Good Reads

Are you done with your shopping? Need some last minute Christmas gift ideas? Never fear!

Here at Spoiled for the Ordinary we specialize in randomness, so a shopping guide is perfect.

I've seen a lot of pitches for giving a book this Christmas, to encourage the year-long gift of reading and learning. However, many people end up buying a series with long waiting times in between books. You don't want your loved ones to be frustrated!

That's why I've listed several series that have several books already published. Most are completed, so you can get the whole series, or at least have several books to read before you need another one - giving the author a chance to catch up to you.

Remember, if one book is a good gift, three or four are even better!
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If they like historical action with a dash of controversy a la "The DaVinci Code," then consider The Gifted series by Lisa T. Bergren. Set in 1300's Italy, a group called by God with special gifts must navigate the power plays of Catholic leadership and the darkness of Lord Abramo Amidei. I  recently picked up the first book The Begotten for a minute and ended up reading the whole book again. Engrossing - and much better than Dan Brown.

One of the most unique characters in literature right now is The Bug Man, Nick Polchak. He's a forensic entomologist who is brilliant with science and clueless socially. Tim Downs writes this series and his sense of humor, suspenseful stories, and trademark ick factor of a CSI show makes each one a treat. Several can be read stand alone, but he is working them as a series with the last several ones.

How about a little more alternative history? Stephen Lawhead is one of the best mythological writers out there. He loves to tie into old tales and bring them to life in his fiction. In The Raven King series, he does his own take on Robin Hood, taking him from Sherwood Forest in England and settling him into the dark woods of medieval Wales. An excellent series.

A little more modern? Try the series of coming to age tales in the deep South starting in the 1940's, only with a spiritual warfare twist: The Black or White Chronicles by John Aubrey Anderson. The first book, Abiding Darkness, made me laugh and cry on the same bus ride. The next two books were just as engaging. After a publisher change, I have started into book four, The Cool Woman.

Current trends support superhero powers - just look at the hit movies from the summer of 2011! If you're looking for that in book form, you can't beat Robin Parrish and his Dominion Trilogy. When the main character gets Shifted into a new, powerful body with amazing powers, he finds other people wearing similar rings as him, with varied superhuman abilities. He also finds a conspiracy tracing through time, waiting for the moment with he would arrive! Suspenseful to the nth degree, Robin writes a literary comic book that rocks.

Maybe they need a laugh. You can't beat Rene Gutteridge for this, and her Occupational Hazards books will keep you in stitches. The Hazard family grew up homeschooled and helping their parents with a clown business. When the parents die in a tragic hot tub accident, the different siblings look to make their way in the world. Their innocent faith and honest integrity lead them to a news room, an airline spy, and working as an undercover cop with fits and giggles.

If they need a book to challenge their grey matter, then check out the Chronicles of Chaos series by John C. Wright. When the Titans of old are force to live in an English boarding house, they discover burgeoning powers that bend physics and mythology into a strange, wonderful blend. If you like quantum mechanics mixed with your Greek gods, then this is the series for you!

If you're looking at the young adult set, my first and best recommendation is The Wingfeather Saga by Andrew Peterson. Three children wonder about their place in the world, living under the oppresion of the Fangs of Dang. If only they knew they were the fabled Jewels of Anniera, and that they were destined to rule a fabled land. If they don't get eaten by toothy cows first. Whimsy, lyrical, touching, and just too much fun, these books are worth adult reading as well!

Last but not least, there's a great suspense series set in my own state of Idaho that will keep you up at night. Brandilyn Collins specializes in Seatbelt Suspense (meaning you better hang on!). In her Kanner Lake series, a small Idaho mountain town and its quirky residents must confront evil when murder and mayhem shakes up their idyllic setting. These books defy being put down, and also make lack of sleep a distinct option (from staying up too late reading or being too scared to turn out the lights - both are known to happen).

I hope you've enjoyed this special service. May your Christmas be full of joy and your tree stocked with good reading for 2012!
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The Benefit of Blog Tours

I've been a member of two blog tours, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance and the Christian Sci-fi and Fantasy Tour, for over two years now. I've had the privilege to review many good books and enter into some great discussion with others out there in the blogosphere.

