thought separately.

Tonight, I was reading the last third of the book, swept up in the adventure and wanting to reach the final chapters so I could know how everything was resolved. As I was nearing the end of the book, I grabbed my iPod so I could listen to music while I read. I felt like listening to RED, one of my favorite bands, so I selected a song of theirs that sounded good. I chose “Shadows.” And once it started playing, I realized how good it was for what I was reading. After listening more closely to the lyrics, I wondered if C.S. Lakin had ever heard this song. Some of it reminds me a lot of the story. If you’ve read the book, you might see what I mean when you read these lyrics:

The sun has set
I close my eyes
I pretend everything’s alright
Drowning in anger from all these lies
I can’t pretend everything’s alright
Please don’t let me fall forever
Can you tell me it’s over now?

There’s a hate inside of me
Like some kind of master
I try to save you but I can’t
Find the answer
I’m holding on to you
I’ll never let go
I need you with me as I enter
The shadows

Caught in the darkness
I go blind
Can you help me find my way out?
Nobody hears me. I suffer the silence
Can you tell me it’s over now?

I’m holding on to you
I’m holding on to you

What do you think, those of you who've read the book?

Becca Johnson

CSFF Blog Tour: The Wolf of Tebron by C.S. Lakin -Day 1

2011-01-03T17:12:00.000-08:00

This month, the CSFF Blog Tour is featuring C.S. Lakin's The Wolf of Tebron. I'll be posting a review on Tuesday or Wednesday, but today I just wanted to post a quick warning about where to read the book's description.

When I first heard about the book and wanted to see what it was about, I searched for it on Amazon and Goodreads and read the description they both had there. The description got me interested in the book, but it also gave away something that would happen in the book. And the thing it gave away was very important. It made me feel cheated of a surprise that would have meant even more if I hadn't seen it coming.

So, if you're interested in the book and want to know more about it, I recommend reading the back cover copy:

Joran dreams of living a simple life as a blacksmith in his forested village of Tebron. But when his wife, Charris, disappears in a whisk of magic, his dream shatters as he is forced to go on a perilous journey to the ends of the world to rescue her. The goose woman tells him he must solve the riddle of the three keys, and will wear out three pairs of shoes before he battles the Moon—who has trapped Charris in a sand castle perched above the sea.

Dismayed and fearful, Joran sets out alone, but along the way finds unlikely companionship in a wolf named Ruyah, who becomes his guide and trusted friend. In true fairy-tale tradition, Joran must face daunting challenges—within and without—in order to bring Charris safely home.

Doesn't it sound like an intriguing book? You should check it out. You should also check out the blogs of the other people participating in the tour. They should have some fun information about the book or its author and some good reviews. Here are the links to their blogs:

Noah Arsenault
Amy Bissell
Red Bissell
Justin Boyer
Keanan Brand
Grace Bridges
Beckie Burnham
Jeff Chapman
Christian Fiction Book Reviews
Carol Bruce Collett
Valerie Comer
CSFF Blog Tour
D. G. D. Davidson
April Erwin
Andrea Graham
Nikole Hahn
Katie Hart
Ryan Heart
Bruce Hennigan
Becky Jesse
Cris Jesse
Becca Johnson
Jason Joyner
Julie
Carol Keen
Dawn King
Shannon McDermott
Matt Mikalatos
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Joan Nienhuis
Nissa
John W. Otte
Chawna Schroeder
Tammy Shelnut
Kathleen Smith
James Somers
Rachel Starr Thomson
Robert Treskillard
Fred Warren
Phyllis Wheeler

Becca Johnson

Where You Can Find Some Neat Bookmarks (and Ear Cuffs)

2010-11-08T19:43:00.000-08:00

I recently opened a shop on Etsy, which is a great place to sell and buy handmade and vintage items. Etsy is a really neat site. It seems like you can find just about anything on there. There are necklaces, scarves, pillows, leather journals, clothes, paintings, photographs, candles, purses, coffee mugs, ear cuffs, bookmarks, and a ton more. I'm adding my own bookmarks and ear cuffs to the sea of really cool stuff on Etsy. I'd love for you to check them out.

Here's a small sampling of what you'll find on my shop:

The last two pictures show examples of ear cuffs I've made. An ear cuff is something you can wear on your ear without any piercings. You just squeeze it to adjust it to the size of your ear and it sits there comfortably. And they're pretty cute.

So, if you're at all interested in what you saw above, or if you'd like to see more, please visit my shop Shalanakeir on Etsy.

(On an unrelated note, can anyone guess what book's page that last ear cuff is sitting on?)

Becca Johnson

CSFF Blog Tour Review: The Skin Map by Stephen R. Lawhead

2010-11-03T17:42:00.000-07:00

The CSFF Blog Tour is featuring The Skin Map by Stephen R. Lawhead this month. This is the first of the Bright Empires novels. In conjunction with the CSFF Blog Tour, I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.

Summary (from Barnes and Noble's website):

Kit Livingstone's great-grandfather has re-appeared with an unbelievable story--the ley lines throughout Britain are not merely the stuff of legends but truly are pathways to other worlds. So few people know how to use them, though, that doing so is fraught with danger.

But one explorer knew more than most. Because of his fear of being unable to find his way home, he developed an intricate code and tattooed his map onto his skin. But the map has since been lost and rival factions are in desperate competition to recover it. What none of them yet realize is that the skin map itself is not the prize at the end of this race . . . but merely the first goal of a vast and marvelous quest to regain Paradise.

Enter the ultimate treasure hunt--with a map made of skin, a playing field of alternate realities, and a prize that is the greatest mystery of all.

How I felt about the book:

The idea of travel to other worlds through ley lines was very interesting. Old, mysterious stuff like ley lines can be fascinating, and Lawhead did something very cool with them. I was always eager to get back to reading the book so I could see what would happen next and what interesting place I'd get to experience. What I found interesting is that it's almost like reading historical fiction at the same time as speculative fiction. It was fun, especially since I like historical fiction.

The book had good, vivid descriptions. His words drew beautiful, clear pictures in my mind. I felt like I was in the different times and places where the book takes place.

However, the author sometimes repeats certain descriptions. Or, more often, he repeats a word in close proximity to the first time it was used. This got a little distracting for me. Other times, it's like he's taken his first description, changed the wording a bit, and reused it. I got frustrated with having the same details told to me twice. An example of when he did this is on pages 322 and 367. Compare the descriptions of the wadi. You'll see that both times, the wadi has air described as dead, but the "shade" "revives" the two characters who experience it (words in quotations are words that were the same both times). It's so close that one time it says, "Cosimo felt himself slightly revived," and the other time it says, "Kit felt himself revive." It was like having a case of reading deja vu.

I would have preferred if an indication of the general time period of each chapter was given sooner, or if more of it was given. Sometimes it was pretty clear where the travelers were, like in the London, Prague, and China chapters. But when Burleigh was there for the opening of the tomb, I had no idea when it was taking place. All I knew was that they had cars.

I think that Lawhead handled all the different places and times really well. He wove them together with all the threads leading to the climax, where they began to explain each other. He did a marvelous job in that aspect.

The untranslated German when Etzel and Wilhelmina met confused and frustrated me. I want to know what they said. If it's put in a book, the reader should be able to understand it, or it should be explained.

Another thing that bothered me was that sometimes the author contradicted himself. The first time we see a particular wadi (page 322 again), he says that it was cut "by water from the melt runoff during the last ice age." The next time we see the same wadi (page 367 again), he says that it was cut "by the abundant rains of a much younger world." Also, he writes that Cosimo and Sir Henry's hands are bound with rope. Later, they wipe sweat from their faces, take off their boots, etc. with no mention of their hands having been untied. There were a couple more contradictions, but those were the two that stood out to me the most and distracted me.

At one point, the story is split into five threads, each of which follows a different set of characters. I felt that the five weren't balanced well enough. It took too long for the story to get back to Cosimo and to Kit. Kit is the main character, isn't he? So why didn't we hear about him for so long?

On the subject of characters, I didn't feel like I identified enough with all of the viewpoint characters. Their emotions and/or motives were often hidden from the reader, which made me feel distanced (or made me wonder how they managed to fall in love with someone). The characters I empathized with most were Wilhelmina and Etzel.

Speaking of those two characters, I loved reading about them. They were real people with real emotions. It's funny, because from Kit's description of Wilhelmina in the beginning of the book, I thought I wasn't going to be able to stand her. But she turned out to be my favorite character and a smart, sweet person. I looked forward to the sections with the Kaffeehaus.

I'm definitely reading the next book when it comes out. Lawhead left it at a couple cliffhangers, and I especially want to know what happens with Flinders-Petrie.

You can read more about the book at Stephen Lawhead's website or by visiting some of the other blogs participating in this tour:

Red Bissell
Thomas Clayton Booher
Keanan Brand
Grace Bridges
Beckie Burnham
Morgan L. Busse
Jeff Chapman
Christian Fiction Book Reviews
Valerie Comer
Karri Compton
Amy Cruson
CSFF Blog Tour
Stacey Dale
D. G. D. Davidson
George Duncan
April Erwin
Tori Greene
Ryan Heart
Bruce Hennigan
Timothy Hicks
Christopher Hopper
Becky Jesse
Cris Jesse
Becca Johnson
Jason Joyner
Julie
Carol Keen
Krystine Kercher
Shannon McDermott
Allen McGraw
Matt Mikalatos
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Nissa
John W. Otte
Gavin Patchett
Sarah Sawyer
Chawna Schroeder
Kathleen Smith
Rachel Starr Thomson
Donna Swanson
Robert Treskillard
Steve Trower
Fred Warren
Dona Watson
Phyllis Wheeler
Nicole White
Elizabeth Williams
Dave Wilson

Becca Johnson

The Restorer's Journey by Sharon Hinck

2010-07-06T23:45:00.000-07:00

I just finished reading The Restorer's Journey by Sharon Hinck. I can't believe I waited this long to read it. It was great, and I had been missing out.

This is the third book in The Sword of Lyric trilogy. I reviewed the first book here. Unfortunately, I never reviewed the second book, The Restorer's Son, after I read it. It's especially unfortunate since that was my favorite book. It has Kieran, my favorite character, as the main character. But I read it too long ago for me to go back and review it now. I don't trust my memory that much. However, I do trust it enough to tell you that it was a very good book and that I recommend it.

So, back to The Restorer's Journey. This book's main character is Jake, Susan's son. However, it still follows Susan's journey (just like in the other two books) and there are some chapters in her point of view. Here's a summary I found on Sharon Hinck's website:

The world he knew is gone.

Confident in his new Restorer signs, Jake crosses the portal into Lyric to stage a heroic rescue. But everything has changed.

Jake is forced to confront hostile friends, the mental control of a corrupt king, and deadly lies that have claimed the clans. His path leads him to alliances with outlaws, dire battles, and even the temptation to forsake his calling.

Susan faces her own battles as she struggles to survive a brutal captivity. Can she find freedom before enemies destroy her spirit? Will Jake’s choices save the clans or lead to her death?

Weaknesses:
-I didn't feel like I connected with Jake as much as I had with the previous two main characters (Susan and Kieran), at least not at first. That doesn't mean I didn't like him, he just didn't seem as strong of a character in the beginning.

-There's one moment in the book where I'm curious how one of the characters knew what was going to happen so that they could plan it the way they did. I can't say more without giving something major away. And maybe there's an explanation I haven't thought of yet, but it just made me wonder.

-My favorite character was only mentioned a few times. :( He never showed up in person. But that's my own silly complaint. :P

Reflection in the middle:
This next thing isn't really a weakness. I thought it was at first, but it actually turned out to be a strength. So I'm sticking it here in the middle.

I started really enjoying the book once Jake started following God's plan for his journey. The book was a little frustrating up until that point. But now that I've finished the book and looked back on it, I guess that makes sense. Of course things would be frustrating when he wasn't where God wanted him to be. So this is the weakness that turned into a strength...wait a second. That sounds familiar. :P ;)

Strengths:
-Sharon Hinck did a great job of portraying God's love and guidance in His children's lives. It felt very personal and not at all preachy. Watching how He guided and spoke to the characters reminded me of how close He wants to be to us, how active He wants to be in our lives, and how even when His plan sounds crazy, it's really the only sane way to go. Great reminders!

-The world this story takes place in is very original. Even the atmosphere and weather is very different from our own, but not so weird that it's difficult to imagine. The world has its own creatures, Verses, cultures, and peoples. And it's a world I enjoyed going back to visit again.

-There's some good action in this book. There are lots of sword fights and battles that are described well, but that don't get unnecessarily gory. I never got bored with the book, even when there weren't fights going on. It held my attention throughout.

-The song that Jake wrote is in the back of the book, along with the music so that a musician could play it. I plan to try it out tomorrow on the piano. I love it that Sharon Hinck includes music in these books. :D

Overall:
I really liked this book, and I think you will too. I think it would appeal to all ages and both genders, since it has both a teenage boy and a mom as main characters. Besides, Sharon Hinck did a good job of appealing to everyone even when all she had was the mom as the main character. You should go and buy The Restorer's Journey (and the two books before it) right away so you can get lost in the adventure and wonder too. That's what I think. :)

Here's a last glimpse of the covers of the first two books to get you even more interested:

-Becca Johnson

Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld

2010-07-03T11:44:00.000-07:00

I'm finally back, and I'm planning on writing reviews of some of the books I've read recently. At last, I've had more time to read, and I've discovered some fun books.

Leviathan is one of those books I enjoyed reading. It's directed toward young adults, and I'd describe the genre as a mix of steampunk and alternate history. The book starts with the beginning of World War I and some of the circumstances that started it, but nothing else is really the same. In this world, the two sides are divided into people who use giant machines that walk on mechanical legs and people who create ships, draft animals, and other creatures by mixing a whole bunch of animals' genes together. It's a very imaginative world that Westerfeld has created, and inside the book are many beautiful full-page drawings that bring the scenes to life.

Here's a little description I found on Scott Westerfeld's website:

Prince Aleksander, would-be heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, is on the run. His own people have turned on him. His title is worthless. All he has is a battletorn war machine and a loyal crew of men.

Deryn Sharp is a commoner, disguised as a boy in the British Air Service. She’s a brilliant airman. But her secret is in constant danger of being discovered.

With World War I brewing, Alek and Deryn’s paths cross in the most unexpected way…taking them on a fantastical, around-the-world adventure that will change both their lives forever.

Weaknesses:
-There are parts of this book that promote Darwinism, and that got annoying. I just ignored it, but I don't like knowing that an author has an agenda in their book.

