CSFF Tour Day 3 - The Telling by Mike Duran

I left off last time on our CSFF tour feature of The Telling by Mike Duran with a teaser. I reviewed the book, but didn't address the main idea of the book.

That requires a post of its own.

Mike's main character has a gift he calls "the Telling." It is basically prophecy - he gets words for people or others. It often comes with a physical sensation that makes him sick.

Prophecy isn't controversial, is it?

The problem in the book is the ninth gate of hell that happens to be nearby and is threatening to take over the small California town of Endurance.

A gate of hell isn't controversial, is it?

The demons that infiltrate Endurance make copies of people's bodies, creepy doppelgangers that know the person's every thought and desire.

That isn't controversial, is it?

None of this would be controversial if it weren't in the Christian fiction arena. The thing that could make it very risky is that there is a clear representation of faith and needing God's touch in the midst of more unorthodox aspects of the story.

I don't want to spoil the story, but needless to say Zeph Walker has some issues since he has a huge scar marring his mouth inflicted by a psychotic stepmother. After being hurt, he stopped using the Telling - or it left him. Either way, there's a theme of finding your way back to faith. The tagline for the book is awesome: A prophet never loses his calling, only his way.

So the theme of coming back is a decidedly Christian one. However, since The Telling mixes God with mythical gates of hell, demons that don't possess but make really good paper mache copies of people, strange demon fighters, and a blend of science and the occult - is it truly Christian fiction?

I say yes.

I don't believe a novel has to be orthodox to be Christian fiction. Maybe it comes from too much familiarity with Mike Duran - I know that he loves Jesus and loves the Church and the Word. But we have a huge precedent with C.S. Lewis and the Chronicles of Narnia. Witches and talking horses and all sorts of magic run through the story, yet all but the most conservative of Christians accept it as one of the prime examples of exemplary Christian fiction. Even though J.R.R. Tolkien didn't claim to be writing Christian fiction with The Lord Of The Rings, it is still considered a more veiled version of Narnia.

I know others will disagree. We had a fine gentleman with good thoughts leave the CSFF because too many stories we featured weren't orthodox enough for him. So whose orthodoxy will we use? In mine, prophecy is good to go, but other Christians won't agree to that at all. This will continue to be an issue no matter what we do.

I wish I had been able to visit the other blogs on the tour and see the chatter. Unfortunately between computer glitches and backed-up sewer lines in basements (honey, let's do a spontaneous renovation of the downstairs) I haven't seen much of anything. I aim to fix that and check out the opinions, because I'm sure this is going to be an interesting conversation. As always, our stalwart leader Becky Miller keeps up with the latest and greatest posts of the tour.
  
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CSFF Tour Day 2 - The Telling by Mike Duran

The CSFF is featuring Mike Duran and his latest book The Telling.

Like I mentioned yesterday, I met Mike at the ACFW Conference this last weekend and we talked a few times. When I mentioned the tour for his book, he told me to be honest with my opinion. Mike has posted about the lack of real critique in Christian fiction circles before, so it didn't surprise me that he said to go for it.

But first, what is The Telling?

Zeph Walker is a disfigured loner in the town of Endurance, on the edge of Death Valley. Hiding out on his property, his only real contact with people is in his dilapidated Book Swap store. His hideous scar, stretching from his nose across his mouth to his chin, has earned him the name Zipperface.

But Zeph has not always been like this. He used to have The Telling. He would know things about people, situations, events. He turned his back on this gift long ago.

When two law enforcement agents show him a body in the morgue that is a carbon copy of himself, he begins to be drawn in to a mystery that has been brewing underground for years. For Endurance is known for being the location of one of the nine mythical gates of hell.

As Zeph meets new friends that are also finding suspicious things going on in their little town, a choice is presented. Face the threat and face the past, or succumb to the evil lurking in the abandoned mine nearby.

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As you can see, Mike Duran does not lack for imagination. When he announced his tagline on his blog: "A disfigured prophet must rise up to close one of the nine mythical gates of hell," I knew we were in for a ride.

