TIME MASTERS, BOOK ONE: THE CALL, by Geralyn Beauchamp

Day 7 Saturday

As we come to the final day of the tour of TIME MASTERS, by Geralyn Beauchamp, I want to say that I could write a lot about this marvelous book. It is doled out to us in such a marvelous manner that we can talk about the plot, the characters, the sub-plots, the genre and how it fits, and more. I've chosen to talk about some of the prominent characters because I'm a character-driven writer. So delving into this book in that manner just makes sense, especially when the characters are so wonderfully created. I wanted to have an interview with Geralyn, but time and space didn't allow me to do so. I'm real sorry about that.

There are those who might say that there is precious little science in this science fiction. Well, that's because the story isn't about the science or the technology so much as it is about the people in it. Sure there is time travel, but we aren't really told how this is achieved. There are communicators and a few other things. Yet this is a story about a civilization that desperately needs a certain man to fall in love with a certain woman, and that woman must fall in love with him as well. It is a love story, which ordinarily would send me running in the other direction, but this is done so well that I find it difficult to put down. Remember, we use our genres not so much so we can focus on the aspects of the story that make these stories fit these various genres, but because certain genres are a way of telling the story that we wish to tell.

In speaking with the author I know that this is a story that she wished to tell, one that God inspired her to tell. She has been faithful in every area in doing so. I still find some of the exclaimatory statements to be almost laughable, but overall I find that she hasn't told the whole story. She has left us hanging, even though she brings THE CALL to a satisfactory ending. There was a time when I was cliff-climbing and fell, breaking loose some of the protective features, while others remained in place. The whole event took only a few seconds, but from my point of view everything seemed to be going in slow motion. One thing I remember very clearly is watching myself reaching out to find something to grab hold of when I first felt myself slip. It was like watching things in slow motion. I watched my hand slowly reach out and was thinking, “I'm not going to catch that rock in time.” TIME MASTERS is just like that. It's like an adrenaline-filled fall where time has sped up so fast that it seems to be going in slow motion. There's a knowledge of things passing by us as we fall, the view of things as we reach out to gain our bearings, but even with as slowly as Beauchamp hands it out, we know we aren't going to reach it in time. Take all the rush and thrill of a rolller coaster, get in, pump it up a few notches, but then only allow you to view it in slow motion. It doesn't make things any less enjoyable or stressful. If anything the stress is increased, making it more enjoyable. I'm really not sure how she does it. Maybe Geralyn Beauchamp is a Muiraran herself, and we are all experiencing something akin to a type of time travel. You'll have to read it to find out.

Featured at her own site Welcome to Time Masters

You can find it at Barnes and Noble

As well as at Amazon

And of course at Cold Tree Press

TIME MASTERS, BOOK ONE: THE CALL, by Geralyn Beauchamp

Day 6 Friday

The next pair I'd like to talk about I'd bet will even surprise Geralyn Beauchamp. We don't meet this pair until the fifteenth chapter. And if you think the slaughter of the MacDonalds at Glencoe was dark, you've got another thing coming. Philip is arguing with Brennan. It starts with Brennan mocking Philip about how they killed his wife years ago, the only person Philip ever really loved. Both men seem equal as far as status goes, but they appear to be on opposite sides of the moral compass. Philip is compassionate, but weak, lonely, and try as he might, no match for Brennan. Brennan on the other hand is ruthless, cares only for himself, the devil in human form. CAUTION: Spoiler follows. If you really want to be surprised by the book read no further. Otherwise, enjoy the insights.

What Beauchamp does in chapter fifteen is a fantastic piece of writing. You see, we are at some point in the past, in England, in the mansion of Lord Philip Brennan. That's right. Philip and Brennan are the same person. The way she introduces you to these two, and they really are two distinct personalities, is amazing. Two side of the same person fighting for supremacy over the other. As is the case most of the time the evil side seems stronger, more deceitful, more full of tricks. Thing is, we all battle this same battle. We win some fights and lose some. The thing that differs us from Lord Philip Brennan is that we keep trying, most of us any way. We find a way to get back up and fight again and again. Sort of like Dallan, who for ten years gets up and fights Kwaku, only to be beaten down again and again. Ten years. Think of it. What keeps a man going like that? That's only the physical, though, we're talking about the spiritual battle. This is where it gets sticky. How do you and I and anyone else keep getting up after failure upon failure? How do we continue on when we keep falling down? The answer is to realize that victory is ours if we endure to the end.

