Interview with Donna Benson

I'm in a small critique group. We had a point when we had lost a member and Donna Benson contacted us. She's the author of the Sanctuary Series.

Jeff Reynolds:  Welcome, Donna. Let's start with how you came to Christ.

Donna Benson: Hello. I can’t remember a time Jesus wasn’t there. He’s always been in my life from my earliest memories. I went forward at Easter when I was ten and was baptized. I have been learning and growing in faith and understanding since.

JR:  Am I correct that you're a truck driver? What's that like? How does it influence your writing? And any truck-driving stories you'd like to share?

DB: Yes, my husband and I are what the industry calls a team. We’ve been driving for over 15 years. It’s a job traveling around the country, picking up and delivery freight. At first I struggled being gone weeks at a time. I would much rather be home. But we make a good living and my husband likes it so here I am.

Everything we do influences our life. Traveling has given me a love for home, the people of this country, and knowledge we are more alike than different.

I recently posted a story on my blog about an experience while on the road. Here's the link to it:  http://fleetothemountains.com/just-enough-just-in-time/

JR: What led you to get interested in writing in general and your Sanctuary Series in particular?

DB: I have enjoyed writing for years. I started with articles for my church blog. Six or seven years ago I had a dream. It was about a ranch in the mountains where Christians fled when violence against them began to spiral out of control. Our country was in turmoil everywhere. It was interesting…my husband also had a similar vision around the same time. We wanted a way to warm people of difficult times ahead. From there the fictional story was born. I finished the book five years ago and simply put it away because we felt it wasn’t time to do anything with it yet. Then last year we just knew it was time to publish.

JR: Could you tell us about Flee To The Mountain, and your thoughts as far as follow-up books in the series?

DB: The story is about the Hamilton family, led by God to establish a small mountain community they call the sanctuary. They set out to prepare their hearts for hard times. Large numbers of supplies, food, and other necessary items are purchased knowing they will have to help others. When the world falls into chaos and persecution runs rampant, the Hamiltons open their community to displaced believers.

I have three other books in mind to follow Flee to the Mountain. The second is nearly completed. Rescue God’s Children deals with those who come under fierce persecution, detainment, or fall into the hands of evil people. God puts together a group of ex-military men to rescue some young people from places like a brothel and a school where the kids are forced to work in a community garden as slave labor. The entire series will deal with those people called by God to help others, traveling toward a refuge, or dealing with the evil around them.

My entire focus in this series is to get Christians to prepare for hard times ahead. It is my belief God is warning His people to prepare and band together in order to survive. That's not to say He won't help us, but we need to do our part. We must prepare spiritually to deal with the escalation of evil around the world and begin to stockpile supplies of all kinds.

JR: Your book is published by a self-publishing company which is linked with a major Christian publisher, one I had considered using. Could you tell us about how you selected them and the pluses and minuses of being self-published?

DB: Since Flee to the Mountains is a Christian book, I felt a Christian publisher would best fit my needs. To be honest, I don’t think I would use them again. They are very nice people, but I feel it’s all about money for them. They don’t really care about the books or the authors…at least that is my impression. I have found if you plan to self-publish, it’s best to find the least expensive with the best quality. I’m not sure there are any pluses to self-publishing. The minuses are promotion and marketing, though it’s my understanding regular publishers don’t do as much as they used to. Many bookstores will not carry self-published books. That’s a huge minus. You may have the best written book on the planet, but chances are slim most people will see it. In my case, my book is a ministry. So it’s never been about making money. I give them to people who I believe will benefit from them. But people can buy them online at Amazon or Barnes and Nobles.

JR: You're a member of the ACFW, and also a member of my small critique group. How has your involvement with the ACFW and the group helped you as a writer?

DB: Any time we open ourselves up to others we can grow...at least when those people have a heart for God and try to help you. It was hard for me at first to receive from them. My books are my babies and I tend to hover over them. But I believe the groups are helping me. My only hesitation is changing my writing to the point it is just like everyone else’s. God made us individuals and unique. The same is true for our writing styles. I want to incorporate some of the techniques I am learning from my critique partners, but I want to maintain my uniqueness as well.

