May I Ask You a Question (or Several)?
Well, I tried posting this before I left to go meet with Joan Shoup, publisher at Sheaf House, to discuss freelance work, but WordPress froze up on me. So let’s try this again.
I finally got my group discussion questions for Ransome’s Honor and A Case for Love written last night and sent off to my editors this morning. I figured it would probably be a good idea to go ahead and upload them to the series pages, but wanted to link to them here as well (at least the three that are currently out).
Be warned: if you haven’t read the books, the discussion questions contain spoilers. (But continue reading, because I’ve posted some discussion questions I’d like y’all to think about and possibly comment on today.)
For Discussion (answer one or all):
- Much of the feedback that publishers are getting right now is that with the economy, job market, and heated political environment we’re experiencing right now, readers are looking for escapist fiction—something to sweep them away from the realities of life and into something more “shallow,” more entertaining than thought provoking. Would you agree with this? What kind of book do you want to read when life has you totally stressed out?
- In the romance genre, it seems like there are lots of books on either end of the “extremes” spectrum—either they’re very evangelical/hit-you-in-the-face-with-a-Bible “Christian” romance or they’re totally on the other side with explicit s*xual content. Is there a need for something closer to the middle—“sweet” romance that doesn’t necessarily have a spiritual content (or maybe the characters are Christians but there’s no real “spiritual message” in the story) but is also clean, with the couples waiting to consummate until marriage, and then not on the page? Have you found any authors who are writing these kinds of stories?
- There are some historical eras that seem to be written about all the time, while others never get any coverage. If you’re a lover of historical fiction/romance, what time periods/locations would you like to see more books set in?
- What’s your favorite new book you’ve read this year (i.e., one you’d never read before—it didn’t have to be published this year)?
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KayeDacus.com 
To speak to question 1 – when I’m stressed I find myself doing one of two things. I either pop in a DVD of The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Get Smart, Hogan’s Heroes, or something like that – because when I’m REALLY stressed, I seem to have trouble concentrating on the printed page. Books I “crave” when I’m stressed are mysteries (Agatha Christie, Laurie R. King, Dorothy L. Sayers, and the like), Georgette Heyer, or a Doctor Who or Star Wars novel. The common thread is apparently that I generally crave light-hearted humor when stressed (the exception being Christie and King, though both can write humor well).
I think I’d enjoy seeing more books set in the 1920s and 1930s.
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I’ve heard rumors that Summerside Press is going to start a new line of Romantic Suspense, set in the early 20th century.
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I think readers of fiction read to escape in general, but sometimes that “escape” is actually looking at a problem from a different perspective. That’s why we also learn and grow from reading fiction. So there aren’t too many topics I’d shy away from reading about in fiction, beyond sexually-based violence like rape and abuse of a child. I think publishers as a whole are too often underestimate the reading public. Then, because the offerings follow that, they say, “See that’s what the public is buying” as if there were many other choices in the market place beyond what they presume the market wants.
I love sweet romances. Yes, there are definitely people writing and reading them, although the outer boundary of “sweet” has been stretched in recent years. They’re not necessarily “chaste”, but they still frequently omit sex, at least on the pages. (Typically, when present, it’s in the story but off the page.) Off the top of my head, I can’t think of any at the moment but a good place to start is the Harlequin Romance line or the Avalon books. Most of these do not have any sex. (Avalons are expressly sweet but not inspirational.) Single titles are harder to come up with. I’ll come back if I can think of specific titles.
I love history but don’t read historicals so much because I’m kind of over the whole Regency/Victorian/English thing. I like novels set in America in the early 1900s but not in the West. I’d come as far forward as the 1960s although I know publishers consider anything after 1950 as contemporary. There was so much more going on than settling the frontier. The industrial cities, the recovering south, the Depression, the wars, etc.
My favorite book this year so far was not a romance, Matthew Aaron Goodman’s Hold Love Strong. But my favorite romance this year would be a tie between Rachel Hauck’s Love Starts with Elle and Tia McCollors’ The Last Woman Standing.
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There’s so much more to American history than most of what we get on the market, especially in the Christian market. I was excited to find out that MaryLu Tyndall has just signed a contract for a new series set in 1812 Baltimore!
