The Good Word
A Guest Post by Henry O. Arnold We are told that words are powerful, that words matter, that a spoken thought has a ripple effect in the world whether for good or ill. The main character in my novel A Voice Within the Flame is Samuel, the last great judge and prophet...The Bible, the Ancient Greeks, the Drama
A Guest Post by Henry O. Arnold The Invention of Tragedy The invention of tragedy as a form of dramatic storytelling often is attributed to Aristotle and the ancient Greeks. The basic construct of a tragedy is that the protagonist—the one with outstanding...Cutthroats and Swindlers and Thieves…Oh My
A Guest Post by Henry O. Arnold The Bible as an Entertaining and Instructive Book John Milton of Paradise Lost fame wrote in a letter to a friend, “Why is the Bible more entertaining and instructive than any other book?” I say it is because the stories are addressed...Chaos, Hover, and Create
A Guest Post by Henry O. Arnold Human Love for Order Human beings love order. When our world descends into chaos, we quickly begin the task of restoring a semblance of it. When the larger world around us becomes chaotic, we are fearful of being sucked into the wider...Tell Me a Story
A Guest Post by Henry O. Arnold Conflict and Drama When our girls were young, they would badger me with requests such as, “Daddy, tell us a story about when you were bad.” I think our girls learned about the reputation of my younger days by listening to family stories...The Singer of Israel
A Guest Post by Henry O. Arnold My parents gave me my first Bible on my eleventh birthday with the inscription written in my mother’s hand: “To our son, with the hope that this book will serve as your guide all the days of your life. Our love and prayers will always...Building a Chicken Coop
A Guest Post by Henry O. Arnold William Faulkner once said that, “Writing a novel is like building a chicken coop in a high wind: You grab any board you find and nail it down fast.” Writing a novel an be a long-term battle in a headwind, and when you are writing an...The Shortcomings of History
A Guest Post by Henry O. Arnold I wonder if there is such a thing as “total accurate history.” History is the compilation of facts that help explain events we want to remember. But is it possible to have all the facts, even in today’s world with our advanced...
The Singer of Israel
By Henry O. Arnold A singer’s voice inspires a troubled nation…A shepherd’s courage vanquishes a giant The last official act of the prophet of Yahweh was to secretly anoint a replacement for the king of Israel who has been brought low by an unbalanced mind. The great...
The Singer of Israel
By Henry O. Arnold READ a Sample A singer’s voice inspires a troubled nation… A shepherd’s courage vanquishes a giant The last official act of the prophet of Yahweh was to secretly anoint a replacement for the king of Israel who has been brought low by an unbalanced...
Crown of the Warrior King
Song of Prophets and Kings Series, Book 2By Henry O. Arnold The desire of Israel… the first to wear the crown is the warrior king For decades the nation of Israel had no rest from her enemies. The people cried out, “Give us a king to lead us, to go out before us, to...
Crown of the Warrior King
By Henry O. Arnold READ a Sample The desire of Israel… the first to wear the crown is the warrior king For decades the nation of Israel had no rest from her enemies. The people cried out, “Give us a king to lead us, to go out before us, to fight our battles.” And...
A Voice Within the Flame
Song of Prophets and Kings Series, Book 1By Henry O. Arnold A son of the vow…a voice for a nation For many long years, Hannah prayed for a son; a son finally granted to her only when she promised him back to God. Samuel, son of the vow, grows up in the Tabernacle, his...