Into the Fire

Sunday's Offerings

Finally, brothers, pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you. And pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men, for not everyone has faith. But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one. We have confidence in the Lord that you are doing and will continue to do the things we command. May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.

 

2 Thessalonians 3:1-5 (NIV)

Change (Part One)

Yes: change. To borrow a line from an old song: “You know it don’t come easy.” Indeed. Some people thrive on change. Others detest it. Change can cause emotional reactions from panic to joy. “Change” is the caption I used when I presented several authors, editors, and agents in the Christian publishing industry one question with a possible 5-point answer. Guts spilled, veins opened for some. Others ambled in a middle of the road short answer. The majority chose to remain anonymous. Does anyone really blame them? These aren’t the uninformed responses from perpetual wannabes or the measured opinions of conscientious pre-published authors.

 

In fairness I will give my desires for change in the industry but will preface it with certain interesting tendencies I’ve observed. In the last few years thrillers have become just what their genre title suggests. Some of them present hardcore serial killer stories for readers who watch shows such as the various CSIs, Criminal Minds, and Bones. The horror and gore as well as the twisted psyches of such events and people are not absent from these novels. The utter depravity of mankind is evident throughout the pages and the determination of thwarting that evil pushes protagonists of both genders onward toward remanding the villains. Some authors choose to implicate all of us as capable of derailing our better selves—that a certain portion of us lives in the perverted minds of killers. However, this is usually shown through the eyes and thoughts of the protagonist who’s an unbeliever, who can’t conceive of a God who would allow such horrendous behavior on this earth—the same old question every person asks before learning who God is, and even afterwards. Other authors use peripheral characters to insinuate the gospel or a faith condition—the contrast to the evil in the story. Some others cause their protagonist to throw up that “foxhole religion” when things get truly dicey—a quick prayer in desperation, forgotten when the situation is resolved. Handy, convenient. Like a lot of folks. Thrillers today in CBA can’t be considered “safe” reading. And of course they’re not for everyone.

 

And that’s the key, isn’t it? “Not for everyone”. Few novels are. So the tendency has been to provide a clearly identified market with every form of the same genre and keep feeding that gluttonous market until it dies of satiation. To the ignoring of another less predictable readership, smaller perhaps but really immeasurable in its potential and largely untapped.

 

Evangelism. The word strikes both purpose and panic into the hearts of many. Acts 1:8 comprises Jesus’ final words to His followers. Not being a witness? Not an option. Everyone is a witness for someone, something. Good or bad. The “church” is given power through the Holy Spirit to be Christ’s witnesses at home and abroad wherever that may be. Period. However, how that personal evangelism takes place is subject to all kinds of interpretations. I prefer the simplest: show Jesus, tell of Jesus, be led by the Holy Spirit when doing so. Still, when man gets involved and tries to “improve” upon God’s methods for reaching the lost, literally all hell breaks loose. Evangelism in writing stories is still open to interpretation but more important is this is a communication which must take place between the Author of Life and the author. God loves creativity. If he didn’t, wouldn’t things be bland? The flowers all the same, vocabularies small, succinct. He colors people in all kinds of skin tones, gives them all colors of hair, shapes of noses, heights, shrill and deep voices. And multiple talents. So if one author writes the gospel message into a story and another hints at the way to find God, who are we to question the purpose? Right now, both kinds of stories are available in various forms in CBA literature. Some with not even a mention of Jesus and barely a random reference to prayer and others with the whole salvation message incorporated into a story. Some preachy. Some definitely not. There is a menu.

 

“Edgy” Factor vs. “Safe” Factor. Oh, please. One person’s edge is another’s safety zone. If you’ve read any of the discussion in the last several days, you’ve learned the edgy and safe factors vary radically according to who you ask about them—or who is doing the pontificating on their meanings. Both words pop up in plentiful amounts. In my mind the easiest to define of the two is the safe factor because it’s really a predominant opinion that this literature “protects” the reader from emotional and spiritual corruption by not allowing bad language, sexual conduct either with strong descriptions or through illicit relationship references, and, it would seem, putting stories on the prairie or in Amish (and the like) communities where apparently people are more holy than in other church communities somehow make a story more innocent, more meaningful, more spiritual, and more desirable. For safety reasons of course. To be totally fair, there are some excellent writers and stories in these genres. But “safety” for readers? Probably not the primary concern for those authors, or is it?

 

I’ve about had it with the word “edgy” as I’m sure many of you have. It’s too difficult to define and conjures up extremes for some and simply a less rigid or limited capacity for story plotting, language, references, etcetera, for others. I can’t define these words to satisfy everyone. In an interview some time ago in regard to my second novel The Famous One, this word came up. Here’s how the brief conversation went:

 

I think readers would consider this [The Famous One] an “edgy” Christian story, would you agree?

"Edgy" is a term which conjures up all kinds of debates and controversy. If by "edgy" you mean it's not "fluff", it addresses sinful issues plainly without judgment, and it shows the lifestyle of a young person growing up without God in his life, then, yes, without a doubt it is an "edgy" Christian story.

 

Again, there is a menu, but the “safe” stories clearly outnumber and often overwhelm those considered to be edgy. Others insist that “edgy” has yet to be tapped in Christian publishing.

 

Business. Businesses survive because they grow with the times. They morph into what it takes to remain current and viable and necessary. If this growth requires compromise, that compromise is weighed against potential danger(s) to the product offered and the core values of the company. This is where it gets dicey for the perceived foundations of Christian publishing. What are the dangers of “growth” to the core values?

 

Christianity, or following Christ, has never been “safe”, but throughout the centuries to the current days so-called Christians have been re-defining what the Bible says. Denominations decided music is not allowed in their services. Denominations decided there must be a kneeling down and a standing up directed by the leader. Denominations decided the Gifts of the Spirit died with John. Denominations decided only hymns may be sung in their services, only formulaic prayers spoken, only one way to conduct the services. And on and on. Jesus, on the other hand, is all about worshipping in Spirit and in Truth. Freedom.

 

A business has the right to conduct itself by its own definition. And we’re speaking of lawful businesses here. To set their standards, to establish their goals and core values, to hire employees to match those desired aims. And rightfully so. If those values can be sustained through time and progress without much change, they will survive and often flourish. If they can’t sustain growth because they feel they’ll be compromised, they close rather than adapt.

 

Leaving out all the safe vs. edgy controversy, the business of publishing is bogged down by a ridiculous requirement that allows books to be bought and then returned. (This has been covered here.) It’s a practice which must be stopped or at least reduced to a few samples provided which may be returned by a certain date after receiving them if not sold. But to sell crates of books only to have them returned months later winds up being “fake” sales and is hurtful to all players, most notably the authors but certainly the publishers too. The idea is to sell the product. Unreasonable sales inflate the numbers only to have them deflated when the books come back unsold. Buy what you can sell. If you can’t sell what you bought, “blow them out” at cost plus 10% or below cost to make room for new books which will sell. Period. Common sense.

