Sad Stories

Have you ever shied away from reading a book because you know it’s going to have a sad ending? Or have you been in the mood to seek out such a book? What if a book has a sad ending, only you weren’t expecting it?

I remember years ago I was determined to read a couple of the books recommended by Oprah. I told myself I really should be reading what is guaranteed to become a best seller, just because so many people follow her advice.

But I honestly couldn’t get through the books she was talking about. I made it about half way through the first, skimming the rest. It was very well written, but the characters were largely unlikeable and went through one horror after another. I don’t recall many details, only that a woman was asked by her neighbor to babysit her kids, and one ended up drowning in their pool or pond. The woman then went to prison for child endangerment and while incarcerated her husband had an affair with the mother of the child who died. Revenge? I couldn’t read it, no matter how masterful the prose. It was just too downright depressing.

Right now I’m reading Still Alice, the best-selling story of a brilliant, confident woman suffering with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease. It’s not a book I would have chosen, but it won the majority in my book club so it’s a must-read if I want to participate in this month’s meeting. Again, it’s well written, but it has a guaranteed tragic end. It’s not a book I’ll likely keep on my shelf.

When I was younger, sad endings didn’t bother me so much. The first sad movie I enjoyed was Old Yeller, and as a teen I flocked to the theater along with other girls my age to see Love Story. And then The Way We Were. But as I get older, such sad stories just don’t hold any appeal for me—even if, as the quote goes, the story is well done. Of course, there are stories that have satisfying ends that don’t necessarily end happily. Gone With The Wind seemed to have the right ending, even if it wasn’t happy. And the first Academy Award winning movie, the silent film Wings, is one of my absolute favorites even though it has a bittersweet ending.

But I confess I write stories with happy endings—maybe because I hear about enough sad stories on the news. Why make up more sad endings, when it’s just as easy to write a story with a happy one?

 

What about you? Do you prefer happy endings, or sad?

Speaking of happy endings, the e-book version of my newest title, All In Good Time, is being offered by my publisher at the special price of only 2.99 for any electronic version (Kindle, Nook, etc.). So if you prefer happy endings, this one’s for you!

On Suspending Disbelief Posted by Maureen Lang

Image from Bing Free Images and originally seen on suspension of disbelief | Systems Savvy

When I’m reading a good book, I’m usually willing to suspend disbelief—that is, accept something implausible—if the story or film has prepared me properly. Shootouts both contemporary and historical are exciting and I’m willing to believe the bad guys will miss hitting the good guys while the good guys can aim once and hit their target (something a recent news story proved implausible in reality). I’m already cheering for the good guys, and if they’re as heroic as their character has been portrayed, of course they’ll be a great shot!

When I’m writing a story, I try to pay close attention to this element. I don’t want to ask my readers to suspend disbelief, I want them to be so fully immersed in the story they won’t stop to question whether or not the action is plausible or not. I’ve found the best way to avoid the eye-roll from readers is by preparing the field, so to speak. If my reclusive hero is going to involve himself in society, I’d better bring him along slowly enough to have the reader believing it could happen.

I think as a reader I’m more willing to accept the extraordinary if everything supporting this potentially unbelievable aspect is working. The full saying goes “suspending disbelief for the sake of entertainment.” So if I’m being entertained, I can overlook things that might be stretching reality just a bit.

There are certain personalities this doesn’t work for, though. My husband is one of those! When we watch a movie together, even one we both acknowledge was great, he’ll bring up later where the plot points or credibility factor was lacking. To which I just shrug and remind him about suspending disbelief . . .

So how about you? Are you okay with suspending disbelief if you’re being entertained? Is there a limit on how much you can accept? For me, if I’m loving the storyline or the characters, I’m more willing to let little details go unnoticed or not bother me. What, if anything, lets you do that?

Something to think about the next time you’re enjoying a good book or movie!

Reading Seasons posted by Maureen Lang

Do you find yourself reading more books during different seasons of the year? Or perhaps you’re a seasonal reader, who only reads during certain times of the year. The publishing industry has three seasons, but from other writers I know, the Spring season seems to release more books, at least fiction, than others. Is that when people are planning their vacation reads?