Even though this has benefited me, what about the authors? Do the writers who have offered up their work for review get a measurable boost from the coordinated focus of a blog tour.

So far I'd have to say there's no direct benefit to a blog tour.

I come to this conclusion from from two sources. Brandilyn Collins has been involved with the CFBA tour since its inception, and I recall her blogging that she hasn't seen specific movement of more books associated with a blog tour. However, with her marketing experience, she knows the value of getting her name and books out there with visibility.

Also, I was involved with a tour for Authentic Parenting in a Postmodern Culture by Mary DeMuth, and Mark Goodyear tracked measurable stats regarding the tour. They tracked how many books were sold directly through Mary's site. His conclusion was that there wasn't a large increase in sales from the well-organized tour.

However, does this mean blog tours aren't worthwhile?

I would say that there are benefits to blog tours that aren't easily measurable, at least not directly. Maybe people don't rush out and buy the book from Amazon right away, giving noticeable statistics.

My argument is that it is worthwhile for authors to do blog tours in order to get their book out there and find some people that could turn into influencers. I suggest this can be a big benefit for authors.

I can think of several authors whose books I would not have read if not for getting their book for review: Rene Gutteridge, Lisa Bergren, John Aubrey Anderson, and Tom Morrisey to name a few. All of these authors have won me over with the quality of their writing and their interesting stories. What has happened is I have become their advocate. I continue to think of them as I refer people to good authors.

Not only that, but I support them more than I would have earlier. Even though through the blog tours I generally receive the books from the publisher to review, I have purchased books from the writers above. Either I've purchased other books in their catalog, or I buy the books I've already read to give away to others. I also lend out books so others can given them a try and hopefully get interested enough to purchase other books in the future.

Of course this can happen randomly. Maybe I would have picked up one of these books in Barnes and Noble (I have no local Christian bookstore). I do recall looking at Anderson's first book, Abiding Darkness, at B&N. But I never bought it. I don't think I would've walked out with any books from the others I listed there. But I've purchased all of Anderson's work since to give away. I just bought an older book of Gutteridge's, outside of the series I've been enjoying so much. I reviewed Bergren's first book for a tour, and made sure I bought the others so I could finish the series. Early this year I purchased Robin Parrish's Merciless because I couldn't wait an extra month for the blog tour to get it.

Just last week I read a new book from Tim Downs, Less Than Dead. I had read his book Plague Maker on my own and really enjoyed it, but had forgotten about Downs until reading his latest for the tour. I was so delighted to "rediscover" him that I fully plan on completing my collection of his books.

Maybe I'm strange (no comments Mark...), but I can't help but think this type of situation happens with others for blog tours. My conclusion is that an author won't know what type of people they will reach with a blog tour. If they get the right person, they will have an influencer who will carry on promotion that goes beyond the investment the author made by sending some books out for a blog tour.

If anyone reading this has been influenced by any of my posts, I'd love to hear from you on this topic. If you have any thoughts on blog tours, I'd also encourage you to speak up. Coolness.

Top Books for 2007

Ah, the time of year where we are all allowed to climb up on our individual pedestals and pontificate on our favorite movies/books/albums/etc. for the year.

OK, so I'm a little cynical about this. But - not cynical enough to avoid participating in such an event. Heh.

Without further ado, I give you my favorite books for 2007:

5. Wedgewood Grey by John Aubrey Anderson. Book 2 of the Black or White Chronicles continues an amazing tale of spiritual warfare from Mississippi. He continues a great beginning with a strong second effort.

4. Scarlet by Stephen Lawhead. Another second in a series. I enjoyed the start of the King Raven trilogy with Hood, but the voice for Scarlet was just perfect. No one does historical fiction quite like Lawhead.