 

Business requires hands-on selling. Some CBA bookstores have clerks with no fiction experience or perhaps they read the “safe” stories but have “edgy” book-seeking customers. Don’t know how this can be remedied. I’ve long “preached” that I think to some extent publishers and their sales reps are out of touch with Christian readers. They intimately know this group who buys the “safe” fiction but have no real knowledge of the Ted Dekker groups, the Steven James fans, the Chris Fabry readers, the Lisa Samson devotees. They know Ted Dekker sells, they’re watching Steven James gain a following, they don’t know how to get Chris Fabry out there for literary people to enjoy, and they count on the appreciation of Lisa Samson fans to spread the word about her work without really promoting her. The speculative fiction fans drive CBA publishers nuts because . . . ? Possibly because they’re “afraid” some of their mainstream readers will complain about those books like they do about Ted Dekker’s without having read them, insisting they’re too whatever to be considered “Christian” novels. Also publishers insist speculative fiction has no readership in CBA, don’t sell, and here we go again with a lack of making the product known and available to those who desire it. But Ted Dekker makes publishers too much money and has too big a following to ignore in order to satisfy complaints. Plus he’s a prolific writer. Cha-ching.

 

Ministry. Ministry can be done without intention. Ministry can be found in entertainment. Ministry should not be the focus of fiction. Christian ministry is too diverse to set up parameters for storytelling. If a novel ministers because of its handling of issues: hurray and Hallelujah! To the Glory of God let this happen, Lord, but the objective of “Christian fiction” is truly the same as general fiction: to tell a story, hopefully in a meaningful way, hopefully that touches lives in the unending ways that stories can do that. Humorously, frighteningly, spiritually, joyfully, realistically, casually, for pure entertainment with each of these characteristics individually met or offered in a combined effort. Yes, I believe faith issues enhance storytelling, but that can be done in a variety of ways, and it’s quite obvious that exactly how this can be done is virtually unsolvable as far as a solid and undisputed definition.

 

Ministry implies “non-profit”. Christian publishing is not a non-profit business. Jesus Christ commended good business practices. Ministry and non-profits require good business practices. So do any other companies, corporations, or singular, lawful people conducting a practice for money and profit. Good business practices honor God’s provision and provide necessary services and products and recreational enjoyment. None of these offend God when done to honor His principles.

 

Marketing. Oh brother. The black hole of marketing. A needed service. A coveted talent. So not done well in Christian publishing. Why? Money? Ideas? I sincerely believe there can’t be a lack of talent in this arena, but how that talent is used? Who knows since in recent times authors have been told they are responsible—and the most logical choice—to provide marketing for their novels. “Who knows your book better than you?” True, but when discussing my novels, for example, all I want to talk about are the characters, their situations, and ask what were your favorite parts, did you like when . . . , etc. How ‘bout you? Did you take courses in marketing? Do you occupy that position within a company? Do you have any idea how to sell your book? If authors are responsible for marketing their books, then by all reasonable conclusions, there should be no marketing division/positions held within a publishing house, should there? Especially on the pub boards evaluating whether or not “they” can sell your story.

 

B&H has some of the most impressive means of marketing designed for their big name authors. Exciting, innovative. Will their methods sell books? I have no idea.

 

Word of mouth is touted as the one sure way to sell books. However, it sometimes takes months or even years for readers to realize how their love for a book is vital to the industry. Not all readers visit writers on the web. Not all readers know how essential it is to the success of a novel to tell their friends/family/coworkers about the great book they just finished. One thing the industry as a whole doesn’t have: time to wait for a book to make a splash. Time for sales to escalate. That time is now.

 

It’s fairly accepted that marketing fiction for men in CBA doesn’t fly. Most people in the biz emphatically claim men don’t read fiction. Excuse me? Then why are all these male authors bothering to write novels and getting published by the CBA? Of course women will read their books, but most men don’t even know who to look for in CBA fiction. You will always find men in Christian bookstores standing in front of the “Christian Living” or “Men’s Ministry” or the heady “Theology” sections. Surely there’s a way to market fiction for men. The ABA doesn’t seem to have a problem with marketing fiction to men.  

 

Can anyone state with any authority and statistics to prove effective strategies on how to market CBA fiction for any and/or all readers? Yet authors are required to include their specific plans for marketing their novels in proposals.

 

Imprints. Many Christian publishing houses have been bought by secular publishing conglomerates. Within their houses they have many divisions and imprints. It has been suggested that a Christian publishing house designate an imprint to accommodate those Christian authors who might fit better in the ABA venue, but this presents the problem that is at the heart of this discussion: the designing of standards suitable to attach your “good name” to the final product. It could be done, but I’m fairly sure not to please everyone involved in this discussion.

 

I commend your patience and perseverance if you’re still with me. The question for the pros on Tuesday with hopefully a few concluding remarks.

 

Lord, help us all to be the ones you designed us to be. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

Understanding "the weariness" . . .

So many opinions about the CBA. So much rhetoric. I understand the fatigue factor generated by the posts I’ve asked you to read. The practical advice of just write what the Lord has given you and pursue the path He ordained for you sounds obvious and doable. However, when the obstacles to The Plan seem insurmountable and man-made, some tend to fight back to tear down the ill-placed and meaningless roadblocks and expose them for what they are. Personalities vary, and some writers can’t understand the choices made by others. Christian writers understand the sovereignty of God, but some in the writing community question the roles of others in their approaches and responses to “the problems” in the Christian publishing industry.

 

And therein we might find one significant problematic issue: the cookie-cutter, acceptable, staid, Christian-ese response to difficulties in the industry. When trouble surfaces, some go right to prayer, others stand back and observe, some react with questions, others ignore and/or accept, some persevere in silence, others challenge the “norm”. When someone responds outside our comfort zone, some of us tend to overreact and criticize the approach instead of taking a genuine look at the issue.

 

On Tuesday, not Monday as I previously said, I will answer the question I posed to many people in the industry of Christian publishing. On Wednesday I will begin posting the various answers I received from authors, editors, and I’m hoping to hear from some agents. Many of those responding asked to remain anonymous. These are not pre-published writers or people on the fringe of the industry. These are insiders. Some of the responses are so detailed and fervent they will receive their own posts. I’m not sure yet how many days it will take for all their comments to be posted because I’m still receiving more of them.

