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Culture is Not Truth

Truth supersedes culture.

On Mithgar, among the races of Elves, Trolls, Dwarves, Baeron, Men, Mages, Pysks, and Warrows, beliefs can be very different, or interestingly similar. It is what we would expect if there was one central truth they all [in every culture], consciously or unconsciously, saw with varying degrees of muddled sight.

But, some may say, aren’t we all muddled in our view of truth to some extent? Yes. Thankfully, our less than perfect perception does not negate the truth we do see. Far less him who is truth, the Creator of all, who brings us to ever clearer sight as we follow the light.

Though sometimes we try to create our own reality, our own truths, real truth constantly intrudes, disproving our false beliefs. Truth is absolutely real.

But, someone may say, everything we call reality is a figment of our imaginations. I would not agree, but I could respect such an honest person, if to prove their point they never ate again, since food is not real.

That is an example of the end result of that person’s thinking; truth has most uncomfortable ways of getting past our false fantasies.

People growing up around central beliefs in Mithgar, including truth, half-truth, and untruth, act on what they believe, and those actions spread through every area of life until they solidify into what we call culture. But culture is not truth, rather an amalgamation of beliefs, from true to false. Culture must be challenged and measured against truth, whether in Mithgar or our own world.

Before we are reconciled with our Creator and pass from spiritual death to life, at any point in our earthly life we are either acknowledging what we do see of truth, or going our own way. And until the fateful moment when all choice is gone, if we see bright glimmers of truth in the dark sea of partial truth and lies in our own culture, and struggle toward it, we are also testing the minds and hearts of others and what they call true. This does not end when we begin to live in our Creator’s love of truth. Our blade is merely honed and sharpened for a battlefield we see ever clearer.

Small people like Warrows who are drawn into battle in their culture contain just as great or withered a heart as those of larger stature. The degree of withering or greatness depends on the amount of truth each of them holds to, and whether they are seeking more truth or denying it. [Quote from Dennis McKiernan’s epic fantasy duology, Hel’s Crucible.]

‘Rael turned up a hand. “The pith of the debate was that Adon argued for the right of all peoples to freely choose the paths they would follow, whereas Gyphon spoke for the domination and control of those he named ‘inferior beings.’”

Beau now stood and stepped to a different portion of the tapestry and climbed upon a chair, and Tipperton said, “I take it then that these Black Mages side with Gyphon, for as you have said, they seek dominion, control, power over others.”

All the Lian nodded in agreement, and Loric said, “They have become allies of Gyphon, yet should Gyphon himself gain the upper hand, he will utterly dominate them as well, much to their everlasting sorrow, though they believe it not.”

Beau, standing on the seat, peered at the figure representing Gyphon. “Why, he isn’t a pure single color at all, but instead shimmers like oil on water.”

“Aye,” responded Talarin. “’Tis because he is the Great Deceiver, showing a given person or people whatever face need be until he has them in his grasp. Then and only then will his true nature show, and it is monstrous.”

Hurriedly, Beau drew back from the tapestry, clambering down and resuming his chair.

“And this Modru in Gron, the Black Mage fighting against High King Blaine, he’s been deceived by Gyphon?” asked Tip.’

–Into the Forge*  by Dennis McKiernan, pg. 105  

This fantasy duology has a couple mentions of immorality [without graphic description] and a mixed view of truth, which I’ve overlooked. [Because] This story has much to recommend it. We would be the poorer for not reading this tale.

In Mithgar, Gyphon and Modru’s deception led to worldwide war and the testing of many comrades in friendship and love and the crucible of life-and-death loyalty. And those decisions withered the heart or made it greater, truer than it had been before.

The testing of the Warrows’ beliefs lead to their greater knowledge, and to our own. Honest, logical questions about why we exist, even in fantasy, need answered. The next most important question is whether the knowledge we gain progresses to understanding—do we rightly act upon the knowledge we wrest from the war-ground of culture? Truth supersedes culture. Will we follow truth?

-Fantastic Journey: The Soul of Speculative Fiction and Fantasy Adventure, pg. 67

Until next time,

Azalea

Crossover – Find the Eternal, the Adventure

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Writing About Spiritual Themes and Conflict

To my reader and author friends:

Baring my soul on this subject seemed timely this Christmas, since I finally finished a Medieval historical fantasy series that has been more than a decade in the making.

