Warrior (Dragons of Starlight) (Paperback)
by Bryan Davis
ISBN: 0310718376

Price: USD 9.99
61 used & new available from USD 2.96

The black egg has hatched and the dragon prince has emerged. Long-told prophecies of doom strike fear in the enslaved humans. Jason and Koren race to the Northlands in search of help, but the Starlighter seems irrevocably connected to the dragon prince and must decide if returning to him and his chains will prove to be the best for her people. Elyssa and Wallace still battle for the slaves’ freedom, uncovering mysterious history along the way; and Tibalt and Randall, back on Major Four, are confronted with problems of their own. Jason is tested, Koren is conflicted, and the struggle for truth grows harder. One thing is clear: the stakes are raising and time is running short.

The second book in Bryan Davis’ Dragons of Starlight series, Warrior, delves deeper into the established story and throws in some pretty surprising plot twists while it’s at it. I had to concentrate to keep track of all the characters and plot lines, but the book is certainly worthwhile and does an excellent job of keeping things interesting while setting up for the third book, Diviner.

Third Starlighter (Tales of Starlight) (Paperback)
by Bryan Davis
ISBN: 0899578853

Price: USD 10.94
33 used & new available from USD 7.99

Starting where Masters and Slayers left off, Third Starlighter continues the story of Adrian and Marcelle as they try to free the slaves from the dragon planet. Marcelle’s back on Major Four, the human planet, trying to raise an army to help Adrian. Meanwhile, Adrian has his hands full on the dragon planet with new discoveries and mysteries. It all adds up to one wild ride, so fasten your seatbelt!

You can’t get away from the fact that this book is great. I had a fantastic time reading it, getting to know the characters better, and having little aha moments everywhere as the story unfolded. Once I finished Third Starlighter, I roamed the house, muttering about plot points yet to be resolved and wondering out loud how Bryan Davis thinks he can wrap it all up in one more book. That is my only reservation here, and it’s probably unfounded. Do not miss this series.

Dragons of the Watch: A Novel (Paperback)
by Donita K. Paul
ISBN: 1400073413

Price: USD 11.07
45 used & new available from USD 7.25

Though a well-educated tumanhofer, Ellicinderpart is just a farm girl with a goat named Tak for her best friend. When opportunity arises to visit the capitol for an upcoming royal wedding, she’s eager to take the special trip — but a sudden turn of events makes her journey a little too special. Trapped in an enchanted, over-sized city, populated only by an obscure old urohm and a horde of brutal, vicious children, Ellie’s first concern is simply that of survival. But it turns out she’s not the only tumanhofer to have fallen into this unique set of circumstances — she meets Bealomondore, a well-known and elite artist, who’s been trapped there for months now. Despite her initial distrust, the two must work together to unravel the mystery and ultimately discover how perseverance and love can bring restoration.

I always anticipate Donita K. Paul’s new releases. This, the final book of the Chiril Chronicles, takes a slightly different direction than its predecessors, but as far as adventure, humor, and truth goes, Dragons of the Watch definitely fulfills the established style of the author. If you’ve enjoyed her other books, you won’t want to miss this heart-warming conclusion.

Red Rain (Paperback)
by Aubrey Hansen
ISBN: 1466285729

Price: USD 6.99
8 used & new available from USD 6.31

Philadelphia lives with her father in a restricted compound for the religious, held there by the United, the world power. When her father is chosen to go to Mars for a secret mission and Philadelphia is forced to accompany him, she stumbles on secrets that she wasn’t ever supposed to find out. Secrets that could destroy everything she’s ever known if she’s not careful.

As the debut novel of author Aubrey Hansen, Red Rain has a lot going for it. It’s a fast-paced, well-written book with all the trappings that go with that label. Interesting characters, intriguing mysteries, plot twists—it’s all here. My only complaint, and it’s minor, is that there was room for some more exploration of the underlying themes to really make parts of the narrative keep you awake at night pondering the impossible choices. But as an exciting afternoon read, Red Rain shines brilliantly. More, please!

Amanda L. Davis is the daughter of one of our favorite authors, Bryan Davis. Her debut novel Precisely Terminated has been on our radar ever since we heard about it, and we can’t wait to get our hands on a copy. We recently caught up with Amanda for an e-mail interview.

