Author: Tod Newman

Data Scientist, Embedded Software Developer, Systems Architect, AI Researcher. Founder and Principal Analyst, Santa Cruz River Analytics
Posted on

The Paradox of Self-Centeredness and an Omnipotent God

Thoughts on Hebrews

We have all learned from experience at being humans to ferret out and subsequently be disgusted by self-centeredness. The paradox is that this tendency toward pride in one’s self may be one of the great hallmarks of humanity (and is the plague of those in pursuit as well). And due to the recent collapse of restraining virtues, it has become a condemning feature of our culture at large.

We hate this in others, yet we tolerate it in ourselves. Why?

I’ve been thinking about how God is perfectly justified to be self-centered. He embodies perfection; angels and humans were created to know and worship Him. Does this trigger our revulsion to self-centered behavior? Probably, if we don’t think through the situation much. Perhaps this is a chief complaint made by those offended by God—His glory conflicts with an unreasonable expectation of our own.

But pondering this honestly, we quickly realize that if God is exactly as He describes Himself, He fully possesses the right to be self-centered—meaning, He organizes reality to demonstrate His glory. This would indicate that He is the center of all things and knows this because it is true. Does this still bother us?

One more thing is puzzling—something we as imperfect beings don’t yet understand. The one who should rightly elevate Himself over all others chose to demonstrate that perfect self-awareness also involves sacrifice.

Where Do We See This in Scripture?

All throughout, if one pays attention. For instance, in Hebrews 2 we read:

But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering.

A Monumental Change Happened

For a “little while” He “was made” lower than the angels. This was not His normal state. He is the one “for whom and by whom all things exist.” But He became lower than the angelic forms and joined humanity.

The Paradox, Resumed

Why did this change happen? The one who is the very definition of truth demonstrated that His form of self-existence was not complete without the rescue of the ones who were created to love and adore Him. For God’s glory is not the shadow of self-centeredness we have authored. It is something true and higher.

Posted on

A Historically Important Novel you Ought to Consider: “Daniel Deronda” by George Eliot

Image of Gwendolen Harleth at the roulette table.

Recently I’ve been reading books recommended by Chris Scalia in his guide Novels for Conservatives. George Eliot’s Daniel Deronda stood out immediately. Since Middlemarch is one of my favorites, I was eager to read Eliot’s final novel.

The Characters

As with all of Eliot’s work, character building and contrast take center stage. Four fascinating personalities orbit around Daniel Deronda, who serves as the linchpin connecting them all.

Daniel Deronda is a young man who has grown up as the unacknowledged son—he suspects—of an English aristocrat. He stands apart: patient with people’s idiosyncrasies, thoughtful, and devoted to others. His main foil is Gwendolen Harleth, a character to whom much has been given and who has received it all in great self-devotion. Eliot spends considerable energy convincing us that Gwendolen is shallow and conceited:

Other people allowed themselves to be made slaves of, and to have their lives blown hither and thither like empty ships in which no will was present. It was not to be so with her; she would no longer be sacrificed to creatures worth less than herself, but would make the very best of the chances that life offered her, and conquer circumstances by her exceptional cleverness.

Gwendolen clearly sees herself as “the main character”—as our young people might say about our modern royalty of self-centeredness—with everyone else mere supporting players in her drama.

Two Intersecting Stories

Deronda meets Gwendolen at the peak of her social success, just before she loses her fortune overnight. That brief encounter stays with her through the ups and downs that follow, including a miserable marriage of convenience to a weak but manipulative British aristocrat. Watching Deronda’s visible kindness and encouragement—qualities she utterly lacks—she begins to recognize virtue outside herself. This recognition is perhaps the best thing we can say about Gwendolen.

But the novel’s other pillar tells a strikingly different story. The jarring contrast between Gwendolen’s self-absorption and the selflessness on this second side seems intentional. This strand involves Jewish people—folks segregated from polite British society.

Deronda saves the life of Mirah, a beautiful and talented young Jewish woman who despairs over her lost family. A singer exploited by her scoundrel father across Europe, she escapes to Britain where Deronda rescues her and provides a new family. Though Christian, they are kind, and Eliot uses them to explore the nature of Jewishness in British society.

While searching for Mirah’s missing mother and brother, Deronda meets Mordecai—a deathly-ill but vividly alive Jewish mystic and Kabbalah student. Daniel finds him remarkable, though he’s puzzled by Mordecai’s disappointment that he speaks no Hebrew. Increasingly, Deronda’s thoughts shift from his aristocratic life toward this unusual man and his urgent vision.

Transformation and Vision

Mirah flourishes in the home of Deronda’s college friend, where his mother and sisters adore her. She becomes a blessing, teaching singing to wealthy students. Gwendolen is drawn to her—perhaps due to Mirah’s character, but likely because of her connection to Deronda.

In one pivotal exchange, Gwendolen reveals her understanding that Deronda admires Mirah’s blamelessness while surely despising her own mercenary marriage. But Deronda sees deeper—that Gwendolen’s real problem is her extreme self-centeredness:

“Then tell me what better I can do,” said Gwendolen, insistently.

“Many things. Look on other lives besides your own. See what their troubles are, and how they are borne. Try to care about something in this vast world besides the gratification of small selfish desires. Try to care for what is best in thought and action—something that is good apart from the accidents of your own lot.”

This exchange gives her food for thought for years.

Meanwhile, Mordecai reveals that he’s seen Deronda in visions as a kindred spirit who will continue his work for the Jewish people after his death. Though puzzled, Deronda feels an inexplicable empathy for the plight of British Jews. In a powerful pub discussion with Mordecai and his philosopher friends, Deronda is stirred by Mordecai’s fervent dream of a Jewish homeland:

Let the torch of visible community be lit! Let the reason of Israel disclose itself in a great outward deed, and let there be another great migration, another choosing of Israel to be a nationality whose members may still stretch to the ends of the earth, even as the sons of England and Germany, whom enterprise carries afar, but who still have a national hearth and a tribunal of national opinion.

