Into the Fire

The Demise . . .

 

So. Is this the end? You know: the end of Christian Fiction as we know it? Some say, "I hope so." Others say, "Of course not." And some of us just sit and watch. Thought provoking articles derived from other posts and comments add fuel to the smoldering fire and add new angles to the limited controversy.

My opinion is just one in a sea of writers, authors, and publishing professionals. My opinion says it is not the end of Christian Fiction, but it could be the end of Christian Fiction as we currently know it. The reason I say this is because the staunch demographic will one day not be enough to sustain it as it has for so many years. Amazing authors who've been entrenched with their publishers for a solid number of years are being let go. Being of sound mind and talent, some of them have turned indie and began to invest in their own measures to publish their works, many discovering they can make more money but add a little/lot more work to their endeavors. Other previously successful authors have become hybrids with contracts and publishing their own work, hence gaining the best of both worlds. 

Enough devoted Christian Fiction readers have decided they want more from their novels. Some have migrated to the general market and suffered through the language or graphics of certain novels trying to find those intriguing stories which resonate. These readers have their favorites in the Christian market, but fewer of those favorites seem to be showing up in diminishing bookstores and cost an exorbitant amount online with shipping. E-books from the usual publishers are over-priced compared to e-books in general and after purchasing the lower priced e-books, it's not attractive to pay exorbitant costs in a competitive market.

When the publishers/sellers decided to glut the bookstores with Amish stories, romantic historicals and suspense, and sweet little romances as their primary fare, many readers turned away and began shopping online. With the explosion of Christian writers entering the independent market and small publishers picking up the slack to offer more of a variety in their novels, readers journeyed in their direction. Most die-hard readers prefer to hold a book in their hands, but the convenience and costs of reading them from an e-reader have caused a surge in e-book publishing.

I write Christian Fiction so, of course, I'm not going to adhere to its demise as a general genre. Indie publishing can be a lot of work to do it well, and it isn't an option for some. Many will pay to have their work published because of the technicalities to do it themselves (that would be me). Too many readers who love the Christian themed stories ache for authenticity, reality, and will continue to search for those authors who meet their preferences. I've read more general market novels in the last few years than I had read in many years. I tired of the "traditional" offerings from the usual CBA publishers. Formulaic, predictable, unimaginative, and some very average writing provided the impetus for my veering away from the publishing houses from whom I used to buy. I can also say I've read more smaller press and independent authors' work in the last two years and found some wonderful authors and writers. And then there's my own stuff: I write what I want to read. 

So that's just my "one more opinion" added to the mix on this topic.  

 

Father, help me to continue to do what you have for me to do. That's all that matters. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

The One and Only Deliverer

   

I cannot listen to this song without intermittently weeping and praising the Coming King. Things on planet earth are ugly and depraved now, growing more evil as the days pass. Our country has never been so ensconced in such wickedness as it is at present. It has endured trickle-down evil. This song by Rich Mullins and The Ragamuffin Band is a masterpiece in so many ways. The creator(s) of this particular accompanying video is(are) to be commended for their perception of an amazing song. If you have the opportunity, the extended version of this song with some of Christian music's best musicians and vocalists is well worth your time and attention.  

 

Jesus, we wait for you. Thank you is never enough. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

Because . . .

Because kitchens are beautiful things and everyone who has to cook on a regular basis is blessed to have one. Is this gorgeous or what? Dream kitchen . . .

 

Lord, your will be done. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

Needing . . . Closure

Closure by Randall Wood begins the Jack Randall Thriller Series. FBI Special Agent Jack Randall is assigned to head up the case of a sniper killing of a well-known defense attorney who specializes in big money clients who are serious criminals and repeat offenders. This is only the beginning. Closure is free at the present time if you purchase it for your Kindle.

Closure is the story of a former Special Ops soldier who has lost something precious to him. He is aided by his brother-in-law as they meticulously plan for every contingency in accomplishing the point they want to make. With the first death of the attorney, Agent Jack Randall is forced to acknowledge two things. The first is his admiration for the perfect shot it took to kill the attorney like it did, and the second is the handwritten note left at the scene addressed to him.

Although the efforts to keep the press from gaining the specifics of the murder is almost successful, there is one reporter who stuck around and did his due diligence to learn something not released to the media. Journalist Danny Drake forms an unlikely alliance with Jack at Jack's request and together they respectfully work on who the shooter is and what the first and following letters mean.

