Winners!

All right

Livestream.com/dragonsinourmidst

That should be the address for the podcast guys if it's wrong, check Bryan Davis' facebook, he's got it there too. 

Winners! Tristan Gunn won for his friend MICAH
               Jakob Parker won for his friend CHRISTIAN MILES
               Makenzie Evans won for her friend KAITLYN

BOOK GIVE AWAY ALERT!

All right lords, ladies, and warriors from both a far and a near! Saturday May 29th His Way will be having a Launch Party for Bryan Davis' newest book, Starlighter from the Dragons of Starlight series. We are going to be doing a pod-cast from the store so make sure to come back here and tune in if you can't attend!

Now, to the give-away part!

I will be giving away not 1, not 2, but 3 copies of the book.

Here's the catch, because the book has themes of sacrifice and preferring others before yourself I'm going ask that you do the same thing  (this might sound vaguely familiar for those that have stuck with me through the long silence) and nominate someone to receive a copy of Starlighter rather asking for it yourself.

And here's the twist on the catch--you can nominate other posters!

Example: If  say someone named Randi nominates her friend Amy for a free copy, and then  you come here and see her  post and happen  know Randi either from places on-line or in person then you can nominate her for a free copy of the book.  You just can't nominate yourself.

Please, no multiple sn's (nominating yourself under a second name is just plain cheating)

Legal Stuff:

If you are under 18 years of age, get your parents consent (I gotta know where I'm sending the books and they need to know you're giving me your address) to enter the contest. Also, if you're nominating someone that doesn't live near you, and they are under age I need THEIR parents consent or I can send the book to you and you can send it onto them.  Your choice :-D

Open to residents of  the UNITED STATES and CANADA only--sadly I can't afford to send books overseas. Maybe one day I will!  Just not today.

Leave your nomination in the comments here OR send it to


everlastingscribe@hotmail.com and put in the title line  NOMINATION


You have until Saturday at NOON to get them in and then Bryan will hopefully sign the book LIVE in the podcast!

Restorer WINNER and SECOND RUNNER UP!

Right, well I shall be good and spare you the tale of misery, woe, sinus infections, and Fire Marshall visits to the store cast myself upon your mercies, and most importantly, post who won the lovely book!

ABBIE

with a total, rather astronomical number of  39,000 points scoops up the slot for first place AND the lovely signed copy of the Restorer!

BARIE

with a total, also astronomical number of 31, 000 points scoops up the slot for second place  AND the unannounced second prize a copy of  THE STAR OF BETHLEHEM which is an awesome documentary on one of most spectacular extra-Biblical proofs of the Christmas Story. I watch it several times a year, and am amazed every time I see it. There's a lovely tie-in for Easter too, Barie so don't wait for NEXT Christmas to watch the DVD.

Send your snail-mail addresses to my e-mail if you would please, winners, and I will get them in the mail this week!

Got Sick AGAIN

Gosh the flu isn't fun. This is my second go round with fever, chills, aches, and other annoyances. I actually was home from work yesterday recovering, and today, I'm working on tabulating points. Hang in there scouts, adventurers and way-makers! Should have a winner by the end of the week provided I don't go under again!

BOOK REVIEW POINTS DOUBLED

All right today is the LAST DAY of the contest, and I should have results for everyone by Monday of next week. However, I am going to ask that you start tabulating your own POINT SCORES and e-mail me where you think you are point wise, this will make the counting and checking for me, go faster. You can do that anytime between 12/11/09 and 12/14/09. Also today anyone who writes and posts reviews for

BRYAN DAVIS
DONITA PAUL
or WAYNE THOMAS BATSON

TODAY ONLY

will receive double the points.

Double POINTS for Book Reviews!

Wow, just looking at all that glorious posting going down there with the songs and hymns is amazing guys! Keep at it. Remember, you've got till December 10th to find your songs, find the history, and post it to claim your glorious points.

Today however, I'm adding to that DOUBLE POINTS for anyone who posts reviews of Jonathan Roger's books.

Double Points for Book Reviews OF

That's right, I'm also going to do two more of these.

Today ONLY you get double the points for reviews of L.B. Graham's books, and Eric Reinhold's books.

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year.

Life is crazy right now. And I'll be honest, I'll be glad when this contest is done on the 10th (it's been fun but I haven't done half the things I wanted to have you guys do mainly because of time constraints) and I can just get back to idly blogging about stuff for a while. :-D

It's Christmas.

I work in Retail.

Nuff Said.

However, for the last two days I'm going to have one final assignment which is not book related. Well it is and it isn't.