“I love history but don’t read historicals so much because I’m kind of over the whole Regency/Victorian/English thing. ”
I had to laugh when I read this, since I still have two “Regencies” under contract (though those two will take place at sea and in the Caribbean, so hopefully they’ll be quite different than the rest of the Regencies on the market), and the potential for a second series set in, you guessed it, the Victorian era—but the early Victorian era (about 1848 to 1851, the beginning of the Industrial Revolution).
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When I’m stressed, I DO watch a feel good movie. None of that sappy “cry at the end” because someone died stuff. I want my happily ever after. Although, I can take quite a bit of turmoil to get there. That’s okay. I’m not saying I want something shallow. Does ANYONE want to read a shallow book? I mean, this all comes down to definition I’m sure. But… that doesn’t mean it has to be this deep deep meaning either.
As a READER, I want to be entertained. As a Christian, I dont’ want my sensibilities to be challenged, but I also like to be prodded, even if it’s gently (or sometimes not so much gently) through reading books too.
#2: I’ve noted before but I don’t read secular romances. I have in the past, and do every once in a blue moon, but its very rare. There are just too many good books that DON’T have the smut in them for me to go that direction. (You can’t necessarily say that with movies…) Regarding the preaching thing… *sigh*. I think this has extremes too. And, IMHO, neither are bad. I’m not huge on reading a *preaching* scene as I get those every week on Sunday. But I also think you can go the opposite, and take TOO much out. In the end, this is an author decision and I really will read either. As long as the story is good.
#3; New favorite book? ACK. I have so many. I’ve been reading Deeanne Gist lately and LOVE LOVE LOVE her books. Of course, Kaye Dacus books are right up there at the top of my list too:-) Oh, and, I know I gush over it too much, and TECHNICALLY I read it in December… but Tamera Leigh’s Faking Grace, oh my goodness, hilarious, meaningful, and with a heap of romance. If I’m having a REALLY stressful day, THAT is the kind of book I want to read. Hands down.
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I guess by “shallow” I mean something that isn’t heavy on the drama, message-laden, agenda-driven, deep-social-commentary type fiction. Like romance or fantasy or the like. Something that isn’t the “sappy ‘cry at the end'” kind of fare.
Oh—and I read Faking Grace over Christmas and loved it as well.
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When I need a little stress release, need to laugh, I watch an episode of I Love Lucy. Recently I’ve been swept away by Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman (I never watched the series when it was originally on.) When I get stressed, however, that is usually when the creative juices start to flow. My mind starts going into overdrive and the plotting begins.
When I need a break from writing and just want to retreat, relax, and become revived I read historical fiction. I seldom read contemporary fiction. I love reading about the regency and victorian eras, but I also would love it if there was more 17th & 18th century historical romance.
I have never read Debbie Macomber books, but I understand she is a Christian, writing for the secular market. I enjoy reading Christian novels that have a lot of passion, not sensuality. Maybe a little edgy. I’m not so into the “sweet” romances, as I want life to be portrayed more realistically. I like it when Christian values and message shine through, not preached, though I do not mind having it spelled out for me here and there. I don’t know if reading a novel by a Christian who doesn’t include a Christian message can influence a non-believing reader. That is one of the reasons I want to write, to influence for Christ, not just to entertain.
My favorite book of the year so far is “Breathe” by Lisa T. Bergren. It totally captivated me and had me examining my own life as I was reading. That was the special thing about the book, I loved the era, the plot, the characters, but it struck a truth that the Lord has been working in my own heart. It was very satisfying in every regard.
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I used to love DQMW. In fact, my first completed manuscript used Brandon Douglas, the actor who played young Doctor Andrew Cook, as the template for my veterinarian character (and romantic lead) Doctor Andrew Blakeley. And I just used Andrew (and his now-wife Bekka) in A Case for Love! So even though Bekka and Andrew’s book will never be published, they’ll still get their fifteen-minutes of fame (more Bekka than Andrew, as she’s actually a secondary character, but his name just gets mentioned).
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I don’t think entertaining and thought-provoking are mutually exclusive. In Crown of Eden, there was a lot of theology but it was an entertaining (and escapist) book. If something is *truly* thought-provoking–not Sunday-school stuff I’ve heard before–then I’m entertained.
