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In 2003, I collaborated with my wife, Angel, to make a webcomic with a Christian story. The result was "Due East." It focused on a multiracial family trying to come back together after a divorce.

Chinese-American and Caucasian Doug Hu was married to African-American Crystal Mills. They had two daughters, Sapphira and Brielle. Work pressures fractured and ultimately broke the marriage apart. Doug moved to Canada for his job and Sapphira went with him. Crystal stayed in Texas with Brielle and started her own insurance business.

Six years have passed but Doug and Crystal stayed in touch concerning their children. Over time, they lost their bitterness towards one another and fell in love again. At the start of the webcomic, Doug arranges to move back to Texas and 21-year-old Sapphira reluctantly agrees to accompany her father. 

In Texas, 16-year-old Brielle has become best friends with Carolyn Maye. Like Brielle, Carolyn is mixed (Hispanic and Caucasian). Carolyn is also a Christian. Brielle has seen the ordeals that led Carolyn to give her life to Jesus Christ but has made no spiritual decisions for herself. Brielle has conflicted feelings about her sister's return and is now hostile towards her father.

One event happens early on that affects every character in the webcomic: a thunderstorm injures and nearly kills Brielle but a miracle happens that allows the teen to survive. It's a mystery to Brielle, one that she needs answers to in order to recover mentally and spiritually. It is just as important to her as trying to recover physically.

Due East had a popular run from 2007 to 2008. It was even voted "Best Spiritual Comic" and "Most Profound Comic" in 2008 by the community at The Duck Webcomics.

Due East is still available online. You can read it from the beginning at this link.
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I will be one of the hosts in the "Summer Fiction Blast!" online event by Ambassador International (AI) the week of Tuesday, July 24th through Saturday, July 28th. I'm planning to do a Facebook live video on July 24 to help kick off the event. Other AI authors will be participating throughout the week.
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So, Tuesday July 24, I will be talking about my books "Jordan's World" and "Mindfire," both due out Summer 2019! I'll give another update next week. I'd love to see you there!

Event link:
https://www.facebook.com/events/1759088137541035

I have also added this to my "Upcoming Events" page.

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There are no major updates or WIP excerpts this week. I'm trying to finish up first-round revisions on "Jordan's World." Things are going well but it is time consuming.

I should have something next week. Thanks for your patience and understanding.
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A week ago, I joined almost forty other brothers in Christ from my church, including my pastor, on a trip to an island near Galveston, Texas. We had carpooled together in a half-dozen large trucks. After we arrived, we stayed in two  houses built on stilts, both within sight of Crystal Beach.

We must have appeared unique: a group of dozens of males who were African-American, Caucasian, Hispanic and various mixtures of the same, ranging in age from teenagers to seventy-ish-year-olds. Many came to fish, others to relax but everyone wanted to socialize with each other.

Actually, that was the whole point. Our pastor wanted as many men as possible from the church to have opportunity to spend time together, away from the distractions of day-to-day life or the responsibilities of their varying roles in the ministry. It was a chance to get to know each other better, to share experiences and testimonies. We got to see a different side of each other outside of church. It was nice to just be wearing t-shirts, jeans, tennis shoes and baseball caps.

We shopped for groceries in small groups and purchased ingredients to make our own food. That not only ended up saving a lot of money (from not paying to eat out) but also made for some tasty meals. As an extra bonus, we did a lot of talking while preparing and eating those meals.

I woke up at 5:00 am every morning. The first morning, it wasn’t intentional. A group of the brothers got up early to take the ferry to the mainland to catch a boat and go fishing. I decided to go ahead and get up and I didn’t regret it. The pre-sunrise morning light was extraordinary over the gulf waters and beach. A couple of brothers joined me on the deck and we had wonderful spiritual discussions.