The story moves back and forth from the shooter "Sam" to Jack to other members of the investigative team to hiring a whiz kid son of a sheriff who's taking a break from MIT. There are multiple characters introduced as the story continues and Jack finally realizes who and what is at the center of it all.

The final scene between Jack and Sam is very well done and truly the highlight of the story. Closure, aptly named, makes some salient points and creates a mostly sympathetic character in Sam. The epilogue works perfectly and brings a meaningful conclusion to the story. 

If you're looking for a new thriller series, Randall Wood created a likeable protagonist in Jack Randall and good intensity from many angles while searching for the answers to give all parties closure. Fascinating and devastating statistics headline each chapter.

The problem with secular fiction for us Christians is the lack of hope and eternal resolution. It's heartbreaking when the reality of lost characters concludes.

Weaknesses are few, but if I had to include them, I would say the brief first mention of Jack's wife is anything but complimentary and her character completely fades after their first "situation". Not that I had any desire to see her further - the point being she was a wasted character. Secondly, I would say the detailed and lengthy descriptions of amateur bomb making and the continued maximum efforts of the medics on scene of a shooting as they're tied up in traffic racing to the hospital might have been overdone. The bomb making instruction exposes the ease with which anyone who understands basic circuitry can download the instructions from the internet to make a very destructive bomb from materials that if purchased carefully will not clue in authorities. The process of trying to save a gunshot through-and-through victim might have shown a little bravado from the author's history and experience. I appreciate details, but both of these instances - to me - seemed excessive.

Highly recommended. Some profanity.

 

Father, thank you for the multiple talents you've given Randall. I pray he would gain true insight which only you can give to go along with all that talent. Bless him and his family as only you can do. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

 

   

Sunday's Offerings

 

     Jesus replied, "And you, experts in the law, woe to you, because you load people down with burdens they can hardly carry, and you yourselves will not lift one finger to help them.

     "Woe to you, because you build tombs for the prophets, and it was your forefathers who killed them. So you testify that you approve of what your forefathers did; they killed the prophets, and you build their tombs. Because of this, God, in his wisdom said, 'I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and others they will persecute.' Therefore this generation will be held responsible for the blood of all the prophets that has been shed since the beginning of the world, from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, this generation will be held responsible for it all.

     "Woe to you experts in the law, because you have taken away the key to knowledge. You yourselves have not entered, and you have hindered those who were entering."

     When Jesus left there, the Pharisees and the teachers of the law began to oppose him fiercely and to besiege him with questions, waiting to catch him in something he might say.

 

Luke 11:46-54 (NIV)

Using stereotypes . . .

 

We can call a character a stereotype, but the reality remains: there is truth in stereotypes. The difficult part for a writer is tweaking that stereotypically endowed character with some kind of unique quality which separates him/her from the branding. Not an easy task.

Honesty is required in authentic stories, and if we're honest, real people have created the stereotypes with repeated behaviors that have brought recognition to those "typical" defining characteristics.

Stereotypical characters and phrases and clichés have all brought criticisms from other writers and some readers. I think this happens when the characters, what they do and say, offer little imagination and it seems like they've appeared in too many stories, on television, or in the movies just like they are on the pages of the book. As a result, they're boring and predictable and serve no valuable purpose there except to irritate the reader.

It's often difficult to exclude at least one stereotype from a story with multiple characters. Not every individual can be "different" enough to escape stereotypical behavior(s). The question is how do you think stereotypes can be included in a story without meeting disapproval? 

 

Father, help us with our skills, share with us parts of your grand imagination and creativity that we may put pieces of them on the pages of the stories you inspire us to write. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

And again!

  

I can't help it. I loved every one of them. Hope you remember these scenes. And if you haven't seen this series, you must. Start at the beginning with Curse of the Black Pearl and keep going. You'll pick your favorites.

 

Lord, let them find you. Somehow, lead them to your Son. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

Related articles

 

Captain Jack Sparrow Surprises Kids at Children's Hospital

More than one . . . Taboo

                              

Casey Hill is the pseudonym for the husband/wife writing team (Kevin and Melissa Hill) who write mysteries and live in Dublin, Ireland. Taboo is the first in the Reilly Steel, Forensic Investigator, Series.

Reilly Steel, California girl, was trained by the best at Quantico and has a sterling reputation as a forensic investigator when she transfers to the GFU team in Dublin, Ireland, mostly to keep an eye on her alcoholic father who isn't coping with their family's past. Resented by the elder old-school head of the unit, he takes off on an anniversary vacation. Horrific murders soon begin in his absence and they're no ordinary murders. Reilly does her best to upgrade the investigative science and methodology of her young team, and they respond well, but with obscure clues and Freudian implications, there is little evidence to point to a specific killer. Each staged murder displays another "taboo".

