Having restored the life-giving moisture to the land, and returned to his life as a house cat, Samuel’s leisurely existence is once again interrupted—this time by a visit from a wolf. With news that a rampant flame threatens to burn down the forest, Samuel travels with his new companion in hopes of stopping the fire before it spreads across the land. Yet new dangers await our feline hero as the harsh realities of nature put his survival skills to the test.

If you haven’t read the first book in The Cat That series, don’t worry. You can either pick up a copy of The Cat That Made Nothing Something Again, or read the second book on it’s own. The story follows the same feline hero, but can be read independently.

Looking for a children story and children book for second graders (2nd graders) or older (ages 7-12 +)? It’s a great starter book for early readers, and parents can feel confident in sharing The Cat That Tamed a Flame with their kids. There are no sexual situations, gore, or foul language / curse words. Just clean, good old fairy tale fun. And, unlike many Christian books, this one isn’t preachy—it provides subtle messages of faith and hope while reflecting on the Parable of the Prodigal Son.

Available as a Paperback, Kindle eBook, and Nook eBook, you can acquire a copy from the links below:

Me: “Traphis: A Wizard’s Tale is available on Amazon and B&N for the Kindle and Nook.”
Reader: “I don’t have a Kindle or Nook.”
Me: “That’s okay because you can also read it on your PC, Smartphone, or Tablet.”
Reader: “Call me old fashioned, but I prefer the feel of a book in my hands.”
Me: “Have you ever actually tried an eReader?”
Reader: “Well, no, but I just like paper better.”

Have you ever had a childhood experience where you thought your mom or dad just didn’t get it? Whether it be music, clothing, hair style, or other modern day trends? Guess what, we’re doing the same thing with technology. It’s not only a section of Baby Boomers who pooh-pooh the idea of eReaders, but Gen X’ers too. We’ve become our parents by saying no before actually giving the thing a try.

Are we afraid of complicated technologies?

Some time ago, I bought my grandmother a DVD player. VHS tapes were becoming expensive due to their limited availability. Since she loved to watch movies as much as I did, it was a common practice for us to buy videos as gifts for one another. The problem came when DVDs took over the market. Why? Because DVDs required more user interaction. My grandmother was used to pushing a VHS tape into the player where it would automatically play. With DVDs, she had to navigate the menu to find the PLAY option. No matter how many times I showed her, or patiently explained each step, for some reason or another it never sank in.The same concept translates over to printed books. All you have to do is open the cover and flip through the pages until you are done. Simple as that. Like the DVD, there’s more to an eReader. You must (1) get the book on the reader, and (2) select it from a menu.

Are we afraid of changing a good thing?

The old sang, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” comes to mind. People have been reading ink on paper for hundreds of years. The Gutenburg Press paved the way for printed technologies many years ago. But until now, we’ve never removed the paper. We like our paper. We like how it folds in our hands. We like the fresh smell it gives to a new book. So why change it?

Are eReaders too expensive?

Another issue revolves around cost. A new paperback costs around $10-$27 dollars. Used books are typically half that. A new eReader costs somewhere between $100 and $200. For many, that’s just too much of a price jump. Bring the library into the equation–where you can borrow books at no cost–and you have a real argument against eReaders. Right? Read on.

Are eReaders worth the trouble?

As human beings, we often find comfort in the familiar. We generally like to wake up at the same time every day, pour our cup of coffee, and jump into the shower. We are creatures of habit and routine, and it’s only natural to be hesitant when something new comes around and threatens to invade our happy homes. But consider this: not all change is bad. Do you remember a time before the Internet? Before we had portable phones? Before movies came into our homes? How about a time before books? No? Well, believe it or not, but there once was a time where books did not exist. Stories were verbally passed back and forth between people. There were no pens with paper to write them down on. As humanity advanced, so did our resources for communication. Just think, if our ancestors never adapted, where would we be today? What if books never took shape? Can you picture a long deceased relative saying, “I just like the way a scroll unrolls in my hands; I’m not interested in those newfangled books”?

Don’t worry, it’s not as scary as it seems (the benefits of eReaders)

Just as scrolls and VHS tapes had room for improvement, so also do printed books. Here are a few of the many ways eReaders are an improvement:

Still not convinced? Here are a few other common questions/concerns I’ve heard:

I can’t borrow out eBooks like I can with paperbacks
Actually, you can. Amazon allows you to click on books you purchased and borrow them out to others. There’s even an entire website (booklending.com) dedicated to connecting people who wish to share their books, making eReaders even more cost effective.

I don’t like reading on a screen
I agree that staring at an LCD for too long isn’t ideal. What people misunderstand is that not all eBook readers are equal. Some use LCD screens, like the Nook Color, but others use what’s called electrophoretic ink (or E Ink), like the Kindle. This technology best reproduces what type/text looks like on paper. There’s no backlight, thus there’s no extra strain on the eyes. E Ink works like a charm.

If my eReader or computer crashes, I’ll lose all my books
As with any digital platform, it’s best to make backups. That said, Amazon houses any purchases you make in their archive. If something happens to your hardware, just re-download the books free of charge.

I can’t read eBooks in the tub or on a beach
If you do a lot of reading near water, just toss on one of the many available waterproof cases. They aren’t too expensive. Heck, you can use a Ziploc® bag for that matter, you just won’t be winning any design competitions.

What about environmental impact?
It’s true that paperbacks don’t use batteries like eReaders do. That said, electronic ink has an extremely low rate of power consumption and can last over a month on a single charge. Whereas hardcovers and paperbacks use paper, which comes from trees. Limiting the number of trees being cut down can easily be considered environmentally friendly.

