It has also broken a number of other records, including the highest opening weekend to date. The results almost guarantee another Avengers film, which I’d welcome along with many other fans.

Given the impressive sales and the large numbers The Avengers continues to draw several weeks after its release, it’s clear that the team behind The Avengers did a number of things right.

Of these, the element that stood out to me most was the characterization, an essential element of any good story.

Disney plotted for years to connect the audiences with their characters by giving most of the superheroes their own film(s) first. Because of that, I could already relate to the heroes. I had an interest in their fate, which I think many people shared, and that alone provided a natural audience hook. Without this build up, such a strong and varied cast could overwhelm the viewer and cause disconnection from the film.

Throughout the film, the characters acted true to their vastly different personalities, which Disney previously established. This provided conflict that pushed the story along, even through the phase of rounding up the superheroes.

The characters made the film not only about explosions and chases, but also about individual struggles and failures, about mercy and sacrifice, and good versus evil. Superhero films aren’t usually known for depth, and this one had its share of snappy action scenes and special effects, but it went a bit deeper because of the characters and their choices.

Do you agree? Disagree? And did you have a favorite character?

1) Avenir Electia

Avenir Eclectia is…

THE PLANET THE UNIVERSE FORGOT

…a multi-author microfiction project, based in a world with flavors of science fiction, fantasy and supernatural genres.

2) Mindflights

MindFlights is a magazine of fantasy and science fiction. It is the result of the merger of two award-winning magazines – Dragons, Knights, & Angels and The Sword Review.

Mindflights strives to provide quality speculative fiction and poetry that respects traditional values and Christian principles. Mindflights actively seeks works from new and student authors and artists, but holds high standards of quality for all contributions.

3) The Cross and the Cosmos

The Cross and The Cosmos is one of the greatest sources of Christian Speculative fiction on the web. Where else can one go to get a fresh helping of Christian Spec Fic every month? Where else can pure insanity be mixed with the order and majesty of our Creator? Where else can one find Christ in the midst of all the crazyness? I tell you: nowhere but here.

So what is it? TC2 is a free e-zine freely downloadable and readable with any PDF reader on the market. It’s portable reading at its finest. Oh, and did we mention that it’s free?

4) Residential Aliens

ResAliens Press is a micro-publisher of spiritually infused speculative fiction. Our projects include an online zine, a print magazine, and anthologies. We’ll soon publish novels as well.

Feel free to chime in with other resources or your experiences with these magazines in the comments section.

Happy reading!

Individuals like Tolkien and Dickens had such a widespread influence that even generations after their deaths, their names carry clout.

That’s the degree to which they impacted the world around them through their stories. By no means did their books represent the sum total of their personalities, but hearing their names brings certain character traits to mind which were reflected in their works.

Publishers seek to take advantage of the fame attached to these names to sell books, and it’s an effective strategy because readers are drawn to names. The name on the cover of a book offers a promise of a certain type of story, and as I reader I’ve selected books based my previous experience with certain authors. I see the name, and I’m inclined to purchase the book, because in the past I’ve enjoyed their stories.

However, the impact of a name applies to more than the world of reading and writing–it’s part of our everyday lives. While we may not have the impact of a Tolkien or Dickens, we all have spheres of influence. So what do we want our name to bring to the minds of those around us?

A name becomes a demonstration of character, whether we’re aware of it or not. For example, when I think of a dear friend of mine, her traits of zeal and passion for God along with her compassion toward those around her immediately come to mind.

So our names reflect aspects of our personality and character, which is perhaps why Proverbs 22:1 says “a good name is more desirable than great riches.” It’s not the name itself, but what it demonstrates about our hearts.

Our words (written and spoken) and our deeds become connected with our names, so it’s worth reflecting on what sort of character we’re displaying…because it may be remembered for years to come.

Your thoughts?

Image credit: pupski

Recently, I’ve begun to familiarize myself a little with the life of Leonardo DaVinci, an inventor, artist, dreamer of dreams…and so much more. He accomplished an incredible amount in his lifetime, yet many of his ideas remained unrealized until long after his death.

Regardless, he remained bold in his imagination, and his speculations became part of our future. He envisioned a variety of flying machines. He sketched out ideas for cars and bicycles long before they appeared on roads. He drew prototypes of weapons of war–cannons powered by steam and large tanks–but he also explored the purely whimsical, like shoes that could walk on water, a lyre shaped in the head of a horse, and a robotic knight.

