The Road Taken

In his famous poem, The Road Not Taken, Robert Frost wrote:

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveler, long I stood

And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Even while I write this post, I sense the road before me forking, diverging. But unlike the traveler in Robert Frost’s poem, I have no sorrow, no regret. I know I cannot travel both. As a person of faith, I believe God directs my path, that His word “is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.” (Psalm 91).

In a world full of forks and curves and potholes, there is only one correct road for each person to travel. The trick is determining which one it is.

Dreaming the Dream & Fighting the Fear with Blood Tithe -- The Chosen

"All our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them." --Walt Disney

"Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear--not absence of fear." --Mark Twain

I’ve been dreaming for years. I’ve also dealt with fears and self-doubt for as long as I can remember. The two are NOT mutually exclusive. They do not play nice together. They are always arguing, always whispering to my heart and soul. There’s no question that one will always win out over the other. Rather, the question is which one will I let win the war. Which small voice will I heed?

My dream has been to touch people with words, to entertain and encourage. I want readers to explore fantastical worlds with me, to meet the characters that have become a part of my life. Along the way, I’ve constantly had to battle screeching doubts and nagging fears. It’s the curse of every writer. The dream is still out there, though, calling, a distant light that I’m reaching for.  

So here I am again, taking the plunge for all the world to see. I am excited and nervous to announce the release of The Chosen, the first installment of my new middle grade fantasy novel Blood Tithe.

Click Here 

This is a sequel to Whispers from Forbidden Earth. Look for the next installment soon: The Hunted.

Michael John Bobak once wrote, "All progress takes place outside the comfort zone." I am definitely outside my comfort zone with my dreams out there for the world to see. I hope and pray that you like them as much as I do.

Mark

Easter Reflection: A Time of Joy and Shame

Like millions of Christians the world over, my family and I recently attended Holy Week and Easter services. We sang songs of worship to honor and celebrate our Lord’s sacrifice. We participated in Communion and listened to memorable sermons. It was truly an awesome, uplifting experience.

Then a couple of days later I read an open letter by Bashar Warda, Chaldean Catholic Archbishop of Erbil in northern Iraq, and my joy turned to personal shame. 

Free Sneak Peek of Future Perfect, the Colony Zero Series.

As a reader, many stories challenged me and pushed me and opened my eyes to concepts both new and powerful. Those are the stories I’ll always cherish. As an author, the Colony Zero series had the same impact. The series forced me to face bigotry and hatred. It forced me to witness and write about people who considered others as less than human, vile, useless. Zeroes.

I also witnessed something else, though . . .