Sorry for the hiatus. I did the series on recurring themes upon request, and I suppose if more comes to mind I’ll bring them up. As it is, like I’ve said, I don’t have a true beef with the CBA world because I’m not sure I think about it much – especially as a latecomer.  And at the moment, I’m behind on reading everyone else’s articles (at least three behind), and I haven’t been doing much internet reading, so I really don’t know of anything “current” to post about.  And, while, yes, some things irritate me, I don’t think they’re maladies limited to CBA, or even to Christians.

Some things are simply a matter of this fallen world in which we live.

The marred creation ruled by a marred imago dei.

A broken creation running from its Creator.

Bienvenidos a la vida.

I’m admittedly not a Pollyanna type. I’m not a cynic, either. My tendency, more or less, is to simply try not to fall too quickly in making a judgment call. Call that what you will.   I’ve no delusions of granduer, and the Golden Age of Humanity was, frankly, the Garden, and it shall pale in comparison to what’s been promised to us.  So I don’t think us all angels, nor the monsters some become.  So whatever you’ve taken from these musings of mine, remember that.

But I’m going to borrow a bit from the “Love Thy Reader” theme, I think.

Writers do many things with life. For us, life itself is our ball of clay to shape on the wheel.  We can retool, refine, destroy, or refinish what’s given to us.  This is why the saying “The pen is mightier than the sword” exists.  If the tongue is a wildfire, then the pen is a branding iron.  We can paint heroes as villains and villains as heroes. We can paint light as dark an dark as light. Shades of gray or technicolor.

That’s why you don’t anger writers. Our ways are strange and we are cold in anger.

One thing that’s always been a matter of principle for me is that I refuse to insert real people – whether I love them or despise them – into my stories. I guess part of it’s my confidentiality peeve. That which is said in confidence, stays in confidence. You know? So one thing I’ve always struggled with is the idea  that we “write what we know.”

Don’t take this beyond what I mean by it. Emotional recall is one thing. The ability to remember particulars or include particular skills and knowledge is another.

But sometimes the most memorable things Life throws at you are the very things you shouldn’t be airing in public.  While there may be little in the way of a secular/sacred divide, there’s much to be said about what’s appropriate and what isn’t.

And, for me, it’s not the ability to do an emotional recall or throw in a funny joke, or some friend’s (or my) stupid prank. My own foolishness is mine to enshrine.

But can I really, in good conscience, take a person’s deepest grief, shame, or folly, and forever enshrine it on the page, all in the name of some “life lesson” theme in a book?  Even if the ending is spectacular,  a redemption tale of grandeur,  would it ever be good, dragging up and revisiting every detail, the good, the bad, the ugly, and taking someone’s heartache for my personal gain?

I know people write biographies. I know some who write novelized accounts of true events. But as for myself, I’m not sure I could do it. I suppose if I had the blessing of those involved, perhaps.  But I’m not sure, in the end, I could allow anyone else to read it.

So my question for you, dear reader,  what do you think? Is there ever a time to conceal a matter? Is it ever appropriate to disclose those deeper scourges of Life, and, if so, what would be appropriate?

I was perusing through one of my infrequent journal entries from a while ago and came across this quote from Terry Brooks that I had made a note of.

If you are a real writer; you infuse your characters with truths from your own life. The old saw is, Write What You Know. I think it equally appropriate to add, Write Who You Are.  Give your readers little insights into how you think. Share your feelings and beliefs in a way that makes others question their own, thereby requiring them in some small way to re-evaluate their lives. Godd story-telling compels us to do this.”

— Terry Brooks

This quote struck a chord with me when I first read it, and still resonates with me now. As authors it is important that we be authentic with our writing. That we don’t try to make it show us as something we aren’t.

This naturally draws into the generic discussion of how our Christianity infuses our writing as Christian authors, but beyond that—and on a personal note—it impacts the stories I choose to write.

One of my great joys in life is finding something that ignites my imagination. That sparks my inquisitiveness to go beyond the presented information to imagine what lies beyond. To imagine ways that I could present my own creative twist and delve into a world on my own and explore.

I think that’s what has been some of the “magic” behind the great sci-fi and fantasy stories of our time. It goes beyond the characters and events to the heart of the world. It is a place that we want to explore and learn more about. It is a place where we would love to adventure.

