The Quest for Truth

Catch up on some Video podcasts before Feb 8th!

2012-02-01T22:59:00.000-07:00

Be sure to tune into the February 8th to the Adventures in Odyssey podcast, we have an announcement that will rock your world! We just filmed it all today. While you wait watch some of these past podcasts. Which one did you like the most?

Unleash Teaser

2012-01-29T16:09:00.004-07:00

I know that Taken (Available in the my author store now) seems like it just came out and Risk, well it's not even in your hands yet. But it will be in May (Pre-Order in the author store now), which means I am working hard on book 3, Unleash.

Wow, hard to believe I'm at the halfway point for the series. It's been a long fun journey to go on and I hope you are enjoying it with me. In honor of reaching the halfway book, here is a little teaser from Unleash! Scroll down.

Are you sure you want to read it? Keep scrolling if you are sure.

Are you really sure? If you are keep scrolling.

Okay I guess you are, just scroll a bit farther then.

“I do,” Tiffany spoke excitedly. “The Cathedral of theStar was destroyed by a large explosion on Enaid, hundreds of years ago. TheFederation allowed other construction to be built over top of it.”

“And Archeos has requested access to the ruins severaltimes. Dad and mom were even on a teampreparing to go. But each time at the last minute, something changed and theteams had been denied entry,” Mason explained.

“How are we going to get in then?” Austin asked.

Mason shook his head. “I don’t know, but my guess isthat is where we need to go.”

Australia Day - TimTam - TimTam Slam - Books for Life Contest!

2012-01-26T18:00:00.000-07:00

Apparently today is Australia Day!

I ate a TimTam which is apparently Australia's favorite cookie (at least according to Pepperidge Farms.) This said I want to shout out to my favorite Australian family the Wilmots, and contributor to The Quest for Truth blog Michael Wilmot. Next up the TimTam Slam! The what?

So here is a challenge for those of you who are in the Win Books For Life Contest! Run to your local store and buy some TimTams then do the Timtam Slam; which is biting off both ends and sucking cocoa up through the TimTam like a straw! Then of course email your pictures to me! 500 points to those of you who send them in!

Email:
QuestForTruthContest (at) gmail (dot) com. Of course, when you email, replace the above (at) with the @ symbol and the word (dot) with an actual (.)

HowlSage - Jinn attacks Taylor -Stop motion Lego

2012-01-22T21:23:00.000-07:00

Ryan Matlock created another awesome video for Sages of Darkness. Check out this battle between Taylor and the jinn in HowlSage. Send me your awesome videos, fan art, and other cool stuff.

FOX NEWS: App Attack: 10-yr-old develops Monkeyberry game

2012-01-21T09:00:00.000-07:00

Check out this great interview with an awesome kid! Visit his site for more info on the App - http://www.henrymaw.com/

Taken $6.99 on Kindle and an App for every device!

2012-01-20T18:00:00.000-07:00

Taken is only $6.99 on Kindle get it now and enjoy hours of family friendly entertainment! Need a kindle app it's free and it's HERE

“The Wikks are regular kids given a Galactic size challenge.Readers will follow Oliver, Tiffany, and twins, Mason and Austin as they trekthrough eerie catacombs, mysterious ruins, and creepy castles that defyimagination. One part Indiana Jones, a handful of Swiss Family Robinson, andsome Intergalactic excitement, the Quest for Truth is a riveting tale of justhow far mankind will go for the ultimate prize.”

- Wayne Thomas Batson, best-selling author of The Door Within Trilogy, The Berinfell Prophecies, and The Dark Sea Annals

$6.99 sales on Taken - Get it now on any device with the Kindle App

2012-01-17T22:14:00.000-07:00

Taken is $6.99 on Amazon! What an amazing deal. Don't have a device, there's an app for that for your PC. Get this awesome price before it's gone! BUY IT NOW!

Get Taken a wholesome book filled with a story that will spark your imagination and feed your soul. Or you might get something that will disappear in an hour such as; 1.5 Starbucks coffees, 2 Subway sandwiches (w/ tax), 2 gallons of gas, or a cheap haircut (might last a month).

SO WHY ARE YOU WAITING? GET IT NOW!

Five—Four—Three—Two—One!” “We’re out of here!” Suit up! Jump into hyper flight with the four Wikk kids! Forced into a high stakes hunt for their missing parents by the sinister Cpt. Vedrik, the siblings’ only hope is their parents’ Archeos e-journal. Can Tiffany decipher the clues within it? As time runs out, it’s all up to Oliver and his Federation training to fly the Phoenix and protect his crew. But twins Mason and Austin endanger the mission when they unexpectedly meet . . . the blue boy! The Quest for Truth series unfolds as the four Wikk kids are thrust into a desperate race to find the mysterious planet Ursprung and stop the Übel renegades from misusing its long-lost secrets. Ancient cities, treacherous villains, high-tech gadgets, the Phoenix—encounter all of these and more on this futuristic, interplanetary adventure!

“In his debut novel, Taken, B.D. Eastman has touchedoff the fuse of a swift and explosive adventure. Readers will follow Oliver,his sister, Tiffany, and his younger twin brothers, Mason and Austin, intomysterious ruins, eerie catacombs, and a creepy castle that defies imagination. One part Swiss Family Robinson, one part Indiana Jones, Takenis a riveting tale of just how far mankind is willing to go for the ultimateprize.”

- Wayne Thomas Batson, best-selling author of The Door Within Trilogy, The Berinfell Prophecies, and The Dark Sea Annals

“Don’t even touch this book unless you plan to read it at once. Takenwastes no time thrusting its readers headlong into the beginning of whatpromises to be an epic saga. Exploding with mystery and high-stakes adventure,this book is masterfully crafted to awaken even the most stubborn ofimaginations. And yet perhaps the most impressive feat is Mr. Eastman’s abilityto punctuate all of it with a deep and powerful message of faith. A job welldone.”

- Christopher Miller, coauthor of the multi-awardwinning Codebearersseries

“My buddy Brock Eastman has a winner here! Take fascinating characters,put them on a fantastical adventure, and tell the story at a page-turning pace,and you’ve got Taken, the first

volume of his forthcoming, five-book series titled The Quest for Truth.Oh, and parents, don’t forget his solid emphasis on Christian principles. Tellyou what: get this book for your kids,

and they’ll enjoy it so much that I bet you’ll end up reading it too!Way to go Brock!”

- Frank Pastore, host of The Frank Pastore Show on KKLA99.5 FM in Los Angeles, Author of Shattered: Struck Down, But Not Destroyed

“I'm constantly on the lookout for books that are exciting, but not tooscary for my school aged children. Eastman consistently delivers action packedpage turners that are not only a joy for the whole family to read, but alsostrengthen our spiritual walks.”
-Elissa Peterson, OH, Mom of 4, creator of Don’t Let Life Pass You By blog

"Sit back and let Brock take you on an exciting journey to the farreaches of the galaxy that explores the meaning of family andfriends"

-Mark Redekop, of theAdventures in Odyssey Wiki

“Taken is awesome! People of any age will enjoy it. I can’t wait for the restof the series!”

-Ruth Santoyo, age 14, MO

“The Wikks’ adventures kept me at the edge of my seat throughout thewhole book!”

-Cody Lugovskiy, age 13, CA

“The book kept me very interested and I was really excited when I got toread it! It was one of the best books I’ve ever read. I would definitelyrecommend it!”

-Nicole Blunier, age 10, IL

“Taken is a fast-paced, fun, easy-to-read book. It allowed my imagination andmind to get lost in the story. I enjoyed it and can’t wait to read the nextQuest for Truth book!”

-Brooke Harrell, age 13, CO

“Finally, something new, exciting, and original! Brock Eastman haswritten a page-turner that will definitely make you want to read the sequel.”

-Jonathan Maiocco,age 17, GA

“The Quest for Truth is a riveting tale of four young kids who have tolearn to help and rely on each other. With lives on the line, courage, wit,companionship, and teamwork are vital for Oliver, Tiffany, Austin, and Mason.This book stole my time away as I continued to turn the pages. Next one,please!”
-Hannah Davis, age 14, TN

"Taken is a fast paced action adventures book that Icouldn't put down! It was well written and easy to read and each chapter getsbetter than the last! I can't wait for the rest in the series."

-Michael Wilmot,age 14, Western Australia.

“I cannot waitfor risk to come out. I loved taken I read it over and over again when I can.”
-CalebFrey, age 11, IL

“Good, clean, adventures, Christian fiction set in afuture time period to reveal truth as to man's origin and overcome evilis the bases of this Taken. From the start, this book sendsyou into adventure and mystery of the Wikk siblings. The sci-fi within thestory, like the ships that travel from one planet to another and themysterious blue people, will remind readers of Star Wars yet theseries is set to bring Christian truths into the mix. Wanting to seethe characters grow and overcome the obstacles ahead as well as thepromise of big adventures while discovering the mysteries of man's originsmakes this series one of interest and worth reading. You are left with the hintof many exciting things to happen in the future of this series.”

- Rachel Harris,age 21, MN

“It got right to the adventure,which was good in my opinion. It wasn't hard to figure out what was going on,the beginning was easy to understand. I think you should read it. Watchout for the Übel!”

- Alex Peterson, age 9, OH

SO NOW WITH ALL THAT AWESOME INSIGHT! YOU WANT IT DON'T YOU?

And don't forget book 2 of the 5 book Quest for Truth series is coming in May:

Album Five: Daring Deeds, Sinister Schemes!!

2012-01-16T15:52:00.010-07:00

I'm BACK.... I was away on a camp for a week, and I came back just a couple of days ago. If you guys are getting sort of annoyed that there are no sketches or the art with out the border, wait no more Thursday is going to be GREAT!! Come Thursday to see the Art, Sketches, Original Borders, original Back covers and more....

Something SINISTER comes to Odyssey...

"Evil has a name. And it goes by Dr. Regis Blackgaard. He and Philip Glossman have big plans that could put Whit’s End out of business. And it looks like the bad guys are winning! Eventually, right overcomes might while kids ages 8 and up learn about making smart choices and having integrity.

The Gold series includes bonus tracks, fun facts, and behind-the-scenes details!"

Volume 5 contains the following stories (and themes):

The Imagination Station, 1 & 2 (Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection)
An Encounter with Mrs. Hooper (Compassion for the elderly)
A Bite of Applesauce (Disobedience)
Connie Goes to Camp, 1 & 2 (Disobedience)
Eugene's Dilemma (Doing what’s right; responsibility)
The Nemesis, 1 & 2 (Trusting God in times of trouble)
Our Best Vacation Ever (Family togetherness)
The Battle, 1 & 2 (God’s protection)
Version Difference
The original version of Daring Deeds, Sinister Schemes did not feature #72: “An Encounter with Mrs. Hooper”, which introduced Richard Maxwell. Instead, it included #82: “Heatwave”. The chronology was fixed for the "Gold Audio Series" and this episode was put back in album 5 and "Heatwave" moved to album 6.

Story Arc
This was the first AIO collection in which most of the episodes contributed to one central storyline. Eight of the twelve episodes are interconnected and deal with the beginnings of the Dr. Regis Blackgaard saga. Intertwined is the subplot of Eugene and Connie getting fired from Whit's End. The episodes that are part of this story arc are: 073: A Bite of Applesauce, 074: Connie Goes to Camp, Part 1, 075: Connie Goes to Camp, Part 2, 076: Eugene's Dilemma, 077: The Nemesis, Part 1, 078: The Nemesis, Part 2, 083: The Battle, Part 1, 084: The Battle, Part 2

Album 5 is one of my most favorite albums (not my favorite, but close), the reason being is because, all the Action, Adventure, Intrigue, Daring Deeds, Sinister Schemes and Life is great to listen to! I love the fact that Connie and Eugene aren't the best employees in the world as you can see a bite of apple sauce (and in other episodes)... But my most favorite thing about album 5 is.... Dr. Regis Blackgaard one of Odyssey most famous villain (if not the most famous Odyssey villain).

Now another amazing thing about this album is that this starts... the first AIO saga (if you wan't to see some of the sketches for the Blackgaard Chronicles, which is part of album 5, comment bellow and say Yes if not then I won't release the sketches for the Blackgaard Chronicle Thursday!)... Now speaking of Sagas the "GREAT" Facebook challenge will let us listen to the "Labyrinth" part 1 (Part of the Conspiracy Saga, which is the third AIO saga) if we get 10,000 likes on Facebook by February 1st, if we get 20,000 likes by February 1st we can listen to part 1 and 2 (of 3) of the "Labyrinth" before it is released, But... if we get 40,000 likes by February 1st then we can listen to all 3 episodes of the Labyrinth (not yet released), and the best thing about it is that.... its for FREE and we can listen to it a couple of months early!! If you haven't like the AIO Facebook page you can like it now by clicking on the link above....

