DISQUS

Definitely the kind of story you and your daughter can enjoy together.

And btw, I seem to have resurrected your old blog link when I added you to the list this month. So sorry. Hopefully everyone will find their way here.

All lists are now updated!

Becky

Well, the link didn't go through I see. I'll try just posting it: http://www.scificatholic.com/


Becky

Yeah, I'm not prepared to say there's something wrong with you since thousands of others also like the genre. In the last CSFF blog tour, we had a good discussion of horror in the comments of <a href=Sci Fi Catholic's post.

Interestingly, I've read Anne Rice say even in her horror writing she was exploring the spiritual.

Me, I just don't like being scared. Cheering on my favorite sports teams is enough of an adrenalin spike for me. ;-)

Becky

Thanks for this excellent post, Mark. I just rant ... uh, expressed my opinion about the polarization in America, too, though I focused on how it affects our endorsement/recommendations regarding works of art. I'm putting much of the problem at the feet of a lack of discernment. Much easier to parrot the opinion of Big Name Christian than to examine Scripture and draw a reasoned conclusion I believe to be God-honoring.

So too with politics.

But here's the real deal. If My Guy gets elected or not, I still have the responsibility to pray for the President. I wonder if Christians took that role seriously what God might do in the life of that man, whoever he might be.

Becky

Rebecca LuElla Miller's last blog post..The Turquoise and Red Mentality

I tried to comment the day you put this up but the internet wouldn't let me. Or God wouldn't. ;-)

Great poetry. A vivd image, certainly.

As to the point, absolutely I agree God does not want us to be lukewarm ... which I guess polite would indicate. But I've always wondered, seriously, does he want us cold? He said, essentially, cold is better than lukewarm, but does He want us cold?

Seems to me, our culture has gotten comfortable with our Job right to accuse God. But Job, when he came face to face with God, had his face to the ground and was repenting in dust and ashes.

What if "Lord, I believe, help my unbelief" characterized our prayers more than r-rated tirades?

Becky

Rebecca LuElla Miller's last blog post..The “S” Word

Mark, I'm glad you posted this.

But here's the thing (and if I'm off base, I sincerely apologize. I don't mean to chastise you for my sins). Looking for the Holy hug or a Jesus kiss is not the same thing as looking for God.

To put it another way, the joy that results from a relationship is not the same thing as the relationship, and it seems to me, you're looking for the joy, not the relationship. I've been there, done that, so what you're saying sounds familiar. Again, if I'm misreading you, please forgive me.

Actually the topic reminds me of C.S. Lewis's Surprised by Joy, his testimony of coming to faith in Christ.

So you want to have a deeper, more intimate relationship with God? It's the very thing He wants from us, too; in praying for such you can be sure you are praying according to His will.

If I might be so bold, right now I'm reading through the book of John and noting the names (or roles) ascribed to Jesus (Light of the World, Word, Living Water, Bread of Life, and so on). Those provide great points of meditation and prayer.

And BTW, I'm in a "melancholy" place right now, too, but today when I considered Jesus as the I AM, the One I want to write about, to illumine, and when I considered that I don't need to do that apart from Him but through Him, the work that had seemed so crushing took on a new perspective.

May God meet you where you are.

Becky

Rebecca LuElla Miller's last blog post..Thinking Out Loud - Theology in Fiction

I'd have to disagree with Randy, Mark. In Writing the Breakout Novel, Donald Maass has a very good section on stakes. He mentions both public and private, and says, as Keanan did, that "high stakes" aren't really high if we don't care about the character.

Here's a particularly interesting and applicable quote on the subject:

In the scale of values, nothing is more compelling than high principles and codes of personal conduct. We admire principled people. We try to emulate them ...To put a principled person at risk is to raise the stakes in your story to a high degree. Better still is to test that individual's principles to the utmost. There is something gripping about the inner struggle to remain loyal to a passionately held belief.

Becky

Uh, this is why I'm not a Sci Fi fan, Mark. I'm sure all the math and science are fascinating! But, well, uh, my mind was wandering a bit. But if you say it's brilliant dialogue, far be it from me to disagree.

And I certainly concur that an example of a well-themed work is invaluable. In fact, that was my post today, too.

Thanks for the link, by the way. I've loved the discussions that came from the tour this time.

Becky

Mark, I enjoyed getting to know the real you a bit. When I get the pictures off the camera and onto the computer, then people will get to see what you REALLY look like. ;-)

Seriously, I hope you found everyone at home healthy and safe. I was so sorry to hear about the serious flooding in Texas and Arkansas.

Thanks again for including me in your blogging workshop. You and L. L. did a fabulous job. It was informative and clear and well documented. Without a doubt it pointed writers to the truth about blogging and let them make an informed decision to join the community or not. Really well done.

