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Mike’s Writing

by on January 30, 2009

Mike writes a broad range of content, both fiction and non-fiction, short to more lengthy pieces.

Non-Fiction

To most, the term “Christian horror” probably seems like an oxymoron. Nevertheless, there are very good arguments to be made that “horror” is an eminently biblical genre and that Christian artists should be at the forefront of reclaiming it. In Christian Horror: On the Compatibility of a Biblical Worldview and the Horror Genre, novelist Mike Duran explores the Judeo-Christian roots of contemporary horror, the religious themes that frame much of the horror art, and how evangelical culture has come to distance itself from such a potentially rich and powerful medium. Duran looks at Christian artists and authors whose works employ the macabre and grotesque. From surrealist Hieronymus Bosch to Southern Gothicist Flannery O’Connor to the master of horror Stephen King, we can trace a distinctly biblical worldview that frames their visions of terror. Along the way, Duran answers objections while developing an apologetic, not for a new sub-genre, but for a rethinking of the reasons that “Christian horror” has come to be viewed as such an oxymoron. Christian Horror is available in both paperback and ebook.

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Christians & Conspiracy Theories: Investigating Alternative Truth Claims without Buying in to Fear, Fanaticism, or Tribalism addresses the nagging claim that Christians are overly susceptible to conspiracism and cultural violence. From the cover blurb:

The Great Reset. Bigfoot. Anti-Vaxxism. UFOs.

Conspiracy theories are no longer a fringe phenomenon. Thanks to the internet and media amplification, conspiracies that were once far-fetched are now mainstream. Talk of a Great Reset and a coming New World Order are no longer isolated claims whispered in obscure internet chat rooms. Cabals of powerful people seeking to fundamentally re-shape our world now openly broadcast their agendas.

Christians are called to be truth-seekers. They are to be discerning of “the signs of the times” (Matt. 16:3) and the “devil’s schemes” (Eph. 6:11). Followers of Christ have long believed in a Plan, a Divine Conspiracy unfolding throughout history; the Seed of the Serpent waging war against the Seed of the Woman. As such, being aware of contemporary conspiracy claims and how to interrogate them, can be essential to a Christian witness.

Nevertheless, some caution Christians against interest in conspiracy theorism. They portray evangelicals as wingnuts, gullible to fake news and fringe beliefs. But is this portrayal accurate? Should Christians avoid researching conspiracy claims just because some go off the deep end? And what about those claims that have been proven true? Should Christians just continue to blindly trust the government, the media, and the “experts”?

This book is about conspiracy theories, and how Christians should interact with them. It’s about becoming your own fact-checker and going where the truth leads you. It’s about fine-tuning your BS-detector and using Scripture as your ultimate conspiracy barometer.

The truth is out there. And it wants to be found.

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disciplish: My Unconventional Pilgrimage thru Faith, Art, and Evangelical Culture is Mike’s memoir about growing up Catholic, in an alcoholic home, plunging into the world of rock music, psychedelic drugs, and occultism, before eventually becoming a Jesus freak. But his adventure was just beginning. Seventeen years later, he would be stripped of a pastoral title, publicly disciplined, and disband the church he had pastored for over a decade. Was he just another ministerial casualty? Or was this part of some larger divine plan? Having little education and few marketable skills, Mike’s wife and family were forced to empty the small retirement account they’d accumulated and he took a minimum wage construction job working the night shift. Thus began an unconventional pilgrimage.

Faith journeys come in all shapes and sizes. No one is exactly alike. Sometimes they leave us wounded and broken, questioning God and ourselves. Sometimes they leave us shipwrecked. This is a memoir of one man’s unconventional faith journey. Along the way, you’ll meet a cast of colorful, often tragic characters who help Mike ponder theology, art, and wonky religious minutiae. This is not a de-conversion story. Neither is it a manual for “victorious Christian living.” Rather, it is a tale about spiritual blowouts… and how one man’s faith survived them. disciplish is available in paperback or ebook.

