What People saying about In His Image

by J. Grace Pennington

I was asked to talk about what fans are saying about In His Image, and what some of my favorite reviews have been.  As I mentioned in my interview, Sarah Holman’s review stating that the story encouraged her in her faith was extremely special, but I’ve also very much enjoyed hearing feedback from other readers.  One young lady said that while the first book was perhaps a little too much like Star Trek for her taste, In His Image was different, with a surprising twist.  Several readers stated  that this book was better than the first, giving reasons ranging from better writing style to more realistic character development, to a better integration of elements of religion and faith.  It’s always encouraging to hear that one’s writing is improving!

One of my favorite reviews stated that this book is “sadder” than the previous one, though still with a happy ending, and this reader applauded me for being willing to “rough up” my main character.  I share this lady’s frustration with perfect characters who never seem to get hurt or be in any serious danger, so this was a valuable compliment!

Another encouraging piece of feedback that’s been consistent is the interest among readers who admit that they would not normally call themselves sci-fi fans.  Despite the rather nerdy space elements, they can connect with the adventure, the characters, and the emotion, which is exactly what I was hoping to accomplish.  I’ve also had multiple reports of people reading the book in two days or less, with one reviewer’s sister staying up to read it in one night!

Overall, the reader reaction has been encouragingly positive, which is an incredible blessing to me as the author.  In His Image has been called “suspenseful,” “engaging,” “exciting,” and “out of the ordinary.”  I am humbled by these descriptions, and I can only hope that the novel itself does not disappoint those who read it after seeing what a wonderful picture is painted by its reviewers thus far.

J. Grace Pennington is here to talk of Sci-Fi, Stargate, and much more

HA: J. Grace, welcome back to Homeschool Authors.

J. Grace: Hello!  Thank you for having me again!

HA: What inspired Firmament: In His Image?

J. Grace: I was greatly inspired by the first Stargate movie.  It got my wheels turning with story ideas before I even came up with the Firmament series, and after I wrote Radialloy, it seemed like a perfect fit to incorporate those ideas into Firmament.  I was also inspired by a question that was posed at the science-fiction talk at the 2009 Christian Filmmakers Academy--what does it mean to be made in the image of God?

HA: What is the most encouraging review you have received so far on this book?

J. Grace: It would have to be Sarah Holman’s review on her blog.  What made this review so special, even more so than the many other reports of people reading the book in twenty-four hours or so, is that Sarah said the book challenged and inspired her faith.  That means so much to me, since that is the number one reason I write.

HA: When you are not writing, what do you enjoy doing?

J. Grace: I love reading, of course, and I also enjoy playing and listening to music, knitting, watching movies and TV, hanging out with family and friends, taking walks, filmmaking, and putting together stylish outfits!

HA: What do you plan to read this summer?

J. Grace: I pretty much plan on just reading as much as I possibly can this summer.  A few examples are Gods & Generals by Jeff Shaara, By What Standard? by R. J. Rushdoony, Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers, Bonhoeffer by Eric Metaxes, Kiss by Ted Dekker, the last four books of Katie Lynn Daniels’ Supervillain of the Day series, Sarah Holman’s Destiny trilogy, A Letter of Mary by Laurie R. King, E. M. Bounds on Prayer, and much more!

HA: What are some of your favorite books of all time?

J. Grace: Too many to list, but a few are Me, Myself, & Bob by Phil Vischer, With by Skye Jethani, Stepping Heavenward by Elisabeth Prentiss, Rose in Bloom by Louisa May Alcott, Runt the Brave and Runt the Hunted by Daniel Schwabauer, David Copperfield and A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens, and Grace for the Good Girl by Emily Freeman.

HA: Can you give us a sneak peek into your work-in-progress?

J. Grace:

            “I swear to you, Guilders, if I didn’t know better…”

            “…you’d think he was a sensible, well-trained officer,” another voice spoke up.  We all looked up to see the Doctor standing next to the table holding a tray of food.

            The Captain relaxed slightly and smiled, and Guilders scooted his chair over to make more room.

            “What’s this all about?” the Doctor asked as he sat down.  “You’ve got all your feathers ruffled, Trent.”

            “Guilders is being narrow-minded.”

            The Doctor huffed as he picked up his spoon.  “And you’re probably being a little too broad-minded.  Perhaps a perfectly balanced individual like myself could be of help.”

            The Captain scoffed.  “You’re more narrow-minded than he is.”

            “Let me guess -- this is about Captain Holloway’s proposal.”

            The Captain nodded and opened his mouth, but the Doctor held out his hand to signal a pause, bowed his head for a moment, then took a bite of his casserole.

            “You have the same old-fashioned ideas he does,” the Captain smiled.  “If not more of them.”

            “Your ideas aren’t exactly in mint condition themselves,” the Doctor retorted.  “You’re a Machiavellian, Trent.”

            “Nothing wrong with that,” the Captain smiled.  “Though I’m not sure I see how it applies at the moment.”

