Medieval Facts: Lighting, part two: Torches

Have you ever tried to start a fire from plain old wood? It’s not so easy and certainly wouldn’t burst into flame like the torch in this picture. At the start, anyway.

Torches were more than sticks. They were made from branches or sticks of wood, preferably green or wet wood to prevent the fire from burning up to your hand. Ouch! Torches can also be made from reeds or river cane, bark, or bamboo. These types of torches would need to be bound with twine so that they remain sturdy. Certain types of wood, bark, or other material burns better than others.

A bundle of rags would be bound to one end of the torch, then soaked in pitch, tree sap, animal fat, or oil. If you were in the wild and didn’t have any fabric, you could wrap bark around the end and stuff it with moss, dry grass, leaves, or small bits of wood. You’d still need to soak some pitch or animal fat on the end, though, or it would burn way too fast or blow out easily. I read recently that Chap Stick would work, though you’d need quite a bit. If my spy series ever gets published, watch for this Chap Stick torch in book three. I’m so using this in the survival story. 

Torches do burn down or out. They would have to be replaced often. And if you were on a long journey, you’d want to take several with you or know how to make them and hope you could find what you needed.

Torches were not the cleanest lighting methods. They would leave a room or corridor smelling of smoke and pitch. They would also leave black soot marks up the wall or on the ceiling.

In By Darkness Hid, I make some things up regarding my so-called “torchlights” that whoosh into colored flame like a firework. That’s fantasy. But the way that Jax bundled river cane into torches would have been something medieval travelers would have done. Planning ahead is a good idea when you’re on an epic journey, after all.

Medieval Facts: Lighting, part one

Let’s face it, if you’ve ever been to a rural area at night, out in the woods, far away from any buildings, it’s dark. Especially if it’s a moonless, cloudy night.

So how did people see before electricity was invented?

I grew up in Alaska in a home without electricity. In the summer, it stayed light almost all night, but in the winter it was the opposite. We had oil lamps, lit with kerosene, that we used until my dad started running the generator every night. Dad never turned on the generator in the mornings while we got ready for school. So, each morning, mom woke me up with a flashlight and I got ready by the oil lamp. We also used some fat candles, but oil lamps were brighter. I also got ready in the kitchen and we didn’t have a bathroom anywhere near as modern as this, but…I’ll talk about outhouses another time.

When all you have to see with is a small area of light, you pretty much stay in one spot or carry it with you. An oil lamp gives off quite a bit of light, but if you wanted to read, eat, or see anything in detail, you have to sit up close to it.

A castle would be a dark place, even in daylight, since they had very few windows. Rooms were lit by candles, rushlights, standing lamps, hanging lamps, torches, or chandeliers. I’ve found some interesting facts in my research for my books. Over the next few days, I’ll talk about them.

Port Yonder Press is Seeking Short Stories About Elves

Port Yonder Press is seeking submissions for their SeaBeast Anthology: Elves, Volume 1. If you have a fantasy story about elves between 5,000-15,000 words, check out the submission guidelines to see if this could be a good fit. You have until October 1, 2010 to submit, so get to writing!

Which By Darkness Hid character are you?

Check this out! Two of my friends made me a By Darkness Hid Facebook quiz as a Christmas present. Wasn’t that thoughtful? They are totally creative. Thanks Jacob and Chris!

If you’re on Facebook, click on the link below to take the quiz.

I just took the “Which By Darkness Hid Character are you?” quiz on Facebook and the result is: I am… VRELL SPARROW !

It’s admirable how loyally you fight for those you care for. But you worry too much! Perhaps this is to be expected with your masquerading as a boy and going into hiding to avoid a horrible arranged marriage. And honestly, you’re very adept at hiding your true identity. You can keep bloodvoicers from probing your mind better than perhaps anyone, which is a big help. Still, it’s hard to foresee the walls of your fortress—however rock solid they may seem—holding up forever. And that is most worrisome indeed. 

Novel Teen Book Review’s Top Ten Books of 2009

Since I review books over at Novel Teen Book Reviews (www.novelteen.com), I thought I’d post this list to give you some ideas for gift buying.