In Angela Hunt’s “The Debt,” however, there’s a character named Chris who was perfect in every way. It was a great book, but I think the writer meant this aspect to be “thought-provoking,” but it was way too obvious who he was supposed to represent, and his dialogue was completely unrealistic for a man in his late twenties. What was more thought-provoking (and entertaining!) was the dilemmas of the “human” protagonist. She was real, and she kept me reading.
When I’m stressed out, I need Anne of Green Gables, cos Marilla says, “You take things too much to heart, Anne…”
As for preachiness, I have a problem when the spiritual stuff shows up only in the beginning (“this bad thing happened to me! I want nothing to do with God!”) and near the end (“Now I see that He had a plan! Yay!”) I mean, I did pick up a Christian novel for a reason. What I think people mean by “too preachy” is either the spirituality feels forced, or it teaches too trite a “lesson.” Rarely are they actually referring to quantity.
A time I’d like to see more of would be the Great Depression. And Tudor England.
Favorite book this year: I think “The Princess” by Lori Wick. I just got totally into it.
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I really liked the premise behind The Princess, but it’s been a very long time since I read it, and I remember getting somewhat frustrated with the author’s constantly hopping from head to head to head, sometimes within a single sentence. But it was a really fun story.
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Ha. That was the problem I had with The Princess. Loved it otherwise, though.
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I love a good story and prefer the more light-hearted romance books rather than the heavy, depressing “hang-up/problem” books. One reason why I love Kaye’s and Robin Jones Gunn’s books.
I’d like to see books set in the 1930’s to the 1960’s. I’ve seen several Doris Day/Rock Hudson films and That Girl episodes with Marlo Thomas that were all filmed in the 1960’s. I love seeing their cars and outfits, hearing the way they talk, etc. It was modern back then so you know they have it correct.
Deanna Julie Dodson is coming out with a mystery series set in 1930’s England. They sound good. I believe she’s currently looking for a publisher. By the way, if you haven’t read her medieval books In Honor Bound, By Love Redeemed, and To Grace Surrendered you have certainly missed some fast-paced, gripping, romantic page turners! The first book came out in 1997. I don’t know if it’s still in print or not, but it should be. All it needs is a reprint, a new, beautiful cover, and it would sell. One thing I appreciated about this book is that we were told and demonstrated clearly about salvation, our human depravity, GOd’s forgiveness, our REPENTANCE, our forgiveness of others, and God’s love. So many Christian fiction books now days don’t have any of their characters living out a growing relationship with Christ. It’s like they darkened a church door once in their childhood and now they are guaranteed a home in Heaven. We hardly ever hear characters admitting that they are sinners and that they need to repent and turn from their sin. These books go overboard, imo, about God’s love, but seem to forget that he is God and he does require something from us. Now, I certainly am not saying that God doesn’t love us. Can you imagine, if you are married, how you would feel if your husband said his vows at the altar and then rarely spoke to you after that? How do we think God feels. Now, if that’s what you all mean when you say a book is preachy than I guess you wouldn’t like that kind of book. The kind of preaching I don’t particularly like is when they actually have the preacher’s whole sermon written out on the page. Every week when the characters go to church we read the pastor’s sermon. Now, if the sermon specifically applies to a lesson that the character learns than I don’t mind too much. Let’s just have that one lesson/sermon per book. One Christian fiction book I read a year or so ago had seven (I counted) sermons written out in it and hardly any romance. The couple didn’t even think about one another until the middle of the book. All of the sudden they were in love. It was odd.
OK. I’ll get off my soap box now and go back to “my own little corner, in my own little world.” 🙂
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In my meeting yesterday, Joan and I got started talking about the cliche ways in which authors of Christian fiction have fallen into “explaining” the spiritual message of the novel for the readers—either through the italicized voice of God telling the character whatever it is they need to learn (or another character spelling it all out as a monologue, not as a give-and-take, natural conversation) or in the pastor’s sermon (written out in totality on the page) in which the pastor seemed to be talking straight to her!!!!
I have a tendency to use the more conversational approach to helping a character figure out what the spiritual lesson they’re supposed to learn is, whether it’s between Anne and Meredith in Stand-In Groom or between Major and Forbes in Menu for Romance. That’s usually how I’ve seen these things happen in real life: I’m usually either oblivious of the fact God is trying to teach me something or resistant to it, and it’s not until I have a conversation with someone else about that issue that I realize the reason I’m not happy or I’m discontent is because God’s trying to teach me something.
