Lynn Wallace's Blog: Blog on Books and Writing

Star Mother: Always Room for God

If you’ve been keeping up with my blog at all, you’ve probably figured out that Charlie N. Holmberg is among my favorite authors, given how I’ve devoured EVERY book she’s ever penned (and then written blog posts about most of them :-D). Not only does she write amazing fantasy stories, but Ms. Holmberg is also a Christian. I know this because she thanks God at the end of her acknowledgements in every single book. Regardless of the supernatural elements she uses, her stories are always written in a way that allows for the existence of God. Take, for example, her most recent novel: "Star Mother."

"Star Mother" is the story of Ceris Wenden, a young woman who volunteers to bear a child for the Sun. Only, Ceris does something unexpected: she survives the birth of her star, a feat no other Star Mother can claim. After returning to earth, she crosses paths with the mysterious yet trustworthy Ristriel. Ceris’ journey takes her across space and time as she searches for where – and with whom – she truly belongs.

In a story about a culture that worships the Sun and mortal women give birth to stars, you wouldn’t think there would be space left for God. But there is! In fact, it is the Sun himself who admits, “I am not the greatest [being in the universe]” (page 44) and when Ceris brings up the beginning of time, he tells her, “I am hardly that old” (page 45). Ristriel, as well, mentions, “There is something peculiar about human beings and their need to worship. Their need to find hope outside themselves” (page 149).

There are also some wonderful lines of wisdom in this text – and as we all know, wisdom is biblical in origin ;-). For example, on page 25, the Sun says, “There is a balance in the universe, which is ever shifting. It is never easy and always painful. Your kind glimpses only a sliver of it.” (Not unlike how the Bible tells us that there will be difficulties during our lives, and that the ways of God are unfathomable for mankind.) On page 242, Ristriel gives perhaps the best definition of love I have ever come across in fiction: “You have taught me what it is to love, Ceris… It is truth, it is promise, and it is sacrifice.” (Just like God sacrificed His Son out of love for us.) There are also many references throughout the story to justice and the need to satisfy the law, in particular celestial/ eternal law – and we all know that God is just and that He fulfilled the law, even when man could not.

(Sigh) I do love to see Scriptural truth and wisdom in the books I read :-). It may be subtle in Ms. Holmberg’s books, but it’s there! Writing fantasy doesn’t have to mean that you break completely with the world around you. It can be done well simply by taking your beliefs and giving them a fresh coat of paint, so that the truth can be seen in a new way. My goal is to include such wisdom in my own novels. And whether it’s woven among layers of the supernatural or written a bit more directly, I sincerely hope I’m able to convey the truth of God’s Word in the stories that I share.

You can read more of my blog and discover my own book on my website!
https://www.lynnwallaceauthor.com/

Star Mother

Pilgrim's Progress: The Original Christian Fantasy

A man who lives in a city doomed for destruction receives an invitation from the king and embarks on a dangerous quest. His journey takes him far away: up high mountains, down into dark caves, and across a deep river. He faces lions, gets captured by a giant, suffers through a false trial, and battles a fierce monster. Many of the people he meets try to prevent him from continuing on his quest, but at long last, he finally arrives in the Celestial City and is united with his king.

Sounds like an epic fantasy, doesn’t it? And quite the epic fantasy it is! John Bunyan’s "The Pilgrim’s Progress: From This World to that Which is to Come" was originally published in 1678 (with Part II released in 1684), making this book one of the originals in its genre. The story follows a man (appropriately named “Christian”) on his journey to the Celestial City, which mirrors the journey of faith that believers follow across their lifetime. Part II follows Christian’s wife, Christiana, and their children as they follow in Christian’s footsteps. In both parts the “Christian” influence is very easy to see, as John Bunyan incorporated verses from Scripture about every other paragraph (sometimes multiple times in a single paragraph!). The story is intriguing, even for a modern-day audience, and gives a hard look at what it means to follow the path that leads to Christ. If you are looking for a sugar-coated conversion message, this is not it!

I loved John Bunyan’s devotion to using biblical references for all of twists and turns in this fantasy. You could almost say he got his entire story straight out of the Bible and just put it in a different order! To include Scripture verses consistently and repeatedly was a labor of love and faith (aided perhaps by the time John Bunyan spent in prison for preaching the Bible without conforming to the rules of the government at that time). And I appreciated his realistic perspective of what it means to be a Christian. The challenges faced on the journey and the temptations to veer off-course provided excellent conversational diving boards for my husband and I as we read this story together.