Philip Brennan reminds me of Judas Iscariot. Judas fought the same battle and lost, just like Philip did to Brennan. Judas thought he could force Jesus to take the throne over Israel. When it become clear that wasn't in His plan, Judas, who had already been stealing from the disciples, decided he could at least make some money off of this. He gave in to the evil nature that we all have. If we give in, if we give up, evil will destroy us. There are other examples of those who fought and endured to the end. The person who comes to mind is Paul. He said that even though he knew what he should be doing he found himself doing just the opposite, and when he tried to keep from doing what he knew was wrong, it was that very thing he found himself doing. So how did Paul do it? How did Paul keep from falling into the same trap as Philip Brennan? He looked to the cross of Jesus, remembered the words Jesus spoke, “It is finished” and realized that, right or wrong, his victory was wrapped up in the person and actions of Jesus. Jesus was Paul's strength. Jesus was Paul's escape through suffering. Jesus can do this for all of us, if we can only hang in there and put our trust in Him. Sin is inevitable. But repentance gives us new life. It holds death at bay. If we will only hold on, endure until the end, our salvation will be sure. If we do not, we will end up no better than Philip Brennan. What kind of future is in store for you? Did you know that you can chose life? You can kill the Brennan in you. Even if you have to do it every day for the rest of your life, it will be worth it to feel the warmth and closeness of your Lord.

Featured at her own site Welcome to Time Masters

You can find it at Barnes and Noble

As well as at Amazon

And of course at Cold Tree Press

TIME MASTERS, BOOK ONE: THE CALL, by Geralyn Beauchamp

Day 5 Thursday

Another pair of characters in TIME MASTERS that I find particularly interesting is Shona Whittard and Kitty Morgan. You may notice that I'm not pairing them off like Noah paired off animals for the ark. That's because these pairs fall into different categories. They are integral to one another. Dallan and Kwaku are important to one another. So are John Eaton and Lany Mosgofian. And now we come to Shona and Kitty. Their lives are so bound up in one another's that it is nearly impossible to talk about one without talking about the other.

Shona is the long-searched for Maiden, the Muiraran who must join with Dallan MacDonald for the survival of both Muiraran and Human races. The interesting thing is she doesn't know she is Muiraran. She thinks she's a human. Yet she suspects something is not only different about her, but changing. We first meet Shona as she wakes up to see her face changing in the mirror. Now that's weird. When we see her dreams we begin to get a clue as to what is going on. Little by little, and I must say that Geralyn Beauchamp doles out precious little at a time, we become aware of what a Muiraran must be like,yet keeps you at the edge of your seat while doing so. She introduces her with such painfully detailed increments that by the end of the book we know both who and what Shone is. To me she is like one awakening from spiritual slumber. The Holy Spirit works in the children of God so that, even after they have drifted away and become entangled in the things of this world, draws them back to their Heavenly Father. As He does so He begins to work in the heart and mind of these children, creating something new. Romans 12:2 says, “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” What we are witnessing in Shona, and in Dallan for that matter, is a transformation from something they believed they were to something far greater. This is what the Lord wants for each of us.

Kitty is another story altogether. This wonderful, compassionate and somewhat “airhead” is laughable. If you don't believe me, just wait until you get to Angus' Weapon's shop scene. Remarkably written, it feels like slapstick comedy in the middle of a serious piece of work. Yet, as I said, she is compassionate. I love the character of Kitty, probably because she is so believable. Not that the others aren't, but it's easy for me, at least, to identify with someone who will stick their neck out for their friend, and at the same time cause catastrophe in their wake. I look at her and see how wonderful and marvelous God truly is. David was a very sorry excuse for a saint, and yet Scripture says of him, “He was a man after God's own heart.” This is said of no other person in all of Scripture. Don't believe me, look it up. Move to the New Testament. Who did Jesus choose to be His Disciples? Were they men of status, of honor, of wealth? No! They were simply men who were willing to be taught the truth and follow it...well, except for one. Kitty is of that same caliber. She is Shona's friend, and it doesn't mean she has to understand everything. It doesn't mean she is graceful, because we all learn that she really isn't. It doesn't mean that her mind is as pure as we'd like to think, because one of the first things we learn about Kitty is she gawks at men. She is, however, available, anytime, anywhere, for her friend. You and I are not perfect either. We have plenty of faults, but are we willing to be like Kitty? Are we willing to be there for Jesus anytime, anywhere? Before you answer that perhaps you read Matthew 25:31-46. “Inasmuch as ye have done so unto the least of these My brethren, ye have done so unto Me.” That is what Kitty teaches me. I don't know if Geralyn had that in mind, but that's what I got out of it. Hope you don't mind me sharing it with you. I just love Kitty. Through her we learn the meaning of the words, “Love covers a multitude of sins."