I started writing more than fifteen years ago with the idea I wouldn’t write explicitly about Christ. I had read many books that deeply impacted and enthralled me that never mentioned the name Jesus. But I discovered I could not avoid it.

If we see goodness in a book and it warms us, what lasting good is it, if we don’t know where that goodness, that warmth, that life comes from? Who it comes from?

I think part of my original aversion to writing explicitly about God in our human lives, or in my characters’ lives, as the case may be, was because I often saw it done in a way that broke the story to insert a podium moment. A way that came across as inauthentic and fake.

Storytelling lends itself to preaching in the form of anecdotes or parables, but trying to combine preaching, or truth-telling, the other way around into a story is much harder. If it is not done well, it can make the truth we seek to portray less effective.

Despite the obstacles, I began to realize some authors were openly speaking about truth: of His justice, mercy, power, and beauty – and doing it very well. Such as C. S. Lewis in his fiction, Andrew Klavan in If We Survive, and The Homelanders series; Anna Thayer in The Knight of Eldaran series, LA Kelly in her series beginning with Tahn, Jonathan Renshaw in Dawn of Wonder: The Wakening Book 1, Kathy Tyers in The Firebird trilogy, S. D. Smith in The Green Ember series, Andrew Peterson in The Wingfeather Saga, MI McAllister in The Mistmantle Chronicles, and Chris Walley in The Lamb Among the Stars sci-fi trilogy. Some naming Him directly, others indirectly.

Many other authors have presented Christ or a Christ figure in various ways, to varying degrees of success. Blindness to a particular author’s Christ figure may also be my own lack of perception. And of course, there are many authors I have not read, or didn’t have room to name here. You can see I lean toward fantasy, with a smattering of Christian Romance and Sci-fi. I have not read much romantic suspense or mainstream fiction, so I’m not knowledgeable on how they do or don’t present God in those genres. We’re all learning how to do it better, I hope! (I assume in this post I’m speaking to Christian writers and readers.)

So back to the work I know the flaws of best, my own. Any time a more intangible reality comes up in a story, specifically spiritual truth, readers tend to react strongly.

Whether the truth presented concerns an integral part of a character’s goal, something that thwarts their desire, or it is a reality that arises out of the setting or situation, you will get varying reactions to truth. From curiosity, to the joy of triumph and deep satisfaction, to an “aha” moment, or even to tears if they were deeply touched. Conversely, a person may react with indignation that anyone dares speak of such things, or may express amusement at foolishness, or anger, or outright hatred.

Don’t let any potential reaction deter you from striving to learn how to write truth better, with His empowerment and leading. Writer or reader, all truth we encounter we should bring into our hearts, to be lived out. As He says in His Word. Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, handling accurately the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15 NAS

Be a true ambassador for Him from Whom all good things flow.

However He instructs you to go about it, by direct reference to Him or indirect, by His written Word and the wisdom and advice of godly people, continue to present the truth. This is only part of the story. There is so much more to it, for it to be called a good story. The thrill of a new world, the adventure, the danger, the romance, the growth and triumph. (I’ve added a postscript description of Falcon Dagger below as an example.)

In my own work I find myself unable to avoid alluding to, implying, and sometimes outright speaking the truth in short instances. Especially when lives are at stake. In the story, and out. This Christmas season, and every season.

Even after recording the adventures of a warrior who fled to a monastery where God reached out to touch him in the middle of deadly danger to himself, his people and Cierheld, my heart still burns. That everyone may see and love Him Who is the light. (And before you have a heart attack about Brother Rolf in a Christian fantasy, please read his companion story Kingdom’s Fall in Falcon Dagger and see what he came to believe.)

I ask one thing. Don’t obscure the light. He stepped down into darkness. The light of the world. For our sakes. Can we do less for others?

You must determine how well I took my own advice, or my lack of skill in applying it. If by happy sweat and tears I did learn something about how to get truth across the gap from knowledge to our heart’s grasp, I am thankful for His grace.

You can preorder Falcon Dagger, and give your opinion in a review January 18th. I welcome your thoughts on the story, as well as the thread of spiritual conflict woven through the young adult fantasy adventure. But don’t forget, my friend, to let your light shine in whatever you do.

God bless and keep you, my dear author or reader – or both – as the case may be.

