Nothing like a stormy sea in fiction

AuthorAppleton on September 5, 2016

Nothing is so chilling to the mind as being marooned at sea, or shipwrecked, or worse yet to be drowned in the depths of the sea. The sea has always fascinated me and in my writing I have sometimes alluded to this fascination… and this fear. There are many mysteries still to be solved in its depths, and fascinating histories and myths to which we can set our minds. Whether reading about it or writing about it, the sea offers a humbling reminder of how powerless we truly are in the face of God’s creation.

In my second novel I found opportunity to write a short, albeit fun glimpse of the mysteries of the sea. In Offspring Ilfedo is dragged into the Sea of Serpents, battling the creatures for which the sea is named. But beneath the surface lies a strange sort of city, filled with sentient creatures. They are only seen briefly before Ilfedo is returned to the surface to finish his battle with the serpents, yet it was a nod in my writing to my passion for stories of the sea.

When I was a boy I loved reading about pirates and privateers. I remember one particular true story (and I wish I could remember from which book). This American was engaged to this beautiful young woman and had a close friendship with her Puritan-type father, who was a respected merchantman. This American was in the fledgling U.S. Navy at the time and he had been tasked with hunting a notorious pirate. During his hunt he happened upon his soon-to-be father-in-law and boarded the merchant ship for a pleasant conversation and dinner. Suddenly everything transformed into chaos around him. Barrels that appeared to be filled with legally-traded goods were discovered hide stores of weapons and pirate loot. The merchant’s crew attacked the navy crew and the merchant himself attempted to kill his would-be son-in-law. That American returned home having slain his beloved’s father and–as the story goes–he never revealed the truth of it to either his wife or his mother-in-law. So far as she was concerned her father died tragically at sea at the hands of the dread pirate. If she had only known that her saintly father had been living a dark double-life.

That story and so many others stuck with me.

The creatures of the sea can be terrifying and the lore of large octopus, giant squid, and sharks gives this deep dread of the ocean depths. The loss of such ships as the Titanic and the subsequent discoveries and explorations of it and so many ships that are vastly older make the sea seem to be a time-capsule. Things that are lost there may remain lost for centuries and upon rediscovery their contents can be profoundly fascinating.

If there is any creature on this planet that is as old as the planet, it would have to be contained in the sea. For the land and the mountains were flooded so that for a time the entire world was covered in water until the waters “subsided” that Noah could repopulate the earth. What a thought!

There are depths of the sea that have not yet been explored. It is in constant change, the life beneath it growing even as the ships it wrecks are overgrown with coral. I have an old book simply titled Buried Treasure that documents with text and photos the sea escapades of a treasure hunter. It is fascinating. One account was of a sunken portion of a medieval town. It was reported by the people living along that coast that the bell from the old church could still be heard to toll. Of course everyone else thought they were just making the story up, cast in superstition. The treasure hunter made a dive into the old town and found that entire buildings were still standing, in particular the old church. What everyone had thought to be a myth ended up as being proven right, for it turned out that when the ocean current changed the old bell would bong once again.

Another book I read related the facts and the fiction of old stories of giant sea serpents. There were sightings of those creatures and even one that was caught… and that was the inspiration behind the sea serpents in my fantasy novels.

In exploring the facts of the sea, one is able to expand upon the myths of the sea. In understanding what it is one fears about the sea, one is able to write more honestly about the power of the sea. In understanding how small we are in comparison to nature, one is humbled into acknowledging the power of the Creator. We are the created ones and when we acknowledge that insignificance our writing creativity is empowered.

Q: What aspect of nature both compels your imagination and terrifies you?

How writing changes our world

AuthorAppleton on December 21, 2015

I once wrote a short story titled Trapped In Imagination and it was an exploration of how a writer creates a story. I have always been fascinated by the creative process. It is a gift and it has the power to effect change at the behest of the writer that crafts the words. A writer can quite literally change the world.

Recently I watched a fun Twilight Zone episode where a writer literally brings people into existence through his writing. The concept was fascinating to me and entirely entertaining to watch. In my own mind I have often thought what it would be like to actually bring to life the characters I write on paper or type into my computer.

This fascination is brought on by the deep impact that the writing process has on my mind. As the writer, I sink my mind deep in the stories I create. The characters become real to me, in my mind. The imagination of them is powerful. I can relate to their fears, their hopes, and aspirations. There are moments when I almost cry over the story I am writing. Other moments I feel almost giddy with happiness.

It is that utter abandoning of one’s self to the power of story that makes one realize its power. Through writing we can effect change. Not superficial change only, but real change. Consider the impact of Uncle Tom’s Cabin, or the negative impact of Hitler’s Mein Kampf. What of the rise of western civilization through The King James Bible. The list goes on almost indefinitely.

Writing changes the world. It impacts hearts and minds for good or ill. It is our responsibility as writers to impact the world for good.

