Have you ever noticed that movies based on real events have different taglines? If it says ‘based on a true story’, it will stick fairly closely to the facts. The producer and director still take some poetic licence, or it would be a documentary rather than a movie, but the main elements will be true. …
Continue reading “Portraying True Characters in Historical Fiction”
If you love reading, there’s nothing better than getting a free book or two … or twenty. You can do just that by registering for a free NetGalley account. NetGalley is a website where publishers and indie authors offer free advance copies of books in electronic or audio format so that they can get reviews …
Continue reading “NetGalley for Readers: Pros, Cons and Tips”
As readers, we probably don’t think too much about book layouts until something goes wrong. The font’s too small and we can’t read it. The print goes so close to the inside margins that it’s hard to read. The text is so dense on each page that we don’t feel like ploughing through. I’ve been …
In a world where many know little about Jesus or have forgotten his significance, he has become like a stranger to us—sometimes welcome, sometimes unwanted, but ever present to challenge our suppositions and call us to a better way. Where is God? Inspired by T. S. Eliot, Ben Palpant has penned an intriguing collection of …
As Christian writers, we should be at the forefront of breaking down stereotypes and misinformation. Sadly, that is not always the case. Examples of Stereotyping and Misinformation Consider the following plot points: A middle-aged, married man seduces a teenage girl and then proceeds to have an ongoing affair with her. At the end of the …
Continue reading “Overcoming Stereotypes in Christian Fiction”
A Literary Dilemma Christian authors and readers are often faced with a dilemma. We’re encouraged to think about those things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent or praiseworthy (Phil. 4:8), so surely those things should apply to what we read and write. There is certainly a lot of beauty in our world, …
Continue reading “Balancing Truth and Beauty in Our Writing”
Do you read for fun? For self-help? To learn a new skill? To escape to another world? To inspire your faith? To challenge your thinking? All of these are valid; however, it’s easy to stick with what’s comfortable and read the same kind of books all the time. There’s nothing wrong with having favourite genres …
Continue reading “The Benefits of Reading Outside Your Genre”
Covid has certainly disrupted a lot of writing events this year, but it doesn’t have to stop you from having a book launch. You might just need to think outside the box. I was fortunate in being able to hold a physical book launch for my debut novel Scattered, but I decided to also do …
