I am very pleased and excited to be
part of the Author
Showcase at the April 4, 2015 Mountain of
Authors conference sponsored by the Pikes Peak Library District in Colorado
Springs. I have a deep appreciation and
love for PPLD. It is, without question, one of the best library districts I have experienced. This year's theme is on fantasy and science fiction.
I will be showcasing my novel Tall Pauley. This is a fantasy novel
that is similar in style to The Chronicles
of Narnia, but without the explicit analogies to Jesus Christ. The content wrestles with themes of goodness,
shame, suffering and forgiveness. It
could be considered Young Adult literature, but is really intended for adults
who are willing to explore such subjects as slavery, torture, oppression and
redemption through fantasy literature. Not that it is all so solemn of an
adventure, readers can also enjoy delightful sequences of nature and friendship.
I will be giving away a free signed
print of a Tall Pauley illustration
to anyone who purchases a copy (either print or digital version) at the
conference. 
It will be this same weekend that my
latest collection of short stories, Pockets
and Other Unusual Stories will also be available in digital and print
formats online. This collection of fantasy stories has been brewing for some
time, with many of the stories started over six years ago and two, in particular,
having been completed just within the last few months. “Pockets” was a particular favorite at the
Colorado Springs Writer’s Reading Series. “The Castle of Pyotr Illusovitch” is a story
that is clearly influenced by Chekhov, and “a Misspent god” (yes, the case-sensitivity
of the title is on purpose) is what I would consider one of my most mature
works at this time. “a Misspent god”
explores the abuses and disuses of power through the medium of ancient
gods. It is an alternative view of the
presently popular “super hero” legacies.
It is deeply influenced by Till We
Have Faces by C.S. Lewis. His exploration of critical human and theological
themes in a non-Christian way intrigues me as much as Flannery O’Connor’s stark
and unnerving stories which address abuses of religion. In this pocket-sized volume you will find other fantasy stories about a man who wakes up in a fire storm, a surprise defense of a deaf girl, a fat angel eating lunch in a corporate courtyard and a girl shaped like a bean pod getting lost in a storm.
Please come out and support all the local
Colorado Springs writers featured at this free conference through Pikes Peak Library District.
April
4, 2015
12:00
- 6:00 p.m.
Library
21c, 1175 Chapel Hills Dr., Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Keep Reading!
M.R. Hyde March 25, 2015
