If You Could Ask God One Question...

Some years ago I read about a survey in which people were prompted, “If you could ask God one question, what would it be?” The majority’s response, far outnumbering even the “Why-do-bad-things-happen-to-good-people?” question, was: “What is my purpose on this earth?”

That question haunted me.

Not because I was surprised by it. It seems that all of us, even the most successful or proud, have in some quiet moment wondered why we were created. Cast aside whatever things define our hustle-bustle lives – the station wagon with child car seat, the designer clothes, the electronic calendar, the architect’s drafting board, the dancing shoes – and we tend to find ourselves reduced to basic humanity. Imagine, if you will, God’s omniscient vision barreling through vast galaxies to seek tiny planet Earth, then swirling through countries and cities and millions of people to focus on you at your breakfast table. When we picture ourselves in such a way – like mere grains of sand on an ocean floor – the problems of our own little worlds suddenly seem insignificant. No wonder that at some point in our lives we tip our faces heavenward and wonder, “God, in all this, in a creation more immense than I can imagine, why did you make me? What part do I play?”

No, the survey response did not surprise me. However, it saddened me a great deal. For by the very nature of the prompt – “If you could ask God . . .” – respondents posed the question wistfully, as if they knew in reality they could never expect God to answer. But in fact, we can ask God what our purposes are on earth, and He will answer. For He, indeed, has a plan for each of us and wants more than anything for us to follow that plan.

Do you believe, as do most Americans, that God exists? If so, what kind of God do you believe in? One who flung the sun, moon and earth into their intricate orbs, then backed away from His creation – a God who lit it, then quit it? Or do you believe in a loving God who purposely fashioned the earth and every person ever born? If you’re not sure of your answer, ponder this: when you’re in trouble, what kind of God do you pray to?

God’s words to Jeremiah in calling the young man to be His prophet depict a loving God who is intimately connected to His creation: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you.” (Jeremiah 1:5). The same theme is echoed in Isaiah 44:2: “Thus says the Lord who made you and formed you from the womb, who will help you.” And again in Isaiah 44:24: “Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, and the one who formed you from the womb, ‘I, the Lord, am the maker of all things, stretching out the heavens by Myself, and spreading out the earth all alone.’”

The Bible is full of stories about God’s specific plans for people. He called Abram (later renamed Abraham) to be the father of Israel, saying, “Go forth from your country . . . to the land which I will show you, and I will make you a great nation.” (Genesis 12:1.) Later, God called Moses to lead the oppressed Israelites out of Egypt. In addition to Jeremiah, He called Elijah, Elisha, Isaiah and many others as prophets. He called Mary to become the mother of Christ. When Jesus was on earth He called twelve specific men to be his disciples. As the early church was growing, God called Saul, hater and killer of Christians, to become a Christian himself and to write letters encouraging believers that later would become part of the New Testament. The list goes on and on.

“Ah,” you might say, “but these people were famous, special.” Famous, in that their callings were magnanimous and far-reaching? Yes. More special to God than you? No, for God has made it clear through the Bible that He spent equal time designing each person and his or her specific tasks. “For we are His workmanship,” the Apostle Paul wrote in Ephesians 2:10, “created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

What a wonderful thing, to think that God created each of us just the way He wanted in order that we might best fulfill the plans He has set for us! Furthermore, God has assured us that when we ask Him to guide us, He will reveal those plans. “Call to Me, and I will answer you,” He says in Jeremiah 33:3, “and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know.” Such a God sounds neither hard of hearing nor remote. Quite the opposite. Such a God sounds as though He’s virtually leaning out of Heaven, waiting for us to seek Him.

The message of the Bible is clear and full of hope. We need not flounder in our own weakness, merely wishing we could ask God to give His direction to our lives. The question should not be, “If you could ask God,” but rather, “When will you?”

Writing Fiction, American Idol Style

What can novelists learn from watching American Idol? Character empathy.

As the show started its new season last week, my daughter watched with a friend who's never seen it (can you imagine?). Amberly told me her friend said, "I thought this was a singing competition. Why do they run all these vignettes about contestants?" To which Amberly replied, "That's what makes you care about the people!"

I had the same thought as I watched the show. On the second night we saw Jermain Sellers, a 17-year-old "church boy" who takes care of his mom who has spina bifida. And Vanessa Wolfe with her heavy southern accent, from a tiny town in Tennessee : "I don't really have a life. I'm stuck in Vonore ... I feel trapped here ... I know these judges are high profile people. I don't want 'em lookin' down on me or nuttin' like that." When Vanessa was put through to Hollywood she cried, "I'm gonna ride on an ay-ro-plane!" My heart couldn't help but go out to Vanessa. I find myself thrilled for her--and terrified. She's never been anywhere. Hollywood could chew her up and spit her out. What will happen to her there?"

These vignettes of chosen contestants are only a minute or so long. But they (1) capture the contestant. They show something that immediately makes you want to root for him or her. (2) They raise the question: How will this person do in Hollywood? You have to stick with the show to find out about this particular contestant.

But AI is about singing.

Yes, and a novel is about plot. But neither AI nor a novel works if the viewer/reader doesn't care about the people involved.

What novel have you read recently that made you care about the character right away? What happened to make you care? What question was raised in your mind to keep turning the pages?

Anne Rice on 700 Club--"I Went Home"

I've moved Photo Friday to next week in order to tell you about the interview that ran yesterday of Anne Rice on The 700 Club. It's a wonderful look at this very talented writer--an author I have admired and read for many years, all the way back to her novel Feast of All Saints. Anne talks about being raised a Catholic, turning to atheism after she entered college ("I convinced myself that it was realistic to be an atheist"), then eventually finding her Christian faith again.

Anne depicts The Vampire Chronicles as stories about "the search for God and the misery in darkness when they [the characters] have no God or promise of salvation." In Interview with the Vampire, she says, the vampire goes through the entire novel asking, "Does anyone know about God?" Anne remarks, "Those were my questions."

"A vampire is the perfect metaphor for the outcast," she said. "I felt like an outcast. I was grieving for my lost faith." She sees The Vampire Chronicles as "very much about guilt, alienation, and sorrow."

Anne did turn back to God ("I went home."), and then in 2002 committed her writing to be only for Him. She's since written about the life of Jesus. And she's written of her return to faith in Called Out of Darkness: A Spiritual Confession. Now in recent months she's launched her Songs of the Seraphim series with the novel Angel Time.

Do watch the interview. It runs about 18 minutes and is well worth your time. Then feel free to leave a comment for Anne here. (She's likely to stop by and read them).

Buy Angel Time in hardback on Amazon ($12.98)
Buy the Kindle edition ($9.99)

Bestseller Lists for December '09

For those of you who haven't been in on our previous discussions of the bestseller lists for the Christian market (check under the archives for "Craft and Industry" posts)--a quick reminder of how these lists are formed. They are built on (a) reported sales at (b) participating (c) Christian bookstores.

