bell mountain series – Page 31

My Newswithviews Column, April 18 (‘My New Book is Out’)

leeduigon(patty)April 18, 2019

See the source image

Giant Ice Age hyenas–yeah, we’ve got them, too.

I hope you don’t mind me using this opportunity to talk up my book. Until I get invited to do it as a guest on Rush Limbaugh’s radio show, this is about the most I can do in terms of publicity.

My New Book Is Out

If you’re a regular reader of this blog, you know there are times when writing up the nooze just grinds me down. I mean, really–the names of politicians’ lawyers? I believe in being well-informed, but that’s ridiculous.

If this is the first you’ve heard of any books of mine, or my Bell Mountain series of fantasy/adventure novels, and you want to know more–well, you’re already in the right place. Just click “Books” and find out everything you want to know.

Oh, Boy! Knuckle-Bear Video!

leeduigon(patty)April 7, 2019

For no reason at all, everything here is working again. Thank you, Lord!

Okay–yesterday there was nothing green on any of the trees; and today there is, some leaves have budded. Spring is definitely here. And how do they do that without anyone noticing until afterward?

In a matter of weeks it’ll be time to start writing again, back to Obann to try to clean up the mess I left at the end of His Mercy Endureth Forever. I haven’t got the seed of the story yet: I have to wait on the Lord to give it to me. A nerve-wracking procedure sometimes, but it’s gotten me through twelve books.

Meanwhile, dear readers, finally I have some video of chalicotheres, the “knuckle-bears” that live on the edge of Lintum Forest. It comes from the BBC and Tim Haines’ “Walking with Beasts,” a source of inspiration to me despite its bent for Darwinian fairy tales. What can I say? The beasts are cool!

The video includes a shocking cameo appearance by a hyaenodon, aka the “death dog” that would’ve gulped down both Ryons and Cavall if he hadn’t been interrupted by–but I don’t want to spoil the story.

How Many of These Critters Have Appeared in My Books?

leeduigon(patty)April 6, 2019

These are somebody’s idea of “the Top Ten Prehistorical Mammal Predators.” I didn’t actually count them, but I suspect they listed more than ten.

How many of these have appeared in Obann?

Andrewsarchus, Hyaenodon, Smilodon, Entelodont–plus a lot of critters not featured in this video. The books in which those four appear are Bell Mountain, The Cellar Beneath the Cellar, The Thunder King, and The Last Banquet. I do have fun, writing them up–and I hope it’s fun for the readers, too.

Note I have resisted the temptation to invent animals, like giant hamsters or talking clams. I deserve extra sales for that, don’t you think?

Waiting for the Next Book

leeduigon(patty)March 23, 2019

See the source image

It’s still cold, windy, and muddy outside, not at all the kind of weather for sitting out there and writing a book. But more suitable weather will be coming soon, and I pray I’ll be ready to write when it does.

I’m a little surprised that I haven’t yet made use of that huge critter in the picture, known to prehistoric animal buffs as Arsinoitherium. Imagine a rather large rhino with a pair of stupefyingly big horns–not one behind the other, but branching out together from the top of its face. Big, thick horns, almost like traffic safety cones. I’ve long been fascinated by this beast. It must be lurking somewhere in the background, waiting for its cue to enter the story.

Thing is, I never know what’s going to be the inspiration for the next Bell Mountain book. I depend on the Lord to give me inspiration: I can’t call it up on purpose. Sometimes waiting for it can be hard: raring to go, but the race just hasn’t started yet.

God only knows–I mean that literally: He knows, but I don’t–what shape, what twists and turns, the next book will take. I’ve left a few loose ends in His Mercy Endureth Forever that will have to be gathered up. I’m sure there are new characters waiting to come onstage. Or older characters, so far playing minor roles, that will unexpectedly turn up in the spotlight.

What will it be? What will it look like? How will it surprise me?

Here I am, Lord! Waiting for whatever you mean to give me.

May it be fruitful in your service. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

The Next Book… ?

leeduigon(patty)March 13, 2019

See the source image

Spring is in the air, and once it’s here for good, I’ll want to get busy with the next Bell Mountain book.

I don’t think I’ll be using the lake monster from The Temple, but really, you never know.

The way it works, I have to wait for the Lord to give me the seed of a story. It might be a dream, or a new character that pops into my head, or a compelling incident, or something as simple as a title. Then I can get going. I can’t actually generate one of these books on purpose. It doesn’t work that way.