After further plot twists, Deronda realizes his calling is now intertwined with Mordecai’s vision. The novel makes an abrupt decision to sunset Gwendolen’s story, which dissipates predictably.

Historical Impact

I’m deliberately avoiding plot spoilers—read it yourself for those details. What fascinates me is this book’s influence on world events. Written in 1876, Daniel Deronda was one of the first exposures polite society had to Jewish suffering and the dream of returning to a homeland.

Many readers actually hated the Jewish plotline, preferring Gwendolen’s aristocratic drama instead. Her recklessness and pride fascinate like a car wreck. But Eliot revolutionized the portrayal of Jewish people in English literature and set events in motion that—regardless of how one views them—have shaped much of world history since.

Fifty-one years after publication, the British issued their support for establishing a Jewish state in the Middle East. Historian Paul Johnson noted in History of the Jews that Daniel Deronda was “probably the most influential novel of the 19th century” and that “to hundreds of thousands of assimilated Jews the story presented for the first time the possibility of a return to Zion.”

A Word on Reading This Novel

This is an important work that should be read. But readers need to know it will challenge our iPhone-depleted attention spans. The writing bears no resemblance to the staccato dialogue patterns of modern novels. Paragraphs stretch on. Dialogue is rich in detail and insight but long in words. Occasionally Eliot dives into reveries the reader struggles to follow. As a writer and student of the classics, I understand her efforts to communicate deeply, though I generally (sadly?) choose to edit such episodes from my own work in response to modern reading fashions.

I hope potential readers are challenged by this but not dissuaded. I’ll say it again: this is an important book. And it also makes the case that people aren’t always completely reducible to groups. A woman from a Caucasian British background was able to communicate the thoughts and desires of an underprivileged minority group with a very lasting effect. In this sense, Daniel Deronda fulfills the highest goals of a novelist—carefully and graciously stepping into another’s life and earning the right to tell someone else’s story.

Other LINKS of interest

All My Book Reviews

My Novels

Posted on

Q&A for the Author of The Halls of the Shadow King

Screen capture from Amazon on Halls of the Shadow King

Q&A with W. Tod Newman, Author of The Halls of the Shadow King

Being a full-time author means dealing with a strange paradox.

No one outside your immediate circle will ever read your book without marketing. For introverted authors who loathe self-promotion, this stinks. But I’ve accepted it as necessary. Most of us write because we believe we’re offering something valuable—entertainment, wisdom gleaned from experience, or both. That value disappears if we never reach the right readers.

I’ve also learned that there are sadistic people out there who find great satisfaction in tearing down authors through anonymous one-star reviews. Often these come from individuals who never bought or read the book. I’ve heard stories of authors receiving one-star reviews describing entirely different books from the one they wrote. Amazon rarely removes these unless they’re extreme violations. They’ll tell you it averages out eventually.

Getting actual readers to leave reviews? Nearly impossible. Whole industries exist around “review farming” to manufacture early buzz for new releases. I find this distasteful.

So here’s my attempt at a different approach—a Q&A based on questions people have actually asked me. Maybe some stray Google search will bring an interested reader this way. Stranger things have happened.

Question: How did you come up with the idea for The Halls of the Shadow King series?

Most authors writing Young Adult series don’t start with AD 280 in the Roman Empire. This choice reflects my love of research—after writing two novels set during the Old Testament prophets, diving into this era was easy and enjoyable.

But the idea came as a question: “What would have happened if the powerful gifts seen in the early church had manifested during Roman persecution?” The timing seemed obvious. Emperor Valerian launched unusually harsh persecutions that began suddenly and ended just as suddenly under his son. My research never turned up a compelling reason why.

Amal emerged as the answer to that question—a gifted young man drawn from street crime in Damascus into a secretive organization dedicated to furthering The Way. His gift combines elements I’ve seen scattered through legends worldwide. Why not place a character who can reshape reality at the center of world-changing events?

Question: Is Amal a perfectly powerful character like Superman?

I struggled to keep Amal human. I don’t enjoy all-powerful, all-good characters in literature. Besides his extraordinary gift, I gave Amal something perhaps more valuable: humility.

Where did this come from? Partly from the kindness of his Creator, but also from making mistakes and learning his capacity for error. He never feels fully confident to me, which makes him real.

If anyone actually reads this and engages, I’ll keep writing these Q&A pieces until people get sick of it!

Want to Check out the SERIES? Head over to my store (product is fulfilled from Lulu.com, which makes a nicer paperback product than Amazon).

Question: Why do you love writing so much?

I’ve asked myself this since high school. Writing was something I kept pushing forward on despite never being satisfied with the output. Eventually I started appreciating my own style and discovered that I could finally complete works I’d started and abandoned. The Halls of the Shadow King is an example—I wrote about half of it between 2016 and 2018, then let it rest. After publishing my two Old Testament prophet novels in the 2020s, I returned to “Halls” and found I could finally tell Amal’s story the way it needed to be told.

But why do I love it?

I write because I like to share. What I’ve learned and gradually understood about life might be transferable to others. My reading taste has always leaned toward the classics, where authors were less distracted by material things (and iPhones!) and more focused on sharing their wisdom, their hearts, and their imaginations.

I think readers may detect this influence in my writing. I hope it has a good effect.

OTHER LINKS about this Series

Reviews from Readers’ Favorite

UP NEXT in the Series

COVER ART process. Yes, I do my own covers (not AI).

