The recent scandal regarding the boy who didn’t go to heaven is just one more reason to be skeptical of the “heavenly tourism” fad. Thankfully, many discerning believers have seen through this long ago, not only criticizing the publishing trend, but the unorthodox biblical messages such experiences often send. However, in our haste to distance [...]
I recently purchased one of those Guide to Indie Publishing type books. It was cheap and a quick read. However, the author’s central point left me a bit bummed. After outlining in detail her fairly prolific sales record, she concludes that the best way for an author to succeed at indie publishing is to crank [...]
Last week, the popular Christian review site, The Christian Manifesto (TCM), published a book review that generated significant discussion and online chatter. Their fiction editor, Amy Drown, reviewed veteran Christian fiction novelist and Christy award winner Lisa Samson’s latest novel, A Thing of Beauty, concluding that it was worthy of only a half star (out [...]
Joey had been a part of the Youth Group I led. He was about the same age as my son, Christopher, and they went on to develop a neat friendship. Joey’s head was slightly indented on one side, a circular scar evident in his hairline where the doctors had opened up his skull and removed [...]
Is Christian Fiction a way to share the message with seekers and unbelievers? Or is it mainly a vehicle to inspire and entertain existing Christians? I’d love to know your thoughts. Please select what you consider the top two goals Christian Fiction should accomplish. If there’s an answer you think should be included, feel free [...]
This week I’ll be giving away three autographed copies of The Ghost Box at Goodreads. Enter HERE for a chance to win. Goodreads Book Giveaway The Ghost Box by Mike Duran Giveaway ends January 12, 2015. See the giveaway details at Goodreads. Enter to win
Sadly, one of the things I sacrifice when writing, is reading. Ironic, huh? By the paltry size of these lists, you can see I’m not a prolific reader. Or maybe I was just writing a lot. Either way, I still managed to settle down long enough to consume the following fare. For whatever reason, when [...]
I recently used my monthly post at Novel Rocket to blurb next year’s Realm Makers (RM) Conference. Here’s how I framed that post: Realm Makers is a conference designed for “people of faith who love science fiction and fantasy.” The Christian fiction market is notoriously thin when it comes to the representation of speculative fiction [...]
I’ve been getting some great reviews for The Ghost Box since its release last month. Grace Bridges said the novel is “Funny as heck… with some awesome surprise twists.” Mike Roop described it as “a good metaphysical action romp… Think Harry Dresden meets The Librarian meets The Lone Gunmen from X-Files.” And Lelia Rose Foreman [...]
Film critic Jeffrey Overstreet, in his book Through a Screen Darkly, talks about the backlash he received from concerned parents after his favorable review of the film Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. One parent wrote, “If you think anything meaningful can be conveyed by pagan mythology, you’ve just opened up Pandora’s Box.” Overstreet [...]
