Hollywood, Texas ~ A Compelling Novella of Inspirational Contemporary Romance

One of the current publishing trends I adore is the rise of the novella. A novella is typically 20,000 to 50,000 words, an easy length to read without a major time investment.

When I was in school, I would dive into 600+ page tomes without blinking an eye. Now, a husband, six children, a home, a blog, and my own fiction writing all vie for my precious reading time.

The busier I get, the more I appreciate novellas, especially from master storytellers like Kathleen Y’Barbo. Characters are still developed fully, and backstories are complete. But we see just a snippet of the lives of the characters. Although, to tell the truth, I was sorry to see my acquaintance with Amy and Adam come to an end.

But now I’m getting ahead of myself….

Amy Foreman is the girl next door from Hollywood, Texas. But her time acting in Hollywood, California, has heralded her as the next Grace Kelley. When personal trouble brews in California, Amy runs home to hide… right to Adam Chambers’ veterinarian practice. According to Adam, though, she’s a trespasser and the girl who broke his heart.

I love a happily-ever-after as much as the next reader, but when Adam calls Amy a trespasser in the very first sentence of the book? Ooo, that’s conflict. *biting nails*

It's a quick, sweet read (71 pages) at a sweet price – only $1.99 on Amazon.

And my favorite part?

Adam Chambers is one of the most adorable heroes I've read who, quite frankly, reminded me of my own husband. He's skilled in his job. He has a heart for the Lord. And the way he ignores the flirtatious waitress at the steakhouse? Love. It.

Author: Kathleen Y’Barbo

Title: Hollywood, Texas

Price: $1.99

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Date Published: February 20, 2014

I was given a digital copy of this book by Kathleen Y'Barbo herself in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. Quite frankly, I requested the copy to review because I knew it would be good. J

Meghan Carver attended her first ACFW conference this past September where she had the unbelievable pleasure of driving Kathleen Y'Barbo and her husband from the airport to the hotel. She still reels from the experience of having a best-selling author in her van at the mercy of her driving skills.

If You Write Romantic Suspense….

A little over a week ago, Love Inspired Suspense announced a search for new authors.

There are four stages in this fantastic opportunity for writers, The Search for a Killer Voice.

Start with sending in your first page, due by March 14. Editors will announce who moves on by March 28.

Those who continue will next submit a synopsis, due by April 7.

If your synopsis passes muster, the next submission will be the first three chapters, due May 8.

Writers whose chapters wow the editors will be requested to send in the full manuscript. Those will be due by June 9.

Final results will be announced August 8 in a blog post that shares the thoughts of the editors, announces any sales, and gives result statistics.

What do you say to an opportunity like that except wow? And definitely thank you!

If you’d like to read the entire announcement, you can find it on the Harlequin community thread.

There, you can also find writing guidelines for the LIS line, submission guidelines, and a post about writing a killer first page.

If you think you have what it takes to write inspirational romantic suspense {and many of you do already!}, why not give it a go?

Happy writing!

Meghan Carver is a 2013 ACFW Genesis semi-finalist and the author of several articles and short stories. After achieving a Juris Doctorate from Indiana University and Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from Millikin University and completing a brief stint in immigration law, Meghan heard God calling her to be at home. Now homeschooling her six children with her college professor husband, Meghan has returned to her first love of writing. She blogs about homeschooling and homemaking at www.MeghanCarver.blogspot.com.

My 2014 Reading Plan

One year. Fifty books. That’s the absolute bare bones of my reading plan for 2014.

In the past, my reading has been purely seat-of-the-pants. Cover, title, recommendation… whatever catches my eye I jump right in to. But I’ve been inspired by other writers and readers who actually formulate a plan for their reading for the year. I’ve embraced this idea for two reasons.