Mike has a distinct style. He writes supernatural fiction, dealing with the elements of angels, demons, spirits, and the ragged edge of faith. However, he does so with a lyrical style. Mike cares about the language used, and he takes great care to paint the picture of what is going on with metaphor and simile. His words don't just move the plot along, but they weave a picture. This is one of Mike's strengths, but it does make his writing a little more dense. The book is not an easy pick-up and read. There's effort expended in working through the passages.

Like his first book, The Resurrection, he deals with flawed characters with significant weakness. Zeph was horribly scarred by his stepmother. Spunky senior citizen Annie Lane has fought isolation and feeling like she may have been passed by in her destiny. There's even a lot of empathy for one of the antagonists, Fergus Coyne, who battles in his own decision on how to confront his past. The bottom line is that you care about these characters because they have significant doubts and challenges - things we can relate to as readers.

Now to the plot and the big idea of the book. I'm going to rate the writing to finish today, and tomorrow will tackle the implications of the themes.

Mike said he threw the kitchen sink at this book. Government conspiracy theories, prophecy, demons, body-snatching, and cactus jelly all in one swirl of suspense. This makes it very interesting. To me, it also made it tricky to follow everything that went on. I will admit that I read it in fits and starts due to my schedule, but the back and forth of the varied plot points got confusing - enough that it dampened some of the enjoyment. Between the twists and four different point of view characters, I had to step out of his world to figure out who was doing what and where it fit.

It is a good book. I didn't feel it was a great read. Fellow writers are notorious to please, because we read books with different eyes than a standard fiction fan. If I had to rate it on a scale, I'd give it 3.5 stars out of 5. There's a lot to think about in this book, there are interesting characters, and a skillful use of language, tempered by a mildly confusing plot.

I didn't talk about the themes and big ideas. Check back tomorrow for that - I promise it is the most interesting part.

Also, check out the other posts on The Telling. Becky Miller lists all the posts so far.
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CSFF Tour Day 1 - The Telling by Mike Duran

 It's time to "Tell" you about the September Christian Sci-fi and Fantasy Tour.

This one is a pleasure for me because the CSFF is featuring Mike Duran and his latest novel, The Telling.

Mike Duran is an author and prolific blogger. His blog Decompose is a fertile ground of ideas that make you think. Not only does Mike post provocative thoughts on faith, fiction, and culture, but the community of commenters he has following him often expand the posts into very interesting realms.

Mike is not afraid to ask the hard questions or probe issues regarding Christian fiction and speculative ideas. However, he has a deep love for the Church and regularly pokes at the foibles of atheist and relativistic thinking.

Mike and I chatting it up

The best part about Mike is that he is real and he is interested in people and exploring these issues. I know this because I had the great pleasure of meeting him this last weekend at the ACFW Conference in Dallas.

If this post sounds gushing because I just met the guy and I'm talking him up, you can forget that idea. The web does not allow for really knowing people, no matter how much you think it does. The face-to-face with Mike and bouncing ideas off him and other like thinkers (here's a shout to fellow CSFF tour member Morgan Busse) over meals was a highlight of the conference to me.

Over the next few days we'll be talking about Mike and The Telling. I'm sure it will be a tour with a lot of discussion. I invite you to check out my fellow tourmates below for more information.


 Jim Armstrong
Noah Arsenault
Keanan Brand
Beckie Burnham
Brenda Castro
Jeff Chapman
Christine
Theresa Dunlap
Victor Gentile
Nikole Hahn
Bruce Hennigan
Julie
Carol Keen
Emileigh Latham
Meagan @ Blooming with Books
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Anna Mittower
Kathleen Smith
Donna Swanson
Jessica Thomas
Steve Trower
Dona Watson
Shane Werlinger
Phyllis Wheeler
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The New Top 5 Ways To Pass Time In An Airport

I posted a handy guide to passing time in an airport last year. But after so much time has passed, the old list may be passe.

The internet needs a NEW list of things to do in an airport.

