Ask the Author

**James Somers** · August 9th, 2007, 03:48 PM

Wayne--

Would you please explain for all of the fans, the relationship between faith in The King of Alleble and faith in The King of Kings, and Lord of Lords (ie...rewards for faith vs. retribution for a lack of faith)?

(oh yeah...let's delve deep into the allegory, folks)

--James

**CoolDog** · August 10th, 2007, 04:30 PM

Okay, Wayne, I just bought your first two books from a local Christian bookstore, and I have a couple of questions before I read them.

1) I have the versions with the gold seal that says, "Includes the all new lost chapters." Is, or will there be, a version of book three like this?

2) Why is the text of The Door Within novel printed in blue ink and The Rise of the Wyrm Lord printed in the regular black?

Shane

**Wayne Batson** · August 10th, 2007, 05:19 PM

Originally Posted by James Somers

Wayne--

Would you please explain for all of the fans, the relationship between faith in The King of Alleble and faith in The King of Kings, and Lord of Lords (ie...rewards for faith vs. retribution for a lack of faith)?

(oh yeah...let's delve deep into the allegory, folks)

--James

James, I understood the initial question: Would you please explain for all of the fans, the relationship between faith in The King of Alleble and faith in The King of Kings, and Lord of Lords

But the parenthetical thought kind of throws me: (ie...rewards for faith vs. retribution for a lack of faith)--Not sure what you mean.

Sorry. Muddled author here.

**Wayne Batson** · August 10th, 2007, 06:07 PM

Originally Posted by CoolDog

Okay, Wayne, I just bought your first two books from a local Christian bookstore, and I have a couple of questions before I read them.

1) I have the versions with the gold seal that says, "Includes the all new lost chapters." Is, or will there be, a version of book three like this?

2) Why is the text of The Door Within novel printed in blue ink and The Rise of the Wyrm Lord printed in the regular black?

Shane

1) I have the versions with the gold seal that says, "Includes the all new lost chapters." Is, or will there be, a version of book three like this?
Yes, the paperback versions you hold are the Lost Chapter versions. They include cut scenes, extended scenes, and new original material! There are also commentaries from me and my editors at Thomas Nelson. The Final Storm will have a lost chapters edition--due out first week in Sept.

2. I have no idea why Wyrm Lord Lost Chapters didn't have the colored ink. Perhaps the pub was saving some money? lol

**Roheryn** · August 10th, 2007, 09:31 PM

ah, in that case, I'm glad I didn't order Final Storm earlier when I ordered Rise of the Wyrm Lord... I will wait for the Lost Chapters version

**fantastyfreak** · August 10th, 2007, 10:01 PM

even though I own a copy of Final Storm, will be getting the Lost Chapters version. Hey! I always need a second copy of such a great series!

**James Somers** · August 11th, 2007, 10:11 PM

Originally Posted by Wayne Batson

James, I understood the initial question: Would you please explain for all of the fans, the relationship between faith in The King of Alleble and faith in The King of Kings, and Lord of Lords

But the parenthetical thought kind of throws me: (ie...rewards for faith vs. retribution for a lack of faith)--Not sure what you mean.

Sorry. Muddled author here.

How faith in either "King" rewards the character or conversely how not having faith in either "King" will bring righteous retribution....(how the gospel is shown in your allegory)

James

**James Somers** · August 11th, 2007, 10:16 PM

Originally Posted by Roheryn

ah, in that case, I'm glad I didn't order Final Storm earlier when I ordered Rise of the Wyrm Lord... I will wait for the Lost Chapters version

Personally, I'd say you are really missing out by not having the hardback versions of this series. This is one of those rare series you will want to save for your kids and the hardbacks are so well done by T.N. --just beautiful.

Paperbacks are nice, but they just don't stay in great condition the way the hardback will and while the new versions are nice books, I just can't get over how nice those hardbacks are.

Nothing wrong with having them all though, is there Wayne

James

**Roheryn** · August 11th, 2007, 10:44 PM

true enough... but for now, since I have the first two in the paperback versions, I'm going to get the third that way... ya never know what'll happen in the future though...

**Wayne Batson** · August 31st, 2007, 11:07 PM

Of course, there might be a 3rd option. Hmmm...

**Big_Dave** · September 5th, 2007, 12:32 AM

I know that as a reader it is always kind of sad to finish a series of books. Obviously I can re-read them anytime I want to, but that inital revelation as to how the story finally unfolds is never really the same after the first time through. I wonder if you have a similar feeling as an author and if you have consdered re-visting Alleble in some way in a future book/series.

**Wayne Batson** · September 5th, 2007, 06:11 AM

Originally Posted by Big_Dave

I know that as a reader it is always kind of sad to finish a series of books. Obviously I can re-read them anytime I want to, but that inital revelation as to how the story finally unfolds is never really the same after the first time through. I wonder if you have a similar feeling as an author and if you have consdered re-visting Alleble in some way in a future book/series.

I know what you mean, Brig Dave. When I finished The Lord of the Rings (each time), I felt a wonderful mixture of exhilaration and melancholy. I'd hoped to create an adventure in The Door Within Trilogy that would have that kind of impact on readers. I was very concerned about the ending, wanting it to be "just right." So when I got to the end of The Final Storm, there were dozens of potential ways to end it. I mean, there absolutely NEEDED to be a finality to it, closure without ambiguity. But at the same time I wanted readers to know that The Door Within is always open. So when the last few scenes popped into my head, I was very, very glad. I felt exhilaration and melancholy while writing them.

Will I ever write another Door Within tale? You never know. Adventures, after all, are funny things.

In the near run, however, I've got a sequel to Isle of Swords to finish by October. And then, I am SO stoked to begin a 5-7 book new fantasy series that I think will blow the doors off anything I've ever written. Of course, I don't have a contract for this new series yet, but I'll leave that to God.

**galacticlord** · September 5th, 2007, 09:30 AM

Are you going for Tommy Nelson again or somebody else? And are you thinking of a CBA publisher still, or will you try for an ABA publisher?

**James Somers** · September 5th, 2007, 09:31 PM

Originally Posted by Wayne Batson

In the near run, however, I've got a sequel to Isle of Swords to finish by October. And then, I am SO stoked to begin a 5-7 book new fantasy series that I think will blow the doors off anything I've ever written. Of course, I don't have a contract for this new series yet, but I'll leave that to God.

Wayne--two quick questions:

Is Isle of Swords only going to be two books?

Is your new fantasy series going to continue with the teen genre or is it intended to be more adult oriented?

James

**Wayne Batson** · September 7th, 2007, 09:55 PM

Originally Posted by galacticlord

Are you going for Tommy Nelson again or somebody else? And are you thinking of a CBA publisher still, or will you try for an ABA publisher?

For my next fantasy series, I'm going to propose it to TN. I LOVE working with them, and they do such a phenomenal job with production and distribution.

The only concern is that my subject matter may be a little too edgy for them--esp. now that they've changed their age-group definitions. This new series will not be objectionable in any way, and will be a true fantasy story, but like Lord of the Rings, it'll be a serious tale, full of serious themes. What they might do is bump me up to general fiction as opposed to the children's division. Not sure.

But I hope to stay with TN. I think this series will be the best thing I've ever written. God has literally been raining cool ideas into my head. I've got about 15 files chock full of fantasy goodness.