A Merry Christmas to you!

Azalea

Crossover – Find the Eternal, the Adventure

P. S. Falcon Dagger short description – you can find the rest of the description on Amazon here.

Falcon Dagger is the thrilling final novel of the Falcon Chronicle series. This young adult historical collection includes the riveting last book, a companion story, and prequels where fantasy tropes ignite the imagination – the coming heir, evil lords, court intrigue, haven and hunt, rivals and romance. From second chances to powerful enemies, trials of destiny to oaths kept, each story offers a spark of hope, a heart of courage, and an echo of meaning.

  • Kingdom’s Fall: One life. One land. One loyalty.
  • Falcon Dagger: Warrior. Seeker. Apprentice.
  • Cieri’s Daughter: First rival. First oath. First victory.
  • Path of the Warrior: Exile. Traitor. Warrior.

Readers who love the epic fantasy series of Anna Thayer, the medieval richness of The Outlaws of Sherwood, and the delightful romance of Melanie Dickerson will be drawn into the final chapter of Kyrin Cieri and the struggle to protect Cierheld stronghold against those who would destroy its very memory.

Are you a fan of …
Noblebright YA fantasy
Strong female protagonists
Myth and legend
Stories you don’t want to end?

Falcon Dagger is a resonant canvas of courage, forbidden alliances, and resilient spirits – a heart song to the Master of Stars. –Anna Thayer, author of The Knight of Eldaran series

Experience the immersive action of A Flame in the North but the Christian adventure and court intrigue of Illusion’s Reign in this collection of family friendly books that includes a dash of women’s fiction and military fantasy. It is a fantasy adventure for adults, as well as a clean and wholesome addition to any teen’s list of good fantasy novels and coming of age fiction where hope is a light in the night.

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Walk the Path Less Traveled

Do you have something you aim to do to improve your Thanksgiving? I’m rooting you on. Will you walk the path less traveled?

People are worth the effort you give to get to know and appreciate them, whether family or friends. There are exceptions, of course, if people insist on cutting you off, for whatever reason. Sometimes a good friend can be closer than family, and a blessing from God, your very own found family. But you never know how long blood family will be there, or yourself , for that matter.

Seize the moment as God gives it: opportunities for forgiveness, for sharing, for encouraging. We all need it, especially these days, where the chill in the air seems to come from people’s hearts as well as the weather. Let’s watch out the frosty cold doesn’t seep into ours, and pray God for the grace to warm someone’s day.

That said, these are all reasons I love stories about family and the strength of good relationships. And relationships outside family, also tested by conflict, and bound by a higher loyalty than blood, that come forth as gold.

Squatting down by the hearth, Cernalt smiled at him as the smell of toasting cheese rose around them. “There are good choices open to us all,” he said, voice gruff yet not unkind. “If we but have the courage to fly against the storm. First, we must be willing to go from our nests.” He sighed. “I remember something our first daughter said once. If it is God’s wind beneath our wings, we will not fly astray. And there is a storm coming; I can smell it. Keep your ears open.

Falcon Dagger

What will you choose? How will you fly to outwit the storm?

Tangled relationships and struggle and changing motives against a backdrop of intrigue make a good story. And a good life. We don’t grow without struggle and time in the crucible. Though it hurts.

As many of you know (posted again here for readers on GoodReads who don’t get my Newsletter), I have been working on the last book in the Falcon Chronicle, Falcon Dagger. Release day is creeping closer. In the scheme of things, if all keeps going according to plan, December should see a live preorder.

But first, have a wonderful Thanksgiving with family and friends! Don’t forget to fly against the storm …

Azalea

Crossover – Find the Eternal, the Adventure

 

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Stormpoint Feb 2024 – The Anti-hero’s Weakness

In the wide world of ideas the anti-hero is gaining ground.

I find stories that admire anti-heroes repellent, unless the anti-hero grows beyond their selfishness. Anti-heroes have a major weakness, namely, that they never grow stronger. Instead they fail, make themselves victims, and revel in their failure. (Anti-hero and anti-heroine is synonymous here.)

After they are knocked down, they don’t get up again, not in any true sense. That is repellent in any person, and most of all in a story, which most readers go to for encouragement, enjoyment, and a guiding ethos. (I had to look that word up. Ethos is a Greek word that refers to the character of ideals and beliefs of a community or ideology. It includes the idea of alignment of passion and caution. –Loosely paraphrased from Google.)

