Greetings to all of you. I want to first say that I am glad to find a site like this that is dedicated to furthering good fantasy fiction that also glorifies Christ. I came upon this place through a Google search and after spending a few minutes looking around I wanted to join.

I am currently a seminary student who is studying for a Masters of Divinity degree. Even though I feel called to become a pastor, in my heart I have always dreamed of being a writer as well. Ever since I was a little kid I have loved telling tales. I can't tell you how many notebooks and other scraps of paper I covered up with different ideas I had for stories, especially fantasy stories. When I was about three years old I got an original NES and I was hooked. To be able to turn on that little box and suddenly be taken into another world was something that amazed my young mind. That, in turn, also helped to start my love for all things fantasy and science-fiction and ever since I have always wanted to write my own fantasy story.

That said, one of the reasons I wanted to join this site is to be able to talk with others who have the same aspirations that I do. I just discovered this site today so I haven't really had much time to look around yet and read what many of you have written. I look forward to doing that though, and I look forward to reading what you have to say about our common passion. I feel like one of the greatest gifts that God has given to us is the gift of creativity and when we use that gift to glorify Him there are few things in this world better.

Welcome to Holy Worlds, Ben! (I hope you don't mind the nickname.) Glad to have you here. Do you have any favorite fantasy authors or books?

Welcome to HW Benjaminiah!! We're always glad to have new people!

How long have you been a seminary student?



You've come to the right place. Holy Worlds is an amazing community of writers. *Points at chat button* A lot of talking goes on in there - it's a good way to get to know people around here.



Well said. The purpose of the things we do should be to bring God glory. He's given each person special talents that reflect His glory and when we use them He is glorified - no matter how small the thing done may seem.

Oh, almost forgot! *Hands you some cookies* These are for you, it's HW tradition to give virtual food at intro threads. *Throws glitter into the air*

~ZA

The nickname's just fine. Actually, benjaminiah is a nickname I was given in seminary. Ben is my actual name! As for favorite authors and books, I'm a big fan of J.R.R. Tolkien as well as C.S. Lewis. I have also just started the Mistborn series and I have been told by several people that I need to read the Wheel of Time books as well.

I actually just started seminary back in September and I wrapped up my first semester earlier this month! Thanks for the cookies!

That's a great nickname. I can see that it's a combination of biblical names, so does it have a special meaning?

Being a Lewis and Tolkien fan is sort of a given around here. A fair few of us dressed up when we saw (or are going to be seeing) The Hobbit.

You should post some of what you've written, even if it's just on world building. We can't get enough of it 'round 'ere.

Welcome, Ben! I'm glad you found us, and look forward to seeing you around.



Well said, I agree entirely.

Welcome to Holy Worlds!

A pastor and a writer seem like two things that can fit very well together.

There really isn't a special meaning attached to it. If I remember correctly, i think my friends and I were talking about biblical names and someone just threw out the name Benjaminiah for me and it stuck.

I figured that in a place like this just about everyone is probably a Tolkien and Lewis fan. There is a university across the street from the seminary I attend and they had a big "Hobbit Night" that I and several others went to. It was great and there were several people there in full costume.

As for some of my own stuff, I could post some of my worldbuilding stuff from my most recent project. Where would I do that?

Thanks!

Indeed, especially when it comes to sermon writing.

Welcome, welcome, Ben! I am glad you joined, and I hope that Holy Worlds is as encouraging and helpful for you as it has been for me. You may discover that these people become much like a second family. I know they did for me, and I'm excited to see another person join the huge family.

Happy to be here Calista.

*walks in and opens umbrella to shield himself from the glitter*
Welcome, welcome, welcome.

Wheel of Time books are ok. I used to love them when I started high school, I'd read through each one in a matter of days, which is saying something because each book has about 800-900 pages. Robert Jordan borrowed from eastern mysticism some for some of the ideas in his books, and there are some slightly intense romantic scenes, but other than that, they're decent books. But I imagine that with graduate studies, it'll take you a while to get through them....be forewarned.

*loves the irony of giving a biblical sounding nick-name to someone with a biblical name*

All of that kind of stuff would go in the large section called the "Scholar's Hall". We have individual forums for each major aspect of your world, like language, and races, and creatures, etc.

Looking forward to seeing you around!

benjaminiah is an awesome nickname. Any story behind it?

Well, you are quite at home among Lewis and Tokien fans here. Have you seen The Hobbit already?

Welcome, Ben! It is great to see you over here. *places a plate of double chocolate brownies on the table*

*borrows Lycanis' glitter CRPG and shoots off a glitter rocket*

WELCOME!

Welcome to Holy Worlds, benjaminiah! *hands benjaminiah a piece of apple pie* Hope you like pie.

There really isn't a story behind the nickname. It was just given to me by a friend of mine and it stuck. As for The Hobbit, I have seen it and I enjoyed it. There are some things that Jackson changes, but I usually adopt a pretty forgiving attitude when it comes to things like that. Overall, a fantastic film and I look forward to the next one.

Double chocolate brownies eh? I can tell I'm going to like this place already!

Apple pie is fantastic.

Welcome benjaminiah. *commands privates to shoot a welcome salute* Glitter Paper!!!

Welcome, Ben, and glad to have you here! From the sounds of it, you'll fit in great around here! I look forward to seeing your name around the forum and getting to know you!

Yay!

Welcome to Holy Worlds, Ben!

It is a pleasure to meet you, Ben. Hope to see you around!

It's a pleasure to meet all of you as well!

Welcome Mr. Benjaminiah!

I love that. *checks it out * *comes back * Looks good so far. I love that idea, it is very unique, which is refreshing. Now tell us what the Hand looks like!

Would you be able to set up a world sub-forum? What did you find most interesting when you looked around here the first time?

What music do you like to listen to?

Greetings Benjaminiah! *Kneels with blade in hand* Welcome to the Holy Worlds! It is such a refreshing thing to meet one who wishes to glorify our great King as a scribe. I look forward to journeying to your land and hearing your tales.