Marbeth Skwarczynski's Blog, page 6

What is Popular is Not Always Wrong

Another school year has begun, and across the world, teachers have put up banners and posters reading:

What is right is not always popular, and what is popular is not always right–Albert Einstein

There is a reason this quote is on so many posters and banners. It is pithy, easy to remember, and sparks conversation. It serves as a reminder to students (and teachers) of the importance of standing up for what is right despite possible backlash.

But, of course, there will always be a not-so-small part of the population who will misunderstand the message. They will assume that if their ideas have any pushback whatsoever, it must mean that they are not popular and, therefore, must be right.

On the other side of that same coin, they will assume that if something is popular, it is automatically wrong. Or at least fair game for their outrageous and ridiculous criticism. Many of those so anxious to jump on the anti-popular bandwagon are utterly unaware of what it is they are protesting. They simply repeat what they have heard and stand by that gossip as if it were gospel.

There is an unfortunate lack of critical thinking at play. Those whose knee-jerk reaction is to hate anything culturally significant tend to glom together, taking comfort from each other and finding a weird kind of renown of their own. They create a tight little echo chamber where no one can convince them that they may be wrong in their assessments.

When I was a teacher, I had to grow out of that mindset. It was easier than I could have imagined. I simply read the popular books for myself.

Actually, I did it for my students.

It all started when junior high girls who were devouring 500-page books and talking to each other about characters and plots came to me devastated that their reading material was under attack from other teachers and chapel speakers. I knew for a fact that none of the other teachers had read the books. They were just repeating what they had heard others say about them.

I asked one of my students if I could borrow her copy of the first book. I loved it from the first chapter. The YA novel was clean, witty, and influenced by Pride and Prejudice, with a smattering of Dracula and some world mythology thrown in. The FMC was intelligent and wise beyond her years. The MMC was also an old spirit whose “found family” offered him plenty of opportunity to express his emotions and work through his feelings (including those confusing ones concerning the “new girl” in town). The two characters shared the usual high-school pathos with unusual maturity. They cared deeply for their families and each other.

When I returned the borrowed book to my student, I told her I’d bought my own copy. I went on to purchase the others in the series, waiting with everyone else for the last installment to finally be released.

I gladly talked to the young women on campus about the books–during their lunch hour and between classes. I was the only teacher who would discuss and defend them. My coworkers still sneered at the novels, and I watched a phenomenon develop. The girls continued to read and discuss books, but the boys followed the examples set by their male teachers, mocking and teasing the girls for their reading material.

Except it was not just that one set of books. Another series was released, the girls started reading them, the male teachers and special speakers spoke out against them, and the boys continued their mockery. In the microcosm of my classroom, I watched this anti-popularity wave hit and recede year after year.

It wasn’t just things “of the world” that we were warned against. It was also things of a sacred nature that didn’t align with certain church beliefs, including:

Contemporary musicBible translationsChristian novelsFashion Christian cartoonsEnergy drinks

I am no longer a teacher, but I am still watching the same pattern play out with every new thing that enjoys even a smidgeon of popularity. Most people in the anti-popular crowd will loudly proclaim that they will “Never, ever read that book/watch that movie!” and yet claim that they know what that book/movie is about and demand that everyone boycott it. It is also an unfortunate truth that many who are so vehemently opposed to pop-culture phenomenons on moral grounds have no problem lying about them. They offer dire warnings to their listeners, backing themselves up with fabricated quotes and examples. If someone has read the book/watched the movie for themselves and objects to the lies told, they are automatically dismissed because they “shouldn’t have read/watched it in the first place.” There is no room for critical thinking or debate.

And that’s a shame. It is a fact that not everything that is popular IS right, but if EVERYTHING is labeled as wrong, then we are missing out on some incredible opportunities for intellectual, moral, and spiritual growth.

Hearing a speaker claim that parents should not let their children participate in “pop culture” but instead provide them with classics sounded good on its face, but my students learned that all classics had their beginnings in popular culture. Michaelangelo and DiVinci were well-known for their artistic talents and inventions. Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales was a best seller long before the printing press was even invented. People of every economic class attended Shakespeare’s plays at the Globe Theater. Mozart’s music was wildly popular in his day. Beethoven’s 9th Symphony was received with a standing ovation. Jane Austen, The Bronte Sisters, and Mary Shelley all changed literature as we know it, giving women voices both on and off the page and popularizing the novel.

