Into the Fire

Portraying the beauty . . .

 

"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder." (This saying first appeared in the 3rd century BC in Greek. It didn't appear in its current form in print until the 19th century, but in the meantime there were various written forms that expressed much the same thought. Courtesy of http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/beauty-is-in-the-eye-of-the-beholder.html) In other words what is physically, emotionally, or even spiritually "beautiful" can be subjective.

So it figures that an author displaying a character of beauty would depict that character from personal preferences or from another character's perspective. And we all know how enchanting physical beauty can be. But as an author we must decide if our character(s) will be physically beautiful or if their inner beauty supersedes their physical appearance.

As people, we know our looks play with our minds. Beauty - or a perceived lack thereof - can dictate how confident we are, the reactions we experience, and how we value ourselves. Right or wrong, most of us want to have some physical appeal and if we don't see ourselves with any, we can be ruled by low self-esteem.

The distinction of types of beauty lies in the author's perceptions and translates to the page. How serious a writer takes such things will be communicated by the inner workings of their characters.

Will we use beauty to entice, to seduce, to enhance? Will our character be attractive but shallow? Gorgeous but hardened? Beautiful and unapproachable? Glamorous and aloof? Pretty but unaware of it? Lovely but reticent? How will beauty be portrayed?

As a reader and/or as a writer, what role does beauty play in your favorite novels - including your own?

 

Father, you find beauty in what you create. Like everything else, mankind has distorted beauty. Help us to view things more from your perspective. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

 

Examining the beast . . .

                           

Writing the "beast" is much easier if you're a fantasy author. Within that framework you can build all kinds of beasts and make them good or evil or a combination of both. But when you're constructing general fiction, the beast lives within a person and his or her actions determine just how much of that innate evil is allowed to live and thrive.

I've had the opportunity to meet author Steven James when he taught some classes at a large, multi-faceted church function in my area. I invited a friend to help me "man" his book booth while he spoke and taught classes. If you're unfamiliar with Steven James' novels, you need to know he writes some of the best contemporary thrillers in literature. A Christian author with a Masters in Storytelling, he selectively teaches writing classes, and he rails against "Christian" being inserted in front of fiction.

A tall, slender, nice-looking guy who sometimes wears hip glasses, Steven James is soft-spoken but enthusiastic, athletic, nice, and gives the impression he could be a lot of fun in a less professional setting. Steven James writes some of the most evil characters you will ever discover. Horrible. Creepy. Yet often appear to be ordinary, suave, or accomplished. He has stated he wants to capture evil and demonstrate its emotional content. The question you might want to ask is, "How does a nice guy like you write such despicable characters?"

To write evil you do have to understand its source. The most painful part of writing it is knowing if you travel down deep enough, you can find it inside yourself. Not a good feeling. But true. Granted, not all of us can go that deep and come up with the stuff that fills the pages of thrillers, nor can all of us afford to examine evil to the length required to write the kind of mindsets which comprise the makeup of serial killers. That's a good thing. It's more than some can bear, dangerous to look at or study, and completely not suited to the fearful and/or delicate psyches.

We are to hate what is evil, but if we make evil "typical", it makes for boring reading. Evil comes in so many forms in human conduct, but it inevitably begins in the mind. Creating an introduction to the beast hidden within the human soul requires us to creatively introduce the subtleties of wickedness without sustaining clichés. No easy task.

Making the beast exceptional requires the writer to look deep and forge an evil from the demonic influence on the human soul. Few writers can do this well. Perhaps even fewer want to do it.

 

God, for those of yours who are compelled to display evil, I pray your divine protection over them. I pray your insights will permeate their creations and that redemptive alternatives will be presented. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

Sunday's Offerings

 

There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him:

     haughty eyes,

     lying tongue,

     hands that shed innocent blood,

     a heart that devises wicked schemes,

     feet that are quick to rush into evil,

     a false witness who pours out lies

     and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers.

 

Proverbs 6:16-19 (NIV)

Beauty or Beast?

      

 

                                                          OR

 

                           

Okay, I happen to think actress Keira Knightley is beautiful. Inserted into acting at a young age, she became a sensation after playing Elizabeth Swann in the Pirates of the Caribbean Series. Mostly period pieces followed her success in "Pirates" with a couple of exceptions.