Strengths:
-Westerfeld does a good job of pulling his reader into the world of the story. You feel like you're there, and it sticks with you when you're done reading.
-The characters were engaging, particularly Alek. I liked his smart, compassionate POV.
-There's plenty of action, which is what I like.
-The cover's cool, and the detailed illustrations were a bonus for me. Here are two examples so you can see why I liked them so much:

I recommend this book to anyone who likes steampunk, fantastical imaginings, and adventure. I think you'll have fun with this book.

-Becca Johnson

Merciless by Robin Parrish, Third in the Dominion Trilogy

2008-12-19T18:16:00.000-08:00

I read Merciless, the third in Robin Parrish's Dominion Trilogy a month or so ago. It was a pretty good book, though I preferred the first two in the trilogy (Relentless and Fearless) better.

From the author's website:

The Earth is gone.

Rising in its place is a twisted, barren, dangerous world.

A DarkWorld.

Deep beneath the mountains of Turkey, Grant Borrows has fallen to his doom. But when something crawls out of the place where he fell -- something dark and merciless with unrestrained power -- it proclaims itself "Oblivion" and begins molding the planet into this DarkWorld.

But who or what is Oblivion? Is it Grant Borrows, returned from the dead? Or is it something more sinister -- something no human ever imagined possible?

As Grant's remaining friends finally learn the ultimate truth behind the events that have shaped their lives, they secretly gather for one last battle -- a final showdown between good and evil that will prove to every soul on earth that even in the bitterest twilight, when all is lost...

Hope still lives.

Weaknesses:
-This book was filled with a lot of darkness, and very little hope. There is hope from time to time, but sometimes it's hard to find.
-I think I found more grammar mistakes and typos.

Strengths:
-The battle at the end of the book was really good. It had a lot of action, was interesting, and the different ways characters' powers could be used was well thought out.
-Speaking of that, I loved watching the different ways the author came up with for the characters to use their powers. Not only that, but sometimes two or more characters were used together in ways that were cool or creative.
-I knew something was going on at the end, but I wasn't quite sure how it would work out. I can't say much more without giving the surprise away, but I think the author managed to write a good one.

Once again, I recommend this book to people who like lots of action, superhero characters, and speculative fiction in general. Just make sure the darkness in the book doesn't get you depressed or feeling hopeless about the ending of the trilogy. There is hope. :)

Becca Johnson

New Project

2008-12-04T17:25:00.000-08:00

So, you might have noticed that the fantasy novel progress changed (it's over on the right). That's because I started a new story that I like much better. In fact, it's not fantasy now. It's more science fiction. College has been keeping me from writing much of it recently, which is depressing, but I plan getting back to it during break and writing a lot. I hope that works out.

The story interests me more, the characters feel more real to me, and I actually have a general plan for where this story is going. Toward the end of writing my other story, I realized it had some serious flaws. I'll go back and fix it later, but it will take a serious rewrite, and I wanted to try something new.

I'll try to post updates now and then on how this new novel is going. :)

Becca Johnson

Quotes of the Week #18: Artemis Fowl

2008-07-26T01:37:00.000-07:00

I'm working on getting my blog going again, and I was told that my weekly quotes were sorely missed. So, today, I'm treating you to Artemis Fowl (by Eoin Colfer) quotes. :D

1. "Don't look directly at the screen. It's bad for my skin."
-Opal Koboi, from The Opal Deception

2. "Knock yourself out ... Or rather, don't."
-Artemis Fowl, from Artemis Fowl

3. "A CD. How quaint. We have these in museums."
-Holly Short, from The Eternity Code

4. "Oh, brilliant. I must write that one down in my witty retorts book."
-Mulch Diggums, from The Lost Colony

5. "I never tell anybody exactly how clever I am. They would be too scared."
-Artemis Fowl, from The Eternity Code

Bonus Quote:

"When are you going to learn, Mud Boy? Your little schemes have a tendency to get people hurt. Usually the people who care about you."
-Holly Short, from The Eternity Code

And now off to scheming. :P

Becca Johnson

CSFF Blog Tour- Auralia's Colors by Jeffrey Overstreet

2008-01-23T21:43:00.000-08:00

This month, the CSFF Blog Tour is featuring Jeffrey Overstreet's Auralia's Colors, the first book and Red Strand in the Auralia Thread.

Summary:

Cloaked in mystery, Auralia grows up among criminals outside the walls of House Abascar, where vicious beastmen lurk in shadow. There, she discovers an unsettling--and forbidden--talent for crafting colors that enchant all who behold them, including Abascar's hard-hearted king, an exiled wizard, and a prince who keeps dangerous secrets.

Auralia's gift opens doors from the palace to the dungeons, setting the stage for violent and miraculous change in the great houses of the Expanse.

Weaknesses:

-Too many points-of-view. The large amount of points-of-view was disorienting and frustrating. I felt like I barely got to know any of the characters, and it was difficult to even determine who the book was about. This really hurt my enjoyment of the book, especially since characters are the most important part of a book for me.

-Seems to wander a bit. I wasn't sure what the plot would turn out being, though it did pick up toward the end of the book. I would have appreciated more conflict or more obvious direction to the plot.

Strengths:

-Eventual interest in some of the characters, particularly Auralia, the ale boy, and Prince Cal-raven. However, it took more than half of the book before this happened for me.

-Some beautiful, almost poetic setting descriptions. The book is rich in detail and colors (no pun intended). There are plenty of passages like this spread throughout the book, and many of them would be worth reading again for their beauty and the wonderful way the words flow together.

You can find out more about Auralia's Colors at Jeffrey Overstreet's blog or at the Auralia's Colors website.

Please take a moment to visit some of the other blogs on the CSFF Blog Tour and see what they have to say about Auralia's Colors.
Brandon Barr
Jim Black
Justin Boyer
Grace Bridges
Jackie Castle
Carol Bruce Collett
Valerie Comer
CSFF Blog Tour
D. G. D. Davidson
Chris Deanne
Jeff Draper
April Erwin
Marcus Goodyear
Andrea Graham
Jill Hart
Katie Hart
Timothy Hicks
Heather R. Hunt
Becca Johnson
Jason Joyner
Kait
Karen
Carol Keen
Mike Lynch
Margaret
Rachel Marks
Shannon McNear
Melissa Meeks
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Mirtika or Mir's Here
Pamela Morrisson
Eve Nielsen
John W. Otte
John Ottinger
Deena Peterson
Rachelle
Steve Rice
Cheryl Russel
Ashley Rutherford
Hanna Sandvig
Chawna Schroeder
James Somers
Rachelle Sperling
Donna Swanson
Steve Trower
Speculative Faith
Jason Waguespac
Laura Williams
Timothy Wise

Living in Him,
Becca Johnson

Two-thirds of My Novel Completed!

2008-01-08T02:03:00.000-08:00

I've completed two-thirds of the rough draft of my WIP (work-in-progress) as of tonight! I'm very excited! :D I can't wait to announce the completion on here. What a celebration that will be! Thank you for celebrating all the important milestones with me. It's quite a thrill to watch this story finally happen. :)

Writing on to the great novel ending,
In Him,
Becca Johnson

CSFF Blog Tour- Scarlet by Stephen R. Lawhead

2007-11-27T23:12:00.000-08:00

This month, the CSFF Blog Tour is featuring Stephen R. Lawhead's Scarlet, the second book in the King Raven Trilogy.

Summary:
After searching for some time, Will Scarlet finds King Raven's band of men and earns a place among them. He fights with them to help the villagers under the invading Normans. Soon, Scarlet is thrown in prison and sentenced to hang for a crime he did not commit. He tells his story to a scribe while he waits for either death or rescue.

Weaknesses:
-At first, the changes from first-person present, to first-person past, to third-person past, and back again confused me and threw me off, but the story soon sucked me in and I no longer noticed.

-Occasionally, the descriptions would go on for what felt like too long, and my attention would begin to slip. That might be because I am often an impatient reader, but I still think some of the descriptions could have been shorter.

Strengths:
-I really fell in love with the main character of this book, Scarlet. Something about the way he expresses himself and his personality really appealed to me. I felt very attached to him, and I think that seeing most of the story from his point-of-view really contributed to that.

-Lawhead does an excellent job of making the reader feel like they really are in Wales while all of this is happening. His descriptions pull you in with their beauty and excellent sensory details.

-Lawhead did a great job of making me hate the bad guys in the book. Injustice really gets to me, and these guys displayed the pinnacle of injustice. I like books that have bad guys I can really despise. It's more fun that way. :P

Please take a moment to visit some of the other blogs participating in this tour, as well as Stephen R. Lawhead's website.
Trish Anderson
Brandon Barr
Wayne Thomas Batson
Jim Black
Justin Boyer
Grace Bridges
Amy Browning
Jackie Castle
Valerie Comer
CSFF Blog Tour
D. G. D. Davidson
Chris Deanne
Jeff Draper
April Erwin
Linda Gilmore
Beth Goddard
Marcus Goodyear
Andrea Graham
Jill Hart
Katie Hart
Sherrie Hibbs
Timothy Hicks
Christopher Hopper
Becca Johnson
Jason Joyner
Kait
Karen
Dawn King
Tina Kulesa
Mike Lynch
Margaret
Karen McSpadden
Melissa Meeks
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Mirtika or Mir's Here
Eve Nielsen
John W. Otte
John Ottinger
Lyn Perry
Deena Peterson
Rachelle
Cheryl Russel
Ashley Rutherford
Hanna Sandvig
Chawna Schroeder
James Somers
Rachelle Sperling
Steve Trower
Speculative Faith
Robert Treskillard
Jason Waguespac
Daniel I. Weaver
Laura Williams
Timothy Wise

Live the adventure!

Becca Johnson

50,000 Words Reached!

2007-11-23T22:49:00.000-08:00

I reached 50,000 words in my work-in-progress (WIP) tonight! :D I'm so excited! I have at least 30,000 words left to go, and this book is getting more and more interesting. Every day, I fall in love with the characters and world just a little bit more. It's fun! :P

Loving the adventure of writing in Him,
Becca Johnson

Happy Thanksgiving!

2007-11-22T10:49:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving!

I thought I'd use my blog to post a list of some of the things I'm thankful for. :D
-Rain
-Music
-The ocean
-Flutes
-Singing
-Snow
-Swords
-Books
-Stories
-Cats
-Mushrooms
-Ice cream
-Cookie dough
-Hugs
-The sky
-Sunsets
-Clouds
-The moon and stars
-Leaves falling in a shower to the ground
-Friends
-Family

~God's amazing, incredible, indescribable love for us!~

What are some of the things you are most thankful for?

Living in His love,
Becca Johnson

Relentless by Robin Parrish, First in the Dominion Trilogy

2007-11-10T21:55:00.000-08:00

I recently read Fearless by Robin Parrish. The book is the first in the Dominion Trilogy. It was a really good book! The plot moved quickly, and I found the characters engaging.

Summary:
I can't say much without giving stuff away, but I can tell you that this is about a man named Grant who steps off the bus one day and sees himself walking down the street. He finds out that he has switched bodies and lives with someone else, and it seems that there are many groups of people involved in this and/or out to get him.

Weaknesses:
-There were some grammar and spelling mistakes.
-A few plot points seem to be forgotten and left behind.
-Focused a lot on action, which I liked, but might bother those who prefer books with more low points.

Strengths:
-Fast-paced action. Some really great action scenes, especially at the end.
-Interesting characters. The ones I found most intriguing were: Grant, Hannah, Alex, and Payton.
-Engaging plot. Parrish created a good amount of mystery and suspense throughout the novel that kept the pages turning. He also thought of some very cool stuff for the plot and characters (once again, I can't say much for fear of giving anything away).

Overall, I recommend this book to people who like speculative fiction, stories about superheros, or fast-moving books.

Also, I recommend visiting Robin Parrish's website. He has a blog, a graphic novel that happens in between the events of Relentless and Fearless (the second book in the trilogy), and lots of other fun stuff! :D

Live the adventure to its fullest!

Becca Johnson

Quotes of the Week #17: Anger

2007-10-25T22:08:00.000-07:00

This week's quotes are on anger and its consequences. I found these quotes to be quite profound.

1. Whatever is begun in anger ends in shame.
-Benjamin Franklin

2. My anger protected me only for a short time; anger wearies itself out and truth comes in.
-C.S. Lewis

3. Anger is one letter short of danger.
-Unknown

4. No matter how just your words may be, you ruin everything when you speak with anger.
-John Chrysostom

5. He who angers you, conquers you.
-Unknown

Humorous Quote:

People who fly into a rage always make a bad landing.
-Will Rogers

Random Quote:

Because we love something else more than this world we love even this world better than those who know no other.
-C.S. Lewis

Live the adventure!

Becca Johnson

CSFF Blog Tour- Bark of the Bog Owl by Jonathan Rogers

2007-10-23T23:11:00.000-07:00

This month, the CSFF Blog Tour is featuring Bark of the Bog Owl, book one of the Wilderking Trilogy, by Jonathan Rogers.

I haven't yet had a chance to read this book, but from what I've seen of the information on it, it sounds like a really fun book.

I stopped by Jonathan Rogers' Website to find out more about Bark of the Bog Owl. It's a nice website. It includes information on the different characters and races in the book, a map of the world, plot summaries for each book in the trilogy, excerpts from the books, and information about the author. My favorite part of the website are the wilderness background noises that play. It adds a feeling of actually being there while you read about the world.

I read the website's excerpt from Bark of the Bog Owl, and really enjoyed it. It immediately draws you in and makes you instantly like Aidan, the main character. I look forward to when I'll have a chance to read this book. It seems like something I'd like, since it looks like it's full of adventure, fun, and lovable characters.

You can see what the other people on the tour are saying about Bark of the Bog Owl by visiting the blogs below:
Brandon Barr
Jim Black
Justin Boyer
Grace Bridges
Amy Browning
Jackie Castle
Valerie Comer
CSFF Blog Tour
D. G. D. Davidson
Chris Deanne
Janey DeMeo
Merrie Destefano or Alien Dream
Jeff Draper
April Erwin
Linda Gilmore
Marcus Goodyear
Andrea Graham
Jill Hart
Katie Hart
Sherrie Hibbs
Christopher Hopper
Becca Johnson
Jason Joyner
Karen
Dawn King
Mike Lynch
Rachel Marks
Karen McSpadden
Melissa Meeks
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Eve Nielsen
John W. Otte
Lyn Perry
Deena Peterson
Rachelle
Cheryl Russel
Ashley Rutherford
Hanna Sandvig
Chawna Schroeder
James Somers
Steve Trower
Speculative Faith
Donna Swanson
Daniel I. Weaver
Laura Williams
Timothy Wise

Live the adventure!

