Anyone for the quiet writing life?

I have said the following so often that it has become a joke in our family. Whenever I see a home—even a cottage—in a beautiful, quiet setting, I announce, ‘I could write my Great Australian Novel there!’ Yes, six novels and one memoir down the track, I am still saying it.

Right now, however, as I approach the end of 2013, that quiet, writing life in some secluded setting seems particularly attractive. You see, this past year has been my busiest yet in this crazy writing and speaking journey I began in 2007, when my first novel Heléna was published. Besides launching my latest novel, The Inheritance, in September, I have presented thirty-four talks at a wide variety of venues. I have been interviewed four times, on radio and face to face. And I have also been involved in fourteen book selling events at bookstores, conferences and elsewhere. All up, quite a year!

Is it any wonder I am looking forward to this Christmas/New Year period when I might be able to get back to my non-fiction work in progress? Is it any wonder I look with longing at those three outlines of novels currently languishing on my computer? Recently, an idea for yet another novel has taken hold somewhere deep inside. Will that perhaps be the one I end up writing first?

Yet why should I complain about what has unfolded for me in 2013? After all, I know that, if one writes books these days, then one must also get out there and promote. Besides, I love speaking. Somewhere way back, I was a high school teacher, which prepared me well for speaking to groups both large and small. I am not fazed by seeing umpteen faces turned towards me, sometimes showing interest, sometimes otherwise! As well, my theological college training in my forties and my experience, both before and after, of giving input in a church context has stood me in good stead for my more recent speaking engagements. In particular, I love the challenge of speaking to community groups. God is always there, I have discovered, engineering those important connections with people. As for author visits to bookstores, I enjoy them too, despite their tiring nature. I have met so many interesting people and experienced many special ‘God moments’ in such settings.

So I am looking forward to this holiday season—but also to what God has in store for me in 2014. Yes, already I know I have a handful of speaking engagements early in the year. Also, we’ll be welcoming another grandchild in March. But somewhere in the midst of all that, I believe God will graciously allow me to get back to writing as well. I believe God has more things for me to write—and that to me is a great privilege.

I wonder if 2013 has held some particular struggles as well as successes for you in your own writing and speaking journey. How have you fared in it all? Whatever this year has held for you, may God bless and refresh you this Christmas season and on into 2014. I encourage you to look to God to unfold your year in the shape that is just right for you. As I found these past months, God can do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us (Eph 3:20), if we keep our eyes on him.
Jo-Anne Berthelsen lives in Sydney but grew up in Brisbane. She holds degrees in Arts and Theology and has worked as a high school teacher, editor and secretary, as well as in local church ministry. Jo-Anne is passionate about touching hearts and lives through both the written and spoken word. She is the author of six published novels and one non-fiction work, Soul Friend: the story of a shared spiritual journey. Jo-Anne is married to a retired minister and has three grown-up children and three grandchildren. For more information, please visit www.jo-anneberthelsen.com or www.soulfriend.com.au.

Book Review: EATING HEAVEN Spirituality at the Table by Simon Carey Holt

Review by Anne Hamilton

I have the secret at last! Well, half the secret, at any rate. 

When there’s a special family occasion, my brother sometimes asks an old Russian friend to bake one of her famous cakes. They are rich, scrumptious confections made of thin pancake–like layers, topped with bouquets of exquisite roses fashioned from icing. We’ve puzzled long and hard over that cake’s construction. She won’t even tell us its name, let alone how to make it. 

However, bravo to Simon Carey Holt for not only revealing it’s Baumkuchen, a ‘tree cake’, but providing a recipe from Anna, an extraordinary German pastrycook he met during his professional stint in the kitchen. I wouldn’t want to give the impression EATING HEAVEN is a recipe book. Far from it. Every chapter however is followed by a recipe which in some way characterises the ‘food for thought’ in the chapter. 

I love the unusual mix of heavenly–minded philosophy and practical down–to–earth recipes. I cheer for anyone trying to break down the walls between various subject specialties and integrate them. The world is far too fragmented already and to talk about food is a potential minefield, even if the topic is about something so commonplace. It risks the very thing Holt is keen to avoid in his encounters with fellow consumers of food: exclusion rather than inclusion. 

Holt is a trained chef and minister of religion, amongst other talents. He has the advantage of working in the centre of Melbourne with its laneways where the choice of cafés is mind–tingling. To someone from suburban Brisbane who can still remember the first packet of an exotic beverage called ‘coffee’ entering our family home in the late 50s, this is another, almost alien, world. 

From the outset, Holt recognises the challenge in writing a book about food and the soul: for many people, eating conjures up negative and even destructive thoughts. Those of a more religious mindset tend to see fasting as more ‘spiritual’ than feasting, though as Holt points out, fasting and feasting are not opposites—fasting and gluttony are. Moreover he also suggests that, in the ordered society of Jesus’ day—in many ways, so much like our own—where table companions define our position in the social scheme of things, he was a supreme iconoclast. 

