Mira Sorvino on Human Trafficking

Mira Sorvino has become a U.N. Goodwill ambassador regarding the issue of human trafficking. She has really immersed herself in this issue, traveling and speak out for this cause. She isn't a figurehead, but she is passionate about it and is involved with the nuts and bolts. She has visited with victims, and is collecting their stories so she can disseminate them to the unknowing world.

I'm highly impressed with Ms. Sorvino, and I encourage you to check out this short video.

The Adjustment Bureau

The Adjustment Bureau is a stylish, romantic "what if" movie that doesn't underestimate the importance of good headwear.

I've be trying to get my wife to the new thriller with Matt Damon, The Adjustment Bureau ever since it came out. I was interested anyway, then Breakpoint with Chuck Colson highlighted it as an intelligent movie that can open the door for conversation about God, sovereignty, and free will.

Yes, please!

Matt Damon is strong as David Norris, a young hot shot politician who almost nabs the New York Senate seat. Almost, because a picture of him mooning classmates at a reunion adds to his impulsive reputation and kills the election for him.

As he practices his concession speech in the men's room, he is interrupted by Elise (Emily Blunt), a woman hiding after crashing a wedding at this hotel. There's an instant connection, and after she flees the hotel staff, David throws out his canned talk and gives a candid performance that impresses the voters and pundits again.

He didn't get Elise's name, but he happens to run into her on the bus Monday morning. Coincidence? Well, according to snappily-dressed men in fedoras following David, it wasn't supposed to happen. It wasn't "part of the plan."

These shadowy men kidnap David and reveal themselves as part of the Adjustment Bureau, a group dedicated to making sure things go according to the plan. Misplace your keys lately? Spill coffee on yourself (like me) recently? It may have been an accident - or it may have been the Bureau making slight adjustments to keep things flowing in the right way. David is informed that he can't reveal them, and he should stay away from Elise.

Three years later, and David is still taking the same bus hoping to catch her. He manages a glimpse of her in the crowd, and chases her down. Against the plan. Now David must choose between pursuing a woman that has captivated him like no other, or let destiny play out the way it should.

I'm easy to please in a movie, admittedly. Well, maybe I should amend that. I'm picky about the movies I go to, so if I choose to go to one, I'm usually happy. Still, it is the rare movie that makes me giddy as certain elements come to pass. The Adjustment Bureau is one of those movies.

The plot is good, the suspense continues throughout the whole film, and I never felt sucked out of the world they were bringing. However, this movie shines through the main actors. Matt Damon carries himself believably as a young politician that is caught in the balance of using his youthful drive for his benefit and not letting it stumble his ambition. Emily Blunt is flirty and vulnerable as the contemporary dancer that makes David swoon. The two together have a palpable chemistry, and it is enjoyable to see the sparks on screen. I groaned once in the film, when they kiss after only meeting for a few minutes. Does this really happen? Ever? Without alcohol involved, I mean? Otherwise, the audience is rooting for their romance all along.

Some reviewers were tripped up by the plot device used by the Adjustment Bureau guys to bop around New York City - I enjoyed it though. Properly attired, these guys can travel through doorways and use secret passages to end up all over the city. Terence Stamp has a great voice and gravitas as the heavy brought in to rein in David, and the actor who plays the ultimately compassionate agent portrays a man conflicted.

Breakpoint was right - there aren't a lot of movies that make people face questions about weighty topics like predestination, free will, and who really is in control. And highly entertaining to boot! The Adjustment Bureau manages both of these points, and I am looking forward to seeing it on blu-ray down the road.

Anyone else seen The Adjustment Bureau? Share your thoughts below!
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CFBA Tour - Vicious Cycle

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Vicious Cycle by Terri Blackstock

ABOUT THE BOOK

When fifteen-year-old Lance Covington finds an abandoned baby in the backseat of a car, he knows she's the newborn daughter of a meth addict he's been trying to help. But when police arrest him for kidnapping, Lance is thrust into a criminal world of baby trafficking and drug abuse.

His mother, Barbara, looks for help from Kent Harlan---the man whom she secretly, reluctantly loves and who once helped rescue her daughter from a mess of her own. Kent flies to her aid and begins the impossible work of getting Lance out of trouble, protecting a baby who has no home, and finding help for a teenage mother hiding behind her lies.

In this latest novel of suspense and family loyalty, bestselling author Terri Blackstock offers a harrowing look at drug addiction, human trafficking, and the devastating choices that can change lives forever.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Vicious Cycle, go HERE.

CSFF Tour - The Resurrection: The Wrap Up

I told you it would be interesting!

The CSFF Tour is wrapping up its feature of The Resurrection, the debut novel by Mike Duran. There's a lot of interesting opinions out there. The book was well-received by most, but there were a few who thought it didn't meet its potential. Becky Miller keeps track of all the posts, and Mike has highlighted a few posts that stood out to him. You can find my interview with Mike under part 1 and part 2. Thanks Mike for taking your time with me and my questions! Although...I never did see an answer to question 8...

I reviewed the book a couple weeks ago, getting ahead of myself. Still, I wanted to comment on some things that came out from the tour.

 1. It's not horror.
For those who can't handle Stephen King and Dean Koontz, don't fear. The Resurrection is a very suspenseful novel. You may be on the edge of your seat. But it doesn't cross over into the horror category IMO. But be warned, Mike's next book may be treading into that territory, from what I've heard.

2. There's a lot to ponder.
I think a book that stands out not only entertains, but makes the reader think. Several people on the tour have noted this about The Resurrection. The part that has amazed me is the variety of themes and ideas people have gotten from it. I saw the themes of faith, modern philosophy vs. the gospel, and the real continuing battle between good and evil in the book. A lot of other thoughts were pulled from it as well. For this Mike, you should be proud.

