End of the World and Love Stories

End of the world and love stories make up some of the most compelling stories in existence. Both have been told since the dawn of humanity. The variations of both make up a sizable portion of popular books, television, and movies, yet there is always room for more. People love these types of stories. It’s not hard to see why.

End of the world stories have been handed down from generation-to-generation pretty much since humans have walked the Earth. End of the world stories span across multiple cultures and beliefs. At some point or another, I would say everyone has heard at least one end of the world prediction or story. Personally, I can recall three times when people said the world would end, yet we are still here. In terms of mythical or scriptural apocalypse, every generation since those words were written has believed that they were living in the end times. This generation is no different. I know many people who believe we are living in the end of days. They believe the signs all point to the end, but every generation has believed this to be true.

Whether we are or not, I do not know. No one knows for sure if, when, or how the world will end. One thing you will also notice in the stories that have been passed down is that the end comes about in various ways; for instance, fire and brimstone, hand of God, ice age, and world-ending asteroid collision to name a few. In writing Beyond Anything In All Creation, I wanted to present a possible end of the world that contained familiar imagery but also give it my own spin. I set a lot of it in Hawaii because I have never read or seen anything in movies or television that depicted such events taking place in Hawaii. Moreover, I believe another compelling aspect of these stories is triumph of the human spirit. People want to believe that humanity will somehow continue to exist. Heroes will rise up, and we shall overcome.

I think love stories are just as compelling. They too have been handed down from generation-to-generation. Love is the one language that knows no limits and has no boundaries. Love stories reach beyond language, culture, and pretty much every barrier. Some would argue that there is no power greater than the power of love. Personally, I am inclined to agree; love is quite powerful. However, that doesn’t mean there won’t be obstacles along the way. I believe true love has to be tested. Love has to overcome challenges and obstacles in order to be true.

Throughout the Beyond Heights and Depths Trilogy, Ash and Emmett have had to overcome all sorts of challenges. They are soul-mates, but that is only the beginning of their love story. I believe even soul-mates have their love tested. True soul-mates remain together because their love is battle-tested and proven to overcome. That is what makes their bond so strong. To say they are in love just because they say so and have never really faced anything of substance would be boring and naive. The greatest love stories are those that have faced nearly insurmountable challenges and have somehow remained together, not the ones that met, fell in love, and that’s the end of the story.

Initially, I didn’t set out to write an end of the world story. I started with a love story. Eventually, the soul-mates had to face challenges. Then, it became a challenge so big that the fate of the world hung in the balance. Is there a greater challenge than that? Thus, I was given the chance to add my own love story and end of the world story to the many stories being told over and over again and passed down from generation-to-generation, and that’s a pretty amazing thing.

Have a great week, everyone! 

New BHAD Cover by Artist Charli Infante

This week I am really excited to bring you the new cover for Beyond Heights and Depths, which is available everywhere eBooks are sold. The cover was designed by a very talented artist named, Charli Infante. Her current website is still under construction, but there is a small gallery of some of her more recent works on the site. Please take a moment to take a look. You can also contact her through the site. She is an amazing artist, who I am certain you will be hearing more about in the near future.

Description:

As I awaken in the dark warmth of this terrifying place, laid out on the strangely uneven ground, I open my eyes to see the true horrors this place was built upon…She is supposed to be near where I landed. If I don’t reach her soon, we will be doomed to remain in eternal fire and pain forever.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Are soul mates real, or just a fairy tale? What if you found your soul mate, but you had to fight your way through heaven and hell to stay together. Could you sacrifice everything, even your own soul, for the one you love?

Emmett Goode moves to a more affluent neighborhood with the hope of leaving his troubled past behind, starting fresh at a new school, and more importantly, reconnecting with his lost love, Ash, who is dealing some personal demons of her own. A tragic accident brings them together; unfortunately, before they can enjoy their new relationship they find themselves at the center of a battle between good and evil that has existed since the beginning of humanity, and forced on a harrowing journey through this world and beyond to stay together. Their bond, and the supernatural power it creates, could mean the difference between saving the world, or its destruction.