And I think we can all agree the picture of the "Smoke Monster" above is surely a beast.

I don't think any of us would find it surprising to hear the potential for either beauty or beast tendencies exists in the human soul. Now we can argue semantics, but in literature we read of overt or subtle battles between good and evil. Protagonists are rarely depicted as purely good and occasionally antagonists are portrayed as not all bad.

What about the author? Do we favor the beauty or celebrate the beast? Do we give accurate accounts of both or do we slip into clichés of either or both?

Do you as a reader need to "understand" the motivations of both the hero and the villain?

As a writer, if we write drama, we are compelled to make our characters realistic. Their language in the dialogue must fit them and the time slot in which we write. Their physical identity and descriptions must augment who they're set up to be. Their reasoning during crisis mode must not supersede who we've set them up to be.

If we've accentuated beauty and minimized beast - or vice versa - we are responsible for convincing readers there is a justifiable reason for choosing to do it.

It can be painful to allow the beast to erupt into our writing and difficult at times to show the beauty. Much depends on our vision for what we write based on our experiences in this world.

What's it like for you as a reader? Beauty or beast? As a writer?

 

Father, you're the only beauty we have and can cling to. Help us show the contrasts effectively and somehow demonstrate the only hope for the human race is in you. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.               

With . . . Harmful Intent

                           

When west Texas former Army Ranger and lawman Deputy Sergeant Dawson Hughes and Brooklyn-born and employed Private Eye Veronica "Ronnie" Ingels get entangled in the death of Ronnie's husband, all kinds of sparks and gunfire fly.

Ronnie's husband is out of town on a motivational speaking engagement so Ronnie decides to visit an old college friend in Texas. When Ronnie enters her friend's bridal boutique, she finds her husband Mark in a heavy embrace with her BFF. The shock almost knocks her to her knees, and the explanations of their "love" and Mark's desire for a divorce leave Ronnie in shambles until she learns she's the prime suspect in his murder.

Ronnie has little time to adjust to the shock of his and her "friend's" affair, to grieve his death because she truly loved him, or to ask herself what she did to deserve his betrayal because she's knee deep in the investigation as soon as she casts aside the suspicions about her involvement in his death.

Deputy Dawson Hughes must quickly learn she's unwilling to sit by and let law enforcement handle the investigation, and although she frustrates him no end, he realizes she's a proven investigator and turns up new leads, handles her Glock like a pro, but can get herself in dangerous situations without even trying. His protective instincts grow as they uncover a package in her husband's hotel room they never expected to find. But someone else did.

Harmful Intent by Nike Chillemi, the first in the Deputy Sergeant Dawson Hughes and P.I. Veronica "Ronnie" Ingels series, will be followed by Deadly Designs. A fun little mystery with the typical banter you'd expect from an all-male Texas lawman and a spunky Brooklyn private eye, the story gives the reader small snatches of the backgrounds of these two individuals leaving the door wide open for more personal character development and relationship enhancement in future books. The chemistry is solid, the hero is strong, the heroine is street-mart with just enough vulnerability to keep her sympathetic. Peripheral characters add flavor and intrigue. Perhaps Ronnie's former friend is a tad over the top, but if you're looking for a summer-lite read with a touch of meaningful wedged in between the storyline, Harmful Intent is the book for you.

http://nikechillemi.wordpress.com/harmful-intent/

 

Father, please continue to bless Nike in all she does for you and give her many more stories to tell. Lead her on the path you designed just for her and guide her every step of the journey. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.      

   

A summer re-run with SEX!

                        

 

In light of my recent reading and reviews, I thought this post from July of 2010 seemed "appropriate". I hope you can see the value here in baring (literally) my soul.

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.

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 Bridge to Haven] 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.

Don't count on it . . .

 

Although this sign is a bit dramatic, I wanted to use it to make a point. As Christians, we want to do our best to represent Jesus Christ. As humans, we are sometimes noted for botching up a good witness.

As fiction writers who are Christians, we want to write stories which illuminate and/or incorporate our Savior, faith issues, the human condition, and somehow make sin realistic without kowtowing to the relativity of wrong as the world likes to preach. It's a tall order.

