Books Make Great Christmas Presents!

A favorite book that I've given to many of my friends.

If you're a book lover like me, you probably realize that books make great Christmas presents. You can hand select books that you think your friends will enjoy, especially hardback and early editions. Giving Christian fiction as a gift can be a subtle way to reach out to those in your life who don't yet know the Lord or who are struggling in their faith. Or, you can buy a book that you loved in bulk and give it to most everyone on your Christmas list. For this purpose I generally choose inspirational nonfiction, since it can bless a broad variety of people.

Dauntless and Chivalrous would make perfect gifts to encourage any female ages 15-35 to be strong and courageous and seek God's best for their lives, but they have also been well-loved by both males and females ages 12-80, so keep them in mind for anyone who loves a blend of romance and adventure. The best deals for Dauntless and Chivalrous right now are available at cbd.com, although if you have amazon prime or order over $35 for free shipping, you might get a similar deal on amazon. And here's a thought, you could even pre-order Courageous to be sent to them and give them the receipt in a card. That way they can be anticipating the whole trilogy.

Ebooks Make Great Gifts Too!
While books are fairly typical gifts, perhaps you've never considered giving ebooks. All you need is the recipient's email address to send an ebook as a gift from amazon or barnesandnoble, just be sure you know which type of ereader they use before ordering. You can order now and schedule for a Christmas delivery or catch a good sale between now and Christmas. Ebooks are also perfect for last minute shoppers. You can order an ebook on Christmas day for a friend across the country and still get it to them in time.

Right now my Love in Three-Quarter Time, a Zondervan ebook original, is on sale for $1.99, and my WhiteFire novels Dance of the Dandelion and Dance from Deep Within are regularly priced at only $3.99. Another fun gift around Christmas time is always Christmas novels and novellas. Here's a great set of eight Christmas novellas written by some friends of mine for only $0.99! Why fight the crowds at the mall when books make such great gifts?

What books have you received as gifts?

What is YA Fiction???

(As first seen on Seekerville)

picture from http://jillwilliamson.com/novel-teen/

Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock somewhere, I’m sure you’ve heard that YA fiction is all the rage. Books like The Hunger Games, Divergent, The Fault in Our Stars, and Twilight have not only taken the world by storm, but have also been made into blockbuster movies. Even the Christian market has been opening to YA fiction. But what exactly does “Young Adult” fiction mean, and how does it differ from regular adult fiction? That’s precisely what I had to figure out when I started working on my new Valiant Hearts Series from Bethany House a few years ago. Here’s a little of what I learned to help introduce you to the world of YA fiction.

Know Your Age Range - The age range for these so-called “Young Adult” books is typically about 12-18, although these days many of the books are crossing over and having success with adults as well. Younger than that (aimed at 10-13) is called “Middle Grade,” and a new, slightly older category (aimed at 18-25) called “New Adult” has recently emerged. So be sure to know which group you are writing for, and keep in mind that kids love to read about characters a few years ahead of them in life. So the typical age range for main characters in YA books is around 15-19.

Don’t Talk Down – There is no need to dumb down your thought processes or language choices when writing for teens. Considering that a newspaper is written at a fifth grade level, teens should be well able to handle whatever you toss at them. The last thing they want is for you to treat them like children. In fact, because teens are used to reading challenging literature in school, they are actually much more willing to tackle tough subjects and vocabulary than their adult counterparts. While adults are often looking for fluffy entertainment, teens love to learn and grow through fictional experiences.

Through a Teen’s Eyes - The primary difference between adult and teen fiction is in the perspective.  Remember, your main characters should be teenagers, and teens don’t see things the way adults see them. They are questioning the status quo, figuring themselves out, and trying to find their place in the world. They have the intelligence of an adult, but not quite the wisdom or maturity. When writing teen fiction, you must take yourself back to those days, or attempt to view the world through the eyes of your daughter, granddaughter, niece, teenage neighbor, etc... Also, be sure to understand the teen culture of your chosen time period. If you try to tackle a contemporary young adult novel, you will face the extra challenge of grasping the lingo, the styles, and the popular trends without seeming “lame.”

Keep the Pace Fast – While books like The Hunger Games and The Fault in Our Stars clearly demonstrate that teens are willing to read about tough issues, politics, and even philosophy, the pace should be fast and punchy. The descriptions are quick and tightly woven into the other elements of the scene. The conversations are fast paced and often witty. The books are full of action and excitement, twists and turns. I sometimes joke that teen novels are just like adult novels—only more exciting!

Get Real and Raw – As I mentioned, teens are interested in learning about the world through fiction. But not some fake, fluffy, sugar-coated world!!! Not something oversimplified or didactic. They can get all of that in children’s literature. No, they want to understand the real world in all its raw, gritty glory. Often, they will experience issues (and learn how to think and feel about them) in fiction long before they will in real life. They want you to tell them the truth, guide them, but ultimately let them make their own judgments.