BEHIND THE SCENES of the making of the series

Posted on

Reviews of “The Halls of the Shadow King: The Apprentice”

Readers' Favorite 5-star seal

Here are a few of the professional reviews I’ve received on the first book in the series. I’m not really obsessed with reviews or marketing my books, but I won this review package in a Independent Book Contest and figured I ought to repost. They were all 5-star reviews… Readers’ Favorite does seem to give a fair number of 5-star reviews, but it’s hard to know the percentage since they don’t post anything lower than 4-star. Still, maybe good?

Find the Full Series on Amazon HERE

Reviewed by Jamie Michele for Readers’ Favorite

The Halls of the Shadow King: The Apprentice by W. Tod Newman follows Amal, an orphaned street thief in third-century Syria, fighting to keep his younger sister Neffie alive in a harsh and unforgiving world. When slave traders take her, he discovers a remarkable ability to reshape reality, altering outcomes and alliances in ways others cannot. His daring rescue of dozens of enslaved children draws the attention of the Shadow King, who leads a network safeguarding followers of The Way across the Roman Empire. As Emperor Valerian intensifies the persecution of bishops and believers, Amal is tasked with infiltrating Rome and influencing the emperor. Guided by sages and strategists, he must master his powers while confronting ancient, formidable forces that threaten the empire and the survival of The Way. “That is the balance we all must find – between power and restraint, between action and wisdom. Today you learned more about both than a hundred lessons could have taught you.”

The Halls of the Shadow King: The Apprentice by W. Tod Newman is a really ambitious undertaking, but the author handles it well. I love the contrast of scale, authority, and vulnerability. Amal and Neffie are small children entering spaces filled with political and mystical authority, and we quickly learn that Amal, as a seemingly powerless protagonist, is about to navigate a complex, threatening world. The world-building itself is phenomenal. Newman constructs a richly layered world with cultural, historical, and mystical dimensions. References to both tangible and legendary histories suggest that Amal’s experiences are part of a broader continuum. The inclusion of diverse locations and scholarly networks, like the Alexandrian manuscripts and the Wanderer’s travels, anchoring these elements in a historical context, got me wondering how, through Amal, visions and altering events will shape future outcomes. Overall, this is a solid first entry into the new series, and I look forward to seeing what comes next.

Reviewed by Makeda Cummings for Readers’ Favorite

Amal, a young street orphan and thief, begins life under the cruel hand of the Roman Empire. His existence is one where Christians face persecution and slavery. When his sister, Neffie, falls prey to slave traders, Amal sets out on a harrowing quest to save her. Along the way, strange supernatural powers begin to stir inside of him when the dangers close in. Gradually, Amal’s journey draws him deeper along a secret path called The Way. Ultimately, he is guided by an enigmatic spiritual leader called the Shadow King. Soon enough, he meets friends and foes who force him to value the power of trust while embracing his true purpose. With time running short, Amal stands between light and darkness. Will his inner strength guide him toward freedom or plunge him deeper into the shadows? Find out in W. Tod Newman’s The Halls of the Shadow King.

This captivating novel is more than your average YA historical fantasy. It is a story about inner turmoil and resilience. Set against the backdrop of Roman persecution, W. Tod Newman passionately writes about how ordinary people can find extraordinary strength to do brave things when faced with oppression and suffering. Through Amal’s eyes, readers will bear witness to how spirituality, power, and self-identity can clash in a world dictated by secrets and hidden threats. I’m genuinely amazed at how well the story merges real history and magical elements, making Amal’s encounters both believable and exciting to follow. The author knows how to create characters that come alive and stand out throughout the book. Each character, from the Shadow King to Amal and Gallien, conveys different ways people respond to issues like fear and control. From beginning to end, The Halls of the Shadow King challenges readers to think about the price of truth and what it means to withstand internal and external darkness. It truly is a literary gem.

Reviewed by Isabella Harris for Readers’ Favorite

The Apprentice by W. Tod Newman is the first installment in The Halls of the Shadow King series. Set during the Roman era, Amal, a young street thief, is searching for his sister, whom he believes has been kidnapped by slavers. During his search, he is overwhelmed by an extraordinary power that grants him the ability to reshape reality. He uses this power to successfully rescue his sister, with other children held hostage by the slavers, leading them to seek refuge in a community of worshippers called The Way. Unfortunately, the followers of The Way Amal are being threatened by the Roman Empire, which strongly opposes their beliefs. With Amal’s newfound powers, the fate of their beliefs now rests on his ability to understand and harness his extraordinary gift.

I was really impressed by how W. Tod Newman was able to blend a historical setting with faith and mysteries. The Halls of the Shadow King shows the reign of the Roman Empire and the struggle the followers of The Way suffered at the hands of the Romans. I loved how remarkably the characters were developed, especially Amal, who goes from a young street thief to someone on whose shoulders the fate of an entire religion lies. The pacing kept me engaged, which allowed me to fully understand Amal’s motivations and his journey of fully harnessing his powers. The Halls of the Shadow King: The Apprentice covers themes of humility, determination, greed, deceit, and much more. I recommend it to readers who are interested in historical fiction with a touch of extraordinary mystery.

Posted on

The Historical Fiction Dragon Book Readers Have Been Waiting For

Looking for a historical fiction dragon book that breaks all the fantasy tropes? You’ve found it.

After three books of supernatural intrigue spanning from Damascus to Rome, The Halls of the Shadow King series is taking an unexpected turn—straight into the mist-shrouded mountains of ancient Britannia.

And this time, Amal faces something he can’t simply outsmart or outmaneuver: a dragon.

From Street Thief to Dragon-Binder

When we first met Amal in The Apprentice, he was a desperate thirteen-year-old stealing maps to save his sister. Now, as the Shadow King leading a vast underground network across the Roman Empire, he’s being called to confront an ancient evil that has terrorized British villages for generations.

But here’s the twist: he might not be able to kill it.