3. People are interested by something other than a "standard" literary evangelical Christianity.
In CBA there seems to be a general feel for a church. A church in these books may be modern or traditional, but seem pretty middle of the road. Actually, Canyon Springs Community Church in this book is as well. The fact that there's a resurrection, a miracle, sets the book apart. There is an interesting discussion at Becky's blog regarding the gifts of the Spirit that is encouraging to me. It would be nice to see a little more of the wide variety of Christian expression in CBA novels. If the church is made of "every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb," (Rev 7:9), then we should see God's vast character highlighted in Christian fiction, right?

4. Spiritual warfare = Frank Peretti.
I didn't think The Resurrection aped Mr. Peretti too much, but a lot of people made that connection. His Darkness novels are still standouts in my mind for Christian fiction, but just because a novel touches on spiritual warfare themes, it doesn't make it a Peretti knock-off. Not knocking those who see that. Not knocking at all really...moving along....

5. Readership for CBA novels is evolving.
I thought there would be a little MORE controversy over The Resurrection, since it features miracles, ghosts with catchy monikers, and the spiritual warfare angle. Mike likes to provoke thought at his blog Decompose, so I teased about controversy with this tour. However, the participants didn't fuss over this book at all. There were honest critiques and discussion over whether plot points (like the ghost) worked. But no one quit the CSFF over a lack of doctrinal purity (this has happened before, I'm not kidding). We have a lot of new folks lately and I really love CSFF Tour time because of the thoughtful exploration of the books we feature.

6. You need to buy The Resurrection.
Enough of sitting in front of your computer and reading this! Go here, order the book, and you'll have a great way to pass the time when (if, in Idaho) spring arrives. Thanks for stopping by!
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CSFF Tour - The Resurrection Day 3

Day 3 dawns on the CSFF Tour, leading into Part 2 of my interview with Mike Duran, our feature author for March. Yesterday he talked about his debut novel, The Resurrection, and today he shares writing lessons learns and the one big change he would do if he were in charge of the CBA for a day.

Yes, I set him up.

See what the others in our CSFF crew are saying on Becky's blog, where she tracks all the posts. I'll post once more with thoughts about the tour and The Resurrection.

5. Your blog draws a lot of interest when you discuss the CBA and the issues around it. Many people on the tour are aspiring authors, obviously with a love for speculative fiction. What advice would you have for them in this journey?


MIKE: I believe that Christians should be the most wildly creative community on the planet! Our craft should be impeccable, our ideas lavish, our wit sharp, our humility great, and our perseverance unwavering. (How’s that for rallying the troops?)

I am not convinced that speculative fiction and the Christian market are a great mix. That said, there is so much great craft and market advice out there. With a little research, the aspiring author can have a lot of great info at their fingertips. My advice would probably revolve around three things.

First, resolve your calling. The devil will always attack us at the level of our calling. If we are unsure whether God has “called” us to write, we will be vulnerable to depression, defeat, and doubt. That would be my first suggestion: Are you writing as a hobby or for publication? Do you believe God wants you to really dig in – as in “career” digging in – or are you doing this recreationally? That perspective is important to your approach.

Second, develop a thin skin. That’s right – a THIN skin. Too many writers are too defensive. We hedge against critique, rejection, and advice. We develop chips on our shoulders and spout about artistic liberty and subjectivity. Of course there is a time to ignore the critics and press on. But sometimes, especially when interest in our material is waning, we need to ask, “What am I missing? What do I need to work on?” A thin skin will help us learn from our mistakes, readjust, grow, and heed the advice of others.

Thirdly, find a good critique group. I can’t stress this enough. Other writers who can review your material and provide tough critique are THE MOST IMPORTANT factor in your growth. We cannot be so beholden to praise that we do not allow others to dislike our writing. Finding a good critique group, those who will critically evaluate your stuff, will take time. Nevertheless, it is one of the most aspects of growing as a writer.


6. You are king of CBA for the day, and you are allowed to make ONE change to the industry. What would that be? (Pushing you out on a limb here...)

MIKE: I would start over.


7. Can you tell us about your next novel? How is the process different than writing the first one?

I was thrilled to learn that my publisher included the first chapter of my next book in The Resurrection. It is tentatively entitled The Telling. It’s about a disfigured modern-day prophet who must overcome his own despair in time to seal one of nine mythical gates of hell. The story includes a llama ranch, a black cherub, a roadside attraction, a haunted mine, and cactus jelly. Not necessarily in that order.

Writing the second book has been hugely different than the first. Most notably… I now have a deadline. I would encourage all aspiring authors to ponder this word and what it means: DEADLINE. This deadline has produced consternation and self-doubts. Am I a fluke? Am I a one-hit wonder? Can I do this again? About half way through the second novel, I had a meltdown of sorts. Between blogging, working full-time, family, and the next novel, I hit a wall. When I finally peeled myself off, I realized I had a good thing going.

All that to say, time management has become awfully important for me. I no longer have the luxury of perusing blogs and lounging on the sundeck like I once did (okay, the sundeck thing isn’t true). Things have become really busy, really stressful, and kind of exciting.
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CSFF Tour - The Resurrection Day 2

Heya! The Christian Sci-fi and Fantasy tour is witnessing The Resurrection. Well, we're discussing the debut novel by Mike Duran with that title, at least.

The book is generating some good buzz with a lot of the other tourmates. Becky Miller keeps a running tally of the posts for the tour right here. Check them out for varied responses and thoughts. 

Mike has been kind enough to answer some questions for me in an email interview. I'm running the ones dealing with The Resurrection today. Tomorrow I will post the rest dealing with writing in general, along with some final thoughts on the tour and the book by yours truly.

1. The Resurrection is a deep book with a lot of ideas. Where did you get the idea for some of the Mesos (pagan gods) and what type of research did you do? (There is an anthropology professor who studies pagan religions, and these Mesos play a key role in the book - Jason)    

MIKE: Jason, the concept of the Pantheons, which the Mesos are a part of, is one of my favorite parts of the book. I have a pastor friend who has started several churches in the Peruvian Amazon. He always returns with wild tales of superstition, witchcraft, curses, and Indiana Jones style adventure. That vast area is home to some of the world’s only unreached people groups. In those parts, religion is not monolithic, but tends to be an amalgam of beliefs, from animism to Catholicism. And there are many, many gods. It presents a real challenge to Christian missionaries.