(a) A "sale" is sometimes referred to as a "point of sale," meaning when a customer buys the book off the shelf. (If all copies of the book aren't bought by customers, the bookstore will eventually return those copies to the publisher for a full refund.)

(b) "Participating" means only those bookstores that choose to share their data in this way. Many bookstores don't share their data. So no matter how many copies of a certain title might sell at those nonparticipating stores, those sales won't help the book make the bestseller list.

(c) Christian bookstores are the only ones who report. A sale at a Barnes and Noble or any other general store doesn't count toward the CBA or ECPA list, nor do sales at WalMart, Amazon, Sam's Club, etc. (On the flip side, sales at Christian bookstores don't count toward secular bestseller lists like the New York Times, etc. That's why you can know a Christian book making the NYT is selling a lot of copies--because so many sales don't even count.)

Here is the CBA "February" list and the ECPA "January" list, both reflecting sales in the month of December. Books appearing only on one list are highlighted in blue.

CBA (Numbers in parentheses reflect the book's standing on the CBA Top Fifty list, which includes fiction and nonfiction.)

1. (7) The Shack, William P. Young, Windblown Media
2. (9) Shades of Blue, Karen Kingsbury, Zondervan
3. (17) Green, Ted Dekker, Thomas Nelson
4. (31) A Lineage of Grace, Francine Rivers, Tyndale
5. (40) Redeeming Love, Francine Rivers, MultnomahWaterBrook
6. (48) The Missing, Beverly Lewis, Bethany/Baker
7. An Amish Christmas, Beth Wiseman & Kathleen Fuller, Thomas Nelson
8. Intervention, Terri Blackstock, Zondervan
9. Take Two, Karen Kingsbury, Zondervan
10. The Secret, Beverly Lewis, BethanyBaker
11. The Sound of Sleigh Bells, Cindy Woodsmall, WaterBrook
12. Burn, Ted Dekker & Erin Healy, Thomas Nelson
13. White Christmas Pie, Wanda Brunstetter, Barbour
14. Kelly’s Chance, Wanda Brunstetter, Barbour
15. Take One, Karen Kingsbury, Zondervan
16. Kiss, Ted Dekker & Erin Healy, Thomas Nelson
17. The Silent Gift, Michael Landon & Cindy Kelley, BethanyBaker
18. The Screwtape Letters, C. S. Lewis, Zondervan
19. Plain Pursuit, Beth Wiseman, Thomas Nelson
20. The Inheritance, Tamera Alexander, Thomas Nelson

ECPA (Numbers in parentheses reflect the book's standing on the ECPA Top Fifty list, which includes fiction and nonfiction.)

1. (5) The Shack, William P. Young, Windblown Media
2. (6) Shades of Blue, Karen Kingsbury, Zondervan
3. (15) Lineage of Grace, Francine Rivers, Tyndale
4. (23) Green, Ted Dekker, Thomas Nelson Publishers
5. (27) The Missing, Beverly Lewis, Bethany/Baker
6. (30) Redeeming Love, Francine Rivers, Waterbrook/Multnomah
7. (40) Take Two, Karen Kingsbury, Zondervan
8. (47) Take One, Karen Kingsbury, Zondervan
9. (49) Intervention, Terri Blackstock, Zondervan
10. The Silent Gift, Michael Landon, Jr./Cindy Kelley, Bethany/Baker
11. The Inheritance, Tamera Alexander, Thomas Nelson
12. The Secret, Beverly Lewis, Bethany/Baker
13. Kelly's Chance, Wanda E. Brunstetter, Barbour
14. Plain Pursuit, Beth Wiseman, Thomas Nelson
15. Down Where My Love Lives, Charles Martin, Thomas Nelson
16. Plain Promise, Beth Wiseman, Thomas Nelson
17. Though Waters Roar, Lynn Austin, Bethany/Baker
18. A Cousin's Prayer, Wanda E. Brunstetter, Barbour
19. The Last Jihad, Joel C. Rosenberg, Tyndale
20. The Complete Circle Series, Ted Dekker, Thomas Nelson

More Book Giveaways

Here's more free book info for you. These promos won't last long, so get 'em while they're hot.

1. In the Christian Fiction Online Magazine I'm giving away the entire four-book Kanner Lake series to one winner. Go here to enter your name. This giveaway closes on January 31.

2. I've just learned today that Dark Pursuit and Exposure are available for free downloads from Barnes and Noble on their Nook reader. This is an expansion of the current Kindle giveaway of these titles. Go here to download Dark Pursuit. And here for Exposure. Like the Kindle, you can download free apps for B&N ebooks for your Blackberry, iPhone/iPod Touch, or PC/MAC. Check out free app downloads on this page.

3. The Kindle free promo for Dark Pursuit and Exposure continues for only one or two more days. Exposure is still at #1 on the Kindle list, with Dark Pursuit at #2. Go here to the main Kindle books page for links to download. (Look to the right and down a little for bestseller list.)

I give books away on a regular basis through a few venues:

1. My newsletter, Sneak Pique, which is e-mailed every other month. (The next issue releases around February 1.) Each issue carries a chance for three people to win a book of their choice. Sign up for Sneak Pique here.

2. Through my Fan Group on Facebook.

3. Once a month here on Photo Friday. Winner of the best caption wins a book of their choice. And if you send me a crazy picture I use for Photo Friday, you win a book also. (Next Photo Friday is this Friday.)

If you hang around me long enough, you're bound to win a free book one way or another.

One Novelist's Success Story

I'm very glad to have C.J. Darlington guest post today on Forensics and Faith. C.J. has been a member of this community for a long time--a very active member, as you'll soon see. Take it away, C.J.
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As some of you may know, last year at the Christian Writers Guild Writing for the Soul Conference I found out my first novel, Thicker than Blood, won the CWG Operation First Novel contest. The prize included publication with Tyndale House, and as you read this post my “little novel that could” is just hitting shelves across the country.

What you might not know is that back in 2005 Brandilyn edited an early version of a pivotal scene in Thicker than Blood on this very blog (see the Action Scene edit posts). [Brandilyn's note: This public edit, which C.J. volunteered for, lasted over two weeks. She was very brave!] Several of Brandilyn's suggestions wound up in the published version, so it was apropos that I met her in person for the first time at that same Writing for the Soul Conference. In fact, she was one of the first to break my good news on Twitter and Facebook. Before I share my story, let me say thank you, Brandilyn, for your keen insights!

I had almost given up on Thicker than Blood. I started writing the story when I was fifteen, and over the years as I learned more about writing I applied it to my manuscript. By the time I was twenty-four I’d finally finished it (I thought!). I entered an early draft in the CWG’s very first Operation First Novel in 2004. It placed as one of 20 semi-finalists but didn’t make it into the top 10. So I started submitting the book directly to editors. At that time it was only a 67,000 word manuscript---a lot shorter than the market standard of 75-100K. Time went on, and I amassed nothing but rejections. Eventually I added another 10K and tightened up some scenes. Still no bites. A few editors offered me feedback on why they were rejecting the book, but mostly it was Form Rejection City.