However, his style is a little too intense for me to imitate in my own works! Comparatively speaking, I certainly lean more towards the “fantasy” than the “faith” when it comes to story elements. Not to say that the Christian aspects of my stories are not important, just that I don’t want to overload my audience. I write to appeal to both Christians (who would enjoy a fantasy story that mirrors their beliefs) as well as non-Christians (who could enjoy the story without feeling preached at, and possibly might feel positively influenced towards Christ as they read). John Bunyan, I think, understood that only an audience of faith would fully appreciate his work, and even then, his original piece starts off with an “apology” to defend his decision to write and publish his book, and both parts are written as taking place inside a dream. Such intensity was a hard path for him to take as an author, but I’m thankful as a maturing Christian to have this novel to engage with. All levels of Christian fantasy are worthwhile, from those that give only the baby-steps of faith to those that plunge us into the deep end, as long as they direct us back to the truth.

You can read more of my blog and even discover my own books on my website:
https://www.lynnwallaceauthor.com/

The Pilgrim's Progress

BURST-ing Through Boundaries in Politics

One of my friends at church recently recommended the novel "Burst" by H.C. Daria. She told me that the main character’s struggle to discover the mysteries surrounding her powers and her past reminded her of Emer from "The Heart of Everything" and she thought I’d enjoy the story.

Well, I can honestly say that there was some overlap between Emer’s experience and Pasin’s predicament (both are seeking information on their magic or lack thereof, but Emer’s revelation occurs in chapter three, whereas Pasin waits for nearly half the book to learn the truth), but the stories diverge wildly beyond that. Pasin lives in a world where everyone has elemental powers of some sort – except her. After a strange set of circumstances on her 16th birthday, she finds herself accused of disturbing the peace and then suddenly gets whisked into the ladies of the court, where she soon becomes a favorite of the king. Discovering the truth of her “absence” of powers not only reveals the dark side of their ruler and his plans for domination, but also proves that she is more powerful than she could have possibly imagined.

Similar or not to my own novel, what I found most interesting in this story was the wide variety of political drama. The first third or so of this book focuses on palace intrigue, particularly between Pasin and the king, as Pasin learns her place in the court. There’s a rapid transition once Pasin discovers the truth, and for the next chunk of the story Pasin is part of a rebellion, with lots of travel, recruiting, training, etc. And the last ten chapters bring Pasin back to the palace, now as a captive struggling to use what little skill she has left to eliminate the king, before he marries her or worse.

Following Pasin on her journey helped me understand something about my preferences when it comes to political drama. I’ve never much cared for a focus on large groups of people fighting the current authority or important cause, such as the middle half of this book where Pasin works with the rebels day in and day out, or like the last book in the "Lunar Chronicles" when the major characters are plotting a war against the evil queen. But I do very much enjoy the political drama that focuses on only a few people: between Pasin and the king in the beginning of the book as they seem to fall in love, and then again between the two of them as she fights to free herself, or even during the wedding scene between Prince Kai and the Lunar Queen in the "Lunar Chronicles". I prefer that “personal” perspective in a story, whether the plot is war-focused or not – which probably explains my tendency to read romance novels, with their natural turn towards intimate moments.

Now, I may not write much in terms of rebellion or political intrigue, but it helps to know what fascinates me, and that such drama can be written well in a way that I prefer. Having that distinction clear in my head gives me examples to work from in the future, should my stories require a certain “twist” in the path.

What do you think? Share your thoughts in the comments section!

You can read more of my blog and even discover my own books on my website!
https://www.lynnwallaceauthor.com/

Burst

The Hanging City: Love Versus Fear

"The Hanging City" is my latest adventure into the world of (probably) my favorite author, Charlie N. Holmberg. This story takes place in a world where there are trolls (they happen to have a city built under a bridge, a rather creative twist on the traditional fairy tale) as well as humans, and both are fighting to survive in a world that is wrecked by drought. The tale follows Lark, whose desperation to seek refuge away from her abusive father has led her to the troll city of Cagmar, where she offers her ability to force fear into others as payment for letting her stay. She is accepted onto the team of “monster slayers” who protect the city from the dangerous creatures that live in the canyon below, but it’s the path of love and friendship that Lark follows which ends up being more dangerous than the monsters.