Incredibooks: First off, tell us a little bit about your debut book.

Amanda Davis: Precisely Terminated is a futuristic dystopian novel. I’ll give you the summary. :-)

It is 800 years in the future, and the world is being oppressed by the ruling class. Millions of slaves toil under the Nobles’ oppressive thumb, but because of microchips implanted in the slaves’ skulls at birth, there can be no uprising. Monica, a young slave girl, escaped the chip implantation process. She is able to infiltrate the Nobles’ security and travel where no one else is able, but can one girl free the world? Precisely Terminated is the first book of three in the Cantral Chronicles.

IB: What inspired you to become a writer?

AD: I think my dad, Bryan Davis, most inspired me to be a writer. He worked so hard and never gave up while pursuing his own writing career, and once it was established, he traveled and spoke and did book signings all the time, and I went with him.

We’ve since been going to book signings and school events for seven years. During this time I learned the craft of writing and was inspired to write my own stories and share them after seeing what an impact stories can have on people.

IB: Incredibooks is a book review site, so we want to know about your favorite books. Can you share a couple of titles?

AD: Hhm. Some of my favorite books? That’s rather hard to say. It depends on my mood, what I feel like reading that day. Some of the books that stay at my top favorites are Howl’s Moving Castle, Ella Enchanted, To Kill a Mockingbird, and East.

IB: How do you come up with character names?

AD: Most of my character names just pop into my head, and I type it down. Essentially, the character tells me his or her name. It happened that way for Faye, Kat, and Monica, the main characters of Precisely Terminated’s first chapter.

For a few of my characters, however, it takes a bit more of a struggle to come up with them. I usually like making up my own names, at least in the Cantral world. When I need a new name and it’s not popping into my head, I’ll start with a letter or sound I want the name to start with and then go from there.

I might start with a ‘K’. Okay. I want a ‘K’ name. Hmm.  K . . .ar . . .ih… etc until I match the K with a sound I like and then continue building the name. I might end up with a name like ‘Karick’, but that’s probably more about my naming process than you ever wanted to know.

IB: Have you ever incorporated yourself or anyone you know into one of your books?

AD: I have never intentionally incorporated myself or anyone I know into my books, not even their characteristics. My characters are their own people, so to speak. They have personalities that show themselves as I write—I don’t assign any to them.  I know a lot of authors do, and there are t-shirts like ‘Be Nice to Me or I’ll Put You in My Novel’.  That’s probably never going to happen for me.  But be nice to me anyway. :-)

IB: How do you work allegory or Christian themes into your books without it being blatantly obvious or sounding preachy or clichéd?

AD: I must admit I’m not very good at adding Christian themes into my books. I usually write my story without even thinking of themes and pray they fall into place as God wants them. This way they aren’t blatant, and they’re woven in through the character’s attributes and feel natural. You’ll see my characters being good, kind, and sacrificing, but you won’t see them talking about why they should be good, kind, and sacrificing. I, myself, really dislike preachy books and hope mine never come across that way.

IB: What is a typical writing day like for you? For example, where do you write? Do you always write at the same time of day? Do you listen to music when writing? If so, what?

AD: A typical writing day? That’s sort of tough. I am not a fulltime writer, so my writing days can be very odd. You’re in for another long answer.

Most days I don’t get to start writing until 8:30 AM or around there, and then I’ll continue writing throughout the day if I have a deadline approaching. Since I usually don’t have a deadline that’s close at hand, I’m usually up and down from writing all day, sewing something, maybe spinning some yarn, working in the garden, or something like that. I do a lot of chores and cooking, too.

Currently I am working on a novel with a deadline of October 1, so I’m pretty busy at the moment, writing from 8 AM – 5 PM, or whenever I get 2,000 words or more written.

IB: What’s next for you, now that you’ve released your debut book?

AD: Precisely Terminated is the first in a trilogy, so the next two books are next! Noble Imposter is the sequel, and I have yet to title the third book. I’m working on Noble Imposter at the moment and it is currently around 82,000 words (as of this interview, September 1). It is due October 1, so I am writing rather frantically.

