CSFF Blog Tour: Curse of the Spider King-Day Three

Will anyone escape the curse of The Spider King?

The Seven succeeding Elven Lords of Allyra were dead, lost in the Siege of Berinfell as babes. At least that’s what everyone thought until tremors from a distant world known as Earth, revealed strange signs that Elven blood lived among its peoples. With a glimmer of hope in their hearts, sentinels are sent to see if the signs are true. But theirs is not a lone errand. The ruling warlord of Allyra, the Spider King, has sent his own scouts to hunt down the Seven and finish the job they failed to complete many ages ago.

Now 13-year-olds on the brink of the Age of Reckoning when their Elven gifts will be manifest, discover the unthinkable truth that their adoptive families are not their only kin. With mysterious Sentinels revealing breathtaking secrets of the past, and dark strangers haunting their every move, will the young Elf Lords find the way back to the home of their birth? Worlds and races collide as the forces of good and evil battle. Will anyone escape the Curse of the Spider King?

~My Review

I have only a few favorite authors, Christopher Hopper and Wayne Thomas Batson are two of them. When I found out last year that they were writing a new epic book series together I was so excited, truly it can't get any more cool than that... at least for me lol.

Never in my twenty-years of life have I owned so many copies of one book, it’s kinda crazy, but it brings so much joy and excitement to give as a gift to others. One copy I gave to my mom, now my mom never ever reads or touches anything fantasy, so mind you this was truly HUGE. She was sucked into Allyra from the very first page and gobbled it up in four days. She said“Wow... that was a great book, the characters were very lovable, the authors sure know kids, but the spiders were so creepy I couldn’t read it at night." Neither could I lol. She even unfortunately had a creepy, not so little encounter, very similar to Jimmy's, in Chapter 26, one night, and after that vowed to never read the book at night again! She has said she will for sure read the second book. How’s that for a person that stays clear away from anything fantasy? Now my mom is looking through my bookshelf for books to read even more than she did before, considering about all of them are fantasy lol.

Another copy I gave away to a sweet, but broken hearted twelve-year old that loves to read, especially fantasy. When I heard her and her younger sister playing in her grandparents back yard (which are my neighbors) I instantly thought I should give her a copy of this book. Bringing my younger sister Hayley with me, we walked next-door and we were joyfully surprised to found out it was her birthday, how cool was that? Her face beamed with surprise as we handed her the book. “Curse of the Spider King... wow... this looks cool. Thank you!” she said giving us a huge hug. A week later we received a card telling us thank you again and that the book was AWESOME!

What did I think of Curse of the Spider King? Will... I loved it. A whole new world, with great characters that you can relate too, the best and I mean best creepiest bad guys you could possibly think of... one being spiders, yikes, tons of action that easily plays out like a movie in your mind, and an intriguing story that I'm sure is going to get even more interesting as the series progresses ... need I say more?

I was not confused with any of the characters... not once, which surprised me considering there were seven main characters and many others. I truly don’t have anything bad to say about this book... really I don’t... cant think of anything. It's a nice easy flowing read and I would highly recommend it to anyone. Just remember not to read it at bedtime.

Now the torture of waiting for “Venom and Song” book two coming out summer of next year is on, but if you are like me and don’t want this special book to end yet, check out my post I did yesterday here and follow the quest or enter the rabbit hole :-)

You can purchase Curse of the Spider King here http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1400315050


See what others are saying about, Curse of the Spider King.

http://www.christiansciencefiction.blogspot.com"> Brandon Barr
http://fantastyfreak.blogspot.com/"> Justin Boyer
http://pagesofdiscovery.blogspot.com"> Amy Browning
http://valeriecomer.com/"> Valerie Comer
http://www.the160acrewoods.com/"> Amy Cruson
http://csffblogtour.com/"> CSFF Blog Tour
http://word-up-studies.blogspot.com"> Stacey Dale
http://www.scificatholic.com/"> D. G. D. Davidson
http://sjdeal.blogspot.com"> Shane Deal
http://scriptoriusrex.blogspot.com/"> Jeff Draper
http://home.earthlink.net/~wyverns/"> Emmalyn Edwards
http://projectinga.blogspot.com/"> April Erwin
http://virtualbooktourdenet.blogspot.com/"> Karina Fabian
http://anewnovelistsjourney.blogspot.com"> Todd Michael Greene
http://realmofhearts.blogspot.com/"> Ryan Heart
http://fantasythyme.blogspot.com"> Timothy Hicks
http://jessebecky.wordpress.com/"> Becky Jesse
http://crisjesse.wordpress.com"> Cris Jesse
http://www.spoiledfortheordinary.blogspot.com/"> Jason Joyner
http://www.molcotw.blogspot.com/"> Julie
http://carolkeen.blogspot.com/"> Carol Keen
http://krystisbooks.blogspot.com/"> Krystine Kercher
http://www.tinakulesa.com"> Tina Kulesa
http://www.realheartprints.com"> Melissa Lockcuff
http://rebeccaluellamiller.wordpress.com/"> Rebecca LuElla Miller
http://mirathon.blogspot.com/"> Mirtika
http://linalamont.blogspot.com/"> Nissa
http://www.leastread.blogspot.com/"> John W. Otte
http://oohbooks.blogspot.com"> Cara Powers
http://www.chawnaschroeder.blogspot.com/"> Chawna Schroeder
http://www.jamessomers.blogspot.com/"> James Somers
http://specfaith.ritersbloc.com/"> Speculative Faith
http://www.epictales.org/blog/robertblog.php"> Robert Treskillard
http://frederation.wordpress.com"> Fred Warren
http://www.galacticoverlordinchief.blogspot.com/"> Jason Waguespac
http://christian-fantasy-book-reviews.com/blog/"> Phyllis Wheeler
http://www.novelteen.com/"> Jill Williamson
http://kmwilsher.blogspot.com/"> KM Wilsher

CSFF Blog Tour: Curse of the Spider King-Day Two

The Underground

The Official Forum of Allyra

Get connected to The Underground, your source for everything happening behind the scenes! From elaborate viral marketing, to special contests, to fan discussions, this is your official stop for everything Elf!