Without further ado:

5. Jockey for the best place to park. The ideal spot? Comfy chairs, plug-ins for your laptops and other electronic necessities, and a TV playing something better than CNN Financial. I'm parked in front of a football game, in a black lounge chair, with multiple plug-ins. I win.

4. See if you can find someone watching a movie on their laptop and find a way to get close enough for the free entertainment. Disclaimer: if you get in trouble with people for peeping - you didn't have to take my advice.

3. Get your exercise. Power walk up and down the concourse. You may want to find deodorant for this option.

2. Bonus points for this one - get your fellow passengers to join you in doing the Gangnam Style dance. Seriously, if you post a video link here doing it, I'll send you a pack of gum or something.

1. Write a blog post. You can give people hints on how the pass the time… (Recycled from last year, but classics never go out of style)
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Taking The Next Step

Here we go.

I've been on this writing adventure for a long time now. I started back into it as an adult writing fan fiction (shout out to KFF, yo!). I had forgotten how much I liked telling the stories that popped into my head.

I came up with an idea for a novel. My writing friend Athena Grayson helpfully shot the sick goose dead before it got very far off the ground.

Then I had another idea. This one had some promise.

I started writing.

That was...a while ago.

We won't go into detail how long ago *cough*2005*cough*.

I followed writers, read blogs, hung out at writing forums, and started writing about writing myself. I read a lot of books. Read books on craft. Read suspense, mystery, crime, horror, sci-fi, fantasy, contemporary, YA, and even a romance or two.

Very slowly, I wrote.

I kept waiting for the muse to hit to really write. I learned the muse sucks.

Then something changed. I learned to write no matter what. I set my mind to it and plugged away at it. In the last year I wrote twice as much as I had the previous six years.

Suddenly I had a first draft of a novel done.

Well shoot, now what do I do with it?

So here I sit in the airport terminal. Ready to fly off to Dallas to meet with a few other writers (about 700 or so, not many). I've made the commitment. I'm not doing this lightly. It is time to go for it.

Here I go. And if I have any advice to give, it would be this: go for it.

See you on the other side.
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Arrrr Ye Ready?

Welcome aboard mateys, as this blog's flagship holiday approaches.

International Talk Like A Pirate Day

As this intrepid explorer will be working and flying off to Dallas (a shame, as there are no oceans nearby), it seemed prudent to offer up the traditional pirate resources. Although piracy is not usually associated with prudence.

Every pirate needs a good source of navigation. How else do they find rum?

The age old question: pirates or ninjas. This landlubber writer makes his choice, and he'll be paying Davy Jones a visit real soon.

Or, ye can settle the dispute yerself. Heave ho with the dodgeballs!

If ye are not proficient in yer pirate lingo, here be a handy translator.

There even be some food merchants who are forthcoming with plunder if ye speak to them winsomely.

Here some photographic evidence of piracy and plunder be revealing the buccaneer among ye.

Cutlass versus rum...cake

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Pre-Conference Jitters

In one week I'll be at the airport.

It's time for the American Christian Fiction Writers Conference in Dallas. This is my first writing conference, and I've already shared some resources I've found while preparing.

One would think that with all the advice on the web that there wouldn't be nerves. Ah, who am I fooling? We're human, and anytime we do something wildly different it will create anxiety. I've been working on a novel for a long time. It's finally to a point where I feel comfortable going and seeing what happens.

So, if you're like me and worried about what to expect for your first conference, here's a few more posts I've found circulating the net while procrastinating preparing for take-off.

Mike Duran says chuck the check list but pack the deodorant.

Agent Karen Ball gives her two B's for the conference. Scroll to the bottom of her post, and you'll find several other helpful links. One of them I'll link specifically, from Tamela Hancock Murray for the ACFW 2011 Conference with the helpful title of Conquering Conference Jitters. So you can read that post, or jitter away. The choice is yours.

Maybe I'll see you at the conference. If we're lucky, we won't end up like the unfortunate gentleman below.