PS. Like my snow? Isn’t it awesome? I love, love, love Christmas!

Always Watching (Rayne Tour, book 1) by Brandilyn and Amberly Collins
(Great for girls who love mystery and suspense.)

As her mother’s concert wraps up, Shaley O’Connor gathers her things backstage to head off to the airport to pick up her best friend. Shaley is so excited that Brittany’s mother granted her permission to come on the tour for a few days. As fun as the band and crew are to hang out with, Shaley misses her home and friends. Brittany’s visit will be just the thing she needs.

But before Shaely makes it to the limo, she stumbles upon the dead body of her friend Tom. Everything falls apart. Shaley struggles to understand secrets she never knew about Tom while the paparazzi watches her every move, hoping to snap a picture of the mourning teen. Brittany’s mom threatens to send her home, and Shaley gets a few mysterious, anonymous gifts.

If the killer is a member of the band or crew, he’s still out there, and, as the messages in Shaley’s gifts say, he’s always watching.

Brandilyn Collins is a master of the murder mystery. She crafts a story that makes it nearly impossible to guess who the murderer might be. How exciting to have her storytelling in the young adult genre. Brandilyn and her daughter cowrite this series and create a smart and realistic character in Shaley. I’m looking forward to Rayne Tour, book 2 to discover more about Shaley and her past. Recommended.

If you’re thinking about this book as a gift, be sure to get book two, Last Breath. Click on the title for Novel Teen’s review.

Age Range: 12-16
Genre: Suspense
Part of a Series: Rayne Tour, book 1
Pages: 215
Publisher: Zondervan
Released: 2009
4 Stars

North! Or Be Eaten by Andrew Peterson
(Fantasy adventure. Great for boys, girls, and adults, too.)

This story starts out where the first book left off: in Peet the Sock Man’s tree house. Janner, Tink, Leeli, Podo, and Nia are about to set off for the Ice Prairies, but they don’t get going soon enough and end up on the run from the Fangs of Dang. It’s a long, long journey to the Ice Prairies, and the Igby children are waylaid by some pretty horrifying setbacks. Will all in their party survive the trip? Will they get caught before they make it?

Oh, I likes me this book a way bunch! It makes me wanna talk like Podo, which I probably don’t do as well as the old coot, but still I give it me best shot.

I liked this one better than the first, which is such a great thing. The characters were even better this time. I love the parallels with Janner and Peet. Two Throne Wardens struggling to do what they must even when it is nearly impossible. Andrew Peterson’s style is funny and clever while telling a dangerous tale of woe. That’s what makes his writing so unique. He’s a wonderful writer and storyteller. I highly recommend this series. I cannot wait for book three. And I love the illustrations in the book. The Snickbuzzard with the belly button, especially.

If you’re thinking about this book as a gift, be sure to get book one to go with it. On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness by Andrew Peterson came out last year and is fabulous. Click on the title for my review.

Age Range: 8-12
Genre: Fantasy
Part of a Series: book two in The Wingfeather Saga
Pages: 323
Publisher: Waterbrook
Released: 2009
5 Stars

Touched by a Vampire by Beth Felker Jones
(A non fiction book for Christian fans of Twilight.)

As half the world has read the Twilight Saga, including myself, I was very excited to find a book that talks about some of the stuff that makes Twilight so appealing and why. If you love God and the Twilight Saga, I encourage you to pick up this book. Read it yourself. Do a little book club with your friends. Ask your youth pastor to do a group at church. Or ask your mom to read it with you. When something becomes as popular as Twilight, it’s a good idea to step back and ask yourself why. You want to be able to think for yourself and know what you like or dislike about it and not just follow mob mentality on the issues.

Beth Felker Jones explains in this book why Twilight hooks girls so desperately. She talks about love, sex, marriage, purpose, family, and desire in relationship to Twilight and the Bible in a way that gets you thinking about what God has to say on these subjects. Many Christians have applauded this series for the premarital abstinence between Bella and Edward. But does Twilight’s redemptive qualities outshine its darkness? This book is written for fans, parents, teachers, and youth workers. Use this book to take a closer look inside Twilight and see what you find.

