My friend Stephen's book is available now!

Enjoy stories and poems from authors 

Stephen B. Bagley, Kent Bass, Wendy Blanton, 

Gail Henderson, Jean Schara, and Tamara Siler Jones

in this dark, thrilling anthology!

Click here to buy Blackbirds First Flight at Amazon!

Click here to buy Blackbirds First Flight at Barnes & Noble!
Click here to buy Blackbirds First Flight at Lulu!
Learn more at Blackbirds Flights.

Library hosts book signing

(Go to my friend Stephen's book signing. It sounds like fun!)

ADA, OKLAHOMA—Ada Public Library will host a book signing for the new anthology “Blackbirds First Flight” 4:30-6:30 p.m., Thursday, October 30. The anthology features stories from Ada author Stephen B. Bagley, Kent Bass, Wendy Blanton, Gail Henderson, Jean Schara, and Tamara Siler Jones.

Bagley, Blanton, Henderson, and Schara will sign copies of the book at the signing. The book will also be on sale at that time for the special price of $10.

“‘Blackbirds First Flight’ is an anthology of stories and poetry with a dark, sensual twist,” said Pru Simmons, Many River Harbor associate editor. “The stories run the gambit from thrilling Gothic adventure to modern urban fantasy to fantastic encounters with the macabre. The poetry is uniformly excellent and tells dark stories of its own, many related to mythology.”

Simmons said the book might become an annual anthology. “We have had many inquiries about the book and its theme,” she said. “We definitely think there is an interest in dark, twisty fantasy that tells a satisfying story and follows traditional narrative arcs. We hope there will be another flight next year.”

“Gail (Henderson) and I are excited to actually meet some of the other authors,” Bagley said. “Wendy (Blanton) is flying in from Chicago, and Jean (Schara) is driving up from Texas. This is the first time we’ll all be in the same town.”

Stephen B. Bagley wrote “Tales from Bethlehem,” “Murder by Dewey Decimal,” “Murder by the Acre,” “Floozy & Other Stories,” and “EndlesS.” His works have appeared in “Creations 2014,” “Creations 2013,” “Creations 2012,” “ByLine Magazine,” “Free Star,” “Nautilus Magazine,” “OKMagazine,” and other publications. He graduated from Oklahoma State University with a Bachelor of Science in Journalism. He is a member of Oklahoma Writers Federation, Inc. and Ada Writers.

Kent Bass enjoys writing Gothic action/adventure stories. He graduated from Oklahoma State University with a Bachelor of Science in Business and from the University of Oklahoma, with a Master of Science in Accountancy. He and his family live in Dallas, Texas, where he works for the nation’s leading tax software company. “Blackbirds First Flight” is his first publication.

Wendy Blanton published three fantasy novels, “The Dragon’s Lady,” “Rogue Pawn,” and “Sword and Scabbard” under the pen name Elizabeth Joy with co-author Scott Carman. She has a Bachelor of Applied Science in Business Management from the University of Mount Olive and served in active duty for the United States Air Force for eight years. She is an apprentice bard and tells Celtic folk tales at Scottish Highland Games and other venues.

Gail Henderson collaborated with noted Oklahoma photographer Michael Duncan to produce “Bare,” a book of poetry and photography. “Red Bird Woman,” a collection of her poetry, was published in 2013. Her work has appeared in “Creations 2014,” “Creations 2013,” “Creations 2012,” and “ByLine Magazine.” She holds a Masters of Education in English and Social Studies from East Central University. She is a member of Oklahoma Writers Federation, Inc. and Ada Writers.

Tamara Siler Jones is a wife, mom, writer, quilter, and cat-wrangler from rural Iowa. She has three novels in print/eBook (“Ghosts in the Snow,” winner of the Compton Crook Award for best first novel of the year in the Science Fiction/Fantasy/Horror genre; “Threads of Malice”; and “Valley of the Soul”; all published by Bantam Books), one book (“SPORE”) under contract with Samhain Publishing for release next summer; one book (“Morgan’s Run”) being marketed in New York, three novels in progress, and a screenplay in first draft.