I remain bemused by the variety of cooking shows on television, the celebrity status of the contestant chefs and the viewers’ obsession with following their favourites. I can’t help but contrast the message of this book with that fake world where food is about everything except love and sacrifice. 

As Holt moves through chapters on the backyard barbecue on to cafés and then to five–star dining, culminating in the communion table, he has immensely valuable things to say on the dining experience. ‘To share food at the same table is a covenantal act. It always has been. In the Ancient Near East, the incubator of food culture, the sharing of food carried lifelong bonds of obligation for host and guest.’ 

The older I get and the more I understand about covenant as oneness, the more I see that Holt is right that the ordinary things of life need to be redeemed. 

EATING HEAVEN by Simon Carey Holt (Acorn Press, 2013)
http://acornpress.net.au/ 

ANNE HAMILTON is a multi–award winning author. Her most recent book is GOD’S PANOPLY: The Armour of God and the Kiss of Heaven. She is currently researching threshold covenants (also called cornerstone covenants) which, because they are partly about hospitality, may well account for how much she enjoyed EATING HEAVEN.

Why books are dangerous, A readers perspective.

By Jenny Blake

After last week’s posts by Iola and Andrea dealing with a recent article in the Eternity newspaper titled Why do we read Christian romance? I got to thinking. The general content was that reading Christian fiction is bad because it sets up unrealistic ideals. I read the article and was left with a few thoughts but I am not going to concentrate of them here but instead tell you why reading fiction can be dangerous.

I can hear a few people wondering where I am going with this, and I hope you will bear with me as I explain. Christian fiction is dangerous but not in a bad way. Back in the 80’s I hadn’t read anything much for several years. I went from being a huge reader as a child and then as a teen to leaving school and not reading at all. A dear older lady, who passed away a few years back gave me a book called “When Calls the Heart” by Janette Oke. This book ignited my passion for reading as well as my love for both Canada and Mounties. Did the book make me want to marry a Mountie no but it did want me to meet a man with the qualities of this sort of hero. A man who honours God. I finished this book and wanted to read more. The lady who gave me the book was planning to give me the second for my birthday and gave it to me early.  I loved the series and the bought the rest in the series. These books ignited my imagination and my thirst for books.

I became an avid reader and books took me to places I may never see. I don’t just read these books, I often will then research some of the areas to learn more. I have seen books evolve to stronger characters with real issues. When I was going through a tough patch as a carer for my mother, I read Sincerely Mayla by Virginia Smith; she had a secondary character who was Mayla’s Aunt Louisa. She was a carer for her mother. I identified with her and how Virginia portrayed her gave me hope.

Another time I was reading Sister Chicks do the Hula by Robin Jones Gunn. When I finished the book I said I have to go to Hawaii. I told mum and got told you are not going anywhere which really deflated me but I held onto my dream to visit Hawaii. It came to pass about six years ago when I was able to spend a few nights in Hawaii and then had some time in Canada. This past year I was able visit America and some of the historical sites on the East Coast and many of them I had wanted to see after reading about them in Historical Fiction.

Gilbert Morris writes books that make me feel like I am in the era he is writing about. His series about the civil war explains both sides of the war so well that I felt I was learning history as I read the books and fell in love with the characters. Seeing some of the sites like Gettysburg were all the better because I had read about them in books. Many other books I have read, including Australian books, have left me wanting to know more or to see the area.  One was a book by Meredith Resce, Cora Villa, I want to visit Corio House. On the other hand having visited some of the places it makes a book more real also, one example is Robin Jones Gunn’s book Under the Maui Moon where I could identify with places she mentioned because I had visited them or knew where they were.

So yes, Christian fiction is dangerous, at least to this reader. It has opened doors to my imagination and it has made me want to visit places and it has helped me in times of trial. One thing I didn’t mention is often books especially Love Inspired books feature a bible verse and many times that verse has ministered to me. One example was a Jillian Hart book from 2012 where she used the verse from Deut which was my mother’s life verse. I am paraphrasing like Mum would. “The Eternal God is my refuge and underneath are the everlasting arms” that verse sustained mum through many trials and pain and it was a real blessing to me at the time.

Yes books are dangerous but in a good way.

Does anyone else have books that have resonated with you in some way or made you want to visit somewhere or want to do your own research?

JENNY BLAKE (aka Ausjenny) is an avid reader. When not reading she enjoys watching cricket, in fact you could call her a cricket fanatic, and jigsaws. Her book blog is where she reviews books and interview authors. Her goal is to help promote new books and encourage authors. Her blog is at http://ausjenny.blogspot.com and is Co-Founder of http://acrba.blogspot.com

What inspires you? (plus an ebook giveaway)

By Lisa Harris

As a writer, I’m always looking for inspiration. That nugget of a story that simmers in the back of my mind until finally, it’s ready to be put down on paper. I love discovering new characters and new plots. For me, it’s invigorating and simply put, fun.

