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No Such Thing As Miracles

Author Athol Dickson: “Magical realism presents the supernatural as a matter of fact, almost as an everyday event, much as science fiction does. But like pure fantasy, magical realism refuses to explain itself.” · Athol Dickson

Rearranging Icons 7: Coming Full-Circle

The harder we try to make this icon metaphor fit into the practical business of writing and understanding literature, the squishier and messier it becomes. · Fred Warren

Rice, Chess, and Sentient Machines

Author P.A. Baines: Unlike other genres, science fiction explores big what-if questions, such as, “what if the world ends tomorrow?” or “what if we discover life on another planet?” or even “what if an artificial intelligence were to come to believe in God?” · P. A. Baines

Secrets Of The ‘Firebird’ Story

“Daystar” author Kathy Tyers shares the connection between her now-concluded “Firebird” series and the real world. · Kathy Tyers

Fantasy And Overt Christianity

Should Christian writers refrain from having their characters do what Christians do — turn to Christ, pray for help, give spiritual counsel, worship with other believers, and so on? If Christians do want to show their characters acting like Christians, should their books then be confined to Christian circles? Should we indeed write for and market to Christians only? · Rebecca LuElla Miller

Rearranging Icons 2: Defining The Debates

What are icons? How have Christians viewed them in Church history, speculative stories, and evangelical art? If you think you or your denomination doesn’t deal with icons, in fiction or in faith practice, think again — and join our conversation. · E. Stephen Burnett

Please Quit Calling It ‘Weird’

I’m not picking on those who call Christian speculative stories “weird.” But Christianity doesn’t succeed because it’s Weird, but because it’s true. Our speculative stories should have a similar mission. · E. Stephen Burnett

Done To Death: Who Are We Trying To Reach?

Who is it that actually reads Christian fiction? I’ll give you a hint by re-asking the question: Who is it that actually reads CHRISTIAN fiction? I know, it’s a stumper. · John Otte

Spec-Faith Flashback: Jill Williamson

From our archives: Author Jill Williamson recalls how she actually wrote her YA sci-fi novel “Replication” before her fantasy “Blood of Kings” series. · Jill Williamson

Sex In The Story 6: Heroes and Heroines

Amidst belching sitcom dads, raging feminists, over-angsty teen-boy “chosen ones,” or inhuman “warrior princesses,” we find God-glorifying men and women in many stories. Here are a few. · E. Stephen Burnett

Sex In The Story 5: More Male Mythologies

We may always have sex caricatures in stories, and they may balance each other out. But how do we cure stock males, gender-neutrals, bad boys, men-children, faith-based supermen, and Prophesied Heroes™? · E. Stephen Burnett

Bringing The Personal To The Universal

Great fiction is made up of themes: Love and longing, coming of age, voyage and return, fathers, sons, daughters, mothers, overcoming the monster, death, birth, and more. These are universals, themes that can be, on one level or another, understood by any man or woman. · Anne Elisabeth Stengl

Done To Death

Tropes can pop up just about anywhere, even in Christian speculative fiction: hackneyed plots, characters, and themes. What do our readers think has been “done to death”? · John Otte

Sex In The Story 1: Shooting Up Heroine

Action heroine Black Widow is annoying some fans of the forthcoming “Avengers” film. How come? Is a story’s female character only strong if she is fighting men or bad guys? · E. Stephen Burnett

Lord Of The Fantasies: Beyond The Swordfights

In “The Lord of the Rings” films, elf-maiden Arwen almost joined the fight at Helm’s Deep, and King Aragorn almost dueled the dark lord Sauron. But the movie-makers chose otherwise. How come, and how does this show truly rare heroism? · E. Stephen Burnett

The “Alien Work” Of God Part VI

Like I said two week ago, I’m not one to back down from a bad idea. And I have a feeling that this might be a bad idea. We’ll see. Of course, that’s only if this post makes it past […] · John Otte

Lord Of The Fantasies: Beholding Middle-earth

Because I first read “The Fellowship of the Ring” only days before seeing the film version, I did not have time to form interpretations of characters, or expectations. Thus, the film blew me away, no disappointments. But how might I have been disadvantaged? · E. Stephen Burnett

Magic Realism, Part 3

Christians are taught in no uncertain terms that our only two options are to rely firmly on a clear doctrinal framework, or discard it for the morass of experientialism. Neither is entirely reliable, and it’s for this reason, I’d suggest, that we walk by faith — not by sight. · C.L. Dyck
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