Casting The ‘Riddikulus’ Spell On Halloween
E. Stephen Burnett, Oct 27, 2010
About Halloween or similar things, discerning Christians should have right fear about real evils. But we can also laugh at the Devil’s exaggerated “Boggarts” and shadows from which Christ has set us free.
It’s The Little Things
Stuart Stockton, Oct 26, 2010
So often in the act of world creation it is very easy to focus on the obvious things. Putting together your world’s history. Structuring the geopolitical landscape. Figuring out cultures and climates. And all sorts of other big world ideas. […]
The Art And Craft Of Glorifying God
Rebecca LuElla Miller, Oct 25, 2010
Speculative Faith uses a random quote widget that allows various sayings to appear at the top of each page. Some of the quotes are insightful, I think, and some thought-provoking. Two, for me, are simply provoking. They touch one of […]
‘The Book C.S. Lewis Didn’t Write’?
E. Stephen Burnett, Oct 22, 2010
Here is the quote, which NarniaWeb posted in news on Wednesday . “We were able to steal, really, from the book C.S. Lewis didn’t write, which is the one that would have gone between The Dawn Treader and The Silver […]
Learning From Bad Books, Part 7
E. Stephen Burnett, Oct 21, 2010
“Gromit, that’s it! Cheese! We’ll go somewhere where there’s cheese!” I’ve saved the “best” quotes, from one of my “favorite” so-bad-it’s-actually-instructive Christian novels, for this, the last of the Learning from bad books series. Yet I’m still hoping for more […]
Enough To Edify (Love Thy Readers, Part 3)
E. Stephen Burnett, Oct 20, 2010
In Ephesians 4:29 the Apostle Paul wrote, “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.” As a writer I’ll apply this […]
Don’t Look Away
Stuart Stockton, Oct 19, 2010
One of the joys of writing for me is being able to tell stories like I want to. One of the downsides is that it can throw readers for a loop sometimes. It is often a struggle for me to get the ideas I’m trying to convey down in a way that lets readers slip into the concept easily. Here’s a scene from an unfinished story of mine that tries to introduce the concept of an easily-forgettable character: —————————————— The soft gurgle of the stream as it swept past his hand soothed Dayle’s troubled thoughts. “We’re solid for a time at least. None of the townsfolk will follow us here, and those soldiers won’t either, without some higher officer nippin’ at their heels.” He set the canteens on the bank next to him and splashed some water on his face. He shook away the droplets and froze, his eyes glued on the far side. A rabbit-like creature stood there on two legs. The tips of its long furry ears barely broke three feet, and two small pronghorns sprouted between them. Its pink nose twitched as it smoothed its long, forest-green vest over a pair of brown leather breeks. Coal black eyes stared back from a furry tan face. “It is about time you came to Felwald, Dayle Stott,” the creature said. “I had almost forgotten why I was waiting for you.”
Christ In Fantasy And Science Fiction
Rebecca LuElla Miller, Oct 18, 2010
I read a particularly interesting post at Sci Fi & Fantasy Lovin’ Blog discussing Christ figures in science fiction. Note this paragraph in particular: So I guess I’m just wondering why. Why is it that science fiction, that is often […]
Speculative Fiction and Transcendence
CathiLyn Dyck, Oct 15, 2010
Christian writers are tasked with maintaining an unending pursuit of Scripture’s great ideas in their purest form.
Learning From Bad Books, Part 6
E. Stephen Burnett, Oct 14, 2010
People yelled at me a lot two summers ago for fault-finding with a popular Christian book I had not, technically, read myself. Yet it’s odd how many people never denied my perceptions of this book, which were based on negative […]
Observations Of A Youngling: The Business Of Evangelism
Kaci Hill, Oct 13, 2010
So, this time I promised to discuss conversion arcs. This one makes me a little nervous because it’s not so much that I think conversions are a problem as much as how they’re typically handled. For starters, most people don’t […]
Why I Don’t Like Sub-Genres
Rebecca LuElla Miller, Oct 11, 2010
Urban fantasy, science fantasy, magic realism, dark fantasy, classic fantasy, epic fantasy, fairy tales. It all gets a little mind boggling, to be honest, and a little nichifying. [As an aside, I just created the word “nichifying”—in the same way […]
Guest Blog – Jonathan Rogers
Rebecca LuElla Miller, Oct 8, 2010
Jonathan Rogers is the author of four middle grade fantasy novels – the Wilderking Trilogy and the newly released The Charlatan’s Boy. Besides all the traditional places, The Charlatan’s Boy may be purchased at The Rabbit Room where Jonathan hangs […]
Learning From Bad Books, Part 5
E. Stephen Burnett, Oct 7, 2010
Why do the new versions of the Left Behind books have covers looking like science fiction? On Sunday while my wife was shopping, I wandered next door to a Christian bookstore (yes, it’s the kind of Christian bookstore that’s open […]
Enough To Excel (Love Thy Reader, Part 2)
E. Stephen Burnett, Oct 6, 2010
“Owe no man any thing, but to love one another; for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law,” Paul wrote in Romans 13:8. As a writer, I grapple with the idea of loving my readers. I don’t write merely […]
How Much God Do You Like In Your Spec Fic?
