Walter E. Mark's Blog, page 2
February 10, 2011
Paths Voted February Book of the Month!
Paths of Intimate Contention (Vol. #2 of The Sixth World of Men) has been voted the Adult Fantasy Book of the Month by Fantasy Book Review of the UK for the month of February 2011.
This site has also included The Sixth World of Men series in the Top 100 Fantasy Books of All Time. Current Position is #67.
Here's the link to their website: http://www.fantasybookreview.co.uk/.
This site has also included The Sixth World of Men series in the Top 100 Fantasy Books of All Time. Current Position is #67.
Here's the link to their website: http://www.fantasybookreview.co.uk/.
January 31, 2011
A Review is in for Paths of Intimate Contention
The first review of Paths of Intimate Contention is in. Read the entire review here: http://www.fantasybookreview.co.uk/Wa....
The second volume of the Sixth World of Men earned a 9.0 rating out of ten for this review by Allan Fisher. Below are a couple of excerpts from the review.
"The storyline skilfully charts the individual tales of lots of characters in this book, and (Walter E.) Mark is able to tell all the tales in an entertaining and impartial fashion without losing the thread and sight of the overall story."
"All in all a solid and entertaining read from a fast improving author. The future looks good for Walter E Mark."
The second volume of the Sixth World of Men earned a 9.0 rating out of ten for this review by Allan Fisher. Below are a couple of excerpts from the review.
"The storyline skilfully charts the individual tales of lots of characters in this book, and (Walter E.) Mark is able to tell all the tales in an entertaining and impartial fashion without losing the thread and sight of the overall story."
"All in all a solid and entertaining read from a fast improving author. The future looks good for Walter E Mark."
December 31, 2010
Writing Style of the Series
The Sixth World of Men employs a very simple writing style. This style has drawn both praise and sneers from those who have read A Beacon of Hope. I really expected more criticism than I've received so far. Perhaps more criticism will come as the series becomes more well-known.
Now, you might rightfully ask, "If you knew writing in such a plain style would be controversial, why did you write the series in this manner?" The answer is slightly complicated so allow me a few sentences to explain how the style came to be.
Originally, I had planned to compose the series as a series of journal entries. The style of writing that I chose was based on the background of the main characters. These characters would be the authors of the journal entries. I imagined that each of the main characters in the first part of the story would write very directly because of the backgrounds. The main characters had backgrounds in either a scientific discipline or in the military. If you've read papers published by these types of people, you know that most of them employ a very straight-forward, no nonsense approach to their writing.
I decided against this method to tell the stories because of the difficulty of keeping the story in its chronology using this method. This story needs to be told chronologically to avoid confusion. Subsequently, I rewrote the series using the characters' point of view. However, while doing this, I found that the style of the journal entries fit this story very well. Therefore, I kept the style simple. Perhaps, not as simple as the style of the journal entries, but I mimicked the style as I thought appropriate.
The simplicity of the writing varies slightly depending upon which character's point of view is being used. Also, some dream sequences in the series aren't written quite as plainly either. I thought this to be appropriate.
You might then ask, "How do you know that the writing style used in the series will meet with controversy?" The answer is simple. I have several friends who are writers. Some of those friends thought that I was writing "beneath my ability" in this series. Others thought that the style was an act of genius for the series. It all depended on whether they saw what I saw. If they did, they thought that the style was grand; if they didn't, they expressed disapointment.
It is interesting how some people who don't understand the use of the plain writing style refer to the style. Some call the style "inexpert writing." Others call it "disappointing." The most amusing of the responses is the comment that said that the book contained many "grammatical errors." I suppose that this person just didn't like the style and lacked the experience to express their dislike appropriately. The book was edited by two folks that have degrees in English as well as the publisher's copy editors. Any comment about the grammar has to be some form of misunderstanding about the style on the part of the reviewer.(In fairness, the same reviewer said that there were typos in the book. This could be true. I'm not the greatest typist ever born. Many editors went over the book looking for typos, but it is possible that a couple might have gotten through. I am sorry if a typo was missed. Though, I've not heard that comment from any other source to date.)