Becky

Terri, I suspect this is a little like the plotting vs. seat-of-the-pants discussion. But what I've seen so often (and why this has become a soapbox issue for me) is the dismissal of theme as something to work toward. I believe a good theme requires more planning, not less. When theme is done well, it is as Mark says, implicit in the characters, setting, conflict. To make it so is no easy task, and I don't see it as one that will very often be present without some forethought.

Can there be themes an author discovers, then enhances? Yes, if he is willing to do the enhancing work. That seems a lot harder to me because I would expect that to mean changes in things like character motivation.

Mark, I suppose including theme could be intuitive, but I have a hard time imagining that, because of what I just said to Terri, but that probably tells more about me than it does about theme. I have a duel approach to writing—make the outline, that's a must; allow other things to happen whenever the need arises, and count on the need to arise.

I have to say, the themes of my WIP, The Lore of Efrathah, have changed and expanded over the writing and revising, but I still don't see that they would be there in a meaningful way if I wasn't intentional about it.

Here's a teaching analogy. I look at creating themes as requiring the same skill as needed to make up a test. If the questions are too easy, then I don't know if the students actually did the work. It they're too hard, I still don't know if the students did the work. Only when I ask the right questions can I tell who's engaging the material in a thoughtful way.

Creating the theme needs a light hand. It is not the text book, not the manual, not the treatise. And it is not the test. Rather it is the core of the hook—the story—that serves as a catalyst for the reader to engage the subject.

Becky

Mark, the list of story elements you mention is truncated from the one I learned. When I studied literature way back when, "theme" was also a necessity.

I will argue until someone convinces me otherwise that starting with theme in no way mandates a preachy story. It is not in HAVING a point to make that causes a story to be preachy. It is poor execution in making the point.

In fact, I suggest people who do not start out with something to say will, in the end, tack something on at the end, trying to give the story depth that does not exist. These stories will either ring untrue in their Christian worldview (Germ, for instance), or preachy.

When you have something you actually want to say through the vehicle of story, then you can craft it into the fabric as you develop the other elements. It will not seem slipshod, nor will it be left up to chance, and if a writer is skilled, it will not read as a preachy treatise but as a vibrant story full of significance.

I think Henry's point is a perfect illustration of how theme should work. It is in the creation of real-to-life characters, Christians and non-Christians alike, that theme comes to life, as opposed to sitting on the page as an authorial principle designed for the reader to learn.

It's one reason I hate to see Study Guides in the back of Christian fiction. I have no problem with the presence of themes in the story, but the guides undermine the very idea of theme, putting it back to the place of "Moral of the Story." There's a difference!

Becky

So we're only supposed to check out the others if we don't think your post makes sense? ;-)

Actually, I think I see where you're coming from, Mark, but do you think it's really possible to be both in a story?

I kinda think so, but wonder how you think this can be pulled off. I sorta think it's what I'm trying to do in The Lore of Efrathah, though I've never explained it just the way you did.

Becky

Great analysis as usual, Marcus. I really like the depth you bring to your one page critiques. I can say I love his use of language, but you take it apart and show it. Love it!

Becky

I'm curious, by the way, if Austin had any stats to report about the CFBA tour that just concluded. Did he see the same spikes? (I wish I understood all that).

Oh, and a comment re. Technorati. I actually agree with you that a high ranking is not a primary goal or a hard-and-fast evidence of the success of a tour. The thing is, it remains one of the few tangibles, so it gives a little immediate feedback.

Brandilyn Collins' reaction to her book being high on Technorati's list was that the cover was out there for an additional group of people to see, and that wasn't bad, certainly.

Becky

Pay? Do people pay to have someone run a blog tour??? How have I not known about this??? LOL ;-)

Becky

What a great one-pager, Mark. Makes me want you to give me that kind of edit! ;-)

You really have highlighted some key components to Jonathan's writing, stuff I hadn't analyzed. Yes, the comfortable, light tone is part of why the book works so well. It's especially perfect for a juvenile/YA fantasy. One reviewer—Deena, I think—described The Bark of the Bog Owl as the Bible meets the Shire.

Becky

:D Eve, that's the one I missed, too. Same reason!

Becky

I'm afraid I'm asking for retread info. What is the purpose of the community and what is expected from bloggers who join? My concern is, will I be able to adequately participate, given my current commitments.

Becky

Well, of course I'm interested too because I do have an economic media empire I want to promote. :-D

In my case, I tend to believe the "experts," and those in publishing say time and again that word of mouth is the most powerful marketing tool.

Blogging seems to me to be an extension of word of mouth. Not a replacement, thankfully, but more of like kind, I think. At least that's the way I saw it until one PR person contacted me for a tour and asked for the group's email listings so they could "e-blast" the media information to everyone.

That's when I first realized blog tours could go in the direction of mass mailing (we call that junk mail) or in the direction of neighbors visiting over the backyard fence.

Both sell. But since I believe the pundits regarding what sells books best, the latter seemed like the model CSFF should try to emulate.

Yes, I suppose some reviews are still overly complimentary. Not every book can be "the best one I've ever read."

