What Kind of God is in Your Christian Fiction?

For most authors, this may sound like a silly question. If they're Christian, then of course they're featuring the God of the Bible, the Father who sent His Son into the world. There is only one God they could possible feature in their writing...right? Well, not exactly. I just read three different novels that I … Continue reading What Kind of God is in Your Christian Fiction?

Jane Austen and Christianity, Part Two

I recently came across the existence of Jane Austen's prayers while reading the annotated Pride and Prejudice. Before that, I'd never known such a thing existed, despite having read numerous biographies and books about her and her writings. I knew we had many of her letters; I'd even read the deleted chapter if Persuasion, but … Continue reading Jane Austen and Christianity, Part Two

Jane Austen and Christianity, Part One

I have long considered Jane Austen to be one of the better Christian authors. She doesn't preach conversion, brimstone and damnation, yet she reaffirms Christian doctrine quietly, through her characters and stories. They may be a product of her own beliefs or of the overall Christian tenor of her society, but the messages are there. … Continue reading Jane Austen and Christianity, Part One

Do We Still Need Heroes?

Writing for The Boston Globe shortly after the second The Hobbit movie installment came out, Ed Power claims that seeing J. R. R. Tolkien as the model for the fantasy genre “makes it all too easy for those new to these fantastical worlds to assume Tolkien’s prudishness, his sometimes archaic prose, and his Boy Scout … Continue reading Do We Still Need Heroes?

Works that Last: The Importance of Originality

In the recently released George R. R. Martin interview with Rolling Stone writer Mikal Gilmore, Martin said that “Both as a writer and as a reader I like stories that surprise me” adding that “The moment the reader begins to believe that a character is protected by the magical cloak of authorial immunity, tension goes … Continue reading Works that Last: The Importance of Originality