Coming up even closer than that, however, I am embarking on a 3-month-long book tour across the nation with my dad, promoting Precisely Terminated and his book, Diviner. Here is a map of all of our scheduled stops.

Amanda’s book Precisely Terminated is officially releasing on October 15, but you should be able to find it in stores tomorrow, September 24. Check out Amanda’s Facebook page for information on the Amazon Blitz event she’s holding to promote the book! Also, be sure to visit her web site for more information about both her and the Cantral Chronicles.

Aubrey Hansen is a brand new author debuting with her novella Red Rain. We’ve been excitedly watching her progress as she’s been working toward publishing the book, so we couldn’t wait to catch up with her for an e-mail interview.

Incredibooks: First off, tell us a little bit about your debut book.

Aubrey Hansen: Red Rain is a sci-fi drama about a girl and her quest to find the last Bible in the galaxy. When a computer virus deletes all the Bibles, 17-year-old Philadelphia hopes her deceased brother left a copy behind on Mars. But when her searches lead her into a secret hallway, Philadelphia disturbs a project that threatens to destroy her family and Earth. The book was inspired by the question “What if there were no Bibles left on Earth – none? What if the last copy was hiding on Mars?”

IB: What inspired you to become a writer?

AH: I’ve been making up stories as long as I can remember. When I was younger I designed elaborate worlds for my toys and mentally rewrote the books I’d read. But it wasn’t until I was a teenager that it occurred to me to write stories down on paper. I wrote my first novel for a fanfiction forum, and the author-gene in me broke loose. I haven’t stopped writing since.

IB: Incredibooks is a book review site, so we want to know about your favorite books. Can you share a couple of titles?

AH: A Little Princess by Frances Hodgenson Burnett was my favorite book growing up. Recently I read The Fellowship of the Ring for the first time and was very inspired by the way Tolkien handled religion in his fantasy world. My favorite modern book, however, is Angel Fall by Coleman Luck. I was deeply impacted by Luck’s honest and probing allegory.

IB: How do you come up with character names?

AH: Most of my characters come with a name. I’m not sure where they get these names, but the titles tend to stick! If I’m struggling to come up with names, I ask a friend of mine who can draw up a whole list of possibilities based on the character’s bio. Several of the names in Red Rain are derived from churches and sects mentioned in Revelation 2-3 — you’ll have to read the book to find out which ones!

IB: Have you ever incorporated yourself or anyone you know into one of your books?

AH: One of my early novel attempts was a co-authored fantasy which featured my writing partner and me as the main characters. Representing yourself on paper is harder than it sounds, and I’ve never had good success with it. However, when I let the novel develop naturally, I usually find pieces of myself reflecting in the characters.

IB: How do you work allegory or Christian themes into your books without it being blatantly obvious or sounding preachy or clichéd?

AH: Keep it natural. I study theme during the planning process, but when I draft I let it morph on its own with the story. If you have to force the theme, it’s probably going to be contrived. I think it’s especially important to keep the characters relatable and the religion realistic. Make Christianity a regular part of your characters’ lives. If your characters pray repeatedly throughout the book as a habit, it won’t seem contrived when they pause to pray during the big climatic moment.

IB: What is a typical writing day like for you? For example, where do you write? Do you always write at the same time of day? Do you listen to music when writing? If so, what?

AH: I’m a very diverse and erratic writer, so no two days are alike. If I’m in the thick of a project, I might put in 6-8 hours a day. Other days I may just work on a short project for an hour. I do most of my writing on a laptop in my bedroom, and I get the bulk of my work done in the afternoon. I’m almost always listening to music. I prefer instrumental, particularly soundtracks.

IB: What’s next for you, now that you’ve released your debut book?

AH: Currently I’m working on several short projects while pondering what my next novel will be. I’m tentatively planning to finish my fantasy epic, but it’s a very old (and long!) novel, so it isn’t the easiest book to write. It would be amazing to have it finally finished, however, and I’m eager to publish a second novel. Just keep writing!

