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Five things I need from novel types:
Thrillers: I need a great hero/heroine and a story that keeps you nearly breathless with the rapid pace of treacherous circumstances requiring every skill the hero has to come out the victor. Although using severe control, the hero must be passionate in his designation of good and evil, not immune to breaking every "rule" to get the necessary result.
Romance/Love Stories: In these types of stories I need a truly desirable hero and a lovely heroine. By those designations I mean the hero - be he a bad boy or a saint - must have sex appeal and some admirable qualities even if he leans to the bad boy status. There must be something to make him redeemable. The heroine can't be unduly flighty but can be over-sensitive or very emotional but not to the point where I lose my patience with her and wish the hero would move on. She must be likable and, even if independent, maintain some vulnerability.
Mysteries: I need a good strong hero. "Strong" in that he stands out and carries the story. He can be quirky, unusual, intense, or timid, but he's got to be shrewd and clever. I prefer that he - or she - think outside the box in the investigation and be perceptive in evaluating all kinds of people.
Suspense: For suspense to be good, it has to keep the reader on edge. It should be just short of the intensity of a thriller with a less elevated pace, but the hero/heroine must be either in or on the verge of threatening situations while trying to either solve a murder or prevent something as evil or menacing as a murder. A lot must fall on the hero's/heroine's shoulders to achieve success adding to personal stress and even fear of failure.
Speculative: This type of novel - for me - combines reality with a speculation of the supernatural in some capacity. I rarely read speculative novels. Not my thing. Unless you give me a Robert Liparulo novel. His imagination translates well to a "speculative thriller", and when he combines the supernatural with a super-paced thriller, his novels are fascinating, entertaining, and often breathtaking. He creates strong heroes and ultra-complex plots with a breakneck pace. The only other speculative novels that I've read which are similar to Robert's type of books were "The Tox Files", a trilogy by Ronie Kendig. Ronie's hero (Cole "Tox" - "Toxic" Russell) was an amazing hero. Both authors wrote speculative novels with a Christian supernatural flair, and were incredibly well-done stories.
What do you need from your favorite genres?
Father, thank you time and time again for your writers, for those who use the incredible talent you've given them and acknowledge you in the process. Please bless them all in your abundance. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.
From my next novel . . . in a love song.
From Chapter 1
“Refills, please.” He kept his voice level in spite of the noise, not wanting to appear as shouting his instructions. She hadn’t seen him until then, and the feathers felt full and mighty fine when she looked into his eyes because he caught the fleeting surprise in hers which he was sure ended in a blush concealed by the low lights of the bar.
“Yes, sir.” She emphasized the “sir” and gave him a sideways smile, fully recovering from her emotional lapse at what he assumed—or rather—hoped was a pleasant view for her. She filled the two pitchers, and he paid for them with a $50 tip. She started to protest, but with a slight tilt of his head he stared her into submission. She pushed it into her black jeans’ pocket, a bit flustered.
“Thank you,” he said and walked back to the table full of raucous high-fiving guys beginning to feel their beer. After he sat down to a couple of good-natured shoulder shoves, he leaned back, tipping his chair, to catch her watching him. It felt good to be a man at that moment. He gave her a subtle smile before she turned away.
“Will you look at that?” The words were delivered in slow motion as the vintage jukebox belted out the old Rolling Stones tune “Honky Tonk Woman”. The stoutly built and curly blonde-headed guy named Keith who sat next to him on his right fairly panted as three young women entered the bar with a lot of exposed legs perched on spindly heels and possibly even more revealed breasts. Heads turned at their table and at a few others occupied by male patrons eager to share in the view.
“Never seen them here before,” Dave on his left drawled, his eyes transfixed on the laughing girls who were well aware of the attention they’d garnered. They meandered their way to the bar, taking in the stares, bending their heads toward each other in secret summations and covert giggling.
