Christian Cozy Fantasy: Christina Baehr on Dragons, Faith, and Writing a Novel on Her Phone

‘Reader's Digest Condensed’ Show Notes In Part 2 of my conversation with author Jonathan Rogers, we're discussing John Milton's Paradise Lost, one of the great works of English literature. Jonathan has a PhD in 17th-century literature, and this epic poem has profoundly shaped how he understands sin and life in a fallen world. We talk about why Satan can seem so appealing, how evil corrupts what is good, and how good desires can lead us into sin when we pursue them in the wrong ways. We also ...

‘Reader's Digest Condensed’ Show NotesIn this episode, I'm talking with author Jonathan Rogers about his novel The Charlatan's Boy — a hilarious, heartbreaking story about a boy named Grady who doesn't know where he came from and works as a sidekick to a con artist. Although The Charlatan's Boy is technically classified as middle-grade fiction, there's plenty here for adults. Jonathan and I talk about Southern storytelling, Mark Twain, identity, honesty, and much more. We also talk about why ...

'Reader's Digest Condensed' Show NotesI'm back for Part 2 of my conversation with author and illustrator Jennifer Trafton, and this time we're diving into George MacDonald's beautiful short fairy tale The Golden Key. C.S. Lewis called George MacDonald his "master" and said that reading MacDonald's Phantastes "baptized" his imagination. Jennifer has studied MacDonald for years, including writing both her undergraduate and master's theses about him. Together, Jennifer and I explore why Th...

'Reader's Digest Condensed' Show Notes In this episode, I'm talking with author and illustrator Jennifer Trafton about her book If Only We Could See: Reimagining Creativity, Compassion, and Calling Through the Extraordinary Life of Lilias Trotter. I was fascinated by Lilias Trotter's story! Lilias, or Lily, was a brilliant Victorian-era artist who turned down a promising art career and eventually became a missionary in Algeria — but her story is about so much more than missions. Jenni...

'Reader's Digest Condensed' Show Notes Katie welcomes Dana VanderLugt back for Part 2 of their conversation to discuss one of Dana's favorite classics: Charlotte's Web. Together they explore why E.B. White's timeless children's novel continues to speak to readers of every age; how its themes of friendship, sacrifice, grace, and the power of words point beyond themselves; and why rereading beloved childhood books can deepen both our faith and our imagination. Along the way, they discuss memora...