About Wayne Thomas Batson,
Author of The Door Within
Wayne Thomas Batson was born in Seabrook, MD in 1968. During the early years he tortured his older brothers and sisters, doing those things that only younger siblings can do to get on your nerves.
He attended Gabriel DuVal Senior High School and wrote this for his Yearbook Senior Goals: To become a professional writer or artist. During the high school and early college years, he played lead guitar for a rock band called “Contagious.” They were catchy, but apparently not enough to get a record deal.
Having completed the rigorous Holmes English Literature Curriculum, he graduated from the University of Maryland, College Park in 1991. In 1996, he received his first graduate degree in Counseling. He has continued his studies with 36 credit hours of graduate-level Reading courses.
Wayne Thomas Batson has spent the last fifteen years teaching Reading and English to middle schools students. He pioneered the active instruction of Strategic Reading in Anne Arundel County and has written Reading and English Curricula for Anne Arundel County, Carroll County, and Howard County Public Schools. Most recently, he helped develop the Challenge Reading Curriculum for advanced readers in Howard County, Maryland.
Wayne Thomas Batson lives in Eldersburg with his beautiful wife of twelve years and his four wonderful young children. Besides dividing his time between family, teaching, and writing, he likes to read, golf, play PS2, travel to the beach, play electric guitar, and create 3D artwork.
The Door Within, Batson’s first novel length work in publication, has received favorable reviews from Publisher’s Weekly, School Library Journal, Aspiring Retail, Armchair Reviews, FaceOut Books, Mybookshelf.com, and popular author/speaker Josh McDowell. The Final Storm is the last book of an epic fantasy trilogy for readers 10 thru adult.
Wayne Thomas Batson gives thanks to God for the abundant life he’s been given. If you’d like to know more about Wayne and his books visit: www.thedoorwithin.com.
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FOB: How did you come up with the idea for The Door Within series?
WTB: The Door Within Trilogy (DWT) came out of two distinct events. The base concept of the story, though I didn’t know it at the time, came from an encounter I had as a new Christian. I felt compelled to tell some important people I knew about Jesus, so I summoned the courage and went to them.
I laid it all on the line, spilled my guts with such fervor that I was literally shaking. I expected disagreement, argument, or just plain denial. But nothing prepared me for the reaction: they laughed. And it wasn’t just laughter, but it was that condescending “isn’t he cute?” kind of laughter. Insert dagger and twist. That pain stuck with me for a LONG time, and so, when I began to write, the first story that suggested itself was one that would be carried by a protagonist who discovered something akin to a cure for cancer…and yet, no one would believe it.
The between worlds aspect of DWT came from a challenge my students threw back at me. Teaching 6th and 7th grade Language Arts in Anne Arundel County Maryland, I assigned a short story to my students. I made it a contest. And for those who could not think of an initial story concept, I made a bulletin board with very evocative pencil/charcoal drawings—The Mysteries of Harris Burdick. Well, the students, wonderful cherubs that they are, indignantly challenged me: “Mr. Batson, you make us do all the work, writing these stories. Why don’t you write one?!” So, using one of the drawings as inspiration, I began a 17 page short story called The Faith of a Child. Though most elements in the story have since changed, that short story became The Door Within.
FOB: Can you give us a summary of the series and The Final Storm in particular?
WTB: The DWT tells of the discovery of another world, a world all but forgotten by our own…a world with dangerous connections to the people of earth. For teenagers Aidan Thomas, Antoinette Lynn Reed, and Robby Pierson—The Door Within opens revealing the Realm where Glimpses Dwell. The deeper Aidan and co. travel into this new world, the more they realize that the survival of both worlds depends on their actions. They must cast off the chains of self doubt, arrogance, and fear to become champions for the noble Kingdom of Alleble in its struggle to defend itself against the ruthless forces of Paragor—their choices will rule the fate of many.
The Final Storm brings Paragor’s full destructive power to bear on the Kingdom of Alleble. The Wyrm Lord and the Seven Sleepers, an army of more than 100,000 enemies assail the walls of King Eliam’s city. Aidan, Robby, and Antoinette will face the biggest challenge of their lives—teetering on the edge between heroic deeds and dark betrayals. The climax was the most emotional moment in all of the books for me to write. For in reality and in fiction, there cannot be victory without loss.
FOB: You are a teacher by day and a writer by night. How does your teaching help with your writing? Do you ever run story ideas by your students?
WTB: Insightful question. So funny that you should ask. If it weren’t for my students, there wouldn’t be a Door Within Trilogy. My kids have been involved in every aspect of these books. Over 13 years, I shared The Door Within with students, having incredible literary conversations. They learned first hand about the art of crafting a book, about the decisions a writer needs to make, creative techniques such as foreshadowing and flashback, and about the language writers use. I gained incredible feedback from these suddenly fearless critics. I’m about to begin writing a new book, Isle of Swords, a pirate adventure. And my students will once again help me craft the story into one that will appeal to kids everywhere.
