New Release: Christmas Babies on Main Street by the Authors of Main Street

Nine individual stories from the bestselling Authors of Main Street - New for the 2017 Christmas Season!

This year, Authors of Main Street have combined their talents to bring you stories about love, the holidays, and babies. And not all of our babies have pudgy fingers and adorable toes...one of them has hooves and a mane!

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Baby Blue Christmas - Kristy Tate

After a tragic accident claims the lives of baby Jamison’s parents, custody is awarded to both his aunt Sophie Rossi and his uncle Luke Mason. With Luke nowhere to be found, Sophie quits her demanding job with a prestigious law firm in San Francisco and moves into her sister’s farmhouse in Shell Beach to care for Jamison. After six months, she is doing the best she can, but mostly feels like an imposter trying to fit into her sister’s too big shoes. Still, when Luke Mason resurfaces and wants to be a part of Jamison’s life—and therefore Sophie’s—she resents his long absence and interference. Plus, she hasn’t really forgiven him for his teasing when they were in high school.

But as Christmas nears, Sophie and Luke’s shared concern for Jamison begins to draw them together, forcing both of them to rethink their plans for the future and to redefine their ideas of a family.

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The Christmas Stocking - Carol DeVaney

Ellie had never wanted to settle for less than a happy home and the sound of pitter-patter dancing across her floors…but she had. Ryan Newsome had married her only to give him babies. One week after her second miscarriage, Ryan took the cowards way out and walked away.

Little did Ellie know, God was about to intervene.

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Baby Steps and Snow Flakes - Jill James

After more than a decade as a foster parent, all Krista Green wants is to become a mother.

When Max Evans drops into her lap just before Christmas, she believes this is the one she gets to keep.

Morgan Fieldcrest finds out he has a child, and all he wants is to be a father to baby Max.

The only thing standing in his way is Krista and her distrust of anyone with the Fieldcrest name.

They will need baby steps and Christmas magic to work their way toward each other

in the pursuit of the best for baby Max.  

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A Sister's Christmas Gift - E. Ayers

Brandy Devin is driven, successful, and her life is exactly as she wants it. When her estranged twin sister dies, leaving behind a baby, all Brandy’s plans go up in smoke. Ever vigilant, she immediately changes her focus to include the infant without undoing her career. It does make her think harder about her relationship with her overbearing, long-term boyfriend, Ed Dautree.

Naval officer Craig Jenski returns home on leave to discover his on-again-off-again would-be girlfriend has been tragically killed. He also discovers she has a twin sister who is now the guardian of a baby he didn’t know existed. His suspicions that the child is his prompt him to become a part of Brandy’s life, perhaps more so than he’d originally intended.

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Lena Takes a Foal - Lizzi Tremayne

She needed help...he needed to stay away.

If there is one thing a veterinary school faculty of frowns upon, it's a relationship between a resident and a student...like oil and water, they just don't mix.

After a messy divorce, Kit Allen returns to his first loves -horses and his old veterinary school alma mater. Determined to earn a tenure track position, he excels at imparting his knowledge to students.

Becoming involved with anything but a pager—ever—isn't in the cards. Especially a talented and beautiful student in need of his help.

When Lena Scott’s horse lands on her, upside down, it has to be the dashing new resident, Kit, who finds her. Self-reliant she may be, but she's not bullet proof! She swore off relationships after her last romantic disaster and vowed to concentrate on graduating from vet school—and it's not yet a sure thing. Besides, she has more important things to think about than sea-green eyes and rugged good looks.

Lena has a secret…

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A Family Christmas - Jude Knight

Kirilee is on the run, in disguise, out of touch, and eating for two. Rural New Zealand has taken this Boston girl some getting used to, but her husband’s family and her new community have accepted her into their hearts. Just as well, since she’s facing Christmas and the birth of her baby without the man who wed her and sent her into hiding. What will he think when he comes home and discovers he’s a father?

Trevor is heading home for Christmas, after three years undercover investigating a global criminal organization. He hasn’t spoken to his sister and grandfather since the case began. He hasn’t spoken to Kirilee, his target’s sister, since the day nearly nine months ago he married her and helped her escape. Will she want to stay married? And if so, will he?

In the heart of a storm, two people from different worlds question what divides and what unites them.

