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The Governess of Greenmere
Reviews, Jul 1, 2022

118. Which Fantastical Stories Help Us Celebrate Human Life?
Fantastical Truth Podcast, Jun 28, 2022

Tilly
Reviews, Jun 24, 2022

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Shadow of Honor, Ronie Kendig
Lost Bits, Kerry Nietz
Rats of Dweltford, Matt Barron
Vivid, Ashley Bustamante
My Soul to Take, Bryan Davis
Into Shadow's Fire, Mark Castleberry
Deceived, Madisyn Carlin
Arena (2022 edition), Karen Hancock
Kurt Nickle-Dickle of Whiskers, N. J. McLagan
"In a city where debts are paid in blood, one young man will learn that everyone needs help sometimes if they want to survive." New in the Lorehaven library: A Matter of Blood, Lauren H Salisbury
Son of the Shield, Mary Schlegel
Maxine Justice, Galactic Attorney, Daniel Schwabauer
Mordizan, Alyssa Roat
Prentice Ash, Matt Barron
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The Governess of Greenmere
“Obscure Arthurian and Celtic references blend with biblical imagery and high heroism in this brief yet old-souled story.”
—Lorehaven on Jul 1, 2022

Tilly
“Written in 1986, Frank E. Peretti’s novelette Tilly may feel melodramatic to today’s readers, but remains a tearful tale of brokenness and redemption.”
—Lorehaven on Jun 24, 2022

The Wonderland Trials
“Although indebted to a classic, The Wonderland Trials is inventive and colorful in its own right, abundantly able to charm and to intrigue.”
—Lorehaven on Jun 24, 2022

Rise of the Earthborn
“Societal intrigue plus steampunk flair and a dash of romance help make Emma Buenen’s Rise of the Earthborn a solid extra-biblical adventure.”
—Lorehaven on Jun 17, 2022

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Book Quests, June 2022

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118. Which Fantastical Stories Help Us Celebrate Human Life?
Fantastical Truth, Jun 28, 2022

117. Why Should You Build a Fantastical Lending Library? | with L.G. McCary
Fantastical Truth, Jun 21, 2022

116. Why Do Homeschooled Students Love Fantastical Fiction? | with Ethan Nunn
Fantastical Truth, Jun 14, 2022

115. How Do Lorehaven Creators Strive to Follow Biblical Statements of Faith?
Fantastical Truth, Jun 7, 2022

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Yes, Speculative Faith Is Closed, At Least For Now
E. Stephen Burnett, Dec 30

Last Stands, Custer, General Gordon, and Being a Christian Warrior
Travis Perry, Jul 2

How Christian Must Christian Fiction Be?
Rebecca LuElla Miller, May 24

Gender In Fiction: The Implication Of Failure
Rebecca LuElla Miller, May 10

Making a Story Visual UPDATE: Behind the Scenes of the Animal Eye Comic
Travis Perry, May 9

What Does “Woke” Culture Have To Do With Christian Fiction?
Rebecca LuElla Miller, Apr 26

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Lorehaven helps Christian fans explore fantastical stories for Christ’s glory: fantasy, science fiction, and beyond. Articles, the library, reviews, podcasts, gifts, and the Lorehaven Guild community help fans discern and enjoy the best Christian-made fantastical stories, applying their meanings to the real world Jesus Christ calls us to serve. Subscribe free to get any updates you choose and to access the Lorehaven Guild.
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25. Which Christian Fantastical Books Won Big at the 2020 Realm Awards?

We just returned from the Realm Makers conference with new award-winners and breaking news about next year’s event.
Fantastical Truth on Jul 21, 2020 · No comments

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 36:53 — 35.1MB) | Embed

Which Christian-made fantastical novels won big at the 2020 Realm Awards hosted at Realm Makers conference, just this past weekend?

Also, guess who’s coming to dinner at the 2021 Realm Makers conference, hosted (pandemic approval pending) again in St. Louis, Missouri?

  • Realm Makers Pandemic Edition wrapped just this past weekend
  • Stephen and Zack attended, and did a lot of work during this “staycation.”
  • Next year’s speaker will be Frank E. Peretti. (Last seen in this review and this Fantastical Truth episode.)

Realm Makers equips Christian writers of fantasy, sci-fi, beyond.

  • Yearly membership gets you access to ongoing material.
  • Annual conferences are scheduled for July, and usually in real life.
  • This year’s conference was of course different, held entirely online.
  • So was the 2020 Realm Awards ceremony, broadcast to everyone.

