Marcher Lord Press to re-release Sharon Hinck's Sword of Lyric series

This just in...

Marcher Lord Press, the premiere publisher of Christian speculative fiction, has just announced plans to re-publish the now out-of-print Sword of Lyric series by Sharon Hinck.

The series did not, in our opinion, receive the attention it deserved, so we're thrilled to hear this news!

Read our interview with Sharon about the series.
Read our review of The Restorer.

Marcher Lord Press and American Idol?

Marcher Lord Press, the premier publisher of Christian speculative fiction, today announces the debut of a revolution in fiction acquisitions.

"Marcher Lord Select is American Idol meets book acquisitions," says publisher Jeff Gerke. "We're presenting upwards of 40 completed manuscripts and letting 'the people' decide which one should be published."

The contest will proceed in phases, Gerke explains, in each subsequent round of which the voters will receive larger glimpses of the competing manuscripts.

The first phase will consist of no more than the book's title, genre, length, a 20-word premise, and a 100-word back cover copy teaser blurb. Voters will cut the entries from 40 to 20 based on these items alone.

"We want to show authors that getting published involves more than simply writing a great novel," Gerke says. "There are marketing skills to be developed--and you've got to hook the reader with a good premise."

Following rounds will provide voters with a 1-page synopsis, the first 500 words of the book, the first 30 pages of the book, and, in the final round, the first 60 pages of the book.

The manuscript receiving the most votes in the final round will be published by Marcher Lord Press in its Spring 2010 release list.

No portion of any contestant's mss. will be posted online, as MLP works to preserve the non-publication status of all contestants and entries.

Participating entrants have been contacted personally by Marcher Lord Press and are included in Marcher Lord Select by invitation only.

"We're also running a secondary contest," Gerke says. "The 'premise contest' is for those authors who have completed a Christian speculative fiction manuscript that fits within MLP guidelines and who have submitted their proposals to me through the Marcher Lord Press acquisitions portal before October 29, 2009."

The premise contest will allow voters to select the books that sound the best based on a 20-word premise, a 100-word back cover copy teaser blurb, and (possibly) the first 500 words of the book.

The premise contest entrants receiving the top three vote totals will receive priority acquisitions reading by MLP publisher Jeff Gerke.

"It's a way for virtually everyone to play, even those folks who didn't receive an invitation to compete in the primary Marcher Lord Select contest."

The premise contest is open to anyone with a completed Christian speculative fiction manuscript that meets MLP guidelines for length, content, genre, worldview, audience, etc. To enter, authors must complete the acquisitions form found at the Marcher Lord Press site and supply all the components listed below on or before October 29, 2009.

Marcher Lord Select officially begins on November 1, 2009, and runs until completion in January or February 2010. All voting and discussions and Marcher Lord Select activities will take place at The Anomaly forums in the Marcher Lord Select subforum. Free registration is required.

"In order for this to work as we're envisioning," Gerke says, "we need lots and lots of voters. So even if you're not a fan of Christian science fiction or fantasy, I'm sure you love letting your voice be heard about what constitutes good Christian fiction. So come on out and join the fun!"

Marcher Lord Press is a Colorado Springs-based independent publisher producing Christian speculative fiction exclusively. MLP was launched in fall of 2008 and is privately owned. Contact: Jeff Gerke; www.marcherlordpress.com.

Marcher Lord Press Readying for 2nd Release List

Marcher Lord Press, the premier Christian publisher of speculative fiction is readying for the release of its second set of novels this April.

Says Jeff Gerke about the novels:

"Like the first novels, these three books represent the very best in Christian speculative fiction. Each has been hand-picked, lovingly edited, and beautifully presented by a team of artists, editors, and technical specialists. The first time around we had two previously published novelists in the lineup and one newbie. This time it's all newbies! At Marcher Lord Press we love finding new and incredible voices like these to bring to readers as appreciative as you. You're going to love these novels by these fresh voices."

The next batch of novels will be:

Starfire by Stuart Vaughn Stockton

Starfire is a non-Earth, non-human science fiction about Rathe, a member of a race of talking, machine-using dinosaur people. (No, really.)