I am pleased that a large percentage of reviewers called the style refreshing, original and "perfect for this story." It is a testament to these reviewers that they can put their literary biases aside and focus on the impact that this style has on this particular story.
A couple of reviewers said that one has "to get used to the style." These same reviewers continue to say, "...just go along for the ride. It's an enjoyable one, and the author does all the work for you."
I would like to take that time to thank all of the reviewers who took the time to understand the style employed in this series. It gives me hope that fresh styles still have a chance to blossom.
Walter Mark
Now, you might rightfully ask, "If you knew writing in such a plain style would be controversial, why did you write the series in this manner?" The answer is slightly complicated so allow me a few sentences to explain how the style came to be.
Originally, I had planned to compose the series as a series of journal entries. The style of writing that I chose was based on the background of the main characters. These characters would be the authors of the journal entries. I imagined that each of the main characters in the first part of the story would write very directly because of the backgrounds. The main characters had backgrounds in either a scientific discipline or in the military. If you've read papers published by these types of people, you know that most of them employ a very straight-forward, no nonsense approach to their writing.
I decided against this method to tell the stories because of the difficulty of keeping the story in its chronology using this method. This story needs to be told chronologically to avoid confusion. Subsequently, I rewrote the series using the characters' point of view. However, while doing this, I found that the style of the journal entries fit this story very well. Therefore, I kept the style simple. Perhaps, not as simple as the style of the journal entries, but I mimicked the style as I thought appropriate.
The simplicity of the writing varies slightly depending upon which character's point of view is being used. Also, some dream sequences in the series aren't written quite as plainly either. I thought this to be appropriate.
You might then ask, "How do you know that the writing style used in the series will meet with controversy?" The answer is simple. I have several friends who are writers. Some of those friends thought that I was writing "beneath my ability" in this series. Others thought that the style was an act of genius for the series. It all depended on whether they saw what I saw. If they did, they thought that the style was grand; if they didn't, they expressed disapointment.
It is interesting how some people who don't understand the use of the plain writing style refer to the style. Some call the style "inexpert writing." Others call it "disappointing." The most amusing of the responses is the comment that said that the book contained many "grammatical errors." I suppose that this person just didn't like the style and lacked the experience to express their dislike appropriately. The book was edited by two folks that have degrees in English as well as the publisher's copy editors. Any comment about the grammar has to be some form of misunderstanding about the style on the part of the reviewer.(In fairness, the same reviewer said that there were typos in the book. This could be true. I'm not the greatest typist ever born. Many editors went over the book looking for typos, but it is possible that a couple might have gotten through. I am sorry if a typo was missed. Though, I've not heard that comment from any other source to date.)
I am pleased that a large percentage of reviewers called the style refreshing, original and "perfect for this story." It is a testament to these reviewers that they can put their literary biases aside and focus on the impact that this style has on this particular story.
A couple of reviewers said that one has "to get used to the style." These same reviewers continue to say, "...just go along for the ride. It's an enjoyable one, and the author does all the work for you."
I would like to take that time to thank all of the reviewers who took the time to understand the style employed in this series. It gives me hope that fresh styles still have a chance to blossom.
Walter Mark
December 26, 2010
Announcing The Sixth World Newsletter
I am happy to announce that The Sixth World of Men series is about to launch an email newsletter. The name of the newsletter is The Sixth World Newsletter. It will be a monthly publication that will be published between the 24th and the 28th of each month. The inaugural edition of the newsletter will be distributed on Monday, December 27th.
The newsletter will include an article that I have written about the series, book events or other topics of interest. Receive news about the series before it is posted on the site as well as other information pertenent to the series. A spotlight on the work of authors that I have met over the years will be in certain editions, and occasionally a guest author will post an article in the newsletter.
