Are You A Patient Reader?

Posted on October 2, 2013 by Maureen Lang

256px-Ophelia_(Pierre_Auguste_Cot)Recently I participated in a group discussion between writers, which also means I was talking to avid readers since more often than not you can’t be one without being the other. We were discussing some of the expectations and differences in various types of books. One writer said she was revising her work-in-progress to include more dialogue, because she wanted to market her book as a romance. It was currently too much of a literary novel, which includes more narrative and thus a slower read than a typical romance. So she wanted to quicken the pace. Another question that came up was how long a romance reader would keep at a book before the hero and heroine meet for the first time. I’ve seen on various loops that editors of short romances allow 3 to 5 pages before expecting to see the first sparks fly between the hero and heroine.

The line of questioning made me realize I’m often an impatient reader, apparently just like many other readers of romance. But isn’t this also true of most books these days? Thrillers start out with a bang, and mysteries with a dead body. Gone are the classic days when writers spend pages and pages showing the character’s simple life before something comes along to complicate it. Stories nowadays start out with the complication.

However, when I sit down with a book that’s 400 pages or more, I’m willing to be a little more patient. Especially with historical romances, because I allow time for the era to be drawn, for details to bring alive the texture of another time. As one of my writer friends said, if the hero and heroine are introduced in the first chapter or two, she’s willing to wait for them to meet because she knows they’re on intersecting paths. That’s true for me, too.

We read our favorite genres because of the heart of that genre. Mysteries for the plot twists and turns, thrillers for the danger, romance to see how the obstacles keeping apart a hero and heroine will be overcome. It’s natural to admit that we’d like to get to the essence of each genre as quickly as possible, perhaps because we live in a microwave society. We not only want it our way, we want it now.

And yet I can’t help but appreciate some of the classics that remind me what it was like to explore a variety of interesting characters, just for the love of characterization. I’m watching an old PBS series called Little Dorrit by Charles Dickens, and in typical Dickens fare the characters are unique and memorable. During my walks with the dog I’m listening to the audio version of Jayber Crow by Wendell Berry and again am loving the various characters who populate the little towns around the fictional Port William. These are the kinds of work that slow life down—but in the most delightful way.

Something I need to remind myself of every now and then!

So how about you? Are you an impatient reader?

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What’s Wrong with My Taste in Novels? by James L. Rubart

Posted on October 1, 2013 by James L. Rubart

What’s wrong with me?

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Out of the five novels I’ve read over the past month, I would only recommend one of them to friends. (The one I really liked was A Cast of Stones, a fantasy novel from Bethany House.)

The Others

  • A  thriller from a multi-bestselling author. I would rate it as good, but not great. It certainly didn’t stick with me. Yeah, it moved along okay and the writing was strong, but nothing distinguished it from any number of thrillers I’ve read.
  • A suspense story from a multiple award winning novelist. Suspense means we’re not supposed to know what’s going to happen, right? Not much of that in this novel.
  • A modern day mystery novel from a major publisher. Slow. Tedious. Lots of telling and not so much showing. Language that would have been swell and marvy and keen in 1950, but not so much today. Plus I didn’t care about any of the characters.
  • A historical novel a friend of mine raved about where the author seemed to use an exclamation point on every other sentence! Maybe he didn’t use it that often! Maybe it just seemed like he did! Maybe that distracted me from the story! I’m not sure! I think it was the predictability that lost me.

You see why I ask what’s wrong with me? Award winning, bestselling, friend-endorsed, major publisher novels. These weren’t self-pubbed vanity books. Am I too picky? Maybe. Probably. But there are certain things that make a novel great for me:

  • Interesting, compelling characters that surprise me
  • Writing that isn’t riddled with clichés
  • A plot that takes twists and turns I don’t always see coming
  • A innovative, unique theme that makes me think about the novel weeks, months, and even years later

I’ve been told my own novels aren’t fluffy reads. That’s good and that’s bad, because some people want to read light. And the four books that didn’t make my fresh list were on the lighter side. So likely the fault is in me, rather than the novelist.

So talk to me. What do you like in your novels? Do you like both fluff and non-fluff? What do you look for in a novel? And what do you try to avoid?

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A Love for Books? by Kathi Macias

Posted on September 30, 2013 by alandkathi66

Almost all writers are also readers, though not all readers are necessarily writers. But writers, readers, or both, I think we can all agree that we are thankful for books.