3. Fearless by Robin Parrish. Hmm. As I write this post, I see I had a weakness for sequels this year. Anyway, I gushed plenty about the amazing suspense in Fearless. I'm still waiting for a copy of the next book to proofread for Mr. Parrish, so I don't have to wait until July '08. Still waiting... (Oh, and this book inspired this essay by me - shameless self-promotion)

2. Try Dying by James Scott Bell. Ha! It isn't a sequel. Mr. Bell is a prolific writer, but I had only read a How-to book on fiction by him. Well, this taut legal thriller caught my interest in both his writing and the legal thriller genre in general. I definitely will check out more of his work.

1. Abiding Darkness by John Aubrey Anderson. I read this book early in 2007, and it stayed my favorite book throughout the whole year. This was a book that had me crying at one point, and a couple chapters later I was laughing out loud. The description, the characterization, the setting, and the plot all caught me in a strong way. It was an amazing first book for Mr. Anderson, and it started the Black or White Chronicles off on very firm footing. If you haven't read it yet, you are certainly missing out. Just a note: I received an email from the author recently asking for prayer, as his latest book is being considered by a publisher. I hope it is the fourth book of B or W, as it was intended as a 6 book arc.

A few honorable mentions:
Snitch by Rene Gutteridge - still the best comedic writer I've come across. Fun characters with whimsy and a catchy read.

The Light of Eidon by Karen Hancock - a bold start for the very enjoyable Legend of the Guardian King fantasy series. This Christy award winner is a must read for fantasy fans.

In High Places by Tom Morrisey - a touching book from a man who knows his adventure.

To Dance in the Desert by Kathleen Popa - a literary women's fiction book that drew in this action and mayhem man. Great first book!

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Anyone else have a great read this year they'd like to mention? I'm always up for hearing about books (affording to buy them is a different story...)

Oh, and Happy New Year everyone!

Review - And If I Die

As promised, I finished John Aubrey Anderson's latest book, And If I Die. I missed the last blog tour, but since I've blogged extensively about his first two books, Abiding Darkness (August, 2006), and Wedgewood Grey (February, 2007), I thought a continuation was in order. Plus, it's my blog, so I can do what I want.

Anderson continues the story of the battle between light and darkness that weaves in and out of generations in the South. The first book focused on the young white girl Missy Parker, and how she survived several encounters with demonic forces. The second book shows her black "almost daddy" Mose Washington provide protection for a young boy named Bill who loses his mother tragically and how Mose becomes his "Pap" to protect him from the same demonic forces.

The story shifts in a large part to Pilot Hill Texas, where Mose and Bill are in hiding while Bill attends college and works on his new passion of bull riding. They are only 15 miles from Missy Parker Patterson and her philosophy professor husband. This eclectic family knows that Bill has a special calling, but his resistance to all things spiritual frustrate their efforts to keep him safe from a powerful evil looking for revenge.

Missy has always been a stubborn girl, and growing into a beautiful woman has not really tempered her at all. When she hears a voice calling her to "Be ready," her stubborn refusal threatens a generation of work.

(It gets harder to write a good synopsis for a series without giving away a lot for prior books!)

And If I Die continues this touching and well-written story. Anderson has a real talent for bringing out the color of Mississippi and Texas, drawing the reader into a world that resonates with authenticity. I think my single most favorite line out of a book this year is the following exchange as a California kid tries Missy's iced tea:

When everyone had a glass, Griffin took a sip and exclaimed, "It's sweet!"
"Oops, sorry," Missy laughed. "It's a Miss'ippi thing, an' I forgot to warn you. Would you rather have something else?"
He took another sip, licked his lips, and pronounced, "Never again. I can't believe I wasted my youth on unsweetened tea."

As the series progresses, Anderson works to keep the inevitable patterns from becoming too predictable. We learn more background information of one of the major characters, still in a entertaining way that serve the story. He also continues to bring spiritual truth into the story in pretty natural ways.

Finally, the characters are attractive and draw you in to investing in what happens to them. Missy was missing to a degree in Wedgewood Grey, but she carries more of the load in the new book. She still is the most engaging character to me, although as an adult she has less of the learning curve she initially did. Anderson still has a hard time sticking to one viewpoint in a section, which can occasionally be confusing concerning who is thinking or speaking, but for the most part it is easy enough to discern.

