Phillips, Michael R. 1946–
Phillips, Michael R. 1946–
(Michael Ray Phillips)
PERSONAL: Born December 13, 1946, in Arcata, CA; son of Denver C. (a businessman) and Eloise (a bookkeeper; maiden name, Clark) Phillips; married Judy Margaret Carter (a teacher), October 24, 1971; children: Robin and Patrick (twin sons), Gregory. Education: Attended Lincoln University, 1964; Humboldt State University, B.S. (magna cum laude), 1969, graduate study, 1984–. Religion: Christian.
ADDRESSES: Home—Eureka, CA. Office—MacDonaldPhillips.com, P.O. Box 7003, Eureka, CA 95502.
CAREER: One Way BookShop, Eureka, CA, president and general manager, 1970–. Founder, president, and general manager of One Way Ltd. (Christian book stores), Santa Rosa, CA, and North Bend, OR.
WRITINGS:
NONFICTION
A Christian Family in Action, Bethany House (Minneapolis, MN), 1977.
Growth of a Vision, One Way (Eureka, CA), 1977.
Does Christianity Make Sense?, Victor Books (Wheaton, IL), 1978.
Blueprint for Raising a Child, Logos International (Plainfield, NJ), 1978.
Control Through Planned Budgeting: An Alternative Approach to Inventory Control and Ordering Procedures in the Christian Bookstore, Sunrise Books (Eureka, CA), 1978.
A Survival Guide for Tough Times, Bethany House (Minneapolis, MN), 1979.
A Vision for the Church, Sunrise Books, 1981.
Building Respect, Responsibility, and Spiritual Values in Your Child, Bethany House (Minneapolis, MN), 1981.
Getting More Done in Less Time, and Having More Fun Doing It, Bethany House (Minneapolis, MN), 1982.
(With Jim Ryun) In Quest of Gold: The Jim Ryun Story, Harper & Row (San Francisco, CA), 1984.
George MacDonald: Scotland's Beloved Storyteller, Bethany House (Minneapolis, MN), 1987, published as George MacDonald: A Biography of Scotland's Beloved Storyteller, 2005.
Good Things to Remember: 333 Wise Maxims You Don't Want to Forget, Bethany House (Minneapolis, MN), 1993.
A God to Call Father: Discovering Intimacy with God, Tyndale House (Wheaton, IL), 1994.
(With wife, Judy Phillips) Best Friends for Life, Bethany House (Minneapolis, MN), 1997.
(With Robin Hamlyn) William Blake: The Complete Illuminated Books (catalog), Abrams (New York, NY), 2001.
God, a Good Father, Destiny Image (Shippensburg, PA), 2001.
Jesus, an Obedient Son, Destiny Image (Shippensburg, PA), 2002.
Make Me like Jesus: The Courage to Pray Dangerously, WaterBrook Press (Colorado Springs, CO), 2003.
Your Life in Christ: The Nature of God and His Work in Human Hearts, Bethany House (Minneapolis, MN), 2005.
FICTION
Pinnacles of Power, Moody Press (Chicago, IL), 1991.
Depths of Destiny, Moody Press (Chicago, IL), 1992.
Into the Long Dark Night, Bethany House (Minneapolis, MN), 1992.
Sea to Shining Sea, Bethany House (Minneapolis, MN), 1992.
The Eleventh Hour, Tyndale House (Wheaton, IL), 1993.
Grayfox, Bethany House (Minneapolis, MN), 1993.
Land of the Brave and the Free, Bethany House (Minneapolis, MN), 1993.
Escape to Freedom, Tyndale House (Wheaton, IL), 1994.
A Home for the Heart, Bethany House (Minneapolis, MN), 1994.
Dawn of Liberty, Tyndale House (Wheaton, IL), 1995.
The Braxtons of Miracle Springs, Bethany House (Minneapolis, MN), 1996.
Mercy & Eagleflight, Tyndale House (Wheaton, IL), 1996.
A Dangerous Love, Tyndale House (Wheaton, IL), 1997.
A New Beginning, Bethany House (Minneapolis, MN), 1997.
A Rift in Time, Tyndale House (Wheaton, IL), 1997.
The Garden at the Edge of Beyond, Bethany House (Minneapolis, MN), 1998.
Wild Grows the Heather in Devon, Bethany House (Minneapolis, MN), 1998.