My final opinion on this EPIC album (and SAGA) that even with all the Action, Adventure, Daring Deeds, and Sinister Schemes. But that this album isn't just action packed but also packed with life lesson and life values in the exciting episodes that lay a head in this album. There couldn't be a better start for this first AIO saga and the great adventures that are included in this album are fun, exciting, Daring and Sinister... Come back Thursday to see the AMAZING art (and don't forget to comment bellow if you wan't to see the sketches for the Blackgaard Chronicles)...

Adventures in Odyssey Birthday Bash

2012-01-15T17:54:00.000-07:00

Save the Date!

Adventures in Odyssey Birthday Bash. June 16, 2012 Dallas, Texas. Details to follow.

Tune in to Whitsendblog.org on February 8.

John 3:16 Focus on the Family Ad during NFL Football Playoffs on CBS

2012-01-14T21:54:00.001-07:00

I feel so blessed to work at Focus on the Family, and for donors who are willing to give to spread God's word. Thank you Jim Daly for your awesome leadership! God's word, His promise on national television for the world to see!

Bonus Points for Books for Life Contes - Friday the 13th

2012-01-13T17:15:00.000-07:00

If you have or are planning on entering the Books for Life contest, then here is a bonus challenge for you! You can win an extra 150 points by sending me a short email on what is significant about Friday the 13th in HowlSage. Send your email to QuestForTruthContest (at) gmail (dot) com. This quest is open to anyone and won't expire until the contest is over. So if you haven't read HowlSage yet, there is still time.

Buy it from all these sources:

Signed copy from my Author Store
Focus on the Family
Amazon Kindle
Apple iBooks
Barnes & Noble Nook

Vote in the 2012 FamilyFiction Readers Choice Awards!

2012-01-10T18:27:00.001-07:00

HELP!! I need you too vote (click on Vote below)! Then comment below and if I win, those who comment will be listed in the acknowledgements of my next book! Thanks!

VOTE!

Vote for Brock Eastman, Taken, HowlSage, Sages of Darkness, The Quest for Truth, Showdown with the Shepherd, or Imagination Station in the following categories:

1. Who was your favorite Christian author who published a novel in 2011?

2. Favorite New Author of 2011?

3. Favorite Christian Novel in 2011?

4. Favorite Christian Short Fiction/Novella Collection published in 2011?

5. Favorite Book Series (single author) in 2011?

7. Favorite Book Trailer in 2011?

8. Favorite Fiction Genre/Category?

10. Authors: Historical / Biblical / Western Fiction (list up to 3 -- feel free to leave blank)
First Choice

11. Authors: Suspense / Thrillers / Mysteries (list up to 3 -- feel free to leave blank)
First Choice

12. Authors: Speculative / SF / Fantasy / End-Times / Supernatural (list up to 3 -- or leave blank)
First Choice

14. Authors: Contemporary/General Fiction (list up to 3 -- feel free to leave blank)
First Choice

15. Authors: YA/Teen (list up to 3 -- feel free to leave blank)
First Choice

16. Authors/Illustrators: Children's Books (list up to 3 -- feel free to leave blank)
First Choice

Was a BlizzardSage sighted in New Mexico?

2012-01-09T19:04:00.001-07:00

You be the judge was a BlizzardSage actually spotted in New Mexico?

Coming soon to a store near you or online....

Risk available for Pre-Order (Book #2 in The Quest for Truth)

2012-01-07T13:35:00.000-07:00

As Oliver leads his siblings on their search for their parents, they are taken to a remote planet called Evad. Here they must evade the swarming Ubel soldiers, out run stalking black creatures, and stay free of snaking vines, all while trying to unlock the Truth and find clues to set their parents free. In the second installment of The Quest for Truth series, Risk, the kids will face greater dangers and more complex puzzles. They'll meet new people, and have to decide to trust them or not. Will the kids rescue their parents or be captured themselves?

The Quest for Truth series follows the four Wikk kids in their desperate race to find the mysterious planet Ursprung and stop the Ubel renegades from misusing its long-lost secrets. Ancient cities, treacherous villains, high-tech gadgets, the Phoenix--encounter all these and more on this futuristic, interplanetary adventure.

Special PreOrder Offer

If you order your signed copy of Risk between January 1st and February 29th, I will send you a copy of the Clubhouse Magazine article "Coming Storm" for free. You'll also get a free bookmark and the book signed to whom you would like. The "Coming Storm" is a full color article follows Obbin and his brother Rylin as they discover the Phoenix landing on Jahr Des Eises. Complete with 3 brand new pieces of artwork by Brandon Dorman. Don't miss this special promotional opportunity.

$10.99

Join the Wikk siblings as they race through space to save their parents who have been kidnapped by the sinister Captain Vedrik. Their only hope is their parents Archeos e-journal which contains clues that point the kids to their parents next mission-an archeological dig to find remnants of an ancient human civilization. They must rely on Oliver's academy training to fly their ship but problems arise when twins Mason and Austin unexpectedly meet a secret race of people called the Blue People.

“A raceacross the galaxy in a stellar ship, the Phoenix, you won't be able to putthese books down. Be careful not to rip the pages as you tear through the textand devour the adventure. Thrilling scenes, cool gadgets, and memorablecharacters are all part of what make The Quest for Truth a must read series.”

- WayneThomas Batson, best-selling author of The Door Within Trilogy, The BerinfellProphecies, and The Dark Sea Annals

“Don’t eventouch this book unless you plan to read it at once. Taken wastes no timethrusting its readers headlong into the beginning of what promises to be anepic saga. Exploding with mystery and high-stakes adventure, this book ismasterfully crafted to awaken even the most stubborn of imaginations. And yetperhaps the most impressive feat is Mr. Eastman’s ability to punctuate all ofit with a deep and powerful message of faith. A job well done.”

- ChristopherMiller, coauthor of the multi-awardwinning Codebearers series

“My buddyBrock Eastman has a winner here! Take fascinating characters, put them on afantastical adventure, and tell the story at a page-turning pace, and you’vegot Taken, the first

volume of hisforthcoming, five-book series titled The Quest for Truth. Oh, and parents,don’t forget his solid emphasis on Christian principles. Tell you what: getthis book for your kids,

and they’llenjoy it so much that I bet you’ll end up reading it too! Way to go Brock!”

- FrankPastore, host of The Frank Pastore Show on KKLA 99.5 FM in Los Angeles, Authorof Shattered: Struck Down, But Not Destroyed

“I'mconstantly on the lookout for books that are exciting, but not too scary for myschool aged children. Eastman consistently delivers action packed page turnersthat are not only a joy for the whole family to read, but also strengthen ourspiritual walks.”

-ElissaPeterson, OH, Mom of 4, creator of Don’t Let Life Pass You By blog

"Sitback and let Brock take you on an exciting journey to the far reaches of thegalaxy that explores the meaning of family and friends"

– MarkRedekop, of the Adventures in Odyssey Wiki

“Taken isawesome! People of any age will enjoy it. I can’t wait for the rest of theseries!”

—Ruth Santoyo,age 14, MO

“The Wikks’adventures kept me at the edge of my seat throughout the whole book!”

—CodyLugovskiy, age 13, CA

“The bookkept me very interested and I was really excited when I got to read it! It wasone of the best books I’ve ever read. I would definitely recommend it!”

—NicoleBlunier, age 10, IL

“Taken is afast-paced, fun, easy-to-read book. It allowed my imagination and mind to getlost in the story. I enjoyed it and can’t wait to read the next Quest for Truthbook!”

—BrookeHarrell, age 13, CO

“Finally,something new, exciting, and original! Brock Eastman has written a page-turnerthat will definitely make you want to read the sequel.”

—JonathanMaiocco, age 17, GA

“The Questfor Truth is a riveting tale of four young kids who have to learn to help andrely on each other. With lives on the line, courage, wit, companionship, andteamwork are vital for Oliver, Tiffany, Austin, and Mason. This book stole mytime away as I continued to turn the pages. Next one, please!”
-Hannah Davis, age 14, TN

"Takenis a fast paced action adventures book that I couldn't put down! It was wellwritten and easy to read and each chapter gets better than the last! I can'twait for the rest in the series."

-MichaelWilmot, age 14, Western Australia.

“I cannotwait for risk to come out. I loved taken I read it over and over again when Ican.”
-Caleb Frey, age 11, IL

“Good, clean,adventures, Christian fiction set in a future time period to reveal truth asto man's origin and overcome evil is the bases of this Taken. Fromthe start, this book sends you into adventure and mystery of the Wikksiblings. The sci-fi within the story, like the ships that travelfrom one planet to another and the mysterious blue people, willremind readers of Star Wars yet the series is set to bring Christiantruths into the mix. Wanting to see the characters grow and overcomethe obstacles ahead as well as the promise of big adventures while discoveringthe mysteries of man's origins makes this series one of interest and worthreading. You are left with the hint of many exciting things to happen in thefuture of this series.”

- RachelHarris, age 21, MN

“It got rightto the adventure, which was good in my opinion. It wasn't hard to figure outwhat was going on, the beginning was easy to understand. I think youshould read it. Watch out for the Übel!”

- AlexPeterson, age 9, OH

Adventures in Odyssey Art Time:Volume Four!

2012-01-05T16:46:00.016-07:00

Welcome to "Adventures in Odyssey Art Time" Where we talk about Art, what I think of the Art and a little bit of more Art.... Today's topic of art is: album 4 "FUNdamentals"...

3D 2010 re-pack.
2010 re-pack border.
2005 3D Gold-Audio-Series
2005 Gold-Audio-Series border.
Old Gold-Audio-Series border.
Gold-Audio-Series Tape.
1989 original tape. 2010 re-pack back cover.
2005 Gold-Audio-Series back cover.
1989 original tape.

Whats this? I'm on Holiday at the moment (Australia holidays are different to other Countries) so I wasn't able to scan in my Fan-Art to the computer!

Around 1989-1990 the art for this album was released (the same time as the album) and the album was very popular but I'm not sure about the art... The art in my opinion just looks rushed (I know its a type of art), Its got a hundred different, okay only 5 or 6 but that's still a lot. The problem about 5 or 6 different scenes is that it distracting and some people won't care to look at it because its too hard to look at a scene that interests them (especially if the art looks rushed).It was a good thing they changed the art in 2004...

Around 2004 they changed the art and the title. I didn't talk about the title in the last section because I wanted to compare both titles together: "FUNdamentals" vs "Pun Parables and Perilous Predicaments"... Which one is a better title... "FUNdamentals" is a much better title for this album. Because Episodes like "A Matter of Obedience", "By faith, Noah" and other episodes matches the album title "FUNdamentals" (if you don't agree with me then feel free to comment bellow and tell me what you think)...
Back to the art: When I first saw the art I didn't like how the boy (a young Tom) had his arms spinning around and making him look like he had like 20 arms, But now since I know more about art I like the style and facial blurriness of the arms, I also love the look on Toms freaked out face... In 2010 they re-packed it again, but left the art and the title alone!

In 2010 they changed the Border and logo, and to be honest I really like the border and the logo, I think they match the art and feel of the album. They did touch up the art a bit by making the background a dark/ish grey instead of just a plane white and a couple of other small changes.

My final opinion on the album art is that while the art "Pun Parables and Perilous Predicaments"is boring, looks rushed and is to distracting to see a scene that you like, But the art and the title fixes up all its previous art mistake by having a nice design, good art work and a nice title... If you don't agree with me or think they should have re-drawn the art for album or have a different design then feel free to comment bellow and tell me what you think...

Thanks for reading
Michael W.

What does this have to do with the BlizzardSage book?

2012-01-04T18:00:00.000-07:00

From Fox News - Link Here

Drought Doomed Ancient City of Angkor

By Charles Choi

Published January 04, 2012

| LiveScience

The ancient city of Angkor — the most famous monument of which is the breathtaking ruined temple of Angkor Wat — might have collapsed due to valiant but ultimately failed efforts to battle drought, scientists find.

The great city of Angkor in Cambodia, first established in the ninth century, was the capital of the Khmer Empire, the major player in southeast Asia for nearly five centuries. It stretched over more than 385 square miles (1,000 square kilometers), making it the most extensive urban complex of the preindustrial world. In comparison, Philadelphia covers 135 square miles (350 sq. km), while Phoenix sprawls across more than 500 square miles (1,300 sq. km), not including the huge suburbs.

Suggested causes for the fall of the Khmer Empire in the late 14th to early 15th centuries have included war and land overexploitation. However, recent evidence suggests that prolonged droughts might have been linked to the decline of Angkor — for instance, tree rings from Vietnam suggest the region experienced long spans of drought interspersed with unusually heavy rainfall.

Angkor possessed a complex network of channels, moats, and embankments and reservoirs known as barays to collect and store water from the summer monsoons for use in rice paddy fields in case of drought. To learn more about how the Khmer managed their water, scientists analyzed a 6-foot (2-meter)-long core sample of sediment taken from the southwest corner of the largest Khmer reservoir, the West Baray, which could hold 1.87 billion cubic feet (53 million cubic meters) of water, more than 20 times the amount of stone making up the Great Pyramid at Giza.