The years passed. A few times I got close to a contract. One publishing house held onto the book for over a year before they took the manuscript to Editorial Committee, only to send me a kind rejection. Another editor read the full manuscript and liked the rare books aspect of the story, but felt the characters weren’t distinct.

Luckily I wasn’t just sitting around at this point. I did start and finish a sequel to Thicker than Blood during this time. But discouragement was always hiding in the corner, waiting to jump out at me with each rejection. I’d read the writing how-to books. I knew being rejected was par for the course, but it still wasn’t easy. I kept reminding myself (read: my mom kept reminding me!) God had just the right publisher for me.

I began to doubt the merit of my first novel. I knew of many, many successful authors whose first books were never published. Maybe Thicker than Blood would be like that for me. I was a week or two away from putting it in a drawer for good and starting the submission process for my second novel. I even had an editor picked out and the cover letter drafted and waiting.

Something stopped me. I was lying in bed one night about to drift off to sleep when a thought came. I believe now it was the Lord prompting me, but at the time it just came as a thought. “What if I re-entered the new and improved Thicker than Blood in this year’s Operation First Novel contest?” I checked my calendar. I had about two weeks before it would’ve been too late to become a member of the Christian Writers Guild. Almost fifteen years after I first put pen to paper writing Thicker than Blood, I found out it was an Operation First Novel finalist, and then in February I waited with bated breath as Jerry B. Jenkins announced Thicker than Blood as that year’s winning book. I’m still totally amazed.

I’ve learned, and am still learning, several things from my writing journey:

Never give up. If God doesn’t release you, keep submitting and honing your work. Sometimes it’s just a matter of finding the right editor or agent to believe in your book. Almost all of the major Christian publishers rejected Thicker than Blood. One publisher said my main character was too edgy for them. Later Tyndale told me they appreciated that my characters were imperfect.

Don’t always trust yourself to be the best judge of your work. As the rejections came, so did the doubts. If I would’ve listened to myself, I would never have been published. Is there a trusted writer or family member in your life to whom you could show your work? Everyone always says never show your work to your mother, but my mom is my first and best editor!

You don’t have to do everything by the book. I had never been to a writers' conference, did not have an agent, and had never belonged to a critique group when Thicker than Blood was accepted. Which isn’t to say you shouldn’t do or have these things, but don’t be discouraged if money’s tight and some of these options aren’t available to you. You can still succeed.

Start writing your next book. It will be so much easier when you do get a contract if you have another book ready. This is one reason I’m so thankful I did not get published until now. Which just goes to show that the Lord’s ways are much, much higher than ours. If it would’ve happened the way I wanted, things would’ve been a lot harder. Hmm… it’s almost as if God knew what He was doing.

I hope my writing journey encourages you in some small way. Thanks for having me here, Brandilyn!
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C.J., thanks. I hope you all will leave your congratulations for her here--then check out her book through the links below.

Buy Thicker Than Blood from Amazon ($9.35)
Kindle edition ($8.79)
Buy from Christianbook.com ($10.99)

Are Your Memories of the Columbine Shooting True?

When you hear "Columbine school shooting" what memories about the event come immediately to mind? I think these two things: (1) Cassie's declaration that she believed in God--just before being shot. (2) Two picked-on, unpopular boys who finally snapped and went on a rampage in revenge.

Did we not hear about these two elements of the horrible shooting over and over? We did. Both are false.

Over Christmas vacation I read Columbine, a book ten years in the making by Dave Cullen. Fascinating, chilling, well-done book. Cullen, in straightforward reporting fashion, tells us what happened--and even more importantly, why. Along the way he dispels the media-driven myths about the shooting--myths that became so prevalent that even the declared truth couldn't dispel them.

At the heart of these myths lie two facts that stood out to me. The first is that, contrary to popular belief, eyewitness accounts of tragedies are not reliable. Too much emotion is raging, with horrific events happening too fast. A vision of something true can be set in the brain inaccurately--wrong time, wrong person, wrong color. But that inaccuracy becomes truth to that person, who just knows he's remembering right. In my own research for writing suspense novels, I've seen this phenomenon over and over again. Even those sure fingers pointing to a defendant in the courtroom--"That's the man who attacked me!"--aren't always accurate.

Second is the sound-bite-hungry, get-the-story-first mentality of the media. It's understandable but unfortunate. Reporters need to file that story--and it better be good. And on TV everything's reduced to soundbites, as there's not much time to cover a story. But often the result is a report highly skewed.

My first published book (1994) was A Question of Innocence, the only true crime I've written. Originally I attended the trial in the Bay Area of California as research for my novel Eyes of Elisha. I ended up writing a book on the nation-watched "Diary Girl" case, obtaining the exclusive story of the defendant and her family, and having access to attorneys on both sides. What I learned of the media was fascinating--and again, chilling. I'd be in court each day, learning the background information on the defense and prosecution. I'd watch the testimony, be in the halls during break. Then I'd come home and watch the coverage on the nightly news. Those sound bites were often night and day from what I knew to be the truth of the case. (A Question of Innocence is my only book that's out of print. You can buy it from used book sellers here.)

For those who like to know the story behind the story--and are willing to revisit a terrible event in our country--I recommend Columbine. It is a tale of tragedy but also one of hope, as symbolized by the cover: the site of the tragedy is small; the open sky large.

What do you remember most about Columbine?

When Your Books Show Up On eBay

Just before I started to put up the post I'd intended to run today, Google Alerts sent me an e-mail. One of the titles sure caught my attention: BRANDILYN-COLLINS-CRAPPY-BOOK-LOT.

Oh, man. I started to laugh. Now who's talking down my books? I had to go check it out.

Turns out it's an eBay page. And it looks like the "crappy" refers to the condition of the books, not the content. What a riot. Go see the page for yourself.

While you're at it, you might want to bid on the "crappy 4." It's the two books in my Chelsea Adams series, Eyes of Elisha and Dread Champion, plus the first two in the Hidden Faces series, Brink of Death and Stain of Guilt. The buyer says nary on the word on whether the stories themselves are any good.

By the way, all four of these books are in their original (and better) covers. Now that they've been re-released, you can't buy them in these covers anymore.

If ya don't mind messed-up spines and books that smell like smoke, bid away.

December '09 List of Today's Word

I have now been doing Today's Word on Twitter/Facebook for over a year. The monthly lists here provide an easy way to find a unique word when you need it. Archives of Today's Word are under "Craft and Industry" on the right. One monthly list links to the next.

Join the Today's Word gang on my Facebook wall every day for some fun in using Today's Word in a sentence. Some sentences are just plain fabulous, some are funny. Some start interesting discussions. Today's Word goes out on Twitter/Facebook at 7 a.m. Pacific time.