I have plans to include a fan section in the newsletter, giving fans of The Sixth World of Men a voice to comment or ask questions about the series.
If you would like to receive the newsletter, simply forward an email to walter@sixthworldpreview.com with the words "Sign Me Up" in the subject line.
If you wish, you may also include a question that you would like answered in the newsletter, or a short article about the series. Articles will be edited for length and to exclude any spoilers for folks who have not yet read A Beacon of Hope. Please keep any article under 250 words.
Thanks for Your Support
Walter E. Mark
The newsletter will include an article that I have written about the series, book events or other topics of interest. Receive news about the series before it is posted on the site as well as other information pertenent to the series. A spotlight on the work of authors that I have met over the years will be in certain editions, and occasionally a guest author will post an article in the newsletter.
I have plans to include a fan section in the newsletter, giving fans of The Sixth World of Men a voice to comment or ask questions about the series.
If you would like to receive the newsletter, simply forward an email to walter@sixthworldpreview.com with the words "Sign Me Up" in the subject line.
If you wish, you may also include a question that you would like answered in the newsletter, or a short article about the series. Articles will be edited for length and to exclude any spoilers for folks who have not yet read A Beacon of Hope. Please keep any article under 250 words.
Thanks for Your Support
Walter E. Mark
December 20, 2010
What Place Does Emotion Have in Writing?
In fictional writing, emotion does have a significant function. But, an author needs to know how and when to evoke emotion from his or her readers. A common error that authors make is to try to force emotion into scenes where it is not appropriate. Emotion definitely plays a role in fictional writing, but if it is overdone, it resembles a soap opera more than it does a literary work. A stereotypical image comes to mind of a woman blotting her eyes with a tissue as she is curled up on a sofa watching TV. Soap operas are what they are. They try to evoke emotion in every episode, but I think we all know that soap operas are not known for their rich character depth or depth of thought at all for that matter. Although a purely emotional style of writing can draw sales, it is not an effective way to make a lasting impression on a reader.
Emotion is to writing is much like seasoning is to cooking. If too much seasoning is used, food dishes become indigestible. If not enough seasoning is used, food dishes are too bland. By the same token, if a writer overuses emotion, the reader cannot digest anything meaningful from the book. The emotion gets in the way. A reader who likes emotion might think that this sort of book is a good book, but the book will quickly be forgotten when the next book comes along. On the other hand, a writer who uses too little emotion in his writing will not have much of an audience at all. So, for the serious writer, there is a certain balance that needs to be struck between emotion and thought.
To extend the cooking analogy, if just the right balance is struck between the main food ingredients and the seasoning, a memorable dish is created. If the right balance is struck between emotion and thought in a literary work, the work becomes significant and meaningful. It is very important that the emotion of a writer's work mesh with the substance of the work.
A great literary work will do this seamlessly. The work will flow into an emotional scene without warning much as it does in life itself. If, for example, a slight irritation arises in a character's life, it would be inappropriate for the character to display extreme anger in reaction to it. However, if enough slight irritations built up over time, then the display of extreme anger would be natural at the occurrence of another slight irritation. This gradual building of emotion lets the reading empathize closely with the character as the emotion builds. This principle holds true for any emotion.
The best way to convey common emotion is by the gradual building of small incidents that cause emotion, however, dramatic bursts of emotion also can happen in life. These are responses to major and sudden changes that occur in life. However, be careful of including too many major changes in a work. Few changes of this nature happen in an average life. These changes are rare in life, so they ought to be rare in a character's life as well.
Most importantly, the use of emotion should tie in with your work's goals and purpose. Any strong emotion associated with a character ought to bring out a flaw or strength of that character. Emotional devices should also be used to reinforce an emotion felt by your characters. For example, in A Beacon of Hope, I wanted to bring out the frustration felt by a character when dealing with a new technology. I did this by using repetitive language and extending scene longer than I normally would. This created a feeling of impatience in the reader. This impatience reinforced the frustration felt by the character to such as extent that I received more comments from readers about that scene then any other single scene in the book. Most of the comments centered on the readers' identification with the frustration of the character. The use of this simple device made the scene a memorable one for nearly everyone that read the book.
