Into the Fire

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Passionate: right or wrong. Writes love stories with a passion. Raw Romantic Redemptive

Wanting and/or Accepting?

 

What you want and what you will accept entail a lot of decision making. Naturally if you want something and you receive it, you accept it. A pleasurable experience or a defining experience, getting what you want can demonstrate whether or not you truly wanted it.

 

Let’s use our usual subject matter: novel reading. Currently I’m reading a novel by an author I usually enjoy and consider a good writer. I’m a few pages short of being halfway through the book and have yet to like the protagonist. Friends, that’s way too many pages into the story to remain disgusted with the guy. I might be experiencing my first attempt at not finishing a novel I started. You know how I am. I trudge through the grinders, but, you know what? I’m not sure it’s worth it anymore.

 

This author is worth reading, and I’ve really enjoyed several of his books. I wanted to enjoy this one. Not happening. Not only do I not like the protagonist, I don’t like his partner. And although I’m confident the author will right this ship, it just might be too late for me. I’m drowning in dislike, and that’s not a good thing at almost halfway through the story. So, if I finish it, I will have accepted the experience, and possibly will have found some pleasure toward the second half of the book. Right now, I’m not sure I can accept the effort it will take for me to get there.

 

I want my reading experiences to be valuable. I’m narrowing my selections to zero in on those books which can fulfill that desire. I accept those less than stellar experiences from the mistakes I make in selecting copies for review that don’t appeal to me. They’re not what I want, but I’ve an obligation to fulfill my “job”.

 

Here’s to finding what we want in the reading experience as opposed to merely accepting a book: Clink!

 

 

Lord, I thank you for each one who dares to put words on a page for others’ consumption. Please particularly bless those who desire to honor you with their words. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.   

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6 responses to “Wanting and/or Accepting?”

  1. Brenda Jackson Avatar
    Brenda Jackson

    “Here’s to finding what we want in the reading experience as opposed to merely accepting a book”
    And that’s the elusive thing–what I WANT vs merely accepting. I’d say more than 3/4ths of what I read is “merely accepting”. Of course my want is subjective, but when I do find the book that has “the stuff”–it’s one of the nicest feelings on earth. 😎

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  2. Nicole Avatar
    Nicole

    I understand your plight, Brenda. You have very specific tastes, and it amazes me that your simple and reasonable desire is so scarce.

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  3. Jerri L Ledford Avatar
    Jerri L Ledford

    All I really want from a book is a good story. And if I can get that, great. If not, well, I might trudge through, but it’s rare that I’ll pick up another book by that author.
    Along the way, I find characters that I fall in love with, others that are okay for the story but after that, I’m done with them.
    I guess I’m easy to please when it comes to books…most of the time!

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  4. Nicole Avatar
    Nicole

    A decent story I can leave when it’s over . . . that used to be enough for me. You know what? I guess it’s not anymore–and this is something I’m in the process of realizing. I can pretty much tell you what’s at the root of it, too. All the platitudes spouting “Only the best get noticed and published.” Simply not true. While some of the best get published, and some of the best don’t sell well, this platitude irks me beyond all the others. It’s a fallacy–and I’m being kind in putting it that way.
    Give me a good voice and characters I can love, and I’m all over it. Don’t give me formulaic predictable stories I’ve read a zillion times with cardboard two-dimensional characters. Put some flesh on those bones and some heart in that character. Give me dialogue that lets me hear their voices. And IF you’re going to make them spiritual, then for heaven’s sake make them REAL not fluff and fake.
    Okay, speaking of soap boxes . . . 😉

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  5. Barb Avatar
    Barb

    Clink
    If I make it as far as you did into a book I’m lukewarm about, I will at least skim the rest of it to see how it ends. I’m not as particular about a story having been done before if the characters bring something new into it. And amen, about fluff and fake. That’s exactly why I read more than just Christian fiction. There’s a lot of truth to be found in other genres as well.

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  6. Nicole Avatar
    Nicole

    Hey, Barb. You know it never even crossed my mind to skim the rest of the book, but it occurred to me to just stop.
    I guess–so far anyway–I’m tepid about indulging the general market. Yes, I know there are some great writers out there. It’s just that–again so far–there are a number of my favorites in CBA that still warrant my time.

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