Into the Fire

Passionate thoughts about the world of writing and the Power of God

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

  • 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.

     

      Passionate-kiss-wallpaper

    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.  

  • With . . . Nothing to Hide

     

                                  Nothing to Hide

    The first novel for July's CFBA Tour is J. Mark Bertrand's Nothing to Hide, the third book in the Roland March Mystery Series, published by Bethany House.

    With each new Roland March story another layer is peeled back or added to the loner detective. The books clearly stand on their own, but readers who want a true and fuller experience with March miss out on so much without reading the previous two novels Back on Murder and Pattern of Wounds. Nothing to Hide takes us on a wild ride down Mexico way into the realm of procured American guns bought for drug cartels. Sound familiar? The novel was written before the infamous and tragic Operation Fast and Furious conducted and under fire by the current US administration.

    March and his once nemesis Jerry Lorenz are partners on the investigation of the headless corpse, one arm to the side with a skinless finger pointing in a direction which Jerry thinks might indicate where the wayward head might be. When March decides to look in that direction, he falls crossing a ditch and dings up his back and hip. To top it off there's no head in that direction or anything else that he can find.

    Through a clandestine and confidential meeting with his Lt. Bascombe and the diminutive FBI agent Bea Kuykendahl, March starts his suspicious methodology of adding two and two together to make sure the number four comes up. When it doesn't, he's again in that place where he always arrives in his investigations: out on a limb and on his own but as far as the department is concerned, everything he's doing is unknown.

    With insights from Jerry and a genuine fondness and respect for the younger man developing, March is impressed when Jerry discovers important information about the headless man with the pointing finger.

    The investigation takes a dangerous turn when tragedy strikes. March is compelled to stay away from the case, but when has that ever stopped him from searching for the underlying truth. Plagued by the recurring physical pain from his fall but determined to get to the bottom of this convoluted trail of deceit and weapons, he is rescued from one unexpected crisis by a young man (Jeff from the gun range March frequents) who knows someone from March's distant past. Gun fans, you're in for a treat with this book.

    Woven in between the investigation are references to Dante's Inferno, the ugly smugness of atheism, March's history as an MP in the Army, Carter and Gina's due date for their first child approaching, and Charlotte's new faith causing ripples of silent anger in March's psyche. Charlotte is less visible in this offering but her presence resides at a distance in March's heart.

    The scenes in Mexico rival those in thrillers and warrant a tighter grip on the bookcovers or your e-reading device. Intense, riveting, and emotional. And possibly presenting the slightest chink in March's spiritual armor.

    If you've read any of the Roland March novels, I don't need to tell you how superb the writing is, but I will anyway. Roland March is J. Mark Bertrand – or vice versa. This is a character who's come to life through the pages of these stories, and in an ever growing and enlightening way, we see through all the bluster and proclamations of his aloof aloneness. The language and tone for March, for Charlotte, for every character rings right. Descriptions, quirks, nuances of behaviors, actions, and personalities give visual recognitions and perceptions to the intimate details of each person, place, and thing. I'm not a gushy praiser of authors, but there's no question J. Mark Bertrand is a student of people and a master at creating characters. He was indeed born to write. And complex mysteries are his forte at present.

    Another great read and clever title from J. Mark Bertrand with Nothing to Hide.

    http://www.jmarkbertrand.com/

    http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/200764206397

     

    Father, you are the lover of Mark's soul. You've gifted him with exceptional abilities to create stories. I pray your blessings to continue on his life, and I ask you to continue to lead him in your ways everlasting. Keep him and Laurie safe from all harm. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

  • Sunday’s Offerings

     

    Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words.

    1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 (NIV)

  • ****Political Update****

     

    The attorney perspective on Chief Justice John Roberts' shocking decision:

     

    http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/mccollum-health-care-ruling/2012/06/28/id/443825?s=al&promo_code=F53E-1.