Is love enough to overcome seemingly impossible odds?  

 

Now, without further ado, the new cover for Beyond Heights and Depths:

Of all my posts on music and the soundtrack for Beyond Heights and Depths

Music plays a huge part in my life, as I'm sure it does for many of you. I've done a few posts on music in this blog. I've talked about the power of music to help people through break-ups. I often talk about how music can be therapeutic. I feel like music can transport me to a time and place in my memories like nothing else can. Certain songs take me back to a specific time and place in my life. I mean, even Christmas music is a necessity for me to really get into the spirit of the season.

Thus, I'm kind of embarrassed to admit that it never occurred to me to make a playlist or soundtrack for any of my books. Someone asked me recently, "Did you have any songs in mind for certain parts of your books, or were you listening to specific songs or types of music?" The answer is: of course! I just never thought to put any of it out there for anyone to see. So, with this post, I am listing the soundtrack to accompany my first book, Beyond Heights and Depths.

After a lot of thought and consideration, I feel these are the songs that best go with my first book. These are the songs I was listening to when I was writing. These are the songs I hear when I read it now. The complete soundtrack list is below and the music player is at the top of the page. Have fun listening! I hope you all enjoy the soundtrack!

 

Beyond Heights and Depths Book Contest - Rafflecopter Giveaway

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Greetings Friends! I want to let you all know about this exciting contest. The grand prize is a $25 Amazon Gift Card.  All you have to do is participate in the Beyond Heights and Depths Book Contest, follow the instructions, and enter for your chance to win the Grand Prize! It's that simple. Best of luck to you!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

*Winner will be chosen through Rafflecopter. The winner will be contacted via email and have 3 days (72 hours) after email is sent to claim the prize. If the prize is not claimed within the time frame of 72 hours, a new winner will be chosen. The new winner will have 3 days (72 hours) from the time of notification to claim the prize. The Beyond Heights and Depths Book Contest team reserves the right to end a giveaway early without notice or prolong if it is deemed necessary. The Beyond Heights and Depths Book Contest team reserves the right to disqualify any entry. Furthermore, The Beyond Heights and Depths Book Contest team is not responsible for lost or damaged items.  



About Beyond Heights and Depths:

As I awaken in the dark warmth of this terrifying place, laid out on the strangely uneven ground, I open my eyes to see the true horrors this place was built upon…She is supposed to be near where I landed. If I don’t reach her soon, we will be doomed to remain in eternal fire and pain forever.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Are soul mates real, or just a fairy tale? What if you found your soul mate, but you had to fight your way through heaven and hell to stay together. Could you sacrifice everything, even your own soul, for the one you love?

Emmett Goode moves to a more affluent neighborhood with the hope of leaving his troubled past behind, starting fresh at a new school, and more importantly, reconnecting with his lost love, Ash, who is dealing some personal demons of her own. A tragic accident brings them together; unfortunately, before they can enjoy their new relationship they find themselves at the center of a battle between good and evil that has existed since the beginning of humanity, and forced on a harrowing journey through this world and beyond to stay together. Their bond, and the supernatural power it creates, could mean the difference between saving the world, or its destruction.

Is love enough to overcome seemingly impossible odds?  

Tomorrow is not guaranteed...

This week has been interesting for me. I had the chance to catch up with a student I have not seen 6 years. I was also blessed to see her graduate from high school. All in all, things have been very good. However, there is one conversation I had recently with someone that has been on my mind.

Someone recently expressed to me how much it bothers them that they were not able to talk with a special someone before they passed. The person talked about how he always thought he had more time. He kept putting off talking with that person. He kept thinking there would be another day, and then there wasn't another day. Thus, this person is left with a kind of hurt in his heart that cannot be easily fixed.

This conversation struck a chord with me because I know this hurt well. There are more people I wish I had one more chance to talk to than I care to admit. I did the exact same things. I always felt like there would be another day, another time, another opportunity, but there isn't always another chance. There are people I see as clear as day in my mind the last day I ever saw and spoke to them. I remember thinking I should talk to him or her, and for whatever reason, I never did, and then I never got the chance again.

