Black Earth: Merry Christmas

Seeing how Christmas is just around the corner, I figured now was a good a time as any to release a collection of short stories I wrote a few years ago, all of which tie into my Black Earth series. The collection is named Black Earth: Merry Christmas, and each story gives a glimpse into the lives of Nathan Pierce, Alpha 1, and Evanescence during the holiday season before the first novel, End of the Innocence, begins.

Black Earth: Merry Christmas is available - for free - as a PDF download exclusively through my website. So head on over there and grab your copy now!

My Latest Project - Typing Inferno

With us moving to San Francisco at the end of January to take part in the Canvas church plant, I've spent a good deal of time digging through the trash and treasures buried in the closet and bookshelves of my office. The place is a mess, needless to say, as most places are when one is in transition. I've been trying to mentally list the things that need to be done before the move - one of which concerns this 'little' beauty...

Mission: Australia is the very first novel I wrote - finished when I was only 16 years old. This was not the first story that I wrote - that occurred when I was 11. But this is the first novel I wrote, and it was the last one my grandmother read before she passed away of breast cancer. Needless to say, it's an extremely important item from my past. So it baffles me that I haven't come around to moving it into digital format yet, especially since it is the foundation for which my young adult series, Expired Reality, has been built upon.

As you can see from some of the handwriting - some of which I can't even decipher after all these years - this will be a decent challenge...

Also, this thing comes out to around 250 pages (last count), meaning I have some work to do if I want to have this typed up before the end of January.

The Dreamers

Dreamer - noun
1. a person who dreams.
2. a person who lives in a world of fantasy; one who is impractical and unrealistic.
3. a person whose ideas or projects are considered audacious or highly speculative; visionary.

I have found it to be a curious thing lately that most people seem to attribute the title Dreamer with the second definition in that list. A very negative definition. A person with their head in the clouds, their eyes in the sky looking for things that don't exist. Someone not grounded in reality.

When did it become this way? When did we get so bogged down in the normal and mundane that we decided to cast criticism and cynicism on those who make the decision to reach for more? Those who fit the latter part of the third definition: Visionaries?

I've had this concern for a while now. I don't even have to take a look at our world to notice this epidemic. I see it enough in those around me. Close to me. In fact, many of them are the ones casting this title my way. Dreamer. Unrealistic. Impractical. Ridiculous. All because I strive for what is considered impossible.

The true dreamers cross the boundaries of what society and convention say is possible/impossible. Yes, they count the cost. They take into account what they may lose or gain crossing that line. They weigh everything carefully, and then they make the decision - the tough decision - that the rewards will far outweigh the sacrifice.

I understand there is a line between someone pursuing their dreams and someone saying they're pursuing their dreams. The former works toward their goals. The latter simply talks about their goals until they are enraptured by the feel-good emotions that follow their talk. The former pour out blood, sweat, tears, and sacrifices to achieve the dreams residing within their beating hearts. The latter pour over notepads scribbled with their dreams, with the potential their dreams hold. The former see the edge and step over it, regardless of the naysayers, in spite of the consequences. The latter see the edge and stand by it, taking in the cheers of those who support their decision to cross the line. But they never cross the line. Not like the former.

I am a dreamer. A dreamer for God. He whispered promises/dreams in my heart so very long ago, and I have held onto those like they were a locket close to my chest. I have not let go of those promises - those 'impossible' dreams. And I never will. If God is anything, He is faithful. And if I am considered the second of those definitions because of this - a person who lives in a world of fantasy; one who is impractical and unrealistic - then that's fine with me. The haters will hate. The naysayers will naysay. Those who don't want to cross the line will always be full of jealousy for those who do. They hate on those who venture into the unknown, who leave the surety of life and its trappings to explore the fantastic and the wondrous - the places they wish they themselves had the courage or faith to venture into.

Which are you? A dreamer or a sayer? An adventurer or a scribbler? It's time we break the mold. It's time we counted on God for more than just a feel-good Sunday sermon and trusted him to take us into unknown realms. Moses believed God would part an entire sea. Joshua and Caleb believed the Israelites could defeat the giants found in the promised land. Gideon believed God could destroy an army of 135,000 with only 300 men. Yes, I am referencing Old Testament accounts. It's because the Old Testament is full of men and women who believed God for the impossible, for the miraculous.