In contrast, December doesn’t appear to be a big month for new fiction releases, perhaps because giving fiction as a Christmas present isn’t all that common—unless of course you have an appropriately seasonal book. Who has time to read during that month, anyway? (Well, many of us do, but I know holiday demands can leave little room at the end of the day.)

The truth is, avid readers everywhere know all seasons are the best for reading!

This is April, the beginning of a new season. A time of rebirth and sunshine. What could be better than enjoying fresh air after a long winter with a good book out on the porch? Or at the park? Or at home on your favorite reading chair with the window open for the first time this year?

Summer reads are straight ahead! Vacations! Beach reads; airplane reads; long summer evening reads. Can a vacation really be a vacation without a peek into a new book?

But then I think of chilly autumn nights and wonder what could be better than snuggling inside a warm sweater and sitting down with a cup of hot tea and a good book?

Or winter, when the days are so short and everyone is hibernating. What else can pass those long, sunless afternoons than a good book?

Surely there is no single season more perfectly suited than any other to enjoy a good book.

So this reminds me of the movie Camelot, when Lancelot sings to Gwinevere about how he could never leave her. I’m taking a cue from Jim from yesterday and will introduce a video (although this one isn’t nearly as fun, but it is more musical!) Here’s what I’m talking about: Instead of Lancelot singing of his beloved, think of the books you read instead!

If ever I would leave you (my beloved books) it couldn’t be in springtime, summer, winter or fall . . . no, never could I leave you, at all . . .

(The excerpt is longer than it needs to be, just the first two and a half minutes highlight this song. Enjoy!)

From one year-round-reader to another!

Writer-Readers

Image compliments of:
http://www.book-clipart.com/free_book_clipart/child_reading_a_math_book_0521-1101-1321-5229.html

I’ve been a reader and a writer nearly all my life, and sometimes it’s hard to separate the two. When I was very young I learned to read a book not only to be entertained, but to try figuring out why a story or character touched me. Reading was both entertaining and instructive, because from a very young age I knew I wanted to write a story that I felt like reading.

The older I became, the more aware I was of how authors did things to make me enjoy the story. How clear their words must be, how important were their word choices, how vivid their descriptions. Eventually I understood there are two elements in producing a successful story: the mechanics, i.e. how clearly the writer can communicate, and the storytelling, i.e. how the overarching story either draws me in to the story world—or doesn’t.

There was a time in my adult life, however, when I wasn’t actively writing. Life was busy and demanding and I hardly had time to read. But when I did read, as strictly a reader, I was far less picky than I was as a writer-reader. Writer-readers, at least this writer-reader, is constantly looking to revise. It’s so easy to change the mechanics of a story. Writers do it all the time to their own work, so it’s almost impossible to forget the habit even while we’re being entertained with someone else’s work.

This habit can get annoying, though. I have to remind myself the stories I read for pleasure aren’t mine, and can’t possibly conform to all of my tastes, expectations and filters. Many times, though, when I’m completely immersed in a story world, I DO forget the writer in me and am in awe of another writer’s talent. That’s when I become a total reader!

I’m also less apt to want to revise a book that’s outside my genre, so that’s one of the reasons I have such eclectic tastes in reading.

I once asked my sister if she ever wanted to change a book, and the answer was absolutely not. She’s a pure reader and wants to be entertained. She might recognize if a book isn’t all that well written, but if the story or the characters are compelling enough she’ll easily look past or not even notice any flaws. She also finishes everything she starts.

I’ve come to believe that for those within any given industry, it’s harder to treat the object of their expertise very lightly. We’re like a chef in someone else’s kitchen: we can’t just enjoy the taste, we have to dissect what’s in it.

What about you? If you’re a writer, can you separate yourself to become only a reader? Do you find yourself wishing you could tweak someone else’s work? Do you wish you could be a pure reader again? If you’re a reader, do you find yourself wanting to change any of the stories you read, or does that not even cross your mind (like my sister)?

PS Look for special e-book pricing on my brand new release, All In Good Time, at your favorite online vendor! Today (Wednesday) the e-book version is only 2.99, then it jumps up but only to 4.99 through Saturday (4/6). On Sunday it goes to the regular price for a new release of around $9.00. So the only thing you need to do to take advantage of the special price for this e-book version only is to act quickly! (Regular price applies to print copies.) Happy Reading!

