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I must admit there was a point near the beginning of this novella that I thought I would hate it. In fact, I almost quit reading. I struggled through, however, and was rewarded with a story that wasn’t entirely bad. The strength of Convissar’s book is in its originality. It is a ghost story that unfolds around the protagonist’s wiener dog Molly. Shortly after moving into a new house, the heroic little dachshund is drawn into the world of the canine spirits that haunt the place.

While the concept for Convissar’s story is gold, the execution could have been better. The setup for the story should have been spookier and more suspenseful. There is never any really frightening moments for the reader; which is a shame, because it could have been fairly disturbing. Likewise, the author could have spent more time developing the antagonist so the reader could truly root for his demise. As it stands, the climax of the book seems a bit of an overkill.

Most astute reader’s will also find certain key elements within the story predictable and unsavory. Additionally, the author chooses to drop a couple of F-Bombs within the story that aren’t truly necessary, so I would recommend that the easily offended look elsewhere for their fiction.

An additional ten thousand well-written words could have turned this decent novella into a very good book. As it stands, I enjoyed it, but am glad I got it for less than a dollar on my kindle.

Clark

Fantasy author Ty Johnston’s blog tour 2011 is running from November 1 through November 30. His novels include City of Rogues, Bayne’s Climb and More than Kin, all of which are available for the Kindle , the Nook  and online at Smashwords. His latest novel, Ghosts of the Asylum, is available for e-books as of November 21. To find out more, follow him at his blog tyjohnston.blogspot.com.

The late author John Gardner defined the “proper function” of a fictional hero was to provide moral and noble examples to the rest of us, to inspire by their actions and ideals. Gardner, as well as Leo Tolstoy, came from a literary school that suggests heroes are examples of ideal characters, of those most loved by God (or gods, in the ancient sense). True art, for Gardner and Tolstoy, reflects the ideals of God.

Obviously not all works of fiction fall into such definitions, though Gardner referred to such art as “unimportant” and even “trivial.”

Some writers might find these notions limiting, but I am not such a writer. I generally prescribe to Gardner and Tolstoy’s notions of proper art, at least within my own writings. While I can imagine myself outside the boundaries suggested above, I rarely do so, at least not since fiction writing has become my career. However, my heroes do not always fall into the type who are good examples of those whom God would love. Sometimes my heroes, and other characters, are the opposite, those who are warnings of how not to behave, to live.

For a writer to utilize characters who represent God’s ideals, or the opposite, it takes some thinking about the nature of such ideals, and it takes some thinking about sin and God’s laws for humanity.

First off, what is sin? Often sin is described as a breaking of God’s law, but why are certain actions considered sins? Why did God decide to make a sin a sin? Why are certain elements of the human element disapproved of by God?

One answer is that God’s laws reflect His own holiness, that God’s laws reflect His own personal character. I cannot and do not doubt this defining, but as a fiction writer, I look at the notion of sin a bit differently. Perhaps God provided us with his laws because they are good for us, because he loves us and wants the best possible for us. Perhaps sins are forbidden because it logically makes sense for them to be forbidden.

Perhaps stealing and murder are sins not only because they are abhorrent to God, but because they are disruptive to us as humans. And maybe that’s why such sins are abhorrent to God in the first place.

Perhaps we are forbidden to worship other gods because it is not only detestable to do so, but because it is silly and illogical. From a Christian point of view, there are no other gods than God, so worshiping anything else is a worship of nothing. Worshiping a rock accomplishes nothing but self delusion, as would worshiping the sun or the ocean or any number of things often worshiped by our ancient ancestors.

I do not mean to suggest this is the only way to look at sin or God’s laws, nor that my ideas on this subject are perfect. I am not trying to make a philosophical or spiritual argument here. I merely mean to point out that these are some of the notions behind my own thoughts of sin within the contexts of my fiction.