Jean Schara retired from a 28-year career in the United States Air Force in 2008 and took up residence in Texas. She is a graduate of the University of Maryland University College with a Bachelor of Arts in Professional Writing and of the Troy State University with a Master of Science in Adult Education. She has had several book reviews published in the “Air Power Journal” and several articles published in “Vision: A Resource for Writers.”

“Blackbirds First Flight” is available from Amazon.com, Lulu.com, and other online retailers and in downtown Ada at Karen’s Art & Framing, Inc., 108 East Main.

For more information, visit Blackbirds Flights.

Festival this Thursday!

Fall Book & Author Festival slated for Thursday

ADA – Ada Writers Second Annual Fall Book and Author Festival will be Thursday, Sept. 18, 4:30-6:30 p.m. hosted by Karen’s Art and Farming, 108 East Main. The festival will feature books by local authors and “Creations 2014,” the latest anthology by Ada Writers.

“This is our chance to show our appreciation for the support we’ve received from Ada and the surrounding area,” said Stephen B. Bagley, Ada Writers president. “We will have a limited number of signed copies of ‘Creations 2014’ available.”

The anthology features short stories, poems, memoirs, and more by members of Ada Writers, including Kelley Benson, Eric Collier, Stacey Foster, Gail Henderson, Mel Hutt, Sterling Jacobs, Ken Lewis, Rick Litchfield, Don Perry, Martha Rhynes, James Sanders, Anna Tynsky, Joanne Verbridge, Tim Wilson, Tom Yarbrough, and Loretta Yin. Unsigned copies are available for purchase on Lulu, Amazon, and other online retailers.

“We will also be featuring books from our members,” Bagley said. Among the books offered will be “Floozy & Other Stories,” “Tales from Bethlehem,” “Murder by Dewey Decimal,” and “Murder by the Acre” by Stephen B. Bagley; “On Target: Devotions for Modern Life” by Kelley Benson; “Montana Sunshine” by Arlee Fairbanks; “Red Bird Woman” by Gail Henderson; “Devoted to Creating” by Jen Nipps; “The War Bride,” “Secret of the Pack Rat’s Nest,” “Jack London,” and “How to Write Scary Stories” by Martha Rhynes; and “Tree Stand Scribbles” and “Treasures of the Kingdom” by Tom Yarbrough. “The books range from mysteries to romance to biography to inspirational and more,” said Bagley.

Several members of Ada Writers will read from the various Creations anthologies, and original music will be provided by member Anna Tynsky. “We will have refreshments, of course, and plenty of good conversations about books and writing, and a few surprises,” Bagley said.

Ada Writers has been helping local authors with their writing goals for more than 25 years. The group meets the second and fourth Saturday of each month in the upstairs meeting room at the Ada Public Library at 11 a.m. Meeting times may be changed to accommodate holidays and bad weather. The meetings feature writing programs and tips aimed at beginners, professionals, and all those in between. For more information about Ada Writers, visit their website at www.adawriters.blogspot.com.

The Strength of Friendship

L

et’s take a careful look at the events in Job 1:6-12:

“One day the members of the heavenly court came to present themselves before the Lord, and the Accuser, Satan, came with them.

God: ‘Where have you come from?’

Satan: ‘I have been prowling around on the earth, watching everything that’s going on.’

God: ‘Have you noticed my servant Job? He is the finest man in all the earth. He is blameless—a man of complete integrity. He fears God and stays away from evil.’

Satan: ‘Yes, but Job has good reason to fear God. You have always put a wall of protection around him and his home and his property. You have made him prosper in everything he does. Look how rich he is! But reach out and take away everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face!’

God: ‘All right, you may test him, do whatever you want with everything he possesses, but don't harm him physically.’”

For many people, this is one of the most troubling scenes played out in the Bible, perhaps because God allowed something so horrific to happen to someone so holy. Job lost everything, his wealth, his family, and eventually his health, all with God’s approval. We will never understand many things about that scene played out in Job’s life, but the reality is that we see those same kinds of scenes played out in the lives of people we know and love today.

