No arguing with their talent and some of the greatest music of their era . . .
Lord, we're all desperate for you whether we know it or not. Help us to be the ones you want us to be. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.
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James Scott Bell has written one of his heartbreaking, gut-wrenching suspense novels with some shocking twists you won't see coming. Dylan Reeve, chiropractor to a few celebrity sports stars in Los Angeles, namely a sympathetic LA Laker who calls him MM for Miracle Man, has received a note written in crayon stating "Your son is alive". He and his ex-wife Erin didn't survive the kidnapping of their 5 yr. old son 15 years ago, who was never found, when their grief overwhelmed their life together. Both remain close with a mutual love simmering beneath the surface of their existence, but they're trying to move on with their lives in slow motion.
When Dylan's LA Laker client offers to fund a security system for Dylan with his super tech/security guy, Dylan finds out just how valuable high-tech security and protection can be. He receives a second note, informs Erin of what's going on, and suddenly strange things begin to happen in her life. The possibility that their son could still be alive recreates their agony and makes them vulnerable to unreasonable demands.
James Scott Bell can do deep heartbreak and broken characters with a flourish, authentically, and make you hurt with them. He does evil with a wicked flair and creates a real repulsion to his villains. Your Son Is Alive captures the utter desolation of a beautiful family torn apart by the kidnapping of their little boy and the experience of having to relive the memories of their excruciating loss when the taunting notes force them to consider the possibility of him still being alive.
This story hurts, you feel the darkness, the ache, but it's so well-written showing the strengths and weaknesses of its primary characters. You'll wonder how or if there's any way this can turn out well, and you'll stay with it for as long as it takes to find out. In spite of the pain, this is a quick read if for no other reason, you're compelled to learn if the title statement is true. Jim is truly an amazing author of noir novels and the depiction of deep down, full on pain.
Father, you've given Jim such incredible talent. I pray you would continue to fill him with your inspiration and continue to bless his writing life. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.
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Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world – the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does – comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.
1John 2:15-17 (NIV)
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We don't immediately associate fiction with truth. After all, a novel tells a story, a product of an author's imagination. And, yes, within the genres of sci-fi and fantasy, we don't anticipate taking part in "truth", but the reality of a story is its ability to demonstrate truth without necessarily giving a factual account.
Truth in fiction is shown in character portrayals enabling readers to identify personalities, traits, or attitudes they recognize or experience in themselves. Locations, either created or actual, bring readers to someplace they might consider familiar, perhaps evoking memories of home, events, reactions, or treasured trips.
I suspect what makes fiction so popular is not always the release or escape into story, but the fact that the truth within a novel makes that story more real, more engaging, and more meaningful to a reader. I know that's the reality for me.
Jesus, you are the Truth that leads us to our Father. Thank you for Truth in its purest, sinless form. Help us to relay who you are to those who don't know you. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.
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(Originally posted on July 2nd, 2012 under title "Passion . . . derailed.")
I've done a lot of talking about romance novels in the last couple of weeks. Sexual attraction from the world's multi-faceted views and contrasting them to God's view in story form. The works. Threw some opinions in there about language and innuendo in novels, authenticity, reality. Again: the works.
What I want to say here is I'm passionate about a lot of things. Anything and anyone that lights up or darkens my life gets my complete attention. And to the contrary, those things or people that don't interest me much get virtually no emotional investment from me. I have to draw the line somewhere because passion takes some serious energy. When you give "it" all to something, you possess little for much else.
Ever since I was a little girl I loved romance. I remember chasing a kid named Dev around the playground of my school in kindergarten because I liked him. In fact, that's pretty much all I remember about kindergarten besides crying most of the way through the school year. My mom and dad loved each other, and I sensed it as a child. When I saw a couple kiss on the old black and white television, when I was very small, apparently I always asked my mom, "Mommy, are they married?" The relationship awareness factor is something I've always known. And loved.
Untold numbers of men and women have been afflicted, some ruined, by the sexual mores of this world. Emotional and spiritual damage from promiscuity is rarely addressed in any important, understandable fashion. Its seriousness is always covered in youth groups but the impact of sexual indulgence by hormonal teens often misses its mark and immature Christians suffer the consequences.
My "mission" is to write what the Lord has put in my soul. To attempt to convey His kind of love to those who are looking for it in the wrong places, to those who've been victimized by what they thought was "right", and to those who are doing their best to stay true to the call of the Lord on their romantic searches for the one He has for them. And to do it with authenticity, to portray reality without flinching, to make the faith journey clear and desirable as opposed to the worldly way.
Instead of giving readers the usual passion . . . derailed.