Pagan worldviews often construct a “pecking order” of powers, invisible entities vying for allegiance and demanding obeisance. It is somewhat paralleled by the biblical concept of “principalities and powers.” Scripture describes a world where false gods and hierarchies of malevolent beings wrestle for Man’s fate. In this sense, the Mesos are the pagan corollary to a biblical reality. They are “…the powers of this dark world…the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Eph. 6:12).

Of course, we Americans are too sophisticated for such nonsense    ;-). Or are we? My thought, when conceiving the book was to speculate what an intrinsically pagan system would look like if it had taken root in a specific American locale. What effects would it have on dull, materialistic Americans? And how would such a “system” reveal itself?

2. What themes did you see when you first started writing The Resurrection? What theme or idea surprised you as you wrote?

MIKE: The initial theme was that of miracle versus materialism. I had long pondered the idea of story that pivots around a bodily resurrection and the various effects it would have on different groups (as miracles often had in Scripture). However, you’re right. As I wrote the story, certain ideas “surprised” me.

One of those ideas was simply “faith.” Ruby became this icon of simple faith to me, someone who does not have all the answers but who still limps forward, refusing to abandon hope. In chapter 3, Ian Clark watches Ruby and ponders, “She’d been through a lot—more than he could imagine—and still she clung tenaciously to her faith. Some would probably call it naiveté, even obstinacy. In a world where science pushed the boundaries of human knowledge, where progressive philosophers ran circles around religious conservatives, how could one continue to believe in a two-thousand year old creed? Ruby Case was evidence enough that those people existed.” Like Clark, I puzzle over, even envy, people with simple faith.

What some people may miss in the story is the role that faith played for evil. In fact, my initial title for the story was “What Faith Awakes.” In a sense, Benjamin Keen had as much faith as Ruby Case. Ruby’s faith literally “awoke” someone who was dead. But Keen’s faith – faith in his system, faith in logic, faith in the gods – also awoke something. Something hellish (which is one reason we should not look lightly upon the varieties of occult belief). So, clearly, one of the themes that surprised and inspired me through the story was this sense of how powerful even the smallest acts of faith can be, and how huge of an impact they can make.

3. In the book Reverend Ian Clark struggles with his faith even as he leads a church. As a former pastor, how much of Clark's battle comes from your own walk?

MIKE: There’s no doubt that my experience as a minister has seeped into Ian Clark’s struggles. Unlike Clark, however, I have never considered agnosticism. However, I have been shaped by several tragedies (like Clark) and am tremendously sensitive to the plight of pastors and their unique struggles. I just learned this week about an old pastoral acquaintance who is no longer a Christian. He and his wife were on staff at a local mega-church. They have since divorced and he now denounces what he once believed. How does this happen?

I believe the average church member would be surprised at how many of our pastors harbor secret struggles, whether theological or emotional. Of course, they must appear to be strong. Like Ian Clark, they must stand and deliver every Sunday morning, only to return to their office and flog themselves. And sometimes our churches are more guilty of wanting a good sermon than wanting an honest, healthy minister. Which is why in The Resurrection, Canyon Springs Community Church is really as complicit as Ian Clark.

4. Spiritual warfare becomes an issue for Ruby and Rev. Clark. What experience have you had with this?

MIKE: From my perspective, the term “spiritual warfare,” is kind of loaded. Yes, there are accounts in Scripture of demonic possession and the clash of supernatural powers (think Moses and the Pharaoh’s magicians or Elijah and the prophets of Baal). And we are warned repeatedly about the devil’s devices and deceptive strategies. However, most spiritual warfare is hardly as dramatic as we like to conceive. At least on our end of things.

In my novel, both Ruby and Reverend Clark spearhead some dramatic spiritual events.  Nevertheless, it was their simple steps of faith that triggered those events. Ruby traveled to Aida Elston’s, climbed the hill to the cemetery, and refused to let Oscar take his own life. And Clark pursued Ruby and then confronted Keen. In both cases, it was their obedience or determination that set things in motion. The same is true for us – small steps of faith have tremendous power.

Several people have compared my book to Frank Peretti’s “This Present Darkness.” While I’m flattered by the comparison, I took great care to NOT show the spiritual realm in the way Peretti did. Though I reference angels and demons, they remain behind the scenes. Rather, the actions of the characters are front and center. This is intentional.

When people ask me about spiritual warfare, they seem to be wanting stories about exorcisms, deliverance, and miracles. I have some stories like that. However, I believe the most important instances of spiritual warfare are the ones that are unannounced and unseen. Loving my wife and sharing God’s grace with my co-workers may have more prolonged effect upon the cosmos than anything I ever do. The biggest victories are probably the ones no one will ever see. I really hope that that concept comes out in The Resurrection.

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CSFF Tour - The Resurrection Day 1

Now THIS should be interesting!

The CSFF Tour for March is featuring my blogging buddy Mike Duran (of Decompose fame) and his first book, The Resurrection.

I have to say, some of the most interesting tours and best books that we've reviewed in the CSFF Tour have one thing in common. No, it's not that they're speculative fiction - that category is too wide (sci-fi, fantasy, supernatural suspense, etc).

It is the fact that they are controversial.

Last year we featured Lost Mission by Athol Dickson. It was a complex book both in its writing structure and its themes. Some loved it (like me), and others responses ranged from didn't like to not being able to recommend due to theological issues. 

Mike has been a prolific blogger who asks hard questions about the world of Christian fiction and whether its boundaries are too narrow. It is no surprise that his own fiction pushes said boundaries. I don't think in any way he is trying to do it out of a rebellious spirit - the flow of the story naturally takes him places, and he doesn't dodge the hard stuff.