Rathe is trying to make his mark in his military unit while concealing the secret of his quick advancement through the ranks.

The empire he serves is at war with an enemy that is on the brink of discovering the secret of a lost civilization—a civilization whose Starfire weapons system will assure victory to whichever side seizes it first.

A mysterious follower of an all but forgotten God warns Rathe not to use the weapon as he has planned to.

Starfire is one of those books we created Marcher Lord Press to publish. Because of Stuart’s genre and subject matter, the book is all but unpublishable at traditional Christian houses. There's not a humanoid in the bunch, after all.

But it’s terrific and needs to be published. If the regular houses can’t publish books like this, we thought, let’s create a house that can. Oh, wait, that’s what we’ve done! :D

Read excerpt of Starfire here.
Read interview with Stuart here.


By Darkness Hid by Jill Williamson

Achan is a stray, mere property ranked lower even than a slave. His entire life he has lived as the abused ward of Poril, who is cook to Lord Narthak. Every morning Poril forces Achan to drink a foul elixer. It is supposedly for his health, but it's never prevented any illness that Achan can see.

Sometimes Achan has feelings about things before they happen. Sometimes he senses when someone will ill intent are on their way to abuse him.

One day, Achan has a new feeling. Someone is approaching who wishes him only well. It turns out to be Sir Gavin, famed hero of the Old Kingsguard. For some reason, Gavin takes an interest in Achan and even offers to train him in the ways of knighthood.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the continent, a teenage girl dons mens' clothing to conceal her identity. Her mother is under pressure to marry her daughter, Averella (now going as Vrell), to an evil lord. Vrell uses the mental communication ability she and her mother share to vanish into the world of men.

Forces of darkness have become aware of both Vrell and Achan and are seeking to seize their powers. Because while one knows her gift and hides it, the other's true gift, and identiy, is known only to a few who seek to use it to overthrow the world.

Read excerpt of By Darkness Hid here.
Read interview with Jill here.


The Dark Man by Marc Schooley

The Dark Man was the first novel acquired for the second release list of Marcher Lord Press. The story was so bizarre, so beautiful, and so well written that we said, "We have to publish this."

Charles Graves is a master of disguise working with the secret police to bring down the last remnants of 21st century Christianity.

Possessed of remarkable powers of disguise--and haunted by a mysterious talking wooden puzzle--Charles is the government's most potent weapon against these undesireables.

Charles effortlessly becomes other people, slipping into character like others step through a doorway. But what remains of Charles's own character is being pulled under by his accursed past. When he is not working a job, he is lost to alcohol and despair.

And then comes one more assignment. Take down the ringleader of the Christian cult holding forth from some secret quarter of militarized Houston.

He doesn't know it, but God has plans for Charles. Along the way he'll discover the truth about his past, the extent of his depravity, and the strength to look inside.

Perhaps through love and firepower and a change of leadership, Charles can cease to be a man of darkness.

Read excerpt of The Dark Man here.
Read interview with Marc here.

Motiv8: Fantasy Fiction Tour West Coast!

“West coast or bust!” is the rallying cry of eight Christian fantasy fiction authors—representing eight separate publishing houses— on a fun-filled, grass roots mission to spread the good news about their fast-growing genre, now blazing hot once again with the ongoing releases of the Narnia movies. This fall, the “Motiv8 Fantasy Fiction Tour” has set its course due west to visit thousands of fans at scheduled book-signings, school and church programs, humanitarian outreaches, and a book fair, October 4-11. For information, visit www.fantasyfictiontour.com.

More Authors, More Heart in 2008

The popular adage “the more, the merrier” best explains the fantasy fiction tour’s decision to double its membership to eight authors in 2008. Two women and six men wearing medieval cloaks and armed with swords of steel—and truth—comprise the eclectic band of faith-based storytellers. Though from different publishers and parts of the U.S, the authors are bound by their love for God and the fictional worlds, characters, and themes they have created in 37 ground-breaking novels.

Also new is the sojourners’ partnership with Character 4 Kids, a charitable outreach to place books with moral character and values into the hands of needy kids in hospitals and after-school programs.

