Davis Bunn's Blog, page 44

In 'The Damascus Way,' Sandstorms Well up Like Desert Tsunamis (Review)

By Mary A. Hake

Guest Reviewer

Davis Bunn and Janette Oke, two of my favorite authors, present an authentic-feeling story fleshed out from the book of Acts. Readers experience the life and struggles of the early church as followers of the Way face increasing persecution. Travelling also brings dangers such as merciless bandits and fierce sandstorms, which well up like desert tsunamis that continue for days.

This compelling novel stands well on its own, even though it is the third in a series and continues the saga of some of the characters from previous books. The Damascus Way focuses mainly on Julia, daughter of a wealthy Greek merchant and a Hebrew mother. Throughout the tale, encounters with the Lord change lives. Even Roman soldiers are transformed by this Man of Peace.

As Julia said, "The closer we come to Jesus, the more we recognize his perfect love. And the more we see how far removed we are from this perfection. He calls to us with that love and forgiveness. He invites us to grow, to become more than we ever could be on our own." This book can assist in that process. I recommend the series. It has love, faith, adventure, history—all the elements of a good story.

Mary A. Hake is a freelance writer and editor, with hundreds of published pieces, including a Creation curriculum for children. She serves as president of Oregon Christian Writers and has helped with OCW conferences for many years. She is also chairman of her local Library Advisory Board and works in the library as needed. Her website is www.maryhake.com.

More Articles and Reader Reviews About the Acts of Faith series

First-Century Power Players – a 10-part series by Davis Bunn
Character Sketches for Acts of Faith Series by Laura Christianson
Reader Takes 'A Short Judean Vacation' With the Acts of Faith Series – Review by By Joy DeKok
'The Centurion's Wife' Gets 5-Star Review – By Zijlia Kitshoff
Historical Characters in 'The Hidden Flame' Complex and Thoroughly Explored – Review By Violet Nesdoly
Review of 'The Damascus Way' from Hope Scribbles Blog – Review by Elisabeth Allen
On the Road to Damascus, Everything Changes – Review by By Karen Barnett

From My E-mail Inbox

Dear Readers:

I delight in receiving e-mails, Facebook and blog comments, and Discussion Forum questions from so many of you. I try to respond to every message I receive (please be patient with me, as I receive a great deal of correspondence!). Today I thought I'd feature several recent messages I've received so you can enjoy them along with me:

Linda writes:

Thanks for accepting me into your circle of friends. I just finished The Centurion's Wife. What a wonderful book! The next one is on my wish list!

Joy writes:

Soon after returning to the U.S. from Oxbridge, I picked up The Black Madonna. Couldn't put it down until…well, let's just say I attracted some strange looks, sprawled in the book aisle and engrossed as I was.

Dov writes:

They may see your life as easy, even glamorous, however, you may want to consider that no one else lives in your reality, no one else know what it takes for you to start your day, go through your day and to complete it. Your life is most likely courage in a million different actions. Honour your journey and keep reaching higher.

My Response to Dov:

Most inspiring and challenging, Dov. Thank you so much.

Laura writes:

I found your book Tidings of Comfort and Joy to be such a sweet story, yet it still has that "can't put it down" appeal. I homeschool my eleven-year-old daughter and decided that she and I would read it together this Christmas season.

I am enjoying the re-read, and she is hooked. It is difficult for us to find a stopping place each day. There are so many valuable lessons for us to learn and blessings to be reminded of. In reference to all of your books, hats off to you for writing truly entertaining and thought-provoking stories that we don't have to lay our Christian values aside to enjoy. You even go the extra mile and give us something that offers spiritual enrichment. Thank you.

My Response to Laura:

What a delight it was to receive your recent comments regarding Tidings of Comfort and Joy. The story marked a real milestone for me, as it was the first to develop high drama within a heartfelt emotional story. I'm so pleased it has connected with both you and your daughter.

Just in case you are interested, readers who loved Tidings have also written to say how much they enjoyed Book of Hours.

Does Outlining Your Fiction Story Stifle Your Writing?

Question from a fellow novelist:

I have to admit, my plots have always dramatically changed from what I had in mind to begin with, especially when I reach the climax. Characters show up, plot twists are revealed, etc. That's why I don't outline the entire story before writing the first draft.

So I find it interesting that you do outline beforehand. Have you ever felt that stifle the actual writing, as if you have to "force" the story-in-the-making into the original blueprint of the outline?

My Response:

This is an excellent question. And the answer differs greatly between authors. The important thing is for you to find a focus on outlining that suits your artistic temperament. But let me offer you a few comments on my own perspective towards outlining.

