Splashdown Newsletter 1

As sent to our subscriber database on 24.12.2010!

If you'd like to sign up for the newsletter, you can do so in the box to the right.

 

Science Fiction and Fantasy from New Zealand

Welcome! You are at the launch of the Splashdown Books e-newsletter from Grace Bridges! You're reading this because I chose you to receive it. If for any reason you won't want future notices after reading through this one, just opt out by sending "unsubscribe" to this address. I won't be offended at all if you do.


THE LATEST

All our titles are now available in multiple ebook formats. Just visit the Bookshop for all the options!

Tales of the Dim Knight
by Adam and Andrea Graham

A hilarious superhero romp that pulls no punches on tough issues. Yes, this book is so funny that we even issue a Beverage Ban as readers have mentioned spewing drink out their noses.
To read a sample and purchase click here now. Just like the rest of our titles you can also find it as an e-book both on Kindle and at Smashwords.

Nor Iron Bars a Cage
by Caprice Hokstad

What happens when a slave poses as a criminal, and the master as a slave? It's all about love and honour in this sophisticated, gritty fantasy, sequel to The Duke's Handmaid.
Read a sample and purchase: click here now. Ebook versions: Kindle and Smashwords.

Grace Bridges: An Ongoing Story

The life of a publisher never gets boring, especially when juggling a day job (most often at night in my case!) as well as acquisitions, editing, marketing and all that comes in between.
Here's what I'm up to:

• I've been placing the remaining titles to be offered online as e-books.
• I'm submitting regular installments of my Comet Born serial to Digital Dragon Magazine.
  
• I'm working on two novels. In CyberDublin, the global hyperweb network falls prey to sabotage and society spins towards chaos around an orphan rebel and her housemates facing a reality far less virtual than they're used to.
  In Godspeed, the sequel to Faith Awakened, we meet Naomi again - the Belfast biologist forced to flee from her own creation, when all she wanted to do was wipe out world hunger.
  
• I'm also at work on a few top-secret projects that I can't tell you about yet, so keep watching this newsletter for more info!

I've got some great titles for you in the year to come. The future is so exciting!

IndieGalaxy Publishers Association
Watch out for that name!

It's a recently founded coalition of independent publishers, aiming at shared promotion of our books and authors, among other things. Collaboration has even begun of its own volition!

My short story “The Ears Have It” has been accepted for publication in The Book of Sylvari: An Anthology of Elves from Port Yonder Press
Splashdown author Fred Warren has a story in the first issue of Other Sheep magazine from Written World Communications.
• Join the Facebook page
  
• Follow us on Twitter
• Look for an official website coming soon!

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Feedback

I always love to see what reviewers say about our books. Here are a few of my favourite quotes:

On Tales of the Dim Knight by Adam and Andrea Graham:
"A hilarious read. I nearly spewed my coffee on myself this morning. Thanks a lot."
~Chris Solaas from Novel Teen

On Nor Iron Bars a Cage by Caprice Hokstad:
"Hokstad’s story unfolds like a beautiful ballet of words; elegant descriptions of simple rituals bring Byntar alive. But romance is only a small part of the story; there is plenty of action and a good dose of humor."
~S.M. Kirkland, author of Higher Honor (The Writers Cafe Press)

"In Alpha Redemption, a story both fascinating and unique, P.A. Baines wonderfully marries two of my favorite themes: the danger and isolation of space exploration and the idea of man’s creation giving him greater insight into his own Creator. If you like your science fiction on the introspective side—on the order of Clarke’s 2001 or Pohl’s Gateway—then this is a must read."
~ Kerry Nietz, author of A Star Curiously Singing (Marcher Lord Press)

On The Duke's Handmaid by Caprice Hokstad:
"Something for everyone! If you like adventure and intrigue and danger, this is the book for you. Ms. Hokstad must be commended for the detailed and rich world she has created."
~ Frank Creed, award-winning author of Flashpoint and War of Attrition (The Writers' Cafe Press)

On Legendary Space Pilgrims by Grace Bridges:
"A brilliant allegory, this powerfully imaginative space epic features emotive characters and carefully described new worlds. Legendary Space Pilgrims engaged all aspects of myself: body, mind, and spirit. I couldn’t put it down!"
~ Christina Berry, author of The Familiar Stranger, Christy Award Finalist 2010

On The Muse by Fred Warren:
"What stands out to me is Fred's hidden beautiful. You will be reading along, laughing and then, BAM! It is a straight-up Batman moment. Fred writes something so beautiful and profound that you have to flip the cover and make sure you are reading the same book."
~Diane M. Graham, The New Authors' Fellowship

 

On Faith Awakened by Grace Bridges:
"Even a month after reading, I still find myself pondering the story. Grace has written a wonderful, unique story and I recommend it to any Christian reader who’s looking for something out of the ordinary."
~ Karina Fabian, sci-fi and fantasy author, Editor of the Infinite Space, Infinite God  Anthologies

Reviewers

I'm always looking for reviewers for our titles and I offer free ebooks for all our titles in all major formats in exchange for an honest review on a retail site and/or your blog. Just say the word!

