Story is the key. Jesus taught in parables. Aesop taught in fables. Many pastors start off with a story. Politicians try to justify their policies by telling a story that usually starts with, “I met… Read More>>

In the Army I once had a boss who said, “Do not come into my office with problems, come in with solutions.” I learned to bring him several so he had choices.  That’s half of… Read More>>

Tolkien loved ancient literature. He felt it had a texture that I feel he brought to his own work. His lectures on Beowulf were legendary at Oxford capturing the sense and flavor of the Nordic… Read More>>

Teddy Roosevelt was called “Teedy” as a child. He was sickly, scrawny, nearsighted, and pampered by a mostly female household. That was not the life for him and he wanted to change it. He believed… Read More>>

Where do you have your best ideas? In the car? Falling asleep? Watching or reading another author at work? I take notes on Sunday sermons and the margins are full of story notes.                 Do… Read More>>

Mark Twain was a journalist before he was a novelist.  He wrote short stories before he wrote novels.  It is fun read the first chapter of Tom Sawyer knowing he started it to be a… Read More>>

John Eldredge talks about how when Satan can’t get a believer to stop working for God, he buries that believer in busy work. Eldridge calls it a “dog pile.” The dog pile distracts us from… Read More>>

Roald Dahl’s very name evokes the magic of a free mind at work. But can Christians write about magic? One Christian publisher I ran across said, “No!” Hmmm…but what is more magical than the Holy… Read More>>

Steve Prefontaine was an NCAA champion and Olympic long distance runner. Told he was too small to play high school football, he turned to cross country and found his gift. He rode a scholarship to… Read More>>