Saturday, March 31, 2012
Great Echoes from the Edge Sale
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Father's Day for your Church or Group
This is a hardcover book, so the two-dollar price is very inexpensive for a gift that will benefit every dad or soon-to-be dad in your congregation.
Click here for single-copy ordering.
Starlighter Wins 2012 Darrell Award
This award honors books that are written by authors who live in the midsouth region of the U.S. or that have a story that takes place in the region. The genre must be speculative fiction of some kind.
Saturday, March 24, 2012
Echoes from the Edge ebooks Sale
Two of my Echoes from the Edge books are now $2.99 each in Kindle format on Amazon.com. You don't need a Kindle to be able to download and read them.
Click here for download links.
Click here for download links.
Sunday, March 18, 2012
The Boundaries of "What If?"
I recently asked my Facebook page viewers if they would read a story with ghosts in it, that is, disembodied spirits of the dead. Some of the responses I received illustrated the fact that people disagree on the boundaries of speculative fiction for Christian authors and readers. In speculative fiction, we ask "What if?" questions related to our experiences and how the world might be if significant factors were different than they really are.
The important issue to learn regarding speculative fiction is that authors are not saying that their stories are true. In fact, we firmly state that they are not true. We are saying "if these factors were true, what might happen?" For example, I believe souls go to an afterlife and that they likely do not wander around on earth, but what if something occurred that blocked their passage to heaven or hell? What would it be like on earth?
Readers need to understand that the author is not making doctrinal statements or stating that such a scenario might happen. It probably doesn't happen. It likely won't ever happen. Yet the story can be an intriguing examination into the human psyche if something like this were to happen. We can learn from it, because it would follow the basic principles of biblical conduct and eternal values.
Some biblical principles are inherent in God's character, and some are not, and I would never depart from the inherent principles. For example, I would never write a story that shows God to be unloving, that depicts selfishness as good, or that rewards immoral behavior. A story in a Christian world view should uplift principles that will draw the reader to embrace virtues.
Yet there are truths in our world that, if altered in another setting, would not violate universal principles. For example, we know that God promised never to flood the world again. But what if an author were to write a story in which God never made such a promise? He could show the world getting flooded multiple times without violating God's character, because in that scenario, God would not lie. The author would alter the setting but not God's principles.
In the same way, what if an evil being were able to create a blocking mechanism that keeps souls bound on earth? There is nothing in the Bible that says God's goodness and principles are tied to the fact that in reality all souls immediately leave the world for an afterlife. So such a scenario would not violate eternal principles or promote immoral behavior. It would merely alter a setting.
Some readers appeal to biblical truths that everyone goes to an afterlife, either heaven or hell, so we shouldn't have stories with ghosts. The premise of the complaint is true. Everyone does go to an afterlife, but my point is that we can write a story that asks, what if that reality weren't true? What if spirits wandered on earth for a while? Such a scenario doesn't violate eternal principles or promote immoral behavior. It simply asks "what if?"
I could explain that the Bible shows a few ghostly appearances, such as Samuel, Moses, and Elijah, but with regard to whether a ghost story is allowed for Christians, this explanation should be irrelevant. Even if no ghostly being ever appeared within the pages of the Bible, it doesn't violate godly principles to pose a question that alters a setting as long as eternal and universal truths are honored.
This is speculative fiction. Even if I write about ghosts, that doesn't mean I believe they exist. I also write about anthrozils. I don't believe they exist either. I am not pretending that these settings are real.
Yet, I am sure that some will cry foul and say that such a story is not allowed. I think they would be wrong, but that's all right. I'm accustomed to handling disagreement. If people are offended at reading a speculative "what if" story because it doesn't exactly conform to a set of realities that are true in our world, even if altering those realities don't violate God's value system, then they might want to stay away from speculative fiction completely. This genre is the realm of the "what if," and Christian speculative fiction authors are free to ask that question as long as they stay true to eternal principles and promote a virtuous life.
The important issue to learn regarding speculative fiction is that authors are not saying that their stories are true. In fact, we firmly state that they are not true. We are saying "if these factors were true, what might happen?" For example, I believe souls go to an afterlife and that they likely do not wander around on earth, but what if something occurred that blocked their passage to heaven or hell? What would it be like on earth?
Readers need to understand that the author is not making doctrinal statements or stating that such a scenario might happen. It probably doesn't happen. It likely won't ever happen. Yet the story can be an intriguing examination into the human psyche if something like this were to happen. We can learn from it, because it would follow the basic principles of biblical conduct and eternal values.
Some biblical principles are inherent in God's character, and some are not, and I would never depart from the inherent principles. For example, I would never write a story that shows God to be unloving, that depicts selfishness as good, or that rewards immoral behavior. A story in a Christian world view should uplift principles that will draw the reader to embrace virtues.
Yet there are truths in our world that, if altered in another setting, would not violate universal principles. For example, we know that God promised never to flood the world again. But what if an author were to write a story in which God never made such a promise? He could show the world getting flooded multiple times without violating God's character, because in that scenario, God would not lie. The author would alter the setting but not God's principles.