The History

On a shoe-string budget and a prayer, in 2007 the first-ever Christian fantasy fiction tour, known as the Fantasy 4 Fiction Tour, successfully launched with four authors caravanning to events in 15 cities throughout the eastern U.S. The unprecedented initiative drew the attention of fans, industry peers, and mainstream media who conjectured, “Could the next Harry Potter be a devout Christian?”

While interest in other literary genres has declined over the last several years, Christian book sales have steadily grown at a rate of about 30 percent with annual revenues reaching $2.4 billion.

Meet the Authors

The “Motiv8 Fantasy Fiction Tour” will feature the following authors:

Founders:

· Sharon Hinck is a wife and mother of four from Minnesota. Sharon was named 2007 “Writer of the Year” at Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference. In March, she released The Restorer’s Journey, the third book in her popular Sword of Lyric (NavPress) fantasy series for women. She is also author of the non-fantasy, award-winning The Secret Life of Becky Miller and the upcoming release of Stepping into Sunlight.


· Bryan Davis, a former computer professional living in Western Tennessee, is the author of two best-selling series for youth, titled Dragons in our Midst and Oracles of Fire. In May, Bryan debuted Beyond the Reflection’s Edge (Zondervan) , the first book in his new fantasy series Echoes from the Edge, and the second book of the series Eternity’s Edge will release in October.
· Christopher Hopper is an international speaker, recording artist and ordained minister who lives with his wife and two children in northern New York. Christopher’s first book was the popular Rise of The Dibor, The White Lion Chronicles, and his latest book The Lion Vrie (Tsaba House) released last June.

· Christopher Hopper is an international speaker, recording artist and ordained minister who lives with his wife and two children in northern New York. Christopher’s first book was the popular Rise of The Dibor, The White Lion Chronicles, and his latest book The Lion Vrie (Tsaba House) released last June.




· Wayne Thomas Batson is a public middle school teacher from Eldersburg, MD and author of two best-selling young adult fantasy series The Door Within trilogy and Isle of Swords (Thomas Nelson). His latest The Isle of Fire, the second in the Isle of Sword series, will release in September.



Reinforcements:

· Donita K. Paul is a retired school teacher from Colorado, whose passion for literacy compels her to speak in schools and libraries about the importance of story. Dragon Keeper Chronicles (Waterbrook Press), her five-book series, has won acclaim.

· LB Graham is a teacher at Westminster Christian Academy in St. Louis, MO. LB is the author of The Binding of the Blade (P&R Publishing), an epic five-volume series for fantasy readers of all ages. The much anticipated final installment in the series All My Holy Mountain will release in June.

· Jonathan Rogers grew up in Georgia near the swamps and riverbottoms where his The Wilderking (B&H Publishing) fantasy series is based. He holds a PH.D. in seventeenth-century English literature from Vanderbilt University and currently lives in Nashville, TN.

· Eric Reinhold is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, who lives with his wife and three children in Longwood, Florida. Eric writes for numerous financial magazines as a certified financial planner and serves as President of Academy Wealth Management. Ryann Watters and the King’s Sword (Creation House), the first book in his The Annals of Aeliana series, was released in May.

The 2007 Fantasy 4Fiction Tour was covered in the Washington Post, Fox News, Christian Retailing magazine, Beliefnet.com, Publisher’s Weekly magazine, and The Associated Press’ Everything Sacred broadcast, among other media outlets. For the second consecutive year, RealArmorofGod.com has signed on as a sponsor to outfit the authors with medieval props including swords and clothing.

For more information about the Motiv8 Fantasy Fiction Tour authors, scheduled events, book titles and blogs, please visit www.fantasyfictiontour.com.

Dragonlight by Donita K. Paul

Coming in June from Waterbrook Press is the anticipated Book #5, and conclusion, of the Dragon Keeper Chronicles series.

Summary:

Amara is recovering from years of war inflicted on the citizens by outside forces and the apathy toward Wulder that abounded within the hearts of Amarans. With Kale and her father active as dragon keepers for Paladin, the dragon populace has exploded. They are busy hatching, bonding, and releasing the younger generation of dragons to be helpmates to individuals. Kale has little time to explore and develop her skills as a light wizard.

