Akiane Kramarik is a young Christian painter who has created, in my opinion, one of the most awe-inspiring paintings of Jesus I have ever seen. In light of her youth and the strangeness of her tale many have tried to call her work a fanciful fiction, and truth be told it has been some time since I've tried to catch up on her story. Regardless, the image itself remains astounding.
Green eyes of living water stare into the heart of the beholder, and I, with all my weariness and burdens heavy on my mind, must pause a moment to stare back. There is something in those eyes, in the calmness of his face, that leaves me breathless. Is this the Jesus who lived among us? Is this the Christ who bore our sins on the cross? And the answer is no, it is only a painting, but the painting points to the Christ Who did. Two believers, an artist and, according to the story, a reluctant carpenter, came together to make this worshipful piece of art. And here is the place of art in the life of the Christian, whether it be painting, writing, music, or any other art. The purpose of the work is not to bring glory to itself but to point rather to the God we worship. "Come to Me, and I will give you rest."
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Ladies and Gentlemen! Gather round, for there are stories to hear! Tales of mystery, adventure, romance, and swordplay await! I am pleased to announce that within the next month I will be releasing a collection of short stories, some of Averelia, and some of another land.
Keep an eye out, as there may be surprises along the way! -J. Christopher Earl What can be said about a dream, captured with ink and tied to old parchment? Only the author knows in full the every fluid detail of what he has seen. Here is my puzzle of Averelia, for it is a dream enslaved to pen and paper.
Here, as in our world, all was created by the breath of the Maker. Light and water danced in the great nothing, until life was made, and in the beautiful unmarred lands mankind was born of the Creator's will. Yet a story is nothing without strife, and strife was born of pride. The greatest of lights, a created thing, longed to be greater even than the Creator. In his rebellion his light was taken, for light in Averelia is the Maker's mark. He became a shadow, slithering in the darkness of a newly broken land. The south of the world was burnt black and thrust into a permanent night. There the Shadows dwell. Yet in the beautiful North live men and women of all kinds. The Keepers watch over the four clans of Aranok, Tesel, Yaval, and Medaln, and peace has at last come to the once warring peoples; the first peace since the Shadows rebelled. And so the first few hectic days of moving to a new site settle down, and only one simple question lingers on my mind. "What now?"
The businessman in me wants to focus on expanding sales and getting interest in my work to steadily grow. I'm thinking deals of the week, custom mugs, fund-raiser banquets! Or maybe not yet. Instead I do believe it would be best for me to hog-tie the inner businessman, stuff a sock in his mouth, lock him in the closet, and let the writer do the work. After all, he has nothing to sell without me, and while I am writing in part for the money, I am writing primarily to write, to tell stories that cause books to be thrown at walls (gently please!), to breathe life into characters that live now only in my mind, and to teach the world what it means to follow the light. In the year 2011 I took part in a great challenge called NaNoWriMo. That is, National Novel Writer's Month. The aim of this brilliant lunacy is to write 50,000 words in one month. It was November, I was in high-school, I was involved in after school activities, and on top of it all I was freshly in love with a wonderful girl. With all that in mind, I wrote 50,000 words in a month. Not only were they words, they were words that were built together into something of a story. There was a beginning, an end, and a wibbly bit in the middle. Light and Shadow was born. To be fair, it was not a great story. I've edited it quite a bit since then, and now, four years later, I intend to finish it. So thank you for joining me on this grand expedition. I look forward to seeing the sights together. And if you'd like to be an encouragement along the way I would love to hear from you! And don't forget to send in a pledge! Some of them are pretty good deals! And tell your friends! (Ok, ok, that was the businessman again. I'll find some tougher duct-tape.) As I sit in this plush couch for my 15 minute break, I wonder, "How can I possibly work on writing when I have next to no time to spare? I have bills to pay, food to cook, a lovely girlfriend to spend time with, and a host of other necessities that battle for my time, often catching my sanity in the crossfire. This simple 15 minute break isn't even enough to write a blog update! Come the school year I'll have homework to work on as well.... What I need is motivation to write, and to write well."
So here's the deal, and I think you'll like it. I've added a page to the site called Pledges. Here's how it works. There's a simple form over there that sends an email to me. Fill it out with your full name and email address, along with your pledge. When I finish the book, you fulfill your pledge by sending in the payment, and I send you the prize! There are a few different types of Pledges. Here's how they work. -Completed Book Pledge. When the book is finished, you pledge to pay me an amount of your choosing. -Chapter by chapter pledge. You pledge to pay me an amount of your choosing for each chapter of the book that is completed. -Critic's Pledge. You pledge to pay me a given amount should you actually enjoy the book, but if you do not enjoy the book, I would appreciate an honest critical analysis of my work. All critic Pledges will receive a free eBook, and will receive other prizes upon fulfillment of the pledge. -The Gambler's Pledge. You pledge to pay me any amount of your choosing. For every week the printing of my book is delayed, the amount you owe me goes down by 5%, and yet your prizes rely only on that original amount. You may find yourself with the best prizes for the lowest price. PRIZES Any Pledges that total over $5.00 will receive an eBook of the final copy of the book. Any Pledges that total over $20.00 will receive a hand signed paperback copy of the final novel. Any Pledges that total over $50.00 will receive a (very rare) hardback edition of the book, hand-signed by the author, and an 11x17 poster map of Averelia. The single highest pledge will receive an eBook, a hand signed paperback edition, a hand signed hardback edition, and a hand signed 11x17 poster map of Averelia! Again, no payment is due unless I deliver on the book. :) Let the games begin! If you have been looking around my humble little abode here on the vast internet, you'll have noticed there's a button up top that says, "Buy Books." At the moment, you may pre-order two books, the official first novel of Averelia, "Light and Shadow," as well as an illustrated children's book, "The Histories of Averelia." Which will present the events leading up to the first novel as a series of children's stories.
As of now, the first novel is set for release in Summer of 2016. The Histories will be released in time for Christmas this year. EDIT In order to focus more on the actual novel, I will not be releasing The Histories. If you have a problem with that, and are looking to buy a copy of The Histories, let me know. You don't write because you want to say something, you write because you have something to say. - F. Scott Fitzgerald
Long ago, our world was good The Creator sat back and rested. All His work sat before Him, and it was very good. But a trickle of darkness slipped in. The shadow rebelled against the Creator, and mankind joined with the darkness. Yet time and time again the Creator called His children back to Him, pleading with them to return to Him. In His infinite love, He always made a way for His erring rebellious children to return to Him. Those who follow Him live in His light, chasing His will wherever it goes, and telling the story to all who will listen. This is why I write, to tell a parable of this world. To teach others about the Kingdom of Light, where Christ reigns and His children never walk alone. |
NewsAuthorJ. Christopher Earl is a beginning Christian author living in the beautiful city of Portland, Oregon. Archives
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