Into the Fire

Don't Leave Me by James Scott Bell is the exciting, intense story of a big brother (Charles "Chuck" Samson) and his younger adult autistic/savant brother Stan (think of the older film Rain Man) as they tackle the confusing and dangerous aggressions by those who insist Chuck has something they want from his past as a military chaplain in Afghanistan. No longer a man of faith since his estranged wife was killed in a car accident, Chuck struggles with PTSD symptoms and some loss of memory concerning the events in Afghanistan where he survived but lost fellow soldiers. 

On his way to take Stan to work at the local supermarket where he serves as a greeter, what feels like an intentional fender bender begins the odd assault on Chuck Samson and eventually on his brother Stan. Shortly after the car incident, Chuck leaves school after his 5th grade teaching job to pick up his brother from work. When they get close to home, there are cops, fire engines, and lots of smoke. It's their home up in flames. Chuck knows this must be related to the strange earlier car problem, but his primary fear and reality is keeping his brother safe. Stan is truly frightened by the fire, loss, and their current homelessness as Chuck finds them a motel. 

With Chuck holding a monumental grudge against God for taking his wife, he's forced to realize he's going to need more than just himself to figure out what is going on after he's arrested under false charges. He's scared for his brother and gets a savvy Public Defender to secure his temporary freedom. He calls upon one man he trusts to help him figure out what's happening and why, but his friend tries to talk him out of his dangerous pursuits. 

Don't Leave Me presents a troubled hero with deep hurt trying to survive the remnants of his life and take care of his brother, teach kids, and possibly pick up enough pieces to understand what a relationship might be when pure and lethal chaos breaks out big time. At first, Chuck isn't a very likable character in spite of his love for his brother. His grudge against God makes him sardonic, and it isn't until he's totally invested in finding the truth at all costs that his hero heart makes him appealing as a man and as a person. Ultimately his vulnerabilities in a life and death situation coupled with huge betrayals cause him to reexamine himself and find the real help he needs. James Scott Bell ties this one up nicely with a satisfying end after a harrowing ride.  

Father, I'm always wowed at the talent dispersed to your people. Jim Bell is one of them. Please continue to bless his life with your abundance and incredible knack for storytelling. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

     Indignant because Jesus healed on the Sabbath, the synagogue ruler said to the people, "There are six days for work. So come and be healed on those days, not on the Sabbath."

     The Lord answered him, "You hypocrites! Doesn't each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or donkey from the stall and lead it out to give it water? Then should not this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has kept bound for eighteen long years, be set free on the Sabbath day from what bound her?" 

     When he said this, all his opponents were humiliated, but the people were delighted with all the wonderful things he was doing.

Luke 13:14-17 (NIV)

Five of the best authors at doing dialogue both external and internal (in no particular order or genre):

Sibella Giorello

James Scott Bell

Becky Wade

Robert Liparulo

Vince Flynn/Kyle Mills 

(And I do like my characters' dialogue[s] if I do say so myself. I should, shouldn't I?)

Lord, thank you for every word. All flaws are mine, all good things come from you. Help me to be the one you designed me to be. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

I realized something during the recent reading of a novel. It's nothing new and it won't surprise most of you diehard readers.

When an author uses dialogue to recount events, near-present, past, or historical, there's a tendency to slow the story down to a crawl if the information is abundant or complicated. And that's not a recommendation for a thriller. I'm all for pensive moments between the action and chaos in a genuine thriller, but elaborate dialogue and soliloquies are not recommended. That pertinent information which contributes to the story – and which the author feels is critical – must be doled out in succinct reveals instead of pages long recitation. If the novel is not a true thriller but rather a story mixed with action and information, an author can get away with it because the reader doesn't come to a dead stop without anticipating a slower pace interrupted with bursts of action-packed drama. 

As we've discussed here before, dialogue is a major factor in enjoying a novel. Abundant dialogue can be entertaining if done well. Sparse dialogue can be very effective if perfectly plotted. Snappy, melancholic, sarcastic, brutal, heartwarming, even melodramatic dialogue can serve a story with just the right touches and bring the reader to laughter and/or tears, anger and/or anxiety, impatience and/or irritation, joy and/or sorrow. The wonder of words and how they're used and expressed plus their placement in the story make a novel what it is. 

I love dialogue. When it's exceptional, the story becomes memorable. 

Father, thank you for authors who serve you well. Thank you for the magnitude of words and giving writers the privilege of using them well. You are the source of every good and perfect gift. Thank you for them all. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

The majesty of trees and forests and seclusion. The perfect path to walk.

Father, your beauty is everywhere but often hard to find wherever man has made it scarce. But in the forests, it is present. Thank you for it all. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

Some good ol' love songs from another era. Good group. 

God, we can't escape your love, but sadly many of us will not choose to experience it. I know you can reach the hardest hearts. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

Irene Hannon concludes the Private Justice Series with Tangled Webs, the story of the third and youngest McGregor brother Finn. 

What do a professional editor, a former Army Ranger, a sheriff, and a meth cooker have in common? Their temporary neighborhood.