Stories,  songs,  and history hidden in tunes all factor into Sharon Hinck's  The Restorer series.  The interesting thing is that our world too has a vast and relatively unknown history behind the hymns and worship songs sung today. It's amazing the stories you uncover when you scratch the surface of a hymn. I was blown  away by the story behind the Christmas Song "Good King Wenceslas" and I think you will be too. That's something to share after this contest though, when I have a moment to breath.

Right! Your assignment is this:

 Pick a hymn, praise and worship song, or Christmas carol. Then use the internet or books to find out the history behind it, and post the most fascinating thing that you find here in the comments.

This can be done more than once.

However, if two people pick the same hymn/worship song/ Christmas carol, the one that posts their findings first, gets credit.

Also in the post, provide a link back to where you found the information or the book that you took the information from.

For internet research on something, I'm going to ask for three links--and yes the wiki counts. For books, just one will be fine.

That's all. Have fun!

Oh wait.

Wait.

I mentioned points, didn't I?

1000 points for each hymn/praise and worship song/ Christmas carol that you find the history of and share with the rest of us.

Two days.

48 hours.

This is going to be interesting. ;)

SATURDAY DEC. 5th ONLY

Anyone who reviews  Christopher Hopper's Rise of the Dibor or the The Lion Vrie gets their points for those reviews DOUBLED. COTSK does not count.

RESTORER GIVE AWAY NEW CHALLENGE FANTASY FICTION 4EVER SO STAY MOTIV8TED!

Sharon Hinck was part of  not one, but  two momentous  fantasy fiction tours.

The first was the Fantasy 4 Fiction Tour which stretched on the East  Coast  from Florida all the way up to New York State with scores of stops along the way.  Her fellow authors were Christopher Hopper, Bryan Davis, and Wayne Thomas Batson, and a merry time was had by all!

The second fantasy fiction tour was the MOTIV8 tour and that was on the West Coast where again she teamed up with Christopher Hopper, Bryan Davis, and Wayne Thomas Batson. She also met and became friends with   Donita Paul, Jonathan Rogers, L.B. Grahm  and Eric Reinhold on that tour. 

What does this have to do with anything?

I'm so glad you asked!

To celebrate the selflessness of Sharon, and the fortitude and grace she showed on those two tours your assignment is to write reviews for her books, and the books of her fellow authors! The rules are simple.

1) You MUST have read through completely the book that you review.

2) You MUST explain in the review what parts of the book you loved/adored/wanted to kick the writer in the shins over and not just say that the book is amazing.

I want you to tell readers WHY they need to read the book you are reviewing. It's Christmas time and this is the PERFECT moment to get reviews out there and catch the shopper's interests!

3) You MUST use at least three sentences in the review. You can be as verbose as you want, but each review must be three sentences long.

There are the RULES.

Here is the POINTS SYSTEM BREAK DOWN.

PRIMARY REVIEW:  A review of one of Sharon's titles, fantasy or otherwise earns you 1,000 points.
                                     You can do this ONE time, with ONE title only.

SECONDARY REVIEW: A review of  one of Sharon's  titles  different from your Primary Review earns
                                         you  500 points. This can be earned multiple times.

MULTIPLE POSTING REVIEW: A review of one of Sharon's books (you may use the Primary or
                                                       Secondary Review) posted in several locations earns you 250 points per
                                                       posting.  This can be earned multiple times.


                                                     

That's part one of the challenge. Here's part two.

Write reviews for any of the authors that toured with Sharon on the Fantasy 4 and Motiv8 fiction tours.

List of Authors:
---------------
Wayne Thomas Batson
Bryan Davis
L.B. GrahamChristopher Hopper
Donita Paul

Eric Reinhold

Jonathan Rogers

PRIMARY REVIEW:  Review of any book by any of the above authors earns you 500 points. One time, one title only.

SECONDARY REVIEW:  A review of a title  different from your Primary Review earns you 250 points. This can be earned multiple times.

MULTIPLE POSTING REVIEW: A review ( may be the Primary or Secondary Review) posted in several locations earns you 100 points per posting. This can be earned multiple times.

All right Questers! You have from today, until December 10th to complete your reviews and e-mail me the links to where you left them. Remember to use the screen name you use here so you can get full credit for your work. As awesome as your alternate screen name is, I won't know that's you!

Watch for HIGHLIGHT days during this time where you can DOUBLE your points if you post reviews for the Author I HIGHLIGHT on that day during these next ten days. And keep checking back! There's other shorter quests that I'll be posting this week!

RESTORER STANDINGS AS OF 11/29/09

Katie G =2500 points

Nathan R Petrie = 2500 points

abbie = 2000 points

Barie-ah Hue-en-la =1500 points

Chris = 1500 points

IJD= 1000 points

MillardtheMK = 1000 points

E-mail me with questions about your standings! And keep checking back!

