Category: Bookish Question

What's your view of characters drinking alcohol in Christian fiction?

Bookish Question #222 | What’s your view of characters in Christian fiction drinking alcohol?

I know many Christians who don’t drink alcohol. I know some who don’t drink tea or coffee or any other drink containing caffeine. These Christians believe there is a Biblical mandate not to drink, so they follow their beliefs and don’t drink.

But other Christians do drink alcohol. They give the example of Jesus turning water into wine, or quote Paul’s instructions to Timothy. It’s one of many topics that the Bible isn’t as clear on as some of us might like.

So should characters in Christian fiction drink alcohol?

Personally, it doesn’t bother me as long as they drink in moderation, and the drinking is either consistent with the character (if the character doesn’t have an issue with alcohol) or clearly presented as wrong (if they characters do have an issue with alcohol, or if they are under the legal drinking age).

What I don’t like is characters acting out of character.

I recently read a Christian novel where one of the Christian characters downed three strong cocktails in less than an hour, with predictable side-effects. I didn’t think this was necessary to the plot, and it left me wondering about the character. Was she really that stupid? Why did she accept the first drink, let alone the second and third?

It made a difference that the character was Christian—a churchgoing Christian who should have known better. My reaction might have been more charitable if the character hadn’t been a Christian (or hadn’t been a Christian yet).

I accept that drinking alcohol may sometimes be needed as a plot point. If so, fine. Just don’t add a drinking scene to be “hip” or “relevant”, the way some general market authors add sex scenes. Make the scene mean something. Make sure it has a point, and that drinking alcohol is the only or best way of making that point.

What do you think? What’s your view of characters drinking alcohol in Christian fiction?

Bookish Question #221 | Do you like romance novels featuring older characters?

Most of the romance novels I read feature couples in their twenties or thirties.

I have to say I prefer slightly older characters, characters who are mature enough to know what they want out of life.

But romances with characters over the age of forty are rare. Part of the reason (problem?) is that there has to be a reason why older characters are unattached and looking for love. There are only three possible ways this can happen:

  1. One or more of the characters are single, and have never married or had any significant relationships in their past. That raises a question: Why? Why are they  still single? What circumstances or catastrophes have led to their singleness? There needs to be a reason … because otherwise we might (mis)judge the character.
  2. The character is divorced, or has previous significant relationships akin to marriage. This raises a different question: What went wrong? Why did their previous relationship fail? Was it their fault, in part or in whole? Knowing the answer helps us know whether we’re going to like or dislike the character.
  3. The character has been married before, but their spouse died. Well, that’s a fun plot, isn’t it? I know the novel starts well after they are over their grief, but it’s still in the background. And there is also the awkwardness of how many fictional Christian marriages end in an untimely death for one spouse because the author needs a widowed character …

I worry about the fictional marriages where the characters do get their happy-ever-after in their twenties, because reading Christian fiction tells me one of them is going to face a horrible death in the next ten years …

So while I don’t mind romance novels featuring older characters and I certainly have no problem with the over-forties finding love, I wouldn’t want to read too many of them … because every forty-something happy-ever-after is a twenty-something relationship that ended tragically.

What about you ? Do you like romance novels featuring older couples?

Do you know any novels with scenes involving tea?

Bookish Question #220 | Do you know of any novels with scenes featuring tea?

The British Empire was built on tea: morning tea, afternoon tea, and tea with supper.

As such, it shouldn’t be any surprise that the novels I can think of with tea are from British authors, Commonwealth authors, or novels set in the British Empire.

In All the Tea in China by Jane Orcutt, the hero is returning to China to find and source the famed white tea. there are several scenes where he discusses his plans with the heroine.

The characters in Carol Preston’s Australian historical romances often discuss their day and their problems over a cup of tea. In fact, most of the action happens over the teacups.

Many of Carolyn Miller’s Regency romances feature characters conversing over a cup of tea. It was the drink of choice when one’s morning visitors arrived.

I know all these novels had tea scenes, and I’m sure some were significant. However, I can’t actually think of any 🙁

Can you think of any significant scenes or novels featuring tea? What do you recommend?

Do you enjoy novels with military themes?

Bookish Question #218 | Do You Enjoy Novels with Military Themes?

