Hello I am novelist James B. Carter - In the newspaper article im sending you it tells the story of how Star Wars Changed my Life. I thought it might be fun for the fans to read and allow me to share with a larger audience.

MUNCIE - James B. Carter was lying on the hood of his father's Camaro one summer evening in 1977 when, without warning, his life changed. Parked at the old Muncie Drive In Theatre off Kilgore Avenue, he saw the words, "A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away . . . " and watched the opening images of Star Wars fill the towering screen.

"It was almost a religious experience," recalled Carter, who went home later that night and began to draw otherworldly super-heroes. Today, the 29-year-old Muncie artist designs characters for a comic writer in Pennsylvania - supplementing his income with more mundane work when necessary. He has also just published his first novel.

So far, Crusaders of the Machine: The Everworld Star, ranks about 188,000th on Amazon.com's list of best-sellers, Carter noted with a laugh. His publisher, PublishAmerica of Baltimore, is optimistic, though. Carter "clearly displays his unusually creative talent," said marketing manager Sarah Simpson, commenting on the book's "strong message of man overcoming a steep challenge." The writer is satisfied, too. "If it sells one or a million, my dream has already come true," Carter said. "This is so awesome."

He refuses to classify the novel - which he said is about people trying to fill a void in their lives - by genre, but it promotes his beliefs about fate, faith and immortality. All are things that, over time, helped him cope with the death of his father, Gary, in 1987. "I like to think I'm being watched over by some force greater than I," he said. Even so, comfort was a long time coming after his dad's death. "It had a profound impact on my life," he said. "My dad was my hero. I was pretty much on autopilot for about 4 years."

Indeed, Carter even dropped out of school in the 9th grade, convinced he just didn't fit in. "I was a geek. . . . I was an outcast," he said. "I think most creative people feel that way." Eventually, he attended the art school of an accomplished local painter, Stan Nossett.

As is obvious from his writing, Carter likes pondering big issues. Religion? He favors Eastern thought and culture, and has a soft spot for Buddha. "I like my gods fat and happy," he chuckled. Art? He thinks it should be free. "I would give my books away if I could afford it," he said.

Ambition? The writer has a take on that, too, one molded by his aforementioned belief in fate. "If you have dreams in life, they have a funny way of finding you," Carter said, adding he plans to write four sequels to his novel.

Carter's mother, Ann, also has a dream for her son. "I hope he's happy," she said, "wherever he lands." The writer hopes it's in an attic. "My dream," he said, "is that years from now, some kid in an attic finds this old, yellow and beat-up book, picks it up, reads it and says, 'Whoa, that was weird.'"