Easter’s Coming! Time for a worldview check. Posted by Maureen Lang

Image from Bing Free Images and http://www.turnbacktogod.com/easter-desktop-wallpapers

Of all the holidays, Easter is probably the most important to me. I love Christmas, too, but the older I get the more work and preparation that day demands. Easter, on the other hand, beyond the bunnies and eggs and chocolate, somehow remains the holiest day of the year. Good Friday service often brings tears to my eyes as I’m reminded of how Christ died for me. And Sunday is more than a symbol of spring, a time when the world becomes a picture of God’s hand of renewal. It’s the day that more than any other reminds me how deep God’s love runs for me.

Naturally this is a good time of year to revisit faith and what it means.

My small group is going through a study of worldviews, which is enhancing this Easter season for me. It’s so interesting to re-check all of the things I hold dear, and why—and to compare other worldviews. Basically a worldview is the filter through which we see the world and our place in it. Our worldview sets our boundaries and defines for us what’s right and wrong and true. It’s worth a moment of time to do more than just go though another day with our beliefs comfortably in place, but to revisit and refresh them.

So this study* compares historic Christianity, the view I hold, to several others, including ones like natural secularism – the worldview that assumes only matter and energy exist, that everything apart from fact is just opinion or faith (faith and opinion being something that can’t be proven as either energy or matter). Science plays a huge role in this worldview, but when I’m reminded that the Bible isn’t incompatible with science, and you can still believe in creation and what scientists know about the incredible (yes, miraculous) design involved in this world, my faith is only strengthened.

Many worldviews overlap one another, postmodernism is one of them—a complicated belief system that absolute truth doesn’t exist. It’s the “I’m okay, you’re okay” mentality when one person’s truth is easily doubted by those who prefer to define God for themselves, not trusting the Bible or any of its interpretations (because of its imperfect interpreters).

Eastern religions have influenced many who hold a postmodern worldview as well as those with a new age view, which seems to depend heavily on emotion and personal experience. It always makes me wonder how much self-confidence (or perhaps more precisely, pride) it must take to define God solely through personal experience, trusting only that rather than something bigger that’s outside one’s self. Picking and choosing what suits a person’s emotional need rather than accepting one faith system seems to dilute and disrespect all of them.

This has always been a good time of the year to try understanding the way other people believe what they do. I know even within the Christian community there are many different traditions and beliefs, but the central truths shouldn’t be mixed up: God is the creator, a perfect being who is both loving and just, who wanted us to love Him freely. Because freedom always comes with a price, God paid the cost of our sin by becoming Christ, the Savior, so we can spend eternity with our Creator.

Everything else either supports or detracts from that core belief.

Isn’t Easter a good time of year to look at your core beliefs or worldview, to see what your life says about what you believe?

*Chuck Colson’s Centurions Study and Portals by Glenn Sunshine

Do the books you read pass the test? by Maureen Lang

Image from Bing Free Images

I recently tuned in to a radio debate on the merits of reading commercial vs literary or classic novels. The focus was supposed to be on the romance genre, but both guests—two Phd’s from different universities—seemed to be talking as much about Christian fiction in general as about romance.

One professor was a great defender of genre fiction, having talked to a variety of voracious readers of Christian fiction. The other professor was a staunch champion of classic literature, convinced that once a reader develops a taste for the best writing they’d never choose to settle for the dreck that is today’s commercial Christian fiction. One thing I didn’t expect was the literature-minded professor’s surprise to hear of many avid Christian fiction readers who also read classics. Count me in that group, so I thought it was common practice.
Anyone who’s been around book lovers—or just people in general—should know there’s no accounting for taste. That phrase is a cliche for a reason! It’s universal; one person’s junk is another person’s treasure, so taste in books should be no exception. But it was sad to hear the old argument against Christian fiction as being potentially unhealthy for people by stirring up dissatisfaction with real life by idealizing what life could be via fiction. I’m not sure it’s fiction so much that does that (aren’t we smart enough to decipher reality from fiction?) but rather that people are fully capable of becoming dissatisfied with life with or without books. In fact, it’s my belief that a satisfying, entertaining story can enhance life!