Unlike many, he didn’t settle for second-hand knowledge of topics that intrigued him–he did whatever it took to learn and pursue excellence. To understand anatomy, which he put to use in his art, he dissected a number of corpses and made countless pages of drawings and notes on the human body. And his art still impresses today.

He dreamed in a way distinct from everyone else in his time, right down to his mirror image writing that scrolled from right to left.

This carries over into the imaginative ventures we pursue. A creative mind learns and grows and explores new ideas without fear. Dreamers feel at home in the realm of the fantastic and don’t settle for things already seen and known, and DaVinci’s life provides an excellent illustration of this, though he was far from a perfect man.

Learning more about his creativity has brought consideration of the imaginative ventures in my own life–what impedes and what increases them. For me, chronic health issues (namely Lymes Disease and a number of problems it’s caused) often present an obstacle…but regardless I want to live boldly and dream freely. In the past, I’ve mentioned some practical ways that I increase creativity, but in the end, I’ve found that God provides the most inspiration and encouragement.

So does anything hinder freedom of imagination and creativity in your life? And what encourages you to dream? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

For the first poll, I’ve included ten of the more commonly known mythic creatures, but if you don’t see your top choice, feel free to check the other box and leave your favorite in the comments.

I’ve created this second poll because I value your feedback regarding the blog, and I’d like to hear about your future interests on this particular topic. I’ve included a few of the more common ones that I haven’t explored, but also some other options to allow the most feedback.

Of course, I welcome any comments explaining your choices or adding your thoughts on the subject.

She addressed two issues in the same post–small press sales and fantasy in the CBA market–both valuable to consider, but not necessarily tied to each other.

In the beginning, she suggested that most Christian fantasy novels will sell only several hundred copies. Yet this was based primarily on experiences with small press publishing. So I thought I’d do a little exploration of small press publishing in the general market. The several articles I found that included sales figures all indicated the same thing–in general, a small press book will sell an average of a few hundred copies in the first year.

Regarding general market fantasy in particular, the SFWA says that small presses will have small sales, sometimes staying below 100 per book. Based on these figures, it appears to me that Christian fantasy from small presses does as well (sometimes better) than general market fantasy from small presses.

By the way, none of this is a statement against small presses–I think they have much in their favor. But the potential downside is a smaller reach that can lead to fewer sales. From my perspective, given the disparity of sales between large publishers and small presses, it doesn’t work to connect fewer sales of Christian fantasy from small presses to the overall state of the genre.

So moving beyond the issue of small press publishing, what do the sales of Christian fantasy look like? I don’t have hard figures. Becky pointed out the exceptions that evidently sell quite well (Dekker appearing on multiple bestseller lists, for example).

But based on my understanding of the sales figures publishers expect before renewing a contract, my guess is that many Christian fantasy books do have sales figures in the thousands, not the hundreds–as a number of fantasy writers continue to publish books through larger CBA publishers.

Of course, I could be wrong, since I don’t have access to sales data, and I’d be interested to hear what any “insiders” have to say on this point.

Becky concluded:

So it seems to me we as authors have to decide–do we stay within the confines of CBA? If we do, then we can’t complain about small sales reach. If we want to go to ABA, are we ready to stand our ground on the message of our work? The road to selling a Christian manuscript would be harder. But if you manage it, your reach would become exponential.

I’m not certain that the sales reach of a book will become exponentially greater just by selling in the general market. It still depends on the size and influence of the publisher, just as in the Christian market. There’s more interest in fantasy in the general market, but that doesn’t automatically equate to larger sales for any particular book.

Having said all that, I do think there’s great value in both avenues of publishing. Benefits of moving to the general market might include the greater number of fantasy publishing slots, the ability to reach a different audience, the desire to include “edgier” content, and so forth. However, I think if a writer heads to the general market simply for higher sales he/she may  be disappointed.

In the end, I agree with Becky’s suggestion that we must objectively evaluate the Christian and the general markets when it comes to writing speculative fiction. Each has limitations and benefits, and every writer must decide which path to pursue (though some do both successfully).

Becky presented a final question: “So what do you think–is Christian Speculative fiction a market that will ever really boom?”

I believe that Christian fantasy will grow through a variety of means (which includes branching out into the general market), as I’ve discussed almost a year ago.

What do you see when you look to the future of the genre? I’d love to hear some discussion on these topics.

Image credit: Michael W. May

May releases

Dreamspell
by Tamara Leigh

A time to live. A time to die. A time to dream.