Featured at her own site Welcome to Time Masters

You can find it at Barnes and Noble

As well as at Amazon

And of course at Cold Tree Press

TIME MASTERS, BOOK ONE: THE CALL, by Geralyn Beauchamp

Day 4 Wednesday

Another pair of characters are John Eaton, Lord Councilor, and his assistant, Lantzaro “Lany” Mosgofian. These are future humans and their job is to work with Dallan to “join” with the Muiraran Maiden, thus making him the next Time Master. Their biggest immediate problem is trying to get Dallan to accept the idea of the Muiraran people and the Time Master. This is complicated by the fact that they are only allowed to share certain information with Dallan. That is only the beginning. I don't want to spoil things for you and tell you all the problems they face. Instead let's look at these two men.

John Eaton has a gift of being honest, engendering trust, even in Dallan. Of course, when told not to share information with the Scot this poses a problem, as it undercuts his main strength. John also possesses keen insight, and the ability to remain calm when everything inside of him is churning and boiling over with anxiety. This enables him to face Dallan, a muscular six foot, six inch warrior, as though he were an equal, or better. More than that, these attributes help create a bond of friendship between these two. This bond is essential. With out it, the task could not have been completed.

Lany, that is Lantzaro Mosgofian, possesses a unique ability to find amusement in any situation. He does have his faults, and there are times when he finds it difficult to smile. He has his own fears, just as John. However, they are different than John's and that's what makes them such a winning team. They compliment each other so well that both are able to do the job given them. There is also something hinted about Lany that I haven't quite figured out, but it seems to allude to some connection with Muirarans that John doesn't possess. This also comes in very handy.

With these two men we get a more realistic view of Christianity. While God calls us to perfection, it's a pretty sure bet none of us are going to make it. However, we can learn to be connected to one another though our different talents that God has given us. When used in cooperation with other members of the Body of Christ we find we are unstoppable. It also shows us how we can achieve this. It is through their love and affection for one another that they do more than what either of them can do alone. Jesus tells us, “By this shall all men know you are my disciples, that you love one another.” Jesus gave us the command, but in giving the command he also gave us the key to living a victorious life. It may not always look that way, as John and Lany find out, but if they stick to their love for one another, and the goal set before them, they find that great obstacles can be overcome. There is one more thing they need to do, stick to the plan, God's plan. Unity, even in love, apart from God's will, is not going to achieve the results God is looking for. So we need to seek God's face, get His plan, stick to it, and love each other. Then we become an incredibly powerful force. The reason? Because we truly then become “Jesus with skin on.”

Featured at her own site Welcome to Time Masters

You can find it at Barnes and Noble

As well as at Amazon

And of course at Cold Tree Press

TIME MASTERS, BOOK ONE: THE CALL, by Geralyn Beauchamp

Day 3 Tuesday

TIME MASTERS gives us some wonderful characters, not just Dallan MacDonald. In fact, they almost come in pairs. There's Dallan and Kwaku, John and Lany, Shona and Kitty, Julia and Brennan. They aren't paired off the way you'd think, like boy-girl, boy-girl. To complete our first couple, and look at one of the most colorful, disagreeable and important figures in the story, Kwaku Awahnee, Time Master. I've already stated that he has this annoying habit of laughing at the most inopportune times. This coupled with his awesome strength and the fact that his presence alone scares most people to death make him the least popular person in all Genis Lee, or anywhere else for that matter.

Geralyn Beauchamp gives us the chance to step back a tiny bit and see Kwaku just a little better than those close to him. When someone is in danger, it seems that Kwaku always shows up. He may just seem to aggravate an already tense situation, but we find that he has a purpose in what he does. Oh, you're not going to get that right off, but you will come to see this. Dallan calls him, “the bloody heathen”, and yet, as we read, we are left to wonder, just who is the real heathen here? Oh sure, Kwaku is the most annoying creature in the book, but he does have faith in the Creator. While others say they have faith in the Creator, and even Dallan ascribes to the Lord, it is Kwaku's faith that makes him strong. It is why he can laugh at situations that would cause us terrible anxiety. Maybe that's the point. Beauchamp is giving us a lesson on faith and we don't even realize it. It is so wonderfully interwoven into the personality of one of her characters, rather than the story plot, that we don't realize this beautiful teaching, or that we are being taught. That's awesome writing.