Emotion is very appropriate for the climaxes of your story. If you message at the climax is a negative one, say, a message of warning, the emotion used to convey the message should be a negative emotion such as anger, sadness, fear or lust. If you message is a positive one, then the emotion should be positive such as joy, excitement or even deep love. Even, in these situations, a writer can be tempted to overdo the emotion. Let the emotion of the climax flow freely, but there is no need to try to embellish the moment further with artificial devices at these moments. Let the emotion flow from your soul, without propping it up. If you have done your job building the climax properly, the natural flow of emotion will make the moment memorable.
The use of emotion is necessary in good fictional writing, but like a good chef uses seasoning, use it sparingly and appropriately. The constant use of cheap emotion like fear and lust might sell some books, but it won't leave a lasting message in folks' minds. Why write, if not to leave a lasting message on the minds of your readers? A last thought: it takes real work to write a work that is memorable.
Emotion is to writing is much like seasoning is to cooking. If too much seasoning is used, food dishes become indigestible. If not enough seasoning is used, food dishes are too bland. By the same token, if a writer overuses emotion, the reader cannot digest anything meaningful from the book. The emotion gets in the way. A reader who likes emotion might think that this sort of book is a good book, but the book will quickly be forgotten when the next book comes along. On the other hand, a writer who uses too little emotion in his writing will not have much of an audience at all. So, for the serious writer, there is a certain balance that needs to be struck between emotion and thought.
To extend the cooking analogy, if just the right balance is struck between the main food ingredients and the seasoning, a memorable dish is created. If the right balance is struck between emotion and thought in a literary work, the work becomes significant and meaningful. It is very important that the emotion of a writer's work mesh with the substance of the work.
A great literary work will do this seamlessly. The work will flow into an emotional scene without warning much as it does in life itself. If, for example, a slight irritation arises in a character's life, it would be inappropriate for the character to display extreme anger in reaction to it. However, if enough slight irritations built up over time, then the display of extreme anger would be natural at the occurrence of another slight irritation. This gradual building of emotion lets the reading empathize closely with the character as the emotion builds. This principle holds true for any emotion.
The best way to convey common emotion is by the gradual building of small incidents that cause emotion, however, dramatic bursts of emotion also can happen in life. These are responses to major and sudden changes that occur in life. However, be careful of including too many major changes in a work. Few changes of this nature happen in an average life. These changes are rare in life, so they ought to be rare in a character's life as well.
Most importantly, the use of emotion should tie in with your work's goals and purpose. Any strong emotion associated with a character ought to bring out a flaw or strength of that character. Emotional devices should also be used to reinforce an emotion felt by your characters. For example, in A Beacon of Hope, I wanted to bring out the frustration felt by a character when dealing with a new technology. I did this by using repetitive language and extending scene longer than I normally would. This created a feeling of impatience in the reader. This impatience reinforced the frustration felt by the character to such as extent that I received more comments from readers about that scene then any other single scene in the book. Most of the comments centered on the readers' identification with the frustration of the character. The use of this simple device made the scene a memorable one for nearly everyone that read the book.
Emotion is very appropriate for the climaxes of your story. If you message at the climax is a negative one, say, a message of warning, the emotion used to convey the message should be a negative emotion such as anger, sadness, fear or lust. If you message is a positive one, then the emotion should be positive such as joy, excitement or even deep love. Even, in these situations, a writer can be tempted to overdo the emotion. Let the emotion of the climax flow freely, but there is no need to try to embellish the moment further with artificial devices at these moments. Let the emotion flow from your soul, without propping it up. If you have done your job building the climax properly, the natural flow of emotion will make the moment memorable.