            “You want to disobey the rule you promised to stick to in order to do something you think is good.”

            “I know all about what I’m doing, thank you,” the Captain insisted.  “But I still don’t see how it’s Machiavellian.”

            I frowned at the Doctor.  “What’s a Machiavellian?”

            He had his mouth full, so Guilders spoke instead, pushing his empty dishes away.  “You’re not familiar with Niccolo Machiavelli?  The Prince?”

            “I don’t think so.  What was he the prince of?”

            The Doctor swallowed.  “He wasn’t a prince.  He wrote a book called The Prince about getting and keeping power.”

            “But when people say Machiavellian,” Guilders said, “they’re usually referring to the ‘Machiavellian principle.’  The idea that any action is appropriate when used to work towards a goal that is itself appropriate.”

            “The end justifies the means,” the Doctor translated.

            “That’s not what I’m doing,” the Captain insisted.

            “If you’re not, no one ever has,” the Doctor scoffed.  Before the Captain could retort, he went on.  “But if it makes any difference, I know Captain Holloway is a liar.”

HA: What should readers expect when they read In His Image?

J. Grace: A mysterious, intriguing adventure full of twists and turns that challenges what they believe it means to be human.

HA: Do you have any final thoughts?

In His Image is only one step in a much larger adventure.  I hope that readers will enjoy it will be able to look forward to finding out what happens next when Machiavellian is released this October!

Grab In His Image for $0.99 this week, read it, review it, and enter for a chance to win it.

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Book Review: The Ranch Next Door and Other Stories

Age Appropriate For: All Ages

Best for Ages: 10 and up

Description: A collection of Western short stories that go beyond the standard action and adventure of the genre to focus on character and conflict. In the award-winning "Disturbing the Peace," honorable mention in the 2010 Rope and Wire short story competition, a sheriff experiences a revelation about himself and his relationship with the people of his town, while in "The Outlaw's Wife," a country doctor worries that his young friend is falling for a married woman whose husband is rumored to be a wanted criminal. From the suspenseful "Cross My Heart" to the comedic romp of "A Rangeland Renaissance," to a Western twist on star-crossed romance in the title story, "The Ranch Next Door," these stories will appeal to a variety of readers, as well as established fans of the traditional Western.

There are just some days where the thought of tackling a full length novel is overwhelming. The thought of wading through 200 to 500 pages is too much. For days like that, short stories are such a blessing, and collections like The Ranch Next Door make it even better.

Short stories can often feel rushed, or poorly done. In the case of The Ranch Next Door and Other Stories, that is not true. The stories are well written and felt compete. Elisabeth Grace Foley is truly talented in engaging her readers and connecting them to her character in a very short space of time, a key element in successful short stories.

I loved the western feel to all the stories. My siblings and I were obsessed with Roy Rogers, the Lone Ranger, and other western movies when we were younger. These stories brought back those fond memories of those days. Even though they were western, they were fresh and unique stories.

I highly recommend this collection for those looking for a nice, clean, short story collection.

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Other books by Elisabeth Foley reviewed by Homeschool Authors

War Memorial

The Ranch Next Door and Other Stories: What Reviewers Have Said

“Wonderfully told short stories that will hold your attention until the last word...Foley injects a breath of fresh air into the Western genre.” ~ Matthew Pizzolato, The Western Online

“Descriptions of both people and settings are superbly done and dialogue is believable. I can honestly say there isn’t a weak story to be found here...I believe that all western fans will find something to enjoy in this collection.” ~ Western Fiction Review

“Foley has a firm, intelligent grasp on the storytelling style she brings to her subject matter. The tone and mastery of language is consistent throughout. After a couple stories, you just know you’re in competent hands.” ~ Ron Scheer, author of How the West Was Written

“Well written, genre busting stories...focusing on family tensions, and on character rather than on out and out action...brilliantly comic descriptions.” ~ Bookstackreviews.com [website now defunct]

“I love the [western] setting and Foley's collection is a perfect example of how artlessly it can fit into the short story length.  She clearly understands how to add just enough detail for the reader to form a rich picture in their mind and not get bogged down by an excess of scenery description…If you enjoy westerns, this is definitely an author you'll want to check out.” ~ Alain Gomez, Book Brouhaha

Catching the Details

By Elisabeth Foley

We historical-fiction writers know well enough the importance of research. Before launching into a project, we study books and records and photographs and memoirs, immersing ourselves in our chosen era till we know its roads and towns and fashions and domestic life well enough to write about them with ease. But in spite of research jobs well done, there are some details small enough that they don’t even register in our minds as we write. You know the type—things that may finally catch your eye on a third or fourth round of edits, or may not intrude upon your notice at all until a test-reader questions them. I’ve found that I usually end up fact-checking at least one or two things in a manuscript at the very last stages of polishing for publication. For example:

I had to do more research for my short Civil War story, War Memorial, than for any other project, because of its setting at the real-life location of Gettysburg. But still, it wasn’t until I was deep in editing that it occurred to me to check and see if the break-top model of revolver I’d mentioned briefly in the story was in use at the time. It wasn’t. So I had to rewrite a sentence slightly to accommodate the correct model. I also noticed that I’d automatically described a Bible’s pages as “thin” and “crackling,” based off my own experience. I was able to get in touch with an expert on Bible printing, and learned that some small 19th-century Bibles were indeed printed on thin rice paper that resembled the pages of our modern-day Bibles. No changes necessary there!