JR: What influences have you had both as an author and otherwise which have shown up in your writing?

DB: I used to read in all my spare time...now I write. I enjoy a great many authors. Dee Henderson, JD Robb come to mind first, but I have a huge library of both Christian and secular books. (I like to actually hold the book I read.) Funny thing is before I started writing I never paid much attention to how it was written. Now I notice things I never saw before.

To be honest, I'm not sure how much any one of them has influenced me though. I am a believer in Jesus to the foundation of my soul and I incorporate that into my writing. If my work does not challenge others to live a Godly life and share the message of the cross, I am a failure. On the flip side, if even one person reads my work and it helps them in their personal walk with the Lord…I am a success.

JR: What advice would you give a young Christian interested in writing?

DB: Start writing from your heart. Join a writing group, take some classes on writing and read, read, read different kinds of books. It will help you establish your own style and find your area of interest. And don’t give up. God give each of us gifts. If one of yours is writing, you must use it.

JR: Thank you for your time. Is there a webpage people can keep up with you on?

DB: Thank you     http://fleetothemountains.com

Theology 101 For Novelists: How :"Boring" and "Divisive" Doctrine Can Make Your Story More Interesting

Angelology and eschatology can produce a best seller, but a study on harmatiology can create a deep and thrilling novel.

No, I'm not cursing at you and I'm not speaking in tongues either. And no, you don't need to grab your dictionary – I have some long words you may not be familiar with, but I'll define them.

Raise your hands if you think theology is something that can enhance your novel. I see one hand. Wait, that's my hand I see!

Some may think theology is boring. It can be but not if it's taught right. Others will say that theology is divisive. Technically, it's the differences in theology that divides.

Let me surprise you. All of you have a theology. In fact, if you're a Christian you have a belief in the ten major fields of theology and if you're not you still have views in the vast majority. You may not have it written out with notes indicating the Scriptures you appeal to for that belief or even be aware of it, but you still have a theology.

Is that enough of a shocker? Let me go a step further: Each of your characters has a theology in the ten fields I'll introduce you to. The characters might have varying theologies and these might bring about the conflict.

As I said, theology in and of itself isn't divisive. We may disagree on some of the aspects of these ten fields, but I'm sure we agree about that we have beliefs that fit in these categories. I'll be sharing these theological divisions in the order that my college curriculum covered them.

1. BIBLIOLOGY: Doctrine of Scripture. Is it inspired? How was it inspired? Does it contain errors?

2. THEOLOGY PROPER: Doctrine of God. What are His attributes? Is the Trinity fact or fiction?

3. CHRISTOLOGY: Doctrine of Christ. (That was a tough one to figure out, wasn't it?!) Is Jesus Christ God in the flesh? If so, was he fully God and fully man? Was He sinless and could He have fallen into temptation?

4. PNUEMATOLOGY: Doctrine of the Holy Spirit. What is the nature of the baptism, indwelling, and filling of the Spirit? Spiritual gifts falls into this category as well.

5. ANTHROPOLOGY: Doctrine of man. A term not limited to Christianity. Was man created in God's image? What was the nature of the fall?

6. HARMATIOLOGY: Doctrine of sin. What is sin and how does it affect our relationship with God and with each other?

7. ANGELOLOGY: Doctrine of angels. (Another one that you wouldn't have guessed without help, right?!) What is the nature of angels? This field also deals with Satan and demons. Frank Peretti's Darkness series deals with this field.

8. SOTEROLOGY: Doctrine of salvation. Are we saved by grace alone, by our good deeds, or some combination? Are we elect or do we have free will? Can we lose our salvation?

9. ECCLESIOLOGY: Doctrine of the church. What is the nature and authority of the church? Is the local church autonomous?

10. ESCHATOLOGY: Doctrine of last things. Is there a coming, thousand-year long Kingdom? If so, will Christ return to set it up or will the church establish it with Christ coming to claim it? Is there a coming time of testing? Will the church be there for all of it, none of it, or part of it? By the way, has anyone heard of a series which started with the book Left Behind?