1. A plan of attack means it could actually happen in an orderly fashion. Reading time is precious. I don’t want to waste it. J
2. The plan gives me permission to read books other than writing craft books and books in my genre. Intellectually, I know it’s good to read history and psychology and missionary books, but I’ve been so intent on studying my genre that I couldn’t convince myself to read anything else.

For me, the Bible is a given, so I’ve not included it on my list.

So, here goes. My already-been-tweaked-several-times-and-that’s-why-it’s-just-now-coming-out-in-the-middle-of-January reading list for 2014 ~

·         2 R.M. Ballantyne books

o   The Dog Crusoe

o    The Lonely Island

·         2 Jane Austen novels (possibly all six) to discuss from the perspective of motherhood

o   Pride and Prejudice

o   Sense and Sensibility

·         6 contemporary romance, including Love Inspired {absolute minimum!}

o   Millie’s Treasure, Kathleen Y’Barbo

o   Smitten, Colleen Coble, et.al. {Just need to finish it.}

o   Nicholas Sparks?

·         2 historical romance {absolute minimum!}

o   Rebellious Heart, Jody Hedlund

o   Love’s Awakening, Laura Frantz

·         1 legal suspense – Dead Lawyers Tell No Tales, Randy Singer

·         5 favorite fiction authors

o   Cynthia Ruchti’s new book coming in May

o   Lady in Waiting, Susan Meissner

o   Not in the Heart, Chris Fabry

·         3 new fiction authors {absolute minimum!}

o   The Bone Box by Bob Hostetler

o   Blackberry Winter by Sarah Jio

o   Richard Mabry

·         8 young adult

o   Gunner’s Run and Kiriath’s Quest by Rick Barry

o   The Legend of Annie Murphy by Frank Peretti

o   The Caroline books from American Girl {It’s always good to keep up with what your young adults are reading. J}

·         4 writing craft books {absolute minimum!}

o   Stein on Writing, Sol Stein

o   The Moral Premise, Stanley Williams

o   Self-Editing for Fiction Writers, Renni Browne & Dave King {just need to finish this one}

o   Revision & Self-Editing, James Scott Bell {need to finish this one as well}

·         3 assigned missionary books from our church conference

·         2 creative non-fiction history

o   “They Have Killed Papa Dead!” The Road to Ford’s Theatre, Abraham Lincoln’s Murder, and the Rage for Vengeance, Anthony S. Pitch

o   Rush Revere and the Brave Pilgrims, Rush Limbaugh

·         1 creative non-fiction/memoir

o   Gifted Hands, Dr. Ben Carson

·         5 non-fiction {absolute minimum!}

o   Ragged Hope, Cynthia Ruchti

o   You’re Made for a God-sized Dream, Holley Gerth

o   When Godly People Do Ungodly Things, Beth Moore

o   Large Family Logistics, Kim Brenneman

·         1 marketing book – Rob Eager?

·         1 uncategorized – The Book of Useless Information – Doesn’t that just sound intriguing? J

·         2-3 Christmas books

o   The Christmas Candle, Max Lucado

o   The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, Barbara Robinson

·         1 daily devotional – Praying God’s Word Day by Day, Beth Moore

·         An untold number of children’s picture books. J

I’ve allowed myself some wiggle room in the numbers to allow for decisions along the way, although I would love to read far more than fifty. If a fantastic book comes available in May, I don’t want to have to put it off until the New Year.

I’m also allowing that I may have to extend myself some grace. I have six children, I homeschool, we’re building our own home, and my husband is contemplating a Ph.D. program. Whew!

It’s not too late to make your own reading plan. Keep track of what you read through the year, and let’s meet back here in December.

Meghan Carver is a 2013 ACFW Genesis semi-finalist and the author of several articles and short stories. After achieving a Juris Doctorate from Indiana University and Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from Millikin University and completing a brief stint in immigration law, Meghan heard God calling her to be at home. Now homeschooling her six children with her college professor husband, Meghan has returned to her first love of writing. She blogs about homeschooling and homemaking at www.MeghanCarver.blogspot.com.

