Simmer Starters for the week!
Inventories of War: Soldiers’ Kit from 1066 to 2014 (The Telegraph) – I love this so much: the gradual progression of technology, the tiny keepsakes, the evolving uniforms and styles, and the tiny details like a spoon for meals or a prayer book. Now I want to create a “spread” of what the soldiers in my fictional world would carry!
You Have Just Enough Time (Jon Bloom at DesiringGod) – This one’s worth some thought. “God has given us just enough time to do what we need to do moment by moment to respond to him. And his grace is there; it is eternally present. Every moment is a sacrament where time touches eternity and there is exactly enough time to do what God has called us to do.” – Prof. Bruce Hindmarsh
Of Characters and Culture (Katie Morford) – Some thoughts on creating genuine characters who are also a product of the culture they live in. “I’m a history buff, as well as a fan of speculative fiction, so it’s with great perplexity that I have read the recent rash of novels that are supposedly set in a unique time or culture, yet the central characters react to circumstances from a modern American worldview.”
The Middle of Things: Advice to Young Writers (Andrew Solomon) – This is long, but there are some interesting thoughts here. Worth a slow read!
Villains: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (Morgan Busse at Speculative Faith) – “I once read that a villain is the hero of his or her own story. I’m not sure if that is true for every villain. After all, some villains know they are bad and they don’t care. But there are others who think they are the good guys. I then realized that in the broad scope of things, you could break villains down into three categories: the good, the bad, and the ugly.”
I love to hear your thoughts!