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
Supraphysica by Drew Boudreaux. Amazon Digital Services. 384 pages. In the process of interacting with a group of fellow Christian speculative fiction writers on Goodreads, I met Drew Boudreaux, who convinced me to read and review his book Supraphysica. It had two things in it that I really like (actually more than that, but I … More Review: “Supraphysica” by Drew Boudreaux
Traveling Mercies: Some Thoughts on Faith by Anne LaMott. Pantheon Books. 276 pages. I first met and fell in love with Anne LaMott when a fellow writer recommended her book Bird by Bird as a book on writing. I read it and promptly adopted it as a textbook for one of my writing classes. LaMott … More Review: “Traveling Mercies” by Anne LaMott
I’m sitting in our booth, trying to sell books, at the annual national convention for the Society of Adventist Communicators in Columbia, Maryland. At home in Texas, it’s still raining after pummeling us for a week, and I see news reports of massive flooding. Here, I wake up to ice on the windshield. I just … More News from Columbia, Maryland
I’m a strong believer in miracles. I’ve seen them in my life, and in the life of others. And as a Christian, I believe that miracles are part and parcel of the Christian experience. I believe God takes an active role in our lives, and part of that is what some might term miracles, since … More Miracles on the Road to Damascus