At first I didn't get why it was called "The Underground" I was one of the first people to sign up for it back in September, but after reading the book I now know why it's named The Underground and it's pretty cool! The Underground is a fun place to meet other fellow fans from all over the world, talk about the authors and their books, and a safe place to make new friends (truly it is, Christopher Hopper and Wayne Thomas Batson, keep a watchful eye on all of the forums).

Is it just me or does that look like a spider to you too?

Also at "The Underground" is a treasure hunt and a contest that both of the authors have ingeniously put together.

The Rabbit hole is open and For those who seek will find the first clue to a HUGE crazy fun ARG game... what are you waiting for? Go join the fun... it's not to late :-)

And if you're an elf or think you might be :-) Join a tribe and begin the quest to win the ultimate prize... a personal book party with the authors.

Thanks for stopping by and please come back tomorrow, I'll have my review on what I thought of Curse of the Spider King, and if you didn't see my personal interview that I had the honor of doing with the authors yesterday please check it out here


See what others are saying about Curse of the Spider King .

http://www.christiansciencefiction.blogspot.com"> Brandon Barr
http://fantastyfreak.blogspot.com/"> Justin Boyer
http://pagesofdiscovery.blogspot.com"> Amy Browning
http://valeriecomer.com/"> Valerie Comer
http://www.the160acrewoods.com/"> Amy Cruson
http://csffblogtour.com/"> CSFF Blog Tour
http://word-up-studies.blogspot.com"> Stacey Dale
http://www.scificatholic.com/"> D. G. D. Davidson
http://sjdeal.blogspot.com"> Shane Deal
http://scriptoriusrex.blogspot.com/"> Jeff Draper
http://home.earthlink.net/~wyverns/"> Emmalyn Edwards
http://projectinga.blogspot.com/"> April Erwin
http://virtualbooktourdenet.blogspot.com/"> Karina Fabian
http://anewnovelistsjourney.blogspot.com"> Todd Michael Greene
http://realmofhearts.blogspot.com/"> Ryan Heart
http://fantasythyme.blogspot.com"> Timothy Hicks
http://jessebecky.wordpress.com/"> Becky Jesse
http://crisjesse.wordpress.com"> Cris Jesse
http://www.spoiledfortheordinary.blogspot.com/"> Jason Joyner
http://www.molcotw.blogspot.com/"> Julie
http://carolkeen.blogspot.com/"> Carol Keen
http://krystisbooks.blogspot.com/"> Krystine Kercher
http://www.tinakulesa.com"> Tina Kulesa
http://www.realheartprints.com"> Melissa Lockcuff
http://rebeccaluellamiller.wordpress.com/"> Rebecca LuElla Miller
http://mirathon.blogspot.com/"> Mirtika
http://linalamont.blogspot.com/"> Nissa
http://www.leastread.blogspot.com/"> John W. Otte
http://oohbooks.blogspot.com"> Cara Powers
http://www.chawnaschroeder.blogspot.com/"> Chawna Schroeder
http://www.jamessomers.blogspot.com/"> James Somers
http://specfaith.ritersbloc.com/"> Speculative Faith
http://www.epictales.org/blog/robertblog.php"> Robert Treskillard
http://frederation.wordpress.com"> Fred Warren
http://www.galacticoverlordinchief.blogspot.com/"> Jason Waguespac
http://christian-fantasy-book-reviews.com/blog/"> Phyllis Wheeler
http://www.novelteen.com/"> Jill Williamson
http://kmwilsher.blogspot.com/"> KM Wilsher

CSFF November Tour: Curse of the Spider King...Day One

Today is the first day of the November CSFF blog tour. This months blog tour is on a book called "Curse of the Spider King", by Christopher Hopper, and Wayne Thomas Batson. I am really excited to share about this book for the next three days! Christopher Hopper, and Wayne Thomas Batson, are two of my favorite authors. I’m a huge fan of both these guys! Today it is my honor to share with you an interview that I personally did with both authors. I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed doing it.

~My Interview~

1. How do you view your relationship with your characters? Are they based off of real people such as family members and friends, a figure of only your imagination, or something in between?

CH
All of the above. Inspiration for characters comes from all over the place, especially when you have seven main characters, and a host of supporting cast members, like in CotSK. Some of them, like Kat, who I initially created, are based on types of girls that I have known or counseled as a pastor. She struggles with particular issues that I think many girls can relate to. Wayne, of course, then adds his input into her as a character, and now you have a very three-dimensional individual, one who I think is pretty cool. Other characters, like Johnny and Autumn Briarman, are actually based on real people, in this case, my sister-and-brother-in-law, Johnny and Autumn Nesbitt. They bicker and get on each others' backs in real life just like they do in the story. That was a lot of fun for me to write.