Q: How do you see writers impacting real change in the world?

Dealing with creative slumps

AuthorAppleton on December 14, 2015

We creatives are strange creatures. We are writers and artists who live off of the ideas that populate in our brains. Let me stop beating around the bush. Tonight I am admitting I am having one of those moments… one of those days… one of those weeks.

My creative well has run dry. I smile as I think about it because I have been here before. It feels frustrating. I want to write some fantastic blog posts that will give you some great information and, hopefully, entertain you. Yet I stare at the screen and foolishly smile at myself.

I think we all hit these times. If we are writers, artists, or some other type of creative. Our brain works overtime when other people seem to relax. When I am thinking hard on a story idea, world-building, or publishing and writing in general, my hands literally get cold. I am not sure if this is the reason, but it seems to me my forehead always feels warm even when my hands are cold, as if my brain is firing too fast and all the blood runs to my head instead.

So what am I to do, and what should you do when you reach these moments? I have been in a creative slump for the past few weeks. This year I ran on burnout for too long and I think it simply caught up with me.

So what will I do?

I will relax. I will watch TV shows and a good science fiction movie, pick up a good book, listen to music. In short, I will refill my creative reservoir.

As far as keeping up with my blogging, I cannot let that fall behind… so I have written a blog post about my lack of creativity. 🙂 And you know what? It was fun! Sometimes the path to victory in these slumps is to admit you don’t have it so that you can fill your mind afresh.

Don’t think of these moments as defeat. Think of them as a time to reset, and recognize that you will come out stronger. Great art is not forced. It must be allowed to slowly grow.

Q: What do you do in creative slumps?

How past success motivates current endeavors

AuthorAppleton on November 9, 2015

It’s amazing looking back over the past six years. So much has changed. I am a goal-oriented person and I am pleased to see that most of my goals have been reached. With the release of The Phantom’s Blade this past week I now have five published fantasy novels. It is important to reflect on what we’ve accomplished. It sets our mind in a positive way, looking ahead to greater things to come.

I can remember the thrill of holding my first copy of Swords of the Six in my hand. It was a dream come true. And somehow that feeling is duplicated every time I hold a copy of a new release in my hands. Each book represents numerous hours of thoughtful, sometimes painful attention to story and detail. Trying to make each book a work of art is always my goal.

Every time I hold a copy of one of my newly released novels in my hand I feel thrilled and relieved. Finally the hard work has paid off. Finally I can share with readers the story that has been banging around in brain, screaming to be released. Each story is a piece of my soul, as it were. A sharing of my deepest convictions, conflicts, fears, and hopes.

Storytelling is a beautiful thing. The task of writing a new novel is enormous. Each time I begin the journey the end seems insurmountably far off. But when I look back at the works I’ve already published I find encouragement and it helps me persevere until the task is completed.

Q: Do you get a thrill when you craft a story? Or when you read a new book that impacts you?

The Necessity of Vision

AuthorAppleton on October 12, 2015

The existence we know is not the world we reach for
We see things above and beyond ourselves
We grasp at a vision of things to learn
And worlds yet to be explored.

The world around us is bound in the present
Yet we reach into our God-given creativity
Nothing unattainable or insurmountable
And our vision extends to the future.

Vision to see beyond the present curcumstances
Imagination to improve and grow
We will let nothing deter us from achieving our dreams
And the dreamers become the doers.

Vision must be tempered by humility
Without it we choose unwisely
Only with it can we attain our dreams
Our learning is empowered by this path.

The existence we know is only a first step
We see into the future and dream
We begin building the vision in the present
And over time we explore those new worlds.

Holding our Creator’s hand
We are people of vision
Undaunted by setbacks and discouragement
And the future is ours to fearlessly face.

Following in our Creator’s steps
We are people of conscience
Looking beyond this world of sin
And our vision is to stand in good conscience.

Q: Who is guiding your vision?

How my Grandmother’s book keeps giving

AuthorAppleton on October 5, 2015

Growing up I read lots of books. I loved a good story. The tales of King Arthur and his knights, of fairy tales, of Christian allegories… they fueled the fire for storytelling. I grew up in rural Connecticut where small towns and their tiny libraries were the norm, and it’s amazing the treasures that could be found on those old shelves.

As a writer you can mine treasures from old books. It is an unparalleled feeling to look through a long-forgotten volume that, to your knowledge at least, may be the only copy remaining to the world.

Those little old town libraries had great book sales. Often you could pick up a hardcover copy of exactly what you wanted for a dollar, or a paperback for fifty cents. But what I was always on the lookout for were the old volumes. Hardback volumes printed at the dawn of the 19th century, or in the 1800’s. I focused on historical books because their accounts were not burdened by the modern perceptions of the author. Little did I know that some of the greatest treasures could be found in short story collections and poetry.