I've already reviewed the book here, so I invite you to check it out. Tuesday and Wednesday I will be running an interview with Mike, and he has some thought-provoking answers. I'm also interested in what the other tourmates have to say. I'll leave today with my own synopsis of The Resurrection, and you can check out the other good folks on the tour below it.

Reverend Ian Clark is ready to resign his post at Canyon Springs Community Church, being haunted in multiple ways by failures in his past and by his rising doubt. Ruby Case is a young mother with a lifelong limp, a steadfast faith, yet a weariness that there is not more life in their church.


Little does Ruby know how she will help bring life back to Canyon Springs.

When she visits the funeral of a friend's young son, she isn't expecting a miracle. But when the boy sits up after she touches him, a firestorm is lit in this quiet California town. Some people come to Ruby for their own miracle. Some denounce her and the resurrection as a fraud.

Rev. Clark must wrestle with his questions, while both he and Ruby find that other forces do not take kindly to invasion of their dark territory. As the back copy of the book states: When the dead come back to life, someone must pay the price...

One more thing - many of the participants got a free review copy. I paid cold hard cash for this. So my opinion is my own. Thank you. (So is their opinion, they're great people here)
Noah Arsenault
Brandon Barr
Red Bissell
Book Reviews By Molly
Keanan Brand
Kathy Brasby
Grace Bridges
Beckie Burnham
Melissa Carswell
Jeff Chapman
Christian Fiction Book Reviews
Carol Bruce Collett
Valerie Comer
Karri Compton
Wanda Costinak
Amy Cruson
CSFF Blog Tour
Janey DeMeo
Cynthia Dyer
Tori Greene
Nikole Hahn
Katie Hart
Joleen Howell
Bruce Hennigan
Becky Jesse
Cris Jesse
Carol Keen
Emily LaVigne
Shannon McNear
Matt Mikalatos
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Mirtika
Joan Nienhuis
Nissa
John W. Otte
Gavin Patchett
Sarah Sawyer
Andrea Schultz
Tammy Shelnut
Kathleen Smith
Donna Swanson
Jessica Thomas
Steve Trower
Fred Warren
Dona Watson
Phyllis Wheeler
Nicole White
Dave Wilson
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Linked up

Every so often I will post some writing related links that I have enjoyed over the last week. There's plenty of info out there, but some of it is worth repeating.

Have you ever been told to "kill your darlings?" If so, you might be a writer, and you should check out this post from Wendy Palmer.

What kind of story do you want to tell? It may come down to if you are a dreamer or a keeper. 

If you have other good articles/links, leave a comment or shoot me a message, and I can put them here.
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Potholes in the Writer's Road



Didn't see it coming!





 I don't know about where you live, but where I live the potholes this time of year have been known to eat cars.

At least it felt like it that one time.

I hit a monster-sized pit on the right side of the road one time. I noticed in the glint in my headlights a hubcap careening off into a parking lot. I pulled over to see if I could find it. Walked around to the right side of the car.

I heard a loud "hissing" sound.

It wasn't snake season, so I looked at my car. The pothole was so bad that it caused a flat tire. I limped my car to the closed tire store, parked it, and begged a ride home. It was ready for the nice repairmen in the morning.

I hit a pothole in my writing this week as well.

I hadn't shown much of my latest work to my lovely wife. Seeing as I have a female protaganist, I asked her to read it with an eye for the female aspect, in case I wasn't accurately writing the female mind (tall task, I know). She came back to me last week with a look on her face that said, "I'm sorry."

She doesn't like my main character.

She called her a "poop" actually. Didn't see anything nice about her. I was a little shocked. Jenna is the woman I spend the most time with aside from my wife (writers are weird like that). I couldn't see it. I read through chapters again, observing areas where I could change a few words. I really didn't think of any major changes.

I guess I have a blind spot.

I have a couple of friends looking at it with a critical eye now, giving me suggestions on why Jenna is acting like such a meanie. It makes me realize that writing is an activity that can't be totally isolated. Yes, I do most of the work with me and a keyboard. I still need other imput to help my blind side and avoid potholes. Hopefully I've got my story in with the right mechanic that can help diagnose any problems.

For my fellow writers out there - what are some of the potholes you've hit in your stories?
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Stop Human Trafficking

This blog has long made a point of highlighting the plight of human trafficking. The world is slowly growing in awareness about how big this problem has become. It is worse in scope at this time than at the height of the African slave trade.

When I saw CNN launching their Freedom Project highlighting the evils of human trafficking today, I was excited. The global resources of CNN added to the other work done by fine organizations can only bring more light to these dark areas.

I've redesigned my sidebar to the right, collecting links for organizations that fight human trafficking together and placing it more prominently in the list. Small changes, to be sure. I will link to updates from CNN and others as they come.

I encourage everyone reading this to consider participating with me in the Fast for Freedom sponsored by the Not for Sale Campaign. It is being held this Sunday, March 13 around the globe. Talk to your friends about it. Bring it up at church. Consider fasting - remembering the victims in prayer and donating the cost of eating that day to a group that fights this evil.

See Not for Sale Campaign for details

I am making my pledge today. Will you join me?
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Book Review - The Resurrection

What happens to a pastor who may be losing his faith when a resurrection happens in his town?


Last week we had another interesting Christian Sci-fi/Fantasy Tour with the book The God Hater. This book was based around a specific message, with the story enveloping it. It was overall popular with the tour, with me in the minority view that the story didn't carry the potent message.

I did a little compare/contrast with the book I read just following The God Hater, Mike Duran's debut novel The Resurrection. Mike's blog is one that I frequent, and have often linked from here for his thought-provoking articles on Christian fiction. I promised a review of Mike's book afterwards, so here we go.

Reverend Ian Clark is ready to resign his post at Canyon Springs Community Church, being haunted in multiple ways by failures in his past and by his rising doubt. Ruby Case is a young mother with a lifelong limp, a steadfast faith, yet a weariness that there is not more life in their church.