That wasn’t the only time fact-checking led me to an interesting historical tidbit. A book of matches plays a rather key role in my latest release, Left-Hand Kelly, but when my mother read it she suggested I check to make sure book matches had been invented before my time period (early 1900s). And what did I learn? Joseph Pusey, a cigar-smoking Pennsylvania attorney who disliked having to carry a bulky box of matches around with him, patented the first paper matchbook in 1889. He sold his patent in 1896 to the Diamond Match Company, who became the first mass-producers of the product. My fictional matchbook was safe and I’d acquired a little history lesson in the process.

And then there’s the smallest of anachronisms which can still have a jarring effect—the wrong word. In a yet-unpublished manuscript, I described a house as having been “modernized.” A test-reader questioned whether that word would have been in regular use in the 1890s…and the more I looked at it, the more I agreed that it didn’t feel right. I replaced it with the phrase “brought up to date.” And on my third round of edits for Left-Hand Kelly, I noticed that I’d had my narrator say he was “hitchhiking.” I thought I’d better double-check the origin of the word…and sure enough, I found it didn’t come into existence until the 1920s. Out it went.

And that’s what careful editing and test-reading is for. Most of these little incongruities can be fixed without damage to the story. The only time they can really throw you is if your plot actually turns on something as small as a revolver—or a matchbook—or a word. In that case…it’d be just as well to double-check the details beforehand!

Elisabeth Foley talks of Westerns, Sons of the Pioneers, and much more

HA: Elisabeth, welcome back to Homeschool Authors.

Elisabeth: Thank you! I’m happy to be back here again.

HA: What inspired the stories in this book?

Elisabeth: Oh, a variety of things. Some developed from just tossing plot ideas around in my mind; “Angel Unawares” and “Disturbing the Peace” both began with a scrap of something from a dream. The one with the most unusual inspiration, though, is “The Ranch Next Door.” I’m a big fan of the famous Western singing group the Sons of the Pioneers. One of their chief songwriting members, Bob Nolan, wrote several hundred songs, including some considered “lost”—the titles were registered for copyright but no recordings or sheet music have survived. I saw the title “The Ranch Next Door” on a list of these songs one day, and it started me wondering. What was so special about the ranch next door? Before I knew it, I was thinking out a story to fit it.

HA: What is the most encouraging review you have received so far on this book?

Elisabeth: Probably the review I received from the Western Fiction Review blog. Coming from a reviewer whom I wasn’t previously acquainted with online, and someone who focuses specifically on Westerns and reads many of them, the warm praise was particularly gratifying.

HA: When you are not writing, what do you enjoy doing?

Elisabeth: Well, a lot of reading, naturally! I love music—I listen to it a lot, sing, and play a bit of piano and harmonica. I enjoy crocheting and needlepoint; I like watching old movies and sports (football and basketball), and spending time outdoors—swimming a lot in the summertime, and going for long walks whenever the weather permits at any time of the year.

HA: What do you plan to read this summer?

Elisabeth: As a matter of fact, I shared my whole summer reading list on my blog a couple of months ago. I just finished Until That Distant Day by Jill Stengl, which was excellent. Some books I’m looking forward to reading are National Avenue, the only book in Booth Tarkington’s Growth Trilogy that I haven’t caught up with yet; Five Came Back: A Story of Hollywood and the Second World War, which looks like an interesting piece of historical nonfiction; and a couple that I’ve seen recommended by lots of online friends: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society and Dear Mr. Knightley. Yes, I do have pretty eclectic tastes.

HA: What are some of your favorite books of all time?

Elisabeth: Well, I think my Goodreads favorites shelf probably answers that question pretty thoroughly.

HA: Can you give us a sneak peek into your work-in-progress?

Elisabeth: My summer project is going to be re-editing Corral Nocturne, a Western Cinderella-retelling I wrote last year for Anne Elisabeth Stengl’s Five Glass Slippers contest. I’ve decided to rewrite and expand parts of it a bit, and hopefully publish it later this year. Here’s my Pinterest storyboard for the project, if you’d like to take a peek.

HA: What should readers expect when they read The Ranch Next Door and Other Stories?

Elisabeth: The stories are very much in the traditional Western mold, so readers who are already Western fans should feel right at home. But they aren’t just action-based shoot-’em-up Westerns; they’re built around character and conflict and the human interest at the heart of the story—so readers who like any historical fiction, or simply like a good story, should enjoy them too. They are also all-ages-appropriate, without being overly simplistic.