True picture of a n00b at the ACFW conference last year
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Revision All The Time

Two weeks until the conference.

No big deal or anything, right?

I know I don't have to have my first revision done before I go to the ACFW Conference. If I am lucky enough to get some interest, I will have a little time to get it finished. Still, it provides a handy deadline and incentive to get it done. I am one of those writers who works better under pressure.

Just as there are many helps out there for writers when plotting, I'm finding a lot of resources for revision. I'd like to pull together a post of links for helpful sites, but guess what? I'm on a deadline. ;)

I've been impressed with the American Christian Fiction Writers member resources. I signed up as a member a few years ago but I wasn't as serious and didn't take advantage of the services. Right now I have signed up for their novel editing loop on email. They run this every couple of months. They have you set a goal and report your pages edited to give accountability and encouragement. They also offer mini-lessons on editing basics. There are handy tidbits in there.


The one book I've fully read and used is James Scott Bell's Revision and Self-Editing.This helpful guide gives an overview of Bell's fiction teaching and applies the knowledge to the revision stage of writing. He is one of my favorite writing guides, so I'm happy to dig into it. I've also read the ubiquitous Self-Editing For Fiction Writers by King and Browne, but that was a long time ago.

Today Nathan Bransford had a helpful post about revision. When you get to the point that you hate your novel, that you can't imagine another change - well, then you're close to being ready. Go check the post out for yourself.

And in closing, if you didn't see Bransford's Publication Process in GIF form, then you missed one of the best posts for writers in a long, long time.

I'd say more, but those revisions aren't happening by themselves. Back to the grindstone.
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Do you have any specific revision resources you like? Please share them in the comments below.
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Revising Characters

It is time to revisit some old friends of mine.

You'd think after working on a novel for 7 years that I'd know these people pretty well by now. However, sometimes you don't really ask the questions that get you deep into a relationship.

When I've had critiques done of my work so far, my main character Jenna usually comes across as well-rounded. She was a little too head-strong initially, but I think I've worked some of her rough edges down.


I think Tebow is more than just a cutout



Now the male lead and her romantic interest, Derek? He's another story. I think I start off showing the differences he has compared to Jenna, but he later on blends into being whatever she needs him to be. I think I lost track of who he was. In doing so, I don't think he is very three-dimensional.

I know I love it when a book has numerous 3-D characters, people who reflect reality and could be someone you know in real life. The cardboard cutouts in a book get boring fast.

This is the right time to recognize this. I've got the whole book in front of me to show who Derek is in more depth. Why does he accompany Jenna to Thailand? What does he want?

I'm not settling for two 3-D characters either. I want to evaluate my secondary characters and see what I can do for them. One or two of them are fairly well-rounded. I'll have to evaluate that when I get to them.

I am finding that the first draft is hard to get down. The framework of the story needs a foundation, and that can be tricky for me at times. The revision seems to be going smoothly for me. Now that I see the outline, I can work on filling the meat out onto the bones. And mix my metaphors.

Of course, having a deadline helps.

What do you do when it comes to creating depth in your characters? How do you beef them up in the revision process?

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Tell A Story

I've been following the Verge Network on Twitter (@VergeNetwork) all summer. They post some thought-provoking articles on missional life and discipleship. You have to pay for full access, but some gems have popped up on the free side.

This inteview by Rick Warren of Asian church planter Ying Kai is eye-opening and simple. When doing evangelism:

1. Tell a story
2. Don't ask for permission to share

Check out the video in the link below for the explanation. Makes sense, and I've tried it. It works!

http://www.vergenetwork.org/2012/05/29/simple-ways-to-share-your-faith/

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What say you? Have you found any successful ways to share your faith?
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Continuing The Writing Adventure

On last week's Writing Wednesday I talked about finally putting "The End" down on my longstanding first draft of a novel.

Revision is the next step in the process with the novel, but there's another major step I'm taking this year.

I'm attending the American Christian Fiction Writers' Conference in Dallas next month.