Tools to Face the World – Teens want to be ready to face the world of adults. Top teen fiction issues include identity, sexuality, drug and alcohol abuse, poverty, suicide, prejudice, depression, bullying, corrupt politics, family struggles, etc… Serious, real-world stuff! Hopefully they aren’t actually dealing with these issues, although some are, but they want to be prepared when the time comes. If you are a Christian writer, what could be better than introducing these challenging sorts of issues from a godly perspective?

Romance but More – Teens love romance. Especially teen girls. As I mentioned, the awakening of sexuality is a major theme in YA literature. This does not mean having sex, it means learning to understand their bodies and the strange new feelings and sensations they are experiencing. It means making good decisions about the sexual and romantic parts of life at a time when they are often fumbling, giddy, and full of angst over boys.  However, in keeping with the fast pace and grittiness I mentioned, most teen romances offer more than just romance. You will typically find romance mixed with adventure, sci-fi, dystopia, fantasy, suspense, or tough contemporary issues.  So offer your teen reader romance, but also give them something more.

That wraps up the major differences between teen and adult fiction. I think as secular teen fiction becomes darker and more liberal, the market for Christian teen fiction will continue to grow. Likewise as more Christian adult readers discover this entertaining genre, they will boost sales and open even more doors for YA in the future.

For a great database of Christian teen fiction visit http://ctfdevourer.com/.

What are some of your favorite young adult books? Come on, ’fess up, we know you love them!

Thoughts on Holes

Okay, Holes is not exactly my typical fare, but last year my middle-school aged son read it for his English class. He told me that he really wanted to watch the movie together. Being the good Mommy that I am, I said, "Sure, honey." The truth was, I remembered this movie from when my older children were his age. At the time, it hadn't caught my interest. It seemed kind of depressing. A bunch of kids forced to dig holes in the hot desert with poison lizards. Not really my thing. So I was surprised when I studied for my Middle School English Praxis exam to learn that Holes, published in 1998, is now recommended young adult literature for school English curriculum.

As it turned out, Holes is a complex, deep, and thought-provoking story. It actually has three separate but related plot lines set in three different times and places that all tie together gorgeously by the end. The writer used so much circularity and continuity to demonstrate the hand of destiny at work that I was completely blown away. And he tossed in delightful, well-crafted touches throughout.

Even better, though, was enjoying this literary marvel through my child's eyes. As we watched the movie, he often paused to give me back story or explain the the plot or tell me about the historical significance of things going on in the story. I could tell how excellent his English teacher was and that my son's mind had been completely engaged in comprehending and critiquing the book on many different levels. He understood the historical significance, the sociological significance, the literary structure, the symbols, and more. He grew through the relationships in the story and his own relationship with the characters. Most importantly, he learned to understand and appreciate literature to a degree he never had before. I sat there thrilled as I watched him basking in the literature. In the pure unadulterated power of story.

Maybe that's why I'm so excited about writing for teens. Teens don't just want fluffy, entertainment reading. They read to learn about the world, to discover new experiences, and to be challenged. They don't mind complex plots or complicated vocabulary. They are willing to engage a tough story and come away changed. For them, literature is one of the many means by which they mature and grow into an adult understanding of the world. They are excited about this, and I'm excited for them!

When is the last time you completely basked in literature? What sort of stories cause you true delight?

Thoughts on Thievery and Civil Disobedience

Stories in our nation's headlines today often bring up the important subject of civil disobedience. Is there ever a time when we should disobey the law, and if so, how far should we go? This is an important question that we all need to ask ourselves, and this is a major theme in young adult literature.

While writing Dauntless, I faced the daunting challenge of writing about Robin Hood style stealing from the rich and giving to the poor in a Christian novel. It was a hard balance to strike. Some reviewers have mentioned that they wished I had included more exciting Robin Hood style raids, while a few others felt the thievery was just wrong and shouldn't have been included in the book at all.

But allow me to go back to the issue that both of those groups seem to have missed. Civil Disobedience. I didn't want to have my thieves just glibbly stealing for stealing's sake. If they had done that, I would have had to have included a big cheesy "all-the-Robin-Hood-thieves-repent" style scene, and that wasn't what I wanted. They were living during the time of a corrupt government, and the king wanted every single one of them dead. So they thought of themselves as government dissidents, a warring tribe if you will, and they did what they had to do to survive.

You know, I think it is within the realm of possibility that during the lifetime of teens reading this book, it might become illegal to be a Christian in this country. Stop. Think about that. Did I get your attention? During our children's lifetimes, or maybe even our own, it could become illegal to be a born-again, Bible-believing Christian. Sure, maybe we would be raptured out before things got that bad, but maybe not. It's already that bad in many countries today, so I think that's a naive assumption to make. One last time, it could conceivably become illegal someday to be a Christian, and in some countries it already is.

