"I don't care."

Last night, after I finished page 244 of a 378-page novel, I came to a decision: I wouldn't finish this novel. Why not? Because the author had created a hero who left me apathetic. After 244 pages, I realized, "I don't care what happens next."

Please understand, I do enjoy reading. Finding a novel that grabs the imagination like Velcro and keeps your mind engaged all the way to "The End" is a sweet experience. Unfortunately, the author of the novel that I abandoned failed to do that, at least for me. Since I have far less time for pleasure reading than I'd like, there's simply no reason to waste pleasure-reading time on books that don't capture my imagination.

I pondered the cause of my apathy. Was there no action? Sure, there was action, including a a couple chapters with explosions, a chase scene, a kidnapping, the sinking of a boat, and other dangers. Was the grammar or other style flawed? No, the grammar, punctuation, and style were all fine. I never spotted a single error in mechanics.

The shortcoming was in the main character. Although the hero was handsome, intelligent, and brave, the author had given no reason for me to cheer for this person. I had no reason to care whether he survived or not. What were the hero's goals and aspirations in life? Beats me. What did he think about? Again, no clue. The reader simply followed this guy from one page to the next, watching him face problems and escape dangers, but never truly caring about him as a human being. On the screen of my mind, I "watched" his exploits, but the author gave no insight into the character's mind and soul.

I'm thankful for this experience. As a writer, I too must bring my characters to life in such a way that readers will care, will want to know whether they succeed or fail, whether they live or die. If we writers fail to accomplish that, then we will have no readers. Our fiction will become pointless.

Have you ever read (or at least started) a book that you purposely decided not to finish? If so, what did you find lacking?


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Ramblings on Romances

Christian love stories. Not a genre I usually read. Perhaps it goes back to childhood. My father forbid me to watch soap operas or read love stories. He contended they made women overly emotional. I've got to say, he had a point. I've watched friends, nieces, and some of my daughter's acquaintances who are secular soap and romance fans. The drama they create in real life is embarrassing, ridiculous, and destructive.Does it have to be that way? What is it that separates Christian romance from general market?

Of course, there is the lack of sex. Today's Christian romance can admit the existence of sex and sexual attraction without characters indulging in it. There are some who would claim that isn't realistic. Some also claim it's unrealistic to have a trucker who doesn't swear or a dock loader who isn't a neanderthal. Yet in the real world—by that, I mean the world as I experience it—truckers and dock loaders can be followers of Christ who conscientiously and thoughtfully live their witness without profanity. People learn from what they read. Characters influence readers.

I remember how much I learned about life from the fiction I read as a small child: The Five Little Peppers series, Little Women, and Rose in Bloom. These taught me conduct, the value of prayer and faith, and consideration. What I read, I mimicked. (The point being made, I won't speak of the preteen years where I read stuff I wouldn't read today, which, of course, affected me negatively.)

There is value in Christian romance as characters respect themselves and others, and pay a price if they don't. Rather than being strictly social, a fall gives opportunity to learn of forgiveness, grace, and redemption. Compare Anna Karenina to Angel in Redeeming Love. In real life, who doesn't need forgiveness, grace, and redemption?

Fictional stories that have impacted me are Coming Home, These Is My Words, Love Comes Softly, Color the Sidewalk for Me, and Demon. A great story will endure even amateur writing, for example, The Shack. (The title alone scared me into avoiding it for months. The story stays with me because it bears truth.)

In spite of my initial disclaimer, there is an element of romance in each of these books, regardless of genre. Yes, even Demon and The Shack are stories of God's love for us, His Bride. He is sooo in love with us!

A recent study at York University found fiction readers were more compassionate in real life than non-fiction readers. Reading activated the part of the brain dealing with emotive response, with empathy. In other words, the reader learned from a vicarious experience. Fascinating, and not simply because it backs up what I've always believed: stories are powerful. Jesus knew this. He engaged the crowd through parables.

Most authors know this at some level, too. So, where's the romance in your stories? Is it overt or covert? What emotional/relational threads enhance your sci-fi, fantasy, or crime novel? Who are you hoping to influence? What romantic ribbon of any genre impacted you? Speak up, writers. I'd love to hear your comments.

The Best Part of Waking Up...

What’s your best part of waking up every morning? Is it Folgers in your cup? Pancakes and sausage? Reading your daily devotions and morning news?

