Beyond Genre Borders – CSFF Tour, The Begotten
Rebecca LuElla Miller, Apr 21, 2008
For the first time in almost two years, I am not personally participating in the CSFF Blog Tour. Meaning, I have not read this month’s selection and will not be posting my opinions or feedback or response to the book. […]
Harry Potter and The Dearth Of The Divine
E. Stephen Burnett, Jul 18, 2007
Every once in a while in some publication, somewhere, comes a great little column like this one, in the Thursday, July 12 issue of Time magazine, that I just wish I had somehow written myself. The piece, by writer Lev […]
Harry Potter and The Media Discernment Issue
E. Stephen Burnett, Feb 14, 2007
We interrupt the various frivolities of a day devoted to chocolates, candy hearts, red balloons, flowers, shallow dating, in-depth dating, wuv, twue wuv, and other things of this nature to bring you a column that has absolutely nothing to do […]
Harry Potter and The Half-Baked Offense
E. Stephen Burnett, Feb 7, 2007
Following the last Harry Potter column in this miniseries, few readers had much opposition to the Potter books’ portrayal of magic and wizardry. That seems understandable, though, at a site devoted to discussion about fantasy worlds and faith — unlike […]
Harry Potter and The Moral Authority Question
E. Stephen Burnett, Jan 31, 2007
Last week, my first installment in a sort-of-series about the Harry Potter novels — the first three, anyway — garnered less criticism than I might have expected for J.K. Rowling’s stories about youngsters who use magic and “witchcraft.” Instead, most […]
Howlers, Heresies, Hoaxes, Hexes and â€Harry Potter’
E. Stephen Burnett, Jan 24, 2007
After reading through the first three books in the Harry Potter series during 1.5 weeks, I’m still wondering where all the absolutely repugnant parts are. Then it came to me: perhaps I had accidentally retrieved the Cliffs Notes version from […]
Dickens’ â€Christmas Carol’ Sings Of Truth and Timelessness
E. Stephen Burnett, Jan 4, 2007
Somehow the story of “A Christmas Carol” isn’t often recognized for what it is: a clearly drawn work of speculative fiction, a fantasy. Dickens’ classic is a fantasy story that had somehow transcended the genre, and was ahead of its time — a century before Lewis and Tolkien.
Writing CoO: Part 1 – Inspiration
Stuart Stockton, Dec 19, 2006
Where stories come from is one of the great mysteries of the writing world. Often the formative idea can come in a flash of inspiration where you see a face, a scene, a battle or even just hear a whisper. […]
Interview With Harvest House Editor Nick Harrison
Rebecca LuElla Miller, Dec 18, 2006
Harvest House Publishers, producing more than 160 new books each year and offering a strong backlist of more than 700 titles, has risen into the top five among American publishers of Christian literature. After years printing self-help, Bible materials, and […]
Part VII Of How To Bring Myths & Fairy Tales Back From The Dead & Into The Light: Lewis’ TILL WE HAVE FACES
Mirtika Schultz, Dec 15, 2006
So, Orual changes Psyche’s life and her own by forcing her sister, by threat of killing Psyche and herself rather than let Psyche continue living under a delusion (as Orual sees it), to light a lamp and see who her […]
Holidays and The Speculative, Part 2
Shannon McNear, Dec 14, 2006
Last week we looked at the historical background of the Jewish observance of Hanukkah, an extra-Biblical holiday with, as we’ll see today, a most interesting connection with the Christian festival of Christmas. Is the miracle of the holy oil burning […]
Nine Marks Of Widescreen Stories, Part 7
E. Stephen Burnett, Dec 13, 2006
Last week I viewed probably one of the best Christian films produced in a while — and by Christian, I mean specifically Christian, with representations of real-world Christians and real-world church and society situations. It wasn’t widescreen fiction; it wasn’t […]
CSFF Blog Tour Day 2: Trackers Chapter 1
Stuart Stockton, Dec 12, 2006
Heya, I know I was going to start talkin’ about my writing journey for Chamber of Origins this week, however it has gotten pre-empted by Blog tour responsibilities, and what you get is much sweeter. Below is the entire first […]
CSFF Blog Tour—Trackers
Rebecca LuElla Miller, Dec 11, 2006
The term “speculative fiction” might fit Kathryn Mackel’s Birthright Project better than any other series. Certainly Trackers, this month’s CSFF Blog Tour feature, lives up to that name. If you visit Mackel’s site, the Birthright Project page opens with the […]
Part VI Of How To Bring Myths & Fairy Tales Back From The Dead & Into The Light: Lewis’ TILL WE HAVE FACES
