Into the Fire

                     This post was from 11/19/2012 

Playing to your strengths . . .

Physical strength varies even within people who are the same size. Some smaller people have remarkable strength while some large people show limited physical capability. All kinds of physiques can train to gain strengths, but each individual possesses different talents which aren't always visible in physical demonstrations.

I'm only 5' 4". When I was young and working at the racetrack, I developed some decent strength for my size and weight. Handling Thoroughbreds and tugging on hay and straw bales force you to get tough. You push yourself to do what you couldn't do before you gained the experience and reps.

When writing, you have to play to your strengths as you develop ways to compensate for your natural weaknesses. I've been told and I tend to agree that my writing strengths show up in character development and dialogue. No wonder I don't write complex plots, huh? Not to say I can't improve on my natural strengths but good to know I at least have been complimented on them.

I don't have a formula for the weight-lifting exercises involved in perfecting your writing strengths, and I tend to shun the instructions that guarantee or suggest a slam dunk approach. All I can offer is keep working out. Read and write – the best exercise for improving your strengths.

Father, thank you is never enough for all that you've done for me. Your grace is truly amazing. Thank you for all the strengths you give us in you. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

Since we're reminiscing this week, here's one of my all-time favorite songs from long ago. LOVE it. 

An absolute great song and the movie to go with it. Loved it. 

Oh yeah. This brings back so many memories. Truly loved this song – probably the only Dolly Parton song I know. 

Just a few of my favorite oldies for this reminiscing week . . . 

Thank you, Lord Almighty, for your singers and musicians through the centuries. Music is a grand party of you that you've shared with us. Please bless those who've honored you with their music and songs. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

This post "And another thing . . ." was from May 13th, 2022 and still applies.

So. Back to writing romance. As a Christian author whose foremost concern is to be truthful/authentic/real in order to portray life circumstances and temptations in an acceptable way to honor the Author of Life, I ask this (a familiar expression to some): If not us, who? 

Those who've read this blog know how serious I am about writing real. It's why in the genre I write I only read a few authors. In Friday's brief interview with one of my favorites Becky Wade, she answered honestly when I asked her if it's ever a test when writing to please her publisher. 

If we as Christians cannot tackle the real temptations faced with the attraction and development of romance that leads to love, it seems to me we're leaving a significant part of our reality out of the story, out of our God-designed reality.

You might have noticed I have a genuine dislike for the term attached to Christian romance when the label reads "clean". In my opinion – which has little bearing on anything in Christian publishing – it should read "sanitized". Romance and physical attraction are not "dirty" except when the world uses them as excuses to get graphic. Men are generally attracted by visuals. Women are generally attracted with admiration for certain characteristics that contribute to their emotional reactions. That's human. It isn't dirty unless it sinks into the worldly versions with little respect for the opposite sex and what they'd like to do with them. 

If Christian authors can't portray the struggles that result in a romance leading to love, then who can accurately present what God will do to give the grace and order to the sometimes chaos of those powerful reactions and emotions? 

Asking for a friend . . . just kidding.

                          Raw Romantic Redemptive 

Father, you know it all. You created the beautiful process, the loving result. You did. Not mankind. Please help me to show who we are in the midst of romance and love and where you need to be in our lives and love. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. For,

          "All men are like grass,

               and all their glory is like the flowers of the field;

          the grass withers and the flowers fall,

               but the word of the Lord stands forever."  (Isaiah 40:6-8)

1 Peter 1:23-25 (NIV) 

Chapter 5 from my e-book novel . . . in a love song

Chapter 5

Five

How the only woman who could give him a check in his normal attitude and response to her could appear almost bashful in thanking him for putting up her new screen doors baffled him. But she did. He saw tears in her eyes as she inspected them. But she recovered quickly and almost teased him with her remark, “Whenever the right one catches you, you’ll make a fine husband, Mr. Rivers.” And then it was his turn to feel embarrassed.

     He cleaned up and set on his way to The Tavern to enjoy Pet’s cooking even if it would be just a cheeseburger and fries. Who was he kidding? He hoped to feast on her pretty face and get a warm reception from her stealth façade. Of all the local information the guys had pumped into him in the short time he’d been here, he wondered again why not one of them had mentioned this pretty gal who worked behind the bar. There’d been plenty of chatter about some other women in town, like Leann, one of the checkers at the supermarket who apparently had a fondness for construction workers.

     It was 2:30 when he walked in, the jukebox playing rock ‘n’ roll tunes from the 50s, 60s, and 70s. Not as loud as last evening. The place had a healthy crowd for a Saturday afternoon with several tables occupied. He strode toward the bar and straddled a stool next to his coworker Keith who looked like a hangover danced in his head.

     “Bud, you look like you shoulda left when I did,” Dale kidded.

     Keith looked over with a sly smile after taking a sip of his tomato beer. “And miss all the fun?” His smile turned into a grin.

     “Hmm. Yeah, hard to pass up a little fun, huh? Gotta pay the price, though. You know it ain’t free.”

     “Never is, is it?” And he laughed a bit like that much movement hurt.

     “Here ya go, Trouble. Hope it goes down easy cuz it won’t come up that way.” Pet turned to Dale after setting a plate full of sunny-side up eggs, hash browns, sausage, and toast in front of Keith. “What can I get for you?” Her smile was confident this afternoon.

     “Cheeseburger, fries, and a Coke, please. Heavy on the onions.” He looked her in the eyes when he ordered, and she didn’t flinch.

     “Onions, huh?”

     “No reason not to,” he replied with a subtle smile. That comment got to her ever so slightly.

     “Heavy on the onions it is then.” She turned to get his Coke and when she placed it in front of him, she said, “You got a name?”

