BONDED: Why Romance isn’t Dead….

 

Valentine’s Day is almost here. Big whoop! Sorry to burst your love bubble. I’ll be the first to admit that this is not my favorite holiday. Gasp! Blasphemy!!! The romance writer is Anti-Valentine’s Day? Not exactly. From where I sit I see a lot of expectation that doesn’t usually live up to the hype. A lot of broken hearts. A lot of unrealistic romantic ideals that crash and burn. And I’m not just saying that for me personally. I am loved by a wonderful, kind, God-fearing, gorgeous, more-delicious-than-chocolate man and have been for about a decade… and yet I still have a rather tempestuous relationship with Valentine’s Day.

This year is particularly disturbing because… well… when we’re hoping to see flowers and sweet things for your sweet thang, heartfelt words and shiny gifts, affection and fidelity, we are seeing something much darker. The polar opposite. In fact, the dark shadow that is polluting everywhere from local schools to your pharmacy, your nail salon to your movie theatre is a certain blockbuster sized shadow of abuse and manipulation masquerading as a love story. And this is anything but harmless entertainment.

Now, this is not a post about 50 Shades, though Lord knows there are a heck of a lot more than 50 things I have to say on the subject. Don’t get me started.  

It’d be easy to say, with the disillusioning of our society and the rise of things like BDSM and “Rape Culture” that romance in its traditional definition is a thing of the past. But let me tell you why real romance never goes out of style. It’s because innately we are all looking for connection and quite simply…

Romance bonds us.

Poor choice of words? Oops! My bad. I’m not talking bound and gagged and beaten. Yeah, doesn’t sound very romantic, huh? I digress.

Where was I? Oh yes, the bonds of Love. ;)

When we read romance we remember or we dream of that bond that might start as fascination, friendship, yearning, and then becomes something more. We are brought back to those beautiful, blissful, terrifying moments of falling. We identify with the characters. We sympathize with their journey. Their plight. We step outside ourselves and form a kinship with another. We bond. (THIS RIGHT HERE IS WHY WE NEED TO BE CAREFUL WHAT WE READ!)

And fiction aside, real-life romance bonds us to our other half. It’s what separates friends from lovers. I don’t long to be bonded to myself. I long to spend the years of my marriage finding ways to be bonded more intricately with my husband. YES, we’re already married, so he’s basically already won me over. He put a ring on it. Done deal. But folks, romance doesn’t end there. And if it has YOU AND YOUR HONEY need to work on learning each other all over again. It’s not too late. Start now. Start with romance.

Romance isn’t just for women, people. It’s like glue with muscles that keep strengthening the bonds, drawing them ever closer, holding them tight when storms threaten to tear them apart. Romance nurtures all these interconnected threads in a relationship. Romantic words, actions, and intimacies expose the inner workings of our hearts. They bolster and show value. And when we’ve stripped away all pretense, showing our barest need, when we’ve become our most vulnerable selves, it’s that shared romantic connection that helps establish and re-establish trust. Simply put, romance keeps us in tune with each other.

THIS is what I LOVE about writing romance. It reminds me that I don’t just want to be on the receiving end, but that it is my duty and my privilege as a wife to GIVE romance to my husband. I get to be the closest friend AND the lover. I get to give support and be supported. I can be schmaltzy and encouraging, and even wild and kinky if I wanted to. (A bunch of you just slammed on the brakes right there---Deep breaths. This post is rated PG-13.)

ROMANCE ISN’T DEAD because it’s not between you and everyone else in that theater. Not between you and your friends. Or even your family. It’s not between you and anyone or anything else but your spouse. ROMANCE IS PERSONAL. God designed it to bond TWO people in the most intimate of ways. Physically, spiritually, emotionally. And because we will always desire real connection even more than trendy books or trendy sex, I think it’s safe to say romance will survive this blip.