Today, we consider the words, the music, and the art from these creators to be classics. Despite criticism, boycotts, and warnings, they’ve stood the test of time. The works they left behind prompt us to ask questions about our humanity and our place in the world. They encourage us to seek the answers. They demand critical thinking.

It is okay to skip over something that might not be to your taste, but don’t assume that it’s worthless, evil, or destructive. Don’t demand that everyone follow your example in avoiding it. If you’ve watched or read something you don’t like, a kind critique may be in order. However, if it is something you’ve passed over, an opinion other than “It didn’t look like something I’d be interested in, so I didn’t watch/read it” is inappropriate. There’s no need to embellish with things you’ve learned second, third, or even fourth-hand since it’s likely that the information you’ve received is biased. Either skip it quietly or research it for yourself.

Answer those tough questions, even if those questions are scary. Even if they challenge your way of thinking. Don’t be so afraid that you give someone else the power to think for you.

You may discover that just because something is popular, it doesn’t mean it’s wrong.

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Published on August 26, 2023 14:43

Background Noise

Because of the way my brain works, I need a combination of background noise and silence while I work. I never know until I’m writing what it is going to be. Yesterday, I spent about an hour in a noisy restaurant and thought, This would be a great place to write. Back when I first started, my writing set-up was a table near a window of a Pizza Hut near Mount San Jacinto Community College. The result was a 150,000-word historical fiction novel.

Sometimes the noise I require is music. Sometimes, it’s a movie or TV show in the background. For instance, I’ve got The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey playing while I write this blog post. I credit Pepper Basham for this particular selection. She’s referenced the LOTR movies so much in her Skymar series that I felt they deserved a rewatch.

On rare occasions, quiet is preferred. I’ll get into a zone and won’t even realize that a movie or song has ended, and I’ve just kept going. I don’t really don’t care which it is as long as the words keep flowing. They’ve been flowing beautifully lately, inspiring me to up my writing game.

I’ve decided to write as if every day is part of NaNoWriMo. Let me elaborate if you’re unfamiliar with NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month). Every November, hundreds of thousands of writers make a commitment to write a 50,000-word project. This requires writing 1,667 words per day. It’s a great way to kick-start a novel.

In November of 2022, I wrote my 50,000 words and felt pretty good about it. Then, I set it aside and went back to a previous project. Switching back and forth between manuscripts allows me to gain perspective and gives me the distance I need to see plot holes and problems. However, the number of projects can sometimes multiply with very little encouragement.

If you ask writers how many manuscripts they have going at one time, they’ll probably forget to list half of them until you start prodding. While preparing The Art of Persisting, I was also doing rewrites on my NaNoWriMo manuscript. And starting two YA novels. And doing some minor rewrites on the original historical fiction manuscript (that is still not ready to publish).

But The Art of Persisting has been launched, and now I can focus on the NaNoWriMo novel full-time. And the Christmas novella I started yesterday. And the idea I had this morning for a stand-alone novel.

Okay, so I have a problem. A wonderfully delicious problem. I have too many stories to write and share, and for that, I am thankful. Better to have too many than too few.

But, my commitment to writing at least 1,700 words a day has been as rewarding as my NaNoWriMo journey each year. Crafting the scene that will be referenced on the cover of the next Rose Collection novel was especially fun.

It’s an exciting process. A bit noisy at times, but exhilarating all the same.

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Published on August 19, 2023 17:01

Writing Reflections

Even introverted lurkers like me can have big weeks. For instance, this week, I sat in front of my mirror and put on make-up. TWICE!

Now, those who knew me before I became a full-time writer won’t get that because they ONLY saw me when I wore makeup. I never went to church or work without it. At this time of year, when I hunkered down in my house furiously trying to finish writing textbooks and spelling tests before having to go back to teach school, I looked pretty rough, but I didn’t welcome people into my disheveled, makeup-less world.

Actually, I still don’t. Not when people can SEE me anyway.

On Monday, I was interviewed for Jennifer Sienes’s podcast, Between the Lines https://www.jennifersienes.com/podcast/, so I wanted to look my best. I faced my reflection in the mirror and prepared to go all out. I combed and sprayed my hair, put on makeup, added jewelry, and wore an actual blouse instead of one of my husband’s ratty t-shirts.

When my husband came home that night, he stopped in his tracks and said, “Are we supposed to go somewhere?”

“No. I had a podcast interview.”

“Oh, good. I saw the makeup and jewelry and thought, ‘Oh, no, I’ve forgotten something.'”