Will printed books go away if I switch?
No. At least, not anytime soon. I want my 2-year-old to rip pages out of her books without any concerns. I also enjoy reading graphic novels in full, lush color. Personally, I keep a small collection of my favorite and rare books, just in case the world is destroyed and aliens demolish the power plants. There will always be a place for the printed word, but the scope of it grows ever smaller.

I prefer the smell of printed books
Believe it or not, but they make a spray for this. I kid you not. My personal opinion is if this is why you don’t want to switch, then perhaps you aren’t ready yet.

I prefer getting books from the library
Many eReaders work with a system called Overdrive, which is covered by quite a few libraries. You can download and read eBooks for free just as you would check out a paperback/hardcover. Amazon boasts that their Kindle will have this option soon (Udate: Kindles now have this ability).

Conclusion

I’m not telling you to go out and buy a Kindle or Nook because I want you to get a copy of my book. As much as I’d love to gain more readers, I’m not worried about a decrease in sales. I’ve already sold over 100 copies of Traphis: A Wizard’s Tale in just over a month of its release. Those who have eReaders are finding it. The unfortunate thing is that most of those people are not my family or friends (people I would hope to receive an especially good review from). Why? Because, like many others, they are reluctant to adapt to this new technology.

Thankfully, there are plenty of people out there who do love eBooks, and I’m happy to share my story with them. All I’m asking you to do is to try it before you knock it. Let’s not be our parents by saying no without knowing what we are really saying no to.

Most everyone I’ve talked to who said they preferred the feel of paper, soon changed their mind when spending a week with a Kindle. My mother included. I bought her one for Christmas, and now she won’t put it down. Having an open mind will only benefit you, and a closed mind will only hurt you.

Once you take the scary out of the new technology, you may find that it’s much easier to use than you imagined. eReaders are lighter, easier to hold, take up less storage space, are easy on the eyes, have a long battery life, and are the fastest way to get the books you love into the palm of your hand.

If you don’t have either a Kindle or Nook eReader, don’t worry, you can download the story and read it on your computer, smartphone, or tablet using the free Kindle software located here: http://amzn.to/iUxM7O .

Click here to purchase book for the Kindle
Click here to purchase book for the Nook

Once you’ve finished reading the book, it would be a great help if you could leave a rating at the site of purchase.

I hope you enjoy the story!

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Read more about A Wizard’s Tale at http://awizardstale.com .

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This is an ongoing list, so feel free to comment and make suggestions.

Here’s a list of new content:

• Read an excerpt

• View history of A Wizard’s Tale

• Desktop wallpaper

• News on Facebook and Twitter

• Be notified when Traphis A Wizard’s Tale becomes available

Here is a book trailer for Traphis: A Wizard’s Tale. Thankfully I had some free time during Christmas break to get this put together. It’s best viewed with your volume turned on.

It’s not as fancy and complex as I had wished, but Windows Live Movie Maker was my best available program for video creation. Overall, I think it turned out pretty well.

Direct link on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtuji5R0uKk .

You may notice that the font size for the author name is fairly large. This allows for easier viewing as a thumbnail image.

A Wizard’s Tale is slated for release as an e-book on the kindle and nook software (early 2011). Paperback version will be available later in the year, which may have a slightly different version of the cover.

For upcoming information, please follow at Facebook or Twitter.

a far off place

I turned left or was it right
a twisting path into the night
I stumbled here and I stumbled there,
I can not find it anywhere…

a far off place

a dim light shown
the road not willing
an easy way out
seemed fulfilling…

a far off place

greed and envy
lust and hate
the path long gone
is it too late?…

a far off place

a stream of blood
a trail to follow
one whose righteous
fills with sorrow…

a far off place

my knees give way
I answer the door
son of man enters
I fear no more…

a place called home

Proverbs says, “Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you will be like him yourself.” And in the next verse, “Answer a fool according to his folly, or he will be wise in his own eyes.” So which is it? Is the Bible contradictory? By no means. What this is saying is that both are correct, it is the circumstances that are different.

Situations in life are not as black and white as science. They require wisdom, insight, understanding and compassion, but most of all they require the direction of the Spirit.

I believe God designed it this way deliberately so that man cannot boast about his own cleverness or behave as if he is the one who is in control. As Simon the Sorcerer nearly found out the hard way, mankind cannot force the Spirit to do their personal bidding. It is more than an insult to the being that created all things.

Christians who apply the teachings of Christ as a science–one which applies to all mankind and at all times–are misunderstanding the purpose behind the cause, and perhaps to an ever greater degree, the effect.

Unlike Christ we do not have the ability to look into each person’s heart. He was able to meet everyone where they were at, and tell them what they needed to hear. Be careful about repeating His words to someone they were not meant for, and without truly understanding the circumstances, as you can end up doing more harm than good.

We are to blame for coming across as judgmental and hypritical when we demand the world to live up to our misguided expectations. So often we act as if all is perfect on the outside, when the truth is that we are all struggling through issues of our own. We have become so known for what we are against that we have destroyed any chance of sharing what we are for. People just want something real and are sick of all the lies. When they see Christians they often see another lie, but we are robbing them of something more real and tangible than anything they could ever experience.

Faith is not a science that always behaves and performs how you think it should. Rather than throw a book in the face of your brother or sister, take the time to get to know him or her. If we actually start listening to people’s hearts, really listening, then maybe, just maybe we can reach them in a way that really matters.