Big news tonight.
Amazon is now taking orders for Virtuous Worlds!
I'm tempted to leave it that, but I should mention that Barnes & Noble will also have the book on sale later this week if you prefer that route.
Also, my first UPS shipment of the book will arrive Thursday afternoon. That means, for those of you who live in the neighborhood, you'll be able to purchase a copy from me directly by the end of this week. Once again, I encourage you to contact me if you live in the area and would like to purchase a copy (or more than one, if you know someone else who might be interested in the book). I will do my best to accomodate you. Although I can't sell the book to you through the Internet, I am happy to meet you in person if there is a time and place agreeable to us both.
Tell your friends, tell your family, tell your neighbors!
Speaking of Amazon, I would be forever grateful to anyone who is willing to take the time to write a customer review of the book. The more, the better, because the book will get more exposure if it gets a lot of reviews. It will show higher up in the search results, especially if the reviews are positive =).
Happy reading. I look forward to hearing what you think!
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Level 15: VW at the Printers!
こんにちは!
That's "hello" in Japanese for all you fans of Japanese video games out there. Virtuous Worlds has finally been sent to the printers. My publisher and I are both happy with the manuscript and overall book design. Okay, "thrilled" is probably more accurate.
Here's where things go from here. Now that it's at the printers, I'll be receiving a "proof" copy in the mail sometime in the next week or two. This is a physical copy of the book that serves as a sample that I get to approve before they really start rolling the presses.
Again, those of you who live nearby or who are interested in arranging to meet to buy a copy, I will have a certain number of copies on hand that I can sell to you in person. Otherwise, you will be able to buy it on Amazon or Barnes & Noble. If you would like a signed copy but cannot meet me in person, get in touch with me, and we'll try to work something out.
Thanks, everyone!
John
P.S. Steve, the book won't actually appear on Amazon or B&N for a few more days, so don't panic (^v^).
That's "hello" in Japanese for all you fans of Japanese video games out there. Virtuous Worlds has finally been sent to the printers. My publisher and I are both happy with the manuscript and overall book design. Okay, "thrilled" is probably more accurate.
Here's where things go from here. Now that it's at the printers, I'll be receiving a "proof" copy in the mail sometime in the next week or two. This is a physical copy of the book that serves as a sample that I get to approve before they really start rolling the presses.
Again, those of you who live nearby or who are interested in arranging to meet to buy a copy, I will have a certain number of copies on hand that I can sell to you in person. Otherwise, you will be able to buy it on Amazon or Barnes & Noble. If you would like a signed copy but cannot meet me in person, get in touch with me, and we'll try to work something out.
Thanks, everyone!
John
P.S. Steve, the book won't actually appear on Amazon or B&N for a few more days, so don't panic (^v^).
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Level 14: Advance Praise for "Virtuous Worlds!"
If you've been waiting for a second opinion before you decide whether to buy Virtuous Worlds, or if you're just plain curious what other folks think, let me introduce you to a very special group of people. These are five of the most intelligent human beings on the planet. Okay, I may be a little biased here, but seriously, I'm honored to introduce the five individuals who agreed to read and endorse the manuscript of Virtuous Worlds some months ago before it was even close to hitting the market.
Here's what they had to say upon finishing the book:
____________________________________________________________
~Michelle “Akuriko” Morse, award-winning cosplayer, featured in Nintendo Power and showcased on Cosplay.com, http://akuriko.deviantart.com/
If they ever do a Zelda movie, Michelle has the look of the character down pat. She knows. What. She's. Doing.
____________________________________________________________
“While video games are often seen as immoral influences, Stanifer takes a more nuanced look. Analyzing a variety of games, Stanifer discusses how they support Christian beliefs. This will be a fun read for any Christian gamer and a reassuring one for many parents.”
“I was surprised and impressed at the number of spiritual lessons John drew from a variety of games. Members of any faith can find tremendous worth in reading this book. I thoroughly recommend it to anyone who has the misconception that video games are just for entertainment purposes.”
“In Virtuous Worlds, Stanifer will teach you to play video games better by understanding the spiritual truths of this world. He will also do the reverse: he will teach you to play your life better by understanding the truths of the video gaming world.”
“So often Christians are fighting against culture, but John has utilized one of those rarely used gifts: the ability to see God’s Grace working in the world and through the lives of others even when they least expect it.”
Here's what they had to say upon finishing the book:
____________________________________________________________
“Virtuous Worlds is just what anyone would need to bridge the gap between video games and Christianity. Even someone like me who isn’t really a part of any religion can find this book uplifting and supportive.”
If they ever do a Zelda movie, Michelle has the look of the character down pat. She knows. What. She's. Doing.
____________________________________________________________
“While video games are often seen as immoral influences, Stanifer takes a more nuanced look. Analyzing a variety of games, Stanifer discusses how they support Christian beliefs. This will be a fun read for any Christian gamer and a reassuring one for many parents.”