As a young girl, I used to imagine myself writing in some secluded cabin in the middle of the woods. Soft music played in the background, snow drifted past my window, before dusting the ground with a layer of white powder. With a fire roaring in the background, I sat in front of my typewriter—yes, this was a long time ago—producing bestseller after bestseller. 

Right. Somehow that never happened. 

When I started writing, my kids were young, so reality for me was scrambling to find a few moments to write while the kids took a nap, or while Dora the Explorer sang in the background. I’d quickly peal the peanut butter and jelly sandwich from the keyboard and brush off the cheerios from my chair and write. Finding inspiration wasn’t exactly on the menu. I had to learn to sit down and write, inspired or not. 

But no matter who we are, I think it’s safe to say that we all long to feel inspired. Whether it’s writing a book or a poem, creating a stunning dish in the kitchen, listening to music, taking a class that challenges us, or simply being inspired to be a better person, we all need inspiration.  

I’ve also found that in the busy world we live in, I need to be intentional in finding that inspiration. Which means intentionally stopping to be quiet, listening for God’s voice, taking a quiet walk in a garden, or making sure I don’t miss the colors of the sunset. 

Here are a few things that inspired me: 

Friends and family

My children

The African bush

Music

Books

Gardens

Laughter

Sunsets

Stars

What about you? What inspires you?

~~~ 

Lisa latest book is a romantic suspense from Revell.

When two Jane Does are killed on the outskirts of Atlanta, Georgia, detective and behavioral specialist Avery North discovers they share something in common--a tattoo of a magnolia on their shoulders. Suspecting a serial killer, Avery joins forces with medical examiner Jackson Bryant to solve the crimes and prevent another murder. But it doesn't take long for them to realize that there is much more to the case than meets the eye. As they venture deep into a sinister world of human trafficking, Avery and Jackson are taken to the very edge of their abilities--and their hearts. 

Dangerous Passage exposes a fully-realized and frightening world where every layer peeled back reveals more challenges ahead. Romantic suspense fans will be hooked from the start by Lisa Harris's first installment of the new Southern Crimes series.

ebook giveaway for Australian and New Zealand readers:
Lisa has kindly offered to give away an ebook copy of Dangerous Passage to an Australian or New Zealand reader who leaves a comment on this post. The winner will be announced in the post comments on Tuesday, 3rd December.

LISA HARRIS is a Christy Award finalist and the winner of the Best Inspirational Suspense Novel for 2011 from Romantic Times. She has over twenty novels and novella collections in print. She and her family have spent almost ten years living as missionaries in Africa where she homeschools, leads a women’s group, and runs a non-profit organization that works alongside their church-planting ministry. The ECHO Project works in southern Africa promoting Education, Compassion, Health, and Opportunity and is a way for her to “speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves…the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice.” (Proverbs 31:8)

When she’s not working she loves hanging out with her family, cooking different ethnic dishes, photography, and heading into the African bush on safari.  For more information about her books and life in Africa visit her website at www.lisaharriswrites.com or her blog at http://myblogintheheartofafrica.blogspot.com. For more information about The ECHO Project, please visit www.theECHOproject.org.

THE CRAFT OF WRITING: Are you a fisherman or a landscape artist?

By Anne Hamilton

Every nine seconds, the celebrations begin: fireworks go off, the party poppers explode, the streamers fly skyward and yet another email campaign begins as another book is launched onto an unsuspecting world! 

Yes! Every nine seconds! Maybe significantly less by now. The stats I found to figure this out are a few years out of date. Even global publishers with their multi-million dollar budgets are finding it hard to get any cut-through. 

While selling books is tougher than ever and many bookstores are closing down, it’s not necessarily true people are reading less. There are more books than ever before being produced annually. It’s estimated over half the books available in the USA alone today are effectively self-published through some avenue such as CreateSpace or Smashwords or Lulu. 

However consumers are getting more savvy. The reputation of Smashwords is falling dramatically as readers find it hard to find the cherries amongst the slush. Many readers are growing increasingly like the commissioning editors at big companies who discard a manuscript before the end of the first paragraph: if you don’t have a hook to engage them by that time, your chance of being picked up is gone.

Of course, if you’ve got JK Rowling’s reputation, you don’t need to worry at all about your opening paragraph. But until you reach that mega-stellar status (or if you decide to follow Rowling’s lead and use a pseudonym such as ‘Robert Galbraith’), you might want to consider a ‘narrative hook’ to reel your reader into the following chapter. 

Two styles are illustrated here: the puzzle and the hint. Often these overlap as in the following examples where an intriguing flavour immediately pulls the reader beyond the first sentence: 

It was a dark, blustery afternoon in spring, and the city of London was chasing a small mining town across the dried-out bed of the old North Sea. 

‘Mortal Engines’, Philip Reeve 

Prince Kaspar Kandinsky first came to the Savoy Hotel in a basket.

‘Kaspar’, Michael Morpurgo 

Ever since Jack’s funeral, Sandra had been covered in glass.

‘Knitting’, Anne Bartlett 

Expect the worst! Phil re-read the text twice. Oliver must be exaggerating. It can’t be that bad.