This isn’t your typical historical fiction dragon book where the hero simply slays the beast and rides off into the sunset. In fact, Amal’s mission is far more complex—and far more dangerous.

What Readers Are Saying About This Historical Fiction Dragon Book

“I thought this was historical fiction with a supernatural edge. Book Four turned it into something entirely different—and I couldn’t put it down.”

The fourth installment, Brittania Calls, takes everything that made the first three books compelling—the intricate plotting, the richly researched historical detail, the exploration of power and humility—and adds something readers will love: a dragon.

But not the dragon you expect.

The Mission: Binding an Ancient Evil

When three young Britons arrive at Amal’s safehouse in Malta with desperate pleas for help, he learns that the persecution-free awakening spreading across Britannia is threatened by something older than Rome itself. A dragon, dormant for decades, is stirring in the western mountains. Moreover, if The Morrigan—the ancient entity Amal barely survived in Rome—is behind its awakening, the consequences could reshape the entire empire.

Amal’s solution? Assemble a team unlike any other:

  • Finn, the Irish warrior-prince with knowledge of Celtic magic
  • Andreas, the scholarly priest with expertise in ancient texts
  • Four Carthaginian practitioners experienced in binding rituals
  • Three desperate British youths carrying fragments of forgotten druid wisdom

Their goal isn’t to slay the dragon in some heroic confrontation. Instead, it’s to bind it—seal it away using ancient rituals that combine Carthaginian, Hebrew, and Celtic traditions into something entirely new.

Why This Historical Fiction Dragon Book Hits Different

Historical readers will love the meticulous research into 3rd-century trade routes from Carthage to Britain, the authentic portrayal of early Christian communities, and the seamless blend of Roman, Celtic, and North African cultures.

Fantasy readers will devour the dragon lore, the exploration of binding rituals versus destruction, and the way ancient spiritual entities interact with the physical world.

Literary fiction fans will appreciate the deeper questions: What does victory look like when you can’t simply destroy your enemy? How do you wield supernatural power with humility? What happens when your faith requires you to walk into situations where success isn’t guaranteed?

Historical Accuracy Meets Celtic Magic

What sets this early Christian fiction apart is the exhaustive research behind every detail. The trade goods carried from Carthage to Britannia? Historically accurate—wine, olive oil, grain, and garum (fermented fish sauce) were staples of Roman-era commerce. The Atlantic crossing through the Pillars of Hercules? Based on actual Carthaginian trade routes that predated Roman dominance.

However, the magic system isn’t borrowed from modern fantasy. The binding rituals draw from genuine ancient traditions—Carthaginian texts on containing spiritual entities, Hebrew practices of spiritual warfare, and Celtic druid wisdom that survived Rome’s suppression of their culture.

A Three-Week Voyage Into Darkness

The Atlantic crossing alone is worth the price of admission. As Amal’s team sails from Carthage through the Pillars of Hercules into the wild Atlantic, they’re not just traveling to Britain—they’re preparing for spiritual warfare unlike anything they’ve faced before.

They study ancient texts on binding rituals. They train in coordinated combat tactics. They listen as the young British woman Branwen sings songs her grandmother taught her—songs that contain fragments of the original ritual that once sealed the dragon away.

And slowly, they transform from a group of individuals into something more powerful: a unified force capable of confronting ancient evil.

Behind the Scenes: Researching the Dragon

Creating a believable historical fiction dragon book required diving deep into multiple mythological traditions. Celtic dragon lore differs significantly from Greek or Norse traditions. The ancient Britons viewed dragons not as mindless beasts but as intelligent, potentially corruptible beings—guardians who could be twisted into monsters.

This research led to one of the book’s central questions: What if the dragon wasn’t always evil? What if ancient kings made pacts with it, offering worship in exchange for protection? And what happens when such a creature, corrupted over centuries, can no longer be reasoned with?

The Questions Readers Are Asking

Q: Do I need to read Books 1, 2, and 3 first?

While Brittania Calls can stand alone, the full impact of Amal’s journey—from street thief to apprentice to Shadow King—is best experienced from the beginning. Plus, his confrontation with The Morrigan in Rome sets up crucial context for the Britannia mission.

Q: Is this Christian fiction?

It’s historical fiction set in the 3rd-century church during Roman persecution. The characters are believers navigating how to use supernatural gifts faithfully. But it’s written for a broad audience—anyone who loves well-researched historical fiction with supernatural elements.

Q: Does the dragon get killed?

No spoilers! But I will say this: the resolution challenges typical fantasy tropes in ways readers are finding surprisingly satisfying. This spiritual warfare fiction takes a different approach to victory.

Q: How accurate is the Roman Britain setting?

Extremely. From the garrison locations to the trade networks to the tension between Romanized Britons and unconquered tribes beyond the Wall—every detail is grounded in historical research. Even the dragon’s lair placement is based on actual Celtic sacred sites in western Britain.

Q: When does the book release?

Brittania Calls is coming soon! Meanwhile, check out the full series (Kindle or Paperback) on Amazon HERE. At Desdichado Books, we attempt to keep the prices as low as possible to prevent any barrier to potential readers.

What Makes This Series Unique

The Halls of the Shadow King isn’t your typical “hero with a sword saves the day” fantasy. It’s about:

  • Power wielded with humility rather than domination
  • Communities working together rather than lone heroes
  • Spiritual warfare that acknowledges some battles are about containment, not conquest
  • Historical accuracy that brings the 3rd-century Mediterranean world to vivid life
  • Deep questions about faith, calling, and what it means to serve something greater than yourself
  • Multi-cultural perspectives blending Roman, Celtic, Carthaginian, and Hebrew traditions

A Map of Amal’s Journey to Britannia

The team’s route takes them through some of the most strategic locations in the ancient Mediterranean:

  • Antioch – Network headquarters where the mission begins
  • Cyprus – First gathering point for intelligence
  • Rhodes – Strategic maritime crossroads
  • Crete – Where they survive a devastating storm
  • Carthage – Where they recruit the binding specialists
  • Through the Pillars of Hercules – Entering the wild Atlantic
  • Western Britannia – The dragon’s domain

Each stop adds crucial pieces to the puzzle—knowledge, resources, and team members who will prove essential in confronting the dragon.