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Fiction

“Duran’s stories are smart, spiritual, and creepy.”

— Tosca Lee, NY Times best-selling author.

Keeper of the Woods is a novella about cryptids, a very resilient young girl, and a monster of a father.

“Sacred Springs retreat center, located in the isolated wilderness of Mount Shasta, is a popular destination for spiritual seekers. But while the idyllic, off-the-grid ranch offers tranquility and rest for those on pilgrimage, it also harbors a dark secret.

After a string of disappearances near the retreat, rumors of matah kagmi have re-emerged. Known by the indigenous people as Keepers of the Woods, these legendary sasquatch-like forest dwellers have long been said to roam this wilderness. Sacred Springs has had its share of unusual encounters with the mysterious creatures. But when Poppy Carlson arrives at the retreat center with a group of spiritual sojourners, all matter of high-strangeness begins.

Haunted by feral images, Poppy has been diagnosed with Dissociative Amnesia. Found wandering in the forest as a child, the successful gallerist now seeks to reconstruct her mysterious past. While her search for healing has brought her to Sacred Springs, something else awaits. For a presence far more sinister than mythical cryptids haunts the forest retreat. Not only does Poppy’s search awaken her traumatic past, but with it a Beast that threatens to destroy them all.”

Survival Horror meets Psychological Thriller in this novella by award-winning author Mike Duran

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The Visitant: A Tale of Lovecraftian Noir is a story inspired by Mike’s research into conspiracy theories.

“As an exit counselor, Katherine Purnell has encountered her share of conspiracy theories. Whether it be chemtrails, QAnon, or Mass Formation Psychosis, she is adept at identifying disinformation and freeing her clients from their paranoid delusions.

Until her newest patient flips the script.

As an upper-tier member of GenUs, a trendy self-actualization movement, Iola Thorn possesses some disturbing knowledge about the powerful group. Not only do they claim to be in contact with a ‘highly evolved non-terrestrial entity,’ they believe this entity is colluding with cultural elites to condition us for a Great Awakening—the global unveiling of an alien savior. Purnell begins an investigation that seemingly confirms her client’s fears and sends the exit counselor spiraling down a rabbit hole of death and deception. But can she overcome her own skepticism in order to uncover the truth, or will she become a victim of the monsters she disbelieves in?

Maybe some conspiracies aren’t theories.”

The Visitant is available in ebook and paperback.

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Requiem 4 is a horror/military sci-fi novelette. “Graviton Cemetery—the biggest, oldest, most haunted graveyard in the world. And Requiem 4 is here to clean things up. In a dystopian, war-torn future where a godless global network reprograms the masses for compliance, the Requiem units are a dying breed. Manned by sciocists—scientific exorcists—and armed with state-of-the-art technology, the units sweep cemeteries of ‘latent soul energy.’ However, there’s a lot more than just ghosts in Graviton. Father Aguste Lax, military chaplain to Requiem 4, has his own doubts. The cross around his neck is a feeble reminder of his waning faith. Yet when they encounter a Type Six entity, no amount of quantum firepower can save them. Lax becomes their only hope for escaping Graviton alive. But can his faith prevail against an evil this ancient? Or will Graviton Cemetery become the final resting place for Requiem 4?” Requiem 4 is available in both ebook and paperback.

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Wickers Bog is a novella, a Tale of Southern Gothic Horror. “Every autumn, when the weather turned and the wind came off the marsh, the dark waters of Wickers Bog gave up its ghosts and reawakened the old yarns. Julene Ella Haddan is about to be drawn into one of them. It was a grey, joyless day, when young Julene heard the song of the siren and followed its melody into the enchanted swamp… a journey which led her into a tale of murder and deceit. It’s only the fated who hear the siren. Yet Julene’s fate now seems bound to the fabled Lady of Lisenby, the spectral gatekeeper of the Bog, queen of the haunted deep. However, is it justice the Lady seeks or is Julene the siren’s next victim? Myth and mystery collide in this tale of Southern Gothic horror.” Wickers Bog is available in ebook, paperbook, and audiobook.