~Scott Jones, Ph.D., Associate Professor of New Media Communication, Indiana University Kokomo
Had it not been for this man, I would never have discovered Gen Con in the first place.
____________________________________________________________
“I was surprised and impressed at the number of spiritual lessons John drew from a variety of games. Members of any faith can find tremendous worth in reading this book. I thoroughly recommend it to anyone who has the misconception that video games are just for entertainment purposes.”
~Laura “Flute Link” Intravia, vocalist and flutist for Video Games Live, recipient of the Charles F. Hockett Scholarship for Composition, http://www.lauraintravia.com/
Video Games Live is an internationally successful concert tour that combines the music of video games with the talents of a live orchestra. Ever wanted to hear the Shanghai Symphony play the theme song from Super Mario Bros? VGL has you covered. I've been. More than once. It. Was. Awesome.
____________________________________________________________
“In Virtuous Worlds, Stanifer will teach you to play video games better by understanding the spiritual truths of this world. He will also do the reverse: he will teach you to play your life better by understanding the truths of the video gaming world.”
~Caleb Grimes, author of Star Wars Jesus, http://www.starwarsjesus.com/
The Force is with Caleb. Wise, he is. Generous, he is. You don't know the power of Jesus and Star Wars combined. It's deadly.
____________________________________________________________
“So often Christians are fighting against culture, but John has utilized one of those rarely used gifts: the ability to see God’s Grace working in the world and through the lives of others even when they least expect it.”
~Rev. Derek White, Christian Gamers Guild, http://www.geekpreacher.com/
Derek is a United Methodist Minister, a board member of the Christian Gamers Guild, and a frequent Gen Con attendee.
____________________________________________________________
All of these quotes will be appearing on the back cover of Virtuous Worlds, but like I said, I wanted you to see them here first.
Just a few more weeks. Hold tight!
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Level 13: When & Where to Buy VW, How to Get a Signed Copy
Since we're coming down to the wire here and Virtuous Worlds is expected to be released within the next month, I thought it was about time to remind everyone when and where they can buy the book and how to get their copy signed.
Virtuous Worlds will be released in May. I don't have an exact release date, and even if I did, it could actually come out before then, as has happened in the past with some of my publisher's other books. I feel pretty safe saying that the book is a month away, give or take a few days.
When the book does become available, it will be sold online through Amazon and Barnes & Noble. You might check with your local bookstore to see if they are able to order it, but the easiest way to get it will be through one of these two sites.
If you live in Indiana, I plan on doing a few signings in the Kokomo area and possibly in the Indianapolis area if that can be arranged. I'll post details as soon as they're worked out.
For anyone who wants their copy of the book signed, I'm more than happy to sign it! There are three main ways I see of doing this:
1. Come to a signing.
2. Arrange to meet me in person. As I don't know exactly when or where the signings will take place yet, you may decide you want your copy signed beforehand (or you may not be able to make it to a signing for whatever reason). Feel free to get in touch with me by email (j s t a n i f e AT a l u m n i DOT e d u) or on Facebook, and we'll try to work something out.
3. Send me your copy by mail. If all else fails and we can't meet in person, you're welcome to send me a copy of the book to sign and return by post. IMPORTANT: PLEASE INCLUDE RETURN POSTAGE IF YOU ARE GOING WITH THIS OPTION. Contact me by email (see above) or Facebook, and I'll gladly send you my postal address if you need it.
That's all for now. If I get wind that my publisher is ready to take orders for the book, or if anything else exciting comes up, I'll post it here. Keep watching, and thanks for reading!
EDIT: Technically, this falls under #2 above, but if you are someone I run into on a regular basis or you live in the Kokomo area (that includes you, Billy Wong), feel free to harangue me for a copy of the book, as I plan on carrying a small pile of them with me everywhere I go in case I meet someone who is interested.
Virtuous Worlds will be released in May. I don't have an exact release date, and even if I did, it could actually come out before then, as has happened in the past with some of my publisher's other books. I feel pretty safe saying that the book is a month away, give or take a few days.
When the book does become available, it will be sold online through Amazon and Barnes & Noble. You might check with your local bookstore to see if they are able to order it, but the easiest way to get it will be through one of these two sites.
If you live in Indiana, I plan on doing a few signings in the Kokomo area and possibly in the Indianapolis area if that can be arranged. I'll post details as soon as they're worked out.
For anyone who wants their copy of the book signed, I'm more than happy to sign it! There are three main ways I see of doing this:
1. Come to a signing.
2. Arrange to meet me in person. As I don't know exactly when or where the signings will take place yet, you may decide you want your copy signed beforehand (or you may not be able to make it to a signing for whatever reason). Feel free to get in touch with me by email (j s t a n i f e AT a l u m n i DOT e d u) or on Facebook, and we'll try to work something out.