The use of emotion is necessary in good fictional writing, but like a good chef uses seasoning, use it sparingly and appropriately. The constant use of cheap emotion like fear and lust might sell some books, but it won't leave a lasting message in folks' minds. Why write, if not to leave a lasting message on the minds of your readers? A last thought: it takes real work to write a work that is memorable.
December 14, 2010
Review by Allan Fisher
Allan Fisher from FantasyBookReview.co.uk was kind enough to ask to review A Beacon of Hope. To view his review, click the following link: http://www.fantasybookreview.co.uk/.
December 2, 2010
Why are All Cirrians Blonde?
A lot of folks have asked me why all of the people from the nation of Cirri are blonde. I tell them that I have given a few hints in the book for this genetic trait, but folks don't seem to be too satisfied with that answer. Well, I will give a little more information about this burning topic in future books of The Sixth World of Men. In the meantime, I thought you might enjoy some explanations that some readers have to explain why the Cirrians are all blonde.
The most popular one has to do with the cold climate. Folks figure that hair might get "frosted" being in the cold for so long. A related reason says that the lack of sunshine due to shorter days and extreme latitude is the reason for the light hair. Another one says that it's the cave cities in Cirri that are to blame. The dark caves keep both the hair and the skin light in color. I like the last one the best. It shows some good imagination. This theory states that all Cirrians were once infected with a disease that eradicated the pigment in their skin and hair. The disease was so widespread and lasted so long that the genes themselves were affected. The Cirrians simply lost the ability to create enough pigment.
Why do you think that all Cirrians are blonde? Perhaps you can come up with a reason that is more creative than the ones that have already been put forth. Maybe you will even hit on the reason that I have in my notes. In a later volume, you can find out if your theory was right.
That's it for now.
Walter E. Mark
www.sixthworldofmen.com
The most popular one has to do with the cold climate. Folks figure that hair might get "frosted" being in the cold for so long. A related reason says that the lack of sunshine due to shorter days and extreme latitude is the reason for the light hair. Another one says that it's the cave cities in Cirri that are to blame. The dark caves keep both the hair and the skin light in color. I like the last one the best. It shows some good imagination. This theory states that all Cirrians were once infected with a disease that eradicated the pigment in their skin and hair. The disease was so widespread and lasted so long that the genes themselves were affected. The Cirrians simply lost the ability to create enough pigment.
Why do you think that all Cirrians are blonde? Perhaps you can come up with a reason that is more creative than the ones that have already been put forth. Maybe you will even hit on the reason that I have in my notes. In a later volume, you can find out if your theory was right.
That's it for now.
Walter E. Mark
www.sixthworldofmen.com
November 23, 2010
A Busy December Ahead
Next week will mark the beginning of a busy December for me and A Beacon of Hope.
On the fourth, there is an event scheduled at the Big Sky Diner, a popular spot in Ypsilanti, Michigan. On the eleventh, I will visit the WIFI Coffee shop in Belleville, Michigan. At both of these locations, folks will be able to place orders for Paths of Intimate Contention, which will release next year.
On the eighteenth, I will hold a book signing at Borders in the Southgate Center in Southgate, Michigan to help the store kick off the sale of Beacon.
In between, I have a few speaking engagements at various clubs, libraries and even a church. I you happen to live in southeast Michigan, come out and see me at one of the events.
Until next time,
Walter E Mark
On the fourth, there is an event scheduled at the Big Sky Diner, a popular spot in Ypsilanti, Michigan. On the eleventh, I will visit the WIFI Coffee shop in Belleville, Michigan. At both of these locations, folks will be able to place orders for Paths of Intimate Contention, which will release next year.
On the eighteenth, I will hold a book signing at Borders in the Southgate Center in Southgate, Michigan to help the store kick off the sale of Beacon.
In between, I have a few speaking engagements at various clubs, libraries and even a church. I you happen to live in southeast Michigan, come out and see me at one of the events.