 

All this to say, most problems do produce a wearying affect especially when the problem is not new and has been rehashed or batted about for virtually years with slow adaptations if any made to what’s being addressed. Some grow numb to the problems and meld into acceptance mode. Invariably new people take up the mantle and demand—or more likely suggest—change. And so around and around the talk goes again. The fact that a problem won’t “die” intimates perhaps change is necessary. The concrete, resolute kind. Maybe just in one area, maybe a full-fledged revamping needs to take place. Fresh vision? A new outlook?  

 

Monday we’ll take a brief break from this topic for my review of The Bishop, fourth in the Patrick Bowers Series by Steven James. Interesting and timely novel to precede this discussion.

 

Lord, give us grace to persevere, to follow you, to do as you ask. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.  

 

(I apologize if the various links to other sites aren’t working. I’ve done everything I can do and have notified Typepad for help.)

The Build-up: First Is Sex

 

This has the potential to be a long post . . .

 

Before I get into this topic, let me give you a snapshot of who Nicole Petrino-Salter is with and without her flaws. Without my flaws I am a child of the King, a passionate Jesus-loving Christian. Apart from Him, I can do nothing. Period.

 

With my flaws I am a passionate Christian who spent 30 years in the world believing in God but not having a relationship with His Son. I didn’t get it. I don’t know if I ever truly heard the gospel until just before my conversion. Perhaps I did, but it fell on deaf ears. The fickle heart pursued an independence which led me astray from the values impressed upon me by God-fearing parents. I’m convinced my mother was a Christian when I was growing up, and my Dad was an excommunicated Catholic because he eloped with my mom who didn’t belong to the Catholic church. However, for many in the Catholic faith, once a Catholic, always a Catholic. Later, for sure, I know Mom solidified her salvation, and Dad became a Christian.

 

I’m a mature woman who grew up in tumultuous times for our nation. Drugs, sex, and rock ‘n’ roll came on the scene hard and fast and wore down even the “best” of us, and by best I simply mean those of us who clung to our understanding of morality. I planned to be a virgin on my wedding day. I didn’t plan to do drugs. I planned to be published, become an actress, and to get out of college after my first year. Out of all those “plans”, the only one that became a reality was getting out of college after my first year. In a way you now know me intimately.

 

So. What does that have to do with Christian publishing and sex? The decisions people make in their lives regarding something so personal, so intimate and invasive, as sexual conduct reveals an immense amount about who they are, who they perceive themselves to be, and who they will ultimately become.

 

You know of the articles which inspired the coming posts, and I hope you’ve taken the time to read them. I will add four more to them: 

 

http://http://rebeccaluellamiller.wordpress.com/2010/07/26/so-tired-of-the-same-arguments/

 

http://http://rebeccaluellamiller.wordpress.com/2010/07/28/the-post-i-wish-id-written/

 

http://http://mikedellosso.wordpress.com/2010/07/28/okay-my-turn/

 

http://www.tegeorge.com/Fiction/?p=78

 

 

Within the many responses to this discussion there is an occasional outrage and accusation concerning the inclusion of sexual content. If you’re reading secular/general market literature: get real. It’s all over it and should be expected. However, if you’re reading CBA literature, sexual content is minimal in spite of a dominant line of romance novels.

 

Let me stop right here and commend Francine Rivers and Lisa Samson for their insightful, daring, and profound novels Redeeming Love and The Passion of Mary-Margaret, respectively. Sexual issues horrifically and tenderly addressed in both books. These two novels are love stories, not romance novels. No one will ever convince me otherwise. Love stories often include romance but their plotlines reach farther and provide epic revelation which exceeds the tight framework of romance novels.

 

I can say to you with humility but without shame, I am called to contrast the world’s views of sexual issues to God’s view of the same. I write love stories, heavy on the romance. Real romance. I have been on both sides of these issues. I know what it’s like to succumb to the worldview and live with regret. I know what it’s like to be a girl, then a woman who is not gorgeous with a beguiling build in a world where these things seem to be the measure of a female.

 

I know what it’s like to hear the comments of boys and men who revel in the body parts of females. I know what it’s like to watch girls and women use their bodies to entice, to tease, to woo, to control the reactions of boys and men. I know what it’s like to wish I could.

 

I know what lust feels like, how it can dominate, how it can overrun good sense and innocence. I know what it’s like to hold onto something so private and important only to release it and give it away because remembering why it’s valuable has lost its grip, its reality, its poignancy to the moment and time of life.

 

I wonder at Christian women who are appalled at novels that contain what they consider too much “sex” in CBA fiction. Um. Where? Please understand I mean no harm here. Graphic and/or explicit sex doesn’t exist to my knowledge in CBA fiction. I don’t write graphic sex, but my work does contain the physical connections, reactions between men and women. The lost are portrayed without judgment. The saved are portrayed with exuberance.

 

What is it about sex, that most intimate of actions designed by a loving God for the expression of love between husband and wife, that raises the rancor of some Christian women? Because the world perverts the act, makes it unseemly, makes it casual and meaningless much of the time, turns it into a weapon, a four-letter word, makes it a measure of a man’s prowess, a woman’s attraction . . . is it because sometimes some of us can’t quite get to the place where this sexual union is sacred? Have we sucked in the world’s aphrodisiac and are afraid we’re just as ugly, just as jaded as “they” are? If we enjoy sex too much as a female, are we no “better” than a promiscuous woman? If we don’t enjoy sex at all, are we more “righteous”?

 

The accusations fly about not writing to cause a reader to stumble. And sex is the hot-button issue we use to entice our readers to sin? Does that mean to portray it without graphics is sinful? Heck, is sex sinful?!

 

Women have many obstacles to overcome with sexual issues. Some of us have to fight through the regret, the pain of feeling insufficient, the hormonal conditions which leave us vacant and hollow in the sexual drive department. There are so many valid reasons to be uptight about sex. The problem is they’re mostly unhealthy. Mentally and emotionally, physically and spiritually. God didn’t design sex just for men. No, he really didn’t.

 

I’m going to stop here—I’ve gone plenty long. Please, please, don’t let this post offend you. Please.  

 

Lord, we get all tied up in falsehoods and misconceptions. Help us to live truly free in you. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

** Addendum to "The real thing" **

Just to make sure everyone knows one of the sources for this discussion next week beginning on August 4^th (Wednesday), please read this article in full by Eric Wilson: http://wilsonwriter.com/html/the_latest.html. When asking Eric the upcoming question I posed to other professionals, he concluded that the article said everything he wanted to say on the subject. This article garnered him some hostility, both spoken and unspoken, which is so unnecessary. I think his emotional involvement in this subject is vested by his experience, his desires to pry into the world of the lost, and his respectful attitude in expressing his concerns and aims. No need for harsh responses even if you disagree with his approach, his opinion, or his goals.  

The real thing . . .