HA: Do you have any final thoughts?

Elisabeth: I see and hear a lot of people say “I don’t read Westerns,” maybe more than they say it about any other genre. I can understand how the genre has gotten a bit of a clichéd shoot-’em-up reputation. But there is room in a well-written Western for just as much genuine drama and humor and conflict as in, say, a well-written fantasy novel. I’d encourage historical-fiction lovers in particular to look for the quality Westerns out there and give them a try.

Thank you for hosting me here, Sarah! It’s been a pleasure.

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Guest Post: The worlds of Rachel Starr Thomson

by Rachel Starr Thomson

This week’s feature—ABADDON’S EVE—is Book 1 of a new series called The Prophet Trilogy. Fans will have to wait until August to read Book 2, but in the meantime, Rachel Starr Thomson’s prolific pen has produced many other exciting, thought-provoking, and sometimes humorous stories—whole worlds, in fact.

Rachel’s most popular series to date is The Seventh World Trilogy. WORLDS UNSEEN, BURNING LIGHT, and COMING DAY are set in a fantasy world that owes its milieu to medieval, Reformation, and Victorian Europe and Great Britain. Its characters, with Maggie Sheffield at the helm, find themselves at the center of a centuries-old war between powers that underlie their world.

What are readers saying about the Seventh World?

5 stars. A SPECTACULAR SURPRISE!!!

By Henry C. Martin "Dreamwriter"

Talk about being blindsided! I was quickly drawn into another world where evil was attempting to finalize its grip on a darkened world.

5 stars. Amazing Well-Written Fiction like C.S. Lewis - you won't be disappointed!

By S. Walker

Amazing well-written fiction of the likes of C.S. Lewis, Chronicles of Narnia, and easier to read than J.R.R.Tolkien. I have been looking for good fantasy fiction that depicts good versus evil, especially with the twist of the "unseen realm". Rachel Starr Thomson nailed it beautifully! She gives us characters we can care about, plot lines that are well thought out and conflict that resonates with our souls. In the midst of it, she also causes us to lift up our heads and look for another realm - something good that is higher, something good that is coming even when evil abounds. We need more creative fiction like this - that entertains yet holds a deeper mystery of Truth.

5 stars. Fantastic blending of characters, writing styles, intense action and poignant moments

By Beleafer

As soon as I finish this review, I am getting the next book in the series! This is the first book I have read by Rachel Thomson, and it was an excellent read. She changed styles from poetry to dialogue to third person narrative and back again so fluidly that the story was one of the richest reading experiences I have had in a long time.

Then there’s the Oneness Cycle, just released in 2013. The Oneness books are set in a relatively modern world, much like the American west coast in the 1990s. Its characters are the Oneness: men and women who belong to an interconnected body charged with the task of holding darkness at bay in the universe. The Oneness Cycle—EXILE, HIVE, ATTACK, RENEGADE, and RISE—are a fascinating and thought-provoking set of stories that, in a world of very real spiritual warfare, may prove to be surprisingly relevant.

Here’s just some of the early reader response:

5 stars. The fiction I've waited for my whole life!!!

By Mercy Hope

I have tried reading fiction over the years and eventually assumed that I was just not a fiction fan. This series has changed my mind!! I am HOOKED! I just got book 2: "Hive" and cannot wait to start it! I am going to be reading every book in this series. I have been recommending it to all my friends. Imaginative, insightful and brilliant. Loved the twists and turns, but also how much I could relate to certain characters. I recommend this even to readers who think they are not fiction fans!

5 stars Gripping plot, great characters

By Phyllis H. Wheeler

Rachel Starr Thomson has an engrossing story going on in this spiritual warfare series, where "Oneness" warriors fight demon-possessed people under no certainty of winning. Highly recommended.

5 stars. Good versus Evil

By A Navy Vet

Some belong to the "Oneness" and some don't want to become one of them. Conversely, the Hive is buzzing with evil and searching for new members.

This is an intriguing read that has a wonderful cast of characters . . . Found this a fascinating read and the inherent message that one is "never alone" resonates true with me. Pray, pray, pray. And, as the ending illustrates sometimes it is the "power of the unexpected" that will be the greatest surprise to others.

5 stars. Fast Paced

By Alexis

Plot twists and lots of edge-of-your-seat action, I had a hard time putting it down! Waiting with great anticipation for the next in the series. Christians will appreciate the deeper meanings woven throughout the story, I know I found myself relating to each character at different points in the story; their struggles are real life and the Author does a beautiful job of developing each character and drawing you in. Gently, the Author places timeless truths in a non-preachy way for the reader to meditate on as they read.

But that’s not all. Whether it’s the haunting love story of TAERITH, the heartwarming coming-of-age tale ANGEL IN THE WOODS, the humorous romp of LADY MOON, or the old-fashioned adventure of REAP THE WHIRLWIND, Rachel’s books are full of intriguing characters, unforgettable places, and gripping stories, plus her signature insight and lyrical writing style.