While it was nice getting dressed up, that wasn’t what the interview was about. Sitting down at my computer and talking to a fellow author about the craft of writing realistic contemporary Christian fiction was incredibly comforting and encouraging. Opening our hearts to each other about the issues facing families and churches today was healing. I spent nearly an hour talking with a stranger, realizing she was quickly becoming a new friend. I shared that my books deal with spiritual and church abuse. Her books focus on starting over and reclaiming one’s faith. Both of our sub-genres reflect what we know of the real world.

On Thursday, I face my mirror again, doing minimum makeup so I could lurk on a FB event called ROM COM Takes the Stage. It featured three authors of Christian romantic comedy books: Pepper Basham, Toni Shiloh, and Angela Ruth Strong. It was a different conversation than I’d had on Monday. This charming and happy group giggled and laughed throughout their conversation. I was familiar only with Pepper Basham’s books and loved the strong and healthy family ties throughout Authentically Izzy and Positively Penelope. I sat quietly and took everything in. My lurking was on point! As a former lit teacher, I know that even comedic books come with a bit of conflict, and I was curious how these humorous writers dealt with real-life issues as they wrote. I learned a great deal and found more authors to follow and read.

Today, I’m back to a makeup-less existence with wild hair and a ratty t-shirt. My goals today include writing a blog post (check!) and adding another 2,000 words to my WIP manuscript. I don’t need makeup for that.

And I don’t need to fancy myself up to connect to my readers as we talk about the “big things” in life.

I started the morning by connecting with a potential reader who reached out to me. She’d heard that I’d written a book about physical abuse disguised as discipline (No Longer Invisible). In the novel, I mention an infamous child-rearing book that has done more to draw children away from God and their families than anything the world has come up with. I shared the title she was looking for, then remained online to chat with this wonderful and encouraging woman.

Last night, I received a text from a reader asking about troubled teen homes (mentioned in The Art of Persisting), and she expressed her surprise at the similarities of the real homes in the way they are run. She mentioned how many of them are “almost all identical in the way they abuse people.” She wondered if the advertised “80% success rate” touted by one of them was their success rate of breaking people down. I wholeheartedly agree with her assessment.

I spent a lifetime in church hearing about “broken people.” Usually, it was the “unsaved” who were labeled as such. Now, I see that many churches were responsible for “breaking” the people of their own congregations. Many families were broken because parents were encouraged to read books that claimed raising children was the same as raising animals and telling parents to use physical punishment and “psychological terror” to “shape” them. Or they could send their children to places like troubled teen homes, many of which were led by abusive directors. Many parents were prompted to disown children who did not remain in the church as adults.

Many churches today are spiritual messes, and the work to clean them up is multi-faceted. As writers, our work is creating books with relatable characters and realistic conflict. Not everyone reading this will think that a writer’s work will bring about real change. But the written word (fiction and nonfiction) has done that for thousands of years. It’s one of the reasons abusive organizations warn people against reading “unapproved” books.

As a member of a “messy” congregation, I listened to the warnings against reading books of every ilk (popular, suspense, mystery, romance, etc). I can’t count the number of times church leaders mentioned “Christian romance” with a sneer. I even witnessed a history professor of a Christian college claim (from the pulpit) that they were “proud” that one of the “ladies from our college” published a historical fiction book but say in the same breath, “It’s not something I would ever read, but if it’s your thing, yeah, check it out.”

Christian writers tend to speak not only from the heart but from the hurt and the hope of the human experience.

Jennifer Sienes writes books about people starting over after tragedy. Pepper Basham writes about close family ties that protect its members from outside harm while encouraging independence and providing spiritual and physical support. I write about spiritual abuse’s pervasiveness and its long-term effects on believers. All of our books reflect real-world experiences.

Even when people can’t see me, I’ll do my work. And when it’s time for a face-to-face conversation, I’ll put on the make-up. I’ll do whatever it takes to get the message across: breaking people isn’t okay. Abuse in the name of discipline isn’t okay. Harming people in any way (spiritually, emotionally, physically, economically, sexually, etc) isn’t okay. Using the name and person of Christ to harm others needs to stop. Protecting abusers because you don’t want to “hurt a church’s ministry” is covering and promoting sin. Accusing victims (especially when those victims are minors) of lying or attempting to seduce their abusers is gross and evil. Abusers need to be turned over to the police, and the victims need to be protected as they begin the long and difficult healing process.

