/ SpecFaith

Notes From All Over

My fuel gauge is bumping against empty today after a couple of weeks on the road for work, so in lieu of my usual half-baked meandering, here are a few links to recent articles touching on the intersection of faith and fiction, from blogs I enjoy.
on Jan 31, 2012 · No comments

My fuel gauge is bumping against empty today after a couple of weeks on the road for work, so in lieu of my usual half-baked meandering, here are a few links to recent articles touching on the intersection of faith and fiction, from blogs I enjoy.

“The Real Work,” from Adam McHugh at Introverted Church: If you’re a writer, is everything in your life besides writing simply a distraction? Adam is a hospice chaplain and author who explores in his books and blog how introverts can cope with and flourish within a church culture that often values volume over thoughtfulness.

“Why We Should NOT Label Christian Fiction,” by Mike Duran, guestblogging at Novel Rocket. The always-provocative Mr. Duran, author of  supernatural tales The Resurrection and Winterland, explains why he believes the term “Christian Fiction” concedes a stereotype that burdens authors and repels readers. If you’re looking for some literary food for thought, or a good fight, check out his blog, DeCOMPOSE.

“If I Only Knew Then…” by Stephanie Morill, guestblogging at Writer…Interrupted. Stephanie, a YA author with publishing credits that include the popular Reinvention of Skylar Hoyt series from Revell Books, reminisces about a few things she wishes she would have known when she began her writing journey. Stephanie hosts a forum for aspiring young authors, Go Teen Writers, which is chock-full of excellent advice for writers of any age. If you know a young person who would like to pursue writing as a career, or simply as a rewarding hobby, point them toward Stephanie.

And now for something completely different: “Lackadaisy Brimstone,” by Tracy J. Butler. Lackadaisy is a webcomic that tells the story of what Prohibition culture in 1920’s St. Louis might have been like…if everybody was a cat (you can read my review here). Ms. Butler does her research and seasons her remarkable artwork with historical scenery and props, usually with a bit of commentary on the side. In this particular strip, an amateur rum runner finds herself in a tight spot, and on the receiving end of a sermonette.

Fred was born in Tacoma, Washington, but spent most of his formative years in California, where his parents pastored a couple of small churches. He graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1983, and spent 24 years in the Air Force as a bomber navigator, flight-test navigator, and military educator. He retired from the Air Force in 2007, and now works as a government contractor in eastern Kansas, providing computer simulation support for Army training.Fred has been married for 25 years to the girl who should have been his high school sweetheart, and has three kids, three dogs, and a mortgage. When he's not writing or reading, he enjoys running, hiking, birdwatching, stargazing, and playing around with computers.Writing has always been a big part of his life, but he kept it mostly private until a few years ago, when it occurred to him that if he was ever going to get published, he needed to get serious about it. Since then, he's written more than twenty short stories that have been published in a variety of print and online magazines, and a novel, The Muse, that debuted in November 2009 from Splashdown Books, which was a finalist for the 2010 American Christian Fiction Writers Carol Award for book of the year in the speculative genre. Speculative fiction is his first love, but he writes the occasional bit of non-fiction or poetry, just to keep things interesting.
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  1. Galadriel says:
    January 31, 2012 at 9:29 pm

    The second post was very intriging.

    Reply
  2. Maria Tatham says:
    February 1, 2012 at 12:57 pm

    Broad spectrum of choice, Fred–thank you! I plan to read the article by Mike Duran. Am I up for a fight? Maybe one round.

    Lately, I’ve been plagued by reading things then having a sinking feeling. I wonder what Duran would think of a writer who not only limited herself to ‘Christian fantasy’ but to writing this genre for women. After reading the article, will I have a sinking feeling…?

    Cheerio!

    Maria

    Reply
    • Fred Warren says:
      February 1, 2012 at 2:43 pm

      Maria, if I were you, I wouldn’t give a hoot in Hoboken what Mike Duran or anybody else thinks about the sort of writing you enjoy. If you’re passionate about it, go for it. Mike would probably say the same thing. His articles drive me nuts, but they make me think, and I appreciate that.

      Reply
  3. Martin LaBar says:
    February 7, 2012 at 8:07 pm

    Thanks for the Duran link, and another post that Duran linked to.

    Reply

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