‘Motive Games’, L.D. Taylor 

Heidi Jordan preferred to make resolutions at the start of each new month.

‘Heidi’s October’, Penelope McCowen

When my workday is over, and I have closed my notebook, hidden my pen, and sawed holes in my rented canoe so that it cannot be found, I often like to spend the evening in conversation with my few surviving friends. 

‘A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Carnivorous Carnival’, Lemony Snicket 

In general, these are not new examples from recent books. Beginning a story with a description of the landscape around the protagonist went out about a century ago. If you’ve got a tendency to be a landscape artist in that opening paragraph of your writing, it’s time to change professions. Become a fisherman. 

If you know any great hooks of the mystery or hint type, I’d love you to share them. Old or new, it doesn’t matter. (But don’t be tempted to offer that famous Kingsley Amis one. If you know it, you’ll know why. This is a G-rated blog.) 

Over at Omega Writers, this month’s writing challenge is to craft your manuscript’s opening paragraph – either fiction or non-fiction – so it has a nifty narrative hook. 

Deadline for entries is 20 December 2013. Entry is free for members of Omega Writers and $5 for non-members. A cash prize of $25 plus 3 new books from Light the Dark and a cool award for your CV awaits the winner. 

Send your entries to registrar (at) wordswithwings (dot) net 

Anne Hamilton is the current President of Omega Writers, a support group for faith-based writers across Australasia. She is an award-winning author and the Australian sub-editor of the popular devotional, The Word for Today.

Why Bother?

By Andrea Grigg

I was going to write something completely different, but after reading Iola’s blogpost on Wednesday, I decided to put in my own two cents worth about Christian fiction.

When I started writing, I was horrified when someone told me that there are Christians who are very much opposed to fiction. Why? Because it isn’t serious enough … we shouldn’t be wasting our time on fluff when we could be out there evangelising the world …

At first I thought they were having me on, but then I read a couple of comments on a post on the internet, voicing that exact opinion, and it saddened me. I’ll explain why.

Iola mentioned Jesus telling stories. Let me quote this passage from Matthew 13—it’s especially good in The Message translation:

The disciples came up and asked, ‘Why do you tell stories?’
He replied, ‘You’ve been given insight into God’s kingdom. You know how it works. Not everybody has this gift, this insight; it hasn’t been given to them. Whenever someone has a ready heart for this, the insights and understandings flow freely. But if there is no readiness, any trace of receptivity soon disappears. That’s why I tell stories: to create readiness, to nudge the people toward receptive insight.

The first time I heard that scripture in this context (thank you, Jo-Anne Berthelsen) was at the Word Writers’ Getaway in Brisbane. Boy, did it hit me hard. Not only did it resonate and affirm what I believe God has called me to do—it also gave me a deep sense of responsibility.

The word is a powerful tool—there’s no disputing that. Stories have been used down the ages to remind us of historical events, exploits of heroes and heroines, lessons to be learned and of course, simply for entertainment.

Ooh—entertainment? Isn’t that a bit frivolous?

Not at all. To entertain is simply to provide amusement or enjoyment. Nothing wrong with that. God did create us with the ability to laugh, after all.

I’m an avid reader of fiction. Why? Because I love escaping into someone else’s head, reading about their life journey, their trials and tribulations, their relationships. I learn things too. Reading is a brilliant way to gain general knowledge.

Reading can also inspire. How many times have you read a fiction novel and felt motivated to do better, be more appreciative, have the courage to step out? My personal answer is ‘lots!’
And as a writer of Christian fiction, that is my aim—to inspire and encourage my readers in both their walk with God and each other.

Christian fiction? Love it!

Andrea Grigg lives on the Gold Coast, Queensland, and is a writer of contemporary Christian romance. Her first book, ‘A Simple Mistake’ was published in April 2012. Recently retired from primary school teaching, Andrea is currently writing her second novel, tentatively entitled, ‘Too Pretty’.

Website: www.andreagrigg.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/author.andreagrigg?ref=hl
Twitter: @andreagrigg https://twitter.com/andreagrigg

Book Review: Waking Up in Heaven by Crystal McVea

By Hazel Barker

Publisher’s Summary

The remarkable story of a woman, plagued with guilt and skepticism, dramatically changed by the nine minutes she spent in heaven.

"God let me see me through His eyes. And in that instant I knew that God had always loved me, through all of those dark and difficult years when I doubted His existence, through every crisis and every heartbreak that made me turn away from Him more. I knew, in that instant, that His love was endless and boundless, and that if He loved me so much, how could I not love myself?"

For most of her life, Crystal McVea was a skeptic whose history of abuse and bad choices made her feel beyond the reach of God--who questioned if God was even real. She had all but given up hope. Then came December 10, 2009--and the moment that changed everything.

For nine minutes that night, Crystal went into full respiratory arrest. She was unconscious and unable to breathe on her own, unaware of the crisis happening around her as the hospital staff rushed to save her life. Crystal doesn't remember the trauma or losing consciousness; she just remembers waking up in heaven, next to God.

Waking Up in Heaven invites readers to witness the relentless pursuit of God in a life that was broken and seemingly beyond hope, an awe-inspiring account of love, forgiveness, and redemption, and the healing power of God's presence.

