What Are You Passionate About? by Elizabeth Goddard

A picture is worth a thousand words. The old adage means that a picture will tell us so much more than we can easily put into words. What is the above image worth?  A thousand words, more or less?

One of my first thoughts when I saw these pictures was  about passion. People busy themselves with what they’re passionate about. They go out of their way.

My niece participated in the Great Texas Balloon Race in Longview, Texas  last week as part of the crew, which meant the family got up in the wee hours of the morning to get there. Depending on responsibilities in the event, someone on the balloon crew might have to get up at 2, 3, or 4 in the morning.

Now that’s passion. But the pictures tell us that the balloonists’ efforts are well worth it.

Writers have to be passionate about what they do because the process is painful, requiring time and sacrifice. Without that burning fire that drives an author, readers wouldn’t have books.

Book lovers are passionate about their books. About reading. We’re committed to reading, even if it means we only get a few minutes a day to read.  But mostly, we love it when we can read a book through to the end. Maybe we read through the night, finishing a novel in the wee hours of the morning. Sometimes, we even re-read the ending to experience the euphoria again.

Or is that just me?

Elizabeth Goddard is the author of OREGON OUTBACK  available  wherever books are sold.

Ever Have to Break Up?

My love for reading is so deep I would get in trouble in school for reading ahead.  Books were loyal friends that kept me guessing. I was able to travel around the world without leaving my room. The characters weren’t part of a story, they were my constant companions.

It’s been a couple decades since I’ve been a student, but my passion for reading is stronger than ever. My reading style tends to be by author. I choose an author and work on getting my hands on all their work. If I enjoy it, I keep an eye out for their new releases.

A few years back I learned about a character-driven author who had stand alone titles, and a series in the works with a favorite non fiction author.  Once I devoured that series, the author continued the saga on her own. Multiple books followed sharing the fictional lives of a mid west family. Even as my life transitioned through marriage, motherhood, and a move, once I knew a new book was coming out, I hit pause on my own life. I became consumed with thoughts surrounding this fictional family–what trial would overwhelm them? Would their be a marriage? A divorce? A health crisis?

Once the overall series surrounding the original family wrapped up, I realized I was so intertwined in the author and especially this family, I needed a step back, a breather. I felt bad because the author crafted such a great story it was almost a downfall. Turns out several friends admitted they stopped following the author because the same series that consumed me, took over their thought lives. The lines between fiction and non became blurred, and my friends decided when the author transitioned the series, they were going to make the break.

Guess what? The author has a new release, a stand alone that re visits the series I fell so hard for I had to walk away. Because it’s just one book, I’m flirting with returning to the family I loved so much I temporarily ditched my own.

How about you? Have you ever had to break up with an author or a series of books because you became too involved? Is there such a thing as an author being too good? Would you ever go back after a break up?

Writer and Speaker

Surrendering the good, the bad, and—maybe one day—the chocolate

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Summer Reading

With eighteen days of school left, everyone in the household has summer in mind. Lemonade packets face front in our cupboards and the hot chocolate hibernates in the back. My husband plans to drain the pool cover and ready things for another swimming season.

Which for me, means summer reading.

It’s hard for me to write when the kids are swimming because it’s hard to see the laptop screen. I also can lose myself in the process and forget I’m outside for a reason, and it could mean life and death if I’m not paying attention. I’m also not a millionaire, so I don’t want to take the chance of a big splash fest short circuiting my laptop and my labor of love. Not my kids, my contemporary romance.

 

 

So reading it is. My question for everyone is, do your reading habits change in the summer?

Do you read more?

Less?

Traditional books?

E-readers?

Here’s another question that’s made for good discussion with my friends. Does the quality of your reading change in the summer? For instance, when I went on vacation earlier this year, I saw a lot of what my senior citizen friends call “bodice ripper” covers. They were steamy romance looking covers that women admitted was light reading they preferred on vacation. Once home, it was back to more academic reads.

Is that true for you? Perhaps during the “school” year your reading consists of biographies and other non fiction work, but for the summer, you want some good fiction to take your mind off things, or at least take you somewhere else that you can’t afford for a real vacation.

Me? I mix it up throughout the year. When I cruised, my lounge chair was stacked with writing how-to books, intercessory prayer reads, and free fiction I downloaded for my Kindle.

I’d love to hear about your summer reading plans. Share with me a particular author or title you want to read, too.

By the way, I recommend subscribing to Empowering Christian Women. Karla does a great job letting readers know about free Christian reads for Kindle. Remember to double check the price, as that changes without notice. Keiki also has a site full of E-reader finds at Vessel Project.

