The hard thing about writing Christian novels–and this is a self-imposed standard, mind you–is that for the novel to be good, it has to (1) have a good story, and (2) have a spiritual message. That’s not always easy to manage, and one finds many Christian novels out there that are good in one or … More Shuffling the Cards
Losing My Voice to Find It: How a Rock Star Discovered His Greatest Purpose by Mark Stuart with Robert W. Thompson. 256 pages. Nelson Books. Sometimes you find a really good book when you go to a library or bookstore. And sometimes a really good book finds you. When I was almost through with this … More Review: “Losing My Voice to Find It” by Mark Stuart
1919: The Untold Struggle of Adventism’s Struggle with Fundamentalism by Michael W. Campbell. Pacific Press Publishing Association. 124 pages. 1922: The Rise of Adventist Fundamentalism by Michael W. Campbell. Pacific Press Publishing Association. 144 pages. It was my honor the last few years of my tenure at Southwestern Adventist University to share the campus with … More Review: “1919” and “1922” by Michael W. Campbell
P.W. Stone and the Missing Kingdoms: A Christian Fantasy Adventure Novel by S. C. Easley. Wind Born Publishing. 387 pages. This is the next to last in a series of speculative Christian books I am reviewing because of my contact with authors on Goodreads. I’ve had some good luck with the titles that I’ve read, … More Review: P.W. Stone and the Missing Kingdoms by S. C. Easley
It’s two days before Christmas, my son’s birthday, and I am sitting in the waiting room of Harris Methodist Southwest in Fort Worth, Texas. My wife, Shelly, just left me to go to the surgical wing for a total knee replacement surgery that she’s been needing and anticipating for a long time. If all goes … More There are no atheists in foxholes…or hospital waiting rooms
Those who write stories for a living–and those who have studied storywriting–have long been steered away from the contrivance of deus ex machina, the “god from the machine,” that is described by the Oxford Dictionary as: “an unexpected power or event saving a seemingly hopeless situation, especially as a contrived plot device in a play … More How to Write about Miracles in Christian Novels
The Jesus Boy (The Lightbearer Series, Book 1) by Sean Elliot Russell. 291 pages. Amazon.com Services. As an author, I’m in the business of writing to tell stories. As a Christian, I’m in the business of writing to share the good news of Jesus Christ with the world. I always consider it a blessing when … More Review: “The Jesus Boy” by Sean Elliot Russell
If you’re like me, you’re sequestered in your house, waiting out this whole coronavirus scare like it’s some giant snowstorm that has blanketed the whole world. Wait and see, wait and see. It’s easy to be caught up in what we can’t do, where we can’t be, and who we can’t be with. But having … More What are you grateful for?
This is the second semester of my 21st year of teaching college level students. And believe it or not, after teaching 42 semesters of classes, I still get nervous when I think about my classes. Do I know what I am talking about? Am I prepared? Will the students see through the facade I put … More What, Me Worry?
In coming days, I’ll be sharing some scenes from the upcoming book, Soul Survivor. If you liked The Champion Trilogy, or if you liked The Key of Solomon, you’ll be pleased to know that Soul Survivor features characters from both series. Strange, I know. I’m not sure exactly how well it’s all going to work … More Quick Look: Soul Survivor #1
The Great Adventure 