Realm Awards: complete list of winners

Alliance Award winner, chosen by reader vote

  • Brand of Light, by Ronie Kendig from Enclave Publishing
  • Get the full review, with “best for” and “discern” notes, from Lorehaven.
Heart of the Curiosity, H. L. Burke

Heart of the Curiosity, H. L. Burke, with 2020 Parable Award-winning cover by designer Austin Lord

Parable Award winner for best book cover designs

  • Heart of the Curiosity, by H. L. Burke with cover by Austin Lord

Realm Award, children’s

  • Hello Ninja, by N. D. Wilson from HarperCollins

Realm Award, middle grade

  • Iggy & Oz: The Plastic Dinos of Doom, by J. J. Johnson from Dark Side Geeks

Realm Award, fantasy

  • Seventh City, by Emily Hayse from Hayse Publishing

Realm Award, science fiction

  • Brand of Light, by Ronie Kendig from Enclave Publishing

Realm Award, young adult

  • To Best the Boys, by Mary Weber from Thomas Nelson/HarperCollins

Realm Award, debut

  • Fyrian’s Fire, by Emily Jeffries from Sheepgate Press

Realm Award, horror/other

  • Amish Werewolves of Space, by Kerry Nietz from Freeheads

Realm Award, supernatural/paranormal

  • Mercury on Guard, Steve Rzasa, independently published
Seventh City, Emily Hayse

2020 Realm Award Book of the Year winner Seventh City by Emily Hayse

Realm Award, Book of the Year, chosen from all winners

  • Seventh City, by Emily Hayse from Hayse Publishing

Fantastic fans

This time we’re showing some feedback from first-year Realm Makers guests. See even more exclusive praise at this article on SpecFaith.

L. G. McCary

It was a bit of a miracle that I was able to attend Realm Makers 2020 (Thank you, Havok for that scholarship!). It was an incredible experience! I felt old trying to figure out Discord, but it turned out to be such a blessing! Video chat in the Mermaid room was definitely better than sitting in socially distanced circles and wearing uncomfortable masks for hours, trying to find a way to socialize safely. Best of all, I still got to celebrate with new friends when good things happened! That’s one of the best parts of conferences: comforting each other through failures and celebrating victories together. Realmies are the best at both! I can’t wait for next year and I’m already planning my costume!

Philip Wilder

I loved attending Realm Makers 2020. The people were very welcoming, friendly, and down to earth. I made many new friends, despite the fact that the entire conference was online. I also got the chance to play several games with others online. I even regained my passion for writing fiction and was able to get some great feedback on a new novel idea I’ve been rolling around in my head. Attending the conference online made me much more excited to attend an in-person Realm Makers conference. Perhaps one day Corona will stop trolling us all.

Kristen Aguilar

I heard about the Realm Makers Conference last minute when a friend invited me to go. Held virtually this year, I was able to register right before the conference started and I never looked back. Realm Makers is in a class all by itself. The people were friendly, fascinating and fun. Even virtually, Realm Makers went above and beyond to foster community and to encourage engagement with an immersive, positive experience. Whether it was branding, marketing, how to conduct media interviews, or how to take your writing or screenwriting to the next level, there was a plethora of incredible speakers and events packed into three days. I learned a ton. Plus, I went into the conference with one new friend and left with many more. Overall, a great experience!

Robert Sloan

My first experience at a Realm Makers conference was this year’s “Pandemic Edition,” and I’m very pleased with it. The quality of the panels, the keynote addresses, and the “pitch“ and mentoring sessions were excellent; and after years of going to various kinds of professional conferences, I confess they were truly better than I expected. By a lot.

Every session had something of substance to offer, with well prepared presenters, and significant opportunities to develop new relationships and networks. The people were very forthcoming and honest and I’ve benefited from each one.

The technological platform that supported this virtual conference was outstanding. The instructions were clear, and I experienced no glitches.

I’ll definitely be back.

Next on Fantastical Truth

We resume the postponed Narnia’s Top Seven Myths series. In part 2, How Do We Defeat the Top Seven Myths about The Chronicles of Narnia?, we will explore Susan’s “apostasy,” Emeth’s “universalism,” Lewis’s “allegories,” and Narnia’s “safety.”

Work to be faithful as a sub-creator, but first, be a faithful fantasy character in the fantastical world you live in.

—N.D. Wilson

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    In the Fantastical Truth podcast from Lorehaven, hosts E. Stephen Burnett and Zackary Russell explore fantastical stories for God's glory and apply their wonders of these imaginary worlds to the real world Jesus calls us to serve.
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    Lorehaven helps Christian fans explore fantastical stories for Christ’s glory: fantasy, science fiction, and beyond. Articles, the library, reviews, podcasts, gifts, and the Lorehaven Guild community help fans discern and enjoy the best Christian-made fantastical stories, applying their meanings to the real world Jesus Christ calls us to serve. Subscribe free to get any updates you choose and to access the Lorehaven Guild.