Galactic Lore

Dissecting the Hunger Games – Introduction

2011-01-05T22:29:00.000-07:00

It’s been a long time since I’ve read a book in a day—even longer since I’ve read three in three days. But that’s what happened when my wife got me The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins for Christmas.

I had heard about the trilogy in passing, enough to glean the premise, a dark dystopian future where kids were forced into battles to the death, and that intrigued me enough to add them to my wishlist. But I wasn’t prepared for the gripping, brutal ride ahead of me when I dove in.

I was completely enthralled by the story world presented here, and the dire straits the characters were pushed through. These books aren’t a happy read, but they are good reads that make an impact and stick with you after you close the last book—which is why I’m going to be working through my thoughts here. They were just too good to not process through, and think about what worked, what didn’t and why they were so striking.

As I go on in this series there will be spoilers, it’s really impossible to dig into a story like this without them, but I’ll try and make sure they are clearly marked and there won’t really be too many big ones early on.

So, to wrap up this introduction and to catch up anyone who hasn’t read the book here’s the basics to the setting.

Sometime in the future what we know as the United States breaks down completely and is replaced by a country called Panem. Panem is made up by 14 separate districts. The Capitol, which is a very futuristic and pampered realm supported by the other thirteen districts, each which specialize in their own field of production, they are little more than areas of slave-labor for the Capitol.

Eventually the 13 districts become fed up with slaving away to create the easy life for those in the Capitol and they rebel. Unfortunately this doesn’t go well for the districts and it ends with District 13 being completely wiped out.

This rebellion inspires the Capitol to institute an annual event called The Hunger Games. Each year the twelve districts must submit two tributes, one boy and one girl, between the ages of 12 and 18 who will fight to the death for the entertainment of those in the Capitol.

But beyond entertainment, the victor of the Hunger Games also brings much needed relief to their district, through monthly deliveries of food and comforts for the year after they win.

This has gone on for nearly 75 years when The Hunger Games trilogy begins with the appropriately titled novel, The Hunger Games. Which I’ll look at tomorrow.

Joining the eReader Crowd

2011-01-04T19:21:00.000-07:00

It's a new year, and time for me to return to this blog. I've spent enough time lost out in real life. Time to jump back into the lands of fiction.

But first I have to share a little bit about the new gadget in my life.

I've been watching the e-reader scene for the last few years, staying out on the sidelines thinking how they could be cool but not quite enough for me to put my money down on one.

That changed once I discovered the NookColor. It's more of an e-reader/tablet than the Kindle or older Nook with their e-ink screens. (Those are neat in their own right, but don't quite capture my inner-geek).

The nook features a bright LCD touch screen that is easy to read from and is glare resistant.

So far I've read a couple magazines and one complete novel and I'm really enjoying it so far. I especially like the ability to stream music from Pandora through the device while I read (it has both a speaker and an ear-phone jack).

The book reading is very nice and I like the tactile feature of swiping my finger on the screen to turn the page (rather than pushing a button). You can also make notes, highlight passages, look up definitions, and even share passages through Facebook and/or Twitter. Pretty cool. :)

I've read an issue of Popular Science as well (boy did that help get some creative juices flowing) and that was very neat. The color screen really let the pictures pop, and if held horizontally you can view a full spread from the magazine. You can't really read the text, and while you can pinch and slide to zoom in, the cool feature is a little "article view" button that pops up an inset with just the text from the article for easy reading.

There are some other extras, like suduko (I don't do math), chess, and crosswords, and a contacts section. Plus you can insert a micro-SD card (up to 32gb), or use the base 8gb memory to hold your own music or pictures and listen and watch.

There's also a web browser that is functional, but doesn't support Flash yet, so not all sites work on it. But it's a start, and B&N has already released an update to make it a bit better. We'll see how that continues.

The downsides of the NookColor mostly seem to be in it's not fully utilizing it's potential, being built on the Android OS. But BN plans to continue fleshing it out and have new apps developed specifically for it so we'll see how that pans out.

Also the battery life isn't stellar (though reasonable for me, I can go about three days between charges), and it's Wi-fi only, but I don't really travel enough for that to be a major downer.

So I'll stop gushing now. :)

On plans for the immediate future, I read the Hunger Games trilogy by Susan Collins over the last weekend. I was totally captured by the story and the writing, but also saw the bleakness there and feel compelled to talk about it. So I figure I'll spend the next few days processing the books and sharing my thoughts on the series and how it all ended.

Round and Round the Mulberry Bush

2010-07-01T07:39:00.002-06:00

Looks like it's that time of year when Christians who are fans of the stranger genres begin asking why their favorite genres aren't represented as much as women in bonnets in Christian bookstores.