Becca Johnson

Prince Caspian Movie Poster

2007-10-06T11:32:00.000-07:00

Check out this beautiful poster for the Prince Caspian movie:

Isn't it exciting?

Live every moment of the adventure!

Becca Johnson

Quotes of the Week #16- Fear

2007-10-05T20:51:00.000-07:00

I wanted to talk about courage again this week, but I decided to come at it from a different angle by exposing fear for what it really is. Life is a constant battle against fear, even if we don't realize it. We deal with the fear of man, fear of the future, fear of the unknown, fear of failure, and so much more everyday. May you find strength and a new perspective in the following quotes!

1. You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing which you think you cannot do.
-Eleanor Roosevelt

2. Some people expend tremendous amounts of energy to be normal.
-Albert Camus

3. Men fear death as children fear to go in the dark.
-Francis Bacon

4. Those who love to be feared, fear to be loved; they themselves are of all people the most abject; some fear them, but they fear everyone.
-St. Francis de Sales

5. The fear of God kills all other fears.
-Hugh Black

Unrelated Humorous Quote:

Imagination was given to man to compensate him for what he is not, and a sense of humor was provided to console him for what he is.
-Unknown

Random Quote:

The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.
-Eleanor Roosevelt

Remember, God, Who loves us more than anything, cares about what matters to us. He's watching out for us, and He's always with us.

Live the adventure without fear!

Becca Johnson

Fantasy Novel- 50%

2007-10-02T23:37:00.000-07:00

I've passed the 50% mark in the word count goal for my fantasy novel! I'm so excited! My goal is to have at least the rough draft finished by the next Mount Hermon Writers Conference. If I keep at it, I'll reach that goal! :D

Now to think of some way to celebrate this accomplishment....

Live every moment of the adventure!

Becca Johnson

Quotes of the Week #15- Life

2007-09-30T20:41:00.000-07:00

This week's quotes are about life and its lessons, joys, and courage. Quotes #1 and #5 are particularly good! :D

1. Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.
-Helen Keller

2. This process of the good life is not, I am convinced, a life for the faint-hearted. It involves the stretching and growing of becoming more and more of one's potentialities. It involves the courage to be. It means launching oneself fully into the stream of life.
-Carl Rogers

3. Today is a new day. You will get out of it just what you put into it.... If you have made mistakes, even serious mistakes, there is always another chance for you. And supposing you have tried and failed again and again, you may have a fresh start any moment you choose, for this thing that we call "failure" is not the falling down, but the STAYING DOWN.
-Mary Pickford

4. Is life not full of opportunities for learning love? Every man and woman every day has a thousand of them. The world is not a playground; it is a schoolroom. Life is not a holiday, but an education. And the one eternal lesson for us all is how better we can love.
-Henry Drummond

5. Upon a life I did not live, upon a death I did not die; another’s life, another’s death, I stake my whole eternity.
-Horatius Bonar

Unrelated Humorous Quote:

I don't mind it when my guests write their names on the furniture in the house dust, I just don't like it when they date their signatures!
-Phyllis Diller

Random Quote:

This is what I've learned: that everybody is talented, original, and has something important to say.
-Brenda Ueland

Live the adventure!

Becca Johnson

Quotes of the Week #14- Paper Scraps

2007-09-22T07:38:00.000-07:00

This week, I'm using the quotes I have lying all around my room on different scraps of paper. Some have been given to me, others I've found somewhere. They lay hidden under some notebook or between the pages of a journal until I stumble upon them while looking for something or cleaning. They're like little treasures or jewels that I've sprinkled about my room to find just when I need them. Surprise gifts to myself. And today, I've decided to share some of them with you. So whether you stumbled upon them or came looking for them, may they bring you inspiration and revelation. :)

1. Not everyone possesses boundless energy or a conspicuous talent. We are not equally blessed with great intellect or physical beauty or emotional strength. But we have all been given the same ability to be faithful.
-Gigi Graham Tchividjian

2. Hope has two beautiful daughters. Their names are anger and courage; anger at the way things are, and courage to see that they do not remain the way they are.
-Augustine

3. Don't worry about what you do not understand...worry about what you do understand in the Bible but do not live by.
-Corrie Ten Boom

4. God forgave us without any merit on our part; therefore we must forgive others, whether or not we think they merit it.
-Lehman Strauss

5. Be careful of the words you say
Keep them soft and sweet
You never know from day to day
Which one's you'll have to eat.
-Unknown

6. "..., to be an honest man is not easy, but I fear that is what I am. It is an affliction of mine that tries me sorely. Yet . . . what can a man do? I want only what is mine, and not to trade upon the happiness or unhappiness of others."
Louis L'Amour in Fair Blows the Wind

Humorous Quote:

Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than going to the garage makes you a car.
-Laurence J. Peter

Take joy in the adventure!

Becca Johnson

CSFF Blog Tour- Review of The Return by Austin Boyd

2007-09-18T22:48:00.000-07:00

Today is the second day of the CSFF Blog Tour featuring Austin Boyd's The Return, the third book in the Mars Hill Classified series. My mother agreed to review The Return, one of her favorite books. So without further delay, here is her review:

In The Return, Johns Wells is once again on his way to Mars. Believing his family killed in a terrorist attack, there is nothing left to hold him on earth. Wells and his team are sent to the Red Planet to finally solve the mystery of whether there is life on Mars. On this long journey their beliefs are challenged and their characters tested. This book answers the questions we were left with after reading the first two books.

The Mars Hill Classified series has had me on tether hooks from the beginning and I could not wait for each one’s release. Unfortunately, I had to wait for my husband to finish with The Return before I could start it since I had promised to let him read it first.

Austin is able to use his experience and education to tell a story without leaving the reader confused. He does not write in a way that the technical information is way over his audience’s head.

He places his characters in situations where they face the same struggles we do and yet does not allow them to find the easy way out. We can empathize with them because we have been there too. I think he did a great job with the Christian message not being the focus of his story and yet still very present.

If you are a reader of speculative fiction, or just enjoy good writing, I highly recommend this book. It is a great book to give to your husband, but wait until you have finished it first or you won’t get it back.

Boyd has forever changed how I look at space exploration and raised many questions about alien life. I am looking forward to his next series. I wish he would hurry.

Susan Johnson

Please take some time to visit Austin Boyd's website, along with a few of the other blogs participating in the CSFF Blog Tour.

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
Linda Gilmore
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

Take joy in the adventure, and give your mom a hug!

Becca Johnson

New Superpower Discovered!

2007-09-16T20:37:00.000-07:00

I've discovered a new superpower! Apparently, not only can I manipulate fire, but I have the ability to talk at the speed of light, while still picturing "the great keyboard in the sky" in my head! I took a test where I had to say all the major scales in under 1 minute and 15 seconds to get an A. I managed it in under a minute! To give you an idea of what I had to say in that little time, I have put the entire thing below:

Key of C, no sharps, no flats, C D E F G A B C
Key of G, 1 sharp, F, G A B C D E F# G
Key of D, 2 sharps, FC, D E F# G A B C# D
Key of A, 3 sharps, FCG, A B C# D E F# G# A
Key of E, 4 sharps, FCGD, E F# G# A B C# D# E
Key of B, 5 sharps, FCGDA, B C# D# E F# G# A# B
Key of F#, 6 sharps, FCGDAE, F# G# A# B C# D# E# F#
Key of C#, 7 sharps, FCGDAEB, C# D# E# F# G# A# B# C#
Key of F, 1 flat, B, F G A Bb C D E F
Key of Bb, 2 flats, BE, Bb C D Eb F G A Bb
Key of Eb, 3 flats, BEA, Eb F G Ab Bb C D Eb
Key of Ab, 4 flats, BEAD, Ab Bb C Db Eb F G Ab
Key of Db, 5 flats, BEADG, Db Eb F Gb Ab Bb C Db
Key of Gb, 6 flats, BEADGC, Gb Ab Bb Cb Db Eb F Gb
Key of Cb, 7 flats, BEADGCF, Cb Db Eb Fb Gb Ab Bb Cb

Just typing it makes me feel tired. :P

Take joy in your journey, and don't talk so fast that your heart starts to race and your limbs to shake! Unless, of course, you have that superpower. ;)

Becca Johnson

Twilight Series Poll Summary

2007-09-16T20:05:00.000-07:00

The poll I had up asking which book of the Twilight series was readers' favorite is over, and it produced interesting results. If I were to list the books, from favorite to least favorite, my order would be: Twilight, Eclipse, New Moon. Well, the poll turned out the same way.

The final results:
Twilight- 4 votes
New Moon- 2 votes
Eclipse- 3 votes
All of the above- 6 votes

No one voted for none of the above! :D

Well, I thought that might interest you. :)

Take joy in the great adventure!

Becca Johnson

Quotes of the Week #13- Worship

2007-09-15T21:53:00.000-07:00

The focus of this week's quotes is worship. I didn't find a humorous quote this week, but the other quotes more than make up for its absence. :)

May you be inspired!

1. As long as you notice, and have to count the steps, you are not yet dancing but only learning to dance. A good shoe is a shoe you don't notice. Good reading becomes possible when you need not conciously think about eyes, or light, or print, or spelling. The perfect church service would be the one we were almost unaware of; our attention would have been on God.
-C.S. Lewis

2. It is not enough for us to be where God is worshipped, if we do not ourselves worship him, and that not with bodily exercise only, which profits little, but with the heart.
-Matthew Henry

3. A man can no more diminish God's glory by refusing to worship Him than a lunatic can put out the sun by scribbling the word, 'darkness' on the walls of his cell.
-C.S. Lewis

4. The fact that I am a woman does not make me a different kind of Christian, but the fact that I am a Christian does make me a different kind of woman. For I have accepted God's idea of me, and my whole life is an offering back to Him of all that I am and all that He wants me to be.
-Eliasabeth Elliot

5. The most valuable thing the Pslams do for me is to express that same delight in God which made David dance.
-C.S. Lewis

Random Quote:

Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us.
-Abraham Lincoln

Take joy in the adventure!

Becca Johnson

Quotes of the Week #12- Writing and Stories

2007-09-08T12:35:00.000-07:00

Because I've found so many great quotes on writing, I've decided to include ten quotes this week instead of the usual five. I've also included an extra humorous quote. Enjoy! :D

1. Every man's life is a fairytale written by God's fingers.
-Hans Christian Anderson

2. Even in literature and art, no man who bothers about originality will ever be original: whereas if you simply try to tell the truth (without caring twopence how often it has been told before) you will, nine times out of ten, become original without ever having noticed it.
-C. S. Lewis

3. I write for the same reason I breathe - because if I didn't, I would die.
-Isaac Asimov

4. Words, once they are printed, have a life of their own.
-Carol Burnett

5. I am a galley slave to pen and ink.
-Honore de Balzac

6. To anyone who knows a writer, never underestimate the power of your encouragement.
-Matthew Reilly

7. If you wait for inspiration, you're not a writer, but a waiter.
-Anonymous

8. A wonderous dream, a fantasy incarnate, fiction completes us, mutilated beings burdened with the awful dichotomy of having only one life and the ability to desire a thousand.
-Mario Vargas Llosa

9. Some things can only be said in fiction, but that doesn't mean they aren't true.
-Aaron Latham

10. Beneath the rule of men entirely great,
The pen is mightier than the sword.
-Edward Bulwer-Lytton

Humorous Quotes:

I once heard a fellow novelist call writing 'successful schizophrenia'--we invent people and worlds that don't exist; but instead of being medicated, we are paid for it.
-Jodi Picoult

If you are in difficulties with a book, try the element of surprise: attack it in an hour when it isn't expecting it.
-H.G. Wells

Random Quote:

"But that's not the way of it with the tales that really mattered, or the ones that stay in the mind. Folk seem to have been just landed in them, usually--their paths were laid that way, as you put it. But I expect they had lots of chances, like us, of turning back, only they didn't. And if they had, we shouldn't know, because they'd have been forgotten. We hear about those as just went on--and not all to a good end, mind you; at least not to what folk inside a story and not outside it call a good end. You know, coming home, and finding things all right, though not quite the same--like old Mr. Bilbo. But those aren't always the best tales to hear, though they may be the best tales to get landed in! I wonder what sort of a tale we've fallen into?"
-Sam, from The Two Towers, by J.R.R. Tolkien

Happy adventures, and trust the Author of our lives for His perfect ending!

Becca Johnson

What Should Your Superpower Be?

2007-09-04T18:54:00.000-07:00

While taking the quiz for what crayon color I would be, (which I found over at Alien Dream), I found this fun quiz too! :) What's funny is, I'd like the superpower, but I don't have that personality. :P At least, I hope I'm not that scary. ;)

Your Superpower Should Be Manipulating Fire

You are intense, internally driven, and passionate.
Your emotions are unpredictable - and they often get the better of you.
Both radiant and terrifying, people are drawn to you.
At your most powerful, you feel like the world belongs to you.

Why you would be a good superhero: You are obsessive enough to give it your all

Your biggest problem as a superhero: Your moodiness would make it difficult to control your powers

What Should Your Superpower Be?

Quotes of the Week #11- Virtue

2007-09-03T19:11:00.000-07:00

1. We make men without chests and expect of them virtue and enterprise. We laugh at honor and are shocked to find traitors in our midst.
-C.S. Lewis

2. No virtue can be great if it is not constant.
-Alfonso Milagro

3. Character is made up of small duties faithfully performed--of self-denials, of self-sacrifices, of kindly acts of love and duty.
-Anonymous

4. Very often what God first helps us towards is not the virtue itself but just this power of always trying again.
-C.S. Lewis

5. Virtue--even attempted virtue--brings light; indulgence brings fog.
-C.S. Lewis

Humorous Quote:

Being virtuous is no feat once temptation ceases."
-Arnold Glasow

Random Quote:

We have a God who delights in impossibilities.
-Billy Sunday

Happy adventures!