What Have You Accomplished in 2013?

We’re within twelve days of the end of another year, and many of us are probably tempted to cry “Woe is me!” along with Jacob Marley.

I started writing my first novel in the spring of 2011, what I’ve termed writing seriously. I still have no agent, no book contract, no published novel, no block-long lines of adoring fans waiting to get a glimpse of me. Woe is me!

Or is there woe?

A blog post at Books & Such and the resulting comments inspired me to do a year-end inventory. Of course, businesses do this all the time, all those year-end annual reports full of boring numbers. But if writing is our business, why shouldn’t we do a year-end inventory, a listing of all our writing accomplishments, big and small? I don’t want to be prideful. But this exercise could provide that shot in the arm of encouragement with just the right dosage to show ourselves that we are productive even when discouragement whispers that we’re not.

Consider these potential accomplishments, in no particular order except how they jumped into my brain ~

How many books have you started/finished/edited/polished/submitted?

Enter any contests?

Attend any conferences (writing/blogging/marketing)?

Begin or continue to nurture any critique partnerships?

Form any new relationships within the industry?

Write blog posts, whether for your personal blog or guest blogs? How many?

Read craft books?

Meet with a local group?

Take that first step to begin a mentoring relationship?

Follow/learn from blogs within the industry?

Short stories or magazine articles sold?

How did you do? Look at all you’ve accomplished!

Now, rather than lament, you can rejoice like Scrooge that the fog has cleared and the view is glorious.

Merry Christmas, and prayers for a blessed New Year!

Meghan Carver is a pre-published novelist who, as of this blog post, refuses to cry “Woe is me!” but instead count her accomplishments in 2013 including one book written, polished, and submitted; another book started and in the plotting stage; scribbled notes for several more stories; quiz sold to Clubhouse Magazine; attendance at conference; a critique partnership begun; three meetings with the state chapter; 142 personal blog posts; various contributions to other blogs; and semi-final in the Genesis contest. Whew! J

Life Stinks...And Then You Die {Book Review}

You were pulled in by the title, weren’t you? J

Me too.

Except it’s not my title. It’s the title of a book I just finished by Bob Hostetler about the book of Ecclesiastes.

I particularly wanted to read this book because I tend to have a depressive spirit. {But who doesn't when one looks around at all that is wrong in the world?} Ecclesiastes appeals to me because of that. Misery loves company, and I've wondered if King Solomon and I could have been best buds. But a much more careful reading than I've ever conducted reveals a silver lining to Solomon's cloud of despair. It’s a silver lining I think we all could use when everything seems meaningless.

Bob writes, “This life can knock you down like a Whack-a-Mole and kick you around like a bull does a rodeo clown (you can file that under ‘Great Theological Truths’). Ecclesiastes never paints life any other way. It is gritty and straightforward. But it also shows us conclusively that God loves the hard questions, and he doesn’t insist on pat answers.” (p. 59)

You can see that Bob’s style is witty and conversational. It wasn’t difficult to imagine that Bob and I sat down over a cup of coffee and had a long chat, sharing our miseries in life but infusing the conversation with hope and wisdom. Bob and I also, I imagined, prayed together. Each chapter ends with a prayer, and it’s great to pray it right then, aloud, to ask the Lord to help you apply wisdom to your life.

I feel like I read it too quickly for the purpose of getting this review to y'all. Bob quotes Ecclesiastes extensively, but I want to highlight and make notes in the margin of my Bible. In the near future, I think I'll go back and reread, more slowly, taking time to contemplate and pray and apply the truths. How can we, in our everyday lives, be less concerned with acceptance and approval and more concerned with worship? What do we need to do to let go of the pursuit of wealth and cultivate contentment? When are we going to realize we ought to pray for wisdom above all?