Some years ago I was visiting my grandmother (my father’s mother) and I told her my vision for using my own publishing company to bring old, long-forgotten volumes back into print. She went and retrieved a couple of books for me and I’ll never forget how pleased I was to get a heavy volume titled The Children’s Book of Poetry. It was printed in 1879.
old book page excerpt
I’ve not finished this book… not by a long shot! It is not merely a collection of poetry, it is an arsenal of stories drenched in variety and, most importantly, morally constructive.

The value in this book is that I can read these old pieces, none of which are thus far familiar to me, and find fresh inspiration. Inspiration that will help feed my creativity for years to come. All thanks to my Grandma. She is the sweetest lady and I’ll always hold this book with fondness, knowing that she gave it to me. I’ve already gleaned some great ideas from these “lost” pieces.

You see? The value in an old book (from the writer’s perspective) is the content it offers. Not its value or interest as an antique.

Q: Do you have any old books from which you might glean inspiration for new content?

 

How writing strengthens relationships

AuthorAppleton on September 21, 2015

It is an interesting thing to sit back and reflect on how we relate to other people. Some people communicate best verbally… but some of us can only make people understand exactly what we mean by writing it out.

Have you ever found yourself talking too much? Suddenly you realize that the conversation died a long while ago and the person you’re conversing with is no longer interested in what you have to say? Well, you suffer from the same condition I do. You may feel something is wrong with you because your verbal communication is less effective, but in fact you experience suggests you are a born writer.

Not all of us are gifted with our tongues. Some of us are wired for the written word. We can only explain what we feel after careful consideration or even meditation. For us communication is a process of creativity and the end goal is communication that feels like art to the recipient. When we write our thoughts flow uninhibited.

What is more amazing is that other people read what we write and suddenly they clearly understand what we’ve been trying to tell them all the while.

This has always been my struggle. When I talk, people have an easier time losing interest. They often can’t follow my reasoning as well as needed to arrive at the same conclusions I do. I watch in their eyes as they try their hardest to follow my line of thinking.

When I write out my thoughts the reverse is true.

My wife and I have had our share of disagreements and I fault myself for many of them because I cannot verbally communicate what I really mean. It takes me a while to get around to the point in the conversation. But I remember back when we started dating that I wrote her many a letter conveying the depth of my thoughts and feelings. Doing that really drew our hearts together and helped me lead her spiritually.

If you are like me your written words are more impactful than your spoken. If you are born to write then you can make people relate to and understand you through writing.

Use writing to strengthen your relationships. Use writing to lead people and to confound your adversaries. The pen is indeed mightier than the sword. Some people speak and their words reach people to change hearts and lives, but their words are gone after they are spoken. For us our writing is a path into changing hearts and minds. You can use writing to effect change… and your words will be preserved from generation to generation, leaving the same impact with each. That is a solemn responsibility and a glorious opportunity.

Q: Are you using writing to strengthen relationships, and change lives?

The Benefits of Uprooting

AuthorAppleton on June 29, 2015

Gardening was not my favorite thing when I was growing up, though my mom doggedly persisted in making my siblings and I a large part of it. She was great at teaching us to discipline our time for worthwhile pursuits. One thing about gardening that stuck in my memory: If the conditions for a plant in one location were not ideal, you uproot it to give it its best chance at a healthy life.

Are you willing to give up everything in order to achieve your God-given dreams? Or have you become comfortable, unwilling to uproot even though change may lead to greater things later on? Change is hard but necessary to success.

Being now in the process of uprooting my family from Connecticut to South Carolina, we are somewhat like those plants. Our roots are deep here. Family and friends, places we frequent, connections we’ve made. We grew up in this state. But my wife and I both feel strongly that God wants us to relocate our family into the south. A more conservative environment to raise our family, greater opportunity to connect with active Christian churches, a lower cost of living, and a more centralized geographical location.

Uprooting is hard, and this came about very swiftly. We’ve been planning it for years really, yet nothing is easy about this. I am encouraged in this because the best times are when we step out in faith.

God has always opened the right doors, and slammed shut the others. He has opened every door in its proper time for this event to take place in our lives.

Beside my sadness He fills me with peace
Beside my uncertainty He provides the keys
In place of my fear He builds a mountain of dreams
Before my feet He makes the path a highway.

To grow beyond the present circumstance change is necessary, and I firmly believe that without transplanting God cannot fulfil His dream for us. Providing for my family in a manner that allows me to bless the kids with my experience and be hands-on with their education is something I work on and long to fully explore. To do this my writing and publishing business must grow and in South Carolina is where we are going to grow those roots.

Let nothing stand between you and your dreams. Recognize that staying inside your comfort zone limits you. You must grow, you must strive to achieve, you must listen the voice that speaks to your soul. The heart is deceitful and easily drawn back to the comfort zone, so guide your heart with your God-given dreams.

Q: Are you willing to leave behind everything to accomplish everything?