And if and when that happens, what would you do? According to the reviews against thievery and civil disobedience that I read, I would have to assume that some of you would take the pacifist route and be thrown in prison or even killed. I'm not saying that's wrong. There is certainly an honor and a humility in that. But others would fight. They would hide out. They would form dissident groups. And those groups would be illegal. And every resource they allocate would be considered by the government to be stolen. Every bite of food they put in their children's mouths would be "stolen," because they wouldn't have any "legal" right to it.

That's the position Merry and her band found themselves in in Dauntless. And after giving the issue much thought, I decided that it is important for our teens to struggle through this concept of civil disobedience, no matter what they might decide about it. And my characters also struggled through those places where they took their thievery too far and became too casual with it. Of course I could have just not written a Robin Hood book at all, but I don't regret taking on this fun, yet daunting, challege.

Personally, I'm thankful for the popularity of dystopian novels right now with their focus on civil disobedience. Because of them, we are raising up a generation of children who will not easily be lured into government oppression. And in Dauntless I have created a historical dystopia through which I was able to add my voice to this important theme.

Take My Match Making Quiz

Do your reading interests match my writing specialties? Take my match making quiz and find out.

Every writer is unique. We all have our own strengths and focuses. And we have other areas that just aren't our specialties. Much like finding the right spouse, I think it's important for writers to find the right readers who appreciate their books and what they have to offer, rather than trying to please everyone, which is pretty much impossible. I've been paying a lot of attention to my reviews lately, and trying to pin down my precise audience. Or as some marketing experts call it, my tribe!

So who is the Dina Sleiman tribe and who should probably just stay away from my books? Let me try to explain with this match making quiz.

Do you like only one category of fiction or a broad variety? If you are very faithful to a specific category like romance or suspense, you might feel that certain elements are lacking from my books or that the pacing is not quite what you expected. But if you a have broad interests, you will be delighted to find many of your favorite ingredients mixed together in a lovely potpourri throughout my books. My Valiant Hearts novels include a heaping helping of romance, a good bit of action, dashes of suspense and humor, and even coming of age elements--all set against a historical backdrop. But don't necessarily expect my heroes and heroines to meet in chapter one, or the suspense to kick off from the very first scene. Be ready for a new adventure.

Are you looking for fantasy or historical fiction? While I enjoy fantasy books for the most part, they include way too much plot and action for me, and really, I don't quite understand the genre. My Valiant Hearts books are historical. They are set in real times and real countries, although often fictional towns. They have elements that might appeal to fantasy readers, like medieval settings and adventure, but if you're specifically looking for fantasy books, that's not what I write. On the other hand, I have a fanciful imagination and my books are more focused on the story and fictional elements than the historical account itself. While I try to be as historically accurate as possible, I use history as a backdrop, not as a primary subject.

Do you like romance and happy endings? If you hate romance and roll your eyes at it and find it gaggy, don't waste your time on my books. Or if you want to shield your kids from romance for some reason, then pick a different author. While I don't consider myself a classic romance writer, I love romance, and I include it in all of my books. My Love in Three Quarter Time is absolutely a romance novel. And I'll let you in on a little secret, Dauntless was originally written as a romance novel and then expanded to bring in a more epic adventure feel. There is a good bit of romance at the heart of everything I write. If you want a book that's dark and depressing and will leave you filled with angst, don't bother with my books. They are full of hope, light, and redemption. I'll be the first to admit, I'm a happy ending girl.

Do you read for plot alone or do you enjoy the more relational and artistic elements of fiction? If you read mostly for plot and tend to skip over lovely descriptions, long conversations, and inner monologues, you might not like my books very much. In fact, you might feel a little lost, because that's where a lot of the good stuff happens. If thoughts of characters, inner journeys, and beautiful language make you tingle, then I am the author for you. If you care as much about what is going on inside a character and appreciate a dash of psychology, philosophy, and deep spirituality, then prepare to be thrilled.

Are you looking for religion or spirituality? When it comes to spiritual threads, I like to go deep. My books will challenge you to experience Christ on a very personal level. They are not just clean books about good morals. They examine hard questions and real life problems, and explore how a very active and present God can make Himself known to you in those places. If you want a squeaky clean, goody-goody book that is G-rated and more sanitized than the Bible itself, please look elsewhere. If you think that God gave us Jesus and the Bible and then left us to our own devices for the next 2000 years, no longer speaking to us or moving in miraculous ways, don't waste your time on my books. Unless of course you are interested in learning and growing and being challenged with new ideas. Then by all means, I welcome you to try them.