Age Range: 12 and up
Genre: Non Fiction
Part of a Series: No
Pages: 180
Publisher: Multnomah
Released: 2009
5 Stars

The Firstborn by Conlan Brown
(Action adventure. Great for boys and dads. Compare it to: Clive Cussler, James Bond)

The Firstborn starts out with a rescue mission. Devin Bathurst is having visions of a kidnapped woman. He uses this sight to try and rescue her before she is killed. The scenes volley back and forth between Devin, the woman, and the kidnappers. Then we discover that the woman, Hannah, has a similar gift. She can see where a man has been, his past deeds. This leads us to the clever premise of the Firstborn, descendants of those who were raised from the dead when Christ died on the cross. The Firstborn fall into three orders: Prima, Ora, and Domani. Those that can see the past, present, and future.

But the Firstborn has grown paranoid over the years, each order fearing the other, and one man is trying to take over. Can Devin manage to follow God’s will or his own to fight against what lies ahead?

I thought this premise was brilliant. It’s like, what if there were Christian mobsters? How would they act? What choices might they make? The story is fast-paced, action-packed, and gripping. The writing style was a bit jolting at first. Brown uses sentence fragments a lot and jumps from one point of view to another. But once it got going, I was hooked. I really liked Brown’s characters, especially the play between Devin and John. If you’re looking for a new suspense read, look no further. I’m excited to see what Conlan Brown comes up with next.

Age Range: 16 and up
Genre: Suspense
Part of a Series: I hope so!
Pages: 311
Publisher: Realms (A Strang Company)
Released: 2009
4 Stars

Me, Just Different by Stephanie Morrill
(A contemporary book for girls. Compare it to: Meg Cabot, Sarah Dessen.)

When Eli rescues eighteen-year-old Skylar from a bad situation at a summer party, she is so relieved that she agrees to start dating him. But she is also making some life changes. No more parties, and she’s going to start going to church. But her friends and family aren’t making that an easy thing to do. Eli is always jealous and won’t come to church with her, her little sister has a secret that Skylar is forced to keep, and her parents’ marriage is falling apart. The last thing she needs is for Connor, the guy down the street, to start butting his nose in where it doesn’t belong.

This was an engrossing read. Stephanie Morrill writes a story as addicting as any TV teen drama. I got sucked into Skylar’s circle of friends, with all their issues and cattiness, and was rooting for Skylar to ditch the wrong people and stick with the right ones. I loved how the whole story came together. It’s a sweet teen romance that doesn’t skimp on the backstabbing girlfriends and clueless boys. I liked it a great deal. Looking forward to the next book in the series. Highly recommended.

Age Range: 14 and up
Genre: Contemporary
Part of a Series: The Reinvention of Skylar Hoyt, book one
Pages: 245
Publisher: Revell (a division of Baker Publishing Group)
Released: 2009
4.5 Stars

By Darkness Hid by Jill Williamson
(Fantasy adventure for boys, girls, and adults. Compare to Eragon, Lord of the Rings.)

This book really surprised me. I am a person who loves to read. I read everything I can get my hands on. From romance to science fiction, there really isn’t a book I won’t pick up. So I think I know a good book when I read one, and this is a good book. From the first chapter I was interested and entertained, and the end was fabulous! Now there are times when most avid readers find themselves becoming bored, and feeling the need to skim some of the slower parts. I find myself doing this at least a handful of times per book. In this book though, I wasn’t bored. The story really kept me entertained all the way through, and that is a rarity indeed.
I think this author is going to be huge one day. I can see movies in her future. Hey, if Twilight can be a movie, so can By Darkness Hid. So I look forward to her next book with anticipation, and want to commend her for a truly wonderful first work of fiction!

Age Range: 12 and up
Genre: Fantasy
Part of a Series: Book one in the Blood of Kings series
Pages: 480
Publisher: Marcher Lord Press
Released: 2009
5 Stars

Blaggard’s Moon by George Bryan Polivka
(A pirate fantasy adventure. Great for older boys, girls, and adults who love pirate stories.)