Father, here am I. Use me. However you can. This vessel isn't the pretty pot. You know it's cracked and broken, held together by the Blood of Jesus, the Balm of Gilead. I love you, Lord. Minister to me, Holy Spirit. Let me hear you clearly. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.
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What is it about arbors or whatever these are called? I just love them. Walking down paths with beautiful coverings? Gorgeous.
Father, I'm running out of superlatives to describe the beauty you ultimately create. Thank you for it all. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.
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For a change of pace, here's Boney James with his smooooth sax. Beautiful sound.
Lord, you've given such beauty to music, such talent to those who sing or play your instruments. Thank you for it all. Please help each one find you, Jesus. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.
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I'm a sucker for a good legal drama, and Rachel Dylan has written an interesting story with a likeable prosecuting attorney who stops off after work to get a snack at a convenience store and finds herself in the middle of a serious crime.
When it becomes evident that Prosecutor Sophie Dawson is in real danger after being the lone witness to a brutal act, her father hires private security for her protection. Cooper Knight, who she'd met casually once before but hasn't seen since, is her bodyguard. Professional, courteous, and reminding her of never having found the right guy, there's a mutual chemistry between them that neither of them really wants to admit or address (of course because it's a romance novel after all).
An assault necessitates Sophie be moved to a safe house where Cooper or one of his associates will remain with her. She's trying to work on what appears to be a case of bank fraud, but her boss keeps putting up roadblocks to her pursuits. Everything about the case seems off, but she's determined to unravel all the document dumps with her new assistant.
The trial for the crime she witnessed fast approaches and Sophie realizes the stress of being a witness facing a bulldog female defense attorney.
Sophie is a likeable character with a stubborn streak and an unrealistic desire for the perfect man. Cooper believes his past restricts him from his intense desire to make something real of his attraction to this beautiful prosecutor with hopes for a future he can't embrace.
Rachel Dylan has written a good romantic suspense in Lone Witness. Because of the characters' convoluted desires, the romance gets frustrating but that's not atypical of the romance formula. The two main characters propel the story with sidelines of less desirables displaying their down and dirty sides. The twist toward the end isn't a shocker which makes it plausible to the storyline.
Father, please continue to bless Rachel's multi-talents, continuing to give her stories just for her to tell. Encourage her along the way and keep her safe. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.
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Then Jesus cried out, "When a man believes in me, he does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me. When he looks at me, he sees the one who sent me. I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.
"As for the person who hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge him. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save it. There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; that very word which I spoke will condemn him at the last day. For I did not speak of my own accord, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and how to say it. I know that his command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say."
John 12:44-50 (NIV)
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There's no shame in wondering about the book you just finished writing after having started it literally years ago. After pumping out seven novels in a regular timeframe (whatever that was), all of a sudden the normal "break" after finishing the seventh turned into an ongoing absence from organized fictional composition. This blog became the main source for any creative construction – and definitely didn't fill the gap for storytelling.
The silence of no new novels grew to an enormous noise in my head. Are you done? Was that it? Is it over? I don't know why it took the time it did. I don't know why I stopped writing for a season. And I really don't know why this idea spanned years before I got the semi-gumption to put it to "paper" and let the voice in my head out for a run. I do know God has His timing, and although I'm sure I contributed to the slowing of that timing, He allowed me that time to regroup and recover the missing link of discipline which can be so easily vacated – for me.
Race is not my usual novel. (And, no, Race has nothing to do with the color of people's skins.) It takes place back at a Thoroughbred racetrack (like my first novel Hope of Glory). Yes, the romance within its pages is me, me, and me. The contrast between the worldly view of life and behaviors and that of a Christian lifestyle is again the common denominator in all of my novels. But this book is a mystery of sorts but probably doesn't adhere to whatever that formula is because the "proper" genre formulas for novels elude me. To tell you the truth, I don't know how to classify this one.
I can say Race has been the most difficult to write because I was totally in unfamiliar territory, and I'm fairly positive it'll show. I completely froze up during the writing of this book for fear of making inexcusable errors. I had excellent help in the beginning from a detective willing to give me succinct and thorough answers to my questions and inquiries. He encouraged me not to worry about certain things because they can be unpredictable. He has no idea how much I appreciated his help and how I'm torn between mentioning his name with special thanks or not because I don't want anyone to think he's somehow in any way responsible for the probably multiple procedural mistakes I made. Let me shout it out right now: HE'S NOT!
It's been a tough road back, but I'm done with one story and have two more waiting for their turns.
So. This Friday has me being thought-full. I chose this picture above because the expression of this beautiful lady in the picture captured my pensive mood and wonderings.
Father, you nudged and prodded. I finally responded. The rest is all yours. Thank you is never enough. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.