Also, to collect samples from across the greater Angkor region, researcher Mary Beth Day, a paleolimnologist at the University of Cambridge in England, hired a "tuk-tuk" (motorized rickshaw) driver, and was able to convince him to drive her around the countryside, "often on tracks that tuk-tuks probably aren't designed to travel on," she recalled. "We nearly got stuck in the sand a couple of times, but my driver was remarkably accommodating given that he probably thought I was crazy."

The researchers deduced a 1,000-year-long climate history of Angkor from the baray. They found at around the time Angkor collapsed the rate at which sediment was deposited in the baray dropped to one-tenth of what it was before, suggesting that water levels fell dramatically as well. The discovery "really emphasizes how significant the events during this period must have been," Day said.

As both water levels and sediment deposits ebbed, the ecology of the baray changed as well, with more bottom-dwelling algae and floating plants coming into existence.

"The ecological shift primarily serves to underline how environmental conditions in the West Baray have been fundamentally different since the 17th century, post-collapse, as compared to what the baray was like during Angkorian times," Day said.

In the end, the water management systems of the Khmer might have been insufficient to cope with sudden and intense variations in climate. [10 Ways Weather Changed History]

"Angkor can be an example of how technology isn't always sufficient to prevent major collapse during times of severe instability," Day told LiveScience. "Angkor had a highly sophisticated water management infrastructure, but this technologic advantage was not enough to prevent its collapse in the face of extreme environmental conditions."

"It's important to understand, however, that failure of the water management network was not the sole reason for the downfall of the Khmer Empire," Day added. "The collapse of Angkor was a complex process brought about by several different factors — social, political and environmental."

The scientists detailed their findings online Jan. 2 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

  *   History's Most Overlooked Mysteries
  *   In Photos: Survival of an Ancient Civilization
  *   Album: The Seven Ancient Wonders of the World

Adventures in Odyssey Volume Four: Fundamentals

2012-01-02T18:24:00.009-07:00

Get ready for the "FUNdamentals!" A classic album with some exciting twist, turns and adventure...

Originally released as... Puns, Parables, and Perilous Predicaments.

“

At Whit’s End, life often imitates, well, life. Maybe that’s why so many kids sort out their questions about faith there. Prayer, being Christlike and evangelism are recurring themes that make for one unexpected adventure after another. In Odyssey, the kids don’t just learn lessons. They live them!

”

“

In Odyssey, the kids don’t just learn lessons — they live them! Like the true story of an eccentric man who builds the world’s biggest floating zoo — in faith. More than just a “discovery emporium,” Whit’s End serves as a convenient stage for exploring truths...and it’s always Fun-damentally entertaining!

The Gold series includes bonus tracks, fun facts, and behind-the-scenes details!

Volume 4 contains the following stories (and themes):

§ By Faith, Noah (Faith)

§ The Prodigal, Jimmy (Repentance, forgiveness)

§ A Matter of Obedience (Obedience)

§ A Worker Approved (The importance of Bible study)

§ And When You Pray... (Prayer)

§ The Boy Who Didn't Go to Church (The importance of regular church attendance)

§ Let This Mind Be in You (Becoming Christlike)

§ A Good and Faithful Servant (Stewardship)

§ The Greatest of These (Unconditional love)

§ Bad Company (Choosing friends wisely)

§ Choices (Standing up for your faith)

§ Go Ye Therefore (Evangelism)

FUNdamentals is a classic album from Odyssey past... the stories and life lessons we learn are ones we can use in our every day life. A young Tom Riley learns a lesson of Obedience (see cover) and find out what happens in... FUNdamentals...

This WONDERFUL album reminds us that time and time again we all make mistakes. So in this classic album it gives us an enjoyable reminder of the FUNdamentals of life like... Faith, Obedience and much more.... an album that never get old!

I remember when I first got this album a couple of years ago really enjoying the episodes like: "By Faith, Noah" (Whit tells the story of Noah in a unique and enjoyable spin), "Choices" (Lucy's has a dilemma when she has to write an article about a religion she doesn't believe), and my favorite in this album "A Matter of Obedience". I would give this album high marks and awards for the quality story telling and quality, a must listen for the AIO fans who haven't listen and a must re-listen for the fans who have...

49,997 page views! Who will be 50,000?

2011-12-31T22:35:00.002-07:00

Interview with Mark Redekop of the AIO Wiki

2011-12-31T18:24:00.001-07:00

Hi! It's Ryan M. again. Some of you AIO fans may have seen or heard of the Adventures in Odyssey Wiki. It is a website holding lots AIO info and history! Basically, if you need to know anything about Adventures in Odyssey, you can search the wiki for answers. I even work on the wiki occasionally.

You may wonder why I am telling you this. The reason is that I got an interview with one of the site's Administrators. His name, as most of the users on the wiki probably know him, is Reddo. He also recently added a new Audio Player program to the AIO wiki. So without further to do, here is the interview!

Q: What can you tell us about the new AIO audio player on the wiki?

A: The new AIO Audio Player App is based heavily on the online one but it installs to your computer just like any other program, the only requirement is silverlight, the same plugin the NetFlix uses. When you start it up it gets a list of the current episodes and podcasts from the wiki's server and then lets you listen to those episodes. The app also auto updates itself, so if a new version is released the app will download and install the new version by itself without the user having to do anything.

Q: Is there any upcoming development planned for the wiki?

A: We have an Android audio player app that's being worked on, but it's going slower than I would like it to so it'll be a bit yet before it's released.

Early in the new year we're also planning on updating our episode pages with a few small changes to make our infobox more organised, it'll also include a couple of neat things like when you click on a bible verse the text will appear right on the page instead of leading to a different link.

We're also working on a massive AIO timeline that includes any references to time mentioned in the show, things like birthdays, ages, seasons of the year, passage of time from earlier/future episodes.

Q: What are some of the best features on the wiki?

A: One of the things I like the best is called Character Intersection, it allows you to choose up to 9 characters from drop down boxes and it will give you a list of all of the episodes that has an appearance by all of those characters. So say you remember some of the characters in an episode but you don't know the name you just enter those names and it really narrows down the list of episodes that you could be thinking of. It also can help you discover other episodes with similar characters.

I also like our rating method where the community as a whole rates the episode instead of just leaving it up to one person.

Q: How did the AIO Wiki come to be?

A:Shadowpaw created the wiki in May 2007 at the request of visitiors to his site aiosoda.com, he said he didn't have time to run it himself and would leave it for the fans to run.

I was just a reader of the Soda Fountain at the time and was really excited about it, I started working on it and eventually became and Admin, then I wanted to install some extensions to make it easier to keep up to date and Shadowpaw didn't have time he gave me server access to do whatever I wanted with the site.

Q: What is your favorite work to do on the wiki? What are you best at?

A: I like making things faster, I'm good at more of the behind the scenes things on the server side, I also like adding new features like user ratings, and the audio player.

Q: What is it like to keep up to date on all released AIO info?

A: Awesome! I've loved the series for many years and it's great to keep up with all the news for the series, sometimes it can be a bit overwheliming as there's podcasts, new episodes/albums, repacks of old albums, book re-releases, and new books coming out, it's a lot to keep up with, but I really enjoy it.

Thank you, Reddo for doing this interview!

Until Next time. ~Ryan M.

Enter Look Like Obbin Today!

2011-12-30T09:49:00.003-07:00

LOOK LIKE OBBIN 2011

This is Obbin! Yes he’s blue, and his hair is green. In fact everyone that lives in his city is blue.

Obbin’s an adventurous boy who likes to explore the woods around his home, Cobalt Gorge. He’s rather mischievous and a bit of a prankster. Think Huckleberry Finn. He’s not supposed to leave the gorge, but he and his brother Rylin have found a secret way out. From looking at him you wouldn’t know it, but he’s actually a Prince. He is the youngest in the royal family, and yes his whole family is blue, dad, mom, brothers, and sisters.

So we're running a contest that lets you be from Cobalt Gorge. Here’s what you do:

How do I win?

Submit a picture of you as Obbin or another blue resident of Cobalt Gorge. Yes this is open to all ages. Not sure how to get blue skin or green hair? You can either use body paint, makeup, and green hairspray or you can convert your picture with software. Either way is eligible for entry. Email your picture (original non-blue and enhanced blue if applicable) to QuestForTruthContest@gmail.com with “Look Like Obbin” in the subject line as well as the required release form. Submission period will be from 11:11 am 11-11-11 until 11:59 pm 12-31-11.

A group of fellow authors will select the top 10 entries and those will be posted and voted on by you. The voting period will run from 12-31-11 until 2-2-12. Once the votes are tallied the winner will be announced. Be sure to get your friends to visit and vote. Votes will be calculated from this site (the comments on the post with the finalists), a voting poll in the sidebar of this blog, and the facebook group. All photos will be posted on the blog and facebook page for voting. Click here for the release form.

What do I win?

First place will have their image featured in an upcoming The Quest for Truth bookmark and an Obbin t-shirt and receive one of each as well as a signed copy of the second book in The Quest for Truth, Risk (upon release) and a copy of the January 2012 Clubhouse Magazine issue featuring a story about Obbin.

Second place will win a signed copy of the second book in The Quest for Truth, Risk (upon release) and a copy of the January 2012 Clubhouse Magazine issue featuring a story about Obbin.

Third and Fourth place will receive a signed copy of the second book in The Quest for Truth, Risk (upon release).

For more insight in to the life of Obbin get your signed copy of Taken at BrockEastman.com

A little more about Obbin. He’s blue, with green spiky hair, and turquoise eyes. Obbin leads two lives, one as a prince, and one as an explorer. While exploring he’s a no shoes, no shirt sort of kid. His usual adventure attire consists of fur shorts, an animal fang earring, leather rings on each finger, a belt and knife, as well as a slingshot. When attending royal events, you’ll find him wearing a silver shirt, brown pants, shoes, no earring, no rings, and his hair not spiked.

Examples of good submissions:

*Rules and contest are subject to change as needed. All decisions are final and at the sole discretion of the author, Brock Eastman.

Need inspiration? Check out all the entries last years entries on the facebook album - HERE

You can also get the celebratory mug from last years competition at Zazzle.

Four years with my Best Friend

2011-12-28T19:49:00.002-07:00

It's been 4 years since I married my beautiful wife. God has lead us on an exciting adventure, and I couldn't have been given a better partner for the journey. Colorado, a new job, two wonderful daughters, a house, nine books, and the list goes on. But with all that God is doing and has done, the best part of it all is having you to hold forever.

I love you Ashley Jo Eastman!

Re-starting January

2011-12-26T17:39:00.004-07:00

"Adventures in Odyssey Art Time" and "Adventures in Odyssey Album Time" will re-start on the first Monday and January of 2012 next year starting with album 4.

-Michael Wilmot

Social Network Christmas

2011-12-25T22:09:00.003-07:00

They played this at our church last night and it was absolutely amazing. Enjoy and comment your thoughts below!

Adventures in Odyssey Art Time: Volume Three!!

2011-12-22T16:57:00.026-07:00

Well it's Thursday again and that means we have a look at all the art changes through the years of album 3 "Heroes". Just as a short history check album 3 "Heroes" as well as the art was released late 1988 where the fans learned some valuable lesson from the cover art... i mean album. Lets have a look at the amazing changes through the years...

3D view of 2010 re-pack.

Re-pack art with border.
2004 calender from the episode Heroes (and what I think should of been the art).
Gold-Audio-Series 3D view.
Gold-Audio-Series art with border.
Old Gold-Audio-Series border (and my first album).
Gold-Audio-Series tape.
Original 1988 tape with yellow shell.
Original art released 1988.
2010 re-pack back cover.
Gold-Audio-Series back cover.

Old Gold-Audio-Series back cover.

Original 1988 back cover.

Eugene in the classic episode "The Sacred Trust". For those who haven't listened to this episode for a while or not at all Eugene is trying to stop the crazy vacuum cleaner Eugene modified. In the episode he actually just pulls cord out while the vacuum goes crazy but I thought it would be funny seeing Eugene getting pulled by the crazy vacuum cleaner instead of just unplugging the cord of the crazy vacuum.... It also matches the theme "Heroes" Eugene rescuing Whit's end from the sinister vacuum cleaner!

To be honest as I said about the old art of album 2 (Grin Grabbers, and Great Getaways) it looks old and dated, the art looks rushed and its got not one scene but a hundred different scenes (maybe not that much but still a lot)! The art is also hard to understand and looks very 80's (it makes sense because it was released in the 80's). And as for the title, the title "Secret Surprises and Sensational Secrets" is just as good (or bad) as the art. First AIO is aimed for younger listeners (but are enjoyed by the whole family), so what eight and twelve yr old is going to know what sensational means? Maybe a really smart one would but most wouldn't...