So what is the one essential in all of life? What really and truly matters? If you've read Ecclesiastes, you know the answer. But I like the way Bob says it as well. And now you'll just have to read his book. J

I was given a copy of this book by Bob Hostetler – himself! – in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

Meghan Carver is a 2013 ACFW Genesis semi-finalist and the author of several articles and short stories. After achieving a Juris Doctorate from Indiana University and Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from Millikin University and completing a brief stint in immigration law, Meghan heard God calling her to be at home. Now homeschooling her six children with her college professor husband, Meghan has returned to her first love of writing. She blogs about homeschooling and homemaking at www.MeghanCarver.blogspot.com.

Five Ways to Use Social Media as a Ministry Tool

When I first joined Facebook, I really wasn’t sure what to do with it. As a somewhat isolated homeschooling mom, I loved reading other’s updates. But I didn’t think anyone would be interested to know that I fed my children PB&Js for lunch.

Then, when I joined Twitter, I was completely and utterly lost. It seemed to be all self-promotion, and self-promotion just makes me feel icky. Plus, I didn’t think I had anything to promote.

Next came Pinterest and another ten pounds along with elaborately impossible plans to renovate and decorate my home. J

We all know that in the publishing world we authors are expected to be involved in social media, reaching out to potential and current readers. I’m not here to tell you which outlet or how often you should post. Pray about it, and mind the Lord.

But with social media, the world is at our fingertips…literally. We have the opportunity to inject a little bit of hope, a little bit of encouragement, a little bit of the gospel, into people’s lives. 

“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” {1 Thessalonians 5:11}

Two necessary cautions:

1. Be careful of your time spent.
2. Be careful of whom you follow or friend.

So, what can you post to be encouraging on social media?

1. Scripture. Can’t get any better than that. Gospel truth, and you don’t even have to write it yourself.
2. Quotes from devotional books, like Jesus Calling by Sarah Young. You don’t have to write that either, but make sure you give proper credit to the author.
3. Prayers. Something like “Praying for the peace that surpasses all understanding for you today.” Or “Father God, bless us with the peace that surpasses all understanding today. Amen.”
4. Request for prayer. Either pass on someone else’s prayer or share your own. (Obviously, don’t make it something you don’t want the whole world to know.) Those who feel it a burden to pray for you will just keep scrolling. Others will be blessed by the opportunity.
5. Encouraging or just plain pretty images, perhaps with some Scripture or perhaps not. In a hectic day, a glimpse of a picture of an empty bench sitting along a winding path can calm the harried soul. Mountains, beaches, cottages, whatever you find refreshing.

Sometimes I still share about peanut butter and jelly, but I try to write it in a way that encourages, or at least amuses, my friends.

And the next time you read a verse online or are soothed by a pretty picture, thank the Lord for that bit of encouragement.

Q4U: How else can we encourage others on social media?

Meghan Carver is a 2013 ACFW Genesis semi-finalist and the author of several articles and short stories. After achieving a Juris Doctorate from Indiana University and Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from Millikin University and completing a brief stint in immigration law, Meghan heard God calling her to be at home. Now homeschooling her six children with her college professor husband, Meghan has returned to her first love of writing. She blogs about homeschooling and homemaking at www.MeghanCarver.blogspot.com.

Highlights of the ACFW Conference from a First-Timer

My mind is still all a-tumble from lack of sleep, information overload, jittery nerves, starstruck wonder, and meetings with so many wonderful people. But since my turn to post comes so quickly after the annual conference, how could I not blog about highlights?

The conference started for me on Wednesday with the opportunity to drive faculty from the airport to the hotel. Along with a couple of agents, I drove Jill Williamson, a friendly and energetic author of young adult speculative fiction.

I also drove Kathleen Y’Barbo Turner (bestselling author!) and her husband. My jitters quickly disappeared with her and her husband’s friendly and easy-going personalities. She brought a copy of her new release to give as a thank-you to whomever drove them to the hotel. I about drove off the road when I realized that she meant me! She even autographed it for me! I couldn’t help myself…I gushed all over her.