    In addition to this another shocking report. True or False?

    http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/roberts-decision-kennedy-cbs/2012/07/01/id/444121?s=al&promo_code=F5B0-1

     

    Father, we wait for you to intervene. To put real justice in place. To remember your remnant. To hear our pleas, to forgive us. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

  • Fifty Shades of Grit

     

    I don't have to write novels. Neither do you. As Christians we write for many reasons, but most of us claim to have a mandate from God. How we write our stories, both technically and aesthetically, depends on so many things it's impossible to blandly state them in list form. Some authors write profusely with stories darting through their minds like hummingbirds seeking sweet red nectar. Other authors nurse a story along for a year or years. Some do extensive research. Others write heart songs. Variety seems endless.

    Except in Christian fiction romance.

    In the secular world the big deal novel now following in the kind of hooplah created by the Harry Potter books and the Twilight Series is the erotic Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy which, I'm told, involves all the graphics erotica inspires and includes sado-masochism and other sexual fantasies. Already sporting a movie contract, this trilogy is setting the reading world on fire, and, yes, some Christian women are letting their guards down to play with these stories. Rumored to be poorly written, but who cares after all if there are heart palpatations and perspiration and lusty air pumping through, um, lungs, chests, bosoms? (Which of those words would be acceptable for Christian readers?)

    Well now. I 'm not saying the same Christian women who are reading the bonnet books or the sweet little romances are the same females reading Fifty Shades of Grey. No way. And I can't give you any logical reason for Christian women investing their reading time in this trilogy classified as "mummy porn" in Great Britain.

    Isn't there somewhere in between these two extremes for Christian romance readers to venture?

    I decided to write realistic romance novels. Christian romance novels which are more accurately classified as love stories. With a little non-graphic grit in exposing the world and its definitions of romance, sex, and love contrasted to God's view, the possiblities are endless. Or not. Mostly not in CBA literature.

    No fifty shades of grit. Mostly generic.

     

    Father, thank you for it all. Thank you for the stories you've given me to write. May I always honor you. Apart from you I can do nothing. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

  • The Pain.

     

       Black-and-white-pictures-of-people-crying_2

    So deep and piercing it produces monumental change to a human being. The human reaction surges to defiance.

    I'm not addressing the enormous types of physical pain so many individuals endure in their lives because of sickness, injury, and all kinds of physical trauma to the body and hence to the mind.

    I'm speaking of the gut-wrenching tragic kind of hurt often forced upon us by untimely losses, unexpected tragedies, personal affronts or attacks to us or those we love. All of them. Any of them.

             Laugh_or_crying_____by_TiaDanko
     

    The kind of soul-searing pain which turns a person away from the Father of our souls. The drenching sorrow which drowns a soul, taking them to the depths of a blackness they can't calculate or seemingly endure. And from that they decide no god exists. They associate the pain with evil, the evil with a god who would allow this torturous, incomprehensible, life-changing pain. No more will they assume the god of their vision is good or could love them. Otherwise this horrible thing wouldn't have happened. No. No more God.

    What happens to us when we turn away from Him? From the promises He offers? When He tells us straight up: "In this world you will have trouble, but take courage, I have overcome the world." Trouble's one thing, but this? This isn't trouble! This is pain so deep you couldn't possibly care about me. Could. Not. Possibly.

    Fainting, lashing out, writhing in the emotional suffocation of grilling pain. Loss. Horror. The inevitable shrieking of Why?! The indulgence of evil for payback! 

    No answer satisfies. No reasoning relates. No explanation placates. Nothing penetrates. The Pain.

    One word. So sad. So huge. So small. So powerful. So meager. One word. The conclusion. The answer. The reason. The explanation. And yet it won't suffice. Until that leaden heart, the cast-iron structure housing the rebellion, the impenetrable lock is removed to usher in true understanding. Of that one word.

    Sin.

     

    Oh God, you know them. You weep with them. You wait. We are all weak and pathetic. Lack trust and truth. Rescue them, Jesus. Let them understand you know real pain. More than all of us. The greatest pain of all. Help them to open their eyes to your love and comfort. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

     

  • Sex, Lies, and . . . Christian Fiction

     

      Romantic-photos-of-kisses-part4-rain11

    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.  