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Ouch. You hit me with the monologue and italics. 😉
In my WIP, the one time I have italics is in the black moment, when there’s no one in the room to bounce off the lesson with, so to speak. (and there CAN’T be anyone there, so I can’t change that.) How would you fix something like that? She’s locked up in a room with no one around. I’m a little lost…don’t exactly want to do it that way because I know it’s cliche, but no other way to do it.
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When I am stressed (which is most of the time) I like to read a really funny, lighthearted romance (think Mary Connealy’s Lassoed in Texas series) or watch a good historical romance movie like Jane Eyre or North and South. Ahhh North and South, Richard Armitage, he always gets my mind away from the things that are stressing me out!
As far as “sweet” fiction goes, I really can’t think of an author that fits that description other than Debbie Macomber, who prov33 mentioned above. The one book that I did read by her had had a sex scene but it was after the couple was married and it wasn’t too graphic. I REALLY would love to find some “sweet” romances! I also have a friend who doesn’t really like to read the “preachy” fiction but she also doesn’t like the “trashy” stuff either, I’d love it if we could find a happy medium!!!
Even though I like to read the historical westerns and Civil War romances there are really a ton of those on the market. I would like to see some more Christian books about life at Court, along the lines of Siri Mitchell’s A Constant Heart, but without the confusing POV switch. I would also like some more books from the Scottish Highlands or Ireland like Linda Windor’s and Kathleen Morgan’s series’. I’d also like some good romances written around the time of Jesus!! How about a good Russian/Italian/or Spanish based historical romance too??? LOL I love any inspirational historical but it seems that the only books available are Regency or Westerns…don’t get me wrong I love them, but variety is the spice of life!!!!
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How did I manage to attract so many N&S fans here to the blog? 🙂
I’d love to see medieval romances in the Christian market. I grew up reading Julie Garwood’s medievals (and her Regencies) which do have the few obligatory s*x scenes in them. Yet she had a tendency to write heroines (at least in her medievals, and in a few of her Regencies) who devoutly believed in God (not so much the heroes), went to mass, prayed, and made sure that the people around her didn’t do anything sacrilegious or bad/evil, especially the heroes. I’d love to read more books like those, without the explicit sensuality and sticking to the “rules” for inspirational/Christian books.
I don’t necessarily need (nor want) a spiritual “message” in the books I read, though I do prefer reading books in which the characters are guided by their spiritual beliefs to seek what it is that God wants to show them, what He wants to teach them, or where he wants to lead them—but not necessarily as the main focus of the story. Typically, I just want to read a romance novel—without worrying about if there’s going to be something in it that is going to send my imagination down a path where it doesn’t need to go.
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I kind of see what you mean. I’ve read books like the Anne of Green Gables books and the Sue Barton nurse books that are secular, non-mystery books that aren’t particularly religious (although they do go to church in the Anne books) that are just plain,interesting, good, clean moral books. That being said, I guess most of the good, clean secular books are from the 1950’s and before. Things might have been going on,but people didn’t talk openly about it. Although, I think as a whole, even non-Christian people back then still tried to be moral.
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When I’m stressed, I watch North and South. 😉 Or the old comedies like The Andy Griffith Show or Hogan’s Heroes.
As far as books…usually women’s fiction (when I’m stressed). Contemporary usually is more humorous. This past week I read Alice J. Wisler, “How Sweet it Is” and “Rain Song”. LOL the whole time.
As far as time periods…more 1910-1940’s time period. I’m plotting a WW2 novel and I went on CBD to look for WW2 novels to read…barely anything there. Same with my Edwardian-time period novel. But yeah. World War One, Jazz Age (gangsters/agents ala The Untouchables!!!), Great Depression, World War Two. Hardly anything there and I’d love to see more.
Honestly, the fact that so many people are using things like rape really is ticking me off. It’s like people use it as a catch-all for a traumatic past. Now, a well-written one once in a while is ok, but it’s every woman’s nightmare and I don’t want to have to go through the trauma every time I pick up a book. I know it’s so awful. But let’s just be a little creative…that’s just my PO.