Around 2004 or 2005 they started the Gold-Audio-Series where they changed the art and title which is a good thing... I did like the art and the title but I did have some problems with both of them. First The art is good, it sort of matches the title (Heroes) because I think Eugene is meant to be like a night in shining armor. But instead of holding a sword he's holding his electric screwdriver and there a couple of other things like the belt he his wearing and his welding helmet whatever its called thing. But the problem is that most AIO fans wouldn't have realized that Eugene is meant to sort of be a night in shining armor only trained art experts like me would spot that (not really). And one of the keys of good art is that art is easy to understand. I think the art for album 3 should have been the 2004 calender with Lightning Livingston and the three kids looking up at him (as seen above) . And if the art didn't fit the border they just stretch the purple so it can fit and so we could see more. Second the title should never be the same as an episode and that's the problem the title album title "Heroes" is the same as the episode heroes and that's the mistake. You should never have the same title as an episode because you can get confused with which one your talking about. And last there's originality, you want something original, also most one word titles are boring . So in my opinion I think they should have called album 3 "Heroes In Our Eyes" because its original and it matches most of the episodes. I had hoped they would make those changes for the next re-pack...

But they didn't, in 2010 they re-packed again. But there really isn't much to say about it because it's the exact same art and title as the Gold-Audio-Series just with a different border and logo .

My final opinion on the art is: I don't mind the art and the title but the art doesn't match the title that well and the title isn't that original. I just wished they had made those changes with the title and art. Maybe it can happen for the next re-pack.

Feel free to comment bellow about what you think of the art.
Michael W.

Cover and Artwork for RIsk (Book 2 in The Quest for Truth)

2011-12-20T17:00:00.000-07:00

I am very excited to reveal the artwork and cover for Risk book 2 in The Quest for Truth. Might you know who the characters are in the cover? We've buried some story details in the art for you to see and hopefully salivate over as well! I hope you enjoy the art and are looking as much forward to the release as I am. It looks like Risk will be coming April or May of 2012. If you haven't read Taken yet, you can order it at my store in the navbar above, or you can find it in your local Barnes & Noble, Christian retailer, or online at Amazon, B&N, and Focus' Online Bookstore.

The full artwork by Brandon Dorman

The cover design by Christopher Tobias

Please let me know what you think in the comment section below. I love to hear feedback.

Another exciting announcement for The Quest for Truth coming later tomorrow. Stay tuned!

-Brock

Adventures in Odyssey Volume 3: Heroes

2011-12-18T17:41:00.016-07:00

Album 3 holds a very special place in my AIO collection for three reasons. The first reason being is because album 3 (along with album 40) are the first two album I ever got, and I got those two wonderful albums when I was about 6 years old (and I am now 14)! The second reason is because we get to meet Eugene Meltsner, a main character in the show and one of my favourite characters of all time! And the last reason... Connie becomes a Christian, which is very special if you have listened to the show for as long as I have or longer......For the AIO fans who haven't listened to this classic album about Thankfulness, Trust, Salvation, Faith and more I recommend this album to anyone!

“

The kids from Odyssey manage to get themselves into – and out of – all kinds of interesting predicaments in these audio adventures. Rumour has it that the new family in town is connected to the Mafia, Odyssey Elementary School is troubled with bullies and Lucy struggles with telling a secret she vowed to keep. With a little prodding from Mr. Whittaker, they learn how God can help them deal with anything.

”

“

What makes someone a hero? In this collection, the Odyssey gang learns that heroes take many forms. But ultimately, the gang at Whit's End realizes that trusting in God, the greatest Hero of all, will start them on one thrilling journey after another. Join the fun and cheer on these Heroes!

The Gold series includes bonus tracks, fun facts, and behind-the-scenes details!

Volume 3 contains the following stories (and themes):

Back to School (Making new friends)
The Shepherd and the Giant (Bible history)
Mike Makes Right (Pride, handling power)
Rumor Has It (The dangers of gossip)
Heroes (Hero worship)
Thank You, God (Being thankful)
Karen (Dealing with death)
Connie, 1 & 2 (Salvation)
A Single Vote (Civic responsibility)
The Sacred Trust (The folly of making promises you can't keep)
Peace on Earth (Keeping Christ in Christmas)

The really nice thing about album 3 "Heroes" (and every other AIO album) is that while the listener is having fun and excitement listening to these exciting and entertaining adventures, the listener also learn some great lessons and values that can help us in life. What really makes this album worthwhile to listen to is that we get to see the people that we think are heroes and seem to have everything seems to be going together for them, but slowly we see we discover the horrible truth, ... they don't have everything going together, and that our Heroes will let us down. The only hero that won't disappoint us is Jesus. And that's what Jimmy Barclay learns the hard way when he meets his all time favorite Hero: famous retired basketball player "Lightning Livingston". Slowly Jimmy and Lightning become good friends. but Jimmy discovers a horrible truth that in Jimmy's wildest dreams wouldn't come true... Jimmy learns the hard way that Jesus is the only hero that won't let us down or disappoint us...

My favorite episode in album 3 "Heroes" would either be the episode Heroes (do not get confused with the album title Heroes) or Connie pt 1 and 2 . The reason why those two (or 3) episodes are my favorite in album 3 is because we learn in the episode Hero that Jesus is the only hero who will not let us down. And as for Connie pt 1 and 2 we see Connie stop being stubborn and lay down her life to become to follow Jesus, which is really nice to listen and see the development she has made starting when she first moved to odyssey and her becoming a christian....

My final opinion for album 3 "Heroes" is that just like album 1 and 2 this album has endless values and biblical truths that can help us when the same scenario that Whit, Eugene, Connie and the rest of the gang at Whit's End come across. Also if you haven't got "Heroes" now is the perfect time because there are some enjoyable Christmas episodes that will never get boring to listen to and helps us appreciate christmas not just for the presents but for the beginning of what Jesus set out to do, and what he would ultimately do for us and the rest for man kind...

Will BlizzardSages stop me on my way to New Mexico?

2011-12-18T09:14:00.001-07:00

Hi everyone, Ryan M. here again. Right now, I am on a trip to visit relatives for Christmas. We will also be stopping by Focus on the Family on the way. Since we are driving, we are hoping we don't run into snow. So please pray that no BlizzardSages have popped up along our traveling path and that we all get there safe. Thank you for your prayers.

By the way, there will be some interesting posts from me pretty soon so keep your eyes open!

~Ryan M.

To brighten your day!

2011-12-16T17:00:00.000-07:00

Adventures in Odyssey Art Time: Volume Two!!!

2011-12-14T15:17:00.029-07:00

This album has gone through some big changes, maybe not as much as album 01 art-wise. But unlike album 01, this album has gone through some unique changes in several ways: first this is the first album not to have the same title as the Gold-Audio-Series album 2. Second this album has sold more copies than any other album besides album 25 "Darkness Before Dawn"! And Last the art doesn't even have the same design as the old art! But that could be good...

2011 re-pack final art.
2011 re-pack draft-sketch.
2011 re-pack rough sketch.
2011 re-pack final art with border.
2004 Gold-Audio-Series art
2004 Gold-Audio-Series art with border.
3D Gold-Audio-Series old art with border.
Old Gold-Audio-Series cover
Gold-Audio-Series Tape.
Original cover of album 2 released 1988.
Original gold cover of album 2.
An ad for "Focus on the Family" magazine
Back cover for Gold-Audio-Series.
Tape back cover for Gold-Audio-Series.
Original back cover for album 2 released 1988.

This Fan-Art isn't actually a proper scene. Even though if you have listened to the album you would know this is the sinister Percival Fenwick with his African Cains. This Fan-Art is what I thought he would look like with his long chin, stringy hair, bent back and his sinister face. Feel free to comment below and tell me what you think he looks like.
This is something I drew that I thought would match the title of the album "The Wildest Summer Ever!". As you can see this is form the scene where Chas leads the Skunk to Marco's (the cook's) cabin for revenge. This scene is from the classic episode "Camp What-A-Nut". In the background you can Whit and Donny up a tree with the bear. Even though the Whit and Donny scene is in a completely different scene I thought it would add to "The Wildest Summer Ever" feel!

The first art for album 2 was released in 1988 along with the title "Grin Grabbers, and Great Getaways". Now I think most of you would agree with me that the art and the title are just as bad as each other. First the art looks like its rushed even though that is just the style, and second it's not one scene but about ten different scenes in one. For art to be good you want one scene, a bit of adventure and a hint of mystery so you don't know what will happen next and last to have good quality art work... Which the art of this does not follow any of the steps!

Around 2004 the Gold-Audio-Series began. So album 2 had the art re-drawn and the title changed, which I think was a wise choice... well I thought it was a wise choice untill I saw heard the title and saw the art. First the art was good but you could tell it was done for a tape not CD so there was about 80% of the art work missing when you saw the CD cover. The art also seemed a bit boring to, because if you haven't heard the album you won't know that Whit and Tom are looking at a dead person. I do like how there is a sort of mystery feel to it. I think there should of been a police officer in the background writing some notes so you would know (even if you haven't heard the album) that something serous was happening. I would of also liked it if they had made the art more wider so you could see most of the art. So I like the art, I just wished they had made those changes. Now the title that they named for album 2 doesn't match the art at all and only matches one episode from album 2. The title "Stormy Weather" I think should of been titled to "Discovery's of the Everyday" that would match the art and most of the episodes as well. The art (and the title) wasn't changed until 6 years later...

Finally in 2011 march there were rumors of a re-pack for album 2 was being released. It was officially confirmed when a blurry video was released showing us that album 2 (and 4 other albums) were being re-packed. The video also hinted that the title was getting changed for album 2! Finally in August 2011 the art for album 2 (and the other 4 albums) were released, and in September we finally found out that the new title for album 2 was "The wildest Summer Ever"! When I first saw the art work for album 2 I was amazed at the design and the detail. The colors were great as well, and I especially loved the way the bear had been drawn. Now for you guys who haven't listened to this album this art is from one of AIO most beloved episodes "Camp What-A-Nut" which is done sort of like "Family Vacation" where the main character narrates the story.

My final opinion on the art is that While "Stormy Weather" art was alright and the title was poorly named, "The Wildest Summer Ever" art and title matches the album brilliantly! And as for "Grin Grabbers, and Great Getaways" the title sounds to dated and the art is just the same... So now that we have the perfect art for the album this album I think there shouldn't be a re-pack for album 2 for at least 50 years! And let "The Wildest Summer Ever" continue...

Michael W.

Feel free to comment below on which art and title you like the best...

Adventures in Odyssey art time will continue with album 3 "Heroes".

Announcing winners from Author Interview giveaways. Plus more ways to Win!

2011-12-12T17:00:00.000-07:00

Great job to everyone who answered and entered. Some responses were literally only minutes apart according to when they hit my email box. Be sure to stay tuned to my blog and facebook so you can be the first to answer. There are several more chances to win coming soon. If you want to win really big, learn how to enter the Books for Life Contest or Look Like Obbin contests below.

If you won a contest hosted on the author interviews your prize will be in the mail shortly.

Rachel H - Elves of Zeoch Book

David H - Blackgaard Chronicles Audio

Elizabeth K - Last Chance Detectives DVD

Mark R - All 6 Passages Books

Rachel K - All 6 Imagination Station Books

Rachel K - Kidsboro Book

More ways to win:

BOOKS FOR LIFE CONTEST

It's not to late to launch into thecontest that is bringing amazing prizes and lots of fun to those who are readyfor the challenge. Are you up for it? There are so many ways to earn points, but you don't have to do them all.

First to wet your appetite, here iswhat you can win:

The #1 and #2 Quest Adventurers(those who gather the most Quest Points) I will send a signed copy of every newbook I write (For LIFE), that’s at least 6 more scheduled (The Quest for Truth: Risk, Unleash, Tangle, Hope – Sages of Darkness: BlizzardSage,CrimsonSage.) These signed copies will be sent directly to you. Of course, ifyou move and don't give me your new address, then…someone else will be gettingall those books. And God willing there will be many more books to come. The #1 and #2 winners will also get mentioned in an upcoming release, a character, in the acknowledgments, not sure where yet. But your first name will be in a book somewhere.

For the #3, #4, and #5 place Quest Adventurers: I will send you a signed copyof Risk when it releases in February 2012*, and BlizzardSage October 2013*.

*Dates are tentative.

How to Officially Launch on the Quest:

The contest begins: September 4^th, 2011

Too enter email me to let me know you are participating (email address below),please also include your real name and mailing address to verify yourparticipation. I will keep your personal information private.

If you are a younger readerPLEASE get parent permission to join the contest and participate in theseactivities.

Please send the information to:

QuestForTruthContest (at) gmail (dot) com, when you email, replace the above (at) with the @ symbol and theword (dot) with an actual (.)

Rules for earning Quest Points:

All tasks must happen between September 4^th, 2011 and February 29^th,2012 (Leap Year). There are no exceptions. No working backward.

You must email me with the Queststhat you have completed as well as the points you estimate you earned so that Ican verify them and keep the running tally. It is very important that you sendme links to any postings that are not associated with my twitter, facebook fanpage, or a quest that does not involve a link. Also if a receipt, photo, orother collateral is required please include that when you email about thequest. Use the listed email above.

QuestPoints Key

50 Quest Points:

Blogging:

Mention ANY of my books in a blogthread--your blog or someone else's—email me the link. (You can do this up to 20times, totaling up to 200 points).

