I’m hoping that we can get Stuart Stockton, the man himself, to stop by Spec Faith and write a blog post or two, but in the meantime, marketing is underway for the April release of Starfire (Marcher Lord Press). In fact there is a contest at Stuart’s site, A Flip Side of Normal, which you won’t want to miss.

There are numerous ways to become eligible for one of the prizes being offered. One is to print and distribute Starfire fliers, then contact Stuart via the contest email to let him know the details (to whom, how many, and how you distributed them). Another is to include a Starfire button—available at The Flip Side of Normal—in one of your posts. (And of course none of the buttons are working here today, so I can’t upload the image I saved to my desktop!) A third is to sign up for the Marcher Lord Press Newsletter, also something you can do at Stuart’s Web site.

Besides looking into the contest, check out Jill Williamson’s site. You might remember that Jill’s novel By Darkness Hid, another Marcher Lord Press publication, is also releasing in April. In fact, her novel is one of the possible prizes you might win in Stuart’s contest.

Me, I’d love to win both Starfire and By Darkness Hid.

When we first started Speculative Faith more than two years ago, Stuart was a regular blogger here. On several occasions he posted some of his writing to generate discussion or to illustrate a point, and I remember thinking how amazing it was that he could make me feel for and care for non-human characters so completely. That ability brings to mind Richard Adams and Watership Down. At any rate, Stuart is an author I trust. He knows the craft of writing, and he will bring his readers into an intriguing story and a world he has created from top to bottom. I wouldn’t want to miss Starfire.

I feel just as strongly about By Darkness Hid, though. About two years ago, I met Jill in a SoCal gathering of Christian writers arranged by Rachel Marks. During that time, Jill learned that I do freelance editing, and we made  an agreement to work together. She sent me The New Recruit, a YA novel that is a little hard to categorize, but I think it belongs in the speculative arena. It was captivating, intriguing, well written, entertaining and I had little to do other than copy edit. So it was no surprise when I learned that Jeff Gerke had signed Jill.

One look at the book description convinced me that By Darkness Hid would also be my kind of fantasy. Here’s what other writers have to say about it:

“By Darkness Hid more than fills the bill. With an unpredictable plot, twists of supernatural ability, and finely crafted tension between the forces of good and evil, Jill Williamson’s book had me captivated. I jumped into the skin of the heroine and enjoyed her journey as if it were my own.”
–Donita K. Paul, author of the Dragon Keeper Chronicles

“Jill Williamson is a major arrival. She presents characters full of mystery, and leaves room for plenty of further exploration. By Darkness Hid is a fast-paced addition to the world of swords and sorcery, using a backdrop of political and spiritual intrigue to heighten the tension. When readers begin lining up for the sequel, you’ll find me at the front of the line.”
–Eric Wilson, author of Field of Blood and Haunt of Jackals

My suggestion is, hurry on over to Stuart’s contest and get started so you have a chance to win a copy of both these excellent books.