FOB: What makes The Door Within series different from most kids’ fantasy books?
WTB: The Door Within is different in two ways: 1. As a teacher of tweens for 16 years now, I have insights into the lives of kids—their hopes, dreams…fears—depths of insights that few other authors have. One of the comments I hear most often from readers is that they can identify with the main characters. “That’s just how I’ve felt. How’d you know?” I know that kids of all ages are aching to ask the BIG questions of life, and to be taken seriously. In The Door Within Trilogy, I give them that chance.
2. The Glimpse Realm is different from any other fantasy world that I’ve found in other books. Yes, it is medieval. Yes, there are strange settings. Yes, there are strange and wonderful creatures—lots of these! {Wait til you enter Falon’s Labyrinth in book 1!!} But Glimpses are entirely different. They are the other half of our being, tied precariously to each of us by an invisible thread. When Aidan or anyone else for that matter enters The Realm—completely unexpected events occur!
FOB: Do you have a favorite kid’s book and/or favorite character?
Without a doubt, The Lord of the Rings. Tolkien’s books brought me into the world of fantasy—and reading in general. I couldn’t get over how I could be transported emotionally and physically into another world—just by reading two-dimensional words on a page!
From LOTR, my favorite character is Faramir. He’s actually a minor character, not part of the fellowship, but brother to Boromir. Faramir aches for the approval of his father Denethor, but is ever the “least favorite” son. I thought Peter Jackson did an amazing job fleshing this out in the movie version. But also Faramir was a strong, heroic guy, but not the flashy guy who got all the headlines or all the attention from the ladies.
FOB: How did you come up with characters like the Wyrm Lord, Glimpses, mortiwraith, and Wolvins? Any new creatures in The Final Storm?
WTB: I don’t really have a formula. Sometimes, I concentrate on what scares people, and go from there. The Wyrm Lord, for example, is a fierce dragon, BUT he is the firstborn of that race which gives him hideous strength and devastating mysterious powers. Other creatures are functional. I wanted Aidan to have to descend into an underground labyrinth, so I thought, what kind of big critter would dwell down there? Minotaurs had been done (LOL), so I needed something else.
And, oh yes, there will be creatures in The Final Storm! Wait until you venture into King’s Forest. Everything grows big there.
FOB: Do you have any advice for young authors?
1. It can be done.
2. Your creativity is already there—you can think up a story as good as Tolkien, Rowlings, or I ever could. But your craft is probably not there yet. Read like a crazy person—esp. in the genre you think you want to write. But don’t just read to be entertained. Learn what the authors are up to. Remember that part that thrilled you? What made it thrill you? And, I know as a teacher, I’m biased, but listen to your teachers. They will teach you the ingredients of good writing. It may not seem exciting—in the same way that drills at football practice or practicing scales on an instrument seem tiresome. Everyone wants the glory of the big game or the rock concert, but few are willing to invest the work needed to get there. Writing is work. Creating is work.
FOB: Any more books on the horizon you can tell us about?
WTB: As I mentioned before, I have a high adventure on the high seas planned for release in Spring of 2007. This pirate tale is called Isle of Swords, and begins with a lad awakening on island. He is bruised, scarred, beaten within an inch of his life, and yet he has no memory of what happened to him…he had no memory of how he came to this island, and he has no memory of his own identity. All he has to go on is a leather pouch containing: a priceless green jewel, a lock of red hair, and a rusty iron cross. The journey of discovering who he is will bring the lad between two of the Caribbean’s most notorious pirates: Declan Ross and Bartholomew Thorne.
FOB: If you had a day to do whatever you wanted, what would you do?
WTB: If the sky was the limit, I’d spend the day at a beach in Aruba. The morning I’d spend with my kids, bodysurfing and building sand castles. The afternoon I’d spend with my wife and friends playing spirited beach volleyball. The evening I’d spend performing on stage with my band mates. Ah…I can dream.
FOB: Anything else you’d like to share?
WTB: If you like Eragon, Inkspell, the Lord of the Rings, or Chronicles of Narnia, you will LOVE The Door Within Trilogy!
FOB: Thank you for spending time with us!
If you wish to sign up for Mr. Batson’s newsletter, send an email to:
batguy21784@yahoo.com.
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Marilynn Griffith is wife to a deacon, mom to a tribe and proof that God gives second chances. Her novels include Made of Honor (Steeple Hill, Jan. 2006), Pink (Revell, Feb. 2006), Jade (Revell, June 2006), and Tangerine (Revell, January 2007). Her other credits include Chicken Soup for the Christian Woman’s Soul, Cup of Comfort Devotionals and her Shades of Style series (Revell, 2006). She lives in Florida with her husband and children. To book speaking engagements or just say hello, email: marilynngriffith@gmail.com. 
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