And no--I don't use these words in my books. Most are far too esoteric. I just think it's fun to learn new words. I choose words that are unusual but have meanings that could easily fit into an everyday conversation.

While you're here, I challenge you to write a sentence using at least six of the words below.

JUNOESQUE (JU-no-ESK) adj.--marked by stately or voluptuous beauty and generous proportions; plump.

APPOSITE (AP-uh-zit) adj.--highly pertinent or appropriate; relevant.

RELIQUIAE (ruh-LIK-wuh-ee) plural noun--remains of the dead; organic remains.

DEMIT (duh-MIT) intrans. verb--to relinquish office or membership, to resign or withdraw.

ECTYPE (EK-tipe) noun--a copy from an original; something real, as opposed to its ideal prototype.

AD REM (AD REM) adv.--in a way marked by strict attention to essential points; without digression.

RENASCENCE (ruh-NAYS-unts) noun--a new birth or life/rebirth; a cultural revival/renaissance.
CONSANQUINEOUS (con-san-GWIN-ee-us) adj.--of the same ancestry; of the same origin.

REDINTEGRATE (ruh-DIN-tuh-grate) trans. verb--to put back together; restore to integrity/soundness.

NIMIETY (ni-MIH-uh-tee) noun--excess; redundancy.

LATERITIOUS (lad-uh-RISH-us) adj.--resembling brick; the color of red brick.

EIRENICON (eye-REN-uh-kan) noun--a statement to harmonize conflicting doctrines; a reconciliation.

SOLATIUM (so-LAY-shee-um) noun--something that alleviates or compensates for suffering or loss.

ANAMNESIS (AN-um-NEE-sus) noun--a recalling; information on a patient used to analyze his condition.

ANCHORITE (AHN-ko-RITE) noun--one who renounces the world to live in seclusion, often for religion.

DIABLERIE (dee-AHB-luh-ree) noun--actions of devils; a scene of devils in art; mischievous conduct.

CONTUMACY (KON-too-muh-see) noun--obstinate or contemptuous resistance to authority.

RATIOCINATE (RAD-ee-OHS-uh-nate) verb--to reason discursively or according to a logical process.

CREPITATE (KREP-uh-TATE) verb--to make small, sharp, rapidly repeated explosions or sounds; crackle.

TEMERARIOUS (tem-uh-RARE-ee-us) adj.--marked by temerity; rashly or presumptuously daring; reckless.

STOCHASTIC (sto-KAS-tik) adj.--characterized by conjecture.

HYETAL (HI-uh-dul) adj.--of or relating to rain, rainfall or rainy regions.

REIVER (REEV-er) noun--a raider.

INTEMERATE (in-TEM-uh-rut) adj.--pure, undefiled.

PARONOMASIA (PARE-uh-no-MAY-zhee-uh) noun--a play upon words, a pun.

EXOGENOUS (ek-SOJ-uh-nus) adj.--produced from without; originating from or due to external causes.

TERMAGANT (TER-muh-gunt) noun--an overbearing, quarrelsome, scolding, or nagging woman.

ARCADIAN (ar-KAY-dee-un) adj.--idyllically pastoral; simple/peaceful. noun--one leading a simple rural life.

MARITORIOUS (ma-ri-TOR-ee-uhs) adj.--excessively fond of one's husband.

PROSOPAGNOSIA (pros-uh-pag-NO-see-uh) noun--inability to recognize familiar faces.

PASSE-PARTOUT (PAHS-pur-too) noun--something, such as a master key, that enables one to pass everywhere.

____________________
Read January 2010

Most Hurtful Reader Letter I've Received

Yesterday in my New Year's Revolution post I mentioned receiving a very hurtful reader letter over the holidays. In fact it came the day after Christmas. I read it just before turning off my computer for the night. Oh, boy. I did nothing immediately--just slept on it. At first I thought I wouldn't answer, but I awoke the following day with different ideas.

Here's the letter. It's about Always Watching, book #1 in the young adult Rayne Tour series, co-written with my daughter, Amberly. The healing mentioned in the first paragraph is on my Web site.

Dear Mrs. Collins;

I was very encouraged and impressed by God's goodness to you as I read your account of your miraculous healing.

After reading of your healing, I am even more disappointed than at first by your book "always watching". Yes, it was suspenseful. My thirteen year old purchased it for me and her sisters to share as a Christmas gift, spending her hard earned babysitting money. As I read the back, it sounded interesting and godly. We expected it to be about a teen relying on the power of God to get her through unusually tough times. Unfortunately, it seems that God was mentioned to lure Christian teens to purchase and read a book that is not about Him or His power.The main character has no relationship with God at all, and He is barely mentioned. There certainly was no godly moral. I understand that the characters may in the following books, become closer to God. However, this book was sold as a single book, not a set, and so we see it on it's own merits, which, I am sorry to say, are few. I'm sure my daughter was attracted to the fact that it was a mother/daughter writing team. How can you defile your own daughter with this terribly ugly story? Please realize that when your book speaks of the most high God on its cover, it is expected that He will have more than a scant few mentions throughout the entire book. I am quite disappointed in Zondervan for publishing this book, and in you for writing it. May God help you see the power you wield through your pen, and purify it.

Sincerely,
____ ______
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Whew. I've had people not like my books before. But no one has ever accused me of "defiling" my daughter. Can you think of a worse personal attack against a mother? Nor has anyone else told me my writing needs to be "purified."

The writer of this letter is responding to an issue we've discussed before here on F&F: the level of spiritual content in Christian fiction. (Check out this post, written just a few weeks previously.) To her, the content was too little. But instead of just feeling the story wasn't right for her, she chose to attack the entire book, and me as well. Her tone was judgmental enough that I didn't think she'd listen to a thing I said if I answered her. But then I got to worrying about the 13-year-old who bought the book. No doubt her mother was letting her know the book is no good and probably not allowing any of the kids to read it. I felt bad that the girl would be disappointed. I thought the least I could do was offer to personally refund her money. I wanted to be gracious. At the same time I didn't think it was a bad thing to tell this woman she really hurt me. She'd read the story of my healing--could she not see my heart?

My answer:

Dear ____:

I was very sad to read your letter of disappointment in my book Always Watching. Sad mostly because it apparently disappointed your 13-year-old, who spent her money on it. First, please send me your daughter’s name and address. I will personally send her a check to refund her money.

The Rayne Tour series is about a rock star’s daughter—someone not in Christian circles at all and with no thought of God at first. It’s the story of how such a teen in the secular world comes to understand, through the help of a Christian friend, that there’s a God who’s “Always Watching.” (As the back cover says, “Where is God at times like this?”) In the jam-packed two days of trauma that Shaley faces, she begins to turn toward God, at the end vowing to find the truth about her heavenly father.