Waking Up in Heaven is the story of Crystal McVea, the day she died for nine minutes, went to heaven, and stood before God. In this remarkable autobiography, Crystal shares her experience of walking with God towards the gates of heaven - a place so full of light and love that she did not want to leave. But Crystal was miraculously revived and came back to consciousness in a hospital room surrounded by doctors, nurses and her own mother. Previously a sceptic with a dark, troubled past, Crystal's encounter with God made her a believer. In Waking Up in Heaven, Crystal toggles back and forth between her experience in heaven and her life story, both the good and the bad, in the hope of spreading God's message of love and redemption.

Review by Hazel Barker

Waking Up in Heaven is a redemptive story depicting God’s love and patience. Crystal McVea writes about God chasing her in one of her bleakest moments – something He does time and time again. She also states, ‘It was God taking the very things the enemy used to try and destroy me – anger, bitterness, self-hatred – and instead saving me and showing me He is real.’

The story is a faith-enriching one and relates her near-death experience but barely touches on what the title leads us to expect – Heaven itself although the author does feel God’s presence. The book is disappointing for those drawn to it in the hope of sharing her experience of Heaven.

I read the book because my brother also had a near-death experience and saw lights. He heard heavenly music and felt peaceful. Unfortunately, the vision didn’t bring him closer to God. Perhaps someday…

The author asserts that the medical profession attribute such phenomenon to lack of oxygen and that when the heart stops beating, the brain loses oxygen and can trigger memories of the past, and bright lights appear. Whatever cynics may say, if such an experience leads to conversion, then surely it’s due to God’s mercy.

The story tends to bore the reader because of the continual switching back and forth in time and the constant repetitions. Despite its drawbacks, Waking Up in Heaven has many interesting sections on child molestation and sexual abuse. Reading the book may warn us of dangers facing younger members of our family.

You can find out more about Hazel Barker at her website. 

On Christian Romance

By Iola Goulton

A recent article in Eternity newspaper titled Why do we read Christian romance? caused consternation in Australasian Christian writing circles. The article was well-balanced (if ill-informed), giving equal space to the arguments for and against Christian romance novels. The blog posts the article was based on were not so balanced. The author wrote one post praising the virtues of Christian romance novels, but negated these with four posts pointing out what she saw as faults in the genre and criticisms of the people who write them.

The blog posts said she read five popular Christian romances. She doesn’t reveal the titles, but said at least one was Amish romance (the others appear to be historical westerns, a popular sub-genre). Saying romance novels offer unrealistic ideals based on a mere five books is like saying modern children’s fiction is puerile on the basis of reading nothing but Captain Underpants. Her points were:

Christian romances explicitly teach that God has a special someone lined up for each of us

Of the hundreds of Christian novels I’ve read, the only novel I can recall making this point was Angelguard by Gene Edwards (a pastor), and the novel was speculative fiction, not romance.

Christian romance novels follow general market trends by featuring the one man-one woman idea. The ‘other woman’ and love triangle plots are no longer in vogue (except in specific erotica subgenres). Modern romance readers want to identify the hero and heroine in the first chapter (ideally on the first page), then follow that story through to a logical conclusion.

Christian romances feature Mr Perfect

A recent article in Relevant, an online magazine aimed at Christian young people (and just typing that makes me feel old) outlines the "perfect man" from a Christian perspective. He should be a man of honesty, purity, strength, compassion and humility. And a man of strong Christian faith. It also pretty much describes all my favourite romance heroes ... and my husband. Young women need to be encouraged to hold out for heroes like these, not told their expectations are "unrealistic".

"Women, it’s time to expect more from men, and then, to wait patiently until you see these qualities at work in his life. Don’t you dare settle for less."

If reading a romance novel encourages one woman to hold out for her hero instead of marrying a man who is more concerned with his sexual prowess and ability to drink kegs of beer, or one who likes to prove his strength and manliness by abusing his family, then that, to me, is a good thing. Statistics show the majority of marriages will fail, and many will be negatively affected by drugs, alcohol, pornography and violence.

I don’t care that these things are now the norm for much of society rather than the exception. I don’t want them for myself, and I certainly don’t want them for my daughter.

I want my daughter to settle for nothing less than the biblical ideal. She shouldn’t be made to feel guilty for having high expectations. If reading romance novels encourages those expectations, then that’s all well and good (better than most Young Adult and New Adult literature or the books she’s going to be forced to read for high school English, many of which encourage promiscuity and alternative lifestyles, and display a distinct lack of hope).

Christian romances are too ambitious in what they set out to do

All fiction has an underlying theme. Sometimes that theme is overt (as with preachy Christian fiction or general market Young Adult novels that attempt to normalise and justify homosexuality). But the theme in good fiction will be barely present, and the reader may not even pick up on it consciously. I suspect the titles she read were too overt in their themes, and didn't succeed. That's a valid criticism of individual books and authors, but not of Christian fiction in general.

