Good news comes in three's

FIRST:
The start of the good news comes from my publisher, Silver Leaf Books. "When the Sky Fell" is now available for pre-order!!

I can hardly believe its happening. December 2006 Silver Leaf Books gave Mike Lynch and I the good news...our book was going to be published.

Now it's here, and it's exciting and scary all wrapped together.


SECOND:
I'm working on the third draft of my newest novel with Mike Lynch. It's an archaeological adventure/romance/thriller that we've titled: "After the Cross"

I sent the beginning chapter into a contest for "first chapters". A few days ago found out the good news! We were one of eight winners!

The contest was put on by the Dead Robot Society, a podcast group. Besides the thumbs up, I received a free autographed book by Scott Sigler...pretty sweet. The first chapter has been posted at the site, and is up if anyone wants to check it out. JUST CLICK HERE.

Third:
My essay on Walter Miller's "A Canticle for Leibowitz" is now up at one of my favorite Christian web zines, Wayfarer's Journal.

I originally wrote this essay as part of a massive college paper...a type of "senior project". Well, I got my English degree, and decided...hey, this can get more than just a good grade, why not send it out for publication! The Walter Miller essay is my second publication that spawned from that college paper. If you're interested, you can check out the essay by clicking HERE.

Thanks for stopping by!

When the Sky Fell--my first published novel!

I am a getting really excited as February 2009 approaches, because that's when Silver Leaf Books will be releasing my first novel, When the Sky Fell. I can still vividly remember that sunny December day in 2006, the day I found out...I was inside a Borders bookstore (what a perfect setting) when I got the call from my co-author Mike Lynch: "Brandon...they like our story...they're going to publish our book! I can't believe this is actually happening..."

All the doubts about my writing being any good...the hard labor and passion of hours and hours at my desk...it was appreciated.

All the glory and praise go to God. So many things seemed to fall into place without ceasing. Mike and I were able to find an excellent agent to represent us, Joyce Hart of Hartline Literary Agency. What a blessing.

Next we found Glenn Kim from Pixar and he gave us this exciting cover that captures one of the story's many exciting space battles. The novel falls into the category of
space opera, but it also falls under the "labels" of military sci-fi, and Christian allegory.

And another amazing thing to fall into place are some of the blurbs we've acquired from amazing authors. Check it out for yourself...


"An engaging sci-fi blend of military and politics."
--Mike Resnick, Hugo and Nebula award winning author

"Fast-paced novel for fans of military science fiction."
--Mike Resnick, Hugo and Nebula award winning author

"What a promising first novel from Lynch and Barr--exciting space battles, convincing characters we can care about, sense of wonder and real heart. If only the space opera I grew up with had been this human."
--Bruce McAllister, 2007 Hugo award nominee and author of "Dream Baby"

"In war, things can go wrong, and people will react well, or badly. Such is the case in this action-filled, page-turning, epic space battle for the survival of planet Earth. Hang on to your seats!"
--James C. Glass, author of the Shanji trilogy

"Exuberant space opera in the style of the golden age of sci fi."
--Michael Z. Williamson, author of Freehold

Writing is such an adventure! Mountains and valleys, joy and pain. Now that I have a book being published, the next inevitable question is...is anyone going to buy the book?

Ultimately, its no matter. God made us in his image and that means he has imputed his creative passions in us (in so many various forms). For those imbued with the desire to write, if we publish or not, if we sell a single copy or ten million, succeed or fail, let us not forget we are still able to create entire worlds using the same method God used...words.

What a delight it is to be His creation.