It goes beyond mascara and blush and being “camera ready.” It even goes beyond the pages of a book. It’s about loving others as Christ loved us–as we are. THAT is the reflection Christian writers want to show the world.

Pepper Basham can write lighthearted ROM COMs because her characters live Christ’s love. The cousins and siblings in Authentically Izzy may tease and joke, but they are also passionately protective of each other.

Jennifer Sienes presents heartbreaking situations where the reader can understand and sympathize with a person’s wavering faith in the midst of hardship, but she also provides her characters with family and friends who will support them while they recover and rediscover the love of Christ.

My characters have “rescuers” (as we all do at one time or another) who become the hands of Christ, lovingly allowing the time to heal.

Writers hold up our mirrors for much more than make-up. We use characters to reflect the lives of those in the real world, letting real people know they are not unseen. They are not alone.

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Published on August 12, 2023 13:00

The Ghost Writer Review

My Review

A rambunctious and surprisingly heartfelt book, The Ghost Writer by LG Nixon is a brilliant addition to Christian middle-school fiction.

Lucy Hornberger was chosen (in book one) by the godly spirit, Iam, to physically fight battles that most would see only as spiritual. It’s a big job for someone so you and unformed, but with the help of her best friend, Schulyler, and the guidance of Iam, Lucy is ready and willing to do whatever it takes to protect her friends, family, and school from the forces of darkness.

While there is plenty of action of the spiritual warfare variety, Lucy must also confront the difficult issues of real life. LG Nixon doesn’t shy away from the problems middle schoolers face, like unkind teachers, parental job loss, death in the family, and potential homelessness. And yet, throughout the entire novel, there is a beautiful umbrella of empathy among its many characters. Lucy steps up to help wherever she’s needed. Despite her jokey (and sometimes cringy) dialog with her best friend, the love Lucy feels shines through and makes this book a joy to read.

About the Book

Book: The Ghost Writer, book two

Author: LG Nixon

Genre: Young Adult Fiction/Religious/Christian Fantasy/Mysteries & Detective Stories

Release Date: December, 2021

Ghost hunters, Lucy Hornberger and Schuyler Williams, are chasing ghosts through their school. As they vanquish one ghost, another ghost appears, and Lucy gets blamed for the destruction. She soon learns someone has been cursed, but who?

Darnathian and his Irredaemon forces are still after Lucy’s artifact, called the Spectrescope. It allows her to see and track spirits. It also hides the Spirit Sword that vanquishes the daemons. Darnathian is determined to learn the source of the Spectrescope’s ancient magic, unlock its secrets and find the Life Tree. If he can eliminate Lucy Hornberger, all the better.

Using the power of the magical artifacts that were in the trunk she purchased from the vendor at the flea market, Lucy and Schuyler must end the hauntings, break the curse, protect the Spectrescope, and do it all without getting expelled from school. Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Meet LG Nixon, author, coffee connoisseur, motorcycle enthusiast, and collector of strange artifacts. With her zany imagination, she fuses a page-turning fantasy with a haunting theme and turns it into a spirit filled adventure with quirky and likable characters. After a long career, she left the workplace behind and turned to writing. Her stories are lighthearted but carry an underlying message of the importance of a Biblical worldview. She researches and writes full-time from her home in Michigan where she prowls the night star gazing and watching for a supernatural event. LG loves to ski, ride motorcycles, travel, and fly small planes; but no bungee jumping, thank you very much.

The Ghost Writer

My Review

A rambunctious and surprisingly heartfelt book, The Ghost Writer by LG Nixon is a brilliant addition to Christian middle-school fiction.

Lucy Hornberger was chosen (in book one) by the godly spirit, Iam, to physically fight battles that most would see only as spiritual. It’s a big job for someone so you and unformed, but with the help of her best friend, Schulyler, and the guidance of Iam, Lucy is ready and willing to do whatever it takes to protect her friends, family, and school from the forces of darkness.

While there is plenty of action of the spiritual warfare variety, Lucy must also confront the difficult issues of real life. LG Nixon doesn’t shy away from the problems middle schoolers face, like unkind teachers, parental job loss, death in the family, and potential homelessness. And yet, throughout the entire novel, there is a beautiful umbrella of empathy among its many characters. Lucy steps up to help wherever she’s needed. Despite her jokey (and sometimes cringy) dialog with her best friend, the love Lucy feels shines through and makes this book a joy to read.