Becca Johnson

Quotes of the Week #10- Love

2007-08-29T20:48:00.000-07:00

I didn't post my Quotes of the Week this last weekend, so I decided to do it now instead.
I'm excited about this post because I found some great quotes on love to share! :D

1. There is no safe investment. To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly be broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket - safe, dark, motionless, airless - it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. The alternative to tragedy, or at least the risk of tragedy, is damnation. The only place outside Heaven where you can be perfectly safe from all the dangers and perturbations of love is Hell.
— C. S. Lewis

2. If the first mark of a true and living church is love, the second is suffering. The one is naturally consequent on the other. A willingness to suffer proves the genuineness of love.
-John Stott

3. Because we love something else more than this world we love even this world better than those who know no other.
-C.S. Lewis

4. Genuine love is so contrary to human nature that its presence bears witness to an extraordinary power.
-John Piper

5. The greatest gift is a portion of thyself.
-Ralph Waldo Emerson

Humorous Quote:
Love, and a cough, cannot be hid.
-George Herbert

Random Quote:
God loves with a great love the man whose heart is bursting with a passion for the impossible.
-William Booth

Love every moment of the adventure!

Becca Johnson

Rockin' Blogger

2007-08-28T21:54:00.000-07:00

Today, I popped in over at Merrie Destefano's Alien Dream and discovered that she has bestowed upon me the Rockin' Girl Blogger award! :D I like the sound of that, especially the "Rockin'" part. :D I'll gladly accept that title any day. :P Thank you, Merrie!

I looked around a bit to see who's already received the award, then selected the three people I'd like to give the award to. :) They are:

Jackie Castle
Legossi
Eve Nielsen

Have some rockin' adventures today!

Becca Johnson

My New Favorite Blog...

2007-08-26T19:10:00.000-07:00

...or is it my favorite new blog? Both! :P

Merrie Destefano (an awesome person and writer) recently created a new blog, and I absolutely love it! She is so creative with her posts! The blog is called Alien Dream, and it is so fun! I think everyone should stop by and browse through it. :D

Most of the posts are short, which I prefer because of my busy schedule. They have titles such as: "Mind Over Brain Matter," "Aliens in the News," and "The Hunt For The Great And Fearsome Firefish," and look at the world from a fresh, speculative, fun perspective.

So, you should visit Alien Dream and let me know what you think. I know you'll love it! :D

Happy adventures, and tell the aliens I said, "Hi!"

Becca Johnson

Sharon Norris Elliott's AuthorizeMe Seminar

2007-08-25T20:50:00.000-07:00

I received this message Sharon Norris Elliott, an author friend of mine, letting people know about her upcoming AuthorizeMe seminar. I decided I'd pass it along through my blog and get the word out. :D At the bottom of the post, I have included Sharon's bio from her website, along with a link to that website.

Hello Friends,
An incredibly informative and fun seminar called AuthorizeMe is being offered soon. This seminar, taught by Sharon Norris Elliott, will help you to get your book idea out of your head, completely outlined, and formatted into a professional book proposal ready to present to an acquisitions editor. After you learn the AuthorizeMe method, you can apply it to all future book ideas you may have.

AuthorizeMe is being offered this October as an add-on day to the Sandy Cove Christian Writers' Conference. It would be great if you could attend the entire conference and the seminar, but if your schedule and budget only allows one class, you won't be disappointed by attending AuthorizeMe. The details for the AuthorizeMe add-on class are below. Register directly with the Sandy Cove Conference center and e-mail Sharon directly to tell her you'll be attending. You'll be glad you did!

AuthorizeMe - Special Add-on day to the writers' conference
October 3 - 4 Sandy Cove Christian Conference Center
Northeast, MD
Cost with overnight stay and meals: Single = $302.00; Double = $242.00

Register for full conference and/or add-on day at www.SandyCoveWriters.com
Contact Sharon directly at AuthorizeMe@sbcglobal.net

(Full Sandy Cove Christian Writers' Conference dates: Sept. 30 - Oct. 3)

Sharon Norris Elliott's bio:

Sharon believes it is every Christian's obligation not only to win the lost to Jesus Christ, but to disciple younger members of the faith. In accordance with this belief, Sharon has worked since her conversion in 1975 to do just that. In addition to helping others make that first step into the faith, Sharon has discipled women one-on-one and has led Bible study groups. Her aim is always to see others mature in their walk with the Lord.

Sharon says, "No pretending, no pretense. I want my existence to count for God. One way I can see of making that a reality is to be real and honest about myself and my faith; doing my best to follow Christ as a flawed yet forgiven soul, so others can see what life with Christ in our present day and time is really all about."

Sharon is a graduate of Biola University. She is a Christian educator, conference speaker, composer, published author, assistant director of the Sandy Cove Writers' Conference, and Advisory Board Member of American Christian Writers.

Sharon Norris Elliott's website

Happy adventures!

Becca Johnson

Quotes of the Week #9- Eclipse

2007-08-18T22:39:00.000-07:00

I chose these quotes from Eclipse rather randomly, and I hope none of them give anything away. Enjoy! :D

1. "I'm not taking anything for granted, and I'll be fighting twice as hard as you will."
-Edward

2. "I already know how strong you are. You didn't have to break the furniture."
-Bella

3. "I'm not going to kill you now, because it would upset Bella."
-Edward

4. "I can't imagine how awful that must feel. Being normal? Ugh."
-Bella

5. "I was just wondering why you stabbed him. Not that I object."
-Edward

Humorous Quote:

"Yes, because a vampire slumber party is the pinnacle of safety conscious behavior."
-Bella

Random Quote:

Be careful of the words you say. Keep them soft and sweet. You never know from day to day which ones you'll have to eat.
-Unknown (to me at least)

Happy adventures!

Becca Johnson

Eclipse, by Stephenie Meyer

2007-08-17T17:27:00.000-07:00

I finished reading Eclipse earlier this week! :D I wasn't able to post about it until now because I was involved in a vocal institute (singing) that claimed most of my time. And even better than the vocal institute was the visit I got from one of my best friends! She lives far away, so I don't get to see her very often at all. Her visit was a special treat! :D

Anyway, back to Eclipse. :)

I loved the book! Different parts made me laugh, want to cry, smile, and a few parts even made me furious (at a particular character). The characters, as usual, are captivating, as is Stephenie's style of writing.

In this book, we learn some new background information about Rosalie, Jasper, the Quileutes, Sam, and Leah that helps us to better understand the characters. Of course, we learn more about all of the characters, especially Edward and Bella. I finally understand why Bella reacted the way she did to the thought of marrying Edward. (That was something that didn't make sense to me for a while. :P)

The book was very engaging. I felt what Bella was feeling (even though I didn't always agree with her :P). And I had a hard time putting it down to do other things. Every time I had even a five minute break from the vocal institute, I instantly pulled the book out of my bag and read as much as I could. I'm sad that I have to wait at least a year before I can read the fourth book in the series. :(

The only typos I noticed were a few missing words here and there, such as "a" or "the." Those were the only kinds of typos I found in the first two books, too. I'd say that's a pretty big accomplishment, especially considering that each book is at least 500 pages long.

I highly recommend visiting Stephenie Meyer's website. It has tons of interesting stuff about her and her books. :) Another interesting site is the Twilight Lexicon. Some of its sections are: vampire mythology, character bios, chapter discussion, places, timeline, personal correspondence with Stephenie Meyer, and werewolf mythology.

And if you haven't yet read the Twilight series, you really, really need to. You are missing out! :) You can buy them on Amazon.com: Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse.

Happy adventures, and look out for the vampires with red eyes! ;)

Becca Johnson

Top Songs

2007-08-01T19:29:00.000-07:00

Just to mix things up, I decided I'd post my favorite songs to listen to, as of today. :P

So, without further ado, my favorites are as follows:

1. Song for the Broken, by BarlowGirl
2. Myself, by Fireflight
3. You Are On Our Side, by Bethany Dillon
4. It's You, by Fireflight
5. Stand in the Rain, by Superchick
6. I Believe in Love, by BarlowGirl
7. Hold Me Now, by Jessie Daniels
8. If We Hold on Together, performed by Jordin Sparks

Happy adventures!

Becca Johnson

Quotes of the Week #8- Twilight

2007-07-29T09:16:00.000-07:00

Since I just finished reading Twilight and New Moon by Stephenie Meyer, and I also just posted a review of them, I decided that Twilight would be the focus of this week's quotes. I have so many favorite lines from the book, but I had to choose only five, and they couldn't give much, if anything, away. Hopefully, I accomplished the second task well. :) Now, without further ado, here are the quotes:

1. "It would be more…prudent for you not to be my friend."
-Edward to Bella

2. “Hadn’t you noticed? I’m breaking all the rules now.”
-Edward to Bella

3. "I don’t scare you.”
“No more than usual”
-Edward and Bella

4. ‘I was intrigued rather than frightened, as I perhaps should have been.’
-Bella

5. “Oh, I’m with the vampires, of course.”
-Bella to Edward

Humorous Quote:

“He looks at you like…like you’re something to eat.”
-Mike to Bella

Random Quote:

Live as if you were living a second time, and as though you had acted wrongly the first time.
–Viktor Frankl

Happy adventures!

Becca Johnson

The Twilight Series

2007-07-28T18:40:00.000-07:00

I finally picked up Twilight by Stephenie Meyer after my cousin agreed to lend it to me. I'm so glad I did! I absolutely love Twilight, and right after I finished reading it, I snatched up New Moon. Now I'm marvelling at my impeccable timing, since Eclipse, the third book in the series, will be coming out very soon. :D

The books are extremely involving. So much so that I finished them quickly, taking two days to do hardly anything besides read them. I stayed up until 3 am one night, and 2 am the next. And I never wanted the books to end. I loved them that much! :D

The main character and narrator of the books is Bella, a girl who ends up falling in love with Edward Cullen, a good vampire. The books center around this relationship and its complications, dangers, and beauty.

Stephenie Meyer did an awesome job! She made the characters feel real, and I felt like I was Bella, the main character. I can only hope that I someday reach that skill. :)

I always have to say who my favorite character is, so here it is: my favorite character is Edward Cullen. He's so protective, loving, sweet, and intriguing. And I think he has a good a good sense of humor. :P

I never expected myself to like books about vampires, especially to like them so much, but the Twilight series is definitely toward the top of my list of book favorites.

"I don’t seem strong enough to stay away from you, so I suppose that you’ll get your way…whether it kills you or not.” -Edward to Bella

Happy adventures!

Becca Johnson

My First Published Piece!

2007-07-25T14:33:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I received my copy of the magazine my first published piece will appear in! I was so excited to see that envelope! I ripped it open, pulled the magazine out, held it aloft for my mom to see, then twirled around the kitchen. Yes, I was excited! ;) :D

The magazine is devozine, and my haiku will appear in the September-October 2007 issue. :) I'm so happy! Now I can say I'm published! :P If any of you subscribe to devozine, be sure to look for my haiku in there!

You can visit devozine's website and check out other teens' poetry as well.

Have an awesome day and many happy adventures!

Becca Johnson

Back from a long, fun vacation!

2007-07-24T23:48:00.000-07:00

Hey! I haven't posted in quite some time because I've been gone on vacation! But I'm back now, and I thought I might post a few pictures from the trip. Enjoy! :D

And the burial two little girls provided for a dead butterfly:

And yes, I know that the dates on the pictures are incorrect. :P Oh well.

Happy adventures!

Becca Johnson

Quotes of the Week #7- Friendship

2007-07-09T15:56:00.000-07:00

Today is the first day of the Fantasy 4 Fiction Tour! If you're anywhere near where the tour will be visiting, you should definitely take this opportunity to meet the authors and support them! And whether you can make it to one of the tour stops or not, you should read the books! Go to The Fantasy 4 Fiction Tour website for more information! :D

I've been thinking about friendship a lot lately. One reason is that I don't get to see most of my friends often because they've either moved far away or they are just as busy as I am.

Another reason is that I've recently noticed that one thing I really love about books is characters, especially character relationships. Of the most recent relationships I've read about, my current favorite is the one between Artemis Fowl and Holly Short in the Artemis Fowl series by Eoin Colfer. It's fun to watch Artemis and Holly move gradually from complete enemies to close friends. It's also interesting to watch how their relationship changes each of them. Artemis grows more compassionate and selfless, while Holly comes to trust him completely. This is the kind of thing that I read books for! :D Aaahhh, to have a friend you could trust your life to without question and have that same trust returned. A friend whom you share every adventure with and come to know well. :)

Well, sorry for making you wait so long for the quotes! :P Here they are:

1. A true friend is the gift of God, and he only who made hearts can unite them.
-Robert South

2. It is one of the severest tests of friendship to tell your friend his faults. So to love a man that you cannot bear to see a stain upon him, and to speak painful truth through loving words, that is friendship.
-Henry Ward Beecher

3. The next best thing to being wise oneself is to live in a circle of those who are.
-C.S. Lewis

4. Every man should keep a fair-sized cemetary in which to bury the faults of his friends.
-Henry Ward Beecher

5. Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art, like the universe itself (for God did not need to create). It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things which give value to survival.
-C.S. Lewis

Humorous Quote:

We are all like pictures that must not be looked at too near. They that come near us find more faults and badness in us than others at a distance know.
-Richard Baxter

Random Quote:

We are not here to learn how to live in the dark but to walk in the light. We are not here to get along with evil but to overcome it with good.
-Vance Havner

Happy adventures and friendships!

Becca Johnson

The Fantasy 4 Fiction Tour #6b- Wayne Thomas Batson

2007-07-06T09:18:00.000-07:00

Here's the book trailer for Wayne Thomas Batson's The Door Within Trilogy:

Some fun places to visit:
Wayne Thomas Batson's blog
Wayne Thomas Batson's website
The Fantasy 4 Fiction Tour website
The Writer's Sword- Fantasy 4 Fiction Tour #6a- Wayne Thomas Batson

Happy adventures!

Becca Johnson

The Fantasy 4 Fiction Tour #6a- Wayne Thomas Batson

2007-07-06T09:02:00.000-07:00

Today I'm highlighting Wayne Thomas Batson, the author of The Door Within Trilogy. You can visit him at Wayne Thomas Batson's blog or Wayne Thomas Batson's website. Right after this post, I will post his book trailer.

I got the following information from The Fantasy 4 Fiction Tour website.

About Wayne Thomas Batson,
Author of the Bestselling Door Within Trilogy

Wayne Thomas Batson is the author of the bestselling Door Within Trilogy and the soon to be released Isle of Swords, pirate series. Wayne writes adventures set in imaginative locales because he believes that on a deep level, we all dream of doing something that matters and that we all long for another world.

