Art does not occur in a vacuum, even if that vacuum is an atheistic one. I admit to being fascinated by the worldviews and beliefs that fuel someone’s art. What life experiences and philosophical foundations (or lack thereof) inspire someone to write, draw, or compose a certain piece? Can savage paganism or a bleak metaphysical [...]
And in the “Here we go again” department… Last week, Novel Rocket ran an article by Tess Gerritsen, NY Times bestseller, entitled When Loathsome Characters Say Despicable Things. Apparently, Gerritsen had been “taken to task” by a reader because one of the antagonistic characters in her book The Silent Girl snipes, “Are you a retard?” [...]
I recently had a chance to visit with an Australian acoustic duo named The Sky Pilot. They’re currently touring America, promoting their new album, and stopped at our church to perform (and enjoy American-style BBQ ribs). They’re a couple of great guys… and they do a great cover of Heart of Gold. Check them out! [...]
After weeks of pressing toward a deadline, I finally, in near exhaustion, submitted my second novel to my publisher. That was about four months ago. I was SO happy to get the book off my plate and spent a week or two just slumming. Now I can’t wait to get back to edits. I’m rejuvenated, [...]
Christian fiction is often described as “family friendly,” which is a little surprising because the Bible is not. No, I’m not suggesting the Bible is “unfriendly” to families. Its central message is one that everyone can understand and embrace. But let’s face it — there’s some stories and verses in the Bible that can be [...]
The London riots were just part of a volatile global brew that appears to be steeping. Whether it’s flash mobs in D.C., Syrian protesters, terrorist bombings in Iraq, Somalian genocide, or the collapse of the European Union, the world seems to be trending toward the unthinkable. The possible reasons are many and varied: Eroding faith [...]
Who am I to judge whether or not someone is really a Christian? Good question. Now, let me ask you: Who are you to define what a Christian is or is not? Barna Group’s recent Study of Religious Change Since 1991 revealed some fascinating changes amongst “self-identified Christians” over the last 20 years. Whatever you [...]
Yesterday I posted at the WordServe Water Cooler, a new group blog I’m involved in. The piece, How Opinionated Should a Novelist Be?, received a lot of feedback. While I refrained from making it a “Christian issue,” try as I might, I couldn’t keep it from veering into a discussion about the message and/or agenda [...]
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 [...]