Another argument was to call Christian fiction “one note” (vs. the symphony found in deeper, classic literature) and that Christian authors take themselves too seriously. Other than finding that a bit condescending, I wondered why she felt this way. If our goal in Christian fiction is to remind readers of the spiritual dimension in life, something secular fiction avoids, then isn’t that a worthy aspiration? The classics professor maintained throughout the debate that today’s Christian fiction doesn’t demand the reader to process the content thoughtfully, that to read such shallow work can in fact be done thoughtlessly.

This made me wonder if the professor devoted to the classics had read much current Christian fiction, because she insisted they rarely address life’s real complexities. She did say she’d read a number of Christian fiction books that were nominated for a Christy, represented as the best of the best, but I didn’t catch how long ago that might have been. I can name a number of current authors who regularly address real issues, starting with authors right here at Christians Read.

Another aspect brought up was the emotional impact. One caller said she had to wean herself off of Christian romance because it aroused emotions in her she didn’t want to feel. I do admit there are seasons in life when certain types of reading might not be beneficial. For example, when I was single but wanting to be married, I didn’t even read the Song of Solomon because it only reminded me of what I didn’t have. I avoided romance reading in general in those days, so I understand if someone else feels that way. But there are plenty of other entertaining Christian genres that offer just that—entertainment that honors God.

Sadly, they took a call from a pastor who insisted Christian romance is for woman what pornography is for a man. This was thoroughly debated on a blog a few years ago, and from the many comments it appeared to be a hot topic then. But I’m glad to say both professors refused to take Christian romance that far. Christian fiction should wear the “Christian” label for a reason, not simply because it’s a story without bad language or graphic sex, but because there is more than just a man-woman relationship going on in its pages. Rather than listening to their own hearts, as the debunkers of Christian romance say, the best Christian fiction portrays characters who are trying to get their relationship with God right first. The spiritual conflict can play a part in keeping the couple apart, but real commitment to each other usually comes only after both the man and the woman acknowledge their most important relationship is with God.

Bottom line? The classics professor challenged readers everywhere to put what they’re reading to the Philippians 4:8 test:
“…Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.”

That much, I agree! We just disagree about the limits of excellence. I love the classics, but in a day when we have so many more choices to fill our leisure time, I believe it’s okay to read a book that may not have the same kind of depth. If a story offers a wholesome spirit and winsome characters it can engage me just as well.

Total Immersion by Maureen Lang

Photo from Bing Free Images and:
http://tcdsbstaff.ednet.ns.ca/scroache/LA%20Writing/your_invitation_to_a_book_launch%20BW.htm

Do you remember the very first book that you read, the one that opened up the reading world for you? Perhaps it was a childhood book—maybe it wasn’t even a book that you read, but was read to you. Maybe your parents modeled reading and you picked up the habit that way. Or was it in school, with a teacher who introduced you to the world of books? Or maybe you fell in love with reading when you were older, when a season of life gave you the opportunity to explore what everybody was talking about from a best seller list.

I remember my mother telling me stories when I was a child, which inspired me to make up my own. But I also remember being given Nancy Drew books, and then discovering my first romance when a neighbor was selling the old Harlequin books for ten cents each. Wow! What a find. I had a dollar and spent all of it that day, then broke into my piggy bank the next day and went back to buy five more.

Do you remember how you felt when you read your first favorite book? Did your heart rate pick up because the character whose eyes you were using was in danger, or surprised, or falling in love? Did you laugh right out loud over something they said that so perfectly reflected their personality? Watching a movie can do all of that, but most readers agree that books do it better, simply because of the total immersion that happens when we’re transplanted to a story world. A movie might provide great visuals, with colors and music and costume and settings but books aren’t limited by the actors or the interpretation of directors or the dimensional separation between us and the screen—the action is right there inside our heads, touching our soul. We’re living the story we bond with.

Or at least that’s the ideal! That’s how it is for me when I’m reading a great book, one where I wouldn’t change or rewrite a word, when I’m so caught up in the story I’m not even aware that someone else made up this world I’m now inhabiting. I’m just . . . there.

How about you? Is there anything that beats the feeling of total immersion into a good book?

On Predictability

I’ve been reading through this book for the last week and a half (long book + slow reader [me] = 2 weeks). It was billed as a mystery when it first came out a few years ago, and although I’m not a die-hard fan of the genre I do enjoy an element of mystery in all kinds of books, including romances.