Sleep disorders specialist Kennedy Plain has been diagnosed with a fatal brain tumor. When her research subject dies after trying to convince her he has achieved dream-induced time travel and her study is shelved, she enlists herself as a subject to complete her research. But when she dreams herself into 14th-century England and falls into the hands of Fulke Wynland, a man history has condemned as a murderer, she must not only stay alive long enough to find a way to return to her own time, but prevent Fulke from murdering his young nephews. And yet, the more time she spends with the medieval warrior, the more difficult it is to believe he is capable of committing the heinous crime for which he has been reviled for 600 years.

Baron Fulke Wynland has been granted guardianship of his brother’s heirs despite suspicions that he seeks to steal their inheritance. When the king sends a mysterious woman to care for the boys, Fulke is surprised by the lady’s hostility toward him–and more surprised to learn she is to be his wife. But when his nephews are abducted, the two must overcome their mutual dislike to discover the boys’ fate. What Fulke never expects is to feel for this woman whose peculiar speech, behavior, and talk of dream travel could see her burned as a witch.

Star of Justice
by Robynn Tolbert

She joined the knighthood for the scholarship program.

A thwarted assassination attempt drags Caissa Ocren into a secret war between elemental spirits and dragon worshippers. More accustomed to solving puzzles than wielding swords, she undergoes a crash course in survival from a mercenary minstrel, a shape-shifting druid, and a legendary spirit warrior. An ancient book may hold the answers she seeks, but understanding requires the memories of a wizard. With time against her, Caissa faces the hardest lesson of all—how to serve when the cost is her life.

The Soul Saver
by Dineen Miller

Meet Lexie Baltimore, who is in the supernatural battle of her life. In obedience to God’s calling, Lexie uses her art and dreams to help others. But will she have enough courage to help herself when she becomes torn between her atheist husband and a godly man? A widower and a father, Pastor Nate Winslow is drowning in darkness. Will he resist his treacherous assignment to win Lexie’s heart or give in to the attraction between them? As events unfold, Lexie becomes entangled in a twisted plot. Will she overcome the evil assailing her or yield to the dark side?

Swipe
by Evan Angler

Everyone gets the Mark. It gives all the benefits of citizenship. Yet if getting the Mark is such a good thing, then why does it feel so wrong? 

Set in a future North America that is struggling to recover after famine and global war, Swipe follows the lives of three kids caught in the middle of a conflict they didn’t even know existed. United under a charismatic leader, every citizen of the American Union is required to get the Mark on their 13th birthday in order to gain the benefits of citizenship.

The Mark is a tattoo that must be swiped by special scanners for everything from employment to transportation to shopping. It’s almost Logan Langly’s 13th birthday and he knows he should be excited about getting the Mark, but he hasn’t been able to shake the feeling he’s being watched. Not since his sister went to get her Mark five years ago . . . and never came back.

When Logan and his friends discover the truth behind the Mark, will they ever be able to go back to being normal teenagers? Find out in the first book of this exciting series that is Left Behind meets Matched for middle-grade readers.

Some speculative news

Andrew Peterson, author of the Wingfeather Saga, announced the near completion of his new album Light for the Lost Boy. This is good news for fantasy readers, because he plans to turn his attention to the concluding book of the saga–The Warden and the Wolf King–now slated to release in spring 2013. Keep an eye out for both the book and the new album.

Dear Joan–

Thanks for your letter of the 3rd. You describe your Wonderful Night v. well. That is, you describe the place and the people and the night and the feeling of it all, very well — but not the thing itself — the setting but not the jewel. And no wonder! Wordsworth often does just the same. His Prelude (you’re bound to read it about 10 years hence. Don’t try it now, or you’ll only spoil it for later reading) is full of moments in which everything except the thing itself is described. If you become a writer you’ll be trying to describe the thing all your life: and lucky if, out of dozens of books, one or two sentences, just for a moment, come near to getting it across…

What really matters is:–

1. Always try to use the language so as to make quite clear what you mean and make sure your sentence couldn’t mean anything else.

2. Always prefer the plain direct word to the long, vague one. Don’t implement promises, but keep them.

3. Never use abstract nouns when concrete ones will do. If you mean “More people died” don’t say “Mortality rose.”

4. In writing. Don’t use adjectives which merely tell us how you want us to feel about the thing you are describing. I mean, instead of telling us a thing was “terrible,” describe it so that we’ll be terrified. Don’t say it was “delightful”; make us say “delightful” when we’ve read the description. You see, all those words (horrifying, wonderful, hideous, exquisite) are only like saying to your readers, “Please will you do my job for me.”