Mirtika Schultz, Dec 8, 2006
Do we always know why we do things? Generally, in fairy tales and myths, yes, characters are driven by simple motives that are right there, up front. In TILL WE HAVE FACES, unknown motives (at least unknown to the protagonist) […]
Holidays and The Speculative
Shannon McNear, Dec 7, 2006
The tyrannical king had just taken over the beloved city and was in the process of profaning the place of worship. Declaring the house of the One True God now a place of worship for a pagan god, the king […]
Writing To A Deadline
Karen Hancock, Dec 6, 2006
As I write this, I have but two more passes through a single scene to be finished with my fifth book, Return of the Guardian King, the fourth and final book in a series I began writing nearly 30 years […]
A Change In Tack
Stuart Stockton, Dec 5, 2006
Well I don’t know how many of you have noticed how my posts have been rather short over the last few weeks. Probably everyone except for that blind mongoose in the corner over there. I have to confess the reason […]
Of Titles and Such
Rebecca LuElla Miller, Dec 4, 2006
From time to time writers discuss their mode of coming up with names for their characters, and perhaps for places. SFF writers, of course, have an entire world to name. How is it done? I suppose I’m thinking about this […]
A Sort Of Selah
Mirtika Schultz, Dec 1, 2006
I apologize for deviating from the program. Life has intruded this week, and I am bogged down today and with much, much less time to post than I had orignally expected. So, instead of leaving a blank Friday entry, I […]
Thursdays Lite?
Shannon McNear, Nov 30, 2006
To carry on the new tradition of Thursdays Lite (or whatever Beth is calling it), I’m posting the rerun (for some) of a list my lovely sister-in-law and I conceived together last year just after the opening of Star Wars: […]
Nine Marks Of Widescreen Stories, Part 6
E. Stephen Burnett, Nov 29, 2006
First, I wish at the onset of this sixth-in-the-series to address a concern many of you may have about my identity. I wish to disclaim before proceeding that though I will be attempting to write about female-intensive subject matter, I […]
Porcupine Onion Lasagna
Stuart Stockton, Nov 28, 2006
The truly classic stories that remain with us and drive us to proclaim their virtues so that others can experience their wonder are the stories that prick our souls and imaginations, stories that can be enjoyed and experienced on many […]
Thrills or Wonder?
Rebecca LuElla Miller, Nov 27, 2006
J. R. R. Tolkien (is there a week that goes by without reference to either Tolkien or Lewis? What giants of the genre!) made an oft-quoted statement in defense of fantasy. In part, author Michael O’Brien explains Tolkien’s view in […]
Part V: How To Bring Myths & Fairy Tales Back From The Dead and Into The Light–Lewis’s Till We Have Faces
Mirtika Schultz, Nov 24, 2006
I am old now and have not much to fear from the anger of gods. I have no husband nor child, nor hardly a friend, through whom they can hurt me. My body, this lean carrion that still has to […]
On The Lighter Side: I,Robot or I,Saturn
Beth Goddard, Nov 23, 2006
Nothing serious here. It’s Thanksgiving for crying out loud and I’ve gotta turkey to cook. Shannon suggested writing a space opera about Thanksgiving. Hmm. Maybe for next year. But today I’m blogging about one of my favorite movies, I,Robot. It’s […]
Nine Marks Of Widescreen Stories, Part 5
E. Stephen Burnett, Nov 22, 2006
By day’s end, three million people will be carriers of the deadliest virus in history. There is no vaccine. There is no anti-virus. The world’s only hope is Thomas Hunter, and he has already been killed. Twice. Enter an adrenaline-laced […]
Ageless Fantasy
Stuart Stockton, Nov 21, 2006
One of the things I love most about Fantasy is its ability to transcend age limits. When well written, even fantasy written for kids or young adults can be an incredibly meaningful and insightful read for adults of any age. […]
A Reprise—Why Christian Fantasy
Rebecca LuElla Miller, Nov 20, 2006
Last May and June I did a series on fantasy and a Christian worldview on my personal blog. Today’s post comes from that series. I apologize to those of you who read it before, pleading for your indulgence. I am […]
CSFF Blog Tour – Curse Of The Spider King
Rebecca LuElla Miller, Nov 19, 2006
Book one of the Berinfell Prophecies, Curse of the Spider King, by Wayne Thomas Batson and Christopher Hopper, is the November feature of the CSFF Blog Tour. A couple of observations about the tour and the book. From what I’ve […]