The Prophet Trilogy will wind up this fall with Book3, BELOVED. In the meantime, there are worlds to explore.

Guest Post: Favorite Homeschool Authored books

by Rachel Starr Thomson

It’s been thirteen years since I graduated high school as a homeschooler, so I’m part of the early homeschooling generation. It’s been a lot of fun to see how various of my counterparts have fared in different careers and ways of life, but of course, I’m especially interested in the authors—those who share my own career path!

I discovered the work of Anne Elisabeth Stengl a few years back when I was reading books for a competition. The book in question was Veiled Rose, one of her Tales of Goldstone Wood stories. From the first paragraph, I knew I was in the hands of someone who could write—a master both of language and of the harder-to-define art of storytelling. The mystery, the beauty, the fear, and even the humour evoked in the first few pages made the book impossible to put down.

As it happens, Veiled Rose won a Christy award the year it was released. The prior book in the series, Heartless, did too. And this year, another Goldstone Wood book, Dragonwitch, is a Christy finalist. And there are more: Moonblood, Starflower, Shadow Hand, and Golden Daughter round out the continuing series. The books can be read in order or as standalones.

My first impression has held true: Anne Elisabeth Stengl’s books are entertaining, powerful, and beautiful. They have grace and depth, and they’re a joy to read.

I didn’t actually know we were fellow homeschooler grads until very recently, so it’s with pleasure that I recommend these stories as some of the finest work being put out among those who share our educational background—and some of the finest work being put out in the Christian fantasy market, period.

You can check out Anne Elisabeth’s books at her blog: anneelisabethstengl.blogspot.ca

P.S. All that, and Anne Elisabeth is also doing fantastic and creative things as an indie publisher. Go visit her blog!

Guest Post: Why you write what you write

by Rachel Starr Thomson

Recently, while reading a great book on writing (Million Dollar Outlines by Dave Farland; check it out!), I learned that most kids are drawn to stories that invoke a sense of wonder. Because everything in this world is still relatively new to them, they love stories about discovery, about new and wonderful people and places and things.

That’s why kids are some of the biggest readers (and watchers) of fantasy and other speculative fiction, aka “wonder literature.”

As a kid I think I was more drawn to wonder literature than most, possibly because in my imagination, the world always had more to it than met the eye. When other girls were playing dolls, I was lost in a world of talking trees, warring animal tribes, and a variety of mythic beings.

Well, that conception of the world stuck. (No need to call for professional help—I actually can tell the difference between reality and fiction!) And as I’ve gotten older, I’ve learned that in some ways, it’s accurate. There is more to life than meets the eye. That’s true whether you’re coming from a spiritual angle (angels and demons are real, to say nothing of our Invisible but Always-Present God) or a material one (atoms—who knew?).

That’s why I write what I do—a mix of fantasy forms that always seem to have one foot in the “real world” and one foot in the fantastic, visible or invisible. I still feel a sense of wonder about the world, and I still want to communicate it. Sometimes the best way to do that is to transport readers to other worlds—ones that will help them see this life differently, maybe more accurately.

My books also tend to be, at heart, love stories—whether it’s the love between romantic partners, friends, family members, or people and their God. I write about connection, loss, sacrifice, and hearts in the process of being purified. Why? Because of all the invisible forces in the world, love is the one closest and most urgent for all of us.

Another theme that recurs in my books is searching after truth. That’s a strong theme in my recent Oneness Cycle stories, as the interconnected members of the Oneness seek out truth about each other, themselves, and the Spirit that binds them together. It’s there in the Seventh World Trilogy, where Maggie and the others must unlock the secrets of the past in order to triumph over the darkness of the present. And it’s a major part of the Prophet stories, of which ABADDON’S EVE is the first book.

I hope that as readers explore my worlds with me, they’ll find themselves strengthened to love, seek after truth, and experience wonder.

Guest Post: Writing Advice

by Rachel Starr Thomson

Don’t Take My Advice!

As a writer and editor, I get a lot of aspiring writers asking me for advice. I also spend a lot of time looking for advice—trying to find out how other writers solve problems and move forward in their careers. I’ve been doing this for about fifteen years now, so I’ve heard a lot of tips and given nearly as many. Show, don’t tell. Avoid info dumps. Don’t overuse exclamation points. Stay away from said bookisms (look that one up if you don’t know what it is). Write every day. Always outline. Never outline.

But my number-one piece of advice? Don’t take my advice!

That is, not without trying it and discovering whether it works for you.

The truth is, every writer is different. Every book, every story is different. Inspiration comes in different ways; words get on paper in different ways. And if we all wrote by the exact same rules, our stories would all be exactly the same, and we’d get so bored we’d quit writing.