First of all, writing a successful book is like juggling a half-dozen different balls. To achieve a solid work, you must maintain a sense of balance throughout. You need to maintain an emotive flow, constancy in pacing, solid point of view, three dimensional characters, strong dialogue, and a clear vision of the climax. To achieve all this without outlining is certainly possible, but this helps you maintain the balance.

In my classes, I like to remind students that for professional athletes, ninety percent of their practice time is spent honing the ten percent weakest portion of their skills. This is where outlining comes in. It is practice time. It is an opportunity for you to honestly focus upon what is your weakest point BEFORE you begin the first draft.

Outlining is never the finished version. You are not anchored to this. Instead, this process should be viewed as a blueprint. If you have ever built a home, you know that the blueprint keeps changing until the last brick is in place.

Just as one example, I have never had my climax be the climax I write in the outline. Instead, that climax becomes a high point usually somewhere around ¾ of the way through the story. It allows me the freedom to explore what might be an even bigger bang that could be inserted later. And if it is a surprise for me, it certainly is also for the reader.

As for stifling the artistic flow, let me tell you one story. We have friends in the Basque region of France. He is a doctor, his father was a doctor, his grandfather, and his great-grandfather.  The first three generations all were passionate about art, but did not have enough money to buy the paintings they loved. So they bought sketches. Back then, sketches were not expensive. Even successful artists would sell their sketches for pennies.

All this we knew because it was a huge joke among his friends. How their house is cluttered with sketches, how they have this tiny little bungalow in the hills, and they could sell some sketches and buy a mansion, but their father only gave them the sketches after they promised never never never to sell even one. And how they both love and loathe the sketches, and how neither of them have ever spent one franc or euro on art.

None of this, however, prepared us for what we found when we first went to their home.

The place is not special, just another Basque farmhouse with a wall around a back garden and a small pool for the children. But we walked in their door, and were just slammed back into the street by what we saw.

Every wall, every square inch of space, was covered by sketches. It was so much that we couldn't take them all in. So we focused on one wall. Just one. And this entire wall, maybe forty sketches, were all from Rodin. And all of these sketches were preparation for just one painting.

The sketches were of two things only. The great-grandfather had bought two sketchbooks and framed each page, and now they hung in the order that they were drawn. The first sketchbook was of a man's hand. The hand was open, it made a fist, it held a spear, a knife, it carved, it pleaded, it threatened.

The second sketchbook began with a woman's form in a diaphonous robe, and transformed it into an angel. Nineteen sketches in all, a gradual building up, layer after layer, until there was no question that this was a true angel.

So my response to you, as one who shares Rodin's need to prepare diligently, is that no. In no way does preparing and working and seeking and growing dilute the power of your art.

Davis Bunn Blog Tour for 'The Damascus Way'

I'm so grateful for the bloggers who volunteered to host my virtual book tour for The Damascus Way. The bloggers asked me questions about the Acts of Faith series, about co-authoring with Janette Oke, and about writing in general.

I urge you to visit their blogs to see my responses to their questions, and to leave comments for the bloggers. Thanks!

Writing for Christ blog by Casey Herringshaw

http://enjoyingthewritingcraft.blogsp...

Casey asked me:

How did you and Janette Oke establish your writing relationship?
What do each of you contribute to your novels?
What is your favorite part of the story writing process?
Is there a story you have written that has been especially poignant for you?

Faith… Creativity… Life blog by Michelle Rayburn

http://faithcreativitylife.blogspot.com/2011/04/inside-scoop-with-author-davis-bunn.html

Michelle asked me:

What inspired you to write Acts of Faith, a series of three books set in the earliest days of the church?
Do you have a favorite character from the series?
What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?
As a writing instructor, what's the most important thing you teach your students?
What is the biggest personal lesson you have learned from writing the Acts of Faith series?

Splashes of Joy blog by Joy Hannabass

http://splashesofjoy.wordpress.com/2011/04/04/interview-with-davis-bunn-the-acts-of-faith-series/

Joy asked me:

How did you and Janette Oke flesh out people from the Bible and weave them into the Acts of Faith books?
How much of yourself do you write into your characters?

'The Damascus Way' Brings the New Testament to Life in Story (Review)

Michelle Rayburn

By Michelle Rayburn

Guest Reviewer

*Michelle's review was originally published on her Faith… Creativity… Life blog on April 5, 2011. She graciously gave me permission to reprint her review here.

Meet the New Testament believers. In The Damascus Way, Davis Bunn and Janette Oke introduce the reader to the culture and times just following the resurrection of Jesus. As the believers began to experience persecution in Jerusalem, they were forced to scatter to other places, including Samaria.