I stopped asking that question years ago. In the end, unless you're a publisher, sales person, or the buyer for a bookstore you're just yelling into the void. There isn't much point in constantly asking "where is it?"

And really, in most of these conversations I hear, people tend to lump everything into one big pot. But I rarely hear people say exactly what it is they are looking for. It's one thing to say "I wish I could find more christian science fiction." But it doesn't really help the point when what you really mean is "I wish I could find more hard sci-fi that focuses on Christians living in a scientifically advanced world that may include realistic space travel."

It is time to stop waiting for stores we don't buy books from to start carrying the books we want, and to begin putting the energy into actively seeking those books!

Rebecca Miller, who's runing the Clive Staples award (and who's blog brought my attention to this new surge in discussion), has deemed July "Read Christian Speculative Fiction Month". In light of that I'd like to make a challenge to everyone who has lamented the dearth of their favorite genre writtten by a Christian.

Make it a point this month to seek out all the Christian fiction that is of the science fiction, fantasy, horror or other genre that you can find. And post about it on your blog. Read some of what you find and review it.

Help people find the fiction they are looking for! Ask people for reading lists! Go to http://www.fictionfinder.com/book/ and see what pops up!

Finally, to help push this along. I'm willing to send out a free copy of my own science fiction novel to the first ten people who contact me through my website with a link to their blog and a promise to read Starfire and blog about it (don't forget a mailing address).

So go to the Clive Staples Award site, go to Marcher Lord Press, go to Fictionfinder, go to Where the Map Ends.

Find the books you're looking for and tell people about them. Then maybe you will suddenly find your favorite genre isn't as forgotten as you thought it was.

Cool News

2010-06-24T07:43:00.000-06:00

I've just launched the re-design of my website www.ritersbloc.com. It is a bit more focused than my old site, but also includes a nifty contact form in case anybody wants to get in touch with me. Tweaking & more content will be added as time allows.

Also, in even bigger news, Marcher Lord Press titles are now available at ChristianBook.com. This is a big win for Jeff and all of the MLP authors as it will help more people discover our books.

Time to run off to my day job. It's been a crazy week there so far, but fun too as we're in the middle of launching two new curriculum lines! Tru and Rio If you're church is looking for some curriculum that really emphasises a relationship with God and looks to go beyond the Church and into the home, you'll want to check these out.

Gotta Stop Obsessing

2010-06-23T07:02:00.000-06:00

Every time I sit down to write, I've got all sorts of great ideas for what I can do to push through this blockage I've been getting.

Then I start trying to get it onto the page and I start thinking about everything that has to come together to be able to keep this book at least to the level of Starfire and I freeze, second-guessing what I'm planning or writing.

I've got to learn to deal with that and remember to trust my instincts and just have fun with the writing, which is why I got started in the first place.

Book Review: A Star Curiously Singing

2010-06-18T07:41:00.000-06:00

A Star Curiously Singing is a great and thought provoking science fiction novel that centers around a debugger named Sandfly.

Debuggers are humans who have been taken at a young age and implanted with a device that lets them be continuously connected to the "stream" (a highly advanced internet-like network) that also allows them to talk with all of the technology used by their society. This makes them invaluable as they are the servants that keep this advanced society running.

But there is a downside to such power. The implant also keeps their thoughts and actions under strict control. At even the slightest hint of insubordinate thought the implant sends a "tweak" that causes great pain to the debugger.

This sets the background for a great story as Sandfly is tasked with discovering what caused a robot to tear itself apart during a deep space exploratory mission.

Kerry Nietz did a wonderful job bringing the characters to life and really giving a sense of how stifling the society of ASCS is. Tension is kept high as Sandfly gets deeper entangled in a web of intrigue that will keep you guessing as to exactly what is going on.

Kerry also does an incredible job of employing the first-person present-tense perspective to craft this tale with a unique voice that really makes this book a joy to read. You really get to feel like you know Sandfly as he tells his story.

If you haven't read this book yet, go read it now!

The Shenkai Pilgrims

2010-06-17T07:44:00.000-06:00

The Shenkai Pilgrims are one of the largest and most influential religious groups in Karnian society. Since the events related in Starfire their numbers have swelled as they send out Heralds who proclaim that the time of The Return has come.

Shenkai Pilgrims believe that Saurians aren't native to the world they have come to call Sauria. But actually originated on a distant world among the stars. They claim that their diety Surka grew angry with them for seeking new homes among the stars and banished them from their homeworld to the planet Sauria, instilling them with the Dread. But they also believe that Surka will eventually lead them back home, once Saurians are deemed worthy.