  

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Small Town Christmas Baby - Stephanie Queen

Julie and Jack are excited about having a baby until a long-ago secret threatens to create a deep divide between their mothers. Can Julie count on Jack to come up with a Christmas miracle to keep them all together? 

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Christmas in Eastport - Susan R. Hughes

A holiday visit to her hometown of Eastport brings Carly Nolan face-to-face with a part of her past she’d rather forget. That face belongs to Mitch Logan, the boy who broke her heart when they were seventeen. When their reunion leads to one passionate night, Carly is convinced that Mitch has changed and dreams of a fresh start with her first love. But after rumors and revelations shatter her illusions, she resolves to leave Mitch in her past for good—a pledge that becomes impossible to keep when it turns out there are not just two hearts on the line, but three.

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Christmas in July - Leigh Morgan

Madelyn Grace recently returned to Door County, Wisconsin after twenty-five years away to try to renew her relationship with her daughter, Dr. Julie Grace. Drew Selleck, Sheriff of Fish Creek, never left The Door and never lost his love for Maddy. When they get together, old flames re-kindle, and long-held secrets are revealed.

For Drew, Maddy’s return in July was just the Christmas present he needed.

Available now for only 99 cents! Order here!

Call for Submissions for Writing and Your Spouse Anthology

You see it all the time in dedications and acknowledgements of books: Words like: “To my dear husband, who has supported my writing all throughout the years in spite of the odds,” or “To my wife, who never stopped believing in me.”

But what happens when your ‘significant other’ doesn’t support your writing, either because he thinks you’ll never make it or because she thinks you’re wasting your time and efforts for nothing?

Writers often talk about their supportive spouses/partners, but seldom do we hear about the unsupportive ones—mainly because it is a cause of great sadness and shame to the writer.

I’ve heard of cases where a husband told his writer wife flat out, “You’ll never make it.” I even once heard a story about a husband who was so jealous of his wife’s ‘writing world,’ that he burned her manuscript.

Though I don’t have a working title yet, I’m looking for 2,500-3,000-word (or longer) honest, poignant first-person accounts in the style of Chicken Soup for the Soul series. That is, true stories that are ultimately inspirational and show a great deal of perseverance and determination from the part of the writer in spite of the odds—in short, essays that will offer hope and moral support to writers who are experiencing a similar situation. The essays will be compiled into an anthology.

• Does your significant other totally ignore your ‘writing world’ or view it with contempt either because you’re not making enough money or because they feel jealous?
• Does he/she refuse to consider your writing as anything other than a ‘mere hobby?’
• Does he/she belittle or demean your ‘writer dreams?’
• Does he/she believe you’re wasting your time and should be spending that time in something more ‘valuable?’
• Does he/she make you feel guilty for those hours you spend writing?
• Does he/she say they understand, but then they put demands on your writing time and don’t respect it?
• Is he/she jealous of the time you spend writing at the computer?
• How does their behavior make you feel as a person and as a writer?
• To what extent does their criticism contribute to your insecurity, anxiety, and maybe even depression?
• How do you cope with their behavior?
• What keeps you writing and persevering in spite of all the odds?
• What would you like he/she to understand about you as a writer?

I talked about this idea with my agent and she’d be interested in representing this type of project providing I come up with a compelling set of personal essays. Of course, submissions will be treated in confidentiality and real names of people and places can be replaced with fictional ones.

Deadline: March 31st 2013

If you’re interested in submitting or if you have questions, you can drop me an email at:mayra.calvani@gmail.com.

Guest Blogger: Lorna Collins, Author of Sweet Romance Anthologies

It came to me in the middle of the night, as so many creative ideas do. I awoke with the idea of a book about four sisters. As children, they are each given a special snowflake by their great-aunt along with a poem about how special they are. In the body of the book, the sisters tell their own stories of how their snowflakes changed their lives. At the end, they reunite and share their experiences with each other.

Since sleep eluded me, I got up, went to the computer, and wrote the book’s prologue.

I knew I wanted to write one of the novellas that would make up the heart of the book, but I also thought it might be more interesting with three different writers for the others.

My first thought was my friend Sherry Derr-Wille. We’d met at a conference the year before. I’d read a couple of her books and knew that her style would work well for what I had in mind. I emailed the prologue to her, and she was excited about the concept. Since she had first choice of the sisters, she chose the youngest, Carole.

She said she would talk to another friend of hers whom I’d met at the same conference, but this person became very ill and couldn’t take part.