Finn McGregor is spending a month at a nice cabin in the forest to de-stress from some PTSD issues after leaving the military and is a neighbor to a beautiful freelance editor (Dana) currently living in the home she inherited from her deceased grandparents' situated on her private lakefront. An unlikely middle of the night meeting between the two results when Finn is wakened by piercing screams shooting through the trees and underbrush. On instant alert Finn grabs what he needs and plows through the woods on a rescue mission. Expecting the worst and prepared for it, he terrifies the woman after breaking into her home to "save" her from whoever is causing her screams, but there's no one there other than her.

Making amends the following day by repairing the minor damage he caused, they begin their friendship carefully but with measured efforts on both of their parts. After establishing a tentative trust, Dana experiences some vandalism that escalates. The sheriff gets involved but Finn intends to find the culprit(s) when there doesn't seem to be any results from law enforcement.  

The sheriff is experiencing extreme difficulties when his wife suffers from Alzheimer's and is forced to live in a pricey care center. At one time they had money, but no longer. When a solution he knows is wrong becomes available, the bad decision is compounded by a man with a meth lab in the national forest next to Dana's place. 

Tangled Webs creates a small town tale of heartbreak, deceit, crime, and the daring investment in trust and love while danger and the need for protection stoke fear in the forest. Irene does a great job of creating the romance between Finn and Dana, their attraction clamoring over all the reserves and resistance they have in place. Another good story about these three former Special Forces brothers – it's hard to pick a favorite. 

Father, thank you for the amazing talents you spread around to your people and to everyone. Please continue to meet the supply of stories for Irene and bless all she does to honor you. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

     I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes, first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For in the gospel a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith."

Romans 1:16-17 (NIV)

So where were we? Ah, yes: frozen. Seriously, I wondered if I could finish it. The others I started took up my time and effort, and then I quit on them too. It was a hard time for writing over the last several years. Other than this blog, I wasn't doing much with my writing, and the novels languished. Three books in progress and none of them finished. I asked many people to pray for me, and they did – more than I deserved. Because many years ago when I was working on my first book, the Lord reassured me with these words: "If you pick up the pen, I'll give you the words." I love hearing that to this day. But for a long time, I didn't "pick up the pen" or tap on the keyboard. 

I had to remind myself of those words when prayers started hitting their marks in my heart and soul. The Lord gave other keys to me, and I went back to work on this mystery. 

Now it's done and at the publisher's. The cover design is 99% complete. The back cover copy is written. One stellar mystery writer has given me a treasured endorsement, and I'll be working on any text corrections soon.

Here's the deal: I didn't think I could write a mystery because as much as I read and love them, the complexity of good mysteries is not something I felt I could do. And to tell you the truth, it still isn't. Some of you will be judging that for yourselves. Others won't bother. Either way, I did the best I could. I love the characters, the setting because it was "home" to me for so many years, and it has a male protagonist/first person POV – my second attempt. 

I enjoy hearing the backstory from authors concerning the different stories they've written. I hope you've enjoyed reading mine regarding my not-too-distant future release Race. 

Father, I can never stop thanking you for giving me purpose. I love you, Lord, and thank you will never be enough. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

I would love to say, "I've always wanted to write a mystery," but that would be a lie. I could say in truth, "I would love to be able to write a mystery." Most of you who stop by here know I love to read mysteries, thrillers, suspense, and all of their derivatives and pretty much maintain a steady diet of them for my reading material. But to write one? I would've said over and over again: Not gonna happen. I'm not qualified to write a mystery, I don't know the first thing about writing a mystery, and I seriously doubt I could figure out how to write a mystery nor do I know the ritual of figuring out the genre – much like I don't really write genre-perfect romances which is why I call them "love stories". I'm definitely a writer rebel without a cause when it comes to staying within genre parameters. 

Okay. Having said all that, my readers know I write redemptive novels or as we call it in the "biz" and to be more specific: Christian Fiction. Now of course that turns off a lot of readers who prefer secular – or as the publishing world calls it "general market" – fiction. So those who are not open to reading anything that has Christian references/characters will probably not want to read my work. What I do that could be somewhat different from some Christian authors is I present "secular" or "worldly" characters and circumstances realistically without judgment because I want whoever reads my books to see the contrast in lifestyles. That is not to say my Christian characters are sublime human beings. Nope. They're regular people with common struggles who persevere to resist sin and aren't always successful in doing so. 

I do have a point here. My "new" book which is now underway in the publishing process is, I guess, a murder mystery. Why did I write it? Well, I wrote it because for several years before I put the first word on the computer screen, the Lord gave me the idea and would not let it go away. Would. Not. And after a point, I knew I had to attempt it. He put it back at the racetrack (Thoroughbred horse racing) and filled in the many blanks. He provided a detective (a friend of my oldest son) to coach me in local procedures, and he was an amazing help.

Then I froze. I was incredibly intimidated and fearful of making one of those ridiculous, stupid mistakes that we occasionally observe on TV or read in a story. And I stayed frozen on this novel for a few years, starting two other love stories.

To be continued . . .

God, you are so patient with me, so gracious to me. I'm always, always desperate for you. Thank you is never enough. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.