That’s one of the core principles that I try to bring into my writing. I want my readers to enjoy the journey and the characters, but beyond that I want them to fall in love with the possibilities of the world. I want them to begin to dream and wonder what other stories there are to be told, and to express their own creativity through my worlds and into their own.

As a reader, what books have grabbed you and inspried you to go and do something?

As a writers, what part of yourself do you strive to impart upon readers through the writing?

Greek mythology is peopled with fantastic creatures—from the Cyclops and the Lotus Eaters that Odysseus encountered on his voyage home after the Trojan Wars, the Sirens he avoided, and the six-headed monster Scylla, to satyrs, centaurs, and dragons.

Celtic, Norse, and Germanic myths aren’t short on such creatures either. Elves—both light and dark—giants, trolls, mermaids, dwarfs, faeries, and individual monsters such as Grendel and his mother in Beowulf, all have found places in fantasy from time to time.

Of course the current trend is toward the inclusion of vampires, werewolves, and zombies—the latter apparently having their origins in Africa while the first two stem from Europe.

Writers take varying liberties with these creatures, sometimes using the old as the basis of something new. George Bryan Polivka invented firefish in his Trophy Chase Trilogy—creatures that seems to be some mix of the Loch Ness Monster (or perhaps the Sea Monster in C. S. Lewis’s Voyage of the Dawn Treader) and dragons. In the DragonKeeper Chronicles Donita Paul created “minor dragons” which are dragons the size of large birds with individual talents that benefit others such as their keeper.

Ms. Paul also received considerable notoriety for creating an array of new races, from Emerlindians who are born pale and darken with age to the tiny Kimens, no more than two feet tall. Spec Faith’s recent guest blogger, Jonathan Rogers, concocted his own race of Feechie to inhabit his world of Corenwald.

Other writers, such as Mary Shelley with her Dr. Frankenstein’s monster, have invented individual creatures that have become legendary.

The question is, do readers prefer the old? Or are they just as engaged by the new?

What qualities would make new creatures as captivating as the ones from ancient legends?

First, they must be believable. If they exist as fantasy creatures in this world, they require some sort of explanation (Spiderman acquired his powers because of the bite of a radioactive spider, Superman came from another planet). If they exist in a fantasy world, they must have their own culture and history.

Second, their “special” qualities—their magic or power—must be integral to the story. They cannot be present as window dressing.

Third, those which are evil must be significantly frightful. In other words, they must be formidable opponents, not token obstacles. Those which are good must be powerful but not in such a way as to render unnecessary any involvement by the protagonist.

Fourth, they must have unique properties that keep them from being ancient creatures disguised by a different name.

Fifth, an invented fantasy creature must have a unique voice, not a reworking of a more famous being such as Golum or Aslan.

So which do you prefer in your reading, ancient creatures reinvented or new creatures freshly fashioned? Who are some of your favorites?

For writers, do you rely on creatures of old? Do you give them your own twist? If so, how are yours different? Or do you create your own creatures, and if so, what made you decide to do so?

E. Stephen Burnett: Kirk Outerbridge — author of cyberthrillers Eternity Falls and The Tenth Crusader (both from ye olde Marcher Lord Press) is our guest author today.

Some weeks ago I finished Eternity Falls myself, and I’d like to point out I bought it before it won a Carol Award at last month’s ACFW conference. Now I wish I’d been able to stay for the banquet and watch your publisher’s face when he learned one of those “weird” novels on which he’d taken a chance had captured a second high-profile fiction award.

ESB: My first question is about that award: how’d you find out you won it?

Kirk Outerbridge: I found out in the middle of a hurricane! Hurricane Igor to be exact. My day job as a facilities manager at our island’s waste to energy plant requires that I stay on site during a storm. We were at the height of Igor’s passing when I decided to check my email on my blackberry. I saw an email from my fellow Marcher Lord Press author Kerry Nietz congratulating me on winning the Carol! I was a double finalist in both speculative and debut novel so I didn’t know which I had won. I was stunned for a few minutes and then I started typing away at my blackberry furiously to find out which category. I got onto the ACFW website and saw I had won the speculative category. I was overjoyed! Especially considering I was weathering a hurricane at the time. 🙂 It was a great moment indeed.

ESB: What is a “cyberthriller” (a story type I hadn’t read before) and your take on the subgenre?