Please understand that while the spiritual content may not be what you expected, this series is written for Christians and nonChristians alike. This is the kind of book your daughter could give to a nonChristian who has no thought of God, and through reading Shaley’s experiences, can come to see God is also watching over her as well. Yours is the only letter of this kind I’ve received. The others from mothers and daughters have been very favorable.

Perhaps you lashed out at me so strongly because of your disappointment for your own daughter. I can understand that. We all want the best for our daughters. You should know how very hurtful your letter was. I pray over every book. “God, whom is this book written for? What person do you want to reach through it?” You’re right, I do know God’s power intimately. I’ve seen it in my own life. God’s power shines particularly strongly through the evil in this world—and that’s what I write about. I’ve received many letters from people who’ve come closer to God—or become a Christian in the first place—because of my books. They’ve seen evil. Perhaps they’ve lived it. Through my books they see how God shines through in such times. The level of spiritual content in each of my books is right for that character and that story.

The most hurtful thing you accused me of is “defiling” my own daughter—the last thing I’d ever want to do. I prayed daily as I wrote Always Watching. Did you pray before sending me your letter? I’m a mother, just like you. Perhaps suspense is simply not for you and your family. That’s fine. At the same time, thousands of other readers who enjoy suspense are uplifted by the message of God’s love woven through my stories.

Again, I’m very sorry you were so disappointed. Please send me your address so I can refund your daughter’s money.

Blessings to you and your family this Christmas season.
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I did not receive a reply.

Two things I'm reminded of by this experience: (1) As a writer, I'll never please everyone. And sometimes people will outright attack me. (2) As a reader, I need to resist being judgmental of what another Christian author chooses to put in his/her book. That author's audience simply may not include me.

What do you think of my answer? Note: please don't lash out against the writer of this letter. I want to direct the comments toward ourselves. Would you have responded at all? What can you learn from this as a writer and/or reader?

A New Year's Revolution

I sure have seen a lot of runners in the neighborhood since January 1. In fact at 6:00 a.m. on New Year's Day my husband awoke to the sound of runner's feet passing by our house. Now that's someone taking his "I shall begin running for exercise" New Year's Resolution seriously.

Later that day I glanced out our TV room window and saw a gal jogging up our street--backwards. How do you suppose her New Year's Resolution was worded? Next day I went around the corner to get my hair cut. More runners. You can tell they're new joggers. They don't have that easy body flow of an experienced runner.

Wonder how long I'll be seeing them? I'm thinking the crowds are sure to thin by mid-January.

As for me--I have no New Year's Resolution. I have a New Year's Revolution. It came in the form of a Bible verse as I was reading the Psalms a few days before Christmas. Many of you know I read and pray the Psalms daily--so I've seen this particular psalm hundreds of times. In fact it happens to be in the middle of a passage I particularly love. (Psalm 138:7-8.) But this time the beginning of verse 8 leapt out at me: The Lord will accomplish what concerns me. This is from the New American Standard. The NIV reads: The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me.

In 2009, particularly toward the end of the year, I found myself caught up in all kinds of fears. The world is shaky today, politically and economically, and personally amongst many families. The publishing industry has been hard hit. 2010 could prove to be another difficult year in many respects. Then, boom, God hit me over the head with that verse. Seven little words that can make a world of difference in how I handle 2010. The bottom line of that verse is trust. What a revolutionary thought. Imagine what would happen if we all could truly trust that God will accomplish what concerns us--and let the rest go.

Right away I made a sign of the verse in huge letters and hung it to the left of my computer on one of my cabinet doors. The minute I enter my office that white rectangle catches my eye.


Man, did God time this verse just right. A few days after I made my sign, I received the most hurtful reader letter I've ever gotten. Talk about a way to kick off the new year with optimism for my writing--not. (More on this letter tomorrow.)

No New Year's jogging resolution for me. I've been running for 29 years. I'm praying my 2010 New Year's revolution will last that long. Well, longer. For the rest of my life.

Two of My Novels--For FREE

Happy new year, all. Forensics & Faith kicks off 2010 with one of the things I love to do best--give away books. If you believe in your product, as I do, one of the best ways to build word of mouth is to simply allow people to sample the product. So when my editor asked if I'd be willing to offer a couple of my suspense novels for free in their Kindle versions, I said, "You bet!"

Right now you can download my two latest adult novels, Exposure, and Dark Pursuit, for free on the Kindle. If you don't have a Kindle, you can download the Kindle app for PC for free on Amazon, or download the free app for iPhone/iPod Touch. Last month Amazon announced that Kindle software for the Mac is coming soon. I hear you can also get an app for your Blackberry.

Get Exposure for free now.
Get Dark Pursuit for free now.

On the Amazon page for each book, look to the right for links to download Kindle software for the PC and iPhone.

Offering these two books for free has pushed them to the Top Ten in the bestseller list for Kindle. Exposure is currently at #3 and Dark Pursuit is #6. This is good exposure (pun intended) for my novels, and a great deal for readers.

If you're not yet aware of the Kindle bestseller list, check it out here on the main page for Kindle books. (Look to the right and down a little.) Since many of the free books push toward the top of the list, this is a good way to find what is currently available at no cost.

If you download one or both of my free novels, I'd love to hear from you when you've read the books.

Blessings and happy reading to you all in 2010.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas, all. May you and your family have a blessed remembering of Jesus' birth.

Forensics and Faith will be back after the new year.

Amish Christmas

Cindy Woodsmall, NYT bestselling author of Amish fiction, talks to us today about Christmas.
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The anticipation of celebrating Christ’s birth is all around us, and I can’t help but think of all the Christmases that have passed by so quickly. We are powerless to slow the movement of time, but we have the power to make this holiday season linger in the hearts of family, friends, and even strangers.

How?

By mixing prayer, love, and time together into a beautiful concoction that makes good memories for others, helps out someone in need, and encourages everyone it touches.

It truly is an exciting season each year!

We don’t have to handle everything perfectly or try to fulfill each person’s wish list. We only need to follow Him and look for ways to touch hearts. Inside this newsletter, I hope you find useful ideas and encouragement for spreading love.

Romans 5:5 says, “And hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”

First Peter 4:8 says, “Love covers a multitude of sin.”

If you get weary or stressed throughout the holidays, I hope you’ll take a relaxing breath and remember that the graciousness of love is the only way any of us can stand before God or each other.

The Amish celebrate Christmas in simplicity and tradition. They don’t include Santa, electric lights, tinsel, ribbons, fancy wrapping paper, or Christmas trees, but through simple and creative ways, they honor the season of Christ’s birth. Below are some ways we can keep our celebrations simple.

• Turn off the lights. Light candles (or even pull out old kerosene lamps) and set the mood for an evening of singing carols, telling favorite family tales, or reading Christmas stories with friends and family.

• Put away the tinsel and expensive decorations. Pull out old Christmas cards and string them along the walls in your living areas. Spend a moment thinking about each of the senders.

• Keep gifts practical. Think of “tools of the trade”—gifts that reflect and would be useful to what family members do in their respective professions. Additionally, homemade gifts are always appreciated.