I’ve been thinking about that a lot as we approach the fall holidays, particularly Thanksgiving and Christmas. One of the best emails I got last year during this season was from one of my readers who said, “I loved your book so much that I bought copies to give to all my friends and family for Christmas!” Of course, I only got one email like that and would have loved a whole pile of them, but it re-enforced my long-standing gratitude for books, a gratitude that began long before I ever published my first one.

Most of us are privileged to live in a time and place where we can easily and readily purchase a book whenever we please. It hasn’t always been so, and in some parts of the world even today, it still isn’t. Down through the centuries people have paid a great price for writing, printing, distributing, owning, or reading certain books. The Bible, of course, is at the top of that list. I, for one, have more copies of the Scriptures than I can count, and I imagine you do too. And I don’t have to hide them under the bed or in a hole in the backyard for fear of being arrested should the wrong person spot them and report me to the authorities. Still, can you imagine the different level of appreciation someone in that position would have for a book—the Bible or otherwise—than you and I might have, since we are able to own them so freely?

One of my favorite (and most read) books, second only to the Bible, is Foxe’s Book of Martyrs. I read at least one story from it nearly every day, and each time I do it moves me to pick up one of my Bibles and caress its cover, savoring the life-changing richness of its contents and whispering yet another prayer of thanks to its Author. So many have been imprisoned, tortured, even killed for daring to own just one page of this Book above all books, and here I have access to more versions and copies than I’ll ever need. Now, in addition to the many leather-bound copies on my bookshelf and on my desk, I also have copies on my Kindle. Do I truly realize how blessed I am to possess such treasures?

This year, as we progress through the fall season, especially Thanksgiving, may all of us who consider ourselves lovers of books take just a few extra moments to utter a prayer of thanks for the many books we are privileged to read each year, particularly the Holy Scriptures, authored by the King of Kings and autographed in His blood.

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Perseverance by Tara Randel

Posted on September 26, 2013 by tararandel

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. James 1:2-3

I recently started a Bible study on the book of James. Right off the bat, verses 2-3 hit me right where I live. I’ve taken a few days to sit back and let the words sink into my spirit. It’s no coincidence that I start a study and find the words to be timely and have impact on my life.

Perseverance- to continue a course of action in spite of a difficulty, opposition

This year, my husband and I have lived these verses. With the death of our daughter, we have grieved, asked questions, and tried to figure out what our life will look like in the future. The thing I’ve learned, and this amazes me about God, is that it’s all right to ask questions. Even the hard ones. God is way bigger and way stronger than I am. He can handle the gut wrenching questions and still be loving and merciful, not angry that I would dare pose such anguished questions to Him.

So I asked. Lots of questions. And found that God answers if we listen. I have probably spent more time in prayer and study this year than ever before in my life. Because of this, I have walked into a new dimension in my relationship with God. I have a better understanding of the Word and how to apply it in my life. I look at people differently, with more mercy and compassion. We dealt with a lot of nice people during my daughter’s illness and it showed us that the world isn’t all bad. Probably the most important thing that came from losing my daughter is that I view eternity differently than before. Now, I make spiritual decisions in light of eternity, not from a world view. This change of thinking has really impacted my life, in all areas, even my writing.

I recently spoke to a youth group, and of course, the topic of my daughter’s death came up. I was able to take the tragedy and turn it around to make the kids think about the choices they make in life. My daughter choose to serve God and because of that she is rewarded by now residing in Heaven. Let’s face it, that’s the ultimate goal. Some get there sooner than others.

My husband and I have been Christians for along time. Did we grieve over my daughter’s death? Yes. Did we ever think about walking away from God? Never. He has been too good, too steady in our lives. I couldn’t imagine not having his strength to fall back on in the tough times. And because of His faithfulness, I will see my daughter again one day.

My prayers is for those who know the Lord to move into a deeper, more intimate relationship with Him. There is so much joy to be found there. And for those on the fence? Give your relationship with God a chance to grow. You won’t be disappointed.

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The Resonating Quote by Julie Arduini

Posted on September 25, 2013 by juliearduini

Last week our pastor gave a sermon that not only had great principles, but even a statement that seemed off the cuff. It’s still resonating with me, a week or so later.

“You can hang on, or move on.”

I tend to be a black or white perspective person, so this quote got me.