KO: A cyberthriller is my combination of a techno-thriller and cyberpunk. I love all aspects of the classic techno-thriller, but I like my tech to be a bit more futuristic. I also love Cyberpunk, but I like the cyber more than the punk—true dystopia is not my thing. Anyway that’s how I came up with the name, hopefully it will catch on!

ESB: You’re a Bermudan, and engineer, and a husband and father. What got you into writing, and specifically discovering the character and storylines of cyber-detective Rick Macey?

KO: I always loved wiring from an early age. Well I should say storytelling. Medium wise, I landed on writing because I couldn’t draw well enough else I’d probably be drawing comics right now. (my best friend does that by the way www.contractcomic.com)

My inspiration I think stemmed from many years of playing role playing games with my aforementioned best friend. I was usually the GM and so had to come up with a plot, interesting non player characters, witty dialog. In short, all the tools you need to write a novel. I think that’s where my storytelling ability came from, but learning the craft of writing is something different entirely. That came through lots and lots of practice, critiquing and thick skin combined with a commitment to always do better. My venture into writing as a craft started in my early twenties in college so I guess I’ve been at this for 15 years now. Sounds scary when you add it all up but I guess that’s how long it took me to get to a level people would consider worthy of publishing.

ESB: After my wife finished Eternity Falls, I casually asked her to describe its story, and without spoilers. “Iron Man gets saved,” was her response. (That to me increased the book’s appeal.) I’m wondering how other stories have influenced you — favorite ones or otherwise — and how in your words Rick Macey is unique and different from other heroes.

KO: Comic books and superheroes were definitely a big influence. I’m a sucker for the classic good guy and you’ll probably notice a lot of superhero-ness in Eternity Falls. My passion for a cyborg hero came from one of my all time favorite anime/manga titles: Ghost in the Shell. This combined with my role playing history was probably my biggest influence for creating a character like Macey. What I think makes Macey different is that with other popular heroes stories they skirt around religion and faith, or make caricature out of it. I however wanted to dig right in there and make faith the center of the story and have the cybertech and superhero-nature on the outskirts. Hopefully it worked out. 🙂

ESB: Your site says you’ve enjoyed learning what does and doesn’t make a story work — such as?

KO: One of the basic concepts I learned about making a good story is that without conflict a story is boring. No one likes conflict in real life, but a story needs its, else…well…there’s probably no story.

ESB: I also noticed another aspect to Eternity Falls’ back-cover bio: it says you’re also a Church of Christ member. That may be the first mention I’ve seen of a Christian author’s denomination on the back cover of his book! How does your faith affect your storytelling and writing?

KO: It impacts it quite a bit. My particular faith is strong on doctrine and asking tough question about faith and how it relates to everyday life. In that light, my stories are less about making metaphors about Christ and more about taking a controversial subject and testing it by biblical fire through the lives of ordinary (well okay maybe not so ordinary) people.

ESB: Many novels seem to have Christian characters who all take the same side regarding a moral issue. Eternity seemed unique because of its frequent ambiguity: two characters sincerely believe differently about how to deal with artificially induced eternal life. For a while, I myself wasn’t sure which view was closer to Biblical truth.

KO: This is exactly the type of response I wish to hear from my readers. I believe thematically a story needs to be an argument. You need to show all sides and let the reader make their own opinion before you reveal my own as an author. I take this approach because I think real life is like this and the same goes for faith. It would be easy to write a story where it’s taken for granted that God exists. But for me that’s a bit too Deus ex machine (pardon the pun). Real life isn’t like that. I want non believers to read my work and ponder it too, and without that realism I doubt a non believer would.

ESB: Last month brought your sequel to cyber-shelves: The Tenth Crusader. I’m curious how this story is different from your first novel, both in themes, setting and your own writing.

KO: I’m a lot more pleased with the quality of writing in my second novel. I feel I grew a lot between the two books. The cast is the same, but I dig into some very meaty subject matter, both thematically and plot wise. The story takes place in the Philippines too so that a big switch and it also involves a few plot twists and turns. I’m hoping people will enjoy it.

ESB: What have you been hearing from readers who’ve enjoyed this different sort of story? I’m also curious what types of people have been enjoying it — perhaps leading to your thoughts on the current Christian-speculative scene, its market and its future.

KO: Most of the time, I hear people say that its something they’ve never read before. And a lot of my fans seem to be women in their 30’s and up. It was a big surprise for me since I write basically superhero stories disguised as thrillers. 🙂 But I guess that proves that women are willing to read and even like something other than prairie romances.

