Oops. I guess it’s not so secret anymore, is it? But I couldn’t help writing a piece about a whole new way of novel writing/editing. An out-of-the-box approach, if you will. And it all started when I purchased my Kindle Touch in the fall of 2011. (Note: Everything I share here will work with the newer Paperwhite and Kindle Fire—really, any of the models that feature a touch screen.) Anybody who knows me well knows that I love my Kindle. At first, of course, I loved it only for reading books, mostly novels. But soon I realized it’s features were especially helpful in other realms. Some may not know that my day job is book editing. Some days I literally sit at my desk for eight to ten hours. Literally. Yes, I do take standing breaks, but I can’t always avoid the occasional back or neck ache. Well, one day I got a…
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See Part 1 and Part 2. Some Christian reviewers have praised The Hunger Games because it describes good versus evil without moral ambiguity. I would have to disagree. There’s more gray than black and white in this novel (see Part 2 for my discussion of killing in the story). Katniss is also a very gray character. She has good qualities (self-sacrifice), but she does some bad things too (euthanasia). She is likable, but she doesn’t always do the right thing—which, by the way, is typically of what makes for a memorable character. Readers don’t like a character who is too perfect. Katniss is flawed, but is she too flawed? To be fair, Katniss doesn’t act like a believer for the very reason that she isn’t one. She doesn’t know any better. But I do think there is value in considering her situation and evaluating what a believer might do if he…
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Right away, I want to be clear that just because I’m reviewing this novel (I haven’t seen the movie) doesn’t mean I would recommend it to everyone. I do believe discerning adults can benefit by reading the novel and considering its message in light of a Christian worldview. But I would hesitate to recommend it to my almost-twelve-year-old daughter, Laura. I will explain why. What Is the Novel About? In the future nation of Panem, which has displaced the current North America, a “boy” and “girl” (ages twelve to eighteen) from each of the poor twelve districts are chosen by annual lottery to participate in the live-televised Hunger Games. In this competition the youth, called “tributes,” must battle each other to the death while imprisoned in an outdoor arena of many acres until only one person survives. The winner becomes rich. The Games, really a twisted reality TV show, provide sadistic…
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Based on a true story It was the perfect summer day. Pristine blue sky. Simmering warmth. Just enough unobstructed sunshine to heat my pumping bare arms. I maintained a measured, quick stride up G Street past ranches and bungalows with my beagle, Patches. Nike running shoes? Check. Shorts and T-shirt? Check. MP3 player, earbuds, and playlist ready? Check. After being chained to the chair in my basement office, the prospect of being outdoors after a long day of editing was heavenly. My neck ached, and I longed for the solace only woods, fresh air, and sunshine could provide. I was walking my dog—or maybe she was walking me—toward that sun-dappled forest path that led beyond the subdivision and quite literally into the woods. Where the road ended, the path began—little more than two ruts carved between the trees by four-wheeling joyriders. Ahead lay the promise of sunny meadows, wild raspberries,…
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