Coming next week on this blog, I will feature the answers to a simple question about a complex topic which raises its head repeatedly on writing sites all over the net. When the subject of Christian publishing comes up, opinions surge to the shore of commentary and controversy like the 30 foot waves off Kauai’s North Shore. Sometimes the words and attitudes get snarky, other times the opinions are ill-informed, but most of the writing crowd tend to get worked up about the condition of publishing in the CBA and express their thoughts, hopes, confusion, and/or delusions with the industry in an intelligent and respectful manner.

 

You will here from people who’ve experienced CBA up close and personal. Some of them have requested anonymity. Their concerns might seem like a repeat of others you’ve either felt or observed, but these comments are coming from those who’ve been inside the production of Christian books.

 

If you want to prepare for the subject matter, you might want to go here and read what commentary sparked the latest wildfire.

 

I think it’s only fair to give my perspective before I give the floor to the professionals, but I’ll save that for Monday. I’m expecting to start their posts on Wednesday, and they will require more than one day.

 

Father, you know the hearts and minds of your writers. You know their desires, their causes, their inspirations, hopes, and dreams. Better than they do. Better than I know my own. Help us all, Lord, to represent you in all we do and to be obedient and content in the journey and with the results. Take us where you want us to go. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.  

Stories . . .

Some stories demand to be told. They march right up to the page and lay themselves down daring you not to notice them. Some stories whisper just around the corner like the Spirit blowing a soft wind of words in your direction. Other stories tiptoe into your room but taunt you with a juicy scene you can’t resist, prying you away from what you’re doing and forcing you to find a pen or engage that keyboard. Other stories stream into your mind like a winding brook, one you follow a long ways just to see how far it goes.

 

A story takes hold of your heart and pumps life into the characters. You feel it like it’s happening. In real time. And you write it. Until you stop. And you wait. Or maybe you don’t. So many methods, so many odd kinds of inspirations.

 

Words of songs, dreams, a conversation spoken or overheard . . . all it takes sometimes for a story to form.

 

The voices echoing in your subconscious, the timbre, the volume, the inflections. The actions performed in carrying out the plot. The focus or lack thereof from a protagonist willing or unwilling to carry the load of the story.

 

Where do these stories come from for you? Can you be inspired by a friend’s idea, a brainstorming session with like-minded people? Can you glimpse an incident, an interaction between strangers and catch a plot line? Can you sustain an idea and make it into a full length novel? Is it worthy of one? How do you know?

 

Stories . . . amazing stories.

 

Father, you give us Truth. We need it desperately. The element of Truth makes a story come alive. Thank you for the stories you’ve given me. Apart from you, I can do nothing. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

The deadly . . . Nightshade

Nightshade is Ronie Kendig’s second novel, this one published by Barbour Publishing and featured this week on the CFBA Tour. It’s the first in a series labeled Discarded Heroes.

 

Former SEAL Max Jacobs sports a volcanic temper which not only stems from the atrocities witnessed while serving his country but originates from the pain he suffered early in his dysfunctional family that has yet to leave him. When his wife’s coworker seems to be showing a little too much familiarity with her, Max levels him but in the process his wife Sydney gets in the way and receives a punch too. Sydney gets a separation and restraining order against Max and files for divorce under the encouragement of her over-protective brother. Max is devastated by both connecting his fist to Sydney’s face and the possibility that the one person he loves in this world might never be in his life again.

 

As a result, Max lives in a grungy apartment with the bare necessities and rides his crazy-fast bike to deathly speeds. After crashing it and landing in a ditch, battered, bruised, and scraped, a man in a Stetson picks him up and takes him to a meeting where other former Special Ops guys are asked to join a well-funded secret group to obliterate nasty situations involving evil men across the world. It’s Black Ops at its brightest and best, unknown and unrecognized by anyone in government or otherwise. The team called Nightshade rescues all kinds of victims without recognition until an African woman transported to the USA wants to tell her story in order to thank the men who saved her.

 

Sydney loves Max but has zero understanding of his PTSD symptoms and because of seeing his rage, she has become afraid of the man she loves. While pursuing a story for the newspaper where she holds a job, she interviews the African woman and learns the men who came in the shade of night to deliver her from certain death were Americans. Pursuing this story causes a terrible tragedy and takes Sydney places she never thought she’d go.

 

Nightshade fits comfortably into commercial Christian fiction with plenty of action and some romance. Here’s the problem for me—and let me emphasize this is for me: Sydney’s naïveté in this day and age, especially for a reporter at any level, seems absurd. What do normal people think SEALs do? And to marry one? I know Ronie’s inspiration to write this novel came from a real person experiencing difficulty in her marriage to a SEAL (http://www.relzreviewz.blogspot.com/), and I have no doubt how extremely challenging it would be for these kind of men to ignore their experiences and participate in a “normal” marriage, but I hope the ladies considering marriage to men of this caliber would be more informed and less wrapped up in their own desires and attractions to these men of passion and dedication. They and others who work covertly bear deep scars that don’t just fade into the sunset after the romance of the courtship and/or honeymoon. Why is it supposed reporters such as Anna in the Vince Flynn novels and Sydney in this novel don’t get what is required of these men? From the secrecy of missions to the torment of those same missions—sorry, I just can’t conjure up any sympathy for women who don’t take reality into account before marrying men like these and then expecting them to conform to the sometime silliness of everyday life and cope with “normalcy”. And not sharing the most important part of their lives together in spite of their separation? Nope, can’t handle it. And going from one extreme of hatred to another of unsurpassed love? Hormones can only twist a stable mind so far. And being unaware of her coworker’s fawning attraction to her? Geez, lady, get real. And using God more as a convenience than a real source for her direction? I have a hard enough time with these kinds of namby-pamby Christians in real life, so it’s doubly difficult in stories. So there you have my multiple problems with Sydney.

 

Max is a conundrum and takes everything to an extreme including his mad-on with God. While continually calling himself a failure, he refuses to take responsibility for his actions insisting this is who he is. But his pain is palpable. And even though he doesn’t “do” emotion, he’s strangled with all kinds of them. All unresolved except his love for Sydney—the one absolute unwavering emotion in his life. His stubbornness and resistance to the real friendship offered him makes Max just short of a truly lovable character.

 

The dialogue between the members of Nightshade is good and realistic.

 

Ronie’s pet word in this novel seemed to be “knuckles”. We writers all have them, but when they’re obvious words, they stand out. Strange occurrence:

 

Chapter 2

 

Sydney Jacobs traced the knot patterns in the oak tabletop . . . Vanilla-scented steam spiraled up from the mug of hot tea cradled in her hand.

. . .

With a shuddering sigh, she lifted her tea and took another sip. . . . Sydney rose and headed to the sink with her mug. . . . She dumped her coffee.

