Into the Fire

Why I write contemporary . . .

You know it’s difficult to explain sometimes why I’ve never liked history. It’s not because I find it “boring” or because I don’t appreciate what’s gone on before me. On the contrary, history happens everyday. We step on the current pathway through the eternal journey every single moment of our lives. Whether or not we truly contribute to this ordeal on planet earth depends upon our involvement in eternal things.

 

One of my favorite play times as a young girl was “pioneers”. Creating trading posts on my best friend’s back porch, constructing storylines to weather the struggles of our make believe wagon trains, and either fighting or befriending the Indians occupied many hours of our young lives. In our innocence those times were romanticized and so much fun.

 

Maybe I don’t like history because it addresses over and over again the inevitable horrors of man’s inhumanity to man. Those without a clear picture of our Lord insist mankind improves. But this is in no way demonstrated either by history or in the present day. Our weapons of destruction simply become more intricate and sophisticated but accomplish the same goals. Today’s means of extracting truth from the most wicked of men uses complex medicinal agents or some intensely painful measures which threaten surefire death without cooperation instead of grisly chambers of horrible machines designed to separate skin and organs from skeletal structure.

 

As my regular readers know, I write primarily about relationship. Relationship between man and woman, and humanity and God. Included within that conundrum comes love, romance and sex, and the contrasts in those when viewed through the secular eye or through the superior eye of God. And what a contrast it is. 

 

Mankind is evil at his core, so I must deal with what I can in myself and in others. Today. I write what is current in my world. Changes happen swiftly or they occur at the proverbial “snail’s pace”. Each day presents potential joy, trauma, tragedy, or triumph. And although the mechanics of our world have progressed to “technology”, nothing else has really changed. It’s interesting to note that my contemporary writing of today will one day be regarded as historical.

 

One thing is for sure: relationship and love will remain eternal. They transcend time and distance. They have been at the source of basic human need. Planted by our eternal Creator to draw us to Himself, humankind often supplants the link to a Savior with idols of all kinds. History proves this. And so do these contemporary times.

 

Lord, you’ve given me today. Today I have the opportunity and the privilege to do your will. Please help me to do this faithfully. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

Sunday's Offerings

Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Hebrews 12:3 (NIV)

Admit it!

 

I have a tender heart that is easily bruised and broken. I can cry over a commercial, a card, a gift, a story, an animal, or when certain men cry, I wilt into tears. I cry over rejection, and I cry over praise. It stings for days if I’m the recipient of unkind words or misunderstood. I weep in prayer and often in worship.

 

So . . . it might seem incongruent to you when I admit to watching all the CSIs, Bones, Criminal Minds and the like. However, I never watch horror films. I’ve read a few of CBA’s current offerings that touch on horror by Ted Dekker, Travis Thrasher, Mike Dellosso, and Steven James even though they’re categorized in the thriller genre—which they are.

 

I’m not into sci-fi, vampires, werewolves, zombies, or fantasy figures and their landscapes.

 

I write contemporary fiction and rarely read historical fiction and even more rarely read non-fiction.

 

Who should determine what I prefer? No offense intended here because I’m trying to make an important point in the world of writing and reading. The answer to my question is quite succinctly: certainly not you. What I write or what I read becomes a matter for the Lord and me. He’s far more capable to issue a valid warning to me than you are. Yes, I can choose not to listen, not to heed His caution, but that still makes it between Him and me. The ultimate result of our exchange produced in my writing or reading is purposeful.

 

I write for adults who desire to read contemporary Christian fiction. I don’t write for those who enjoy Prairie Romance or the Amish/Mennonite categories of fiction. That’s not to say those genres don’t have a lot to offer their readers. What it does say is my audience is not geared to the majority of those readers’ tastes and preferences.

 

Too many readers desire to enforce their preferences and standards on other readers and writers. They send harsh emails or letters to authors and publishers without considering that any other opinions matter, ignoring or passing judgment on the authors’ relationship with Jesus Christ. I can’t tell you how wrong I think this is. One of the most beautiful aspects of walking with Jesus is the fact that it’s an individual relationship. He takes us along at our own pace, and the Spirit reveals the heart of every matter in our lives. It isn’t our job or our duty to point out what we perceive as the failures of an individual we don’t even know.

 

Does this mean we shouldn’t or “can’t” be offended by novels we read—or stop reading? No. You’re entitled to your opinion, but your opinion is not entitled to determine someone else’s opinion.

 

Once again this brings us back to reviews. I tell you why I love, like, or dislike a novel when I choose to review them. You don’t have to agree. You can tell me why you feel the opposite of how I feel, but don’t think your opinion is more valid than my own. It’s either “neither” or “both” are important. They’re no more than opinions based on personal preferences—we both merit an opinion.