So… since the greatest, most timeless love story ever written is about the ONE who loves you so much he gave his life, the ONE who chases after your heart and romances you unceasingly, on this bleakest of Valentine’s Days—one that would probably make Saint Valentine roll over in his grave—I, Amy Leigh Simpson, declare ROMANCE LIVES!

Go forth, write, live. Get your romance on! Valentine’s Day and every day. <3

Let's tell some stories... Do you remember your most romantic Valentine's Day? What made it so special?

 

Amy Leigh Simpson is the completely exhausted stay-at-home mama to the two wild-child, tow-headed toddler boys, one pretty little princess baby, and the incredibly blessed wife of her hunky hubby.

She writes Romantic Suspense chalked full of grace that is equally inspiring, nail-biting, and hilarious. And a little saucy! Okay fine, a lot saucy. :) She is an active member of American Christian Fiction Writers, and now uses her Sports Medicine degree to patch up daily boo-boos. Her greatest ambitions are to create stories that inspire hope, raise up her children to be mighty warriors for Christ, invent an all-dessert diet that works, and make up for years of sleep deprivation. 

She is represented by Chip MacGregor of MacGregor Literary, Inc.

 

Before You Type "Chapter One"

Hi, everyone! I hope you're having a great week. The weather here in Florida has been quite lovely lately. But if you live north, try not to be too jealous because in the peak of summer, it'll be plenty hot enough here to make you glad you live where you do!

I'm starting a new story which I'm very excited about, and I've realized it's amazing how quickly I go from elation to writer's block when I'm working on a new book. Know the feeling? To a certain extent, it's probably inevitable. But there are definitely things we can do to flesh out our scenes as we're writing, instead of going through seventeen drafts before we get to one that seems halfway decent. So today, I thought I would write about several things I've found helpful to know before you type "Chapter One."

I should start by saying I used to be a total pantster, because I was taught in college that too much plotting hinders an organic development of story plot. And while on some levels that may be true, over the years I have realized the importance of being able to plot, even on the most basic level, before a book is written. And my stories are so much stronger for it. Took me several painful proposal synopses to get to that realization, but I eventually did.

So even if you tend to prefer writing as story elements come to your mind (perhaps especially if that's you), I hope you find this list helpful to consider before diving in.

What to consider before typing "Chapter One":

Photo by  gt_pann.  from freedigitalphotos.net

• The character's main struggle. If you think about it, on some level, the character's main struggle drives nearly every element of the book. From page one, you need to know what he or she is dealing with on a big picture level, because that will influence every choice you make as a writer as you force that character into uncomfortable situations. It's amazing how targeted you can even make your descriptors if you know what fear/guilt/heaviness your character carries. We tend to notice the world according to our preoccupations, and the same is true for our characters.
• The character's main goal. In like fashion, you should be aware what your character wants, even if it's only a vague idea at this point. If you don't know what's driving your character forward, you probably don't really have a book-length story-- at least not a good one. I've written drafts before without a clear character goal, and let's just say they did not turn out so great. If you can, try to tie your character's main goal to your character's main struggle (i.e. all she wants is to graduate from college but she has to face her greatest fear--a math class-- in order to achieve it). If we see the goal and the struggle/fear combine, and the character overcomes that struggle, the end result will be all the sweeter.
• If you're writing romance, know your central conflict. You need simultaneously something driving the characters together and apart. Think about You've Got Mail. They are pulled together by their online romance, but that in and of itself would make a boring movie. You need the conflict--the fact he is running her out of business and she hates and loves him at the same time-- to make the magic work. In a similar fashion, find a way to get your heroine and hero physically in the same space, and be sure they have a solid reason to love and hate each other.
• The story question/take-away. Okay, so let's be honest-- you probably won't fully know what your story question or the main take-away of the book is until you finish writing. That's okay. You can go back once you're done with the first draft and look for patterns of how that theme showed up in your writing unintentionally (which is one of my favorite things to find in a story!). But you should have a general idea of the take-away value based on the characters' struggles. For example, if you've read Kristy Cambron's stunning debut The Butterfly and The Violin, you saw her story brings up the question, "Where is God--and beauty--in the midst of suffering?" Her book presents a challenging response to this question, one of the best responses I've seen in fiction or non. The more development you can do on your story question before you begin writing, the easier you will make things for yourself as you go through the first draft. You'll find character development as well as layering much easier to accomplish, as each scene will become purposeful and focused with the theme in mind.

