Serials and Scenarios - Jeffrey Overstreet Colorized Part 2

Jeffrey Overstreet visited in September and answered the first eight questions here. (and then scroll down a bit)

My review of Auralia's Colors (and a bonus from Tina F.) are here.

If you haven't looked into Auralia yet, click on the book cover for more info or here for Jeffrey's website.

9. What would you write if there were no rules or barriers?

I’d write a story in which I didn’t have to censor the ugly details about evil, or censor the details about the source of redemption. The Scriptures are full of gory details about sin, and that has something to do with why the glory of redemption shines out so boldly in its pages. But there are quite a few people out there who are so afraid of offending people that they fail to engage with the reality of sin. Thus blunt the power of a redemptive story.

I would also write a story that celebrates the sensual details of creation. God made the world into a sensual, beautiful place, and he made men and women into sensual beautiful creatures. Many artists are too afraid to portray that beauty for fear that it will offend people. That results in “safe,” bland, sanitized art… art that fails to shake us and transform us.

Let me tell you a story: I know a Christian writer who compared his central character, a virtuous young woman, to another famous character — that virtuous youngster in the beloved book called Heidi. In a rather amusing, blunt fashion, he described his character as being “Heidi with breasts.” When he read it to me, we both had a good chuckle. But he was then told by his editor that he had to delete the reference to “breasts” because it might be offensive to the readers. So he ended up with… what? A woman without breasts? How frightened we’ve become — we cannot even mention parts of the human form for fear that somebody somewhere might have an inappropriate thought. What other good and proper things must we pretend are non-existent simply because somebody somewhere might respond badly? Should we outlaw chocolate chip cookies because somebody with an eating disorder might consume too many of them? This is not the way to respect and celebrate the good things God has made.

10. What makes you feel alive?

Suffering and prayer. Suffering, because it confirms for me that the world is broken, and that the world was meant to be better. And prayer, because it is the proper response to suffering — I acknowledge that I am not capable of saving the world, and I open myself to the source of healing and restoration.


11. What books, music, people, and food would you take with you on a very long trip?

Books: The Scriptures and the writings of the saint in the early church, because the scriptures are full of truth, and the writings of the saints help me to avoid misinterpretation and to see that truth more fully. And then, J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings. Richard Adams’ Watership Down. Mark Helprin’s Winter’s Tale.

Music: Handel’s Messiah. The complete works of Johann Sebastian Bach. The complete catalogue of albums by Over the Rhine, U2, Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, Sam Phillips, and The Innocence Mission. And the inspiring songs written by a dear, close friend — Nathan Partain.

Person? My wife, Anne. Of course.

Food: Well, if I’m going on a long trip, than I’m going from Seattle to Santa Fe, so I look forward to spicy New Mexican cuisine.


12. What’s your favorite season and why?

Autumn. It’s the most colorful season. And it’s stormy and dramatic, but not too cold. It sends me into the coffee shops to read and write, and into the movie theaters for the pre-Oscar-season rush of wonderful new films.


13. What criticism has cut the deepest and why?

The truth always cuts deepest. Once, someone responded to one of my film reviews and said, “You will be a better writer someday when you get over your sense of outrage.” That hurt. It hurt because it was true. I was responding to things that bothered my by writing with a tone of condemnation. It’s better, and more fruitful, to speak the truth in love… even if you’re criticizing.

I’d rather receive insightful, bold criticism of my work than any kind of praise. I’ve been blessed with teachers and editors who aren’t afraid to tell me when I’ve written something terrible. But they are able to express this to me in a way that conveys respect and love. When someone offers you criticism in love, they’re telling you that they care about you. But they’re also telling you that they value your work enough to look at it closely and respond.


14. Who’s the superhero you most admire and why?

I wrote a whole chapter in my book Through a Screen Darkly in which I celebrate my favorite heroes, and point out how many superheroes are really just self-centered. Check it out, and let’s talk!