It was such a peaceful environment, with the mild morning air, beautiful colors in the sky and the sea breeze. It was kind, safe and reassuring. It felt like a smile from the Lord. It felt good to be up for the sunrise. Even though it was cloudy the last day we were there, the clouds and breeze were still magnificent enough to take pictures and video with my phone. I was glad we had enough of an internet connection to allow me to post those to social media. (I am still a computer geek after all.)

I had so many conversations with so many different brothers, at all hours of the day. It reminded me of the trust we have with each other. I learned so much and shared an equal amount. It was very cathartic.

Now, throughout this article, I’ve been calling these men my "brothers." That's not only because we are brothers in Christ -- changed by His Love, the gift of salvation and the presence of His Holy Spirit in our hearts -- but because they are as close as family to me. I do not have a biological brother, but I have many brothers in the Lord. There’s something special in that kind of bond. Just like in biological families, none of us are perfect, we make mistakes and sometimes have misunderstandings. But it is easy to forgive and move on. And in doing so, our Father in Heaven will forgive us.

Hebrews 10: 23 - 25 (KJV)

Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

Our pastor reminded us that “not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together” is not only about attending church; it is also about maintaining fellowship outside of church.

When we left to return home, everyone seemed satisfied. We had taken a brief vacation from our regular lives and were returning a little stronger than before.

This group had meant to share each other’s company and friendship. But there was an unexpected benefit to us all: at the same time we had been fellowshipping with one another, we had shared the company and friendship of our Lord and Savior. In doing so, we experienced the Love of God.
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There will be no blog entry this week. I’m going on a fishing trip with a men’s group from my church between now and Sunday.

I’ll have something new next week. See you then!
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There are countless motivations to create stories. We all have had notable experiences in our lives and there are people with exceptional creativity that seemingly pull adventures out of the ether at will. But let’s flip that around: are there times when it’s better to not write? Yes, absolutely. Keep in mind that these are just my opinions, but let’s explore a few of those reasons.

Reason #1: If it’s going to hurt people

Some people might argue that this is a good reason. I would disagree. The art of the pen (physical or digital) has been used to inflict harm throughout history. From trashy “tell-all” books to modern journalism, dating back to even some of the classic works of William Shakespeare, written words have attacked living people’s character, distorted events and cast doubt. Some writers have been motivated purely for political reasons or just out of spite. Regardless of the grounds, those words have damaged and even destroyed lives.

Most commonly, this is done out of a sense of vengeance. I know a thing or two about revenge. For too many years, it consumed and darkened my thoughts. We have all been wronged by people in our lives, sometimes terribly so.

But do you know the worst part about revenge? Figuratively-speaking, it’s a double-edged sword. As one holds onto it, hoping to bring “revenge” to fruition, it cuts into you. And the longer you hold that sword, the deeper it cuts. It slices away who you could be and replaces it with a bitter and miserable version of yourself. It lies to you. It makes you think you’re doing something good. It tells you revenge is “justice.” But Justice is supposed to be impartial and fair. Revenge plots in secret, hiding its true intentions until it springs its trap. It hopes to catch its prey unaware because it can’t fight fair. Revenge is a coward. And in my view, so is the writer who uses their craft for that purpose.

Reason #2: If you’re the only one who’s going to care

We all have memories of experiences that were special to us. But what might mean a great deal to you or I might not mesh so well with others. For example, in elementary school each year, we had a “Track and Field Day” where everyone went outside and participated in sporting events. I was really bad at most sports because of my poor depth perception, but there was one thing I enjoyed that day: being goalie when we played soccer. It wasn’t because I was talented at the position. It was because I spent ninety percent of the time waiting around. When players got close and went for a goal, all I had to do was try my best. Sometimes I blocked the ball and sometimes I didn’t, but I made the effort and it was appreciated. That said, I’m probably the only person who remembers any of it. It’s good for a few sentences as a quick memory, but not enough to craft a whole story. It doesn’t have a beginning, middle and an end. There’s no “hook” or “payoff” in the end. It’s just an interesting bit of autobiographical trivia.