As I have on my tagline, who says theology can't be thrilling? Hopefully, you no longer see theology as boring or a field that distracts from the action. And maybe you don't see it as much divisive as a great source for page turning conflict.

By the way, I am an ordained minister. I've graduated from Southwestern Conservative Baptist Bible College (now known as Arizona Christian University) in Phoenix, Arizona.

Interview with Scott Nehring, author of You Are What You See: Watching Movies Through A Christian Lens

Last month, I reviewed You Are What You See: Watching Movies Through A Christian Lens by film critic Scott Nehring. I had the privilege of hearing Christian film critic Scott Nehring on Chris Fabry live (3-5pm on WGNR-FM, 97.9). Nehring's reviews have been syndicated on several websites including Reuter's, USAToday, FoxNews, and The Chicago Sun Times.

This book has a lot to say about how we look at movies as a Christian, but I also saw elements that spoke to writing. This month, I have the privilege of interviewing Scott Nehring.

JR: How did you get started writing movie reviews?

SN: I began in 2004 when I started my first site. I had gotten tired of the usual reviews I found online. It seemed most critics either didn’t have any idea what they were talking about or they were insufferable snobs. I thought I could step in and try to fill that gap.

JR: What are the most memorable responses (positive or negative) you've received to either your book or to your reviews?

SN: My personal favorite was having a woman named Tessa telling me she hoped I “get raped and contract A.I.D.S.” for my negative review of The Constant Gardner. The flood of responses for my calling Avatar the worst movie ever made (it is – and unbelievably racist to boot) is also another feather in my cap. It's always nice to receive compliments, but it's also fun to get someone riled up enough to slam your work.

JR: Have you ever tried your hand at writing fiction?

SN: Yes. I have been writing screenplays since I was child. I wrote my first screenplay when I was 12. I moved into writing stage plays in my late teens. I have been produced and enjoyed some minor success, but nothing to put a roof over my head. I’m living proof that just because you know what you’re doing, it doesn’t mean you have the talent and luck to pull it off. I backed away from fiction writing in 2004. Since then, I have found that my talent rests more in deconstructing stories and helping others learn how to see the components of a properly told tale.

JR: This leads into your book. The second section deals with the structure and character types common in movies. What do you think a budding Christian novelist can learn from that section to help their writing?

SN: As explained in my book, the structure and character archetypes found in story are engrained in us. These structures are instinctive to us and are used to influence how we communicate and understand concepts. By understanding how these narrative mechanics work and how they can be applied to our stories, the Christian writer can improve their work and make their tale more enjoyable to the reader.

JR: If you were to write a novel or screen-play, how would your experience as a film critic and writing You Are What You See influence it?

SN: The process of writing You Are What You See forced me to consider how I watch film. It also forced me to think about the kinds of stories I used to write and how I went about writing them. I went through a serious maturing process in regards to how I look at my work while putting the book together. I believe that would come through in my writing. I would be far more conscious to the messages I was weaving into the narrative and more aware on how those messages would play in the final script.

JR: Picture hundreds of Christian novelists listening for any advice/exhortations in reaching today's culture. (Okay, make it more like a dozen novelists.) We're all ears. How would you like to challenge us?

SN: The Christian writer has a responsibility to do more than simply write – they need to express their faith in their work. If you call yourself a Christian then your work inescapably reflects your faith. This being the case, you need to do your best to release works that glorify the Lord and the gifts He has provided to you. In short, we don’t glorify God by making crap.

Look at the culture we live in today. It is hollow and stagnant. This is because it is secular and only serves itself. A hundred years from now – I take that back, 20-30 years from now, how much will remain from this moment in cultural history? The Arts and the culture they produce have become disposable and ultimately useless.

Christian artists need to realize that when people complain about the state of our culture, it is their fault. The Arts have fallen into disrepair because over the last 60 years we have failed to fight for and protect them. We have handed over our role as cultural leaders and now see the results of that surrender. The time has come for Christian artists and writers to work towards reclaiming the culture. This is done by creating valuable works that aren’t just mimicking the latest fads or playing to the most sensitive and restrictive members of our audience. If we make works that are intellectually and artistically fulfilling -- ones that challenge the artist and the audience -- we can begin to make the changes in this society towards a more fruitful and productive future.