On the first *real* day, I walked with great trepidation into the first-timers orientation. True to my introverted nature, I’m much more comfortable with a small group than a large crowd. Judging by the expressions of others, many felt the same.

There were some in attendance I knew from online interactions, but I wasn’t sure I would be able to find them in the crowd. I had also encountered some Serious Spiritual Warfare (yes, with a capital S) earlier in the week that had left me rattled and doubting. You may know that sort of nervousness…clutching your bag as fear clutches your throat.

I met a couple of people in that session, and we talked generally about the logistics of the conference and our genres. After the session, I stood in the common area, talking with another attendee. One of the first women I spoke with walked up to me, touched my arm, and told me that I had a beautiful and kind spirit about me. I was floored. After the spiritual attacks earlier in the week and all the misgivings and grief that resulted, the Lord knew I needed that bit of encouragement.

Isn’t He wonderful to provide just what we need when we need it?

This angel also invited me to go to lunch with her, encouraged me to talk to an agent, and introduced me to her editor.

I also re-connected with a writing friend from the Indianapolis Christian Writers Conference and got to know many new published and pre-published friends.

I was incredibly impressed by the general conference atmosphere of serving and seeking the Lord, a ministry through words.

It’s the power of story to speak truth into reader’s lives. I was honored to be a part of it.

Q4U: How did God meet you at the conference?

Meghan Carver is a 2013 ACFW Genesis semi-finalist and the author of several articles and short stories. After achieving a Juris Doctorate from Indiana University and Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from Millikin University and completing a brief stint in immigration law, Meghan heard God calling her to be at home. Now homeschooling her six children with her college professor husband, Meghan has returned to her first love of writing. She blogs about homeschooling and homemaking at www.MeghanCarver.blogspot.com.

Ten Reasons I’m Looking Forward to the ACFW Conference

I’m a first-timer to the ACFW conference this September. With less than a month to go, my mental state wildly fluctuates between excitement and anxiety, peace and panic. Life is a flurry of one-sheets, synopses, business cards, and clothing choices.

I will be pitching, but my overarching goal is simply to get to know others interested in writing and find my place in the community.

My prayer is that I won’t appear as one whose life verse should be Proverbs 30:2 (NKJV) ~ “Surely I am more stupid than any man.”

Seeking the peace that surpasses all understanding, I made a list of ten reasons I’m looking forward to my first conference. 

1. Meeting online friends in person. I hope I’ll appear as bubbly on the outside as I’ll feel on the inside. J
2. Driving in the car by myself without listening to Toddler Bible Songs. (I have six children. Quite frankly, one of the best parts of the drive to Merrillville for the August Indiana chapter meeting was worshiping with Steven Curtis Chapman for most of it.)
3. Learning about writing from the greats. I hope I can burble out a few intelligent words when I meet Susan Meissner.
4. The genre dinner on Friday. Every week I watch my children dress up as princesses, knights, dragons, horses, pioneers, and turtles. Now, it’s my turn. Well, I won’t be a dragon or horse or turtle. But if I get the time to sew my pinafore, I hope to be a nurse from the 1950s.
5. Meals without cutting up anybody’s meat. (Did I mention I have six children?)
6. Opportunity to get feedback.
7. Opportunity to serve.
8. The prayer room. An oasis of calm where I can meet with the Giver of words, the Word Himself.
9. The choir. I attend a small church and although we put on a terrific cantata for holidays, we don’t have a choir per se. I’m sure it will be worship music at its finest.
10. Opportunity to say thank you to people who put great time and effort in producing wonderful books and a wonderful conference.

What do you look forward to at conference?

Meghan Carver is a 2013 ACFW Genesis semi-finalist and the author of several articles and short stories. After achieving a Juris Doctorate from Indiana University and Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from Millikin University and completing a brief stint in immigration law, Meghan heard God calling her to be at home. Now homeschooling her six children with her college professor husband, Meghan has returned to her first love of writing. She blogs about homeschooling and homemaking at www.MeghanCarver.blogspot.com.