It may sound counterintuitive, but in writing, there are no rules. There is only collected wisdom and experience, tips and tricks that may or may not apply in your situation. Your job as a writer is to find out what works for you and use that. (And if it changes down the road—if you’re an outliner one day and the next day find outlines are sucking the life out of your writing and you need to pants it for a while—then your job is to go with the flow and make whatever changes are necessary.)

If you’ve been struggling to apply everything you’ve learned about writing and are finding that some of it just isn’t working, this post is permission: Stop struggling. Throw out any advice that isn’t working for you. Do what does work. The goal is a finished story or book. This isn’t a math test, and you don’t have to show your work.

And have fun.

(Unless, of course, having fun doesn’t work for you.)

Rachel Starr Thomson talks about childhood favorites, Olde Testament prophets, and much more

HA: Rachel, welcome back to Homeschool Authors.

Rachel: Thanks, Sarah! It’s always great to be here.

HA: What inspired Abaddon’s Eve?

Rachel: I was doing a heavy Bible reading schedule that had me going through the Old Testament prophets regularly. The prophets are always amazing, but one day I was really struck by the book of Joel and its terrible prophecy of destruction and corresponding offer of mercy if the people would only respond to God. I got thinking about how it would feel to have such a prophecy over your nation, and how you might try to communicate it to others. The Prophet Trilogy was born out of that, with Abaddon’s Eve the first of three books (“Abaddon” means “Destruction”).

HA: When you are not writing, what do you enjoy doing?

Rachel: I keep really, really busy with my editing business and touring with a Christian arts company I co-founded (I’m a speaker, singer, and spoken-word artist with them). When I’m just relaxing, my favourite things to do are enjoy a cup of coffee or tea, go for a walk, or read a truly wonderful book. Or go to Disney World, but that last is a little pricy.

HA: What do you plan to read this summer?

Rachel: I’ve got a shelf of theological books, one of Bryan Davis’s dragon trilogies, and Patrick W. Carr’s marvelous novels waiting for me. If I can get through all of that, I’m hoping to go back and start rereading some of my childhood favourites.

HA: What are some of your favorite books of all time?

Rachel: Those childhood favourites still hold a lot of sway: among them, C.S. Lewis’s Narnia Chronicles, Lloyd Alexander’s Prydain books, Susan Cooper’s The Dark Is Rising Sequence, The Jungle Books, The Lord of the Rings, and books by George MacDonald. But I can never really pinpoint favourites. There are just too many of them.

HA: Can you give us a sneak peek into your work-in-progress?

Rachel: I’m currently writing Book 2 of The Prophet Trilogy, Comes the Dragon. It picks up where Abaddon’s Eve leaves off and naturally, gets our heroes into much deeper trouble. As the story opens, Alack is far from home, prophesying to a pagan king; Flora is still a captive; and Rechab is finding out just how unprepared she is to handle power and wealth. But the uncovering of a terrible plot will draw them all together in the Holy City, where they must inspire their people to listen to the message they carry or be consumed by the enemy within.

HA: What should readers expect when they read Abaddon’s Eve?

Rachel: A quasi-historical Middle Eastern setting, prophecies and dreams, wild men and wealthy women, austere desert communities and fugitives running for their lives. With a little romance thrown in as well.

HA: Do you have any final thoughts?

Rachel: It’s great to be here in this community of authors and readers. Thanks for this opportunity!

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Book Review: Resistance by Jaye L. Knight

Buy it Here

Age Appropriate For: 15 and up for mild violence, and mildly scary scenes

Best for Ages: 15 and up

Description: Could God ever love a half-blood all of society looks upon with such fear and disdain? Jace once believed so, but when a tragic loss shatters the only peace he’s ever known, his faith crumbles as the nagging doubts he’s tried to put behind him descend on his grieving heart. With them come the haunting memories of the bloodstained past he longs to forget, but can never escape. Taken from home at a young age and raised to serve the emperor, Kyrin Altair lives every day under a dangerous pretense of loyalty. After her unique observation skills and perfect memory place her into direct service to the emperor, Kyrin finds herself in further jeopardy as it becomes increasingly difficult to hide her belief in Elôm, the one true God. Following the emperor’s declaration to enforce the worship of false gods under the penalty of death, many lives are endangered. But there are those willing to risk everything to take a stand and offer aid to the persecuted. With their lives traveling paths they never could have imagined, Jace and Kyrin must fight to overcome their own fears and conflicts with society as they become part of the resistance.

When I found out Molly had a new pen name, I was skeptical. I mean, who needs two pen names? After finishing this book, I think I understand. Although I really enjoyed her early works she has come a long way in her writing. Resistance is 10 times better than any of her previous books.

I entered this book thinking that it was going to be a fun, adventures story, and a pretty light read. That isn’t what I got. I can tell that Knight spent hours dumping herself into this book. This tale is emotional, deep, and soul-stirring.