JR: Thank you very much for your time, and also for writing this excellent book.

If you want more information on Scott's book, go to http://www.YouAreWhatYouSee.com. You can also access Scott's movie reviews at http://www.GoodNewsFilmReviews.com.

Satan as a Ghost Writer

Did you know that Satan is an author? It's true. Of course, he doesn't sit down and write manuscripts and submit them to publishers. However, just like a ghost writer, he comes alongside Christian authors and offers his services--invisibly and for free.

Of course, in the normal understanding of the term, a ghost writer teams up with a busy or inexperienced individual to add literary expertise and thus create a much better manuscript than the individual could do alone. Satan, on the other hand, plays a sneakier game. He's out to sabotage your Christian stories and articles in such a way that you don't even realize he's doing it.

The Devil's first step in this diabolical scheme is to duplicate your own inner voice. (Yes, he's a master of first-person point of view.) So, as you prepare to write, he'll mimic your own thoughts and slip them straight into your brain as if you had generated them yourself:

- "Whatever made me think I could write something for God? I'm probably no good."
- "That agent never replied with a single word about my query. That must mean she hated it."
- "Sure, I've had some stuff published, but my work is nowhere near as good as ________'s stories."
- "Maybe I could sell more books if I just tell a clean story but stop mentioning God and Jesus."
- "Today's market wants steamy bedroom scenes. I could write those and make big bucks!"
- "Write? I have no time to write. Real writers must have huge blocks of time for creativity."
- "It just takes too long to learn and polish my writing skills to get published. I give up!"

Of course, these are just a few samples of the slick thoughts that the master of deception handcrafts for your particular brain. He carries many others in his literary toolbox. The bottom line, though, always aims toward the same goal: to slow down or stop you in your quest to touch hearts and minds for the Lord. How you respond to such unwanted destructive criticism may very well decide your future as a writer.

Let's go on the defensive together. Has the enemy tried to plant any of these wily sentences in your mind? Or, has he penned other propaganda not listed here that you want to warn fellow authors about?

"Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, 

and he will flee from you." (James 4:7)

"To Be Read?" Or "To Have Said?"

Here's a question for thought. On Oscar night, 1982, who would you rather be? David Putnam, the producer who walked up to the stage to receive the Best Picture trophy for “Chariots of Fire?” Or fellow producer George Lucas whose “Raiders of the Lost Ark” was the big money maker for the same year?

1981 movies too long ago for you to remember? All right, let's set the chronometer forward a quarter of the century and look at two other movies: “The Illusionist” and “The Prestige”. I find it fun looking at the Amazon reviewers argue about which was better. My opinion? “The Prestige” was the better movie but “The Illusionist” was the one I enjoyed watching better.

While both movies dealt with turn-of-the-century illusionists and released the same year, comparing them is like the cliché of apples and oranges. “The Illusionist” was an old fashioned movie, with a clear cut hero, a clear cut heroine, a clear cut villain, and a likeable antagonist. “The Prestige” had two leads that did not fit the nice neat molds. On the other hand, it made you think more. It strove to be a higher form of art.

Yes, you can say I'm dealing with the philosophical debate of making great art or good money. Should we aim to please the people even if we're being imitative rather than innovative? Or should we seek to make the critics notice, doing something that is more creative but may not have mass appeal?

Let's get real for a moment. Any true artist has enough pride in their work to do their best and not produce garbage, but also knows they need to reach enough people for their project to be profitable. However, there will be times when we debate on whether to take a risk that may lessen our audience or not. There's no right across-the-board answer.

But is it really money vs. art? No question about the money side, but let me propose that there is either a conscious or an unconscious message to the art. I recently read Saving Leonardo by Nancy Pearcey which looks at how worldview affects art. She mentions that Gian Carlo Menotti was criticized for his one act opera “Amahl and the Night Visitors” because the music was too beautiful.

As Christian novelists, is our goal “To be read” (i.e. getting books off the shelves and into hands) or “To have said” (i.e. having a clear message)? As I said, most of us would answer this question “Yes.” We want both. But, as I also said, we will lean one way or another as we write.