Restorer Sharon Hinck NEW CHALLENGE AND UPDATES

Two days only, today (November 26th) and tomorrow (November 27th) each person who posts a list of things that they are thankful for here, will receive 500 points in the Restorer Signed Copy challenge. The list must be AT LEAST ten items long, and NO LONGER than fifty. :-D Length doesn't factor into the points either. If you list ten things you're grateful for, you get 500 points. If you list 50 things you're grateful for, you get 500 points.

To get your points, make a list and then POST it here in the COMMENT section.

Tonight or tomorrow I should have the standings posted though each of you who have done quests and other things in this contest probably all ready know. There hasn't been anyone who has done something and been disqualified, though there is at least one person with only partial credit for a quest!

So, have fun with family and friends, draw close to Christ, and remember that I am very thankful for each and every one of my internet buddies!

Happy Thanksgiving!

~Scribe

Picking a Favorite is So Hard-Restorer CHALLENGE #2

But not impossible. 

Your NEXT challenge in the Restorer Signed Copy give away is to follow this link and then scroll down and follow the directions for the voting.

IMPORTANT

Do not vote FOR Sharon Hinck's nominated title UNLESS YOU HAVE READ IT.

The whole point of the voting is for the one that is actually the most popular to stand up head and shoulders above the rest. I didn't vote for her, I voted for George Bryan Polivka's book. Why? Because in my heart of hearts I believe, Bryan's book is better. That book of his, verses that book of hers. If the Restorer had been up there, I would have cried and probably not voted, because I wouldn't have been able to pick. Thankfully, you can nominate up to three titles for consideration. Remember, I don't want you to skew the voting for Sharon--I just want you to vote. Vote for whomever you like best. And if you haven't read the books DO NOT VOTE.

Here's what you need to do (this is also important or you're not going to get credit, just the knowledge that you voted):

1) Go to the linked site
2) Click on the voting tab
3) Fill out the information
4) HIT THE PRINT SCREEN KEY ON YOUR COMPUTER KEYBOARD OR WHATEVER KEY COMMAND WILL TAKE A PICTURE OF THE SCREEN.
5.) Go into MS paint or whatever equivalent you have and paste the image of the voting screen that you've filled out there. Save it as a .bmp or .jpg
6.) Finish voting
7.) Email me the screen capture of your voting in the pole
8.) Receive 1,000 points


All e-mails must be received no later than Sunday November 22nd for full credit. Partial credit will be given up to  November 24th.
Di

Operation Christmas Child PICTURES!

The van is packed with 251 shoe boxes. Not a single box more would fit. 251 shoe boxes.

There aren't any other passengers :-D Just my Mom, my Dad, and 251 shoe boxes that we sent down to Ellicott City.

This is Jessie, who works in Ellicott City (the lovely young lady in the blue jeans) and one of our volunteers up in the bed of the tractor trailer truck. The brown cartons behind them are the crates that have to be packed with the shoe boxes (those are done) and they're merrily stacking shoe boxes for crating on the side of the truck.  Thankfully it's been warm, but it's going to get down into the 30's tonight.

All those prayers, toys, and blessings waiting to be shipped around the world. Pretty amazing really!

Operation Christmas Child Shoe Box Count 11/16/09

Well archers, thanks for the prayers today, and please, as you have time continue to put bolt to bow string. Today in Eldersburg we took in 688 shoe boxes.

Last year at this time we had a grand total of 270 shoe boxes.

For those crunching the numbers in their heads like my friend Andy does, I'll give you a moment to finish.
*Hums Jeopardy Theme Song* 

Ding da ding ding ding bam bom!

Time's up!

We took in 418 MORE shoe boxes than we did last year on this same day (the first day of collections) and so far, the churches have been very careful to tabulate what the cost to ship each one is and to add it to their shoe boxes. So the prayers for provision are being answered!

However this is only the first day, and we have seven days to go.  I am very sore, and very tired, and can't really think of how I'm going to get 418 shoe boxes down to Ellicott City tomorrow.

Archers, Now I Need Your Bows

First off, Christopher and Wayne are working over hard to meet the soon coming deadline they are facing and that as we all know can be as much fun as getting your face caught in a hand-cranked workbench vice. So, please, pray for rest, for inspiration, for peace. If you don't have a lot of time to pray for the dangerous duo, just ask Jesus to hang out with them in a tangible way for the next seven days. :-D

He'll know what they need and when.