3. Send me your copy by mail. If all else fails and we can't meet in person, you're welcome to send me a copy of the book to sign and return by post. IMPORTANT: PLEASE INCLUDE RETURN POSTAGE IF YOU ARE GOING WITH THIS OPTION. Contact me by email (see above) or Facebook, and I'll gladly send you my postal address if you need it.
That's all for now. If I get wind that my publisher is ready to take orders for the book, or if anything else exciting comes up, I'll post it here. Keep watching, and thanks for reading!
EDIT: Technically, this falls under #2 above, but if you are someone I run into on a regular basis or you live in the Kokomo area (that includes you, Billy Wong), feel free to harangue me for a copy of the book, as I plan on carrying a small pile of them with me everywhere I go in case I meet someone who is interested.
Monday, March 21, 2011
Level 12: The Most Expensive Video Game Ever?
Most video games involve collecting a lot of "stuff." Among other things, Mario collects his golden coins and his Power Stars. Link collects his rupees and his Gold Skulltulas. Cloud collects his Materia. And so on.
Sometimes, collecting all the "stuff" in a game is optional. You don't have to collect all 120 stars in Super Mario 64 to rescue Princess Peach. You don't have to collect all the Gold Skulltulas in Ocarina of Time to save Hyrule. You don't have to obtain the elusive "Knights of the Round" Materia in Final Fantasy VII to stop Sephiroth from destroying the Planet.
Still, for most gamers, collecting the stuff is a major part of the overall experience of a game. That's part of what keeps us coming back and clocking in all those hours in all those virtuous virtual worlds.
Some stuff is harder to find than other stuff. Some stuff is more valuable than other stuff. Some players are so dedicated that they'll spend dozens of hours mastering the game just so they can snag whatever that object is that they're seeking.
This obsession with collecting can spill over into the world outside the game. Sometimes, the game itself is worth its weight in Gil (Gil being the popular currency in Final Fantasy for those of you who are scratching your heads).
Some rare games have been known to sell for tens of thousands of dollars. Consider the sealed copy of Stadium Events, an extremely hard-to-find game for the NES, that went for a reputed $41,300 on eBay. The story goes that the person who sold it bought it for $29.99 when it first came out. Then they realized that they couldn't play it, because it required them to purchase an extra peripheral called the Power Pad. Lucky for them, instead of returning the game to the store, they decided to let it collect dust for twenty years or so before they remembered it was there and found out it was worth a pretty penny.
Get more details here
Personally, as interesting as the seller's story is, I'd like to know more about the buyer. What sort of person would actually pay that much for an unopened copy of Stadium Events? Were they a rich geek who just needed it to complete their perfect collection? Did they have sentimental memories of playing the game as a child? Were they a salesperson who thought they could get even more money out of the game?
Who can say? One thing we know for sure: to pay that much money for a hard-to-find treasure takes some serious dedication.
Jesus said the Kingdom of Heaven "is like a merchant on the lookout for choice pearls. When he discovered a pearl of great value, he sold everything he owned and bought it" (Matt 13:45-46, NLT). This fits the eBay story above nicely, although I'm assuming (hoping) the person who bought Stadium Events didn't have to sell everything they owned to buy it.
As ridiculous as it may seem to spend so much money on a video game, it's only ridiculous for those who don't have spiritual hungers.
Heckler: "Doesn't everybody have spiritual hungers?"
Exactly. Even Christ's parable of "The Pearl of Great Price" may seem ridiculous if taken literally. What idiot would spend everything he had to buy a single pearl?
It's not really about the pearl, though, is it? It's what the pearl represents. Spiritual hunger. Truth. Personal contact with God. Some things are worth seeking after. Some things are worth selling everything you have to obtain.
No, I don't recommend that you "go thou and do likewise," spending tens of thousands of dollars on a pristine copy of your favorite video game (although I confess I did spend about $40 once to obtain a boxed Collector's Edition of Ocarina of Time...go ahead and laugh, if you must). What I do suggest is that when it comes to the things that really are worthwhile, we spend ourselves to the max to obtain them. You know, things like "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind" and "Love your neighbor as yourself" (Matt 22:37-39, NLT). Kingdom of Heaven stuff.
Taken symbolically, the Stadium Events purchase isn't so ridiculous after all, is it? If you still think so, just ask yourself this:
What would you spend everything you have to gain?
Sometimes, collecting all the "stuff" in a game is optional. You don't have to collect all 120 stars in Super Mario 64 to rescue Princess Peach. You don't have to collect all the Gold Skulltulas in Ocarina of Time to save Hyrule. You don't have to obtain the elusive "Knights of the Round" Materia in Final Fantasy VII to stop Sephiroth from destroying the Planet.