Many Christian authors hope their work will reach the lost or at least those who are searching for something to believe in. As Christians, we also realize and must face up to our inability to save a soul. Yes, God can use us to be a starting, in between, or ending point to the salvation process. No, it isn't up to us when or who He chooses to do this. Or who He calls upon to hear the Gospel.

I know the hearts of many authors hope their novels will reach the lost. And it's not that they can't or won't, it's that God is in charge of that. If you've ever read the mean-spirited, unkind, critical reviews at Amazon - and I imagine elsewhere - from readers who resent and have the nerve to say they were offended at the Christian "message", "agenda", or "dogma" in a book by a Christian author, you know those who aren't interested in God can be bitter, cruel, and totally unappreciative of anything representing what they comprehend as "religious" propaganda.

After spending some time reading in the ABA, it's easy to determine the focus of many of their authors - certainly not all. The dependence on the human intellect and innate strength of will overrule any divine supernatural assistance unless of course the use of ghosts and demonic creatures are used. And there seems to be a fair amount of anger toward the perception of God as they see Him. Any reliance on God is either portrayed as weak, crazy, inane, or foolish. Until a life or death situation occurs. Maybe then a protagonist or heroine offers up a quick prayer, never to be addressed again once safe. Or acknowledged.

It's our love for Jesus which makes us need to share the Gospel. I just don't think we can count on it happening effectively for the unbeliever through our stories unless it is our specific charge from the Lord. The world is lost and each individual needs The Savior, but no one comes to Him unless they're called. If the Holy Spirit uses a novel to reach them, they can make an informed decision through His leading. What a privilege if something we write is what He chooses to draw them near.

We must write the stories He gives us and let Him take it from there.

 

Father, we desire to be a faithful witness when we write and in everything we do, always hoping to honor you with our words and actions. No one knows our failures better than you. And yet you love us still. Amazing God. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

 

   

And the winner is . . .

  

First of all, my sincere thanks to Heather for her generous offer to give away a copy of Miranda Warning, either print or ebook, and for her informative post on indie publishing. Miranda Warning is a good novel and an enjoyable springboard for the A Murder in the Mountains Series.

I also want to thank each one of you who took the time to stop by, read my review, and post a comment to be eligible for the drawing. I appreciate you all: Jenni, Heidi, Keri-Elizabeth, bn100, Debra, and Brenda.

And the winner is DEBRA! Look for my email to make arrangements for your copy of Heather Day Gilbert's Miranda Warning.

 

Father, please continue to bless Heather in all of her endeavors and also each one who took the time to bless me by entering this giveaway. Heap your love upon them, Lord. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

Sunk in . . . Dangerous Waters

                 

An interesting mystery accompanying graphic sex scenes. Not sure which gets more attention.

Since I'm an adult, married, have had two sons, I read through the sexual episodes for one reason: to know what to expect from this author, to realize and confirm the graphic nature of sex in the general market - and from this novel, as explicit as these scenes were, I'm fairly sure there are far worse in both the romance category and other genres. Which, for me, is a sad commentary on the state of literature and the romance-reading world. Because this wasn't romance to me. It was raw lust - and identified as such to Anderson's credit - and if these scenes had been portrayed visually, they would certainly be pornographic which might explain why some women are addicted to secular romance novels.

Included in the story were insults to God, as referenced by a small "g" when mentioned, with "Christ" and "Jesus" basically used as expletives. Lots of other cuss words present too. 

The mystery/suspense tells the story of a murder in a small town on Vancouver Island (west of British Columbia). The lead RCMP investigator, Sergeant Holly Rudd, must find the murderer of a man found in the depths of an old unidentified ship wreckage. The two local divers who discover the corpse, Thomas Edgefield, head of the Marine Lab, and Finn Carver, former Special Forces and self-assigned protector of Thomas Edgefield, recognize the knife stuck through the guy's chest but don't mention it to the Sergeant. Thomas Edgefield with Finn present faints when Holly visits his office to interview him. She learns she presents an amazing resemblance to Edgefield's murdered wife, an old local Cold Case. 

The small town is not receptive to cops, and suspects and leads seem to dissolve. A threat on Holly's life occurs with no real clues as to who's responsible. Until there is another murder.

Now in itself, the mystery is a good one with one hint or clue after another frustrating the investigation but eventually leading to a climactic discovery. But I'm afraid the author seemed more concerned with the physical climaxes shared by the co-protagonists Finn and Holly. And these explicit scenes bog down the story and turn it into a bodice ripping tale that morphs into "love" which I addressed in my post here. 