Great fantasy books show us the beauty of justified self-sacrifice and the ugliness of it’s opposite, the unjustified anti-hero. How fantasy explores what is worth dying for and what is worth living for opens worlds of choice and myriad possibilities before our eyes.

In The Fourth Scroll, Karen Grunst takes the lead character down the path of a true heroine. When she refuses the path of the anti-heroine, Sarah discovers that the life she expected to live must die (figuratively). And she grieves that loss. Suddenly she is forced down a completely different path with only the vaguest notion of what her new life will entail as the novel ends. Though I have not read this book, this is a great point. This is true of many things in our lives, as it is of Sarah in this clean fantasy.

Amy Earls in Forbidden Reign gives us another truth in this quote. “Elohim walked with me in those frightening places, and maybe the darkness as well as the light is a part of His plan. Sometimes things must die before the world sees the life they can bring.”

Dying and living can both be dangerous and deadly. That is the nature of choice in life. For whenever we live to one thing, we always die to another. Dying for the sake of hope often brings life. As it does in [the above books]. Paths divide and hearts choose. It is odd that it is often necessary to die, sometimes literally, in order to truly live. —Fantastic Journey pg. 197

Freedom from the tyranny of self is freedom indeed. Doing what is right brings freedom, even if it brings the death of something dear to us.

The weakness of the anti-hero, and his very real despair, propagates a lack of strength and whining, to put it bluntly. We are all weak and complain at times. The anti-hero stays there. See the end of anti-heroes, in more ways than one, and turn from emulating them.

Give your admiration to heroes, to simple people who strive for truth and light and good. Imperfectly striving, but still heroic, still fighting for something far beyond themselves. Follow those who refuse to stay down under the weight of darkness.

Crossover – Find the Eternal, the Adventure
Have a great week!

Azalea

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August Stormpoint – Inner Strength Attracts Readers

People sense inner strength in people around them and in stories. That inner strength of right leads to fairness and stability. “Fair” means what is right, what is just. Readers tend to be attracted to good stories where the author defends the right and the characters are deeply invested in the outcome. Aren’t we all interested in being treated fairly?

Defending the right always appeals to us deeply, when it is our right in question. But what about when it is another’s right in question, and we are in the wrong? Then the measure of “fair” must be the same for both, or it is not just.

Acknowledging the truth of wrong and taking responsibility for where our actions lead is a major part of fairness and justice. It opens the door to mercy and enables change. It starts with telling the truth to ourselves.

“She. The witch. Did something to me.” I coughed as if there still might be a chance to purge myself of it, but even now, I could feel it settling into my heart, weakening me. If only I’d listened to God right away, rather than allowing myself to revel in my misery and anger.

The Witch’s Curse by JF Rogers

In a culture that increasingly rewards split tongues, encourages the insanity of lying to yourself and others about gender and your very identity, approving evil in so many forms, “right” and “fair” are a breath of fresh air. Don’t let anyone redefine those words and make a good word mean something bad. Challenge what they say. Is it true? Is Social Justice really just? Is it right? Is it fair?

A good story cuts through the confusion, lasers through the vague screen of responsibility shifting, the darkness of untruth, and rebukes evil. It shows us what a just world could be, what it should be, and picks a rose for us from the garden of heaven to give us an inkling of what the future holds if we pursue true justice, fairness, and mercy.

A great story helps us understand our own confusions as we follow our heroines and heroes through their confusion, and see through it to the truth. An excellent story clarifies right and wrong, enacts fairness, justice, and mercy. It helps us see the truth of many things.

Jenelle Schmidt’s Steal the Morrow illustrates this well.

Olifur hung his head. “I didn’t take the shot,” he choked. “I couldn’t. I had my arrow ready, but…”

“Why didn’t you shoot?”

The gentle question startled him and Olifur looked up, confused. He considered the question. Why hadn’t he taken the shot? The moments of terror flooded back to him and he swallowed hard. “I couldn’t tell which one was Bet,” he said. “I didn’t want to hit her.”

“That doesn’t sound like fear taking over,” Fritjof said. “That sounds like wisdom.”

Olifur frowned, his emotions a tangle of shame and confusion. He couldn’t speak. Words failed to materialize.

