by Jason Joyner | Oct 19, 2007 | Biblical worldview, Blog, fiction
Nahum 3:3
Charging calvary, flashing swords and glittering spears!
Many casualties, piles of dead, bodies without number,
People stumbling over the corpses.
I finished a book this week that had a lot of violence in it. A great amount of violence, and the context for it was often quite disturbing. It has started me thinking about the level of violence in Christian fiction. I’m working on some ideas, and plan on writing about them next week. How do we approach this from a Biblical viewpoint? Especially in the light of the above verse. I encourage the thinkers that read this blog to be ready for a discussion about it. Civil of course. We don’t want fisticuffs around these parts (that would be ironic, because…aw, you get the idea).
Also next week will be the Christian Sci-fi and Fantasy Blog tour. That is always a good time of dialogue, so don’t miss it!
by Jason Joyner | Oct 17, 2007 | Biblical worldview, Blog, fiction, heroes, writing craft
I’ve posted about the need for heroes and their popularity in storytelling before. I’m glad I’m in good company. Barbara Nicolosi is a script writer and consultant in Hollywood who is on the forefront of faith and creativity in cinema. She is a strong Christian voice that has some clout in her field.
She gave a lecture to the San Diego Christian Writers Guild at the first of October. She posted the notes from her speech on her blog. She states that it isn’t the same as being there for the talk, but the outline is pretty spectacular in its own right. I recommend checking this link out for anyone interested in writing.
One passage that really caught my eye was this:
i) There is a positive side to Holywood’s desire to create heroes with a dark side. It is coming from a rejection of melodrama and sentimentalism. SENTIMENTALISM IS THE PROBLEM FOR US CHRISTIANS. We want to show that God is basically in charge of the world so everything is really okay. We want to give God the benefit of the doubt.
j) Facing the Giants is anti-heroic because it costs the hero nothing. The Christianity depicted in the movie is a rejection of the cross and presents a fantasy religion in which believing in Jesus means no suffering. “Give me some of that Jesus stuff!” The truth is Christianity promises that we will suffer without despair…and probably we will suffer more than others!
k) Flannery: “Sentimentalism is the one inexcusable defect for the Christian storyteller because it is an overemphasis on innocence.” We know that there must always be original sin in the story. No human person is perfect and immune from temptation.
Note those points are outline notes. I sure wish I could have heard the further discussion of those points!
Hat tip to Tom Neven via The Point
by Jason Joyner | Oct 17, 2007 | Biblical worldview, Blog, fiction, heroes, writing craft
I’ve posted about the need for heroes and their popularity in storytelling before. I’m glad I’m in good company. Barbara Nicolosi is a script writer and consultant in Hollywood who is on the forefront of faith and creativity in cinema. She is a strong Christian voice that has some clout in her field.
She gave a lecture to the San Diego Christian Writers Guild at the first of October. She posted the notes from her speech on her blog. She states that it isn’t the same as being there for the talk, but the outline is pretty spectacular in its own right. I recommend checking this link out for anyone interested in writing.
One passage that really caught my eye was this:
i) There is a positive side to Holywood’s desire to create heroes with a dark side. It is coming from a rejection of melodrama and sentimentalism. SENTIMENTALISM IS THE PROBLEM FOR US CHRISTIANS. We want to show that God is basically in charge of the world so everything is really okay. We want to give God the benefit of the doubt.
j) Facing the Giants is anti-heroic because it costs the hero nothing. The Christianity depicted in the movie is a rejection of the cross and presents a fantasy religion in which believing in Jesus means no suffering. “Give me some of that Jesus stuff!” The truth is Christianity promises that we will suffer without despair…and probably we will suffer more than others!
k) Flannery: “Sentimentalism is the one inexcusable defect for the Christian storyteller because it is an overemphasis on innocence.” We know that there must always be original sin in the story. No human person is perfect and immune from temptation.
Note those points are outline notes. I sure wish I could have heard the further discussion of those points!
Hat tip to Tom Neven via The Point
by Jason Joyner | Oct 17, 2007 | Blog, CFBA, fiction, reading, reviews
This week the CFBA Tour is highlighting the latest release from Brandilyn Collins, book 3 in the Kanner Lake series entitled Crimson Eve.
The book again focuses on one of the characters that hang out at the Java Joint in fictional Kanner Lake, Idaho. Through the fictional, yet real Scenes and Beans blog, we’ve come to know the crowd at Java Joint. However, we may not know very much about all of the posters. This time, realator Carla Radling is showing off a high-end house on the lake shore when the prospective buyer levels a gun at her. A mystery from her past has come back to haunt her, and powerful people want her dead.
