Savior... and Lord

By Niki Turner

There's a line of thought in current Christian circles that says accepting Jesus as your personal Savior is not quite enough to access all the benefits of salvation. You must also make Him the Lord of your life on this earth.

First, in my opinion, religious folk have spent the last 2000 years coming up with addenda to the requirements for salvation the way our current Congressmen spend most of their limited weeks of work adding extra details that benefit their personal agenda to every legislation they enact.

Second, I'm weird about "requirements." I like to dot my i's and cross my t's. Don't you?

We know what it means to call on Jesus as Savior (if you don't, please ask, because it's very simple and life-transforming!). But what does it mean to call on Him as LORD?

Well, what point of reference do we have for "lord"?
The Hebrew and Greek translations mean "someone who has complete ownership."

I'm OK with the idea of Jesus "owning" me. Someone needs to be responsible for me! But that puts all the responsibility on Jesus, and that doesn't work well with our modern DIY evangelical protestant perspective. What's OUR part? What are we supposed to DO? (This is, of course, AFTER we believe, after we accept, after we acknowledge our need for salvation.)

For myself, my point of reference for "Lordship" comes from medieval English history. The Lord of the manor, the Lord of the castle, the LORD was responsible for the health, the safety, the provision, the well-being of all who called on him as Lord. Some Lords were benevolent and gracious and good. Some were wicked.

Thankfully, Jesus is in the former group. He has our best interests at heart, is ever-ready to listen to our complaints, and has our best and highest good in mind. He wants what is best for us.

In my opinion, this is incredibly freeing. Our connection with God, what we believe He is doing for us, is not about what we do or how well we perform, it's about who HE is to us. He's our Lord. We can rely on Him. We can yield to Him. We can trust Him.

Have you ever considered what it means to make Jesus your Lord?
What does it mean to YOU


Niki Turner is a novelist, journalist, blogger, and the production manager for the Rio Blanco Herald Times weekly newspaper, one of the oldest continuously operating newspapers in Colorado. Her first completed manuscript earned second place in the Touched By Love 2009 contemporary category romance contest. She also blogs at www.nikiturner.net.

Niki is a Colorado native who grew up in Glenwood Springs—home of the world’s largest hot springs pool. She married her high school sweetheart 26 years ago. They have four children, four grandchildren, and two West Highland White Terriers.

In 2014, she published “Sadie’s Gift” as one of the Christmas Traditions novella collection with eight other authors.  The Skiing Suitor, one of the Love’s Sporting Chance series published by Forget-Me-Not Romances, released in August 2015. Her most recent project, “Santiago Sol,” was published by Pelican Book Group as part of the Passport to Romance novella collection. She’s currently working on a new novella for Whitefire Publishing, one for Barbour House, and four for Forget-Me-Not Romances.

 

Girls with Swords!!!

by Dina Sleiman

I recently discovered a new author, Lisa Bevere. Wow! Her books are the perfect complement to my Valiant Hearts Series. If you've felt inspired to become strong and courageous, to grow into a valiant heroine who is up for the fight, you might want to check out her books too. I just purchased Girls with Swords, Lioness Arising, and Fight Like a Girl. Pretty awesome titles, right? I'll share more after I've finished reading them. But for now, here's the video that encouraged me to order the books. I hope it will encourage you too.

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Dina Sleiman writes stories of passion and grace. Most of the time you will find this Virginia Beach resident reading, biking, dancing, or hanging out with her husband and three children, preferably at the oceanfront. She also serves as an acquisitions and content editor for WhiteFire Publishing. Check out her novels Dance from Deep Within, Dance of the Dandelion, and Love in Three-Quarter Time, and look for her Valiant Hearts adventure/romance series  with Bethany House Publishers. For more info visit her at http://dinasleiman.com/

An Interview with Kimberly A. Rogers: Wolf's Path

I'd like to welcome Christian fantasy author, Kimberly A. Rogers, to the Inkwell. Kimberly writes urban fantasy from a Christian worldview, and if you haven't met her hero and heroine, Baran and Raina, you are definitely missing out!

So you're an independent writer. How did you get into writing? 

 

I first got into writing when I was very young but I didn’t begin seriously writing until I was in my teens. I started my first fantasy novel when I was sixteen, which is now in the editing doldrums awaiting revision. After an unsuccessful attempt to find an agent for that first novel, I spent time writing for myself and perfecting the craft. Then, I found a writing contest that I decided to enter. I didn’t place among the chosen winners, but that contest was the birthplace for my present series, The Therian Way.