Heathersleigh Homecoming, Bethany House (Minneapolis, MN), 1999.
Legend of the Celtic Stone, Bethany House (Minneapolis, MN), 1999.
Wayward Winds, Bethany House (Minneapolis, MN), 1999.
An Ancient Strife, Bethany House (Minneapolis, MN), 2000.
Hidden in Time (sequel to Rift in Time), Tyndale House (Wheaton, IL), 2000.
A New Dawn over Devon, Bethany House (Minneapolis, MN), 2001.
Destiny Junction, Destiny Image (Shippensburg, PA), 2002.
Angels Watching over Me ("Shenandoah Sisters" series), Bethany House (Minneapolis, MN), 2003.
A Day to Pick Your Own Cotton ("Shenandoah Sisters" series), Bethany House (Minneapolis, MN), 2003.
Kings Crossroads: A Parable of the Cross, Destiny Image (Shippensburg, PA), 2003.
The Color of Your Skin Ain't the Color of Your Heart ("Shenandoah Sisters" series), Bethany House (Minneapolis, MN), 2004.
Together Is All We Need, Bethany House (Minneapolis, MN), 2004.
Dream of Freedom, Tyndale House (Wheaton, IL), 2005.
A Perilous Proposal: Novel, Bethany House (Minneapolis, MN), 2005.
Dream of Life, Tyndale House (Carol Stream, IL), 2006.
The Soldier's Lady, Bethany House (Minneapolis, MN), 2006.
WITH JUDITH PELLA
The Heather Hills of Stonewycke, Bethany House (Minneapolis, MN), 1985.
Flight From Stonewycke, Bethany House (Minneapolis, MN), 1985.
Lady of Stonewycke, Bethany House (Minneapolis, MN), 1985.
Return to Stonewycke, 1985.
Jamie MacLeod, Highland Lass, Bethany House (Minneapolis, MN), 1987.
Robbie Taggart, Highland Sailor, Bethany House (Minneapolis, MN), 1987.
Stranger at Stonewycke, Bethany House (Minneapolis, MN), 1987.
Shadows over Stonewycke, Bethany House (Minneapolis, MN), 1988.
Treasure of Stonewycke, Bethany House (Minneapolis, MN), 1988.
Daughter of Grace, Bethany House (Minneapolis, MN), 1990.
My Father's World, Bethany House (Minneapolis, MN), 1990.
The Crown and the Crucible, Bethany House (Minneapolis, MN), 1991.
On the Trail of the Truth, Bethany House (Minneapolis, MN), 1991.
A Place in the Sun, Bethany House (Minneapolis, MN), 1991.
A House Divided, Bethany House (Minneapolis, MN), 1992.
Travail and Triumph, Bethany House (Minneapolis, MN), 1992.
Heirs of the Motherland, Bethany House (Minneapolis, MN), 1993.
The Dawning of Deliverance, Bethany House (Minneapolis, MN), 1995.
White Nights, Red Morning, Bethany House (Minneapolis, MN), 1996.
The Stonewycke Trilogy (contains The Heather Hills of Stonewycke, Flight From Stonewycke, and Lady of Stonewycke), Inspirational Press (New York, NY), 1996.
The Stonewycke Legacy, three volumes, Inspirational Press (New York, NY), 1997.
Passage into Light, Bethany House (Minneapolis, MN), 1998.
EDITOR
George MacDonald, At the Back of the North Wind (juvenile), Harper & Row (San Francisco, CA), 1985.
Ralph Connor, Jim Craig's Battle for Black Rock, Sunrise Books (Eureka, CA), 1988.
Ralph Connor, Thomas Skyler, Foothills Preacher, Sunrise Books (Eureka, CA), 1988.
Harold Bell Wright, The Shepherd of the Hills, Bethany House (Minneapolis, MN), 1988.
Harold Bell Wright, The Least of These My Brothers, Bethany House (Minneapolis, MN), 1989.
George MacDonald, Discovering the Character of God (collection), Bethany House (Minneapolis, MN), 1989.
Harold Bell Wright, A Higher Call, Bethany House (Minneapolis, MN), 1990.
George MacDonald, A Time to Grow: Inspiring Devotional Selections from the Writings of George MacDonald, Bethany House (Minneapolis, MN), 1991.