The ACFW is the largest organization that supports Christian fiction writers in the country. They hold this conference each year, and for several years I've had to deal with the sins of jealousy and covetousness when seeing other writers announce they are going. (Just kidding) (Sorta)

I'm excited to go. I've heard different opinions on when to go to your first conference. Some have said early on to go to the workshops and get training, others have suggested waiting until you've done something significant related to writing.

For a general writer, my advice would be to evaluate potential conferences and see if they offer courses or workshops for your level. If it seems geared to someone who is farther along the writing path, maybe that isn't the best fit. If, like the ACFW conference, they have several levels of training offered, it would be a great start even if you're pretty new.

For the Christian writer, there's the added consideration of what the Lord is leading you to do. I wanted to have my first novel finished before I thought about it. I wasn't finished when I signed up, but I have since then. However, I feel the doors have been opened for me this year that weren't before, so I have a confidence that I'm making the right decision.

The cool thing about the ACFW folks is the length they go to in order to make us "first-timers" feel welcome and the support offered. There's a email loop with advice for us covering various topics. The first day has a noob orientation. There is a lot of prayer that goes into everything that happens there. That is very encouraging.

The conference is September 20-23 and I head out the Wednesday night before. I'll post more about this before I go.

Here goes nothing!
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CSFF Tour - Eye Of The Sword

Guess what's back?

After a summer hiatus, the Christian Sci-fi/Fantasy Tour (CSFF as it is affectionately known) is back. This month the focus book is Eye of the Sword by Karyn Henley.

Unfortunately I didn't read this book, as I'm preparing for a special event that I'll talk more about tomorrow. I hate to miss out on books, because the CSFF Tour usually features the best in Christian fantasy or science fiction. Here's what Amazon has to say about it:

Where angels walk the ground and the future is told in song, does a man of low rank have a chance at love with a princess?


In Camrithia, a land of shadows and mystical secrets, Trevin lives to serve King Laetham. But his heart belongs to the princess, Melaia. When the King sends Trevin on on a dangerous quest to find the missing comains—captains in the king’s army—he must leave Melaia to the advances of a swaggering Dregmoorian prince.

Challenged to prove his worth, Trevin throws himself into his quest. Striving to prove his love, Trevin undertakes a second mission—find the harps Melaia seeks in order to restore the stairway to heaven. Through fire caves, rogue winds, and murderous threats, Trevin remains steadfastly dedicated to his quest—even when he is falsely accused of a heinous crime. As Trevin’s time runs out, he realizes he must face the shame and horror of his own past and the nightmare that has come to life. Will he have the courage to finish what he has started?

If this interests you at all, you can get more information at Karyn's blog or Facebook page. Of course, my other partners on the tour I'm sure have a lot of intriguing feedback, so be sure to check them out as well.
Until next time, when I have more time...

Julie Bihn
Thomas Fletcher Booher
Keanan Brand
Beckie Burnham
Jackie Castle
Brenda Castro
Jeff Chapman
Christine
Theresa Dunlap
Cynthia Dyer
Victor Gentile
Ryan Heart
Janeen Ippolito
Carol Keen
Emileigh Latham
Rebekah Loper
Shannon McDermott
Karen McSpadden
Meagan @ Blooming with Books
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Anna Mittower
Mirriam Neal
Nissa
Faye Oygard
Nathan Reimer
Chawna Schroeder
Kathleen Smith
Donna Swanson
Jessica Thomas
Steve Trower
Shane Werlinger
Phyllis Wheeler
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Community

Sometimes our culture sets us up against God's will for our lives.

As we continue walking out the Outreach Saga in the local park, we're learning things all the time. We are meeting next to a low-income housing complex of 100 or so units. In getting to know the people there, I've noticed that they have their own little community there.

Since it is an area of low resources, the people have learned to pool together to help each other out. They spend more time interacting. Sometimes they have conflict, but living so close together they live differntly than a lot of suburban Americans.

We've been blessed to be accepted by a group of them, and they come on Sunday evenings to fellowship, to talk about the Word, and to encourage one another.