They also believe that in the past a group of forebearers were selected by Surka to prepare Shenkai for the eventual return of the faithful.

This is going to be one of the main motivators of Downfall, as the Shenkai Pilgrims gain more influence and begin seeking out any ancient relics or powers that will point them toward their ancestral home. This is one of the reasons that Grakin Spur will be venturing deep into the fractured Herian Dynasty, as it is believed the Herians have long held secrets of Shenkai.

Is this just the ravings of a deranged cult? Or is there something deeper at work here?

Fitful Starts

2010-06-16T18:38:00.000-06:00

Ok, so things aren't going smoothly, but they are going. I didn't meet my goal for last week with word counts. I'm working on a smoother beginning to the story that will help lay down some critical info & foreshadowing that I need, but that combined with still working on getting back into a real writing groove isn't helping.

Right now I'm working on figuring out exactly what a Herald of Shenkai would say as part of spreading the news that the Shroud is a sign brought about by the Hand of Surka as a sign that soon Surka will lead the faithful back to Shenkai.

And I've got to do it in a way that doesn't leave people with a blank stare as they try to figure out what was just said! Fun!

Anyway, as part of my plan to get back into all of this I'm going to start doing this blog in the morning (instead of watching the news or browsing forums) since it becomes far to easy to ignore once the evening starts. Hopefully this will help with my consistency.

The Book Club Network

2010-06-10T21:13:00.000-06:00

I recently joined a pretty cool new social network called the Book Club Network that is all about helping book clubs connect with each other and with authors.

You can create your own page, groups and post about events, while discussing interesting topics that are unique to book clubs.

You can check it out here!

Wordcount, Booksigning & Starfire Discussion Questions

2010-06-07T20:18:00.002-06:00

It's Monday! late, but still Monday.

Right now my Downfall master document is sitting at 6,338 words. Pathetic? Maybe so. My goal for this week is to double that. Which will be a big achievement.

This Saturday I'll be up at the Happy Dragon Book Festival in Boulder, CO with Donita K. Paul and my wife, Tiffany Stockton.

Here's the details:

Laughing Dragon Children's Book & Literacy Festival:

June 12, 2010, Boulder, CO,

10-5,

Glenn Miller Ballroom, CU-Boulder.

FREE!!!

Tiff and I should get there sometime between noon and one.

Finally, if you're interested, here are 10 discussion questions I came up with for Starfire. Answer them if you like. Or, if you would like, post your own discussion question!

1. Starfire was set in an alien culture on a strange world. How did the unfamiliar setting and words affect your enjoyment of the story?

2. Who was your favorite character? Why?

3. If you could have any of the animals or plants from Starfire as a pet, which would it be?

4. Why do you think the Saurians have such a deep fear of the stars and ancient technology?

5. If you had to classify the sides in the conflict between the Karn Empire and the Herian Dynasty, could you split it into the good guys and bad guys?

6. What do you think of the different ways Struth & Goshren represented their beliefs?

7. How do you think the actions of Struth, Goshren and Nazjen influenced Rathe’s decision?

8. Do you think that the prophecy stated the truth? If so, was it fair to leave the fate of the world in the hands of a single person?

9. Based on the information given in the book, would you have made a different decision if you were in Rathe’s place?

10. Did this story make you think about how you share your beliefs with others?

Clive Staples Award, Get Read Up and Prepared to Vote

2010-06-04T08:00:00.000-06:00

Lots of great nominees for the Clive Staples award this year... though I may be a bit biased for one of them (third from the bottom)!

Voting will start in July, but you'll need to have read at least two of these books to qualify. So make sure you pick some up to kick off your Summer reading! You won't be disappointed.

A Star Curiously Singing, Kerry Nietz, Marcher Lord Press

Blaggard’s Moon, George Bryan Polivka, Harvest House

By Darkness Hid, Jill Williamson, Marcher Lord Press

Curse of the Spider King, Wayne Batson and Christopher Hopper, Thomas Nelson Publishing

The Enclave, Karen Hancock, Bethany House

Eternity Falls, Kirk Outerbridge, Marcher Lord Press

Faery Rebels: Spell Hunter, RJ Anderson, HarperCollins

The Firstborn, Conlan Brown, Realms

Hunter Brown and the Consuming Fire, Christopher and Allen Miller, Warner Press

Lost Mission, Athol Dickson, Howard Books

Lunatic, Ted Dekker and Kaci Hill, Thomas Nelson

North! Or Be Eaten, Andrew Peterson, Waterbrook Press

Offworld, Robin Parrish, Bethany House

Starfire, Stuart Vaughn Stockton, Marcher Lord Press

Vanishing Sculptor, Donita K Paul, WaterBrook Press

The Word Reclaimed, Steve Rzasa, Marcher Lord Press

New Beginnings

2010-06-03T18:51:00.001-06:00

So opened up my working document of Downfall and am starting back at the beginning, working through what has been written and smoothing things up. I always find that the first three chapters are the hardest to write. I think that's because I'm still getting a feel for exactly who all the characters are and the tone that the novel is going to take. Plus there is just soooo much foreshadowing to get done, setting up events and ideas that will pay off later.