Crimson Eve is part of a series, yet it is easy to read it on its own without having read the prior books, Violet Dawn and Coral Moon. Brandilyn is known for Seatbelt Suspense™, and this book does not disappoint. She is a master at taking plot twists and spinning the reader around until they have no idea what to expect. Crimson Eve starts in the first chapter by grabbing a hold, and the book doesn’t let up until the final chapter – really! There are surprises through to the very end.
Brandilyn continues with her strength of characterization as well. Her characters have believable motivations, and you find yourself torn even on behalf of the bad guy. The audience will be invested not only in what happens in the roller-coster plot, but in caring about what happens to the citizens of Kanner Lake.
There are a couple of plot twists that are a litte unbelievable, but the enjoyment of the read keeps you engaged throughout the book. I recommend this book heartily to fans of well-written books, but especially to those looking for some great suspense.
“Collins tops herself by creating a suspenseful nonstop thrill ride … Truly the best Christian Fiction suspense title so far this year.” – Library Journal, starred review
Also, Brandilyn has a special offer that you can’t beat. Check this out!
Do you know someone who’s never read a Brandilyn Collins novel? Surely no such person exists. However, should you scrounge up such a friend—someone who enjoys suspense—here’s a special offer from Brandilyn. Be among the first 50 people between now and October 21, 2007 to e-mail her assistant at gayle.brandilyncollins@gmail.com with the person’s name, e-mail address and street address. (Due to exorbitant overseas mailing costs, United States residents only, please).
A signed copy of Crimson Eve will be sent to your friend—free—along with an e-mail from Brandilyn announcing the book is on its way, courtesy of you. (Don’t worry. Brandilyn won’t spam these email addresses. She just wants your friend to know who to thank.) No worries that this story is third in the Kanner Lake series. Each book stands alone. Brandilyn is convinced your friend will so love Crimson Eve, he/she will surely reciprocate with expensive chocolate.
by Jason Joyner | Oct 17, 2007 | Blog, CFBA, fiction, reading, reviews
This week the CFBA Tour is highlighting the latest release from Brandilyn Collins, book 3 in the Kanner Lake series entitled Crimson Eve.
The book again focuses on one of the characters that hang out at the Java Joint in fictional Kanner Lake, Idaho. Through the fictional, yet real Scenes and Beans blog, we’ve come to know the crowd at Java Joint. However, we may not know very much about all of the posters. This time, realator Carla Radling is showing off a high-end house on the lake shore when the prospective buyer levels a gun at her. A mystery from her past has come back to haunt her, and powerful people want her dead.
Crimson Eve is part of a series, yet it is easy to read it on its own without having read the prior books, Violet Dawn and Coral Moon. Brandilyn is known for Seatbelt Suspense™, and this book does not disappoint. She is a master at taking plot twists and spinning the reader around until they have no idea what to expect. Crimson Eve starts in the first chapter by grabbing a hold, and the book doesn’t let up until the final chapter – really! There are surprises through to the very end.
Brandilyn continues with her strength of characterization as well. Her characters have believable motivations, and you find yourself torn even on behalf of the bad guy. The audience will be invested not only in what happens in the roller-coster plot, but in caring about what happens to the citizens of Kanner Lake.
There are a couple of plot twists that are a litte unbelievable, but the enjoyment of the read keeps you engaged throughout the book. I recommend this book heartily to fans of well-written books, but especially to those looking for some great suspense.
“Collins tops herself by creating a suspenseful nonstop thrill ride … Truly the best Christian Fiction suspense title so far this year.” – Library Journal, starred review
Also, Brandilyn has a special offer that you can’t beat. Check this out!
Do you know someone who’s never read a Brandilyn Collins novel? Surely no such person exists. However, should you scrounge up such a friend—someone who enjoys suspense—here’s a special offer from Brandilyn. Be among the first 50 people between now and October 21, 2007 to e-mail her assistant at gayle.brandilyncollins@gmail.com with the person’s name, e-mail address and street address. (Due to exorbitant overseas mailing costs, United States residents only, please).
A signed copy of Crimson Eve will be sent to your friend—free—along with an e-mail from Brandilyn announcing the book is on its way, courtesy of you. (Don’t worry. Brandilyn won’t spam these email addresses. She just wants your friend to know who to thank.) No worries that this story is third in the Kanner Lake series. Each book stands alone. Brandilyn is convinced your friend will so love Crimson Eve, he/she will surely reciprocate with expensive chocolate.