Being third in the series, And If I Die rests on too much background to be read as a stand alone. My recommendation is to buy all three and enjoy a great read in a fascinating world. Even though his website only lists three books, my understanding is that it is a 6 book arc. I'm eagerly waiting for the next installment. I'm pretty confident he can maintain the tension and interest for that many books, but time will tell.

Legend of the Firefish - The Debate

Yesterday I tried to leave my post on the CSFF Blog Tour book Legend of the Firefish by George Bryan Polivka as a cliffhanger to pique interest. I discussed the strengths that I saw in the book and what made it an enjoyable read. Today I'm going to touch three points that dragged the book down for me a little that kept it from being one of my top books of the year (so far).

The first and second points are interrelated. As I mentioned yesterday, the book's two major characters are unapologetically Christian, and they live consistently in this and it fits the story well. However, some of the story suffers slightly because of one of the character's reliance on God's sovereignty and will. This is tricky to discuss, because I believe in the message the author is saying behind it. The problem is that it sometimes hinders the action of the protaganist as he stops and contemplates what he does. There are several instances where Packer wrestles with High Ideals - nothing wrong with that. The trick is when he does it with chaos raging around him. I might use this aspect once or twice, but it happens a few times and slows down several action sequences.

Also, the use of this plot point somtimes stops Packer from acting, since "all is God's will and he is leaving it in His hands". It has some important consequences at the end, but again it happens enough that it bumps the flow of the story and the believability of the scene.

These two points aren't terribly significant, but they were "hiccups" in the story for me. The final point is significant, but is also an interesting point of topic.

A little background: an author has to chose a point-of-view (POV) when writing. Typically the author picks either first or third-person. First person usually sticks with one character throughout the book. Third person can stay with one person, or move around to different characters. However, usually a change of character POV happens at a chapter or a definite point in a chapter.

Polivka just doesn't "break" this rule, he demolishes it. He takes an omniscient viewpoint, meaning he switches POV whenever he wants, sometimes from paragraph to paragraph.

For me, I did not enjoy this. It has the effect of confusing who is doing the talking/thinking - especially when Packer is with guys or Panna with any ladies. It comes across as "head-hopping." It really took me a while to get the hang of it, so I read the first part of the book slowly, not really getting into it until later on.

Now, when I approached the tour I knew I would blog about this, but I was just going to chalk it up to something Polivka would have to work on. However, over the last week I've read a few things that gave me a different slant on it.

1. From Mike Duran at Decompose:

From Day 1: When one lives under the notion that success means strict adherence to a set of rules — as this published author clearly implies — a type of literary legalism follows. Am I suggesting there aren’t things that tighten a story, make it more readable, more cohesive? Heck no. What I’m wondering is if this idea of “rules” is over-emphasized to new authors. The result is — as it was for me — that a lot of new authors live under the burden of legalism...

From Day 3: The writing rules have their place, but they can also blind one to the destination. After all, the ultimate goal of the storyteller is not to obey all the rules, but to get her readers safely across the street.

2. Then there was Becky Miller's interview with Nick Harrison, Polivka's editor from Harvest House:

Bryan’s ability to handle the point of view shifts necessary to pull off this feat [using so many POV's] is awesome—and unique. Not many authors handle point of view as well as Bryan does. I consider Bryan’s use of point of view a huge asset to the book—even though I know that all the writing books warn against such shifts. I think they do this because few authors can handle those shifts well. Bryan is a master at it, in my opinion.

3. Finally, there's Bryan Polivka's own comments in an interview with Valerie Comer:

As for the omniscient point of view, I find that other writers and publishers are very interested in that whole discussion, but I've never yet had a pure reader (who is not also a writer) even ask me about it. It seems odd to me that this should be out of style, or out of favor, particularly in a world where movies and television are having great success with omniscience. Lost, Friends, Rent, Oceans Eleven, even Survivor and Real World--I would argue that any ensemble-cast product gets its appeal from going deep into multiple points of view. Fiction writers are, I think, well behind the times in that regard if they hew to a single viewpoint thinking it is somehow better for the audience. I may not have done it well, but I hope that doesn't put anyone off the approach itself.

