Monthly Archives: August 2013

A Preview of my 2013 Three Day Novel Contest Story

Posted on August 29, 2013 by Brenton Dickieson

Once again I am getting ready for the 3 Day Novel Contest. I’ve reblogged my thoughts on the contest from last year (see below), and as I reread what I wrote, I’m a little surprised that I am going in … Continue reading →

Posted in Creative Writing, Reviews | Tagged 3 Day Novel Contest, 3DNC, Dayshift Werewolf, fantasy, literature, loser lit, myth of sisyphus, writing | 14 Comments

Essay Chat: “On Three Ways of Writing for Children” by C.S. Lewis

Posted on August 26, 2013 by Brenton Dickieson

My mother went to university when I was in grammar school. One of the great payoffs for me was her Anthology of Children’s Literature. It was a mammoth, double-columned tome of poetry, folklore, myth, and short stories. I loved it, … Continue reading →

Posted in Guest Blogs, Lewis' Essays | Tagged Anthology of Children's Literature, books, C.S. Lewis, children's literature, English Literature, literature, Reading, Used Bookstores | 23 Comments

The Wildwood in The Decemberists

Posted on August 20, 2013 by Brenton Dickieson

Last week I reviewed Wildwood by Colin Melot and Carson Ellis. Colin Melot, who is the literary creator of the NewYorkTimes bestseller Wildwood Chronicles, is also the chief lyricist for Grammy-award winning The Decemberists. One might wonder what children’s writing … Continue reading →

Posted in Reflections, Reviews | Tagged books, C.S. Lewis, children's literature, Colin Meloy, Douglas Adams, fantasy, folk music, Goethe, Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling, Margaret Atwood, songwriting, The Decemberists, The King is Dead, Wildwood, writing | 6 Comments

Meeting Prue: Reflections on Wildwood by Colin Meloy and Carson Ellis

Posted on August 15, 2013 by Brenton Dickieson

I am always struck most by the female protagonist. Both of my children’s books and a fantasy book I am working on, The Curse of Téarian, feature young women as the driving forces of personality in the narrative. In Harry … Continue reading →

Posted in Fictional Worlds, Reviews | Tagged books, children's literature, fantasy, Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, J.R.R. Tolkien, lion the witch and the wardrobe, literature, Middle Earth, Narnia, Series of Unfortunate Events, The Golden Compass | 18 Comments

Telling it Slant: The Problem With Writing Conversions

Posted on August 13, 2013 by Brenton Dickieson

Oranges and Archie I never went to church much growing up. There was a little white church a mile or so from my house that gave out free oranges and Christian Archie comic books at Christmastime, so sometimes I would … Continue reading →

Posted in Thoughtful Essays | Tagged Archie Comics, Billy Graham, books, C.S. Lewis, Conversion, Emily Dickinson, flimmaking, Kirk Cameron, literature, Sir Ian McKellen, The Da Vinci Code, Tom Hanks, Voyage of the Dawn Treader, writing | 16 Comments

Idea-Seeds in C.S. Lewis’ Letters

Posted on August 8, 2013 by Brenton Dickieson

One of the reasons I like reading C.S. Lewis’ letters is that I get to see hints of ideas that will one day become books. Except for some time in his 20s, we don’t have Lewis’ diaries, and most of … Continue reading →

Posted in Letters, Memorable Quotes | Tagged books, C.S. Lewis, Collected Letters of C.S. Lewis, ideas, letters, literature, Out of the Silent Planet, Ransom Trilogy, The Problem of Pain, writing | 25 Comments

A Shore-side View of the Pilgrimage: My 2nd Anniversary Reflection

Posted on August 6, 2013 by Brenton Dickieson

I am writing this post from one of Prince Edward Island’s gorgeous beaches. This Eastern Canadian Island of Hesperides is filled with incredible beaches: miles of blonde sand slicing the world between an endless blue ocean of white cresting lines … Continue reading →