ESB: What’s next for you: more in this series, or genre, or are you considering other explorations?

KO: I’m working on a third Rick Macey adventure right now and may do a fourth. From there… well, we’ll just have to see where the Lord leads.

ESB: What’s on your bookshelf or wish list — other authors, novels you enjoy?

KO: Three must read books all from my fellow Marcher Lord Press authors. Stuart Vaughan Stockton’s Starfire, A Star Curiously Singing by Kerry Nietz and Konig’s Fire by Marc Schooley. Three very ground breaking books in my opinion.

ESB: And finally, ask yourself a question and answer it.

KO: Cat or dog person?

Cats all the way. 🙂

This time I’ll begin with positive news: this photo from The Voyage of the Dawn Treader film.

Yes, for those familiar with the book, it’s a classic image: Eustace, now finally sobered, turned into a dragon because of his existing beastliness and greed — his inner nature brought out into his appearance. With him, still noble and kind, is Reepicheep, the most valiant mouse in Narnia.

If the films presents their relationship this way, I’ll likely not mind other revisions so much.

Last week I shared some uncertainties about Walden Media’s coming third Chronicles of Narnia film, which is based on the third book in C.S. Lewis’s classic series. Fox is distributing the film, which will release Friday, Dec. 10 in the U.S., and last month director Michael Apted seemed to be saying that much of the film is based on material Lewis did not actually write.

Now I’ll turn to what elements the film seems to have gotten right, along with other dubious points that pre-released images, interviews, etc., seem to have indicated won’t be so canonical. Last year I made several suggestions/predictions about the film on Spec-Faith. How did I do?

1. Better Aslan focus.

Aslan could be improved visually in Voyage. But in terms of story, he needs to be even bigger. Though in the book he only makes “cameo” appearances, there is a constant sensation that the Lion who created and sustains Narnia is always there, guiding the ship and its crew, even if you cannot see him. This sense of Providence must be preserved. It will make Voyage even deeper.

So far as we’ve seen, Aslan looks awesome, anyway. As I have hoped since 2005’s The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, the Lion has grown over the last five years — just as he told Lucy, in Prince Caspian (a line botched in the film) that “every year you grow, you will find me a little bigger.” Compare Aslan in LWW standing with Peter, to him in Voyage near the taller Caspian.

As for Aslan’s story emphasis in the film, that remains to be seen. Many fans are worried about an apparent story shift, away from the book’s main story of finding seven lost lords and finally coming to Aslan’s Country at the end of the world. Instead they may focus on a quest to find the seven lords’ (magical?) swords and save Narnia from an evil threat. What will that do for Aslan? Ultimately not much, if it’s clear he is sovereign and a constant presence during the story even when he is not seen. Despite previous films’ flaws, they mostly got that aspect right.

And those who yearn, as I do, to see Aslan’s Christ-exalting revelation to the children preserved in the film will find encouragement from this article from Christianity Today, still uncontradicted:

[Kathy Keller, after seeing much of the film footage:] “I’m glad the final interaction between Aslan and Lucy was there in its unadulterated entirety, because I consider that the pinnacle of the entire seven books.” (Near the end of book, Lucy is sad that Aslan is sending her back to her world, and sobs, “How can we live, never meeting you?” Aslan assures Lucy that he’s very much in her world, where he has “another name. You must learn to know me by that name. This was the very reason why you were brought to Narnia, that by knowing me here for a little, you may know me better there.”)

2. No added mega-battles.

Voyage is a different kind of story. Whenever someone draws a sword it’s more for a skirmish — I recall from the book some tangling with slave traders, and the scary fight against a sea serpent. Most of the tension comes from the battles that might happen, not the ones that actually do. […] Voyage is a high-seas adventure tale. It doesn’t need a Huge Climactic Battle Sequence. To decide otherwise would be not only to opt for cheap CGI tricks, but deny the story’s true appeal.

You might guess what happened. Battles aplenty are clear to see from the film’s trailers and plot synopses. Rounding up seven magical swords and fighting an “evil green mist,” with or without a nightmare-induced White Witch vision (yep), takes some duking-out.

From what I’ve read, the film adds to the first scenes set on the Lone Islands, in which King Caspian and his friends use only cunning and bluff to retake the Narnian territory’s government. But cunning and bluff aren’t as popular as derring-do and sword smackdowns; I can understand that. It’s the hints that slaves’ souls are being fed to some evil green mist that are questionable.