Each of the characters was so well developed. Kyrin was my favorite, but Jace and Kaden are a close second and third. Each of them has their own struggles and strengths. Each of them faces challenges both within and outside themselves that they must work through. These challenges and how they deal with them gave each of the characters depth and made them feel so real.

Ilyon, the country, felt very real as well. Knight did an excellent job giving them history, costumes, dress, and all the other necessities of culture, and she wove the details into the story flawlessly.

The spiritual aspect of this book was what surprised me most. Under her other pen name, Knight always had a spiritual aspect to her books that I enjoyed. However, this book really packed a punch with not only a strong message, but one that is intricately woven into the story.

Some aspects of this book are hard and even difficult to read. Kyrin especially sees and goes through some very traumatic events. Knight did a very good job of not being too graphic, but some of the things she goes through and sees may disturb younger children or those who are more sensitive.

This book left me wondering if I would be willing to stand up for my faith if it would cost me much. I have spent a lot of time thinking about it and examining my own heart. It also left me desperate for the next book. I hope it is not too far from being published.

I highly recommend this book for those who love non-magical fantasy, realistic characters, faith building stories, and tales with lots of adventure.

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I received this book from the author in exchange for my honest review. I was under no obligation to write a positive review. The opinions in this review are entirely my own.

Deep Character Point-of-View – Part 2 by Jaye L. Knight

I hope you found my first post on deep POV helpful. Here is part two covering the last two of my four basic tips.

Tip number three. This is a big one to remember. Your POV character is never going to notice things he/she can’t see, especially about themselves. The best way to explain this is to give an example.

Anna slowly raised her watery blue eyes to face up to her mistake. Pink dusted her cheeks.

Can you spot what’s wrong here? There’s no reason in this scene that Anna would be thinking about the fact that she has blue eyes, and she certainly can’t see the pink blush on her cheeks. Here’s the correction.

Anna slowly raised her watery eyes to face up to her mistake. Warmth rose up her neck and into her cheeks.

This is sticking only to what the character can see and notice and shows the reader exactly what she is experiencing. Make a thorough check for anything that is outside of the character’s ability to notice or things that they would never be thinking about. It can be difficult sometimes, especially if it’s the character’s opening scene and you want the reader to know your character has flaming red hair or violet colored eyes. But the best thing is to wait until you can describe him/her from another character’s POV. Besides, the reader probably isn’t quite as interested in what color eyes your character has as you are. ;) (I have to remind myself of this sometimes.)

And finally, tip number four. This has to do with description. Any description—character description, setting description, etc.—should still involve your POV character in some way. When writing description, especially in fantasy and historical, you want your reader to see the setting (or whatever) clearly, so you can have a tendency to go on for a paragraph or two (or three sometimes), almost forgetting the character is even present. For this, I’ll use an example from Resistance that involves the opening scene with my main female character. It may not be the best example, but it’s better than trying to come up with a random scene. First, here it is with all the deep POV elements removed.

A murmur swept through the crowd and pulled Kyrin’s attention back to the platform where five men climbed the stairs. Four of the men bore the uniforms of Arcacian military. The man between them, however, wore a pair of stained linen pants and only a leather jerkin—the exact opposite of their clean, professional appearance. But his fearsome features commanded all the attention. He stood a good five inches taller than any of the guards who held the heavy chains attached to his shackles. Long, greasy strands of thick black hair fell around his hard face, which bore the bruises of recent beatings, and an unusual amount of black hair covered his muscular arms.

As you can see, it’s a fairly typical paragraph describing the guards and their prisoner. Here now is the example with the bits I took out, which are underlined.

A murmur swept through the crowd and pulled Kyrin’s attention back to the platform where five men climbed the stairs. Her stomach tightened. Four of the men bore the uniforms of Arcacian military—black and gold, just like her and her companions. The man between them, however, wore a pair of stained linen pants and only a leather jerkin—the exact opposite of their clean, professional appearance. But his fearsome features commanded all the attention. He stood a good five inches taller than any of the guards who held the heavy chains attached to his shackles. Taller even than Kaden. Long, greasy strands of thick black hair fell around his hard face, which bore the bruises of recent beatings, and an unusual amount of black hair covered his muscular arms.

See how I’ve tried to keep Kyrin involved in this scene with her thoughts and only things she would notice? First, there’s her reaction to the arrival of the men. Then I compared the men’s uniforms with what she and her companions were wearing. And finally, I mentioned the prisoner was even taller than her brother. This helped keep Kyrin present in the scene and not become momentarily forgotten amidst the description.