About the Book

Book: The Ghost Writer, book two

Author: LG Nixon

Genre: Young Adult Fiction/Religious/Christian Fantasy/Mysteries & Detective Stories

Release Date: December, 2021

Ghost hunters, Lucy Hornberger and Schuyler Williams, are chasing ghosts through their school. As they vanquish one ghost, another ghost appears, and Lucy gets blamed for the destruction. She soon learns someone has been cursed, but who?

Darnathian and his Irredaemon forces are still after Lucy’s artifact, called the Spectrescope. It allows her to see and track spirits. It also hides the Spirit Sword that vanquishes the daemons. Darnathian is determined to learn the source of the Spectrescope’s ancient magic, unlock its secrets and find the Life Tree. If he can eliminate Lucy Hornberger, all the better.

Using the power of the magical artifacts that were in the trunk she purchased from the vendor at the flea market, Lucy and Schuyler must end the hauntings, break the curse, protect the Spectrescope, and do it all without getting expelled from school. Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Meet LG Nixon, author, coffee connoisseur, motorcycle enthusiast, and collector of strange artifacts. With her zany imagination, she fuses a page-turning fantasy with a haunting theme and turns it into a spirit filled adventure with quirky and likable characters. After a long career, she left the workplace behind and turned to writing. Her stories are lighthearted but carry an underlying message of the importance of a Biblical worldview. She researches and writes full-time from her home in Michigan where she prowls the night star gazing and watching for a supernatural event. LG loves to ski, ride motorcycles, travel, and fly small planes; but no bungee jumping, thank you very much.

A Mountain Too Steep Review

A Mountain Too Steep was my first Robin Patchen book, and I was blown away by the sharp, incisive writing that somehow also offered an intimate and compassionate insight into the main character’s life.

Camilla Wright has already dealt with too much. For years, she dealt with gradually losing her husband to his job and then lost him for good to a gangland assassin. To help her children cope, Camilla decided they would all start over. She moved them to another state, started a new career, and found a new church where they could worship. She didn’t expect her late husband’s lawyer to follow them and insist on inserting himself into her life as a potential new love interest. Still, having a family friend around was nice, especially when tragedy struck.

A late-night call informing her that her son, Jeremy was in a horrific car accident. He was skiing with his cousin out of state, but the crash happened in the desert. Camilla informs her daughter, then gets on a plane, heading for the hospital.

But dealing with her son’s life-threatening injuries is only the beginning of Camilla’s nightmare. There may be more to the traffic accident than anyone first thought.

A heart-pounding novel that draws the reader in from the first page and clutches them tight through dozens of twists and turns. A brilliant novel.

About the Book

Book: A Mountain Too Steep

Author: Robin Patchen

Genre: Women’s Fiction/Suspense

Release Date: July 18, 2023

A car accident that might not be an accident at all. A murderer bent on revenge. And a woman desperate to keep her family together.

She’s already lost her soul mate. She’ll do anything to protect her children.

For the sake of her kids, Camilla Wright managed to survive after her husband’s murder. When she’s awakened in the night with the news that her teenage son and nephew have been in a horrific car accident, she rushes to the hospital in a haze of shock and panic.

The boys were supposed to be skiing in the mountains east of Salt Lake City. What were they doing so far west? More alarming, the wreck might not have been an accident at all.

While Jeremy fights for his life, Camilla is running out of time to discover who lured her son and her nephew into the desert. With each new clue, the terrifying truth becomes clearer.

Her husband’s killers are closing in…

About the Author

Robin Patchen is a USA Today bestselling and award-winning author of Christian romantic suspense. She grew up in a small town in New Hampshire, the setting of her Nutfield Saga books, and then headed to Boston to earn a journalism degree. After college, working in marketing and public relations, she discovered how much she loathed the nine-to-five ball and chain. After relocating to the Southwest, she started writing her first novel while she homeschooled her three children. The novel was dreadful, but her passion for storytelling didn’t wane. Thankfully, as her children grew, so did her writing ability. Now that her kids are adults, she has more time to play with the lives of fictional heroes and heroines, wreaking havoc and working magic to give her characters happy endings. When she’s not writing, she’s editing or reading, proving that most of her life revolves around the twenty-six letters of the alphabet. Visit robinpatchen.com/subscribe to receive a free book and stay informed about Robin’s latest projects.