5. Don’t use words too big for the subject. Don’t say “infinitely” when you mean “very”; otherwise you’ll have no word left when you want to talk about something really infinite.

Thanks for the photos. You and Aslan both look v. well. I hope you’ll like your new home.

With love
yours
C.S. Lewis

It’s fun to get a glimpse into the mind of a classic writer. What do you think of his advice?

Close your eyes, Ela of Parne. Close your eyes and you will see.

Ela Roeh of Parne doesn’t understand why her beloved Creator, the Infinite, wants her to become His prophet. She’s undignified, bad tempered, and only seventeen–not to mention that no prophet of Parne has ever been a girl. Worst of all, as the elders often warn, if she agrees to become the Infinite’s prophet, Ela knows she will die young.

Istgard has turned their back on me. See the evil they do.

Yet after experiencing His presence, she can’t imagine living without Him. Determined to follow the Infinite’s voice, Ela accepts the sacred vinewood branch and is sent to bring the Infinite’s word to a nation torn apart by war. Here she meets Kien, a young Traceland ambassador determined to bring his own justice for his oppressed people. As they form an unlikely partnership, Ela must surrender to her destiny…and determine how to balance the leading of her heart with the leading of the Infinite.

Will you accept the branch and speak my will? Will you be my prophet?

Review

Prophet offers something unique in the world of Christian fantasy with its Biblical history overtones and its speculation on life as an Old Testament type prophet. It reframes Old Testament prophesy in a new way which allows greater consideration of the human struggles these prophets faced and the cost they paid to proclaim the word of God.

Although Prophet takes inspiration from the Old Testament, Larson has created her own world, one standing on the brink of war. The Istgardian massacre of a peaceful Traceland town gives Ela, newly chosen prophet of the Infinite, her first mission–to confront the evil rampant in Istgard.

Needless to say, her message condemning the people of Istgard earns her many enemies, but the Infinite protects her as she speaks His word.

And the Infinite gives her two companions to walk with her through the dangers she faces–her endearing younger sister Tzana and the Traceland ambassador Kien. Each has a role to play in the unfolding drama that began when Ela embraced the call of the Infinite.

Though it is said that no prophet dies silver-haired, Ela accepts the risks and responsibilities, because of her love for the Infinite. Yet she still struggles with her flaws, a quick temper not least among them. Sometimes she seems blind to the obvious, so caught up in her own assumptions about what the Infinite speaks, that she can’t consider any alternative meaning or outcome. She’s fixed on the idea of her coming death, but it’s difficult for the reader to feel the danger, knowing that the Infinite still has a purpose for her.

Despite my moments of annoyance with Ela, her flaws emphasize the reality that God uses the weak to bring down the strong. It’s not our perfection, but our willingness to follow His command. Since this story deals with the life of a prophet, the spiritual elements are intrinsic to the plot and the strong messages don’t feel like a sermon, but rather an exploration of relationship with God. Prophet highlights the truth that following God comes with true cost, but it’s worth any price we might pay.

My recommendation

Its YA tone will likely make Prophet most engaging to teen readers, but all ages will be able to relate to the spiritual themes. As a historical fantasy, this has the potential to engage a wider range of readers, especially those with an interest in Biblical history. And if you’re looking for something unique in the Christian fantasy market, you may want to give this a try.

Thanks to all of you who participated. I always wish I could give away a copy to each person who entered, but since I can’t, I recommend that you buy this one. And check back later, because I will continue to offer future giveaways.

If you’re curious about what inspires Anne Elisabeth Stengl, you may want to check out her new blog series Famous Fairies in Fiction. Here’s what she has to say about it:

“Here, gentle readers, is the first of my newest series, in the spirit of the Tuesday’s Dragon series that went over rather well last year. I write what I consider to be ‘new fairy tales’ myself with the Goldstone Wood series, and my research for these stories often brings me in contact with classic fairies of yore, creatures far more wonderful and more terrible than we can quite fathom.”

If you write or read fairy tale style fantasy, you should take a look at this series on classic fairies.

And while we’re on the topic of fairy tales, I wanted to recommend one more resource–the SurLaLune blog, which explores fairy tales in books, art, film, academics and more. If you want a glimpse at the way fairy tales have permeated culture, I suggest stopping by.