Yet I will go on the record regarding the sea serpent with two predictions: that fight will be extended, and I also believe the story will be adjusted just a little to allow Eustace to fight the beast further — perhaps even while he is still in dragon form.

Ask and ye shall receive! But fortunately it sounds like the filmmakers remembered something I forgot while writing that: to have Dragon-Eustace fight the sea-serpent could seem like he’s “earning” the forgiveness that Aslan later gives him. CT noted:

Keller says she learned that writers originally wanted Eustace, still in dragon form, to fight a sea monster and “earn” his return to human form. But she says [Walden Media president Michael] Flaherty, a committed Christian, “put them straight that you don’t earn grace, you receive it once you are humbled and aware of your need.”

Flaherty told CT, “This book is the most theological of them all. There are more complex themes, particularly grace, that aren’t easy to get right [in a movie]. We must’ve spent an entire day talking about grace, and the importance of showing that it can’t be earned; it has to be given. This is something that Eustace can’t do on his own; he has to ask Aslan to do it for him. I think it’s a really powerful illustration of grace.”

What an amazing truth could be shown here: that Eustace, despite all his best efforts, not only could not shed his dragon-skin, but could not fight the sea-serpent. Only Aslan could save him.

3. Make Eustace memorable.

Voyage screenwriters don’t need to deepen or “flesh out” Eustace. C.S. Lewis has already done so. I hope they will resist the temptation to change Eustace in other ways, either after or especially before his transformation. Don’t make him beastly-acting just because his Parents Neglected Him, or because he is Shocked By His Unfamiliar Environment or because Someone Really Was Mean to Him or anything like that. Instead, Eustace should be beastly because that is his nature.

Those who have seen Will Poulter, who plays Eustace, or caught sight of his performance in film trailers or clips will know that he has captured Eustace perfectly.

But does the film try to add squishy, silly explanations for why Eustace is such a prig? So far I haven’t seen much one way or the other. Given the writers’ tendencies, however, to make the noblest characters more jerky and ignoble than their book versions (cough, such as Peter in Prince Caspian), it stands to reason they’ll understand quite well Lewis’s actual book portrayal of a character who is like that. There’s no need to excuse Eustace because of his circumstances.

4. Enhance musical themes.

A new composer (David Arnold) is on board for this Voyage. I’m unfamiliar with the rest of his film work, yet his score for Amazing Grace was personal, melodic and appropriately evocative of the film’s mix of history and personal faith journey.

[… Voyage] needs themes of loyalty, bravery, adventure, and especially redemption. Yet it also needs themes as in musical themes — Aslan needs a more-awesome theme, Eustace/redemption needs a theme, and surely the composer will set Reepicheep’s destiny-in-the-East-style lullaby to music as well?

To an extent, I’m more optimistic of Arnold’s film score than I am about the film itself. That’s especially because of what he told NarniaFans.com:

I re-read the entire Narnia series so I could immerse myself in the world. I didn’t re-watch the earlier movies but I wanted the spirit of the books in me. When I saw the film I realised that obviously things can’t be as they were exactly in the books, but I hope the music captures the spirit of what was intended by C.S. Lewis.

[…] I have a theme for the Dawn Treader itself, which becomes a defacto home for everyone as they sail off on their journey to find their actual homes, both spiritually and actually. There is a Reepicheep theme which reflects his desire to find Aslan’s country, his sense of decency and bravery and above all his optimism for everyone, the world, the Pevensies and himself. There is a theme for the ‘mission’ of finding the missing Lords and their Swords, a ‘temptation’ theme as the children are tempted and tested one by one and of course something dark for the Green Mist which symbolises and epitomises all that is evil in this film.

Sounds great thus far. The score, by the way, releases Tuesday before the film’s release.

Next week: how’d they do with marketing this time, or avoiding non-canon mush, or “Star Girl” as an expanded character (hint: it doesn’t sound good) or portraying Aslan’s Country?

Taking a break from the “Love Thy Readers” series this week while I think through the last installment . . .

Stuart’s injunction to U.S. readers to get out and vote yesterday was timely for me, not because I voted (I am Canadian), but because it ties into the key thought of this post — which is that we, as writers and even as readers, must live if we want to write anything of value or derive real benefit from the things we read.