Fritjof kept speaking. “You might have frozen for a moment,” he allowed. “But you didn’t let it take over. You acted. You drew your bow, but when you realized you might hurt a friend instead of your foe, you waited. Instead, you saw that you could help me, and you did. Lad, you didn’t run away, nor did you stand there frozen and unable to move. You did what you could with the tools you had. Probably saved my life and Bet’s with your actions.”

Steal the Morrow, by Jenelle Schmidt

This snippet of a Fantasy Gaslamp adventure has the earmarks of inner strength, justice, fairness, mercy, and defending the right, all over it. How many earmarks can you find?

So while we search out fantasy adventures, and fight alongside the struggle for good in their pages, remember our true strength and ability and training, and the moral battle. And whether we are strong or weak in body, winning our battles first lies in the unseen realm. Then that war spills into the seen. We should be ready to fight as best we may in both worlds to defend the right.

Fantastic Journey pg. 249

Speak. Don’t let truth die in your silence. Someone else may be depending on that blade and your strength to defend them.


Until next time, enjoy a great summer!

Azalea

Crossover – Find the Eternal, the Adventure

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June Storm Point – Growing by Conflict in the Arena

Conflict in the spiritual arena makes or breaks a story’s characters. Conflict in that arena also builds up or tears down something in us as we read. That thing is goodness. How do we face the inner battle, how do they face it? Much depends on how that battle is portrayed. Through the characters, their actions and reactions, is the author of the story leading us on an adventure of hope, or through a tale of despair?

Characters we admire can inspire us to goodness, or characters can drag us through the ugliest levels of inhuman evil. I started to watch the series 1883, and I pulled it out of the dvd player very soon. When I watch or read something I want to be encouraged, warned, taught, inspired, and given strength to go on by a real look at people, not have indifference to darkness and evil rubbed in my face, and worse, my spirit. All we have to do to know evil intimately is to look inside. We don’t need anyone to tell us how corrupt we are.

People who try to rewrite our perception of history and claim it is valid because it is reality, are not doing us any favors. I especially hate it when they try to make out that people of past ages were as bad as we are, and end up showing the worst of us. Is that going to do anything good? Is it true?

We enjoy our heroes and heroines, handsome and beautiful or not, whether they overcome together or are pitted against their enemy alone. Their spirit, their strengths, and yes, sometimes even their weaknesses, endear them to us—when they show themselves human, yet with a capacity for greatness. [That is reality. All of us have the capacity to rise above greed, hate, and evil in all its forms, in Christ. We have been given the gift of change. Story is about change in ourselves and changing things.] Things we all wish for. We all wish to be brave, to overcome wind and wave and monster—to be a hero to someone, even if only in the ocean of fantasy. –Fantastic Journey pg. 51

Elisa Rae’s newest release showcases a conflict that shows beautifully how the spiritual arena can change characters for the better, from the lowest verbal spat to running for your life. Whether in a literal arena or that of a court, the stakes are high, and every challenge gifts us the capacity for growth.

“I long to be free.” I blushed. “He says I am a fool, wishing for something I can’t comprehend, but I understand enough. I wish to make my own decisions and not consider what would please my master.” I clasped my hands at my waist and bowed my head briefly. “You probably agree with him.”

“Quite the contrary.” Greyson glowered at the far wall. “Freedom is precious.”

After a moment of stilted silence, he spoke again. “Be at peace. Bartle will see that Silda does nothing to harm you when reporting to her mistress. And if the servant doesn’t attend to the warnings, I will see to it personally.” His ominous tone sounded almost malevolent.

I watched his expression for a few moments, debating what kind of fae he was. There were so many possibilities. He was too large for a sprite and too small for an ettin, not to mention possessing the wrong coloring. It would be rude to ask, and considering clothing completely covered him form the neck down, he seemed to be possibly hiding his true nature.

“Lord Greyson.” A halfling with glasses tucked into the wild thatch of hair at the top of his head bowed to Greyson.

“Lord?” Panic tightened my chest. Had I been overly familiar with a noble of the Unseelie court?

“I have need of your verification of this order for three hundred barrels of Tiren blackberry wine,” the halfling explained, holding up an invoice.