The story opens with a man named Delaney sitting on a post in the middle of a jungle lake that is infested with piranah and horrible mermonkeys. As Delaney ponders how he came to be in such a predicament, the reader drifts with his memory and into a wonderful adventure. We come to know the story of a girl named Jenta who was low born but brought up as a lady. We learn of a young man named Damrick who stands up to defend the common folk from pirates by forming the Hell’s Gatemen. As Damrick and his men take to the seas, we meet many pirates such as Sharkbit Sutter, Conch Imbry, Dancer Clang, Skeel Baris, and Belisar the Whale. All of these ingreedients combine to form a very interesting and extremely entertaining adventure.

This book was engaging. It took a few chapters to get me into the author’s style, though. It was interesting to experience a story through one man’s memory of another man’s tale, but it worked very well with this pirate novel. Polivka’s characters were dynamic. I could see them and hear them. I could relate to how they got to where they were in life and why they did the things they did. I really liked one of the themes of how the love and encouragement and prayer of one person can change another’s life. I’ll be thinking of this one for a while.

This book not only had wonderful characters, the plot was smart and I couldn’t guess how the author was going to pull all his story threads together. That in itself makes it so satisfying in the end, though it’s not the happiest of tales. I highly recommend this one to just about everyone.

Age Range: 16 and up
Genre: Fantasy
Part of a Series: no
Pages: 373
Publisher: Harvest House
Released: 2009
5 Stars

So Not Happening by Jenny B. Jones
(A hysterical contemporary story of girls.)

Bella Kirkwood’s mother is getting remarried, whether Bella likes it or not. But that’s not the worst thing that could happen to this Manhattan girl. Bella’s new stepfather lives in Truman, Oklahoma, and, since Bella’s dad is going through a selfish phase, she has no choice to move from her fast-paced uptown life to Cow Town, USA.

Bella start out okay, but a harsh venting session about small town life on her old Ask Miss Hillard blog gets the wrong kind of attention: the Truman kind. She quickly becomes a social outcast in Truman and must start over if she is going to survive at all. She joins the school paper. While sitting in a dumpster on the lowest assignment ever, she overhears something more rotten than the banana peel stuck to her arm: a real story!

This could be Bella’s chance to move from social outcast to acceptable human being. She chases the story of a lifetime, despite the fact that her super hot—but extremely bossy and annoying—editor tells her it’s too dangerous. But as usual, Bella gets more than she bargained for.

Having absolutely loved the Katie Parker books, I was not at all surprised that Jenny B. Jones’ new series would have me laughing out loud. Jones has a knack for wonderfully sarcastic characters and books you can’t put down. Her characters are true to life in the best ways. I highly recommend this new series and am anxiously awaiting Bella’s next adventure.

If you’re thinking about this book as a gift, be sure to get book two, also, which is just as hysterical. I’m So Sure by Jenny B. Jones came out just a few months ago and is hysterical. Click on the title for Novel Teen’s review.

Age Range: 12-16
Genre: Contemporary
Part of a Series: A Charmed Life, book one
Pages: 326
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Released: 2009
5 Stars

City of the Dead by T. L. Higley
(An awesome historical mystery. Great for older boys, girls, and adults who love books that read like movies.)
Hemiunu, architect for the Great Pyramid of Giza, struggles to stay on schedule and in the good graces of his cousin, Pharaoh of Egypt. When a sadistic killer is taking the lives of Hemiunu’s closest friends, he does all he can to discover who the killer is and to keep a dark secret from coming to light.

Wish I’d read this one a long time ago! What a great story. T.L. Higley completely sucked me into ancient Egypt and her character Hemiunu. He was a deep and interesting character to follow. I liked how she wrote her book in his first person point of view. It made it easy to connect with him.

The storyworld was intriguing as was the relationships she built between the royal members of Pharaoh’s court. Murder, love, betrayal. My heart ached for these people as they lived in their strange belief system and I love where she went with it. Plus, it was a good who-done-it. Another book I couldn’t put down. I am glad there are seven wonders of the ancient world and hope I get to read every book in this series.

Age Range: 16 and up
Genre: Historical Fiction
Part of a Series: A Seventh Wonders Novel
Pages: 380
Publisher: B&H Books
Released: 2009
5 Stars

Taking Tuscany by Renée Riva
(A 1970s coming-of-age book that will make you laugh out loud. Compare to Anne of Green Gables.)