Little does Ruby know how she will help bring life back to Canyon Springs.

When she visits the funeral of a friend's young son, she isn't expecting a miracle. But when the boy sits up after she touches him, a firestorm is lit in this quiet California town. Some people come to Ruby for their own miracle. Some denounce her and the resurrection as a fraud.

Rev. Clark must wrestle with his questions, while both he and Ruby find that other forces do not take kindly to invasion of their dark territory. As the back copy of the book states: When the dead come back to life, someone must pay the price...

Mike Duran is a pastor who has hit the place of burnout in ministry, something I'm realizing comes all too often for a profession that doesn't get allowance for struggle or failure. Moved to minister through the power of fiction, he has written a dynamic and haunting first novel that is an excellent exploration of faith, doubt, and the collision between the two.

The story carries an ominous tone throughout, keeping the suspense high as the reader always wonders when something bad might happen. We know books are supposed to have happy endings, but Mike manages to keep the outcome in question up until the climax, which isn't an easy feat. The characters have real struggles. Ruby didn't want to become a miracle worker, and she is challenged when others' expectations are that she can turn the power on at will. She wants to help people, but doesn't have "the formula" handy. Meanwhile young Rev. Clark wrestles with powers both worldly and spiritual as he's forced to confront his doubt instead of nursing it to a full denial of his beliefs.

Ruby is a well-rounded person. I felt a lot of connect with her. Rev. Clark was a little distant, without quite as much depth of character as I would have liked. There's not much on his life outside of being a smart but conflicted minister. Still, he is honest in his queries, and he probably represents a lot of pastors with his concerns. Other characters in the book are vivid and unique, keeping the fictional Canyon Springs grounded as a real place.

There are a lot of ideas in this book. Mike does a good job of bringing them into the story organically. Little seems forced, although there are times when the explanation of the religious theories undergirding the plot get a little too thick. Otherwise, he has a gift for description, and I felt like I was in California with the pictures of local flora and the atmosphere of the town were evocative. There's a few glitches in the craft, like any new author would face, that are minor and shouldn't distract from this enjoyable fiction escape.



I've followed Mike's blog for a long time, and I was excited to see him get a contract. My curiosity could finally be satisfied whether his fiction talents matched his thoughtful blogging style. I'm happy to say that The Resurrection sucked me in, made me think, and has stayed with me after two weeks of finishing. The book is a suspenseful exploration of deep questions of faith, while giving hope in the power of Jesus to touch lives today, even in the darkest night.
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An Image in My Head

Most people don't wonder about a body floating in the water.

Unless you are a writer.


The body is just to the left



That's the image that came to me many moons ago. I saw in my mind a body floating in the water, in the ocean to be specific. Then I saw a boat run into the body, and the shocked fisherman frightened by his find.

Did I mention the man was from Thailand?

This is how my work in progress started. An image in my head. I started asking questions. Who is this person? Why are they dead? How did they end up here?

I learned that it was Travis Dawson, and that he was a missionary in Thailand. I discovered he had a sister named Jenna who was in medical school. She was a spunky younger sister type, and she didn't take too well to the news of her brother's death. She was impulsive enough to jet off to Asia to try and figure out what happened. Oh, and her slacker friend Derek Stephens, who had done a backpacking trip in Thailand previously, decided to tag along.

I don't know how other authors come up with their story ideas, but I usually have images that beg to be explored. Yesterday for the end of the CSFF Tour I talked about whether a writer has their basic thrust as message-first vs. art-first. The responses from Dona, Becky, and Morgan made me think about my own process.

You have the set-up for my novel above. I thought for a time that there would be an aspect of spiritual warfare between the Christian missionaries and the strongholds in SE Asia. That didn't fit the story though. Then I saw how Jenna had been estranged from her faith due to family trials when younger, and she would be challenged in them while dealing with something bigger than she could handle in Thailand. Travis uncovered a human trafficking ring, and this lead to his death and would be a major challenge to Jenna.

It seems that I had the story kernel that wanted told at first, and the themes of faith and human trafficking came out from there. I believe there's always a theme when we write - otherwise what is the point of writing? Even if a writer says there's not, there is something of their worldview getting in there.

Both the message and art pathways are valid ways to begin, and both have their strengths and weaknesses. Like I said in yesterday's post, a message driven book must have a strong story and sparkling writing to not be bogged down by the message. It may not appear organic. But the "let's see where the muse takes us" approach can end up with a wishy-washy theme that doesn't give a work of fiction the power only a story can bring.

What say my writing buddies? What is your approach, and why do you do it that way?
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CSFF Tour Day 3 - The God Haters

Okay, so I'm in the minority in this one.

Yesterday I gave my review for The God Haters by Bill Myers, in which I didn't have a great opinion of the book. It seems that a majority of the CSFF Tour is enjoying the book. There are a few that REALLY love it, a wider majority that likes it a lot, and there are a couple of stragglers with me saying "Meh." (I love to say "meh" even when I don't have a reason for it. Meh.)

That's alright. Everyone's going to have an opinion, and I admire what he tried to do, and he's published way more books than me, so take this for what it is.

I followed The God Hater by reading The Resurrection, the debut novel from internet buddy Mike Duran, and the subject of next month's CSFF tour. The back-to-back reading was an interesting contrast to me.

Bill Myers said in a Q&A in the back of his book that he likes to have a significant quiet time each morning with God to seek ideas about his writing. He seems to write books directed at opening Biblical truth in new ways via fiction. This is my take at least, and I consider it an admirable goal.

Mike Duran has been blogging for quite a while at Decompose, and he is a strong proponent of the "art first/message second" school of thought.

I mentioned yesterday that there seems to be two philosophical schools in CBA fiction (and in Christian entertainment in general, i.e. film, music, etc.). One way has a message or theme that they craft a story around, and the other comes at a story open-ended, and in the creative process the theme works out from that. Of course these are simplifications and these type of things never fit neatly into a specific box.

