Twenty-Four: A Reflection

Today is my twenty-fourth birthday, and I am still learning. There are more questions now than answers, and I know that the insight that has been developing bit by bit through each new experience could never have been learned in a classroom.

Experience is an interesting thing. I have gone through pain and loss, success and joy. I am not the person I used to be, and I am not the person I will become.

I find it funny how I once viewed life in terms of black and white. Today I open the curtains and look at a world that is painted in an entire spectrum of gray.

My writing has changed as well. With all these new questions burning within me, my writing has become a journey not just for my characters, but for myself. I want to explore those tricky gray areas. I want to gain the wisdom of experience by living vicariously through fictional people who will never live outside of the written word. And most of all, I hope that others will take that journey with me—for we do not walk the earth alone, but together.

I think this is at the heart of why I write. I could pen a million words and never show them to another soul, but that would be a waste of the gift God has given me. He has opened my eyes so that others’ eyes may open. He wants me to share the stories with anyone who is willing to read them.

A year ago I wrote a story that is very close to my heart. I wrote it as a ghost story, but it is much more than that. It is a story of loss and anger, and one of letting go of the pain that prevents us from moving on from the past. But above all, it is a story of forgiveness. The title is Rage’s Echo, and it should be released this coming fall.

I encourage each of you to drop on by for a visit at www.facebook.com/jsbaileywrites so you can receive updates about Rage’s Echo (in addition to other writing endeavors). As always, I feel a bit of terror knowing that once again people will be picking up something that I wrote and thereby will take a glimpse into my soul, yet at the same time I can’t wait to share it with you. Are you with me? 

 

(Yours Truly, March 28, 1989)

It's Not About the Money

I was recently speaking with a man about writing and the necessary promotion thereof, and I made the comment that I would be much happier if I gave away 10,000 free copies of my novel that would each be read and loved than if someone bought 10,000 copies and shut them away in a warehouse never to be looked at again.

The man was surprised. Why would someone prefer the former over the latter? Shouldn't making money be important? Writing is, after all, a business.

The fact of the matter is that I write because it is what I am meant to do. I write so other people may read and enjoy my stories. I write so that I can touch another human heart and make someone gasp and exclaim, "Me too!"

Of course, it is not feasible for me to give away 10,000 copies of my stories for free (even though I would love to be able to do that!). I paid to be published rather than go with a traditional publisher, and every copy that is sold helps me regain that cost. I have yet to turn a profit--but that's okay! The dozens of positive reviews and comments I've received have shown me that people ARE enjoying the stories. And that, my friends, is the most important thing of all.

Have you read The Land Beyond the Portal? Hop on over to Goodreads and leave a review!

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11476658-the-land-beyond-the-portal

Be a Light!

"And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it." ~John 1:5

We turn on the television. We go online. We read the newspaper. It seems that tragedy and evil are everywhere we look. People are murdered in the streets. Nations go to war. Children are abused, hungry, and homeless.

We cast our eyes away in anguish. It hurts too much to look. Maybe if we can't see the pain and horror of it all, we can forget that it exists.

But, having once seen, we will always remember.

The knowledge of what we saw and choose to ignore hurts us deeply. If only we had not seen in the first place! We would never know that such evil exists. But we HAVE seen it. We know it is there, marring our world like storm clouds in a sunny sky.

We don't know what to do.

But then a voice speaks within us: "Awaken!" And though we don't want to, we crack open our eyelids and gaze upon the iniquity wrought by our kind. We almost can't bear the sight, so we start to look away again, but at the last second something else catches our eyes.

A glimmer of light. Which, upon closer inspection, is revealed to be many small lights: a congregation collecting food and clothing for the needy. Volunteers working at a soup kitchen downtown. A family welcoming an unloved child into their home. A retired mother babysitting a child for free so that a single mother might have a job to support her family.

A head bowed in prayer.

We are encouraged by these sights. We realize that we, too, can become lights among the shadows. The smallest acts of kindness can create a spark bright enough to light up a room. We can smile and tell someone we love them. We can help our neighbors in need. We can abstain from complaining so that others will not become discouraged. We can hold the hand of a grieving friend. And perhaps most simply of all, we can pray.