George MacDonald, A Time to Harvest: Inspiring Devotional Selections from the Writings of George MacDonald, Bethany House (Minneapolis, MN) 1991.
EDITOR; NOVELS BY GEORGE MACDONALD
Malcolm, Bethany House (Minneapolis, MN), 1980, 2001.
The Fisherman's Lady, Bethany House (Minneapolis, MN), 1982.
The Marquis's Secret, Bethany House (Minneapolis, MN), 1982.
The Baronet's Song, Bethany House (Minneapolis, MN), 1983.
The Shepherd's Castle, Bethany House (Minneapolis, MN), 1983.
The Tutor's First Love, Bethany House (Minneapolis, MN), 1984.
The Musician's Quest, Bethany House (Minneapolis, MN), 1984.
The Maiden's Bequest, Bethany House (Minneapolis, MN), 1984.
Paul Faber, Surgeon, Bethany House (Minneapolis, MN), 1985.
The Thomas Wingfold, Curate, Bethany House (Minneapolis, MN), 1985.
The Curate's Awakening, Bethany House (Minneapolis, MN), 1985.
The Baron's Apprenticeship, Bethany House (Minneapolis, MN), 1986.
The Highlander's Last Song, Bethany House (Minneapolis, MN), 1986.
The Lady's Confession, Bethany House (Minneapolis, MN), 1986.
The Gentlewoman's Choice, Bethany House (Minneapolis, MN), 1987.
The Laird's Inheritance, Bethany House (Minneapolis, MN), 1987.
A Daughter's Devotion, Bethany House (Minneapolis, MN), 1988.
The Minister's Restoration, Bethany House (Minneapolis, MN), 1988.
The Peasant Girl's Dream, Bethany House (Minneapolis, MN), 1988.
The Landlady's Master, Bethany House (Minneapolis, MN), 1989.
The Poet's Homecoming, Bethany House (Minneapolis, MN), 1990.
Alec Forbes and His Friend Annie, Bethany House (Minneapolis, MN), 1990.
The Wee Sir Gibbie of the Highlands, Bethany House (Minneapolis, MN), 1990.
The Adventures of Ranald Bannerman, Bethany House (Minneapolis, MN), 1991.
The Curate of Glaston: Three Dramatic Novels from Scotland's Beloved Storyteller, Bethany House (Minneapolis, MN), 2002.
The Poet and the Pauper, Bethany House (Minneapolis, MN), 2002.
SIDELIGHTS: Michael R. Phillips is the author and editor of many books and coauthor with Judith Pella of many more, including the "Stonewycke" series. Phillips and his wife, Judy, founded the One Way BookShop while students at Humboldt University. They carried Christian titles, and Phillips soon began writing his own books, first offering advice to Christian families, and then about other topics important to his faith. His books have sold in the millions, and he has written nonfiction inspirational books, as well as novels, many of them in series. Because they home school their three boys, they can travel as a family as Phillips visits bookstores and readers across the country.
Phillips, who according to his Web site, is descended from Scottish royalty, discovered the writing of fellow Scot George MacDonald in the 1970s. The Victorian author, described by G.K. Chesterton as "one of the three or four greatest men of the nineteenth century," was an inspiration to many notable authors of his time, but he is largely unknown today. He was a friend to Mark Twain, and the two planned a collaborative novel that unfortunately never developed, and which would have been interesting considering the differences in the two men. MacDonald was a devout Christian whose faith touched many during his literary career. Phillips began to edit MacDonald's dialect-laden novel Malcolm, but it was years before he found a publisher. The edited version was such a success that Phillips continued editing MacDonald books so that they would be accessible to contemporary readers, entering into what would become a lifetime project. He has written studies of MacDonald, as well as a biography, George MacDonald: Scotland's Beloved Storyteller.
Other nonfiction books include Make Me like Jesus: The Courage to Pray Dangerously, in which Phillips reveals that for more than three decades, he has prayed to become like Christ. He writes of his own path in his spiritual development and suggests choices that others might follow. A Publishers Weekly contributor noted that this volume is not for beginners, but for "mature Christians … but they will be richly rewarded by the profound simplicity of this book."