Since I haven’t yet finished it (20 pages to go!) I’m not here today to give it a review, although I can safely say I’ll be giving it a mostly positive one. It’s certainly held my interest, and the translation is excellent. But few books can satisfy every reader, so I’ve noticed a few nit-picky things that I’ll save for my GoodReads review.

Instead, I’ll talk about the element of predictability. I must admit that when I figure out what’s going to happen next, I have a very mixed reaction. One hand is busy patting myself on the back for my own brilliance while the other is either scratching my head wondering if the writer meant for me to figure it out or else is pointing an accusing finger at said author for not doing a good enough job at surprising me.

Well, as an author myself I must admit I don’t mind if a reader figures out one my twists ahead of time. I purposely include foreshadowing, or hints, along the way so whatever happens in the future won’t seem to come from outer space (i.e. anything outside the bookworld that I’ve created). I like to direct the reader to a satisfying conclusion.

But I’m not a mystery writer. I know critics will pan a book that’s “predictable” but as I’ve said this isn’t always bad in my estimation, if it’s satisfying. (This book, by the way, enjoyed critical acclaim and best seller status.)

Part of my generosity over predictability may be because I’m such an avid romance reader. I’ve been trained to expect the HEA (happily ever after). Maybe if I’d raised my reading self on mysteries I would join in the critic’s chorus and boo any book with a predictable ending.

But somehow I doubt I’d be very vociferous against most predictable endings – because of my preference over that for a satisfying ending.

What about you? Can you be satisfied with a predictable ending? And what do you consider predictable? For example, I didn’t figure out what would happen next in The Shadow of the Wind until a short time before each twist happened – so it wasn’t predictable from the start. Does that make a difference in a story’s success for you? Or, like this book for me, if the characters are interesting (even if not entirely likable) and the writing style engaging enough, does the element of being predictable matter as much?

Something to think about the next time you pick up a book billed with an element of mystery!

Should You Trust Your Ding Meter? Posted by Maureen Lang

I had to smile when I read both Vicki’s and Jim’s postings here on Christians Read. Over the weekend my husband was telling me about someone he’d heard either on the radio or online as she discussed the elements of her self-designed faith. She simply runs everything by her “ding meter” and accepts what feels right and lets the rest pass her by.

Vicki pointed out that God wires us to do the things He wants us to do. In fact, her description of putting together a plot idea is a scenario I’m happy to say I’ve enjoyed myself. And Jim took the thought a little farther to remind us that the real bliss in life is when we get to do what God designed for us to do—that passion doesn’t come from duty, it comes from desire. Seeking the will of God is where the bliss Vicki talked about can be found, because He designed us with a depth of love that we can barely imagine. It’s little wonder we’re so blessed when our desires fit just right into the tasks He’s provided for us to do.

So what about the lady with the ding meter? From the moment my husband described her, my own little ding meter went off, but my ding meter isn’t something I fashioned by myself. It’s been honed by reading the Bible, sitting under the teaching of many pastors and professionals, by prayer and submission. I point this out because I have more than a couple relatives who listen to their own ding meter, one that is merely a shadow of the one God installed in them. It hasn’t been shorn up by the rest of the things God provided, like seeking His input, wisdom, or counsel. Yet they listen to this shadow more than they listen to the word of God. They define God for themselves rather than seeking Him through prayer, His creation and the Book He provided for us.

We’re all readers here at Christians Read; let’s start the New Year off right by regularly reading the Book that reveals God, the divinely inspired Book that is incredible in its knowledge of the human condition, in the prophecies it holds, the history it reveals, the science it reveals, the sheer beauty of it as it reveals God’s incredible love for us. That’s the only way to hone a ding meter!

I’m convinced that when we know God, more specifically when we know His love, the rest of life’s enjoyment—like all the good books we’ll read this year—will only be better because of the peace we enjoy knowing we were created by someone who loves us.

Lesson from The Princess Bride by Maureen Lang

The Princess Bride is a classic movie most people — well, girls, anyway — are familiar with, at least if they’re under thirty. Over the years the movie has become a huge favorite for all ages, though, and for good reason. It has everything a romantic adventure could ever want: a beautiful princess, of course, and a brave hero, an evil prince, even a giant. Throw in a touch of humor and excellent performances and it’s little wonder the movie has grown to classic status.