The Author’s Vision

W. Tod Newman set out to write a different kind of early Christian fiction—one that didn’t shy away from supernatural elements but grounded them in historical reality. The result is a series that appeals to fans of Bernard Cornwell’s historical accuracy, Stephen Lawhead’s Celtic spirituality, and Frank Peretti’s spiritual warfare—but with its own unique voice.

“I wanted to explore what would happen if someone with genuine supernatural gifting lived during the Roman persecution. Not a sanitized, safe version—but the real questions: How do you use such power faithfully? What does it cost? And what happens when simply ‘winning’ isn’t the point?” – W. Tod Newman

Ready to Join the Voyage?

If you’re tired of the same old fantasy tropes… if you love historical fiction that doesn’t sacrifice accuracy for drama… if you want characters who wrestle with real questions about power, faith, and purpose… then this is your series.

Start with The Apprentice and watch a street thief become something extraordinary.
Continue with Into Deeper Waters as the stakes expand from one city to an empire.
Proceed to The Hidden Order which is the conclusion of the first three novels and explores conflict with ancient evil powers and saving the soul of Rome.

Then Finish with Brittania Calls as Amal faces his greatest challenge yet in the misty mountains of Britannia.

Because sometimes the most powerful victories don’t come from destroying your enemies.

Sometimes they come from learning to bind them—and trust that the Great King’s purposes will ultimately prevail.

Available Now at All Major Retailers

The Halls of the Shadow King series by W. Tod Newman
Published by Desdichado Books

Order your copy today:

Connect with the author:
Website: todnewman.com

Twitter/X

“Newman has crafted something rare—a historical fiction dragon book that respects both history and faith while delivering edge-of-your-seat supernatural thriller pacing. The Britannia storyline is his best work yet.”

Tags: historical fiction dragon book, early Christian fiction, Roman Britain fantasy, spiritual warfare fiction, Celtic magic historical novel, 3rd century Rome, Carthage to Britain, dragon binding ritual, The Halls of the Shadow King

Posted on

More Detailed Cover Art Process Post

Main Character on a Ship near Aksum

I enjoyed creating my short post the other day about the “in-process” cover art for my latest book, so I decided to break down how I layer my cover art and how I proceed from line art all the way to finished, filtered images. Plus, it gives me a nice break from writing.

First, the tools I use are pretty much 1) pencil and paper (and pen), 2) A scanner, and 3) GIMP (open source photo editing tool). I’ve been using GIMP for aeons now and have some pretty comfortable rituals to build up images layer by layer.

First: The Line Art

When I’m working on a book, I usually will sketch up 2 or 3 ideas that correspond with something “key” in the book. In the case of this image, from “The Halls of the Shadow King: Into Deeper Waters”, there is significant sea travel from Rome down the eastern coast of Africa. Lots of time in the water. So I came up with some drafts that showed my main character (a little older than he was in the first book) with people from a supporting village in the Kingdom of Aksum (present day Ethiopia). Once I have a sketch I like, I ink it in with fine tip sharpie then scan it into the computer. An important step comes next as I open it in GIMP (usually inside a book cover template where I paste it as a layer). I select the line art layer, go to the “Layer” pull-down, then “Transparency”, then “Color to Alpha”. What I’m trying to do is remove all of the white and leave just the black line art. That way, layers below the line art show up through–but not over–it. Then I play with darkening, thickening, etc., the line art to get it the way I like. At that point, it looks like this (shown with a plain white background behind the line art so you can see it).

Line Art for “Into Deeper Waters” – Tod Newman, 2024

Note that I like to leave some of the pencil in as greyscale, whereas the darker lines are penned in by the sharpie. I also tend to leave something like the squiggles for the ocean waves in pencil. Eventually I’ll fill these in with GIMP, sometimes using brushes that specialize in waves. Often I erase the line art in a place like the background if I feel like it is distracting, but I almost always leave it for the foreground characters, the ship in this case, etc.

Next: Background Layer

Generally, the next thing I do is start modifying a basic white background layer with whatever will be in the back. I make the line art visible and paint on the background layer “through” the line art. In this case, I chose the ocean and the sail as my main background elements. I painted the whole ocean at once for the sake of coherence/continuity of the waves, knowing that the ship layer and the character layers (and the line art) would sit on top of it. Here’s what the first pass at the background looked like.

Background Layer – 2024

As mentioned, I like to use GIMP “foam” brushes that make the foam on top of the waves look good. These brushes are created and open sourced by people all over the web and can be downloaded to your GIMP application. This same approach works for Photoshop too, but since GIMP is free, I’ve always used it. There are cloud GIMP brushes too, but my memory is that I hand drew these in GIMP using my Wacom Tablet and standard GIMP brushes.

Next: Color Layers

The next thing I typically do is build multiple layers to cover other elements in the image. I have always called these generically “color layers”. I’ll have one color layer for the boat, one for the characters, one for things like birds maybe, etc. These all start as a new “transparent” layer so the layers below show through. Keep in mind that the top layers (the ones you see over everything else) need to be on the top of your layer stack in GIMP (and background is typically the bottom. Here’s an example of an early “Character Color Layer”.

Character Color Layer – 2024

On these layers, I tend to be very sparing with colors and I pick 4-5 colors from one color palate. I find this keeps the drawing from being overwhelming. If I do a bad job here, I can always “cartoonize” the final flattened drawing down to 8 colors or some such.