Two Paths (A Struggle)

Let me tell you about two authors, who for the sake of anonymity I will call A and B. Both authors are devout Christians. Both had childhoods that some of us might refer to as "dark." Both write terrifying novels that end in some kind of hope for the protagonist. They like to explore the grittier side of humanity, but good always triumphs in the end, even if Jesus and God are never mentioned explicitly in the text.

The biggest difference between these authors is that A writes for the secular market and B writes for the Christian market--which is where things get very interesting.

A's books contain graphic violence. The characters use some of the foulest language imaginable. They drink alcohol. Sometimes they even have sex--and most people have no problem with any of it, because as I said before, A writes for the secular market. The average reader is not going to become angered or disgusted by the contents of A's books.

B's books contain graphic violence. The characters generally don't use foul language. Sometimes they drink alcohol. If they have sex, we never see it. But evidently some people still find problems with B's books because "no Christian should ever write about" certain things that B writes about. If B's books don't mention God directly or if they contain a spectacular amount of gore, B is accused of "catering to the public" and "throwing Christians under the bus." If one of B's characters says a "bad" word, even if the character is a villain, readers will jump all over it saying that Christian authors should never, EVER use language like that, because, well, it isn't "Christian."

[blinks]

Now imagine if A were to write in the Christian market. A would be attacked for the graphic sex scenes and the language that would get a toddler's mouth washed out with a bar of Dial. A might even be accused of not being a Christian at all, even though faith shines through in most of the things A writes.

If B were to write solely for the secular market, a few people might complain about the religious aspects in B's novels, but that would be about it. Piece of cake.

"What does this comparison have to do with anything?" you might ask.

It has to do with EVERYTHING, at least as it pertains to myself as a novelist. I am a Christian. I write fiction. But do I write Christian fiction? I would like to think so--after all, The Land Beyond the Portal and Vapors are both considered to be such. I like to write about realistic characters. In future works of mine you will likely see characters drinking alcohol. They might listen to hard rock, have tattoos, and be jokingly irreverent. Because PEOPLE act like this. If I can't write about "real" people, then why should I be writing at all?

I know that no writer will be able to please everybody. All of us are different and view the world through different lenses. I get that. But I need to make a decision. Do I write for the Christian market like B and get slammed when somebody feels uncomfortable about something that a character says or does, or do I follow A's path and write for the secular market, placing myself at risk for criticism from non-Christians who don't feel comfortable when characters talk about God? What's a girl to do?

[yanks out fistfuls of hair]

Other authors are in the same boat that I have found myself in, so at least I am not alone in this struggle. It is my hope that in the future we will be able to pick up our literary machetes and hack a new path through the jungle of fiction, carving out a brand new market for ourselves so that we may please the readers who want to find hope and redemption in this gritty, twisted world we call our home.

But for the time being, which path will I choose?

"Yes, there are two paths you can go by, but in the long run

There's still time to change the road you're on."

--Led Zeppelin

Let the Giveaway Begin!

GIVEAWAY TIME!

That's right, folks. Today, more than two years after I set up this page (www.facebook.com/jsbaileywrites) in order to showcase my writing and borderline insanity, we made it to 500 "likes." Only I know each one of you is much more than a simple click and a screen name. If I could gather all of you together and give you a ginormous group hug, I would; even though you're far more likely to find me hiding behind my laptop screen than out in public giving free hugs.

THANK YOU for the kindness, generosity, and support that you have extended to me by sharing links to the page, leaving reviews on Amazon and Goodreads, and by simply being here. Every new author starts out with only a handful of readers, but after two years, this page sees "likes" from more than twenty countries and more cities than I can count. I am so grateful for you all!

As promised, as a sign of my appreciation, one lucky winner will receive The Land Beyond the Portal and Vapors (sorry, cool candles not included!). In order to enter this giveaway, you MUST email jsbailey@jsbaileywrites.com with GIVEAWAY as the subject and your full name in the body of the email. The winner will be chosen at 12pm EST on Wednesday, February 20. Will it be you?