There are so many circumstances in my life where this quote applies.

  • Writing delays (I lost months of writing time with a broken wrist.)
  • Marriage challenges. I’m human, and so is my husband. We’ve had mountains, and we’ve experienced valleys. When we’re in a hard place, it’s tempting to remember our words as much as I take notes during sermons.
  • Other relationships. Family and friends are our inner circle and safest people. That’s probably why the wounds run deep.

I’ve walked out the hang on choice, and it turns into a slow crawl filled with burdens we aren’t meant to carry. No matter how busy my schedule, the topic I’m not willing to let go dominates my thoughts. My conversation. My everything. Because I’m so wrapped up in hanging on, even innocent statements from others become more proof in my eyes that I was done wrong. It’s a toxic way to live, and dare I write, contagious. I’ve been in an environment with one person hanging on. And it didn’t take long for the entire room to be transformed and sharing the negativity.

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I’ve also marveled in the path called moving on. It isn’t the easier choice, but it is the healthier and most blessed way to live. Sometimes I only moved forward in baby steps accomplished by uttering the name of Jesus over and over. That’s still a victory, and I don’t take those moments for granted.

There’s so much to be angry and stay furious about. But hanging on is a toxic choice that affects others, and your own walk with the Lord. Moving on is a slow process, but it’s healthy and you can’t put a price tag on the blessings.

 

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Love For the Rest of Our Lives by Hannah Alexander

Posted on September 24, 2013 by alexanderhodde

 

 

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I believe in lasting love with the right person until death we do part–and even then I want to walk hand in hand with Mel through eternity. Call me a starry-eyed romantic–Mel would laugh. I’m not nearly as romantic as he is, which would make sense, because he’s the one who taught me all I know about how to have a good, happy, loving marriage.

Mel was the one who taught me how to turn away wrath–usually by example when he turned away my wrath–with a gentle answer. That was a hard lesson to learn due to past experiences, but it was the best one. He also taught me how to speak words of encouragement daily, and I’m finally catching on–when I have a tender thought about him, when he makes me laugh, when he screams at a spider–I tell him I love him. Or show him, by killing the spider for him…or perhaps, if it’s a writing spider, I’ll gently move her outside and name her Charlotte.

Mel is the one who tends to believe the best about me. He trusts the motives of my heart, even if I don’t. His trust in me makes my heart truer. You want romance? I’ve got romance.

Mel works with beautiful women all day, women who speak his language in the medical field, who are fun and intelligent and whom I couldn’t begin to emulate, but Mel has shown me through the years that he’s a one-woman man, so I can relax and put away the jealousy.

You want a good hero in the next novel you read? I took all my unpublished manuscripts when I met Mel, and as I got to know him better during our year and a half of dating, I gradually redrew every hero in each of my stories to reflect the kindness, the true heart, the love that shines from Mel’s eyes, and placed bits of pieces of his character and personality into these men to bring them to life. It wasn’t until then, when I met the man of my dreams–who treated me with respect and gentleness–that I wrote the kinds of characters that sold my books.

You want love for the rest of your life? Practice kindness, find the way your beloved most loves to be loved, and show that to him. Seek goodness in a man, strength, ethics. There is nothing stronger or more appealing than the power of a man who walks in truth. That’s the kind of man you want. If you’re married to someone who doesn’t live up to your expectations, then search for the good he does have, and love those things about him. Make him feel loved by you.

Just a few words of advice I learned from the man in my life. I love romance when it’s real. Some of my first words to Mel on our first real date were, “I promised myself never to date another man who isn’t a rabid Christian.”

“What would you call a rabid Christian?” he asked.

“Someone who lives so completely for God that the normal person would call him crazy for Christ.”

“Well, isn’t every Christian supposed to live like that?”

Yeah. Romance. It all comes from God, and it’s the best, most satisfying way to find the love of one’s live.

 

 

 

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Christian Fiction v Clean Read: Are You Confused? by Vicki Hinze

Posted on September 23, 2013 by Vicki Hinze

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Christian Fiction v Clean Read:  Are You Confused?

 

 

In the past few months, I’ve often been asked what is the difference between books that are labeled Christian fiction and books labeled Clean Reads.  I thought I’d address in case you’re confused by this labeling of books.

 

Christian fiction is fiction that has a distinct and deliberate Christian element.  It can be told from a Christian perspective, or told by a non-Christian perspective, but the Christian element is in the novel.

