Why we should celebrate and share things we like

January 23, 2023 by Karlissa Koop in Thoughts on Life

Written by Jason K

This is not an opinion that I held less than a year ago. I’m more of a private person and normally hesitant to share my opinions on media. But then something happened that changed my perspective.

I do enjoy movies, shows, and books. But I don’t watch or read just anything. I typically need some reason to put in the time or money. And it occurred to me that years ago my wife and I watched movies in the local cinema relatively often, but we haven’t recently. Part of that was due to COVID restriction, but it could be mostly attributed to a lack of movies that grabbed my (or Karlissa’s) interest.

Then… Puss in Boots: The Last Wish came out. While it should be noted that I’m decidedly not a fan of the first Puss in Boots movie nor the Shrek franchise in general, there was something about the trailer that grabbed my attention. I managed to convince Karlissa to come with me to watch it in theatres (not an easy feat, as she was less-enamoured).

By the end of the movie, I was pumped! It had been a long time since I came across anything new that could get me so excited.

Afterwards, I immediately started making plans to take my brothers and my parents to see it too. All told, I saw it three times in cinemas. But it didn’t stop there, as this marked the first movie I actively encouraged my co-workers at my day job to see. I was both sharing the movie and celebrating the movie.

Now why do I think that we should both celebrate and share things we like? Because of the internet!

No, seriously. The internet has made it so that we all have access to so much. I would hazard to guess that for most of us, unless it’s advertised to us, most things just pass us by without even registering on our radar.

Long story short, if you come across a book that you really like, odds are that most of the people you know don’t even know it exists. It can be truly invigorating to be able to share experiences, and books are that. But you probably won’t be able to do so unless you’ve made others aware that it exists.

Welcome to Book-Bat

January 02, 2023 by Karlissa Koop in Sneak Peaks

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!

Bible Quotes Comic Designs

December 01, 2022 by Karlissa Koop in Comics and Storyboards

Post by Karlissa J

The latest Bible quote designs I’ve done are based around the desire to encompass more than just one verse. So, I made a few comics/storyboards.

One of my favourite design series I’ve created has been the set on the book of Joel; so the first comic design I made - using some of the same images - was for Joel 1-2.

My other favourite design series has been my take on Lamentations, so I took scattered passages from the book and created this.

Finally, here’s my design around the Lord’s Prayer!

Five Fall Updates 2022

October 17, 2022 by Karlissa Koop in Sneak Peaks

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

August 27, 2022 by Karlissa Koop in Sneak Peaks

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)!

Library Update - New Old Books!

August 03, 2022 by Karlissa Koop in A Church Library

Post by Karlissa J.

When ordering books for the church library, it’s tempting to keep a constant eye out for the '“hottest new releases.” Finding the “latest and greatest” things is a bit of a preoccupation in our time and place. But I’m realizing how often we forget the past, and those who have gone before us.

As a remedy to that, I’ve been expanding the Theology section by adding classical works. From Augustine, Athanasius, and Gregory of Nyssa (who all lived in the 300s), to Martin Luther and John Wesley, to Catherine of Sienna and Teresa of Avila, I’ve added a diverse selection of voices from the past. And, as part of my own spiritual growth, I’ve been reading some of these books myself.

Those aren’t the only books I’ve added this year! My goal for next year is to expand the Fantasy collection - let me know if you have any recommendations on great Christian fantasy and sci-fi!

Sixty Six Designs

March 31, 2022 by Karlissa Koop in Comics and Storyboards