Did you ever wonder what it would be like to really have the kind of faith that God asks us to have? Scripture says that without faith it is impossible to please God. So put yourself in the story. You know that things are going to turn out right. Everyone around you seems to fret and question and get tense at everything. They may try to have faith, and may even have a measure of faith, like John or Lany, but you know. Now, step out of the story. What would it be like to have that kind of faith in our lives? Oh, we have a measure of faith, well some of us, sure. But what if we were so convinced of God's love for us, His power and control over every situation we found ourselves in that we knew, beyond a shadow of any doubt, that God really would take care of things? What would our lives be like? Wouldn't we live in peace and joy? Wouldn't we even laugh at times when others thought that doing so was totally out of place? I think we would. Furthermore, I think this is the kind of faith God is calling His people to. There is a point in the book where Kwaku does something that is truly amazing. He tells Dallan that he has done all he could, now he must turn him over to the Creator. Kwaku knew his part, where it begins and where it ends. And he knew that only God could take Dallan the rest of the way. What about you? Do you know where your part begins, and where it ends? Do you know, not just believe, but know, that God is in control of what you cannot do? That's faith, the kind of faith God is trying to bring about in His people. Walking by faith is the most powerful weapon we have, that and love. If you look closely, you'll notice that Kwaku isn't short in that area either.

Featured at her own site Welcome to Time Masters

You can find it at Barnes and Noble

As well as at Amazon

And of course at Cold Tree Press

TIME MASTERS, BOOK ONE: THE CALL by Geralyn Beauchamp

Day 2 Monday

We get the feeling that Dallan MacDonald is the centerpiece of this novel, but while that may be true, there are other characters that we will meet who come to the forefront. However, let us look at Dallan for a moment. Snatched from his own time period during a raid by the Campbells on his family, Dallan isn't certain of the fate of his brother, Alisdar. He is more than just sad, he's angry, angry at the person who took him, a man by the name of Kwaku Awahnee. Kwaku is the current Time Master, Dallan is his protoge. For ten years Kwaku comes out and fights Dallan, the only one man enough to stand up to “the bloody heathen” as Dallan calls him. But Kwaku has a reason for all this. His laughter is annoying, and Dallan always loses. It's not that he loses, but how he loses that makes you like Dallan. He is determined never to give up.

We learn more about Dallan as John Eaton, Lord Councilor, interviews him. Through Eaton's eyes we begin to see a person of many dimensions. He's not just a rough Highlander, waiting for a fight, he's a real human being with a full range of emotions, most of which he keeps hidden. With the help of Lany's son Vyn, the Scot's defenses begin to crumble and we see a caring individual, someone who is homesick. Yet, as we later learn, he's more than homesick, he's longing for something that he can't pin down right away. It's something, someone who haunts his dreams. A girl he met when he was a young child.

Now, I may be off base here, but this is what came through to me as I read this book. Those of us who have grown up in Christian families, especially those who have accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior when they were a child, can identify with Dallan. We give our heart to Jesus when we're children. Our child-like love and faith knows no limits. We are filled with joy, made complete. As we grow older, the tendency is to forget that child-like love. We let all the things in the world crowd in. Later on we realize there's an emptiness. Have we lost our salvation? No, but we've lost our fellowship of love with our Lord. The thing is, we really don't know what it is at first. As we try to find out what is causing this emptiness, we slowly begin to realize what the problem is, only we don't know how to deal with it. We struggle, just as Dallan does, against the true call on our lives. Only when we surrender are we on the right track, but there is still a long way to go. We read the Word, we pray, we work to get back to love, but everything is a struggle. This story should remind us how precious our relationship with Jesus is. Instead of fighting and struggling we need to learn to surrender to God, totally and completely. It was easy as a child, but now we think we have things of value. The truth is that we only have things, things that are pretty stupid. Nothing in this world lasts. The only thing of value is the love of God. When we lose that we have nothing. If we don't find it again we will surely die.