 

Either the story is structured and unfolds based on Christian principles, or one (or more) of the characters are Christian and they face the obstacles and events in the stories from that perspective.  Perhaps the main character is not a Christian at the beginning of the story, but as a result of events encountered during the story, becomes a Christians at the end of the story.  The story can also be seated in a Christian theme.

 

Regardless of how the Christian element is injected into the story, it is significant to the story and plays a key role.  In other words, if that Christian element were removed, then the story would be a different story.

 

A Clean Read is a story created for the general market and not specifically for the Christian reading community.  It follows many of the dictates for Christian fiction, in that there is no premarital sex or foul language.  Obstacles and challenges are met and faced through a variety of means, but in Clean Reads, you won’t find explicit sexual conduct or bad language.

 

In either, because fiction emulates life, you will find bad situations, challenges that must be faced and overcome.  But in Clean Reads you can include a religious or faith element but one isn’t required.  In other words, a story might be seated on Biblical principles but the Bible not be mentioned.

 

Some Christian authors write both Christian fiction and Clean Reads.  I’m one of them.  Now I wrote for a long time before writing Christian fiction and I began writing Clean Reads after then.  So some of my older books (many of which are being republished by publishers) are general audience reads.  But once I began writing Christian fiction, I eliminated those aspects mentioned earlier from my work.  Still, I didn’t want to leave the readers without my books, so I began writing Clean Reads, too.

 

I firmly believe this is what I’m supposed to do.  Go to people where they are, as Christ did by example.  So I continue to write many types of stories in many genres, and for many different types of people.  Some are Christian fiction.  Mystery and Romantic Thrillers, mostly.  Some are Clean Reads.  Romantic suspense and mystery, mostly.

 

Over the past twenty-five years, I’ve written just about all kinds of novels with the exception of horror.  (I write healing books, and healing and horror haven’t meshed well for me.)  So all of my books have healing themes and I use suspense, mystery and romance in each of them.  In some, there’s more suspense.  In others, more romance.  But those things remain in my books whether they are Christian Fiction or Clean Reads.

 

Why is that?

 

Because every author has an author theme and writing healing books—books where the characters face tough battles but heal—is mine.

 

And because for me to love a book, it must have suspense, mystery and romance.  I like many other books or books without those three elements, but I don’t love them.  And I promised myself many years ago, I wouldn’t invest my time—that’s my life—in writing books I don’t love.

 

So I’ve always written healing books with elements of suspense, mystery and romance.  And for the past few years, those books are either Christian fiction or Clean Reads.

 

It’s worth mentioning that writers construct books based on their own perspective.  It comes through deliberately and unintentionally, in what we deem is important enough to get on the page.  In the way we see things.  Our perspective shapes the story.  So you will see Clean Reads that are seated in Biblical principles because it’s how believers think and the prism through which they see things.

 

Can an author write books outside that prism?  Yes.  But they rarely do because it isn’t natural to them.

 

So Christian fiction contains an overt Christian message (not to be confused with soapbox or preaching to readers).  The message is interwoven into the novel’s fabric.  Clean Reads are those suitable for most readers and doesn’t carry an overt Christian message.

 

Hope this clears any confusion.

 

Blessings,

 

Vicki

VICKI HINZE

 

 

 

 

 

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WHEELING ALONG WITH EASE by Yvonne Lehman

Posted on September 20, 2013 by yvon63

Two neighbor children, a four-year-old boy and a two-year-old girl, ride their bicycles that have no pedals. I watch them from my upstairs office window as they ride along the street that’s fairly level. They push with their feet and when they get the bicycles rolling they lift their feet and steer the bicycles, not with pedals, but with balance.

I realize that’s a really neat idea. They’re learning balance which is much neater than having them pedal, lose balance, fall, scrape their knees or break their arms. Having balance is the most important part of the bicycle ride, not the pumping of the pedals.

After they have balance, the pedals can be added and the children can ride with, or without the pedals because they have balance. They can coast down the hill without fear. They can push the bicycle up the hill with their feet. Learning balance first will make their future journeys more enjoyable.

That brought to mind balance in writing, or in life really. I remember my children cramming for exams (well, I’m guilty too). But learning to balance a study-schedule or writing-schedule can make things easier, whether it’s an exam or a writing project.