These days, I don't see as much of that going on. That's not to say it doesn't - there are some who are currently believing God for great and impossible things. But not many. I do believe God calls many to marvelous things, but those individuals either don't believe God could possibly bring them to a place to receive them, or they simply give up along the way.

I'm reminded of some of the lines from Switchfoot's song, Awakening -
Last week saw me living for nothing but deadlines,
With my dead beat sky but, this town doesn't look the same tonight
These dreams started singing to me out of nowhere
And in all my life I don't know if I've ever felt so alive,
Alive

What dreams are singing to you? A new business? A new book, painting, song? A move to a new land? Why are you squelching those dreams? Why are you tossing them aside as impossibilities? If God has birthed those dreams within you, surely He will see you through as you pursue them.

"Now the God of peace...equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight..." Hebrews 13:20,21 NASB

Wake up, my friends. Don't let your circumstances dictate how your life will pan out. Rise. Fight. Take hold of those dreams singing in your hearts, and pursue the things of God with confidence, courage, and faith.

The Dreamers

Dreamer - noun
1. a person who dreams.
2. a person who lives in a world of fantasy; one who is impractical and unrealistic.
3. a person whose ideas or projects are considered audacious or highly speculative; visionary.

I have found it to be a curious thing lately that most people seem to attribute the title Dreamer with the second definition in that list. A very negative definition. A person with their head in the clouds, their eyes in the sky looking for things that don't exist. Someone not grounded in reality.

When did it become this way? When did we get so bogged down in the normal and mundane that we decided to cast criticism and cynicism on those who make the decision to reach for more? Those who fit the latter part of the third definition: Visionaries?

I've had this concern for a while now. I don't even have to take a look at our world to notice this epidemic. I see it enough in those around me. Close to me. In fact, many of them are the ones casting this title my way. Dreamer. Unrealistic. Impractical. Ridiculous. All because I strive for what is considered impossible.

The true dreamers cross the boundaries of what society and convention say is possible/impossible. Yes, they count the cost. They take into account what they may lose or gain crossing that line. They weigh everything carefully, and then they make the decision - the tough decision - that the rewards will far outweigh the sacrifice.

I understand there is a line between someone pursuing their dreams and someone saying they're pursuing their dreams. The former works toward their goals. The latter simply talks about their goals until they are enraptured by the feel-good emotions that follow their talk. The former pour out blood, sweat, tears, and sacrifices to achieve the dreams residing within their beating hearts. The latter pour over notepads scribbled with their dreams, with the potential their dreams hold. The former see the edge and step over it, regardless of the naysayers, in spite of the consequences. The latter see the edge and stand by it, taking in the cheers of those who support their decision to cross the line. But they never cross the line. Not like the former.

I am a dreamer. A dreamer for God. He whispered promises/dreams in my heart so very long ago, and I have held onto those like they were a locket close to my chest. I have not let go of those promises - those 'impossible' dreams. And I never will. If God is anything, He is faithful. And if I am considered the second of those definitions because of this - a person who lives in a world of fantasy; one who is impractical and unrealistic - then that's fine with me. The haters will hate. The naysayers will naysay. Those who don't want to cross the line will always be full of jealousy for those who do. They hate on those who venture into the unknown, who leave the surety of life and its trappings to explore the fantastic and the wondrous - the places they wish they themselves had the courage or faith to venture into.

Which are you? A dreamer or a sayer? An adventurer or a scribbler? It's time we break the mold. It's time we counted on God for more than just a feel-good Sunday sermon and trusted him to take us into unknown realms. Moses believed God would part an entire sea. Joshua and Caleb believed the Israelites could defeat the giants found in the promised land. Gideon believed God could destroy an army of 135,000 with only 300 men. Yes, I am referencing Old Testament accounts. It's because the Old Testament is full of men and women who believed God for the impossible, for the miraculous.

These days, I don't see as much of that going on. That's not to say it doesn't - there are some who are currently believing God for great and impossible things. But not many. I do believe God calls many to marvelous things, but those individuals either don't believe God could possibly bring them to a place to receive them, or they simply give up along the way.

