A Tale of Launch, Longing, and Love

Of course, one always longs for a bigger launch. One cannot help but be discouraged when one peruses the actual “top 100” lists for which one is striving, only to find the majority of the books (even in the category of Mythology) have a half-naked man (or woman) on the cover and/or have titles containing the word “harem”. One finds the tiniest part of oneself trying to voice the unspeakable doubt: “Maybe I’m not supposed to do this.”

Enter the chorus of Wisdom, Wit, and Whimsy, who promptly dropkick the imminent doubt into the nether regions whence it came.

This chorus spoke through many avenues, from quiet inner assurance to a flood of community support (on and off the internets) to reviews that left me breathless:

“The Ancient is R.A. Nelson’s magnum opus and a story for the ages. The epic proportions of this tale, the timeless meaning and truth that glows on its every page, the richness of language all earn R.A. Nelson a seat among the great fantasy authors, from Milton to Tolkien and Lewis.”

“This fictional work tackles big issues common to mankind without rose-colored glasses which can deceive. Rather, we have an honest grappling with these issues in a captivating tale rife with hope.”

“True to great mythological tales, this battle is both external and internal, not only depicting the larger external war but also delving deep into the inner struggles of fear, selfishness, pride, and doubt that all humans can relate. . . . This novel is worthy of multiple reads.”

“As you read, you feel wrapped up in the blanket of stuff you know and have seen before, but the awareness is comforting and heartwarming rather than stale. Nelson’s prose is both clear in its intent and inventive in its language, bending common tropes back into a deeper, more persistent trope, like the weaving of an arabesque vine into a wreath, or trying to explain a dream to people who can only use words and not pictures.”

“The Ancient has the special quality of telling an entirely new story that I had never witnessed, while also feeling centuries old. . . . The Ancient is a story that has left me thinking about the themes of Fear, Faith, and Hope for weeks on end, and it is a piece of art worth reading even if you aren’t fond of the fantasy genre.”

People are buying. People are reading. People are encountering the story and are NOT departing unchanged.

Win, win, WIN. #alltheyes

In my vision-casting post, Easy Rhymes & Trashy Romances, I addressed the same aforementioned unspeakable qualm. I determined that pursuing your calling with excellence – doing the thing you love, and doing it well, regardless of acclaim or financial return – is the true measure of success.

This week was a good reminder of that, particularly as it marks the end of the church calendar year. Advent starts this Sunday, so this is sort of a “New Year’s Eve Eve” post, if you will. I am incredibly grateful for where this year has brought me and the growing business of “R. A. Nelson”, and I look forward to the new year with hope and joy.

We’ll be heading into Advent poetry in the coming weeks, but first, here is a hot-off-the-press poem from the last week of this church year, written as I prayed through the reflections described above.

Enjoy, and Happy Launch, and Happy New Year!

*If you haven’t yet read The Ancient, you can find it HERE! Methinks ‘twould make a lovely Christmas gift for that reader in your life. :-)*

Rise, and –

The call was not to rise and know
To indolence, to drifting slow-
-ly through a smugly melting snow
But rise, and ask – through asking, grow

The call was not to rise and find
To certainty, to sated blind-
-ness whining “Leave the quest behind”
But rise, and seek an open mind

The call was not to rise and wish
To backward glance, to sweetly vic-
-ious sighing for a richer dish
But rise, and hope – and learn to fish

To hope – and echo grateful cries
To seek – and still expect surprise
To ask – and let it make you wise
But first, the call, friend, is to rise