The story is framed as a fairy tale, a grandfather reading to his stuck-in-bed-but-not-so-sick-with-pneumonia grandson. Basic ingredients necessary to keep the pages turning are quickly introduced: sympathetic characters like Buttercup and the “farm-boy” whose only response to her bossing him about is a devoted “As you wish.” But once she realizes his love for her but also her own in return, he must leave to earn a fortune worthy of what he feels she deserves. The next thing you know, dear, sweet Buttercup is now a Princess, forced to become the bride of a handsome yet evil Prince Humperdink. You can’t help but notice the over-the-top names—perfect for a fairy tale, yet played so wonderfully straight.

As you can see just by that brief glimpse into the beginning of the story, it captures the viewers attention early on. Between a kidnapping, a rescue, a journey through the Fireswamp and the expected sword fight the storyteller rarely gives the viewer a chance to sit back and relax—or to get bored. That’s the sign of a truly successful story! The characters cling to goals everyone can identify with: all the basics like true love, revenge, power. We all want true love to win, but we know it won’t be easy. The humor in this story works partly because the performances are so wonderful and partly because the writing is so witty. But even when events stretch reality (such as when our hero Westley is “mostly dead” all day . . .) we’re more than willing to suspend disbelief in order to be entertained, because the circumstances are set up in such a way that within the context of the story it could have happened.

That’s the lesson from The Princess Bride. As readers, we’re willing to accept just about anything if it’s placed logically within a carefully designed setting. It wouldn’t be logical for a character to survive being “mostly dead” in any story but a fairy tale, but in this context it works because the story world is properly set up.

I for one needed an escape from all of the recent tragic news and was so glad this movie provided such a thing. It was a visual fairy tale for any age, compacted into a couple of hours of refreshment. I hope you can find the time this holiday season to enjoy an escape of your own!

Too Many Books?

Over the weekend I visited my daughter’s place and she happily showed me the improvements she’d made to what she calls her “book room.” It’s not a library; she holds a Masters in Library Science and hasn’t found the time to organize all of her 4,000 books in a way that honors such a degree. So a book room it is. She has six very tall and wide shelves, every shelf filled and on top as well, so books literally reach the ceiling. The room offers the not-unpleasant feeling that you’re being swallowed by four walls of books as you enter.

Her husband has been hoping she would get rid of a number of her books, and I suspect that sentiment will only increase once they make serious plans to move. Having carried a number of book boxes myself, I can attest to how heavy they are. He even had a brief season of hope when the Kindle released and she started purchasing some of her books digitally.

Some of her books. You see, my daughter is an avid book lover. Book lover. As in books with spines, with the smell of pages new or old (well, minus mold that is, or perfume if you check back to Camy’s post last week). She likes to hold a book in her hand, and her Kindle doesn’t offer the exact same experience (though she does love it).

Personally, I tend to agree that 4,000 books is a bit over the top – especially since she’s been known to read a book more than once. But she does donate, give away or sell books on Book Swap or at used bookstores on occasion. The problem is she loves too many books, so much that she won’t be parted from them.

So I was wondering how many is too many when it comes to books? Personally, I define that number by how many books I can reasonably store. I have books in three places: a book closet in the basement, the study where I work, and a shelf in my bedroom. Splitting the locations in three doesn’t overwhelm anyone – either me or my family. I may have a thousand books, but certainly not 4,000!

How about you? How do you define too many books?

A Thankful Heart

Most of the year goes by so quickly I rarely have time to think about anything except whatever task I’m trying to finish. But the holiday season is about to kick off, and although it brings all kinds of new busyness, this is one time of year that I usually find a moment to sit down and reflect.

Pictured here is what my disabled son will use when we sit around the table and tell each other what we’re thankful for. Since he has so few words in his vocabulary, he uses PECS to communicate, a Picture Exchange Communication System. It’s hard to know if the pictures are an accurate representation of what he’s thinking, since even with the help of a variety of picture choices many of his actions appear more arbitrary than planned. Did he really choose these pictures for himself? Maybe not; maybe they were just the ones his aids at school have observed in him and encouraged him to choose. He makes much clearer choices when they have a direct and immediate, usually tangible, benefit (i.e. food related!).

Nonetheless, seeing his thankful list in such a visual way made me wonder what kind of pictures I would choose if I were to make a plate of thankfulness. Family, friends, church and home would all make the list.