WTB
My characters come from all over the place. At times certain traits from several people I know will come together in one character. Antoinette in The Door Within books was kind of a compilation of the real go getter (like my wife), the really creative (like my cousin), and the often too independent (like my...uh, I probably shouldn't say). Tommy Bowman in CotSK came to mind due to my own son Tommy. People used to always remark about his curly hair. I kept thinking, there is much more to Tommy than those cute curly locks. He's a deep thinker, a passionate, talented guy. So is Tommy Bowman. But not all characters come from people I know. Some characters are kind of archetypes at first. Mallik, Nock, and Bolt were just your token Dwarf and Elf types. They didn't really develop until the story revealed their personalities. Kat Simonson in CotSK was originally Christopher's creation, but then there was a student I knew who kind of inspired me. So I sort of blended another profile into what CH had already been building. The result, I think, is a very deep character.


2. How did you two make Curse of the Spider King, flow so nicely with two different brains writing it? Yes, you two are very similar, but how did you keep the same vision on it, especially with the characters.

CH
Wayne and I spent a lot of time over the phone, email, and iChat, crafting the overall story-lines and themes. Long before we ever wrote our first chapters, we both had a solid working understanding of the story and were able to think as one through most of the scenes. Likewise, whatever chapters we were the most keen on diving into as individuals, would then be passed to the other person to do, edit, craft, or even delete carte blanche. The overall feel of the book then becomes "our voice," not Wayne's or Christopher's. In fact, every single line of the book has been read and re-read by each of us at least 12 times after we wrote the first draft.

WTB
As Christopher said, there was a ton of back-and-forth between us. We each had so many opportunities to add touches here and there. Honestly, there are so many chapters that we really can't remember anymore which one of us wrote them. lol The key, I think, was the outlining process. We spent a lot of time, the two of us just dreaming about where the story would go. More fun than you can imagine. Ideas just flew out of our minds (special delivery from the Lord, we believe) and into the outline. From there, it became a matter of getting to know our characters: their hopes and dreams, their flaws and conflicts. Once you know your characters...I mean REALLY know them, the story pretty much drives itself.

3. Tell us about your history with writing. What made you want to be a writer? When did you begin? Where do you find inspiration?

CH
I always loved creative writing in school, but was termed a "slow reader," so hated to read books. It wasn't until after high school that I was awakened to the world of fiction by author Stephen R. Lawhead with his Song of Albion Trilogy. I will always credit his work for sparking my desire to write. And to this day, I'm sure you can still find traces of his influence. As for inspiration, like characters, its everywhere. In everything. From quite times spent with the Lord, to things I see in the movies, to quirky things I discover in nature. Like JRR Tolkien once said about writing of Middle Earth (paraphrasing), "I didn't invent any of it; I just went there and took notes on what I saw happening." When you're an author, you're just trying to convey what you already see.

WTB
For me, I always loved to create. I'm a last born (for those familiar with Birth Order Theory), and my next older sibling was 5 years older. Consequently, the older Batson did their own thing, and I had a LOT of independent play time. I used to make my own adventures in the backyard or up in a treefort. As I grew older, I realized that I really enjoyed artwork and writing. And I loved to share it. At some point in high school I came up with the silly idea of wanting to be a published author. Go figure. It was mostly just a dream. But when I began teaching wonderful 6th and 7th graders, I began to wonder if perhaps it could be reality. Those students were so amazingly encouraging. Really if it weren't for their influence, I doubt I'd be an author right now.


4. Writing isn’t your only creative outlet, or the only place of ministry you do. Please tell us about your other work.

CH
Well, music is my first love, so when I'm not trying to meet a deadline, I'm usually behind a piano or guitar or drum set on my free time. And when I have even more extra time, I enjoying painting. As for ministry, I serve at an incredible church as the Teen & College Pastor as well as the Creative Arts & Production Director. I have always had a deep heart for my generation, to see them succeed in the dreams of their heart for the glory of Jesus. I am the president of a one year discipleship school, aptly named Dibor, after my first book (www.dibor.org). And my wife, Jennifer, and I spend time each year over seas ministering to people in various settings; in January I'll be in Switzerland and Spain, China in February, and a vacation to an undisclosed location with my wife in March. Lastly, ministry doesn't happen by itself, it needs to be funded, so I also own a few restaurants, the proceeds of which are used to advance the Gospel across the earth.



WTB
I'm married to a marvelous pretty RN named Mary Lu. We have 4 remarkable children, and so a lot of my time is family. I teach full time at a public school in Maryland. This is my 19th year of teaching...a staggering concept to me. Where did the years go? I have many dear friends I like to spend time with--catch a movie, play tennis, throw the football around, video games, jam a little guitar--that kind of stuff. By God's grace, my life is very rich and full. Being an author is something of an extraordinary blessing. Sometimes I'll see someone reading one of my books, and I'll think...this can't be real, can it?


5. I like the way you guys market your books, it’s cool and funny at the same time. How and where did you come up with those ideas?

CH
Where did we come up with them? Are you kidding? Look at us! We're crazy! But that goes without saying. Really, we just like being creative...we do so with writing, why not with marketing? I don't know that anything we're doing is "new" necessarily, but we wanted to make whatever we do our "own." Give it our own flavor. Using technology has really helped us a lot. Both the ARG (alternate reality game) and Tribe Building depend heavily on the internet, while social media has allowed us to connect with fans all over the world. Video, of course, is not new, but given its subtle incorporation to the ARG, and Tribe Members' usage for promotion, gives us all some fun tools to use.

