Historical Fiction--and other stuff, too.
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It's almost as if I lost the wind in my sails on this topic. :D
I'm writing story right now. It has a Christian World View [i got that term from Rachelle's blog]. There are villains, church-goers, good people, ornery people, priests, moms, dads... you get the picture. Set in present day, fictional Coopersville, NY--north of Binghamton, the story is about everyday people in everyday life.
If you've been with me a while, you know my stance on the CBA guidelines, on Inspirational fiction. Although I appreciate the efforts, I think it falls short of the world we live in. So, this is a subjective topic. I understand that. I know that not everyone agrees with me. I know not everyone loves to read a heart-pounding thriller like I do, but just so you can see where I'm coming from, let's imagine.
A villain, dark, mysterious and psycho. He has one thing on his mind, and one thing only--to capture the heroine and kill her. He thinks he's invincible. The closer he gets to her, the stronger the urge is to have her, use her and kill her! [da-dun!!!] What do you do? [and if you're a CBA approved author, i'd love your perspective] Does he not swear? or drink? think lude thoughts? How do you portray EVIL without being able to show it. A side note: I have read some very good Christian Fiction that portrayed evil extremely well. This is definitely a book by book assessment. Though I steer away from lots of Christian fiction nowadays, I do try to give each book I pick up a fair shake. :)
On to Historical Fiction. Have you ever heard a person say, I wish I lived during the 1800's. Life was easier in the old days. Temptations weren't so apparent during that time because more people had lives centered on God. Well, phooey is what I say. I can't figure out why more than half of the inspirational fiction that reaches the bookshelves is historical. Is it easier to write within those aforementioned guidelines if your story is based in history? Are the issues easier to address? Is it easier to bring your character to a conversion that way? I feel I have to know.
[my wind is definitely back... Hahaha]
I've done some thinking lately on this topic. After bringing our family to church for confession several weeks ago, a man passed us as we were walking back to our car. He kept shaking his head. I don't remember his exact words, but basically he felt sorry for us. That he thought we were doomed to fail in this society. That the world had turned and there was no hope for our children...no, there was no hope for us! We would be broken for sure.
Then I got to thinking...why does everyone think we live in the worst that the devil has to offer? I think that the sin we experience in our lives today is the same sin that ran rampant through the world during and before Jesus' time. It is the knowledge of sin or temptation that has changed. We no longer are protected from the worst the world has to offer. Fifty years ago, no one knew what the heck was going on in other worlds unless they were in it or interested in it. Now, it's all online. We have become more aware of the sin...but it's not new.
One book I'm looking forward to reading is Francine Rivers, Redeeming Love. A rendering of the book Hosea. If I had Francine by my side, I'd ask her what made her write this story during the prairie days, besides the fact that she writes in that genre. If my sources are right, it's a book worth its weight in gold. Wonderfully penned and emotionally compelling. I look forward to it. And I also think that the setting is probably perfect for the story. There isn't a 'saloon girl' in present day times that a good Christian man would fall in love with... not with the drugs, alcohol, STDs, etc that have changed that age-old profession. :D
Okay, so maybe some things have changed.
But, I'd still like to read a good contemporary Christian story that isn't chic lit, please.
I'd like one that doesn't pull its punches when it comes to the love that brings two people together. It's a STRONG bond. Not one that can easily be reined in. You know what I'm talking about. It's the kind of love that is continually asking God's help to hold in check.
And I'd like one where the villain actually seems villainous...and not on the verge of a conversion as the heroine speaks to him of God in the last page or chapter of the book.
God has called us to live today. To live in this world, but not of it. How can we encourage the young people around us, if we only portray goodness in the centuries before this one?
:-) Now I'm done.
Thanks for listening.
Love,
Bethanne
I'm writing story right now. It has a Christian World View [i got that term from Rachelle's blog]. There are villains, church-goers, good people, ornery people, priests, moms, dads... you get the picture. Set in present day, fictional Coopersville, NY--north of Binghamton, the story is about everyday people in everyday life.
If you've been with me a while, you know my stance on the CBA guidelines, on Inspirational fiction. Although I appreciate the efforts, I think it falls short of the world we live in. So, this is a subjective topic. I understand that. I know that not everyone agrees with me. I know not everyone loves to read a heart-pounding thriller like I do, but just so you can see where I'm coming from, let's imagine.
A villain, dark, mysterious and psycho. He has one thing on his mind, and one thing only--to capture the heroine and kill her. He thinks he's invincible. The closer he gets to her, the stronger the urge is to have her, use her and kill her! [da-dun!!!] What do you do? [and if you're a CBA approved author, i'd love your perspective] Does he not swear? or drink? think lude thoughts? How do you portray EVIL without being able to show it. A side note: I have read some very good Christian Fiction that portrayed evil extremely well. This is definitely a book by book assessment. Though I steer away from lots of Christian fiction nowadays, I do try to give each book I pick up a fair shake. :)
On to Historical Fiction. Have you ever heard a person say, I wish I lived during the 1800's. Life was easier in the old days. Temptations weren't so apparent during that time because more people had lives centered on God. Well, phooey is what I say. I can't figure out why more than half of the inspirational fiction that reaches the bookshelves is historical. Is it easier to write within those aforementioned guidelines if your story is based in history? Are the issues easier to address? Is it easier to bring your character to a conversion that way? I feel I have to know.
[my wind is definitely back... Hahaha]
I've done some thinking lately on this topic. After bringing our family to church for confession several weeks ago, a man passed us as we were walking back to our car. He kept shaking his head. I don't remember his exact words, but basically he felt sorry for us. That he thought we were doomed to fail in this society. That the world had turned and there was no hope for our children...no, there was no hope for us! We would be broken for sure.
Then I got to thinking...why does everyone think we live in the worst that the devil has to offer? I think that the sin we experience in our lives today is the same sin that ran rampant through the world during and before Jesus' time. It is the knowledge of sin or temptation that has changed. We no longer are protected from the worst the world has to offer. Fifty years ago, no one knew what the heck was going on in other worlds unless they were in it or interested in it. Now, it's all online. We have become more aware of the sin...but it's not new.
One book I'm looking forward to reading is Francine Rivers, Redeeming Love. A rendering of the book Hosea. If I had Francine by my side, I'd ask her what made her write this story during the prairie days, besides the fact that she writes in that genre. If my sources are right, it's a book worth its weight in gold. Wonderfully penned and emotionally compelling. I look forward to it. And I also think that the setting is probably perfect for the story. There isn't a 'saloon girl' in present day times that a good Christian man would fall in love with... not with the drugs, alcohol, STDs, etc that have changed that age-old profession. :D
Okay, so maybe some things have changed.
But, I'd still like to read a good contemporary Christian story that isn't chic lit, please.
I'd like one that doesn't pull its punches when it comes to the love that brings two people together. It's a STRONG bond. Not one that can easily be reined in. You know what I'm talking about. It's the kind of love that is continually asking God's help to hold in check.
And I'd like one where the villain actually seems villainous...and not on the verge of a conversion as the heroine speaks to him of God in the last page or chapter of the book.
God has called us to live today. To live in this world, but not of it. How can we encourage the young people around us, if we only portray goodness in the centuries before this one?
:-) Now I'm done.
Thanks for listening.
Love,
Bethanne