A few years have gone by since Saving Sailor. A few tortuous years where poor A.J. Degulio has been forced to live in Tuscany, a half a world away from her beloved dog, Sailor, her friend Danny, and the beauty of Indian Island, Idaho. Sigh! Sure, one might think that living in Italy would be wonderful. Not A.J. In Italy, she is a blond, Yankee Barbie doll, the punch line of every joke at school. To make matters worse, her family is crazy, as usual.

Love, love, love Renée Riva. It’s rare that a book makes me laugh out loud. During this one, my husband kept shooting me weird looks, wondering if I was loosing my mind. Nope. Just reading Taking Tuscany and loving it! The whole time I’m reading it, I’m dying that I don’t have Heading Home waiting on my bedside table. Ug! Renée, please don’t make us wait too long for book three. I need to read the real-life-fiction version of Moon over Milan.

If you’re thinking about this book as a gift, be sure to get book one, Saving Sailor. Click on the title for Novel Teen’s review.

Age Range: 12 and up
Genre: Historical fiction
Part of a Series: Sequel to Saving Sailor
Pages: 266
Publisher: David C. Cook
Released: 2009
5 Stars

Tired of Twilight? How about this? LOL

I thought this was really funny.

My advanced reader copies are on the way

Well, today is November 30th, the last day of National Novel Writing Month. I was hoping to punch out the first draft of From Darkness Won (Blood of Kings, book 3), but it was not meant to be. I made it about four chapters in before I realized that I needed to polish up book two (To Darkness Fled) for the advanced reader copies. So I spent the month of November doing that.

And now the ARCs are being printed and shipped to me. Once they arrive, I’ll box them up individually based on the submissions guidelines from Publisher’s Weekly, VOYA, School Library Journal, and other publications like these. I’ll add a press release, a copy of my media raves sheet, and a nice letter. Then I’ll haul all ten boxes down to the post office and send them off. It’s quite a process. I learned a lot from doing it last year, so this year should go a lot smoother. Then I’ll wait and pray that some of these publications will review the book. Last year I got two: Library Journal and VOYA. This year…we’ll see.

 

Black Friday Sale at Marcher Lord Press

This just in:

Marcher Lord Press is taking advantage of the occasion by having our annual Black Friday Sale. From this Friday through the following Sunday (November 27-29, 2009), anyone who purchases a print book from the Marcher Lord Press Store will receive an exclusive free download…

The first four chapters of the not-yet-officially-announced novel To Darkness Fled, the sequel to MLP’s bestselling novel, By Darkness Hid, the epic fantasy by Jill Williamson.

You knew a sequel was coming, but now you can read the first ~40 pages of it five months before it releases, in April 2010!

All you have to do is buy one of our nine novels (or our 1 non-fiction title, The Art & Craft of Writing Christian Fiction) during those dates and you can receive this exclusive sneak peek.

 

FictionFinder.com

At the OCW conference last summer, I had breakfast with Randy Ingermanson one day and he started telling me about FictionFinder.com, a new project the ACFW board is working on. The point? Most bookstore employees don’t read Christian fiction and don’t have a clue how to help a customer find books. The plan is to promote the FictionFinder.com website to bookstores and libraries across the country so that readers can find books in the store using this new website.

The way it works is this. Set up a reader account, put in your fave books, and the system will be able to recommend other books for you based on what you like. Here is the FictionFinder.com plea in a nutshell. Please consider helping this awesome project.

FictionFinder.com is a new website to help spread the word about Christian fiction. It was started by ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers) as a tool bookstores can use to help readers find new books. Right now, they need the help of readers!

To make the tool really useful, we need readers to add reviews and other input. Please take a few minutes, create a reader account, and enter a short review for your ten favorite books. Keep in mind, the review can only be about two sentences long.

Thanks!

Got the cover for To Darkness Fled!

Well, what do you all think?

Here is the cover for To Darkness Fled (Blood of Kings, book 2). 

It might change a little by next April, but this is pretty much how it will look.

Kirk DouPonce is SOOO talented! Thanks, Kirk!