What are the benefits of being your own publisher? 

A definite benefit to being an indie author is that I set my own schedule. It’s great that I don’t have to wait six months to a year between each stage of the process. I can be more flexible with building in time for each stage. I also love having full control of the covers for my books. My cover artist, Rachel Rossano of Rossano Designs, has done an excellent job of capturing both the series feel and the mood for each book in the covers. Ultimately, my favorite thing about being indie is I don’t have someone higher up interfering with my story development. I like the freedom of incorporating my faith into my work without having to fight for it or fight to keep from including gratuitous sensuality or language.

A fantasy writer usually has favorite fantasy-writing authors. Who are yours?

My hands-down favorite fantasy authors are J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis. They were my favorite authors when I was a kid and I still love their work. Tolkien for his excellent and extremely thorough worldbuilding. Lewis for the way he incorporated his faith into his stories (love Aslan!).

Oh, those are my hands-down favorites, too. Love them both! You're working on a seven-book series that also has a prequel and several auxiliary stories. How do you plan for that? What's your schedule like?

Yes, I am. It sounds more complicated than it is, I think. I have a working idea for the entire series and each of the stories have working bare bones blurbs. When I’m prepping the next novel, I create a chapter by chapter outline with the highpoints and any particular ideas for the scenes that strike me during the brainstorming. Because I have the chapter outlines and the highpoints, I’m able to keep on top of my multiple projects without losing my mind. With the auxiliary stories, it’s a little easier because they tend to be shorter novellas so the draft and editing stages don’t require as much time as the full-length novels.

Right now I have four projects in progress. One novel in the final proofing stages, a short story in final proofing stages, another short story in the writing stage, and my next novel in the outlining stage. So my schedule is cyclic. I’m waiting on the first two, so I’m focusing on writing the next short story and outlining Book Three of the series.

Why urban fantasy?

I chose urban fantasy because it has the unique blend of ‘What If?’ The mix of familiar and unfamiliar technology with the fantastic races fascinates me. I like the challenge of incorporating one known fantastic race (Elves) and one unknown race (Therians) into a world of humans. Sometimes urban fantasy will be more familiar than unfamiliar with very little changes to the world we know. However, I decided to make my series more of a true alternate universe, so there’s familiar history figures but I also changed history and changed the present landscape.

 Tell our readers what your WIP is about. When will it be available?

My current WIP is Wolf’s Path: Book Two of The Therian Way. I’m so excited about this one because I was able to include one of my favorite cryptid legends, The Beast of Bray Road, in the plot. The American werewolf of Wisconsin was a perfect character to add to my series full of shapeshifters. Of course, the other reason I was excited to work on this one is Baran and Raina are in a very interesting and fun place with their relationship.

Wolf’s Path: Book Two of The Therian Way will be available next month.

Tell us about your hero and heroine. Why do they work so well together?

Baran and Raina are the glue for the series. I don’t think the adventures would work half as well without these two in the lead. They work so well together because they are SO different! Baran is a very serious, honorable military man who likes to do things by the book. Raina, on the other hand, is almost his complete opposite. She is a funny, sarcastic, and rather devil-may-care Tracker (an elite organization of Therians who find Elves and Therians be they criminals or simply missing persons…and are far more lax in regulations than the military). She’s more impulsive than he is, in general. They have the opposite attracts vibe between them and when they aren’t quarreling, their different strengths make them a formidable team.

What I really love about Wolf’s Path is Raina and Baran are at a point in their relationship with each other where we finally get to see the fun side of them as a couple. This is especially big for Baran (aka TDS or Tall, Dark, and oh so Serious) since there were hints before to his soft side but he wasn’t willing to show a lot. In this book, however, he doesn’t get as many chances to hide his soft side this time since they’re hunting the Beast of Bray Road under the guise of honeymooners. ;)

They are just wonderful together. Their scenes are so alive and real. So, besides this series, what else do you write?

I have several plans in place for epic fantasies, romantic medieval-esque fantasies, and, of course, more stories set in the world of The Therian Way series.

Why do you write?

I write because I cannot not write. I write because there are stories begging to be told and characters whose voices need to be heard. And, every time I try to stop writing, the characters won’t leave me alone.

What do you have available for readers now?

Right now, I have the first two entries in The Therian Way available on Amazon: Tiger’s Paw (the prequel) www.amazon.com/dp/B00ZDDQIYG and Leopard’s Heart www.amazon.com/dp/B0175P0WFA.