Finally: Flattened Layer for final edits and Artistic Filters

At some point, I decide which of my 20+ layers are keepers and will become part of the final image. I will show only these layers and build a single flattened image (note: I never have Text in my flattened image. That comes later on other layers). This may or may not be a good approach, but I’ve used it for years, with the notion that I’m just doing light touchup on this flattened image. If I mess stuff up, I just hit undo. This layer is very good for fixing color issues (darkening/lightening/exposure/hue/brightness-contrast, etc.). I also use it to do a lot of “sunlight effects”, which are typically really light, low opacity effects trying to accurately capture the lighting of the scene. Once I have the lighting and colors appropriate and I’ve fixed anything about the original layers that is annoying me, I’ll apply various artistic GIMP filters. To be honest, this often helps fix problems with the image that I might not be good enough to fix. One artistic layer that I chose early on for all the books in The Halls of the Shadow King series was “canvas”, which imposes the structure of a canvas on the image and makes it look like a highly-detailed oil painting. See how the flattened/filtered image looks below.

Flattened Image with Canvas (and maybe a couple other) filter applied. -2024

Closing – The Rest of the Book Cover Process

This front cover image becomes the main feature of the whole book cover, but you’re not done yet. I have a template for a 9×6 trade paperback cover that contains the front/back/spine. I then use GIMP to fill in Text on top of everything. Here’s what this looks like for the final book cover copy.

One thing I’ll note too is that this process allows you to do a rev 2 on your cover art if you decide after a year that things need to be refreshed. I did that with book 1 of this series, where I felt after a while that I hated what I did with my main character’s hands (hands are hard for me to draw… lots of sketching and erasing) and thought the art should be lightened. All I had to do was then go in and edit individual layers (line art, character color, background) and make changes, flatten the changes and re-apply filters. Piece of cake!

Posted on

The Happy Valley Problem: On Samuel Johnson’s Rasselas

coffee time

I’m a bit worn out from researching 3rd-century Carthage for my latest “Halls of the Shadow King” novelette, but I still feel like writing before bed. So with a little motivation from my friend coffee, I’m going to share my thoughts on this short novel by Samuel Johnson. You might find it an interesting insight on human nature—particularly modern human nature.

Legend has it that Rasselas was written by Johnson in a single week because he needed money for his mother’s funeral. Other legends say that Johnson wrote the book rather than spend time with his dying mother. In some ways, for certain, it does feel like a book written in a week—but by someone who had thought very hard for much of his life about the themes within it. Published in 1759, it was regarded as an important work of philosophy in its day. It reminds me of Voltaire in quite a few places (but is less funny).

The Story

This is the tale of a prince (and his siblings) whom the King of Abyssinia confines to an idyllic but inescapable valley (The Happy Valley) for his protection. The idea is that the King will summon him if needed. Rasselas is perhaps the least vapid of these royal children and begins questioning the seeming perfection around him. Imlac, a poet who has vividly experienced life and the world and was selected to entertain the royals in this secret valley, becomes Rasselas’ confidant.

Through Imlac, we begin to see the depth of Johnson’s thinking. When the prince expresses perplexity that someone in the “real” world would harm another person without any real benefit to himself, Imlac explains:

“Pride is seldom delicate, it will please itself with very mean advantages; and envy feels not its own happiness, but when it may be compared with the misery of others.” (p. 34)

Thus begins the real education of Rasselas, though he is continually quite surprised to learn how people act outside his pleasant prison.

The Search for Happiness

Eventually, Rasselas—with help from Imlac and his sister, Princess Nekayah—escapes and enters the world. Fortunately, Imlac is able to sell wealth the prince can claim, so they’re all accepted in society as wealthy merchants. Rasselas’s goal is to discover how true happiness can be found. When Imlac reveals that “Human life is everywhere a state in which much is to be endured and little is to be enjoyed,” Rasselas responds:

“I am not yet willing to suppose that happiness is so parsimoniously distributed to mortals; nor can I believe but that, if I had the choice of life, I should be able to fill every day with pleasure. I would injure no man, and should provoke no resentment; I would relieve every distress, and should enjoy the benedictions of gratitude.” (p. 43)

This exchange encapsulates one of the book’s central themes. Rasselas is hopelessly naive, and though he has been well educated, he is strangely ignorant. Perhaps this is the case for many who have received great amounts of education and been content with what they learned.

Imlac continues to work vigorously to enlighten his young charge, as we see in this advice about overthinking hopes and fears:

“Do not disturb your mind with other hopes or fears than reason may suggest: if you are pleased with prognostics of good, you will be terrified likewise with tokens of evil, and your whole life will be a prey to superstition.” (pp. 49-50)

The Journey Through Life

Rasselas seeks out a wide range of people representing the variability of human experience. At each turn, he quickly assumes that this culture or community has found true happiness, only to learn from Imlac’s observations: “Believe me, prince, there was not one who did not dread the moment when solitude should deliver him to the tyranny of reflection” (p. 57), or “Very few live by choice. Every man is placed in his present condition by causes which acted without his foresight, and with which he did not always willingly co-operate; and therefore you will rarely meet one who does not think the lot of his neighbor better than his own” (p. 58).

This pattern continues for quite a while, with Rasselas examining the happiness of monks, philosophers, the highly educated, and even a scientist whose deep study has convinced him that he controls the weather and perhaps even the functioning of the world.

Johnson’s Philosophy

Johnson’s melancholy view of the world is evident throughout, for Rasselas’ search remains unsatisfied. Though he is exposed to a great amount of wisdom, he does not find “optimal” happiness anywhere. The modern reader is easily reminded of many fellow travelers searching for their “best” lives while refusing to be patient or content with the life given them—or at minimum, the life within their ability to reach.

