Davis Bunn's Blog, page 19

I Thought I’d Hate ‘Lion of Babylon’

By Kitty Bucholtz

Guest Reviewer

This week’s not-a-book-review column is about a book recommended by one friend, written by another friend. Janice Cantore suggested I read Lion of Babylon by Davis Bunn when we were talking about mainstream books that had characters in them with strong religious beliefs.

When she mentioned the title, I said, “Oh, I don’t like historical Biblical fiction.”

She said, “No, no, it’s set in the present day Middle East.”

I looked at her like I’d eaten something spoiled. “Ugh, no, Janice, that’s even worse.”

No, she said, it’s really good, it’s about a CIA agent and…

Seriously? I don’t read any of those kinds of things. I don’t like books about wars and hatred and people killing each other.

But when I was in the library, I saw that the book was there, so I checked it out. I figured I’d read the first chapter because I really liked Davis’ legal thrillers like The Great Divide. Then I’d thumb through the rest of the book in a few minutes to see what Janice meant about characters with deep religious views that integrated in a non-irritating way into the story.

I started the first chapter and mentally put my finger down my throat. CIA agents and special missions, ugh. I like movies like this, but not books, too much detail. The day the book was due back at the library, I picked it up one more time at lunch. By the end of lunch, I decided to renew it.

I’m sure part of the difference in reading that first chapter was not having a pre-concieved notion that I would hate it. But also, I gave myself enough time to get to know the main character. And he was a pretty interesting guy. Then he got into a couple of interesting situations. And met some more interesting people. And there weren’t tons of uninteresting-to-me details about political stuff and war stuff.

It was actually the second character, the Middle Eastern character, that got me hooked. He was a genuinely good man trying to help people and also protect his family while living in a time and place of war. Plus he was a Christian, which I found very intriguing. Of course, I know there are Christians in the Middle East. I know some of them are there to try to help people, some are converts in their own lifetimes, but this man was a multi-generational Christian Iraqi.

Because there were lots of relational elements with different kinds of people trying to work together, and similar kinds of people at odds with each other, plus lots of action without “boring” details, I ended up taking an afternoon off to finish the book. It was really good! I may have to reacquaint myself with all of Davis’ books that I haven’t read yet.

5 stars, Loved It!

Kitty Bucholtz is the author of the romantic comedy Little Miss Lovesick and the upcoming light urban fantasy Unexpected Superhero. Though she grew up in Northern Michigan, the setting for many of her stories, she followed her husband to Australia twice. While he made a penguin named Mumble dance, she earned her MA in Creative Writing in Sydney. When she’s not unpacking or repacking, she’s working on her next book or chatting with readers on Facebook.

Minnesotans Get Real-World ‘Lion of Babylon’ Experience

Friends,

I received this amazing note from a man who read Lion of Babylon and Rare Earth, and I felt compelled to share it with you.

Hello Davis,

Your writing has helped me discover the heart of God for my community. Your gift as a storyteller has catalyzed my engagement with the Somali Muslim immigrants pouring into my small, Midwestern town. (Little Mogadishu, as we now are known.) From fear to faith; the transformation of many hearts is underway!

A few nights ago, I brought my family to a Pre-Ramadan Feast; brown rice, spicy beef, and sambusas (triangular pastries stuffed with goat-meat.) The scene was like reading a passage from your book.

Picture us, a few dozen Minnesotans huddled together in a warm, sticky room, nervously awaiting the arrival of the Somali Elders. A glance around shows every face a pale mix of excitement and trepidation. My wife and children stand against the wall with the rest of the Scandinavians; willing, but unsure what to expect.

Most, in the room I realize, have never met a Somali before. Never held the dark-skinned hand, never looked into the eyes, the God-loved soul. Our worlds are close enough, now, to touch yet seldom do. It’s as though a curse separates us. Fear or pride.

But then a ripple through the waiting crowd tells all: the guests are here. I greet them at the door in their native tongue, as best I can. Hello! Welcome! Please be seated! My scant ability is pitiful, of course, but does the trick. Breaks the ice. Grins and laughter.

My role, here, is introducing a ministry which has the focus of teaching adult Somalis the English language. My goal, tonight, is finding new friends, building relationships, and traveling the road of life together. (John 1:41 “…Andrew found his brother Simon and told him, “We have found the Messiah”.)

An energetic young lady from the ministry declares, “We are Christians and we are here to help you!”

The room stiffens noticeably. Words convey different meanings in different cultures. One man’s concrete block is another’s roadside bomb. After a few more comments she whispers to me, “Can you take this, please?”�

Her arm is down at her side and her fingers twitch upward, prompting me from my chair. I have no forewarning, nothing planned. A quick prayer (Holy Spirit, help me now!) and I stand up, feeling like Marc Royce or Sameh Al-Jacobi in Lion of Babylon.

Our Interpreter, Abdullahi, translates my warm but careful words of welcome to the Somali Elders. We hold many things in common, I assure them, feeling my way forward. We share a strong commitment to raising our children to be healthy, wise, and successful.