I would say that there was a different tactic taken by the two authors I'm contrasting. My perception is that Myers was inspired to write a story that presented God's logic as a creator through an imperfect vessel, an atheist professor, and had to weave around that framework. I would guess Duran asked a question: What would happen if a resurrection happened today, and wrote his story exploring that a little more open-ended.

I'm not trying to say one way or the other is right. I would say that there are potential pitfalls with both approaches. Myers' book is a loose allegory, and to try and work a Biblical tale into modern fiction is a difficult task. An author really has to nail it to make it work. I think Francine Rivers has done that very well with her book Redeeming Love, which is mentioned often as a great book that is a Western take on the story of Hosea. I've also seen books written closer to Duran's work that don't make a strong statement one way or the other on its premise, which is a let down to a reader.

I remember a heated debate in the mid 90's (yes, way back then) when the editor of CCM Magazine slammed the latest album by Carman, considering it to be inferior art and only a vehicle for preaching a message with a beat associated with it. The two sat down in an interview and cleared the air, but it was an interesting event nonetheless. I do side more with the editor, because I think Christian art (whether fiction, music, or film) gets a bad rap when we produce weak product but sell it because it is "ministry." Brandilyn Collins is a prolific suspense author that has been praised by Publishers Weekly. She has said many times her job is to entertain first, but as a Christian author she gets to put in truth to varying degrees based off what fits the story, which only adds depth to what she is doing. I like this statement, and I would say it sums up my philosophy well.

I can't really state where either author comes from. I can only give my opinion and relate it to the idea of how do we write. The two different novels served as a jumping off point is all. Obviously The God Haters didn't work for me, but I also don't like those that get sanctimonious about a work of art being inferior. Give your opinion, but don't take it personal. I've seen other Christians get on their high horse over such issues. I wish Bill Myers much success in his writing career. But I won't be passing it on to other readers either.

If you're curious about The Resurrection, I'll have a review of it for my next post. If you want to see what the other tourmates are saying about The God Maker, check out Becky Miller's blog, as she keeps track of all the posts for the tour. The CSFF tour is always enjoyable in seeing the varying opinions, so check them out!
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CFBA Tour - Save the Date

We interrupt this blog tour with another blog tour.

I also review for the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance. This week they are featuring Jenny B. Jones and her latest book, Save the Date.

I hope it has been established now that I'm a dude. I like explosions, football collisions, and helicopter/car chases. All three mashed together is awesome sauce.

I found out about Jenny B. Jones through Chip MacGregor, fiction agent extraordinare who is enough of a dude that he wears a kilt. In public. He highlighted her as a very funny writer. So I decided to get her book to review, likely having my wife read it.

*Ahem*

I didn't get it in time to finish it for the tour, but I am laughing out loud while reading it. And it is a ROMANCE. Now, it does have an ex-football player, which gives it a few manly points, but note that he is an EX. I don't care. I'm enjoying her writing style, the prose, the witty sense of humor. And I really want to see what happens to Lucy and her girls' home.

*Sniff*

Take that for what it's worth, and check out her book.
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(Time to blow something up...virtually...like in a video game...hey, don't look at me like I'm weird...)
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CSFF Tour Day 2 - The God Haters

Welcome back to the CSFF Tour for February. This month's featured book is The God Hater by Bill Myers.

For a synopsis, check out yesterday's post introducing the book.

This book fits a "speculative fiction" category by supposing that we can build an artificial computer world, with completely independent artificial intelligence, that can be used to see how humanity will respond to variables and make better predictions.

My prediction is that this book will do well with general Christian fiction (specifically CBA readers). And that is perhaps a shame.

This book is written for a purpose. It has a specific aim - to show the logic God used in creating our world and the need for divine intervention (per the Questions to the Author in the back of the book). The book is designed to be a challenge to the New Atheists who are challenging Christian belief with old arguments and renewed fervor. It is a noble purpose, certainly. From a personal standpoint I would love to see it succeed.

Reviewing it for artistic purposes is another story.

Often Christian art is considered to be in one of two categories: it is made with creativity as the primary goal, and the theme taken from the book is incidental, or it is made with a message as the anchor, and the story is conceived and created around it. I don't think it is necessarily bad to have a book written with the second point as the motivation, but it means that the story will require a very deft touch to make the work stand on artistic merits, apart from the theme (however holy it may be).

The God Haters, in my opinion, fails to rise above the forced preconceptions and stand as a quality piece of fiction. The story suffers from several flaws. The characters are generally 2D cut-outs, created to hold a place in the story without much depth or empathy. The Christian professor Annie escapes this to a degree, but she doesn't carry enough of the story to overcome the other flat people. He uses several writing techniques that jarred me out of the imaginary world he was attempting to create, from using parentheses for several asides to a character with an annoying vocal tic ("bro!"). There were also a couple of scientific mistakes that threw me as a biology major, but that is me being overly picky.

The suspense and plot is pulled along well enough, and isn't all that bad. It just isn't all that good either. I didn't get bored, but I wasn't invested in what was happening. There are some touching moments as he delves into the computer simulation and the professor's avatar gains more and more compassion for the "creation," but it is too little, too late to save the book. A major issue seems to be that the book is too short to give the depth needed to make everything more believable. Perhaps it would be a different story if it had the length to give the depth required.

The book gives the whole back copy to quotes of endorsements. There's no place to get a synopsis of the book, and I think that will be a disservice to readers as well.

I don't like to give such negative reviews, but I have to be honest in my impression of a book to have some integrity as a reviewer. Christian art can be especially tricky, because the charge can be brought that I'm harming a brother in their ministry or something similar. Like I said, I admire the intent, and wish it could have worked out better. It was an ambitious project, but my opinion is that it isn't a great book for those looking for a story with in-depth characters and a carefully crafted plot. If you're looking for a book to shore up your Christian beliefs, then this book would be entertaining enough. I wouldn't recommend it to a non-believer, but I really won't be recommending it anyway.