I next contacted Christie Shary, who was a member of our writing group. She’d just finished a novel and was willing to contribute. She chose the number two sister, Sonata.

I decided I’d take the oldest sister, Allegra, but that still left the third sister, Melody.

Another author from our writing group at first agreed to do that one, but shortly afterward decided she didn’t have the time. Yet another group member, Luanna Rugh, overheard us talking and asked about the project. By the end of our conversation, she had not only agreed to take Melody but had plotted her novella completely.

Our first book, Snowflake Secrets was accepted by Whiskey Creek Press even before it was finished because the owner of the company loves anthologies. It was a finalist for the Dream Realm and Eric Hoffer Awards.

We decided to do a second, Seasons of Love, this time without the through-story. This is the only one of our books written in third person. The novellas each have a different seasonal theme. My own, “Winter’s Song,” is based on a true story.

We discussed writing another and agreed we preferred related stories told in the first-person voices of the characters. Directions of Love is about four friends who grew up together. Then each moves away in a different geographical direction. They return to their home town for their twentieth high school reunion. This book won the EPIC eBook Award for best romance anthology of 2011.

We were on a roll and really enjoyed doing these, so I suggested a Christmas book. We added debut author, Cheryl Gardarian for An Aspen Grove Christmas, published in December of 2010.

Our latest anthology, The Art of Love, will be published in September of 2013. We’re currently working on two more.

As the setting for our books, we created the fictional town of Aspen Grove, Colorado. It was inspired by several of the small mining towns in the mountains outside of Denver. By now, the town has become so familiar we feel as though we could visit there. Several of our readers have told us they’d like to do the same.

Our special collaborative effort has been very rewarding for all of us. We chose sweet romance because that’s what we all like to read. Throughout the series, we’ve recycled local businesses and characters. Many reappear in subsequent books. They’ve taken on lives of their own.

If you’re looking for a sweet romantic read this Valentine’s Day, why not pick up one of ours?

Lorna Collins was raised in Alhambra, California and attended California State University at Los Angeles where she majored in English.

Between 1998 and 2001, she worked in Osaka, Japan on the Universal Studios theme park with her husband, Larry. Their memoir of that experience, 31 Months in Japan: The Building of a Theme Park was a 2006 EPPIE finalist and named as one of Rebeccas Reads Best Nonfiction books of 2005.

Their mysteries, Murder…They Wrote and Murder in Paradise were published by Whiskey Creek Press in ebook and paperback formats. They plan several more in this series.
In addition to the five romance anthologies, Lorna has written and a fantasy/mystery/romance called Ghost Writer, published by Oak Tree Press.

All their books are available from the publishers, on Amazon, Kindle, Barnes & Noble, Nook, their website (www.lornalarry.com), and other online book outlets. Follow Lorna’s blog at http://lornacollins-author.blogspot.com. And follow her on Twitter @LornaCollins.

Lorna & Larry now reside in Dana Point, CA where Larry enjoys surfing nearly every day and Lorna spends time with family and friends. They have several more books in the queue.

Leaps of Faith Virtual Book Tour

Welcome to Day 2 of hosting contributors to the Leaps of Faith anthology. Today our guest is Susanne Marie Knight. Susanne is the author of 21 novels and one anthology. Her book, The Coming, won the 2004 Dream Realm Award for best speculative fiction. She also is a six-time EPPIE finalist and writes in such diverse genres as science fiction, Regency, paranormal, mystery, suspense, time-travel, and contemporaries. Among her science fiction romance novels are award-winner Janus Is A Two-Headed God, the sequel Janus Is A Two-Faced Moon, (Earthling Press/Awe-Struck eBooks, Inc.) and best-seller Alien Heat (Wings ePress, Inc.) You can find out more about her works at www.susanneknight.com.

What is the title of your story and what is the inspiration behind it?

My story is called The Convert. The idea for The Convert started with the phrase "Bless me, Father, for I have sinned." If this was to be the beginning of my story, I then wondered why the speaker needed God's forgiveness or blessing. To give the tale a science fiction twist, I created an unusual dilemma for the main character, Father Wren. The question The Convert asks is: who is the real convert in this story?

Why did you decide to contribute to Leaps of Faith?

As soon as I heard about the call for short stories for a Christian Science Fiction anthology, I wanted to contribute. Combining Christian fiction with science fiction is a very imaginative mix. While I’ve written science fiction and also written about faith, I’ve never merged the two. I really enjoyed creating this thought-provoking story.