Are you willing to read a book geared toward older teen girls and young adult women? My new Valiant Hearts books should appeal to ages 12 through adult, but my goal has always been to write to older teens and younger women. I think you will find that all of my books resonate with that group. And I intend to keep them as my primary audience and focus my books towards their needs and interests. These books are not for elementary kids, and as I've mentioned, they do include romance and some grittier topics. I certainly don't mean to offend anyone, but I'm not going to apologize for tailoring my books to my target audience. And while I'm sure many boys and men could enjoy the Valiant Hearts series, they are more geared toward females.

Do you like heroines who are both strong and feminine? If you are looking for wilting maidens and damsels in distress saved by shining knights who swoop in on their giant horses, look elsewhere. The personalities of these Valiant Hearts heroines will vary from book to book, but some of them are pretty tough, and all of them are courageous and able and willing to rise to whatever challenges they might face. The guys aren't weak--these girls deserve strong men of good character--but the girls are pretty much their equals in every way. The theme of the series is "Be Strong and Courageous," and I stand by that theme. If female empowerment bugs you, if you would rather read about women staying home and quilting and cooking and being demure, you have been fairly warned. On the other hand, if you are looking for women trying to act like men and deny their God-given feminine traits, you won't find them in my books either. I want to show young women that they can be both strong and feminine at the same time.

So that's me and my writing. What do you think? Are we a match made in heaven??? Why or why not?

Romance Stuff #6 - Cappuccino, Champagne, and Crack

No, this is not a post about the theology of alcohol consumption or a just say no to drugs P.S.A. In this post the cappuccino, champagne, and crack are metaphors for the feelings surrounding falling in love.

One of the classic themes in young adult literature is the awakening of sexuality. I don't mean having sex (at least I hope not!), but rather the awakening of a young women's body and her discovery of her own femininity and all the giggles, angst, and confusion that go along with that. Often, young adult novels deal with the first stirrings of love. And in historical romance books like mine set in times when girls married young, they might even be heading toward matrimony.

But what to do with all of these feelings? We certainly don't want hormones and lust running the show. On the other hand, God has given us love and romance as a beautiful picture of the relationship He longs to have with his bride, the church. And these feelings aren't wrong. They are natural. Within the proper boundaries, they are very beautiful. Personally, I'm not a fan of marriage decisions based 100% on practical considerations with no feelings involved. Marriage is hard enough when you are in love, and those positive feelings can be very helpful when rough patches come along. Plus, add the expectation of physical intimacy into the mix--yeah, some good feelings are pretty much necessary at that point.

My post last week had me asking myself the question, how can I describe the right kind of feelings that actually point to the sort of love that becomes a verb and not just a noun? Which brings my mental meandering back to...you guessed it...cappuccino, champagne, and crack.

Cappuccino Relationships - Cappuccino is warm, sweet (at least the way I drink it), and comforting with a touch of froth. You can have it caffeinated to energize you and start your day off right, or a decaf version to lull you to sleep. Cappuccino even has some good stuff in there that you need, like protein and antioxidants. This reflects the  relationship that began as friendship and slowly morphed into something more. Or perhaps the relationship that started out in the bubbly champagne type state, but mellowed and deepened with time. It's like a cozy fleece blanket that brings you peace and comfort. Your favorite pjs or slippers. Cappuccino and slippers and pjs and blankets are like best friends, they encourage you and minister to you after a long day. Who ever really gets tired of them? Although you could conceivably live without them, you would never want to. You miss them when they're gone. You anticipate seeing them again, perhaps even long and yearn for them. If you neglect a cappuccino relationship, it might turn cold, stale, even bitter and black, but with a bit of TLC, you can doctor it back to something delicious. Love feels a lot like cappuccino. And cappuccino relationships are built to last last. By all means, enjoy the cappuccino!

Champagne Relationships - Champagne is bubbly, delightful, tingly, and something quite special. But it's not an everyday drink. If over imbibed, it could quickly begin to cloud your judgement and leave you dizzy. Champagne reflects the sort of feelings that take you by surprise. The guy you are instantly attracted to, and in some sort of magical serendipity, he feels the same way. There seem to be little magnets in your finger tips and lips that keep pulling you toward him even though you've only begun to develop any real sort of relationship. This feeling could best be described as romance, crush, or infatuation. Much like champagne, these sensations in and of themselves are not bad. But they can easily throw you off course. You could even become addicted to the champagne feeling to the degree that a nice warm cup of cappuccino just won't do it for you anymore, and that's a problem. Scientists say that the infatuation feeling generally only lasts about six months. If a champagne relationship comes into your life, proceed with caution. Remember, cappuccino relationships are the ones that stand the test of time. Champagne feelings might or might not lead to true love in the end. Don't make any life altering decisions while under the influence of champagne!