 

Admit what you like and what you don’t. It’s okay if done respectfully. There are reasons we’re different, and God chooses how to use those differences for His glory, not our own.

 

Simply, in the Name of Jesus, Amen.  

Wednesday Words . . .

We haven't done this for awhile . . .

woe

worship

wallop

winsome

wap

whip

wallowing

wander

wicked

wish, wishful

wistful

wisp

whack

wacky

waver

weapon

warfare

wan

weasel

Just a few of my "w" favorites . . .

Lord, you defy words. There aren't enough accurate or large enough to depict who you are. You surpass all that we can offer. Thank you for your love in spite of us. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

If you've blogged . . .

. . . for long enough, you've no doubt experienced the potential downside to the gig.

Some blog writers wouldn't know how to incite anyone to anger if they tried, but others of us do it occasionally without even trying. I don't think anyone can comment on politics these days without incurring somebody's wrath, so I post ***warnings*** if I plan to air some pent up frustrations and intense dislikes for the state of the present administration. I admit to being surprised at a couple of irate comments leveled at me for book reviews and miscellaneous posts.

People seem to plant themselves on both sides of the fence in regard to posts and comments, some reminding us all that sarcasm or irony can't always be "heard" in cyberspace. I haven't decided if I agree with that statement. They expound on the danger of our wildfire tongues inciting people, to watch our words, and to basically be kind and gentle--or in other words: don't make waves.

This presents a potential problem for passionate people like me with strong opinions born of core issues. I'm not advocating being unkind, sarcastic, mean-spirited, or ugly with words. I am in favor of presenting ourselves as real people. In the process of doing so we should be mindful of offense but not driven by avoiding it. Jesus said some pretty offensive words to the Pharisees, but understand the reason I bring this up here. Jesus wasn't all soft and squishy like some would have us picture Him. Heavy on the Love and Grace, light on the Just and Judge. And neither am I comparing our measly blog topics to the life and death pronouncements of our Savior.

Writers of blogs choose their weapons with their words. Sweetness and light or dour and dark or anything in between. I think it's important when visiting blogs to take the overall tone of the blog into consideration before shooting out a comment never to return. Especially if your comment is negative. People do sometimes elect to rant on their own blogs and should be given that freedom. No one is coerced to visit there. And one blog post usually doesn't wholely identify or define the individual who writes it.

So. Or so what? Be reasonable. Keep a sense of humor. Let people be who they are. Each one of us will give an account to God.

Lord, help us to reflect your light, truth, and justice, complemented by your grace. Apart from you, we can do nothing. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

  

The Real Evolution

 

Some writers resonate academician precision before they attempt their first project. They’re well-read, methodical, strive for excellence in anything related to words—whether it’s teaching, reading, listening, writing. Some of these writers invariably become what is referred to as “literary” writers because the way words ultimately come together to create story matters almost more than the story itself.

 

Other writers serve story. The greater the story, the greater the journey in writing it. They can be outliners or strobe their fast-moving plots along by the quaint term “seat-of-the-pants” writers. Move it, move it, move it—they push those words onto the page and surf the words like a giant curl. Those words look like just another great wave to them, and they don’t mess with them to any great degree other than to ride them out to the end of that story, hoping for the perfect ending to “shooting the curl”.

 

Others of us fit somewhere in between these types of writers. Some plug away with a careful outline, some of us tap away at our keyboards wondering what these characters are up to next.

 

In the midst of these styles, efforts, and unique perspectives, novels get written. If the authors write enough of these novels, something else happens. The real evolution. Authors get better, improve, graduate to some ill-defined next level. Given enough opportunities, the evolution of writing occurs. And amazingly enough, it doesn’t take fabricated billions of years, a ridiculous mythological carbon footprint, or an unreliable carbon dating system, and it doesn’t take an imaginary, unscientific means of measuring the process. It simply takes place because most authors pay attention to what works for them, what once might have worked but no longer does, where they want to travel to become the writer they hope to be . . . someday, and whatever now influences them to include in their own work.

 

Some of us know we will never implement those styles of some writers we admire. Perhaps we write in another genre and know we’ll not be trespassing into an area where our skills limit us. We sit at our computers and silently wish we could do what they do but settle for what we do. And then try to do our best. There will always be somebody better than us at what we do. I think coming to that realization is a positive rather than a negative. To some degree it takes the pressure off. Isn’t there enough pressure to perform in this world? Who needs more of the same? Well—maybe pressure is your motivator. For me, the comparison nature of that kind of motivation leaves me silenced and wordless and unproductive.