Until next time,
Walter E Mark
November 3, 2010
Inspiration is the Key
I have been encouraged by the kind comments that continue to come my way concerning The Sixth World of Men series. By I am astounded at how many different opinions have been giving about what they liked about the series.
Some people tell me that they like the humorous parts of the series. They say that the mild humor is refreshing and stays out of the way of the plot.
Others tell me that they like the romantic plots in the series. One person said that the romance in this series is the way all romances should be. I'm not sure exactly what was meant by that comment, but I think it was a complement.
Some people tell me that they enjoy the intrigue, mystery and suspense in the series. I suppose that it wouldn't be a good fantasy without those things, so I appreciate those comments greatly.
Other folks tell me that it the descriptions of technology that really set this series apart. I did work hard on researching a bevy of "possible" technologies, so I am glad that my time spent in research was worthwhile.
The variety of characters is sited by some as the thing that keeps the series so interesting. Some have even gone so far as saying that they can see themselves in a particular character. I, of course, tell them that it wasn't intentional, but I am glad that people see the characters as being real and believable.
But the comment the thrills me the most is when people tell me that a scene or a character inspired them. The greatest goal I have is to inspire my readers. Inspiration is my main purpose in writing. It is my dream that everyone who reads the series will find inspiration somewhere.
Thank you to all those who have put up with my post-reading interviews to let me gain their insights. They have been most valuable and, might I say, they have been an inspiration to me.
Some people tell me that they like the humorous parts of the series. They say that the mild humor is refreshing and stays out of the way of the plot.
Others tell me that they like the romantic plots in the series. One person said that the romance in this series is the way all romances should be. I'm not sure exactly what was meant by that comment, but I think it was a complement.
Some people tell me that they enjoy the intrigue, mystery and suspense in the series. I suppose that it wouldn't be a good fantasy without those things, so I appreciate those comments greatly.
Other folks tell me that it the descriptions of technology that really set this series apart. I did work hard on researching a bevy of "possible" technologies, so I am glad that my time spent in research was worthwhile.
The variety of characters is sited by some as the thing that keeps the series so interesting. Some have even gone so far as saying that they can see themselves in a particular character. I, of course, tell them that it wasn't intentional, but I am glad that people see the characters as being real and believable.
But the comment the thrills me the most is when people tell me that a scene or a character inspired them. The greatest goal I have is to inspire my readers. Inspiration is my main purpose in writing. It is my dream that everyone who reads the series will find inspiration somewhere.
Thank you to all those who have put up with my post-reading interviews to let me gain their insights. They have been most valuable and, might I say, they have been an inspiration to me.
October 20, 2010
A Review of From Spice to Eternity
FROM SPICE TO ETERNITY:
DISCOVERING THE MAIN INGREDIENT TO A LIFE OF FUFILMENT AND PURPOSE
Yvonne Pat Wright
Cambridge, England: Vanguard Press: ©2010, 198 pp.
A Review by Walter E. Mark, Author of The Sixth World of Men book series
Some folks view cooking as a task that has to be performed. These go through the motions of preparing meals. Many times these meals are tasty, but these meals don't make an impression on the diners. These meals are ordinary and lack a personal touch. Folks that view cooking as a task don't put enough of themselves into the meals that they prepare. The meals nourish the body but they don't bring much pleasure to the diners. What diner would not much rather feast on a meal that was prepared by a cook that has a passion for cooking? These meals offer the diner not only nourishment but also a delightful experience. After reading Yvonne Pat Wright's From Spice to Eternity, it is obvious that this author has this passion.
In the same way, some folks view Christianity as a task that has to be performed. They live their lives going through the motions of a Christian, but there is little passion for their faith. As a result, they go through live without their faith being noticed. After reading this book, it is obvious that Yvonne has a passion for her faith that has to be noticed.
