The Confessions Of A Writer
Zac Totah, Nov 1, 2016
What happens when even the determination to write no matter what has vanished?
Halloween Stories In American Literature
Rebecca LuElla Miller, Oct 31, 2016
It might be interesting to delve into the various traditions that have cropped up around the holiday over the years—bobbing for apples, carving pumpkins, making candied apples, trick-or-treating, wearing costumes, going to haunted houses, and storytelling.
A Call For Deeply Real Christian Fiction
E. Stephen Burnett, Oct 28, 2016
Now more than ever, as a minority in American culture, Biblical Christians need deeply Christian fiction.
Jack Chick, This Was Your Life
E. Stephen Burnett, Oct 27, 2016
Tract cartoonist Jack Chick left behind a legacy of wild and harmful Christian speculative fantasy.
A Notable Lack
Shannon McDermott, Oct 26, 2016
Holidays, and all the expressions of a whole and genuine religion, offer a wide and rich opportunity to speculative fiction authors.
A Presidential Debate If Donald and Hillary Were Spec-fic Fans
Zac Totah, Oct 25, 2016
Here’s how a presidential debate might look if Donald and Hillary were both yuuuuuge spec-fic fans.
When Christians Vacate An Industry
Rebecca LuElla Miller, Oct 24, 2016
When Christians vacate a profession, it necessarily takes on qualities that contradict a Christian worldview.
What Does God Need With A Starship?
Joshua A. Johnston, Oct 21, 2016
Most science fiction novels and films choose to handle religion in one of three ways.
We’re All Mad Here
Mark Carver, Oct 19, 2016
The latest movie from Wonderland, Alice Through the Looking Glass, just came out on DVD. I haven’t seen it yet, but I did see, and moderately enjoyed, the Tim Burton-directed first installment, Alice in Wonderland. Of course, nothing will ever […]
Presidential Candidates From Fiction: Winner
Zac Totah, Oct 18, 2016
It’s with great pleasure I announce the winner of this fictional election, as chosen by the upstanding citizens of Geekville…
Prattle
Rebecca LuElla Miller, Oct 17, 2016
Speaking of true and powerful fiction, Enclave Publishing just released their fall lineup of books.
The Gospel According To Star Trek, Part 2
Rebecca LuElla Miller, Oct 14, 2016
All goodness is God’s goodness. All truth is God’s truth. All beauty is God’s beauty. So we mustn’t shy away from something just because we see a philosophical difference in its makeup. If anything, it’s good for us to be in conversation with ideas with which we disagree.
The Fifty Shades Fantasy Vs. Abusive Reality
Avily Jerome, Oct 13, 2016
Jesus condemns sexual perversion and abuse, and “consent” under duress is a lie either in fantasy or reality.
Presidential Candidates From Fiction: Voting
Zac Totah, Oct 11, 2016
Vote for your favorite character from fiction, and may the best man…or boy…or hobbit…or non-human win!
The Characters We Love
Rebecca LuElla Miller, Oct 10, 2016
I could go on and on listing characters I loved who appeared as the star of their books, but there’s another set of characters that aren’t front and center, yet they nearly steal the show.
The Gospel According To Star Trek, Part 1
Rebecca LuElla Miller, Oct 7, 2016
Initially, the idea that we’re engaging in something philosophical, or even spiritual, by watching a sci-fi adventure show may seem strange, but Star Trek has always been philosophical in nature.
Who Vs. What
Mark Carver, Oct 5, 2016
There is undoubtedly a cyclical and symbiotic relationship between character and plot. Who the character is determines what will happen in the story, and the events of the story shape who the character is, etc. They are both cogs that turn each other. From a writing craft perspective, this can be a very existential and convoluted discussion, so let’s take it to street level.
Finding Truth In Fantasy
Zac Totah, Oct 4, 2016
Often, the dark trials are what strengthen us, not the ease-filled traipses through flower-strewn meadows. This is a recurring theme in fiction, nowhere more apparent than fantasy.
If You Could Read Anything You Wanted To Read
Rebecca LuElla Miller, Oct 3, 2016
I started to wonder what sort of stories the visitors here at Spec Faith consider ideal. I don’t think we’ll have a consensus.
The Once and Future Fan: Rediscovering My Love For Superheroes
Matt Mikalatos, Sep 30, 2016
I couldn’t keep up with the proliferation of tie-ins, comic books, the “expanded universe” and all the cartoons and fan fiction. What happened to the good old days, I wondered. A slow disenfranchisement set in, where I went from being a Star Wars expert to a true fan to a fan, and from a fan to a guy who liked some old movies.
Pushing (Your) Boundaries
Shannon McDermott, Sep 28, 2016
Edginess in art is a matter of pushing boundaries, and consequently is relative to what, and whose, boundaries.
10 Presidential Candidates From Fiction
Zac Totah, Sep 27, 2016
What if beloved characters from fiction could be voted in as president? Who would make the perfect candidate? Who would you vote for?
Characters Matter, And Their Character Matters
Rebecca LuElla Miller, Sep 26, 2016
What we see in Christian novel after Christian novel is a flawed character in need of a Savior. The impression this gives is that people without Christ aren’t likable, that their flawed character means they won’t do heroic deeds or stand up for right.
Villains Should (and Shouldn’t) Be Redeemed – A Response
Kevin C. Neece, Sep 23, 2016
Kevin C. Neece is an author and speaker on media, the arts, and pop culture from a Christian worldview perspective.
Everything’s A Copy Of A Copy Of A Copy…
Mark Carver, Sep 21, 2016
I like having no idea what’s coming next, but with retellings, I know that this or that villain is going to make an appearance, though they will undoubtedly be different than how Disney imagined, and if it’s a fictional biography, I know that this or that key event will take place in their life, because I already know some of the story.
What Is Speculative Fiction?
Zac Totah, Sep 20, 2016
Speculative fiction represents the longing we have to imagine the impossible, dream the unbelievable, and explore the uncharted.
Realism And Twenty-first Century Storytelling
Rebecca LuElla Miller, Sep 19, 2016
I think there’s something else not particularly real in twenty-first century stories, no matter how real the computer generated characters might appear. We could chalk this up to “that’s just movies” if it weren’t for the fact that screen writing is beginning to dominate the way we write novels, too. I’ll characterize this unrealistic phenomenon as too much conflict.
Fiction Friday – The Mermaid’s Sister By Carrie Anne Noble
Rebecca LuElla Miller, Sep 16, 2016
There are elements of fantasy, romance, and adventure throughout. The book is a page-turner; the story pulls the reader in and the dynamic characters and plot twists keep interest levels high.
Christian White Magic: Q and A, Part 3
E. Stephen Burnett, Sep 15, 2016
Should an “Evangelical League Dark” rout demons in the evil places normal Christians fear to trod?
Fame Is Fugacious
Shannon McDermott, Sep 14, 2016
The never-resolved question is: What words should writers use? What words are too old, too different, too long?
