Confession Session - Sundays

I love Christian fiction. I really do.

I love that they're clean. That words I'd rather not have as part of my vocabulary won't worm their way into my mind as I read them in the text. That the romance is focused on love, not lust. That the deeper meaning to life comes across. That there is always hope, no matter what genre I'm reading.

But one thing I don't love about Christian fiction is the Sunday sermon. I don't know why, but I always end up skimming those sections or even skipping them altogether.

In fact, I think because I don't like to read them, I don't like to write them, so most of the time I actually forget about Sundays when I'm writing. Which--considering the fact that I try to avoid conducting business on Sundays and try to work the same into my books--can make for some pretty interesting editing as I pull out a calendar and put Sundays back in.

What is one thing you love about Christian fiction? Or one thing you don't?

Thoughts on Twilight

A month or so ago, the latest movie in the Twilight series released. You probably saw news articles about women of all ages camped out in California for days on end, sporting “Be safe” tattoos or shirts with “I love Edward” scrawled across the front in marker. Were you with them in spirit, or did it make you shake your head in disgust?

Personally, I enjoyed the books. Except for the last one, which I pretty much hated, but that’s a different topic. I get that people loved the story. I do NOT get the obsessive fans, like the ones who are now having marital problems because they fawn so much over these fictional heroes.

How did that hero worship happen? How does a book or a movie spawn this kind of following? I really doubt that was Meyer’s intention. It might actually be a little creepy to her to have fans love her characters even more than she does.

I have to wonder what would have happened if Meyer was a Christian and reflected that in the series. I do respect that she put some morals in there—no drugs, no sex before marriage for Edward and Bella—but what if she went further? What if when Edward left and Bella hit rock bottom, Jacob helped her realize that GOD needed to be her everything? If Meyer put God first in the story—the true God—would fans become more interested in learning about Jesus Christ than in debating Team Jacob or Team Edward?

It's something to think about. I'm not likely to see any of my stories in film, but if I did, I don't ever want my fans to make fools of themselves or jeopordize their real life relationships over a product of my imagination. I want to make sure the shining star in the story is Jesus.

Have you read any novels lately that helped you to see your relationship with Him in a new light or challenged your spiritual walk in some way?

What I Love About...

I am a picky reader, but still, there are so many books and authors I love. I don't usually like to post book reviews, so I'm not going to. But someone suggested I do it, so here's my compromise. I figure I can tell you some things I really admire in some stories, some of the things that really draw me in.

I just finished a Charles Martin book, so I'm going to start with him and Dean Koontz. Kind of an odd combination, maybe. Martin writes mostly for CBA (Christian fiction), Koontz for ABA (general market). Martin is more literary or general fiction--kind of a Nicholas Sparks type (but better, in my opinion), and Koontz is usually a crazy combination of sci-fi and suspense and humor who knows what else. But they have something in common that makes me keep coming back for more: heroes who love their wives more than life itself.

I love that.

The hero is usually humble--never quite sure what the woman he adores sees in him, but loving her all the more for it. He stands in awe of her spirit and does whatever he can to protect her and make her dreams come true. And he has a sense of humor.

The wife is usually sassy but kind. She's fun-loving, but sees the needs around her and has a heart of compassion. She knows her man. She tries to make him see what she sees inside of him. And she makes him a better person.

It's such a winning combination. The romance is not gone in these marriages, that's for sure.

And I think it points to something else. When someone sits down and writes a book, even if it's fiction, it's filled with the experiences of the author. Their heart bleeds on those pages. With that in mind, these characters that appear in book after book do not become cliche. It makes them more special, because it makes me think Koontz and Martin are writing about their own marriages, their own experiences, their undying love for their own wives. And that, in my opinion, makes their books grab your heart even more.

How To Have A Good Marriage

Make sure he has enough coffee. That should do it.

Okay, I'm kidding. And I'm not really going to sit here and give you a bunch of marriage tips. My husband and I are doing great, thank the Lord, but I'm not exactly counselor material.

My parents got this idea last year. For Valentine's Day, they bought books on marriage for each couple in my immediate family. We were all supposed to read our books, then switch them out with someone else in the family when we were done.

Our first book was His Needs, Her Needs by Harley, Jr. It was interesting enough (for non-fiction...I know, I know. Shallow me.), but my husband decided I shouldn't read any more marriage books, as I kept asking him very random questions. We did discover, however, that neither of us had any interest in taxidermy. What a surprise.

We have a new book now. Haven't started it yet, since it's non-fiction and all. (If I keep saying that, you're going to lose all confidence in my character, aren't you.) The question is, is it worth it? When I could be devouring Susan May Warren's latest, or looking up the perfect picture to represent Brogan's heroine?

What marriage books have you read, especially from a Christian perspective? Which ones were worth the time? Which ones can I skip? :-)