 

Simple adventures into first person Point of View—or second or third person or omniscient POVs if never attempted—mark a new adventure for an author. Evolving into a different approach to the similar story patterns make movement in storytelling new and hopefully effective for the faithful readers.

 

Our local discount Christian bookstore at the mall has become a great place to buy books. Although they get the New Releases, they also stock the warehouse overruns from all kinds of well known and not so well known authors from past to present. Their sales are fabulous, and the majority of stock in the store is usually carrying some kind of sales tag. It’s not unusual to get a regular-priced $12 to $14.99 trade paper novel for $4 to $5.99 or even a hardcover for anywhere from $5.97 to $7.97. I don’t quite know why it’s comforting to see the best authors with these discount sales tags on their wonderful novels. The point here is if you go back to the original novels of multi-published authors after having read their newest books, oftentimes you can see how their writing journey evolved. They’ve changed. Maybe you like the change and maybe you don’t, but chances are if you’re reading their older novels, and by that I mean several years old, you’ll be a witness to their growth.

 

The real evolution remains personal. We change. We hope we improve. We take on new perspectives, implement new approaches, and we learn sometimes by what we don’t like in ourselves or what we do like in others. This is the real evolution of a writer.

 

Father, keep workin’ on me. That’s all I got to say. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

Sunday's Offerings

Lord, I have heard of your fame;

I stand in awe of your deeds, O Lord.

Renew them in our day,

in our time make them known;

in wrath remember mercy.

Habakkuk 3:2 (NIV)

Prayers . . .

As in yours. I need them. Anyone who the Lord leads to pray for me: please do. It's a simple request, not earth shaking in the big scheme but I know the value of your prayers will be measurable and immeasurable in my life.

I've just re-read one of the novels I started but haven't finished last year. And was pleased. Hallelujah! So . . . I'm asking you who are so inclined to help me finish the novel by praying for me if the Lord brings me to mind.

Prayer makes the difference. I speak from experience. I've been blessed by the prayers of friends and strangers, and those prayers propelled me on in finishing books.

I'd be honored if you'd consider praying for me--however the Lord asks.

There are far greater and more important issues in your lives which require your attention and prayers. I in no way want to usurp your time or efforts that you don't have the time or energy to give. If the Lord brings me to mind, remember me in the Spirit.

Father, thank you for your people. Thank you for motivating all of us to seek after you, to pray for your actions, directions, affirmations. You are all I'm livin' for . . . In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

True Confessions

 

I wrote my sixth novel titled The Fixer with commercial appeal in mind. My sole purpose and aim was to squeeze and squish the story into the 80-100,000 word count. And although I succeeded, it was a miserable adventure with characters who I felt were short-changed in the process of writing it. And even though I enjoyed those characters, this little romance, which includes the trials of three striking sisters who were the illegitimate daughters of a famous photographer and his favorite model, the audience for this book wouldn’t include me, if I was shopping for a new book.

 

That’s a fine howdy-do, don’t ya think? No, it isn’t. How can we write a story to please an audience which doesn’t include ourselves? What I’ve come to realize as I’ve been trimming it down even more is I did write a commercial romance novel which would probably appeal to some of those readers who’ve liked the novels to which I’ve given either a negative or “bleh” review.

 

The novel is what it is, you know? It’s not what it should be. Because I don’t write these tidy little books with trim characters. I forced my writing to accommodate a requirement which inhibited the way I work, what I believe in, and how I write. The process was uncomfortable, no fun, and I’m not pleased with the result. If I hadn’t started two more novels to which I need to return, I’d blow The Fixer wide open and let those three sisters and their guys out of their restrictive cages.

 

Authors give writers all kinds of instructions. “Write what you know.” “Write from your heart.” “Write your passion.” Whatever. My exercise in compliance failed I’m not happy to say. Maybe that’s why I’m a rebel. Cue: “I gotta be me.”

 

Lord, you know me. You go before me. You give me my place in this world. Let me honor you in the process of becoming a better me. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

A different view of . . . The Pastor's Wife

 

Okay then. The Pastor’s Wife by Jennifer AlLee, published by the new fiction arm of Abingdon Press, is up this week for the CFBA Tour. To begin this review it’s only fair for me to tell my blog readers that this is not my kind of novel, and I am not the intended audience for this book. It’s my own fault for selecting it from the blurb. A simple misunderstanding on my part.