Crack Relationships - Crack is an artificial high. It is dangerous, addictive, disorienting, and leads to self-destruction. It's an escape from reality. It's illegal and immoral. I can only imagine it must feel pretty good, in a weird sort of way, or people wouldn't do it.  But it grabs you by the throat and won't let go. You grow desperate, willing to do just about anything--no matter how wrong or dangerous--to continue your relationship with crack. Some people seem to think love should be like crack. Bella and Edward in Twilight are a good example of a crack relationship. Or Taylor Swift's song "Blank Space." But crack relationships aren't really love. Certainly not any godly sort of love. Crack relationships are unhealthy, twisted, desperate versions of love. If you find yourself prone to crack relationships, you might want to seek counseling, or at least read a good self-help book like Love is a Choice: The Definitive Book on Letting Go of Unhealthy Relationships. Crack relationships might look cool from a distance, they might seem exciting in the beginning. But crack relationships are destined for destruction. Stay far, far, away!!!!

If you're still in that place of discovering and understanding love, keep these three important words in mind: cappuccino, champagne, crack. If you're long past all of this and snugly settled into your own cappuccino style marriage, consider sharing this post with a special young lady in your life.

So that's my summary on lovey dovey, ooey gooey feelings. Did I forget any? What do you think of my analogies?

Romance Stuff #5 - Not a Twilight Fan

Yes, I can hear the boos and hisses all the way across the internet. So let me begin by saying, I have read the first Twilight book, and I was as enthralled as anyone. The author has certainly hit on something that young girls, and their older counterparts, find truly magical. The power of love. The books are sexy yet innocent. Thrilling page turners. What's not to like?

A lot.

I'm not going to get on my high horse about the occult or vampires. It's a fantasy story. I get that. I found Edward's desire to fight the evil within him quite an interesting take on the whole vampire legend. And although parts of the story (vampire baseball game?) were ridiculous, I still enjoyed the book.

Here's my issue. Edward is a danger to Bella. She knows this. He is violent and addicted to her blood. As a human, she can't even handle his physical strength. But she's willing to take any risk for him. For love. For the passionate, tumultuous feelings she is experiencing. Honestly, I don't think this is a good message to be sending teenage girls. Sure he's always there for her. Sure he makes sacrifices, but is that really enough?

What about the girl who falls in love with the golden-hearted guy with rage issues? What about the one whose hormones go off the charts over an alcoholic or drug addict. Surely love will conquer all. Right? Unfortunately, more often that not, WRONG!!! It takes a long time and a lot of work in counseling to overcome those sorts of problems and addictions. Love alone will not solve them. Will power alone will not solve them. They will only get you caught in a horrible cycle of co-dependency.

Okay, maybe you still think I'm ridiculous, but those are the reasons that I'm not a fan. I think the relationship between Edward and Bella is co-dependent, unhealthy, and in any sort of real-life equivalent, destined for disaster. (Click here to see my "No Co-Dependency Allowed" post)

Love is wonderful, feelings are great, but in the end every young woman should make wise, logical, and hopefully Holy Spirit-led decisions about what sort of man she will share her life with. Call me unromantic, but maybe I've learned the hard way, and maybe I just want the best for the young ladies who are my readers.

What do you think of Twilight?

Put Your Money Where Your Heart Is

Last night I spent the most amazing, crazy, manic two hours (which turned into four) on a Bethany House Book Banter with current and potential fans. It was awesome! Perhaps the most surprising and exciting part was the love poured out to the YA genre. So many people thanked me and Bethany for bringing Christian YA to the public, saying that there is not nearly enough of it.

(Pulling out soapbox now)

But here's the big question...why isn't there enough of it? The answer is very simple. Not enough people buy it. There are tons of Christian writers who want to write YA. They get it. Publishers understand that teens need good books and that this is a great mission field. They get it. But at the end of the day publishing is a business and publishing houses have many employees and families to support. They choose genres that they know will sell and be profitable so that they can stay in business.

The good news is that in recent years Christian YA sales have improved, and more companies are cracking open the door to YA. But if you still think there's not enough, that means there's still not enough demand. If you want more Christian YA, then the simple fact is, you as a reading public need to spend more money on it. Like, I'm not a big movie goer, but when a good Christian movie comes out, I go and see it in the theater. I want Hollywood to know that I will spend my money to see these movies, therefore they should make more.

In fact, when I find a book I truly love, I try to buy multiple copies and give some away as gifts. Another way to help is by asking your public library system to carry the book, because libraries buy books too.

So in summary, if you like my book, if you want more Christian YA, if you want my series to continue and you want me to stay in the YA genre--buy YA books!

I know this might sound self-serving, but really in the end, it's for all of our good and for the good of the teens whose lives might be transformed through Christian fiction.