15. What’s your grammatical pet peeve?

Here’s one that always bothers me: To reign is to rule. A rein is a tether.

So, you don’t “reign someone in” or “take the reigns.” And there’s no such thing as a “rein of terror.”

Thanks, Jeffrey!

Serials and Scenarios ~ for parents only

Teens in your life? This may be a resource you need.

My review:

If you are anything like me, you spend part of your parenting moments congratulating yourself for surviving and the rest of the time kicking yourself for failing.

Even though everyone told me to enjoy them while they're young, I wished away the whining, the diapers, the clinging and the neediness of the younger years. Shouldn't everything get easier as they get older? Doesn't a parent's alternate life as a person begin when the kids learn to drive?

Sigh.

I jumped on the opportunity to do this blog tour because I'm exhausted. My bag of parenting tricks is empty. I also never expected to feel this way,.I'm generally the one my friends come to when they've reached into the burlap sack of ideas and grab air.

I read for parents only within a two hour time frame, and closed the book still feeling exhausted, but a different kind of exhausted. I'm not alone. There is hope.

Rice and Feldhahn write from different perspectives, one a parent of small children, the other a seasoned parent of teens. They've discovered a handful of keys that parents aren't easily discovering in the heaps of emotion, puddles of drama and endless parental/teen miscommunication within their own homes.

A small book with chapters marked for easy readability, statistics and solid suggestions. I don't know that I can guarantee that reading this will make your life easier. But I found one thing to grasp a hold of that is going to get me to the next obstacle. Then I'll reread a few key points and see what else jumps out at me. That's worth $14.95 in my book.

Scribbles and Scrambles - Completely Lost in Translation.

The theme of my holiday weekend seemed to be translation error.

For starters, I finally watched Lost in Translation with Bill Murray. Note: read reviews if you are tempted to see it. I just posted mine at Amazon. It will appeal to a very specific people group...make sure you are within the group range or you may not like it.

And now for the story.

A family member who shall remain nameless (no, not Pat) recently discovered something new in our multilingual world.

To quote this person. " I just found out that hola meant hello."

To which one other unnamed family member shook her head and said "Hola!!"

By now you may know that my family rarely lets anything go. If there is humor in it, it will be milked. One of my childhood nicknames is completely politically incorrect or I'd share it with you. (Yes, this is probably why I am what I am!)

So, in light of this lovely family trait, this information was shared with two more family members at a small family gathering. "Hey, nameless-to-protect-face just found out that hola meant hello."

One of the tellees snickered and joined in. The other said. "What. What does that mean?"

In a quickie replay of Who's on First, the statement was repeated a few more times with the same response. Finally, exasperated, the tellee said. " I don't get it. What's a holameanthello?"

Good question.

So, when you are out and about tomorrow, watch for the holameanthellos.

And if you don't get this...consider it a translation error. Seems to be the theme.

Serials and Scenarios - Tricia Goyer's A Shadow of Treason

Hope your Thanksgiving was grand. Here's a book review if you are in the mood for a good historical.

Tricia Goyer continues the story of the Spanish Civil war and paints a picture of sorrow, pain, fear and hope. As in any war, the loss is considerable and the opportunities are endless for a chance to become a reluctant hero.

Sophie went to Spain to find true love and ended up finding real love while sacrificing for a greater cause. That cause, as often happens in conflict, becomes nebulous and hard to hold on to when faced with the belief and passion of the enemy.

Is Sophie helping the right side? Is either side right?

Powerful plot, deep characters, vivid writing -- if you like Goyer, you'll want to get a copy. If you like reading about obscure bits of history and overlooked wars check into this series.

Scribbles and Scrambles -- Post Thanksgiving Thanks

Thought I'd share a moment from our Thanksgiving.

Almost everyone is laughing. That's pretty much the way it was all evening. Families are a fabulous thing...all the warts, weirdness and wonder of it all.

Thanks, God, for my peeps.

