Debbie Reynolds singing the award winning song in the film Tammy and the Bachelor circa 1957. I must have seen this movie at the theater 10 times. You can see my heart for romance began at an early age. I loved this movie and song.
Hope you enjoy the flashback . . .
Father, thank you for memories which fill in who we were and who we have become. Help us to be who you want us to be. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.
Hardbound, soft cover, ebooks, and supermarket paperbacks. We read them all. Just call us Book Lovers Anonymous. Thick and thin. Long or short. We're searching for the next best book.
Action, literary, romance, love story, mystery, suspense, or fantasy, we all have our favorites. Some of us are rigid in what we prefer. Others of us will read anything with words.
What is your preference? Where is your favorite place to read? And why is reading so important to you?
Father, always thank you. Always. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.
The expression "by the book" generally means adhering to laws or instructions on the right way to do things. It implies not cheating to accomplish a directive or purpose.
Too often the by-the-book approach seeps into writing fiction. And while this can work in an author's favor, it can also dash all kinds of creativity.
Genres dictate formulas for writing them. These accepted formulas most often appear in romance novels, but they exist for mysteries, suspense, cozy mysteries, etcetera. Genres overlap and sometimes in the publishing world, in order to gin up extra attention from readers of neighboring genres, the definitions are exaggerated and attached to books that really don't quite fit into how they're described in the marketing. I've noticed this happening more in the thriller genre – so many suspense novels are stretched to include the "thriller" moniker when it truly doesn't fit.
Many publishers insist that readers don't like much variation in their genres – again particularly readers of romance. And there are those readers who repeatedly grab the supermarket paperbacks or the Love Inspired fiction or a particular author's fare and stick to them. However, there are many readers who love variety, who care nothing about formulaic fiction, and who actually enjoy a mix in their genre types.
While novels need to have a solid flow, they don't need to follow a rigid pattern in their delivery. Story, story, story, no matter how bland or how boisterous, dictates the appeal to particular audiences. This should be but isn't always easy to predict. CBA publishers are notorious for not taking risks and stick to the by-the-book fiction. They've survived with this approach.
All that to say I don't choose to write by the book. Because I appreciate diverse styles and detailed character studies within the pages of a novel, I try to write what I like no matter where the story takes me. You can fault my efforts, criticize my design, and, as a result, not enjoy or appreciate my work. So be it.
Father, thank you for the love of writing and reading fiction. It's a true joy in my life, and I'm so grateful for those who share it with me. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.
He said to them, "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem,, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
Acts 1:7-8 (NIV)
From the original movie Nashville, the lyrics of the song tell the story. The silent faces explain the lyrics. An incredibly well done scene and a great song.
Father, music plays the chords of life. You've gifted so many, and although many times our actions and words don't honor you, the talent belongs to you. Thank you for it all. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.
A considerable amount of violence is allowed in Christian thrillers (speculative included), suspense, romantic suspense, mysteries, sci-fi, and I can only assume there is some in fantasy. In some novels the violence can be graphic (Robert Liparulo's and Steven James' novels both contain some graphic violence). I've read a few books from the Christian Fiction market which use the word "crap" once or more.
But when it comes to romance novels, there are all kinds of restrictions to limit the use and description of real sexual attraction, struggle, and in some cases which words will be "acceptable". I've come to detest the word "acceptable" in regard to fiction as much as I came to resent the word "edgy". Those words force judgment on a story and imply the judges are just in their decisions.
"Sex is everywhere. The last place I want to find it or deal with it is in Christian Fiction." Anonymous
Because the world uses sex to sell everything from automobiles to vacation spots, I cannot argue with the saturation factor. On film, on TV, on magazine covers, on billboards, almost everywhere sexual photographs, jokes, "soft" porn and hardcore porn appear with little thought for who can see the suggestive or graphic exploitations.
However, since when is sex for the Christian equivalent to the world's view? Since when is sexual attraction deemed taboo for the Christian? And since when is marital sex for the Christian something to be hidden, silenced, and overlooked in a romance novel? When did it become "unacceptable" to non-graphically refer to romance, sexual attraction, love, and marital sex in a romance novel?