 

This short novel, The Pastor’s Wife, will appeal to those ladies who enjoy the stories offered by the Love Inspired line or to those readers who will be entertained by the story of a pastor, his estranged wife, and the congregation of a church in a small town community in Ohio. Perhaps it will minister to those pastors’ wives who struggle with their position(s) and/or role(s) in the church.

 

Maura Sullivan apparently had no idea what to expect when she married the young pastor Nick Shepherd. Almost immediately the young couple takes off on their way to Granger, Ohio, from her home in California when Nick is offered an associate position under an aging pastor. Before too long he becomes the head pastor, and suddenly Maura no longer seems to have a husband. The needs of the congregation overshadow her needs, and when she faces a crisis and calls to ask her husband to come home, he basically tells her he isn’t able to make it home right then but he’ll be home as soon as he can. She leaves him a “Dear John” note and returns to her dad’s place in California.

 

Six years of separation later she must return to Granger for the reading of a will after the death of a parishioner, Miss Hattie Granger. Within that will Maura and Nick learn of certain unexpected and alarming requirements they must make if they hope to reap the rewards of the generosity of the dead woman’s provision.

 

There’s no question young people can be full of exuberance, and along with that zeal certain ignorance and spiritual immaturity can accompany the desire to do the Lord’s work. Expectations might be impractical and impossible to execute, but people often push themselves or others to exceed those expectations. This story touches on the trouble created by trying to meet the needs of those who fill the pews before recognizing and attending to those held by the one who shares your bed.

 

Once again I had a problem with the female protagonist, no fault of the author’s. It’s not that Maura doesn’t “feel real”. It’s that in her trials she abandons God as if she has no idea that difficulties are inherent in a walk with the Lord and with marriage. I certainly understand her trying too hard to fill the unenviable shoes and the ill-defined role of “the pastor’s wife”, especially as a naïve young woman. However, the spiritual and age-wise immaturity of this couple gnawed at me from start to nearly finish along with their individual blindness to each other’s needs and traits which isn’t unusual in young-marrieds but seems to implode early in this self-centered relationship.

 

For those readers who want a church centered story with a different take on the troubles of a couple in the ministry ending in a satisfying conclusion, this quick read is the book for you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Father, you know Jennifer and have given her talents with which to honor you. I pray, Lord, that you would continue to provide the inspiration she needs to serve you. Bless her and fulfill her desires as she delights in you. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

Prolific Blogger Award

Just because it's kinda nice . . . The Prolific Blogger Award awarded to me from Rebecca Luella Miller after she won it.

To find out how she won it, go here: http://linktoink.blogspot.com/2009/11/new-awardand-new-design.html

Here are my award winners (in no particular order):

Rebecca Luella Miller: http://rebeccaluellamiller.wordpress.com/

Josh Olds: http://christian-critic.blogspot.com/

Mike Duran: http://mikeduran.com/

Kristen Torres-Toro: http://kristentorres-toro.blogspot.com/

Rachelle Gardner: http://cba-ramblings.blogspot.com/

Relz Reviewz:  http://www.relzreviewz.blogspot.com/

Tim George: http://www.tegeorge.com/unveiled/

Brandilyn Collins: http://www.forensicsandfaith.blogspot.com/

 

But really, look at my sidebar to visit some really good blogs by friends who don't post as often as I wish they would.

Father, may your blessings rest on each of these friends and your inspiration fill them up and sustain all of their efforts done for you. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

Preconceived Notions

 

I’m convinced it is a rare time when a professional in the publishing industry can go into a fresh piece of writing without preconceived notions. They tell us as much when they admit they’re looking for reasons to reject samples of manuscripts submitted to them rather than reasons to request more of said manuscripts. The rules of writing circulate repeatedly around the blogosphere with agents, editors, and those rare publishers who blog weighing in on the basic skills of how to write in order to ward off amateurish drivel which piles up in their emails.

 

Instructions for writing queries and proposals surface regularly on these blogs because the mass influx of new writers are just beginning to re-ask the same old questions we’ve all had to face and learn—and realize those answers are nearly all different. Introduction 101 to the subjectivity of the writing biz.

 

All the good intentions by professionals result in a few of the masses paying attention to the instructions while the majority of the writing masses do not. Amusing anecdotes appear on agents’, editors’, and publishers’ sites regarding submissions as a demonstration of the lack of forethought and total irresponsibility of some wannabe writers—a place where most of us who’ve been doing this for any amount of time started out. 

 

The various personalities of different professionals affect what they will and won’t tolerate, and, let’s face it, some doofus moves can create a smile from a number of them without also managing to irk them.