WTB
A lot of our marketing, esp. the Tribe Building came from the Treasure Hunt contests that I did with Isle of Swords and Isle of Fire. But prior to that (and I'm sure Christopher had a similar revelation), I kind of found out the hard way that authors (unless your last name is King, Meyer, Rowling, or Patterson) have to do a ton of book marketing themselves. I always thought, "Well, that's the publisher's job." Not so. Yes, publishers do some marketing, but their budgets are very small, unless, again you're a HUGE name. Odd, that names that need no marketing to sell get the lionshare of the marketing budget while midlist authors who could be big if they had the marketing, don't get it. But, I digress. After learning that I needed to do marketing or perish, I began looking for ways to do it. Reviews, booktalks, signings--the usual methods were good, but not great. The Internet opened up an infinite new avenue, and we've tried to harness it's power and the great connectivity it makes available. But when it's all weighed and measured, it's the readers that matter. Christopher and I know our readers are the ones who have the real power to make our books successful or not. So we've tried to come up with entertaining ways to get our readers to become a kind of grass roots movement to take the books to the next level. We love our readers.


6. What made you pick spiders and trees for the bad guys... especially spiders, I learned quickly not to read your book at night, because I would have horrible spider nightmares lol? You truly wrote them too well!

CH
Well, who's not scared of spiders? Perfect!



WTB
Ditto. I hate HATE spiders. They freak me out--why? I'm not sure. I mean, I'm 6-3, 250. I can squash any spider in the world under my shoe. But still. The angular segmented legs, the big poison-soaked fangs, and the eight eyes--it's the thing of nightmares. No wonder you have bad dreams. I had giant trapdoor spiders in The Final Storm, so you might wonder, why do spiders again? That's a cool story. One, I can't reveal all of, mind. I was at a park writing while my son's football team was warming up for their game. I was watching all the kids run around the playground...swinging on swings, sliding, climbing, etc. And I happened to notice a couple of little girls playing jump rope and singing a certain kid's song, one that mentions spiders. That was an AH HA moment for me, and I immediately called Christopher to tell him about it. And so, it became inevitable that spiders would be a big part of this series.


7. Please tell us about your fun treasure hunt and contest you two have put together at www.heedtheprophecies.com. How did you come up with this great idea?

CH
My web designer first forwarded me links on the concept of ARG's a year ago. After Wayne and I did a bunch of research, we both thought that hosting one for the initial launch of CotSK was a perfect fit. And so far, its been a lot of fun! I'm actually quite amazed at how smart our Players are...I honestly don't think I would have gotten half as far as some of them have. As for Tribe Building, that's Wayne's baby. He's a virtual expert on these contests, and I just love watching him work and interact with the readers. What I'm really looking forward to is that lucky Tribe that we get to fly out and do a private book party for next Spring!

WTB
The ARG was really CH's grand endeavor. I was his sounding board and threw my .02 in here and there. But really CH does the heavy lifting with the ARG.


8. Who is your favorite character in Curse of the Spider King and why?

CH
I'd have to say Kat. I love that she has everything that most teens want in terms of possessions, but still shows she is so unhappy inside. Our culture in the US tries to say that money, relationships, and fame is what makes you happy. But its not, and its a lesson that teens today really need to hear (and adults for that matter). The complexity of her character, both internally and externally, I find very fascinating and endearing.

WTB
Tough question. I like Tommy a ton b/c he's that unlikely hero type. He's got over protective parents and yearns to do something important with his life. So I like that a lot. But sentimentally, I think Mr. Charley is my favorite. He's a middle school janitor and gets very little respect from most. But he is so much more than meets the eye--just as all people are.


9. Do you guys watch any of the Stargate shows? The portals to Allyra are kinda like the gates in the show Stargate... yes I love that show :)


CH
I watched the original movie. Although I wasn't thinking of it at the time, I definitely see direct comparisons. That's got to be the quintessential portal in modern media!

WTB
I've heard of the show, but have never seen it. I think I saw the original movie as well, but that was a long time ago.


10. And last, but not least... do you have any words of encouragement or advice for aspiring writers?

CH
Plenty, but I have to run! Please visit http://www.christopherhopper.com/novels and read "Tips for Aspiring Authors."


WTB
Same here. Helping aspiring writers is what I do everyday. So I have tons of advice and instruction. Most of it is up on my blog http://enterthedoorwithin.blogspot.com Just check the sidebar under Writing Tips.

Thanks again for the great interview Wayne Thomas Batson, and Christopher Hopper, you two are awesome!

Purchase Curse of the Spider King at - http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1400315050

And don't forgot to see what other bloggers for this months tour are saying about, The Curse of the Spider King.