Christian fiction often deals with themes of hope, forgiveness—and love. Some fiction deals with it badly (just because something is ‘popular’ doesn’t mean it’s good—Twilight, The Da Vinci Code and Fifty Shades of Grey were all wildly popular. But that doesn’t make them good fiction).

Some Christian fiction is too preachy, too much focused on the theme and not enough on the plot and characters. Some is purely entertainment, for people who don’t want to watch another rape-and-murder show on TV (or who want something to read while husband watches football replays).

Christian Romances are set in an imaginary world

Yes. They are novels, and that's the definition of a novel—it's an imaginary story. But good fiction is a story that hides a deeper truth:

"Fiction is a lie, and good fiction is the truth inside the lie.” On Writing by Stephen King

Jesus told stories. He knew that people related to stories, and often remember the story more than the sermon. Sometimes His stories were based on fact, on real people and events. But often they were fiction (the Bible calls them parables). Preachers do the same thing today, only instead of calling them ‘stories’, they call them ‘sermon illustrations’. Because people remember the message better if they can relate it to a story.


Am I offended by views such as these? No. I’ve heard enough sermons to know offense is the bait of satan (thank you, John Bevere).

As Christians, we are called to encourage each other to pursue and be obedient to our God-given callings, not to pull one another down or make people feel guilty or ashamed of their calling. So I am disappointed in this series of blog posts, as I would be disappointed in anyone who uses a position of influence to belittle those following their God-ordained calling. Some people are called to be missionaries or preachers. Some are called to minister in prayer, hospitality or cleaning. And some are called to contribute to the body of Christ by writing romantic fiction from a Christian world view.

I’ve recently read Truth Stained Lies, a Christian thriller by Terri Blackstock. At the end, the author shared a little of her personal history and a prayer that:

"when the last pages of our lives are written, we’ll each embrace the happily-ever–after that Christ was dying to write into our lives.”

Because that is the crux of life. We are the Bride of Christ, and He wants to spend eternity loving us. That’s what Christian romance is all about. It’s a human reflection of the greatest love story of all time: God’s everlasting and all-encompassing love for me. And you.

Isn't that the important thing?

I am a freelance editor specialising in Christian fiction, and you can find out more about my services at my website, or follow me on Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest. I love reading, and read and review around 150 Christian books each year on my blog.

ACRBA Tour Can God See Me? by Penny Reeve

18 - 22 November

Australian Christian Readers Blog Alliance

is introducing

Can God See Me?

Wombat Books Oct 2013

By 

Penny Reeve

About the Book
I read in the Bible, so it must be true, God can see everything that I do. But what might this look like? And how far does God's care reach? Join the wild, hilarious and certainly crazy ride of a young boy who dares to imagine the incredible scope of God's love and care.

About the Author
Penny Reeve grew up as the child of missionary parents in a variety of cross cultural settings. She then went to university, got married and served for several years herself in PNG and Nepal.

She now lives with her family in Western Sydney and is the author of 11 children’s books including the very popular Find the Animal series for young children and the social-justice themed Tania Abbey novels.

Website: http://www.pennyreeve.com/

Acceptable content in Christian fiction

by Narelle Atkins

There has been a lot of debate among Australasian writers regarding what is acceptable content in Australian and New Zealand Christian fiction books. For the purposes of this post, I’ll define Christian fiction as the category of books that are labelled Christian and primarily sold either online or in Christian book stores.

Christian worldview

There is a distinction between a Christian who writes fiction from a Christian worldview for the general market and a Christian who writes books that are labelled Christian fiction. A Christian worldview can be very subtle or more pronounced. Readers usually prefer books with strong Christian themes and content to be labelled as Christian or inspirational fiction.

Christian fiction audience

Many Christian fiction writers have a heart for reaching the unsaved. Others want to entertain their readers with wholesome stories that are uplifting and provide hope and encouragement for the Christian journey. Some want to address issues from a Christian perspective and show their characters growing in their faith as they face tough situations. Each writer is different and needs to choose the publishing path that fits with their goals and aspirations.

Christian fiction in North America

The Christian fiction category is dominated by books from North America. Christian fiction readers have certain expectations regarding the content of Christian fiction books. The typical Christian fiction book is usually written from a non-denominational evangelical Christian worldview. 

It is expected that Christian characters behave in a manner that upholds Biblical principles. When they fall down and sin, there are negative consequences in the natural world but also grace and forgiveness from God. Christian characters aren’t perfect and they struggle with real issues, irrespective of the genre.

Christian fiction publishers