I have written two complete novels, over 20 years apart. The first one was basically written to become a popular adventure movie. I had no real message in the story. What's funny is that while I wrote it as popular fiction, it was probably too Christian for the secular market and too secular for the Christian market.

The reason I wrote the more recent novel was because I had a purpose for it. I thought I could get more people interested in apologetics by writing a novel about a murder mystery at an apologetics conference than I could writing a non-fiction tome. As I wrote it, I had no plans to write a second novel unless I felt led to. And you guessed it: my hunch is that the message novel is more marketable.

This question will affect certain aspects of your story, though. Some of you may have seen a question on the ACFW loop about whether it's appropriate to use a phrase that was considered vulgar when I was younger but has become more common place. Using it would be more realistic, but it might also be offensive to some readers (as well as making agents or editors nervous). On the other hand, I read a novel where the author made some very strong points that represent a theology that not all Christians share.

Let me get practical. In a couple of my works in progress, I've debated dealing with homosexuality and the tension between that lifestyle and conservative Christianity. I came to the conclusion it is not necessary in the story I'm working on now. I'm not as sure about the third installment. I know that this is a risk, but what is more important? To deal with the story and offend some people? Or keep everybody comfortable?

I'd love to get your feedback. This is a great philosophical question, and I don't believe there's a wrong answer.

The Moral Premise

Right now I'm reading a book called the Moral Premise. The author Stanley D. Williams will teach the Early Bird at ACFW in September, and like any good hyper student, I wanted to get a head start on preparing. The Moral Premise reveals the foundational concept at the heart of all storytelling and successful box office movies. In concrete terms it explains how you can create your own success and, in the process, entertain, delight, challenge, and uplift this generation and the ones to come.

Hmmm, that's a lot to offer in one little book!

But as I think more about it, I think the author is on to something. Don't we all want to read books that challenge us to live better lives? That illustrate good v. evil? That show hope and redemption at the end?

One reason I write Christian fiction is my firm belief that if God is with us, which He promises He is, then no matter how bad things seem, there is always hope. And as the movie says, Hope Floats to the surface. Sometimes it just takes longer than other times.

In a nutshell, the premise of the Moral Premise seems to be that a movie or book that will resonate with its audience is one that illustrates the dichotimies of life. Illustrates the differences between choosing well and choosing evil.

The one John Grisham novel I wanted to throw against the wall had Goliath winning rather than David. I don't know about you, but in the books I read and write, I want hope to prevail...after the long, dark night.

Writing With Boldness

Have you noticed the same thing that Andy Stanley did? Have you noticed that most prayer requests are either for safety (“Bless the Smith's trip”) or healing (“Heal Mrs. Jones' cancer”)? We're in at least one of the safest and healthiest countries on this planet, and our prayers focus on safety and healing!

On a fairly recent In Touch program, Andy Stanley went on to point out the first prayer service mentioned in the New Testament, found in Acts 4. After being arrested and threatened, did Peter and John pray for safety? No, they prayed for boldness.

Getting to this blog's focus on writing, do you think we should pray for boldness in our writing? I do. I'd like to look at three ways boldness applies to Christian fiction writing, one of which will have little argument while the other two are open for debate.

BOLDNESS #1 – WRITING AND MARKETING

It takes boldness to create characters that grab the reader and captivate them for the hours it takes to read the book. It takes boldness to create twists that rob the reader of sleep because they need to keep turning. That boldness cannot be satisfied by the finished product – it needs to accompany you as you deal with agents and editors as you seek publication.

If you disagree with me that writers need the above boldness, please raise your hand right now.

I don't see any hands raised, so I'll assume you agree with me. Let's move to the next point.

BOLDNESS #2 – CONTROVERSIAL AND “EDGY” TOPICS

When I write an Amazon review, I rate the item from one star for terrible to five stars for excellent. I notice most novels and movies tend to have a lot of five star reviews and then a declining number of lower rankings. But when it comes to a controversial topic book or movie (e.g. Anne Coulter, Ben Stein's documentary Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed, etc.), one finds a nearly equal number of one star and five star reviews, with three stars being a rare rating. People who agree with the topic of choice love it and those who disagree loathe it (often without reading or viewing that item).