Stories need to resonate with people, so they can relate to it. Now, I could take that same small paragraph of trivia and shape it into something fictional to give it some life. Maybe I could show how the kid that wasn’t good in sports met a friend or a coach who inspired him/her to surpass their limitations. Perhaps that kid persisted in their efforts to improve and became a local sports hero. Later in life, he/she became a coach that inspired someone else who went on to become an Olympic athlete. That story could really go somewhere, because it’s both interesting and moving. It’s a “full circle” story about “paying it forward.” That’s both the hook and the payoff.

Reason #3: If you’re not enthused about it

Writing should be fun, a passion that can’t be denied. It should make you lose track of time as you weave words into a tantalizing tale. It should be on your mind when you wake up and as you close your eyes to sleep. It should be a friend, not an enemy.

If a writer is not fired up about their art, it shows in the completed work. For example, if a writer feels like they “have to” produce words to get some money or meet a deadline, they will probably finish something but it won’t be anywhere near their best. If it’s a novel, it will probably be disappointing to the readers, who can tell when a writer is plodding along (the novelist's equivalent of treading water) or recycling old material with new or existing characters. In the end, it will not even satisfy that writer. They may go so far as regretting that they made that book.

These are only three reasons, I’m sure there are more. I’m not trying to discourage anyone from writing stories, either. I just believe that we have to look at why we do what we do. The pen can be a sword or it can be a beautiful bouquet of flowers. How it’s used is entirely up to you.
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Sometimes, certain topics have to be addressed with great care and caution, as they can affect a lot of people emotionally. And yet, they need to be addressed. This is one of those things.

Thoughts and prayers. With the growing number of public attacks, especially school shootings, I have seen a disturbing trend develop. Some people are saying “We’ve had (X) years of thoughts and prayers and that hasn't fixed the problem. We need to do something else (alluding to stricter gun control laws and measures).”

In my view, this statement has three negative connotations:
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  1. It implies that compassion is not action;
  2. It implies that prayer is ineffective; thus
  3. It attempts to negate God

Thinking about people while intending sympathy or goodwill has never hurt anyone. It is human compassion being enacted. I’ll get more specific about prayer momentarily.

For the record, let me say that I have never owned a firearm of any kind and never will. My father never owned one, either for hunting or home defense. Even before I gave my life to Christ, I saw no value in owning a gun. That is a personal, individual decision.

But this isn’t actually about guns. We don’t have a gun problem. We have a sin problem.

What is “sin” really? Merriam-Webster defines sin as “an offense against religious or moral law” or “transgression of the law of God.” Dictionary.com defines sin as “transgression of divine law” or “any act regarded as such a transgression, especially a willful or deliberate violation of some religious or moral principle.”

In the Bible, Jesus was more direct about sin when speaking to his disciple, Peter:

Matthew 15: 15 - 20 (KJV)
"Then answered Peter and said unto him, Declare unto us this parable. And Jesus said, Are ye also yet without understanding? Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught? But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man."

Sin exists in people’s hearts. It is a more powerful weapon than any firearm. Sin leads people to abuse others -- or themselves -- through their words and/or actions. It pushes people to use any means to hurt others or themselves, even their bare hands. We are all born with a sinful nature and we have free will.

​There is only one answer to sin, one escape: God, through His Son, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit can give us power to fight against sin in our own lives. Only He can change our hearts. And that comes through prayer to receive His Spirit, Grace and Mercy.

Through the Holy Spirit, prayer can lead to miracles, consolation and healing. Prayer can lead to protection and prevent bad things from happening. But as long as sin exists in this world, there will be harm and tragedies that result from it.  

I know some people don’t believe in prayer, just like some people don’t believe in God. It is a choice everyone has to make. And everyone has the right to believe or not believe.

An increasing number of people probably have never heard God’s Word, the Bible. Others may have heard it and experienced someone professing to be religious but whose actions contradicted that. There are many bad examples, people who let sin control their actions. More importantly, they are not representing the Lord, just their own hypocrisy.