In May, readers can expect to find two new stories from me: Leopard’s Find, a short story about Raina before her appearance in Tiger’s Paw that will be included in Where the Light may Lead (Reflections of Faith Anthology #1), and Wolf’s Path: Book Two of The Therian Way.

What do you do when you aren't writing?

When I’m not writing, I’m usually working on my Master of Religious Education degree. Otherwise, I am reading, researching the next story, or working on a cross-stitch project.

Where can readers find out more about you or contact you?

Twitter: https://twitter.com/karogersauthor
Facebook Author Page:  https://www.facebook.com/Kimberly-A-Rogers-978024802257372/
Blog: https://kimberlyrogerscfwriter.wordpress.com/
Goodreads Series Page: https://www.goodreads.com/series/165568-the-therian-way

Wolf’s Path: Book Two of The Therian Way

Honeymoons are supposed to be relaxing, right?

Not when the honeymoon is just a cover for a hunt. Shapeshifters Baran and Raina are tasked with one of the most unusual hunts of either of their careers — capture the infamous Beast of Bray Road. The monster humans assume is just a legend has grown more aggressive, threatening to expose the Therian race if he is not stopped. A struggle to find the truth and to stop the aggressive loner before he kills awaits Baran and Raina as they follow the Wolf's path.

Coming May 2016

Thanks for visiting the Inkwell, Kimberly!  I'm enjoying reading Wolf's Path right now, and I'm sure your readers will love it! 

Kimberly A. Rogers writes in-depth reviews of Christian and secular fantasy as well as articles for Christian fantasy writers at her blog So You Want to Write Christian Fantasy? Of course, only when not in the midst of writing papers and taking exams in the pursuit of her Masters in Religious Education. Kimberly lives in Virginia where the Blue Ridge Mountains add inspiration to an over-active imagination originally fueled by fantasy classics such as the works of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien.

Jessie Talbox Beals, Photojournalist at the 1904 World's Fair

When I was a little girl, I was fascinated by cameras – especially the Polaroid. Perhaps that’s the reason I interviewed a photographer for an elementary school project. I think I was ten years old. We had to “interview” a professional and write a report. I decided to call the local photographer and ask if I could interview him.  He was so gracious, and tolerated all of my questions. The funny thing is, more than forty years later, I don’t remember the questions but I remember his kindness and my fascination with his antique camera collection.

I didn’t grow up to be a professional photographer, though I do love taking pictures.

I didn’t grow to be an interviewer, though I do love asking questions.

But I did grow up to be a writer and it was fun to create Clara, a photographer, and have her star as the heroine in A Fair To Remember.

That book was set in 1901, Buffalo, New York. Just a little too soon to mention a young female photographer who moved to Buffalo in that same year and later went on to be a photojournalist when she was hired by a newspaper, The Buffalo Courier, in 1902.

Being a fan of learning about women in history, I’ve decided to feature that photojournalist, Jessie Tarbox Beals, in the second book in my World’s Fair series – The Fair of Her Heart. That book is set in Saint Louis, in 1904, the fair where Jessie made a name for herself by climbing ladders and lugging pounds of equipment around so she could take as many photographs as possible. Her diligence earned her the title of official Fair Photographer for several newspapers both in New York, and Saint Louis.

Source: Schlesinger Library, Radcliffe Institute, Harvard University

After reading about Jessie I decided she was the perfect addition to The Fair of Her Heart, and she has a special role in the book.

Jessie Tarbox Beals’s photographs can be found all over the internet, but for quick access to a nice collection, you can click this link to find the collection all in one place: http://petapixel.com/2015/02/22/americas-first-female-photojournalist-jessie-tarbox-beals-with-her-cameras/

And here’s a fabulous Library of Congress article about her which includes some inspiring details about her life before she obtained her first job as a photojournalist: http://www.loc.gov/rr/print/coll/womphotoj/bealsessay.html

After reading about the woman who’s said to be America’s first photojournalist, you may enjoy reading about the woman stated to be the United Kingdom’s first photojournalist, Christina Broom: http://www.poynter.org/2014/uks-first-female-photojournalist-honored/246645/

Suzie Johnson's latest novel, A Fair to Remember, is set in 1901 during the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, New York and is the first in her World's Fair series published by WhiteFire Publishing. You can visit her website at: www.susandianejohnson.com