In the same way, what if an evil being were able to create a blocking mechanism that keeps souls bound on earth? There is nothing in the Bible that says God's goodness and principles are tied to the fact that in reality all souls immediately leave the world for an afterlife. So such a scenario would not violate eternal principles or promote immoral behavior. It would merely alter a setting.
Some readers appeal to biblical truths that everyone goes to an afterlife, either heaven or hell, so we shouldn't have stories with ghosts. The premise of the complaint is true. Everyone does go to an afterlife, but my point is that we can write a story that asks, what if that reality weren't true? What if spirits wandered on earth for a while? Such a scenario doesn't violate eternal principles or promote immoral behavior. It simply asks "what if?"
I could explain that the Bible shows a few ghostly appearances, such as Samuel, Moses, and Elijah, but with regard to whether a ghost story is allowed for Christians, this explanation should be irrelevant. Even if no ghostly being ever appeared within the pages of the Bible, it doesn't violate godly principles to pose a question that alters a setting as long as eternal and universal truths are honored.
This is speculative fiction. Even if I write about ghosts, that doesn't mean I believe they exist. I also write about anthrozils. I don't believe they exist either. I am not pretending that these settings are real.
Yet, I am sure that some will cry foul and say that such a story is not allowed. I think they would be wrong, but that's all right. I'm accustomed to handling disagreement. If people are offended at reading a speculative "what if" story because it doesn't exactly conform to a set of realities that are true in our world, even if altering those realities don't violate God's value system, then they might want to stay away from speculative fiction completely. This genre is the realm of the "what if," and Christian speculative fiction authors are free to ask that question as long as they stay true to eternal principles and promote a virtuous life.
Friday, March 16, 2012
Illinois Mini-tour
I will be speaking at the following events along with my author daughter, Amanda L. Davis:
March 19 – 2 pm – 4 pm
Author's Journey Talk
Homeschool Group
1212 Woodland Knolls Rd,
Metamora, IL 61548
March 20 – 10:00 am chapel service
Author’s Journey talk
Hallstrom Homeschool Workshops
Temple Baptist Church
3215 E. State St
Rockford, IL 61108
March 21 – 9:00 am to 3:00 pm
Writing Workshop ($5 admission will purchase a voucher for $5 off any book)
Hallstrom Homeschool Workshops
Temple Baptist Church
3215 E. State St
Rockford, IL 61108
March 22 - 6:30 to 8:00
Author's Journey Talk
The King’s Pen Writer’s Small Group
Meeting at Oaks Family Church
1001 W Loucks Ave
Peoria Ill 61604
March 19 – 2 pm – 4 pm
Author's Journey Talk
Homeschool Group
1212 Woodland Knolls Rd,
Metamora, IL 61548
March 20 – 10:00 am chapel service
Author’s Journey talk
Hallstrom Homeschool Workshops
Temple Baptist Church
3215 E. State St
Rockford, IL 61108
March 21 – 9:00 am to 3:00 pm
Writing Workshop ($5 admission will purchase a voucher for $5 off any book)
Hallstrom Homeschool Workshops
Temple Baptist Church
3215 E. State St
Rockford, IL 61108
March 22 - 6:30 to 8:00
Author's Journey Talk
The King’s Pen Writer’s Small Group
Meeting at Oaks Family Church
1001 W Loucks Ave
Peoria Ill 61604
Thursday, March 08, 2012
Need Speaking Events in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky
I am looking for speaking events in Illinois, Indiana, and/or Kentucky for the week of March 19 to 23. If you have a school or homeschool group that would like a free author talk or writing workshop, please email me - bryan (at) daviscrossing (dot) com. Feel free to send this query to anyone you know in the area.
Instead of a big tour this year, I am hoping to do targeted mini-tours. If you want me to come to your area, I will need help finding several groups in the area that want me to give an author talk and/or a writing workshop. I speak for free, though with high gas prices, help with expenses is greatly appreciated, and I request the opportunity to sell books at all events. Also, my author daughter Amanda will likely come with me, and audiences often enjoy hearing her perspective.
Although I feel blessed when people ask when I am coming to a specific area, it doesn't help to ask unless you can provide help with getting a group for me, so please refrain from commenting if you are just asking when I am coming to a certain place. Thank you. :-)
Instead of a big tour this year, I am hoping to do targeted mini-tours. If you want me to come to your area, I will need help finding several groups in the area that want me to give an author talk and/or a writing workshop. I speak for free, though with high gas prices, help with expenses is greatly appreciated, and I request the opportunity to sell books at all events. Also, my author daughter Amanda will likely come with me, and audiences often enjoy hearing her perspective.
Although I feel blessed when people ask when I am coming to a specific area, it doesn't help to ask unless you can provide help with getting a group for me, so please refrain from commenting if you are just asking when I am coming to a certain place. Thank you. :-)
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