 

Writers are constantly reminded of the huge and laborious slush piles demanding the attentions of agents and editors. The bulk of submissions now lies in the laps of agents, who some publishers regard as the gateway to their world. Many of the limited number of proven agents are not taking on new authors because they’re swamped with the needs of the clientele they’ve built. It’s logical to assume that publishers might be returning to established authors for repeated success and diminishing their searches for newer writers. Diminishing—not eliminating.

 

As I remarked in a previous post, I might not be able to specifically diagnose why I love a book but can tell you precisely why I don’t like one. It is as such for many professionals when they say: I can tell what it is I’m looking for when I see it. That intangible something which makes them ask for more? For me it’s what makes me turn the pages of a novel with anticipation, stay up when my eyes burn, and exclaim “I love this book” to whoever will listen to such an ambiguous statement. The tricky and indefinable part of all this is the subjectivity factor. What I (or any professional) might love, you hate. And always vice versa.   

 

Preconceived notions? Even readers have them when picking up a new book by a favorite author. So it figures that professionals keep their own expectations either in full view or hidden in their preferences within the genre spots they seek. Plus, they’ve been molded to look for those stories and writers who fit their publishers’ “style”. While some publishers cover nearly every genre, many others do not. Some publishers have created a spot for outside-the-box niche books, i.e. literary novels. They’re willing to take chances on a small market book if it strikes their fancy—and probably if the author maintains an impressive platform.  

 

And just to show you how little good it sometimes does to make these preferences, instructions, warnings, and guidelines known: I attended a writers’ conference last year and made an appointment with an agent who couldn’t make the event due to illness. Another professional stepped in at the last minute to help eager writers feel like they hadn’t wasted their time and money. The conference information (and pre-conference pamphlet mailed to all attendees) gave the specific stipulations as to what this agent (and other professionals) wanted. Three of the five in attendance at my appointment presented pitches which didn’t fit into any category the agent had listed.

 

Preconceived notions? We all have them. Defining them can be a problem.

 

God, where we fail, you don’t. You choose to lead us, but we so seldom follow with our whole hearts. Forgive me for straying to wrong paths when I do. Lead me in your ways everlasting. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

Sunday's Offerings

"My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.  . . .  This is my command: Love each other."

John 15:12,17 (NIV)

Do you love?

 

Aahhh, Valentine’s Day. A day many men dread. And on which many more women become disappointed. Why? Because the expression of love sometimes has little to do with the depth of the emotion of love. And these are the two areas of love which are featured on Valentine’s Day.

 

There’s nothing “wrong” with Valentine’s Day because it’s supposed to celebrate the noble state of love. Biblical definitions of love make it untenable for humans because when humans become acquainted with love, it’s all about them. It becomes physical and emotional but rarely sacrificial.

 

Women pout if the objects of their affections are unimaginative, try to ignore the festivities of the Day, give the same ol’, same ol’ gifts as per the media suggestions. Rarely do one male and one female “celebrate” the Day with the same mind. Men have little time to shop for something “special” to tantalize their current squeezes or their mates in order to hop into bed for the proverbial red hot sex which is expected and promoted by all the hype.

 

All of which has little to do with the four letter word of “love”.

 

The definition(s) of Love? God is Love. Period. And within that tiny sentence is an explosion of meanings and realities that we humans cannot grasp, understand, or even imitate for the most part. We screwed up our part in it. Flat out blew it. And we’ve been playing catch-up ever since. “Playing” being the operative word.

 

And I think that’s one possible reason why, in general, men don’t particularly like Valentine’s Day. Because it reminds them of their inadequacies in loving. It taunts them for not understanding the needs of a woman, for the barrier that exists between the sexes, great or small, but visible and coherent even if unable to articulate.

 

I also think women tend to love the Day because it celebrates what they always hope to have, to experience, to breathe in, to know in its fullness. Yet it eludes them. The need for touch without consummation, the desire to be the only one their man thinks is beautiful, to be celebrated for their perfection which they are sorely short of in every sense of the word. The Day allows them the tease of “feeling” special. That one time a year.

 

And here’s where we falter. “Feeling” love and living love can be at opposite ends of love’s spectrum at times. While “feeling” love is wonderful, necessary, and sensuous with a mate, it plays only an innocuous part of the whole experience. It’s the “doing” love that becomes the challenge with the curves and twists and injuries life throws at us. I don’t need to diagram love for you. Read 1 Corinthians 13, the love chapter, if you need real definition.

 

Remember this, if you have any questions concerning true love: God is Love. And it’s only through Him that you can receive and give the real thing known as Love.

 

Happy Valentine’s Day.

 

 

Father, I am still learning. I am still trying. I love you with all my heart even though that heart often pursues you with such lacking. I need you, I'm desperate for you, and am a constant recipient and student of your love. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.   