He was born in Seabrook, MD in 1968. During the early years he tortured his older brothers and sisters, doing those things that only younger siblings can do to get on your nerves. He attended Gabriel DuVal Senior High School and wrote this for his Yearbook Senior Goals: To become a professional writer or artist. During the high school and early college years, he played lead guitar for a rock band called "Contagious." They were catchy, but apparently not enough to get a record deal.

Having completed the rigorous Holmes English Literature Curriculum, he graduated from the University of Maryland, College Park in 1991. In 1996, he received his first graduate degree in Counseling. He has continued his studies with 36 credit hours of graduate-level Reading courses.

Wayne Thomas Batson has spent the last sixteen years teaching Reading and English to middle schools students. He pioneered the active instruction of Strategic Reading in Anne Arundel County and has written Reading and English Curricula for three public school systems in Maryland. Most recently, he helped develop the Challenge Reading Curriculum for advanced readers in Howard County, Maryland. Wayne tailors his stories to meet the needs of the young people he cares so deeply about.

The Door Within Trilogy books earned favorable reviews from Publisher’s Weekly, School Library Journal, VOYA, and popular author/speaker Josh McDowell. The Final Storm is the last book of an epic fantasy trilogy for readers 10 thru adult.

Wayne Thomas Batson gives thanks to God for the abundant life he’s been given.

When last seen, Wayne was tromping around the Blackwood Forest of Yewland with his beautiful wife and four adventurous children. If you’d like to know more about Wayne and his books visit: www.thedoorwithin.com or www.enterthedoorwithin.blogspot.com.

Questions and Answers

• Why do you write fantasy?
I write fantasy because fantasy was my gatekeeper genre, i.e. the type of fiction that made me a lover of reading. When I was in the 6th grade, my cousin gave me a copy of The Hobbit. That was all it took. I suddenly became aware of the power of language to transport a reader emotionally and experientially into wonderful new worlds. My imagination churns constantly, and fantasy allows me to turn it loose and truly create.
Additionally, I am compelled to write fantasy because it is absolutely my passion. I’ve always loved tales of knights and dragons, exotic settings, and great feats of valor! And in traditional fantasy, I find the sort of world I’d like to live in. Honor and kindness are revered. Simple lives of tending gardens, working with your hands, and gathering around a table with friends at a pub—I long for such things. I mean, sure, running into a pesky dragon while taking out the trash would be a little inconvenient, but still…

• What makes your fantasy tale different from most other fantasy books?
The Door Within is different in two ways: 1. As a teacher of tweens for 16 years now, I have insights into the lives of kids—their hopes, dreams…fears—depths of insights that other authors may not have. One of the comments I hear most often from readers is that they can identify with the main characters. “That’s just how I’ve felt.” Or, “How’d you know?” I know that kids of all ages are aching to ask the BIG questions of life, and to be taken seriously. In The Door Within Trilogy, I give them that chance.

2. The Glimpse Realm is different from any other fantasy world that I’ve found in other books. Yes, it is medieval. Yes, there are strange settings. Yes, there are strange and wonderful creatures—lots of these! {Wait til you enter Falon’s Labyrinth in book 1!!} But Glimpses are entirely different. They are the other half of our being, tied precariously to each of us by an invisible thread. When Aidan or anyone else for that matter enters The Realm—completely unexpected events occur!

• Who is the intended audience for your novels and why do you write for this audience?
I write for anyone who loves a pure adventure, but I guess you could say that my target audience is that 10-16 Tween/Teen age. I’m a middle school reading teacher. Over 16 years of rubbing elbows with them, I really developed a love and understanding of those interesting kids. By God’s grace I have NOT forgotten what it was like when I clawed my way through the 11-17 corridor. And as a teacher, I am reminded of it everyday. Once kids enter middle school, it’s like they leave the kind world behind and enter a place that is full of danger and cruelty—much of it self-inflicted. We adults sometimes forget the enormity of what they experience, the level of emotion, and the intellect.

• Tell me about a character or theme from one of your books that is at least loosely autobiographical.
Aidan, the main character of The Door Within, is a lot like I was when I was in my tweens. Creative, hopeful, and thoughtful—but not very outgoing…not very confident. I always longed for adventure, but most of mine were in my imagination. Aidan’s fear of Robby’s basement came straight out of my own childhood fear. My parents have a split basement. The unfinished side, the workside as we called it, was the creepiest place on the planet. I was always afraid that some creature lurked in its shadowy confines—that it waited for someone to venture too close to the open door. I used to leap over the side of the stairs onto a couch to avoid going by that basement door.
And like Aidan, I made a life-changing discovery that people tried to dismiss as make-believe. I became a Christian at age 22 in 1991. My parents thought I was cute, my coworkers thought I was crazy, and my friends thought I’d been abducted by aliens and brainwashed! But faith in God isn’t cute, it isn’t irrational, and it’s not trickery. God is real, and He’s waiting to change lives.

• Tell me about a current project.
I have a high adventure on the high seas planned for release in Spring of 2007. This pirate’s tale is called Isle of Swords, and begins with a lad awakening on an island. He is bruised, scarred, beaten within an inch of his life, and yet he has no memory of what happened to him…how he came to this island, or even of his own identity. All he has to go on is a leather pouch containing: a priceless green jewel, a lock of red hair, and a rusty iron cross. The journey of discovering who he is will bring the lad between two of the Caribbean’s most notorious pirates: Declan Ross and Bartholomew Thorne.

• How do you think coming together for The Fantasy Fiction Tour demonstrates the gospel message?
When Jesus came to the men who would become apostles and shared the good news of the Gospel with them, they left everything behind: homes, jobs, lifestyles, and also pretense and artificial barriers. You had doctors, fishermen, tax collectors, and tent-makers—and they gave up everything for The Mission. In the four authors on this tour, you have a former engineer, a musician, a soccer mom, and a teacher—all of whom have become authors for different publishers. You also have four different Christian backgrounds spanning several denominations. And yet, we are coming together for the mission of conveying God’s truth through the well-written fantasy tale. Our publishers have put aside competition and are working hard to promote all of our works, which is something I’ve never heard of before.

• What do you hope to accomplish during the fantasy tour?
Each one of the authors has a unique fan base. But readers of Bryan Davis’ wonderful Dragons in Our Midst series may have never heard of Christopher Hopper’s compelling White Lion Chronicles. I’m hoping to let readers of The Door Within Trilogy know that there are other fantastic tales out there. I’m hoping that we’ll bring readers of all four authors together, so that all of us can reach more readers.

• What advice can you give to aspiring fantasy fiction writers?
1. It can be done.
2. Your creativity is already there—you can think up a story as well as Tolkien, Rowlings, or I ever could. But your craft is probably not there yet. Read like a crazy person—esp. in the genre you think you want to write. But don’t just read to be entertained. Learn what the author’s are up to. Remember that part that thrilled you? What made it thrill you? Take some classes in fiction and poetry. It may not seem exciting—in the same way that drills at football practice or practicing scales on an instrument seem tiresome. Everyone wants the glory of the big game or the rock concert, but few are willing to invest the work needed to get there. Writing is work. Creating is work. But it can be done.

Happy adventures!

Becca Johnson

The Fantasy 4 Fiction Tour #5b- Sharon Hinck

2007-07-05T14:14:00.000-07:00

Here's the book trailer for Sharon Hinck's The Restorer:

Some fun places to check out:
Sharon Hinck's blog
Sharon Hinck's website
The Fantasy 4 Fiction Tour website
The Writer's Sword- Fantasy 4 Fiction Tour #5a- Sharon Hinck

Happy adventures!

Becca Johnson

The Fantasy Four Fiction Tour #5a- Sharon Hinck

2007-07-05T09:12:00.000-07:00

Today I will be highlighting a wonderful lady whom I have met in person: Sharon Hinck! She's written an awesome fantasy book entitled The Restorer, which you can purchase on Amazon.com. :D The Restorer is the first book in The Sword of Lyric series. The second book, entitled The Restorer's Son, will be published in September 2007. The Restorer is one of my favorite books, so I'm very excited about the next one in the series! :D You can read my previous reviews of The Restorer by clicking on these links: The Writer's Sword- Review of The Restorer and The Writer's Sword- The Restorer- First Reactions.

I also encourage you to visit Sharon Hinck's blog and Sharon Hinck's website. She's got some great stuff on both of them. :D

The following is all information I found on The Fantasy 4 Fiction Tour website:

SHARON HINCK
Fantastic 4 Fantasy Fiction Tour
Author of the Bestselling Series The Sword of Lyric

Biographical Sketch
Sharon Hinck is a wife and mother of four children who generously provide her with fodder for her books. She earned an M.A. in Communication from Regent University in 1986 and spent ten years as the artistic director of a Christian performing arts group, CrossCurrent. That ministry included three short-term mission trips to Hong Kong.

Sharon has been a church youth worker, a choreographer and ballet teacher, a home-school mom, a church organist, and a freelance writer. One day she’ll figure out what to be when she grows up, but in the meantime she’s pouring her imagination into writing novels.

In May, Sharon will release The Restorer (NavPress), the first book of her new The Sword of Lyric fantasy series for women. She is also the author of the popular The Secret Life of Becky Miller (Bethany House, 2006) and Renovating Becky Miller (Bethany House, 2007) as well as many articles for book compilations and magazines.

When Sharon isn’t wrestling with words, she enjoys speaking to conferences, retreats, and church groups. She and her family make their home in Minnesota.

Questions and Answers:

• Why do you write fantasy?

Fantasy novels often deal with the classic hero’s journey – the unlikely and lowly who is called to a task requiring courage and faith. I see the Christian life as an epic battle, full of adventure, danger, opposition, and breathtaking victories. In a sense, each fantasy novel is an extended metaphor of the day-to-day battles that each of us confront as we seek to serve Christ.

• What makes your fantasy tale different from most other fantasy books?

When I began to write fantasy for adult Christian readers, I looked for the reasons that many of my friends (the core demographic of CBA readers) didn’t chose to read fantasy. Women with overfull and exhausting lives didn’t want to wade through difficult invented names, histories, and geography descriptions. They also needed a “keyhole” character they could identify with—some one to take them into the story. So I took a very “ordinary” soccer mom who was longing to find more meaning and purpose in her life, and told the story first-person point-of-view through her eyes. I kept the writing voice contemporary and lighter than some of the classical fantasy styles. The completely unique blend of genres contains the drama and adventure of other worlds, holy calls, and epic battles—yet sets it in a context that speaks to contemporary women. Women today ARE pulled into worlds they didn’t expect, and face roles they don’t feel prepared for. It happens when a child is diagnosed with a learning disability, a doctor says they have cancer, or a parent slides into Alzheimer’s.

• Tell me about a character or theme from one of your books that is at least loosely autobiographical.

Susan, the heroine of The Restorer, chooses to obey and follow God in spite of sacrifice and confusion. Because of that, she expects that He will smooth the path for her. When she endures torture and betrayal, she confronts her disillusionment. A key step in her spiritual growth comes as she surrenders her need to have God explain Himself to her – but love and trust Him anyway. That theme is drawn from my walk with Christ. From childhood, I’ve sought to serve Him with a deep passion. Yet He has allowed hurtful things into my life that have caused me to wrestle with Him... Like Susan, I swing between asking Him if I’ve failed Him somehow, or if He has failed me, and finally realizing it is part of the mystery of faith. In The Restorer a key theme is “the cost of discipleship.”

• Tell me about a current project.

Right now I’m working on my revisions for the third book in the Sword of Lyric series. Like the Old Testament Judges, God raises up a new “Restorer” in times of great need, so each book focuses on a different Restorer – but Susan continues to be an integral part of each story.

• How do you think coming together for The Fantasy Fiction Tour demonstrates the gospel message?

The heart of the Gospel is that we can’t save ourselves. We need Christ – and HIS actions on our behalf. I know that as writers, each of us has acknowledged that we can’t succeed in our daily work apart from Christ, either. By uniting for this tour, we are looking to HIM to accomplish His purposes. We’re also enjoying the blessing of fellowship – supporting each other, instead of promoting ourselves.

• What do you hope to accomplish during the fantasy tour?

I am eager to meet face to face with many of the people who are hungry for stories to inspire courage and faith, and talk about the power of STORY as an art form in the Christian life.

• What advice can you give to aspiring fantasy fiction writers?

Seek God. Let each day over your notebook or keyboard be a time of delicious fellowship with Him – so that whatever comes of the stories you create together, the time will bring Him joy and glory to His name.

Seek God. Ask Him when to pursue publication, where to pursue it, which steps to take next. He WILL guide you…to mentors, to writer’s conferences, to books about craft that help you make breakthroughs.

Seek God. Writing is a LAVISH investment of time. An art form that takes a huge gift of time without knowing if anyone will ever see it but Him. Remember the alabaster jar of perfume…poured out lavishly at Jesus feet. If He calls you to this, trust that the time is not wasted.

About The Restorer, first in The Sword of Lyric series:
Susan is a modern-day soccer mom who longs to be a heroic woman of God, like Deborah in the book of Judges. She is pulled through a portal into another world, where her adventures carry her through gripping battles, unexpected relationship challenges, and a profound spiritual journey. While she struggles to adapt to a foreign culture full of unfamiliar technologies and taboos, she faces physical and spiritual dangers, tackles an enemy that is poisoning the minds of the people, uncovers a corrupt ruling Council, and learns that God can use even her floundering attempts at service in surprising ways.

Peppered with humor, The Restorer is an adventure fantasy novel that explores the difficulty of responding to God’s call when we find ourselves on a road more difficult than we ever expected. The story is written for those hungry for encouragement in discovering and living their unique role in God’s kingdom.

What’s next?
The Restorer’s Son (the next book in the Sword of Lyric series) releases in September (NavPress), followed a few months later by The Restorer’s Journey. Then in 2008 I have two new books coming out with Bethany House (back in the more contemporary fiction genre). Symphony of Secrets (2/08) and Penny’s Project (9/08).

Later today I'll post Sharon Hinck's book trailer for The Restorer! :D

Happy adventures!

Becca Johnson

The Fantasy 4 Fiction Tour #4b- Christopher Hopper's Book Trailers

2007-07-04T14:48:00.000-07:00

As promised, here are the book trailers Christopher Hopper has created for his books. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did. They definitely got me interested! :D To find out more about Christopher Hopper and his books, please read the post directly preceeding this one. :D Here's the link to it: The Writer's Sword-Fantasy 4 Fiction Tour-Christopher Hopper. Or, better yet, you can visit The Fantasy 4 Fiction Tour website, along with Christopher Hopper's blog and Christopher Hopper's website.

