What I Learned Writing The Prodigy and the Telepath
By now, my latest novelette, The Prodigy and the Telepath, has been released to the world and thousands of units have sold. The first half of that statement is true, but, unless a miracle occurs, not the second.
Being an independent author of Christian science fiction and fantasy has been a challenge to say the least. I’ve been at it for going on three years now, and I’ve learned a great deal about the business side of it. More importantly, I’ve learned a bit about myself. So, I’m going to share some of the things I learned about both.
Find trustworthy people – there are a core batch of people which have been behind me 100%. Family, friends, critique partners, and author friends. Without them, I don’t think I’d still be writing.
Try everything…once – Marketing has been quite the challenge. I tried a whole lot of different promos, reviews, ads, etc. If they didn’t show appreciable results, I crossed them off the list for future use.
Discernment – Oh boy, did I need this. There are so many different scams out there, and some were very convincing. I had to dig deep to find the flaws. Even then, I still fell for a couple. However, I found a wonderful marketing partner through one of those unsolicited emails. I usually toss those emails into the trash. I thank God for the push to respond to the one that just felt different. She’s Christian to boot.
God is in control…not me – I have a control-freak streak in me. There were times I thought I knew what I needed to do, but God had other plans in mind. There have been a couple opportunities which fell into my lap. Which led to the next item…
Patience – God works on His timeline, not mine. Like control, my patience limit fluctuates greatly. I could wait for the world to end for one thing, then push, push, push for others. He has had to remind me of this from time to time.
The last, and most important, thing I learned was to ask for the right things. I’ll be blunt. Sales are abysmal and I’m in a deep hole. I’ve been praying for a blessing, income, something, so I can keep this writing gig going.
Earlier this year, I wrote a blog post for ACFW, and my site, called “God is an Earworm?” I occasionally receive messages through songs that run on repeat in the morning. One song has been running constantly for a week, Breathe on It by Tauren Wells. In it, he calls on the Holy Spirit to “breathe on it,” meaning my heart. Even though my writing is infused with biblical truths, God’s telling me it could be better and I need some help. So, I’ve changed what I’m asking for.
And there you have it. I hope this blesses you in some fashion.
The Prodigy and the Telepath
“Not all the thoughts you have are your own.”
Says the strange new girl Eric meets on the maglev.
Thirteen-year-old Eric D’Tra’val, the most powerful psionic on Earth, has just finished burying his adoptive mother. He slips away to the Arizona desert, trying desperately to outrun his grief and the forces that hound him: rage, despair, and doubt. Each one whispers the same message: God has abandoned you. Give in to the rage.
Then he meets Sarah Robinson, a telepath his age so sensitive, Eric’s thoughts bleed through his most powerful telepathic shields. She has heard the voices that assail Eric before and knows how to combat them with scripture.
Their chance meeting becomes an adventure neither of them prepared for: armed trespassers in a century-old mine, new psionic abilities erupting at the worst possible moments, and a spiritual battle that has been stalking Eric since the accident that claimed his real parents eight years prior.
To survive, they must work together. But is she a help or a liability?
Website link: https://www.kebauthor.com
The Prodigy and the Telepath: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0HGKNM19N
Kenneth Bliss writes Christian science fiction and Christian LitRPG fantasy featuring spiritual warfare, battles reminiscent of TTRPG encounters, and heroes whose faith shapes the outcome of impossible conflicts. An unabashed nerd, he has watched Star Wars movies ad infinitum, read hundreds of sci-fi/fantasy books and played TTRPG and MMORPG games for over forty years. After using his imagination super-power for good in the corporate sector (and occasionally for not-so-good as a GM), he turned his sights to the written word to express his love of God, sci-fi/fantasy and psionics. He lives near a small town in Michigan, hidden amongst the trees and nature with his two cats.