Post a link to my websiteBrockEastman.com anywhere on your blog--then, email me the link.

Post cover artwork from any of mybooks on your blog and make it a link to BrockEastman.com. Email me the link.(Cover Art available at the bottom of the post.)

Web:

Check out my two books on familyfiction.com then be sure to +1 Google, Like onFacebook, Post to your Blog, or Tweet it to your friends. Each tactic in thisquest earns your fifty points. You may use other social features as well, butplease note each one in your email separately, with 50 points posted next toit. You will have to locate the two books on Family Fiction yourself.

Create an Amazon Listmania List thatincludes Taken, Showdown with the Shepherd, HowlSage. Post and email the link.(50 Listmania Limit: 200pts total)

Shelfari:

Add my books to your shelf and earn 50points for each book you add. Send me an email once complete and a screenshotof your shelf with the books on it and marked as a favorite, be sure to getmore points for a review (see below.)

Facebook:

Like my author facebook page at facebook.com/eastmanbrockand leave a comment.

Post a portion of your review on thewall.

Tag yourself in the contest banner onthe facebook page.

Twitter:

Follow me on Twitter @bdeastman

Send out a tweet with the tag#HowlSage and mention @bdeastman and @destinyimage

Send out a tweet with the tag#QuestforTruth and #Taken and mention @bdeastman and @PRPBooks

In Store:

Email a digital photo of you with astore employee in a bookstore where any of my books are shelved. In the photo,I must be able to see the book on the shelf and in your hands. Every photo yousend is worth fifty points, but each photo must be from a different store, andwith each photo, include the name and address of the store as well as the nameof the employee. Please let me know if I am allowed to post the photo on theblog. This is repeatable for each of my three released books: Taken, Showdownwith the Shepherd, HowlSage, per store. Because some people live in small townswithout any bookstores, I will allow you to ask friends to get photos for you.The friend must be in the photo along with the store employee. Photos cannot beshared amongst those who have entered.

Contest:

You can also earn 50 points per person who enters the contest, because you told them about it. Just have them include your name on the contest entry email when they enter.

100 QuestPoints:

Web:

Write a review of any of my books; (Taken,Showdown with the Shepherd, HowlSage) on Amazon or any of the following onlinereview sites: Family.christianbook.com, Goodreads.com,Shelfari.com, ScienceFictionandFantasyWorld.com, Borders, Barnes & Noble,Incredibooks (see below), booksamillion.com, parable.com, mardel.com, familychristian.com,bookdepository.com, christianbookbibles.com, whsmith.co.uk or any other reviewsite that I approve. Email me the link. And yes, you can write ONE review for abook and post it multiple places. Each review posted gets you 100 points. Sopost away! Note: If you review on Incredibooks, it might be a little confusingat first. Here's the way to do it: First, find one of the books onIncredibooks. Then scroll down to the comments section and leave a comment withyour review. That's all there is to it!

Make a video supporting Taken,HowlSage, or Showdown with the Shepherd and post it on Youtube or Godtube. Youcan interview people, use music or artwork, or even recruit people to join thecontest. If you don't mind, I would like you to include a positive comment ortwo about the book. Make it imaginative, funny, insightful, anything (withinreason) to attract attention. Posting a video will be worth 100 points, butonly one video per person per book will count. As the contest draws to a close,I will award an additional 500 points to the person who makes the best video(in the opinion of the judges) for each book. That might be 1500 additionalpoints. Please add the link BrockEastman.com at the end of your video.

School/Church:

Make a poster about Taken or HowlSageand put it on a school, church, or store bulletin board. The poster has to beat least eight and a half by eleven inches, which is the sized of standardpaper, and it must have an image of the book cover. (Cover Art available at thebottom of the post.) A poster needs to include where a person can purchase thebook locally, or if there is no local place to get it, mention that it can bepurchased online at BrockEastman.com. A poster is worth 100 points, but youwon't get extra points for more than one poster at the same school. You may putthe poster up in many different places, but only one credit per establishment.To get credit for a poster, please send me a digital photo of you at the placewhere you placed it. And please include whether or not I have your permissionto post the photo on my blog.

Buy any of my books and donate them toyour church/school/local library. Then post here to say where you bought themand what church received them. Email me when and where you bought it and thereceipt. Repeatable

Special:

Hyper-Flight Quests Coming Soon: Thesequests could be anything and could appear at anytime. Watch for them on theblog, they’ll be fun, fast, and forthcoming.

Post the HowlSage book trailer from Destiny Image on your facebook, blog, website, our YouTube channel. - Get the Video. Be sure to like it and tweet it too.

Expires midnight (farthest timezone) 9-10-2011 - While it's about a quarter or the way done, I want to be sure to take the story to places you, the readers, would think cool. So Hyper-Flight Quest today - earn 50 points by simply posting some cool, mysterious locations that would be fun to visit, or you might want to have Taylor and Ike explore in their search for... wait not all of you have read HowlSage. So I won't say search for WHAT. Back to the quest and the points; you can earn 50 points for giving me some cool places, for example, Machu Picchu, the Pyramids, Angkor Wat, Stonehenge, etc. All you have to do is comment the location and give me a link of where I might find more information about it. Now the additional 50 points come from posting a picture of the location to the facebook wall, be sure to provide a comment of where and what we are seeing. Yep that's 100 points. This quest expires midnight tonight. So have fun and enjoy!

WOM (Word of Mouth):

Recommend One of my books to someone.If that person buys it, send me a scanned photocopy of the receipt by email.The receipt must show the store name and the date, and the date must be on orlater than today's date, September 4^th, 2011. Every bookstorereceipt is worth 100 points.

Write AND present a book report on anyBrock Eastman book at school. 100pts if you earn an A for that assignment. Send me a scanned copy or electronic copy ofthe report.

SUPPORT IT:

Buy a hard copy or ebook of Taken and email me when and whereyou bought it and the receipt. This is repeatable.

Buy a hard copy or ebook of HowlSage and email me when and whereyou bought it and the receipt. This is repeatable (You can gift Kindle books,if you’re wondering why you would want more then one copy on your device.)

Buy a copy of Showdown with theShepherd and email me when and where you bought it and the receipt. This isrepeatable.

Buy anything from the Brock EastmanZazzle store and email me your receipt.

In Store:

Go to a store that does not carry mybooks and special order it from that store. Email me when and where you boughtit and the receipt.

Go to a store that does not carry mybooks and persuade them to carry any of my books. Then, email me what store hasnow agreed to carry my book(s).

Look Like Obbin Contest:

Get your friends to Enter the LookLike Obbin Contest 2011 and send me an email to let me know who they are so Ican confirm their entry. The contest for this will Launch in October.

200 QuestPoints:

SUPPORT IT:

Buy a trade paper Taken fromAmazon.com on the day of September 30^th and email me the receipt.This is repeatable. Anyone who does this gets a bonus of 500 Quest Points ifTaken appears in Amazon’s top 100 bestselling books that day! (See Blitz Note#6 at bottom)

Buy a trade paper HowlSage fromAmazon.com on the day of October 31^st and email me the receipt. Thisis repeatable. Anyone who does this gets a bonus of 500 Quest Points if HowlSageappears in Amazon’s top 100 bestselling books that day! (See Blitz Note #6 atbottom)

Buy Taken and HolwSage for Kindle fromAmazon.com on the day of November 15^th and email me the receipt.This is repeatable (You can gift Kindle books). Anyone who does this gets abonus of 500 Quest Points if either Taken or Howlsage appears in Amazon’s top100 bestselling books that day (Possible 1000 point bonus)! This is also aspecial day to me, if you know why send me an email or post on facebook and geta special 100 point bonus. (See Blitz Note #6 at bottom)

School/Church:

Buy a copy of ANY of my books for theYouth Group Leader of your church. Email me who, when, and where –AND- send methe receipt and a picture of your with your youth leader.

500 Quest Points:

Look Like Obbin Contest:

Look Like Obbin started in 2010 andwas a lot of fun. It’s a simple contest with separate prizes, but entering canalso award you in this contest with 500 points for your entry. Check out LookLike Obbin rules to learn how to enter and what you could win, coming inOctober. Watch the blog. When you email your entry be sure to mention thiscontest as well, to get points in each.

??? Quest Points:

The Amazing Open Category:

Suppose you have an idea forsomething that you think will promote one or all of my books, BUT you don’t seeit posted on my website. Email me your idea. If it’s good, I’ll tell you howmany points it’s worth—I like to reward creativity! I will then post your ideaon my website so others can do it too. But you will get more points for beingthe creative one who came up with the plan.

Important Notes:

Note #1: If possible, batch your Quest Points. In other words, say you’ve done7 tasks. You can email me about them all at once rather than 7 separate emails.Try to email me once every couple of weeks, not daily.

Note #2: I may add to the list of Quest Point Tasks at any time--and likelywill because my marketing mind is always churning...

Note #3: Keep track of your own Quest Points. I will keep a running tally in mysidebar and try to update it every month or more often. But you should keepyour total as well.

Note #4: Any and all of the requirements are subject to change as I see howthis develops. I want to keep it fair.

Note #5: I hope this competition stays loving and friendly. Although I hope youwant to win the books, I also hope you want to share with others the benefit ofreading Taken and HowlSage. Since my books don’t overtly preach, it's a greatopportunity to introduce your friends to a story that will get them askingquestions about Truth.

Note #6: An Amazonblitz occurs when authors request their fans to buy a particular title/format fromAmazon a predetermined day. This helps the book's rankings climb quickly and toa point that will get it noticed on category lists on Amazon. It will further besuggested and receive a higher priority within in Amazon’sspecial-secretive-codex-of selling power.

Note #7: Sometimes things get hidden on sites, blog posts, or even in past entries. Watch for weird things that might lead you to bonus points.

Note #8: Covers:

My thanks to Wayne Thomas Batson I got many ideas for this Quest from his contest,who got it from Bryan Davis. Thanks to these two awesome authors!

Launch into the Adventure. Comment Below.

LOOK LIKE OBBIN CONTEST 2012

IT'S BACK - LOOK LIKE OBBIN 2011

This is Obbin! Yes he’s blue, and his hair is green. In fact everyone that lives in his city is blue.

So we're running a contest that lets you be from Cobalt Gorge. Here’s what you do:

How do I win?

What do I win?

Second place will win a signed copy of the second book in The Quest for Truth, Risk (upon release) and a copy of the January 2012 Clubhouse Magazine issue featuring a story about Obbin.

Third and Fourth place will receive a signed copy of the second book in The Quest for Truth, Risk (upon release).

Examples of good submissions:

*Rules and contest are subject to change as needed. All decisions are final and at the sole discretion of the author, Brock Eastman.

Need inspiration? Check out all the entries last years entries on the facebook album - HERE

You can also get the celebratory mug from last years competition at Zazzle.

Adventures in Odyssey Volume Two: The Wildest Summer Ever!!!

2011-12-12T04:09:00.005-07:00

Well It’s thattime of the week when we do our weekly album discussion for album 02: Thisalbum has gone through many different titles, okay only three but that's stilla lot of titles for one album. In 1988 the first title was released as"Grin Grabbers, and Great Getaway" but that title is just weird andis hard to understand. So then they changed it in 2003 to "StormyWeather" but the title doesn't match the album most the art or most of thealbum at all so in 2011 they changed it again to "The Wildest SummerEver" which matches the art and the episodes.

Let "TheWildest Summer Ever" begins...

When album 2 was released, it was a big success and still is! But what had madeit a success? First it had sold more copies than any other album bedsides album25 "Darkness Before Dawn". Second the lessons and themes that aretort in this album are just priceless. And third the episodes in this albumhave action, adventure and down to life excitement....

"In TheWildest Summer Ever, usually sunny Odyssey is about to get hit by a down poorof disasters from a violent Tornado to a turbulent voyage with Jonah,anything’s possible in this little town. Will Connie, Jack, Lucy, and theBarclays be able to ride out the storms? One thing is certain. The climate inOdyssey is always right for learning priceless lessons, through rain orshine."

Bonus Features

§ How theBarclays got their name

§Chris

§ The creationof KYDS Radio

§ A collectionof great sound moments from the show

Volume 2contains the following stories (and themes):

§ The FamilyVacation, 1 & 2 (The very first episode with the Barclays)

§ The DayIndependence Came (Revolutionary War)

§ Stormy Weather(Faith and friendship)

§ Kid's Radio(How Kid’s Radio started)

§ VBS Blues(Perseverance)

§ CampWhat-A-Nut 1 & 2 (Everybody’s favorite summer getaway)

"The Wildest Summer Ever" is the 2nd release of the exciting audio drama "Adventures in Odyssey". But what makes this album so great is that we get to hear the first appearance from Odyssey's long term family "the Barclays"!! Even though this album is old doesn't mean the stories aren't exciting, Original and full of Action and Adventure. Because this album is everything I just said and more. When I first heard this album I loved the episodes of Camp What-A-Nut, Family vacation (Which introduces us to the Barclay), The Last Great Adventure of the Summer and the Case of the Secret Room. I remember listening to those episodes over and over and over when I first got album 2.