It’s interesting to watch the major themes that play out in this story, especially as they twist and intertwine. Lark has spent her entire life living with fear: not only by thrusting it into others, but having it beaten into her in her childhood home and follow her to every human town she can find. It’s not until she meets Azmar and develops a sense of belonging in the trollis city that she discovers an emotion more powerful than fear – love. The way the author lays bare the hills and valleys of their relationship gives the reader a deep glimpse into the dynamics between fear and love. It is not Lark’s fear of her father or her use of fear against the monsters of the canyon that nearly destroys her heart and soul – it is the denial of her love for Azmar, either by her own admission, the actions of the council, or by Azmar’s reaction after experiencing her “gift.” Likewise, we see in Azmar the triumph of love over fear: how he forces himself to flee rather than fight when Lark uses fear to drive him to safety, and even more so when he expresses that he was more afraid of losing her than when she used her powers on him. We hear it all the time, that love is more powerful than fear, but it is comforting to see such a visceral reminder of that simple truth.

Of course, Scripture tells us over and over again not to be afraid (the phrase “do not fear” appears 365 times in the Bible, once for each day of the year!). My favorite verse is Luke 2, verses 10-11: “And the angel said to them, ‘Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.’” Here we see there is no reason to fear, for God’s love for us has conquered all that we could ever be afraid of. And to take that lesson one step further, we can also see in “The Hanging City” that fear has consequences. Lark’s use of fear to drive out the canyon monsters to defeat the incoming human army nearly kills her, and she probably can’t ever do it again (certainly not if she wants to survive). Perhaps there is a reason the Bible tells us “do not be afraid” so many times ;-).

I’ve written many stories that circle around love, but none around fear. I don’t necessarily know that I would want to try, but watching the dynamics between love and another powerful emotion was enlightening and enjoyable as a reader. Perhaps doing something similar in my own books would add another level to the stories I write. What do you think? Share your thoughts in the comments section!

Read more of my blog and discover my own books on my website!
https://www.lynnwallaceauthor.com/

The Hanging City

Charlie N. Holmberg and the Multiplicity of Magic

I’m back again with more stories from one of my favorite authors, Charlie N. Holmberg. The most recent ones that I’ve read from her are the "Spellbreaker/ Spellmaker" duo. These two books follow the whirlwind courtship of Elsie Camden and Bacchus Kelsey in London of 1895 as they unravel the mystery of a series of murders involving wizards and the theft of their “opus,” the spell book that magic-users leave behind when they die.

As always, the author creates a charming new world of fantasy and a sweet love story. But what really stuck me this time around as I read was that this was a new world. In fact, all of the books she writes seem to take place in new worlds, regardless of whether the names of locations or the time periods stay the same. It seems that with every new story she writes, the form and rules of magic change.

For instance, the recent "Spellbreaker" series invokes magic in different disciplines (rational, physical, temporal, spiritual). In her "Paper Magician" series, magic users specialize in using different materials (paper, glass, metal, wood, plastic). "The Will and the Wilds" revolves around an enchanted stone in an imaginary world and "The Fifth Doll" revolves around enchanted nesting dolls in Russia. "Veins of Gold" involves a sort of nature magic that allows for the control of animals and takes place in America during the time of the gold rush, whereas "Magic Bitter, Magic Sweet" traces its enchantments back to “world makers” who aren’t even from Earth. Both the "Numina" series and "Followed by Frost" are in made-up realms, but "Followed by Frost" involves a freezing curse and the "Numina" books feature human vessels who can be used to harness powerful spirits.

As you can see, in each new book the magical element changes in some way. Even in the stories that seem similar (such as the "Spellbreaker" duet and the "Paper Magician" series, where in both magic users must train for licensing in their chosen vocation), the magic in each is dissimilar enough that those literary worlds can’t possibly coexist together.

Personally, I prefer to have stories that can all take place in the same universe. So all my vampires will have similar traits (sensitivity to sunlight until a certain age, crying tears of blood, etc.), all my witches will need spell books but my elves won’t, that sort of thing. I love the idea that all my characters could conceivably cross paths with one another in a fictional world. In fact, some of them do! (For example, Lisa and Brandon from “I Like You As a Friend, But Not a Zombie” in the anthology make an appearance in "The Heart of Everything".)