And the Christian viewpoint factors in here also. Historically, I believe the omniscient viewpoint went out of favor as secular existentialism took over the mainstream, based on a philosophy that we really can't know anything outside our own single point of reference. And I think that's just incorrect. The reason we have imagination, I believe, is for the apprehension of the infinite. God gave His creation this gift that we might know Him. And if we can know God, surely we can know others.

Now, armed with all of this information and opinion, I made an adjustment to my opinion. The thing that especially struck me was Bryan's contention that basically he's using an older style and we're conditioned to accept a status quo that this "shouldn't be done". Especially with the discussion Mike Duran has been having at his blog.

I've argued before that authors need the freedom to create as they feel called and are inspired. I applaud Polivka for making a challenging artistic stand and sticking with it. Since it was intentional, I can't fault it.

Nick Harrison thought that Bryan pulled this off well. There I might disagree some. I've seen other books that switch through a lot of POV's and I didn't get lost. My favorite book of the year so far, Abiding Darkness by John Aubrey Anderson, has some occasional POV hops and doesn't suffer from it. Interestingly enough, I would say that Anderson's hops were likely more accidental, while Polivka's were intentional, and that it is apparent in reading. Again, it didn't work for me 100%.

SO...is this a big deal? It might not be a big deal at all. I've also discussed how trying to write can ruin an easy-to-please reader. If you read this and think it is much ado about nothing, then ignore it and go buy an enjoyable book. Don't forget that I liked the book overall and recommend it. The POV issue was something that had come up during the tour, and this is my extremely long-winded response to it (best value for 2 cents ever).

I have one more little tidbit about Legend of the Firefish, but it will come a little later. Enjoy the rest of the blog tour!

CFBA Tour - And If I Die

I highly encourage you to check out the following book for the book tour. I read the first book in this series in January, and it remains my favorite book of the year so far. I goofed up somewhere when it came time to request this book, or I would've already read it. Look for my personal review later on, because I am literally on my way to Amazon RIGHT NOW to by it. Without further ado:

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
AND IF I DIE
(Faithwords August 2007)
by
John Aubrey Anderson

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
John grew up in Mississippi cotton country. After graduating from Mississippi State, he received an Air Force commission and has recently retired after flying twenty-eight years for a major airline. He lives in Texas with his wife, Nan.

ABOUT THE BOOK:AND IF I DIE is the third book in the Black and White Chronicles. The first was Abiding Darkness (August, 2006), the second was Wedgewood Grey (February, 2007).

In 1945, a spirit voice told Mr. A. J. Mason to “Be ready.”

In 1960, the spirit drew near and said the same words to the same man. “Be ready.”

On both occasions Mason ended up in bloody battles with the forces of evil. On both occasions, he saved the life of a young girl named Missy Parker. And on both occasions good people died.

It’s 1968.Missy Parker has been married to Dr. Patrick Patterson for nine years; they live in Denton, Texas. Missy plays tennis and golf; Pat is chairman of the philosophy department at North Texas State University.

Mose Washington, a black man Missy refers to as her almost-daddy, is hiding behind a new name—Mose Mann. Mose and the young black man who poses as his grandson have spent eight years successfully evading the FBI, a murderous congresswoman, and creatures from the demonic realm. They now live in Pilot Hill, Texas—fifteen miles from Pat and Missy. Mose is committing the autumn of his life to the pursuit of the knowledge of God and the protection of his “grandson”. His “grandson” is interested in honing his skills as a bull rider.

Close friends see portents of danger in events of the early summer and converge on Pilot Hill to warn the two black men that yet another confrontation with malevolent beings may be looming.

In the pre-dawn hours, on the second day of the North Texas Rodeo, the voice of an invisible being speaks to Missy Parker Patterson. The voice warns her that it is now she, not A. J. Mason, who has been chosen as the person who needs to “Be ready” . . . and Missy doesn’t want the job.