(Stepping off soap box now)

Romance Stuff #1 - The Kissing Question

While writing my YA medieval/adventure romance novels, I faced a bit of a moral conundrum. Should I include kissing in books geared toward Christian teens? I don’t think that kissing should be done recreationally or taken lightly. Therefore, in today’s culture, I wouldn’t necessarily recommend that sixteen and seventeen-year-olds jump on the kissing bandwagon, and I certainly wouldn’t want younger teenage readers to think that I’m encouraging them to experiment with kissing.

On the other hand, I’m not sure that the “purity” and “courtship” fanatics have gotten this issue right either. Song of Solomon recommends that young women not “awake love before it pleases.” This is smart. Before a young innocent woman becomes awakened sexually, it is pretty easy to stay pure. Once that awakening process has begun, usually through kisses and embraces, it becomes more challenging to maintain godly morals. 

However, I don’t think the honeymoon night is the right time to BEGIN that awakening process either. For one thing, it’s just too late and too much pressure on a bride. In addition, I think that before you make a permanent decision like marriage (among other more important issues) you should at least take into consideration the level of physical attraction. While it is wise to base a relationship on a strong friendship, there also needs to be that reasonable spark of attraction or else marital intimacy could be very awkward. If there is no physical contact (i.e. kissing), that can be hard to assess. So I would say that once you start seriously dating with an eye towards marriage, perhaps in your late teens or early twenties, and once the friendship is on solid ground, kissing is fine. (Okay, let's fact it, kissing is great!)

Which brings me back to my medieval series. The medieval culture was different from our culture today. Girls typically married during their teen years, and my heroines are clearly headed in that direction. So my final decision was that they needed to experience some kisses with their potential mates, and that it would be appropriate to include a bit of kissing in my books. 

Besides, everyone loves a good kiss!

P.S. For a good balanced perspective on the concerns surrounding kissing, check out this article. I especially like the way they continually encourage you to seek guidance from the Holy Spirit. 

What are your views on kissing? Have you been exposed to any of the anti-kissing or courtship schools of thought? How did you feel about it?

The Selection Series

Yes, my obsession with all things YA Dystopian continues. As I've mentioned before, LOVED the Hunger Games, LOVED Divergent, enjoyed Delirium, but I had some reservations for young readers, meh on Matched, although the covers are gorgeous. And speaking of gorgeous covers, drum roll please...

And I'm just getting started. The Selection brings to mind classic stories like Cinderella and Queen Esther, but is set in a dystopian future. Of all the series I've mentioned so far, this one wins for best romance. Despite the dystopian caste system and civil unrest, it is for the most part a romantic and at times even comical read. Our heroine, America Singer, is one of a group of thirty-five normal girls chosen as a potential wife for the handsome Prince Maxton. Problem is, she already has a secret love from a lower caste. The dystopian elements are not the strongest, even a little cheesy at times. The caste system seems a bit illogical, but maybe that's part of the point. And the northern and southern rebels are hazy, hokey, and not terribly believable. But...the love story is awesome! Author Kiera Cass has a light, breezy style that is sure to keep you reading. Now for more gorgeousness...

In book two, The Elite, America has made the cut to the top six girls. She has come to truly like and admire Prince Maxton, but meanwhile, she discovers more about the warped political system surrounding her. Can she ever picture herself as a queen? Then comes...

Let's face it, this series is worth reading for the exquisite gowns alone. Unlike many of the other dystopian series, book 3, The One, is just as good as (if not better than) the other books. The dystopian elements finally become clearer and more believable. The climax to the series is exciting and full of twists and turns. And for once, YES!!!, a happy ending full of light and hope.

As for younger readers, this series is very appropriate for teens. The books are safely PG, and there is nothing I need to warn you about beyond some steamy kissing scenes. Unlike some of the other dystopian books, there is no dark, psychological trauma. I felt it offered good lessons about what is truly important in love, life, and friendship. Some adults might find the heroine a little young for their tastes, but if you enjoy a good fairy tale, I doubt you'll mind.

I can't really put this series in the same category as Hunger Games and Divergent. It's a little silly in comparison. But if you would enjoy reading "dystopian lite" with lots of romance, then I say go for it.

The Delirium Series

Thanks to my daughter, I read a lot of YA dystopian novels. High on her list of favorites is the Delirium series, and she absolutely insisted that I read all of them.

 This series is about a future society that seeks to eliminate love and passion, seeing them as a sickness called the deliria, with horrible symptoms like loss of focus, sleeplessness, loss of appetite, increased heart rate, sweating, etc… I imagine most of us have joyfully suffered all those symptoms and more. LOL. So I thought close to Valentine's Day would be a great time to post about it.