http://www.christiansciencefiction.blogspot.com"> Brandon Barr
http://fantastyfreak.blogspot.com/"> Justin Boyer
http://pagesofdiscovery.blogspot.com"> Amy Browning
http://valeriecomer.com/"> Valerie Comer
http://www.the160acrewoods.com/"> Amy Cruson
http://csffblogtour.com/"> CSFF Blog Tour
http://word-up-studies.blogspot.com"> Stacey Dale
http://www.scificatholic.com/"> D. G. D. Davidson
http://sjdeal.blogspot.com"> Shane Deal
http://scriptoriusrex.blogspot.com/"> Jeff Draper
http://home.earthlink.net/~wyverns/"> Emmalyn Edwards
http://projectinga.blogspot.com/"> April Erwin
http://virtualbooktourdenet.blogspot.com/"> Karina Fabian
http://anewnovelistsjourney.blogspot.com"> Todd Michael Greene
http://realmofhearts.blogspot.com/"> Ryan Heart
http://fantasythyme.blogspot.com"> Timothy Hicks
http://jessebecky.wordpress.com/"> Becky Jesse
http://crisjesse.wordpress.com"> Cris Jesse
http://www.spoiledfortheordinary.blogspot.com/"> Jason Joyner
http://www.molcotw.blogspot.com/"> Julie
http://carolkeen.blogspot.com/"> Carol Keen
http://krystisbooks.blogspot.com/"> Krystine Kercher
http://www.tinakulesa.com"> Tina Kulesa
http://www.realheartprints.com"> Melissa Lockcuff
http://rebeccaluellamiller.wordpress.com/"> Rebecca LuElla Miller
http://mirathon.blogspot.com/"> Mirtika
http://linalamont.blogspot.com/"> Nissa
http://www.leastread.blogspot.com/"> John W. Otte
http://oohbooks.blogspot.com"> Cara Powers
http://www.chawnaschroeder.blogspot.com/"> Chawna Schroeder
http://www.jamessomers.blogspot.com/"> James Somers
http://specfaith.ritersbloc.com/"> Speculative Faith
http://www.epictales.org/blog/robertblog.php"> Robert Treskillard
http://frederation.wordpress.com"> Fred Warren
http://www.galacticoverlordinchief.blogspot.com/"> Jason Waguespac
http://christian-fantasy-book-reviews.com/blog/"> Phyllis Wheeler
http://www.novelteen.com/"> Jill Williamson
http://kmwilsher.blogspot.com/"> KM Wilsher

CSFF Blog Tour :The Vanishing Sculptor

The September CSFF Blog Tour is on a book called, The Vanishing Sculptor by Donita K. Paul. I had the honor of meting Donita K. Paul last year at the Motiv8 Fantasy Fiction Tour... what an awesome lady with a huge heart, who really loves and enjoys what she does!

About the Author~
Donita K. Paul retired early from teaching school, but soon got bored! The result: a determination to start a new career. Now she is an award-winning novelist writing Christian Romance and Fantasy. She says, “I feel blessed to be doing what I like best.”

She mentors all ages, teaching teenagers and weekly adult writing workshops.

“God must have imprinted 'teacher' on me clear down to the bone. I taught in public school, then home schooled my children, and worked in private schools. Now my writing week isn’t very productive unless I include some time with kids.”

Her two grown children make her proud, and her two grandsons make her laugh.

Tipper is a young emerlindian who’s responsible for the upkeep of her family’s estate during her sculptor father’s absence. Tipper soon discovers that her actions have unbalanced the whole foundation of her world, and she must act quickly to undo the calamitous threat. But how can she save her father and her world on her own?

The task is too huge for one person, so she gathers the help of some unlikely companions--including the nearly five-foot tall parrot Beccaroon--and eventually witnesses the loving care and miraculous resources of Wulder. Through Tipper’s breathtaking story, readers will discover the beauty of knowing and serving God.

You can purchase The Vanishing Sculptor here http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1400073391

And please check out her website http://www.donitakpaul.com/ it has tones of fun things like go to Fun Stuff and click on Offers... you can get a free personalized autographed Bookplate... how cool is that! Or go to Exclusives and click on Recipes that are from the world Amara ( some I'm for sure trying) and go to Interactive and click on Prize Drawing and enter for a chance to win a cool prize every month and receive Donita K. Paul's newsletter. I can't tell you everything that's there, cause there is so much! :)

And don't forgot to see what other bloggers for this months tour are saying about, The Vanishing Sculptor by Donita K. Paul :)

http://www.christiansciencefiction.blogspot.com"> Brandon Barr
http://jimfictionreview.blogspot.com/"> Jim Black
http://fantastyfreak.blogspot.com/"> Justin Boyer
http://bookshiddencorner.blogspot.com/"> Rachel Briard
http://www.kcreviews.blogspot.com"> Karri Compton
http://www.the160acrewoods.com/"> Amy Cruson
http://csffblogtour.com/"> CSFF Blog Tour
http://word-up-studies.blogspot.com"> Stacey Dale
http://www.scificatholic.com/"> D. G. D. Davidson
http://scriptoriusrex.blogspot.com/"> Jeff Draper
http://projectinga.blogspot.com/"> April Erwin
http://virtualbooktourdenet.blogspot.com/"> Karina Fabian
http://lindarg.wordpress.com/"> Linda Gilmore
http://anewnovelistsjourney.blogspot.com"> Todd Michael Greene
http://cloakanddaggerfiction.blogspot.com"> Katie Hart
http://realmofhearts.blogspot.com/"> Ryan Heart
http://jessebecky.wordpress.com/"> Becky Jesse
http://crisjesse.wordpress.com"> Cris Jesse
http://www.spoiledfortheordinary.blogspot.com/"> Jason Joyner
http://www.molcotw.blogspot.com/"> Julie
http://carolkeen.blogspot.com/"> Carol Keen
http://krystisbooks.blogspot.com/"> Krystine Kercher
http://momofkings.wordpress.com/"> Dawn King
http://rebeccaluellamiller.wordpress.com/"> Rebecca LuElla Miller
http://mirathon.blogspot.com/"> Mirtika
http://www.questwriter.blogspot.com/"> Eve Nielsen (posting later in the week)
http://linalamont.blogspot.com/"> Nissa
http://www.leastread.blogspot.com/"> John W. Otte
http://residentialaliens.blogspot.com/"> Lyn Perry
http://prochristroetlibertate.blogspot.com/"> Crista Richey
http://www.cherylrussellwrites.wordpress.com"> Cheryl Russell
http://www.chawnaschroeder.blogspot.com/"> Chawna Schroeder
http://www.jamessomers.blogspot.com/"> James Somers
http://specfaith.ritersbloc.com/"> Speculative Faith
http://www.rachelstarrthomson.com/inklings/"> Rachel Starr Thomson
http://www.epictales.org/blog/robertblog.php"> Robert Treskillard
http://christiansf.blogspot.com/"> Steve Trower
http://frederation.wordpress.com"> Fred Warren
http://www.fantasyandfaith.com"> Dona Watson
http://christian-fantasy-book-reviews.com/blog/"> Phyllis Wheeler
http://kerani-in-the-world.blogspot.com/"> Elizabeth Williams
http://kmwilsher.blogspot.com/"> KM Wilsher

