{"id":6010,"date":"2010-07-09T21:31:20","date_gmt":"2010-07-10T02:31:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.epictales.org\/treskillard\/2010\/07\/09\/big-news-3-laity-lodge-writing-retreat\/"},"modified":"2010-07-09T21:31:20","modified_gmt":"2010-07-10T02:31:20","slug":"big-news-3-laity-lodge-writing-retreat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.epictales.org\/treskillard\/2010\/07\/09\/big-news-3-laity-lodge-writing-retreat\/","title":{"rendered":"Big News #3 — Laity Lodge Writing Retreat!"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Laity<\/p>\n

I’ve been waiting quite awhile to announce <\/strong>that I’ll be attending the fall writing retreat at Laity Lodge<\/a><\/strong>, and that’s been hard to hide since it’s such big news.<\/p>\n

Why did I wait to announce it?<\/strong> Because until this last Tuesday, I didn’t know if I was even going… And that uncertainty was after<\/em> I had registered, paid to go and even bought an airline ticket… The hold-up?<\/p>\n

Work.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

I had a major <\/em>commitment beginning the same night that the retreat began<\/strong> … and that commitment would continue for the days following… I simply failed to realize the two coincided… <\/em><\/p>\n

Mea culpa… Mea maxima culpa.<\/em><\/p>\n

Thankfully my gracious boss rescheduled everything<\/strong>, allowing me to go… There were other reasons for the new schedule, and that helped, but I am still very appreciative for his understanding. Especially considering that my writing is a hobby, rightfully taking second place to my day job, which I enjoy.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>So what is this writing retreat?<\/strong> Nothing less than three days spent in a small class of ten taught by Jeffrey Overstreet<\/a><\/strong>, author of Auralia’s Colors<\/a><\/strong>, Cyndere’s Midnight<\/a><\/strong>, Raven’s Ladder<\/a><\/strong>, and the upcoming The Ale Boy’s Feast<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Jeffrey is one of my favorite authors, and you can click here<\/a><\/strong> to read my reviews of his books, including a special interview he gave me<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

And the kicker?<\/strong> Stephen R. Lawhead<\/a> will also be there the whole time, <\/strong>and I’m scheduled ot have a 45 minute appointment with him to go over my writing.<\/em><\/p>\n

Wow.<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Big Wow. Stephen Lawhead is the author that redeemed fantasy fiction for me.<\/strong><\/p>\n

I grew up as a non-Christian, reading lots of fantasy and science-fiction… I also played a lot <\/em>of Dungeons & Dragons, even starting a club in my junior high school… When I became a Christian in ninth grade I left it all behind, auctioning off all my D&D equipment and books.<\/p>\n

My friends thought I was nuts<\/strong>, but I was in love with Jesus Christ, and D&D had taken me down some bad paths.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>Fourteen years later (married to my wonderful wife, Robin, with two kids), <\/strong>enter Stepehn Lawhead and his excellent Paradise War<\/a><\/strong>, book 1 of The Song of Albion.<\/p>\n

This was, and is, Christian Fantasy<\/a><\/strong> at its best.<\/p>\n

Everything changed for me. <\/strong> Amazed, I saw in his writing how fantasy could communicate spiritual truths in ways a sermon could not.<\/p>\n

I also began to percieve afresh the Christian literary legacy of JRR Tolkien <\/strong>and CS Lewis<\/strong>, the latter to which I indirectly owe my salvation<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

But it would still be another ten years before I picked up my own quill<\/strong>, having read Stephen Lawhead’s excellent Pendragon Cycle <\/a><\/strong>and his other books in the meantime.<\/p>\n

In a flash of inspiration <\/strong>one night lying in bed, a story came to me that has now become Merlin’s Blade<\/a><\/strong>:<\/p>\n

\n

Why would someone thrust a sword into a stone?<\/p>\n

What if the stone itself was the darkest enemy?<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\"Merlin's<\/a><\/p>\n

And to top it off, I would have missed the whole retreat<\/strong> and not even known about it if not for a tip from Tegid<\/a><\/strong>… All I can do is say “Thanks, Tegid”<\/em> for letting me know about the retreat and SRL’s presence there, as well as for your encouragement to me as a writer… A dream coming true!<\/em><\/p>\n

Besides fiction writing, <\/strong>there will be courses on poetry, song-writing, and non-fiction spiritual writing. Stephen Lawhead’s wife, Alice will also be team-teaching on the business and personal sides of life as a writer.<\/p>\n

I hope to meet Marcus Goodyear<\/a><\/strong> in person, who helped plan the retreat. So Marcus, if you’re going to be there (and I assume you will), I’m actually, actually <\/em>coming… the Lord still willing, of course.<\/p>\n

So there you have it … my two mystery authors:<\/strong> <\/em><\/p>\n