Book trailer for Rise of the Dibor, book one in The White Lion Chronicles:

Book trailer for The Lion Vrie, book two in the White Lion Chronicles:

You can buy Rise of the Dibor and The Lion Vrie on Amazon.com.

Happy adventures!

Becca Johnson

The Fantasy 4 Fiction Tour #4a- Christopher Hopper

2007-07-04T07:10:00.000-07:00

Happy Fourth of July! I hope you're having a great day! :D

Today, I will highlight Christopher Hopper, the author of the The White Lion Chronicles. You can visit him at Christopher Hopper's blog or Christopher Hopper's website. Later today, I'll post the two book trailers he's created for his books. They're pretty cool. :D I got the following information from The Fantasy 4 Fiction Tour website.

CHRISTOPHER HOPPER
Fantastic 4 Fantasy Fiction Tour
Author of the Bestselling Series Rise of The Dibor, The White Lion Chronicles,
and his latest The Lion Vrie

Biographical Sketch

Christopher Hopper is an international conference speaker, worship leader, film maker, record producer, and recording artist with eight albums released worldwide and hundreds of other song titles to his credit. He is the president of Quest Productions, a booking and management company, Grandath Films, and also the director of Awakening, a national youth revival conference.

Christopher’s first book was the popular Rise of The Dibor, The White Lion Chronicles, and his latest book The Lion Vrie (Tsaba House) will release in mid June.

A three-time ordained minister, Christopher serves as the Teen & College Pastor for New Life Christian Church. He travels extensively around the globe appearing before thousands of people each year, ministering the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Christopher, his wife Jennifer, and their two children reside in the 1,000 Islands Region of northern New York.

Fantasy Fiction Tour Authors Q&A  Christopher Hopper
Tuesday, April 3rd 2007

A Question & Answer interview with Christopher Hopper, author of Rise of The Dibor, and The Lion Vrie.

• Why do you write fantasy?

I write fantasy because I believe in the power of parables. Jesus rarely used logic when he was trying to break down an issue for his listeners, so that they could really understand what he was trying to communicate. He used stories. C.S. Lewis put it best when he said—and I’m paraphrasing—that fiction circumvents the dragons that we set up to guard the front gates of our minds. When you tell someone a story, they are more likely to consider the value of your inference than if you were just to tell them straight out. So, I guess, I write fantasy because the human mind and I have to believe the human heart receives better through it.

• What makes your fantasy tale different from most other fantasy books?

Honestly, I had to ask my wife this question because I was really having a hard time responding. When she answered, once again I thought she should be the author here. Her words were simply beautiful. Jennifer said, “Your writing reaches into the soul of a person to change him or her, rather than to entertain.” And I would agree, I hope the reader is entertained. But my primary thought, with every sentence I write, is that my stories would literally transform lives; that something I write would challenge their lifestyle and point them towards the Lord. There is an eternal destiny in mind when I compose, and an eternal reward for its success.

• Who is the intended audience for your novels and why do you write for this audience?

At first, I started writing out of my own life experiences, so one of my target audiences would have to be for people in their twenties. Then, I’m a youth pastor, so I always try to make things relevant for Teens and Tweenies (those between being a child and a teen). Of course, I also do business with adults all day long and when I travel and preach, so I want to impact that demographic, too. I laugh at myself now, but I realize I feel like the Apostle Paul, who spoke about being “all things to all men.” You can imagine my excitement to receive an e-mail from an ecstatic 9-year-old who says he loves the book. Then the next day, I hear from a 55-year-old mom, hounding me for book II. That just amazes me.

• Tell me about a character or theme from one of your books that is at least loosely autobiographical.

Luik, the main character in Book II, The Lion Vrie, has many pieces of me. In fact, my son is named Luik. In the book, Luik is confronted with the death of someone very near to him. He desperately wants to pray for his fallen friend and see him brought back to life. But he can’t bring himself to do it—whether for fear of failure, intimidation, lack of faith, or simply lack of self-confidence. In real life, my very close friend died suddenly during a routine hospital check-up. He was 41 years old. As I sat with his wife in the funeral home picking out his tombstone (a horrible job I might add), I was compelled to walk into the back room, lay hands on his dead body and pull a “Lazarus, get up!” But I didn’t. Losing my buddy was and still is a deeply personal thing. However, writing about his death has been my own form of therapy.

• Tell me about a current project.

Currently, I’m working on Book III, The White Lion Chronicles. It has been the most fun to write simply because it’s so fast paced. I’ve wanted to do an action thriller for some time, and this is probably as close as I’ll get to writing one in this series. People are really going to like it. Everything culminates at break-neck speed. If my fans are like me, they will have to stop just to catch their breath!

• How do you think coming together for the Fantasy Fiction Tour demonstrates the Gospel message?

I love meeting fans of my books whose lives, like mine, are being changed by these fantasy stories. Similarly, witnessing the connection between my peers and their fans is also powerful. At a booksigning, there is mutual excitement on their faces when they shake hands—and all because of a simple story. But, isn’t that the point? We’ve all been affected by a simple story, told over and over again for more than 2,000 years. If we’re honest, the life in that story will redefine who and what we are.

I also think the tour will hammer home the way real Christians should act. Think about it. Four authors coming from different church affiliations, backgrounds, and publishers, who quite possibly have disparate values about the business of writing, editing and marketing books. Our unity is not built around uniformity, but working together for a common purpose. The secular world has seen enough evidence of why they should not be a Christian. How wonderful to be a part of a team willing to show them what they are missing.

• What do you hope to accomplish during the fantasy tour?

I hope people are encouraged to meet the faces behind the writing. They will see that we’re just normal, everyday people who are crazy enough to bring to life the thoughts we put down on paper. Sure, I hope we sell a lot of books and grow the market awareness; that’s just good business. But it’s more than that. We love the King and want His Message sent out to the ends of the earth. In addition, I get to spend part of my summer roaming the East Coast with three amazing writers.

• What advice can you give to aspiring fantasy fiction writers?

If you are meant to write, if the Lord has really put that gift in you, then it will be reflected in how you live your life for Him, and in the pursuit of that goal. After hearing an amazing pianist, a woman approached him and said, “That was so beautiful! I’d give my whole life to play like that!” The pianist replied, “Madam, I did give my whole life to play like that.” If you really want to see your work get published, if that’s the goal, then you need to be willing to pour yourself into it. Yes, God will make a way. Seemingly impossible doors can open, but you have to do your part. Write. Start today if you’ve been putting it off. Otherwise, you can be sure it won’t happen. Make the time. Just write.

About The Lion Vrie, second in the White Lion Chronicles:
Luik finds himself injured and headed for Tontha in the north of a besieged Dionia. As work begins on fortifying Mt. Dakka, now under his command, he journeys south to the wreckage of Adriel in hope of discovering anything that might help him find his friends. When his aid is required by strange summonses, Luik embarks on perilous missions to the far corners of his country--risking everything in search of the fabled City of Ot.

Will Luik be reunited with the Dibor, or will he find they have met a similar fate as Dionia’s kings? Is there any hope for the land of Dionia? Is the army of Morgui too vast and overpowering for the remnant of battered Dionians?

You can buy The Lion Vrie on Amazon.com.

Happy adventures!

Becca Johnson

The Fantasy 4 Fiction Tour #3- Bryan Davis

2007-07-03T09:34:00.000-07:00

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

The Fantasy 4 Fiction Tour #2

2007-07-02T09:24:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! Check out this trailer for The Fantasy 4 Fiction Tour! :D

Exciting, isn't it?

Please take a moment to visit The Fantasy 4 Fiction Tour website. It has lots of good information about the authors, their books, and the tour. You can also visit the author's blogs and websites by using the following links:
Wayne Thomas Batson's blog
Wayne Thomas Batson's wesite
Sharon Hinck's blog
Sharon Hinck's website
Christopher Hopper's blog
Christopher Hopper's website
Bryan Davis' blog
Bryan Davis' website

Happy adventures!

Becca Johnson

The Fantasy 4 Fiction Tour #1

2007-07-01T23:18:00.000-07:00

This week, the CSFF Blog Tour is having a special tour preceding The Fantasy 4 Fiction Tour! The participants will be: Sharon Hinck (The Restorer), Wayne Thomas Batson (The Door Within trilogy), Bryan Davis (Dragons in Our Midst and Oracles of Fire), and Christopher Hopper (The White Lion Chronicles).

You can find out more information on The Fantasy 4 Fiction Tour website.

Here are the tour dates:

Monday July 9th
11:00am - noon
ICRS Convention, Atlanta, GA
Tsaba House Booth #1904 (One of the 16 STL booths)
Meet & Greet with appetizers

Tuesday, July 10th
1:30pm - 2:30pm
ICRS Convention, Atlanta, GA
STL Booth #1904 (STL main booth)
Fantasy Author Photo-Op

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@yahoo.com)
931-596-3171

Wednesday July 11th
6:00pm - 8:00pm
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
12:00pm - 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
9:15am
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, MD 21043
410-203-9001

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
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

I plan on highlighting the different authors on separate days of this upcoming week! Until then...

Happy adventures!

Becca Johnson

Quotes of the Week #6- Christian Songs

2007-07-01T21:13:00.000-07:00

1. Phrases on the pages of unknown
‘Til You read us into poetry and prose
We are kept and we are captive till You free us
Vaguely unimagined ‘til You dream us
-“Healed” performed by Nichole Nordeman

2. Jesus, Jesus, You found me
Through the long night you led me
You set me free
-“You Led Me” performed by BarlowGirl

3. It’s You that I search for
It is You I can’t live without
Your hope is what I long for
When nothing’s left in me
It’s You
-“It’s You” performed by Fireflight

4. I see a generation rising up
No longer accepting lies
As a band of worshipers run to the battlefield
They're finding their lives
I hear a voice
-“A Voice Calling Out” performed by Bethany Dillon

5. When you could just be silent and leave us here to die
Still, you sent your Son for us
You are on our side
-“You Are On Our Side” performed by Bethany Dillon

Humorous Quote:

Once I read a book
And this is what it said
If your music has a beat
Then you're gonna wind up dead
It doesn't really matter if it's Christian or not
If it's syncopated rhythm then your soul is gonna rot
And this book was called "Ha! You’re Gonna Burn"
-“The Houseplant Song” performed by Audio Adrenaline

(Sounds a little like some people's views on speculative fiction, doesn't it?)

Random Quote:
Music is well said to be the speech of angels.
-Thomas Carlyle

Happy adventures!

Becca Johnson

Quotes of the Week #5- Movie Heros

2007-06-24T23:10:00.000-07:00

1. It must often be so, Sam, when things are in danger: someone must give them up, lose them, so that others may keep them.
-Frodo, from The Return of the King

2. Never. I'll never turn to the Dark Side. You've failed, your highness. I am a Jedi, like my father before me.
-Luke Skywalker, from The Return of the Jedi

3. As you wish.
-Westley, from the Princess Bride

4. Freedom!!!
-William Wallace, from Braveheart

5. Sometimes, to do what's right, we have to be steady and give up the thing we want the most. Even our dreams.
-Peter Parker, from Spider-Man 2

Humorous Quote:

Your Highness, my family is your family. Please, take them away.
-Danielle, from Ever After

Random Quote:

What do you fear, my lady?

A cage. To stay behind bars until use and old age accept them and all chance of valor has gone beyond recall or desire.

You are a daughter of kings, a shieldmaiden of Rohan. I do not think that will be your fate.

-Aragorn and Eowyn, from The Two Towers

Happy adventures!

Becca Johnson

Quotes of the Week #4- Movie Villains

2007-06-21T12:11:00.000-07:00

This week all quotes, except the random one, are things movie villains have said. Since I missed two weeks due to a vacation, I have included ten quotes instead of the usual five. Next week, the subject will be movie hero quotes. Enjoy! :)

1. Ah, how shall I do it? Oh, I know. I'll turn him into a flea, a harmless, little flea, and then I'll put that flea in a box, and then I'll put that box inside of another box, and then I'll mail that box to myself, and when it arrives…I'll smash it with a hammer! It's brilliant, brilliant, brilliant, I tell you! Genius, I say!
-Yzma, from The Emperor’s New Groove

2. Sneaky little hobbitses.
-Gollum, from The Two Towers

3. And once I turn back into my beautiful self I'm going to kill you.
-Yzma, from The Emperor’s New Groove

4. We wants it, we needs it. Must have the precious. They stole it from us. Sneaky little hobbitses. Wicked, tricksy, false!
-Gollum, from The Two Towers

5. First, your return to shore was not part of our negotiations nor our agreement, so I must do nothin'. And secondly, you must be a pirate for the Pirate's Code to apply, and you're not. And thirdly, the Code is more what you'd call "guidelines" than actual rules. Welcome aboard the Black Pearl, Miss Turner.
-Barbossa, from Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl

7. Mr. Anderson... you disappoint me.
-Agent Smith, from The Matrix

8. Why don't you sleep with the pigs, cindersoot, if you insist on smelling like one.
-Marguerite, from Ever After

9. As I told you, it would be absolutely, totally, and in all other ways inconceivable.
-Vizzini, from The Princess Bride

10. I'm disinclined to acquiesce to your request... Means "no."
-Barbossa, from Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl

Bonus Quote:

Luke, I am your father.
-Darth Vader, from The Empire Strikes Back

Random Quote:

This is the day you will always remember as the day that you almost caught Captain Jack Sparrow.
-Captain Jack Sparrow, from Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl

Happy adventures!

Becca Johnson

CSFF Blog Tour- The Restorer by Sharon Hinck

2007-06-18T22:22:00.000-07:00

This month, the CSFF Blog Tour is featuring Sharon Hinck's new fantasy book The Restorer! I'm really excited, because I love this book! And Sharon Hinck is awesome! I met her at the Mount Hermon Writers Conference, and she's a wonderful, sweet, and friendly person! :) You can visit Sharon Hinck's website or Sharon Hinck's blog to get to know her!

Summary:

Of the different summaries I've read, the summary on the bookmarks is my favorite. It reads:

Susan, a modern-day soccer mom, is pulled through a portal into another world, where a nation grappling for its soul waits for a promised Restorer to save their people. Can she fill that role? While she struggles to adapt to a foreign culture, she tackles an enemy that is poisoning the minds of the people, uncovers a corrupt ruling Council, and learns that God can use even her floundering attempts at service in surprising ways.

Weaknesses:

Weaknesses? What weaknesses? Okay. :( I found one typo. :P I don’t remember what page it was on, but the word “a” was left out of a sentence. One tiny typo is pretty good for a 455-word book.