Not long after my son was diagnosed with Fragile X, I was reminded that we need to thank God in all things. (1 Thes. 5:18) At first I grated against this command. I was supposed to thank God for something that, even at the time, I only suspected would be limiting – not just for my son, but for my entire family? I was to thank God for that?

Eventually as my grief settled into place and I realized I had no place else to go except to God, I first thanked Him only out of obedience. I felt no gratitude, but I said the words anyway. Then, gradually noticing things like the wonderful people who came into my life as a result of my son’s disability, and little things like an increased awareness of our magnificently fine-tuned creation, I began to realize God still loved me. And after all, we live in a world full of death, disease, deceit, and disappointment. Why should my life be spared? I could think of no reason. If all we needed for a charmed life is to come to God, then I assured myself everyone would find a way to Him, one way or another. And where would faith play into that?

So after realizing I had nowhere else to go, and that it was only pride that made me think my son and those of us who love him should have been spared such a lot in life (and that I didn’t have to look far to find someone with more challenges than my own) I began to look for some promises that everything would be all right. I began to look for that “character growth” the Bible promises (Romans 5:3-5, James 1:2-4, Jeremiah 29:11 to name a few).

One of the first answers in this regard was a book God assigned me to write, which shouldn’t surprise anyone since I’m a writer. I’m still thankful for having written The Oak Leaves, because it was such tangible evidence of how God can allow a good purpose to result from something difficult. I still get emails from other parents of disabled kids from that book, even though it’s only available as an e-book these days.

I can also say that even though I still get frustrated, and I still resent the lack of freedom we all have because of Fragile X, nothing else in life has strengthened my faith and dependence upon God the way this has. I also look forward to Heaven more than ever, when I’ll get to converse with my son, run with him, worship with him. Can that be a bad thing, that kind of hope? I don’t think so.

So, am I thankful for everything, even the challenges? It’s easier when I think about the purposes God had in mind. Sometimes it just takes a little more reflection to get there!

What about you? Is there something God has allowed in your life that, if you look at what purpose God might have in mind behind it, has benefited you, or someone around you? Changed you or increased your faith? Maybe there is something about even the challenges we face that we can be grateful for.

May your Thanksgiving be full of gratitude — even in unexpected places.

 

 

God’s Gift of Emotion, posted by Maureen Lang

One of the reasons many of us read is because we enjoy tapping in to the emotional lives of the characters portrayed in a well written book—and, if we trust the author, we look forward to an emotionally satisfying ending. In this way reading is like riding a roller coaster; we look forward to both the ups and the downs but we know we’re going to be safe at the end.

Not long ago I asked God to control my emotions. It wasn’t my most stellar prayer, since emotions are a gift that’s closely connected to our free will. It was as if I’d asked Him to take away one of the most valuable gifts He’d given me. After all, emotions are powerful, and He entrusted that power to me. He didn’t make me a robot, programmed to love and hate all the right things.

Instead of asking Him to control that gift, I needed to be more in tune to Him and what His word says about honoring Him—to monitor and then foster the emotions that take me in a direction closer, not farther, from Him. That leaves the control and responsibility in my hands, accompanied by surrender and submission that’s entirely my choice with each step of life.

But coming to that conclusion didn’t help as much as I thought it would when I faced some of the darker emotions that often come with life. Escaping into a good book helps; listening to music that honors God helps, too. Talking about my emotions with someone I love and trust, striving to be other-centered rather than self-centered is also important in times of sadness.

God blessed these kinds of efforts to get over my doldrums, but He also has a sense of humor. As many of you know, I have a handicapped son. He’s seventeen and a half years old, but functions like a two year old. He’s basically non-verbal, but he does understand a bit of language, certainly more than he can express – and he has a small collection of words himself.

He also loves music, and doesn’t mind that I have a singing voice only God and my mother would welcome. So when I sing a song he likes, he latches on to one word in the lyrics and repeats that when he wants me to sing a particular song for him. Wouldn’t you know it, when I was feeling so low, he remembered a song from literally years ago: If You’re Happy And You Know It (clap your hands, stomp your feet, shout hurray…).

Do you know that song is impossible to sing fifty times in one day and not have some part of the Happy rub off? I’m fairly convinced it was God who reminded my son about that old song, just when I needed to tap into it.