 These tips are just a few of many ways you can deepen the POV of your novel. I hope they can be useful for pointing you in the right direction. It’s something I actually get quite excited about when I sit down to edit. I love when I find just the perfect phrase or wording that helps deepen a character’s viewpoint and make their unique voice that much clearer. If you want to learn more, there are any number of articles and books to read. I highly recommend Rivet Your Readers with Deep Point of View by Jill Elizabeth Nelson. I happened to have it on my Kindle, and it was the first resource I read on the subject. It’s a great little book covering all the basics and was very helpful to me. You also must visit Camy Tang’s Story Sensei blog and read all her posts on deep POV. I learned so much from them, and she has many great examples (much better than mine). She also has great worksheets on character development and self-editing. Trust me, you will want to take a look at her posts. :)

Deep Character Point-of-View – Part 1 by Jaye L. Knight

Deep character point-of-view (POV) is, in my opinion, one of the most important aspects of a good book. About a year ago, I read the Books of the Infinite series, by R.J. Larson, which quickly became one of my top two favorite book series. One of the biggest things that really stood out to me was how well-crafted her character’s “voices” were and how I felt like I was right inside their heads. Karen Witemeyer, my favorite historical author, is another writer who is very good at this. Last fall when I began seriously editing Resistance for publication, I knew deep POV was an area where I could use some improvement, so I did a lot of research on it. Since this is such an important aspect to me while editing, I thought I’d share four primary tips on how I go about deepening the POV in my books.

First of all, this is not something I do in my first drafts. My goal when I’m writing that first draft is to get it down on the computer as fast as possible. This is when I break all the rules and fix it later. Editing is where deep POV really takes shape. One thing you constantly have pounded into you as a writer if you do any sort of studying of the craft is “show, don’t tell.” There is a good reason for this. “Telling” is not deep POV. It doesn’t get the reader right into your character’s head, which should be one of your primary goals in every scene. So what is telling exactly when it relates to deep POV? Here is an example of it using a completely random, made-up-on-the-spot character and situation.

Sally gave an unladylike snort and wondered why he thought she would ever trust him again.

It doesn’t sound too bad, but it could be so much deeper. Can you spot what makes this sentence an instance of telling? It’s the word “wondered.” It’s telling the reader that Sally is wondering. This happens when you use words like thought, realized, hoped, etc. Anything that tells what the character is thinking, realizing, hoping instead of showing it. The great thing is, most of the time you can just eliminate these words. Here’s an improved example of the sentence.

Sally gave an unladylike snort. Why in a million years would she ever trust a scoundrel like him again? She wasn’t about to have her heart broken.

You see? I just wrote down Sally’s thoughts without having to say that she wondered it. Starting with “why” and making the second sentence a question takes care of it. Plus you can see how I embellished the moment. The way you word things and the particular words you use are a great way to show the character’s unique voice. You can tell just from those couple sentences that Sally is a bit of a spitfire.

Here’s one more quick example. Notice how the way it’s worded presents a completely different sort of girl.

Telling: Sarah shrank away as tears pooled in her eyes, wondering how she could trust him again.

Showing: Sarah shrank away as tears pooled in her eyes. How could she ever trust him again? He’d already crushed her heart.

When I start deep editing my books, I always do a search for “telling” words and find ways to replace them. Now, this doesn’t mean you have to eliminate absolutely every single instance of telling. Sometimes the story flows smoother and faster with quick telling, but make sure you leave it for the right reasons.

Speaking of character thoughts, I’d like to mention character thoughts in italics. I think this is something everyone has done—I know I did it a lot in my first stories. Why bring this up? Wouldn’t that be deep POV since it’s exactly what the character is thinking? I suppose, and yet, now, when I read long strings of character thoughts, it sort of draws me out of the story instead of deeper into it. I want the whole paragraph to be deep POV instead of just the italicized sections. This is especially noticeable for me in third person stories. When you have italicized character thoughts, it reads like first person, so it’s a constant back and forth between first and third person that breaks up the flow. Here’s a random example.

Jason stared at the broken vase. Great, he thought, I’m really going to get it now. Mother is going to be furious.

That is exactly the kind of sentence I used to use all the time. The word “thought” is a word I search for in every chapter and have found I can delete almost every time, especially if it has anything to do with direct character thoughts. Here’s the improved example.

Jason stared at the vase. Oh, he was really going to get it now. Mother was going to be furious.

See? No need for italics at all. It’s deep POV and reads much smoother. Try to use italics only for short exclamations or thoughts like this:

Jason stared at the broken vase. Great. He was really going to get it now. Mother was going to be furious.

The only times I really use italicized sentences now is for short exclamations and when my characters are praying. That is where I make an exception.

Now to tip number two. This goes hand in hand with number one. Just like how you don’t want to “tell” what your character is thinking, you don’t want to tell what they’re feeling either. Try never to tell how your characters feel such as he felt sad, angry, hungry, etc. Find and eliminate the words felt/feel/feeling. Instead of “He felt hungry,” try “His empty stomach gave a low growl.” Or instead of “He stared at Tommy, feeling angry,” try “He glared at Tommy and curled his fingers into fists.” See? Much more vivid and puts the reader right into the characters shoes.

That covers the first two tips, and is a great place to start for deepening your characters’ POV. In my next post I’ll share my last two tips involving never mentioning things your POV character wouldn’t notice and making sure to keep them present and active in your descriptive paragraphs.