I wish I could say there is an easy way to fix this, but there isn't. The people I never got a chance to talk to once more weigh heavily on my mind quite often. I remember the good times, and I smile. But there are also times I see them in my mind and I wish more than anything in the world that I had just one more chance to speak to them again. Time goes on and the pain becomes more manageable, but it never completely goes away.

The best we can do is take the time to be with the people who are important to us now while we can. Tomorrow is not guaranteed. Sometimes there aren't second chances. Tell the people you love that you love them today. Have those conversations you've been meaning to have. Make those important memories. Do the things that you always wanted to, because you might not have a chance to tomorrow. Don't put off for tomorrow that which can be done today. Because once it is too late, there is nothing that can be done.

Anyway, this is what is weighing on my heart this evening. Thanks for reading. I think I will leave you with a song. Have a wonderful week everyone! Stay blessed!

Stuff That Works

 Greetings Friends,

I have many projects in the works, so I have not been blogging as much as I used to. I wanted to take the opportunity to share one of my recent works with you all this week. As many of you know, I have been working with youth and young adults for most of the last 10 years. I recently put together a book of my most successful activities into a 12-week course called, "Stuff That Works." My goal was to put together a program that new youth workers could implement with a group of any size and without a huge a budget.

I still use the activities in my book, some as recently as a few weeks ago. I know they work, and they work across multiple denominations. Personally, I have used these activities with Catholics, Pentecostals, Methodists, Non-Denominational, and even Non-Christians. Now, I would like to share this others. I'm just not sure where to begin. I'm not even sure how much interest there is in something like this.

So, I am making a sample copy available on this page. The sample copy contains an introduction and the first two activities. I am eager to hear what others think about this book. I hope it will reach people who could really use this curriculum. I'm trying to find out if there is a need for this, or if there is any interest at all. Please leave a comment or contact me. Let me know what you all think. The link to a pdf sample copy is in the title of the book above. I will also leave a second link below. Thank you! And have a wonderful week!

Stuff That Works: A 12 Week Program to Get Youth Groups Started 

Chase your dreams, but don't chase everyone away

Greetings, Friends! It's been a while - I know. I'm still out in the world chasing dreams and helping other people chase theirs. I still believe everyone can and should chase their dreams. However, lately I've been talking with a few folks that are going about this all wrong.

Let me be blunt here: Chasing your dreams should not come at the cost of the most important people in your life. If chasing your dreams comes at the cost of your spouse, your closest friends, or your children, you are doing it wrong. You may find some success this way, but you will never find true success. What you are doing is not chasing your dreams.

The people closest to you should want you to achieve your dreams. They should be supportive. They will want to celebrate with you when you do accomplish your dreams. People who love you want you to be successful. I completely believe this to be true. Let me be clear: The problem I am seeing in the folks who have been coming to speak to me about this is NOT people close to them discouraging them from chasing their dreams.

The problem is they are not chasing dreams, they are chasing money. Chasing money is not the same thing. Chasing money will never lead you to where you want to be. What good is it to gain the whole world but lose everything else in the process? I know many folks who believe money is the answer to all of their problems, but it is not. You will simply have different problems.

Do not be a money chaser. Money chasers often lose everything in their pursuit of money. In most cases, they will not see the error of their ways until it is too late. Moreover, money will not fix the problems you create if you abandon your spouse, children, or anyone close to you. Money cannot buy the happiness and sense of accomplishment that dream chasers experience.

Believe me, I know, I have been both in this lifetime. Living the dream feels a heck of a lot better than having money and nothing else. Chase your dreams, my friends. I wish you all the success in the world. But do not mistake chasing money for the same thing. Do not lose everyone closest to you, or even worse, lose yourself for the sake of making a few dollars. People are worth more than money. Making a difference means more than making a dollar. And no amount of money is worth your heart and soul.

Blessings to you all, my friends! And have a wonderful week!