Plus with the sequel I still have a lot of world introduction to do. That combined with dropping in information to remind/inform about the last book makes for a tense balance of giving out just enough information. Once I get those chapters just right I think the rest of the book will come much faster.

As for now, here's my current first line:

“The Hand of Surka has spun the shroud that envelops our world to proclaim that our return to Shenkai is near.”

If you have read Starfire, what is your biggest hope for the sequel?

Oh and if you want to read an awesome interview with Kerry Nietz, a fellow Marcher Lord Press author, click the link below. Make sure to read the comments for even more fun and insight!

http://scitascienda.com/2010/05/27/interview-kerry-nietz-author-of-the-superlative-stream/#comments

Yes I"m a Terrible Blogger

2010-06-02T13:24:00.000-06:00

Sorry for the false re-start yet again. :p So many things going on now, and so much stuff that I've let distract me.

So the deadline for Downfall isn't gonna be reached in time for a Fall release, but it may work out for the best.

Here are some things I plan on doing to re-invigorate my writing life:

1# Get back in touch with writing communities and fan communities. I've been focusing my attention on too many things that aren't writing related and thus it is fairly natural to expect writing to be a smaller part of my life.

2# Post here every day, keeping it focused on my writing and what is or isn't happening with it.

3# Post a weekly wordcount summary, even if I haven't made much progress just to keep myself accountable.

4# Finish the Ritersbloc.com redesign and get it uploaded.

5# Don't spend hours watching replays of Starcraft 2 matches or various shows on Netflix!

So that's the plan. Let's see how well it works. :)

Downfall Chronicles -- T-96 Days

2010-03-18T20:05:00.000-06:00

So I’ve written one novel. That must mean things will be easy from here on out right? Heck I’m not even changing worlds or the main character! This should be a cakewalk….

Yeah, that’s why I’m sitting here with under 100 days to my deadline and one false start on the sequel already behind me.

Sequels are scary things to write! I mean you have to meet and exceed expectations that were laid down by your fans in the first book. Sequels need to be familiar, yet they have to still surprise and wow the audience.

There is that inevitable change that happens. Old characters are left behind, new ones stepping forward to take their place. A new crisis must arise that will challenge the character already tempered by the flames of his previous trials.

Maybe thinking all of this is why I still feel a bit scared when I open up my word document to start writing.

But I have to push past that and embrace the challenge. I’ve got a great story to tell here, one that will force Rathe to battle with himself even as he’s fighting external enemies. This isn’t a book centering around a single choice like Starfire did. It’s much more of seeing how you deal with the consequences of that choice, and how you are changed when you begin to see beyond the illusions of your own making.

One thing I’m really going to enjoy is being able to take a closer look at the Herians this time around. They’re no longer a faceless, silent, destructive enemy.

Maybe I’ll talk more about that next time. Right now I’ve got to get Rathe and the re-formed Grakin Spur into a Herian compound to steal some vital schematics.

Engineering a Downfall

2010-03-17T10:24:00.000-06:00

97 days from today. That's how many days I have left to hit my deadline for the sequel to Starfire, currently called Downfall.

I've still got way more work to do than I should have. But I've got no one to blame for that other than myself. Letting doubts and distractions cloud my thoughts and stifle my writing. It is time for that to come to an end.

So over the next 97 days I'll be posting my progress here to help keep me focused and pushing forward!

So the one or two people who read this can stay tuned to read this series of posts I'll be calling the Downfall Chronicles. I won't be posting specifics, but it may give you a fun glimpse at the odd workings of my mind. ;)

Starfire Now Available

2009-04-27T14:10:00.004-06:00

You can now order Starfire online from Marcher Lord Press, Amazon.com, or BN.com!

Both The Dark Man and By Darkness Hid are also available! Buy all three for the sci-fi/fantasy/speculative lover in your life!