We hold in common the values of virtue, integrity, and honor. We choose to celebrate the good in each culture. We believe our community is made stronger as we link arms and walk the road of life together. This is what welcome means to us, I say, and all the Elders smile.

Then it is their turn to speak. The Somali Elders admit to being nervous over bringing their children to America. It is difficult knowing what to believe when all you have is a television in a Kenyan refugee camp. They explain, however, that they have since found this city to be a good place for them. They are happy, now, to be able to call this place their home.

The atmosphere relaxes and the evening sprouts naturally; smiling faces and a hundred conversations blooming on every side. Later, our Interpreter, Abdullahi, listens to my attempt to define our community of faith. We, too, I explain, are submitted unto the One God. We are passionate followers of Isa Al-Masih. Jesus the Messiah.

Abdullahi watches me, hearing me declare my family and I love the example of Isa Al-Masih and His holy teaching, and that we raise our children to follow Him. Abdullahi looks into my eyes, into my soul; I can see that he’s thinking, pondering. After a moment he gives a slight nod; I know he is accepting my words even if unsure where to place them.

But all is good this night; he and I have made new friends. And I have found my brother.

After returning home that evening, I received an incredible invitation to a private dinner connection with one of the prominent Somali Elders and his family, with my wife and children begging to come along! And so the next real-world chapter begins.

Brian Gazelka

Willmar, Minnesota

The Hardest Thing a Novelist Faces

During the creative process, there are going to be moments when you have explosions of bliss. For the Christian writer, this is a feeling of moving into the presence of God. ‘Self’ disappears and you become one with the idea you are constructing on the page.

And then there’s the next day.

The next day, you go back and re-read what you write yesterday, looking for a cheap high. You want to feel those energies again.

When you start to re-read, you’ll notice a thread that’s dangling… an imperfection. And so you drop this; you change that. All of a sudden, the beautiful tapestry you put together yesterday is gone. It’s dead. It’s just words on the page. You’ve lost the ability to use the momentum of yesterday to begin work on a new empty page.

Many beginning novelists fear that their draft is doing to require changes, and so they start making the changes as they write.

Don’t do this.

What you’ll find is that you’ll feel compelled to change it again and again. Instead, finish the story. If possible, I urge you to not even re-read your work until you finish your first draft.

The hardest thing you will face as an artist is the empty page. But you will never establish your “voice” through re-writing. It comes through first drafting.

The importance of drafting

Too often, an author mistakes their early book for their profession. It’s not the same. You need to be establishing the discipline of regular output, not just in terms of pages, but in terms of stories. You need to be able to see yourself as growing, through the story, into the next story – into becoming a commercial writer.

A successful novelist has to be convinced that this is a great book and that what you are doing is what you should be working on now, and that you are the person to write this story. This drives you through the first draft.

The second draft is all about doubt. You question everything. I suggest approaching the second draft from the standpoint of developing your creative concept into a product. These two need to be separate entities.

You write the story and it’s your baby until you hit the climax.

Then you set it aside… you divorce yourself from the project, preferably by starting your next book. And then you do the re-drafting. Until you have identified yourself with the next story, you should not begin the re-drafting. What you’ll discover is that re-drafting is more of a refining process than a drastic alteration.

How I draft stories

During the first draft, I write in blocks of about 40 pages. I make constant notes at the beginning of each of these blocks. By the time I’ve finished writing a story, I will have as many as 10 pages of notes for a 40-page segment. In my notes, I write out, in dialogue form, actual passages I’m thinking of inserting, but I won’t try to find where those passages should go in the story. I won’t look at anything until I’ve finished the story.

If I’m thinking of making a big change, such deleting a character, I will make a note that indicates at which block the character no longer exists. But I will not take the character out during the first drafting process.

The result is not just a heightened flow; I’m able to maintain the sense of confidence in my storytelling ability through that first-drafting process.

I can doubt the story and myself when I start the second draft. But not during the first draft.

What about you?

What technique works best for you when drafting a story?

The Priceless Collection Re-Released

Hendrickson Publishers recently re-released the three books in The Priceless Collection series, which had been out of print for seven years.

This family epic blends mystery and romance and is set in the luxurious trappings of contemporary London and the turbulent economies of Eastern Europe.

The Priceless Collection

   

For details and purchasing information about each book, visit:

Book 1: Florian’s Gate

Book 2: The Amber Room

Book 3: Winter Palace

Davis Bunn Signs With New Publisher

I’ve signed a contract with River North Fiction, an imprint of Moody Publishers. I am delighted to be teaming up with them for the publication of The Turning, which will release in April 2014.

When I came to faith at age 28, the Moody Bible Institute played a vital role in my early walk. It is an incredible honor to find myself coming full circle and being granted the opportunity to work alongside this amazing team.

In The Turning, five individuals hear a message which is unexpected but unambiguous. A voice resonates from a distance and somehow from within. Against all earthly logic, it carries a divine command. And five very different people know they were summoned to obey.

Can we really believe that God speaks to people today? Surely this must be dismissed as superstition or delusion. The five face threats but try to remain steadfast in their faith. Had God indeed imparted wisdom on selected individuals? Are these events part of his divine purpose?