Sometimes, being in the Christian market makes a topic more controversial. Thirty years ago, I heard a musician point out that the music that's popular in England will be the craze in the U.S. in three years and in the Christian market in twelve. In his book The Complete Idiot's Guide To Writing Christian Fiction, Ron Benrey states that a character can face an awful death and can't say anything stronger than “Oh my.”

What I find interesting is that many of my favorite Christian authors are envelope pushers. A three part series I read have villains who are child murderers, including chapters from the villain's POV. Another recent novel had a main character raised in church who not only had an affair with a married man but have an abortion to cover it up. Still another focuses on a pastor who left his first wife for “the right . The ironic thing is that I enjoy these authors in spite of the envelope pushing.

To be honest, I'm not an envelope pusher. Others are bolder in that area. Still others are more in the middle. This form of boldness is one that can be debated on whether it's a good thing or a bad thing.

BOLDNESS #3 – SHARING THE FAITH

This third boldness is no less controversial than the other, though my hunch is that many who advocate the second boldness don't advocate the third and vice versa. I noticed one book I reviewed only had a pair of one star reviews and an equal number of two stars (by the way, the novel mentioned above where a main character had an affair). All four negative reviewers didn't like the book because it comes from a Christian perspective.

This is the boldness that Andy Stanley spoke of. I believe it is a boldness we need in all areas of our lives, and this includes our writing. We are living in a society that wants us to keep quiet about our faith while we are serving a God who commands us to speak up.

We will offend some people just because we love Christ, but can one have a message presented clearly without being obnoxious? Yes. One novel I read contained a clear example of a changed life, yet nobody complained about it in their Amazon reviews.

Does your writing have enough boldness?

Message in a Bottle

"So will the words that come out of my mouth not come back empty-handed. They'll do the work I sent them to do, they'll complete the assignment I gave them." (Isaiah 55:11 The Message)

I recently read Nicholas Sparks' novel Message in a Bottle and it led me to research real cases of messages found in bottles. I discoverd the story of Chunosuke Matsuyama, a Japanese sailor, shipwrecked with forty-four shipmates in 1784. Washed up on a Pacific coral reef, Matsuyama carved a brief message on a piece of wood and sealed it in a bottle. All forty-five sailors died on that shore, but Matsuyama's message survived. Legend follows that the bottle washed ashore in 1935 in the same village where Matsuyama was born. Matsuyama never returned home, but his words did.

God tells us that His words are powerful and active. He also tells us that His words will not return empty-handed or void. So how can we, as Christian writers, get God's Word into our stories? How can we do it without sounding super-spiritual or preachy? I came up with a few ideas I've seen used in fiction:

Quote Scripture in the body of your work or as chapter headings. Christians expect to see it there and non-believers will read over it even if they think they aren't absorbing it. This can be a mini-lesson on how the truth of scripture plays out in everyday life.

Make your character the messenger in a variety of ways. Have characters refer to or use Scripture in dialogue. The seeker or new believer in your novel can refer to Scripture by asking questions of mature believers. Christian characters can offer advice by using Scripture. Don't feel obligated to put the reference. You can sneak it in there--kind of like I sneak cauliflower into my kids' mashed potatoes.
Another way I've noticed authors getting the message into the book is through an on-fire Christian who spouts Scripture in an almost "in-your-face" way. Gilbert Morris often includes a character who repeatedly asks other characters "Do you know Jesus?" While the method in real life might be lacking, this tactic exposes your reader to Scripture in a humorous and non-threatening way.

Let the preacher do the talking. One more way to let the character be the messenger is through scenes involving a church service or sermon. A struggling Christian or non-believer reading your book may be experiencing the same questions as your character. Observing a character dissect and internalize a message speaks to our spirits as well.

As Christian writers, we wield a mighty weapon in the form of the very words of our God. Isn't it amazing that He would trust our fiction to reveal His truth? What are some other ways you use scripture to get across the message God has given you?

By Nikki Studebaker Barcus