Happy Thanksgiving --- The Other Holiday

I'm Thankful Because....

Even though I'm prone to complaining about it -- my life is full. I'm rich -- in marriage, in family, in friendships and in interests. My life is peppered with satisfying conversation, deep inspiration and soul-touching love.

Laughter overflows in my life. Sure, not always. Sometimes I'm just crabby or I encounter contagious crabby people, but more often, I encounter quirk and the joy of life personified.

I have to tell this little story.

Our church put on a Thanksgiving dinner Sunday evening. I had provided 6 quarts of mashed potatoes. Another woman had provided a bit more. Her potatoes were served first so the majority of mine were left. The crock-pot had been set to warm so the creamy potatoey goodness remained warm.

I did not want to return home with 5 quarts of potatoes, so I strongly encouraged people to take some home. Everybody was stuffed to the eyeballs so it was a difficult "sell." One guy hesitated...ha,ha, I knew I had a taker. So I handed him a quart size zipper bag and told him to fill it up. I glanced over and noticed he had a little trouble. He grabbed his daughter and they filled the bag while he shook his head and squawked as she dropped hot potatoes on the back of his hand.

I told him to bring the bag into the kitchen to clean it up. He grinned at me. "Thanks a lot! That was fun. Did you set me up or what?"

By now I was laughing pretty hard. Did I mention that this guy used to own a bar/restaurant? "Sorry. I didn't know it was going to be that difficult."

Now we were both laughing. He washed his hands. "You're crazy."

"No. People think you need alcohol to have fun. Amateurs. Give me a bag of hot potatoes and I'll show you real fun."

Finally and most importantly, I'm thankful for God. He has saved me from myself. He has offered me truth instead of the lies I've believed. He's given me living water instead of the nasty pond scum I'd been drinking. He's taken my messes and fashioned them into something more beautiful than I ever thought possible. He's replaced my despair with hope, my emptiness with abundance, my fears with faith, and my death with life.

Have a blessed Thanksgiving. Eat well, laugh often and live every second.

Serials and Scenarios - Neta Jackson Yada Yada Yada

Neta Jackson spins tales that cross cultural and generational lines.

Time did not permit me to review the Yada Yada Prayer Group Gets Decked Out, but Neta was kind enough to share some thoughts, comments and quirk with the Dregs.

Fiction character you would most like to be or most identify with and why?

Ken McLaughlin from MY FRIEND FLICKA. As a kid, he represented all my fantasies--living on a horse ranch in Wyoming, always making mistakes or failing his father's expectations, longing for a colt of his own, living in his own fantasy world . . . and then seeing his dream come true. Flicka. That bit of sun on four wobbly legs . . . but I digress!

Or Anne of Green Gables. I totally identify with her imagination, her Pollyanna approach to troubles, and (hate to admit) her terrible temper (which I've outgrown, of course). I don't have red hair, but I did have curly hair which never behaved.

Some out there in writing land have strange rituals. Share yours.

Not so strange, but . . . cat bed under my desk for the cat when Dave's around, but I let the cat lie all over my papers on top of the desk when he's out of the office.

And tea. Big mugs of black tea all day long with "cream and sugar" (i.e. soy milk and Splenda). For some reason the caffeine in tea doesn't bother me at all, not like coffee, but I need something hot and liquid to sip when I'm writing.

And more seriously, every time I finish ten chapters, I send them out to a select group of "readers" who give me feedback. They have saved my butt on more than one occasion--and give me good ideas, too.

If you could change something in any novel, what would you change about it and why?

The first time I ever read the real Romeo and Juliet Shakespeare play, the ending made me furious! If they had died sacrificially, one for the other, or for a noble cause, that would be one thing. But it was such a stupid chain of near misses and misunderstandings. Horrible. I like hope and redemption, or sacrificial love, even in the most tragic of stories.


Pick one…..Pink iguana, purple cow, periwinkle giraffe. Which one and why? Can be negative or positive.

