Our Podcast!

Want to hear some fun conversations about all things fantasy books? Listen to the Book-Bat podcast, here to help you navigate the world of Christian fantasy!

Since February 2023, Jason and I have been releasing podcast episodes the second and fourth Thursday of each month. Our focus is Christian fantasy books, though we also discuss fantasy in general. Each episode is approximately between 10 and 40 minutes long. Recently, we reached an early milestone in posting our tenth episode!

We began by introducing ourselves and our definition of Christian fantasy.

Twice we’ve done episodes about Christian authors from history: one on CS Lewis, author of the popular Narnia series; and one on George MacDonald, an early pioneer of the fantasy genre.

Other educational episodes include a discussion on manga and graphic novels, and one about the origins of popular fantasy creatures.

We’ve given tips on where to find fantasy and which underrated books are worth reading. And we’ve talked about magic in fantasy, and answered random questions from a jar in parts one and two.

We’re always on the lookout for more topics to discuss; so feel free to send us your questions about fantasy, or recommend books and conversation starters!

A Vast World

Written by Karlissa J.

Why is it that in most fantasy stories, everyone speaks the same language?

Characters can cross the world - galaxy even - and still find that most people talk like them. While here on Earth, there are over 7,000 languages spoken!

Tales of the Diversity takes place in a world quite unlike our own. And yet, some things are familiar.

Shady businesses are built around taking advantage of the vulnerable.

Wars are fought over wealth, religion, land, and culture.

And communication with someone from across the world can be tough: because not everyone speaks the same language!

It’s into this world that Captain Ctzo sets sail with an ethnically diverse crew, urged on by a spiritual guide who promises his journey will change history.

Are you ready to discover what becomes of Ctzo?

Writing Update May 2023

Written by Karlissa J.

I currently have two books in the works: a fantasy story, and a non-fiction book about fantasy!

The fantasy story is Davy Jones’ Aquarium: a sweet coming-of-age story about a six-foot-tall guy who swallows raw fish fillets and thinks dolphins are demonic.

I finished doing some rewrites in Davy Jones’ Aquarium, and am just reviewing this draft before finding a professional editor.

The non-fiction book is called Christian Fantasy 101, and it’s about… well, the core of Christian fantasy, including significant books and authors!

I’m getting further on research, which has led to some changes to my plans for the book. I’ve decided to focus in on four Christian authors that have shaped fantasy: George MacDonald, J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, and Madeleine L’Engle.

You can hear more about fantasy books and my research on our podcast: the Book-Bat podcast!

Book Previews

Written by Karlissa J

Did you know I posted previews of my first four books to my blog? It was a long time ago, so I thought I’d repost the links here!

Click on each of the books to read the first few pages!

Welcome to Book-Bat

Hi everyone: this is Karlissa J!

We’ve been hard at work rebranding the website from Karlissa J to Book-Bat. The goal is to add more opportunities for creative exploration and co-creation.

As part of this process, I’ll be going through all my past blog posts (over 130 of them!), reposting, editing, or deleting them as needed. Future blog posts will focus around book reviews, fantasy musings, my authoring and librarian updates, and the like - though I do have some design ideas that may pop up every now and then!

We also have an all-new podcast in the works! We sent out a sample podcast episode to a few testers for feedback, and appreciated their insight and excitement. The Book-Bat podcast should be up and running soon!

Five Fall Updates 2022

I have five projects in the works… and here’s what they are!

After completing the rough draft of Davy Jones’ Aquarium, I set to work on early reviewing and editing - and discovered there’s a lot more I could have done to explore the world, and better ways of approaching certain storytelling aspects. This editing and rewriting will take at least a few months, but I’m enjoying the opportunity to re-explore this tale!

I’m planning on ‘rebranding’ to BookBat. This will allow me better marketing for joint ventures with other creatives (like my husband!) and make advertising smoother if I decide to write under more than one author name. As part of this rebranding, I aim to move my website to www.bookbat.com. Be on the lookout for news of when the changeover will occur so you won’t miss what’s in store!

I am in the process of researching for a nonfiction book, Christian Fantasy 101. This will be a guide to fantasy books written by and (largely) for Christians, exploring the authors, books, worlds, and concepts that have impacted and continue to impact the genre! You can keep up with my research quest on GoodReads by following Karlissa J, or see my occasional updates on FaceBook!

My husband and I have been plotting a podcast! In some respects, it will be an expansion of my Christian Fantasy 101 journey, where we discuss the fantasy genre, how to find good books, and how to make sense of the Christian fantasy scene! More updates on that to come!

Though my focus is currently Davy Jones’ Aquarium and Christian Fantasy 101, October seems the appropriate time of year to put out a reminder that I am also working on a revised and expanded version of Kingdom of Bats! I plan to make it into a trilogy this time; and as I’ve grown as a writer, I hope to see this story grow in strength and charm!

Merman Update and Tease

I’ve finally completed the rough draft of my next fantasy book: Davy Jones’ Aquarium! To honour the occasion, here’s a tease of what’s inside this tale!

Next up for this project: my husband and I will be re-reading the story, noting anything that obviously needs reworking, and thinking about ways to improve it. Only after that’s complete will we start looking for a professional editor.

Unexpectedly, I’ve been inspired to begin work on my first ever non-fiction book: which (I think appropriately) is about fiction! Christian Fantasy 101 will be a “brief, approachable” tour of Christian Fantasy both modern and classic, and even a bit about the history of the fantasy genre and Christian ‘fantastical’ literature… at least, that’s the goal right now!

I’ve begun to gather a variety of research material for the book: biographies, histories, podcasts - and of course, the fantasy books themselves!

So: two new books to get excited about! Both likely coming out sometime in 2023 (if all goes well)!