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How did the world we live in come to be? We live in a world where many suggest it was merely a cosmic accident. The right chemicals mingled at the right time and the end result was the planet earth with its myriad of life. On the other hand, the Book of John clearly articulates that all things were created through Jesus Christ. What does the Bible mean when it speaks of creation? The word the HCSB translates as “create” is the Greek “ginomai” (ghin’-om-ahee). Strong’s Greek Dictionary defines ginomai as “to cause to be.” Thayer’s Dictionary adds that it is akin to a man who “come(s) upon the stage” and appears in public with the intention of performing. Unlike an actor, however, Thayer’s continues on to say that there is an element of “ginomai” that is miraculous.

When John writes that all things were created through Him (Christ), he is asserting that there was a point in time when God appeared on the stage of history and miraculously caused everything, as we know it, to come into existence. When we consider the word “ginomai” on this level, we begin to understand how Christ fit into Creation. Colossians 1:15 teaches that Christ is the image of the invisible God. In the context of our study it becomes evident that it was Christ, the image of the invisible God, who appeared on the stage of creation. God the Father was the director and Christ Himself was the actor providing His personal touches to the performance. And what a performance it was! Paul writes in the first chapter of Romans, “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made …” (Romans 1:20 NASB). Christ’s performance was one that has provided witness to God’s existence since the beginning of time.

There is an artistry and beauty in creation. So much so that every time we act, write, or perform we are merely imitating that First Great Performance!

We may quibble over the means of Creation, but there should be no debate over the identity of that First Great Performer. Looking at the word “ginomai” at greater depth helps to clarify this important Biblical assertion.

As part of an assignment in a writing course I was required to write a short essay offering advice for young writers of inspirational works. The finished product is below.

Writing for Inspiration

Unfortunately, there is no step-by-step process for writing an inspirational work. Perhaps it is recognizing this fact that is your first clue in approaching the subject: avoid formulas. A piece of inspiration should originate from the heart as inspired by the Holy Spirit rather than a checklist. Once the Spirit has impressed a subject upon your heart, the next task is to identify your audience. Make no apologies for selecting a particular audience as the Gospel of Jesus Christ is for everyone, however, you may want to select an audience that you share a connection with. Once you have selected your audience remain focused; remember them at every point in the writing process. Do not neglect praying for God’s inspiration. Remember, the audience is why you are writing to begin with.

Once the audience is selected the research begins. Your inspirational work, be it an article or devotional, will need to be founded upon Scripture. It is important that you understand the Scripture you are basing your work on. Consult commentaries, dictionaries, and other sources as needed to make sure you are properly applying Scripture to your work. Take care not to rush the process. A finished product that misapplies Scripture may actually serve to do more harm than good. Remember that your writing should serve to illuminate Scripture so it may speak into the hearts of your audience. Never allow Scripture to take a back seat in your work; give the Word of God the station it deserves.

When all the research is finished get out your writer’s toolbox. This is where the nuts and bolts of writing come into play. Begin with a draft. Worry less about grammar and syntax at this point and more about simply getting the words out. Once the words are on the page revise, reorganize, and rewrite. Look for words and passages that can be cut from the original draft. Shape and mold your work into a finished product. Do this prayerfully and with great attention.

Once the final draft is complete, review your markets. Do your best to identify which market your work is suited for. If possible, read the works your market has previously published asking questions along the way. Does my work fit well into the market’s overall body of publications? Does my audience fit within their audience? Does my work meet the requirements of the market as presented in their submission guidelines? Once you’re convinced your work is ready for submission and suitable for a given market, all that is left to do is submit and pray.

One final word: Do not become discouraged if your work is rejected. It happens. Your work is likely to be rejected more than it is accepted. Look at rejection as a challenge to go back over the process with determination. You may find that your work simply needs to find the correct market. Never give up! If God has laid it upon your heart to write, write with the confidence your work will eventually find the correct audience.

May God bless you and your writing exploits!

Clark