Also, be sure to check out these great reviews of Starfire:

From ChristianBookReview.com:
"Perhaps I'm just showing my inner geek too much, but part of me thrills at figuring out which dinosaurs certain characters are based on. Some are obvious, with obvious names; some not so much. And combining dinosaurs with "ancient" sci-fi technology, mystical prophecies, and supernatural enemies... pure genius." Read the full review »

From the Novel Teen Book Review Blog:
"Starfire was a completely surprising story. I would have never thought I’d like a story about dinosaur people. But Rathe is a fun character to read about. He is practical and tough and easy to relate to. He prefers to make his own path in life and can’t see how “some mixed-up, homicidal god could lay out a better track” for his life than he could himself. " Read the full review »

Cover & Bookmark

2009-02-24T13:21:00.007-07:00

Starfire's cover is done! woohoo! Quite a beautiful piece of artwork done by Kirk DuPonce at DogEared Design.
Seeing the cover really helps reinforce that this book really is coming out in just over a month!

I also took this opportunity to put together a bookmark to help in promotions. I think the design came out well, I should be getting the physical copies in hand tomorrow.

Make sure you check out MarcherLordPress.com to see an interview with me as well as read the prologue and first scene from Starfire.

Also, don't forget to enter in the Heralds of the Starfire contest for a chance to win a copy of Starfire and a whole lot of other great prizes!

Become a Herald of the Starfire

2009-02-02T16:24:00.002-07:00

Become a Herald of the Starfire

Help get the word out about my upcoming science fiction novel Starfire by becoming a Herald of the Starfire though distributing a flyer, posting banners, and telling all your friends to become Heralds as well! Everyone who participates will be entered into a drawing for some great prizes!

Plus if you sign up for the Marcher Lord Press Newsletter, or refer your friends, you will be entered into a bonus drawing. More Info »

This contest is presented in partnership with Marcher Lord Press, Brandilyn Collins and Jill Williamson.

Contest only valid for residents of the U.S.

This contest ends April 1, 2009 and winners will be notified via e-mail by April 10th.

Click Here to learn more »

Amazon Book Surge for Marcher Lord Press

2008-11-04T10:56:00.004-07:00

Today between now and midnight (EST) Marcher Lord Press is organizing a book surge on Amazon.com. This surge will specifically be targeting Summa Elvetica, but feel free to order Hero, Second Class or The Personifid Invasion if one of those strikes your fancy.

Even better, if you order one of these titles and provide proof to Marcher Lord Press by E-mail (like the receipt you get from Amazon--but be sure it doesn't contain any personal information like credit card number) they will send you the link to download one or more of the Marcher Lord Press e-book products FOR FREE.

You can find all three titles on Amazon.com here.

Learn more about Marcher Lord Press.

Getting Back Into the Story

2008-10-27T09:17:00.002-06:00

It's been fun reaquanting myself with the specifics of Starfire as I've gone through the revisions my editor sent back to me. I haven't really dug into Starfire for over a year as I had moved on to other stories after deciding there wasn't a home for it, based on rejections and the state of the industry.

Now that Starfire has a home I've unpacked all the old documents I used for world building and brainstorming to re-familiarize myself with some of the details of Sauria. When I got the notes for revisions I also got to jump into the story itself.

It is amazing how a long absense can really help you pick up on things that you don't see when the story is fresh. Especially with me I tend to have about two times the ammount of data running through my head than actually makes it to the page, which is a good thing most of the time. At times it does cause issues though as phrases and scenes that make total sense in the context of knowing how the culture and world works totally break down to someone who is approaching the world for the first time.

Jeff has done a great job at pointing out places where I needed to go back and look at such scenes. Now that I'm not so fresh on what was going through my mind during those scenes it is a lot easier to see those blind spots and flesh them out in a way that "hopefully" gives the reader what they need to know (or cut out stuff they don't need in any case).

There should also be some good auxilliary material in the book as well to help people figure out the world, though hopefully these won't be necessary, just a bonus.

Full Speed Ahead!

2008-10-23T21:25:00.002-06:00

After years of dreaming, creating, fretting and despairing, the first step toward allowing anyone who wishes to explore the worlds of Galactic Lore has been accomplished.

Marcher Lord Press has bought Starfire, my first novel.

There have been so many people who have helped me along my journey to this point, from critique partners who have helped me polish my writing craft, to friends and family who believed in me even when I didn't.

I owe a big thanks to my wife, Tiffany, who helped me persevere through this last year when I had all but given up. She's an incredible source of joy and inspiration.

Now it's time to start a new leg in the writing journey and see what adventures lay ahead as a published author.

If you wish to join me feel free to swing by here now and again. I'll be keeping a log of what processes I'm going through as well as just musing out loud about Christian Speculative fiction and what not. I'll probably even post a few reviews of the novels I read along the way.

For now, to learn more about my writing click on the links to the left.