I'm reminded of some of the lines from Switchfoot's song, Awakening -

Last week saw me living for nothing but deadlines,
With my dead beat sky but, this town doesn't look the same tonight
These dreams started singing to me out of nowhere
And in all my life I don't know if I've ever felt so alive,
Alive

What dreams are singing to you? A new business? A new book, painting, song? A move to a new land? Why are you squelching those dreams? Why are you tossing them aside as impossibilities? If God has birthed those dreams within you, surely He will see you through as you pursue them.

"Now the God of peace...equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight..." Hebrews 13:20,21 NASB

Wake up, my friends. Don't let your circumstances dictate how your life will pan out. Rise. Fight. Take hold of those dreams singing in your hearts, and pursue the things of God with confidence, courage, and faith.

Start At The Beginning...

In celebration of the release of the fourth - and final - novel in my Black Earth series, Exodus, I've dropped the price of the digital (Kindle, Nook, etc.) edition of the first book in the series, End of the Innocence, to 99 cents through the month of December. Grab it for yourself, your friends, or anyone who's been wanting to check out some edgy Christian speculative fiction!

The End is Here

Today is the official release day for Black Earth: Exodus, the fourth and final full-length novel in my Black Earth series. The road to this momentous occasion has been a tough and trying one - both personally and professionally - but I'm very glad to present to all of you the final chapter in my edgy Christian speculative fiction series...

In the midst of the world's darkest nightmares, light shines the brightest...

In what began as a star falling in the distant Phoenix sky, Legion's invasion of Earth has led Nathan Pierce through the twisted depths of the human spirit in search of his family and truth. After a bloody and brutal confrontation with the President of the United States in Echo city, Nathan and his friends find themselves on a new path leading through the Broken Lands—toward the city of Providence, California, the battleground upon which humanity will make a stand against the Dark Army and Legion itself.

But as Nathan's group journeys through bomb-ravaged cities and demon-infested highways to reach Providence, those determined to put an end to Nathan's life enact a final plan to stop him, his friends, and humanity as a whole. An offer is made to rewind time and put back the wrongs that Professor Grey’s time travels have caused. Everything can be restored. But at what cost?

While war rages across the planet, the fragmented shards of Shadowbanish come together to form a weapon that can finally tip the scales in humanity's favor, but only if the hero can endure the trials of Earth’s final days.

Black Earth: Exodus can be purchased in paperback at:
Createspace
Amazon.com

and in ebook format at:
Amazon.com (Kindle)
Barnes and Noble (Nook)
Smashwords (Other Formats)

New Release Date For Black Earth: Exodus

The paperback proofing of Black Earth: Exodus went surprisingly well, with nearly no errors to speak of. To that end, I'm going to push up the release date for the ebook and paperback editions of the book to Tuesday, December 4th. I'm also going to be doing some giveaways shortly after the release, so stay tuned to this blog to find out more about that.

In other news, I completed NaNoWriMo! This was my eighth year in a row participating and completing the challenge. Some might say it's time for a break, but I say no way. I have many projects I've been wanting to work on that I haven't had time to mess with because of NaNo and Black Earth: Exodus, but now that both are sliding off my plate, I can focus on marketing for Exodus, building up The Crossover Alliance, and spreading word about my entire Black Earth series.

The Light At The End Of The NaNoWriMo Tunnel

We're in the last week of November (I know, time flies!) and that means we're in the last week of NaNoWriMo, or National Novel Writing Month for those who still don't know what that means. Last night I crossed the 45,000 word mark, meaning I only have 5,000 more words I need to write this week and I will have accomplished NaNoWriMo for the 8th straight year.

Finishing NaNoWriMo is always a great accomplishment for me - it helps me learn writing discipline, gives me an excuse to cut out distractions in November, and also gives me a draft for an upcoming self-published book.

At the same time, I'm always a bit relieved when NaNoWriMo is over with because it means I can move that off my plate and move onto other projects I've had waiting in line. This is particularly true of this year, because November has been mostly consumed with NaNoWriMo and the formatting and completion of the fourth (and final full-length) novel in my Black Earth series, Exodus. I just received the proof copy of the paperback version of Black Earth: Exodus in the mail yesterday and from what I've seen, it came out without needing anymore revisions to the formatting or cover - meaning the release is imminent.