My two favorite episodes in this album would be "The Last Great Adventure of the Summer" and "Case of the Secret Room". The reason why those two episodes are my in album 2 is because both episodes have the themes of danger, intrigue, greed, murder and mystery. The murder theme might sound a bit mature for younger AIO listeners (especially since AIO is aiming at listeners at the age of eight). But that one of the great thing about this album and the rest of AIO, is because the way the story is done makes the "Murder" theme kid friendly.

So my whole opinion of the album is that this has everything an album needs: it has mystery, action/adventure, down to life stories and many more. The best thing about this album is that the stories in this album teach us great values and lessons that can help us later in life. We can also learn from other peoples mistakes like Chaz and his big revenge scheme or how we will do anything to satisfy our greed. So summing it up, I love this album for the themes, stories and the life values we learn in the "Wildest Summer Ever"...

Taken, Chapter 1.36 Discussion

2011-12-10T14:56:00.001-07:00

Oliver loses his only weapon, a rubber hammer and falls off the Phoenix as it goes into the air. He is surrounded by blue men with no weapon. He is about to use his M-talk to call Tiffany and the twins when something starts to happen. A rope ladder being tossed down to him from the Phoenix! Looks like THIS was what Tiffany's idea was in te last chapter. After tustling with one of the blue men, he gets up to the ship and into orbit!

But hi problems aren't over. It seems large, tree sized spears are being shot at the Phoenix. To add to the problem, escort ships from Brighton are coming for them! Oliver readies the Hyper Flight and waits. While waiting, the computer tells them that a torpedo is headed right for them! It will be a close race between the countdown till impact and the countdown for Hyper Flight. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1! They made it!

Now that they are safe, they take a minute to discuss where Austin and Mason have been the past few days. It is too bad thu had to leave Mr. O'Farrell behind.

So, how did you like Taken? I really liked it, even more the second time through. I love the way the points of view change every chapter and go into what each individual Wikk child is thinking and experiencing. I also like the future gadgets and transportation. What did you like about the book?

Until next time! ~Ryan M.

Taken, Chapter 1.35 Discussion

2011-12-09T21:55:00.001-07:00

Finally! All the Wikk children are united again! But there seems to be a problem. Obbin goes missing and some of the men from the Blauwe Mensen come to surround the ship and take the boys back!

Oliver has replaced all the parts but there is no sign of O'Farrell and he is on the outside of the ship, unable to get in without being caught by the blue men! He tells the twins to leave without him.

Unfortunately, there are complications in completing that objective. The ship won't turn on. Finally they fix it, but dread leaving Oliver. But Tiffany has an idea. What is it? Find out tomorrow, on what will be the last discussion about Taken!

Until tomorrow! (last Taken post) ~Ryan M.

Interview with Author Jill Williamson

2011-12-09T17:00:00.000-07:00

Q: Everyone seems to have a "how I gotpublished" story. What is yours?

Iwasn’t trying to get published when I submitted my first chapter of my fantasynovel to Jeff Gerke at the 2008 Oregon Christian Writers’ Summer CoachingConference. Marcher Lord Press’ submission guidelines were clear: no youngadult novels.

I’dmet Jeff at the 2007 Mount Hermon Christian Writer’s conference and used hiseditorial services on a different novel. When I saw he was at OCW, I submittedmy manuscript to him hoping to glean wisdom. I was surprised when he wanted tomeet with me. I was even more surprised when he wanted to read the full.

“Why does it have to be YA?” he asked.

Assoon as I got home, I looked over the book and sent it off. A few months laterI got an email from Jeff that said: “Do you happen to be by a phone right nowso that I can call you?”

And that was the beginning of a new adventure.

Q: When did you realize you wanted to become a writer?

I had left the fashionindustry, which was the career I went to college for. And I was searching forthe purpose God wanted for my life. Since I had a pretty interestingchildhood/life story, I thought God wanted me to be aninspirational/motivational speaker for teens. I discovered that sometimes,people hire speakers based on articles written by the speaker. So I looked intowriting articles. I was working on all that when a new Harry Potter book cameout, and a new barrage of debates within the church community flared up as towhether or not the books were bad for Christians to read. The debate inspiredme to write my own teen novel.

Q: Tell me a little about your books.

I love writing weirdstories for teens. My Blood of Kings trilogy is about a squire and a maiden whodiscover their ability to communicate with their minds. And mw new book, Replication: The Jason Experiment, which is coming outfrom Zondervan this December, is about a girl who discovers her biologistfather is covering up multiple secrets—all of which are named Jason.

Q: What’s your view on e-books and the new publishingrevolution? Any e-book plans in your future?

Ebooksare amazing! Anyone can publish their own ebook for almost no cost. The onlycaution is that books that are self-published are often not ready to bepublished. But there are so many new technologies with ebooks that includevideo and interactive things. It’s very exciting to see what will happen next.Though I will always love holding a paper book and turning those pages.

Allof my books are available in ebook format. I have no current plans to publishmy own ebook at this time.

Q: If you could have dinner with three people, living ordead, who would they be?

First,C. S. Lewis. He was such a wise theologian, I would divulge my writinginsecurities to him, ask if he ever felt that way, and if so, what he did aboutit.

Second,J.R.R. Tolkien. I’d show him my Blood of Kings binder where I kept all mystoryworld brainstorming. I’d ask if he had something similar for Lord of theRings and beg him to show it to me.

Third,Jane Austen. I’d tell her how much I love her stories and tell her I cry everytime Elinor discovers that Mr. Ferrars is not married after all. I’d ask herfor advice on how to make readers cry.

Q: What were some of the challenges for you writing thisstory?

Research.I’d be typing along, then I’d have to stop and research some science stuff foran hour. And even when the book had been completed and edited, I still foundsome more researching to do. But that’s okay. I feel better knowing I put inthe time to check my facts.

Q: What do you want readers to take away from your book?

That there is only one God and he created each of us uniquely and for a purpose.

Q: What can you tell us about any future releases youhave planned?

Right now I’m working on an apocalyptic (book 1) and dystopian (book two)duo for teens that will come out in 2013. They are tentatively titled Thirst and Captives, though those titles may change.

And if Replication does well, Ihave ideas for two more books that would make a trilogy.

Q: Soft shell or Hard Shell tacos?

Hard.

Q: Favorite place to vacation?

Somewhere I haven’t been been before. Though my favoriteplace to look at and visit for a few hours is Multnomah Falls.

Q: Favorite season?

Winter! I love snow and Christmas and hot chocolate.

Q: What’s your favorite holiday memory?

The year my mom gave each of us four kids a black trashbag filled with baby stuff, then laughed/cried and told us she was pregnant.

Q: Do you have a favorite Bible verse?

Jeremiah 29:11—“For I know the plans I have for you,”declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give youhope and a future.”

Check out all of Jill's Awesome Book Trailers:

http://www.youtube.com/user/jwilliamsonwrites?feature=watch#p/a/f/0/uACoWzhiyB4

Taken, Chapter 1.34 Discussion

2011-12-08T21:33:00.001-07:00

Finally, the trio of Mr. O'Farrell, Tiffany, and Oliver make it to Mudo. When they arrive, they go to the shop of Schlamm, a shady, intimidating person who sells ship parts.

Besides having ship parts in his shop, apparently he also has hybrid chameleon iguana genetically engineered by a company called RepFuse. The iguana, Spike, can change his color to blend in with his surroundings, making him virtually invisible.

While searching, they find that a ship called Griffin, which belonged to the Wikk parents' friends and business partners, is in the shop! They also find that it has been stolen from them by space pirates called the Corsairs. Seems that the Corsairs stole it from them. Hopefully, the ones who owned the ship, the Mcgregors, are okay. But it seems they have been kidnapped by the Corsairs.

As they are heading back to the ship, the Wikk siblings and Mr. O'Farrell have to split up as they are chased by Schlamm. He has a score to style with O'Farrell. The Wikks make it safely back to the Phoenix, but no sign of Mr. O'Farrell. Hopefully, he will make it back before the Eises sets in.

Until tomorrow! ~Ryan M.

Adventures in Odyssey Art Time: Volume One!!

2011-12-08T05:00:00.050-07:00

Hey Guys...
Well Its' that time of the week when we talk about "Art"!! Since this is only my third post (and my first post for "Adventures in Odyssey Art Time") You guys might not know who I am so My name is Michael Wilmot and I love AIO and Art. Those two are my two favorite things in the whole world and so Brock has kindly asked me to do what I love: talk about Art and AIO once a week... Enough about me lets have a look at the art now:

Touched-up draft, for 2010 re-pack.

Old art with out the Gold-Audio-Series Border
Final touched up art (2010 re-pack art)
Final touched-up art with Border.
Old art with Border.
Old art with old Border.
Old art with tape Border.
The Early Classics cover.
Adventures in Odyssey 1989 re-pack art work.

(First cover) Odyssey USA.
Back cover for 2010 re-pack.
Old art-work back cover (Gold-Audio-Series back cover)
Old back cover (for old Gold-Audio-Series).
Tape back-cover
Odyssey USA back cover.
Old tape for "Adventures in Odyssey".

This is my fan art for album 1! This piece of Fan Art is from the episode "Nothing to Fear". And if you had read my album discussion on Monday that "Nothing to Fear along with "The Tangled Web" are my two favorite episodes in album one. This Fan Art has Jake (voiced by Chad Reisser, who also voiced Monty Whittaker-Dowd) shining a torch or a flash-light in the basement of Whit's End. Next Thursday I will be doing another piece of Fan Art for album 2 (The Wildest Summer Ever), feel free to comment bellow what you think about my Fan Art and what you would like on the Fan Art next Thursday! -Michael Wilmot

To be honest I love this art it's amazing seeing how it got developed from begging to final. The first art (Odyssey USA, released at the end of 1987) was just boring and was no real scene. All could we see on the cover was just Whit's End. Now don't get confused I don't dislike the album (I love the album) I just didn't like the art of Odyssey USA.

In about 1989 they changed the title (from "Odyssey USA" to "Adventures in Odyssey"), and the art-work. The art work to be honest wasn't that great too. While it was a scene (unlike Odyssey USA) it's not a proper scene but about 10 different scenes in one. Another problem is that the art looked dated (old) and still boring. So they changed the title and the art work in about 1991. But this time it just has Whit (John A. Whittaker) sitting at a desk looking at a photo album. Which looks alright but still looks a bit boring and dated still. If you looked closely at the Photo album, Whit is looking at; you can Lucy, Whit and Eugene. And in another picture if you look close enough you can even see the Odyssey USA logo.

Well eventually in about 2005 they changed it again! The title was changed from "The Early Classics" to "The Adventure Begins" (so It stuck). I think "The Adventure Begins" was a much better choice of title, It also makes more sense because The Adventure Begins. The art was changed as well... It was changed from a boring scene (Whit looking at a photo album) to quite an exciting scene and this time it was an actual scene. This scene is from the first episode"Whit's Flop"which introduces to us to Davie Holcomb (who was only ever in two albums, album 1 and album 43!). So everything was great about this cover, but one part I still didn't like about it, it was still a little dated. For example the bodies looked a bit wired and so did the pizza.

For about 5 years or so it was left like that. Then in last year, 2010 they left the same art in but they touched it up just a little; By adding some colors, changing some colors, editing some shapes and by even re-drawing Davie Holcomb, but ultimately they left the same art and design in. And now since the art is finally completed it is time for the final verdict: To be honest I love the final art work. if you have listened to the episode you can see it's got a quite a humorous element to it too, but also quite an exciting and adventurous element too, it matches the title well and it looks fresh. The final piece of art is showing us that "The Adventure Beings"!!!

But you might not agree with me about the art, so feel free to comment bellow and tell me what you think of the cover!
- Michael Wilmot

We will continue our discussion on art next Thursday with album 2 "The wildest Summer Ever"!!!

Taken, Chapter 1.33 Discussion

2011-12-07T21:12:00.001-07:00

Tiffany wakes up to find Oliver gone! Mr. O'Farrell doesn't know where he is either. They go out in search of him and finally find him asleep under a pile of leaves! When he wakes up, he can't remember what happened.

Soon, they will leave for Mudo to get parts for the Phoenix. It will only take a few hours to get there but they need to hurry if they want to get back to the Phoenix before it is too late!

Until tomorrow! ~Ryan M.

Interview with Author Douglas Bond

2011-12-07T17:00:00.000-07:00

Q: Everyone seems to have a "how I got published"story. What is yours?

It was back in the days before 9/11 when more publisherswere accepting unsolicited manuscript submissions. I sent sample chapters and asynopsis of my Mr Pipes and the British Hymn Makersto seven publishers. Eight days later I had a phone call from one of thementhusiastic about the project. A couple of months later I had anotherpublisher call and we chatted for a long time about future book ideas simmeringin my imagination. Eleven years later, and somehow, unaccountably, without anychildhood burning passion to be an author—I have managed to write a number ofbooks (signing my 20^th book contract today, in fact).

Q: When did you realize you wanted tobecome a writer?