Detectives Delaney and the skeptical Kennedy are under extreme pressure to get this investigation resolved and when Reilly is pulled off the case because of their best lead, things get dangerous.

Let me tell you this, I think the trap to label this a thriller because of the subject matter is a misnomer and does the story a disservice. If you read the reviews on Amazon, you will find polar opposite opinions of this novel.  Those expecting the typical thriller griped about its slow pacing. I wouldn't classify it as a thriller but as suspense or even as a mystery. Others who didn't like the book said it was filled with clichés and a convenient ending.

Because it was like reading an episode of the TV series Bones, I enjoyed the way the storyline developed. Yes, their were a couple of deus ex machina moments and a bit of suspension of belief, but overall the story worked with interesting elements added and not all tied up neatly at the end. Reilly is a vulnerable character all dressed up as a top forensic investigator who radiates a confident demeanor under fire. Until things just get too hard.

Very little profanity, a tiny smattering of prayer, and for all the perverse natures of the murders, this was not your typical offensive secular novel. I enjoyed it. With the unique (to us Americans) locale, it had a different feel to it. There were several missing words in the formatting, but most readers have come to expect glitches in ebooks. I'll be reading the second in the series Torn.

 

Father, thank you for Kevin and Melissa and the skills you've given them. Please continue to guide them in their writing and supply the stories you have just for them to tell. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

  

  

 

Caught . . . Betting on Hope

           

You know it's gotta be good if there's a cowboy on the cover, right? Think small town Texas with a big time hero, a cutting horse trainer and champion just like his grandfather (Pops) and the exact opposite of his deceased father who left this earth with the Four of Hearts Ranch heavily in debt from his extreme gambling. Think two hurting protagonists with secrets breaking their hearts and chemistry the size of a 4th of July fireworks display and there you have Betting on Hope by Debra Clopton. Yes, think "sweet little romance" - you know the kind I rarely read. Well, I'm not sorry I read this one.

I needed a break, a fun read, and I took a chance on this one. Experiencing some laugh out loud moments mixed with the occasional almost tearful scenes carried the story well. With funny expressions peculiar to the twang-y south, two frustrating protagonists, some ridiculous but endearing town folk, and tender incidents sprinkled throughout the story, all give Betting on Hope a real personality and small town feel.

Debra Clopton made her hero a stud with just the right amount of tenderness and stubbornness. You don't get to be a real horseman and a champion by being a pushover. Her heroine Maggie Hope is a newspaper columnist who answers letters to hurting readers and offers them hope in their difficult situations. Her best friend Amanda, the well known figure with her own morning television show, who got Maggie her job with the paper, is sick and unable to do the interview with heartthrob champion Tru Monahan in his hometown of Wishing Springs, Texas, a couple hours away from Maggie's home and job in Houston. Amanda insists Maggie do the interview over Maggie's protests, her stage fright real. Maggie's a beautiful klutz who stumbles, literally, through an interview with the handsome cowboy and inadvertently bets him on camera he couldn't do what he said he could.

The entire interview sparked national attention as it appeared on Amanda's morning television show. Now the bet is on and neither Maggie nor Tru is happy about it. Maggie moves in at the Four of Hearts Ranch, meets the Monahan brothers and their beloved Pops who's in the beginning stages of Alzheimer's. She's required to keep her column and a log of her experiences as this bet is given a two month deadline.

Maggie and Tru have hidden pain of different kinds, things that propel them toward and away from the deep attraction they feel for one another. Their frustrations are muted until one or the other sparks and blows or in Maggie's case falls right into the cowboy's arms. It's a day to day struggle which they promise themselves to ignore but never can. Their denials cause them to do and say foolish things because of hurt and things they can't bring themselves to reveal to each other or anyone else.

Recognizing the genre within the genre here, this little romance pops with small town charm and the simmering UST between the hero and heroine. Faith plays in the background. Done very well by Debra Clopton, Betting on Hope is exactly what it's supposed to be and expecting it to be something else will only ruin the experience. It's a good story, and I enjoyed it.

 

Father, you've given Debra many stories to tell. I pray you will continue to supply her with even more. Please direct her steps and add whatever she needs to do as you ask. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.           

Sunday's Offerings

 

This is what the Lord says:

"Cursed is the one who trusts in man,

  who depends on flesh for his strength,

  and whose heart turns away from the Lord.