I tend to think that has more to do with these factors:
1) being new to reviewing books. To think critically about what we read takes practice.

2) living in a society that focuses on the immediate. Consequently what ever is the latest is the greatest—until a new latest comes along.

Honestly, I've seen more and more reviews include "weaknesses" even as they praise the book or give it a high recommendation. That's good, I think, though authors may not like it. (I don't know what I'd feel about that). For a reader, having a reviewer say, Here's what didn't work for me, validates the positive things they said. I know they're not just jiving.

So yeah, I'd love to hear your thoughts on the ethics of reviews.

Becky

Mark, thanks for pointing to CSFF and the ways we don't conform. Of course it's the zombie factor. What would you expect from speculative writers??

Seriously, I have a couple of observations.

One is, CSFF does build a sense of community. This is not a one-time deal for most of those participating. After reading a person's blog tour posts over time, you start visiting their blog on other occasions, and eventually regularly. Seems I may have stumbled upon Good Word Editing that way. ;-)

The other critical factor, in my opinion, is that tour participants are free to, even encouraged to, write whatever they want in connection to the featured book. I think that goes a long way toward dismissing that zombie factor. So in actuality, CSFF'ers are less zombies than our brethren.

Sometimes this approach leads to controversy, but from what I've observed, nothing draws more attention to a book than a little controversy.

OK, one more. You mentioned my encouraging participants to leave comments at other blogs. This plays into one of CSFF's express goals--to increase blog traffic for our members' sites. Maybe I've been brainwashed into believing this, but I've heard more than once that one way to increase traffic to YOUR site is by leaving comments at other's sites. Especially in a tour, I think people tend to reciprocate. Which results in follow up posts: A good review is over at ... And before you know it, you are sending more readers to other participants and they are sending them to you.

Of course, I think blog tours have an unmeasurable quotient--the seed planted that takes fruit later. For example, I am not a parent, so I haven't considered buying Mary's book. But what if one of my friends comes to me, or someone in Bible study, with a parenting problem. They've heard what so-and-so has to say, but nothing works. Suddenly I have a suggestion they might want to know about, a parenting book I can recommend they look at. And where did I hear about this? From a blogger I've come to trust. During a blog tour. That's a potential sale that would never be credited to a blog tour, but it's the real power of the promotional tool, I think. It is genuine buzz. Not hype. Not mass-market mailings. The blog tours that work to create buzz come from people really genuinely talking about a book they read and either liked or didn't like. With other people stepping in to give an opinion. Pretty soon, people who didn't read the book are saying, I want in on this conversation. What's all the stir about?

Enough blather.

Becky

Mark, this is interesting in light of what I've been ... well, blogging about the last couple days. The real focus is on writers building a platform but it came out of an article about blogging addiction. (Hmmm, did you just say you feel compelled to post??)

Interestingly, I've found blogging (and discussion boards) to be VERY thought-provoking. I've exchanged ideas with people I would never have had the opportunity to talk to in face-to-face life. In some cases, those "conversations" have gone a long way to forming my opinion about what I believe to be true about Christian fiction, art, theology.

If nothing else, what others say challenge my ideas, so I either have to understand them and undergird them or I have to abandon them.

I do think creating a community helps. Lots of times I get post material from someone's response to what I've written.

I think people might "dry up" as bloggers, but I suspect they are a) not getting feedback; b) receiving only atta-boy feedback; or c) not reading challenging posts from other bloggers.

Becky

I came across a blog some time ago that deals with theology and culture. It's interesting, though I don't spend time there like I used to. Anyway, I remembered the blogger, a pastor named Rob Wilkerson, had done a series about the emergent church, and I thought you might be interested. I went to find the link to the first one. I stopped looking when I came across this post: http://mymiscellanies.blogspot.com/2005/06/emer... . I think a techie person would find this interesting.

Becky

typical for a threequel trying to jog the reader’s memory That's a good point, Mark.

By the time I'd read the first two books, I didn't really care what page 1 of this one was about because I was already hooked.

Trying to think like someone who didn't know the story of the other two, would this opening hook them?

It certainly opens up some questions. I think I would have preferred more about the small point of light—maybe a stronger verb than moved so my first mental image meets with the idea of a slow vehicle.

Apart from that, the thing that grabs me is, they're alone on Mars and another vehicle is moving toward them. YIKES!

There are some minor editorial things I'd change, but not every editor agrees with every other editor, so there ya go. ;-)

Becky

Really interesting, Marcus. Quite eye-opening to think in terms of story, style, and voice.

Becky

Marcus, I agree with L. L.—the heart of a teacher is never quenched. I think you teach here on your blog, which is one reason, I suppose, I keep coming back.

I didn't realize you too were a teaching vet. My stint was for 30 years. Talk about defining yourself as a teacher!

Oddly enough I don't yearn for the classroom. Thought I might. I think God used that as one way to confirm for me that writing is what I'm to be doing right now.

Becky