“Pardon me, my lord.” I curtseyed. “I really must return to work.” I hurried off without waiting for a response, my heart thundering in my chest. An Unseelie nobleman–I had been casually conversing with a member of the court. What a fool he must think me.

The Unseelie’s Wallflower

Because freedom truly is a precious thing, fighting for it carries the most risk. And the highest reward. Never stop fighting for it. Above all, for the freedom to do right, to do good. And doing that often calls out evil. Be wise as serpents . . . There is a wise and foolish way to wage war, of course.

The Unseelie’s Wallflower is a great tale, and one you will enjoy if you like stories of fae and humans and clean, adventurous romance. You can check it out here.

If you can’t get that one at the moment, read one of your old tried and true stories where the battle was hard, the conflict stiff, and the reward worth it all. If not immediately, in the end.

Not being overcome by evil, but overcoming evil with good. Now there’s a reality possible in the arena. Think about what helps you overcome in your arenas of conflict. What stories stiffen your spine when you are in the grip of the enemy and everything hangs in the balance?

Crossover – Find the Eternal, the Adventure

Until next time, all the best!

Azalea

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April Stormpoint – The Strength of Choice – In Story and Life

Story impacts us by reflecting choices and results, thus helping us see the difference we can make in the world of the book, and in our own sphere.

Maybe that is another reason we love the adventure of voyaging in the fantasy realm. For the magic and mystery of discovery, where choices matter and we impact everything we touch. –Fantastic Journey pg. 74 

How do you think stories reflect choices and consequences and the reality of life?

Well, some things are clear. We cheer when the bad choices of villains bring the consequences of justice to their door. Or, if there are mitigating circumstances that make us weigh justice and mercy, then our brains smoke a little, which is all to the good. Our brains are too flabby, and in need of exercise. Whether the villain gets his just deserts, or another chance with a helping of his deserts, or simply overwhelming mercy, choice always brings results.

The choice to pursue what is good and right brings fruit also, including the riches of goodness itself to ourselves and others. If good choices also brings pain at times because of the reaction of a villain, at least it is not pain brought because we chose badly. For our bad choices harm others, even if on so small a level that they simply care what happens to us.

Sometimes the reflection of story is about the choice of another on our behalf, after they see our choices. Such a story is E.G. Moore’s The Last Dragonfly. Etoiny chooses to follow in her mother’s footsteps. She chooses knowledge instead of the status quo. True knowledge, after weighing good and evil, not simply what she is told. She decides to allow the wide world in, instead of remain in comfortable insularity. Others around her make their choices. One will follow a heart of greed. Another will see the error of thinking Etoiny is a foolish child. One will love her to the end, and the last will discover what they missed. But there is hope for the future, in more opportunities, choices, and change. Though there is a point where choice may not be changed.

We cannot choose our circumstances, but we can, we must, we do always choose our reaction to our circumstances. Is it not almost always so in story, and life? The desire of our heart influences our will, our will determines our choice, and our choice always brings fruit. But thank God, He gives us the gift of mercy, and change. As it says in the movie, The Redemption of Henry Meyers, the greatest gift of God to man is change. I love that. The fact that we can change, we can do right, we can be kind when our hearts are changed. It comes down to choice.

I am thankful for mercy. I am thankful for justice. I am thankful for goodness. Today, how many times must I choose between good and evil? Stories bring us face to face with choice, result, and their impact. A glimpse into another life can rip away our excuses, and show us our own faces. It can also show us what we want to become, who we want to be like. Let’s make heroes and heroines, in both worlds. May choice change us.

One such hero that comes to mind immediately is Jonathan Renshaw’s Dawn of Wonder, The Wakening Bk 1. If you haven’t read the story of Aidan’s brave coming of age, you’re missing out. A curious, vulnerable, indefatigable hero, his tale is humorous, epic, and delves deep into choices. All at a good pace.

But what do you think gives strength to good choice, to bad choice? What chains a result to its choice? How are we bound by choice? How are we liberated by it?

As Alice Ivinya says in Crown of Glass, released yesterday, “I wonder if sometimes it is hard to know what is right and what is wrong until we’re forced to fight for it. And hard to appreciate something until we are forced to wait for it. Maybe sometimes, the darkness has to happen for us to understand the nature of light.”

In other words, often we don’t pay attention to right and wrong, or think deeply about it until forced to fight for the right, against wrong. And darkness shows light for what it is.