First, a disclaimer: I don’t make these questions up each week. I collaborate with Australasian Christian Writers on these questions, and we finalised the 2022 questions in December 2021. So the fact I’m posting this just as Russian invades the Ukraine is pure coincidence.

I definitely enjoy novels with military characters. I can think of several series I’ve enjoyed:

  • Don Brown’s series about US Navy lawyers – I enjoyed the TV show, JAG, and this series was a Christian equivalent.
  • Dee Henderson’s True series, set against the backdrop of 9/11 and the war in the Middle East.
  • Sarah Sundin’s Sunrise at Normandy series, which shows the story of the Prodigal Son from different points of view.

But those are the characters. What about the themes?

Novels with military characters and themes tend to show the best of the military (unlike, say, novels about law enforcement officers. Too many novels show police officers are corrupt, stupid, or both).

Military fiction, especially Christian ones, tend to show the characters as strong and noble, people who are prepared to sacrifice and put others before themselves.

Perhaps it comes back to John 15:13: stories with military themes remind us that the greatest love is to lay down our lives for our friends.

In that respect, novels with military themes reflect Christian values. Perhaps that’s why I like military fiction—it shows humanity at our best, not our worst.

What about you? Do you enjoy novels with military characters or themes? Why or why not?

Do you enjoy novels with food themes?

Bookish Question #217 | Do You Enjoy Novels with Food Themes?

Yes and no.

I like food. I love good food. I probably eat too much.

So while I enjoy novels with food themes, they make me hungry—and sometimes they make me hungry for food I can’t have.

For example, I recently read Much Ado About a Latte by Kathleen Fuller, which features a heroine running a food truck serving Mexican food. I love Mexican food, but it’s hard to get good Mexican food in New Zealand (Taco Bell doesn’t count).

Anyway, that novel got me searching town for somewhere I could get a good fish taco (I did succeed, but it was a distraction.)

One of the scenes showed the heroine making tamales. I’ve never had tamales, and that scene showed me two things: I’d like to try them, but I don’t want to make them myself. It looks like a lot of effort, and I’d have no idea if the result was any good as I have no basis for comparison.

When I read foodie novels, I especially like it if there are recipes in the back, even if the recipes are full of unfamiliar ingredients or if I can’t buy the ingredients locally (e.g. a can of pumpkin pie filling).

Another great food novel (well, series) was The Saturday Night Supper Club by Carla Laureano. It was fine dining, so definitely not what I cook, but I loved reading about all the creative dishes.

So yes, I do like novels with food.

What about you? Do you like novels with a food theme?

Do romance novels give women unrealistic expectations?

Bookish Question #216 | Do Romance Novels give Women Unrealistic Expectations of Men and Marriage?

Critics of romance novels often say romance novels aren’t realistic, that they give women unrealistic expectations of men and of marriage.

In fairness, there is some truth in the argument that romance novels aren’t realistic.

But romance isn’t the least realistic genre on the fiction shelves:
  • Fantasy would have us believe that the world is (or perhaps was) filled with dragons and supernatural creatures such as werewolves, dwarves, and elves.
  • Science Fiction shows faster-than-light space travel, civilizations that are almost entirely mechanical (and no one ever seems to grow food), and untold different species, most of which are humanoid and speak English.
  • Cozy mysteries show us that all small villages (and many small towns) are hotbeds or murder and intrigue, and that the police are incompetent (because it always seems to be the local amateur detective who solves the crime, not the professionals).
  • Adventure stories show us that archaeology is a race to find a previously unknown artifact and keep it from the evildoers, not painstakingly removing dirt a teaspoonful at a time in the hope of understanding life in a bygone era.
  • Action stories confirm that bullets are only dangerous if the good guy is holding the gun, and that car chases through big cities are perfectly safe (because it’s only the bystanders who get hurt).

Given those comparisons, is “unrealistic” really the right word for a story where two people to meet, fall in love, and decide they want to build a life together? I’d say that is the definition of hope.

But do romance novels set unrealistic expectations about men and marriage?

Let’s look at men first, then marriage.

In romance novels, the hero would do anything for his heroine. He will love her unconditionally. He will support her dreams. He will sacrifice for her. He sees her potential and pushes her towards her dreams while she’s still mired in self-doubt.

(Incidentally, the heroine will do the same for the hero. Romance is very much an equal-opportunity genre. Perhaps that’s what some people don’t like.)

