Exit, Stage Left…
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This will be my last post as a recurring columnist at Speculative Faith.
I’m not departing as a result of hard feelings, or editorial infighting, or the exchange of inappropriate e-mails with my biographer, nor have Stephen and company kicked me to the curb for playing the crazy uncle in the attic once too often.
I’ve simply taken a hard look at my online activity and realized I’ve been spending a lot more time writing about writing than actually, you know, writing. Some of my other projects have been sitting on the shelf far too long, and I owe some material to people who have been extraordinarily patient with my inertia.
A site dedicated to the exploration and discussion of speculative fiction needs a regular influx of fresh voices and ideas, too. So, it’s time for me to go.
I’ve had several tons of fun contributing weekly articles here. I started in March, 2011, from a little village outside Rome, and have wandered hither and yon through past, future, and a few alternate dimensions with a mix of stories, essays, commentary, and even a bit of fractured poetry during the past year-and-a-half, finally ending up at a platypus stand in west Texas. Many thanks to all of you, readers and staff, for your indulgence and insightful conversation.
That leads me to what I’d like to say in parting. Keep the conversation alive. Places like Speculative Faith wither and die when people stop talking. It’s the conversation–the dialogue, debate, reflection, and exchange of information that make things interesting, attract new readers, and induce folks to hang around and see what fresh madness is going to happen next.
Be the place people seek out when they want to know what’s new and exciting in the world of Christian spec fic. Honor the classic voices, demand solid craftsmanship, and identify the next big thing before anybody else does. Find those elusive authors who swirl eternal truth and quality storytelling into a delicious literary confection, and point readers their direction.
But don’t get so bogged down in analysis that you forget to have fun. Imagination is a gift from God. Revel in it.
See ya ’round the universe.
— Fred
Will miss your posts, Fred, but glad you are not stopping because of anything negative–but to have more time for your own creative work.
Bye Fred! Don’t be a stranger 😉
Bye. Sorry to see you go from here, but we’ll see you other places.
Aww, so sad to see you go, Fred. I know how draining it can be to have to say something pithy every week, though. Make sure you come back and comment sometimes!
Nuts, I’ll miss those columns of yours. But if the upside is more stories, I can’t complain one bit. Good luck on the writing, Fred.
Good luck, Fred! I’ll miss the laughs.
You’ve got some true classics on your resume. I was particularly fascinated by your Speculative Christmas, Speculative Death, and Rearranging Icons columns.
Intaglio lives!
I’m going to miss your weekly columns and sense of humor! It ‘s been fun to read about random things like platypuses and the Wild West and wooden puppets. Do stick around and comment sometimes.
Goes to show you, humor is harder than serious writing. I don’t feel at an end of what I want to say and I’ve been at this for how many years! (Oh, you say, I should have hung it up, way back when! Too late now. 😆 )
Seriously, Fred, we’ll really miss you. You provided the perfect change up, the curve ball that kept us swinging off balance but much more attentive because of it. You make me laugh and think at the same time. I have thoroughly enjoyed your columns.
Yes, keep writing those stories. We need those too. But please don’t be a stranger here at Spec Faith.
Becky
We’ll miss you. Stop by sometimes, okay?
Thanks for the well-wishes, everyone. I’ll be checking in now and again. 🙂
Enjoyed your humor.
Thanks Fred.
I love this statement so much. Thanks for the reminder.
I’ll miss your blog posts; your slightly quirky means of making your points always provoke me to both laugh and think (personal favorite: “When bad things happen to good characters”; the villain having the proper perspective amused me immensely). May God richly bless your creative endeavors!