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GhostBox_3DThe Ghost Box: A Reagan Moon Novel is the first in an Urban Fantasy series following paranormal reporter Reagan Moon and his otherworldly antics in the City of Angels. “When Moon is hired by a reclusive tycoon to investigate the events surrounding his girlfriend’s tragic death, he learns of an impending apocalypse about to flatten Los Angeles. Seems that the Summu Nura, ancient gods from a parallel dimension, are looking for a new stomping ground. And Hollyweird is ground zero. What’s worse, Reagan Moon is the only one who can stop them. With the help of an occult archivist and a carefree guardian angel, Moon is forced to confront an invisible world of toxic parasites and dimensional outriders. But no amount of magic can save him from monster that awaits… inside him.” The Ghost Box was selected by Publishers Weekly as one of best independently published novels of 2015. You can purchase the Ghost Box in paperback, ebook., and audiobook.

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Saint Death is the second book in the Reagan Moon series. “Reagan Moon didn’t plan on being an earth guardian. He was your average paranormal reporter…until 1,000 volts of raw electricity fused an ancient relic into his sternum. It left him with Powers and lets him do things most humans can’t. There are others like him, six of them to be exact. They call themselves the Imperia and are charged with keeping earth from going down the toilet. This usually involves fighting monsters, tweaking the laws of physics, and keeping lots of booze and bandages on hand. But when Saint Death comes knocking, no amount of holy water and hand grenades can slow her roll. She’s the queenpin of the Santa Muerte pantheon. The folk religion’s central deity often appeared as a Virgin or a bride. Some called her the Grim Reapress. But mostly she was known as Saint Death. Now she’s got a companion. With the help of the Summu Nura, a Neuro priestess has rediscovered the Grimoire of Azrael, the Archangel of Death. And the Tenth Plague is about to be unleashed upon Los Angeles. Apparently, only Moon and his weathered compatriots can prevent the angel’s arrival. Yet earth guardians aren’t indestructible…as Saint Death is about to prove. Myth and history collide in the second installment of what Publishers Weekly called “one of the best indie novels of 2015.” Saint Death is available in paperback, ebook., or audiobook.

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The Third Golem is the third book in the Reagan Moon series. “He was the Prophesied One, the Twelfth-borne of Chaos… and he drove a ’66 El Camino. Reagan Moon is a survivor. He’s bested ghosts, lizard people, and death angels. But his greatest foe is waiting in the wings. When an herbalist is ritually murdered in Chinatown, Reagan Moon and the Imperia are drawn into a mysterious plot to reawaken a mythical monster. Seems Balfour Rothbard, chaos magician and technological whiz kid, is seeking to resurrect the legendary Third Golem. Rooted in Kabbalistic lore, the fabled golem was created as the ultimate super soldier; a kick-ass artificial intelligence fueled by magic. With the help of Ki, the Wayward Guardian, the magician now seeks to awaken the ancient golem and empower it to occupy a place of ultimate power: The Crossroads of Time. Only a sacred staff, a renowned relic from antiquity, can counter the magician’s madness. But will Moon manage to master the staff in time to thwart the Third Golem, or will his ‘survivor streak’ finally hit the wall?” The Third Golem is available in paperback or ebook.

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Despite his love for words, when ZEPH WALKER sees his body lying on the gurney in the county morgue, he is speechless. Disfigured by his stepmother as a teenager, the hideous scar across Zeph’s face has forced him into a life of seclusion. Cloistered in a ramshackle bookstore on the outskirts of town, Zeph is blessed with an uncanny ability to sound souls—to intuit peoples’ deepest sins and secrets. He calls it the Telling, but has abandoned the gift to his unbelief and despair. Until two detectives escort him to the county morgue, where he learns that the bizarre look-alike of himself has been found murdered. You can purchase The Telling at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Christianbook.com, and other outlets.