Here's the thing: after reading one of the sex scenes, the additional ones were boring. As I said, I'm an adult,  wife, and mother. I get it. I'm also a die-hard romantic who doesn't read most CBA - and now for sure not ABA - romances. The CBA hides sexual tension well and mostly fails to address the sexual attraction between male and female protagonists. The ABA takes sexual attraction to another level, acts on it, and leaves zero to the imagination. Both are unsatisfying to this author and reader.

So. I can't recommend Dangerous Waters by Toni Anderson, but I could have if she'd eliminated the graphic sex scenes. She took a good mystery and ruined it with over-the-top lusty components, overshadowing the suspense with raw sex for no good reason.

 

Father, you're the only source for decency. Left to the world's view of sex, we're all worthless pawns in a satanic vision. Please minister to those to whom you've given the talent to use words. Help them to see what's of true value and what is a waste of time on earth. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.   

Sunday's Offerings

 

For a man's ways are in full view of the Lord,

  and he examines all his paths.

The evil deeds of a wicked man ensnare him;

  the cords of his sin hold him fast.

He will die for lack of discipline,

  led astray by his own great folly.

 

Proverbs 5:21-23 (NIV)

A strange threat in the . . . Miranda Warning

Today is your opportunity to win either an ebook or soft cover of Miranda Warning. Your choice! Leave a comment through Sunday and make sure I have an email address. Random selection will determine a winner to be announced on June 23rd.

 

 

Miranda Warning by Heather Day Gilbert is the first in the A Murder in the Mountains Series.

Miranda Warning begins with a stunning paragraph penned in first person much  like a journal or diary entry. The entries continue throughout the story from past to present and reveal a character who is deeply troubled.  

Miranda is the 69 year old best friend of a young-married woman named Tess Spencer. Tess and her up-and-coming lawyer husband Thomas are still paying off student loans, live in Thomas' parents' small cottage across the driveway from their house, and have just discovered Tess is pregnant. After two years of marriage and so many financial difficulties, Tess can't imagine being ready for a baby but is simultaneously excited and nervous.

Tess's ties to Miranda go back to when Tess was a young teen whose dad was long gone and whose mother was in and out of trouble with the law over drugs. Miranda rescued the young Tess, showed her love and commitment, introduced her to God, and became her best friend. Miranda, now a widow, has suffered both a heart attack and a stroke which has left her in a wheel chair where she resides in the plush assisted living "resort" called The Haven. Still sharp in her insights and resolute in her faith, Miranda receives a threatening letter from what appears to be a long-dead friend.

Enter Tess to the rescue. To return the unsoliticed favor to Miranda, Tess is compelled to investigate this haunting warning to her friend. In the process of her desire to help, Tess receives some personal warnings, gets followed, has ghostly stalkers appear on her in-law's property, receives flowers with hidden meanings delivered by an old college acquaintance, and manages to rile up her husband and family who want to protect her.

Progressing from the typical young wife, who only knows what guys are like in her perceived notions of them, to the increasingly hormonal pregnant woman, Tess is sometimes a super sleuth, sometimes an over-protective jealous child, and sometimes just a carelessly obsessed friend on the hunt for whoever is threatening her friend and her. She's usually armed with her knife because she can't carry the Glock without a permit, but this doesn't always reassure her or her husband that she's safe as the threatening incidents increase.

There are many more details and characters in this well-written story of betrayal, resentment, revenge, friendship, forgiveness, loyalty, and love, but I'll let readers investigate along with Tess's first person account of her adventurous pursuits in solving the mystery of the Miranda Warning.

Heather Day Gilbert has written an enticing tale to begin her series, endearing us to many of the characters, creating a credible mystery with snapshots of truly humorous quips of internal dialogue, behaviors, and circumstances. A good first  novel in A Murder in the Mountains Series. 

 

Father, please continue to keep Heather in your care, diagramming her writing journey, filling her with stories you have just for her to tell. Watch over her and keep her safe from all harm. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.    