Before we get mad at God, consider what He’s doing for Job and for the readers of this tragedy. The first time we see Satan in scriptures, it was amidst God’s perfect garden. He came to destroy what God established, but he was powerless to rally an army to rival God’s army. Satan was, and is, no match for God. God created humans to be independent thinking instruments of praise, which means we have the free will to choose God over other things and Satan knows that.

Scriptures have pointed out to me that God is primarily concerned with getting those that love Him to join Him in heaven, rather than focusing on the things of this life, like how wealthy, healthy, or happy we are. True happiness will be experienced in His kingdom. Therefore, Satan is on a timer; he only has what time we have during our span on earth to convince us to reject God and live for anything else.

Pain is Satan’s best trick in getting us to turn away from God. I feel confident in saying that it’s for that reason that Satan has worked so hard to destroy families, because of the tremendous pain caused when people God brought together are overcome with so much hurt, disappointments, frustrations, or hate that they disregard one of the purposes of their coming together in the first place.

Paul illustrates this for the Corinthians when he asked them to take back the man that they had discipline in 1 Corinthians 5, so “he won’t be overcome with discouragement.” He was part of a “church family” and he had been involved in things that would hurt the unity of that family, therefore he was punished, but just for a time. Time enough to help him see why he needed those people. Paul describes in 2 Corinthians 2:8, 10-11, “So I urge you now to reaffirm your love for him… [I have forgiven him] for your sakes, so that no advantage would be taken of us by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his schemes.”

The goal was to keep him with the family, the problem was that Satan was getting to him through sinful behavior; but we are not ignorant of his schemes. Understanding how Satan works helps us realize the need for brotherly support. The Bible is filled with examples of people coming together to be strengthened by one another. Even in Job’s situation, a bulk of the book is the debates between Job and his “friends.”

Job’s friends came with the intentions of sympathizing with Job, to comfort him, and console him; however, Satan used a tactic that ended up causing Job more pain and frustration. His friends ended up picking Job apart instead of encouraging his continued faithfulness. When trouble strikes, that’s when we need friends more than ever, just as Solomon said in Proverbs 17:17, “A friend is always loyal, and a brother is born to help in time of need.”

Peter said in 1 Peter 5:8-11, “Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world. After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.”

It seems that Peter acknowledges the influence our spiritual peers have on our lives. Paul described the Spiritual armor we are to wear that helps us stay focused on God’s plan, His goal for our lives, and His ability. However, God has shown all throughout scriptures the need for brothers and sisters to support us. People in our lives to be a support, and at times, we are that person in the life of someone else to support them. Or as Galatians 6:2 states it, “Bear one another's burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ.”

The love we show those in trouble is what will help the world to recognize the difference between Satan and the Creator of all things – God Almighty. John 13:34-35, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Let’s never forget that we may be how God chooses to demonstrate His strength to help someone finish the race of life. Job’s pain was an opportunity for friends to strengthen him.

They failed the task: what will you do? I know I have become dependent upon the advice, comfort, and support of Christians running alongside of me.

Preparing God's Way

Imagine you’re the new king of a major world empire. Your father did everything by his strength and his efforts, but now that you’re king, you’re going to do things differently. Although you still make efforts to make your nation great by building more trade relationships with surrounding nations, and you strengthen your army to rival any nation, you also seek to do it God’s way, asking Him to guide and direct your path.

Time would tell if you reached your goal, but perhaps the way you used your blessings would prove whether or not you were successful. For King Jehoshaphat he inherited a kingdom from his father Asa that was in need of repair, economically and spiritually. Jehoshaphat wanted to make it better, stronger, a force to be reckoned with. It was when other nations started asking for Judah’s assistance in fighting their enemies that proved his efforts were worth it.

We read in 2 Chronicles 18 where King Ahab of Israel asked Jehoshaphat, “Will you go with me to war?" And Jehoshaphat replied, “Why, of course! My troops are your troops. We will certainly join you in battle, but first let's find out what the Lord says.”

