Into the Fire

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

recent posts

about

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

  • Wednesday Wanderings . . .

              Wanderer_Wide-Screen-1920x1080-1871011352

    The only place I wander nowadays is in my head. Scenes, dialogue, new characters, their names – those kinds of things. It's funny how, as a writer, I'll hear or see a name and instantly a character will own that name and the full name that follows or precedes it. At times an author really can/does check out of the present ongoings to live in the "other" world going on inside his or her head. So forgive those vacant stares into an indefinable space. We're busy! 

    The inspirations that come from these wanderings are like shimmering diamonds in the sunlight, radiating their rainbow facets into bright light. Latching onto snappy repartee, a perfect retort, something genuinely funny, or the opposite. Precision expression brings soulful personal rewards, and we hope what has moved us to write it will bring that emotional touch to the reader's soul. 

    We know the story must resonate, but for many of us we need the characters, the locations, the activities – whatever makes the story tick – to touch chords of recognition, identification, similarities, surprises, positive or negative reactions depending on the scenes. It's a process. Sometimes it moves quickly and sometimes it drags as we share both the joys of keeping up with the words required as they fall from our fingertips or we experience panic as those same fingers still on the keys while our eyes see nothing but blank picture frames in our minds. 

    Welcome to the world of wandering for this writer on this Wednesday . . . 

     

    Father, I've said it hundreds of times and it still applies: Apart from you, I can do nothing. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

     

  • Tuesday Tunes

     

    This is the opening song for one of my most favorite movies: Benny and Joon. This song fit perfectly for what this odd couple had to go through to be together. Loved this movie. 

     

    Father, so many need you. Please find a way to reach them. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.  

     

  • Monday Musings . . .

                  Musings

    There are times when I wonder why the simplest of things must be so difficult. Why, when something is running well, looks good, does its job, and presents no problems, why must it be changed "for the better"? In so doing, everything is messed up, isn't running well, doesn't look good, and ISN'T doing its job!

    At present, all of my documents are invisible to me, all of my pages and passwords have to be re-established, nothing is operating conveniently, and I'm as angry and frustrated as I can be. I doubt I'll leave this post in place, but I probably will because who knows if it will disappear too?! 

    I wake up to this "New and Improved!" garbage without everything I need. 

    Rant over. Sigh. 

     

    Father, you know. Please help. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

  • Sunday’s Offerings

    The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.

    To the church in Philadelphia

    "To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write:

         These are the words of Him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What He opens no one can shut; and what He shuts, no one can open. I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars – I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you. Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth. 

         I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on him my new name. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. 

     

    Revelation 1:20 and Revelation 3:7-13 (NIV)

         

  • Friday Five

                                  Download (41)

    Five movies I hated:

    Carnal Knowledge

    Dances with Wolves

    The Curse of Frankenstein (scared the wits out of me as a kid)

    Gone Baby Gone 

    Lady in the Lake 

    I'm sure there are more, but these are the ones that made a mark on my memory. 

    Can you think of five you hated? 

     

    Father, you give talents and gifts to everyone and are no respecter of persons. May each one who uses those to honor you be blessed for using them. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

  • Throwback Thursday

                      Race large

    Race is my first and only mystery. It was a bear to write. Most of you know I primarily read thrillers, mysteries, and suspense, and yet I write "love stories with a passion." However, this police procedural and the idea for the mystery came to me years before I wrote it and would continually pester me until I finally set to the task of writing it. Having frozen up on it several times due to the intense fear of making foolish mistakes – even with the much-needed and patient help of a police detective (who you can see on the front and back covers of Then . . . you) who is now a Sergeant in the police force – I started two other novels during the process of writing Race, those being Seeing . . . and . . . in a love song which I eventually finished after Race. 