What it is that ties all these stories together?

All the stories in LEAPS OF FAITH are very entertaining with challenging themes. What more could a reader want?

What do you enjoy most about writing Christian Science fiction?

I enjoy the freedom of creating any number of possible scenarios using faith and science to stimulate the mind. An infinitesimal speck in the vast infinity of our universe can be explored via a story using astronomy and the glory of our Creator.


Find out more about this anthology at www.leapsoffaithsf.com.

The Leaps of Faith anthology is now available at Amazon.com!

Leaps of Faith Virtual Book Tour

Today we have the pleasure of interviewing Karina Fabian, a contributor to Leaps of Faith, an anthology of Christian Science fiction. Karina and her husband Robert also served as the book's editors.

What is the title of your story and what is the inspiration behind it?

I have a couple of stories in Leaps of Faith:

--Leap of Faith: My husband and I had come up with a universe where the solar system had been colonized and an order of nuns did search and rescue operations in outer space. We have several stories in this "Rescue Sisters" universe. Leap of Faith came to me after reading a story about a woman who had had a very traumatic experience as a child, but her mother, while comforting her, told her "Just forget about it." She did, repressing the memory completely, but later other events triggered the emotions from the experience. I decided to do the same with Sister.

--Tampering with God's Time: I actually wrote this in college, wondering what God would do if people tried to tamper with Biblical events. I was glad to brush it off for this anthology. I changed a few things, but overall, the story is the same.

Why did you decide to create Leaps of Faith?

Rob and I had wanted to write science fiction that included the Christian religion because we don't feel that humankind will "outgrow" faith just because we leave the atmosphere, develop new tech toys or even conquer the mystery of time travel. At that time, there were very few venues for Christian SF--that has changed now, hooray!--so we were pleased when FrancisIsidore E-Press gave us a chance to compile this book. Now, we're even more pleased that The Writers' Café Press is putting it in print.

What is it that ties all these stories together?

Faith and science are not at loggerheads; or at least, not fighting because one is inherently superior to the other. In these stories, there is not good guy chaplain against the evil atheist scientist, nor is there the rational man of science vs. the superstitious Believer.

What do you enjoy most about writing Christian Science fiction?

It just makes more sense, from a worldbuilding point of view, to include faith in our characters. Also, it's fun to address moral or even relational issues from a religious angle. Further, my faith is such a part of me, that it comes out in my writing and characters, so I enjoy the freedom of being able to write openly about it without concern.

Find out more about this anthology at www.leapsoffaithsf.com.

The Leaps of Faith anthology is now available at Amazon.com!

Infinite Space, Infinite God edited by Karina & Robert Fabian--Book Review

To travel where no one else has gone before might be the appeal to regular readers of science-fiction. I'm not one of those. I prefer to focus on all the drama that resides right here on earth. So, when I decided to purchase a copy of Infinite Space, Infinite God, the 2007 EPPIE award-winning Catholic science-fiction anthology edited by Karina and Robert Fabian, it had more to do with my curiosity over how they would mesh the Catholic Church into science fiction than with my burning desire to read it. And I have to admit, I approached the task of reading it with a hint of trepidation. What if I got to page 3 and couldn't go any further? Could a book of this nature appeal to a reader whose only experience with science-fiction is the television shows Star Trek and Star Trek the Next Generation?

The answer is a resounding, YES!

Never before have I regretted the end of a story as much as I did after I finished each of the fifteen stories included in Infinite Space, Infinite God. Each story drew me in with the depth of its characters, uniqueness of its plot, and its powerful endings. I never knew what to expect in the next story, but I knew I wouldn't be disappointed.

Infinite Space, Infinite God opens up with The Harvest by Lori Z. Scott. A smart choice since it is one of the most thought-provoking stories. Dr. Barry Martinez joins the Moon Project Base, living amongst a mix of humans and HuNomes--genetically altered people stemming from the Human Genome project. While HuNome #17 longs to be free of her oppressors, the Catholic Church debates whether the HuNomes have souls--making the harvesting of their organs and birthing of new HuNomes unethical. Dr. Martinez's exposure to the HuNomes he does his best to avoid leave him with some questions too. It it those questions that put him in danger and the answers which allow him to find his true calling.