Bardon, in spite of his physical limitations caused by stakes disease, is a leader to the people in their community and serves on the governing board under Paladin. It’s a peaceful, yet exciting time of rebuilding.

Kale and Bardon set aside their daily activities to join meech dragons Regidor and Gilda as they launch a quest to find the hidden meech colony. Along the way, they discover a deadly evil just under the surface of the idyllic countryside. Truth has never been more important, nor so hard to discern.

Marcher Lord Press news

Jeff Gerke has recently announced the three novels he hopes to launch his fantasy/SF/speculative publishing house Marcher Lord Press. Negotiations are still underway with the authors, but here's a rundown on what we can look forward to soon in Jeff's words:

• The first novel is an "intellectual fantasy" by seasoned novelist Theodore Beale. Theo has written a trilogy of spiritual warfare novels for Pocket Books--a secular publisher. His novel for Marcher Lord Press, Summa Elvetica, is an exploration of a wonderful speculative premise: what if something oddly similar to the medieval Catholic church existed in a fantasy world and they had to decide whether or not elves (and orcs and more) have souls? Like I said, intellectual fantasy.

• The second novel I'll be launching with is by R. E. Bartlett, the New Zealander behind the awesome Christian SF The Personifid Project. For Marcher Lord Press she'll be writing the standalone sequel, The Personifid Invasion. In the first one, we entered a far-future world in which humans can trade out their old bodies for artificial ones--personifids--and thus live forever. In this one, science finally finds verifiable proof of spiritual entities--and the entities find that personifid bodies will house them quite well, too. It's intense SF action with quirky characters and a strong undercurrent of thoughtful spirituality.

• The third novel that will launch the publishing company is one I found through the acquisitions portal at www.marcherlordpress.com. It's a fantasy, but that's about all it has in common with Summa Elvetica. This one is called Hero, Second Class, and it's by newcomer Mitchell Bonds. Mitch is a young man (he's stinkin' 19, for crying out loud) who has more voice and craftsmanship than he has any right to at his (or any) age. His story is a lampoon of fantasy stories. Think Spaceballs meets Lord of the Rings. Get ready to have your most beloved fantasy conventions skewered. Quest forth with Cyrus, our young hero, as he encounters the world of professional Heroes and Villains (complete with their own rule-setting governing bodies, of course), and strives to complete his first Quest and earn the title of Hero, Second Class. Along the way you'll meet kindhearted golems, droll zombies, and a fearsome mercenary band who dares utter trigger words such as "inerrant," "witch," and "retarded." Oh, and you'll meet Cyrus's true love, who also happens to be kind of a cat.
  

About Marcher Lord Press:

Marcher Lord Press is the premier publisher of Christian speculative fiction.

Whether it's fantasy you love, or science fiction, time travel, chillers, supernatural thrillers, alternate history, spiritual warfare, superhero, vampire, or technothriller—if it's speculative and it comes from the Christian worldview, Marcher Lord Press is your publisher.

Marcher Lord Press is a small, independent press that bypasses the traditional Christian publishing industry to get Christian speculative fiction directly into the hands of the fans who devour it.

For more information, visit the Marcher Lord Press website here.

The Restorer's Journey (Book #3 in the Sword of Lyric series) by Sharon Hinck

Coming this February is the third and last installment of Sharon Hinck's wonderful Sword of Lyric series. *spoiler warning* You might not want to read the summary if you haven't read the previous books yet.

Summary:

From the innovative Sword of Lyric series comes an all-new fantasy adventure.

Back in our world with her teenage son, Jake, in tow, suburban mom Susan Mitchell is ready for life as usual. But when a foreign threat invades their comfortable home, Susan and Jake soon find themselves drawn back through the portal to the world of the People of the Verses. Now she will struggle to love a people who have become her captors, while Jake suffers a tragic betrayal and discovers his destiny as the next Restorer.

Filled with adventure, warmth, and humorous asides, the Sword of Lyric series offers readers an exciting reading experience unlike any other.

