Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ is one of the most polarizing movies of the last 20 years.

Critics hate it. Fans love it.

Who knew graphically portraying the most beloved character from history being brutally torn apart would cause controversy?

Could a splatter film really be the most moving of all Christian films?

This week, author and editor Noah J. Matthews breaks down why this–of all films–so powerful as a piece of Kingdom media.

Noah J. Matthews is the author of fantasy western novella Outlaw Blood and specializes in helping authors tell the clearest and most moving stories possible. If you’re interested in working with him as an editor, reach out at https://noahjmatthews.com/contact.

Listen as Noah hashes out:

So sit back, grab some popcorn and your thinking cap, and listen in on a story show for readers that’s showing you the curious side of Kingdom literature.

SHOW NOTES:

Outlaw Blood by Noah J. Matthews (Sponsor): https://amzn.to/4kliuZf

Noah J. Matthews (Host): https://noahjmatthews.com

The post MOVIE REVIEW: The Passion of the Christ (Episode 10) appeared first on The Pearl.

Imagine being fourteen again. Remember the awkwardness–how when you looked at that one girl you had a crush on, you had absolutely no control over your face?

How whenever Dad made a little joke about it, your cheeks would flush no matter how hard you tried to stop them?

And yet, there was a magic in it–a sort of wonder in loving someone. You didn’t really know why you liked them so much, or what “love” even entailed; or where it led. All you knew was that you liked them and wanted more than anything else to sit next to them in class.

Relive the awkward sweetness of a teenage crush as R.J. Catlin narrates her lovely romance story, “See You Tomorrow.”

R.J. Catlin is the Managing Editor of The Pearl; recently, she was published in the bold magical realism anthology Fantastical Summer. She blogs regularly about finding inspiration: https://rjcatlin.com.

Noah is an author and editor at The Pearl magazine. His fantasy western novella Outlaw Blood has what some might call a “controversial” ending.

So sit back, grab a coffee and a ready imagination, and listen to a curiously cute piece of Kingdom literature.

SHOW NOTES:

The Novel Matrix: The Complete Novel Writing Guide by Brad Pauquette (Sponsor): https://amzn.to/4ddp28l

Noah J. Matthews (Host): https://noahjmatthews.com

R.J. Catlin (Narrator): https://rjcatlin.com

See You Tomorrow by R.J. Catlin (Story): https://pearlmag.co/see-you-tomorrow/

The post AUDIO FICTION: See You Tomorrow by R.J. Catlin (Episode 09) appeared first on The Pearl.

Ever heard of the “magical realism” genre? I mean, are those words even compatible?

The Kingdom is advancing into a ton of new genres–horror, fantasy, sci-fi, just to name a few. But what about “magical realism”? Does the Kingdom of God even fit in a genre so niche?

Join special guest Vella Karman and host Noah J. Matthews in a lighthearted discussion about what magical realism really is.

Vella is an author and social media manager for The Pearl who blogs about freedom and overcoming our fears. She also has a book out: Fantastical Summer, a whimsical magical realism anthology for the Christian girls.

Noah is an author and developmental editor at The Pearl magazine. He shares a birthday with his debut fantasy western Outlaw Blood: a book that’s got people wondering–can outlaws really be forgiven?

Join Vella and Noah as they sit down and hash out:

So sit back, grab your thinking cap and a favorite book, and listen in on a story show for readers that’s showing you the curious side of Kingdom literature.

SHOW NOTES:

Fantastical Summer: A Vella Karman Anthology (Sponsor): https://amzn.to/4l7M4S9

Vella Karman (Guest): https://vellakarman.com

Noah J. Matthews (Host): https://noahjmatthews.com

The post What Is Magical Realism? (Episode 08) appeared first on The Pearl.

What is it like to feel as alone as a draft in the walls? What does it feel like when the pale moonlight slides through the windows and the ghosts in your head dance like shadows on the wall?

What if loss and loneliness crashed so violently over your head you couldn’t help but relive that cold, silent walk to the deadly wooden staircase?

What if you couldn’t tell who was gone and who was here? Who was alive, and who was dead?