Our Daily Bread by Robert and Karina Fabian finds Deacon Ray McHenry struggling to decide if he will continue his work at the Blair Mining Station or return to earth and his wife, Connie. When the supply of Eucharistic hosts is lost, Deacon Ray must do everything in is power to help his congregation accept the loss of the most important symbol of the Last Supper. Attempts to secure a new supply are unsuccessful, but suddenly new hosts keep appearing. Is it a miracle? Is it the work of a good Samaritan? And will Deacon Ray ever be able to leave the Blair Mining Station after the curiosity over the duplicating hosts increases the size of the congregation?

Ken Pick and Alan Loewen collaborate on an intriguing tale filled with mystery and suspense. Mask of the Ferret brings together a variety of humans and lifeforms on the Free Trader Coventry--a freight runner bound for Alorya. Its passengers include Father Eric Heidler, a human woman and her daughter, a Selkie, and a construct named Jill Noir. Unbeknownest to the Captain and her crew, someone has snuck an ancient artifact onboard Coventry and he/she/it is being tracked by an agent of the Order of St. Dismas, who is posing as a passenger. As the artifact slowly destroys the minds of the Coventry's crew and passengers, it is up to Father Eric to find a way to help all of them, including the one passenger who has put them all at risk.

In August, when I interviewed Karina during the Infinite Space, Infinite God Virtual Book Tour, I asked her why such diverse stories worked in this anthology. She sited the talented writers, their different approaches to science-fiction, and their varied science-fiction styles.

While I have to agree, I would also say that another reason Infinite Space, Infinite God is winning awards and garnering fabulous reviews, is that all the stories are about more than the Catholic Church and outer space. When broken down to their barest bones, these stories are all about people--their relationships with one another, how their beliefs affect their personal and professional relationships, and the impact that faith has on believers and non-believers alike.

I highly recommend Infinite Space, Infinite God to all my readers. You don't have to be a Catholic or a lover of science-fiction to enjoy these stories; you just have to be a living, breathing person who struggles and appreciates their place in the world.

To read my interview with author and editor Karina about Infinite Space, Infinite God go to http://thebookconnectionccm.blogspot.com/2007/08/infinite-space-infinite-god-tour.html

Infinite Space, Infinite God
Published by Twilight Times Books
ISBN 13-978-1-933353-62-3
ISBN 10-1-933353-62-7
U.S. Price $18.95

The Infinite Space, Infinite God Tour Continues

Joining me today is author and editor, Karina Fabian. We’ll be chatting about the 2007 EPPIE award-winning Catholic Science-fiction anthology Infinite Space, Infinite God (ISIG), which is available in eBook format through Twilight Times Books - http://www.twilighttimesbooks.com/InfiniteSpace_ss1.html - or in trade paperback through Amazon, Bamm.com, Barnes & Noble, Borders, and other bookstores. Karina and her husband Robert edited and contributed to this anthology.

Welcome to The Book Connection, Karina. It’s great to have you here!

Thanks, Cheryl! This is Day Nine on the Infinite Space, Infinite God tour for readers, but something like day 45 for me! I've been filling out interviews, sending out synopses, and doing guest blogs in preparation for this for months. I love the Internet and I love sharing both ISIG and my stories with folks like you.

There is so much we could talk about, but let’s get started with finding out a bit more about Robert and you. How long have you both been writing? What other writing projects have you worked on--together or separately?

It sounds cliché, but I've been telling stories since around age five, and have been writing them since I could string sentences together. I tried to write my first novel in third grade. In high school, I did a lot of bad poetry and good Star Trek fanfic--about what you'd expect from a teen geek! In college, I started exploring my own worlds and characters, and finally got serious about it in 1995, after I'd left the active duty Air Force.

I've written nonfiction articles about parenting, pregnancy, travel, people, businesses--you name it, I probably wrote about it. In fiction, I mostly stick with science fiction and fantasy. I have three craft books out, all tied to the Little Flowers and Blue Knights clubs. In addition, I have a fantasy trilogy I'm shopping around, a fantasy comedy going to a publisher soon (Magic, Mensa and Mayhem), and stories published in Eternal Night, Samsara, Firestorm of Dragons and some others. Oh, and there's all that fanfic I had published back in college. In addition, I keep up my many websites, contribute to blogs and host a weekly authors' chat.