And second, archers, I need your prayers this week. His Way Christian Bookstore partners with Operation Christmas Child (A division of Samaritan's Purse) every year for one week. This year it's November 16th through November 23rd.

The larger locations, Ellicott City &Glenburnie, are actually Operation Christmas Child collection centers where they have tractor trailer trucks leave the cargo portions of the truck behind the store to be filled with shoe boxes.

Eldersburg, is a Operation Christmas Child relay center where we take the shoe boxes in and then have to transport them 30 minutes down to Ellicott City where the truck is waiting.

The praise all ready is that churches and individuals are calling and letting us know how many boxes they are bringing! This is inordinately helpful because we know to make certain there is space in the back room.

Monday November 16th Eldersburg will be getting 300+ boxes which have to be logged, counted, stored, then packed into my parent's van, and taken to Ellicott City.

Our biggest obstacle so far is that in Eldersburg, I only have the one volunteer, my mom, to run the boxes. Now staff will take some when we move from EB to EC but the bulk of the moving last year fell on my parents and it is a lot of work. So this year, we desperately need more volunteers. Ellicott City and Glenburnie desperately need volunteers too, to help crate the shoe boxes and pack the trucks.  It's the beginning of the week and everyone at the stores is feeling excited and swamped at the same time.

Last year we took in over 11,000 shoe boxes and this year the store's goal is 12,000+.

The employees are going to be exhausted from working on the trucks and taking in the boxes as well as doing their normal stuff and tempers get short when people are tired, backs and arms ache from being used, and spirits get deflated when the seemingly insurmountable wall of shoe boxes grows every hour. Everyone at the stores will be under stress to serve our customers AND Operation Christmas Child to our fullest capacity.  Here are some specific things that you can aim for as you put arrows on string for us:

1) His PRESENCE

We need Jesus be with each staff member every moment of every day during this week, at the store and at home and every place along the way. It is  hard to be Christ-like during normal days for us (yeah, His Way's full of a whole bunch of forgiven sinners, just like the church ;) )  and with the added stress I know our flesh-nature is going to be hissing and spitting and struggling to get out and be UGLY. So pray that Christ be in us, and for us, behind us and a head of us.

We know that the enemy of our souls isn't going to be happy about this, because of the great opportunities for the Gospel that are attached to these little boxes full of love and hope. Which leads to request #2.

2) His PROTECTION

There are so many ways that people can get hurt getting on and off the truck, carrying too many boxes, being out in the cold, and driving from location to location. Every year it seems we have minor injuries and once or twice there's been a major catastrophe for someone who is working on the truck. So pray for wisdom in how to do what we need to do, and protection from accidents both for the staff and for the amazing volunteers that have pledged to come and help us out.

3) His PROVISION

Every year, families either forget to put the $7.00 needed to pay for the shoebox shipping, or can't afford the shipping and leave it out. Every year so far, we've had other people come and leave checks for shipping or for Samaritan's Purse and every year it evens itself out. However, this year is harder than the years before have been on everyone and all ready there are signs that we may end up sending boxes unpaid for to the Sorting Centers. This isn't a world shattering thing, but it does mean that Samaritan's Purse winds up using money that could go somewhere else to send shoe boxes. So pray that the Lord impress on people's hearts to give what they can afford to give, and that our 12,000+ boxes go down all paid up and ready to ship!

Keep checking back here, I'll have photos during the week and hopefully tonight or tomorrow I'll have the Restorer Standings posted and a new assignment up!

Scribe~

Rules, Regs, and Other Annoying Things

Right, well I should have posted this earlier, but I was a wee bit under the weather and am still fighting to come out of the aforementioned illnesses. So, any and all participants that have started the contest are "grandfathered" (doesn't apply to them) when it comes to the DISTANCE stated below. But since there are others who have expressed interest, here are the boring bits that should have been posted yesterday and weren't.

1.)If you are under 18 years old, get your parents permission before starting this contest.

2.) You must also be a legal resident of the United States or Canada to participate. (sorry guys, I can't afford to send it over seas)---this does not apply to those who have posted assignments as of 11/10/09

3.) I ( Michelle Black) am in no way affiliated with Sharon Hinck or Nav Press

4.) I (Michelle Black) am in no way responsible for lost, misdirected mail, or for damage in shipping of the prize to your house.

Signed Copy of the Restorer Give Away First Challenge! 11/10/09-11/14/09

The sound of metal against metal, the cries of the archers on the upper reaches of the castle and the twangs from their bows,  the shrill scream of horses near the gate and the deadlier rumble and thud of missile from a catapult all ran together in a mighty din. Llana sucked in a trembling breath and then jerked hard and bit her lips to keep from screaming  as a metal arrow tip pierced the deep grain of her chamber door. 