Listen on the edge of your seat as Lucy Grecu narrates this vivid, emotional horror story–the story of a woman who is alone as the cold shadows on the deadly mansion steps.

Lucy is an author and artist and one of the most-published authors on The Pearl magazine, with four fiction stories under her belt. She was recently published in the bold magical realism anthology Fantastical Summer. She regularly blogs about finding wonder in the mundane at LucyGrecu.com.

Noah is an author and editor at The Pearl magazine. His fantasy western Outlaw Blood has people reeling from its unique worldbuilding and themes on justice and shame.

So sit back, grab a coffee and a ready imagination, and listen to a horrifyingly good piece of Kingdom literature.

SHOW NOTES:

Outlaw Blood by Noah J. Matthews (Sponsor): https://amzn.to/4kliuZf

Noah J. Matthews (Host): https://noahjmatthews.com

Lucy Grecu (Narrator): https://lucygrecu.com

The Draft in the Walls by Lucy Grecu (Story): https://pearlmag.co/the-draft-in-the-walls/

The post AUDIO FICTION: The Draft in the Walls by Lucy Grecu (Episode 07) appeared first on The Pearl.

Pixar’s Soul flopped in 2020–it didn’t even make it into theaters! Is the jazz dramedy about the afterlife as bad as the numbers suggest?

Is it New Age or “woke”?

Today, author and editor Noah J. Matthews drops by to give you his opinion on the disaster.

According to him, Soul is one of the best movies he’s ever seen. It changed him.

Whether the change is for the better or worse, you’ll have to watch the episode to find out.

Noah J. Matthews is the author of fantasy western novella Outlaw Blood and is one of the developmental editors at The Pearl magazine. Originally from Michigan, Noah finds it hard to hide his northern blood in the humid Ohio summers.

Listen as Noah hashes out:

So sit back, grab some popcorn and your thinking cap, and listen in on a story show for readers that’s showing you the curious side of Kingdom literature.

SHOW NOTES:

Copper Lies by Alli Prince (Sponsor): https://amzn.to/3BtHKLg

Noah J. Matthews (Host): https://noahjmatthews.com

The post MOVIE REVIEW: Pixar’s Soul (Episode 06) appeared first on The Pearl.

Is the book always better? Does every change drag the author’s name through the mud?

With book-to-movie adaptations coming up all around us, like the new Dune films and Netflix’s upcoming take on The Magician’s Nephew, it begs the question: how do we approach book-to-film adaptations?

Join special guest Brad Pauquette and host Noah J. Matthews in a casual discussion about how we really should think about book-to-movie adaptations.

Brad is both the director at The Company (an apprenticeship program for Christian writers) and the bestselling author of The Novel Matrix.

Noah is an author and developmental editor at The Pearl magazine. He shares a birthday with his debut fantasy western Outlaw Blood: a book that’s got people wondering–can outlaws really be forgiven?

Join Brad and Noah as they sit down and hash out:

So sit back, grab your hot takes and favorite book-to-film adaptation, and listen in on a story show for readers that’s showing you the curious side of Kingdom literature.

SHOW NOTES:

Lawless, developed by Alli Prince (Sponsor): https://amzn.to/4kUWbJd

Brad Pauquette (Guest): https://bradpauquette.com ; https://writers.company

Noah J. Matthews (Host): https://noahjmatthews.com

The post How Do We Approach Book Adaptations? (Episode 05) appeared first on The Pearl.

What would it feel like to be banished? To know, your whole life, that your parents had been banished from their big home in Manhattan to a tiny farm in Ontario–all because they remained loyal to the Crown.

Imagine fighting back as the Americans raided Canada–finally a chance to get back at those who had banished your family! Imagine losing that war, watching it slip away like water through your fingers.

Is it any wonder then that Peter Matthews took up arms against his own Mother Canada when her laws turned as oppressive as those America?

Listen on the edge of your seat as Noah J. Matthews narrates this gritty historical fiction story–the story of a father joining a rebellion to protect his children. Though creative liberty has been taken with the story, its core is historical fact.