     “I’ve been called my fair share of them, but Dale Rivers is my given name.” He held out his hand to her.

     “Patricia Edison. No relation.”

      He smiled at her quip. Her grip was firm, and he didn’t let go for an extra beat. “Nice to meet you, Patricia.”

     For that extra beat, her confidence wavered as it had last night. Her hand was soft, and it felt good in his. He let go. She disappeared into the kitchen.

     “Whoa, dude. What’s up with that?” Keith seemed to have surfaced from his haze.

     “What?”

     “Pet don’t talk to just anybody like that. She makes herself off limits to most everyone.”

     “How come you guys never mentioned anything about her? You filled me in on all these other chicks around town but not her. Why?”

     Keith stared at his eggs for a moment. “Pet’s different.” He took a forkful and shoved it in his mouth, chewed, and then downed a big swig of the red beer.

     “Different how?”

     “She’s a Cadillac. Know what I mean? There’s some nice cars out there, but you know you got somethin’ special with a Cadillac.”

     Dale could see Keith was dead serious. Respect in his tone. Keith kept eating, staring down at his food.

     “Like an El Dorado?”

     “Like a classic shiny red El Dorado only belonged to one owner its whole life.” Keith pushed his plate away and downed the rest of his drink. As he tugged his wallet out of his back pocket, he said, “Word of advice? Don’t go there. See ya Monday.” He put a twenty on the counter and walked out.

     Dale turned slightly on his stool and watched him leave.

Father, every time you give me the characters and story, it's such a joy and privilege to write it. Thank you is never enough. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

Destination is only available as an e-book. If I remember correctly, it was the fourth novel I published.

FOREWORD

WARNING: This is a novel that presents Christianity. If somehow taking a look at the faith offends you, this book is probably not for you although you might find yourself in its pages.

People in this world have their “come to Jesus” moments in both subdued and spectacular ways. They meet Him through family, attending events, visiting churches, talking with friends, hiking in the forests, the testimonies of athletes, or on country roads alone in a car the way I did. There can be abundant tears, mounds of regret, simplistic acceptance, unemotional responses to facts, or any number of reactions to the prodding of the Holy Spirit producing what the world has mockingly dubbed a “leap of faith.”

In Destination both young and mature meet the Master. Their journeys are simple and complex, easy and hard, calming and perplexing, but always supernatural.

And some refuse to accept His gift . . .

Father, you save souls. It's your desire that all meet your Son and yield their lives to your Love. You make it clear that some will and others will not. Redemption is the ultimate gift you provide among the many. Forgiveness through Jesus is truly magnificent. Thank you is never enough. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

When I'm not writing, I'm reading. I've read several novels in the last few weeks, but I chose not to review them. Not because they were unworthy of reviews but rather they just didn't grab me enough to write one. 

As readers we tend to make requirements of our literature. I didn't realize that until I decided that if there were several things that aggravated me in a story I'd begun, enough to not finish the book, it occurred to me that there were "things" in others' writing patterns or story habits I just couldn't tolerate. I used to finish a book no matter how much I disliked it. Not anymore. I give it several chapters and then if I can't start thoroughly enjoying it, I'm done. Too many books, too little time. 

I haven't written a bad review in years. I regret the ones I did write. I'm of the opinion that if you don't like a novel, don't insult the author who wrote it or the readers who thought it was terrific. You know the old cliché: One man's junk . . . However, if you feel compelled to write a negative review, be a decent human being and simply acknowledge you were not the intended audience for the book.

Pointers for hefty readers. Do your favorite novels and their authors a huge favor: tell somebody how much you loved their books. In person, on all your favorite social media platforms, and whenever the subject of books comes up. You can't know how valuable you are to an author. You sell books for them! Thank you to all of you devoted readers. Especially to mine! Smile. 

Father, thank you for readers and writers. You give the talents and gifts. Thank you is never enough. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

We've seen lots of rain in western Washington. Hope you like this oldie from the original Creedence Clearwater Revival. 

Father, you own the weather, the earth, your creation. Thank you for leaving us with beauty of all kinds in this corrupted, sin-stained earth. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

It didn't take a long time to realize that "bestselling" in front of an author's name or book did not always guarantee "good" writing. That's not to say the writing wasn't entertaining, but, in fact, at times the writing could be not-so-great. I'll be the first one to admit that coming to that conclusion is purely subjective and definitely can vary from reader to reader, but the fact remains in some works of fiction with a sterling label, the actual writing is not what could be identified as particularly good. Obviously to be a bestseller, the story had to outshine the writing. 

What is "good" writing then? Again, that remains subjective, so I'll give you my opinion of what it primarily is not. Good writing expands imagery in unique verbal pictures, avoids the overuse of known expressions, keeps clichés to a minimum while acknowledging them as such, doesn't repeat the same phrases to describe emotions or actions over and over again while stating the obvious – to capture a few examples.

People read novels expecting various outcomes. Entertainment is a key reason to read fiction. However, some of us want the added benefit of "respectable" writing talent. Sometimes the story itself provides the entertainment but the obvious lack in either poor writing, editing, and/or proofreading to eliminate obvious errors subtracts from the value of the experience – for some of us. 

That's this Monday's musings . . . 

Father, thank you for writing, for stories, for the authors that write them. You are the giver of talents and gifts, and every good and perfect one comes from you. We can't thank you enough. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.  

     "'Now your impurity is lewdness. Because I tried to cleanse you but you would not be cleansed from your impurity, you will not be clean again until my wrath against you has subsided.

     "'I the Lord have spoken. The time has come for me to act. I will not hold back; I will not have pity, nor will I relent. You will be judged according to your conduct and your actions, declares the Sovereign Lord.'"

Ezekiel 24:13-14 (NIV)