So with NaNoWriMo and Black Earth: Exodus moving off my plate, I can start pushing some marketing out the doors for Exodus, the Black Earth series as a whole, and the rest of my writing. I also want to dive into creating some merchandise through Zazzle, and put some more time and effort into building The Crossover Alliance community.

Great things are on the horizon! But, one thing at a time. I still have 5,000 more words to write in my NaNo novel before I can claim victory, so I'll see you on the other side.

Giving Thanks

With Thanksgiving coming tomorrow, I wanted to take a moment and post some of the things that I'm thankful for. These are things I am thankful for all year long, but I figured since it's Thanksgiving, maybe I'd actually go public with them.

My relationship with God.
These last few years have brought me closer to God and further from myself - the parts of myself that need to die and make room for newness and better fruit. It's been a challenging journey through self-publishing, writing, and family matters since I left my '9-5' job back in 2009, but God has seen my family through and shown us miracles and countless proofs of His love for us. I'm thankful that He is a God who is continuously active in our lives.

My family -
I am blessed beyond measure with my wife and my son. My wife and I have grown so very close to each other during this journey, and I cannot imagine my life now without my dear son. Working from home while also taking care of my son has been a challenge, and I've had to learn to grown into certain spots, but overall, I wouldn't trade my family or the experiences we share together for anything in this world.

My Career -
I've been writing stories since I was eleven, and now that I'm thirty-three, I find my passion to write becoming an ever-growing obsession. I have had the ability and privilege to write from home full time and grow into this self-publishing business. At times, this writer's life is frustrating and hectic, but those golden moments when I get chills reading something I toiled over or hearing how my writing changed someone's outlook on life are priceless and make all the struggle worth it.

My hobbies -
This should probably be changed to hobby (singular) - video gaming. I grew up with video games. My dad introduced me to computers at a young age, and I still remember playing Choplifter on my Commodore 64. Video games run in my blood, and I still enjoy them to this day, sneaking in moments of gaming goodness whenever I get the chance. In fact, if I wasn't called to writing, I definitely would have entered into the area of video game design for my career.

I hope all of you have a great Thanksgiving, regardless if the retail industry attempts to overshadow it with nonsense.

Giving Thanks

With Thanksgiving coming tomorrow, I wanted to take a moment and post some of the things that I'm thankful for. These are things I am thankful for all year long, but I figured since it's Thanksgiving, maybe I'd actually go public with them.

My relationship with God.
These last few years have brought me closer to God and further from myself - the parts of myself that need to die and make room for newness and better fruit. It's been a challenging journey through self-publishing, writing, and family matters since I left my '9-5' job back in 2009, but God has seen my family through and shown us miracles and countless proofs of His love for us. I'm thankful that He is a God who is continuously active in our lives.

My family -
I am blessed beyond measure with my wife and my son. My wife and I have grown so very close to each other during this journey, and I cannot imagine my life now without my dear son. Working from home while also taking care of my son has been a challenge, and I've had to learn to grown into certain spots, but overall, I wouldn't trade my family or the experiences we share together for anything in this world.

My Career -
I've been writing stories since I was eleven, and now that I'm thirty-three, I find my passion to write becoming an ever-growing obsession. I have had the ability and privilege to write from home full time and grow into this self-publishing business. At times, this writer's life is frustrating and hectic, but those golden moments when I get chills reading something I toiled over or hearing how my writing changed someone's outlook on life are priceless and make all the struggle worth it.

My hobbies -
This should probably be changed to hobby (singular) - video gaming. I grew up with video games. My dad introduced me to computers at a young age, and I still remember playing Choplifter on my Commodore 64. Video games run in my blood, and I still enjoy them to this day, sneaking in moments of gaming goodness whenever I get the chance. In fact, if I wasn't called to writing, I definitely would have entered into the area of video game design for my career.

I hope all of you have a great Thanksgiving, regardless if the retail industry attempts to overshadow it with nonsense. I'll be back on this blog next week, ramping up for the release of Black Earth: Exodus!