Too often I’m at the end of a novel with a deadline looming. My writing goes much easier when I practice balance. Instead of procrastinating at the beginning of the writing and then cramming it in at the end, life and novel-writing work best when I have a schedule. I can veer from the schedule when needed, but accomplish so much more when my time is balanced.

Now, I will pick up my feet and my creative wheels will take me through the novel writing journey with perfect balance and ease. Well… forgive me for that. I am a fiction writer. But, balance in life being an asset is a fact.

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Writers and Their Ilk by Maureen Lang

Posted on September 18, 2013 by Maureen Lang

acfwlogoThis past weekend a few of us here at Christians Read attended the American Christian Fiction Writers conference in Indianapolis. It’s hard to describe the blessing of being in a room (a crowded room!) filled not only with others who love to worship God, but also share a similar passion for the gifts He gives. In the halls or workshop rooms or at the banquet tables, each of us knew at any given moment we could talk to someone who knows what it’s like to create a character, build a story world, or record scenes on the page with the hope of transferring an emotion from our heart to the heart of a reader.

While it’s probably true that most if not all writers were readers first, there is something different about that other step, the one that makes some readers want to become writers. I’m not sure what it is, where you’d find that difference on our DNA, but I’m pretty sure it has to do with what made us readers in the first place. Most of the writers I know tend to be sensitive toward what evokes emotion—and isn’t that what reading is all about? It’s what both readers and writers are after, immersion into a world apart that can create anything from laughter to tears on a roller coaster ride of emotion.

Another aspect came up in the wonderful conference workshop that our own Jim Rubart taught with Allen Arnold: God made us in His image—to be creators. We’re all creators with a small “c” in some way or another. Some of us create crafts or artwork or feasts or an inviting environment for people to call home, while others create in less tangible (but still vital) ways by encouraging/protecting/teaching. Still others create within the science or business world. The kind of creator God made those of us at the conference is a creator of stories. Whenever we’re doing what God wired us to do, we feel His pleasure. Maybe that’s why it’s likely no matter what kind of creator God made you to be, you enjoy being with others who share a similar passion.

So what do writers do at a writer’s conference? The main purpose is to enjoy workshops that teach either the craft of writing or the business side of our careers. Occasionally there are workshops that explore the spiritual side of the writing life, which is what Jim offered. Conferences, especially Christian ones, are like one great big hug fest where we finally get to see the people we chat with on blogs and writer’s loops throughout the rest of the year. The events are meant to instruct, inspire and nurture fellowship, and this one didn’t fall short in any way.

Here’s a picture of me (left) with Jim and our fellow blogger Beth Goddard:
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We’re already looking forward to next year!

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Maybe I Don’t Hate My Kindle by James L. Rubart

Posted on September 17, 2013 by James L. Rubart

I never hated it. I just didn’t like giving up the tactile sensation of feeling a book in my fingers. Being able to turn back ten pages in a blink, not a series of clicks. I liked being able to set a new friend on my bookshelf and know they’re there.

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BUT … having been on the road for most of the past three weeks, I’m giving a bit of room in my heart for the big K. And that’s one of the selling points, isn’t it? The big K is actually quite small and yet can hold thousands of books.

I like that I can highlight sections that impact me, and access those lines (and only those lines) much faster than I could access them by pawing through the physical book.

And yet … sales of e-books are slowing down. It appears they’re not going to take over the world.

How ’bout you? Are you reading more or less e-books these days? If you weren’t quite sold on e-books, are you embracing e-books more or still resistant? If you were an early adopter are you more convinced than ever, or have you pulled back a bit?

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The Passion of the Christ by Sara Goebel

Posted on September 16, 2013 by Sarah Goebel

I know we all love our books, but sometimes we also like to watch a great movie. Last week, I  actually had an assignment in my NT class to watch the movie, The Passion of the Christ for the purpose of contrasting it with Scripture itself. I thought I would share my thoughts with you concerning it.