Networking
Are you on Facebook? Connect up with us there.
Splashdown Books Fan Page


Well, that wraps up this newsletter launch! Thanks for reading, and I look forward to hearing from you in the near future. I leave you with these words of blessing from the Maori language:

Kia Ora!

Grace Bridges
Auckland, New Zealand

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Please visit our partner for Splashdown's soundtracks: Eleon Music

Would Tales of the Dim Knight Be A Good Book for My Kids?

By Adam and Andrea Graham

Frankly, the appropriateness of Tales of the Dim Knight for children depends on the individual child as well as the standards of the parent. The intended audience is the young at heart, as the novel pays humorous tribute to superheroes the authors watched and read about when they were children.

In retrospect, we do see the appeal to kids. Dim Knight is a funny story with a lot action and adventure. So, while our book wasn't written for children, it can be read by teens with parental guidance.

For many parents, this disclosure may prove unnecessary. If Tales of the Dim Knight were a movie, I’d rate it PG-13. In fact, in terms of language and sexual content, the book is cleaner than most PG movies. However, others may have different convictions. The movie, Pamela's Prayer extolled the virtues of chastity before marriage to the point that the heroine didn't kiss a man until the day she was married. One would think no one would complain about a movie like that not being clean enough. However, A reviewer wrote on Amazon:

based on the good reviews that I read on Amazon and on what friends

told me, I thought that this movie would be good viewing for my

family. was I wrong! the whole movie is about kissing, about guys

trying to kiss girls, and about girls not sure if they should kiss or

not and on and on. it started fine, but ten minutes in I knew that it

was not appropriate for my family, but my wife said 'no no no' and

made me keep it on, and I hoped that it would get better. but it just

got worse.

what a disaster! wouldn't you know it, as soon as the

movie is over, my kids start asking 'how do you kiss,' 'why do you

kiss' and on and on. pretty soon, they were running around the house

pretending to kiss everything - the animals, the pets, each other.

While I don't think there's any chance of Tales of the Dim Knight prompting your child to kiss your dog, I do want to be sensitive to varying parental standards. My goal is to empower parents with the information they need to make an informed decision for their children based on what they think is best.

First, consider the favorable reasons parents might want to get the book for their teens:

1) It is fun and fast paced

This can be a big selling point, particularly for boys. It can be tough to get teen boys interested in reading. Indeed, boys lag in reading. This can be caused by reading material that doesn't interest boys. This book will.

2) It is Clean

The book is generally clean. There's no profanity or sex in the story. While the violence may be of concern to parents, it is far tamer than much what is out there in young adult fiction.

3)Solid Messages

Dim Knight has a powerful message of grace and redemption. Dave learns what it really takes to be a superhero, the proper use of power, and what justice really means. The story also shows the importance of forgiveness and sacrifice.

All of this, while offering readers laughs throughout.

Second, consider those issues that may concern some parents:

Violence: As in any good superhero story, in Tales of the Dim Knight, evil uses a lot of dangerous weapons, high explosives, and even an atom bomb. While we aimed to avoid being too graphic, there's plenty of punching, kicking, shooting, whipping, and blowing up, with some casualties. If you've seen any of the recent Spider-Man movies, you have an idea of what to expect.

Drugs and Alcohol: Drug dealers are a major feature in the story, and there's a little drinking.

Mature Themes: Trouble brews in the main characters’ marriage, with a man-hating divorce attorney named Leona Campbell pushing Naomi Johnson towards a divorce based on false allegations of adultery. The book also deals with people grappling with grief and loss after the death of a loved one. The damaging effects of spiritual and emotional abuse are also portrayed, and the Dim Knight goes up against a gang involved in human trafficking.

You may feel that your child is not mature enough to deal with some of these issues. On the other hand, your child's world may have already been impacted by some of these issues, and you may feel it'd be good for him or her to read a book addressing them. You may want to consider previewing the book before giving it to your child to see if you think its right for your child.

Whatever you decide, we respect your decision, and pray God will continue to give you wisdom and grace in raising your children.