There are several key essentials that we require as human beings: food, clothing, shelter, and some sort of external stimuli. Throw in unconditional love and that makes for fairly well-adjusted individuals, right? Well, usually, but not always. Most experts would agree that these things give us a head start; they equip us with what we need to survive. The unconditional love aspect is huge because of its enormous impact …
Stuck on You
Since I write heartfelt, homespun, contemporary Christian romance, I often contemplate which content to leave in, what to edit out. I’m deeply aware that my words, my thoughts, and my novels as a whole should always reflect the love of Jesus Christ first and foremost. Any other relationship is secondary. As a Christian, I’ve made the following commitments: to point others toward …
Bells, Whistles, and Other Baubles
In secular fiction there seems to be a lot of the “sensationalism” factor. Whatever will grab readers’ attention, implement it. If it’s shocking, say it. Off-color? Write it. A little violence? Add it. Owning one’s actions? Well, heaven forbid! The accountability component just doesn’t seem to be there sometimes. In some of the stories I’ve read, it may take reading the entire book before a …
Doesn't It Just Get Your Goat?
Recently I spoke about marketing, gimmicks, and being a savvy consumer. As I mentioned before, “gimmicks” affect everything we buy–from the simple to the complex. Marketing tools and tricks abound. Many of the purchases we make are based on desire, eye appeal, and internal/external expectations. Distributors know that if they play on our sympathy, we’ll usually cave. If they convince us …
Perceptions
First impressions are everything (although we sometimes wish they weren’t.) Examples that jump to mind are endless: the job applicant that was dressed to the nines–but showed up late. A delectable meal ordered out–and was delivered to the table cold. The beautiful, new home recently listed–too bad the interior work was substandard. We can all probably think of those times when we …
Seasoning. It's Not Just for Chili.
I think in life we all experience difficulties, hardships, and trials from time to time. Some folks may endure these struggles temporarily. For others, the season of suffering may seem never-ending. (I’ve talked about this in my earlier posts Comfort During Trials and Mountaintops.) As writers, we’re deeply in tune to these times of “seasoning.” These experiences mature us–not only as individuals, …
Gobbling Up the Eye Candy
In today’s world we’re very visually motivated. Because of savvy marketing gimmicks, we often make decisions based on eye appeal rather than performance. Bells and whistles and cross-the-heart promises sell us everything from dressed-up paperweights to lighter-than-air feather dusters–and usually, all for a mere $19.95. From cleaning supplies, food, clothing, make-up, and countless everyday products to the more costly things such …
Sharing the Truth in Fiction
Often times, writers who pen Christian fiction are labeled by the secular world as an “odd lot.” We might be viewed as bores, prudes, or “holier-than-thou.” And for those of us who write faith-based romance…well, let’s just say that adds another colorful adjective to the mix. Ironically, many of the detractors of Christian fiction would seem to be the very folks …
The Happily Ever After Factor
In my previous posts Isn’t It Romantic and 10 Reasons Why I Write (Faith-based) Romance, I touched on matters of the heart and why I write what I do. The art of romance shouldn’t be rocket science, but many times, the perception of romance is so distorted by what media and television purport it should be, our views become skewed and God’s original …
This Little Light of Mine
For authors, there’s a different sense of vulnerability than what there might be in other professions. As we write, we inject a certain amount of our own soul into our novels, prose, poetry, etc. We strive for transparency without being too forthright. We want to “connect,” not overwhelm. Novelists must relate to readers in clear, concise ways which denote professionalism, not detachment. Obviously, we …