Special Guest Saturday: Michelle Sutton and "Edgy" Fiction!

Why I Write Edgy Fiction

by Michelle Sutton

If you look up the three separate words that make up the name of my blog you will find definitions that go something like this…

Edgy - daringly innovative; on the cutting edge



Inspirational - imparting a divine influence on the mind and soul



Author - a person who writes a novel; composer of a literary work



The reason I refer to myself as the Edgy Inspirational Author and set up a blog dedicated to book reviews and giveaways with that title has to do with how well the combined definitions describe my heart for fiction.

I want to be daringly innovative and on the cutting edge when it comes to plotting and characterization. I believe the stories I write are inspired by the Lord imparting a divine influence on my mind. In other words, God always gives me a burden to write about a particular subject and I also believe He has called me to be very realistic with what I present to my readers. Last, I am an author, which is obviously a person who writes a novel.

What does this mean in a practical sense? First, I like to surprise my readers by having them think the story is going in one direction, then throw them off course and send them in a different direction. This tends to keep people guessing and reading to find out what's going to happen next. I also like to dangle a little carrot at the end of the majority of the chapters to make the reader want to continue on. I don't want people to set my books down because then they might miss out on the redemption themes in the story.

When I wrote my YA novels they were actually written as contemporary fiction for adults. My publisher and I have decided that since the majority of my readers are adults, we will re-release the two YA books in an adult series next spring. So the two characters who adopt the baby in It's Not About Him will get their own book, which actually preceded It's Not About Me when it was originally written.

To give you an idea of what this story (Letting Go, Healing Hearts, book 1) is about, I'll give you a snapshot of each main character. Diane is a lawyer who advocates for children in court. Her problem is that she is too beautiful and her upbringing as a child beauty pageant contestant taught her how to get the attention of men. Unfortunately, the men she tends to attract are already taken and just cheating with her. She doesn't want to be the other woman; she wants to be loved for who she is. So she gives up on romance and trying to please men.

Along comes Dave, a gorgeous, but sterile man who plans to adopt a foster child (toddler), and when the birth mother shows up and wants her son back, Dave goes into a full blown panic. To make matters worse, the child's case worker doesn't seem to like him and wants to rip his foster son from the only home he knows. So Dave hires Diane to help him keep his foster son and that's where the romance begins. I won't say any more because I want everyone to read the book. : )

My latest release, Never Without Hope, is my edgiest book of all. It's about a Christian woman whose husband is ignoring her in the bedroom, which begins eroding her self-esteem. Lonely and hurting, she is vulnerable to temptation and does the unthinkable when a younger man who shows interest in her comes along. But her heart is still longing for her husband.

The more she sees this new man, the more confused she gets. She becomes trapped in the sticky web of adultery and knows she must come clean, but when she does, her life blows up in her face and she risks losing everyone she cares about. This book contains quite a few sexual situations because the story revolves around sex in marriage and the damage that can be caused when one spouse neglects the other in bed. The Bible cautions against that "lest the one person cause the other to stray." My novel shows how with God involved in the healing process, married couples are never without hope.

The subject matter (marital unfaithfulness) is all too common in the church, yet no one wants to talk about it. God placed a burden on my heart to write this novel to help hurting couples, so I know He will accomplish this. However, if I had ignored the nudge from God to write this book, I can't help but wonder what the results would be. So far several marriages have been healed as a result of people reading this novel, and I'm sure there will be many more to come. With God, nothing is ever wasted. Because of this, I don't ever want to be too afraid to do what I know He wants, regardless of what other people might think.

That is, in a nutshell, why I write edgy Christian fiction. : )

The Romantic Times review for Never Without Hope~ 4 stars!!

Sutton's move into fiction for adults is packed with drama. This timely, relevant message about sex and sexual sin involving married people is quite edgy and not for those looking for a sweet romance. The realism is gritty, but ultimately uplifting and incredibly significant for the world we live in today.

Summary: Hope loves her husband and is content with her life. Yet when things begin to go wrong in the bedroom, she becomes more and more frustrated. Her husband shuts her out emotionally and physically. Though Hope never thought she would stray from her marriage, she give into temptation. Is there any possibility for redemption in her marriage?

If you are interested in this novel and wish to cash in on a great deal, Michelle is running a special until June 15th. Buy her latest book, Never Without Hope and get free shipping. Buy two copies of the book and get it for only $25. Email Michelle at: michelle@michellesutton.net