And that's it! Do you have any other elements you like to work through before you begin writing? Do you find you're more of a pantster or a plotter?

###

Ashley Clark writes romance with southern grace. She's dreamed of being a writer ever since the thumbprint-cookie-days of library story hour. Ashley has an M.A. in English and enjoys teaching literature courses at her local university. She's an active member of ACFW and runs their newcomer's loop. When she's not writing, Ashley's usually busy rescuing stray animals and finding charming new towns. You can find Ashley on her personal blog, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter. She is represented by Karen Solem.

To Brand or not to Brand?

If you've been a writer for any length of time, then you've heard a word bandied about.

That word? BRAND.

Now don't get angry, tense, or upset.

One of the things I do as I read multiple books from an author is try to evaluate what promise that writer is making to readers with each book. As they write one more book, they're making an addition to the promise...or breaking the promise and potentially losing readers.

Really that's all a brand is.

A brand is a promise to a reader.

What can they expect when they pick up your next book?

With Colleen Coble books you expect a strong romance set in a setting that can't be divorced from the book. There will also be some page turning suspense. Probably a child, too.

With Rachel Hauck's Royal Wedding Series you'll find what I call supernatural romances or spiritual fairytales. Think Princess Diaries all grown up with heart-pounding romance and such a strong spiritual message you will be changed if you open your heart to the theme of the story.

In Julie Klassen's books, you'll step back into regency England. There will be a strong sense of place, interesting characters set in an interesting time, and usually a mystery to add layers to the romance.

What happens when an author deviates from the reader's expectations (aka brand?)? The reader is disappointed. The book is unfinished. And the next book may not be purchased.

Brand is something that develops over time. So if you're still new at writing, don't panic. You'll figure it out as you go. But as people read your books, pay attention to what they have to say about them. That's how Brandilyn Collins figured out her Seatbelt Suspense. Her readers told her that's what they experienced.

Who's your favorite author and how would you define their brand or promise?
-----
Cara Putman is the award-winning author of 20 books. You can connect with her online at her website, facebook, twitter, and more.

The Black and White of Christian Fiction: Being Integrity in a World of Grays

Sephora's created a cosmetics line to help women to look as "sexy" as the stars of the latest erotic movie.

Tonight I went grocery shopping, passing the magazine aisle where I found a Newsweek special edition on the phenomenon of Fifty Shades of Gray.

Newsweek? Once a solid publication, if biased like most news media, sharing the events in the Middle East and ticking off hot stocks in the NASDAQ for the reader's interest, now a hit movie is big ticket enough to warrant a whole issue?


Many popular bloggers have tackled the subject of this novel and its film adaptation.


I'm not going to be tackling that here. I think there are plenty of good reasons why you shouldn't watch the movie or read the book. I'm going to instead tackle something that seems more innocuous to us as Christian authors.


Christian romance, clean books your mother and grandmother would approve of, Wild Western novels. Sweet stories, right?


I'm not telling you to change your career, just providing a bit of food for thought.


I review for a national publication. Since my editor knows my spiritual beliefs she tends to send me fiction with redemption or grace themes. At least that's what the back of this particular book said.


One release is a "hopeful tale of love and redemption" where a "lost soul finds her way." Sounds good, right? Appearances can be deceiving as we all know. In this particular novel, the main character spends a large amount of time talking about the attractive bodies of men who come into her path and peppers the book with four letter words. Redemptive? Hardly! This book was worthy of being tossed across the room.


The Christian market is different, right? Sex is not included, the most passionate part of most books is a kissing scene. I'm not saying kissing scenes are wrong perse.