Guest Author Heather Day Gilbert

Today I have the pleasure of introducing you to Heather Day Gilbert, indie author of two very different novels God's Daughter and Miranda Warning. Tomorrow on the release date of Miranda Warning I will present my review and offer you an opportunity to win a copy of the book in e-form or softcover. So . . . here's Heather!

Five Top Reasons I'm Thankful to be an Indie Author

By: Heather Day Gilbert

Thank you so much for letting me visit your blog, Nicole. And thank you for being an early reader for my mystery, Miranda Warning.

Despite the strides indie authors have made over the past several years, I think most indies have run into at least a few less-than-stellar reactions, even in the Christian community. Reviewers who refuse to read self-published novels. Award contests that won't accept indie nominees. Agents who say they support indies but have no clue how to promote them.

Today, I want to focus on why I'm HAPPY to be an indie author. Yes, it took me a while to get past that dream of being traditionally published. But now, seven months after my novel debut, I spend most of my time counting my indie blessings. I'm going to name them, one by one...

1) Books go out on my own schedule. After spending over a year and a half on submission in the traditional publishing world, I can say that I'm so thankful my first book didn't get picked up then. It would've taken another year to get it into production, and I wanted to get my novel (God's Daughter) out when Vikings were trending. Thanks to that, I've had some opportunities I wouldn't have had otherwise, such as my book being carried in the Royal BC Museum in Canada for their Vikings exhibition--going on now through September.

2) I control when my books are free or discounted, and I have immediate feedback on the sales fluctuations that occur after this. I don't have to wait months to know how my books are selling or if my marketing strategies are working. I can be hands-on and responsive to what readers are looking for.

3) I can set up my own early reader pool. As an indie author, I try to hunt down readers in my genre, who enjoy my writing style. It doesn't mean I always get five stars. But it means those first reviews are thoughtful and thorough for Goodreads and Amazon, and that's critical since those are the first ones people will see. Often, traditionally published authors can't offer ARCs to readers until about a month pre-launch. I try to make sure I give readers at least 2 to 3 months, so they can have plenty of time to read and formulate reviews/endorsements. Not to mention, it builds buzz if they like your book.

4) I can be responsive to my readers. My readers have offered input on varying aspects of publication, from series titles to book blurbs. If not for my readers, I wouldn't know that they rarely read endorsements for non-debut books, because they already "know" that author. This gave me freedom on my second book, so I didn't focus so heavily on endorsements.

Not to mention readers have an unerring sense of what will sell. Time and time again, I see the majority veer toward the most marketable choice. It is tremendously helpful to me as an author, and I express my appreciation for my readers every chance I get.

5) The indie community is one of the most well-informed, most supportive communities out there. Yes, I have many traditionally published friends, too, and I love them! But indies have to stay abreast of the latest marketing strategies/formatting tools/cover trends, and the list goes on. Not to mention we are all fairly independent-minded. We might occasionally disagree, but we also learn from each other. We develop our own strategies of writing and marketing. We grow together and lend support.

These are just a few reasons why I'm so thankful God led me to be an independent publisher. There are so many more--from controlling your cover art to choosing your editors--but I won't get into those now. I just hope this encourages writers who might feel traditional is not the ideal route for them. There are options nowadays, and though indie publishing is a lot of work (like a full-time job!), the rewards can be rich.

AUTHOR BIO:

HEATHER DAY GILBERT enjoys writing stories about authentic, believable marriages. Seventeen years of marriage to her sweet Yankee husband have given her some perspective, as well as ten years spent homeschooling. Heather regularly posts on Novel Rocket about self-publishing.

 

You can find Heather at her website, Heather Day Gilbert--Author, and at her Facebook Author Page, as well as Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube, and Goodreads. Her Viking novel, God's Daughter, is an Amazon bestseller. You can find it on Amazon and Audible.com. Her Appalachian mystery, Miranda Warning, releases June 20th.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw?url=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=God's%20Daughter%20by%20Heather%20Day%20Gilbert

            http://www.amazon.com/Miranda-Warning-Murder-Mountains-Book-ebook/dp/B00L0N6N7U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1403023746&sr=8-1&keywords=Miranda+Warning+by+Heather+Day+Gilbert

 

Father, please continue to bless Heather's hard work and good writing. Meet her needs and supply your inspiration. Be her champion and counselor in all she does for you. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

Looking forward to . . .