 

(I read this over three or four times to see if I’d made a mistake in thinking she was drinking tea instead of coffee. Nope. It won’t matter to most, but it stopped my reading and made me retrace my steps. Okay, so I’m obsessive.)

 

Nightshade captures the devotion of Special Ops guys, the pain of having seen the true depravity of humanity, and the challenges all of life brings to these very honorable individuals.

 

 

 

 http://http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/160260777X

 

Father, you’ve given Ronie multiple talents and the gift of storytelling. Please continue to provide those stories and the blessings that accompany writing them. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.  

Sunday's Offerings

Your hand will lay hold on all your enemies;

your right hand will seize your foes.

At the time of your appearing

you will make them like a fiery furnace.

In His wrath the Lord will swallow them up,

and His fire will consume them.

 

Psalm 21:8-9 (NIV)

Saturday Snippets

Hope you enjoyed the two-part interview with editor Mick Silva. In the midst of preparation for his move from Colorado to Oregon and returning from his family’s trip to California, he managed to squeeze in the many questions I sent to him. Thanks, Mick!

 

Needless to say I’m very excited about Vince Flynn’s newest American Assassin which releases in early October 2010. It’s a prequel and will show us who Mitch Rapp was and how he came to be the amazing counterterrorism operative and American assassin of the previous stories.

 

You know we talk about novels affecting our lives—those exceptional stories that touch us in ways we sometimes can’t even express. I’ve named a few of those for you here. But I must say the Vince Flynn novels are life-changing in their own right. We get a picture of the truly hypocritical politicians in our government, the ugly and corrupt people with a lust for power over any kind of decency and loyalty to this great nation as opposed to those who serve and die to keep it free and safe. We see the kind of extreme efforts that must be taken to insure that 9/11 won’t happen again, and we marvel at the courage and intelligence of certain members of The Agency.

 

I realize I’m a devoted fan. Whatever captures me—for whatever reason—I will promote, exalt, and champion.

 

More interviews coming . . . 

 

And this: 

 

 

 

Lord, I’m desperate for you.

Multiple Personality Disorder?

[Please don’t accuse me of mocking this real mental affliction of individuals who usually have suffered great trauma(s) in their lives. This isn’t a post about clinical diagnosis and commentary. It’s a post about fiction writers.]

 

Back on Monday I posted about getting inside the heads of characters. But living that out? Yikes. How many of you carry on conversations and discussions between your characters about real life situations in your head while actually speaking in real time with your own responses to others in your very real presence? How ‘bout while you’re grocery shopping, at your desk, taking out the garbage, washing dishes, having dinner, out with friends, or driving anyplace? These scenarios take place in increasing intensity during formulations of a novel or in critical scenes once you’ve started writing. Have you ever dreamed you were the opposite sex? Conducted yourself in that gender within the dream? Is that weird or what? Writers can be anyone.

 

And the challenge is always to make it real. Authentic. If your character is quirky, he/she still has to make us believe the conduct is real. How deep are you willing to investigate your desires, your motives, your darkest thoughts? Will you go there?

 

Who do you want your character to be in his/her situation? Why? Do they defy you in the process of creating them? Do they surprise you with their independence or their co-dependency? Are they rigid, immovable, crotchety, harried, timid, flaky? Are they just like you? Or polar opposites? Do you love them, hate them, want to kill them off?

 

Do you see their faces, the color of their eyes, hair, skin? Do you know their builds, figures? Can you hear their voice inflections? Can you picture them walking away?

 

Do they want to be you? Do you want to be them?

 

If they’re truly alive in your head, they must translate to screen or paper. Otherwise, they’ll be life-less in the story.

 

Father, I cannot imagine how you create from nothing. We have your exquisite examples to use as a base for our creations. Lord, give me the depth to draw from you. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

Interview with Editor Mick Silva: Part Two

To continue my interview with my friend and editor Mick Silva . . .

 

14.Accepting that “There’s nothing new under the sun”, professionals often say they can’t explain what they’re looking for when they desire a “fresh voice” but they’ll recognize it when they see/find it. Your concept?

 

“Fresh voice” is like seeing a “natural” athlete or a “born” actor. They stand out because they’re not trying to. They’ve perfected their abilities to the point of play. The greats don’t even know what it’s like not to be completely defined by what they do. It’s when you’ve disappeared and all that’s left is the work, the result. A fresh voice is someone who’s fully awake and like Neo at the end of The Matrix, he doesn’t even need to fight anymore.

 

15.A point of great contention for me and others is the dictum of “the rules of writing”. While valuable in learning basic skills, the emphasis on the rules often precedes formulaic writing. Your opinion?

 

I agree. Rules are for beginners. Kids need boundaries. Maybe disciplines is a better word. It’s a good discipline to stick to one verb tense. But it doesn’t serve if your character needs to switch tense midstream. I can’t imagine that particular situation but the point is when you’re at the level of play, you won’t be bothered by people harping on the rules. You’ll naturally do what’s required.

 

16.A recent admission by a professional of many years claimed that the one person/group that must be impressed on the pub board in order to get a project accepted is the sales person/team. Considering that a large percentage of books don’t earn back their advances, what does that say about the process of selecting books to publish?

 

I don’t think all pub boards are the same. Some don’t even have sales people in them. Most big publishers do, but I doubt if most are completely dependent on the sales teams’ opinion. But to the point, I’m not sure a sales director would be doing his/her job if they didn’t object to most books and make low estimates of a book’s potential. They’re basically paid to sell the most books possible, and how many books are really that exceptional? I do agree that God must lead the execs who make decisions, and it doesn’t seem that always happens, but the frustration of many a writer has led to some pretty great books.

 

17.Coca Cola or Pepsi or neither?

 

That depends. Is it happy hour?

 

18.Being a Christian, a husband, a father of two little girls, what do you hope to teach your daughters above all else?

 

To love as they’ve been loved and to make that their work in life.

 

19.You and your wife Sheri have known each other for many years and just celebrated your 10^th wedding anniversary. How does Sheri feel about your new circumstance/opportunity?

 

She’s very excited. We’re both looking forward to the new adventure. There’s a lot to do now, so it’s fun to be busy with it all. But of course, there are times when it’s challenging too.

 

20.Why an editor?

 

I love editing. I originally thought I’d like to make films. Christian propaganda films, mainly. As a kid, I wanted to be the first one to make a high-quality, successful Christian film. So when I learned no one was handing out money for that, I tried screenwriting. But I didn’t like LA. So I figured I’d start in books. And then it just became easier to learn the business of publishing before pursuing publishing on my own. Now that I’m convinced editing is necessary to write, I wouldn’t have it any other way.

 

21.What three things would your closest friends say to identify you as a person?