That probably sounds very obvious. But if you’re like me, withdrawal from the physical world of relationships, exercise, and interaction is a real temptation. I grew up in a world comprised largely of books; I dwelt in imagination. But it wasn’t until God reached me in the real world that I started to write anything worthwhile or even truly artistic, and it wasn’t until I deliberately engaged in relationships, exercise, and interaction with the world off the page that what was on the page began to benefit me in any real way.

God wrote a Book, and that Book has shaped my life and thousands of others, overturned cultures, shaped civilizations. But God also took on flesh much like mine and walked in the same world I walk in. He ate our food, loved our people, and soaked up our sun. And if we want to really live and to really make a difference, we need to engage just as fully.

So yes, go out and vote, go out and talk to someone, go out and run a mile. Live, then write. Live, then read. Soak up God’s glorious creation and fellowship with eternal souls,  because this story we live in is the most important of all.

It’s election day here in the U.S.A, which has a lot of people’s focus honing in on politics and anticipating the end of the ever-so-loathed election-year ads on television.

In the realm of speculative fiction, politics has often played a major role in some beloved stories. Sometimes the political intrigue is overt and the main conflict, while at other times it is merely a set-piece to give flavor.

As a writer it’s important to take into account what kind of political system you want to have running in your story-world as the political makeup is an extension of the culture and will have a large impact on how your characters see their world.

For instance how different would your hero look at the world were he in a society of feudalism as opposed to a theocracy? What if he was from a socialistic society vs. a unashamedly capitalist one?

In Starfire I went with a pseudo-capitalist, militaristic Empire for my hero’s homeland. One built on a loose caste system where your birth order determined where you started out in life. With Starfire being more of an action/adventure story out in the wilds of the northern continent, the political intrigues never really came to the forefront, but rather just danced around the edges providing some points of conflict and motivations for the characters. Thus driving the decisions that the main character, Rathe, had to wrestle with in deciding what fate he chose to embrace.

What political systems have stood out to you in your readings?

And if you’re in the U.S. today, make sure you go vote.

Several years ago, through a discussion at the writers’ forum, Faith in Fiction, I concluded that “story trumps all.” By that, I meant, readers care more about a good story than they do about a beautiful setting, intriguing characters, insightful truth, or picturesque language—at least when it comes to fiction.

I stand by that statement, but I have also come to believe that a beautiful setting, intriguing characters, insightful truth, and picturesque language make the story better, even draw more readers to the story.

Why, if story trumps all?

Without doing any research on the subject, just thinking through what makes sense to me, I’d say it is because we readers don’t all like the same kind of story.

Some readers actually do like intriguing characters far more than an exciting, fast-paced plot. But what if a book delivers both? Some readers do love picturesque language, or are touched by an insightful truth, or are transported to another place by a well-crafted setting. And if a book delivers all of that, and a gripping story? Why, then, wouldn’t the readership grow?

Some years ago or so, I read one of the most imaginative fantasies I’ve seen, and yes, it was a Christian fantasy. However, the weakness in craft nearly obliterated the story. At times it was so confusing, I was unclear what was happening. At other times, the clumsy writing was so hard to digest, I had to put the book down for long periods.

Obviously, that was an extreme example, but recently I read several reviews that praised a particular story while criticizing the vehicle—the writing.

I’ve read more books like that than I care to mention.

Editors I’ve heard at writers’ conferences seem to agree. Some latch onto a particular writing instruction book (I’m guessing most writers know exactly which book I’m thinking of) as if it is a writing bible. Others excoriate the use of any writing book in favor of reading and studying good literature.

Regardless, it seems that books with poorly constructed sentences, characters with flawed motivations, inexplicable plot twists, weak or transparent themes, repetition and redundancy, cliches, and a host of other craft problems, still find their way into print. And readers buy them, even give them good reviews, because the stories are creative, entertaining, unpredictable.

Are readers too easily pleased? Does good writing not matter? Or is there really a sizable audience we are missing because we writers are content making good stories without attention to the basics of how the story is told?

Are we too content to write books that sell well for three months, without any thought of creating a book that readers will talk about for years? Are we satisfied with novels that readers like rather than working to craft ones they might love?

Much of this article is a re-post of “Does Good Writing Not Matter?” from A Christian Worldview of Fiction July 12, 2007.

