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Book 2 name chosen: Dragon Slayer: Rising

Posted by faithforward@gmail.com 
· Wednesday, June 25th, 2014 

Naming a novel is not an easy thing to do…

cover representationI’ve vacillated back and forth many times on what to name this second book, and the more time I spend doing my edits (I’m in the 2nd round of my personal edits right now), the more I’m being drawn to the name “Dragon Slayer: Rising.” It fits what’s going on, in two ways.

1 In this book, the Dragon Master cult begins to rise to dominance. Naturally, I’m not going to tell you how that happens (you’ll have to get the book), but I can say this: It’s unexpected and overall spectacular.

2 In this book, the Dragon Slayers (yes, more than one) begin to rise to oppose the dragon masters. Again, can’t say much but the call is out for willing folks. Being a bit crazy doesn’t hurt either.

3 A host of other supporting characters will rise to the surface, and the plot thickens and gets more twisted as a result. Ooooooh, I love the intrigue of it all!

And in case anyone is wondering, I’m going to have the same artist as before do the cover for this one, only in dark hues (black, grey) and with a different looking dragon in the carving. The image to the right is just my hacked version of the idea in my head. Reggie will do SUCH a better job, believe me.

Pray for me as I work on my edits

I’m trying to “refine my craft” as the hoity-toity author types say and it’s quite a challenge. I’m seeking to do it through better characterization, better description (of people, places, and action), and more colorful and gripping language – all without being too cliched or sappy. It’s a tall order and I’m seeking the LORD’s help.

My main goal is to make these novels helpful to the real lives of real people. I want the truth of God to be represented accurately through the lips of the characters and the circumstances they face. I want the power of scripture to touch the heart of every reader.

Thanks again for your support. Your encouragement is a lift to my soul!

Categories : the publication process, the writing process, Uncategorized
Tags : book #2, christian author, christian fantasy novel, Christian novel, dragon slayer book
writing retreat

Heading off to another writing retreat

Posted by faithforward@gmail.com 
· Tuesday, April 29th, 2014 

Yes, this beautiful scene is where I’ve been blessed to be able to go for my most recent writing retreats…

IMG_20140312_082324_940though I’m hoping for much less snow this time of year. I have some friends who are in transition and have been in need of a house-sitter, dog-sitter while they are making arrangements for a move… so I’ve taken advantage of the opportunity to get alone and write.

My last writing retreat wasn’t as successful as I’d have liked.

Though I was away for 4 straight days, I only got 10,000 words done. Some of the reason was other work responsibilities that kept jumping onto my plate during that time, but I also ate something that was bad and fell ill one night.

Man, that was the worst… being sick, and not at home.

This time, I’m pretty optimistic that barring any circumstances like those, I should be able to crank out at least 40,000 works on the rough draft of my second novel in the Dragon Slayer series, which would put me pretty close to the end of that book.

Then would come the second draft, personal editing, etc. before I send it out to beta readers. By the way, if you’re interested in being a beta reader for the next novel, you can contact me about that possibility.

I’d appreciate your prayers for my retreat…

Yes, I pray about my retreats. I see the fiction that I’m producing as being much more than stories. They are opportunities to put the truth of God into an engaging format that can push folks to think about the very real circumstances of life, in light of God and His truth. I find it to be a combination of creative and teaching gifts the LORD has entrusted to me, and it’s a lot of fun.

  • Pray for me to have the diligence and discipline needed to sit down and write.
  • Ask the LORD to give me His desires for the story arc and plot, as well as the theological issues the story should bring up.
  • Pray for me not to miss my family too much (and vice versa). These retreats are great for writing, but hard on relationships.

Thanks for your support and help. I couldn’t do this without you.

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Categories : the writing process
Tags : christian author, christian fantasy, christian fiction author, writing retreat