http://enterthedoorwithin.blogstop.com">Wayne Thomas Batson

"Curse of the Spider King"!!!

This is way too funny:) A vid for "Curse of the Spider King." Coming soon to a book store near you. I can not wait!

The Seven succeeding Elven Lords of Allyra were dead, lost in the Siege of Berinfell as babes. At least thats what everyone thought until tremors from a distant world known as Earth, revealed strange signs that Elven blood lived among its peoples. With a glimmer of hope in their hearts, sentinels are sent to see if the signs are true. But theirs is not a lone errand. The ruling warlord of Allyra, the Spider King, has sent his own scouts to hunt down the Seven and finish the job they failed to complete many ages ago.

Now 13-year-olds on the brink of the Age of Reckoning when their Elven gifts will be manifest, discover the unthinkable truth that their adoptive families are not their only kin. With mysterious Sentinels revealing breathtaking secrets of the past, and dark strangers haunting their every move, will the young Elf Lords find the way back to the home of their birth? Worlds and races collide as the forces of good and evil battle. Will anyone escape the Curse of the Spider King?

Come join the fun :) http://www.heedtheprophecies.com/

CSFF August Blog Tour :Offworld:Day Two

I would like to apologize again for any confusion I gave people on my first post. I promise to try not to do that again in the future :)

Christopher Burke and his crew of NASA astronauts are the first human beings to walk on the surface of Mars. Their return to Earth was supposed to be a momentous day. But a surprise is waiting for them there that's beyond imagining.

Safe after a treacherous landing in Florida, the crew emerges to find the unthinkable: every man, woman, child, and animal has vanished without a trace.

It's not a dream.

It's not a trick.

It's real.

Alone now on their home planet, the crew sets out to discover the extraordinary secret behind the disappearance of mankind. And whether or not everyone can be brought back.

But they may not be as alone as they thought.

~My review on "Offworld".
Offworld, was a page turner. From the very first page it sucked you in. It's an easy read with lovable characters. You won't be able to put it down.

My mom even read this book and she is not at all a SciFi and Fantasy fan. It took her just two days to finish it. She was a little disappointed on the ending, but all in all enjoyed it.

The only disappointment I have for Offworld, is that it is more of a secular kinda book... I really didn't find Jesus anywhere in it. It's for sure a clean read, but it did not fulfill me like other Christian fiction has. I would recommend it, especially to SciFi fans.

And I don't know if anyone else realized this, but if you flip to the back of the book to "about the author" there is a little website at the bottom of the page called www.somethingiswrongwiththeworld.com check it out:)

Don't forget to check out what other blogers for this months tour are saying about Offworld by Robin Parrish.

http://www.christiansciencefiction.blogspot.com"> Brandon Barr
http://jimfictionreview.blogspot.com/"> Jim Black
http://fantastyfreak.blogspot.com/"> Justin Boyer
http://www.AdventuresInFiction.blogspot.com/"> Keanan Brand
http://uponreflectionblog.blogspot.com"> Gina Burgess
http://canadianladybugreviews.blogspot.com"> Canadianladybug
http://www.aweakrose.blogspot.com"> Melissa Carswell
http://valeriecomer.com/"> Valerie Comer
http://www.kcreviews.blogspot.com"> Karri Compton
http://www.the160acrewoods.com/"> Amy Cruson
http://csffblogtour.com/"> CSFF Blog Tour
http://word-up-studies.blogspot.com"> Stacey Dale
http://www.scificatholic.com/"> D. G. D. Davidson
http://scriptoriusrex.blogspot.com/"> Jeff Draper
http://projectinga.blogspot.com/"> April Erwin
http://virtualbooktourdenet.blogspot.com/"> Karina Fabian
http://lindarg.wordpress.com/"> Linda Gilmore
http://bethgoddard.blogspot.com/"> Beth Goddard
http://anewnovelistsjourney.blogspot.com"> Todd Michael Greene
http://cloakanddaggerfiction.blogspot.com"> Katie Hart
http://realmofhearts.blogspot.com/"> Ryan Heart
http://jessebecky.wordpress.com/"> Becky Jesse
http://crisjesse.wordpress.com"> Cris Jesse
http://www.spoiledfortheordinary.blogspot.com/"> Jason Joyner
http://www.molcotw.blogspot.com/"> Julie
http://carolkeen.blogspot.com/"> Carol Keen
http://krystisbooks.blogspot.com/"> Krystine Kercher
http://momofkings.wordpress.com/"> Dawn King
http://forstrose.blogspot.com/"> Melissa Meeks
http://rebeccaluellamiller.wordpress.com/"> Rebecca LuElla Miller
http://mirathon.blogspot.com/"> Mirtika
http://www.questwriter.blogspot.com/"> Eve Nielsen (posting later in the week)
http://linalamont.blogspot.com/"> Nissa
http://www.leastread.blogspot.com/"> John W. Otte
http://residentialaliens.blogspot.com/"> Lyn Perry
http://ansric.blogspot.com/"> Steve Rice
http://www.chawnaschroeder.blogspot.com/"> Chawna Schroeder
http://www.jamessomers.blogspot.com/"> James Somers
http://specfaith.ritersbloc.com/"> Speculative Faith
http://www.captivated00.blogspot.com/"> Stephanie
http://www.rachelstarrthomson.com/inklings/"> Rachel Starr Thomson
http://christiansf.blogspot.com/"> Steve Trower
http://frederation.wordpress.com"> Fred Warren
http://www.fantasyandfaith.com"> Dona Watson
http://kerani-in-the-world.blogspot.com/"> Elizabeth Williams