This was perhaps what really proved he had built a Godly kingdom. Although he wasn’t perfect, he continually sought out what the Lord wanted to do with his life and what the Lord had in mind for the kingdom. Jehoshaphat knew to be true what his ancestor David said in Psalms 127:1, “Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it.”

Ahab on the other hand wasn’t the kind of person Jehoshaphat should have been teamed up with; Ahab was probably one of the worst kings Israel ever had. Ahab simply gathered around him many false prophets who were willing to tell him whatever he wanted to here.

In 2 Chronicles 18:5 Ahab summoned 400 prophets, and asked them, "Should we go to war, or should I hold back?" They all replied, "Yes, go right ahead! God will give the king victory." But Jehoshaphat could recognize a true prophet from a false one, so he asked, “Is there not also a prophet of the Lord here?” But Ahab’s response was, “There is one more man who could consult the Lord for us, but I hate him. He never prophesies anything but trouble for me! His name is Micaiah.”

Micaiah did present himself before the kings to prophesy about the upcoming war. Even though he was told to agree with the other prophets, Micaiah finally tells Ahab the truth. He says, “You will die.”

Although this was orchestrated by God to get rid of Ahab for his many sins he committed, hopefully we can see how important it is to be prepared for the battle. Jehoshaphat prepared his kingdom with warriors, but he was also wise enough to rely on God’s strength to win his battles. Why did he trust God so much when his own efforts seemed to be so prosperous? As Psalms 24:8 reveals, “Who is the King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle.”

Part of putting on the armor of God is realizing where the strength actually comes from. Then realizing the need to stay alert and sober so that you can recognize when it’s best to join the crowd or buck the system. Read Ephesians 6:10-18 and see if the armor Paul described could help you make the right choice in some decision you have to face.

Paul describes that our battle really isn’t against flesh and blood, but against something harder to identify. Ultimately, that enemy is Satan. Satan hates you because God loves you. Satan wants you to be teamed up with people that may cause you to harden your heart to God. However, the battle armor Paul reminds us to put on is spiritual protection. Do you have your armor on?

Library to host book signing for Ada Writers

ADA, OKLAHOMA  – Ada Public Library will host a book signing for “Creations 2014,” the newest anthology from Ada Writers, Thursday, June 19, 4:30-6:30 p.m.

The book will be available to purchase at the signing for $12 and is available now at Lulu.com, Amazon.com, and other online retailers. Later this month, it will be on sale at Karen’s Art & Framing, Inc., in downtown Ada.

“We’ll have most of our authors at the signing,” Ada Writers president Stephen B. Bagley said. “It will be a great time to get your anthology signed by the writers and to meet them and talk about writing.”

A limited amount of the previous anthologies will also be available at the signing, and there will be a table featuring books by group members, including three new books. “Don Perry will be there with his new young adult book ‘Little Texas on the Pecos,’” Bagley said. “Tom Yarbrough will be bringing his new inspirational book ‘Treasures of the Kingdom.’ And Gail Henderson will present her new poetry and photography book ‘Bare.’” Other authors featured will be Bagley, Kelley Benson, and Martha Rhynes.

This is the third year that Ada Writers has produced an anthology. “Each year we’ve gained new authors,” Bagley said. “This year, we feature poems, essays, short stories, memoirs, and book excerpts from 17 local and area writers. Five of the authors have never been published in our anthology before.”

Authors will read from their works at the signing, Bagley said. “And we will have cookies. We can’t have a reading without cookies. It’s one of our traditions now.”

The local and area anthology authors include: Stephen B. Bagley, Kelley Benson, Eric Collier, Stacey Foster, Gail Henderson, Mel Hutt, Sterling Jacobs, Ken Lewis, Rick Litchfield, Don Perry, Martha Rhynes, James Sanders, Anna Tynsky, Joanne Verbridge, Tim Wilson, Tom Yarbrough, and Loretta Yin.

Ada Writers meets the second and fourth Saturday of each month at 11 a.m. in an upstairs meeting room at the Ada Public Library, 124 South Rennie. New writers are always welcome. For more information about the anthology and the writing group, please visit AdaWriters.blogspot.com.