Another weakness: there wasn’t enough of Kieran in the book. LOL! :P

Okay, seriously. The one thing in the book that bothered me was it felt…oh wait, I can’t say that because it will give something away. Hmmm…how can I say this? Two particular characters seemed to constantly hug and kiss one another when they were anywhere near each other. How did I do? Did I give anything away? :) I know that’s technically not a weakness, but it got a little old for me. If you’ve read the book, you probably know which two characters I mean. :) If you haven’t read it, then you really should do so. :)

Strengths:

Where do I start? :) The world of The Restorer is a very new and fresh one, and it’s very exciting to explore. The races, especially the Rhusicans and Kahlarean assassins, were original and interesting. Even the architecture of The Restorer’s world is unique, and Sharon did an excellent job of describing it. The culture and its beliefs, customs, traditions, etc. were developed well.

The characters are great! My personal favorites would be: Susan, Tristan, Wade, and of course, Kieran. :D All of the characters have depth and are fun to read about.

The Restorer moves at a fast pace and is very involving. I could hardly put it down during the two days that I was reading it. My mind was always on it and I kept the book almost constantly at my side so I could sneak little reads in whenever I was given the chance.

I’m adding this book to my list of favorites! It’s excellent! :)

Go on an adventure and find out what other members of the CSFF Blog Tour are saying about The Restorer! The portals to their blogs can be found below:

Trish Anderson
Brandon Barr
Jim Black
Justin Boyer
Grace Bridges
Amy Browning
Jackie Castle
Valerie Comer
Karri Compton
Frank Creed
Lisa Cromwell
CSFF Blog Tour
Gene Curtis
D. G. D. Davidson
Chris Deanne
Jeff Draper
April Erwin
Linda Gilmore
Beth Goddard
Marcus Goodyear
Andrea Graham
Russell Griffith
Jill Hart
Katie Hart
Sherrie Hibbs
Heather R. Hunt
Becca Johnson
Jason Joyner
Kait
Karen
Dawn King
Tina Kulesa
Lost Genre Guild
Rachel Marks
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Eve Nielsen
John W. Otte
John Ottinger
Robin Parrish
Rachelle
Cheryl Russel
Hanna Sandvig
Chawna Schroeder
Mirtika Schultz
Steve Trower
Speculative Faith
Jason Waguespac
Daniel I. Weaver
Wayne Thomas Batson
Merrie Destefano
Shannon McNear

You can also read my thoughts on The Restorer that I posted right after I read it: The Writer's Sword- The Restorer First Reactions

Happy questing!

Becca Johnson

Awesome Short Story on The Sword Review

2007-06-07T23:12:00.000-07:00

There's an awesome short story on The Sword Review right now. It's called "Singing for the Enemy" by R.A. Gale. I consider this the best story I have ever read on The Sword Review. It's fascinating, exciting, and riveting!

It's about a banished War Bard who is taken captive by her enemies. In this world, singing is used as a weapon, and those who are powerful can control their opponents' bodies.

R.A. Gale's description of the singing is wonderful and engaging! Especially as a singer, I could almost feel what she was describing. I found myself wanting to break out in song at the most climatic moments. :D

And the climatic moments were very well done. The tension was excellent! I was completely in the story, and nothing was going to get me out. :)

I very highly recommend "Singing for the Enemy" to anyone. It's great for fantasy readers, singers, adventure readers, or anyone else. :) If you only read one story on The Sword Review, read this one! It's that good!

Becca Johnson

Quotes of the Week #3- Writing

2007-06-02T10:18:00.000-07:00

1. Writing is an exploration. You start from nothing and learn as you go.
-E.L. Doctorow

2. Writing and reading is to me synonymous with existing.
-Gertrude Stein

3. When writing a novel a writer should create living people; people not characters.
-Ernest Hemingway

4. [Writing] has nothing to do with communication between person and person, only with communication between different parts of a person’s mind.
-Rebecca West

5. Writing is the only thing that, when I do it, I don't feel I should be doing something else.
-Gloria Steinem

Humorous Quote:
Writing is a socially acceptable form of schizophrenia.
-E.L. Doctorow

The Restorer, by Sharon Hinck

2007-05-29T12:51:00.000-07:00

Last night, at 12:15 am, I finished reading Sharon Hinck's fantasy book The Restorer! I read it in only two days, which I haven't done in a very long time! It was such a good book! I'll wait to post a review of it until the CSFF Blog Tour features it next month, but it was an awesome book! :)

My favorite character was Kieran! I liked him from the moment he was introduced into the book! For some reason, I always have to tell people who my favorite characters are. I think it's because characters are what make a book great for me (along with other things, of course), and in a good book I feel like I get to know them. :)

This book is fast-paced, and gets you right into the story. It does a very good job of surprising you too. So many things happened that I never expected.

The second book of The Sword of Lyric comes out in October. It's called The Restorer's Son. I can't wait to buy it! From the first chapter provided in the back of The Restorer, the second book is going to be even better! If that's possible. :D

So there are my excited ramblings that come right after finishing a great book! :) You can buy The Restorer on Amazon.com! I very highly recommend it! :) You can also visit Sharon Hinck's website, or check out Sharon Hinck's blog and say, "Hi!" :) Have fun reading!

Becca Johnson

Skin, by Ted Dekker- A Review

2007-05-26T18:35:00.000-07:00

This morning, I finished reading Ted Dekker's new book, Skin. I can't say much about the book without giving stuff away, as with all of Ted Dekker's books, so I'll try not to spoil it for anyone. But this story was really, really good! :D

Here's the back cover copy as an overview:
"A freak storm has spawned three tornados that are bearing down on the town of Summerville.
"Yet under the cover of the storm looms a much more ominous threat: A vindictive killer known as Red who's left a string of victims in his wake and is now bent on exacting his revenge on the unsuspecting town.
"But there is an enigma surrounding Red that the FBI is unwilling to admit--closely guarded secrets of something gone terribly wrong beneath the skin of Summerville. Secrets that will destroy far more than one small town.
"Wendy Davidson is caught in the middle. She's a recovering cult survivor who takes refuge in Summerville on her way to visit her estranged mother. And with her, four strangers, any one of whom could be the next victim...
"...or the killer."

I like to save the best for last, so I'll talk about the weaknesses first.

Weaknesses:
The beginning of this book reminded me a bit of Showdown and House, two other books Ted Dekker has written/co-written with Frank Peretti. The premise is once again a killer who wants the other characters to kill each other. In Skin, Red demands that the five main characters kill the ugliest among them. For every day that they delay, he kills seven townspeople.

Another weakness, is I found some mistakes in the writing that really distracted and/or confused me. The biggest mistake that tripped me up is when the story is in Blair's point-of-view and he's on the phone with Clifton. Then, Clifton hangs up with Blair, and suddenly, with no indication of a POV change, the story goes into Luke's POV. I didn't notice the word "Luke" at first, and I was very confused as to why Blair was thinking this way. I didn't realize what was going on until I got to the end of the page and had to go back because I was so lost. That's when I saw the word "Luke" instead of "Blair." That was the main mistake. There were a few minor things here and there, but not too many.

A third weakness: it was kind of gross in places. But I've learned to somewhat expect that from Ted Dekker. :) Plus, the grossness serves its purpose: to show the ugliness of evil and sin.

Strengths:
This book delivered what I love about Ted Dekker's books: plenty of suspense. Toward the end of the book, I was so into it that my heart rate had risen fairly high, I was sweating, and I couldn't put the book down.

Dekker had some great twists that I never saw coming! :) Which is great, because I was afraid I had gotten to the point where I could somewhat guess where he was going. But these were totally unexpected. And, just when I thought it was all over and I could (somewhat) relax, he pulled the biggest twist of all! I'm still going back and reading to find the clues and try to figure this thing out! It's great! :)

I highly recommend this book to readers of speculative fiction, suspense, thrillers, etc. :D

You can buy the book on Amazon.com. You can also check out Ted Dekker's website and learn more about Ted Dekker and his books. Have fun! :D

Becca Johnson

Quotes of the Week #2- Joy

2007-05-26T09:30:00.000-07:00

The subject of this week's quotations is joy! I find it humorous that the week before finals, I posted quotations on courage, and now that school is over, I'm posting quotations on joy. I didn't plan it that way! :D How funny! Okay, here are your quotations of the week:

1. Every joy is gain. And gain is gain, however small.
-Robert Browning

2. Joy is prayer—Joy is strength—Joy is love—Joy is a net of love by which you can catch souls. God loves a cheerful giver. She gives most who gives with joy. The best way to show our gratitude to God and the people is to accept everything with joy. A joyful heart is the inevitable result of a heart burning with love. Never let anything so fill you with sorrow as to make you forget the joy of the Christ risen.
-Mother Teresa

3. The joy that comes past hope and beyond expectation is like no other pleasure in extent.
-Sophocles

4. Surely joy is the condition of life.
-Henry David Thoreau

5. The writer's joy is the thought that can become emotion, the emotion that can wholly become a thought.
-Thomas Mann

Humorous Quote:
I wish you joy of your unhappiness, since you cling to it so.
-Mason Cooley

Random Quote:
Literature adds to reality, it does not simply describe it. It enriches the necessary competencies that daily life requires and provides; and in this respect, it irrigates the deserts that our lives have already become.
-C.S. Lewis

Becca Johnson

New Book! Distant Passages, Volume 2

2007-05-23T12:59:00.000-07:00

Double-Edged Publishing just released a new book! It's called Distant Passages, Volume 2, and it was edited by Selena Thomason. It contains the best short stories and poetry from Double-Edged Publshing. Double-Edged Publishing publishes Haruah: Breath of Heaven, Dragons, Knights, & Angels, Ray Gun Revival, TeenAge, and The Sword Review, CSFF Blog Tour's topic this month. All of these are free Christian online magazines.

Anyway, back to the book. :) I purchased Distant Passages, Volume 1 at the Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference, and I loved the stories in it. I can't wait to purchase the new volume!

Becca Johnson

P.S. Isn't the cover beautiful! :)

CSFF Blog Tour- The Sword Review- "ME Control"

2007-05-23T10:08:00.000-07:00

Today is the last day of the CSFF Blog Tour of The Sword Review and I finally have an opportunity to post! :)

The Sword Review is an online magazine of Christian speculative fiction, poetry, and essays. They have some really good reading material there. The site also includes a forum where readers can discuss what they've read. I've been browsing The Sword Review in preparation for the CSFF Blog Tour, and the piece that I enjoyed the most was a Science Fiction short story called "ME Control" by G.K. Werner. The description the magazine provides for "ME Control" is: "Today, the politically incorrect claim students are responsible for learning—teachers for teaching. But what if tomorrow’s educational technology equipped schools with complete behavior-control? What excuse would teachers have for not being 100% accountable?"

In "ME Control," teachers have the ability to control everything their students do. The students cannot raise their hands without their teacher allowing it. They can't even move their heads. The only thing the students are left in control of are their eyes. The teacher plants the answers in the students' minds and then allows them to speak the answer.

"ME Control" explores the issues of responsibility, power, and public schools. It's an interesting picture of where our world could be heading someday if we don't change our thinking. Students are responsible for how they behave and how much they learn. And if the teacher simply implants the answers into their minds, are they really learning? Learning, to me, is the journey, not just knowing the answering.

The author of this story, G.K. Werner, does a good job of portraying things from the perspective of a teacher involved in this futuristic classroom. You feel his pleasure in the control he has over his students and what they learn, his nervousness as he is being evaluated, and his fear of what the students might do if given too much freedom. Good job, G.K. Werner! Excellent work!

"ME Control" also brings up this scary idea: if the teacher is in total control of the students, and the government is in total control of the teacher, then the students will learn, or basically be brainwashed into believing, whatever the government wants them to learn. It's a clear warning to us about the path our educational system may be heading down.

Overall, "ME Control" is a well-written, thought-provoking piece. In fact, you should go check it out! You'll find it on the main page of The Sword Review, along with many other great stories, poems, and essays, such as: "Modesty," "While the Wyverns Watch," and "Polar Daughter."

And while you're at it, why don't you go exploring and discover others' opinions on The Sword Review and its contents! Here are the links you can find them at:

Jim Black
Amy Browning
Jackie Castle
Valerie Comer
Karri Compton
Frank Creed
CSFF Blog Tour
Gene Curtis
D. G. D. Davidson
Chris Deanne
April Erwin
Kameron M. Franklin
Linda Gilmore
Beth Goddard
Marcus Goodyear
Andrea Graham
Jill Hart
Katie Hart
Sherrie Hibbs
Heather R. Hunt
Becca Johnson
Jason Joyner
Kait
Karen
Dawn King
Tina Kulesa
Lost Genre Guild
Kevin Lucia and The Bookshelf Reviews 2.0 - The Compendium
Terri Main
Rachel Marks
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Eve Nielsen
John W. Otte
John Ottinger
Robin Parrish
Cheryl Russel
Hanna Sandvig
Chawna Schroeder
Mirtika Schultz
Steve Trower
Speculative Faith
Daniel I. Weaver
Russell Griffith
Jason Waguespac
Holly
Brandon Barr

Have fun exploring!

Becca Johnson

CSFF Blog Tour- The Sword Review

2007-05-21T22:04:00.000-07:00

Today was the first day of the CSFF Blog Tour for The Sword Review, an online Christian speculative fiction magazine. Due to finals, I won't be able to post a review of the site or any short stories on it until Wednesday. For now, here are the links to the other blogs participating in the tour:

Jim Black
Amy Browning
Jackie Castle
Valerie Comer
Karri Compton
Frank Creed
CSFF Blog Tour
Gene Curtis
D. G. D. Davidson
Chris Deanne
April Erwin
Kameron M. Franklin
Linda Gilmore
Beth Goddard
Marcus Goodyear
Andrea Graham
Jill Hart
Katie Hart
Sherrie Hibbs
Heather R. Hunt
Becca Johnson
Jason Joyner
Kait
Karen
Dawn King
Tina Kulesa
Lost Genre Guild
Kevin Lucia and The Bookshelf Reviews 2.0 - The Compendium
Terri Main
Rachel Marks
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Eve Nielsen
John W. Otte
John Ottinger
Robin Parrish
Cheryl Russel
Hanna Sandvig
Chawna Schroeder
Mirtika Schultz
Steve Trower
Speculative Faith
Daniel I. Weaver
Russell Griffith
Jason Waguespac
Holly
Brandon Barr

Have a wonderful evening! :)

Becca Johnson

Quotes of the Week #1- Courage

2007-05-20T20:51:00.000-07:00

Okay, I've decided to add a new feature to my blog! :) Once a week, I will post five quotes on a certain topic, along with one related humorous quote (if I can find one) and one unrelated random quote. Sound like fun? I love quotes, so it sounds like fun to me! :) Let me know what you think! Feedback is always greatly appreciated. :D

This week's topic: courage. (The quotes are posted in no particular order.)