Friday Five (with a special gift to me)

When I was in 6th grade, I received two or three giant Valentine boxes of candy from secret admirers on my desk at school. I mean the great big heart-shaped ones. One of them was a yellow box with a pretty flower on it. I think it stands out in my memory because yellow has always been my favorite color (black was added later, probably after life's bumps and bruises). I never found out who gave them to me.

I'm a "card" person. Hallmark, American Greetings, Leanin' Tree--doesn't matter. I think I got this inclination from my dad who always bought his family cards for every occasion. It takes time to find the just-right card for a person. The cards I've chosen have been known to produce a few tears in my husband's eyes (sshhh!) or have elicited belly laughs from friends. I've also stood in the aisle of a Hallmark shop and burst out laughing myself from some very clever card-smiths. Good cards really do say so much.

When I was a kid, girls still had to wear skirts/dresses to school. So a few of us girls wore shorts under our skirts so we could do cartwheels on the playground at recess.

In 6th grade I went steady with a boy by wearing a ring he gave me around my neck on a chain. We rarely saw each other even at school because we didn't have any classes together. We simply talked on the telephone, but it seems there were a lot of silent moments in our conversations. Funny . . .

My special gift? This humbling, total blessing for which I am so grateful. It came on a day when I was wrecked in the writing ditch, crashed by thoughts and needing the jaws of life to pull me out of maybe giving up. You know how we always talk about God's timing . . . Well, this was His perfection:

http://http://christian-critic.blogspot.com/2010/02/famous-one-nicole-petrino-salter.html#comments

Happy Valentine's Weekend. Remember: God Is Love.

  

On writing Romance . . .

Since it’s almost Valentine’s Day, I’ll tackle my bi-yearly topic from another angle.

Hmm. Being a writer of what I choose to call “non-traditional romance”, perhaps just to be difficult but mostly because my stories don’t fall into the traditional “norm” for CBA romance, I’ve realized that of all the genres it might just be easiest to write poorly when constructing a romance novel. I admit I read less of the genre now than when I began to write them, and from that beginning I’ve strayed noticeably from the more “proper” forms. The beautiful exception to that “norm” of old was Francine Rivers’ Redeeming Love setting the legendary benchmark for an amazing story with the accompanying writing to match.

I have to chuckle every time my friend Mike Duran mentions “romance” because it is invariably coupled with the adjective “sappy”. Now I question how much romance Mike has actually read in either ABA or CBA, but the point here rests in the perception of romance writing as being gooey, too sweet, formulaic, and concluding with perfect endings. Well . . . that’s not too far from the truth with a lot of category romance. Different publishers designate whatever restrictions they prefer in certain imprints for romance, but the larger CBA publishers truly are branching out and daring to allow such amazing stories as Lisa Samson’s The Passion of Mary-Margaret which artfully and without blanching creates a story dotted with sordid situations. Kristen Heitzmann writes strong and meaningful romance for Bethany House.

The changes I’ve noticed in recent romance writing which isn’t peculiar to the genre are heroines who have whiny tendencies, immature or abandoned faith issues which never quite get beyond shallow, self-absorbed personalities, and who seem not to have a clue what men are like, what they value, or where their struggles lie, and once they have conflict with them: they seem not to care about those very things. I know I can’t handle those kinds of characters in either gender or in any story unless the writer can somehow give them a more dimensional personality to draw out my concern for them.

These characters I just described have been visible in other genres but they’re usually less conspicuous or less important in them. Romance focuses its attention on the heroine and/or protagonist so if either of them or both are flawed to the point of irreconcilable differences between them and me, I usually fall just short of hating the book.

One reason I call my “stuff” non-traditional romance is because sexual issues play an important role in all of my novels. Unless an author writes for pre-teens, it seems disingenuous to leave out the challenges of sexual attraction in a romance novel. And since the world’s view of these attractions and reactive situations contrast to God’s view on this matter, worldly conduct plays out without judgment on the pages of my novels. And this is the precise reason I always seem to quantify who my audience is and who it isn’t. I have no idea why Christians get squeamish about sex as long as it’s not graphically portrayed since it is the physical means God ordained for committed people to share and enjoy their love. The multiple obstacles to this enjoyment involve all kinds of perplexities in the human psyche from perceptions to physical assaults, so the area lends itself to meaningful story material. Characters that face romantic circumstances must face sexual issues. Worldly characters and Christian characters handle situations differently, but it can be a genuine struggle for either depending on those situations.