Publishers of Christian fiction tend to take a conservative stance regarding content. They are running a business and can’t afford to alienate any segment of the Christian fiction readership. If book stores won’t stock their books due to customer complaints about content, this will have a negative impact on the publisher’s bottom line. Publishers want to maximise the size of their market, not shrink their sales. 

Pushing the envelope

A lot of the discussion regarding the content of Christian fiction centres on how far writers can push the envelope. Common questions include:

Can you include swearing, bad language, blasphemy, sensuality, violence, blood and gore, paranormal or supernatural elements in any of the Christian fiction genres? 

If yes, where is the line in the sand? What is the Biblical foundation for deciding upon the location of this line?

Can you include a love scene in a Christian romance? How far can a Christian romance writer go regarding the description of intimate moments between their characters? Is the bedroom door open, closed, or are those scenes never acceptable in a Christian romance, even if the couple are married?

Are swear/cuss words ever okay in Christian fiction? If yes, which words are acceptable for a Christian audience?

Why are violent or gory scenes okay in certain Christian fiction genres but even a hint of sexual content is often frowned upon in Christian romances? Is this a double standard?

Is the Aust/NZ Christian fiction readership less conservative than the North American readership? Is there a desire for more edgy content from Christian fiction readers in our part of the world? If yes, how can Aust/NZ writers reach this audience without offending the more conservative readers?

Writing guidelines on acceptable content

I write for Love Inspired Heartsong Presents in North America and they provide their authors with a list of guidelines regarding acceptable content. I’m happy to follow all the rules on their list. Why? Because Love Inspired readers trust the brand and know what the books will deliver. I respect my future readers and value their expectations. I don’t want to offend any readers and I would prefer to take a more conservative approach to the content in my books. For example, I’ve heard people complain about bad language in Christian fiction books, but I haven’t seen the complaints about a lack of bad language in Christian books.

My take on the discussion

The reality is my personal opinions as an author regarding what I think is acceptable in Christian fiction aren’t the most important issue. Now I’ve signed a publishing contract, I’m writing to please my future readers. I hope my books will entertain readers with a satisfying and uplifting romance story that encourages readers in their faith and inspires readers to consider faith matters.

Reader expectations of acceptable content

The market dictates the genre expectations of Christian fiction. Writers are wise to heed the voice of Christian fiction readers if they want to sell books to a large audience. Indie authors have more freedom regarding content. The savvy Christian indie authors will find their niche and put content warnings on their books if they sit outside the box. Readers can then choose if they want to ‘go there’ before they purchase the book. 

Readers are smart

Readers use their imagination when they read books. For example, a writer might envisage that their character has a tattoo but choose not to mention this detail in the story. Readers who are comfortable with tattooed Christian characters will likely join the dots and envisage a specific character with one or more tattoos. Other readers who dislike tattoos will create their own visual picture and not be offended or thrown out of the story by the mention of a tattoo. The same can be said for the back story of your characters. Give your readers the freedom to create their own version of the back story that sits comfortably within their worldview and doctrinal beliefs.

A question

What content do you find either acceptable or unacceptable in Christian fiction? Is unacceptable content a deal breaker? Would it stop you from reading the story or future books by the author or publisher? Do you like edgy fiction books that push the envelope and go further than the typical Christian fiction book? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

NARELLE ATKINS writes contemporary inspirational romance and lives in Canberra, Australia. She sold her debut novel, set in Australia, to Harlequin's Love Inspired Heartsong Presents line in a 6-book contract. Her first book, Falling for the Farmer, will be a February 2014 release, followed by The Nurse's Perfect Match in May 2014. 

Narelle blogs regularly with International Christian Fiction Writers. http://internationalchristianfictionwriters.blogspot.com/ 

She is also a co-founder of the Australian Christian Readers Blog Alliance (ACRBA). http://acrba.blogspot.com 

Website: http://www.narelleatkins.com 
Blog: http://narelleatkins.wordpress.com 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NarelleAtkinsAuthor 
Twitter: @NarelleAtkins https://twitter.com/NarelleAtkins

Asking the Right Question

I freely admit I am not the world’s keenest or best gardener.  Our garden is more a survival of the fittest. But sometimes neglect can be taken too far.

I have two browallia in my garden. One, the newer plant, was alight with its orange and yellow flowers.

 

The older browallia was struggling to produce flowers. A friend, who came round knowing my husband and I are not knowledgeable gardeners but are always keen for advice, said, ’No wonder this browallia isn’t doing any good. Look at it! Its roots are all uncovered.’

Sure enough they were, a consequence no doubt of recent strong winds that had whipped through our area, stripping the soil from around the roots. The roots we exposed. Good reason why my poor bush wasn’t doing well. My husband got some rich potting soil and packed it around the bush so the roots were once again covered. A short time later it started to bloom till the bush was smothered in vibrant flowers.