Writer and Speaker

Surrendering the good, the bad, and—maybe one day—the chocolate

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Fiction vs. NonFiction Popularity by Kathi Macias

I just returned from a lovely–albeit far too brief–visit to Canada, where I did the 100 Huntley Street program and thoroughly enjoyed it. I had a bit of a surprise, though, when I discovered that rather than discussing my newest books–in particular, the fiction series on human trafficking–the host wanted to talk about a nonfiction book I published a few years ago called Beyond Me: Living a You-First Life in a Me-First World. I was happy to do so, of course, as I absolutely believe in the book’s message, and it was Easter week, after all, so a “beyond me” focus was certainly appropriate.

However, a few days later I did a book-signing where I featured my newest books–all of which are fiction–but also included some of my nonfiction books from recent years. Once again I was surprised to find that the non-fiction books seemed the most popular. I sold out of those quickly and had to take orders for more.

Now that’s a great problem for an author to have, right? But it puzzled me. The Christian publishing world seems to be so fiction-oriented at the moment, and nearly all the contracts I’m getting are for fiction. But is that really what the reading public wants?

The more I thought about it, the more I thought ‘Christians Read” would be the best place to ask about this. Any of you readers want to chime in? Do you read both fiction and nonfiction, or one or the other exclusively? If so, why? Also, if you do read only one exclusively, what would it take to entice you to become a combination fiction and non-fiction reader? What topics and approach might make a difference? Finally, what is it that you want to gain or take away from your reading that might affect how we authors approach our writing? Do you primarily want to be entertained? If so, am I correct to assume you prefer fiction? Are you looking to be discipled via your reading, using books that are appropriate to individual or group study? Non-fiction might work best in that situation.

Overall, as one who has written both fiction and non-fiction books and who also likes to read both, I would very much like to hear from readers if you have any views on this. Were my two recent experiences just isolated instances, or is nonfiction regaining popularity? Please chime in, readers. We authors are all ears!

Do you have any friends who read fiction?

Camy here! Today I was talking to a friend and we were discussing Asian American Christians and their reading habits.

Here’s the thing: Out of all the Asian American Christians I know, hardly ANY of them read fiction. Most read nonfiction, if they read anything.

But out of the non-Asian Christians I know, many of them read fiction.

Granted, I think my non-Asian Christian pool is skewed because most of those non-Asian Christians are writers.

I know that the above probably sounds a little racist but I promise I’m not being racist. It brings up an interesting question. How many of your Christian friends read fiction? Nonfiction? Hardly anything at all?

Here is an embarrassment I am now confessing. My husband, Captain Caffeine, has read exactly ONE BOOK in the entire 15 years I’ve known him. This includes fiction and nonfiction books–he has read exactly ONE BOOK.

I should be flattered because that one book was my debut novel, Sushi for One. But the only reason he read it is because he found out (while I was doing revisions from my editor) that I’d written “bat a hundred” rather than “bat a thousand.” So he took it upon himself to read my entire book not because he was interested or curious in my debut novel, but to make sure my sports analogies were correct.

(Men!)

Anyway, the point is that even though he is married to a novelist, my husband has read only one book in 15 years.

So how about your friends? Do you know many fiction readers? Are my friends all just strange to not recognize the genius of fiction?

Camy Tang writes romance with a kick of wasabi. Out now is the first book in her new series, Protection for Hire, which is a cross between Stephanie Plum and The Joy Luck Club. She is a staff worker for her church youth group, and leads one of the worship teams for Sunday service. On her blog, she ponders frivolous things like knitting, running, dogs, and Asiana. Visit her website to sign up for her quarterly newsletter.

More than I Bargained For by Julie Arduini

Now that I have a Kindle, there is yet another facet to my reading life. As a writer I read to learn. Although I’m looking at the story my focus is on the “back-end” of things such as the plot, POV, characterization, and dialogue. Reading other fiction and writing how-to books sharpen my skills.

I also read to review. I enjoy participating in Thomas Nelson’s BookSneeze program where bloggers receive a free book, read it, and both blog about it on their site and post a commercial review. I’m also a part of many Litfuse Publicity Group blog tours so I do the same thing with them as BookSneeze. Although it is relaxing and fun this form of reading feels like it is in a category of its own.

Most readers do so for the fun of it. It’s a hobby, relaxing, an escape, and sparks our imagination like nothing else. This is my favorite aspect but the more I write, the less I read for fun. My escape is fiction, mostly contemporary romance, but anything geared for women is game.  I learned something earlier this year when I picked up a couple books for escape and found something completely different:

The books made me look inward at my past and what issues I was stuffing. By the end of those reads I enjoyed them but it wasn’t an escape, it was an experience. I finished wanting to make positive change in my life.

