Yes, Speculative Faith Is Closed, At Least For Now
E. Stephen Burnett, Dec 30, 2021
A day may come for SpecFaith’s rebirth. But as of this year, time limits on mission and volunteers have ended new content.
Last Stands, Custer, General Gordon, and Being a Christian Warrior
Travis Perry, Jul 2, 2021
What defines a Christian warrior? This article looks at the negative example of Custer–and the positive example of Charles Gordon.
How Christian Must Christian Fiction Be?
Rebecca LuElla Miller, May 24, 2021
I think the secret to the Christianity in speculative fiction might be the very thing that has made Lewis’s Narnia series so successful.
Gender In Fiction: The Implication Of Failure
Rebecca LuElla Miller, May 10, 2021
Are there still majority cultural ideas surrounding gender that can and should define a character? Or is the best plan to include as few gender specific references, or identifying markers, as possible?
Making a Story Visual UPDATE: Behind the Scenes of the Animal Eye Comic
Travis Perry, May 9, 2021
The Animal Eye comic, based on the novel Animal Eye, has been an education in how to make a written story visual. This post shares details.
What Does “Woke” Culture Have To Do With Christian Fiction?
Rebecca LuElla Miller, Apr 26, 2021
It’s hard to believe that a novel which has both praise for its treatment of a bi-racial situation and criticism for it, is preachy. One thing that’s true about preachy fiction: readers don’t miss the point.
The Symbolic Nature of Sci-fi Apocalyptic Disaster Films
Parker J. Cole, Apr 14, 2021
The symbolic nature of apocalyptic sci-fi movies point to an underlying thread of biblical precepts.
Introduction: Hunger by Jill Williamson
Rebecca LuElla Miller, Apr 12, 2021
Jill is a prolific writer. Besides her dystopian Safe Lands books, she wrote a straight science fiction story about cloning called Replication, a young adult series suited for younger teens called The Mission League books, two co-authored (with her son) children’s stories in her RoboTales series, and several fantasy series.
The Beauty of Short Horror Films
Parker J. Cole, Mar 31, 2021
Short horror films use a bare bones approach to storytelling to craft films to send chills down your spine.
Banning Books
Rebecca LuElla Miller, Mar 22, 2021
I think the most dangerous piece of this puzzle is the involvement of a state government which has moved the needle toward actual censorship in the form of banning books.
What Arouses Hatred of Fantastic Romantic Fiction?
Parker J. Cole, Mar 17, 2021
Two Christian authors share reader response to their explorations of longing and love.
Here’s What Happened
Rebecca LuElla Miller, Mar 15, 2021
Turns out, my old computer was still suddenly quitting as if the electricity had been turned off, despite his efforts to repair it. So the option was a replacement. He called on Friday to say it was ready.
The Fantastical Elements of Romantic Fiction, part 2
Parker J. Cole, Mar 4, 2021
Romance is the study of ‘what if’ scenarios through the exploration of relationships.
Settling the Solar System in Science Fiction, part 3: the Moon
Travis Perry, Feb 24, 2021
Closest of any major astonomical bodies to Earth, the Moon would make a great military base or astronomy station–and has been in many stories.
The Fantastical Elements of Romantic Fiction, part 1
Parker J. Cole, Feb 17, 2021
Too often readers reject romance as nothing more than fluff stories, overlooking the fantastical worldbuilding in this genre.
Settling the Solar System in Science Fiction, part 2: Venus
Travis Perry, Feb 11, 2021
Venus used to be a main destination for sci fi, inspiring Dagobah-like settings. But Venus could well be more like Bespin…in the clouds…
Settling the Solar System in Science Fiction, part 1: Mercury
Travis Perry, Feb 4, 2021
How has science fiction seen the settlement of Mercury? And what would it take to survive there or anywhere? Is Mercury good colony material?
How Horror Films Subvert the Fatalistic Tragedy of Alzheimer’s and Dementia
Parker J. Cole, Feb 3, 2021
Some horror films fall into a subgenre that explores mental illness such as dementia and Alzheimer’s in a unique fashion.
Stargate SG-1 Update: Christianity in the Episode “Demons”
Travis Perry, Jan 28, 2021
Midway through season three, “Stargate SG-1” directly addresses Christianity in an episode called “Demons.”
What Tolkien Taught About Fighting Evil
Travis Perry, Jan 21, 2021
Some of the most epic battles of fantasy fiction were penned by J. R. R. Tolkien. So what did Tolkien show us in his fiction about fighting Evil?
The Messages of Black Horror Films
Parker J. Cole, Jan 20, 2021
Black horror films have been around for decades with their popularity spawning about every twenty years. Black horror films have a dual purpose – to tell a story and to address a social issue.
The Worldview of Biocentrism–You Are One With The Force
Travis Perry, Jan 14, 2021
Biocentrism is Dr. Robert Lanza’s view of the universe that criticizes modern science in part while drawing from neuroscience. It makes bold claims about the universe that parallel the Force, worth talking about…
Who Can Put a Price on Daring Love, Loyalty, and Swordsmanship?
Azalea Dabill, Jan 12, 2021
Fantasy helps us imagine how we fight for the freedom of goodness, justice, love, mercy, knowledge, and truth itself.
A Scientific Theory of Magic
Travis Perry, Jan 7, 2021
This post ponders what would it mean if magic were simply an undiscovered form of energy. How would known physics affect practical magic?
Stargate SG-1 Season One–Making Weak Ideas Into a Better Story
Travis Perry, Dec 31, 2020
Stargate SG-1 is new for me. I didn’t think the Stargate movie was great–this post details how the series started off with weak ideas but made good stories anyway.
From The Writers’ Toolbox: Timeless Questions And Eternal Mysteries
Rebecca LuElla Miller, Dec 28, 2020
Many writers are afraid they will limit the scope of their book if they place their story firmly in a particular economic or political or religious milieu. They’re afraid if they take sides in a controversial question, they’ll make enemies and lose readers.
A Santa Claus Non-Believer Discovers Tolkien’s Father Christmas Letters
Travis Perry, Dec 24, 2020
I’ve just discovered Tolkien’s Letters From Father Christmas. I found them charming–but they also got me thinking about truth, tradition, and stories.
A Prayer on the Conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter
Shannon Stewart, Dec 22, 2020
On the winter solstice, Jupiter, the kingly herald of joy, salutes Saturn, the father of time and winter—a symbol of hope overcoming death.
A Tribute to the Sower of Imagination, My Granny
Parker J. Cole, Dec 17, 2020
A tribute to the woman who fed me the seeds of creativity and gave me the love for horror, sci-fi, and Jesus.
A Christian Reaction to ‘Alien Worlds’–How Writers of Faith Can Do More
Travis Perry, Dec 10, 2020
Parker J. Cole’s look at ‘Alien Worlds’ inspired this article–which looks at how the worldview of a Christian writing hard sci fi is broader than an atheist’s.