Men are very visual creatures, we have read many studies about pornography. We all know the harmful effects on the brain's wiring itself. It has destroyed Christian marriages and leads to a lack of contentment in so many areas of life. Some women struggle with pornography, too. However, on the whole men and women are wired differently. We've all read the psychology studies on gender differences.


But women's struggle is primarily in the emotional realm. Reading about a kiss might not have the same effect on a female. So what's so dangerous about Christian romance and why should we be careful?


The early Christian prairie books were sanitized, clean and devoid of even a lingering kiss. Yet there was one thing many of these books had in common.


The perfect hero. He made no decision without praying with his fiancée. He didn't cuss, watch excessive hours of football. He didn't leave the table without complimenting his wife's food and he ALWAYS took out the garbage.


On the prairie, he was chivalrous, fighting off deadly rattle snakes and pounding out forest fires with a sack of flour.


Your husband on the other hand...maybe he struggles with workaholic tendencies. Perhaps he struggles with overeating or a beer habit. Maybe he forgets to say thank you and leaves his wet towels on the bathroom floor after his shower.


He's not perfect. And that's the very danger. You will never find a prairie hero. He doesn't exist. My husband and yours have flaws and part of marriage is learning to be content with a flawed sinner growing in grace. Because...guess what? YOU'RE one, too!


And if you're single? Well, you may have that list written in your Bible. I did and there's nothing wrong with a list or setting high standards. But if you read too many Christian romances you may believe that your perfect knight in shining armor can live up to those heroes. Forgetting that a real hero is an individual who is drawing closer to a perfect Savior. But he will never be perfect this side of heaven, and guess what...if he was, he wouldn't be interested in an imperfect person like YOU!


Have you written a hero that might make other women believe their marriage is lacking by comparison? Beware of creating an ideal that doesn't exist in real life, because maybe for a few minutes in their head a woman might believe that ideal CAN exist and suddenly she finds her own marriage lacking? By the same standard, are we creating a standard that will keep single women waiting for a man that doesn't exist?


You're not perfect. Comparison is a huge struggle for many women. It can manifest in one-upmanship with other women, perfectionism, or even result in women staying in a dating relationship that is harmful.


Then they got saved and lived happily ever after. I used to joke with my husband about the status of Christian fiction (not even just in the romance genre). Trials to keep the plot moving are plentiful, but readers need to see sanctification is a process. When I first became a Christian in the 1990s I read a western series and really struggled with the fact that the heroine didn't sin at all anymore after she became a Christian. Because after all, for me it was a daily struggle and still is though by God's grace I sin LESS...I'm not sinless.


Your marriage isn't perfect. Its just not interesting for characters to fight about who is going to do the dishes or why he blew the money you had earmarked for a new sofa on a jumbo flatscreen. The people in most books don't have to miss date night because their kid puked on mom's shoes five minutes before they headed out the door.


Though books may deal with topics of infidelity, alcoholism, or financial indiscretion on a marriage they don't show its true effects. A novel can only scratch the surface of some wounds so deep. Cancer, divorce, child abuse and other trials don't always play out as neatly as they do on the page, with just the right number of plot twists and a tidy "happily ever after" ending.


A I saying we should never read these books? Never write them? I wouldn't pronounce on someone else's conscience and I'm not saying that's the answer. What I am saying is we need to proceed with caution. Only YOU know what that means for you, as you let the Spirit guide you.


I would not want a book I wrote to incite comparison. I don't want someone to find happiness with my fictional hero for even a few minutes, because that's not a happily ever after. Will my book help them to increase their happiness in their own marriage? If they are single, I don't want my hero and heroine's story to set them up to believe they can have something that only exists on the page.

Because a real happily ever after takes work. It takes cleaning the cat litter and other tireless little tasks that make someone feel appreciated. It takes sharing our hearts in a fresh and vulnerable way, a depth that doesn't exist in characters on a page. It is two sinners coming to the throne of grace and learning to love each other for the rest of their lives. It is both backbreaking hard and breathtaking in its beauty.