A Chat with Abby Ryan

Do you love stories brimming with action and romance? Do you enjoy battles that pit good against evil? Do you fawn over complex characters whose gut-wrenching decisions could affect the lives of everyone in the realm? If so, pull up a chair and meet Abby Ryan, author of the YA fantasy series The Light and Dark Chronicles, which starts off with Orphan of the Shadows and continues with The Black Trinity, which releases February 5. The series chronicles the lives of the citizens of Aleunna, the most prominent of whom are Elon, the heir to the Aleunna throne; her adoptive siblings Zedikajah and Gwenhafar; and a trio of unsavory characters named Sheva, Albree, and Tarrek (the "Black Trinity") whose father is king of the dark land of Jasikx. 

First of all, tell us about your new novel The Black Trinity. 

The Black Trinity is sequel to my first novel Orphan of the Shadows and is full of danger, adventure, hope, music, and discovery.

The best way to describe it without giving it away is to just give you the backmatter: 

He could feel violence take control of his arms and legs. He felt his fingers brush the hilt of his dagger, but it wasn’t him touching it. He wasn’t telling his body to move. If anything, he was telling it to run.

All of a sudden, Tarrek felt a surge of evil wash over him. Darkness more powerful than any he had ever felt ran through his limbs. He couldn’t help but feel that something vital had changed in the realm, something between the balance of Light and Dark. If he’d known what Sheva and the others had just achieved, he would have known he was right… 

It’s been four months since Elon said her goodbyes to the streets and has taken up a life of never ending prosperity. Even though she is now an envy of others, her life is still not free of trouble. Enemies lurk at every turn, but not just during her waking hours. Every night now Elon is haunted by nightmares—awful visions of the future that may or may not come true.

In an effort to try and grant her peace, Elon’s adoptive brother, Zedikajah, soon convinces her to attend a summer program. It is at an art school in Hûloden Kingdom where summer romance is brewing and creativity runs deep. Sadly, even there it is not safe.

Darkness is plotting to take over the kingdom in a wave of terror and imminent death. However, they are also facing threats of their own. With a new enemy pursuing them, the Black Trinity may have more than the Light to fear. When even the hunter is being hunted, the chance of victory for Light and Dark is teetering briskly in all directions. 

What inspired you to start writing The Light and Dark Chronicles? 

God did. When I was little God gave me visions. He showed me the books I would write, and he filled me with a passion to do so. Now I am just so very connected with all the characters and the world itself. It’s all so real to me. I believe it’s that connection that keeps me writing. 

If you could have one character on your side during a battle, who would it be? 

AKANE! Everybody may think Kaj is the best fighter, but dude, it was Akane who made him that way. She’s very strong and intelligent, and she’s fast in the heat of battle. I would trust my life to her any day because of how strong her determination and sense of loyalty is. 

The world of Bratched has an intricate history, a variety of languages and cultures, and a belief system that mirrors Christianity. How long did it take for you to develop this world? What was the first thing you knew about Bratched? 

You forgot to say that the world has a plethora of intricate governments. Oh, I guess that’s because I haven’t really written about them. I just know the build of the government in Alëunná and Zégurkö and the Elves and the faeries and… yeah, stuff you probably don’t need to know, but me as the author just was curious enough to discover.

Okay, so how long did it take me to develop this world? Well I’ve been working on it for nearly 14 years now, and I’m still discovering new things about it! Like the tribes in Èlena that were inspired by our African tribes and the jungle in North Lèmuel that was inspired by my recent fascination with elephants and jaguars... Every time I write something new comes forth.

Let’s see, the first thing I knew about Bratched… I knew that it had a realm named Alëunná which had a kingdom named Ridgámá with a capital named Ridge Court. The very first story I ever started to write for the Light and Dark Chronicles took place in Ridge Court. If you’ve read the books now, though, I’m sure you’d notice we haven’t even been to Ridge Court. Honestly, I don’t know if we ever will go there anymore… It was just a part of the developing process for me. 

Do you have any writing quirks? 

I usually have to write in silence in a closed in space where no one can bug me.... And people better not disturb me for as long as I write or they may just get the evil eye... 

What are you working on now? 

I’m working on 0.2 A Twist on Reality. It is the second book in the prequel to Orphan of the Shadows in the Light and Dark Chronicles. It’s got about 3 chapters yet before it’s finished, but I haven’t been writing in general for about 3 months now. I’m actually focusing more on my singing and drawing/ painting abilities. I figured it was okay to take a break from writing since I had done it nearly nonstop since I was in junior high. (I’m 2 years out of high school now.)

