Okay! #Authors #WritingCommunity #Writing #Books #Novels 

Here's your Final Exam, your Term Paper, your Thesis. Answer truthfully after giving your full attention to the specific question: 

As an author of novels, what two things do you consider are your strengths in your writing? 

#Readers #Readers of Fiction #ReadersofNovels #FavoriteAuthors  

As readers of novels, what do you consider are two of the strengths of your favorite authors? 

Father, you've blessed novelists with the ability to create stories. Creation comes from you. Thank you for sharing it with us. May each one who writes know from whom their talent comes. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

This is an excerpt from Chapter Four of Seeing . . . 

RECOLLECTION

I'll never forget seeing her long blonde hair glistening like a halo around her head and over her shoulders. Her face, arms, and skinny legs protruding from white shorts were the color of golden brown calfskin in the summer sun. She stood close to her dad the way a little girl does when her dad is the biggest and most important man in her life. 

     My dad introduced me to Buddy Owen who leaned his bulky frame on one right crutch, and Buddy introduced me to his little girl Jean July Owen.

     "Jean July," he urged gently when Jean July hesitated.

     That was when she stuck out her hand for me to shake and smiled with determination in spite of her current shyness. I felt my whole head heat up when I gathered what little wits I had for a 12 year old boy facing the onslaught of puberty and managed to shake her hand. The sensation of her skin against mine was like nothing I'd ever hoped to know, and I had to let go in a hurry before the sweat building under my arms ran down the length of them and soaked both of our hands. 

     She was the prettiest girl I'd ever seen, and whatever God does in the instant of meeting the one you love, she was imprinted on my heart and soul from that moment on. 

God, thank you is never enough for everything you've done for me and given to me. I thank you for the stories and words and characters because apart from you, I can do nothing. Thank you so much. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

Brian Culbertson is one of the greatest piano players of the century. Smooth Jazz is his forte, but he can compose music, play other instruments, and produce music. This particular "album" is one of the best instrumental CDs in existence with perfect titles for each cut. Amazing musician. Utterly amazing. A bit eccentric. 

Father, your gifts are incredible. Thank you for music and musicians, singers and songs. Thank you is never enough. Never will be. Please help them to see who gave their gifts and talents to them. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

Gone is Book 5 in A HAM NOVEL Series by Dustin Stevens. 

I've read all the Ham novels, and as long as Dustin writes them, I'll continue to read them. Having said that, they're not for everyone. Ham is a unique character, especially for a female. She's done it all in her previous service in the military and extended forces, and she quit that route in her life and vacated to a place in a desert in Mexico. She kept a distant relationship with an associate from that life who's known as Mikey. They have an understanding from their previous life. She does "work" when he calls IF she's so inclined. She's been gone for a while which he understood because Ham's only family was attacked, and they needed her. Mikey sent reinforcements. Some time passed and now that they're relocated and stable, Mikey calls.

     Sheriff Banacek is not prepared for what happens to the entire family he has considered friends. When he's called out to their large farm, he's barely able to complete the basic investigation. He never thought he'd have to make this call, but he does. 

     When Mikey asks if Ham might consider a job, after hearing the description of the total destruction of a family, she tells him to send directions to the place in Oregon. She meets the sheriff and tours the crime scene while they cement what the sheriff is asking. 

     Ham isn't like what most thrillers portray as a female assassin. She's all business, a highly intelligent killing machine with multiple skills, her favorite weapon of choice being the tomahawk, but well versed in everything that can annihilate the human body, knowing every way to sever bones from ligaments, and muscles from joints. She can inflict massive pain or can end things quickly. Basically, she leaves that up to the target. The particular targets in this endeavor require major pain and as she gears up to inflict it upon them, her determination morphs into the killing mode. 

     One of the interesting facets of this story is the metamorphosis that occurs in Ham is not dissimilar to one of her two main targets known as "The Brick". Considering himself the best in the business of "taking care of" his employers' opposition, his weapons of choice are Karambit knives. He thoroughly enjoys slicing and dicing. While he and his employer in this case are psychopaths in slightly different ways, Ham is not averse to inflicting torture if the target warrants it. Their mental preparation is not that different between them, but their "sides" are. Ham is sent to end the lives of evil people. The Brick doesn't care who he must end including men, women, and children. Just give him the money. 