The Team of My Dreams

As an indie author, much of my writing experience is “learning as I go.” I published my first novel after a professional edit, thinking that after formatting the novel and launching the book, I was done. Not so much. While reading my ebook, I discovered mistakes that neither the editor nor I caught. I also realized that there were problems with the formatting. I made what corrections I could on my first novel and rereleased it while working on book two.

Book two went a little smoother. I found a new editor and also came to realize that it was my responsibility to continue the editing process even after she was done. No one can catch everything, and multiple sets of eyes helps. The formatting was still a cause of frustration. Still, I loved the character of Caroline Taft in Twists, Turns, and Curves.

For book three, I discovered that I could order proofs of my books. I purchased five. I kept one and handed the other four out to my editor, my sister, my alpha reader, and a new online friend I met who was also an author. Her name is Catherine Brusk, and I got in contact with her after reading her amazing debut novel, What Love Washed Up. Our online conversations led her to read my earlier books, and she often claims that she’d be Caroline Taft’s best friend–you know–if Caroline Taft were real. I got it. I was pretty impressed with Catherine’s character, Jessi Campbell, who was attempting to live a normal life after a childhood of being trafficked by her stepfather. It is an absolutely brilliant book, and I strongly recommend it.

For Reinvention and Wise and Mighty, my Beta readers continued to give me beautiful advice, and the publications of books four and five went smoothly–with the exception of the formatting issues, which are totally the fault of the Kindle Create software. As frustrating as it is working with the program, I am learning to finesse it. I’m also constantly leaving feedback of my own with the Kindle Create IT people that they need to PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE fix it so that all the paragraphs line up!

When it came to book six, The Art of Persisting, there were some changes to my Beta reader lineup. Instead of my usual four, I had six phenomenal women who stepped forward and offered to read, give me feedback, and post reviews on their social media pages. Some of these women were new-to-me readers. They were generous with their time, and I felt honored that they gave my work a chance.

Along with my Beta team were early readers of my new release who immediately reviewed, rated, and recommended The Art of Persisting. I am so very thankful for their support and kindness.

A couple of years ago, Jane Daly asked me to read one of her novels, Broken, and write up a recommendation. I did it gladly since I’d just read her novel The Girl in the Cardboard Box. When I asked her if she’d be on my Beta team, she said yes and asked if I’d return the favor when the third book in her series was ready–I mean, how could I pass that up? OF COURSE, I want to read it!

It’s been a week since The Art of Persisting has been released, and I’m excited to see Ginger Douglass’s story out in the world. While I think that many of her past experiences are unfortunately relatable, it is her strength as she reclaims her life that reminds us that there is hope in claiming the lives for which we were made.

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Published on July 29, 2023 13:42

Half-a-Dozen Roses

Yesterday, I launched the sixth book of The Rose Collection, The Art of Persisting. Ginger Douglass has officially joined the ranks of main characters who thrive while healing from spiritual abuse and trauma.

Ginger is a character who demanded her story be told. I didn’t get it right at first, so I deleted half my manuscript and started over. The result was the story of a strong single woman crafting a life for herself.

Originally, Ginger was supposed to have a love interest. It was her best friend who was going to be my single character. It didn’t work out that way. I couldn’t break the friends-to-more bond between Julia and Dan. More importantly, though, I wanted my single woman’s story to be front and center.

The daughter of church planters, Ginger spent her early in an RV criss-crossing the country. They “sacrificed” their mission, remaining in the town of their home church, so Ginger could attend a Christian school. The sacrifice didn’t last long. Soon, her parents were back on the road, and Ginger lived with various church families.

That’s when Ginger discovered she was adopted. Her birth mother had been a resident at a home for wayward girls. No one knows her name or who Ginger’s birth father is.

As an adult, her desire to learn about her birth parents is dwarfed by the many obstacles of real life, like getting priced out of her apartment, establishing her career, and dealing with triggers that compel her to relive her past trauma when all she wants is a good night’s sleep.

I’ve come to love Ginger. She insists on making progress and building the safe and secure life she’s always wanted.

Get your copy of Ginger’s story here:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CCKWMJ52/ref=mp_s_a_1_7?keywords=marbeth+skwarczynski&qid=1690010175&sr=8-7&ref_=d6k_applink_bb_dls&dplnkId=291c82b3-47d6-490b-9d00-1e3ed3b6bd0f

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Published on July 23, 2023 11:23

Want to Read vs. Need to Read

My reading selection used to contain books I wanted to read and books I needed to read.