Jesus, who was a Jew, spoke against hypocrites often. He also gave an example for prayer:

Matthew 6: 5 - 15 (KJV)
“And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him. After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”

Answers to prayer are often not instant. Prayer is sincerely making your requests known to God. Only He can see everything and be everywhere at the same time. He knows what will best assist us and the ideal time to do so.

Some prayers may not be answered at all. Our prayers, whether we realize it at the time or not, can be selfish. And some things that we think will help us might actually do the opposite. God gives us what we need when we need it.

Prayer is for our benefit. It works towards furthering our relationship with God, His Son, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. It is a way to get closer to Them.

In contrast, we are now more detached from our fellow human beings than at any time in history. The specific reasons are too numerous to list in this article. But generally-speaking, whether that divide is due to our use of technology (thus avoiding direct human contact), the ways we choose to entertain ourselves (often desensitizing ourselves to others’ suffering) or our growing disrespect towards other people’s viewpoints, it all has a cumulative impact on society.

Consider this: I’m not against technology, I’m a computer geek. And I’m not against entertainment, I write novels. I have to temper my own attitudes daily, often through prayer. All the time, people say and write things I consider offensive or express viewpoints I don’t agree with. This is life and we have to deal with it.

In conclusion, keeping people and situations in our thoughts and prayers is relevant. And it doesn’t rule out taking action. But before we step up and tackle something, shouldn’t we better understand the problem? Whether we encourage politicians to make new laws or change existing ones, we should acknowledge that legislation will not change human nature. It cannot eliminate sin in people’s hearts. Only God can do that, working through grace, faith...and prayer.

Thanks for reading this.
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Whether planning a story on another planet or just an alternative version of Earth, a writer must consider several things. Is it for pure science fiction? Is it science-fantasy? Fantasy? Know the genre you want and stick to it. If your story is on Earth, what makes that Earth different? If your Earth's history is the same, has something physically changed? Is it the result of an alien invasion or some kind of natural or unnatural catastrophe, setting up a post-apocalyptic scenario? Or while physically more or less the same, does your Earth have a different history?

The next thing a writer has to ask themselves is “Why?” Why do you want to have your story take place on another world or in a post-apocalyptic setting? If an alternate Earth, why change history? If the your only answer you can give yourself is “because it’s cool,” that’s probably not a good enough reason.

The setting of a story has to play an active role in the story itself. It can set the mood and the characters will interact with it, so it is an essential element.

If the story is about characters surviving (or even thriving) in a harsh or unforgiving environment, then the setting is almost a character. It can be a foe fighting the characters or it can be a friend, offering something unique that no other setting could. As a writer, you have to choose. Ask yourself: what works best for the story?

Once you establish the setting, then you can plan what you want your story to do, how you want it to progress. Like most stories, it’s best to develop a beginning, middle and end. Is it a hero’s journey? What are you trying to say with your story? This is where themes can be created and expressed.

And the next step is coming up with characters. Who lives on this world? And out of all the population there, who are your main characters and why? What makes them special? What kind of character development would you like to see in them? How will the events of this story change their lives? And will those changes be for the better or worse?  All of that should be considered before writing the prologue or the first chapter.

Developing worlds can be fun and exciting but it’s not easy. It takes a certain commitment to making good story, including setting and characters. It can be frustrating but, with diligence, it can be exciting and fun, too! So...what’s in your world?
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This is a short update. I received the first-round edits for "Jordan's World" from my publisher, Ambassador International. I will be working on those for the foreseeable future. I am pleased with their edits and suggestions. I do think the re-writes will make the book better. Stay tuned!

About the author

Allen Steadham is a nondenominational Christian. Happily interracially married since 1995 and the proud father of two sons and a daughter. He and his wife have been in the same Christian band since 1997. He plays electric bass, she plays strings, they both sing. It's all good.

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