• Show kindness to your neighbors. Bring your family and friends together to donate food, toys, and clothes to those friends and neighbors especially affected by the economy.

• Keep the kitchen a haven. Prepare food in advance whenever you can so that the day of festivities can be spent with ones you love. Don’t get crushed by the stress and expense of doing it all by yourself. Invite guests to bring their favorite traditional dishes.

• Make it a family affair. When it’s time to clean up, bring your family together in the kitchen. Talk about your favorite parts of the party while doing the dishes and wiping off counters.

• Be thankful. Giving thanks doesn’t have to end after Thanksgiving. Spend time telling loved ones how much they mean to you throughout the season and see how much joy it brings to them and you.

-- Cindy
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About Cindy Woodsmall's latest--The Sound of Sleigh Bells

Remorse and loneliness echo inside Beth Hertzler from the life she once had. Children’s whispers and laughter call to her from a life she only dreams of. A gifted carver holds the answer to both within his hands—but can Beth step beyond yesterday in order to embrace tomorrow?

FictionFinder.com Launch!

A little over a year ago I and the other members of the ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers) Advisory Board met with Christian bookstore owners and asked them, "What can our organization do to help you?" The resulting discussion was an exciting brainstorming session. What the bookstore owners needed, they said, was an easy way to lead customers to fiction titles to suit their tastes. FictionFinder.com is now that tool. Here's the press release on its launch:
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ACFW, the nation’s leading Christian fiction writers’ organization, is launching FictionFinder.com, a new free resource for retailers, readers, media and other Christian fiction fans to search for authors and books. The search engine allows users to sort by author, title, genre, topic, publication date, and target audience.

Cynthia Ruchti, president of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW), believes this trusted, easy-to-use resource is a significant development in the search for Christian fiction authors and new titles.

”The idea rose from a roundtable discussion between the ACFW leadership team and Christian booksellers looking for a better way to connect their customers with great Christian fiction,” says Ruchti. “ACFW responded by rolling up our sleeves and creating a comprehensive database to serve readers, booksellers, publishers, authors, book club coordinators, librarians and others on the hunt for information and inspiration.”

The site also allows readers to learn about the nature of the content of each book. Each title is rated for action, conflict, humor, mystery, romance, spirituality and suspense, in addition to more sensitive issues like language, sensuality and violence. Users can also post reviews to the site and learn more about soon-to-be-released titles.

The database is the first of its kind and is not limited to books written by ACFW members. The organization is also working with publishers to ensure Christian novels by other authors are incorporated as well.

ACFW’s presence as the voice of Christian fiction and its industry prowess has long been recognized, and its authors are a mainstay on bestseller lists. FictionFinder.com is the organization’s latest effort to make finding the best in Christian fiction as easy as possible for fans around the world.

Quick facts about fictionfinder.com:

* Book information pages include facts about the publisher, main themes, setting and the author’s other titles.

* A special “similar books” section offers other titles the user may be interested in reading.

* Users can create an account with their preferences, making it easier to find new favorites.
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Go check out Fictionfinder.com right now.

Comparison of Bestseller Lists for November '09

The bestseller lists for CBA and ECPA are now in. CBA's "January" list and ECPA's "December" list both reflect sales in the month of November. Books appearing on only one list are highlighted in blue.

CBA (Numbers in parentheses reflect placement on CBA's Top Fifty List)

1. (3) Shades of Blue, Karen Kingsbury, Zondervan
2. (8) The Shack, William P. Young, Windblown Media
3. (18) Green, Ted Dekker, Thomas Nelson
4. (20) The Missing, Beverly Lewis, Bethany/Baker
5. (40) An Amish Christmas, Beth Wiseman & Kathleen Fuller, Thomas Nelson
6. (43) The Sound of Sleigh Bells, Cindy Woodsmall, WaterBrook
7. (45) Intervention, Terri Blackstock, Zondervan
8. Take Two, Karen Kingsbury, Zondervan
9. A Lineage of Grace, Francine Rivers, Tyndale
10. The Centurion’s Wife, Davis Bunn & Janette Oke, Bethany/Baker
11. Redeeming Love, Francine Rivers, Multnomah/WaterBrook
12. White Christmas Pie, Wanda Brunstetter, Barbour
13. Where Grace Abides, B. J. Hoff, Harvest House
14. Take One, Karen Kingsbury, Zondervan
15. The Great Christmas Bowl, Susan Warren, Tyndale
16. (Tie) Though Waters Roar, Lynn Austin, Bethany/Baker
16. (Tie) Plain Promise, Beth Wiseman, Thomas Nelson
18. The Silent Gift, Michael Landon & Cindy Kelley, Bethany/Baker
19. Measure of Mercy, Lauraine Snelling, Bethany/Baker
20. The Secret, Beverly Lewis, Bethany/Baker

ECPA (Numbers in parentheses reflect placement on ECPA's Top Fifty List)

1. (1) Shades of Blue, Karen Kingsbury, Zondervan
2. (6) The Shack, William P. Young, Windblown Media
3. (10) The Missing, Beverly Lewis, Bethany/Baker
4. (14) Intervention, Terri Blackstock, Zondervan
5. (23) An Amish Christmas, Beth Wiseman, Thomas Nelson
6. (24) Green, Ted Dekker, Thomas Nelson
7. (28) Take Two, Karen Kingsbury, Zondervan
8. (32) Where Grace Abides, B. J. Hoff, Harvest House
9. (34) The Sound of Sleigh Bells, Cindy Woodsmall, Waterbrook/Multnomah
10. (36) A Measure of Mercy, Lauraine Snelling, Bethany/Baker
11. (44) The Silent Gift, Michael Landon, Jr./Cindy Kelley, Bethany/Baker
12. (46) Redeeming Love, Francine Rivers, Waterbrook/Multnomah
13. (49) Though Waters Roar, Lynn Austin, Bethany/Baker
14. The Secret, Beverly Lewis, Bethany/Baker
15. A Lineage of Grace, Francine Rivers, Tyndale
16. Plain Promise, Beth Wiseman, Thomas Nelson,
17. Take One, Karen Kingsbury, Zondervan
18. A Cousin's Prayer, Wanda E. Brunstetter, Barbour
19. Cry in the Night, Colleen Coble, Thomas Nelson
20. Who Do I Talk To?, Neta Jackson, Thomas Nelson

What We Learned in 2009

Two days ago on Twitter/Facebook I asked, "What did you learn in 2009?" Turns out folks learned some pretty interesting things.

In 2009 I learned that:

A book doesn't get written by having good intentions. ;)

It's easier to bend when you are flexible (and I'm not just talking about yoga...)

More about Breast Cancer than I ever wanted to know!

"OPS" in baseball means "on-base plus slugging percentage." I always wondered.

A 5 y/o Musketeer's bar won't kill you (but it's still just as fattening).