Writing Dissection - Part Three

Yesterday I did a passage breakdown on a passage from John Aubrey Anderson's book Abiding Darkness. Today I want to look at a smaller passage from 2/3's through in Wedgewood Grey:

Ceedie stepped close and took the jacket from him. "Put your arm in here, then stand still." She got him jacketed by standing on her tiptoes. When he was dressed, she patted his good arm and momentarily set the stability of his knees back twenty-four hours when she locked eyes with him. "You stay calm, now, an' be nice to the other children."

"Yes, ma'am." The special attention caused his cheeks to use blood he couldn't spare.

Again I'm doing a small section without context to appreciate what can be done in just a small blurb. Seven sentences, including the dialogue.

There is much less than the passage studied yesterday, but we learn about Ceedie and the man (Jeff Wagner) quickly with good description. What I see is this:
1. Ceedie is short or Jeff is tall ("standing on her tiptoes").
2. Jeff has an injured arm (she helps him with the jacket, "good arm").
3. It was a significant injury ("set the stability...back twenty-four hours") that probably included some blood loss ("use blood he couldn't spare").
4. There is attraction from Jeff for Ceedie (his knees weaken when she locks eyes, the blush).
5. He is going into a confrontational situation ("be nice to the other children").

The example from yesterday was more of a keystone passage, set apart at the beginning of a chapter. Becky commented on the flowery description. I would agree, except that in the context it sets up tension/suspense as well as reinforce characterization already begun.

Today's passage is in the midst of dialogue and action as Jeff's FBI supervisor comes to confront him about being out of action. It is a quick break of description, but it accomplishes a lot in its brevity. Reading it in context, we pick up on Ceedie's increased attention to Jeff that was absent earlier.

Now, all that information can be given to the reader in different ways, but isn't it more fun to see a weakened, tall agent feel the effect of the blushing. To me, this type of writing enriches the story and the enjoyment from just following a plot to savoring the style and craft in a book.

That's all I have for now. If anyone has anymore comments, I'd love to hear from you on this. I've enjoyed reading, discussing, and dissecting these two books, and I'm grateful to Mr. Anderson for sharing with me. Look for book three in the Black or White Chronicles in August 2007.

Now I have to think of a new topic... aw, fishsticks...

Writing Dissection - Part One

I am continuing a discussion brought on by the book of the week for the CFBA blog tour, Wedgewood Grey, and its prequel, Abiding Darkness. I am not the greatest writer or editor in the world, but I've been reading a lot of fiction lately, as well as trying to study the craft of fiction. I thought it could be informative to dissect a couple of passages from these books by John Aubrey Anderson.

There are three factors about these books that have drawn my focus over the last two weeks. One is the spiritual message that has greatly encouraged me, but that is a different discussion. The other two are 1) the delightful use of language to paint the setting of rural Mississippi and 2) the great characters that are brought to life by said language. I've enjoyed the story presented in his books, but I've also tried to pick out the aspects that fuel the entertainment.

I've chosen two passages, one from each book, to look at and see how it contributes to what I've mentioned above. I'll quote them without context, and leave this post there. Tomorrow I'll come back to them and present what I see out of them. If anyone has any comments regarding the passages, please share in the comments and I'll bring that into the discussion.

From early in Abiding Darkness:

Every day for the rest of his life, he would recall that she had been grinning. She was turning away from him; the movement lifted the short-cut hair in seeming slow-motion, moving it up and away from her like strips of ribbon on a fast carousel. A halo of water droplets escaped the brown tendrils and caught the afternoon sun life dozens of transparent pearls. The pearls arced away from the girl and fell in a perfect circle. Water ran down brown legs from the rolled up overalls, her knobby little knees bent, her body leaned out slightly, tanned arms lifted, and her knees began to straighten. And he'd remember how fast the grin changed to something else.

From 2/3's through in Wedgewood Grey:

Ceedie stepped close and took the jacket from him. "Put your arm in here, then stand still." She got him jacketed by standing on her tiptoes. When he was dressed, she patted his good arm and momentarily set the stability of his knees back twenty-four hours when she locked eyes with him. "You stay calm, now, an' be nice to the other children."

"Yes, ma'am." The special attention caused his cheeks to use blood he couldn't spare.

See you tomorrow for the conclusion...