. . . "

 

Jeremiah 17:5 (NIV)

Audiences

 

One of the questions asked by professionals in the publishing industry is: Who is your audience? By this question others rise to be included. Did you write your story for a particular audience? Do you expect that audience to be the primary readers of your book? Are you thinking it will expand beyond the specific audience you have in mind? Why do you think your novel will appeal to those you've stated as your audience?

New authors with limited experience in the publishing realm tend to answer the initial question with a resolute and enthusiastic "Everyone! Anyone!" It's a naïve response which doesn't go unnoticed by those who ask it. It's a rare novel that can draw all types of readers into a particular story.

As for me and my work, I'm sometimes surprised at who enjoys my books. My husband is a man's man who loves to read but rarely has the time. And, no, he doesn't read my novels and feels guilty about it. I reassure him they weren't written for him - in that most men aren't into love stories/romance genres. It's okay, I tell him. So, knowing that, you can imagine how grateful and surprised I was when he read The Famous One and told me and others it's his favorite novel all-time. Granted, The Famous One covers the life of a male protagonist from a dysfunctional family who gets discovered and becomes a reluctant superstar. It's written like a fictional biography and shows the struggle and loneliness of the hero. A few other men read this story and really enjoyed it which is beyond gratifying.

Brenda S. Anderson who featured me this week on her blog to help promote Destination made an interesting and important point about the audiences for Christian Fiction (aka CBA). She stated so much of the reading audience has been alienated by the offerings from Christian publishing that it's hard to rediscover those readers who professed to have left the genre because there weren't enough gritty, authentic stories being offered. Getting them back presents a problem for independent authors and traditional publishers alike who might dare to publish something beyond the norm for them.  

While I could give a broad age range for my novels, it must be qualified within that range. Within that age bracket females who choose a steady diet of sweet little romances most likely would not be appreciative of my specific - not graphic - dealing with sexual attraction, romance, and love. Though done with the faith angle present, I don't hold back on the temptations of the flesh. Of my finished novels, Hope of Glory and The Famous One might have the most generic appeal.

Reading audiences aren't always predictable and some are difficult to cultivate. The tried and true word of mouth can work well but often takes time to materialize. Amazon reviews do help, but there are some readers who have no desire to write them and some readers who have no desire to read them.

For Christians who write novels, some of us are well aware of God's purpose - even if we're not sure what it is in our case. We know we're to write stories, we acknowledge any talent and all inspiration comes from Him, and our assignment is to trust Him with whatever we do. Period.

 

Father, thank you for the desire to write. Thank you for doing what you do. Thank you that I can count on you. And help me always to write for your glory and to be the person you designed me to be. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

 

Repeat performance . . .

                        

Once again I'm visiting with Brenda Anderson today. Hope you'll join us here:

http://brendaandersonbooks.com/2015/07/16/eitheror-with-nicole-petrino-salter/ 

Leave a comment to be eligible to win a digital copy of Destination.

 

Father, please continue to abundantly bless Brenda for her generosity to me and other authors. Let her feel your presence and experience your blessings. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

 

One of the best of all time . . .

        

        

        

One of the best TV series of all time. Loved Magnum P. I.

 

Lord, you share your creativity with your creation, whether we recognize the source of it or not. Thank you for it all. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

It's my pleasure . . .

               

My author friend Brenda S. Anderson has given me the "floor" today on her website. I'm honored.

http://brendaandersonbooks.com/2015/07/14/chatting-with-nicole-petrino-salter/

You may remember Brenda's third novel in the Coming Home Series, Memory Box Secrets. Great story.

If you visit Brenda's site, you might win a digital copy of Destination.

Here's the complete blurb for Destination.

    

Destination  by  Nicole Petrino-Salter

 

     Life leads us to and from many places, but when it comes to eternity there are only two choices for our destinations . . .

 

    An unlikely felon returns to his roots and the friendship of a fiery old widow.  The last things he expects to find are true love, a ministry to youth, and the unusual burden for his new love’s ex-fiancé.

 

Thank you, Lord, for a friend like Brenda. Please bless her in abundance for her blessing to me. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

The cost of . . . Redeeming Liberty

         

There have been and still remain those who are sold into all kinds of slavery. There are those places where government representatives are more concerned with power than justice. There are those who sacrifice everything or almost everything to make sure they do their jobs to keep America safe. These are just a few of the plot points covered in Redeeming Liberty by Diane and David Munson, former Federal Prosecutor and former NCIS Agent and undercover DEA Agent respectively. They now use their considerable insights and experience to write stories about crime, law, and international concerns.