 

Ha! You’d have to ask them. I’m sure I’d guess wrong.

 

22.What are the most important factors you’re now considering in your professional life?

 

Hmm. Where does God want me to be and how can I best use what he’s given me? Or as my dad puts it, How can I join him in what he’s already doing?

 

23.Being completely candid with pre-published authors, what would you want them to know?

 

Don’t complain. Take every opportunity and make it matter. Don’t shun the challenges. Push yourself and write every day if it kills you. You will improve, but only after writing a million crappy words will your writing be worth anything. And even then it won’t be worth much. So hitch your wagon to the thing that means the most. And be grateful for everything.

 

24.Marketing can be the bane of many authors while some take right to it. The only proven method of marketing that works is word of mouth—but that can take a long time. Since today’s new (and veteran) authors will most likely be asked to do some or most of their marketing, what do you suggest for those who can’t seem to come up with anything to impress anyone?

 

Be who you are and augment your best qualities. I’m going to ask my friends your question about what they’d say about me. That will help me know what makes me stand out better. Beyond that, take yourself out of the picture. Use the natural attraction and power of the message God’s given you to do the work of getting people interested. Don’t self-promote; promote the incredible opportunities you’ve gotten to share what God’s given you. Show people how extraordinary it is that we’re here, now, and we get to talk about these things together because he’s designed this moment from the beginning.

 

25.Finally, Mick, is there any point you want to make that I failed to address?

 

I think I’ve used up my 15 minutes. Thanks, Nicole, for this chance to think and share. I’m looking forward to seeing where God leads you next too!

 

http://mywritersgroup.typepad.com/

 

Father, you know how deeply I care for Mick. I pray your multiple blessings upon his next steps, that you would go before him and make his paths straight. Watch over him, Lord, and keep him safe from all harm. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

Interview with Editor Mick Silva: Part One

I've had the opportunity and the blessing to meet and converse with editor Mick Silva via email and on a couple of different occasions in person. Mick is as real as it gets in life and in publishing, and when you ask him something about either, you're going to get an honest, thoughtful answer. He's got a wry sense of humor, and he's a deeply passionate man especially about God and the subject of writing and publishing. So, here's Part One of this interview with Mick Silva.

   

1.Mick, you’ve been in publishing for a considerable time now. This last gig with Waterbrook/Multnomah just ended. To quote you:

 

“Riffed. Canned. Sacked. Laid off. But there's absolutely no way this isn't God's perfect timing. Hang on. I think I'm remembering a dream...” 

 

You don’t sound unhappy about your new “unemployment”. Why is that?

 

Well, there are always jobs. I spent 5 years writing and editing at Focus on the Family before moving to WaterBrook, and then 5 more years acquiring and developing nonfiction. I enjoyed the education. I’m just excited to finally develop my writers workout website. Hopefully, that will be revealed soon.

 

2.Would you say you’re a writer at heart? Explain who Mick Silva is at his core.

 

Ha ha! If I could do that, I probably wouldn’t be a writer. If you went through my files, you’d find I have a hoarder living in my core. I’m exposing him here. I keep the most ridiculous little scraps of ideas and connecting thoughts in case they might be useful someday. Maybe I’ll have space to get a system now. But I guess I have this idealistic notion of uncovering how different people experience God. I want to bring all that transcendent fantastic to bear on real life. I want reality to become the fantasy.

 

     

3.You’ve observed, experienced, and at times commented on the changes over the years in publishing. In your opinion what are some of the better things? In contrast what do think have been some of the more harmful things if any?

 

Unbelievable opportunities exist for authors willing to pursue nontraditional publishing avenues. That sounded almost canned—it’s just I’ve been thinking about it a while. Self-publish and figure out what God’s telling you to share and how to best share it honestly, and go out and share it! The established channels for mass media are money-driven. Do readers consider what chance is there for hearing God’s whisper in a Christian retail market that’s largely owned by secular conglomerates? Probably not. But the fever pitch may still drown out many well-intentioned messages before they can reach the people who need them. And I’m here to tell you that’s exactly what’s happening in mainstream Christian publishing.

 

4.Everyone these days has an opinion about the “future of publishing”. So what’s yours?

 

I have no opinion, only facts. Competition is good. And publishers have never had more. Except they still know it’s a popularity contest, and they make money by being the big dogs who can make authors into demigods. Expect to find books you wouldn’t have previously on the shelves. More and more books will get through that, as Mark Noll beautifully put, “comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.” My prediction: as ebooks and audio continue to steal market share from print, and big name authors’ books continue to undersell the little guys with powerful messages, self-published books will cause many in traditional publishing to wish they’d listened to their moms and become lawyers or doctors and such.

 

5.If you could do anything in publishing, what would it be? The obvious question: what’s next for Mick Silva?

 

I’d write and self-publish The Shack 2! I’m starting a community-based publishing website to help writers figure out how to best prepare for the changing market and develop their work. Since traditional publishing isn’t able to develop authors much anymore, I expect to be busy.

 

6.On a more personal note, you spent some time in the past sampling what the world had to offer. If you’re like me, you have considerable regret for some of the things experienced during that time of your life. What changed in your life to drive you there and what brought you back?

 

I do regret hurting a few people along the way. I’m sorry I missed my chance to have a positive impact on them in some way. I was raised under a deadly combination of sheltering and extreme discipline. I was also the oldest son of the senior pastor, so mine were fish bowl friends. I was always special and wanted to be anonymous. Dirty, street-wise scarred. But you can only live that way for a little while before you realize you had it good once. Eventually I was simply done being dirty. But I still never enjoy being special. (You can’t help it, Mick. It was God’s decision to make you who you are.)

 

7.I know you as a man of faith who never quits searching for a deeper place in God. I also know you as a passionate lover of “truth and beauty” in writing. Translate how those two parts of you mesh.

 

Sadly, I think we tend to neglect the sides of God we don’t understand. Truth and beauty are mysterious; they can’t be unraveled. The truth is beautiful, and beauty contains something of truth. Both involve contrasts, like God himself and everything he made. Why does the deepest truth only leave you with more questions? That’s the way it is, unstable, uncertain, but he’ll be there with you because he is love. So love him, love others and yourself, and let your writing be a continual search for him—his grace and justice, love and law—and forget answers as a goal. The search is its own reward. When I’m trusting him there I’ve found he reveals exactly what I’ve been after. But I have to step out in faith and not cling to my comfortable assurance. The one assurance is that he’s with you. We’re forgetful, and many truths have to be rediscovered again and again. But it’s so rewarding to develop your taste for it.

 

8.At times you’ve been a vocal critic of some of CBA fiction. What is your main objection to some of it?