Author Interview - John Aubrey Anderson

In continuing to highlight Wedgewood Grey, the latest book from John Aubrey Anderson, he was gracious enough to give an interview to some young'n' blogging up in Idaho.

As his bio says, he was an airline pilot for many years. Doesn't he just look like one here?

Either tomorrow or Saturday I want to post a couple of snippets from both of his books and talk a little about why the particular sections seemed to work, in my opinion. Please check back and add your comments to the discussion! And now, Mr. Anderson please:

1. How long did it take for the story of the Black or White Chronicles to formulate in your head? What was the process for putting it on the page?

There is no reason why anyone should believe this, but tracking the process behind the writing of these stories could not have been done with a Cray computer. But . . . My first and only effort regarding fiction was a two thousand word story I did for our girls twenty years ago . . . a little thing about choices.

In 1997, I pulled that little story out with plans to wrap it around the gospel. I had in mind using it as an evangelistic tool with a non-Christian friend of ours. I found myself "backstorying" in an effort to "set up" my little scene from the short story. Then, in November of 2002, I woke up to find myself surrounded by two or three hundred thousand words. . .and questions about how to get a novel published.

2. Are there any writing tips that you found valuable in writing WG and AD?
Absolutely. Go to a writers' conference and learn how to get yourstory organized before you start.

And on a more serious note: Think less of being a writer and more of writing. From a time standpoint, this is the most demanding job I've ever job I've ever had; one person said, "It's like having homework for the rest of your life."

A writer does not have time to plan for future fame . . . he/she has to be writing and rewriting.

3. Are there any plans for a project after the release of Book 3 in The Black or White Chronicles?
God willing, this series will run for six books. After that I'd like to do a devotional book for men. Following the devotional . . . I just can't say.

4. What type of feedback have you heard from readers regardingspiritual issues in the book?
What I've heard has been interesting to say the least. Mostly, I hear from readers who have encountered setbacks that were, in their eyes, obviously demonic in origin . . . usually having to do with interpersonal relationships.

5. What has been your favorite "author moment" so far in your career?
I went to my first-ever writers' conference, with my first-everproposal, and made an appointment with my first-ever editor. I was carrying a 3-by-5 card and a cup of coffee when I arrived for our talk.

When I sat down, he smiled and said, "Brother, you're way too laid back."

I smiled back and told him what we both knew. "I'm not in charge of whether or not this book gets published, and frankly, neither are you. I just came to this conference hoping to trim the odds against me down to about ten-thousand to one."

He said, "Well, I've read your stuff, and you're sitting on about fifty-fifty."

THE BLACK OR WHITE CHRONICLES were born right then, right there.

I had heard the words I needed to hear, and I was ready to go home. For the next three days of the conference, at each meal, I had to restrain myself from grabbing the PA away from the conference host and yelling, "Would y'all please vote me off this island."

Blog Tour - Wedgewood Grey

Today's blog tour is brought to you by the letter "W" and the color Grey. (Sorry, couldn't resist) Despite the silliness, the CFBA is featuring Wedgewood Grey by John Aubrey Anderson. This is book two in The Black or White Chronicles. I reviewed book one, Abiding Darkness, on Monday, and I encourage you to read it here.

Wedgewood Grey continues the story of Mose Washington, the simple, God-fearing black man in Mississippi from the first book. He comes to the rescue of a black woman and her son, who are being attacked by a group of white teenagers. The consequences of this encounter send Mose and the boy on the run, draws the wrath of a powerful politician, and brings a FBI agent into the chase. The book turns on the theme of our choices, and the effect they have through our lives.

Many characters from Abiding Darkness are brought back into this tale. Anderson continues to delight with wonderful turns of phrase that make me grin, while simultaneously cursing him that he thought of that particular choice of words first! The FBI agent, Jeff Wagner, is an engaging new addition. The young boy rescued by Mose, Bill Prince, is a quieter character, and just isn't as colorful as some of the others in the Chronicles so far. I was a little disappointed that Missy Parker shows up almost half-way through, and doesn't have as big an impact in Wedgewood Grey . She was such a dynamic character before, and watching her grow up was so enjoyable, that the grown, mature Missy is a little less of a strength in this book. Also, she was so critical to book one that it is a little curious how she fades here. I am hoping there will be a satisfactory conclusion to this point!