    Here is Chapter One:

    MONDAY

    One

    It was hard to say what witnesses noticed first—the shrill piercing screams or the nearly naked young woman uttering them. Apparently she woke up next to a dead boyfriend, both of them allegedly passed out from too much alcohol consumption. The designated “sleeping” tack rooms at the track were located at the end of the long shedrows. Though not large this couple’s was tidy with a few creature comforts such as the mounted flat screen, a queen-size bed, a sturdy and colorful throw rug, a small locked black metal file box, and what looked like a well-preserved near-antique chest of drawers with a pole rigged above it to hang clothes on.

         When I arrived at the scene at 3:30 AM, Carmella Ortiz stood barefoot on the dirt in the shedrow, now clad in the couple’s bedspread concealing her apparently barely there lingerie. She spoke fast with intermittent tears and a hint of a Latino accent. Her story was she’d gone over to her sister’s place for some girls’ night-out event and proceeded to get too drunk to drive back, so her sister dropped her off at one of the racetrack gates, and after she staggered into the tack room, she passed out. When I spoke to her I asked if Mr. Wonderful was present at the time, she said she thought so but couldn’t really remember. Must’ve been some girls’ night-out. Easy to verify.

         After speaking with the young woman, I took a few moments to survey the group huddling behind the tape and to inhale the familiar fragrant aroma of horses, listening to the whooshes of their nostrils, some of them pawing their hard rubber mats at the fronts of stalls wondering what all the commotion was about. Brought back memories of high school summers spent working at the track, of underage drinking and girls who liked taking their clothes off, guys who loved it when they did. Funny how some things never change. 

         Next I needed to ascertain Mr. Wonderful’s whereabouts the previous night and wait for the determination of cause of death. Turned out his name was Roman Diego, the assistant trainer for Walter Casey who was kind of a local big-shot, perennially in the top five leading trainers. Lying on his right side at the edge of the bed, Roman’s only clothing was the beige sheet covering his manhood, no blood anywhere, and it looked like he fell asleep—or passed out—and never woke up. Long dark wavy hair obscured his face, but his torso and left arm bent at the elbow and resting on the mattress were well-muscled which made me think he probably exercised the Thoroughbreds at his barn.

         The crime scene tape forbade entrance to the immediate area which would surely annoy the people who had to work at this end of the barn and live in the neighboring tack rooms, not to mention spook a few Thoroughbreds with its unfamiliar yellow color flapping in the cool breeze.

         Death always presents an inconvenience.

     

    Father, you have been so gracious to me, supplying what I've needed, the inspiration, characters, words for each story. Apart from you, I can do nothing. Thank you is never enough. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

     

     

  • Back at it.

            1720707-Theodore-Roosevelt-Quote-Work-hard-at-work-worth-doing-4182411466

    I know: It's just a blog. For me, it's worth doing. I'm not sure I could give you a reasonable explanation – at least one that makes sense to you – but I'll try.

    It is hard work at times coming up with what to post here. I've allowed myself to be frank about my writing, my thoughts on publishing, both self-indie/vanity and traditional, Christian Fiction, and my frustrations with all of those. 

    I've told my readers how much it means to authors to post reviews IF you've enjoyed their books. How important it is to express any favor you can give to us through your recommendations for our work because our appeal to others depends upon your positive proclamations. 

    It's a fact that those 1-star reviews usually say more about the reviewer than the quality of the book. To post a 1-star review says the reviewer expects to share an opinion for which he or she wants recognition. I've yet to read a "kind" 1-star review. Instead of saying the book or story isn't for them, they denounce it and the author in detail for all they think the story and author lack. They want their superior reviewer credentials noticed and praised as "helpful". 

    Our internet was down for 6 and 1/2 days. For me, it wasn't a choice, it wasn't stress-free or relaxing. It was a drag. We had to change internet access providers after having to wait for our previous provider hinting that they probably wouldn't fix it. We're small town rural. The underground wiring is old (ancient might be more descriptive and accurate). They're planning to get fiber optics, but that's been a long time coming (who knows when). Point being, I wanted to have access to my cyber-friends and associates but couldn't.