Although I'm not usually a fan of biblical fiction, I liked this book. Readers who are familiar with the New Testament of the Bible will recognize character names right from the Bible, yet the authors have been careful not to fictionalize to the point of conflicting with scripture. For example, the book contains the story of Saul, the Pharisee who persecuted Christians until his conversion.

The thing I found most moving about The Damascus Way was feeling as though I was there, following the caravan across the desert. I saw the woman at the well in her own environment, and Philip when he encountered an Ethiopian reading a scroll. Martha is there, cooking and serving her friends too. This book made me think about what it may have been like to see the miracles of the apostles in person. What a wonder that must have been!

Although the book is mostly the story of two young people who come of age, it's much more than that. In fact, it's difficult to choose who the real main characters are in the story because it's the weaving of so many stories into one thread. I liked the book so much more than the first one in the series because it wasn't preachy. Instead, it brings the New Testament to life in story, ultimately moving the reader to an emotional response toward the persecution of believers and the ultimate growth of the early church.

Michelle Rayburn is a speaker, freelance writer, and musician with a passion for helping people connect the dots between faith, creativity, and everyday life. She's an avid reader and book reviewer. You can find her blog at Faith… Creativity… Life.

Journal of Catholic Faith Calls 'The Black Madonna' Entertaining Adult Fiction Without an R-Rating

Here is an excerpt from a review of The Black Madonna, published by Steve Schulz, Editor for the Journal of Catholic Faith:

Bunn's writing style flows well and keeps the action moving along. The plot twists keep the reader on the edge of his seat until the very end. Bunn also expertly weaves in details of archeology, international finance and Christianity into a very exciting story.

One of the best features of Bunn's writing is his ability to keep the story "clean" without sacrificing adventure. In today's word of often questionable reading material, Bunn's approach is a much welcome change from the standard fare. While adults will most certainly enjoy The Black Madonna, it's also a "safe" choice for young adult readers with its lack of obscenities, gratuitous violence and lasciviousness. Other authors should take note: Bunn proves it's possible to write entertaining adult fiction without resorting to R-rated levels to maintain readers' interest.

Some of Bunn's characters and scenes seem a bit forced and I believe on major plot element is left too far open – although I realize that's incentive for the reader to purchase the next book in the series when it comes out. Personally, I would have preferred him to wrap things up a bit neater. However, these are both rather small points and don't seriously detract from the overall entertainment value of The Black Madonna.

I thought The Black Madonna was a great adventure book and agree with United International Pictures Senior Vice President Hy Smith, who said, "Davis Bunn has created a thinking person's Indian Jones."

I'm looking forward to Bunn's next Storm Syrrell Adventure, as well as his other upcoming works.

Steve Schulz, Editor, Journal of Catholic Faith

'Black Madonna' Book Comforts and Guides Reader

Kimberly writes:

My husband made me wait until my birthday for your latest book. It was a long wait. But, now that I've finished The Black Madonna – it was worth every minute. What a marvelous book. As the characters grow with each book, they become more real even though we are all so removed from their world. Can't wait until we see them again.

One of the questions at the back really struck me. Someone close to us has done something he shouldn't have, hurting a family for his own good, and I've struggled all week with how to handle it. Although he needs to be called on his decision – God is nudging my heart toward responding with forgiveness, because of your question. I've been praying for that all week – the power to forgive, and the question you asked pushed me over the top.

Thanks, Davis for being God's author.

My Response:

Obviously I don't know what the problem is you face with this person in your life, but I am so sorry to learn that something like this has arisen to trouble you. And I am genuinely gratified to know that you found comfort and guidance in this book. It is remarkable how readers garner direction and wisdom that I quite honestly did not know was there.

But I do the same with books that mean the most to me, and perhaps this is the outcome of the creative joining between audience and artist, when God is at the heart of both. I do so hope all proves to be well concerning the difficult  situation you referred to.

'The Damascus Way' an Example of What True Christian Fellowship Should Be (Review)

By Beckie Burnham, Guest Reviewer

Author of By the Book blog

For most western Christians, the trials of believers in the years following Jesus' crucifixion are only stories.  From the comfort of our pews it is hard to relate to the fear and secrecy surrounding those known as The Way. But in Davis Bunn and Janette Oke's newest book in the Acts of Faith series, The Damascus Way, the era covered by the Book of Acts comes alive.

The Damascus Way is a fictional account of the early church as it faced the persecution of Jewish religious leaders, including Saul of Tarsus.