Anderson again shines in drawing out his scenes of action and suspense, never giving us a cheap thrill, but milking it for all it is worth. He is wonderful at foreshadowing, but it is not at all obvious where he is going with it. I had to shake my head at a couple of points, thinking the author got me again!

He continues his habit of changing POV within the same passage. I can overlook this due to the stellar writing. I can also tell a little refinement from Abiding Darkness (not nearly as many characters saying, "Mmmm.")

Overall, Wedgewood Grey is a wonderful read in its own right, even though I liked Abiding Darkness a little more. The trouble is, the third book in the series, And If I Die, doesn't come out until August '07!!! Arrrgh!!!

I am planning to do a little study of a couple passages out of these two books, as well as a mini-interview with John Aubrey Anderson, over the next couple of days. Please come back, check it out, and leave comments. Oh, and check out the new widget from the CFBA, the CFBA Amazon store! Now you can order books from our tours, and other recommended reading, all in one place. Kudos to Bonnie for putting it together!

Book Review - Abiding Darkness

It is rare for me to come across a book that makes me fall in love with it. The first book in The Black or White Chronicles, Abiding Darkness, is that rare find.

The CFBA is featuring the second book in the series, Wedgewood Grey, later this week, but I wanted to feature the very excellent first book in the series.

John Aubrey Anderson is a retired airline pilot who grew up in the Mississippi Delta. An old writing adage is "write what you know". Now if we all listened to that, we wouldn't have any historical, sci-fi, or fantasy fiction. But in Anderson's case, it is a wonderful thing that he does. He recreates the Deep South of the 40's and 50's in such a way that I feel like I grew up there (instead of the intermountain West).

The story revolves around Amanda Allen "'Missy" Parker, a spitfire 7 year old who is special and knows it! Missy lives by Cat Lake, and along with her older brother Bobby and their black friend Junior Washington, they embark on typical adventures of childhood. Typical, until dark forces conspire to destroy the local community and disrupt eternal plans by striking Missy Parker.

This sets off a tale of suspense that will pull you into its world and touch you with tales of heroism and tragedy. Anderson is masterful in drawing out scenes of tension, keeping the stakes high while slowly developing the material for all it is worth. The key incident of the book spans chapters, but at no time does he seem to be prolonging it artificially. It gives the effect of savoring the action, not being cheated by having it come to a head too quickly.

Part of the secret of his success comes from the delightful people and characterization he creates. His characters are rich and vibrant. The dialogue of the South comes across realistically without being forced. If I can create just one literary character that approaches the vitality of Missy Parker or Mose Washington, I will be well-pleased.

Anderson succeeds in one other area that takes Abiding Darkness from enjoyable to transcendent. He speaks on matters of truth and sacrifice that are deeply moving. I am not an emotional guy, but he had me in tears on the bus ride home from work one day. The next day, I was laughing out loud (my fellow travelers might think I'm a head case, LOL!). I don't read read fiction to be uplifted in my spiritual life, but this tale has affected me in more than just an aesthetic way. The amazing thing is, all of this comes naturally in the story. The characters are real, so it is real to see them share their faith. To me, it almost always seems appropriate in how these truths are brought out.

No work is perfect. The main weakness I discerned in his writing was a habit to move around in point-of-view (POV) characters within a scene - sometimes I had to read back a paragraph to find who was thinking/doing something. One of his scenes of faith discussion loses the veneer of being there in the story and almost becomes preachy.

Overall, I am highly impressed with Abiding Darkness. As another reviewer wrote, it is the type of book you want to immerse yourself in, but you read slower as you approach the end so you don't have to leave then denizens of Cat Lake. If you enjoy qualilty storytelling, read this book. If you aspire to write, get this book and study it. It will be time very well spent.

Check back later this week for my review of Wedgewood Grey and a further discussion of the writing of John Aubrey Anderson.