When I do finish ATR, I want to finish Mistaken Identity, which is the sequel to The Black Trinity. I have about 6 chapters left on that. 

Do you have any events lined up where people can meet you and purchase your books? 

Not yet. Like I said, I’ve been taking a much-needed break from all this book stuff. But events will be trickling in soon. People can find updates about them on my website under the events page. http://lightanddarkchronicles.com

Sounds great, Abby! Thank you for taking the time to stop on by!

The Black Trinity may be ordered from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Parable Christian Stores.

 

A Chat with Tosca Lee

Good afternoon, denizens of the Internet! With us today is special guest Tosca Lee, critically-acclaimed author of Demon: A Memoir and Havah: The Story of Eve and coauthor (with novelist Ted Dekker) of The Books of Mortals trilogy. Lee's upcoming novel, Iscariot, delves into the life of Judas, the betrayer of Christ, and will be released on February 5, 2013.

So tell us a bit about Iscariot. What was it like writing it?

It took a long time--about a year and a half to research and another year and a half to write and edit. By the time the books releases in just over ten days, it will have been nearly five years since my last solo release. I did write the Books of Mortals series during the last two years of that time, but overall, Iscariot was quite an undertaking. There was a lot of hair-pulling going on at my desk. :)

Your solo novels center around "maligned" characters from Biblical history. What draws you to these characters and makes you decide to tell their stories?

We're so fast to extoll the virtues of "good" characters in the Bible (while neglecting many of their shortcomings) and to condemn the actions of the maligned characters--without seeing our own foibles in them. All of these characters are important--they inform our redemptive history and reflect facets of ourselves. We might have been as brave as Abraham (and, at times, as foolish). We might have been as short-sighted as Eve (and as long-suffering). And we might have made the same decision as Judas.

Why is your prose so doggone beautiful?

LOL! You're so sweet. I love the rhythm of language. But trust me, it doesn't always come out that way on the first go. Every now and then I luck out. The rest of the time I work at it.

Many of your fans are aware of your passionate love affair with bacon. What would you do if all bacon suddenly vanished from the face of the earth?

<blink> Wonder if I'd been left behind.

If you could go back in time and meet yourself at a younger age, what one piece of advice would you give yourself in regards to writing or life in general?

I'd tell myself to keep writing. There were long lulls where I didn't write (other than random snippets, sketches, or notes for future stories). To not take things too personally or look to others for fulfillment, and not drink so much coffee.

Do you have any writing quirks?

I can't work if my kitchen is dirty or my counters are smudged. I feel better if my house is clean, my laundry is done, and the mail is sorted. This is all massive procrastination, though--there comes a point where order falls completely by the wayside and I'm just obsessed, running for the finish line. Maybe that's why every time I finish a project, I clean out all my closets, cupboards and drawers. Or it could be the OCD.

We know you're currently working on another project. Are you allowed to tell us about it yet, or would you have to kill us if you did?

I'm returning to the old Testament, to the feminine voice, and the City of David. Hints are on my Pinterest board. ;)

Ooh, sounds exciting! :) Anyway, thanks for dropping by to chat!

Tosca Lee can be found lurking at www.toscalee.com and http://www.facebook.com/pages/Tosca-Lee/176692373117. Iscariot can be preordered here.

In Jesus, Judas believes he has found the One – the promised Messiah and future king of the Jews, destined to overthrow Roman rule. Galvanized, he joins the Nazarene’s followers; ready to enact the change he has waited for all his life. But soon Judas’ vision of a nation free from Rome is crushed by the inexplicable actions of the Nazarene himself, who will not bow to social or religious convention – who seems, in the end, to even turn against his own people. At last, Judas must confront the fact that the master he loves is not the liberator he hoped for, but a man bent on a drastically different agenda.

Iscariot is the story of Judas, from this tumultuous childhood to his emergence as the man known to the world as the betrayer of Jesus. But even more, it’s a singular and surprising view into the life of Jesus that forces us to reexamine everything we thought we knew about the most famous – and infamous – religious icons in history.