 

Simply, it’s unrefined. And I used to get so bent out of shape about it. You have to understand that most Christians shopping in Christian stores aren’t looking for Tolstoy. If a Christian is taking the time to find Christian fiction, they want it to do certain things. Be redemptive, at least. Affirm them. Support their beliefs. And why shouldn’t they have that? Amy Grant’s old song “Fat Baby” explains a bit more, but there’s no call for being snobby about it. I had to learn that some readers need simple answers. Black and white. I decided I didn’t want to be the judge of who had the wrong preferences and maturity level.

Some people will like fancy books, others plain. But both gourmet and grub can be nutritious—or make you sick. And when you look at your average Christian in America, it’s easy to see why some Christian fiction has a way to go. St. Flan said, “Everywhere I go I'm asked if I think the university stifles writers. My opinion is that they don't stifle enough of them. There's many a best-seller that could have been prevented by a good teacher.” If you don’t want to end up writing thin gruel, read a lot, deeply study the Bible, and be willing to be taught and have your mind stretched.

 

9.You’ve been working on a novel of your own. Can you tell us anything about it?

 

Nope. Oh, okay. It’s my first attempt, so it’s a slog. Six years in the making. Basically, I wanted to know whether God can still exist for someone who’s lost his memory, his ability to tell fact from fiction. And finally he has to figure out how to live without his body. It’s a trippy beast of a book, but my critique group has been extremely helpful.

 

10.What do you think was your main “gain” from your years at Waterbrook/Multnomah?

 

Experience. I wouldn’t know much if I hadn’t committed the time I did there.

 

11.Do you have any plans to relocate?

 

We’re in the middle of a move now, to the Portland, Oregon area to be closer to family.

 

12.Have you ever considered being an agent?

 

Once. But then I remembered that I hate all agents! Truthfully, I’ve liked almost every agent I’ve known. I’m just not smart enough to do what they do. And I can’t handle contract negotiations. They bore me to tears.

 

13.Do you have a favorite genre to read—or to write?

 

My shelves are pretty ecclectic. My wife is encouraging me to get rid of a lot of stuff in the move (“You can get it on the Kindle”), but the stuff I’m keeping is off-the-beaten path with broad appeal. I’m sitting next to The Book of the Dun Cow, A Confederacy of Dunces, 100 Cupboards, Fight Club, Peace Like a River and Flannery O’Connor’s Mystery and Manners.

 

(Mick’s current website can be found here: http://mywritersgroup.typepad.com/)

 

The conclusion to this interview will appear tomorrow.

Inside their heads . . .

. . . is where you have to go whether you want to or not. After all, you’ve given them life, right? These characters who occupy much of the mental free-for-all in the creative wing of your brain must live and breathe on the page or the story dies from lack of oxygen and blood supply.

 

You can’t help but wonder how a lovely lady like Brandilyn Collins manufactures these creepy criminal, sometimes serial killer types, but she does. Looks deep into their psyches and creates some monster murderers. Skin crawling examples of human depravity. And she does it well.

 

Steven James’ villains are off the chart wicked. And his approach to them with Patrick Bowers is to not only contrast his hero’s desire to see them stopped, incarcerated for the rest of their lives--or even more preferable: dead—but to subtly imply there are similarities to these wicked whackos in each of us.

 

Let’s move another direction. How about someone like the lovely 30-something nearly reclusive murder mystery author who writes under a pseudonym and has never been with a man? What kind of woman in today’s world could occupy that moral position looking like she does?

 

What about the lonely boy who absorbs the dysfunction from his quarreling parents and his only ambition in this life is to experience love and a family that doesn’t fight? When superstardom ambushes him as a young man, he still looks for deep love and it eludes him until his mid-30s. Then when happiness surrounds him, he discovers he’s still that empty, lonely little boy . . .

 

What about the guy who accidentally kills his estranged wife’s boyfriend in a bedroom brawl? He’s just an ordinary guy who ends up in jail with a minimum sentence and must start over as a felon.

 

I know the darkness I can conjure up in my mind. How ‘bout you? I also know I long for redemption in stories of all kinds. Hope. For more than humanity has to offer. More than humanity can ever hope to attain alone. I also want to see evil get its due. To be addressed for what it is. To experience some justice—even if it’s just one instance.

 

What do you want to gain after peering inside their heads?

 

Lord, you give us insight and revelation into ourselves and others. Apart from you, we can do nothing. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

Sunday's Offerings

Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.

 

Ephesians 6:19 (NIV)

Soon . . .

**Congratulations to my friend Sandra Chapman for winning Back on Murder by J. Mark Bertrand for her daughter Samara.**

 

Coming soon:

 

Another book giveaway

 

Interview with former Waterbrook/Multnomah editor Mick Silva

 

Book reviews: Ronie Kendig’s Nightshade; Steven James’ The Bishop; Vince Flynn’s Extreme Measures

 

 

Today, I just want to say thank you so much, Lord of all Creation. Soon and very soon, we are going to see the King . . .

Chasing the chaff . . .

Sifting the wheat from the chaff . . . In daily life this is not such an easy plan, but its value is critical.

 

Nick Harrison , Senior Editor at Harvest House and truly one of the good guys, blogged about the call to write and other such things that provide the impetus to write regardless of what that writing produces. Kind of a litmus test for surviving the trials, the disappointments, the overall difficulties of writing itself and writing in hopes of being published. Good stuff.

 

The thing I’ve noticed lately is how eager we are to chase after the chaff in this business. How we hold people up in awe of their commitments, their brilliance, their longsuffering in order to produce these superlative novels, their labor over choosing words to make their tomes near perfect. As if their efforts make them special and worthy of reverence.

 

Have we forgotten the role we play in God’s kingdom? Have we simply ignored the gift-giving comes from Him, and the labor is done to honor Him? If He touches something with His holy hand to direct it into the spotlight, it’s not because of who we are. But we have a hard time sharing the glory. I worked so hard for so many years to write this “excellent” story—oh yeah, that the Lord put on my heart. Now I can tell everyone who reads this interview or this post on my blog or this Tweet or on Facebook that all you really have to do to get published is write this “really great story”, and, oh yeah, I’ll be teaching a class on characterization at such-and-such a conference.

 

The chaff blows away. Even in a light wind. The wheat of obedience lasts forever. Consider what in your life you want to matter most . . .

 

Father, I’m sorry for every time I’ve chased after meaningless nonsense. Jesus, you’re all I’m livin’ for. I’m desperate for you. Please help me to be more obedient. Less of me. More of you. Please. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.   

Likin' it?

Preferences. We all have them. Dislikes. Yeah, we definitely have those too. Have you ever liked a novel and couldn’t explain why? Or at least your explanation felt inadequate to you? What exactly is it that makes a story stand out to you?