Stuart Stockton, Oct 5, 2010
One of the first things I think many Christian spec-fic authors do when beginning a new story is deciding how they will be portraying our relationship with God in their new world. Will their tale stick to showcasing principles and […]
Fantasy, Compatable With Christianity?
Rebecca LuElla Miller, Oct 4, 2010
Some time ago, I followed a link to an anti-fantasy article, in particular railing against C.S. Lewis. In truth, I’ve heard others talk about encountering such people as the author of that post, but I haven’t come up against them […]
Guest Blog – D. Barkley Briggs
Rebecca LuElla Miller, Oct 1, 2010
You know the afternoon TV blurbs that try to drum up interest and ratings for the local evening news? Things like: “Man Caught Selling Palmolive as ‘Spicy Jalapeño Sauce’ at Local Taco Hut. Film at 11:00!” There’s a typical arc […]
Learning From Bad Books, Part 4
E. Stephen Burnett, Sep 30, 2010
“The eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I have no need of you,’” the Apostle Paul famously remarked in his comparison of diverse-gifted Christians with body parts. But two weeks ago I asked: what happens if the eye says to […]
Observations Of A Youngling: Recurring Things That Shouldn’t Be
Kaci Hill, Sep 29, 2010
Good morning. I’m writing this partially in the middle of a school cafe area, so we’ll see how this turns out. A few weeks back, Stephen and I got into some discussion on various recurring themes in fiction. He asked […]
New Adult Christian Speculative Fiction Releasing Friday
Stuart Stockton, Sep 28, 2010
In light of yesterday’s discussion I thought I’d take this opportunity to remind everyone that we’ve got three new Adult Christian Speculative Fiction titles releasing this Friday from Marcher Lord Press! And I’m pretty sure none of them include fornicating […]
In Defense Of Dragons, Elves, and Sword-smiths
Rebecca LuElla Miller, Sep 27, 2010
A week ago today one of my favorite bloggers, Mike Duran, posted a thoughtful blog article about the need for more adult Christian science fiction and fantasy. Hear, hear! I thought, until I got to the first of Mike’s two […]
Birth Of A Christian Speculative Novel
Matt Koceich, Sep 24, 2010
Speculative: based on conjecture rather than knowledge. Faith: trust in a person or thing. Those two words sum up my writing journey—where I’ve been and, by God’s mercy, where I’m headed. My goal with this post is to glorify the […]
Learning From Bad Books, Part 3
E. Stephen Burnett, Sep 23, 2010
The writer had sat down at his computer, frowning slightly, and set about typing, when suddenly a thought occurred to him. “Have you ever noticed,” he said, out loud, “that in someone’s early writing, there’s a tendency to expound facts […]
Love Thy Reader (Part 1)
E. Stephen Burnett, Sep 22, 2010
This summer, I attended the funeral of one of the most remarkable people I have ever known. Her name was Agnes Numer. She would have been 95 a month after she went to be with Jesus — and I don’t […]
To Published & Beyond – One Author’s Journey Pt. 5
Stuart Stockton, Sep 21, 2010
So there I was. Eight years after Starfire had first been conceived, with a publisher who finally wanted my novel. The six months from October to April was a crazy time. My wife was pregnant with our first child, due […]
Magic, Fantasy, And A Christian Worldview
Rebecca LuElla Miller, Sep 20, 2010
Is magic “real”? I mean, can people really perform magical acts? If a person believes the Bible (and that is the defining point in discussing a Christian Worldview from my perspective), then the answer has to be, Yes. Let me […]
Guest Blogger – Matt Koceich
Matt Koceich, Sep 17, 2010
My goal with this is to start a discussion of the novel and not offer critique or criticism. I really enjoy Dekker and Peretti. They are masters of the craft.
Learning From Bad Books, Part 2
E. Stephen Burnett, Sep 16, 2010
When I grow up, get old, and very likely die, and go to Heaven, I anticipate at least three things: Finally getting to see the face of Jesus. Reunions with Biblical saints, other faith heroes, perhaps household pets, etc. Novels […]
Observations Of A Youngling: Biased Expectations
Kaci Hill, Sep 15, 2010
Intro I cut my teeth on Frank Peretti and Francine River’s The Atonement Child at age 12. Anne of Green Gables, Mandie Mysteries, and the Great Illustrated Classics novels were…just how I grew up. What we call YA or middle […]
