Of the Writing of Books there Is No End

Tales and Unfinished Tales

I do a lot of writing at our local Carl’s Jr. They would let me sit back in the corner with my computer all day if I so chose, but several hours a day is sufficient. Anyway, the locals cast their glances as if to say, “There he is again!” And on numerous occasions they ask, “Are you still working on that book?” My pat answer is, “I’m always working on a book.” On the other hand, it may not be the same book they are referring to since I’m never sure of when they last talked to me about my writing. Truth be told I have probably started half as many books as I have actually brought to completion—unfinished tales! Some of the starts are lengthy, but if it just doesn’t jell it just doesn’t jell!

Writing Books Is My Passion

Nearly forty books have made it to print, one of them just as e-books: Mentoring Men in Ministry. I do not write for monetary reasons. If that was my source of income I’d be homeless! I write because I love writing and because my head is full of stories, some long and some short. Also, people aren’t likely to say, “Oh, he writes this kind of story.” I write all kinds of stories: Epic fantasy, medieval fantasy, pirate fantasy, allegories, animal fantasies, non-fiction, and more. I write, write, write! As I was writing this blog post, the words of Solomon who wrote thousands of proverbs and songs (I Kings 4:32) came to mind: Ecclesiastes 12:11-12 – “The words of the wise are like goads, and the words of scholars are like well-driven nails, given by one Shepherd. And further, my son, be admonished by these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is wearisome to the flesh.” I don’t claim to be some kind of scholar—most of my books are not of that nature—but I like the phrase, “words…are like well driven nails.” The words used in telling a story are like well driven nails; get the words wrong and you’ve lost your reader. But of course, the focus of this article is the second part of the quote, “Of making many books there is no end,” and it can indeed be exhausting, mentally exhausting. But it is my passion and I love it!

Exciting New Books

All of that to say, I have a new book out, Moil of Darkness. It is listed under “books.” To paraphrase on of Solomon’s proverbs, “When the people do not accept divine guidance, they cast off restraint.” (Proverbs 29:18) In this story Wartton and Arian share a harrowing adventure that will keep your nerves on edge. I also have another book coming out, probably midsummer, The Forbidden, a powerful story of a similar nature. The realm of Bethya spirals into darkness and it is up to a miffit named Wil’po to bring it back from the brink—another nail biter!

Oh my, I have to admit, I have another book in the making as well, Beyond the Veil of Mist, but that is a long term project—stay tuned! I found writing those genres of fantasies especially challenging and enjoyable: Phantom Island Chronicles and The Droll Child. What about you, have you ever read a pirate or Native American fantasy? What and by whom? It will be fun to get your answers.

Have fun exploring my website, and thanks for reading my blog!

On the other hand, a select few of my stories are Christian allegory, parabolic or have aspects of metaphor very naturally woven into them. One of my most popular books is Tales of a Church Mouse with Jason Anthony Mouse telling poignant tales of his days as Pastor John’s helper—most of them humorous. Conversely, Seed of the Defiled is true epic fantasy-light. There is some magic that is natural to the realm, but it is not extensive. I’ve been told it should be made into a movie. Thank you, Keith Cortella!

Some of my stories are for the young or young at heart, and some are more complex and deep, e.g. Seed of the Defiled.

I invite you to explore my books at Amazon and/or Barnes & Noble. You can also scroll to the bottom of this page and click on “books” to read a brief description of each book. Becky Caneday, owner of Well Optimized Web Services used her outstanding talents to create the site. Have fun exploring it!