And like it was said above, with the preachy issue, I don’t think it’s how much versus how well it was written in there. I’ve read books with heavy spiritual content that was really really well written in there, and then some that I didn’t actually finish the book because it was so fake!!!
And PLEASE. Let’s cut back on the s*xual content. If I wanted to read it, I’d buy a secular novel. The focus of love should be on the person and their character, not the sizzling factor. Not that it’s not going to be there, but we’re having enough problems trying to tune out the world’s message that it’s all about how you’re feeling. We don’t need the CHRISTIAN novels to help out. Have a kiss and leave it at that!!! (and even with the kisses…sometimes it gets cheap. Like, the author wasn’t capable of writing out the emotions the characters were feeling so they just kissed. That’s just my PO, but I prefer one (two tops) nice kiss to every other page in the entire book. It gets REALLY OLD. And this is from an over-the-top romantic.)
Sorry about the long comment. Hope this answers all the questions!
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Speaking of WW2 novels, have you read Brock & Bodie Thoene’s Zion Covenant series, Tricia Goyer’s WW2 series (new novel w/ Mike Yorkey, The Swiss Courier, comes out this fall), Jack Cavanaugh has a WW2 trilogy (the name escapes me at the moment) or Judith Pella’s Daughters of Fortune series? All are excellent WW2 reads.
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Love the Thoene’s books! I’ll have to try out the others. Thanks for the suggestion!!!
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I’ve always somewhat compared my stories to the more classic style of story—in that the characters don’t usually kiss until the end when they finally admit they’re in love with each other and want to get married. Mostly because, as we’ve already discussed (at length), I’ve never been kissed and therefore I don’t necessarily see kissing as one of the things that helps build a real relationship. For me, the most important elements of falling in love are intellectual, emotional, and spiritual. Physical attraction and physical reaction are nice, but not what relationships should be built upon (just look at the state of contemporary society and its focus on the physical above all else for my justification).
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I agree about the s*xual content. I want some descriptive kisses along with the people’s feelings, but not more. There have been a couple of Christian fiction books I’ve read where all the characters seemed to do through the entire book was gaze at the other person’s body on every other page and not even trying to control their thoughts. They were not actually having s*x before marriage, but coming this close to it. The Bible says to flee temptation. I started to read a book a year or so ago that I didn’t finish because the hero and heroine were supposed to be Christians and didn’t even try to avoid temptation. I suppose they thought since they weren’t actually sinning they were fine. They were fine, but we can do alot to help ourselves avoid sin by avoiding the situations that put us into temptation. This captain had the girl on his ship and she had to sleep in his cabin while he slept elsewhere. That could not be helped. I understand that, but he didn’t have to a) walk in and shut the door and b)sit down right next to her on the bed. He than had his hands all over her. He could have avoided this temptation if he would have simply left the door open and stayed standing across the room and given her his message. An open door with people passing back and forth always puts a damper on privacy. Even if his message was secret he could have stayed across the room. She could have helped by covering up. I’m not married, but certainly try to carry, dress, and cover up myself in a way that’s pleasing to God and won’t lead these men into temptation.
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I’m reading a book right now in which the hero has a physical reaction to the heroine every time he looks at her. It’s a Christian book, and the character is a Christian and he usually berates himself whenever the reaction happens. But it happens so often that it’s getting annoying (because at this point, at least halfway through the novel, he still resents/dislikes the heroine)—and that’s coming from someone who started reading secular/sensual romance novels around age twelve.
In grad school, one of my closest friends, who’d also been a critique partner for a semester, did her teaching session on sensuality in romance—as in, sensuality without going over into a full-blown s*x scene. She asked me if she could use a scene I’d written to show how it can be done in an inspirational romance novel. My first thought, because I’d just written it, was to send her the scene between William and Julia in Ransome’s Honor when they’re alone together beside the fountain in the Yateses’ back garden. To me, there is quite a bit sensual tension in the scene. But to her there wasn’t—because a lot of the tension has to do with the social norms/customs of the Regency period. So she ended up using the “That’s Amore” scene from Stand-In Groom (the scene where Anne and George dance to Dean Martin’s song and then George almost kisses her at the end of it).