Before I became a teacher, tackling that “needed to read” pile made me feel less inadequate. I filled in my educational and social gaps by following lists with titles like “Books Everyone Should Read” or “Top 100 Novels.” After I began teaching, I added the goal of reading books referred to or sampled in the history and literature textbooks I used.

The American literature book had about three chapters of Moby Dick (the very beginning and the end), and as a teacher, I was expected to relay the entire scope of the book based on a sample size that didn’t make sense, so I made a point of reading Moby Dick. I discovered that the selected chapters were pretty much useless when it came to understanding the story.

The British literature book did the same thing with Beowulf. The writers of the textbook provided a small sample size of an epic poem, and I, as the teacher, was expected to fill in the blanks. Eventually, I started writing my own literature program and included full-sized reading books in the curriculum. I could pull great examples from different eras throughout literary history because I’d read them. It also allowed me to close the gaps in the old curriculum, like the fact that the British literature textbook had NO WOMEN WRITERS in it. That’s right—an British LITERATURE TEXTBOOK with no mention of Mary Shelley, Jane Austen, or the Bronte sisters. The old American literature textbook wasn’t even in chronological order and contained zero Native American myths or legends. It also ignored the Harlem Renaissance. (How can you ignore the poetry of that era?)

Not every “needed to read” book was enjoyable. Sometimes, I kept with them to discuss them if they ever came up in conversation. I pushed myself, and, for the most part, I benefitted from doing so. In other instances, though, I could have donated the books I didn’t care for and gone on my merry way.

About a month ago, one of my sons was teasing me about my practice of sticking with books I don’t like, and I told him, “I don’t do that anymore.” He didn’t know it then, but I had just quit listening to an audiobook that had already consumed TWENTY hours of my life. I had three more to go and decided, “You know what? I don’t care about this. I don’t even like it.” I ended up returning the book, unfinished, and getting a book I knew I would love. I didn’t have to stick with it because I felt I “needed to.”

I’m in a new stage in my reading life. I read only the books I WANT to read — and I’m having a blast doing it. I have so many new favorite authors that I’m almost overwhelmed with great choices, including:

When I traded in the audiobook I wasn’t enjoying, I replaced it with A Corpse in St. Andrew’s Chapel by Mel Starr. It’s the second book in The Chronicles of Hugh de Singleton, surgeon, and follows the exploits of a medieval man of medicine whose main job as bailiff allows him to use his medical knowledge to solve crimes. The books are beautifully written, and Hugh is a fascinating character.

I’ve also become a fan of Pepper Basham as a result of reading this book:

Jane by the Book is a love letter to Austen as Pepper Basham takes the writer’s familiar tropes and gives ’em a little shake. The result is a story about a well-read writer who visits Bath for inspiration and a tightly-wound hospitality manager whose time in that famed city is focused on getting a hotel ready for the public. But when the writer discovers that the manager has a juicy family mystery that connects her to Bath, he can’t help but pursue her and get the whole story.

A more serious book, Shadow Dancing, deals with the grief of parents who have lost a child. Their marriage is on the rocks, and neither partner is able to heal or reconnect because blame looms over them. There is beauty in this novel, however. Both parents are given time to grieve. They are given space to heal. Family and friends protect them as they work through the pain enough to finally address the big questions and face each other once again.

The first book of this series, Broken, ended with a tentative friendship between Jinxie and Dean. In book two, Broken Silence, that relationship is rocked when Dean sustains a traumatic brain injury while on duty. Dean’s personality changes are difficult to live with, but his mother, Janice, is determined, with Jinxie’s help, to help him through the healing process. As rough as Jinxie’s home life has become, it’s nothing compared to what has happened at work. No matter how hard she tries, her past keeps coming back to haunt her.

This is my favorite Katy Cross Mystery to date. I felt like KC Hart let her main character really get into the thick of things with this volume. I love a good mystery, but I am horrible at trying to solve them. Fortunately for me, Katy Cross can put all of those pieces together and drive the enjoyable stories forward so that even readers like me can understand them.

In Memories, Murder, and Small Town Money, Katy Cross discovers a body in the Piggly-Wiggly dumpster and begins her search for how and why this particular town favorite was targeted. It doesn’t take long to discover that things in Skeeterville aren’t as charming as they appear. Fortunately for the overwhelmed sheriff’s department, Katy is a natural detective.