 

For me it varies according to the book and author. I love novels for all kinds of reasons, but I’ve found I dislike them for two reasons in particular. One: I don’t jive with the characters. They annoy me, they repulse me, they seem shallow, ridiculous, or whiny. And/or I don’t like the writing either in voice or style. Usually I try to avoid plots that don’t appeal to me, but if I make a mistake by choosing a book with a storyline I don’t like, the other two reasons seem to be amplified.

 

In contrast I love characters who demand I get involved in their lives. Whether in their weakness and humanity or their strong and courageous hero-complexes, get me invested in their plights. All kinds of personalities draw me. It’s not about quirkiness, macho-ism, femininity, boldness, or a fearful demeanor. It’s about who they are in the pages of the story. That indefinable something that makes me care about them.

 

I’m intrigued by writing: voice, style, format. I loved Chris Fabry’s Dogwood because his writing shone in its unique brilliance. There was one stereotypical villain, and I didn’t particularly care for the ending, but I loved this book. The devotion and strength of one character touched my heart while the writing felt somehow exquisite.

 

Lisa Samson chose the format of a memoir to illustrate The Passion of Mary-Margaret. The voice for Mary-Margaret kept perfectly attuned to the woman telling her life story. The story moved me in its originality and depth: brazen, tender, a love story of supernatural and oh so human proportions. A truly profound and brilliant novel.

 

You all know how much I respect Robert Liparulo as a person, as a writer, as a friend. His voice is unique, natural, always believable. His pacing is superb. His imagination is amazing and his delivery solid, heart pounding.

 

Tosca Lee expresses this intellectual overtone which somehow manages to not insult those of us who are less inclined to do such detailed research and delve so deeply into reasons. Her voice captures both wit and wisdom and challenges readers.

 

Brandilyn Collins uses a style which courses through the pages. Drives the story like a Corvette. Always solves the tiniest plot points with unique stories and some unusual or strange, careful, and bold characters.  

 

Harry M. Kraus, MD, manages to capture the nuances of human nature and the honesty and subtlety of romance when he includes it in his stories.

 

Kristen Heitzmann gets romance. She writes compelling stories, often with suspenseful plots, but when male and female desires collide, she gets it.

 

Travis Thrasher scores big on portraying the fallen spirit of mankind. He understands depravity and is willing to look hard at it and sometimes draw conclusions. He takes unlimited chances in his work, and I love that he does. He’s a bold writer, and I respect his work.

 

. . . to name a few reasons for likin’ it when it comes to writing. And you?

 

Father, you have gifted so many. It’s honorable when people use their gifts to reflect you. It’s a privilege to be used for your glory. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

Guess who's . . . Back on Murder

 

                         

The Christian Fiction Blog Alliance Tour features J. Mark Bertrand’s debut novel Back on Murder published by Bethany House, a story that will satisfy a variety of readers. At its heart it’s a murder mystery with an antihero by the name of Roland March who used to be a first rate detective in the Houston Police Department until a tragedy the reader’s not immediately privy to interrupted March’s life and career. He once investigated murders, but prior to when the story begins, Detective March has been assigned to other areas including the “suicide cops” detail. He’s managed to alienate most of his colleagues, and they all figure he’s on the way out of police work, and sometimes so does March.

 

However, there’s a drug squat filled with gang corpses, and somehow Detective Roland March is back on murder. Discovering something at the scene everyone else misses while establishing the way things went down in this multiple killing, March alerts his Captain to the evidence and is commended for his observation. This single piece of evidence and a certain CSI tech drive March into a renewed determination to solve the murders and to figure out exactly what this new element means to another developing scenario.

 

Simultaneously a pretty church-going teen girl turns up missing and is getting 24/7 news coverage causing the Missing Persons division of HPD excessive media pressure. When March suggests there could be a connection between these two situations and refuses to get along with the younger detective heading up the gang murders, he is taken off that case and added to the missing teen case. While working with the attractive young Detective Theresa Cavallo, a reluctant bond forms as they work together and independently to gain information about both cases.

 

Add to these cases the personal pain and cynical persona of Detective Roland March and you have the makings of an interesting story which weaves a few eccentric characters into the landscape, an almost confession from a cop who wants immunity, and a youth pastor who’s devastated and blames himself for the disappearance of the teen girl. All of these intersecting plot points give the reader a layered story that follows the leads right along with March.

 

Written in the first person, Mark establishes the unique character and voice of Detective Roland March with honest admissions, both shameful and honorable, and just enough humanity and humility to keep the reader from judging the man when his bitterness and rage get the best of him.

 

Anyone who’s followed the blogs of J. Mark Bertrand knows the man’s first novel would be nothing short of well-structured storytelling. They’d know he’d paint pictures with his words to show us people of all types who contribute to the tale and that he’d provide amazing metaphors with clever witticisms and language that conjures up succinct images, both emotional and physical. We would expect nothing less of him because he’s dedicated to his craft. His expressions and interesting sentence formations give the reader the wonderful experience of style and variety, something so refreshing and different from formulaic writing. He also gives us an unlikely hero to cheer on for multiple reasons, and we somehow expect as Detective Roland March gains his old momentum he will triumph in the end.

 

If there’s a “weakness” in this story—and I certainly wouldn’t call it that—it might be confusing to keep all of the characters straight, but I personally think every single one of them adds both flavor and the element of reality to the discovery and elimination of potential suspects as well as to the life and character of Roland March. One inconsequential point for me is that lately I’ve read a slew of novels which decide to take a long time before they reveal the tragedy behind their protagonist’s persona—usually the excuse for his (or others’) possibly undesirable behavior. This feels like a gimmick to me, and I’d prefer it in the clear sooner rather than later.

 

Mark chooses to use his peripheral characters to interject a Christian perspective while leaving the tainted March to ponder the reality of God. Concluding the story with both a satisfactory ending and an expected cliffhanger, I for one will welcome the next installment in the Detective Roland March series. Meanwhile, it’s good to know March is Back on Murder.  

  

 http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0764206370

 

 

Father, please continue to bless Mark with lots of stories and the time to create them. May he honor you in all he does. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

 

***Give me one good reason for wanting a copy of this book, and it’s yours. Make it a good one. Leave it in the comments. Convince me. You won’t be sorry. Winner will be announced Friday.***

Sunday's Offerings

This is what the Lord says—

your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel:

“I am the Lord your God,

who teaches you what is best for you,

who directs you in the ways you should go.

If only you had paid attention to my commands,

your peace would have been like a river,

your righteousness like the waves of the sea.

Your descendants would have been like the sand,

your children like its numberless grains;

their name would never be cut off

nor destroyed before me.”

 

. . .

 

“There is no peace,” says the Lord, “for the wicked.”

 

Isaiah 48:17-19; 22