Tag: Christian Fiction

What Are You Reading?

What have you been reading in February?

What Christian fiction have you been reading over the last month? And what are you planning to read in March? Here are my recommended reads from February, and what I’ll be reading in March.
What I've been reading - Feb 2016

The best novels I’ve read over the last couple of months were:

Secrets She Kept by Cathy Gohlke (click here to read my review)

When Fall Fades by Amy Leigh Simpson (click here to read my review)

If I Run by Terri Blackstock (click here to read my review)

The Goodbye Bride by Denise Hunter (click here to read my review)

And I’ve got some great authors on my list to read and review in March, including Flirtation Walk by Siri Mitchell, Playing the Part by Jen Turano, Grime Spree by Marji Lane and Life Support by Candace Calvert.

And two local authors: The Pounamu Prophecy, the debut novel from Kiwi author Cindy Williams, and Replicate by Adele Jones.

What are you planning to read in March?

Iola Goulton

Introducing Iola Goulton . . .

My name is Iola Goulton, and I am a writer.

Specifically, I write Contemporary Christian romance with a Kiwi twist.

Part of me is exhilarated by the prospect of this new journey. Part of me is petrified.

It’s not just the “normal” new author nerves about putting my writing out into the world. I’ve been doing that in a small way for years, first with my book review blog, Iola’s Christian Reads, and then with my freelance editing website, Christian Editing Services. And I regularly contribute to two group blogs, Australasian Christian Writers and Suspense Sisters Reviews, so it’s not that I’m uncomfortable with sharing my opinions.

What I am apprehensive about is some of the opinions I’ve expressed in the past, and how they might impact on or influence my fiction writing. As a reviewer, I’ve often been blunt about what I have or haven’t liked in the novels I’ve read—if I’m honest, that bluntness comes across more often in what I don’t like.

As a freelance editor, I’ve often been blunt about the writing issues I’ve found in novels I’ve read. And I’ve given a lot of advice on various writing topics, including genre, and point of view. I’ve also been less than impressed when authors have committed the very writing crimes they preach against.

And that’s what I’m most nervous about.

I don’t want to commit the crimes I’ve preached against. Of course, this doesn’t mean my novels will be perfect, rather, that I’ll make different mistakes.

Logic says there is no such thing as a perfect novel. Apart from anything else, all readers are different and looking for different things in their fiction. I’m not going to please all of the readers all of the time. My best hope is to please some of the readers most of the time.

And who are those “some readers”?

Readers who are looking for contemporary Christian romance that’s a little different: something slightly edgy, with a little humour, and a unique setting—the Kiwi twist.

If that’s you, welcome. It’s lovely to meet you. Have a seat, introduce yourself, and I’ll be back next week to introduce you to some of my favourite places.