     

    Father, we're desperate for your clarity and instruction, your love, grace, and presence. Always. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

  • Riding the rough seas of self-promotion . . .

     

       Stormy_sea

    There's nothing pretty about the oceans of self-promotion required to get a novel noticed. The waves of wallpapering social sites with notices of your new release might result in fresh attention from the readers you hope to engage, but many times it only serves to get an understanding nod from other published authors who've been doused by the same huge wave.

    I've noticed more and more expensive gifts are being offered on authors' blogs/websites to potential readers willing to leave comments or jump through a few contorted hoops to win a signed copy of their novel along with these impressive gifts. This tells me it's not enough in some cases to just give away a copy of the book. Because of the competition in a particular genre, special additions must be available to spur interest.

    For those of us who have trouble promoting our work, and not because we don't like it or deem it worthy to be read but because focusing attention our way somehow seems distatsteful to us, we paddle around in the shallows giving a mere mention of our book here and there, begging for a review or blurb without pressing anyone. When our meager efforts produce little results, we feel the churning waves engulf and threaten to drown us.

    Deciding what is effective in promoting a novel is perhaps the biggest challenge. As a veteran reader and now an author of several novels, few efforts by authors seem trustworthy in producing sales. The most successful method – at least it seems that way to me – is to gain the favor of three or more prominent review sights, those who influence a wide variety of readers. You know when they're satisfied enough with your novel to give it a good review, a lot of readers will take their advice and look for your book.

    Word-of-mouth is touted as the best way to sell books, but it can also be one of the slowest. Some readers are notorious for keeping their opinions of books to themselves and others don't do social networking. The quandary for all authors who have yet to establish themselves on bestseller lists is this: What really works?

     

    Father, you know what works. You know what you want from each one of us. What you expect is obedience. Please help us to hear your directions and walk in your ways. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

  • Viewing . . . The Director’s Cut

     

                            166807856

    Working from a past history in Hollywood, author Janice Thompson penned The Director's Cut, published by Revell and the third novel in the Backstage Pass Series.

    Janice Thompson by her own admission writes stories that lead the reader to the happily-ever-after endings. If I had to identify the genre of this novel, I'd say The Director's Cut squirms between chick-lit and category romance. Comparably it's tone and style would fit into the Love Inspired-kind of fiction.

    Tia Morales loves her director's job on the set of the award-winning romantic comedy known as Stars Collide. Being a director gives her the control she needs to keep herself stable, make her feel valuable, and occupy her mind. Her gorgeous sister Benita is a relentless flirt, her drinking older brother is a slacker while he's remodeling her home, and her father has been unfaithful to her mother multiple times but always charms his way back into her heart.

    Although Tia's sparred with her attractive cameraman, Jason Harris, he seems willing to ignore their past differences to ignite a present relationship with her. This opportunity along with the impending birth of a cast member's baby and her sister being hired in makeup adds fresh chaos she doesn't anticipate. Tia's ordered life on the set fluctuates and she begins to realize the control of her life doesn't ultimately belong to her.

    The stretch for me came in almost everyone involved in this TV rom-com being Christians. The writing in The Director's Cut is clean, uncomplicated, and straightforward with little description offered other than portraying an aging actress who daily appears in a costume from an old film and Tia's gray wardrobe needing color. The clever chapter titles are all recent names of TV series.

    The Director's Cut by Janice Thompson gives readers a striking cover, a simple romance with a chick-lit flavor and a noteworthy message.

    Not my preferred reading but will satisfy those who like this type of novel.

     

    Father, please continue to bless Janice as she pens novels with a heart for happily-ever-afters and the essence of the gospel. Lead her in your ways and help her to always follow you. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

  • Sunday’s Offerings

     

    Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules: "Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!"? These are all destined to perish with use, because they are based on human wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack value in restraining sensual indulgence.

    Colossians 2:20-23 (NIV)