Still, for most gamers, collecting the stuff is a major part of the overall experience of a game. That's part of what keeps us coming back and clocking in all those hours in all those virtuous virtual worlds.
Some stuff is harder to find than other stuff. Some stuff is more valuable than other stuff. Some players are so dedicated that they'll spend dozens of hours mastering the game just so they can snag whatever that object is that they're seeking.
This obsession with collecting can spill over into the world outside the game. Sometimes, the game itself is worth its weight in Gil (Gil being the popular currency in Final Fantasy for those of you who are scratching your heads).
Some rare games have been known to sell for tens of thousands of dollars. Consider the sealed copy of Stadium Events, an extremely hard-to-find game for the NES, that went for a reputed $41,300 on eBay. The story goes that the person who sold it bought it for $29.99 when it first came out. Then they realized that they couldn't play it, because it required them to purchase an extra peripheral called the Power Pad. Lucky for them, instead of returning the game to the store, they decided to let it collect dust for twenty years or so before they remembered it was there and found out it was worth a pretty penny.
Get more details here
Personally, as interesting as the seller's story is, I'd like to know more about the buyer. What sort of person would actually pay that much for an unopened copy of Stadium Events? Were they a rich geek who just needed it to complete their perfect collection? Did they have sentimental memories of playing the game as a child? Were they a salesperson who thought they could get even more money out of the game?
Who can say? One thing we know for sure: to pay that much money for a hard-to-find treasure takes some serious dedication.
Jesus said the Kingdom of Heaven "is like a merchant on the lookout for choice pearls. When he discovered a pearl of great value, he sold everything he owned and bought it" (Matt 13:45-46, NLT). This fits the eBay story above nicely, although I'm assuming (hoping) the person who bought Stadium Events didn't have to sell everything they owned to buy it.
As ridiculous as it may seem to spend so much money on a video game, it's only ridiculous for those who don't have spiritual hungers.
Heckler: "Doesn't everybody have spiritual hungers?"
Exactly. Even Christ's parable of "The Pearl of Great Price" may seem ridiculous if taken literally. What idiot would spend everything he had to buy a single pearl?
It's not really about the pearl, though, is it? It's what the pearl represents. Spiritual hunger. Truth. Personal contact with God. Some things are worth seeking after. Some things are worth selling everything you have to obtain.
No, I don't recommend that you "go thou and do likewise," spending tens of thousands of dollars on a pristine copy of your favorite video game (although I confess I did spend about $40 once to obtain a boxed Collector's Edition of Ocarina of Time...go ahead and laugh, if you must). What I do suggest is that when it comes to the things that really are worthwhile, we spend ourselves to the max to obtain them. You know, things like "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind" and "Love your neighbor as yourself" (Matt 22:37-39, NLT). Kingdom of Heaven stuff.
Taken symbolically, the Stadium Events purchase isn't so ridiculous after all, is it? If you still think so, just ask yourself this:
What would you spend everything you have to gain?
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Level 11: Winged Lion Announces "Virtuous Worlds"
A small update. My publisher, Bob Trexler of Winged Lion Press, has added a page to his website devoted to Virtuous Worlds.
Winged Lion Press
You'll notice it says "Coming May 2011." Due to two other books from WLP coming out around Easter, the March/April release of Virtuous Worlds has been pushed to May so that Bob can devote the time to each book that it deserves.
Those of you who have been patiently waiting for the release of the book, it is still less than three months away. Thank you for your support!
Winged Lion Press
You'll notice it says "Coming May 2011." Due to two other books from WLP coming out around Easter, the March/April release of Virtuous Worlds has been pushed to May so that Bob can devote the time to each book that it deserves.
Those of you who have been patiently waiting for the release of the book, it is still less than three months away. Thank you for your support!
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Level 10: Front Cover Revealed!
Friends, neighbors, fellow countrymen of Hyrule, I can finally reveal the front cover of Virtuous Worlds after the last few weeks of working with my publisher and a professional designer behind-the-scenes.
Virtuous Worlds Front Cover
It was tricky finding something gamers would recognize without tripping any copyright alarms. The Super Mario World font was created by "The Liquid Plumber" and downloaded through http://www.fontspace.com/. The other font, "Super Plumber Brothers," was inspired by the title screen font of Super Mario Bros. and was created by Jackster Productions.
You spied the Triforce, right? Good.
Stay tuned for the back cover, and let me know what you think!
Virtuous Worlds Front Cover
It was tricky finding something gamers would recognize without tripping any copyright alarms. The Super Mario World font was created by "The Liquid Plumber" and downloaded through http://www.fontspace.com/. The other font, "Super Plumber Brothers," was inspired by the title screen font of Super Mario Bros. and was created by Jackster Productions.
You spied the Triforce, right? Good.
Stay tuned for the back cover, and let me know what you think!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)