Bunn and Oke blend scripture and fiction in their portrayal of the day to day lives of followers of Christ.  The story revolves around Abigail and Jacob, characters from the first two books in the series and new character Julia.  We also have appearances from Phillip, Peter, John, Martha, and the infamous Saul of Tarsus.  I think this unique portrayal of the fictional and historical helps the reader to experience what it must have been like living in this time.

After five years as a widow, Abigail is still grieving.  She wants to remain in Jerusalem to stay close to the memories of her husband.  But with the responsibility of her daughter Dorcas, she realizes she must escape to a safer place. Julia is the daughter of a wealthy merchant, yet her life feels constrained.  She has no friends; no one visits from the town.  The secret her mother has kept from Julia, finally is revealed.

Jacob wants adventure, not a boring and safe life.  He struggles with what those around him want, what he desires, and the plans God has for him.  All three characters set out on a journey — real and spiritual — to discover what life and God has for them.

The novel is fast-paced.  Lawlessness and hardship rule much of the area of Judea, and the characters face sand storms and bandits, along with persecution for their beliefs.  But it is also a time of sweet fellowship between believers. The characters come together often for meals, teaching and prayer. They are also portrayed as real people with doubts, fears, and grief, but also hopes and dreams.

One thing that kept resonating with me as I read The Damascus Way was that this really must be what true Christian fellowship is. People depended on each other. They encouraged each other — especially important in such a time. They prayed for each other and for the lost.

Yes, they struggled with doubts and fears, but their time spent together strengthened their faith. I think this is what today's American church needs. No they didn't have stewardship campaigns, music festivals, or children's programs. But what these early Christians did have was a family. And the persecution they faced only helped spread the Gospel, not diminish it.

I highly recommend  The Damascus Way for several reasons.  It is a well-written historical novel complete with adventure and suspense. It has great characterization — you will care what happens to those you encounter in its pages. And it is gives a wonderful portrayal of what life with a family of believers can be.

Rating: Highly Recommended

(I received The Damascus Way from Bethany House Publishers in return for an honest review.  The opinions expressed are mine alone.)

About Beckie Burnham: I am a wife and mother of 3 nearly grown children — at least they think so — Daniel 21, Allison 19 and Thomas 18.  I live in middle Georgia with my husband of 26 years, Brian.  I work part time as book keeper for my husband's veterinary business. My favorite things besides my family are tea, books and cats. My kids joke I will end up with 20 cats running through stacks of books, while I sit sipping tea!  We have a one dog and 2 cats.  I have been reviewing books for  1 1/2 years and consider it part of what God has called me to do for Him.

Read Beckie's entire review of The Damascus Way at her blog, "By the Book."

'Heartland' A Benchmark for All Davis Bunn's Novels

One of my readers wrote to let me know he has Heartland on his "to read" list.

Heartland marked a real milestone for me. The story flows in a strong cadence, at least as far as I'm concerned. It is something I have tried to use as a benchmark for all the novels since then.

There are several such books, that when I look back I feel as though they mark an arrival at a new creative plateau. I have just sent off the final edited manuscript for another such elevation to a new plateau, or at least this is how it feels right now.

Only time will tell as to whether this sentiment remains, and is confirmed by outside readers. That book is Lion of Babylon (scheduled for publication July 2011 by Bethany House Publishers).

Walk Alongside Early Believers in 'The Damascus Way' (Review)

By Pamela Morrisson

Guest Reviewer

As I began reading The Damascus Way, the third and final book in the Acts of Faith trilogy, I soon found myself immersed in the richly detailed account of life among followers of The Way during the turbulent era after the death of Christ. As I walked along beside these early believers in my imagination, I experienced both the hardships and the joys of their lives.

There were brief encounters with disciples Phillip, Peter, and John as well as the tangible fear of Saul that the early followers lived with daily. I witnessed multiple miracles and experienced the joy of seeing both strangers and family members become fellow believers. I experienced and survived a violent dust storm and encountered bandits. And I was there when Saul had his dramatic encounter with Christ on the road to Damascus.

Yes, The Damascus Way has been written so skillfully that the reader almost becomes a part of the story. Although many of the characters are fictional, everything about them and their lives is realistic and believable. Actual biblical events have been portrayed in a manner that remains close to actual scriptural accounts. Once again I have been challenged to look at my own life in contrast to those of the early believers. I am convinced that I would fall far short of their example.

As I have expressed in my reviews of the earlier books in this series, I believe that The Damascus Way would be an excellent resource in the study of early Christian history. I highly recommend all the books in the Acts of Faith trilogy.

*This review is reprinted with permission from the Daysong Reflections blog.