Into the Fire

You see they aren't just words on a page. They're imaginations come to life. And the innumerable original ways to tell the story are what captivate a reader. 

Certain types of telling the tale fit one kind of story while a different method is perfectly designed to fit another. I'm reminded of Brandilyn Collins' staccato prose in her Seatbelt Suspense books. Precision placement of deliberate words often short and stabbing make for a tense telling of wicked ways versus good intentions. I often think of Robert Liparulo's rapid fire action in his multiple thrillers setting this incredibly fast pace leaving the reader almost breathless as he hurries to turn the page. I treasure the measured and often beautiful words, the visceral revelations of Raleigh Harmon in Sibella Giorello's mystery series. Three remarkable authors telling stories in their own unique and powerful ways forcing us as readers to respond to them. 

Multiple other authors use a more simple means of relating a story, focusing more on the story itself without drawing too much attention to the word choices. It might almost be referred to as a conversational methodology. Karin Kaufman and Brenda S. Anderson come to mind though their genres couldn't be more different. They bring you into their stories by an easy introduction to these characters who remind you of people you might know. Karin takes off with these characters and develops fascinating mysteries. Brenda involves you in the family dramas and the history of the characters' lives contributing to how they experience what struggles they face in her stories. 

And then there is the master wit himself James Scott Bell who excels in this gut-level sarcasm and truly incredible wit to craft sardonic characters like Mike Romeo who inevitably manages to complicate his life.   

And then there are the character developers who take you deep into the protagonists and heroines, their histories, causing the reader to experience their emotions, making them unforgettable while weaving complex stories around their lives. Francine Rivers comes to mind. 

Each reader has favorite authors and novels. They might not be able to explicitly describe why those particular books and writers appeal to them, but they certainly know who and what they like and what they don't. The millions of novels available ensure they will find those favorites and be fulfilled in their reading endeavors.

The words are the mechanisms, but the heart is the storyteller. 

Father, thank you for your wonderful inspirations and incredible ways of using words and telling stories. Every good and perfect gift comes from you and I ask that I use mine carefully and obediently. Thank you for every word. Apart from you, I can do nothing. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.