And since when is contrasting the world's various views of sex to God's view somehow "unacceptable"?
Christian men, both married and single, look at women. Some struggle with looking at women too much. Some have trained themselves to look away because they aren't usually viewing their hair color first unless it's purple or fuschia. Guys, I hope you'll be brave enough to back me up here. This isn't a criticism, it's reality.
Women certainly notice men they think are attractive. Many women view them differently from the way men look at women, but, nevertheless, we see what we consider good-looking. Biceps, forearms, bare chests, eyes, lips, moustaches, whatever. We're not blind.
Sexual attraction isn't always equivalent to lusting after someone, but for those in the world it's usually synonymous. The contrast, the struggle, the common desires . . .
Shouldn't all of these factors appear in a romance novel? A Christian romance novel? Why not?
Before you answer, I will not accept any reasoning that concerns "the weaker brother or sister". If any kind of sexual attraction is a problem issue for an individual, why is this person reading romance novels? Romance novels are built around the male/female attraction and dynamic.
I wonder if Christians haven't corrupted their views of sex by denying its God-designed and ordained importance and beauty for His people keeping their marriage beds pure and enjoying their lives together in the process . . . while resisting the temptation to join the world's views and indulge the flesh in our sin natures.
(*Reprinted from post on 6/26/12)
Father, we're desperate for your clarity and instruction, your love, grace, and presence. Always. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.
As a Christian, as a person, and as an author, I'm not responsible for your walk with Christ. As far it's possible for me to do, I am to keep peace with others. If that indicates I must compromise my knowledge of the Lord and the coinciding belief system which results in my actions, then peace is not attainable. True peace comes from the Prince of Peace and even He could not establish a physical peace with those Pharisees and unbelievers who crucified Him. I must also be aware of those who surround me, being cognizant of what they can handle hearing, seeing, and discussing.
Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
Revelation 20:11-15 (NIV)
It's not easy to forgive anyone who's deeply hurt you. For some people it's nearly impossible. This quote explains the concept of forgiveness. If you've been affronted, harmed, or worse, it's going to take supernatural awareness and intervention to get to the place where you can offer forgiveness.
The forgiveness you give is to set yourself free from the hold the other individuals have over you. For those offenders who truly are sorry for doing you harm, yes, they desire forgiveness. But there are those who don't care anything about how you've been wronged by them. They won't request forgiveness and might not even be sorry for their offense(s).
People often think that by forgiving someone you also must "forget" the actions or words which harmed you. No. You will most likely never forget what was done to you if it was severe enough. Forgiving is a heart action to free yourself from the pain and burden another caused you. By forgiving it, you separate yourself from the deed(s) and give yourself higher ground to walk on. You rise above it to a place where they can't continue to cause you harm.
The Master Forgiver hung on a cross and offered forgiveness for all the insults and evil mankind had perpetrated and done to Him. He took the punishment to provide forgiveness for the multitude of sins exercised on earth. We need His forgiveness because without it, our eternity is bleak and filled with judgment. By acknowledging our need for that forgiveness, we begin to understand why we need to offer it to those who hurt us. To reciprocate. To find a way to emulate what Jesus provided for us when we didn't deserve it any more than the person who hurt us. But there it is.
He set us free. Free to forgive others just as He forgave us. It's not easy, but few meaningful actions in this world are.
Father, help us to forgive. We really can't do it without you – whether we realize it or not. Thank you, Jesus, for forgiving me. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.
The best years for music? The sixties and seventies. Fabulous bands and musicians if you like rock 'n' roll. Too bad "drugs, sex, and rock 'n' roll" was the prevalent theme of those days.
If you listen to these typical-of-the-day lyrics, you get a picture of a character. The one I created is named Dale Rivers. Hope I finish this novel. I love the guy. Title: . . . in a love song of course.
Enjoy.
Lord, it was a time of sinful struggles and major rescues. Thank you for the many you collected for your glory during and after those trying times. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.