If you make it past this gloomy review, tomorrow I want to talk about the issue of art and theme raised by this book, and compare it with another recent read.

I did receive a copy of this book from the publisher for review purposes, and was obviously not required to give a positive endorsement in exchange for the book. The opinions are my own.

Oh, and check out my tourmates at Becky's blog for the latest and greatest from the others in the CSFF Tour.
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CSFF Tour Day 1 - The God Haters

I hate God, and you too!

I had one of *those* professors.

You know, one of those college PhD's who enjoyed destroying the faith of unsuspecting freshmen coming to college with their parents' religion shackled to them like mental bungie cords, holding them back from truly learning in the world of higher learning. (See, you can tell by that sentence that I'm a college graduate!)

The only problem for Dr. Bob Anderson is that I didn't take him as a freshmen.

I would have done fine if I had. I'd done enough study into my own faith to shore it up. But I took him as a senior majoring in biology, taking the long put-off Botany 101 that I was hoping to avoid by getting into the physician assistant program before I had to take some rabbit classes (you know, botany, ecology - all the plant stuff). I'd also spent 9 months in YWAM's School of Biblical Studies, so I wasn't worried when I showed up to the first day of class and Dr. Anderson was at the podium (he wasn't supposed to teach it, but they must have needed a switch, since he was an entomologist).

He required us to buy his own little screed in addition to our botany textbook. He spent six weeks discussing his philosophy of science and learning, while spending less than one full lecture on photosynthesis (which seems to be a fairly important biochemical reaction, but whatever dude). It was quite frustrating, but it didn't shake me up at all. It was my main experience with this common college happenstance.

This leads us to this month's feature book, The God Hater by Bill Myers. The book features such an atheistic professor, Nicholas Mackenzie, who delights in tearing down religion and showing it for the farce he believes it to be. He's a cranky curmudgeon who is only really close to sweet Annie Brooks, another professor who happens to be a Christian, and her young son Rusty.

He is estranged from his computer genius brother Travis, but he gets a cryptic message from him asking for help. It seems that Travis has managed to create a true artificial intelligence, with a computer world filled with about 1000 denizens who keep wiping each other out in simulation after simulation. Travis needs his philosphical brother to create a worldview that will allow the simulation to proceed with a foundation that will keep them from obliterating each other. The key part is that their free will must be kept intact, or it will be no better than the programmers telling their creation what to do.

While the Mackenzies wrestle with their philosophical dilemna, it seems Travis has had to do some questionable hacking to rustle up enough computer power to keep this "super-secret" project going - and some people are interested enough in the outcome of this experiment that they are willing to use Annie and Rusty as leverage against Nicholas.

As they dodge the guys in black suits, Nicholas is failing in his attempts to influence the program's inhabitants to follow a simple, materialistically-devised philosophy. Maybe if he has a digital avatar go and explain the rules of life to the simulations, he will have better success...

And with that, I leave you for my review of the book tomorrow. But check out my tourmates below for more discussion and other antics.

Noah Arsenault
Red Bissell
Thomas Clayton Booher
Keanan Brand
Kathy Brasby
Rachel Briard
Beckie Burnham
Morgan L. Busse
Carol Bruce Collett
Valerie Comer
Karri Compton
CSFF Blog Tour
April Erwin
Amber French
Andrea Graham
Tori Greene
Katie Hart
Ryan Heart
Joleen Howell
Bruce Hennigan
Becky Jesse
Cris Jesse
Becca Johnson
Jason Joyner
Carol Keen
Emily LaVigne
Shannon McDermott
Matt Mikalatos
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Mirtika
MollyBuuklvr81
John W. Otte
Sarah Sawyer
Chawna Schroeder
Andrea Schultz
Tammy Shelnut
Kathleen Smith
James Somers
Donna Swanson
Jessica Thomas
Steve Trower
Fred Warren
Dona Watson
Nicole White
Dave Wilson
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Thoughts on Violence in Word and Deed

It seems in the blogosphere there has been new conversation on the topic of language use and violence in Christian art. Note that the ideas presented aren't necessarily new, but a healthy conversation is brewing in a few different sectors. 

Mike Duran is always up to stirring up contention, discussion on his blog Decompose. He uses the example of the counting of different potentially offensive terms in the movie The Blind Side to springboard into a discussion of language in Christian fiction. His recent novel The Resurrection had a jaded construction worker, who couldn't say damn or hell because it was produced for the CBA market.

In the recent issue of Relevant, Dan Haseltine of Jars of Clay asks if "offensive art can be Christian." He starts off talking about a secular band declaring their allegiance  to Jesus in a song that also drops an F-bomb. Does the fact that they used such a word demean their otherwise Christian content? For a little more food for thought, check out this quote from the article:

We have come so far from reflecting the rebel Jesus in our art and cultural engagement that we do not recognize Him when He surfaces. I still wrestle with the fact that Jesus hung out with prostitutes not simply to tell them what they were doing wrong, but to love them where they were. He was in the world, and His agenda was to love. He was not looking for reasons to be offended. He was not looking for reasons to stay home, safely out of harm’s way. We weren’t set apart in order to live apart. We were called God’s own so we could confidently go into the world. 

 In a contrary grain, another author writes in Relevant that "Christian artists should (not) use violence." He uses the term "violence" to include gratuitous sex and language. His contention is that the world is so jaded that using rough violence or stark violence or sex doesn't faze the world anymore. When our morals were on a similar level, works like Flannery O'Connor's provided a shock that hit complacency. Now when modern art tries to find new levels to shock and awe, then perhaps the answer  for the Christian artist is to paint a picture of beauty to be the contrast.

