I have stories in my head. Well, yeah. Writers are supposed to have stories in their head. But do you ever think what happens to those stories when writers don’t put them on paper? (Sorry, I’m old school; I should be saying on screen, but you catch my drift.) The first result is a travesty. … More Just Write the Blamed Thing!
I spent the weekend at my son’s place in Galveston, where among other things, we viewed and discussed his continuing battle to put the final touches on The Price of a Free Lunch, the 11-minute film we did based on one of my short stories this year. Like all of our projects, it was heavily … More Do. Or Do Not. There Is No Try.
I was challenged by a thought the other day that I wanted to in turn share with you. We have a new professor in our department. Kyle Portbury is an award-winning filmmaker from Australia who has come to join us at Southwestern Adventist University to teach radio-TV-film. We were talking about social media in our … More Community or Creativity?
My school had its traditional pre-school colloquium this past weekend, and I attended for the 18th time, hearing a lot of the same things I have heard many times before. The Christian university attracts students from a variety of backgrounds as well as faculty from diverse viewpoints as well. So it’s always interesting when I’m … More Righteous Imagination
I was an exceptionally gawky kid growing up. Blame it on being a fast grower. Blame it on not having a father who played ball with me. Blame it my disinterest in sports. But I was uncoordinated. My older cousin, Bob, who played college baseball was as close to a jock that my extended family … More Making Lemonade
I’m a Christian who believes Philippians 4:8, which reads: “Finally brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, if there be any praise, think on these things.” (KJV) I am also … More How to Write a Torture Scene
I just got to my office after spending the early morning (1) hacking out the first few words in my part of our new novel; and (2) struggling to understand how to make Scrivener work for two authors long distance. As I have mentioned here before, my next book is a co-authored project with Celeste … More From Vermont to Egypt: The Co-Authoring Adventure Continues
My father was a “jack of all trades and master of none.” He was really good at fixing things with his hands, but wasn’t really fantastic at anything. I guess that’s where I inherit my short attention span. Once again, time to be transparent. My latest book, Chosen, has tanked for all intents and purposes. … More Platform vs. Inspiration
There are moments, events that stick with you. Moments that you will never forget, that you can remember as if they had just happened. I remember holding my son for the first time. I remember giving my daughter her first bath. I remember giving my wife our first kiss. I know I talk about how … More That Perfect Moment
Some people hear voices (I do). Other people have vivid dreams (yes for that one, too). But I hear music. Constantly. From the time I get up to the time I go to bed, I have music playing in my head. Usually it’s a song I heard the day before or a tune brought to … More The Musician In My Brain
The Great Adventure 