Originality is one of those intangibles that distinguish artists from the garden variety. But how does one become original? Is it simply a matter of hard work? Is the term purely subjective? Maybe we are all “original” in our own way. Or are some of us just born with a creative leg up on the [...]
I had this disturbing revelation recently.You see, I write a lot about caves. Digging. Dredging. Mining. Boring. Exhuming. Dark, hidden places where things burrow, hide, slumber, or avoid the light. These themes occur often in my stories. Weird, huh? Don’t answer. Subterranea is no longer in print. It was a short story, my first real attempt [...]
The story of Adam and Eve is “true,” but not “factual.” At least, that’s how some progressive Christians try to harmonize the iconic couple with evolutionary science. It’s a sticky proposition. I mean, at what point is something mythically accurate but historically flawed? Can something not have really happened yet be immortalized in a timeline? Call [...]
There”s a lot of blame going around these days. Whether it’s politics, publishing, the economy, or the decline of Western Civilization in general, there is no shortage of culprits for why things aren’t the way they should be. Rap music Organized religion Wall Street Atheism The mainstream media The Tea Party Capitalism Television Oil companies [...]
I am filing this under Sojourn, which means this post is about my life, my family, my job, my career, my mental health, and the twists and turns that come with all those things. So you can stop reading now if my sojourn doesn’t interest you. And trust me, I won’t blame you. Last month, [...]
Everybody has one of these. It’s the card you play when you run out of answers, when Life’s mysteries overwhelm you, when your educated guesses bump into the Unknown. It’s the answer you resort to when you’re out of answers. Everyone has a Mystery Card. Theologians, scientists, mathematicians, doctors — all encounter mysteries. Whether it [...]
This feels like a confession. When asked what they hope to accomplish with their writing, Christian writers are fond of saying that they want to “glorify God.” They want to magnify, exalt, honor, give witness of and uphold God in the stories they tell. Which leads to my confession: I have no idea what they’re [...]
Must all marketing be an obnoxious slobbery love affair with yourself? It’s a question every author should ask. And those who don’t often drown in their own drool. The thrill of receiving my first publishing contract (a two-book deal with Charisma House) was quickly doused by the realization that now I must sell books. I [...]
I recently heard a Christian song that contained a familiar chorus: More of You, Lord, and less of me That phrase and its variations is basic Christianese, found in dozens of praise and spiritual pop songs. But apart from the sappy sentimentality it can evoke, what does it really mean? Does it mean that [...]
I’ve been thinking about a question raised by blogger Becky Miller a few weeks ago in a post entitled Realism in Fiction wherein she asks why those of us who pine for “realism” in Christian fiction (meaning inclusion of taboo subjects like sex and language) aren’t as concerned about the portrayals of God in our [...]