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Subterranea: Nine Tales of Dread and Wonder is a collection of Mike’s early short fiction. “A subway project on the wrong side of Mother Nature. A neurotic man who drowns in the desert. Tequila swilling seminary students in search of a mythical healer. A war-torn interplanetary lounge for seekers of universal harmony. A military chaplain pursued by the very demon he evicted. A trip home, for the living and the dead. Muses and devils in the Inspirational octagon. A one-thousand pound man who carries something weightier than himself. A machine that can predict marital compatibility down to the most probable future. Surrealism, horror, and occasional humor intersect in these nine short stories from the author of The Ghost Box and The Telling.” Subterranea is available in ebook.

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In Winterland, an ebook novella, recovering addict Eunice Ames is summoned into her dying mother’s coma where she  must traverse a surreal, apocalyptic dreamscape in search of three generational spirits who have imprisoned her mother’s soul.  One reviewer described the story as “John Bunyan Meets Tim Burton.” Winterland is available in paperback and ebook.

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Mike’s debut novel, The Resurrection, is about a quiet coastal town and an unassuming crippled woman who inexplicably raises a boy from the dead, awakening a century’s old curse. Tosca Lee, author of Demon: A Memoir, said of the book, “A brooding and suspenseful debut that will give you goosebumps and make you think long after you’ve turned the last page.” The Resurrection was a finalist in 2011’s INSPY speculative fiction category. Purchase The Resurrection through Amazon, B&N, ChristianBook.com, and other reputable outlets.

Misc. Stories, Articles & Editorials

Mike’s published numerous articles at The Stream, a conservative politics, religion, and pop culture site. You can find his Author Page here. His folk-horror story Bury Me in the Garden appeared in Other Voices, Other Tombs from Cemetery Gates Media. Mike’s flash fiction piece The Prayin’ Kind appeared in The Common Oddities Speculative Fiction Sideshow Issue 5. When Orchids Bloomed from Dead Stringers appeared in Bewildering Stories and was also selected for their Fourth Quarterly Review Editor’s Choice. Why the Popularity of Horror Movies Might Encourage Christians appeared in The Gospel Coalition.  BreakPoint magazine included Mike’s non-fiction commentary entitled The Mission Field of Young Adult Fiction: Re-Examining Cultural Engagement with the Next Generation. Mike’s short story, En Route to Inferno, appeared in Coach’s Midnight Diner: Back from the Dead edition. He was interviewed by the pulp style horror magazine Rue Morgue, Issue #87, for a piece entitled The Rise of Christian Horror, ABC’s  Encounter podcast Sacred Horror: Zombie resurrections and Vampire Souls, and Christian Today magazine. His article “Old v. New” on the evolution of zombie films appeared in Zombies Magazine Spring 2014 issue. Mike’s short humorous sci-fi piece, Father Fayad’s Curious Compatibility Projector,  landed in Raygun Revival Issue 48. He also received the Editor’s Choice award for his creative non-fiction essay entitled The Ark, published in the Summer 2.3 Issue of Relief Journal. Coach’s Midnight Diner inaugural edition included his short story, Polly’s Muse, in their genre anthology. It’s a Screwtapian tale full of imps, pixies and uninspired hominids. On Art and Asses, an irreverent exploration into the nature of creativity appeared in the Fall 2007 edition of 316 A Journal of Christian Thinking. Relief Journal included his story, When Bill Left the Porch, in its Second Edition. Mike was chosen as one of ten authors to be published in Infuze Magazine‘s 2005 print anthology and was also a finalist in the 2005 Faith in Fiction short story contest.

If you’d like to keep up on Mike’s writing, get early info on releases, and get some cool stuff along the way, you can subscribe to Mike’s Newsletter using the Subscribe form in the sidebar and receive a FREE digital download of The Ghost Box, the first entry in the Reagan Moon series and a starred review item from Publisher’s Weekly.

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FICTION SHORTS

NON-FICTION

Podcasts

Mike has also appeared on a number of podcasts. Here’s a few of them:

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