Blog–Storytelling With Jesus

“Ode” to God’s Most Beautiful Animal

My nephew, Wright Thompson, is the senior columnist for ESPN. He's won more writing awards than I would have room for in my giant library. He's at the Kentucky Derby this week. And his writing will mesmerize you, have you thinking about and falling in love with the most beautiful animal God created. If you love horses, think of Secretariat, Man … [Read more...]

My Only Non-Fiction Story, So Far.

And I'm almost too embarrassed to post it. DELTA MAGAZINE asked me to write about one experience I had growing up in Mississippi. I chose the Midnight to Dawn Dance, held every year at school's end.

Delta Magazine A Night at the Midnight to Dawn Yazoo City has always been a mysterious dichotomy—part Mississippi hills, part … [Read more...]

Mississippi Humble?

My mother had a needlepointed pillow with this saying: "It's hard to be humble when you're from Mississippi."

While these words might sound like bragging, or arrogance to some people, they were never meant to convey that sentiment. Not at all.

The saying is more about a state of solitary pride than a state of boastfulness. Mississippians … [Read more...]

I Wrote Myself Into Hemingway’s Paris Interview

If you'd like some insight into Hemingway's writing,
read his interview in the PARIS REVIEW from 1958.

Earnest Hemingway, The Art of Fiction No.21
Interviewed by George Plimpton
ISSUE 18, Spring 1958
"When a writer omits things he does not know, they … [Read more...]

Did Most Good Writers Grow Up On A Farm?

I've been to many writing workshops -- held a few of my own -- and I invariably ask for a show of hands, "How many of you grew up on a farm?" More than half usually hold their hands high. And proudly.

Granted, it's a small sample size for any bona fide research project. But, it does seem to me that many writers did grow … [Read more...]

Yes, God Has a Sense of Humor.

He gave us one. Why wouldn't He have one. It's time for a funny. So here... On the first day, God created the dog and said, "Sit all day by the door of your house and bark at anyone who comes in or walks past. For this, I will give you a life span of twenty years." The dog said, "That's a long time to be barking. How about only ten years and I'll give you … [Read more...]

Tarot cards and your future…

Tarot.Hanged man Tarot.Devil card (Click these for the cards.)

Tarot. Pronounced Ta-ROW. Origin (noun) 1590s, from French tarot (16c.), from Old Italian tarocchi of unknown origin, perhaps from Arabic Torah. The deck first used in Italy 14c., as playing cards as well as for fortune-telling. Can they tell the future? Give guidance to the … [Read more...]

Guilt and God’s Will

All of my novels in the Solo series include a few theological discussions between the rector and some of the characters. Here's one from The Actress.

After breakfast, I told Father Paul how guilty I felt.

“Satan wants you … [Read more...]

Did Jesus lust?

I didn't want to cut this scene from my new novel, The Actress, but I couldn’t get it to fit without being contrived, forced into the … [Read more...]

I Believe God Has a Sense of Humor. Do you?

You know I mostly blog on theology subjects. But once in a while, I try to bring a smile. Here are some church bulletin announcements … [Read more...]