Aubrey’s book Red Rain is releasing tomorrow, September 6. You can get your copy in a multitude of places, so visit the official page for a complete list. Also, be sure to check out Aubrey’s Facebook and Twitter profiles and give her a like or follow if you’re so inclined.

Song of the Ovulum (Children of the Bard) (Paperback)
by Bryan Davis
ISBN: 0899578802

Price: USD 10.94
48 used & new available from USD 8.45

This is the story of what happened to the characters from Dragons in Our Midst and Oracles of Fire fifteen years after those series ended. Bonnie and Ashley, both anthrozils (humans with dragon traits) have been imprisoned for fear of dragon sympathies. Bonnie and Billy’s twin children have been placed in foster care with no knowledge of their dragon heritage. Walter (Ashley’s husband) is free and trying to break his friends out. But he’s going to need the help of both anthrozil children to pull it off. Add to that a parallel backstory beginning back at Noah’s flood, and you’ve got one wild ride of a sequel. Buckle up.

When I first heard about Bryan Davis’ plans to continue the Dragons in Our Midst books, I was skeptical. The eight-book saga spanned the dimensions, carrying a deep and gripping plot to a satisfying conclusion. Why continue? Well, I shouldn’t have doubted. This may not be the best of the Dragons saga (though it is one of the better ones), but it lays the groundwork for much more to come. I cannot wait to see where this story goes in the future books. Consider my hat held onto.

Wow. I can’t say much more than that. As of right now, we have read 67,704 pages between all three participating forums! At this rate, we will have no problem smashing up the records for every past year.

If you haven’t joined the Read-a-Thon yet, there is still a little time to sign up and get going! Just visit the sign up page for more information. (And why wouldn’t you sign up? We have prizes!)

Also, we have t-shirts for this year! We’re thrilled to be able to keep the same pricing as last year. These great shirt designs are available now for only $13.99, and that includes shipping in the US! Personally, I’m eyeing the green one. :-D

Happy reading!

Today is the beginning of Read-a-Thon 2011! If you signed up to participate, you can start posting the books you’ve read in this thread now. Of course, if you’re participating on Holy Worlds, you can go over there and post your page counts, too.

Wait. What? You haven’t signed up? Well then, go read the rules, and then sign up.

C’mon! We have prizes!

All right, pay attention!

We’ve been absolutely showered with prizes. I’ve lost count of how many books we’ve got coming. Some of them are sets and signed copies. It’s unbelievable!

Anyway. Given the showers of blessing on our efforts, we need to shove this program over the edge and multiply it. Simply put, we need more participants! And there’s only one way we’re going to get more participants… promotion!

We need you! We’ve got to get the word out about this program. So start talking, anywhere and everywhere!

Every little bit counts. Our greatest weapon is social media, so even the smallest status message can help. Post on Facebook, Buzz, Twitter (use #readathon5 as a hashtag), whatever you’ve got. If you have a Facebook page for your business, please consider posting from there, too!

In addition to chattering it up, blog posts would be extremely helpful. Those of you with blogs, please consider posting on our behalf! Below I’ve pasted a sample post with all the pertinent information. Feel free to plagiarize it.

And remember, we have a lovely assortment of graphics, designed for us by the talented Vilisse from Holy Worlds, for your use! If you have a website, please consider posting one of these images in your sidebar. http://incredibooks.com/read-a-thon/promote-the-read-a-thon/

Thanks, everyone! Let’s get the word out!

Here’s a sample post you can feel free to copy if you like:

This summer, grab a book or twenty and sign up for this year’s coolest reading program!

The Read-a-Thon is back for its 5th year, and it’s bigger than ever! Join the unified forces of Incredibooks and Holy Worlds for a race to read the most pages between June 13th and August 13th. There’s a delightful stash of prizes – including books from Donita K. Paul, Bryan Davis, Jill Williamson, Answers in Genesis, and more! Sign up on any of the participating forums before June 30th to win! All ages welcome.

Please visit http://incredibooks.com/read-a-thon/rules/ to read the complete rules. Check this page to find the sign-up lists: http://incredibooks.com/read-a-thon/sign-up/

Interested? Please help us spread the word! http://incredibooks.com/read-a-thon/promote-the-read-a-thon/

See you there!