Believe to See

Chapter books are important. Their target audience is kids between about ages 6 and 10, and they play a major role in developing young readers. Author Leilani Mueller knows all about writing for this age group. She's the author of a brand-new chapter book called All Aboard the Grandparents Express. The book explores grief, loss, and imagination from the perspective of its 8-year-old narrator. Leilani describes the process of writing a good and beautiful book for the youngest readers.

Summer may be over, but Beach Reads are always relevant. We all have a favorite Beach Read: a story that is fun and immersive, but not necessarily deep or literary. But how do we feel about Beach Reads as a concept? After all, Believe to See's goal is to help connect the Great Story, the great stories, and our own stories. How do Beach Reads fit into these great stories? Do they fit at all? Is it possible to be the sort of person who cares deeply about the great stories, and who also enjoys a fun beach read?

Kreg Yingst is a printmaker, painter, and writer whose work can be found in both private and corporate collections--or in one of his several books. His medium of choice is printmaking, using an antique Showcard proof press to print his hand-carved wood blocks or linoleum sheets onto paper or wood. Join Mandy and guest co-host Isaac Hans as they talk with Kreg about his art, his books, and how the very act of making art can be a prayer. (Find him on Instagram here where he posts his original art as psalmprayers.)

Meredith Davis is the author of the Amazing Adventures of Noah Minor series. These middle grade superhero stories draw inspiration from classic comic books and the science of imagination. Davis joins the pub table to discuss how her stories use superheroes to explore themes of friendship, integrity, and self-control.

Will Parker Anderson is a senior editor at Waterbrook and Multnomah (an imprint of Penguin Random House). He's also an important resource as a writing coach and book industry expert. Will discusses how to navigate the often fraught waters of the Christian nonfiction market, and how we can all help support work that is excellent and edifying.

Join the hosts at the roundtable as they talk about their favorite obsessions: the art and artists they love so much, they want the world to love them too. Mandy asks Matt and Christina to discuss where this impulse comes from—this desire for others to love what we love—and why it hurts when our enthusiasm is met with a shrug or a shake of the head. What does this impulse say about the impact of art on our hearts? How can shared (or not shared) affinities shape community?

Whether you're a new novelist, an experienced novelist, or not a novelist at all, there's something to learn from the intricacies of story structure. Author Elisa Lambert joins the table to discuss. She's one of the Anselm Society Arts' Guild's member artists. She's also writing a novel using something called the Book Architecture method.

We recently talked with SD Smith about the heart and motivation behind the upcoming Green Ember video game. But how do you make a video game in the first place? Bryan Engram is here to help. He's the co-founder of Brazen Animation: the studio that's creating the Green Ember video game. He explains the building blocks of effective gameplay and how to use those blocks to create a compelling story.

Join us as Matt and Mandy battle it out to determine which book is better -- The Great Gatsby, or To Kill a Mockingbird. It's a doozy, folks. Come cast your vote!

We know there's "nothing new under the sun," but must there be so many TV shows with a first responder, life-or-death, emergency services premise? Join Mandy, Matt, and Christina as they discuss the plethora of shows like these. Why are writers and viewers drawn to these stories--and what differentiates those worth saving from those that ought to be DOA?