He looked around his table and smirked at the inebriated men who’d been hooked and landed like a bunch of hungry fish. His eyes searched for the gal he’d admired earlier. He watched her approach the newly arrived women at the bar, seeming to hunt inside herself for a pleasant expression. Joining her to wait on them was the bartender, a guy he figured to be near his age and clearly anxious to assist these new customers.
The conversation at the table descended into the discussion of the size of body parts and what they hoped to do with theirs. It was time for him to go, so he got up to head to the rest room before saying goodnight to the boys and wishing them a good weekend. They made a big show of wanting him to stay, but he kidded them about how hangin’ out with an old guy might cramp their style. They guffawed and a couple of them chided him with a toast and a “’Night, Gramps” knowing he was only three to six years older than most of them.
At the door, he looked one last time toward the bar and found her eyes on him. He smiled at her and walked out.
Father, any good thing I do or write is all you. Help me to be the one you designed me to be. Always desperate for you and deeply thankful which is never enough for all you've done for and given to me. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.
Beauty in every season under heaven.
God, you didn't have to leave us anything beautiful after the Fall of Man, but you made and left it in every season for us. Thank you for leaving us evidence of your priceless creation and order so that we are without excuse for not recognizing your divine touch. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.
Hard Vengeance, Book 9 in the Jon Reznick Thriller Series, by J. B. Turner starts with a phone call by a distraught father and continues on to the island of Mallorca/Majorca, Spain.
Jon receives the news from Assistant Director of the FBI Martha Meyerstein's high-powered attorney father who can barely convey the message he's just received from a representative of the State Department. The shocking news rocks Jon's world as he travels to the island of Majorca to view and do his own investigation into the so-called accidental explosion on the yacht where Martha and her friend were vacationing.
He's immediately convinced this was no accident. A former SAS Scotsman "Mac", who runs his own scuba diving business now that he's retired in Majorca, confirms Jon's assessment. But before Mac can share more information he's taken by the local Civil Guard police and quickly disappears. Mac's sister was scheduled to arrive the following day and gets in touch with Jon, knowing something is wrong.
When Jon discovers from his own surveillance, someone intends to kill him, he sends vague photographs to the FBI Director hoping for identification even though the FBI has disowned him. He's warned off his personal investigation on Majorca and told to go home immediately by an onsite representative from the State Department, but Jon refuses to bow to the threats. Realizing this was an assassination of the only woman he's come to deeply care for since the death of his wife on 9/11, he will not comply with any alternatives to eliminating whoever is responsible for this.
When his daughter Lauren (now with the FBI) shows up after he purposely didn't inform her of what had happened and where he was, he's not happy with her decision. However, she's as stubborn as he is and intends to help him with the investigation in spite of him. There is more tragedy and amped up fear as Jon's adversary's intention is made perfectly clear to them.
The majority of this story consists of Jon trying to identify the assassin. Turner gives the reader glimpses of the killer's manic brain who fills himself with his own superiority, his physical regimen, his psychopathic methodology, his use of cocaine and classical music, and his utter belief that he will be the victor in accomplishing his hard vengeance.
Some readers might expect more of the slap-down violence in the story, but this violence is more "off-screen" and calculated - though no less deadly. The evil is real, the challenge both psychological and murderous, and Jon doesn't take well to being the victim especially with his daughter alongside him. The sharp pursuit and game-ending fast-paced violence comes at the end when it's do or die. Getting to the truth is an ongoing and difficult discovery but well worth the investigation. Getting Lauren incorporated into what it takes to do the truly ugly stuff is not an easy task for Jon, but having established her adulthood, he really has no choice.
Turner does some good writing depicting Jon descending into the dark place he occupied after his wife's death, but his determination to fight through it is admirable. A good read.
(Profanity profuse toward the end.)
Father, as always I thank you for your writers/authors. Such talent you give. Please continue to bless J. B.'s life and work and may He know the One who's blessed him with his talent. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.