The History of Rasselas, Prince of Abyssinia is a philosophical meditation disguised as a travel narrative, and while it may feel hastily written in places, Johnson’s lifetime of contemplation shines through in every conversation and observation. It’s a timeless exploration of human discontent and the elusive nature of happiness.

Posted on

Artwork Process for Next “Halls” Novelette

Recently I published my third “Halls of the Shadow King” novels of the series. However, I didn’t feel like I had finished telling the story of Amal, my main character. So my current project (20K words in as of this moment) is creating a series of novelettes in the 40K word range to explore what happens with Amal.

Here I am with my Wacom tablet putting some finishing touches on some sea monsters.

What do you think about the cover so far? As with all my covers, I’m starting with hand-drawn line art which I scan and import into Gimp. I used the Canvas filter on the other three covers, but right now I’m just using it on the Gimp layer which contains the Island colorizations.

Stay tuned. My thinking right now is to only make these novelettes available as Kindle Unlimiteds.

Find the series at Amazon here

Posted on

Grace Spilled Down: A Review of So Brave, Young, and Handsome

image from a Charlie Siringo book illustration

I picked up So Brave, Young, and Handsome, the second novel by Leif Enger, after thoroughly enjoying his debut work, Peace Like a River. To put it simply: this is a worthy successor, though it doesn’t quite reach the heights of his first book.

The Story

Monte Becket, a former postal worker, struck gold with his first novel—a dimestore western that found success with an undemanding audience. But lightning hasn’t struck twice. Despite his best efforts, he can’t interest his publisher in anything new. Fortunately, royalties from that first book continue to trickle in, allowing him to buy a pleasant home by the river and live a peaceful life.

It’s there that Monte meets Glendon Hale, a fascinating stranger sailing a homemade boat downriver. Enger describes Glendon as “formal in the way of men grown apart, yet energy teemed behind his eyes and in some ways he seemed a boy himself” (p. 11). This intriguing man quickly captivates not just Monte, but his wife Susannah and young son as well.

Meanwhile, Monte is hiding his latest of many literary failures from his family. His heroic cowboy character, Dan Roscoe, has been abandoned. His new pirate novel is already showing “signs of decay” at just forty pages (p. 22).

Then comes an unlikely invitation: Glendon asks Monte to accompany him to Mexico so he can apologize to the wife he suddenly abandoned in his youth. Despite the apparent foolishness of such a journey, Susannah somehow knows that Monte needs this adventure and encourages him to go.

The Journey

What follows is a winding odyssey by boat, train, car, and train again—sometimes making little logical sense. The journey grows more complicated when we learn that Glendon has quite a past: he was once part of the infamous “Hole in the Wall” gang in Wyoming, alongside Butch Cassidy.

At times, you want to shout at Monte to just go home, for God’s sake. But something keeps him going—perhaps the fear of returning to his failures, or recognition that this strange pursuit is exactly what his soul needs. As Monte humbly observes: “I was used to resembling what I was—a well-meaning failure, a pallid disappointer of persons, a man fading” (p. 76).

Complicating matters further is Charlie Siringo, a rascally Pinkerton detective (and fellow author) devoted to capturing Glendon. (Fans of Larry McMurtry’s Streets of Laredo will recognize Siringo’s name—Captain Woodrow Call dismissed his book as “mostly yarns.”)

What Works

The writing is beautiful, echoing the lyrical style of Peace Like a River. Enger has a remarkable gift for seeing truth in his characters without being put off by their surface flaws.

On an enthusiastic and capable young man who lies to save Glendon from Siringo: “Hood was the purest liar I ever knew. He lied for profit as many do but he also lied for joy, which is less common—it may even be he lied for beauty, by some deeply buried rationale” (p. 96).

On an aging circus sharpshooter with a wild past: When Monte suggests she should “start thinking about her next act,” Glendon wisely responds, “Maybe she’s tried that, Monte. Maybe she don’t have a next act in her” (p. 115).

This small selection of a great many moments of insight are where Enger truly shines.

What Falls Short

While the prose remains gorgeous, the characters don’t quite achieve the luminous quality of those in Peace Like a River. Enger’s penchant for foreshadowing continues, but he’s largely abandoned the magical realism that gave his first novel such distinctive charm. Monte’s many choices to dive deeper into the madness taking him further from Susannah seem quite far-fetched.

The Resolution

Eventually, we see resolution for Siringo, Glendon, and Monte. Monte finally admits to Susannah that his writing days may be finished, humbly confessing “I am very much less than I once believed.” But Susannah shows him extraordinary grace—she was simply waiting for him to find his place.

In one of the book’s most moving passages, Monte reflects on his transformation:

“You are also different,” she said. I didn’t try to explain that. You can’t explain grace, anyway, especially when it arrives almost despite yourself. I didn’t even ask for it, yet somehow it breached and began to work. I suppose grace was pouring over Glendon, who had sought it so hard, and some spilled down on me. Susannah said, “You seemed afraid before you left. Now you don’t—that’s what I think.” (p. 271)

Final Verdict

So Brave, Young, and Handsome is a thoughtful meditation on failure, grace, and redemption. While it may not surpass Enger’s debut, it’s still a rewarding read that showcases his considerable talents as a storyteller. Recommended for fans of literary westerns and anyone who appreciates beautiful prose in service of meaningful themes.

Rating: 4/5 stars

Posted on

A Miraculous Journey: Reviewing “Peace Like a River” by Leif Enger

Peace like a River cover art

This morning I finished reading Peace Like a River, the debut novel by Leif Enger. While he has written plenty since then, I find it quite notable that this is his first published work. The most important thing I can say about this novel (other than that I recommend it wholeheartedly!) is that it is truly beautiful. Enger’s prose is both gorgeous and reserved. He employs metaphors and foreshadowing with masterful precision. When you reach the novel’s conclusion, there’s a bittersweet sadness at finishing, but also a profound revelation—suddenly all those literary devices click into place with perfect clarity.