The passion for both her cooking and her faith has allowed Yvonne Pat Wright to write a marvelous book that is both a cookbook and a devotional to God. Each of the forty-two recipes for cooking has an accompanying recipe for living a Christian life. The author first gives a description of an ingredient used in a cooking recipe. Not only are the ingredient's uses given, but also given is a brief history or tradition concerning the ingredient. The author then gives an ingredient that can be used to build your faith. This is cleverly done through relating something about the cooking ingredient to the associated life ingredient. And it is done very effectively.
The very first ingredient listed is vanilla. The author tells us that vanilla is called "the spice of love." This fact is used to transition the reader into a spiritual thought: "Like the long process of curing vanilla, love affairs – especially those that endure – develop over a long time, the longer the process, the more precious the love that ensues." Then the reader is drawn into an engaging story that leads to a spiritual truth. For vanilla, the truth is that God loves more than we could ever hope to love. At the end of the vanilla section is a tempting recipe for a "Rainbow Parfait." This is typical of each section of the book.
The author shows expertise in both cooking and in Christian living. Her book has value in both the recipes that are presented and the life lessons that can be gleaned. It is perfect to use as a devotional. The length of each section is just the right length to glean an daily spiritual thought. These thoughts are as inspiring to the Christian as the recipes are to a cook.
The lasting value of this book is found in both aspects that it presents. The recipes will be sure to please and can be used time and time again. Likewise, the nuggets of truth contained in the book's well-crafted and inspirational stories can be a valued source of devotion truth each time that it is read.
DISCOVERING THE MAIN INGREDIENT TO A LIFE OF FUFILMENT AND PURPOSE
Yvonne Pat Wright
Cambridge, England: Vanguard Press: ©2010, 198 pp.
A Review by Walter E. Mark, Author of The Sixth World of Men book series
Some folks view cooking as a task that has to be performed. These go through the motions of preparing meals. Many times these meals are tasty, but these meals don't make an impression on the diners. These meals are ordinary and lack a personal touch. Folks that view cooking as a task don't put enough of themselves into the meals that they prepare. The meals nourish the body but they don't bring much pleasure to the diners. What diner would not much rather feast on a meal that was prepared by a cook that has a passion for cooking? These meals offer the diner not only nourishment but also a delightful experience. After reading Yvonne Pat Wright's From Spice to Eternity, it is obvious that this author has this passion.
In the same way, some folks view Christianity as a task that has to be performed. They live their lives going through the motions of a Christian, but there is little passion for their faith. As a result, they go through live without their faith being noticed. After reading this book, it is obvious that Yvonne has a passion for her faith that has to be noticed.
The passion for both her cooking and her faith has allowed Yvonne Pat Wright to write a marvelous book that is both a cookbook and a devotional to God. Each of the forty-two recipes for cooking has an accompanying recipe for living a Christian life. The author first gives a description of an ingredient used in a cooking recipe. Not only are the ingredient's uses given, but also given is a brief history or tradition concerning the ingredient. The author then gives an ingredient that can be used to build your faith. This is cleverly done through relating something about the cooking ingredient to the associated life ingredient. And it is done very effectively.
The very first ingredient listed is vanilla. The author tells us that vanilla is called "the spice of love." This fact is used to transition the reader into a spiritual thought: "Like the long process of curing vanilla, love affairs – especially those that endure – develop over a long time, the longer the process, the more precious the love that ensues." Then the reader is drawn into an engaging story that leads to a spiritual truth. For vanilla, the truth is that God loves more than we could ever hope to love. At the end of the vanilla section is a tempting recipe for a "Rainbow Parfait." This is typical of each section of the book.
The author shows expertise in both cooking and in Christian living. Her book has value in both the recipes that are presented and the life lessons that can be gleaned. It is perfect to use as a devotional. The length of each section is just the right length to glean an daily spiritual thought. These thoughts are as inspiring to the Christian as the recipes are to a cook.
The lasting value of this book is found in both aspects that it presents. The recipes will be sure to please and can be used time and time again. Likewise, the nuggets of truth contained in the book's well-crafted and inspirational stories can be a valued source of devotion truth each time that it is read.