Rob's solo writing has mostly been in the non-fiction arena--military space operations and doctrine, ballistic missiles, space economic development--and published in professional journals like Proceedings of the Naval Institute and Astropolitics. However, he has notebooks of ideas (fiction and non-fiction alike) to pursue once he's retired and has more time to pursue his writing.

Together, we've edited the SF anthologies, Leaps of Faith and Infinite Space, Infinite God. We've also written several stories in a near future universe where humans have colonized the solar system and an order of nuns, Our Lady of the Rescue, conducts space search-and-rescue operations. We have stories in both anthologies and one in Hereditas Magazine (www.hereditasmagazine.com), and are working on our first novel in that universe, Discovery. We're already making plans for Infinite Space, Infinite God II.


Infinite Space, Infinite God is an anthology of Catholic Science-fiction. Being a former Catholic, this intrigues me. How do you mix Catholicism and science-fiction? Doesn’t the Catholic Church believe in creationism, not science?

It's a myth that the Catholic Church is anti-science. Nothing could be farther than the truth. The Church held onto the wisdom of the past through the Dark Ages, helping to foster the Renaissance. Mendel, the father of genetics, and Copernicus, who originally proposed the heliocentric theory of the solar system, were both Catholic monks. Moving into more modern times, the Vatican has a working observatory, a Pontifical Academy for science, and hosts symposiums for scientists of all religions.

What about Galileo? There are a lot of factors in that case, including the fact that we could not prove Galileo's theories until decades later when telescope technology improved, Galileo's slander of the Pope of the time, and other factors. It was not just a question of theology vs. science. The Catholic Church could not endorse Heliocentric theory--which was then unproven--but neither did it reject it or science out of hand. Proposing a new theory about the universe, not a problem. Bad-mouthing the Pope while you propose your new theory, yeah, that would get you into trouble.

As far as Creationism, the Church does not have a doctrinal position for or against it. Like evolution, it is a theory. The Church does not dictate a literal word-for-word interpretation of the Bible. Catholic teaching is that the Bible is for the salvation of our souls, not the scientific explanation of our universe. There are several genres included in the Bible, including history, poetry and allegory. The Creation Story is allegory, meaning it is True, but not literal. For example: Truths: God created the world in an orderly fashion; humans are a combination of the natural (of the earth) and divine (God's breath into Adam); God rested (as we should). Literalism: God said a sentence and light spontaneously appeared. God took six 24-hour periods to create everything. God made the first human out of dirt.

If you think about it, can you imagine God explaining the Big Bang to ancient man? "And God said: E = Amv^2 - Ze^2/r ..."

God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. God has power over everything. That's what our souls need to know. Want to figure out how? Go for it, but don't expect that to get you to Heaven.

Having said all this, Catholic doctrine does not prohibit Catholics from embracing Creationism, either. It's another theory of how God created the universe.

The Catholic Church does, however, take very seriously its role as a moral guide, including in the area of science. Where science impacts on the Ten Commandments, or where it tempts humans to take the place of God, the Church will be there to advise restraint, caution and clarity of mind and soul. A lot of the stories in Infinite Space, Infinite God draw on this important role.

So a long story short is that science, science fiction and Catholicism blend together quite well.

Having read several of these stories already, the topics are very diverse with the Catholic Church playing a role in all of them. What inspired you to bring together the Church and a genre that Catholicism might not be typically associated with?

We believe Catholicism should be associated with science--and in a positive way.

As long-time science fiction fans, we were often frustrated at the lack of any religion in the genre, except when used as a foil for the "Evil Scientist" or to play the villain against Progress. To be fair, that's not the only time you saw it--Canticle for Liebowitz by Walter Miller is a classic of science fiction and undeniably Catholic--but they were rare enough that we wanted to explore the idea.

Our initial exploration was to create the universe of the Order of Our Lady of the Rescue. This led us to compiling our first anthology, Leaps of Faith (which covers many Christian faiths), then to Infinite Space, Infinite God.

Why these authors? Why these stories? What did you find in these fifteen different stories that made you want to include them in ISIG?

We had three criteria:

1. Engaging stories. They had to catch our interest with unique ideas, strong characters, well-done action or well-written prose, or preferably all of these things.

2. Sound science fiction: The science had to be internally believable and where based on real science, realistically projected. (We had some writers work with scientists for their stories.)

3. Sound Catholic doctrine: the stories had to stay in agreement with current Catholic doctrine, or the reason for going against those doctrines had to be extreme and well explained that it was not a casual choice.