Although as the critics like to say, it is not 100% Scriptural, it is my opinion that Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ does a tremendous portrayal of the purpose of Jesus Christ’s life (John 18:37, John 10:10), as well as, revealing the high cost involved to obtain salvation for those who would believe in Him.ThePassionoftheChrist

The movie begins with a heart-wrenching scene of Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane. Although dramatized for Hollywood’s purposes, Gibson’s effort to depict Christ’s struggle in gaining strength for the mission at hand as He prayed to the Father for the cup to pass from Him is a good portrayal of the Scripture as found in Matthew 26:37-39. Scripture tells us that Jesus was strengthened by an angel to complete His mission (Luke 22:43). One could see the strength rise in Jesus as He stood tall and stomped on the head of the serpent. Although this scene is not found in the passion narrative, it does reveal the truth of Genesis 3:15: “And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, And you shall bruise him on the heel,” which reveals the victory that will be accomplished through His impending suffering and death.

Satan did not know the plan of God for the salvation of the world through the death of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:8); however, the statement he makes to Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane that it is too much to expect one man to die for the souls of sinners, powerfully explains what was taking place – one man dying for many.

Another scene that was embellished, yet displayed powerful truths, was the scene where Jesus is arrested.  In the movie, there was a fight that took place before taking Jesus captive, however, Scripture shows us that only Peter drew a sword and cut off Malchus’ ear.  Jesus then rebuked Peter and healed the man’s severed ear. In other words, Jesus gave Himself up freely.

There are many things found in the movie that are not in Scripture such as: (1) the disciples referring to Mary as Mother which reflects a Roman Catholic bias; (2) Jesus was dropped over a bridge, hanging just above the ground with His eyes meeting those of Judas Iscariot; (3) Jesus praying “Rise up. Defend me. Save me from the traps they lay for me;” (4) the remembrance scenes of life with Jesus such as falling as a child, building a high table, etc.; (5) kids hassling Judas after the betrayal; (6) the member of the Sanhedrin stating at the trial that Jesus taught not to pay tribute to the Roman consul; (7) the beating along the road to Calvary (although that may have well been the practice); (8) Mary saying to Jesus, “My Son let me die with you;” (9) women wiping up the blood at the place of the scourging.

On the otherhand, there were some scenes that portrayed what I think are very important aspects of the passion. They included: (1) Jesus prophecy of Peter’s three-time denial of Him and the denials were shown in the story (Matthew 26:69-75). (2)The scene portraying Matthew 26:63 -64 where the high priest asked Jesus: “Are you the Christ, the Son of God?” and Jesus responds: “You have said it yourself: nevertheless I tell you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of power, and coming on the clouds of heaven” is an important scene and flows with Scripture. Jesus unequivocally declared His identity at this moment; and, this is what got Him crucified. (3) Pilate’s hesitation to condemn Jesus as well as his wife’s warning (John 18-19; Matthew 27:19). (4) The robber on the cross mocking Jesus and the other, displaying His belief and trust in Jesus resulting in Jesus’ response to the man that he would join him in paradise that day. (5) Pilate telling Jesus that he had authority to release Him or crucify Him and Jesus responding that Pilate only has power that has been given to Him from above (John 19:10-11). (6) The empty tomb at the end

The movie displayed the message of the gospel well, although there were things in the telling that were embellished or left out. However, when moving from a literary genre to a Hollywood production, one would expect to find some embellishment, additions, and deletions of Scripture, and some error in the timing for certain oral depictions; and, all of that was found in the movie. Nonetheless, the movie displayed some key elements that witness the heart of God’s plan for the salvation of those who will believe on Christ. Therefore, I would definitely recommend it to anyone whether believer or nonbeliever. In fact, I have.

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Current Events and Writing by Tara Randel

Posted on September 12, 2013 by tararandel

In light of 911 and the history behind that date, I was thinking about world events and how they impact writers as we plot a story. With all the many different events taking place in the world today, and our ability to get news 24/7, on many different types of devices, getting information about current events for our stories is just a keystroke away.

Certainly what is going on in the world tends to work well in suspense and thrillers. Any books that feature characters in the military or police agencies may mirror what we read in the newspaper. Yet when the author adds actual world events, it makes the story immediate. We can imagine ourselves in the line of fire on a sandy desert somewhere or in a foreign city running for our lives because of certain secret information in our possession. I’ve never been in any kind of dangerous occupation, but I love edge of the seat stories that keep me turning the page to find out how the characters will get through danger and stay alive.

I tend to write stories about characters who live in small towns. How do current events fit in? There is always the possibility of a world weary traveler returning home after working in a refugee camp and now wants to experience peace. A wounded soldier back from deployment. How does he cope with what he’s seen and done? Or perhaps the photojournalist trying to deal with upsetting memories because of a dangerous assignment. A character who has had enough crime in the big city and wants to retreat to simpler life in a small town.