Now, I do understand unconditional, sacrificial love isn’t the reality for everyone. But that doesn’t make it wrong. In fact, it’s biblical:

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the Church and gave himself up for her. (Eph 5:25, NIV)

But do romance novels set unrealistic expectations for marriage?

This is a non-argument. Romance novels are about the journey to the happy-ever-after, not the story of the happy-ever-after. That would be women’s fiction—and there are hundreds of women’s fiction novels inside and outside the Christian market which address these issues.

There are many Christian novels which show strong marriages, from the Love Comes Softly series by Janette Oke to the Baxter Family saga by Karen Kingsbury. There are also Christian novels which show marriages in trouble, and become an object lesson in how not to go through life.

This is also biblical: many of the stories in the Bible, especially in the Old Testament, aren’t there to show us how to live. They’re there to show us how not to live. David was a great man of God, but no right-minded person is ever going to condone his treatment of Uriah (or even Bathsheba).

So while some people may say romance novels are setting unrealistic expectations, I say romance novels set a standard. They show us that a good marriage—a God-centred marriage— is one where both parties love God, love each other, and will support each other no matter what.

Yes, that might be unrealistic. But that’s the result of sin in the world.

Not romance novels.

Do you have book storage problems?

Bookish Question # 214 | Do you have book storage problems?

Do you have book storage problems? How do you decide which books stay and which go?

Do I have book storage problems?

No and yes.

I spent a day over the Christmas break rearranging my main bookshelf (the one with all my Christian fiction), and bagging up books to donate to my local church. The books I want to keep are now all on one shelf (yay!)

Unfortunately, there are also two piles of unread books that I may or may not want to keep once I’ve read them.

(Big assumption: that I’ll actually read the paperbacks when I also have 100+ unread novels on my Kindle).

There is also five (yes, five) bags of books to donate.

The plan is to offer them to my church library first. However, the church library is currently in storage as the cafe and office space have recently been renovated. They have ordered more shelves, but global supply chain problems mean the shelves are apparently stuck on a ship somewhere. I don’t want to donate the books until the library is up and running again, so I can make sure I’m not offering books they already have. Here’s hoping the shelves arrive soon, because my second choice will be to donate them to the annual Rotary Club Easter Book sale.

The second part of the question is harder to answer: how do I decide which books stay and which books go?

I keep books I’ve worked on as an editor, or books where I’m mentioned in the acknowledgements. I donate books that I’ve since bought on Kindle. But that still leaves a lot of decisions. I ended up donating books I’ve enjoyed but know I won’t read again (and this is one reason for donating to the church library: they’re still handy if I want to re-read something).

So now I don’t have a book storage problem. I just have to stop buying paper books.

What about you? Do you have book storage problems? How do you decide what which books stay and which go?

What's your view about swearing in fiction?

Bookish Question # 213 | What’s your view about swearing in fiction?

I don’t swear and nor do most of the people I know (including the non Christians I work with).

As such, I always find swearing a little jarring when I hear or read it.

However, I do know that some people swear (and some people swear a lot). Most movies I watch have some swearing—they have to, or else they end up with a G rating. TV shows often have swearing as well, although it tends to be fairly low-key and is always consistent with the type of TV show (e.g. I do expect more swearing in an adult crime drama series than in a family comedy show).

I suppose you could say my view depends on the genre.

Likewise, my view of swearing in fiction depends on the genre. If I’m reading a general market thriller or suspense novel, then I expect to see some swearing and I’m not surprised by it. Sure, I  might not like it and I often feel there is too much, but that’s my personal taste.

For example, The Martian by Andy Weir had a lot of swearing. But Mark Watney had just discovered he was alone on an inhospitable planet (Mars) with no way to get home. I can understand the sentiment, and his language did fit his predicament.

If, however, a character is in a less precarious situation, then they probably don’t have to swear. As such, I’m not a fan of swearing in romance (especially not in historical romance) or rom-com. Adding the f-word to a sentence doesn’t make the sentence funny, no matter what some “comedians” might think. There are always alternatives.

 On this basis, I don’t want to see any swearing in Christian fiction.

It’s not funny. It’s not clever. It’s not strong writing. There is always a way to get the sentiment across without using the words. So I prefer for authors to be original and not use the swear words.