Featured at her own site Welcome to Time Masters

You can find it at Barnes and Noble

As well as at Amazon

And of course at Cold Tree Press

TIME MASTERS, BOOK ONE: THE CALL

Day 1 Sunday

When I first heard of TIME MASTERS, BOOK ONE: THE CALL it sounded like something I could really get into. Then it came in the mail. 566 pages long and thicker than my Bible. How was I possibly going to read this monstrosity in time to do the posts for the January tour? I was so afraid of it because of the length I even put off starting to read it for several days. Then something happened. Call it a miracle. Call it running into the most fluid, captivating, exciting and thrilling novel I've read in a very long time, but I found myself flipping pages faster than I thought possible. I'm a slow reader by both physical design and intent. What that means is that I have slightly poor eyesight and like to read slowly so I can enjoy the story. I found myself having difficulty reading this slowly. I think if my eyesight were any better I may have breezed through this wonderful work and missed all the amazing things I found between the covers.

I am constantly overwhelmed by he people who come to CFRB with a book to tour. Often these books have been turned down by mainstream Christian publishers, so I get to read works that are far better than I would normally read among Christian fiction. One of the big complaints I hear in the writer's groups about Christian fiction is the predictability of most published works. This isn't so much a put down on the authors as it is on the industry that is supposed to be showcasing Christian works as the best published works. Rather than get into that, however, let's talk about TIME MASTERS, by Geralyn Beauchamp.

She starts with a prologue, a technique that I love to use, but have been told that is often ineffective because it's overlooked. Not here. We start our story in the most unsuspecting of places, Glencoe, Scotland; February 13th, 1692. Here we meet the main character, Dallan MacDonald. Beauchamp does a fantastic job of getting the reader to see and understand Dallan MacDonald right from the start. One of Geralyn Beauchamp's greatest skills, may not be her fantastic story telling, but her ability to use action to describe people and surroundings. You are familiar with the small cottage, feel the warm of the fire in the hearth, sense the concern the MacDonalds have over the Campbells coming in and serving papers forcing them to house English soldiers. All of this happens in the prologue. It gives us a wonderful sense of color and drama, but even more importantly, it helps us see, feel and understand Dallan MacDonald. Oh yes, and we also catch a glimpse of a large dark warrior, with a deep laugh. We learn more about him throughout the epic.

Featured at her own site Welcome to Time Masters

You can find it at Barnes and Noble

As well as at Amazon

And of course at Cold Tree Press

Some Info to prepare for the tour starting Sunday

Here are jpg versions of the book cover and author pictures or you can find them on my blog in this post.






I am also including in this message a list of web addresses pertinent to the book and author with descriptions. The graphics and links may also be used for posting and/or for information to create your own post/s during the tour. If you wish to post purchase links please use the Amazon paperback link: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1583851984 if you wish to post others of the purchase links from below in addition that is fine too.




Time Masters Website: http://www.geralynbeauchamp.com/index.html ,
Geralyn Beauchamp's MySpace: http://myspace.com/timemasters and
Shoutlife: http://shoutlife.com/timemasters,
Time Masters Fan Club MySpace: http://myspace.com/212953032 ,
Geralyn's Blog: http://authorgeralynbeauchamp.blogspot.com ,
Prologue: http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=188563457&blogID=295985974&Mytoken=62219CA0-C378-4369-BFF98B5FE3ECDFE45498605 and
Chapter 1: http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=188563457&blogID=301538915&Mytoken=62219CA0-C378-4369-BFF98B5FE3ECDFE45498605 of Time Masters,
Cold Tree Press: http://coldtreepress.com/ .

To Purchase your own copy of Time Masters:
Order direct from Cold Tree: http://coldtreepress.com/catalog/book/197 ,
order through Barnes and Noble in
Paperback: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?z=y&EAN=9781583851982&itm=1 and
Hardcover: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbninquiry.asp?ean=9781583851913&z=y ,
or on Amazon in Paperback: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1583851984 and
Hardcover: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1583851917

It can also be purchased at Barnes and Noble stores.

Other Posted Reviews We Know of:
Coffee Time Romance : http://www.coffeetimeromance.com/BookReviews/Timemastersbookone.html ,
Cathi's Chatter: http://cathischatter.blogspot.com/2007/12/time-masters-book-one-call-by-geralyn.html ,
A Peek at My Bookshelf by Deena: http://deenasbooks.blogspot.com/2007/11/time-masters-book-one-call-by-geralyn.html ,
Queen of Convolution by Caprice: http://cfvici.blogspot.com/2008/01/time-masters-book-one-call-by-geralyn.html ,
Bibliophile’s Retreat by Melissa: http://forstrose.blogspot.com/2007/11/time-masters-book-one-call-by-geralyn.html