Every Minute Counts

My children are deep into the Half-Price Books summer reading program where the Top Reader is determined by the number of minutes read over the course of June and July. In seeking the grand prize of a $20 gift card (think of all those glorious books!), they know that every minute counts.

As of July 14, these are the tallies of minutes read since June 1 ~

13yo ~ 5,850 minutes

11yo ~ 5,170 minutes

9yo ~ 2,675 minutes

7yo ~ 890 minutes

4yo ~ 670 minutes

2yo ~ 590 minutes

While life as an adult has prevented me from amassing these amounts of minutes, I, too, have been known to sneak in minutes of reading…while stirring supper, brushing my teeth, sitting in line at the ATM. I even tried reading while driving when I was in college, but that’s not exactly conducive to concentration on the printed page.

But what about with writing? What if I snatched and sneaked and stole every spare minute for writing?

What if I jotted down a bit of dialogue whenever I passed my computer…a bazillion times each day?

What if I brainstormed ideas for setting while rolling biscuits and then wrote it out during the ten minutes of baking?

What if I made mental notes for character names and quirks while picking up after the two-year-old and then scribbled them out as he pulled all the toys out again?

What if I moved my laptop to the dining table and, in between discussing O. Henry with the eighth grader and diagramming sentences with the sixth grader, I added a few sentences or even paragraphs to my WIP?

What if, while my husband watches yet another Arnold Schwarzenegger movie, I sit next to him on the couch and research a few details?

What if, instead of quizzing the fifth grader on insect heads, abdomens, and thoraxes (Blech!), I edited my chapter five? Well…we do need to fulfill our commitments, don’t we?

Sigh.

When my moment comes and I get that call, I want to be ready with bunches of books and fleshed-out ideas.

Every minute counts.

Q4U: How do you make your minutes count?

Meghan Carver is a 2013 ACFW Genesis semi-finalist and the author of several articles and short stories. After achieving a Juris Doctorate from Indiana University and Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from Millikin University and completing a brief stint in immigration law, Meghan heard God calling her to be at home. Now homeschooling her six children with her college professor husband, Meghan has returned to her first love of writing. She blogs about homeschooling and homemaking at www.MeghanCarver.blogspot.com.

Participate in Blog Link-Ups to Grow Your Audience

So, you’ve spent what feels like too much time brainstorming, writing, and editing your blog post. You’ve clicked Publish and then sat back with your choice of caffeinated beverage to watch the page views add up. Right?

Congrats if that’s your blog!

As for mine, in the early days I might have had twenty page views on a single post. And that was a high. No amount of caffeinated beverage could make me enthusiastic over that.

Enter blog link-ups, a chance to share my blog post on someone else’s blog.

What is a link-up? Any blogger can use a link tool to allow others bloggers to link-up their own individual blog post permalinks, often with a photo. Many link-ups are offered weekly or monthly, allowing you, as a blogger, to link-up your week’s blog posts.

Where to link up?

Making a Living Writing hosts a link-up for writers on the first Friday of every month. So far as I can tell, it’s not a *Christian* blog, but that doesn’t mean you couldn’t see an increase in traffic from it. I’m planning on linking up this blog post there in July.

Lisa Jo Baker hosts Five Minute Friday every…wait for it…Friday. She describes it as a flash mob of writers all writing about the same one word. At midnight on Thursday, she posts that one word for that Friday’s writing. Then, you write for five minutes about that word, without editing, and post it on your blog. Once yours is posted, you link it up on her blog.

If you keep a journal, you might want to participate in Random Journal Day at Beneath the Surface on the first Friday of every month. I haven’t participated in this, but you open an old journal of yours to anywhere and then post a bit of it and write about it. Be sure to include a picture of the journal. See the site for further guidelines.