And most of all, true love isn't gray. It isn't even black and white. True love is crimson red as the blood Jesus shed for each of us on the Cross. In a world of substandard morality, let's love our neighbor enough to protect their marriages and singleness with the words we write.

Julia enjoys writing women's fiction and inspirational nonfiction from her home in central Virginia whenever she can find a couch cushion without crumbs which can be a challenge as a homeschooling mama of elementary aged kids. She writes and reviews for Library Journal (just up her "alley" as a former librarian) and Wonderfully Woven, a website to encourage women.

Letting Your Baby Go...Then What?

Last week, I let my baby go. After spending more time on this project than I have ever spent on a book, I

freedigitalphotos.net by Michelle Mieklejohn

finished up my current novel and sent it in for a critique.

It reminds me of when I dropped off my first child to preschool. After years of spending every waking second with him, I suddenly had hours alone. And I just didn't know what to do with myself.

I would sit at home knowing a million things could get done, but feeling a little stunned emotionally that I didn't have the little guy next to me. Of course, mommy-guilt entered (it's something I have gotten better at flinging off quickly), but really it was mostly unfamiliarity with the open time, shock at the quiet, and anxiety in the anticipation of holding him in my arms again.

It kinda feels that way now. Not with the kids leaving me for a few hours at a time--I have soooo gotten used to that (ignore the very-guilt-free mommy joy in that, please)...but I miss my newest baby, the one I lost sleep on and carved time out diligently to nurture...my manuscript. 

I miss those made-up friends that I so delicately shaped. I find myself tempted to open up Word again, just to spend some more time--maybe reading a scene or two. I pass by Starbucks and reminisce about the many hours I spent "having coffee" with my characters...ahem...slaving away on my manuscript under that little square shop roof.

And I sit here, on this bed, wondering what in the world am I going to do with myself now--unfamiliar with the open time (well, whatever that is with four kids and life in the way), shock at the quiet (in my writer's head), and anxiety in the anticipation of finding the manuscript in my inbox...all marked up.

But, I know there isn't much I should do except enjoy the peace right now. 

freedigitalphotos.net by BrianHolm

After years of critiques, contest comments, and edits, I know that I will soon be wrapped up in the world of my characters, chiseling away after that feedback arrives. No, it won't be long when my baby comes back needing nurturing and growing and discipline. It will be as hard on this mama-writer as it will be on the book-baby. And that baby will blossom into a beauty and this mama will finally sleep well after a job well done.

Some might say to write away and fill the void. Instead, I am taking this much needed time of rest. Just like I did those first days of preschool when I suddenly had the couch to myself and the t.v. was not stuck on Disney Junior. I am choosing to  breathe deep instead of scribble away on a new book, or fret and worry over what I could change in my last one. This is a time for quiet after the mad rush of a deadline, because I know that I'll need all the energy I can get when my baby gets home and needs me again!

freedigitalphotos.net by photostock

So, what do you do when you've typed "The End" and hit send to a critique partner or an editor? Do you take the time to recoup for the next round...or are you ready to dive into your next project?

********************************************************************************

Angie Dicken is a full-time mom and lives in the Midwest with her Texas Aggie sweetheart. An ACFW member since 2010, she has written five Historical Romance novels, has a Historical underway, and is represented by Tamela Hancock Murray of The Steve Laube Agency. Angie also spends her time designing one-sheets, selling Jamberry, and drinking good coffee with great friends. Check out her author page at www.facebook.com/dicken.angie and her personal blog at angiedicken.blogspot.com 

Fast Drafting...Edits?

I think I have FINALLY figured out how I edit. Sure has taken me long enough. Years of studying how everyone else does their editing. Years of trial and error have finally led me to this point:

The fast draft editing style. It is by no means unique. I went to a class at ACFW two years ago that taught certain aspects of what I'm going to mention here today. But this is how it has worked for me.

Edit in stages.

Edit in layers.

Edit in drafts.