What about the news of a smaller scope? Local or regional news. Not big enough to make front page news, but compelling enough to make a writer wonder, what if, and run with an idea from there. Again, with our access to the internet, there are all kinds of news and special interest stories out there to catch the eye of a writer for use in a future story.

Now, let’s take the current events and look at them through the Christian world view. This gives us another layer of depth for our characters. They have to deal with the world, but what about their spiritual walk? How have these events shaped them? Will the events they’ve experienced determine the decisions they make? Here is our conflict.
The possibilities of adding the pressure of what goes on in our small towns, big cities and worldwide are endless in story creation. Adding current events is the bridge of our imaginary characters to real life. Done well, these events add another dimension to the world the author has created.

So, after having laid my thoughts out, my question is, as a reader, do you like current events in the books you read? Too much invasion of the real world? I’m curious as to what you think.

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Looking Back and Moving Forward After 9/11 by Julie Arduini

Posted on September 11, 2013 by juliearduini

Sometimes the tragedy of 9/11 seems like yesterday.

Then I remember when I first heard of the attacks, I was a work-from-home mom of a three year old who that morning slept in later than usual.

That preschooler is now fifteen.

With 12 years behind us, I watched a series of documentaries on the events, and they weren’t easy to watch. After this much time, it’s easy and tempting to gloss over. But I felt I owed the thousands that lost their lives my time and perspective, and I’m not the same person I was back then. Our country isn’t the same.

Looking back, I thought about what life was like for me at the time, and on that day.

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  • Although I now live in Ohio and am the same distance to NYC that I was when I lived in Upstate NY, there is a fraternity of sorts, a bond, for anyone who lived in New York in 2001. Upstaters are famous for distinguishing how we are not from nor live close to The Big Apple. On and the days and weeks after 9/11, we were all New Yorker’s. When the second plane hit, we didn’t know how close planes might be to us. Would they attack other portions of the state? I lived in a city known for being the world headquarters for a corporation. Would we be a target? We New Yorkers grieved and shared questions that people in other states probably didn’t experience to such a degree. In an odd twist of fate, living in Upstate NY I saw nothing of the attacks on a personal level. A friend of ours in NE Ohio recalls seeing what he now knows as United Flight 93 flying dangerously low. It crashed minutes later in Shanksville, PA.
  • The financial impact of the attacks hit us personally. It took about a year and a half, but the impact was devastating on the entire state. By 2003 the corporate city that was my hometown lost 20% of its workforce. The cost of a slice of pizza at the local pizzeria was more than worth of stock for Corning Inc. It was awful. My husband’s job changed so drastically that he had to look for other work, and that’s what brought us to Ohio. My position lost funding, and we decided to have me stay home and raise our preschooler and baby.
  • I was working from home that day and missed the initial coverage. I had no comprehension of how horrific everything was. Perhaps God protected my mind from going there. I was in my own tailspin from a miscarriage earlier in the year, and I couldn’t wrap my mind around how people were trying to survive. How long after the attacks the heroes battling blazes or helping with clean up were fighting respiratory issues, or more.
  • To this day I grieve how fast we returned to normal. My mom even warned me while we watched the news reports and speeches. The unity won’t last, she told me. I couldn’t believe her. Yet, in weeks. Weeks! I felt everything go back. People seemed complacent. Eternity and compassion fell to the wayside. And I don’t think we’ve rediscovered those things in measure to how much we need them in our lives.
  • Like the attack on Pearl Harbor, we went as a nation from relative peace to all out war in no time at all. It was nothing for us to trust everyone over everything. People my age remember you could idle at the front of the airport and no one noticed. Try that now and watch what happens. I can remember the silence in the skies when the flights were grounded. When I see an odd license plate somewhere with someone looking suspicious, I take notice. Don’t you?
  • One of the documentaries explained that prior to 9/11, many organizations were not connected and communication between them wasn’t just limited, it was non existent. Today the FAA and the military are on the same page. News can be viral in minutes from many sources. God forbid we ever experience anything like this again, but I’ll never forget the haunted look on loved ones looking for lost family and friends. They were using posters. Phone calls. There wasn’t Facebook, Twitter, none of that. Times have definitely changed.