Noah is an author and editor at The Pearl magazine. His fantasy western Outlaw Blood has people reeling from its unique worldbuilding and themes on justice and shame.

So sit back, grab a coffee and a ready imagination, and listen to a gritty, curiously good piece of Kingdom literature.

SHOW NOTES:

Fantastical Summer, developed by Vella Karman (Sponsor): https://amzn.to/43OSbo2

Noah J. Matthews (Host): https://noahjmatthews.com

Red Like Blood by Noah J. Matthews (Story): https://pearlmag.co/red-like-blood

The post AUDIO FICTION: Red Like Blood by Noah J. Matthews (Episode 04) appeared first on The Pearl.

What do men want out of a story? Just bloody fight scenes and cheesy one-liners? Or maybe is it something a bit deeper?

Join special guest Brad Pauquette and host Noah J. Matthews in a casual discussion about what men really want out of a story.

Brad is a publishing expert, author, and director at The Company, an apprenticeship program for Christian writers. His bestselling book The Novel Matrix has over ninety Amazon reviews and has helped dozens of people make their novel writing dreams come true.

Noah is an author and editor at The Pearl magazine. He’s the current recurring host on the podcast and the former managing editor of The Pearl. His fantasy western Outlaw Blood has people reeling from its take on justice and overcoming our pasts.

Join Brad and Noah as they sit down and hash out:

So sit back, grab your hot takes and favorite book, and listen in on a story show for readers that’s showing you the curious side of Kingdom literature.

SHOW NOTES:

Outlaw Blood by Noah J. Matthews (Sponsor): https://amzn.to/3TrOPRP

Brad Pauquette (Guest): https://bradpauquette.com ; https://writers.company

Noah J. Matthews (Host): https://noahjmatthews.com

The post What Do Men Want in Stories? (Episode 03) appeared first on The Pearl.

Imagine riding through the forest with a legion of soldiers–wind at your back, you’re ready to kick butt on the battlefield.

Then suddenly all your men unsheathe their swords and turn their razor points toward your chest. You’re stabbed until you can hardly breathe, left bleeding on the forest moss only a few miles from camp.

This is where the short story “The Betrayal” by Anna Garner begins–with a lost, dying, angry man bleeding his life out in the middle of the forest.

Listen on the edge of your seat as Noah J. Matthews narrates this gritty story in one take.

Noah is an author and editor at The Pearl magazine. He’s the current recurring host on the podcast and the former managing editor of The Pearl. His fantasy western Outlaw Blood has people reeling from its take on justice and overcoming our pasts.

So sit back, grab a coffee and a ready imagination, and listen to a gritty, curiously good piece of Kingdom literature.

SHOW NOTES:

Lawless, developed by Alli Prince (Sponsor): https://amzn.to/4kUWbJd

Noah J. Matthews (Host): https://noahjmatthews.com

The Betrayal by Anna Garner (Story): https://pearlmag.co/the-betrayal/

The post Audio Fiction: The Betrayal by Anna Garner (Episode 02) appeared first on The Pearl.

If you’re dying to know the sauce that makes the short stories you love sizzle, this episode is for you.

Join special guest Brad Pauquette and host Noah J. Matthews in a casual discussion about what makes for a great short story.

Brad is a publishing expert, author, and director at The Company, an apprenticeship program for Christian writers. His bestselling book The Novel Matrix has over ninety Amazon reviews and has helped dozens of people make their novel writing dreams come true.

Noah is an author and editor at The Pearl magazine. He’s the current recurring host on the podcast and the former managing editor of The Pearl. His fantasy western Outlaw Blood has people reeling from its take on justice and overcoming our pasts.

Join Brad and Noah as they sit down and hash out:

So sit back, grab your hot takes and favorite book, and listen in on a story show for readers that’s showing you the curious side of Kingdom literature.

SHOW NOTES:

The Novel Matrix by Brad Pauquette (Sponsor): https://amzn.to/4jtdu2Z

Brad Pauquette (Guest): https://bradpauquette.com ; https://writers.company

Noah J. Matthews (Host): https://noahjmatthews.com

The post What Even Makes for a Good Short Story? (Episode 01) appeared first on The Pearl.