Tag Archives: anthologies

Review: InScribed, an anthology of Canadian Christian writing

InScribed, an anthology from InScribe Christian Writers’ Fellowship (Forever Books, 2010)

To celebrate 30 years of encouraging and inspiring Canadian writers, InScribe Christian Writers’ Fellowship has released the anthology, InScribed. The 40+ contributors are current or former members, ranging from career journalists and published novelists to the newly-published, and geographically spanning the country from west to east coasts. The anthology comes recommended by well-known writers Phil Callaway, Linda Hall and Sigmumd Brouwer.

InScribed has a good mix of personal experience, teaching/inspirational, poetry and fiction. There’s happy, sad and thoughtful, with a touch of the whimsical for good measure. Most of the articles are very well-written. A few needed further editing, but the passion and promise is enough that they’re still worth reading.

I’ve been a member of InScribe since the days when it was known as Alberta Christian Writers’ Fellowship—Canada-Wide, and the online connection it provided with my writing friends was a great encouragement in my early writing days.

InScribed gave me the chance to read work from old friends (even some I’d lost touch with) and new friends. But its appeal isn’t limited to InScribe members, nor to writers in general. Anyone who appreciates short work from Canadian Christians will find plenty of good reading in this slender book.

Until an online store is set up, copies may be ordered by email. Within Canada the cost is $15.00 CAD plus $2.89 shipping per book. Orders outside of Canada will require more postage.

[Book source: my personal library. And no, I’m not one of the contributors although I’m a member of InScribe.]

Review: Hot Apple Cider

Hot Apple Cider: an anthology

Hot Apple Cider: Words to Stir the Heart and Warm the Soul is a collection of personal experience articles, short stories and poems by Canadian Christian authors from a variety of denominations.

Edited by N.J. Lindquist and Wendy Elaine Nelles and with a forward by Canadian Christian fiction icon Janette Oke, the anthology features work from 30 professional members of The Word Guild.

Content ranges from the light-hearted and humorous to serious topics such as the death of a loved one, cancer, infertility, loneliness and family conflicts. Unlike some anthologies, there’s no sentimentalizing, no over-dramatization. Just real people writing about real situations, and faith in a real God who makes a difference. Truth presented through articles, poetry and fiction, accented with restful black and white illustrations.

Canadian Christian writers are a vibrant and articulate group, and Hot Apple Cider is a wonderful sample of some of their work. Even though each selection is self-contained, I found myself reading “just one more” when it was time to stop.

The book is available online or through local bookstores. The authors also donated 30,000 copies to World Vision to be given out at FaithLife Financial’s Girls’ Night Out events across Canada in 2008.

Seven entries from the anthology were finalists in The Word Guild 2009 Canadian Christian Writing Awards–and five won awards! More recently, Hot Apple Cider was chosen by the Church Library Association of Ontario for its 2009 One Book/One Conference focus.

It’s great to see Canadian authors who are Christian getting exposure in our country. Hot Apple Cider was a treat to read, and I know I’ll dip into it again and again. I enjoyed it so much, I bought a second copy and gave it away on my blog.

Congratulations to everyone involved in this ground-breaking project. Bring on volume two!