There was no doubt that her father's holding was under siege. 

Ever felt like that?  You wake in the morning and find yourself  all of a sudden mired in a war that hadn't been there when you went to sleep the night before? Well in The Restorer  there are several people who feel that way, that they've gone to sleep in peace and awakened  in the middle of battle.

Only the enemy they're facing has weapons that are far more damaging than swords and catapults, and these weapons are as subtle as a whisper and as dangerous as a flaming arrow.

In  The Restorer, enemy agents have the ability to put dark thoughts into the minds of those that are standing against them. These thoughts latch and begin to slowly bring despair, despondency, numbness, and incapacitate the mightiest among them.

Sound familiar?

The Enemy of our soul works in the same way, planting doubts as to who we are and to whom we belong.

In The Restorer  the antidote to mind poisoning is rather interesting, and something that Sharon Hinck worked into the plot in a marvelous way.  I'm not going to tell you what it is however, you're going to have to read the book to find out.

However, it does tie-in with your assignment, and with some thought you sharp minded tale binders will likely figure out the connection. 

In the comments below each contestant needs to write/list 10  Bible verses (you can use book, chapter, verse references rather than writing whole thing out ie John 3:16 rather than "For God so loved....") that fall into ONE these categories:

1)  Scriptures that tell us what the Lord is like
2)  Scripture that tell us who the Lord says we (His rescued children, Christians) are.
3)  Scriptures that tell us what to do with our thoughts.

So you can have two scriptures  that fall into category 1,  five  that fall into category 3,  and three that fall into category 2 and there are your ten scriptures. Any combination is acceptable, they don't have to all be in one category or some in each. Just ten scriptures that fall into those categories.

This assignment (ten verses posted here) is worth 1,000 points. 

To keep the temptation of cheating away (and to make it slightly harder) I'm going to say no repeats.

That means if someone posts a scripture, someone else can't post that same scripture.

But there are literally thousands of scriptures that fall into the categories above and Bible Gateway can be used if you get stuck!

This assignment starts today (11/10/09) and runs through Saturday (11/14/09)

Questions?

Don't post them here--comment section is for posting of the assignment only. E-mail me at everlastingscribe(at)hotmail(com)

Scribe's Been Sick--sorry about the delay! :-D

I've had the stomach flu and then on top of it, allergies that have been making me dizzy and congested.  They are each, the opposite of fun.

Look for the contest for The Restorer to officially start on  November 10, 2009 (why Tuesday and not Monday? Well because NEW RELEASES always hit store shelves on Tuesdays and part of this contest is going to be about doing things OUT OF ORDER  like starting a contest for a book going out of print on a day when traditionally books are introduced to the public) and be prepared for some unusual and hopefully fun assignments!

Sneezing Scribe--AAAAhhhhCHHHoooo

Restorer Series Going Out Of Print-Contest Announcement!

That's right, sad news for all of us who are fans of Sharon Hinck's The Restorer, The Restorers Son, and The Restorer's Journey.

However, over at Sharon Hinck's blog the lovely scribe herself isn't wallowing in woe-is-meisms but is choosing instead to celebrate the run of this usual, cross over series.

Recently I came across a copy of The Restorer by Sharon Hinck that I had bought and low and behold, this copy is SIGNED. Uh-huh, I'm sure I bought it for someone's birthday or Christmas gift some time ago but I can't remember for the life of me who that might have been.

However, Scribe's faulty memory is YOUR blessing.

I was going to do a COTSK give-away in November (I've all ready bought the book ;) so have no fear) but instead I'm going to be giving away the signed copy of The Restorer by Sharon Hinck.

If you are interested in taking part in this contest--just sign up in the comments below. I'll post more about it this evening.

Don't know who Sharon is? Go here!
Don't know anything about the book? Go here!

I first met Sharon when His Way hosted the Fantasy 4 Fiction Tour, and here are some of my favorite pictures of her from the event! You might recognize some rapscallions in the pictures beside her. Ignore them ;)

The green banner is the one that I made for Sharon, some OTHER AUTHOR has the blue one in the back ground there.  You get bragging points if you can guess author/book it is suppose to represent.

There's Sharon, goofing off with some rapscallions. It was a real blessing to be on hand and see Sharon meeting fans and ministering to those with wounded hearts from all over.  There  was a price for this selfless act however, the fellows she hung out with corrupted her vocabulary with words like DUDE and COOL. :-D

And more proof that the lady can handle steel and goof off with fans at the same time! One of my favorite pictures of Sharon, with my two "little brothers" rented for the day, Christian in red and Kirk well, emphasizing Sharon's skill with steel.