My point in this post is the contrast to how individualistic we are as Americans. We are taught to do things independently. Pull youself up by your own bootstraps. It sometimes is a sign of weakness to need someone's help.

American Christians play into this. We talk about "our walk with God" as an individual thing. We forget that we are called to be part of a body, a family.

I don't think this is God's will for us. Certainly I have to answer to God for my own actions, and I have a relationship with Jesus. The ancient world used to think solely in the concept of the clan or tribe, and the individual didn't matter. According to Thomas Cahill's book The Gift Of The Jews, the idea of an individual relationship with God, an independent reckoning was revolutionary.

Western culture has taken this too far. We are built to need one another. I know some people would rather be hermits. My mother could leave work on Friday and not talk to another soul until Monday morning and it would suit her just fine. She said liked it, but I would argue she let herself get into a mindset that she wasn't really created for.

I would argue that the Western idea of individualism and the Eastern focus on community over a person are extremes, and that the Biblical ideal would foster a strong personal relationship with Jesus in a healthy community of believers that encouraged and exhorted one another.

I'm glad that we're learning as much in this process as the people that are joining us in the park. When you don't have a lot, you have to work together with other more. I'm encouraged by their example, and I hope Christians can wake up to the value of having brothers and sisters in Christ that keep us accountable and build us up. Yes, people can hurt you, but the blessings of opening up far outweight the risks in the long-run.

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The End (Just The Beginning)

There comes a day in every writer's life when they must type these words.

The end.

I've resisted calling myself a writer or an author, because I've never written those words on something significant. Sure, I've finished a few short stories, but my novel WIP was something that seemed like it never would get done. Other people might argue that since I write regularly (this blog, a newspaper column) then I am a writer. I never felt like I was there.

Until this weekend.

On Sunday evening I sat on the couch, my laptop warming my legs. I finished the last sentence of my novel. Set the laptop down to think about it. Picked it up, read the last chapter and reconsidered.

Then I typed, "The end."

I finished the first draft of a labor of love. I started with the initial idea and first couple of chapters in 2005. Yes, it took me this long! I thought about giving up several times. It never seemed right to quit though.

After 60,000 words (what the word processor counts, not including all the erased words that didn't make the cut), I had the basis for a novel. I could say it.

I had written a book.

Well, I finished the first draft. Which I count as significant, since so many people say they're going to write a book and never do it. I vowed last year to not be that person.

So...now what?

*Looks at his watch, taps his chin*

Oh, you're still here? Cool. Me too.

Now of course is the dreaded revision process. Although, I liked the last time I did some serious revision. I realize that my writing needs a lot of work. Characters are flimsy and need a work-out. Plot points disappear like the Big Lost River here in the Idaho desert. Cliches need filleted.

And it's not like I'm on a deadline or anything...

(more details next week)

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Fighting Sex Tourism On Amazon

The e-publishing revolution is allow a lot of people to get their words out there. Unfortunately, there are some people who say awful things and shouldn't have such a platform.

Through Love146 I found out about a book on Amazon available via Kindle that talks about the "age of consent" in countries around the world. This disgusting work even has a chapter that specifies the *lowest* ages, and mentions one country that has no consent age for sex!

These are children who are being sexually exploited, pure and simple. There is no romantic consent going on here. This book is being used by pedophiles and abusers in the Third World.

I'm not going to name the book to give it more publicity or search engine fuel. However, I am going to ask you to take a minute and go to the Love146 Task Force page and do one of the steps listed, at least, to help ask Amazon and Jeff Bezos to take this horrible thing out of their store.

According to a letter you can print out and send to Mr. Bezos, this type of campaign has worked before. Please help to fight the scourge of child sex trafficking. I know we are asked on the web to do things all the time, but this only takes a minute, and will help cut down on the demand for such terrible crimes.

Jesus said that if you do such things for the least of these, you're doing it for Him.

Thanks and peace be with you.
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Getting Out Of The Rut

photo by Catie Rhodes 

Who's been in a rut before?