I always tried to get out of writing when I was in highschool. So in journalism class I was the photographer, shooting pictures andworking in the darkroom. I tried to make myself indispensible as a photographerin large part so I wouldn’t have to write articles. It just seemed like toomuch work. Then in college something started to change. I got so I was secretlylooking forward to writing those history essays. And then I submitted anarticle to the college newspaper and started writing more of those. But itwould be years later when I was working on my master’s thesis that I began torealize I wanted to do more writing. Then I wrote a few more articles, thistime ones that I was getting paid for writing. But there’s a big differencebetween a 1,500 word article and a 70,000 word book.

My older kids, to whom I regularly read aloud in theevening, began asking me to TELL a story, not just read one. I hemmed andhawed. Then started in on a story of frontier days (not very good, I’m sure,and made up on the fly); it lasted for a month or more. They wanted another,and another. I felt cornered, but there was to be no escaping.

Then one sleepless night in 1999, ideas started cascadingabout using contemporary fiction as a frame tale in which to explore the livesand poetry of the church’s hymn writers. I sat up in bed, furiously scribblingthe ideas on notepaper. And off I went.

Q: Tell me a little about your books.

I have written primarily fiction for young adult readers,most of which is historical fiction published with P & R Publishing. But Ihave also managed to write several non-fiction books, biographies withReformation Trust and Evangelical Press. I call these my big-people books.

Q: What are some of the strongest influenceson your writing?

I would need to go back to my childhood to answer this one.My father was a mathematician and engineer, but more importantly, an earnest,godly Christian man, a man who, because of his dyslexia, had a difficult timereading aloud. Nevertheless, he daily read Scripture aloud with us at ourfamily devotions, slow, methodical, one-word-at-a-time slogging it sometimes was.But I came to appreciate deeply his reading because I think it represented justhow much attention he was determined to give to every word of that great Book,every jot, every tittle.

Meanwhile, my mother, a college English professor, lovedgreat literature and read aloud to us from Shakespeare and many other classicauthors, including Chaucer in Middle English! We loved it. My mom would take usto children’s theater and even adult plays. I’ll never forget, “A horse, ahorse! My kingdom for a horse!”

In college I began reading serious theological books, worksof the Reformers and Puritans. Honestly looking back on it, I was too oftenmotivated to do this because I thought it made me a big shot, a heady, eruditedude. But, as is God’s kind way with me, he was mercifully feeding me, often inspite of my flawed motives, with important foundational understanding of thenature of justification by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.These truths are the most important influences on my writing, and if they evercease to be so, may I give my energies to crocheting pot holders. They are alsothe most important truths that I want my writing to adorn and that I want tomake attractive to my readers.

I have been influenced by many great authors, mostly deadones, but not all dead. Writers of imaginative literature like Lewis, RosemarySutcliff, Chesterton, Arthur Ransome, and poets like Donne, Cowper, Rossetti.But always I come back to the great theologian preachers like Spurgeon. If Ican borrow from two of my all time favorites (Augustine quoted by Calvin), “Icount myself among those who learn as they write and write as they learn.” I regularlyread and listen to the best of the not-dead proclaimers of the good news today:Sproul, Ferguson, Piper, Begg, Horton, Tullian T., Driscoll, and others.

Q: How do you write?What’s a normal writing day like for you?

I write my fiction after a bike ride or a good walk to aquiet location where I’m not likely to be interrupted. Sometimes that is a darkcorner in the library of the university not far from my home. Other times Iwrite in the loafery, a room downstairs that used to be the bedroom of myoldest son. With caution, I also write in the summer in my classroom, especiallywhen writing non-fiction biographies where I need to be near piles of booksthat don’t pack around real well on my bike. But this can be a problem, becausewell-meaning colleagues poke their head in for a chat. I’m a social sort of guyso I always like the interaction, however totally it derails my train ofthought and sets me back sometimes hours.

Q: What was your favorite book as ateen?

Maybe Hans Brinker andthe Silver Skates and GreatExpectations.

Q: Describe your feelings when youopened the box and saw the first published copies of your very first book?

It was really thrilling to open the box and pull out myfirst book, this shiny new book called Mr Pipes and theBritish Hymn Makers—and then to see my name on thecover, but it also carried with it considerable anxiety: will this book only bethe proof that I am an utter failure as an author, the badge of my literaryineptitude? We authors, many of us, are miserably insecure, but that’s when Iam looking to myself and my skills (real, perceived, or longed-for) andefforts. It is so liberating to refocus my energy and purpose in writing. Stunkand White in the final chapter urge writers to write for an audience ofone—themselves. But the Christian author wants to write for an audience of One,Jesus Christ, plus nobody. The best writing results when I disappear—I mustdecrease; Christ must increase; only then I’m starting to get things right.

Q: What can you tell us about any futurereleases you have planned?

There are a few new books of mine scheduled to release in2012. In May by new biography with Evangelical Press, AUGUSTUS TOPLADY, Debtor to Mercy Alonewill be available. In June THE THUNDER, my adult novel onJohn Knox releases along with my 8^th-century Anglo-Saxon tale, HAND OF VENGEANCE. And in Septembermy biography with Ligonier’s Reformation Trust, THE DOXOLOGICAL GENIUS OF ISAAC WATTSwill be available. Just signing a contract for a biography on GirolamoSavonarola, an amazingly passionate, fearless forerunner of the Reformation indecadent Florence, the birthplace of the Renaissance.

I have several other things in the cooker, both fiction andnon-fiction, including a childrens picture book in verse that explores themesfrom the book of Job

Q: Coke or Pepsi?

Neither, thank you very much. They upset my stomach, asdoes—as unforgiveable as it is to admit this living as close to Seattle as Ido—coffee, yuck!

Q: Soft shell or Hard Shell tacos?

Soft

Q: Favorite place to vacation?

We love sailing in the San Juan Islands north of us in WashingtonState. My wife’s favorite city on the planet is Strasbourg, France, and I thinkI agree with her on this one. Marvelous city with charming old-world sites andlots of church history connections—and good food and drink!

Q: Favorite season?

Autumn

Q: Do you have a particular drink orfood you consume when you write? Like coco, raspberry tea, animal crackers?

I sometimes munch on trail mix and often drink tea. Myall-time favorite tea drink is a London Fog Latte, made with Earl Grey tea. Forherb tea I love Licorice spice—yummy and fuels the imagination.

Q: Do you have a favorite Bible verse?

Too many to narrow it down really, though Psalm 93 and 16are two of my most favorite Psalms.

Q: Favorite pasta dish?

Smoked salmon fettuccini

Q: Do you listen to music while youwrite? If so what are some examples?

I am a lover of great music! Just recently listened throughBach’s St. Matthew’s Passion, following the libretto with my 8-year-old son. Thoughthat may seem like a stretch to some (and like child abuse to others), he lovedit and asked to listen some more after we’d finished it (we played chess someof the time while listening too). But I generally only listen to music in theediting and revision stages of writing and then I’m pretty selective. Then itwould be Bach or Handel or maybe even Alison Kraus and some bluegrass to mixthings up a bit.

I do, however, intentionally listen to music that is part ofthe story, as when my protagonist was in Paris with John Paul Jones in Guns of Providenceand they heard Haydn’s latest symphony, or when writing about the Anglo-Saxonharp being played with Beowulf in the mead hall in Hand of Vengeance,or when writing about Topladyor Watts and their hymns, or bagpipe music when writing the Crown &Covenant Trilogy (which could be played live byeither of my two eldest sons) that sort of thing.

Douglas Bond's Website CHECK IT OUT

Taken, Chapter 1.32 Discussion

2011-12-06T20:43:00.001-07:00

This is probably my favorite chapter in the whole book. In this chapter, Obbin tells the twins that in order to escape, he will divert the attention of a patrol of Blauwe Mensen. But then the twins must shoot a sleeping dart at one of the messengers before they get back to the place of the Blauwe Mensen. Austin is ready to do it. He picks up the blowdart, grips it firmly, takes a deep breath, and inhales the sleeping dart. Oops. Mason does the job, but then he has to drag his unconscious brother to the wagon. When Austin inhaled the blowdart, that was my favorite part in the book!

They get back to the ship and find that Oliver and Tiffany aren't back yet. But how will they explain to them the reason there is a blue boy aboard the Phoenix?

Until tomorrow! ~Ryan M.

Tonight - Taken - Phoenix t-shirt 50%

2011-12-06T19:15:00.001-07:00

Use the code SHIRTATNIGHT and get 50% off the exclusive "Phoenix" t-shirt from The Quest for Truth - Taken

Taken: Phoenix (Front View) Shirts from Zazzle.com

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‎24 Hour Shipping on most orders. Taken: Phoenix (Front View) Shirts created by BrockEastmanBooks. This design is available on many sizes, styles, and colors of shirts.

Taken, Chapter 1.31 Discussion

2011-12-05T20:03:00.001-07:00

Oliver wakes up suddenly in the middle of the night to hear people whispering outside. Going outside to investigate, he hears the person speaking with someone on an Mtalk-like device.

When he goes to investigate, he hears the person say, "We must have it. Without it we have nothing. Rendezvous in three days at...".
He doesn't hear the rest but then feels a prick on his neck. He then passes out. Uh oh. I hope he will be alright.

Until tomorrow! ~Ryan M.

Adventures in Odyssey Volume One: The Adventure Begins!!

2011-12-05T15:38:00.021-07:00

Hey guys Its time for our weekly albumdiscussion starting with album one today: Album #01 "The AdventureBegins" 1987 as "odyssey USA" 1989 as "Adventures inOdyssey" 1991 as "The Early Classics" and 2005 as "TheAdventure Begins" where the title has stuck.

Meet Whit, Connie and the townspeopleof Odyssey through the imaginative writing and heartwarming stories that arethe hallmark of Adventures in Odyssey. In this 12-episode collection, you'llrelive the very first episode, learn the real story behind Whit's End, andfind out why Connie couldn't wait to leave Odyssey the moment she arrived. Besure your Adventure in Odyssey collection includes this foundational album. Thewhole family will enjoy these wholesome, values-based stories - anytime,anywhere!

The Adventure begins! Welcome to asmall town called Odyssey where big things happen! These 12 classic shows laidthe foundation for the lively characters and heartwarming stories that are thehallmark of Adventures in Odyssey. It’s a great place for new listeners tostart, and longtime fans can relive the whimsical history!

The Adventure begins! Welcome to a small town called Odyssey where big things happen! These 12 classic shows laid the foundation for the lively characters and heartwarming stories that are the hallmark of Adventures in Odyssey. It’s a great place for new listeners to start, and longtime fans can relive the whimsical history!

The Gold series includes bonus tracks, fun facts, and behind-the-scenes details!

Episodes included
001: Whit's Flop
002: The Life of the Party
004: Connie Comes to Town
005: Gifts for Madge and Guy
006: The Day After Christmas
007: Promises, Promises
010: Nothing to Fear
012: The Tangled Web
017: A Member of the Family I
018: A Member of the Family II
019: Recollections
027: A Change of Hart

These twelve shows laid the groundwork for the imaginative writing, lively characters, and heartwarming stories that are the hallmark of “Odyssey.” If you are an “Odyssey” veteran, then sit back and relive a bit of history. If you’ve only recently started listening to the series, these early shows will be a real treat. Previously released as The Early Classics.

"The Adventure Begins” is the first album released in the much loved audio series. Introducing to us Whit, Connie, Tom and many more much beloved characters even though Eugene is not heard in this album actor Will Ryan (voice of Eugene) voices quite a large amount of characters in this album (including the voice of officer David Harley). There couldn't be a more down to life album, but that might be the problem about this album this doesn't have any real mysteries, thriller or other adventures. But maybe that not so bad after all, because AIO does have a lot of mysteries, action, adventure and much more in future albums (including album 2 which is Brock Eastman's favourite album). But the advantage of down to life stories is because we do deal with the themes of death, fear, lies and many more. My favourite episode in this album would be "Nothing to Fear" or "The Tangled web. The reason why those two episodes are my favourite in the album is because they teach us to have courage in God and because a little white lie can become a tangled web" And even though this album was done in the 80's the values and biblical truths it teaches us will never grow old...

And stay tuned for next week for an Interview with (AIO co-creator) Phil Lollar about album 2 "The Wildest Summer Ever"...

Old art, back covers, sketches, concept art, Fan art (done by me) and more for album one "The Adventure Begins" will be released Thursday.

Taken, Chapter 1.30 Discussion

2011-12-04T20:20:00.001-07:00

The twins and Obbin manage to get away from Mr. Thule and Feng. Obbin then leads the twins to an enormous library where they find a blue crystal statue of a man holding a sword. They make the oath not to tell about the Blauwe Mensen by pressing their palms against the sword. It is strange because only one drop of blood came out of each twins hand, no more.

After that, Obbin leads them to the stuff taken from the Phoenix. They get their stuff and then Obbin leads them to safety! But they aren't out yet. Hopefully, they will he back to the Phoenix without getting caught, and before Oliver and Tiffany leave!

Until tomorrow! ~Ryan M.