I’m also not a fan of derivatives of swear words e.g bloody (a shortened for of By Our Lady, referring to Mary, Mother of Jesus), or Geez (a shortened and misspelled version of Jesus). The other word I don’t like (and which I have seen in a couple of Christian novels recently) is spitless. It’s a made-up substitute for another word (no, spitless isn’t in the dictionary). I actually don’t mind made-up words … in general market material (e.g. characters in Battlestar Galactica used “frack”).

What I don’t mind is silly words used in place of swear words.

For example, NZ Twitter has taken to calling people they don’t like (often politicians or media “personalities”) casseroles (with apologies to all those tasty casseroles out there). Those politicians or personalities who are especially dim are absolute casseroles. One politician was recently awarded the title of full casserole. British English has muppets and numpties.

So that’s my preferred approach: no overt swearing, but using nonsense words where necessary.

What’s your view on swearing in fiction?

What's your favourite book with a one-word title?

Bookish Question #212 | What’s your favourite book with a one-word title?

I tidied my physical bookshelf yesterday, which means I’m able to answer this question 🙂

Freefall by Kristen Heitzmann

It has an amnesia plot (a favourite), a suspense element (another favourite), and it’s set in Hawai’i (my favourite US state). What’s not to like?

Here’s the book description:

When a young woman stumbles out of the Hanalei Mountains on the island of Kauai with no memory of who she is or how she got there, Cameron Pierce reluctantly agrees to investigate the mysterious circumstances surrounding her arrival. As pieces begin to fall into place, he suspects her injuries were no accident, but he’s far from convinced she’s an innocent victim. And there’s that nagging feeling he’s seen her somewhere before …

Now known as Jade, the woman begins to recall fragments of what led her to this place, and she realizes the danger isn’t over. Jade and the cynical Hawaiian investigator attempt to reconstruct the threads of her identity, but the stakes are far higher than either expected.

Kristen Heitzmann has a lot of novels with one-word titles, and they’re all good but Freefall is my favourite.

What books are you looking forward to reading in 2022?

Bookish Question #211 | What books are you looking forward to reading in 2022?

My TBR list has a lot of books that I want to read, and which I am slowly (very slowly) making my way through.

The speed at which I crawl through the to-read pile may or may not have anything to do with the speed at which I also purchase new books. As I have recently heard, buying books and reading books are two separate hobbies.

If I tell you some of the books I especially want to read from my to-read pile, maybe I’ll actually read them! Here goes …

  • Desert Willow by Patricia Beal, because I enjoyed A time to Dance, so really should read this.
  • Why I Still Believe by Mary Jo Sharp, because so many people leave the faith as adult,s and I’d like to understand that better …. which includes understanding why people stay.
  • Over the Waters by Deborah Raney, because it was recommended to me.
  • The Holy Bible (English Standard Version), because I try and read a different version each year and the ESV is new to me.
  • The Bible Recap by Tara-Leigh Cobble, a one-year chronological reading plan based on the ESV (and which has a Bible app plan and a daily podcast, so I can chose to read or listen each day).
  • Daring Greatly by Brenee Brown, because she’s an author who has been recommended to me by both Christians and nonChristians, so she seems to have bridged the Christian/general market divide.
  • Forgiven by Carol Ashby, another book/author that’s been recommended to me.
  • A Lowcountry Bride by Preslaysa Williams, which I keep meaning to read yet somehow haven’t.
  • Canyon War by Sarah Elizabeth Sawyer, because it’s got a great opening line, and features a nineteenth-century female doctor.
  • Operation Romance Books 1-4 by Elizabeth Maddrey. I’ve actually just read the first two and discovered the box set while researching this post … so please excuse me while I read #3 and #4.

I will also be reading the next releases from some of my favourite contemporary and historical romance authors, including:

  • Carolyn Miller
  • Becky Wade
  • Tari Faris
  • Meredith Resce (her Luella Linley series is brilliant)
  • Elizabeth Camden
  • Elizabeth Musser
  • Christine Dillon
  • Carla Laureano
  • Lynn Austin
  • Janet W Ferguson
  • Susan Meissner
  • Courtney Walsh
  • Mila Holt

And, of course, all the books from debut and new-to-me authors I’ve yet to find out about.

What books are you looking forward to reading in 2022?

What do you recommend I add to my to-read pile?