John Edgell - Author

Distinctive fantasy fiction stories that delight the mind and stir the soul.

  • Home
  • Books
  • The Place of Faith
  • About

Cow Pie Language and the Author’s Pen

February 9, 2017 By Author John Leave a Comment

Author's Pen

Contemplating the Author’s Pen and Civility

From My Journal

Author's Pen PlaceIn recent posts I have been sharing musings from my journal and how the content of the musings relates to writing. In this article I examine the author’s pen and civility relative to language. I offer my musing and then will comment on the use of cow pie language that too often these days flows from an author’s pen to the page and then is thrust in our face as readers. The musing:

JUST SOMETHING ON MY MIND

Why is it that we take something extremely personal, sacred, and superlative beyond words, throw it in the mud, trample on it, and enjoy a laugh while thinking the whole thing so cool? I speak of the wonder of sexual intimacy between a husband and wife that we “moderns” have reduced to a gutter word that we seem to enjoy spewing forth with mindless incivility.

Cow Pie LanguageThen there is the opposite end of the spectrum. When I was a little kid I would walk through our neighbor’s pasture and thought it “cool” to sink my bare feet into the warm piles left by his cows. Gross! People have said, “John, how could you do that?” I was a stupid little kid. But today adults spew the stuff of cow pies from their mouths, “in your face,” so to speak, as a part of conversation.

Can anyone tell me what makes the F-word and the S-word so cool? I don’t get it! Why do we need to debauch sexual intimacy and exalt excrement?

Am I being “holier than thou”? I trust not. And in that regard, I make no claim to perfection—I am a work in progress—but I am conscious of civility—the simple courtesy of respectable language.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Author Blog Tagged With: civility, musings, my books

Writing Stories and Tending God’s Sheep

December 28, 2016 By Author John Leave a Comment

Writing Stories for Sheep

Musings from My Journal

Writing Stories with Thought to Their Impact

As mentioned in my previous post, I am sharing musings from my journal.

contemplating writing stories I wrote the following while reflecting on the nature of pastoral ministry. However, upon reading it again, it strikes me that it also applies to Christian writers. It seems to me that as a Christian, when writing stories I have a responsibility to shepherd, to give thought to the impact of my story on the reader for good or for ill.

THE TASK (a musing)

People are so impatient in your work, Lord. It is as if they are trying to run ahead of you to prove how much they can accomplish by their own prowess. They tread on your little lambs. They push the weak aside. The slow learner they annihilate. They raise the rich and strong up high.

Is not each sheep important, Lord? Is not each one our charge? Should we not love the weak, Lord, without failing to love the strong? Without lessening our love for the healthy should we not help the sick along?

Wait!

Writer writing storiesI hear a voice ringing down the short corridor of time, “Shepherd my sheep; take care! Remember when you were lost on the mountain so weak and sick with despair, I left a throne of glory to traverse the wild and bare. Thou worm, thou worm, shepherd my sheep; take care.”

“Come, little sheep, gather into the fold and let me dress your wounds. You have been left out with the wolves too long and the master is coming soon. There is so much to do. Yet to hurry would mean ineffective care. So although the master is coming I’ll patiently dress your sores; and with tender love I will shepherd you till we see him face to face. Then the words, Thou worm will be altered, and he will say, “Thou good and faithful servant, well done. You have been a shepherd to all my sheep, you have not neglected one.”

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Author Blog Tagged With: Christian authors, christian stories, man's fallen condition, musings, my personal story

Thoughts from an Author’s Journal

December 1, 2016 By Author John Leave a Comment

authors journal
Reflections of a Searching Soul

God Thoughts

This author’s journal is not basically a “writer’s” journal. Rather it is conversation with God, a journal of life, and often a journal of God thoughts—reflections on God related subjects.

God ThoughtsMost of my books are fiction, and most of those of the fantasy genre. However, I have written three nonfiction books: Reflections of a Searching Soul; The God Question; and Unveiling John’s Visions (on the book of Revelation). Obviously, this article is about Reflections of a Searching Soul, or God Thoughts.

In Reflections I explore such subjects as God’s intent for me and for mankind in general, how God’s truth relates to the “stuff of life,” the Bible and sexuality, marriage, divorce, hypocrisy, sovereignty and freewill, and reflections on heaven and hell. I record a number of musings on those questions and others collected from my journals. Some of the subjects are controversial in light of where our culture is today. But my concern is not to accommodate the culture, but to bring God’s truth to bear on the culture and life.

God Thought Samples

Some of the reflections are serious, such as Musings on Abortion, while others are lighter, like Wretched Bird! You’ll have to read the book to find out what the bird thing is all about, along with my other fifty-seven musings. Here is a sample of one of the lighter essays titled Nonsensical Words of Wisdom. At the time I wrote it I was thinking about things that had been said to me over the years that are a bit strange. Enjoy: “Bite your tongue” is only one of life’s weird words of wisdom. Why would I want to bite my tongue? And how about “Don’t take any wooden nickels”? Have you seen any wooden nickels lately? “Watch your mouth.” Without a mirror it is quite impossible! “Don’t listen to conversations you’re not supposed to.” Yeah, right. How do you know not to listen until after you have already heard what was said. “Clean your plate…” These along with other weird words of wisdom.

God QuestionHere is a more serious short offering titled That Which Satisfies: I once heard someone say, “God’s just trying to spoil my fun!” They felt that living in obedience to God’s Word restricted their lifestyle. Well, I was reading in Jeremiah and this verse caught my attention: Jeremiah 25:7 “Yet you have not listened to me, says the Lord…to your own harm” You see, in reality, the Lord’s directives are for our good. When we choose not to listen, or take heed, it is to our own hurt. On the other hand, when we live life God’s way we sacrifice momentary perceived pleasure for long term joy that satisfies! Christ is our sufficiency, and He is also our source of satisfaction!

If you are a thinker, an explorer, give Reflections of a Searching Soul a read. It is available in paperback and as an ebook.

Filed Under: Through a Looking Glass Tagged With: fantasy fiction, freewill, journal, musings, reflections, sovereignty

Get a Free Story

* indicates required

John Edgell, Author

John has experience as a school teacher, a pastor, and has been a writer of stories since his two sons were knee high to a gnome.

Read more about John.

Through a Looking Glass

The God Question

Asking the God Question

Introducing the God Question Proof for the Existence of God My book, The God Question, has gotten … [Read More...]

More Posts from this Category

Bestsellers

  • Acceptable Fruit
  • The Princess and the Orc
  • Tales of a Church Mouse
  • Phantom Island Chronicles: A Pirate Fantasy
  • The Helot
  • Son of Cain

Introducing Quick Read Books

https://youtu.be/14QU9CuANIQ

Search the Site

Share Your Favorites

Copyright © 2021 John Edgell · Books