    For whatever reason, I still enjoy doing this blog maybe just because I can express myself here about my writing world and the power of God. Having said all that, I'm glad to be back at it and with you again. Be that as it may . . . 

     

    Father, thank you for your patience when we think we need something "right now". You know all things. Your ways are higher than our ways. Thank you for restoring things. Thank you is never enough. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

  • Tuesday Tunes

                   

    One of the greatest voices of all time. Another love song for this Tuesday. And I loved this film: The Bodyguard.

     

    Lord, you know all things. Thank you for the amazing gifts/talents you give. Let those who have and use them know from whom they come. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

     

  • A view of . . . The Red Room

                            51vOZKSqcQL

    As the current trendy expression says, “It’s been a minute” since the second book in the Mark Dawson series (An Atticus Priest Mystery) A Place to Bury Strangers debuted, and since many, many novels have been read since that one, I found my memory to be a little rusty in recalling previously dead characters. I remember the discoveries that led to The Red Room, the ominous conclusion to that second book in the series. Mark Dawson is a creative and prolific author, marketer, and promoter of his work so it’s not surprising when some books take a little more time than others to get to his waiting readers.

    I’ve been somewhat patiently waiting for The Red Room, both knowing and dreading the subject matter. Before I get into the actual review, I want to commend Mark Dawson and other authors who’ve tackled this abhorrent topic in their novels. More and more people are becoming aware of the children/young people/adults being sex-trafficked, bought and sold for perverse pleasures until they’ve served their purpose and are disposed of like so much garbage. After Epstein’s Island was exposed, the list and tapes of clients and encounters still concealed for purely political reasons, The Red Room stands as a poignant example of this centuries-old practice celebrated by those who worship the devil. Although that facet of this particular practice is not addressed in this story, it’s at the heart of this evil.

    Atticus Priest, a former police detective, is one of the most uniquely attractive characters in Mark Dawson’s extensive repertoire and may be my favorite. His gift for perception of people’s most disguised personality and character traits along with his genius-level intellect, makes him an incredible private investigator and police consultant when his girlfriend DCI Mackenzie Jones (“Mack”) can interject him into a murder investigation. He pursues puzzles like a pugnacious pugilist. Unrelenting even when Mack tells him he must back off due to higher-ups in the chain of command’s disdain for Atticus. He never fails to out-perform them and solves their mysteries.

    This story explodes when a favorite local man takes a deadly dive off the top access to the Salisbury Cathedral where he’s worked for many years. In the process of making a film from that horrific height, the gruesome splat of his body is discovered on the pavement below. Accompanying his shocking death, a video tape arrives at a local newspaper that shows this well-respected man compromised with a minor boy years before.

    There are more deaths and more tapes which lead Atticus to suspect an online acquaintance “Jack” with whom he plays chess. Jack seems to know far more about Atticus than he should, and when Jack makes implications about these murders, Atticus is determined to discover who he is and what Jack’s motive is.

    As with all of Mark’s work, the mystery is complex, disturbing, and full of distractions. The final twist which is shared only between Jack and Atticus reveals a great deal about things the reader hadn’t considered until now.

    Well written, sad and disturbing, Mark presents a plain picture of how this sordid, demonic “business” operates. Again, I commend Mark for tackling this poignant subject. The more people who realize its perverse reality, hopefully the more can be done to effectively curtail the horror for those victims of it.

    I gave the book 5 stars because of the way Mark dealt with this subject matter: carefully but boldly proclaiming the utter demonic practice of enslaving children/young people/adults to those who wish to pursue their perverse lusts and have the money to indulge them.

     

    Father, you know Mark's heart, his every need, his talents and gifts that you've given him. I pray you would continue to bless his life and lead him in your ways. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

  • Resurrection Day

                 

                                  9_11_Cross_copy

                                    11138085_857296797664873_8727364809991366692_n

                                          Image73

    Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?"  John 11:25-26 (NIV)