Read our review of Book #1, The Restorer here.

Summer 2007 Fantasy Fiction Book Tour

Beginning July 9th in Atlanta, Wayne Thomas Batson, Bryan Davis, Sharon Hinck, and Christopher Hopper will be touring the East Coast. That's right, four Bestselling Fantasy Authors will be coming to bookstores near you to meet, greet, speak, read, and sign books!

If you are a fan of Fantasy Fiction, especially Fantasy that has depth, this is an event you don't want to miss.

Wayne Thomas Batson is the author of the popular Door Within Trilogy.

Bryan Davis has written The Dragons in Our Midst Books and the new Oracles of Fire books--contemporary fantasy that will leave you breathless!

Sharon Hinck has written a brand new fantasy series called The Sword of Lyric. The Restorer and its sequels may well revolutionize the fantasy genre.

Christopher Hopper has written the incredible White Lion Chronicles--one of the coolest story concepts I've read in a long time!

Read our interview with Wayne Thomas Batson here. Read our interview with Bryan Davis here.

Visit the tour's website here for a banner you can use to help promote the tour, and more.


TOUR SCHEDULE:

Monday, July 9th
ICRS Convention
Tsaba House Booth #1904 (One of the 16 STL booths)
11:00am - noon
Meet & Greet with appetizers

Tuesday, July 10th
ICRS Convention
STL Booth #1904 (STL main booth)
1:30pm - 2:30pm
Fantasy Author Photo-Op

Wednesday, July 11th 1:00pm-3:00pm
Heart & Hearth Home Education Support Group
Manchester, TN.
Contact: Linda Reed tnhomeschooler@yahoo.com
931-596-3171

Thursday, July 12th 12:00 - 2:00pm
Cedar Springs Christian Store
504 North Peter's Rd.
Knoxville, TN.
865-690-5253

Thursday, July 12th 6:00pm
Barnes & Noble
Dreamland Shopping Center
83 South Tunnel Rd.
Asheville, NC 28805
828-296-9330

Friday, July 13th 12:00 - 2:00pm
Barnes & Noble
Sharon Corners Shopping Center
4720 Sharon Rd.
Charlotte, NC. 28210
704-554-7906

Friday, July 13th 6pm
Borders
404101 East Six Forks Rd.
Raleigh, NC. 27609
919-755-9424

Saturday, July 14th 12:00 - 2:00pm
Barnes & Noble
5501 West Broad St.
Richmond, VA. 23230
804-282-0781

Saturday, July 14th 6:00 - 8:00pm
His Way Christian Bookstore
Normandy Shopping Center
8450 Baltimore National Pike
Ellicott City, Maryland 21043
410-465-7546

Sunday, July 15th (9:30am)
National Presbyterian Church
4104 Nebraska Avenue N.W.
Washington D.C. 20016
202-537-0800

Sunday, July 15th 3:00 - 5:00pm
Barnes & Noble
Potomac Yard Store
3651 Jefferson Davis Highway
Alexandria, VA. 22305
703-299-9124

Sunday, July 15th 6:30 - 8:30pm
Barnes & Noble
Long Gate Shopping Center
4300 Montgomery Road
Ellicott City, Maryland 21043410-203-9001

Monday, July 16th 1:00pm
Christian Light Bookstore
2160 Lincoln Hwy. East
Lancaster, PA. 17602
717-394-4032

Monday, July 16th 6pm-8pm
The Days Of Knights Store
173 East Main Street
Newark, DE. 19711
302-366-0963

Tuesday, July 17th 5pm
Timeless Treasures Christian Gift & Bookstore
163 Livingston St.
Brooklyn, NY. 11201
718-852-2667

Wednesday, July 18th Noon
Timeless Treasures Christian Gift & Bookstore
673 8th Ave.
Manhattan, NY 10036
212-582-4311

The Restorer's Son by Sharon Hinck

Following on the heels of Hinck's groundbreaking fantasy novel The Restorer is Book #2 in the Sword of Lyric series, The Restorer's Son. Scheduled for a fall release, from the looks of the cover it's sure to be another great read.

For more information on Sharon, visit her website here.