Redeeming Liberty reacquaints us with FBI Special Agent Griff Topping, Federal Parole Officer Dawn Ahern, CIA operative Bo Rider (aka Captain Skip Pierce), "Wally", and introduces us to Wally's Sudanese love "Liberty". How all of these individuals unite to form a mechanism to thwart a major act of terrorism is slowly revealed amidst an unjust traumatic arrest, a mission trip, the information from a Russian informant, and a petrifying raid on Liberty's Sudanese community viewed helplessly from a small aircraft.

Once again the Munson's have woven an intriguing mix of characters and plot elements in Redeeming Liberty. The multi-meaningful title emphasizes the price paid to experience real freedom. I'm not sure what the cover signifies which won't matter to most. And once again the story starts a bit slowly, the breaks between plot points almost make a division of Part One and Part Two and even a Part Three necessary or at least plausible because it isn't until the final third of the novel that the integration of all things takes place even though the reader is well aware where the story is headed. Dialogue, while not bad in any way, is not their strong suits as authors.  

I found the back and forth between Griff and Dawn a bit tedious and high-schoolish, and even though Bo Rider is fully engaged in his covert ops, some of his character traits made him seem more like an administrator than the former Army Ranger that he apparently was before coming to work for "The Company". Perhaps it's naïve on my part to assume international covert operators would be more like a Mitch Rapp instead of the overly cautious Bo Rider, but then even Mitch Rapp got Mike Nash replaced.

As usual, the Munson's deliver some hot topics in their story with a mostly satisfactory ending. The final arrest scene seemed to appear out of nowhere and the explanation left a void. Still, if you like stories with international drama and covert operations with the faith factor thrown in, Redeeming Liberty will probably work for you.     

 

Father, thank you for the Munson's who serve you and served our country. Please continue to bless their lives and their storytelling. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.  

 

Related articles

Hoping for . . . Confirming Justice

Sunday's Offerings

 

The fool says in his heart,

  "There is no God."

They are corrupt, their deeds are vile;

  there is no one who does good.

 

Psalm 14:1 (NIV)

Crazy . . .

                

Do you go crazy with one thing or another for awhile? Swing upside down or swing for the fences? Do you wonder what kind of nonsense you're producing or inclined to do? Is your rhythm unsteady and your timing off? Will you be writing silliness . . . like this? Just to pass the time or to make a post?

I don't advise it by any means, but sometimes it's just the time to look away and say ridiculous things. Like the Mad Hatter or Dr. Seuss. Without a rhyme. Or even a chime. Today is that day. I say. Yay!

Sorry.

 

Lord, thank you for having a sense of humor even when something isn't funny. Jesus, we're all desperate for you whether we know it or not. Amen.

Summer visit . . .

                

Headed over to Novel Rocket today. Visit me there?

 

Lord, again, endlessly, thank you. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

I loved this movie . . .

  

I can't tell you how much I loved this movie. Just did. Enjoy this trailer. And if you haven't seen it, do.

 

Father, you know my heart in these matters. And in these matters I know yours. Please, Lord. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

Song lyrics . . .

    

As a writer and an author, I have always paid attention to song lyrics, and more times than not I fell hard for those songs with unique or special lyrics to mesh with the great tunes. I know nothing about the band Alfred Hall except the two young men who started it are Norwegian, and they have put together what I consider a unique sound although I'm not on top of the current music scene and haven't been for years, having mostly abandoned secular music.

This particular song is called Someplace Beautiful and you might recognize the sound as the background for the Pacifico beer commercial on TV which is why I looked it up on YouTube. The sound just reeled me in and the words held me tight.

Their songs are "contemporary pop" which can be shallow or teeny-bopperish, but this song grabs me like few have in recent times. It will be hard to decipher the lyrics the first time around, but I'll let you listen to it before I quote a few of them for you.

Ready? Here are a few of the stunning lyrics from Someplace Beautiful by Alfred Hall.

"Would you give away your throne for love?"

[Chorus]

"Don't tell me it's real  You feel so cold in my arms Can you tell me how we could be drifting apart?"

"Turn away to go someplace beautiful  Somewhere you cannot escape and I can't go"

Now those are some great lyrics, and the melody fits them perfectly. I love this song.

 

Father, my prayer is that these men would know you, who you are as you desire to be known. Reach them, Lord, and let them know the true source of their talents. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.