You can purchase "Offworld" here http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0764206060

And visit Robin Parrish’s Web site - http://www.robinparrish.com/
or Twitter/ follow Robin Parrish :) - http://twitter.com/robinparrish

CSFF August Blog Tour :Offworld:Day One

Today is the first day of the August CSFF blog tour on a book called "Offworld," by Robin Parrish. Today I would like to share with you a little about this author, along with a small interview (I found on his website on the extras page.)

Robin Parrish is the author of Bethany House Publishers' suspense/thrillers, The Dominion Trilogy: Relentless (2006), Fearless (2007), and Merciless (2008). His next novel is a science fiction thriller titled Offworld, and is scheduled for publication Summer 2009. Two further novels are already contracted and in the works for Summers 2010 and 2011. A successful, 14-year journalism career -- where he covered all aspects of pop culture and entertainment -- gave Robin a profound respect for deadlines and a strong work ethic as a writer. His credits include About.com, CMCentral.com, INFUZEmag.com (which he also created), and PopCultureGeek.com (co-creator). Each of these positions allowed Robin to analyze his favorite storytellers and stories, which range from Joss Whedon and J.J. Abrams to Tolkien and C.S. Lewis.

Robin's distinct voice as a writer largely comes from his life's experiences -- most notably the death of his father in 2002 at the much too young age of 58. Robin is also a chronic pain sufferer (a topic he rarely talks about publicly), which has given him a unique perspective on the transitory nature of human existence. Much of what he writes about boils down to an examination of just what this thing we call "existence" really is. He cites among his major influences television shows such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Babylon 5, Lost, Battlestar Galactica, The X-Files; comic books like Spider-Man, Avengers, and Runaways; and movies and movie makers like Star Wars, Pixar Animation Studios, M. Night Shyamalan, Christopher Nolan, Bond, Bourne, and many more.

Robin is currently a full time writer. He and his wife Karen and son Evan live in High Point, NC. He has an unhealthy obsession with Facebook, he is unable to resist a Krispy Kreme original glazed donut regardless of the time of day, and he does not own nearly as many LEGO Star Wars kits as he feels he should.

"Robin Parrish is a keen-eyed, passionate pop cultural savant, whose writing is as incisive and insightful as it is entertaining." - Allan Heinberg, Executive Producer, Grey's Anatomy

Why do you sign your signature as "M. Robin Parrish"?

My first name is Michael, after my dad. I've always gone by Robin, so that is my proper name. But since I rarely write in cursive (I prefer to print), the only time I usually do anything in cursive is when signing a check, which requires my full name. Hence, the signature requires the M, and I can't seem to reprogram my brain to do it any other way when signing books.

---

I heard you attend San Diego Comic-Con every year. Is it true, and could I hook up with you there?

I have gone to Comic-Con for several years now, and hope to continue going for as long as I'm able. But getting quality one-on-one time at Comic-Con with anyone is a rarity, as anyone who's ever been knows. Comic-Con is 125,000 people's worth of not-quite-contained chaos, and I'm usually running around right in the middle of it all. But I do enjoy meeting new people there, so if you're at Comic-Con, just look for a lanky guy with skin a shade brighter than the sun. (Wait, that doesn't narrow it down, does it?)

---

Your books read like movies. Is anyone ever going to make a film or series of films from the Dominion Trilogy?

I probably get asked this more than anything other question, and the answer is complicated, so let me explain how the book-to-movie transition works, for those who don't know.

For those of us who aren't Michael Crichton or John Grisham, it's a very convoluted process. It begins when the writer (that's me) writes his book. Sometimes Hollywood producers find out about hot new titles that are in the works in advance, through industry trade publications. But more often, a producer or someone from a film production company will stumble across a book in a bookstore or a library, or hear about a great book from a friend, become interested, and contact either the author or their agent to inquire about the film rights.

If the producer decides to purchase the rights (and that's a very big if), then they now own the exclusive option to make a movie based on your book. Note the word "option." This ownership in no way guarantees that the movie will ever get made. (And most options usually run out after five to ten years, if there's no movie by then.) After the rights are owned, getting a movie greenlit is a cumbersome task, and involves acquiring major studio funding (particularly for a film that would require a big budget for action and visual effects), which is not as easy as it sounds. There's talent that has to be lined up (director, actors, screenwriters, etc.), and all of these stars and planets have to align perfectly, within a single, workable timetable or schedule, in order to make a movie happen. If all of these things take place, then at long last, a writer's book is turned into a movie. But it's worth noting that unless you're J.K. Rowling, the writer has virtually no input whatsoever about the if, how, or when your book will be turned into a movie.