Of course, I did leave some loose ends to tie up, as I concluded His Mercy Endureth Forever–with, I might add, a climax that was completely unexpected but also wholly logical. Who’s in charge, in Obann City? Whose ships are those, out there on the sea?

I wish I knew!

Bell Mountain Movie Contest on Life Support

leeduigon(patty)March 12, 2019

Image result for images of the throne by lee duigon

Last call for this contest! Just name four actors to play four characters in the Bell Mountain movie–which will be made as soon as somebody scrapes up $200 million for it–and win an autographed certificate by the author of these immortal literary works (that would be me) praising your wisdom, perspicacity, and good taste.

I’ll do just about anything to gin up readership. And this blog has been sucking wind since Daylight Saving went into effect.

The first few days of the movie contest were wild and enjoyable; but the fact is, only half a dozen of you ever entered it. What kind of contest is that? I wanted to keep it going until The Temptation (No. 11 in the series) was published. I thought that was going to happen any day now… but my intuition hasn’t been sinking many foul shots lately, has it?

“But Lee–maybe that movie contest just didn’t interest all that many people. Who ever told you that you had great potential as a contest impresario?”

Look, I’ll let it run for the rest of this week and then close it out and try to come up with something better. Or better prizes. An all-expense-paid trip to Lintum Forest, maybe. Or dinner with Lord Reesh. It’s a bit too soon to start another comment contest, but I’m open to suggestions.

A contest to think up a new kind of contest? Whose silly idea is that!

‘Bell Mountain Movie’ Contest–Hello? Hello?

leeduigon(patty)March 6, 2019

See the source image

After a great February, this old blog has been in the doldrums so far this month. And the Bell Mountain Movie contest is even deeper in the doldrums. It’s still ongoing, but you’d never think so. A few readers have played it with great gusto, but they haven’t had much company.

To play, all you have to do is nominate actors to play four characters in a Bell Mountain Movie that will be made as soon as we can scrape up $200 million. Any four characters, any four actors. The winner gets an autographed certificate that’ll look fantastic on your resume when you apply for a job. There can even be more than one winner. And if you want to cast actors who aren’t with us anymore, that’s fine–it’s what I always do.

Of course, in order to play, it helps if you’ve read one or more of the books. Ah, there’s the rub!

I meant to keep the contest going until Book No. 11 in the series, The Temptation, is published. I don’t know when that’ll be, but it should be soon. Meanwhile, the contest needs more players. (Ah, for the days of the Christmas Carol Contest! That was a blast, wasn’t it?)

Anyway, we’ve got some interesting posts and great comments today–tell your friends what they’re missing.

Don’t Miss These Pictures!

leeduigon(patty)February 25, 2019

See the source image

If you like my Bell Mountain books, you probably like the cover art by Kirk DouPonce. So don’t miss the interview with Kirk posted just a little while ago by Jill at Chalcedon headquarters. It comes with pictures! It should be the post immediately before this one.

Kirk uses kids from his neighborhood to model for the Bell Mountain covers, and now you can see the photos that he used for creating three of the covers: Ellayne, Jack, and Ryons. What a thrill for those kids! “Hey, my picture’s on a book cover!” Imagine yourself, at 11 or 12 years old, winding up with your picture on the cover of a fantasy novel. Way cool!

If you click on the pictures at the bottom of the post, they’ll be blown up bigger for you.

That kid who posed for Ellayne–she’s exactly how I imagined Ellayne would look. Exactly! Really, I don’t know how he does it.

Kirk DouPonce: The Creative Mind Behind the Bell Mountain Book Covers

leeduigon(patty)February 25, 2019

BTS-Kirk DouPonce I’ve had the privilege of working on Lee’s series from the beginning. Hard to believe this’ll be the eleventh cover! There’s never a lack of creative possibilities in the world he’s created. From water dinosaurs, saber-toothed panthers, gigantic bird creatures, to sea adventures, the creative possibilities are both endless and challenging! The process for creating each cover usually begins with an email conversation with Lee to figure out which scene from the book would best encapsulate the mood and general storyline. Once that’s decided I photograph models and use 3D software to create the creatures that couldn’t be photographed and also for many of the props and backgrounds. I’ve always been interested in 3D and had just started dabbling in it when the series started. These books have definitely stretched my abilities in that arena!

The local kids I’ve used as models are always thrilled to be on the book covers. The photography sessions can be as simple as shooting the models in costume in my living room but sometimes they’re much more complex. A couple of times I’ve had to shoot the models at a local climbing gym. Each cover presents its own challenge. As long as Lee keeps writing this series I hope to continue working on the covers.