Every dream is achievable...if you can dream it, you can BE it!!!

Some contracts aren't worth the paper they're written on. (Dial 911-LAWYERS?)

What a redwood looks like up close. A.W.E.S.O.M.E

Life changes and kids grow up whether you like it or not!

The only thing we can control in this life is how we react.

You can meet lot of new writer friends and network on Twitter.

How not to say something nasty about someone who hates you. Love can do wonders.

God truly blesses those who wait!

More about God's grace, how much there is, and how much I need it.

With God ALL things are possible!

A deeper understanding of trusting His timing.

God can perform miracles. It has possibly been the craziest and most wonderful year of my life.

The gift was not dead. Only hibernating.

This too shall pass.

Not to think I've got something nailed down too early.

I am a good writer and people will pay to buy my books.

I'm a pretty decent stand up comic. Fifteen hundred people can't be wrong, can they?

Life does get better after the death of a parent. The hurt scabs over, then the scab falls off and life goes on.

Jesus really does love me, just like the Bible told me so, and not in an abstract philosophical way, either. His love is fierce, protective, eternal and all powerful. No evil can stand up against it. Thank You, Jesus. Thank You for the Cross.

Trust in God, no matter what happens.

No matter how much faith you have in God, you still have to take action. He's not going to do the work for you.

You can meet lot of new writer friends and network on Twitter.

How not to say something nasty about someone whom hates you. Love can do wonders

God truly blesses those who wait!

More about God's grace, how much there is, and how much I need it.

With God ALL things are possible!

God restores!

God is present in all the transitions of life you don't want to go through.

You can't let circumstance get in the way of following a dream.

God does see our dreams and if we just believe he will make them come true.

No matter what happens, God is there. In the darkness, in the turmoil, in the fear, in the circumstance, He has already been there and will walk you thru it. EVERYTHING is Father Filtered.

A bit about the publishing process... and God used it to teach me patience.

No matter where I am the presence of God is.

Faith and trust is better for you than worry! I have put more faith in HIM and listened more for His leading and spent less time worrying about decisions in life. Turning things over and leaving it! It is AMAZING what God can do when you allow Him. More interesting things have happened to myself and my family this year because I learned to worry less and trust more.

I can actually write an entire novel (now 2)! I wish I had started sooner instead of being timid about it, but all in God's timing.

Patience, while waiting for answers from God; and a reminder that He is in total control, regardless of what the present circumstances might dictate.

Sometimes inquiry letters take time (years) to be answered, but when they are, it is quite profitable.

Inline functions are the work of the devil.

How to trust God for financial provision in a much deeper way this year. I've also grown in listening to the Lord with my husband - a new practice for us.

The US made a huge mistake on Election Day 2008.

To listen and act when I feel I am being led by divine intervention, instead of dismissing it as fancy.

How to make soap:)

That 2010 looks like it will be even worse.

How to get around with a broken foot.

God is more interested on our holiness than our happiness.

Being a grandmother is both a wonderful experience and a frustrating one...

"Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord."

After close calls with both my parents, I savor every opportunity to enjoy time with the ones I love.

Every moment with each person we love is so precious and fleeting. Enjoy it! That's the important thing I learned - well, I knew it already but was reminded. On the frivolous side, I learned the difference between a yo yo, saltine, and granny's daughter. LOL

I was putting my faith in someone other than He who is faithful. (Didn't realize I was doing that.)

I am not God. He has to remind me of this again and again when I get anxious about sales and other personal stuff.

How about you? What did you learn?
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Yesterday I forgot to announce the winner for this month's Photo Friday. That winner is sharond, with this caption: "Gargle and spit" took on a whole new meaning when camping in the Smokies... Sharond, congrats! Please e-mail me with your address and choice of one of my novels at brandilyn (at) brandilyncollins (dot) com.

Happy 93rd Birthday to Mama Ruth

Yup, my mom, known to many as Mama Ruth, is 93 today. Going on, oh 45 or so.

This year Mom finally had to stop driving. Now she tootles around her retirement village in "Ruth's Rocket." Mom still does her half-hour exercises every morning, and can still bend over and put her hands flat on the floor. She continues to play a mean game of Scrabble. And those teeth of hers, which she decided to straighten with braces at age 88, are still doggone straight.

I am blessed to have the most wonderful mom on earth. A woman who loves deeply, gives generously, laughs often (including at herself), and embraces God and life.

Please take a minute and leave a Happy Birthday comment for Mama Ruth. She'll be so happy to hear from you.

Amazon's Book Upgrade

Sometimes a thing can stare you in the face, but you just don't see it. Such was the case with my discovering Amazon's book upgrade. As explained here, for a nominal extra fee certain books can be bought as a regular purchase, plus be available to you online. You can highlight the text, make notes, print it out, etc. This works great for how-to books, text books, etc.

For example, Amazon is selling my how-to book on fiction, Getting Into Character, for $10.85--a great price off the regular retail of $15.95. For an additional $1.59, still far under retail price, you can buy the upgrade.

Not all books are available for upgrade. If a certain book is available, you'll see the upgrade sentence right below the price information. Like this text, taken from the Getting Into Character page:
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List Price: $15.95
Price: $10.85 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details
You Save: $5.10 (32%)

Upgrade this book for $1.59 more, and you can read, search, and annotate every page online.
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The upgrade page gives details on how to buy upgraded books, and offers one for free, so you can see how it works. There's also an Amazon Upgrade store that you can peruse for available titles.

What do you think of this feature? Anyone ever used it?
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Don't forget to vote for your favorite Photo Friday caption. (There's also still time to leave a caption.) Winner announced tomorrow.

It's Photo Friday!

And we're off again, with a picture worthy of winter. You know the game: write the most clever caption, win one of my novels (your choice). Write as many captions as you'd like and come back over the weekend to vote. I'll remind you to vote Monday also, and the winner will be announced Tuesday.

This picture was sent in by Jessica Collins. As a result, Jessica, you also win one of my novels. E-mail me at brandilyn (at) brandilyncollins (dot) com with your choice of book.

Have you taken a picture you think is worthy of Photo Friday? Send me a web-ready copy. I just might use it.

Now ... what is going on with this girl?

Things Look Bad? Make Them Worse

Want to write crackling fiction? Bestselling suspense novelist Steven James, author of The Pawn, The Rook, and The Knight, tells Forensics & Faith his secret.
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Over the years as I’ve taught at writer’s conferences throughout the US and in India, I’ve found that too many people think of stories as a series of things that happen. But they are not.

When I was in elementary school, every year after we returned to school in the fall after summer vacation, the teacher would give us the same assignment: Write about what you did during the summer.

And we would write things like, “I went to camp and then I played video games and then I went swimming and then I fought with my brother . . . ”

I’m sure you can remember how brain-numbing these assignments were.

So, a few years ago when I was asked to speak to a fourth grade class on writing and telling stories, I said, “Kids, please do not tell me what you did over the summer, but could someone tell me about something that went wrong?”