Photo credit: freedigitalphotos.net

All of these three braided into one is how I work through my edits. When I sit down after pedaling through the fast draft (my favorite part since I get to discover the story) I am always daunted by the edits. It's enough to drive me to Facebook, Pinterest, Blogger, Email or anything else that will burn the hours and get me as far away from these edits as possible.

When you think about having to read through your 93k novel ten or twelve times, doing it the first time through just makes it seem like Mt Everest. Tell me about it, it's all I think about.

But you have to start somewhere. It's not an option. If you go into your edits thinking this is going to be the only pass you have to make, you'll be stuck within the first paragraph, trying to make it so perfect that all it does is stifle your creativity.

If all you think about is the multiply passes you have to do after this first one, you'll be so daunted you won't even want to start. The neat thing about the fast draft, is each time you go through you're going to catch more and more. You don't have to get it all on the first swipe. So enjoy it!

There are days I don't want to edit. But I sit down and do it anyway. This style benefits those days most of all, because I know I don't have to catch everything. I'm tightening. Fixing misspelled words. I'm looking for inconsistencies and adding deeper meaning to the story.

Second, third, fourth, fifth pass is all a different level of what I just described. Each time you go through your story you're going to see something different. You're going to find new ways of tightening dialogue and characterization. If you're taking classes and studying how-to books you're also going to be putting those skills into action with each new pass.

It's helpful on those days that you don't want to edit, to be able to realize, I AM accomplishing something today. Even if it feels like all you're doing is simply reading your work, don't take this phase of the edits for granted. Work hard, make those changes and move on.

If you find yourself stuck because you can't fix something the way you want it fixed right now, don't grab the nearest paper bag, force yourself to keep going. This has been the hardest lesson for me to learn, but absolutely the most valuable. You can't be a perfectionist with your writing so don't hold yourself to those standards on the first couple of edit passes.

The current novel I'm editing is taking more rewrites then I planned. Instead of going through and rewriting everything in the first draft as I originally planned, I'm going through and fixing one or two things at a time. #1 priority for my hero? Adding more dialogue, so that's what I'm working on. Second priority? Figure out who these characters are all over again. I knew who they were when I started writing them, now I need to figure out who I want them to be.

Time to layer. Layering, at least for me, is not something I can consciously do. I have to let the story flow and mold it from there. Doesn't mean that it will all stay the same. What that does mean is I have a point of reference. You'll have more respect for yourself as a writer if you go into your novel with appreciation for what is already written, but a knowledge that you can make it better.

I hate editing.

There I said, sign me up for Edits Anonymous. But one thing I've learned: is I edit myself into a corner. Thinking I have to have this figured out before I can get published. Thinking everything has to be done in less then two or three passes. That's just not accurate and sets you for failure. You can fast draft edits fairly quickly. A couple weeks at the most, taking notes along the way for things you want to change on the next run through. Sometimes if I don't have the creative energy to write a new scene in the moment I feel it should be written, I take a note and go back on a day I want to create something new.

The neat thing about edits is that you get to see the story refine before your eyes. It evolves and molds. And that's a great thing.

What are the best edits suggestions you've heard that help you?

************************************************
Casey Herringshaw is a homeschool graduate and has been writing since high school, currently serving as the ACFW Carol Awards Coordinator. She is a country girl now living in a metropolis of Denver

Blurred Lines - Let's talk about SEX!

At my heart, I'm a pretty black-and-white kinda person. There are rights and wrongs and goods and bads and grey is just not a color I usually see often. I've always backed this mental point of view up with the Bible when it talks about God spitting the lukewarm out of his mouth.

But the older I get, the more I see that while God isn't a fan of lukewarm Christians who think they can straddle the fence and have the best of both worlds, not all issues in the world are super clear. There are lines that have been blurred by culture and society that we have to figure out how to deal with in our fiction. How do we write fiction that remains relevant to our current culture yet still pleases Jesus?