Everyone raise your hands. We've all done it. Whether it is with our food choices, our daily activities, or our writing, we've been in the place where we get stuck and can't move on to new and exciting things.

The rut is comforable. You don't have to think about it. The path is set, all you need to do is follow it.

My family just did a weekend road trip that included seeing part of the Oregon Trail. To me it was amazing to think that thousands of people trekked west in the mid-1800's for a new life. The standard path was so well worn that there are still ruts visible over some grassy hills in southern Idaho after all this time.

I've been stuck in a grammatical rut for the last couple of chapters. I'm trying to finish for a deadline. That might be pushing me to stick to a comfortable routine. My rut is this: "James wanted to finish his coffee, but Kristin was giving him that look."

Nothing wrong with that by itself, right? My problem is that I keep using this compound sentence structure EVERY paragraph it seems. I don't want simple short sentences every time, but this way of using a conjunction is becoming to repetitive. SEE! I just did it again.

Argh. It is hard enough pushing toward the end. I can see it. The end. No more mirage shimmering in the distance. It really is there. But in fighting toward it I still want to do a decent job and not have to return to edit every single "Blah, blah, blah, BUT/AND/SO blah, blah, blah" clause that I can't seem to avoid.

At least I am recognizing it. We all have blind spots as authors. Better to know now than be surprised withthe edits. Now, how to get past this? There's always the "bomb under the sofa" technique.

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What say you? What have some of your ruts been? Anything goes here! For writers, how did you get out of said rut?
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Book Review - Proof

Dr. Lilly Reeves has learned to take care of herself. Despite her childhood issues, she is a successful ER doctor who has a black belt and is a good shot. Unfortunately, she still becomes the victim of a serial rapist who manages to break into her apartment and drug her.

Detective Nathan Long has been working the case and thanks to Lilly he is able to finally catch the bad guy. Until the DNA tests point to a different man.

Now Lilly and Nathan face professional and personal challenges from the supposed mistake in identification. The question becomes can they figure out the answer before the criminal strikes again, or before he targets Lilly for knowledge she may carry?

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This is the premise for the debut novel of Proof by Jordyn Redwood. As a pediatric ER nurse by day, Jordyn has the medical qualifications to weave a taut suspense within the world of health care. That's exactly what Proof is.

The scenario that she conjures is scary and real, making the book an intense read. She sets up the mystery in the first chapter, and the twists and turns continue until the final pages. There is plenty of danger, action, and medical setting to satisfy readers of medical thrillers, mysteries, and typical suspense.

Her characters have a lot of depth and are all flawed. There's no cardboard cutouts here. Lilly is a compelling protagonist, but some of her reaction to the assault is real and not very heroic, frankly. Too many writers ignore the consequences of actions in their books. Jordyn shows Lilly's struggles to accept what has happened. This part of the book isn't easy reading, but it is realistic and handled well. It dovetails with the plot and sets up consequences that drive a lot of the story along.

I'm in medicine myself, so I don't know if the medical description is too technical for the average reader, but it is all very believable and plausible. I didn't stumble over anything in this aspect of the book.

It is very strong for a debut author. I could nitpick about repetitive imagery that occasionally pops up, but it is weak criticism at best, and it shows that Jordyn has a natural affinity for the medical suspense genre. Any fan of thrillers or adrenaline-laced fiction will enjoy this read. I'm excited for what comes next in the series, as it is apparently part of a trilogy. Oh, and if you're an author, her medical blog Redwood's Medical Edge is a great resource to get answers to your medical questions.

Do you like fiction with a medical edge? Are there writers in the medical thriller niche you can recommend as well?
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Got Body?

My mom had her share of corny jokes.

One of her favorites was, "Do you want to hear my ghost song?" Then she would sing the first couple lines from the song, "I Ain't Got Nobody." No. Body. Get it. Never mind.

Well, I think in the body of Christ we act too often as if we "ain't got no body." In that, we don't let the body do what it needs to do.