Whatever should be done, it is clear the Christian artist faces a peculiar enemy today: the expanding boredom of the modern age, which has the power to wash out even the severest expressions, and violence is its latest casualty. It is the constant duty of the Christian artist to outwit this amoebic tendency to consume and excrete, to make retail of riches. She must forge new paths of expression and restore old ones. When the world builds for itself a Tower of Babel, then she must paint a pile of rubble, and then when it is knocked down and the peoples wander in the refuse, she must paint a glittering city with jasper walls and foundations of precious stone. 

 A very intriguing article, and if you have to pick one, I think this would be it.

Finally, the flavor du jour here has been The Civil Wars. In an article in the Los Angeles Times, Joy Williams describes the freedom she now experiences being out of the Contemporary Christian Music realm.

“The process of being with John Paul  (White, her band partner) is this wonderful discovery of creative freedom that I didn’t know that I had,” she said. “I started in a very restrictive genre of music. But the reality is that I’m able to write a lot more about the world around me, if it’s about faith or about cigarettes, or about murder or adultery, or about a movie that I saw, or a book we’ve both read.”  Emphasis mine.

I like to put out interesting thoughts and articles for people to explore more. If you have thoughts on it, I'd enjoy your comments here as well.
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Challenging Creativity

Call it a case of "put your money where your mouth is."

Last week I blogged about The Civil Wars and their debut album, Barton Hollow (or as they pronounce it, "Barton Hawller"). This beautiful set of songs has really captured my attention. It has also forced me to stand on some of the principles I've stated at this blog.

Many times I have proclaimed that Christian artists should have the freedom to produce the art they feel called to make, whether it is specifically "Christian" (which is a tricky definition) or not. So many times, we pigeon-hole Christian artists to make a certain type of music, or write only uplifting, God-honoring lyrics.

As far as I know, The Civil Wars are not a "Christian" band. However, Joy Williams had a career in CCM (contemporary Christian music) prior to joining John Paul White to form The Civil Wars. As far as I know, Mr. White has not had such a career.

In the midst of their moving vocals, there are lines such as:
"Ain't going back to Barton Hollow
Devil gonna follow me e'er I go
Won't do me no good washing in the river
Can't no preacher man save my soul"

or
"If I die before I wake

I know the Lord my soul won't take"

Doesn't sound like typical CCM fare to me. In fact, initially I stumbled on this a little. It bothered me hearing them sing this at first, because I took it as denying that the Lord can save.

Is this really what they're saying?

Of course not! I didn't consider the point of view of the song - from the perspective of a man who has at least robbed a large sum of money, who didn't think he deserved redemption. It's a typical theme in Southern music, but I fell into the trap of taking the song very superficially.

How about their first well-known song, Poison and Wine?
"Your mouth is poison, your mouth is wine"

or
"I don't love you, but I always will"

Honestly, I was disappointed in myself for tripping up over something that wasn't there. Listening deeper, their lyrics like from Poison and Wine talk about the dichotomy in a relationship that is so strong that sometimes you can't stand the person, but you can't be without them. It is honest and provocative in the presentation, but it speaks to a dynamic those of us who have been in a deep relationship can identify with, even if we can't speak the sentiment.

I'm glad that I can realize and own up to my hypocrisy. Quality art, when it has depth, will challenge us in our preconceived ideas if we let it. If we get tangled up with a superficial glance, then we will miss out on the riches beneath.

The Civil Wars are a band that has found a niche the two artists would never have found alone. I applaud them for their music, and I applaud Joy for running in a new direction. By the way, they are produced by Charlie Peacock, head of the Art House, and a strong Christian who is a creative genius. Also, they sing a song in their live set, "Pray", that is a strong tune for crying out to Him, without succumbing to Christianese. The surface can be deceiving - the truth lies deeper than that.

Here's to mining the riches that Jesus our Creator, our Master Artist, has for His people!
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The Civil Wars - Barton Hollow

I love it when artists can challenge us.
Hopefully you have heard about The Civil Wars by now. The duo of Joy Williams and John Paul White have made a big splash in the last few weeks with their debut album, Barton Hollow, releasing on Feb. 1. I'd say appearing on The Tonight Show and having their album be #1 on iTunes for its first week as a pretty good start.

Their music is haunting and beautiful, stripped down to the basics: White's guitar, some occasional piano by Williams, the scattered accordian or percussion, and the intertwining harmonies of the two singers. In this day of auto-tuned, electronic noise being blared on iThingies and the random Super Bowl halftime show (brought to you by Lite-Brites), the organic, simple nature of these songs works into your soul. As opposed to bashing us over the head.

Their style would be best described as folk or Americana, although it resists easy labeling. They hail from Nashville and are getting airplay on CMT, but I wouldn't call them country (especially to those who know me - I'm not a country music fan). The point is that they make lovely music together. A majority of the songs are slow paced with a melancholy feel, longing for love. The title track is a foot-stomper with soaring vocal gymnastics, while "Poison and Wine," featured on an episode of Grey's Anatomy speaks in a raw, honest way about the dichotomies of love.

The two singers are refreshingly real in a day of pre-packaged artists fed to top 40 radio. I was intrigued when I found they were produced by Charlie Peacock, one of my favorite artists himself. They aren't the typical music I would listen to, but I'm all for quality, and their musicianship and chemistry makes Barton Hollow my first album purchase of 2011, and one of my favorites in a long time.

In my next point, I want to discuss how they are not only easy on the ears, but challenging to some of my convictions as well. Keep your eyes peeled for that, if you will.
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A New Weather Service

For those of us in geekdom that need a better way to appreciate the local weather beyond the tired "sunny" or "rainy", Spoiled for the Ordinary is pleased to point you to a new paradigm:

The Star Wars Weather Forecast.



Forget your Republic-issue thermal underwear?

Is it sunny where you are? It may be like Tatooine. Winter here in Idaho is best idenified by Hoth. The brainchild of Tom Scott, this new weather site is unlike any other in the galaxy. Be sure to read the screen carefully for tidbits only Star Wars fans will love.

And I dare ya to enter a fictitious place...

Hat tip to Technabob via Wired.

Yub-nub!