Reminds me of a childhood ditty we used to say . . .

I've never seen a purple cow
I hope to never see one
But I can tell you any how
I'd rather see than BE one!

What period of history intrigues you the most?

Late 1800s . . . before cars and telephones, when everyone HAD to have a horse (grin) and people read books and got together for entertainment. This is also the period of colonization in Africa, India, etc. I'm fascinated to read those epics from the African or Indian point of view, the real thoughts and feelings behind the smiles of those being "colonized" by the "superior" British.


What would you write if there were no rules or barriers? (epic novels about characters in the Bible, poetry, greeting cards, plays, movies, instruction manuals, etc.)

I'd love to write a dramatic play. I'd love the challenge of carrying the story primarily through dialog.

What makes you feel alive?

Dancing! I wish I knew how . . . sometimes I just turn up the music at home and dance anyway. I'm going to dance and dance and dance in heaven.

And knowing I'm loved by my husband.


How does something worm its way into your heart? Through tears, truth, humor or other?

Humor! Absolutely! I love to laugh. I love the truth wrapped in humor. I always tell young couples who are getting married: there will come times when you will feel like crying hysterically or laughing hysterically. Choose laughter.

Laughter also covers over a multitude of sins (read mistakes, boo boos, bad hair days). We take ourselves too seriously. We should humbly laugh at ourselves for the ridiculous but wonderful creatures God made us to be.


Book, music, person, food you would take with you on a very long trip.

Bible, C.S. Lewis Narnia series, my husband Dave (or maybe Pam, my speaking partner, we already travel together a lot), fruit and chocolate.


Where would you most like to travel ----- moon, north pole, deep seas, deserted island, the holy land or back to a place from your childhood, somewhere else? – and why.

NEVER the North Pole. Way too cold. NEVER deep seas. I have a love/hate relationship with boats and water. NOPE deserted island. Too lonely. I need people.

Well, sure, the holy land. Also Africa (Malawi, Uganda, or South Africa).

I'd also love to travel all over the U.S. and/or Canada by train, with a sleeping car ticket. I LOVE traveling by train, but the sleeping car makes it even better. And the changes in U.S. landscape, from prairies to forests to jaw-dropping mountains . . . totally awesome.

Favorite season and why?

Fall. Absolutely. My favorite time of year for camping. I love the crisp warm/cool air, warm enough to enjoy hiking and biking, cool enough in evenings for campfires and good sleeping.
(I'm also an October baby of course.)


Which compliment related to your writing has meant the most and why?

There are many but here are a few:

"I would really like to see the Yada Yada story continue. It is sorely needed as the racial and cultural divide in our country continues to widen. Your books have been instruments of healing."

"I have NEVER read a book, fiction or nonfiction, that has inspired me more to want to grow as a Christian."

What would you do today if you knew you had only a week to live?

Can't decide between (1) do what I'm doing right now, just a normal week of writing, meeting with my women's Bible study, loving my husband, calling my kids and grandkids . . .

OR . . . (2) dropping everything to visit everyone in my family (siblings, kids, grandkids), wrap them in my arms, tell them I love them, and tell them to follow Jesus, no matter what.

What is your favorite word?

Yes.

What word annoys you more than any other?

I'm bored.

Superhero you most admire and why?

Forget Superheroes. There are plenty of REAL heroes to admire. People like Dr. M.L. King, Ben Carson, Amy Carmichael, Mary Slessor, Mary McLeod Bethune and zillions more authentic Christian heroes (you can read about them in the Trailblazer and Hero Tales books we wrote for young people). Then there's Esther and--one of my biblical favorites--Abigail.

Societal pet peeve…sound off.

Women who are so into feminism that they berate a polite male who gives up his seat or opens the restaurant door or says "ladies first." I love strong women--but a woman truly comfortable with who she is can also appreciate small (and large) kindnesses.

Thanks, Neta, from one October fan to another.