Our little Outreach Saga in the park has been going for about 7-8 weeks now. When we first started, we concentrated on building some relationship and gaining the trust of the people. We shared Jesus when we could, whether through conversation or deeds. The last few weeks we have transitioned to having a little more organized Bible study together.

Now, "organized" has a different meaning for what we've been doing relative to most people. In this case, it means we gather in a circle and start with reading a Bible story or a few verses. Then we have discussion. That part has lasted about 1.5 hours the last two weeks. No agenda or specific sermon to go through. We're opening it up to questions and sharing from our hearts.

The awesome thing about this is that we're seeing our group be the Body of Christ. I'm kind of the leader of our study time, since I have a big mouth and am not afraid to get the ball rolling. The problem is that I don't necessarily have all the answers for the questions we're getting.

Last night several people shared. People from the park have questions but also chime in with thoughts. Others from our original fellowship stepped up with their testimonies and words at the proper times.

I've had some great opportunities to go to a wonderful Bible study program, to teach and use my gifts in the past. This doesn't mean I have it all figured out, or have the right words for every situation. Far from it!

I was so blessed last night to have others willing and able to share and use their gifts and testimony to touch others. I needed them. I couldn't do it myself (not that I would ever want to!).

More and more in our Outreach Saga I'm seeing the wisdom in 1 Corinthians 12-14. Jesus created us as a body for a reason. We need each other. Don't be afraid to use your gifts from God. He gave them to you for a reason - to be shared with others.
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If anyone has questions about what this whole Outreach Saga is, feel free to let me know in the comments and I'll do my best to answer them. It's an interesting journey so far!
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Written By A Kid

This is awesome. That is all.

CFBA Tour - Rare Earth

A long time ago, in a blogosphere not so far away, I reviewed books for the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance. I haven't done so for a while, mostly due to trying to get my own writing done, but also because I was waiting for a book to really catch my attention.

Author Davis Bunn has done that with his latest book, Rare Earth.

Marc Royce is a fixer. A former intelligence agent who works for the government in scenarios that need subtlety and finesse, he is a man who fights the good fight to help others and to quell his own pain.

He is sent on assignment to Kenya, an east African country that had slid into crisis in recent years. A refugee camp is overwhelmed with people displaced due to a local volcanic eruption. The situation is volatile - there is little oversight, goods being withheld, and a population growing desperate by the hour.

As Marc lands and begins to grapple with the immediate problem, he is drawn to Kitra, a beautiful Israeli nurse who holds a secret and a grudge toward his cover company. The camp pastor Charles is Marc's only ally as he navigates tribal chiefs, political intrigue, and power brokers. When more villagers are displaced by government order, the region is primed to explode over something called "rare earth."

Marc has steep challenges before him: find the mystery of rare earth and Kitra's missing brother before he is the next victim.
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I didn't realize when I ordered the book that I had read one of Bunn's earliest novels in the 1990s (so long ago now...). I was excited to read some of his newer work, and I was not disappointed.

Rare Earth is a suspense/action book with heart. Marc Royce is one of those heroes who is well-trained and knows how to respond in every situation. Even though he is special, he doesn't come across as a cardboard character. I felt Marc's doubts and hurts, and it provided real depth. Still, I enjoyed how he tackled situations and did what was necessary, including kicking some butt at times.

The plot is very current and deals with real world situations regarding rare earth and the phenomena of people being displaced for their land or resources. There was one too many meetings between power brokers (tribal chiefs, other councils) that got a little repetitive, but I always wanted to keep turning the page and reading more.

The faith element of the book is very well-handled and organic to the story. There is no preachiness, but spiritual life is realistically depicted, and this is a book anyone could enjoy.

The CBA market is developing more writers and books outside of the Amish/historical/romance genres over time. Davis Bunn has actually been around for a while, and even though I lost track of his works for a while, I will be eagerly watching for his new material after enjoying Rare Earth. Fans of action and suspense should definitely check him out.
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Disclaimer: The publisher sent me a complimentary copy of the book for review purposes, without obligation for a positive review. I just like it anyway.