       

Disregard the date on this promotional picture. This summer's new episodes begin on June 24th (2014) at 7 PM PDT.

Tomorrow you will be introduced to author Heather Day Gilbert if you haven't already had the pleasure. And on Friday I will post a review of her latest novel Miranda Warning.

  

 

Father, continue to bless those who offer their talents to you and lead those who don't know the origin of those talents to you, the source. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

The trouble with sex . . .

                               

Recently I've warily delved into a few general market books, mostly suspense and mystery novels. I'm a third of the way into my last one for a while. Guess what I've discovered?

In Christian fiction sex is taboo. At least anything past "longing looks" and "deep kisses" and occasional thoughts of "possibilities" related to those longing looks and sensual kisses. Not only is sex left to the imagination, real sexual attraction lags somewhere in no man's land - or perhaps I should revise that to say no woman's land. Mention a slang term for breast ("boob") or even the real word for breast: breast, and nope, nada, and don't-you-dare use those words in a Christian novel! 

In the general market, as expected, sex is mostly detailed, slang terms are used for just about everything, men and women lust after each other, and sex appeal is often prominently displayed and acted upon.

So. What's wrong with this picture? Making love is a God thing. Having sex is a worldly thing. The difference between two individuals becoming one under the marriage banner (and those individuals aren't of the same sex) and those who randomly select partners to indulge the flesh present a huge gap. Big. Definitive. Separated in every possible way except in the way their bodies function.

Why am I bringing this up again? Because there's no escaping sex. It's everywhere. The enemy of our souls has taken something beautiful and perverted it into something meaningless, inconsequential, or depraved, lying about the effects of fornication, homosexuality, pedophilia, rape, and every other derelict use of bodies to provide sexual content. It doesn't matter that rape is about control and dominance - there is a sexual trigger.

Of all the different kinds of romance novels - and there are probably millions - in Christian fiction shouldn't sex be presented in honesty and beauty the way it was intended? I don't mean explicitly or with graphic descriptions, but there is much to be said for portraying the sexual attraction between a man and a woman. It's not just about longing looks and deep kisses. There isn't anything wrong with honest magnetism. And why shouldn't it be contrasted to the lusty version the world uses?

If nothing else, reading two of the three secular novels reminds me of the messes people create for themselves with their misguided pursuit of the male/female dynamic culminating in sexual favors, episodes, experiences. There's nothing there to hold onto. Not that a kind of human love can't develop, but without the stabilizing beauty of God's idea of lovemaking, people are reduced to mere physical beings. This provides temporary satisfaction, but that's all. It's an act. Like eating a meal. After a while, you're hungry again. Appetites flare. Dissatisfaction with the menu. An ongoing pursuit begins. Or continues.

And that, my friends, is the trouble with sex . . .   

 

Father, you made the act of love a holy experience. You created beauty in the two becoming one. You made all things good. I'm so sorry for the perversion and corruption of what the world calls sex. We're all desperate for you, whether we know it or not. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

     

Hearing that . . . Silent Echo

                       

Now this escape into the secular market held a bit more of what is expected from general market fiction. There were language issues, one fairly graphic sex scene, and a gay Nigerian artist. Add to that the hopelessness of the dying P. I. Jimmy Booker, and you have a sad, borderline depressing, novel about Jimmy's last case. The caveat is this story was well-written in first-person POV.

If you've never experienced the deterioration of a cancer patient, J. R. Rain helps you to personally feel what Jimmy's enduring in his heterosexually acquired AIDS-related cancer. Jimmy spent time with many women, but the one woman who didn't realize her condition passed it along to Jimmy. His caretaker, Numi, the gay Nigerian artist, sees to Jimmy's every need, monitors his rest and natural cleanse tonics, and generally refuses to believe the man he addresses as "Cowboy" and "Kemosabe" among other terms, is going to die.

When an old friend finally musters the courage to meet Jimmy at his usual morning coffee stop, the friend Eddie reveals that his wife Olivia, who Jimmy once loved and who is estranged from Eddie, has been missing for 48 hours and is there any way Jimmy can try to find her. Jimmy can't imagine finding the strength to conduct an investigation, but he demands every last resource of his determination to do so, much to Numi's concern for his health.