What choices do the heroes and heroines you read about make? How do they influence your thinking? And your choices?

Until next time,

Crossover – Find the Eternal, the Adventure

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Spiritual Strength in Story

Strength begins in the spiritual arena. Our Stormpoint for this month is how conflict in fiction spills into battle in the inner arena.

Inner strength draws evil, or pits us against it, as our authors’ books this month attest. C. J. Milacci’s Fugitive of Talionis has a heroine who is top of her class as a kidnapped trainee but who is just at the beginning of her inner journey that will strengthen her or break her. That’s the thing about hard circumstances. They make us more bitter and defeated, or wider of heart, stronger in both spirit and body. For each affects the other, as the inner arena touches, even directly feeds, the outer parts of us.

Paths of fantasy, under water or over wold, take us to interesting places and wondrous spaces, not to mention introducing us to fascinating people where every character is involved in the battle we all fight.

Fantastic Journey – The Soul of Speculative Fiction and Fantasy Adventure Pg. 8

Gaining the skills to survive, the will to conquer, the hope that makes us look up, the courage to fight, all drive us to become strong. And the simple yearning for justice, that evil will not always rule by force and fear, that also strengthens us.

But where are the roots of spiritual strength, and what are the results? The roots of every strength are in truth. The true truth of your circumstances. The truth of what you think. The truth of what you believe. The truth you act on. The truth of what is real, not what you wish were real.

“Call me crazy,” Nika says as we walk around some old rubble, “but I thought you were going to share a little more than that.”

I rub the back of my neck. “Remember Ava?”

“The girl who died in the river?”

I nod.

“Of course I remember her. Not something easily forgotten.”

She goes quiet, and I can tell she’s replaying the scene in her mind same as I am. I can still see Ava slipping from my grasp into the clutches of the river. Her lifeless body washing up on shore hours later.

“What about her?”

“Leddington is her hometown.” I let the words sink in.

“Oh.”

I lick my lips. “I need to tell her family what happened. Tell her sister that with her last words she wanted her to know that she loved her. You get that, right.”

She nods. “Yeah. I’ll back you up.” . . .

“I need to do it, Nika. But how can I face them when I’m the reason she’s dead?”

Nika stops and grabs my arm. “Bria. You’re not the reason Ava’s dead. She drowned because of Commander Ark, because of Colonel Valarius. Not because of you.”

“Maybe.” I shrug. “But I couldn’t save her.” I stare off into the distance.

Nika squeezes my arm that she’s still holding. “But you tried.” . . .

“I just wish I could have done more. Wish I could have held onto her. Kept her alive.”

“It’s not your fault. But I get it.” Nika ducks under a branch. “You’re not the only one with regrets. I have them too.”

I look over at her in time to see a flash of pain sweep over her face.

“But we can’t let those regrets rule our lives. God’s forgiven us both, and He has a path for us to walk in. If we allow ourselves to be hindered by everything we wish we could change or undo we’ll never really be able to walk in the freedom of God’s plan for our lives.”

I let her words sink in, not sure how to respond. Silence stretches between us, but somehow I think we both need it. As we hike the last miles of the forest, I can’t help but wonder what Nika regrets.

Fugitive of Talionis – ARC

Turning from the false and following what is true gives us strength and leads to more strength.

The impact of choice remains to be seen. Candace Kade’s Enhanced demonstrates this.

Don’t miss these good reads, (Enhanced is out, and Fugitive of Talionis goes live on Kickstarter the 22d.) There will be new authors and books and more on choice next month.

Have a great week,

Azalea – Crossover – Find the Eternal, the Adventure

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A Christmas Poem

A Christmas Clear

By His Father held more than dear, as a babe He gave Himself here

The full hope of the year, that we may live without fear.

With true food and cheer, God’s great heart without peer

To us, drew near, and sat down without a jeer

To abolish our debts in arrear, and at last every tear.

God Himself from eternity, with second person of the Trinity

In the Spirit gave us abundant life in perpetuity, this, no superfluity.

With full design He created me and thee.

In the light of His heart what will we see?

He sent possession of virtue by decree, and works it out in you and me

Virtue’s riches without fee.

Our hearts by grace rejoice to be

Bringing up jewels from life’s tumultuous sea, before our King, Who did foresee

My life I thought so carefree, my death did guarantee.