Interview with Author Amanda Davis

2011-12-04T17:00:00.000-07:00

Q: Everyone seems to have a "how I got published" story. What isyours?

I think everyone who has beenpublished definitely has a story. Mine is a bit different than theaverage author's (but then again, what author is average?).

First of all, my dad is a bestselling author(Bryan Davis), and he's taught me everything I know about writing. Most peoplewould think then that I have a huge advantage over the average writer, butthat's only half true. While he helped me get to know all the editors in theindustry and taught me how to write, I also had a setback most people wouldn'texpect.

Q: When did you realize you wanted to become a writer?

I realized I wanted to write when I was aroundfifteen years old, which isn't that long ago, since I'm only twenty now. Ididn't try to get published until I was eighteen.

Q: Tell me a little about your books.

My only book published right now is PreciselyTerminated, the first book in the Cantral Chronicles, which will be a trilogy.Precisely Terminated is set 800 years in the future where there is a oneworld government. Each person has a microchip implanted in their brains whenthey're born. These chips tell the people what they can do and what they can't,and if they don't listen, the chip kills them. Monica, a sixteen-year-old girl,is the only person in the world who doesn't have one of these chips, so it's upto her to end this system and free everyone.

Precisely Terminated is the first book in a trilogy,and I've finished writing the sequel, Noble Imposter, which should comeout in the spring of next year.

Q:How do you write? What’s a normal writing day like for you?

I write one word at a time. :) Usually I startwriting in the morning after daily devotions and a run. I write about twothousand words a day, or more, if I'm on a deadline. Once I reach that goal,the day is about half over and then I have to work on my other job, which isbeing a seamstress and a spinner. I sew a lot and spin yarn on a spinningwheel. You could say I spin yarns in more ways than one.

Q: What was your favorite book as a teen?

The Mistborn Trilogy and Howl's Moving Castle

Q: What were some of the challenges for you writing this story?

Editing was the hardest part of writing this story. I don't liketo look for mistakes in my writing!

Q: When making up stories, how much do you draw on your own life experiencesand people you know, versus drawing on research about complete strangers?

I don't think I draw much from the people I know or strangers,either. I try to let my characters be their own people, you could say, and togrow and develop on their own without me injecting other personalities intothem. My own life experiences don't come into the story much, either, sinceit's set 800 years in the future, though I do draw on my knowledge of computersand what the world is like.

Q: What can you tell us about any future releases you have planned?

The sequel to Precisely Terminated, Noble Imposterwill be coming out in spring of 2012.

Q: Coke or Pepsi?

Definitely Pepsi, though I prefer Dr. Pepper over both

Q: Soft shell or Hard Shell tacos?

    Hard shell

Q: Favorite season?

     Spring or fall

Q: Favorite color?

     Green

Q: Do you listen to music while you write? If so what are some examples?

I'm sort of an anomaly when itcomes to music. I don't listen to music while I write. In fact, I don't listento music at all, I prefer to sit in silence while I write.

Check out Amanda's Books and her awesome website to learn more about what's next for her!

Taken, Chapter 1.29 Discussion

2011-12-03T21:48:00.001-07:00

After eating and getting introduced to the Blauwe Mensen, the Wikk twins find Obbin and convince him to let them have their stuff back an their freedom, in exchange for letting him fly in the Phoenix.

But there are problems included. It seems that they must take a blood oath of silence to convince Obbin that they won't tell anyone about the Blauwe Mensen... whatever that is. It also appears that they may be being followed by Mr. Thule and Feng. Will they escape?

Until tomorrow! ~Ryan M.

Taken, Chapter 1.28 Discussion

2011-12-02T20:21:00.001-07:00

After retiring to their tents, Oliver and Tiffany inspect the package given to them by Mr. Krank. As they are technically "rid of O'Farrell" as Mr. Krank said, they open the package. Out comes a small silver ball and a control of some sort. Why did Mr. Krank want them to have it, what does it do, and why was Mr. O'Farrell not supposed to see it?

Until tomorrow! ~Ryan M.

Book Discussions

2011-12-02T19:52:00.001-07:00

Hi, my name is Ryan. If you have been reading the discussions about Taken, you may know a little about me. A few months ago, Brock asked me to post about one chapter of HowlSage a day. I did that and it was lots of fun. When I finished that, Brock asked me to do Taken as well! That is what I am currently doing.

A little about me:

Name: Ryan Matlock

Age: 14

Where do you live: Indiana, USA

What's your favorite thing to do: Listen to Adventures in Odyssey, read, and go visit friends at my Church and my youth group, AWANA.

What's your favorite books: I really like Brock's books HowlSage and Taken, and I also enjoy any books related to Adventures in Odyssey like Passages or the Original Novels.

Who is your favorite AIO character: Either Matthew Parker or Ryan Cummings. They both reflect different parts of my personality. Second best is probably Wooton because of his sometimes kid-like, sometimes mature behavior. Makes me laugh all the time!

What's your favorite AIO episode: "What Are You Gonna Do With Your Life?"

Favorite time of year: Probably Autumn or Spring because it isn't terribly hot or cold.

Favorite Food: Beef Stroganoff.

Until Next time! ~Ryan M.

Interview with Author Wayne Thomas Batson

2011-12-02T17:00:00.000-07:00

Q: Everyone seems to have a "how I gotpublished" story. What is yours?

A: It starts with my students. I began writing TheDoor Within with my 6th grade students at Arundel Middle here in Maryland. Atthe time, I had no idea it was a book because it was only a 17 page short storywritten in green ink on loose leaf paper. But over the years, my studentsbugged me and bugged me for more, so I began to put it together as a novel. Godopened some cool doors for me to get an agent. My agent then bugged me to getdown to Atlanta in 2004 for the big ICRS publishers' conference. There I metlots of editors from major publishing houses. One of them was Dee Ann Grandfrom Thomas Nelson. Thank God for her. She loved the book concept and reallychampioned The Door Within Trilogy into publication.

Q: When did you realize you wanted to become a writer?

A: Easy. Grade 6, my elementary school Catherine T.Reed sponsored a short story writing contest. I wouldn't normally have enteredsuch a thing, but the prize was a big chocolate black cat. Mmmmm...chocolate!And there was a cute girl I had a crush on, and she was entering the contest.Turns out, we both won. I got the cat, I got to stand in the same room with thegirl, and they read my story to the whole school. So I think subconsciously, Irecognized a formula for writing: Good Writing = More friends, cute girls, andchocolate! BOOM, I was sold on writing. ;-)

Q: Tell me a little about your books.

A: That used to be an easy question. But now, I have10 books either published or about to be published. So a little morecomplicated. Here's what I'll say: My books are all about meeting the readers'deepest desire to do something important and to visit new worlds. I *KNOW* I amnot the best writer. My prose are "workman-like," but I pour my heartinto my stories, and God apparently had a reason for picking this kooky guy outof the world pool of authors-to-be. I am forever grateful. I promise my readersa seat-of-the-pants adventure full of twists and turns and those littlecreative touches that make you sit back and dream. And while I am a Christian,I don't write books that whack you over the head. Jesus permeates who I am, andHe gives me stuff to write. You'll find substance in my books, but never do Icheapen the heart of God with lame stories.

Q: How do you write? What’s a normal writing day like for you?

A: I wish I had a regular writing schedule. I likestructure. But my life is just to varied and busy to allow that. I teach middleschool reading full time Monday thru Friday. I have four school age kids, eachwith multiple homework assignments, sports, and other interest. I have a lovelywife I like to spend time with. And I even have a few friends. I don't writefrom 5-7am every morning, nor do I write 10 pages a day or any such thing. Mygoal is to simply write something every day. 100 words, 5,000 words--it justdoesn't matter. As deadlines loom closer, I can justify taking more time fromother things. But, take heart you busy writers out there! If I can write tennovels in six years with all this going on and absolutely no set writingschedule--so can you.

Q: What is the one author, living or dead, who you would like toco-write a book with someday, and why? A: I think I'd like to write a bookwith Jim Butcher. He writes the hugely successful Dresden Files books, kind ofhard-boiled detective meets urban fantasy. His style is so fun and intriguing.He has a great sense of humor and yet writes about important themes. I thinkour writing styles could work well together.

Q: Describe your feelings when you opened the box and saw the first publishedcopies of your very first book?

A: Honestly, it was surreal. I'd seen the cover artalready, so I knew what it would look like. But when I got the book, my familycheered, and I just stared. It was the realization of a lifelong dream. Andyet, as is often the case with me, I also felt a strange shame--like I don'tdeserve this, so it can't be real. Weird huh? It still feels that way some. Butwhen I get kind emails from readers telling me that my book made a differencein their lives, well, that kind of destroys the shame. Then, I feel gratitude.

Q: What are your hopes for your future as an author?

A: Well, I hope God will grant me a long and fruitfullife full of stories. I have folders full of ideas for future books. Seriously,right now, I could list you 25+ book ideas and not break a sweat. The onlyissue is time. I dream of one day being a full time author, living in a littlebeach house, and writing all the time. There's the rub of being an author, andthe Bible is right about us all needing to count the cost: to be a successfuland meaningful author, you will need to sacrifice. And some of those cuts aregoing to hurt. Some now. Some later. I don't golf anymore. I don't play guitar.I don't play on a league volleyball team. I don't play many video games(not as much anyway). But those aren't the painful cuts. The hurt comes whenyou have to sacrifice family or friend time. The larger your family, the deeperthe cuts. Your family might not understand that writing a book takes as muchtime as it does. And there will be conflict over it. But, if God has called youto be an author, you'll need to explain and to prove that you intend to honorHis call. And hopefully, your family will understand.

Q: What do you want readers to take away from yourbook?

A: Hope. An interviewer once asked me "What makesyour books Christian, other than being just G-rated adventure?" First, Iclarified that there's nothing G-rated about Christianity. Christianity is realand deals with the tragedies of life that most would call R-rated. My storiesare not pie in the sky Pollyanna tales. There is pain, there is trial, andthere is loss...but there's always hope. God is our hope, even in the worst oflife's trials. I hope my fiction will get readers asking the questions forwhich God is the only answer.

Q: What can you tell us about any future releases youhave planned?

A: The Errant King: Book 2 of The Dark Sea Annals;Berinfell Book 3: the 3rd of the Spider King series; GHOST for adult readers, asupernatural thriller.

Q: Coke or Pepsi? Both

Q: Soft shell or Hard Shell tacos? Both and lots ofthem
Q: Favorite place to vacation? North Myrtle Beach, S.C.
Q: Favorite season? Summer

Q: Do you have a particular drink or food you consumewhen you write? Like coco, raspberry tea, animal crackers? Diet Soda,Protein Bars, Mints

Q: Favorite color? Blue

Q: What’s your favorite holiday memory? Sleddingwith my kids

Q: Do you have a favorite Bible verse?

Romans8:38-39

³⁸ For I am convincedthat neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,^[a]neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, ³⁹ neitherheight nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separateus from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Q: Favorite pasta dish? Lasagne

Q: Do you listen to music while you write? If so whatare some examples? Yes, progressive/symphonic heavy metal: Theocracy, OrphanProject, Nightwish, Symphony X, etc. etc.

Also be sure to check out Curse of the Spider King. It just so happens I won a contest and my name appears a couple of times. Can you find it? If so post the pages numbers below and you may just win a prize.

And in other news Wayne is writing book #8 in the new Imagination Station series from Focus on the Family. You may recall that I had the pleasure of writing book #5. For more on the series and to start reading check out TheImaginationStation.com.

Want to win BIG! REALLY REALLY BIG! A Star named after you, books for life, an Amazon Fire! WHAT? Check out an awesome contest WTB is running right now. To the victor goes the spoils, I am sure those are the words he would use. Click the contest banner to learn more and enter!

The Quest for Truth

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Interview with Mark Redekop of the AIO Wiki

Enter Look Like Obbin Today!

Four years with my Best Friend

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Cover and Artwork for RIsk (Book 2 in The Quest for Truth)

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Adventures in Odyssey Art Time: Volume Two!!!

Announcing winners from Author Interview giveaways. Plus more ways to Win!

Adventures in Odyssey Volume Two: The Wildest Summer Ever!!!

Taken, Chapter 1.36 Discussion

Taken, Chapter 1.35 Discussion

Interview with Author Jill Williamson

Taken, Chapter 1.34 Discussion

Adventures in Odyssey Art Time: Volume One!!

Taken, Chapter 1.33 Discussion

Interview with Author Douglas Bond

Taken, Chapter 1.32 Discussion

Tonight - Taken - Phoenix t-shirt 50%

Use the code SHIRTATNIGHT and get 50% off the exclusive "Phoenix" t-shirt from The Quest for Truth - Taken

Taken, Chapter 1.31 Discussion

Adventures in Odyssey Volume One: The Adventure Begins!!

Taken, Chapter 1.30 Discussion

Interview with Author Amanda Davis

Taken, Chapter 1.29 Discussion

Taken, Chapter 1.28 Discussion

Book Discussions

Interview with Author Wayne Thomas Batson