I realize that April 2014 is a LONG time to wait to learn the answers to these questions. In the meantime, you might enjoy UNLIMITED, a novel that’s releasing September 1 in conjunction with the theatrical release of the movie by the same title. I’ll be talking a lot more about both the book and the movie in the coming weeks.

Download ‘The Solitary Envoy’ eBook Free During July and August

From July 1-August 31, 2013, you can download The Solitary Envoy free, courtesy of Bethany House Publishers.

The Solitary Envoy (co-authored with my wife, Isabella) is Book 1 in the Heirs of Acadia series. To learn whether this free download is available for your e-reader, visit http://bakerpublishinggroup.com/bethanyhouse/ebook-specials-from-bethany-house.

If you’d like to read the Heirs of Acadia series, the books are available from online booksellers and from your local library. Here is a list of all five books in the series, in order:

Book 1: The Solitary Envoy

Book 2: The Innocent Libertine

Book 3: The Noble Fugitive

Book 4: The Night Angel

Book 5: Falconer’s Quest

More blog articles about the Heirs of Acadia series

Readers ask about Heirs of Acadia series
Reader calls Heirs of Acadia series ‘Wonderfully Crafted”
Clarification on Falconer’s Quest and Florian’s Gate
Reader question about Falconer’s Quest

Download ‘The Solitary Envoy’ eBook Free During July

From July 1-31, 2013, you can download The Solitary Envoy free, courtesy of Bethany House Publishers.

The Solitary Envoy (co-authored with my wife, Isabella) is Book 1 in the Heirs of Acadia series. To learn whether this free download is available for your e-reader, visit http://bakerpublishinggroup.com/bethanyhouse/ebook-specials-from-bethany-house.

If you’d like to read the Heirs of Acadia series, the books are available from online booksellers and from your local library. Here is a list of all five books in the series, in order:

Book 1: The Solitary Envoy

Book 2: The Innocent Libertine

Book 3: The Noble Fugitive

Book 4: The Night Angel

Book 5: Falconer’s Quest

More blog articles about the Heirs of Acadia series

Readers ask about Heirs of Acadia series
Reader calls Heirs of Acadia series ‘Wonderfully Crafted”
Clarification on Falconer’s Quest and Florian’s Gate
Reader question about Falconer’s Quest

‘Rare Earth’ Wins Christy Award

Monday evening at the International Christian Retail Show (ICRS) in St. Louis, my novel, Rare Earth, won a Christy Award in the Suspense category. Rare Earth is Book 2 in the Marc Royce Adventure series and was a top-20 CBA bestseller in 2012.

The third book in the series, Strait of Hormuz, releases November 1 from Bethany House Publishers. We’re planning a Facebook sweepstakes and will be giving away terrific prizes in conjunction with the blog tour for this novel. Be sure to like my Facebook page so you’re ready to enter. Stay tuned for updates about the sweepstakes on my blog and in my e-newsletter.

If you want to do some quality summer reading, here’s the full list of Christy Award finalists: http://bit.ly/10jpuJI

And, in case you want to get caught up on the Marc Royce adventures before the third book comes out, here are links to the book descriptions, video trailers, reviews, and online booksellers:

   

‘The Quilt’ Free eBook Download May 22, 2013

The ebook version of my book, The Quilt, will be available for a free download on May 22, 2013.

Download it from your favorite online bookseller:

Amazon
NOOK Book

Click here to view more ebook specials from Bethany House Publishers.

 

Reader Letter: ‘Hidden in Dreams’ Resonates on Multiple Levels

Hannah writes: 

What I find in your books that keeps me coming back (and looking forward to the next—write faster, please!) is that beautiful quality in each of your protagonists, that burning desire to hear the Lord, obey the Lord, and please the Lord.

It speaks deeply to my soul. It takes a certain spiritual discernment to write as you do and it’s completely refreshing. Those nine years spent writing seven novels were not for naught. I’ve just finished Hidden in Dreams, and the week before, Rare Earth. I didn’t realize both were sequels, but the continuation was seamless.

Hidden in Dreams touched me on many levels but I’ll only mention a few:

Elena’s desire to know she was “hearing” the Lord correctly. Although the Spirit’s spoken to me many times, not always is the deepest meaning of his words clear. I could relate to Elena.
My son, 22, has suffered over five years now with moderate-to-severe headaches brought on by his deep-seated fear of (facing) the future. I found myself wishing I could borrow your Dr. Elena for consultation. I’ve a suspicion she could go places the other counselors have been unable to.
Showing the pervasive evil in our present world while acknowledging that God is in complete control and has, in fact, already claimed victory over evil.

Thank you for writing from the heart. With so many Christian publishers following the money and so many authors writing with little depth, you are like a glass of crystal cool water to this thirsty reader!  And I thank God for all he does through you so those of us who read your books can dwell on his goodness more and more!

 

Dear Hannah,

Seldom have I received such a lovely and all-encompassing email. Thank you so much for sharing from the heart, though it was hard to learn of your son’s current issues. I would be happy to share Elena with you, were it only possible.