The best part of waking up for me is the peace and quiet around the house, and a chance to read the day’s devotions from “Jesus Calling,” along with a quick K-cup of coffee.

Over the years, I’ve found that my day runs so much smoother if I connect with God first, and then move on with the rest of my daily routine. And this is an example of what I mean by a smoother day:

I had a leisurely twenty minutes to deposit money at my bank down the road, and then pick up my daughter from school. But twenty minutes flew by quickly when I discovered AFTER I left the bank that they gave me some elderly man’s cash and driver’s license.

I know this doesn’t sound like a smooth day, but looking back—the poor guy got his cash and driver’s license back, my daughter eventually got picked up from school and we’re all okay. Smooth I said, not perfect.

Anyway, there are so many great devotional books to read, and currently I really like this one written by Sarah Young.

“Jesus Calling” is filled with short one-page daily readings written in first person as if Jesus were speaking directly to you. Of course, these readings are not inspired as Scripture is, but definitely a way to draw us closer to Him.

What's the best part of your day, after you're awake? Have you ever heard that your mind is freshest at the beginning of the day? For me, I believe it’s true. It’s the best time of day to schedule writing assignments. I think it would be great to finish my writing quota for the day, before I’m too exhausted to put my fingers to the keyboard.

Notice that I said, “I think it would be great.” What I really need now is some discipline for staying in my chair to write, and staying out of social media until I’m finished writing for the day…

“This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” --Psalm 118:24
~Marjorie DeVries

Keeping Your Tiggers and Eeyores in Line

Do you ever hear someone get asked a question and wish they asked you?

This was my case in June, 2005. I sat in a Toastmaster club as area governor elect. (Okay, technically I was appointed. Details, details.) The theme for the meeting was Winnie the Pooh, a theme well used by the Topics Master.

My question was what I would write if I wrote a children's book. That was a fun question. I told them I'd write about an otter raised by a family of beavers. You can imagine what that's like. The otter wants to play while his adoptive parents are getting him to work on the dam. This otter would meet a wolf taken in by a cougar family. “I want to be part of the pack.” “What pack? We aren't a pack.”

However, when I heard the next question, I wished I had gotten that one instead.

“You are Winnie the Pooh. You've been given a free counseling session. Now, you're well adjusted and don't need it. Will you give it to Tigger to help calm him down? Or to Eeyore to cheer him up?”

I was about nine when Disney's Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day came out, which introduced Tigger. I fell in love with Tigger. I wanted to be as bouncy and fun as he was.

Growing up, though, I found my companion and mentor to be gloomy old Eeyore. “It will fall off again,” he said when his tail was put back on him. “Always does.”

If I wrote this blog yesterday, I would have dealt with a topic that interested me, one that would give food for thought. But this has been an Eeyore week for me. Just this week? Maybe all of this year. (Fortunately, we're only half way through January; hope this isn't a trend.)

My Eeyore side has been given plenty to be gloomy about. My wife's dealing with health problems. The only presidential candidate I could be excited about finished 6^th in Iowa and dropped out. My Amazon review of that candidate's auto-biography has the current line “1 out of 6 find this review helpful.” (My hunch is that the five who found that not helpful did so solely because I gave a five star review to a book they disagreed with, but still it's discouraging.)

Also, I received a rejection letter (okay, e-mail) from an agent who kindly mentions my characters and plot don't resonate with him. Not much to encourage me to write, something I've been struggling to find time to do. To be honest, I'm even wondering if writing is what I'm supposed to be doing.

Did the person who got the counseling question think Eeyore was the one who needed counseling? No, she thought it was Tigger who was too hyper. I can identify. Sometimes, my Tigger tries to compensate for the Eeyore. Time to get bouncy. Find other activities. Keep busy, busy, busy, so I don't have time to be gloomy, gloomy, gloomy.

So how would I have answered the question?

Simple. I would have given the counseling to neither of them. Rather, I'd get them Tigger and Eeyore to counsel each other. Have Eeyore kindly mellow out Tigger, while Tigger gives Eeyore something to be cheerful about.

That's one thing good about the ACFW meetings or critique groups. We can point out areas of improvement but give encouragement at the same time. (This is one of Toastmaster's strengths, by the way.)

And the counseling session? I'd give that to grouchy Rabbit.