A boy raised his hand and said, “My cousin came over to my house and we were having a contest to see who could jump the farthest off my bunk bed. ”
What a great opening line.

“He went first and he got pretty far and I said, ‘I can get farther than that. ’”

This kid was a natural.

“So I jumped off the top bunk, and the ceiling fan was on. I got my head stuck in the ceiling fan and it threw me against the wall, but I got farther!”
If I would have asked him what he did, he would have said that he played with his cousin, but because I asked him what went wrong he told me a story.

You do not have a story until something goes wrong.

I call this The Ceiling Fan Principle.

You do not have a story until something goes wrong.

At its heart, a story is about tension and tension is created by unfulfilled desire. So the secret to writing a story that draws people in and keeps them turning pages is to create more and more tension, not to make more and more things happen.

This shift in perspective will forever change how you shape and tell the stories that you write.

Romance stories are not about romance, they are about romantic tension. As soon as the actual romance happens, it is the end of the story.

Action stories are not about action, they are about unresolved problems. One event happening after another is not interesting for a reader, unless we can see what the unfulfilled desire of the main character is (surviving, saving the world, etc…)

That means that when you write a story, you are not asking yourself, “What should happen?” But rather, “How can I make things worse?” It also means that stories, at their essence, are neither character-driven nor plot-driven. All stories are tension-driven.

For example, you can write a fascinating description of a character or have five dozen chase scenes in your novel, but after a while we will grow tired of hearing about what the character is thinking or eating or wearing or doing if we do not know what their unfulfilled desire is. And we will grow tired of seeing car chases unless we know what the people chasing (or being chased) want.

Readers need to know what the character wants.

Readers need to know where the action is leading.

When I work on shaping one of my thrillers I am constantly asking myself how can I make things worse within the context of the character’s struggle. So, if the character’s struggle is depression, I have to lead them to the very edge of depression, the deepest and most hopeless situation imaginable. If her struggle is loneliness, I need to sharpen that loneliness to its most extreme limits.

Typically, the strongest stories will be centered on a protagonist who has both an internal struggle and an external struggle.

The internal struggle is a question that needs to be answered; an external struggle is a problem that needs to be solved.

Whether a story is considered character-driven or plot-driven, historical romance, cozy mystery, techno-thriller or literary fiction, this dual focus on the internal and external struggles of the main character will help snag readers’ interest and keep it. Genre will dictate which struggle takes precedent in the story, but all commercial fiction today needs both internal and external struggle.

To summarize, stop asking what should happen and focus instead on tightening the tension—making things worse.

Typically the worse you can make things for your protagonist (within the contexts of these two types of struggles), the better the story will be for your readers.

--Steven James
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Steven is teaching a novel writing intensive, which accepts only 8-10 students. Four slots are left. For more info, go here.

Check out Steven's latest novel, The Knight, on Amazon.

Following Steven's advice--what can you make worse for your protagonist?

Creating a Spiritual Theme in Your Novel

How do I weave a spiritual thread into my suspense novels with the intent of not sounding preachy? My main rule:

I don't think about it.

When my readers pick up one of my Seatbelt Suspense® novels, they can expect:

1. A fast pace, starting with page one
2. Multiple twists
3. Multi-layered characterization
4. A spiritual element that arises naturally from the cataclysmic events

When developing a story, I plot with points #1-3 in mind. In order to achieve #4, most of the time I set it aside completely. I plot what I can of the novel, then start writing. As I write, the characters deepen. My protagonist is always in a heap of trouble, to put it mildly. As she fights her way through the melee, spiritual questions will naturally arise. Most people, even if they've given little thought to God, tend to start thinking eternally when faced with crises and possible death. As I continue to write I ask myself:

1. Where was this character regarding her relationship to God on page one? Some of my protagonists aren't Christians at all in the beginning.

2. Given her background and the story events, what sort of doubts/questions would she begin to have? When a protagonist is well characterized, readers will feel her questioning in their own hearts.

3. How much time passes between the beginning of the book and the end? Many of my stories take place in very little time--some even in 24 hours or less. The spiritual character arc in such a short time can't be big, or it won't seem natural. But it's all relative. A match in deep darkness seems very bright. So a small moving toward God, or even a greater understanding in some way, can hit home as a bright spiritual truth.

Some tips to guide you in your own writing:

1. Story rules--let your characters drive the spiritual theme. Don't try to force the theme to be any stronger, or any more subtle, than what is natural for your story.

2. Take risks. Granted, the level of risk depends on many things--your publisher, your readership and genre. What about writing a story in which the spiritual element is entirely beneath the surface? Or writing a story in which the protagonist doesn't accept the spiritual truth presented to him/her?

Recently I watched The Godfather III again. In this final part of The Godfather saga, Michael Corleone desperately wants out of the Mafia. He wants to become a "legitimate" businessman. And he longs for true redemption, realizing that his style of life has cost him one family member after another. The movie incorporates the one-act opera Cavalleria Rusticana--which takes place on Easter Sunday and reenacts the crucifixion and resurrection. In attending this opera Michael is exposed to the promise of true redemption. He's also exposed to the promise of redemption through a conversation with Cardinal Lamberto, a truly spiritual priest who urges Michael to take his first confession in 30 years. Yet Michael keeps allowing himself to be drawn back into his old murderous lifestyle. In the end of the movie, Michael is an old man, sitting in a garden. There, all alone, he dies and falls from his chair to the ground.

I found the spiritual theme of Christ's offered redemption to be strong in this secular movie. In fact, I think it was strenghtened by the fact that the protagonist saw the Truth, was offered the Truth, but did not take it. And so he died alone and unredeemed. What a wasted life. But it was absolutely natural and right for the kind of man Michael Corleone was--and continued to choose to be.

3. Be prepared for some criticism. You won't please everyone with your level of spiritual theme, no matter how natural it is to the story. There will always be someone who says it's too strong, while another criticizes you for not including enough of it. But if you follow #1--Story rules--you'll know the spiritual content is just right for that particular story.

How about you? Do you find yourself trying to force spiritual theme/content into your novel? Do you think you have too weak of a spiritual theme? How might your protagonist(s) lead you in making it just right?

Guest Posts on F&F

Do you have an idea for writing a guest post on Forensics & Faith? It would need to be a newly written piece covering one of the basics that we discuss here:

~ fiction craft
~ the writing industry
~ marketing and social media
~ the writing life

Remember that readers here cover the gamut of professionals in the industry--from aspiring writers to multi-published to editors and agents. Give us something to think about, learn from, act on.

If you have an idea in mind, please e-mail it to me in a one-paragraph summary. Send to: brandilyn (at) brandilyncollins (dot) com. If I think your idea fits our readership and isn't something we've recently covered, I'll get back to you.

Also, if you have ideas for certain guest posters you'd like to see here, please let me know in the comments.