But with the evil one He did disagree

And from eternity, the tree

He did oversee.

He came to bend every knee, that our hearts might be free.

It is Christmas indeed, we in Him to be.

The star brought clarity

Here lay deity in humanity.

An oddity in brevity, beauty and charity.

Came that verity, reality

With sweet frankincense of humility, joined by highest majesty.

He banished enmity, and robbed vanity

That we might touch infinity.

Now in heartfelt jollity without banality, what ferocity of vitality.

Gone timidity, now comes tenacity;

In place of iniquity, forgiveness and dignity.

Every soul a city in unity, blessed be He, forever the Trinity.

The master of Creation, in fullness of administration

In innovation for every nation

The Jewish lion of adjuration

Kept not His exalted station, but clothed in incarnation

Took up our litigation, and offered a libation.

Worthy beyond all ovation, our joyful hearts in elation

Kneel in adoration.

Great is His salvation.

By Azalea Dabill, December 9, 2022

Merry Christmas to all!

Azalea

Crossover – Find the Eternal, the Adventure

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G K Chesterton – A Wise Word for Our Times

“We are then able to answer in some manner the question, “Why have we no great men?” We have no great men chiefly because we are always looking for them. We are connoisseurs of greatness, and connoisseurs can never be great; we are fastidious, that is, we are small. . . .

“When Diogenes went about with a lantern looking for an honest man, I am afraid he had very little time to be honest himself. And when anybody goes about on his hands and knees looking for a great man to worship, he is making sure that one man at any rate shall not be great.

“Now , the error of Diogenes is evident. The error of Diogenes lay in the fact that he omitted to notice that every man is both an honest man and a dishonest man. Diogenes looked for his honest man inside every crypt and cavern; but he never thought of looking inside the thief. And there is where the Founder of Christianity found the honest man; He found him on a gibbet and promised him Paradise. Just as Christianity looked for the honest man inside the thief, democracy [a Republic] looked for the wise man inside the fool. It encouraged the fool to be wise. We can call this thing sometimes optimism, sometimes equality; the nearest name for it is encouragement. It had its exaggerations – failure to to understand original sin, notions that education would make all men good, the childlike yet pedantic philosophies of human perfectibility. But the whole was full of a faith in the infinity of human souls . . . and this we have lost amid the limitations of a pessimistic science. . . .

“It was a world that expected everything of everybody. It was a world that encouraged anybody to be anything. And in England and literature its living expression was Dickens.

“He was the voice in England of this humane intoxication and expansion, this encouraging of anybody to be anything. His best books are a carnival of liberty, and there is more of the real spirit of the French Revolution in ‘Nicholas Nickleby’ than in ‘A Tale of Two Cities.’ . . .

“Whether we understand it depends upon whether we can understand that exhilaration is not a physical accident, but a mystical fact; that exhilaration can be infinite, like sorrow; that a joke can be so big that it breaks the roof of the stars. By simply going on being absurd, a thing can become godlike; there is but one step from the ridiculous to the sublime.

“Dickens was great because he was immoderately possessed with all this; if we are to understand him at all we must also be moderately possessed with it. We must understand this old limitless hilarity and human confidence, at least enough to be able to endure it when it is pushed a great deal too far. For Dickens did push it too far; he did push the hilarity to the point of incredible character-drawing; he did push the human confidence to the point of an unconvincing sentimentalism. You can trace, if you will, the revolutionary joy till it reaches the incredible Sapsea epitaph; you can trace the revolutionary hope till it reaches the repentance of Dombey. There is plenty to carp at in this man f you are inclined to carp; you may easily find him vulgar if you cannot see that he is divine; and if you cannot laugh with Dickens, undoubtedly you can laugh at him.

“I believe myself that this braver world of his will certainly return; for I believe that it is bound up with realities, like morning and the spring. . . . I put this appeal before any other observations on Dickens. First let us sympathize, if only for an instant, with the hopes of the Dickens period, with that cheerful trouble of change.”

G K Chesterton, from Charles Dickens: The Last of the Great Men, pg 11 – 12, 17

If you have not read the above book, it is well worth reading. It has astonishing correlations to our present time and stirs thought and courage.

Thank you for visiting, I hope you found it worth your while.

Azalea

Crossover: Find the Eternal, the Adventure

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