While fairly sensual, full of profanity, and too mature for all but the oldest teens in my opinion, this series was a great compliment to the study of the heart I was conducting at the time when I read it. The author made some wonderful observations about the nature of love and all of its many facets, not to mention the enormous risk and cost involved in loving. Although her choice of language left much to be desired, I felt that her theme was very much in line with Christian beliefs. The dystopian society in Delirium had twisted scripture to their purposes and created their own religion, but the series seemed to subtly honor true Biblical beliefs and pointed out that the “old” religions had been based upon love and sacrifice. In fact, the heroine’s epiphany involved learning a true Biblical story which helped her understand the sacrificial nature of love.

Of the three books, I enjoyed book 2 the least. It came to nearly a grinding halt as it unveiled several months of the main character's life through backstory summary. However, I'm glad I stuck with the series, because it really picked up again after that. Most of all, I loved the ending. Here are some powerful quotes from the end of book three, Requiem by Lauren Oliver.

“But it’s not about knowing. It is simply about going forward. The cureds [those cured of love] want to know; we have chosen faith instead…We will have to trust too—that the world won’t end, that tomorrow will come, and that the truth will come too.”

“Take down the walls. That is, after all, the whole point. You do not know what will happen if you take down the walls; you cannot see through to the other side, don't know whether it will bring freedom or ruin, resolution or chaos. It might be paradise or destruction. Take down the walls. Otherwise you must live closely, in fear, building barricades against the unknown, saying prayers against the darkness, speaking verse of terror and tightness. Otherwise you may never know hell; but you will not find heaven, either. You will not know fresh air and flying.”

What do you think about this idea of the "deliria" and a society without love?

Thoughts on the Divergent Series

This past summer my daughter and I devoured a good bit of YA fiction, and at the top of my list is the Divergent Series. These books by new, young author Veronica Roth have become somewhat of a cultural phenomenon, and no doubt many of you have seen the movie.

Divergent is driven by a unique and powerful premise. The story takes place in a dystopian world that has been divided into “factions” based on a person’s dominant personality trait and way of viewing the world: Abnegation, Dauntless, Amity, Erudite, and Candor. As someone who loves to study culture, psychology, and especially personality, I found the concept fascinating. The main character, Tris, leaves her Abnegation family behind to enter the brave, wild, and most importantly, free world of the Dauntless. There is plenty of material for an awesome book right there as Tris struggles in a new society to find her source of courage and inner strength, but as the plot develops, the story takes some awesome and unexpected twists. The result is action packed, romantic, poignant, and thought-provoking. (And the fact that my upcoming YA novel is titled Dauntless is only a small part of why I enjoyed it so much :)

The movie changes some details of the story, but keeps to the same theme and major plot points. I found the choices to be effective for the visual format, and equally enjoyed the book and the movie. However, both the book and the movie are fairly violent and contain some emotionally upsetting material, so I personally would not recommend either for children or preteens. They are also fairly sensual, although not inappropriate for the intended teen audience.

Books two and three take their own unique twists and turns as we delve further into this society, why it is breaking apart, and how it came to exist. And I loved every step of the way. Veronica Roth is a confessing Christian, and although the books are not Christian per se, I saw much more light, hope, and redemption than in other dystopian novels I have read. The main character makes one choice in book three that many Christians will not feel comfortable with, but it is handled delicately. Although I would have made a different choice as an author, the decision did seem to fit the plot, and I understood why Roth went in that direction.

I’ve heard people say these books aren’t well written, and to that I say: give me a break! I can only assume they mean something about these books did not live up to their preconceived notions of good writing, or perhaps that they are writers who are upset that this woman didn’t follow all the rules that they so meticulously adhere to and she succeeded anyway. No, Roth did not follow every “rule” of writing. She was a little heavy handed with the narrative summary, did not always place readers firmly in the scene, and sometimes drifted in and out of scenes without scene breaks. And you know what—who cares?!?! The books are mesmerizing. People love them, buy them, and tell their friends to buy them. In my opinion that is what makes a book great--the ability to move the reader--not an arbitrary set of rules.

That being said, I thought book three was the weakest. Books one and two have a single first person narrator. Book three has two first person narrators, and while I didn’t mind this choice, it was not handled as well as it could have been. I often forgot whose point of view I was in, which says to me that the point of views should have been more distinctive. That small distraction aside, I still thought it was a great book.

Minor spoiler alert – but keep reading anyway. A lot of people hate the ending of this trilogy, but they are usually the ones who didn’t know in advance that it would be sad. So I’m telling you straight out, the ending is sad. I went into the book aware of that fact, and was able to enjoy and appreciate the redemptive resolution, which I found quite powerful and satisfactory. In fact, my very favorite quote of the entire trilogy is found at the end.

Since I was young, I have always known this: Life damages us, every one. We can't escape that damage. But now, I am also learning this: We can be mended. We mend each other.