With an older perspective I think it’s important to look back. To honor those who aren’t here and died for our country. To learn. To appreciate. To pray. I feel our country is more fragmented than ever. I refuse to live in fear, though. For everything about 9/11, I lift up truth.

The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. James 5:16b, NIV

 

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Keeping Faith by Hannah Alexander

Posted on September 10, 2013 by alexanderhodde

 

 

 

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It’s been a long time between novels  for me this last go-round, but I’ve found my writing chops again-or perhaps gums might be the better term. I love writing historical novels because it’s fun to imagine myself in that time and place, but my typical fare is contemporary women’s fiction with romance, some suspense, and some medical situation–or at least a character who works in the medical field. Mel helps me with his experience as an ER doc and family practice physician. He’s been challenged to find the best historical treatments for the time periods I choose.

I would like to introduce you to my third historical romance, Keeping Faith, which was released this month. Keeping Faith is about an independent, brave widow, Dr. Victoria Fenway, who, in an attempt to catch her late husband’s killer and protect other victims from the monster, has joined a wagon train traveling west toward Kansas Territory, Her only distraction is the wagon train captain, Joseph Rickard, whom she once loved with all her heart, but her heart was broken when she thought he abandoned her. She married an older physician and learned his skills. And now she must keep her plans to herself so Joseph won’t be able to prevent her from risking her life to save others.

Despite the misunderstanding that kept Victoria and Joseph apart, Joseph never stopped loving Victoria, and he has taken his vow seriously to protect her on this dangerous journey. He’d once decided that if he couldn’t have her love, he would never marry, and now he has an opportunity to prove his love for her, and to keep her safe, even if he has to risk his own life to do it.

Victoria, however, has other plans. She can’t allow Joseph, who is in charge of the safety of many people, turn his back on his responsibility. Can she make it to Jolly Mill, Missouri, in time to save her friends and a group of freed Africans from the murderous fury of a conscienceless slaver? Can Joseph reach her in time to save her from her own passionate determination? Life, love, and tragedy hang in the balance as Joseph and Victoria depend on God’s strength to help them battle evil.

You may find Keeping Faith at any bookstore, both brick-and-mortar or online. Read the first chapter of this novel at http://www.hannahalexander.com

 

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Word Treasures by Kathi Macias

Posted on September 9, 2013 by alandkathi66

I recently had the most enjoyable experience of going to see an old friend—“old,” as in older than I am, and those friends are becoming few and far between these days.

This friend’s name is Linda, and to be truthful, she really isn’t old. If anything, she’s one of those ageless people whose bodies might get saggy and wrinkled but whose mind and wit stay sharp to the end. I actually find myself feeling quite outdated and frumpy in her presence, though her ever-gracious spirit welcomes me wholeheartedly.

This was an especially nice visit, as Linda and I don’t live near one another and seldom get to spend time together. It was especially nice, therefore, when she discovered I was traveling through her neighborhood that she invited me to spend a night in her warm and spacious home. And what an enjoyable stay it was! Linda has the gift of hospitality, as does her husband who cooked us a marvelous dinner. Of course we spent hours afterward, talking and laughing about old times, but even that wasn’t the highlight of my visit. That came just before heading off to the charming guestroom where I slept like the proverbial baby.

Between our after-dinner chat and toddling off to bed, Linda took me into her library to view her treasures—books, of all sizes, shapes, bindings, and genres, particularly the shelves of ancient tomes with author names like Melville and Shakespeare and Frost and Michener. Oh, how she loved those books, and how she beamed as she showed them to me, one by one. We commented on each author and title, and closed our evening with the sad realization that many young people today have never read such books, or if they have, it was done out of compulsion rather than awestruck wonder.

“Treasures,” Linda mused. “How I long for young people to savor the treasures found in these books.” Then she held up her most beloved treasure in all her library—an old family Bible, passed down to her by her parents and her grandparents before them. “Especially this one,” she said, smiling. “So neglected by so many, and yet so full of timeless wisdom and life-changing words.”

I drifted off to sleep that night thinking of Linda’s comments about her treasures, praying that people everywhere would begin to hunger for the written word again, enough to break away from other pursuits and learn about the treasure found in books, particularly the Bible. For myself, personally, it was a poignant reminder of my own need to spend less time being “busy” and more time digesting “timeless wisdom and life-changing words.”

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