Nevertheless, romance often suffers from cliché, from two dimensional men and women, and from formulaic writing with little imagination or unique style. Sometimes the “clean” factor is unrealistic, but its appeal services a particular group of readers. The more blatant writing about sexual issues in romance offends a portion of this group, some even to the point of harsh criticism.

I’ve concluded romance writing is difficult to make meaningful to readers like myself. I like pop and sizzle, real characters who demonstrate their humanity and their spirituality and how they struggle with both when confronted with relationship, romance, and redemption.

Father, some days we sit atop our little mountains and other days we plunge to the rocks below. You know me, and what’s important for me. Please help me to focus on you in all things. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

Polarized.

It can be fascinating to see the different responses to pieces of “art”. When I saw the Academy Award nominations, I laughed out loud at the placing of “District 9” in the Best Film category. I know a couple of my friends immensely enjoyed and appreciated this movie, but many others of us less enlightened folks couldn’t get through more than a half hour of it. Another film that a few friends hold in high regard is “300”. It happens to be on my Top Five All-Time Worst Films list where “District 9” would also be placed if I could’ve stomached watching the entire movie. To each his own, huh?

These same often intense debates carry on about films, novels, other writings, and paintings. Although there are contests for the different arts, many of us who participate in these forums mostly compete against ourselves. We face our insecurities daily as we direct, write, or paint, using a camera, pencil, brush, or anything else to create. Constantly aware that others possess greater abilities than ourselves, we often struggle through the creative process either urging ourselves to persevere or to give up—or both.

More often than we’d like to believe our writing can be polarizing. Having experienced this recently with two different comments here, the seesaw of being a writer either helps you experience the sensation of soaring or the bane of dropping fast and hard back to ground level. We either push ourselves back up or remain seated on that hard board too dismayed to try elevating ourselves again.

This is the primary reason I don’t enjoy doing “negative” reviews and why I try to stipulate that either I’m not the target audience for the novel or I’m reasonably sure others will enjoy the book. However, for review purposes I do give specific reasons for why I don’t like a book because those readers like me will not appreciate the book either. Plus, as I’ve said more than once here, I’m obligated to tell the truth concerning my opinion of a story since the book was sent to me free of charge for specific review purposes.

You’d never guess from some of my posts here that I’m mostly a non-confrontational person. However, I do have what I sometimes ruefully call “the prophet mentality”. Gray areas can escape my gray matter regarding certain issues. Black or white shout out their reasoning at times and I’m obligated to forward those notions. It’s in me in some cases to be exacting and, well . . . opinionated. Remember me? Passionate: right or wrong.

I’ve struggled with the demon of inferiority my entire life, feeling worthless whether or not I’ve been good at something or not. Jesus took a long time to convince me otherwise, but it remains solid bait for the enemy. Yet I know who I am becoming in Christ, that He alone gives me worth, and I need to be content in my own skin because I’m not going to be wearing someone else’s—although that could have a lot to do with why I’ve always wanted to act.

The writing gig, specifically novels, polarizes audiences. Love a book or hate it or give it an “eh”. Most opinions remain steady even through discussions. The “eh” crowd just can’t be moved by the book while the love and hate crowd argue their assessments, some in fun, others in frenzy, definitely displaying they were moved one way or the other.

Creating something makes us vulnerable if we share it. Some of us get huge exposure, others of us minimal. Either way the opportunity exists for producing polarized responses.

Lord, you know me. Somehow you love me. Thank you, Jesus.

Residing in . . . Thin Places

In Thin Places Mary E. DeMuth has bared her soul and sacrificed herself on the altar of confession. The horrendously ugly events which soiled the young life of this lovely and achingly honest woman lay raw and bleeding on the pages of Thin Places. I’ve read three of Mary’s novels, all well-scripted in her unique voice and style, but for me this memoir is her very best book.

Some will undoubtedly ask why Mary agreed to tell her story, cringing and shuddering at the revelations of her life, but others will sink uncomfortably into the knowing of such sadness and the terrorization of a little soul and thank God for Mary’s courage. Those readers will learn they are truly not alone in the struggle to find an end to the memories which can’t be fully extinguished no matter how hard they try in so many different ways to achieve “normal”.

Rarely are people this honest in even their closest relationships, fearful to admit the most common of shortcomings borne out of selfish ways or acquired bad habits. Mary cuts to the very core of her being and gives the reader a real look at the sources of her fears and what she considers her worst weaknesses and unlovable traits. Her truthfulness is just one of the attributes which makes her so lovable and so genuine.