If you were in the world of Divergent, which faction do you think you would be and why?

Confessions of a Hunger Games Groupie

I admit it. I'm a bit of a Hunger Games groupie. Through these stories, I rediscovered a love for YA literature. I read them straight through, voraciously, just a few months before I began writing the Valiant Hearts series.

Honestly, I was far too swept away by these books to analyze them as I went along. I imagine they have some literary flaws, but I certainly didn't notice as I read. I'm not completely sure why I loved them so much, except that they were pure excitement.

I think that's what is so special about YA novels, and why so many adults are enjoying them these days. They are jam packed with excitement, adventure, twists, and turns. At the same time, they take a good look at life and examine the hard questions that many commercial adult novels leave unasked.

The thing about this series that really stood out to me was the way the books inspired me on a personal level. I had reached a point in my life where on several issues, I had been weighed down by fatigue and even fear. As I read these books, I realized that somewhere along the way I had lost my fighting spirit. I wanted to be bold and courageous like Katniss. I wanted to stand up against tyranny and oppression for what I believe to be right. If Katniss could do it without God on her side, without any sense of eternal importance, purely for love and family and justice, surely I could too!

Sound like the perfect inspiration for a series titled Valiant Hearts, don't you think?

Like many readers, I was left a bit cold by the existential ending of the Hunger Games series. But that is the truth in a world without God. If God does not exist, then there is no hope for a redemptive ending. No expectation that good will win in the end. All you can do is carve out your own little space in a messed up world and try to find a shred of happiness. Fortunately, unlike the characters in theses books, I do believe in God, and redemption, and hope. I dream that my books can be a fraction as brilliant as the Hunger Games series, but even if they are not, at least I can rest assured that I leave my readers feeling positive as they face the future with hope.

Are you a Hunger Games groupie? Why or why not?

YA Fiction Finds

While working on Dauntless last year, I steeped myself in the world of YA fiction. Although the heroines are much younger than me, much about these books resonates in a universal sort of way. On the secular side, they tend to be clean, action-packed, and not afraid to ask the hard questions about life. On the Christian side, they are actually edgier and more real than many of their adult counterparts. Teens won't tolerate anything fake or cheesy, and since I won't either, YA fiction is a great fit for me.

Here's a quick overview of the books I read during that time to help me understand the YA fiction market. In future posts I will share some of the books I've read more recently.

In the Christian world Melanie Dickerson, Lisa Bergren, and Anne Elisabeth Stengl are some of the big stars. I've been enjoying Melanie's great fairy tale retellings for years, and they certainly helped provide inspiration for my series. I read Lisa Bergren's Glamorous Illusions enjoyed it, but didn't really connect with her River of Time series, although many of my adult friends loved it. As for Anne Elizabeth Stengl, I had a hard time getting into Heartless, but her vivid imagination and beautiful voice kept me reading. And I'm so glad I did. I was completely impressed by the gorgeous allegory in this story.

Perhaps my biggest surprise was to learn that a book I stumbled on last year and looooved, Prophet by R. J. Larsen, is considered YA I gobbled up this book in just a few days and enjoyed every word. I was mesmerized by her strong, courageous, spiritual heroine. I've been looking for an excuse to buy books two and three, and never even realized they were YA until my agent mentioned it to me. These books are called speculative, but I would describe them more as fantasy set in the Biblical era. Whatever they are, they're awesome, and I highly recommend them.

In secular fiction, I found I have a real penchant for YA dystopian fiction. Of course I started with The Hunger Games series. Read them straight through. I could easily do a whole post about how they inspired me to find my inner strength and stand against injustice. I have to admit, though, that I wasn't crazy about the existential ending to the whole series. It was kind of a downer. Although the ending was realistic, I'm sure I wasn't the only one who wanted something more triumphant. And I read Matched, which was pretty interesting as well.

I also gave Twilight a try, something I probably wouldn't have done if it wasn't for research purposes. This book did have a special sort of magic. I couldn't put it down. And yes, it's romantic on an epic scale. While the vampire element seemed completely fantasy-like and didn't bother me, I cannot in good conscience recommend it, especially not for teens. I felt the message of the book was that love conquers all, even if your boyfriend is inherently evil. Therefore, I felt girls could use this as a justification to get involved with destructive individuals like abusers and addicts. In fact, Edward's craving for Bella's blood is flat-out described as an addiction. There's a very real possibility he might kill her. The impression is given that playing with fire is somehow romantic. As a woman who has had a good bit of experience with both the pros and cons of romance, let me offer my opinion, it's not! While I don't think the author had bad intentions, I also do not think she fully thought through her responsibility to her young readers. 

So those were the books that helped me grasp the feel of the YA fiction world. Feel free to share some of your own favorite YA novels.