As exciting as it is to discover new theories of magic, I’ll probably continue to favor more consistency in my stories. What do you think? Share your thoughts in the comments section!

Read more of my blog and discover my own books on my website!
https://www.lynnwallaceauthor.com/

Spellbreaker
Spellmaker

Manga: Balance is Best!

My newest manga discovery was "Snow White with the Red Hair" by Sorata Akiduki. I was so excited when I first heard about it that I couldn’t wait until I had the funds to officially invest in my own copies, so I started reading it through my local public library :-D. I’m still working on collecting all the volumes for myself, but this story is worth the wait!

"Snow White with the Red Hair" is fantasy-type manga that takes place in a faraway kingdom. At the beginning of the tale, Shirayuki wants to become an herbalist, but the prince of Tanbarun is planning to make her his concubine! She makes a run for it and encounters Zen, the second prince of the nearby kingdom of Wisteria. Zen helps her escape from her plight and escorts her to his kingdom, where she becomes a full-fledged court herbalist. The rest of the story follows their adventures together (and apart!) as they develop deeper feelings for one another and work to overcome the gap between their social stations.

What impressed me the most about this story was how balanced the characters were. Often, characters are written with extreme characteristics and stereotypes. While this can be funny and distinctive, it can also get old after a while. It was refreshing to see that Shirayuki wasn’t a helpless princess, nor was she refusing assistance. She certainly did want to do things for herself and on her own, but she wasn’t above accepting help when she needed it. Even Zen, despite his stubbornness and rule-flouting tendencies, didn’t just rush off to do whatever he wanted all the time. Instead, he faithfully played the role of prince and followed his duty rather than his emotions.

Personally, I find it so much easier to connect with a character who knows how to flex and adapt as their situation changes. Plus, it was so exciting to see these characters build their relationship the “right way,” by working through the rules and customs of their world so they could perform the roles they’d been given to the best of their abilities. The notion of lovers who elope in order to pursue a forbidden relationship may seem romantic, but it’s also not very relatable for most of us. Watching a young couple go through the hard work of balancing their positions in society with their desire to be together was actually very encouraging for me, because it served as a reminder that love doesn’t have to come at the expense of family or career. Balance in all areas of living allows for a full and satisfying life, both in books and in reality ;-).

I certainly hope I’m able to weave a good sense of balance into my own novels. Well-balanced characters feel more realistic – even if my characters start off a bit extreme, I intend to write them into a better place of being by the end! (Just think of Jesse and how his temperament evened out over the course of my first two stories.) And I love the idea of writing a romance that finds a happy ending by following the rules rather than breaking them. Hard work really does pay off, and I want to encourage that in my books. Stay tuned to see how well I do!

What do you think? Share your thoughts in the comments section!

Read more of my blog and check out my own books at my website!
https://www.lynnwallaceauthor.com/

Snow White with the Red Hair, Vol. 1
Snow White with the Red Hair, Vol. 2
Snow White with the Red Hair, Vol. 3
Snow White with the Red Hair, Vol. 4
Snow White with the Red Hair, Vol. 5
Sorata Akiduki

Songbirds and Snakes, Part 2: Darkness Done Right

​I admit, there was just so much food for thought that came from Suzanne Collins’ prequel to the Hunger Games novels that I find myself writing yet another post about it!

I mentioned in the previous post that I was thankful to know in advance that this story would not have a “happy” ending. In some ways, this book reminds me of reading "Fairest" from the Lunar Chronicles, in that it catalogues the journey of a decent character into the role of villain. Yet, reading "The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes" was not so dark and depressing as "Fairest." The evil queen from Marissa Meyers’ works consciously refused the options that would have kept her from her dark path, whereas Coriolanus’ descent is more of a series of unfortunate events. His history of growing up in the war-torn Capitol causes him to choose order over freedom and slowly costs him a happy life in lieu of one filled with comfort and power.

The saddest moment for me was not the actual falling out between him and Lucy Grey. I already knew things would not work out for them, based on the fact that he becomes President Snow in the trilogy and Lucy is nowhere to be seen. So, I did not have positive expectations there. For me, the true disappointment was when Dr. Gaul – the odious, despicable Dr. Gaul (I really didn’t like her) – makes light of his experiences as a Peacekeeper in District 12, calling it a “summer vacation.” As if the time he spent being stripped of his future, considering suicide, betraying his best friend, loving the girl of his dreams and then leaving her to die was somehow meaningless except as an educational experience. I admit, it brought tears to my eyes to think that the most pivotal moments of his life were being swept under a rug.