Okay, it's not a given that authors can be anti-social. In fact, some are marvelously out-going and really socially inclined. Some authors are inherently good marketers - a gift that many of us do not possess or do not exercise. It's certainly not that authors avoid contact with their readers unless of course they're world famous and people tend to go all fan-boy or fan-girl over them in public places.
Actually, I'm not speaking of being really "anti-social" today as a personality trait. I'm kind of taking a jab at authors who don't tend to socialize with other authors who . . . let's just say don't have the sales numbers they do to indicate a particular "success" level. Remember high school cliques? Yeah, like that.
Well-known authors tend to forget what word-of-mouth can do for the "less successful" author. Believe me, I'm not advocating speaking up for any authors whose work does not appeal to them, but to suggest an author on a personal public forum or type of social media can boost that lesser-known author's credibility to all kinds of readers. It's simply a kind gesture to help another writer whose appreciation for those recommendations is pure gratitude.
Just something to consider for those who've "made it".
Father, thank you for your gifts and talents. May we always honor you with how we incorporate them into our lives, and help us to remember to be thoughtful to others all along the way of this journey we call life. Apart from you, we can do nothing. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.
There's a message in every novel. It might not be intentional. It might be misunderstood. It might be simplistic, might be complex. Might be hard to determine, might be obvious to all.
The eternal conflict is always Good vs. Evil. You see it in real life. You see it in films. You read it in books.
The only variable (which isn't really) is the attempt to change, manipulate, question what is good and what is evil. The reality is you can't change what is good and you can't make evil good. It's been attempted at every level of humanity, but the truth remains and survives the efforts of those who resent the conflict for various reasons. The one problem with good and evil is that some people believe they hold the gold standard to what is good and what is evil.
Only One holds that standard and determines it in every life. Written in His Word, good and evil are clearly defined as are the sources of both. That is the one Truth each person will answer to and for.
The messages in novels are essentially no different than the "lessons" in non-fiction books. The novels communicate authors' versions of each and the stories reveal which side of good or evil are represented in their characters and plots. It's the eternal message. In the end Good aka God wins.
Father, we're all desperate for you. I've written that hundreds of times because it's real and true whether we admit to it or not. May I please communicate the truth in my fiction - in some capacity make it real and attainable to glorify you. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.
Three "dead" people come to life in The Last Insurgent (Book 2 in the Michael Wolfe Saga) by J. C. Fields. Two of them are good. One of them is not.
Michael Wolfe, former Marine Sniper, and his former-Mossad wife Nadia Picard are supposed to be dead. This way they can do the bidding of the POTUS and the CIA with ghost-like protection. Danny McCaffrey, a former IRA bombmaking-specialist, is also supposed to be dead, but he's been inadvertently discovered and confirmed to be alive and a lethal weapon to the highest bidder. He's now involved in working with the Iranians to expose the leaders of the USA, Israel, and western Europe to a deadly virus bio-weapon after testing it on a drug cartel party at the leader's social event.
Needless to say, this can't happen. With the assistance of an elite Scottish soldier, Wolfe travels to the source lab of this bio-weapon to eliminate the target, but complications force them to depart with only half of their mission accomplished. Wolfe blames himself, and the game is on. Locating this target proves difficult, and finally when a real lead is discovered, the situation amplifies with additional suspects they never saw coming.
Michael Wolfe is a strong character, perfect for a thriller novel. Focused and determined, he wants a plan set with every piece of information available. He's of course a man's man, but his love for his wife is evident and has real merit when he considers how they'll be involved. It helps that she has elite skills and understands the severity of the things they're asked to do.
If you're a lover of espionage thrillers with clandestine services, a strong hero, and practiced, skilled bad guys, you'll enjoy Michael Wolfe as he pursues The Last Insurgent. Although I didn't, you might want to start with Book 1: A Lone Wolf.
(Some profanity.)
Father, you are generous with your talents and gifts. Please continue to bless J. C. with lots of stories for his readers, and may he realize from whom his talent comes. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.