Among Phillips's series is one that begins with The Garden at the Edge of Beyond, set in the late nineteenth century. The protagonist is Charles Rutherford, a man who wakes to find himself in an alternate world where he is able to discuss theology with characters who could be MacDonald and C.S. Lewis. In Wild Grows the Heather in Devon, his wife, Jocelyn, is ashamed of a birthmark and stays on their estate. Jocelyn also experiences a religious conversion that makes their marriage stronger, but Amanda, one of their three children, rejects their faith and begins to separate from them. In the follow-up, Wayward Winds, Amanda Rutherford marries a man she knows would be unacceptable to her parents and soon finds out that she does not know him as well as she thought she did. Melissa Hudak noted in the Library Journal that "readers of historical fiction should find much to enjoy here."
Rift in Time finds British archeologist Adam Livingstone torn between his science and his faith. Adam discovers biblical artifacts, including Noah's Ark, and then searches for the Garden of Eden, but terrorist forces try to prevent him from accomplishing his mission and proving the truth of the Bible. Adam is aided by Juliet Halsay, the niece of his housekeeper, and whose parents were recently killed by a terrorist bomb. Hudak wrote that "this exciting thriller should appeal to most readers." In the sequel, Hidden in Time, Adam and his team are bringing the ark down from Mount Arafat and planning to seek the ark of the covenant.
The "Shenandoah Sisters" series begins with Angels Watching over me, the story of two teen girls, one black, one white, who are orphaned during the Civil War and who form a bond for survival. Mayme is the slave who finds refuge on Katie's plantation. They decide to keep the death of Katie's parents secret until Katie is old enough to inherit the property. In A Day to Pick Your Own Cotton, the next book of the series, the task of day-to-day living is described, as are threats to the girls' safety. The series concludes with The Color of Your Skin Ain't the Color of Your Heart.
Phillips told CA: "I am a Christian who first began writing with an emphasis on Christian didactic nonfiction. As I have progressed and deepened as a writer, however, I have realized the limitations of such a genre and have therefore turned to other forms. My edited work of George MacDonald's novels, as well as the original fiction I am now publishing, are additional means for communicating the basic truths in which I believe. My desire as a writer and editor is to convey truth from a Christian perspective. I do not intend to propagate any form of narrow religious dogma, but I do intend my writing to reflect the broad scope of right, truth, and integrity which is so lacking in much of what is being published today.
"I would not say, however, that this represents the actual reason 'why' I am a writer. Like most writers, I suppose, I am the sort of person who is driven to express, to communicate. I love to write, to make sense of complex issues and ideas, and to communicate those notions in an enjoyable format. I would write whether I was a Christian or not. I am not on a divine mission to the world. I am an author because writing and seeking truth are what make me the person I am. My motivation is to entertain and give pleasure, but it cannot be helped (and I would not alter it if it could) that my world view, which is necessarily Christian, comes through in the characters I create.
"At present I view myself as a novelist, biographer, and historian, and I feel that it is in these areas where my true abilities may lie. My intention at present is to continue writing novels, both historical and contemporary, with an occasional biography now and then.
"My highest priorities are my wife and family, which—along with the management of my business—come even ahead of my writing, notwithstanding the output I have been able to generate as a writer. A commitment to my family is the source from which everything else comes.
"I have traveled extensively, in both the United States and Europe, and I have studied German and French. As a result of my work on MacDonald's novels, I am interested in Scotland and plan to return to Europe for historical background and future writing. I intend to write much more Scottish and European historical fiction."
BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:
PERIODICALS
Booklist, October 1, 1998, John Mort, review of The Garden at the Edge of Beyond, p. 294.
Christian Reader, September, 2000, review of Rift in Time, p. 6.
Library Journal, April 1, 1997, Melissa Hudak, review of A Dangerous Love, p. 80; February 1, 1998, Melissa Hudak, review of A Rift in Time, p. 72; June 1, 1998, Melissa Hudak, review of Wild Grows the Heather in Devon, p. 96; September 1, 1998, Melissa Hudak, review of The Garden at the Edge of Beyond, p. 164; April 1, 1999, Melissa Hudak, review of Wayward Winds, p. 82.
National Review, February 24, 1989, James E. Person, Jr., review of George MacDonald: Scotland's Beloved Storyteller, p. 59.
Publishers Weekly, November 11, 2002, review of Angels Watching over Me, p. 41; January 13, 2003, review of Make Me like Jesus: The Courage to Pray Dangerously, p. 57.
ONLINE
Michael R. Phillips Home Page, http://www.macdonaldphillips.com (February 8, 2006).