And let me just say there. That is one line that, for me, is NOT blurred. Regardless of your content or audience, if you are a follower of Christ, your first goal should ALWAYS be to honor Christ in all you do, writing included.

Over my next few posts on Thursdays, I'll talk about some of these blurred lines and give some suggestions on how to handle and deal with the blurred lines of today.

With the release of a certain should-be-X-rated-movie to theaters next week (which I will NOT be seeing, by the way), I thought a good place to start would be to have a little chat about sex and books.

This is a tough subject, one that some think should be a no-brainer for Christians and fiction, but in reality, has a LOT of varying opinions on the matter.

~Should characters have sex in our books?
~What about non-married characters? Christians aren't perfect, right? Can't we show reality?
~Just WHEN should we shut the door to give our characters privacy, and furthermore, should we?
~How much sexual tension is too much? How much is too little?
~How do we do with real topics such as rape, sex trafficking, molesting, and abortion?

My broad answer to all these questions is... IT DEPENDS!

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know. That helps a WHOLE TON.

But seriously. Each of us come from, presumably, a Christian world-view when we are writing, but that world-view has been shaded different arrays of colors by our parents, our spouses, the churches we've attended, the schools we've gone to, etc.

While it is a clear line to me that sex should not be "open door" in a book by a Christian, for others, that line is not so clear. I read Francine River's A Bridge to Haven and was super surprised to have a "sex scene" portrayed, door wide open. She handled it so respectfully and showed the beauty of what the intimate act between a husband and wife could be, as opposed to the horror the heroine had experienced in her past. It made me take a hard look at the line and see that while it is a clear line for MY fiction that I write--I'll never write an open-door sex scene in my books--I can see how an author can handle it with tact and glorify God through it. I could see how someone who was broken and thought sex was a "job" or was used to being used and abused, could have their eyes opened and see the beauty that God meant it to be. I don't think a closed door would have had the same effect for that hurting person.

Yet I know that book will not be for everyone. There will also be others who find it disturbing for its more graphic details, one Amazon reviewer noting, " The story of this book was good until she got explicit in bedroom scenes" and another noted how even reviewing the book made her feel dirty.

The thing is, those are super valid opinions only. I respect those people so much because at one point in my life, I was exactly like them. They have had their own set of life experiences that made the book hard for them to read, and their opinion should NOT be ripped on or thrown aside as short-sited.

The thing is.... all types of books are needed, even in the CBA. There are a variety of preferences among readers, some who feel that a romance without sexual tension falls flat and creates an unrealistic view of sex and relationships, and others who feel that adding sexual tension creates unneeded desires.

My suggestion as you write....

Go to Jesus. Readers will ALWAYS have various opinions but the one whose opinion matters the most is God. Ask God to show you where HIS line is for you. This may or may not be where you thought it would be. But at the end of the day, my goal is always to please Jesus, and if I can't stand before him proudly with my book, then I've crossed over a line.

Just remember, sex is not a bad thing. God created it, and it was, and SHOULD, be good. It is the world and culture that perverts it to something disgusting. Regardless of where you see your line in the sand on this issue... I urge you not to go there. We have been called to live in this world but not be OF the world. To be a LIGHT in the world not to fade and blend into the darkness.

Oh, and one last note.

Please, don't use the explicit Song of Solomon as an excuse to put sex in your book. Pretty please. It just... you're not the Bible. That was not fiction. There is no comparison. If you're gonna go there, we'd also need to say, "Go ahead, give your hero a gazillion wives and mistresses, Solomon had them!" If you have another good reason? Go ahead and share it. Just not this one!

Discussion: So where is your line? You'll not get any judgement here, just a frank discussion about a really important issue in our culture and fiction.

*************************************************

Krista is a follower of Jesus, a wife, a mother, and author of Sandwich, With a Side of Romanceand A Side of Faith. She blogs about finding JOY in the journey of LIFE at http://www.kristaphillips.com. She is represented by Sarah Freese of Wordserve Literary.

(picture above courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net)