The silent echo from Jimmy's past pulsates through his dying flesh, remembering how an attraction to, and the distraction of, a couple of girls in his youth resulted in the death of his little brother in the park where they played catch before the baseball game they were scheduled to watch. 

Jimmy seeks the help of a police detective he knows, and the search for Olivia begins. Jimmy learns quickly that every effort he makes is more of a demand on his quickly fading body. His determination might not be enough, that is until Olivia is discovered, and the relation to his brother's death so many years ago can't be a coincidence.

Silent Echo is not a cheery story, equally focused on a dying man's hopeless condition and mental state and the mystery of finally solving Olivia's disappearance and potentially his brother's murder. Deemed a mystery, philosophically it's about the anger of an adult man toward God over the death of his brother and how the resulting self-loathing produced by feeling totally responsible for it have left him incapable of sustaining relationships, filled with a silent rage, and struggling between wanting death and fearing it. **SLIGHT SPOILERS** Subtle issues/problems address homosexuality, making Numi a saint and Jimmy's only real friend, finding what feels like real love when it's too late, finally receiving reconciliation with his mother who blamed him for his brother's death, and an inconclusive opinion on life after death. **END SPOILERS**

Jimmy's last case gives him the release to leave his life behind.

As a Christian, of course this is not the total ending I would desire, but for this particular work, it's plausible and expected. While there is some satisfaction in the conclusion, secular fiction addresses the aftermath of death in vague and overused opinions. 

Written very well with a fitting and consistent voice, the weaknesses for me appeared in these areas: a bit of a stretch regarding the romantic/sexual encounter/relationship with Mary, deciding whether or not the author intended an agenda with his character Numi, and the somewhat implausible fight scene with Eddie. The mystery itself was tipped off early, but the "getting there" proved interesting.

J. R. Rain's Silent Echo presents another quick and interesting summer read if you can take the first paragraph's warnings in this review.

 

Lord, only you know hearts. Only you change hearts. Praying your insights to be revealed to J. R. Rain. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.  

     

Sunday's Offerings

 

Trust in him at all times, O people;

  pour out your hearts to him,

  for God is our refuge.

 

Psalm 62:8 (NIV)

Unexpected death in . . . Skeleton Canyon

                             

I decided to venture outside the CBA market for a little break just to see if it was possible to read a decent (as in not immorally saturated) crime novel from the talented and prolific bestselling novelist J. A. Jance. I picked up in the middle of her Joanna Brady Series with Skeleton Canyon because this particular back cover copy gave me just enough to entice me, and I never felt like I'd missed too much history by starting in the middle. And, lo and behold, it was not a God-less novel!

Much to my surprise I learned J.A. Jance spends divided time between the Seattle area and Tucson, Arizona, so could justifiably be called a "snow bird". This Sheriff Joanna Brady novel primarily takes place in Bisbee, Arizona.

With clear illustrations of the local terrain and weather patterns affecting the crime solving, Jance weaves an interesting and complex tale involving the beautiful but challenging daughter Brianna (Bree) of an older wealthy paraplegic man David O'Brien and his former nurse Katherine. O'Brien married Katherine after slowly recovering from a fatal accident which cost him his first wife and their two children. Brianna is keeping her first love a secret from her disapproving parents, finding her father impossible to please.

"Nacio" Ybarra faces similar prejudices from his family for wanting to be involved with the white girl, so they take secret periodic breaks and meet at a designated camping spot in Skeleton Canyon for their short weekend rendezvous. Nacio had received a full scholarship for his football skills until he shattered his leg in the local game with Brittany's high school. He had hoped to become a doctor. And they planned to go away to college and finally be together without having to hide. 

But the intersection of multiple crimes results in a murder and makes solving it a heavy weight on Sheriff Joanna Brady. Dealing with the arrogant and angry David O'Brien is a feat in itself when Brianna comes up missing and her parents discover she didn't go where she said she was going.

When Sheriff Brady's air conditioning on her personal vehicle requires a quick fix, she learns of a Freon smuggling situation so she calls a contact to share her information.

When her friend (Angie) with a checkered past takes Joanna's advice to accompany a bird expert (Dennis Hacker) to watch hummingbirds, that meeting ends in disaster in multiple ways.

All these seemingly unrelated events culminate one evening in a chase and crash during another desert storm. How everything ties together in the end is skillfully done, tragic, emotional, and almost hopeful by the end of the story.