Not that it matters this Monday, but I will have a book review a little later in the week. Today I'm going to do something a little different in its place. I know I've shared the "Foreword" from several of my novels on this blog. This time I'm going to share the Foreword from my soon-to-be published for Kindle/e-readers novel . . . in a love song. Doing it in advance of the book is not something I tend to do, but for whatever reason I decided to do it this time. "Set the stage" so to speak. Hopefully, for some, pique the curiosity in those who enjoy romances. So here you are . . .
Foreword . . .
There are myriad inspirations cited by novelists when asked to discuss the motivation for a particular novel. Readers repeatedly ask, “How do you come up with your ideas for a story?” Answers will range from the mundane to the spectacular.
. . . in a love song is a unique romance novel for me for a number of reasons.
First of all, it was inspired by the song “Heard It in a Love Song” by The Marshall Tucker Band on their Carolina Dreams album. I’m a lyrics girl so as I listened to the words of this tune, I couldn’t help but picture the “narrator” as a character in a love story. What kind of guy would he be? And of course from there Dale Rivers came to life with several exceptions to the man in the song. And what kind of female would it take to capture his heart and make him want to settle down? Enter Patricia Edison. And how would life change for them if . . . ?
In the second place I’m not a fan of the typical stack of conflicts often woven into romance novels. There is only one primary conflict in this story of two 30-somethings facing love for the first time in their lives.
Thirdly, this story features everyday life with abundant dialogue as if you’re experiencing conversations externally and internally with them. It’s flirty, romantic, and raw at times, not to “offend” but to be real. There are a few unexpected turns in the story, but really it’s all about the “Big Three”: love, romance, sex.
Finally, I write Christian Fiction. Unashamedly. One thing you will always find in my novels is the contrast of life lived in the world without Jesus as opposed to life lived knowing Jesus personally. The two main characters in this story have a vague awareness of God but it’s not personal in the beginning.
Having said all of that, if you love straight-up romance, I think you’ll fall in love with Dale Rivers’ and Patricia Edison’s love story.
Raw, Romantic, Redemptive
Father, again, apart from you, I can do nothing. Desperate for you. Always. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.
Windstorms in our small city are not abnormal and seem to occur at their worst in the months of January, March, and November. However, they can surprise in other months. The worst of the winds come from the east. If the flags are flapping westward, trouble could happen. And often does.
Usually, when the east wind amps up, power is at its mercy and it tends to bow out under the pressure. Sometime just after 2 AM on Wednesday, the howling, shrieking wind woke me up and almost immediately the power succumbed. Twenty-seven hours later, power was restored and the wind had gone away no doubt satisfied with its impact. About a mile down the road a huge tree stretched out over the road from one house's yard to the opposite side of the road at its neighbor's property line. Lying dead in the road its branches must have reached 20 or 30 feet in the air. I couldn't see through them to the obscured road.
All that to say I was absent from my computer as a result. No big deal. I doubt I was missed.
Storms remind us of one constant: we are not in control. We conduct ourselves with intention, and most of us try to do life well and right. Not an easy thing to do, and there are many interferences to those good intentions. I'm not a stranger to doing the wrong thing earlier in life and certainly am not perfect in my present life, but I know storms can bring about nearly every emotion and character trait in people - both good and bad. When they're over, the results vary from the tragic to the mundane, and our conduct can probably be evaluated in equal terms depending on the severity of the storm.
I'm grateful that all this mini-storm produced was a power outage and some downed trees in our area.
Father, thank you for getting me through the storms of life. I have you to thank for each triumph no matter how small. Apart from you I can do nothing. And I'm always desperate for you. Thank you is never enough. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.
Feeling like doing more words this fine Wednesday. How about those beginning with the letter "s"?
savage
saucy
scintillating
sensuous
sensitive
silly
severe
sorrow
seven
sensible
Your turn.