     This is a hardcore story of Ham's return to "work", gruesome at times, graphic depictions of the slaughter of human beings. It's a rather tainted tale of "good" vs. evil, but Ham gets the job done with lots of cyber help from one of Mikey's assistants "Frost". Giving you fair warning, but it is a good story about extreme evil and Ham cementing she does have to be who she is. 

Some profanity.

Father, you knew and you know what this world contains, how people choose evil over good, staying lost instead of knowing Jesus. May the writers' portrayals of evil remind them that there is good available in this world, but it's only found in you. Please let them know you've given them their talents and gifts that they may honor the true source of their abilities. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

     After this I looked and in heaven the temple, that is, the tabernacle of Testimony, was opened. Out of the temple came the seven angels with the seven plagues. They were dressed in clean, shining linen and wore golden sashes around their chest. Then one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls filled with the wrath of God, who lives for ever and ever. And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from His power, and no one could enter the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed.

Revelation 15:5-8 (NIV) 

          Friday: the traditional "end" of the work week but certainly not for everyone. Friday: the beginning of the weekend. Friday: the end of a school week. 

What does Friday signify to you? 

In the final year for me at the dude ranch I attended in the summertime, my horse for the two-week stay was named Friday, a 4 year-old bay gelding who had a mind of his own. Of course I loved him. 

I'll always love Fridays just because . . . 

Father, time is endless for you and you know our time from the beginning to its end. Thank you for all you've given us for our stay here. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

Just a ways back was the release of my latest novel Then . . . you. Here are two of the vehicles used in this story:

                                      Loved this book. 

Father, thank you for the idea, the inspiration, the surprises, the characters, the words. Apart from you, I can do nothing. And, as always, thank you is never enough. Please help me to keep doing what you designed me to do. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

Think of them: what they convey, what they sound like, what they mean, how you react to them. The incredible power of words. Take these:

Said . . . snapped, snorted, smirked, snitched, sounded, sneered, sarcastically, snipped, scandalized 

Go for it. Pick a word. 

Father, you are the Creator. Anything good in us is from you. Your grace is endless, your mercy is new every morning. How can we ever thank you enough? We can't. Help us to be grateful in all that you assign to and design for us. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

The fabulous Supremes back in the day. So many great songs. This is one of many.

Father, you give gifts and talents to all of creation, benevolence to all of us, fallen, stained and corrupted by sin, and yet you love us all. Thank you is never enough. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

As a reader it probably doesn't occur to you why certain authors' books aren't selling. If you like their novels, you buy them. If you don't, you don't. 

But as an author, I do wonder. A very talented author friend of mine and I were talking about this very thing. My author friends are like me: avid readers. Most of them primarily read in the genre(s) they write. Unlike me, who rarely reads in the genre I write (i.e. love stories/romance), I mostly read thrillers, mysteries, and suspense. You'd think – or maybe you wouldn't – I'd write in one of those genres since they're what I read.

I wrote the one mystery/police procedural Race and it was the hardest book I've ever written. Not because of the characters or the plot which I had in the back of my head for years before I realized I needed to write it, but because of the fear of getting the process/investigation wrong. Even with the Detective who helped and encouraged me, I was afraid most of the way through it. Fortunately, it got done and received some good feedback/reviews.

But back to my intended topic here. Believe it or not, there are some truly good writers who don't get the attention they deserve. Their stories are interesting, entertaining, thought provoking, and very well written, but for whatever reason, some of their novels don't get not only the praise they deserve but the attention they should have. Some professionals will throw out that it's all about marketing, finding your audience, email lists, newsletters, blogs, etcetera. Well, it's not always about all that. 

As a Christian in the Christian Fiction market, as in the General Market, there are millions of novels from which to choose. Sometimes, the ones that are trendy and maybe not that well-written wind up getting the wide audiences and accolades. No professional has been able to absolutely pinpoint how to get those audiences. And the publishers' line has always been, "Write the best book, and you'll get published." Well, that's simply not true judging from the hundreds of novels I've read. But then of course, one reader's favorite is another reader's throwaway. 

Conundrum for this Monday's Musing . . . 

Father, I'm not complaining. Only you know the reasons for these questions and answers. Only you. Thank you for all that you've done for me. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.