I’ve been considering doing a non-fiction project for some time that would chronicle my personal pilgrimage away from and back to the Church and how, despite all Her faults, the Church both Universal and local, remains God’s chosen method to reach and heal the world. Ever since I decided to turn my attention to writing, [...]
Hard to believe, it’s only been seven months since Steve Holtrust, an elder from our church, was tragically shot to death in a botched highway robbery in Honduras. Steve had made it his life’s work to help the people of Honduras. He had joined the Ontario, CA fire department in 1975 when he was just [...]
No, this isn’t a trick question. I am genuinely trying to decide where I land in the Complementarianism / Egalitarianism debate. I haven’t studied the subject extensively, but pretty much know all the arguments and proof texts for both sides. But for the life of me, I can’t seem to find a clear place to [...]
This weekend, I completed the first draft of my third novel. My agent cheered. I heaved a huge sigh of relief. First drafts are grueling for me. Whereas I enjoy revising and editing, first drafts are a slow torture. But if what Hemingway said is true, that the only thing that matters about a first [...]
I was recently in discussion with a self-proclaimed “Christian pacifist” and asked the simple question: Do you lock your house at night? They immediately sniffed out my train of thought and got huffy. That’s different! they said. But is it? I mean, Why do pacifists lock their doors at night if not to keep bad [...]
Continuing to get some fantastic reviews for The Telling, the latest from Shroud Magazine, publisher of dark literary fiction and Bram Stoker Award nominee. Here’s a blurb: Consummate blogger and writer Mike Duran has crafted a rich tale tale that mixes and matches its elements, a true genre-blend. There’s horror, quantum physics, folk-lore, allegory, secret-government [...]
Pastor Mark Sandlin recently announced he’d be quittin’ church. At least, for three months. Why? The answer is quite… unoriginal. In Ain’t Gonna Go to Church No More, Sandlin expounds on the not-so-specifics: I’ve come to see that, for all the good the church does for others, it is turning a blind eye to itself. [...]
You heard that right — Stephen King, gazillion-seller, award winning author, household name, breaks the rules. The “writing rules,” that is. I’m about 250 pages into “The Stand” and thus far one of the takeaways, to my shame, has been how often I’ve noticed King violates some of the most basic writing rules. Namely in [...]
I’ve had more than one reader express confusion about Chapter Three of The Telling. Like this Tweep: I’ve had at least half-a-dozen readers say something similar. I kind of expected it. In a way, I intended it. You see, Chapter Three introduces the reader to Fergus Coyne, my antagonist. Fergus is a very troubled man, [...]
Have fun trying to get a straight answer on that one. After reading “The Monstrumologist” (thanks Kat for the recommendation!), I found myself pondering that question again. I have friends who write YA and read extensively therein. But even they seem to puzzle over its delineations. But about The Monstrumologist: Thoroughly enjoyed it! Loved it. [...]