Father, thank you for words, for wisdom, for welcoming the lost into the family of God. We're always desperate for you. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.
If you've had the pleasure of reading this Double Barrel Mysteries series by Barbara Ellen Brink, then you've been eagerly waiting for the next book in the series. A Man Can Die but Once is the latest in Barbara's series, and it begins with a dying man. This interesting (and fun) mystery begins with the who did it and how did it happen.
Blake and Shelby Gunner are expecting their first child soon. However, crime waits for no one, and their private investigation is needed for two cases, but Shelby's hormones near her delivery time are getting to her stamina and brain power, and she's largely on the sidelines for most of these two unrelated but slightly intersecting cases. The police detective in Port Scuttlebutt gives Blake a heads up on what appears to be the murder of his uncle Farley Jones who happens to be the disgusting and often hated mayor of the town.
A secret relationship in the town is known by only three people until Farley turns up dead in a famous baseball player's cabin outside of town, and the man who is staying there decides to hire Blake to clear his name as a definite suspect if in fact the obvious wound on Farley's head is the cause of his death.
Barbara always writes clever banter between Blake and Shelby, includes humor, multiple suspects, and includes those characters which can be either wacky, unlikeable, and/or very suspicious. It's always a treat to read her abilities to include drama, laugh out loud moments, and incredibly intertwined mysteries that she resolves well. If you're looking for a great new series to begin, I highly recommend the Double Barrel Mysteries by Barbara Ellen Brink. Start with the first one - they're quick, fun reads and you will enjoy the perfectly selected Shakespearean quotes to head up each chapter. Meeting Blake and Shelby will be well worth your reading time.
Father, thank you for Barbara and her talent. Please bless her big time as she continues to write for you. Please provide what she needs when she needs it to do as you ask her to do. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.
Gypsy by Shelley M. Headley is a young horse-lover's dream of a story. And this once young horse-lover absolutely loved this book.
It's a rare time when I invest in a young people's novel, but interesting circumstances contributed to my receiving Gypsy as a gift, and it was my honor and pleasure to read it. I confess, sap that I am, there were a couple of places where I cried - sobbed actually. Touched me that deeply. This is a well-written story for the young horse-lovers in your life. I can't recommend it highly enough.
Gypsy arrives in Samantha's life at a neighbor's farm. She's a neglected Thoroughbred who's been abused and half-starved. The neighbor bought her for $200, and it doesn't look like he got a steal. When the neighbors propose a "deal" to "Sam" to care for the mare at their expense, she's thrilled at the opportunity. The neighbor's daughter Annie, a bit younger than Sam, is the typical spoiled girl who's been given it all and expects everything to go her way. So when someone else does well, she's angry. When someone else gets hurt, she laughs. Sam tolerates her, but it isn't easy because Sam loves and respects all of the animals, and Annie basically takes them all for granted and uses them to satisfy her momentary whims.
With great patience and true understanding, Sam and Gypsy develop an admirable combination based on Sam's love for the mare and the mare's acquisition of real trust in Sam. Time and effort produce a beautiful horse.
Of course the story isn't pure fluff and there are real heartbreaks, but this "horse story" is perfectly written and a wonderful addition to the repertoire of young people's fiction. For those kids and parents searching for a good, clean all-out horse story about the recovery of a mare because of the love and devotion of a young girl dedicated to making one horse's life better while fulfilling that horse-loving place in her own life, Gypsy is the book for you.
Father, I pray your multiple blessings over Shelley and ask that you continue to give her unique stories to write. Thank you for her tenderness toward animals - and maybe horses in particular. I ask that you would continue to provide all that she needs in every area of her life. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.
My beloved brother Richard James Petrino, aka "Dick", who now resides with my parents in heaven. Cute guy, best brother.
Graduation picture: 1955 from Lincoln High School in Seattle, Washington.
Lord, I miss my brother. Please give him a hug from his little sister. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.