J. A. Jance proved to be an entertaining storyteller who keeps on point but injests meaningful and defining revelations of her characters. There was even an element of faith in the background which gave the story a deeper level of purpose without the emptiness of secular writing.

If you need a fast summertime read that moves along quickly and allows you to feel the soaring heat and the pelting rain of the Arizona desert, I highly recommend J. A. Jance's Skeleton Canyon. I'm fairly sure her other novels will fill the bill as well.

 

Father, I pray your continued blessing and inspiration over J. A. Jance. You know her heart. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.    

 

Down the road again . . .

 

Down the road at Novel Rocket today. Looking at the "if onlys". Will you visit?

 

Lord, I'm grateful for it all. Thank you. So much. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

The Beginning and The End

 

Every story starts somewhere and every reader knows there is an end. But some stories begin and end with little variety and not much interesting in between those first and last pages.

Some readers love details, others not so much. Writers vary in that process as well and create their novels according to two important considerations. Number one for me is I write what I want to read - let me re-phrase that. I write how I want to read. The stories are news to me until I start getting the character in my head into words. Second, which is first for many, is what does the market want and/or what is a publisher looking for at this time.

You could say romance is always hot, pun intended, but not everyone wants to read or write romances. So you could say me being a writer of love stories should offer an open door to publishing. Since I don't write for the general market, CBA hasn't been interested in what they would consider risqué  or "edgy". I don't consider my writing either, but since it takes romance to its sensuous roots, my work doesn't attract any interest from CBA publishers. You could say it's not good enough, and that's the real reason it's overlooked. So say it, if you like.

The beginning and the end and all things in between should entice. Within that framework it would be good to read something besides the typical conflict which usually resides in a total lack of communication between heroes and heroines. To the point where I want to scream at the book I'm reading and challenge the characters to at least pretend to be adults. The lack of honest admissions and hiding behind high school infatuations drive me cray-cray. You feel me?

Formulas serve a purpose, but conflicts can seem so trite sometimes. Piled on but built on sand. It just gets tiring when characters (aka authors) refuse to depict adult honesty where attraction is concerned. Say it, for heaven's sake!

Okay. I've said it. Formulaic stories with interesting beginnings but predictable ends can be found in astounding numbers in the romance genre. Because, after all, this is the nature of romances. So, just for the heck of it, can't we please - we being those writers of Christian fiction - just make them a little more REAL?

Done now. 

 

Father, you are real. Help me to always convey that in every story done for you. Every story. Real tells the truth. I love you, Lord. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

Born to do it . . .

     

Most children go through the usual variety of things they want to be when they grow up. Young people quickly eliminate childhood fantasies and begin to establish more pointed goals. Some stick with those designated dreams and work their way to fulfilling them. Or not.

We can know that we know that we know what we are born to do and eventually come into that realization. For Christians, we often refer to it in today's vernacular as "It's a God thing". For unbelievers they recognize their talents and desires and put themselves in position to achieve them.

However, it is one thing to fulfill what you were born to do, and it's yet another thing to experience what the world calls success doing it.

As an author of seven novels, three self-published, and three in progress, I can tell you I know I was born to do two specific "occupations". One of them was to work with horses, and the other was to write fiction. I can honestly say I have accomplished both of them, and the writing continues. Success? Certainly not from the world's eye view. Yes, in horse racing we won some races with horses we owned or bred, and somehow God allowed us to make a hard-fought living at it for many years. When He decided the end had come, we walked away. My husband began his second career, a dream he'd once had of driving big rigs. It's been a good career and now he's in the office side of the company where he's worked for 20 years. I wrote. And I still write. Monetary success? Not even.

But I continue because I know it's what I'm supposed to do. I was born to write. I've done it intermittently all my life. And, because I know it's what the Lord has given me to do, I cannot be afraid to fail, must keep going in spite of little success, and not set it aside just because it seems to accomplish so little. Nor can you. If you were born to do it, keep going even if your dream is reduced to a hobby or a spare time activity or an unpaid offering of your talent, do it anyway. Because personal and spiritual success does not depend on fame or fortune. It depends on obedience to what you were designed to do.

 

Father, let each one know what you have for them. Help them to persevere and remain faithful. Whatever kind of success you have for them, help them to realize it. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.