Gracing the cover of this memoir is a picture of Mary herself which only serves to accentuate the injustice of her horrible abuse. The title comes from a beautiful and appropriate Celtic reference and is explained in the third paragraph of the book with examples of those “thin places” used throughout to demonstrate Mary’s keen insights and willing perceptions of God’s purpose and residence in her life.

I know Mary received one insulting review of this memoir, and I can only say to the person who wrote it: Shame on you. My guess is that person experienced something terrible in his/her own life and figures he’s overcome it. No one overcomes this kind of thing in this life. It remains like the hint of a ghost across the room only visible to the one who feels its presence. Yes, Jesus heals and delivers, but scars remain to remind. Most people push these things down so deep they suffer physical illness throughout their lives. Mary exposes every symptom, every malady, physical, spiritual, and emotional, that she’s suffered as a result of the pain she knew at a very young age. To criticize her journey or how she’s chosen to express her experiences is at the very least cruel.

Thin Places is a very well written, truthful account of one woman’s efforts to reach Jesus in her pain, to accept the love of God in spite of the fear and doubt, and to forge her way through her scar tissue by “turning trials to triumphs”.

Highly recommend this memoir for a variety of readers.

Father, soak Mary in the waters of your Spirit, the cleansing of your love. Continue to hold her close and maneuver her to those thin places that you provide to give us glimpses of divine purpose and comfort. This woman is invaluable to you—please remind her of that daily so she can experience more triumph than trials in the next portion of her life. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

Under a . . . Hunter's Moon

[Forgive me for this but when I first saw the title of this novel, I thought of the film I watched with my husband in exchange for him seeing “The Notebook” with me. That film was “Alien vs. Predator”. At the theatre no less. So. Anyway.]

C. J. Baxter, successful author who’s gotten that way from writing thinly disguised stories about his life in his hometown, carries a silent life-altering memory with him into his adult life. He discovers it affects him more than he’s willing to admit when he returns to his hometown of Adelia in upstate New York after “stealing” his dog from what used to be his home and his in-the-process-of-becoming ex-wife.

When he revisits his family and townspeople for his grandfather’s funeral after a 17 year absence, he creates tension whenever he’s around his father and his older brother Graham who is running for a senate seat. This secret he’s kept since a young boy permeates every moment between his brother, father, and himself. And there’s an anger under his cool demeanor so familiar to him he doesn’t recognize it until an old acquaintance and a favorite old boss make it evident to him.

Deciding to remain in Adelia since his soon-to-be ex reported the theft of his dog to the police causing a warrant for his arrest back home in Tennessee, and after learning he’s being sued for throwing a hardbound copy of his latest novel at a critic in the audience of a live reading, scoring a direct hit on the man’s head, he gets a job at the old hardware store where he worked as a kid for a man he admired, and he agrees to refurbish a house with his old friend Dennis, the Indian with a stuttering problem.

Ferreting out information about some underhanded intentions his brother has planned if elected, C. J. plans to expose him in an article he’s been asked to write for a national magazine. When the gist of the article is discovered by Graham’s slimy attorney and campaign manager, the event to follow is reminiscent of the term C. J.’s boss, friend, and hunting companion explains about the origin of the term “hunter’s moon”:

“The Indians called it the hunter’s moon because it rose early and let them continue to track the prey they’d been hunting even as the sun went down.”

Now for those of you who insist on a dynamite first line or startling first couple pages, I suggest you get over it for the sake of experiencing a very well written second novel by Don Hoesel titled Hunter’s Moon published by Bethany House and up this week for the CFBA Tour. The opening is fairly placid, but it quickly gains a foothold of intriguing storytelling. This is a real story with a lot of detail, a little bit of rule-breaking in the writing—which you know is often my kind of writing—and even with its rather typical topic of “family secrets”, this novel rises far above the staid and familiar plot suggestion.

Hunter’s Moon meticulously weaves not only a family history with secrets, threats and manipulations, missteps, abandonment, old loves, and unknown attachments, but also the early journey of new faith in C. J.’s life capturing the clumsiness and spiritual immaturity of a newly redeemed soul until that faith kicks in when least expected.

I loved this novel. For those of you who enjoy detailed portraits of characters with a lot of unexpected and unpredictable interaction, Hunter’s Moon is a good read. A literary achievement with just the right amount of suspenseful buildup leading to a satisfactory conclusion . . .

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Tags: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0764205617

For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God, and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And,

"If it is hard for the righteous to be saved,
what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?" (Proverbs 11:31)

1 Peter 4:17-18 (NIV)

Sunday's Offerings

For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God, and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And,

"If it is hard for the righteous to be saved,
what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?" (Proverbs 11:31)

1 Peter 4:17-18 (NIV)