In writing the opening chapters of Ransome’s Crossing, I’m having to figure out how Julia and William act toward each other and react to others in their first few days as a married couple (no getting away for a honeymoon here!), and it’s actually been a lot of fun (good, clean fun).
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Ooooh! I loved the scene by the fountain! Now, do not tell me that you did not draw inspiration from a certain Regency gentleman who is famous for his taking a swim… 😉 I’m just kidding. Seriously. I absolutely loved it.
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No, actually, the inspiration came from a scene of Paul McGann in one of the Hornblower movies when he’s hot and sweaty, stripped down to his shirt and pants (which was pretty stripped down in those days!).
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Honestly, if I want to dig into something serious (to confront issues), I read non-fiction. Otherwise, I read fiction to provide a mental vacation, and I try to find a book that has an interesting premise, a positive main character, and/or an intriguing location. Then I can settle into the book and know that I can lose track of time without a catastrophe hijacking my mind when I just need to relax.
While I enjoy “clean” romantic fiction (stories that don’t require me to take a mental shower afterward), I do think Christian fiction needs to also point to the truth of the gospel *somewhere* in the story — that we are not alone in this world, and there’s a creator who loved us enough to make a way to know him personally. A great country songwriter told me he tries bring redemption into everything he writes. And when I read fiction, that redemptive touch doesn’t have to be over the top, but it needs to bring color and depth to the character(s).
I usually like contemporary fiction more than historical, but I’m a World War II buff, so I enjoy male hero/action/adventure/romance Christian novels set during that era.
The latest book I’ve read that I have to recommend is even more for the writing style of the author than the story itself (although I thoroughly enjoyed it): According to Their Deeds by Paul Robertson. The characters are quirky, the dialogue is gentle, and yet smart, and it’s set in a rare book store in Alexandria, VA. I went out and bought Robertson’s other books, and can’t wait to read them!
A little side note:
I know the sweet Amish romances are popular with those who want to relive a simpler bygone era, but as someone who grew up near Amish and Mennonite communities and who has a fairly balanced view (from the outside, going to school with the Amish kids through the 8th grade), I’m concerned by the glut of books trying to capitalize on this small segment of the population. Yes, the first books were great, but now it just looks like authors (and probably more so, their publishing companies) continue to jump on the bandwagon to exploit a group they know little about. It’s too much. Just my two cents. 🙂
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Oh, the Amish books! I will be very glad when this Amish craze gets through. I don’t mind a few books here and there about them, but this is getting a little over the top imo. The best ones I have read are Gayle Roper’s books, The Key, The Document, and The Decision. The main characters are not Amish, but each takes her own turn living on the same Amish farm. You get a taste of Amish life, but the main characters are not Amish. These books were originally put out under Multinomah’s Palisades line and are being republished under different titles at Harvest House. The reprint of the first book is to be called A Stranger’s Wish. The cover is extremely misleading imo.
http://www.harvesthousepublishers.com/books_fictionbook.cfm?productID=6925860
I haven’t read that many Amish Christian fiction books. Those of you who have would you say that they portray the Amish religion as being false or do they excuse it?
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But “bonnet books” sell, and sell well. It’s become a genre in-and-of itself. Now, though, it isn’t just Amish—it’s Mennonite, German Baptist, Quaker, and even Puritan (just look at the Kapp on the head of the girl on Siri Mitchell’s newest release!). Pretty much anything with an Amish-looking character on the front cover is going to be picked up by stores because of the track record they have for sales, so that’s why all the publishers jumped on the bandwagon—and so many authors did, too.
Even though I didn’t grow up around an Amish community, all it took was one trip to Lancaster, PA, for me to be very disenchanted with their so-called “simpler” lifestyle . . . especially once I saw an Amish buggy going through the drive-thru at Dairy Queen.
If I want to read a story in which the characters don’t have electricity or indoor plumbing or refrigerators (or use car batteries to run them and call it not using electricity—which is cheating!), I’ll read a historical, thank you very much!
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I cut my romance teeth on Beverly Lewis, so I have a soft spot for her, but I too am getting sick of Amish fiction other than that. I did not care for Cindy Woodsmall’s series at all…but it probably had to do with the subject matter as well. Talk about getting into a story. When I was finished, I felt like I needed to go see a therapist myself.
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