So what does this have to do with writing? Everything I would suggest. Each of us needs to be firmly rooted in God’s Word. How can we hope to convey truths to others though our fiction, our devotionals, our poetry or whatever else we are writing unless we are firmly grounded and rooted in the Word of God? But too often it is easy to let Satan get in with the winds of discouragement and despair, or winds of criticism that make us doubt ourselves, our writing ability and our calling. I’ve been experiencing that lately. What happened? It stopped me in my tracks. The novel I was working on stalled. After all what was the point? I’d never get it finished and even if I did, it would never get published. Those were the thoughts that kept insinuating themselves and circulating in my mind.

I’d let go of God’s initial prompting and His promises. I’d let negativity take over and like that unrooted browallia I was not flowering the way I should. But God didn’t give up on me.

Sometimes it takes a while to get through to me. Thankfully the Lord didn’t give up. First I received a couple of emails. One was from another Aussie Christian writer saying how much they enjoyed Streets on a Map.  Then a friend sent me an email from a non Christian relative who received it as a birthday gift. She emailed that she ‘absolutely loved the book’ and was ‘looking forward to reading another novel’ from me. She wouldn’t have gone near Streets on a Map if the label Christian fiction had been attached to it. To her it was just a book.

As if those prompts were not enough, a lady at church mentioned that her teenage daughter was recently re-reading and enjoying Streets on a Map. She then asked what was writing now. When I told her ‘nothing,’ she asked why. I didn’t want to go into any details. But then she asked me a question. ‘Is it worrying you not writing?’

Suddenly that question, on top of our pastor’s sermon about not giving up, was like a lightning bolt hit right in front of me. I realised it was worrying me. That writing a few poems, blogs or book reviews were not enough. I needed to get back to the novel I had started a while back.

So yes, I not only got back into writing it but told her the next Sunday what had happened. She was pleased as she realised that it had been God using her mouth and words that got me back to work. Whether Sandstone Madonna is ever published or not, is not up to me. It is simply not my problem. All I have to do is be obedient, and write and try and make it the best it can be. The rest is His job.

Dale writes fiction and poetry. Her latest novel is Streets on a Map is currently available as an E book. She has also written children’s books, bible studies, Sunday school material, devotionals, and articles about marriage, home and Christian living. She is currently at work on a new novel, tentatively titled Sandstone Madonna.

Book Review: My Brother's Shadows, Hayley Reynolds

 By Dorothy Adamek 

My Brother's Shadows will inspire and trouble you. It will move you to grieve and pray, lament and celebrate, be angry and seek God, and finally to the sort of courage and faith Wayne himself so wonderfully displayed. I warmly recommend it to you. 
- Dr Rod Thompson (National Principal/CEO, Laidlaw College)

Hayley was 22 years old when her brother Wayne, then 16, was diagnosed the leukaemia, cancer of the blood. Within a few weeks Wayne also contracted a deadly fungal infection in his sinus, which spread to his left eye and then into his brain.

In this book, Hayley recounts the emotional journey she and her family took as Wayne fought his illnesses, before he tragically passed away 18 months later. It is filled with amazing courage and faith amidst pain and suffering, and finally points towards the ultimate source of hope itself

Dr Rod Thompson is not wrong in saying My Brother’s Shadows “will inspire and trouble you.” When a book follows one sister’s journey of faith through the trauma of losing her young brother to cancer, we can expect nothing less.

Hayley Reynolds examines the ageless questions of why bad things happen to good people, and why God allows some to be healed while others suffer and die. She wrestles with the inexplicable link between faith and healing, and the intolerable weight one must always ensure the other, when for Wayne and her family this did not pass.

As a mother of two sons aged in their late teens, I found this book especially hard to read. The unfathomable tragedy of losing a healthy child to unstoppable cancer was not a natural pull for me. But I needed to know more than the details of this courageous boy’s faith and battle for life. I wanted to know how his sister processed her loss after months of believing God would miraculously heal Wayne.

In the days before Wayne’s death, Hayley wrote; “Wayne’s illness had shaken my faith to its core and none of the normal Christian answers helped anymore.”

And yet, the harrowing final chapters of Wayne’s life open to Hayley’s discovery that God uses suffering to work in ways we cannot imagine. That He comforts as one whose pain matches our own.

Hayley’s fear her faith would be shattered by Wayne’s death, gave way to the life changing realization that even in death, especially in death, Jesus stood beside her.

I have one copy of My Brother's Shadows to giveaway to one ACW visitor. Leave a comment below to be in the draw. I'll announce the winner next Monday in the comment thread. 

My Brother’s Shadow, Hayley Reynolds ~ Acorn Press 
New Zealand Version ~ http://www.waynereynoldstrust.co.nz/products/

Highly Recommended

Hayley Reynolds completed a PhD in melanoma research at the Auckland Bioengineering Institue, The University of Auckland, NZ, before carrying out further research into breast cancer. She also holds a Graduate Diploma in Theology from Laidlaw College, Auckland. 

*****

Dorothy Adamek lives in Melbourne with her Beloved and their three gorgeous kids. 

She's the winner of the 2013 FHL ~ Touched By Love Competition. Enamoured by all things 19th century, she writes The Heartbeat of Yesteryear, Historical Romance - Aussie style. Come say G'day at her blog, Ink Dots.