As a writer myself, I must admit that reading this book fills me with both inspiration and a touch of envy for my own inability to craft a story of such depth and beauty.

The Story and Its Heart

Reuben Land serves as our narrator and, as it turns out, embodies the very soul of the story. His life begins with a miracle: born nearly dead, he survives only when his father Jeremiah holds the “clay child wrapped in a canvas coat” and commands in a steady voice, “Reuben Land, in the name of the living God I am telling you to breathe.”

Breathe Reuben does, but throughout the story he never breathes easily, severely hampered by asthma. His father Jeremiah becomes his hero, and as Reuben notes with characteristic insight: “there’s nothing as lovely and tragic as telling your friends you were just about dead once.”

Miracles Woven into Reality

Miracles occur throughout this novel in ways that seem deceptively simple and completely believable. This brings Gabriel García Márquez to mind, but Enger’s magical realism springs from the Gospel and prayer rather than from magic. These extraordinary events arrive in ways our postmodern minds can accept without question. As Enger reminds us: “Such things are worth our notice every day of the week, but to call them miracles evaporates the strength of the word.”

Characters Grounded in Grace and Truth

The characters populating this novel are strong prairie stock who never seek to impress or manipulate. The Methodist pastor, faithful and loyal, “was a great advocate of forgiveness, in which he put a lot of stock. Thrilling he was not.” Throughout the story, we detect a common thread of grace and truth—elements that cannot be easily separated from one another. Reuben’s precocious younger sister Swede, already an incredible wordsmith and writer, observes that “once torched by truth, a little thing like faith is easy.”

The Central Conflict

The Land family faces a bitter crisis created by their eldest son, Davy—incredibly capable but seemingly bereft of grace, his tragic, truth-seeking act of revenge poisons their lives. Jeremiah leaves his job and takes the family west in an inherited Airstream trailer, hoping to find Davy and, hopefully, bring him to repentance.

Davy’s fundamental problem becomes clear: “Davy wanted life to be something you did on your own; the whole idea of a protective, fatherly God annoyed him. I would understand this better in years to come but never subscribe to it, for I was weak and knew it.”

This confident self-reliance leads Davy through increasingly dangerous circumstances. His competence provides some protection, but forces him to live as a fugitive. The central question becomes: Will Davy ever accept grace?

The Journey West

Meanwhile, others who deserve nothing good experience mercy through Jeremiah’s hands. When the evil school superintendent who despises Jeremiah receives miraculous healing from horrible facial sores through Jeremiah’s gracious touch, Reuben struggles mightily with the apparent unfairness: “It was the fact that Chester the Fester, the worst man I’d ever seen… got a whole new face to look out of and didn’t even know to be grateful; while I, my father’s son, had to be still and resolute and breathe steam to stay alive.”

This gives us insight into Reuben’s heart—his breathing struggles dominate his existence and serve as an overarching metaphor for his spiritual condition, though he doesn’t understand this until much later.

Finding Refuge and Family

The Land family (Jeremiah, Reuben, and Swede) eventually reach the badlands of North Dakota, their Plymouth limping along while towing the Airstream. A powerful hand seems to guide them—one that communicates frequently and effectively with Jeremiah. Great miracles occur, perhaps the greatest being their forced refuge during a massive snowstorm in the home of Roxanna, a lonely woman on the wilderness fringe.

Roxanna experiences transformation through Jeremiah’s presence, and the children quickly see in her the mother they lost when their own inexplicably abandoned them. Though Davy remains at large, the family experiences stability and learns to find peace in the joy of order and purpose.

The Crisis of Faith

But eventually, Reuben reaches a dreadful realization: “Since arriving at this house, we’d had no miracles whatever.” He reflects on their journey and concludes: “And I thought, Without a miracle, exactly what chance do I have?”

Here readers realize that Reuben views miracles as cheat codes for his own life, failing to see how they’re actually preparing him to live and see differently.

Growth and Understanding

Reuben slowly learns to value prayer, growing into his father’s example, and realizes his need for repentance regarding harbored hatreds. Through painful circumstances of his own making, he confronts his serious shortcomings. A local sheriff “earnestly told me five or six specific things he found discouraging about my character. If you don’t mind I’d rather not restate them, but they were by and large true… I agreed with them all, as the broken must.”

Eventually, Reuben stops “whining about what’s fair, begging forgiveness, hoping for a miracle—these demand energy, and that was gone from me. Contentment on the other hand demands little, and I drew more and more into its circle.”

At last, Reuben learns that “fair is whatever God wants to do.”

A Powerful Conclusion

The story’s ending proves wonderful, featuring a powerful twist reminiscent of great self-sacrifice tales from literature’s past. Without spoiling the conclusion, I’ll say that in the distant years following these dramatic events, we see Reuben explaining to his still-elusive brother Davy what their father had done for him. When Davy challenges him to “Breathe… Let’s see you breathe,” we realize the incredible distance Reuben has traveled.

Despite experiencing great physical damage and displaying moments of cowardice and betrayal, Reuben has learned grace’s proper place as truth’s partner and has found repentance. His breath has been restored through great sacrifice, and he now possesses true life. The greatest miracle of all has occurred—but it happened slowly and collectively.

Final Thoughts

In my humble opinion, Peace Like a River stands as a modern masterpiece of American literature, weaving together themes of faith, family, sacrifice, and redemption with prose that feels truly joyful. Enger has crafted a story that operates on multiple levels—as a coming-of-age tale, a family drama, and a profound meditation on the nature of miracles and grace. This is a novel that rewards careful reading and stays with you long after the final page.

Have you read “Peace Like a River”? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.