And yet, despite the disappointments and dark moments, Coriolanus’ story has real redeeming value as it gives a crystal-clear picture of a world without hope. Having grown up during the war and its aftermath, he knows only the desperation to survive, and equates survival with having power. Having no other refuge to place his trust in, all of his choices keep him circling back to the Capitol as the source of order and stability against chaos, clinging to power as his only option for comfort. It made me wonder: had he known Christ, and had something else to pin his hopes on, could his story have ended differently?

I’ve never been a big fan of any story that doesn’t have a happy ending, as I’m sure many of y’all know by now XD. But I’m starting to see that maybe the dark tales, the ones that don’t end on a high note, may in fact have their place after all. They say that if you can’t be a good example, then you’ll just have to be a horrible warning – and what better arena than that of the written word to display both the darkness and the light that shines against it?

Read more of my blog and discover my own books on my website!
https://www.lynnwallaceauthor.com/

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

Songbirds and Snakes, Part 1: Creative Characters

The creator of the Hunger Games novels, Suzanne Collins, outdid herself when she wrote the prequel book, "The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes." Within its lengthy pages (this novel was even longer than its predecessors) we see the infamous President Snow as a young man and follow along with his pivotal choices that lead to the Hunger Games as we see them in the original trilogy.

Traditionally, I would have read the actual Hunger Games novels first. But since I already knew the story more or less from the films, I wanted the experience of reading all the books in chronological order and seeing the pieces fall into place as I go, instead of retrospectively. I was thankful I already knew that Snow would turn to the “dark side,” otherwise his losses and choices at the end of the book would have been very depressing indeed!

I must say, Suzanne Collins has a real gift for character creation. Within the first few chapters, I was already hooked on Coriolanus Snow and Lucy Grey. They aren’t even the type of characters I relate to, yet they were pleasantly complex and intriguing. Snow is an upper-class Capitol boy with high breeding, but his family is poor and starving, and all of his ambitions stem from his desire to provide for them. Lucy Grey is a backwater tribute from District 12, but she’s also a brilliant singer. Anyone who can give a stage performance immediately after being handed a death sentence deserves my respect!

In fact, as the book ended, instead of being angry at these characters for their decisions, I found myself sad for them. I felt that the dark world in which they lived led them to the choices they made, and in reality, there was probably never a chance for any of them to live happily. Their standards were set low, and all of their dreams and desires were born out of the struggle to survive. None of them would have been able to even imagine the kind of “happy ending” we dream about in the here and now, little lone work toward such a goal. Despite all that happened, I am impressed that I don’t hate Coriolanus or Lucy or even Sejanus, idiot though he was (even if it really was Coriolanus who turned him in). It is a tribute to Suzanne Collins’ mastery as a writer that I can feel so attached to these characters even as I disagree with so many of their choices. Often, as characters veer away from the path I’d like to see them take, I lose touch with them and the story, but that’s not the case here.

I can only hope that someday I’m able to write such amazing and in-depth characters. A character you continue to root for even after they turn astray is a sign of great writing and indicates a story that will stick with you long after you’ve finished the book. For if we can cheer for someone in a book even as they fail, then perhaps we will be encouraged to love our neighbors and those around us in reality, even as they stumble and fall ;-).

Read more of my blog and discover my own books on my website!
https://www.lynnwallaceauthor.com/

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

Harry Potter: Not the Same Once You Grow Up

​The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling is one of those sets of stories that continue to enthrall and entertain, not just new generations of readers, but also those who’ve read all the books and wish to keep living in that wizarding world even after the last page. It’s been over a decade and a half since volume 7 was released, and I can still find Harry Potter toys and products in stores and online. Popularity may come in phases, but this magical realm doesn’t seem to be fading away anytime soon.