The third in the Discerning God’s Best series, Matters of the Heart, is probably my favorite. Heidi Gray McGill keeps her characters light with good humor as they deal with heartbreaking realities. This book is set in the years after the Civil War and deals with issues such as PTSD, homelessness, and sexism. The magistrate of Shumard Oak Bend has a vision for “his” town and no compassion for the widows and orphans who are passing through, looking for a new place to call home. Fortunately, there is a young woman in town who secretly helps those in need.

I don’t have a link to the newest Catherine Brusk novel because it’s still in its editing stage, but I GOT TO READ IT EARLY! What a rush! Catherine’s newest book should be out around Christmas time and is called Forgiving St. Nick. It is going to be amazing! I can’t wait for it to be released!

What would you do if you came face-to-face with your high school bully only to discover that he will be officiating your best friend’s spontaneous wedding? And that he had changed? If you’re anything like Anna, you’d know better than to be taken in by his charismatic personality and good looks. Besides, you don’t have time to worry about your old bully. You’re too busy trying to deal with the bully who calls himself your boss.

While you’re waiting for Forgiving St. Nick, I heartily recommend reading What Love Washed Up, the novel that made me a fan of Catherine Brusk FOR LIFE and prompted me to write this review for Amazon and Goodreads:

“A remarkably powerful book, What Love Washed Up by Catherine Brusk, explores the deep and life-long ramifications of child sexual abuse. Nineteen-year-old Jessi Campbell is in her sophomore year of college. She’s driven, focused, and constantly under threat of having her past come back to haunt her. Just nine years earlier, she’d been forced into the world of sex trafficking by her stepfather. The trauma of repeated rape and physical abuse has left her with anxiety and PTSD. She journals, attends support groups, goes to therapy, and refuses to let anyone touch her. Jessi has no patience for flirting or dating, so of course, she ends up working with one of the most flirtatious and promiscuous guys on campus. Kip Parks thinks he’s God’s gift to women and can’t understand why Jessi has no time for his shenanigans. Getting shot down time and time again prompts him to pause and reevaluate his outlook and behavior. Instead of being always on the make, Kip learns what it means to be a friend that cares for another’s needs. While he comes to realize that something horrible must have happened to Jessi in her past, he learns not to push but to be present. An excellent novel with a fast-paced storyline and engaging characters that never stop evolving. It earns every one of the five stars.”

I hope you are reading what you want. If you are reading what you need, then I wish you nothing but the most interesting “needful” books. If you are looking for suggestions, then I hope this blog post helps.

Also, don’t forget, after you read, PLEASE leave a review on Amazon and/or Goodreads and/or Book Bub. Authors rely heavily on those reviews.

Let the author know you WANTED to read their books. You’ll make their day.

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Published on July 08, 2023 11:58

Convergence Review

About the Book

Book: Convergence

Author: Rena Groot

Genre: Apocalyptic Fiction based on the Book of Revelation

Release date: 2021

Convergence-A Window Into Eternity offers a glimpse into an apocalyptic world that was foretold thousands of years ago. As the climactic showdown between good and evil approaches, the convergence of prophetic signs is accelerating at an alarming pace. Yet, beyond the nightmare, a time of beauty, peace, and love awaits. The book invites readers to witness the unfolding drama as the curtain is pulled back. Within its pages, there are numerous messages to ponder—from trusting God no matter the circumstances to being strong and courageous in the face of adversity. The book reminds us that this life is fleeting, and eternity is at stake. The chapter called The Bride Price describes what Jesus endured to purchase our freedom. The book also reveals the despicable nature of Satan and offers a glimpse into the potential future under the rule of the Antichrist. Most importantly, Convergence-A Window Into Eternity showcases the beauty of Heaven and what it could be like to see Jesus.

About the Author

Hi. My name is Rena Groot. I am an artist, writer, online course creator (Broken to Beautiful…rena-groot.mykajabi.com), BnB host, have been a teacher in Canada and China, a tour manager from the Rockies to the Pacific, and a missionary to the ends of the Earth. God has given me the honor of being an ambassador with “The Department of Eternal Affairs” to so many surprising places. I prayed with a voodoo queen in Haiti, led a dying woman to Jesus in a hut in a jungle village in Belize, helped with “Sidewalk Sunday Schools” in the Ghetto in NYC, took food and clothing to persecuted Christians behind the Iron Curtain in Poland and Romania, volunteered in Israel… just to name a few amazing things God led me to do. I started a blog to bless, encourage, and sometimes challenge people. Here’s the link. renagroot.com