These books rocked me to the core. The characters and their conflict was a word created mirror to reflect my heart and the issues I needed to take a look at and give to God. Where some might have found a book sounding too close to home distracting, I felt it was a little nudge from my Heavenly Father. I didn’t just read those two books; I devoured them.

What were they?

Kathryn Cushman’s Another Dawn

(From Bethany House Publishers/back cover)

What Would You Give for a Second Chance to Make Things Right?

When life gets complicated, Grace Graham runs. She’s left romantic relationships, friendships, and even her family after the death of her mother. But now her sister, Jana, is giving her once last chance: Come home and help care for their father–whom Grace still blames for her mother’s death–or never show her face in Shoal Creek, Tennessee, again.

With her son, Dylan, in tow, Grace returns home from California. But is she returning for the right reasons? And when costly decisions from the past suddenly put her son’s life and the lives of other children in town at risk, will she have the strength to stand strong and await Another Dawn?

The issue with the children at risk was a compelling one but that wasn’t what got to me. It was Grace’s recollection of her childhood and her adult choices because of them. Her walls are up and she’s made a vow never to return to her hometown. Although my circumstances weren’t that dramatic I remember making a vow when I moved 300 miles away from everything I knew and everyone I loved. My vow came from a potpourri of past experiences and current devastation.  When it came to relationships I was classic to walk away first to avoid what I thought was inevitable. Reading Another Dawn forced me to look at my vows and behaviors.

Christa Allan’s Walking on Broken Glass

(From Amazon.com)

Leah Thornton’s life, like her Southern Living home, has great curb appeal. But a paralyzing encounter with a can of frozen apple juice in the supermarket shatters the façade, forcing her to admit that all is not as it appears. When her best friend gets in Leah’s face about her refusal to deal with her life, Leah is forced to make an agonizing decision. Can she sacrifice what she wants to get what she needs? Joy, sadness, and pain converge, testing Leah’s commitment to her marriage, her motherhood, and her faith.

This book had funny dialogue but the reality that Leah has a problem and needs more help than her husband and friends can give hit so close to home I realized more than once I was holding my breath. I don’t want to give away spoilers but I know the environment she describes. I understand her roller coaster of emotions as she is forced to face her feelings. I’ve been the best friend and I’ve needed the best friend.

Did I finish those books thinking what a respite, I’m so relaxed now that I got to read? No, and that’s okay. Something even better took place in between those pages.

I received God’s love and  His direction.

How about you? Was there a book or two that you thought would be a fast read and in turn flipped your world upside down because it addressed the condition of your heart?

http://juliearduini.com

Surrendering the good, the bad, and—maybe one day—the chocolate

What’s Your Reading Pleasure? by Elizabeth Goddard

I’m so excited to be a part of this new blog. Many thanks to Vicki Hinze who brought us all together. In this world filled with millions of blogs its hard to think of something new and fresh to say. So I dispensed with my effort to say something brilliant today and just went with my heart. I admit, I started out with something else in mind for this post, but a beloved book sitting on the shelf drew my attention and I changed direction.

I recently took a break from reading books from my large to-be-read pile, which, these days includes hundreds of books on my Kindle. I spend so much time reading for review, contests or research, or to see what’s the latest, greatest in the Christian market, that I don’t often get to read for pleasure.

That’s not to say that I haven’t enjoyed the novels I’ve read, but sometimes I’d like to read a book because I want to. Not because I have to. Can you relate?

So what did I pick for my reading pleasure? An oldie but goodie. The Song of Albion Trilogy by Stephen Lawhead—one story spread over three novels: The Paradise War, The Silver Hand, The Endless Knot. The trilogy is set around Anglo-Celtic mythology. This was my second time to read this tale, and like any fiction addict who reads a story they love, I was a little down when it ended. In fact, I prolonged reading the last half of the last book, putting that off for a few days. I didn’t want to leave the story world. Am I pathetic or what?

I love Lawhead’s lyrical prose and thought-provoking nuggets, but especially so in Song of Albion. In case you can’t tell, fantasy is my first love when it comes to fiction genres. However, I’ve strayed far from that over the last several years for reasons I’ve already mentioned.

Thankfully, Lawhead has started a new series (Bright Empires). The Skin Map released last year and I’m about to start on The Bone House, which just released this month. In the fashion only Lawhead can pull off well, the science fiction and fantasy are blended into what he likes to call imaginative fiction, if I remember correctly.

The same day I received The Bone House, I also received Steven James’s latest, The Queen. I purchased The Queen because I read The Bishop—my first experience with James. I have to say, I was impressed.

Maybe I’ll share my thoughts regarding those books next time.

So many books, too little time. So. . .what’s your reading pleasure?