In stories like The Harvest and Interstellar Calling, the main character goes through certain experiences that lead him or her to be called into service for the Catholic Church. But as I think about these stories, they truly seem to be more about the calling than about the circumstances which led the main character to decide to serve. But in Hopkins’ Well we find out something surprising about Bethesda. And it is that surprise, along with what he witnesses that makes him decide to want to share what he has learned with the Wellers and the people on Earth. So, in this instance, the story becomes more about the circumstances and less about the calling. Why do these different approaches work in the same anthology?

They work because this is an anthology. We wanted different approaches, fresh ideas, new twists, and varying angles. We were also blessed with some very talented writers with different backgrounds, faith experiences and writing styles. Finally, because religion itself affects people in so many ways, we felt the anthology should do the same.

As you've noted in our stories, some people are led to a Calling, and the Calling is the focus; in others, like "Little Madeleine," their Calling is the solution to their troubles. In other stories, like "Understanding," the Catholic faith, misused or badly considered, causes problems. In some, like "Brother John" practicing Catholicism brings peril, while in others like "Brother Jubal in the Womb of Silence," it brings incredible peace.

You'll see different approaches to the science fiction aspect, too. Science causes problems, solves problems, is the means to tell the story, or is simply the necessary background. Science acts in opposition to faith and in cooperation.

Finally, you'll find a variety of science fiction styles as well: hard science where the principles are based in fact, thought out and discussed, soft science where, for example, you're simply given "time travel exists" and the story moves on, space opera (a long time ago or ahead in a galaxy far, far away), "furry" (a genre I never knew existed until I started this, but that involves intelligent animals), adventure, mystery…

Like you said, it works. One consistent comment we get from readers and reviewers is that they kept turning the pages because they never knew where the next story would take them. We think that's the mark of a great anthology.

The opening pages of ISIG discuss the Catholic Church’s support and encouragement of scientific advancements through the centuries. Why was it important to include such history? Also included, was information about the Catholic faith which helped to introduce the aspects of Catholicism that these stories dealt with. How was this approach decided upon and what does this information add for the reader?

Actually, we did this, in part, as a nod to the original publisher. This would have been their first step into genre fiction, as they publish mostly non-fiction, historical, biographies, and such, and we thought this might prove a transition. When they turned us down--because of the genre aspect--we decided to keep them in. (I worked hard on those!)

The history specifically answers those who pick up the book and think, as you mentioned above, "Isn't Catholicism anti-science?" The story introductions provided some organization and framework. We thought it interesting to learn about the past and present before going on to the future. However, we also specifically crafted the introductions so that they are not necessary to understand or enjoy the stories. (So if you want to skip them go ahead; you won't hurt our feelings.)

Now that we're with a secular publisher, we're glad we included them, because one thing folks have said is that this book makes them think, and that was our goal. I wrote the introductions to try to give folks a reference from which to start, to know what the Catholic Church has done and is doing and may do in the future. Someday, we'd like to put together a study guide--but that's another project, and frankly will depend on how well ISIG sells and whether we think there's an audience for it.

I really could go on, but then what would people learn at the rest of your blog stops this month? Is there anything you would like to add?

Infinite Space, Infinite God is entertaining science fiction with a Catholic twist. That means you don't need to be Catholic to enjoy it--and in fact, our reviewers have spanned the spectrum of faith. (Our writers, too, for that matter.)

Folks can learn more about Infinite Space, Infinite God by checking out our website at http://isigsf.tripod.com. There, you'll find synopses of the stories, interviews, event news, teasers and more.

Infinite Space, Infinite God is already available as an e-book from www.twilighttimesbooks.com or fictionwise. After August 15, it will be available in print from www.twilighttimesbooks.com, amazon.com, or from your favorite books store.

If you enjoy ISIG, please consider asking your local library to purchase a copy so that others might discover it. And let us know how you liked it! Our contact information is on the website.

Thanks for stopping by Karina. I congratulate the authors, Robert, and you for putting together an anthology of thought-provoking, diverse, gripping stories. No wonder ISIG has received such rave reviews. I wish you all much success in the future.

Thanks, Cheryl. I enjoyed answering these questions for you and your readers!

To find out where the Infinite Space, Infinite God tour goes next check out the ISIG website at http://isigsf.tripod.com.