Author Mike Dellosso

The Philosophy of Me
Mike Dellosso

When Becky asked about writing a guest post she said I could write about anything I wanted as long as it was somehow related to speculative fiction and then she mentioned the P-word: Philosophy. She said I could write about my philosophy of life, writing, whatever.

Now, I’ll be the first to admit I’m no philosopher, my well doesn’t run that deep, but I do like to think, and thinking is part of philosophizing, right? So I shall think and write and let’s just pretend it’s some kind of philosophy. Okay? Please, humor me.

My philosophy on life
In March of 2008 I was diagnosed with stage III colon cancer (on St. Patrick’s day no less—so much for the luck of the Irish). That diagnosis brings with it a lot of baggage, both emotionally and physically. Cancer is a monster of the scariest kind. Seriously, it makes the boogeyman look like Danny Devito in a speedo. For more than a year I battled that monster through surgeries, chemo, an ostomy, two bowel obstructions, and a roller coaster of emotional ups and downs. I feared; I doubted; I cried; I prayed; I prayed some more; and then I got a whole new respect for life and its fragility. It’s preciousness. It’s brevity. I learned that there’s a lot in life that seems like it matters, but the list of things that really do matter is much, much shorter. I learned to not make mountains out of molehills. I learned that love really can cover a multitude of sins. I learned that a little discomfort isn’t the worst thing in the world. I learned what fear really is and that, yes, it can be beaten into the ground. I learned that God is always—always—faithful; that He provides when we don’t even know what the need is; that He loves me way more than I could ever love Him back; and that He can be felt and heard in the deepest, darkest valley.

I learned that, besides God, the love of my family is the most important thing in the world to me. I learned that life is short and every day counts—make the most of it.

My philosophy on writing
I started writing in 1998 as a way of dealing with the emotional juggernaut I was experiencing following the almost-deadly motorcycle accident of my brother-in-law. From the beginning my dream was to be published. I wanted to reach people with my writing. I had so much to say, that which I had kept silent about for so long due to a stuttering problem I’ve wrestled with all my life. Writing was my voice. In 2007 I signed my first contract with Realms Fiction (Strang Book Group). My dream had come true. Since that first contract I’ve signed three more, totaling seven additional books (five of which have not been published yet). I’m a regular guy, self-taught writer, who happened to get a break. And you know what? I don’t take it for granted for one minute. I know the numbers, the odds, and how many writers are out there waiting for their break. And many of them are probably more deserving than me. I’ve been blessed and I count those blessings every day. I write every book as if it is my last. I pour myself into my writing and everything that comes along after the writing. This is my megaphone, my platform to share my heart with the world, and I’m not going to waste it.

My philosophy on Christian horror
There are those out there who think Christian horror is an oxymoron. To them I respectfully say . . . you couldn’t be more wrong. If anyone is qualified to write horror, shouldn’t it be a Christian? Who else knows better the true source of fear, the dwelling place of darkness, and the power of light—of The Light—to overcome that darkness? Who else has personally experienced the horror of sin and the triumph of love? As far as I’m concerned, Christians have a responsibility to expose the dark side for what it is, to shine the light on its source and weakness, and to tell the world of the Conqueror, Jesus. This may sound crazy, and maybe it is (believe it or not, I’ve been called crazy before), but I see horror, so long as it’s done right, as a celebration of what Christ accomplished on the cross. He defeated sin, overcame the evil one. We have no need to fear. Now, as for “done right,” I mean horror that illustrates the redemptive power of Christ; that plainly shows the triumph of good over evil, light over darkness; that points the reader toward the hope we have in Christ, whether stated explicitly or implicitly. That’s Christian horror. No oxymoron at all.

So there you have it, a peek at the inside of my skull. A lot goes on there, some for public consumption, some not. I’m human too. I’m weird, I’m a bit eccentric, I may even be a little nuts, but I know why I do what I do. I’m driven and overflowing with ambition. I have goals. I want to make a difference and my philosophies form the framework for how I’ll do that.

Now I challenge you. Think on these things, then think on your own things. What’s the philosophy of you?

Mike Dellosso is the author of three novels with five more on the way. He lives in Hanover, PA, with his wife and three kids (and one more of those on the way, too). When he’s not working his day job or spending time with his family, he can be found writing (at 5 AM, if you’re looking). Mike also teaches writing to homeschoolers and various courses at Lancaster Bible College. By most he’s known as a regular guy who caught a break and doesn’t want to waste it. Visit him at www.mikedellosso.com.