Recently I reread the complete Harry Potter series for the first time since the books were released, and I must say, it is VERY different to read those stories as an adult versus as a child! The experience did not decline in the slightest – I think knowing the ending only made the story more impressive as I reread it, instead of less so. There were also elements that I noticed more this second time around. The parts of Harry’s story that revealed the child abuse and neglect he suffered at the hands of the Dursleys stood out much more clearly now that I’m a parent. When I was a child, those rough moments were merely a starting point to contrast with the magical world he would discover. As a parent with young children of my own, his suffering seemed much more heartbreaking. Part of me wonders how Harry became a hero at all – his terrible home life should have made him a bad egg. Even Dumbledore comments on how amazing Harry’s development is, in book 6: “Yes, Harry, you can love… which, given everything that has happened to you, is a great and remarkable thing.” But I suppose the miracle of fiction is that good overcomes what social science tells us about negative childhood influences.

My hyper-awareness of his hardships shed new light on the rest of his story, which allowed me to see the fictional miracle of his tale even more clearly. Out of the tragic came something heroic. Harry’s abusive childhood meant that he was used to suffering; he was better prepared to endure the trials of fighting Voldemort than others. His terrible backstory made finding friends and acceptance at Hogwarts all the more precious, such a relief after a decade of rejection – of course he would be willing to give up anything to defend them, to fight dearly for all he loved. His background made him the perfect choice to be a hero, because he was not afraid to make the sacrifices required of him. In short, Harry Potter was the only person who could have defeated Voldemort, because he was the only one willing to take the necessary steps.

Perhaps, in light of everything, Harry’s heroism is not so surprising after all. But that doesn’t make his story any less amazing. The revelation that your backstory can define you without limiting you is wonderful encouragement to those who are broken, or who live with broken people (which is to say, all of us). The complex intertwining of fate and choice make it impossible to choose one over the other for the crux of the story, and the best way to describe the interplay of the two would be to say that the story worked out well by the end. I tried to incorporate these concepts into the stories of Emer, Jesse, and Alex – that balance between what you choose and what is chosen for you, as well as a conclusion that makes the story overall feel complete. My efforts are not nearly as deep and rich as a seven-part series, but they are there, and it’s something I will continue to work into future books (though of course, what some people call “fate” I prefer to write as God’s plan).

Read more of my blog and discover my own books on my website!

https://www.lynnwallaceauthor.com/

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

The Divine Comedy: A Vision of the Afterlife

Finally, after years of having the book on my “to-read” list, I finished Dante’s "Divine Comedy." I’d only been intending to go back and finish the book since college, when we read part of Inferno for one of my classes, and that was… Well, on second thought, let’s not talk about how many years ago that was ><.

The point is that I finally did it! I have officially read the entire work. For those of you unfamiliar with this classic, Dante’s "Divine Comedy" (written in the early 1300s) follows the journey of Dante himself as he traverses through hell, purgatory, and finally heaven in a quest for revelation and salvation of his own soul, guided first by the poet Virgil and later by Beatrice (named after a character in another of Dante’s works). Along the way Dante learns much about the inhabitants of each realm, as well as great detail on the various sins and virtues extolled within each dominion. (I won’t get into a debate on all of Dante’s perceptions of Christianity or his specific portrayals of the afterlife itself. Although written over 700 years ago, some of his points are still relevant today. For instance, the argument that accomplishments do not equal or guarantee salvation; we see this reinforced when Virgil and the other great Greek poets are portrayed as clearly situated in the outer rings of hell, and remain unsaved.)

What strikes me most about this epic is simply that his descriptions of heaven and hell are so very different from what we often imagine today. I’ve long been fascinated by Dante’s picture of hell, ever since my first reading of it. The greatest surprise was that instead of blazing fires and brimstone like I had always imagined, Dante’s hell gets colder and colder the deeper you go, symbolizing a lack of God’s grace and “warmth.” Appropriately, this serves to emphasize that hell itself is not the true punishment – it is the absence from God that is so painful. Likewise, heaven is not filled with winged angels playing harps, but is built like its own solar system: each ring of souls is like a constellation of stars, growing brighter and brighter as one ascends closer to the throne of God.

Although not nearly on the same scale, I, too, attempt to create my own unique perception of realms beyond this one. In my version of hell (as seen in "The Heart of Everything" and "Beyond the Soul"), time operates differently, there are illusions and visual tricks, along with an intense heat (or intense cold, the further in you go!) and sulfuric smell – all designed to assault the senses and confuse those who are trapped. Mine is a very physical and literal hell. It may not be symbolically deep like Dante’s, but it’s still not a place I’d like to go!

Read more of my blog and discover my own books on my website!
https://www.lynnwallaceauthor.com/

The Divine Comedy