Reading List hosts Cozy Book Hop to link up your posts about books you’ve been reading. This is where I link up my book reviews.

My blog genre is primarily homeschooling mom. There are many link-ups available for that type of blog post. I’ve listed only a few. Just be sure to check the host blogger’s guidelines or requirements.

The Better Mom

Time-Warp Wife “Titus 2sdays”

Growing Home “Teach Me Tuesdays”

Women Living Well 

One more idea for you! If you homeschool and want to post a weekly wrap-up, you could start with iHomeschool Network and the Homeschool Journal link-up. As always, be sure to read the guidelines.

Happy blogging!


Q4U: Do you participate in blog link-ups? Which ones would you add?

Meghan Carver is a 2013 ACFW Genesis semi-finalist and the author of several articles and short stories. After achieving a Juris Doctorate from Indiana University and Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from Millikin University and completing a brief stint in immigration law, Meghan heard God calling her to be at home. Now homeschooling her six children with her college professor husband, Meghan has returned to her first love of writing. She blogs about homeschooling and homemaking at www.MeghanCarver.blogspot.com.

Ten Ways to Know if You’re an Introvert ~ Quiet Book Review

Hi, my name is Meghan, and I’m an introvert.

“Hi, Meghan.”

Welcome to Introverts Anonymous. It’s the perfect group for you because most introverts do, in fact, wish to remain anonymous.

First, though, ten characteristics of introverts to help you know if you’re in the right group. {And please note that everyone is different. In fact, there are no set-in-stone definitions of introvert and extrovert.}

Introverts ~

1. Prefer lower levels of stimulation, such as reading a book or having a one-on-one conversation with a close friend or family member.
2. Work more slowly and deliberately than extroverts.
3. Have significant powers of concentration.
4. Are not as drawn to the lure of wealth or fame.
5. Listen more than talk.
6. Prefer to work alone.
7. Often feel as if they express themselves better when writing than when speaking.
8. Feel uncomfortable with small talk.
9. Avoid conflict.
10. Avoid risk.

How did you do?

Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking details a fascinating history of the rise of psychology and what I would call the idolatry of personality. It is so easy to become immersed in the nitty-gritty of why people are the way they are, but caution must be exercised or one personality “type” will soon be elevated as superior. This, in fact, is exactly what the author says has happened ~ the rise of the Extrovert Ideal.

Yet, introverts have a lot to offer such as attention to detail, thorough analysis, and a steady manner in communication. The American ideal of extroversion has convinced our culture to overlook the contributions of introverts, though, much to our detriment. Much of our modern way of life is the result of the deep thinking and innovation of introverts. Is the author right? I think so, but I would love to hear your opinion.

The writing is superb, and the author includes many personal anecdotes as well as incidents of famous introverts in a story-telling manner, relieving the book from having a research-paper feel. It is not a Christian book from a CBA publisher, so there are many mentions of evolution, secularism, and politics. However, if you can bypass that, Quiet is well worth the read. You will come away from it understanding and accepting your own introversion better or the introversion of a spouse or child. You won’t want to miss the last fifty pages or so about living as or with an introvert.

Above all, I’m reminded that, no matter whether introvert or extrovert, we are all fearfully and wonderfully made in the image of our Creator.

Q4U ~ Are you an introvert? Or are you married to an introvert? What do you think introverts have to offer? I’d love to read your take on introversion in the comments, and I’ll respond to each one.

~~~~~

 Meghan Carver is a 2013 ACFW Genesis semi-finalist and the author of several articles and short stories. After achieving a Juris Doctorate from Indiana University and Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from Millikin University and completing a brief stint in immigration law, Meghan heard God calling her to be at home. Now homeschooling her six children with her college professor husband, Meghan has returned to her first love of writing. She blogs about homeschooling and homemaking at www.MeghanCarver.blogspot.com.