1. You will never do anything in this world without courage. It is the greatest quality of the mind next to honor.
-Aristotle

2. Courage is just fear, plus prayers, plus understanding.
-Edward Albert

3. Courage is contagious. When a brave man takes a stand, the spines of others are often stiffened.
-Billy Graham

4. Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point.
-C.S. Lewis

5. Courage is almost a contradiction in terms. It means a strong desire to live taking the form of a readiness to die.
-Gilbert Keith Chesterton

Humorous Quote:
To bathe a cat takes brute force, perseverance, courage of conviction - and a cat. The last ingredient is usually hardest to come by.
-Stephen Baker

Random Quote:
A man can no more diminish God's glory by refusing to worship Him than a lunatic can put out the sun by scribbling the word, 'darkness' on the walls of his cell.
-C.S. Lewis

That was fun collecting those quotes! Remember, I welcome your opinions on this new feature. :D Have an awesome night!

Becca Johnson

I've Been Tagged For 8 Random Facts!

2007-05-07T14:33:00.000-07:00

Hello!
hrh over at View From Stone Water tagged me for a list of 8 Random Facts.

The first rule of the game is to post the rules. So, here they are:

1.Each player starts with eight random facts/habits about themselves.

2.People who are tagged need to write their own blog about their eight things and post these rules.

3.At the end of your blog, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names.

4.Don't forget to leave them a comment telling them they're tagged, and to read your blog.

8 random facts/habits about me ...

1. I love lists of stuff like favorites (and this sort of thing too)!

2. I love Bath and Body Works' body sprays, and my favorite is either sweet pea or sun-ripened raspberry

3. I like anything that smells like citrus

4. I very rarely like to wear hats. It has to be a really, really cute one.

5. I own three swords (including a claymore), Sting (which is not really a sword if you think about the size), and a knife.

6. When I was younger, I read Nancy Drew and Mandy mysteries all the time. Now, I don't like mysteries usually. Go figure. :P

7. I have a very bad habit of skipping ahead in books.

8. My dream is to someday visit the United Kingdom, especially Scotland. :)

And now, I shall tag....
Chawna Schroeder, Rachel Marks, Beth Goddard, Jackie Castle,
Ronie Kendig, Grace Bridges, Wayne Thomas Batson, and Mirtika.

Becca Johnson

Review of "Speck" by John Kuhn

2007-04-23T22:18:00.000-07:00

I recently read a short story on the online speculative fiction magazine "Dragons, Knights, & Angels" that I liked so much that I had to talk about it. The title of the short story is "Speck" and it's written by John Kuhn. It's a story of two angels and the humans they have been assigned to help and protect.

The story made me think of angels in a different way than I have before. The angels in the story cared deeply about their humans and rejoiced in their triumphs. It was nice to read a fresh view of angels, instead of the usual serious, cold-feeling ones I have encountered in various other stories.

The main point that I got out of the story is that darkness (evil) is just a speck compared to the light (good). Despite the bad things that happen to us, God turns them around and uses them for good. In the midst of a time when most people would despair, the main human character overcomes his fear and finally fulfills his destiny. I find that inspiring, and encouraging. And when I read the story, I couldn't help but think to myself: "What if he had found the courage to share the good news before now? Think of the good he could have done. Oops...what about me?"

One minus to the story is that it didn't take much for me to figure out what was going to end up happening. Maybe that's what happens when you read mostly Ted Dekker and so become wiser to some foreshadowing, etc. I don't know. I guess you'll have to read the short story and tell me if you guessed the ending early on. :)

You can find "Speck" at DKA Magazine.

Rebecca Grabill's Brilliancy :)

2007-04-22T16:27:00.000-07:00

Yes, I know, I know, I like posting in little, bite-sized pieces. What can I say? :)
Anyway, I was just browsing through my list of favorite blogs and I happened to come across Rebecca Grabill's blog, Of Making Many Books. I decided to check for any new posts, and sure enough, there was a new one (actually two since I last checked). :) The post I am referring to is entitled, "Day 3, 11th Hour: Karen Hancock and My Plot to Take over the Universe!" Toward the end of this post, Rebecca Grabill began a list of tension levels that can be found in a novel. She only gave the first couple levels and provided a link to the full list on her website. I immediately went to her website and read the entire list. It was brilliant, funny, and so true. The list made me laugh and think to myself, "Hey, I remember doing that very thing when I read that one book!" Excellent work, Rebecca Grabill! :)
You can read the list for yourself at Grabill Scale of Literary Tension.
Rebecca Grabill's blog is excellent too, and you can find it at Of Making Many Books, Rebecca Grabill.

More Tolkien!

2007-04-22T14:19:00.000-07:00

I bought the new book, The Children of Hurin, today! It's by J.R.R. Tolkien and edited by his son, Christopher Tolkien. I haven't started reading it yet, but I'm excited to get started on it. :)

The story of Turin was always one of my favorites from The Silmarillion. I guess I enjoyed it because it was one of the longer and more developed tales, with a little less narrative and a little more dialogue. My other favorite is the story of Beren and Luthien. Anyway, what's neat about The Children of Hurin is that it contains some previously unpublished stuff, such as the childhood of Turin (or at least that's what the information on the book indicates).

It's amazing how many new things keep on coming out after J.R.R. Tolkien's death. Just when you think they've published everything of his that there is to publish, you're proved wrong again. But it's okay. In this sort of case, I'm pleased to be proved wrong! :)

You can buy the book at Christianbook.com, The Children of Hurin.
And if you've never read The Silmarillion, you can find it there too, at Christianbook.com, The Silmarillion.

Or, if you prefer to buy your books from Amazon.com, you can find these two at: Amazon.com, The Children of Hurin and Amazon.com, The Silmarillion.

CSFF Blog Tour- Review of Karen Hancock's Website

2007-04-18T17:02:00.000-07:00

Today is the third and final day of the CSFF Blog Tour for Karen Hancock's latest book, The Return of the Guardian-King. You can buy her book at http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/asin/0764227971.

I don't have much time on my hands, and since I usually like to keep things short and sweet, I will give a brief review of Karen Hancock's website. And once you're finished reading this review, why don't you go to the website and check it out for yourself? It's pretty cool! The link is: http://www.kmhancock.com/index.htm. While you're at it, visit her blog too: http://www.karenhancock.blogspot.com/. :)

Karen Hancock's website has so much useful and fun information. She has information about each of her published books, along with reviews, letters, and scrapbooks. The scrapbooks contain photos that inspired her writing, along with a brief explanation of each photo. It's fun to see what sort of stuff came together to inspire a story. :)

The website has a list of Karen Hancock's favorite books. I love reading these lists because I discover new books. And the bonus is that I know I might like them because a fellow fantasy writer recommended them. :)

I also discovered a link on the home page to a glossary of terms for The Legends of the Guardian-King. This glossary is better than most because it divides the terms into categories such as places, people, creatures, etc.

In addtion to everything else on her site, you can read a brief bio of Karen Hancock, subscribe to her newsletter, read her thoughts on writing, and request free bookmarks and autographed labels for books. Overall, this is a well-organized, informational, and fun website. It has many pages and links without appearing cluttered or confusing.

I highly recommend this site for fans of Karen Hancock's books, and really for all speculative fiction readers. It has some helpful links for writers, too! :) I can't wait to get back to it and browse some more.

Please visit the other blogs participating in the CSFF Blog Tour!

Nissa Annakindt
Wayne Thomas Batson
Jim Black
Jackie Castle
Valerie Comer
Karri Compton
Frank Creed
CSFF Blog Tour
Gene Curtis
D. G. D. Davidson
Chris Deanne
Janey DeMeo
April Erwin
Kameron M. Franklin
Linda Gilmore
Beth Goddard
Marcus Goodyear
Andrea Graham
Katie Hart
Sherrie Hibbs
Sharon Hinck
Christopher Hopper
Heather R. Hunt
Becca Johnson
Jason Joyner
Karen
Tina Kulesa
Lost Genre Guild
Kevin Lucia and The Bookshelf Reviews 2.0 - The Compendium
Rachel Marks
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Shannon McNear
Caleb Newell
Nicole
Eve Nielsen
John W. Otte
Robin Parrish
Rachelle
Cheryl Russel
Hanna Sandvig
Chawna Schroeder
Mirtika Schultz
James Somers
Tsaba House Authors
Steve Trower
Speculative Faith
Daniel I. Weaver
Dawn King
Rebecca Grabill
Jill Hart

Becca Johnson

CSFF Blog Tour- Karen Hancock's Return of the Guardian-King

2007-04-17T22:25:00.000-07:00

Today is the second day of the CSFF Blog Tour for Karen Hancock's Return of the Guardian King. Since I have been unable to get my hands on a copy of it, I will post the links tonight, and do my best to talk about Karen Hancock's website tomorrow. We shall see. School is very demanding right now. I'm already staying up too late as it is. *Sigh.* :)

Here is the link to her book. Check it out and buy it! :) http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/asin/0764227971

Her website address is: http://www.kmhancock.com/index.htm
And here is her blog address: http://www.karenhancock.blogspot.com/

Here are the links of the other participants. Please check them out. There are some great ones!

Nissa Annakindt
Wayne Thomas Batson
Jim Black
Jackie Castle
Valerie Comer
Karri Compton
Frank Creed
CSFF Blog Tour
Gene Curtis
D. G. D. Davidson
Chris Deanne
Janey DeMeo
April Erwin
Kameron M. Franklin
Linda Gilmore
Beth Goddard
Marcus Goodyear
Andrea Graham
Katie Hart
Sherrie Hibbs
Sharon Hinck
Christopher Hopper
Heather R. Hunt
Becca Johnson
Jason Joyner
Karen
Tina Kulesa
Lost Genre Guild
Kevin Lucia and The Bookshelf Reviews 2.0 - The Compendium
Rachel Marks
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Shannon McNear
Caleb Newell
Nicole
Eve Nielsen
John W. Otte
Robin Parrish
Rachelle
Cheryl Russel
Hanna Sandvig
Chawna Schroeder
Mirtika Schultz
James Somers
Tsaba House Authors
Steve Trower
Speculative Faith
Daniel I. Weaver
Dawn King
Rebecca Grabill
Jill Hart

Have a great night! :) ZZZZzzzzzz.....

Developing the Discipline of Writing

2007-04-11T17:06:00.000-07:00

In the past, I've had trouble setting for myself goals for writing each day, and actually meeting or exceeding those goals. I have no trouble setting the goals, but it's the doing part that I seem to have trouble with. Even now, I put off writing until the last possible moment. I have to force myself to sit down at my computer and write. It doesn't matter what's going on in the scene I'm writing, those first few minutes are a struggle. Then, after I've forced myself to write a few lines, something almost "magical" happens and the story begins to flow from me. Once I get going, the words come to me faster than I can type them. After that, I usually have a hard time stopping so I can go to bed. For instance, last night I stayed up until 11:30 pm writing because I put off starting until 10:30 pm, but once I started, I didn't want to stop.
This leads me to wonder: why on earth do I have so much trouble each day convincing myself that I actually do want to write that day? The answer: I have no clue, but I need to hurry up and get out of that mindset. Writing is not a chore (usually), it's an adventure, and I love it! :) The remedy I have come up with for now: keep myself accountable, develop a habit of writing a certain amount every day, and remember the feeling of satisfaction I have every time I write something.
Well, I'm off to go seek some adventure! :)

Becca Johnson

Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference 2007 Part 2

2007-04-07T10:14:00.000-07:00

Okay, now for a few recommendations:

If you are interested in speculative fiction and want to know about the latest books, author appearances, and such, go to http://csffblogtour.com/?page_id=67 and click on the links there for "Latest in Spec." Or better yet, subscribe to the newsletter. :)

If you have difficulty writing synopses, check out Jeff Gerke's methods for writing a good synopsis: http://www.wherethemapends.com/writerstools/writers_tools_pages/publishing_biz_pages/synopses.htm. Not only did this teach me how to write a synopsis, but it also helped clarify my novel's plot.

Those are a couple things I learned at the conference that I can easily share on the web.

I highly recommend the Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference to anyone interested in writing. I have learned so much from the workshops I've taken there. Equally important, I've made many valuable connections with other writers and have learned from them. If you are interested in attending next year, here is the link where you can find out more about it: http://www.mounthermon.org/writers/index.php. Right now it has information about this year's conference, but they should update it eventually. :)

That's all for now, folks!

Becca Johnson

Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference 2007

2007-04-05T11:38:00.000-07:00

I had such a wonderful time at Mount Hermon! I learned so much, more than I thought possible, and I met so many wonderful friends! The best part was finally finding a group of people who love speculative fiction (spec fic) as much as I do. :)

I took Lauraine Snelling's major morning track on character building, and I learned quite a bit. It was good to spend so much quality time with my character. I learned some important stuff about her that had been missing before. It's always good to be really in touch with your character's motivation. :)

There was so much food at the conference, it felt like we were always eating. But it was all so good! The best part is, I didn't dread meals this time. Last year, I didn't want to eat because I was so afraid of sitting with the editors and other people who know what they're doing. Now, I know editors and published authors aren't all that scary, particularly ones who love spec fic, like Jeff Gerke or Austin Boyd. In fact, it's fun to pick their brains. :D

One of the biggest highlights for me was the night owl for writers of spec fic. I loved hearing all their awesome plot ideas, and it was encouraging to see how many people showed up. I never expected more than 10 or so people, but the number was closer to 25. How exciting! We all wrote our prayer requests on a paper, and it's great to know that people will be praying for me as I pursue this adventure of writing. :)

My only regret is that I didn't get to see the "troll hole" Rachel found. Oh well. It will still be there next time. :)

Well, I'll talk more about Mount Hermon later, but I wanted to get at least that much out before the excitement wears off. :D

My New Blog

2007-04-05T09:42:00.000-07:00

How exciting! My first blog ever. =)
I want to use this blog to get to know other Christian writers, particularly speculative fiction writers. I also plan to use this blog to discuss books with other bloggers. We will see, since this is the first time I've ever tried something like this. =)