Realizing God is involved in the details of my life—that His love especially for me is found in such details—is probably the most important element in conquering those doldrums. God is in the details if we look for Him.

So . . . if you’re in those nasty old doldrums, perhaps God is in the detail of directing you to read this blog post today. He knows our needs and like the best loving Father He’s ready to meet them. I think that’s more likely than Him just wanting to hear a catchy tune, don’t you?

Too Much of a Good Thing?

While researching a Brussels setting, I snapped a picture of the Grand Place where the Germans took up their WWI occupancy.

I love to do research. Seeing a glimpse of daily life in other eras fascinates me. I loving learning about popular entertainment, food of different days, clothing, and so on. When I read accounts of someone surmounting incredible odds or overcoming great hazard, I imagine the actual people in such situations. I wonder what they felt, what possessed them to persevere. I want to see everything through them, feel it as if I’m there. History is full of exciting adventures just waiting to be fleshed out through the eyes of characters facing—and often conquering—tremendous challenge.

I also love going to the places that play the important role of setting in my books. While it’s obvious

On a NYC research trip I stopped by Times Square for some free advertising at American Eagle Outfitters. That’s me on the billboard to the right, holding up one of my books.

such places have mostly changed from what they would have looked like in historical times, I still want to get a feel for distances, and check out any historical sites that can offer a real taste of what various aspects did look like during the era I’ve chosen to bring alive again.

But . . . you knew there was a “but” coming, right? Can an author put in too much setting? Too much historical fact? I recall the very first book I wrote for publication. This was way back in the 80s, when historical romances frequently surpassed 100,000 words. I felt so free to wander about in my stories, to develop subplots and throw in all the lovely research I’d meticulously gathered. Even with that freedom, though, I only ended up using a fraction of the material I’d uncovered. I never regret doing too much research, though—an author who knows her setting allows the voice behind the story a certain amount of confidence that’s bound to come through.

These days books are far more streamlined. In the age of sound bites and one-liners in social media, one-page digital articles (heaven forbid the reader must scroll!) we’ve moved toward shorter books and even shorter chapters. There are exceptions, but it’s risky for a publisher to invest money in longer books from unknown authors.

One exception to my shorter length theory is The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova. It’s not a new book, but it’s not that old, either—published in 2005. This book was the selection this month for the book club I belong to, a secular group that often chooses something to match the season. This book is appropriately named, because the author herself obviously loved her historical research. I would argue too much, but I’m not sure how well that argument would be received considering the phenomenal success of this book. There is only one true measure of a book’s length, reflective of a saying I truly believe: a good book is never too long.

There is a balance to be found between story and research; research needs to carry its own weight within the story, or even readers like me who love history will either get bored or worse, put the book down altogether.

What about you? Have you read a book lately where the research was appropriately balanced? Where you came away realizing you’d learned something, but never lost the entertainment value? That’s the sweet spot on this issue!

Non-Readers, Beware! I just finished a book . . . Posted by Maureen Lang

Do you have any friends who are dedicated non-readers? I’ve had some over the years, and one of the topics that can roll their eyes the fastest is if I try starting a conversation with “I just finished this book . . . “

They just don’t get it. The whole imagination, sit in one place, turn the pages thing. Particularly if a story doesn’t get right to action or pique their immediate interest, the non-readers I’ve known are just not willing to invest the time it takes to connect with either the characters or the story itself. Or should I say, their priorities don’t include reading and there are plenty of other demands to fill up a day.

But if a movie can be made of a book, that’s okay to talk about. They can invest two hours in something visually compelling. My non-reader friend will likely refrain from the eye-roll if I want to tell them about a really great movie I enjoyed, because that’s an option for them to check out in the future. But for me to tell them about a book they’ll never read, well forget about it.

That’s what makes the free world a better place, all the choices available to meet our varied tastes and interests. I would no more force a book on a non-reader than I would want to sit through four hours of a sporting event on television. To each, his own.

But on the other hand, isn’t it great when we find “our people”? Those fellow avid readers who understand the quickened pulse, the laughter, the nodding along as we read something we’ve connected with. When we tell another reader we just finished a book—well, that’s just the beginning of a satisfying conversation. Not a single eye-roll in sight.