So as much as I'd love to see it happen, I am the last person who could ever make it come to pass.

---

You claim to be a Christian. Yet your novels contain precious few references to God, Jesus, the Bible, or even a sinner's prayer. What gives?

My stock answer to this question is always, "I wonder if Tolkien or Lewis were ever criticized for their novels not being 'Christian enough'."

(I imagine they probably were.)

---

Merciless recounts a pseudo-historical backstory about the origins of the Secretum of Six, which mingles facts from the book of Genesis with your own ideas. Do you actually believe in this alternate view of history? Either way, why write something like this?

Part of the fun of being a writer is the chance to color outside the lines and ask "What if?" about anything and everything. One technique storytellers have used for ages is to look at recorded history, find the gaps in the recounted tales, and use that question "What if?" to fill in those empty spaces.

This is what I've done with the Dominion Trilogy. It's a narrative rooted in the biblical, historical story of Cain and Abel, and then expanded upon with fictional ideas. It's nothing more than another of these "What if?" scenarios.

---

Eye color?

Blue.

---

Height?

6'1".

---

Weight?

Um, rude.

---

Birthmarks?

No markings, but I was born with a double earlobe on my left ear.

---

Any piercings? Tattoos?

Not my style.

---

How many broken bones have you had? Surgeries?

Had a stress fracture once, but never broken anything. Never had surgery, either.

---

Walmart or Target?

Tar-zhay.

---

PC or Mac?

Aren't all creative people Macs? They should be.

---

Favorite clothing store?

I'm a hardcore Clearance shopper, so there are quite a few stores where I'll always run in and check the clearance rack: Gap, Old Navy, Eddie Bauer, Bass, Haggar, Geoffrey Beene, LL Bean, the list goes on.

---

Favorite food?

Italian.

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Favorite restaurant?

Macaroni Grill.

---

Favorite guilty pleasure?

Krispy Kreme donuts. The hot sign being on when I drive by is evidence that God loves me.

~Tomorrow I will share my review on what I thought about Offworld, so please come back :) Until then see what the other bloggers for this months tour are saying about, "Offworld" by Robin Parrish.

http://www.christiansciencefiction.blogspot.com"> Brandon Barr

http://jimfictionreview.blogspot.com/"> Jim Black
http://fantastyfreak.blogspot.com/"> Justin Boyer
http://www.AdventuresInFiction.blogspot.com/"> Keanan Brand
http://uponreflectionblog.blogspot.com"> Gina Burgess
http://canadianladybugreviews.blogspot.com"> Canadianladybug
http://www.aweakrose.blogspot.com"> Melissa Carswell
http://valeriecomer.com/"> Valerie Comer
http://www.kcreviews.blogspot.com"> Karri Compton
http://www.the160acrewoods.com/"> Amy Cruson
http://csffblogtour.com/"> CSFF Blog Tour
http://word-up-studies.blogspot.com"> Stacey Dale
http://www.scificatholic.com/"> D. G. D. Davidson
http://scriptoriusrex.blogspot.com/"> Jeff Draper
http://projectinga.blogspot.com/"> April Erwin
http://virtualbooktourdenet.blogspot.com/"> Karina Fabian
http://lindarg.wordpress.com/"> Linda Gilmore
http://bethgoddard.blogspot.com/"> Beth Goddard
http://anewnovelistsjourney.blogspot.com"> Todd Michael Greene
http://cloakanddaggerfiction.blogspot.com"> Katie Hart
http://realmofhearts.blogspot.com/"> Ryan Heart
http://jessebecky.wordpress.com/"> Becky Jesse
http://crisjesse.wordpress.com"> Cris Jesse
http://www.spoiledfortheordinary.blogspot.com/"> Jason Joyner
http://www.molcotw.blogspot.com/"> Julie
http://carolkeen.blogspot.com/"> Carol Keen
http://krystisbooks.blogspot.com/"> Krystine Kercher
http://momofkings.wordpress.com/"> Dawn King
http://forstrose.blogspot.com/"> Melissa Meeks
http://rebeccaluellamiller.wordpress.com/"> Rebecca LuElla Miller
http://mirathon.blogspot.com/"> Mirtika
http://www.questwriter.blogspot.com/"> Eve Nielsen (posting later in the week)
http://linalamont.blogspot.com/"> Nissa
http://www.leastread.blogspot.com/"> John W. Otte
http://residentialaliens.blogspot.com/"> Lyn Perry
http://ansric.blogspot.com/"> Steve Rice
http://www.chawnaschroeder.blogspot.com/"> Chawna Schroeder
http://www.jamessomers.blogspot.com/"> James Somers
http://specfaith.ritersbloc.com/"> Speculative Faith
http://www.captivated00.blogspot.com/"> Stephanie
http://www.rachelstarrthomson.com/inklings/"> Rachel Starr Thomson
http://christiansf.blogspot.com/"> Steve Trower
http://frederation.wordpress.com"> Fred Warren
http://www.fantasyandfaith.com"> Dona Watson
http://kerani-in-the-world.blogspot.com/"> Elizabeth Williams

You can purchase "Offworld" here http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0764206060

And visit Robin Parrish’s Web site - http://www.robinparrish.com/
or Twitter/ follow Robin Parrish :) - http://twitter.com/robinparrish