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Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Letters to God - special today
Touring with my friend Elaine Marie Cooper
About The Promise of Deer Run:
America’s war for freedom from England has been over for seven years, but the wounds of that conflict still haunt the minds and hearts of the residents of Deer Run. Young American veteran Nathaniel Stearns has withdrawn to a life of isolation as he awaits his father who never returned from the war.
A near-tragedy in the woods brings Nathaniel face-to-face with nineteen-year-old Sarah Thomsen, someone he had long admired but he assumed had eyes for another. This chance encounter opens a crack into the door of his heart as mutual affection quickly blooms.
But slander and lies soon mar the budding romance, rendering both Sarah and Nathaniel wounded and untrusting as their faith in both their God and each other is shattered. Set in 1790, this book continues the story of the Thomsen and Lowe families as they struggle to survive in the aftermath of the war that birthed the United States.
The Promise of Deer Run
ISBN: 9781462037964
Softcover: $16.95 ISBN: 9781462037971
Hardcover: $26.95 ISBN: 1462037968
E-book: $9.99 Released: August 16, 2011
In book one, The Road to Deer Run and now in the sequel, The Promise of Deer Run, I made every effort to stay true to the colonial times. Descriptions of food, homes, clothing, farming, worship practices, medical care, etc. are the result of extensive research.
It has been a personally inspiring experience to write these novels. While the times have changed since the 18th century, the same struggles of their day are our own. Forgiveness, fear, pain, illness, despair, the pain of having a family member at war, the death of a loved one—these are all the battles we contend with in the 21st century. But we also share faith, laughter, love, the excitement of that first kiss, the wonder of looking at a newborn. These are the same joys that we share with our ancestors who are so much a part of who we are.
Their journeys are interwoven with our own.
Grand Prize (Retail Value: $297.38) Contains: • Basket • $25 Starbucks gift card • Spode Christmas teapot • Spode Christmas mugs • Yankee candle • Hardbound copy The Road to Deer Run • Hardbound copy The Promise of Deer Run • Bath and Body Paris Amour scent
ON THURSDAY, COME BACK TO READ THE STORY BEHIND THE STORY AND SEE THE TRAILER.
Monday, November 7, 2011
Classics Review of The Grand Inquisitor with Lorilyn Roberts
The Grand Inquisitor
by Fydor Dostoevsky
A Politically
Incorrect Critique
The Grand Inquisitor
by Fydor Dostoevsky is a parable in his novel, The Brothers Karamazov. The story takes place in Seville , Spain
According to the parable, Christ came back once again,
briefly, and appeared quietly in the midst of the people, healing those who
came to Him. The crowds recognized Him and clambered to be near Him. Christ
healed the blind and the needy bowed down to Him. But Christ was too good, too
powerful, and the guards came and took Him away. The Inquisitor came to the
Prisoner and asked, "Why, then, art Thou come to hinder us?"
There followed a conversation between the Prisoner and the
Inquisitor which was disturbing. Christ’s thirty-three years on earth was
distorted. The Inquisitor implied that Christ had failed at His mission; that
He didn't set men free, for example, and therefore it fell on the church to set
men free. According to the Inquisitor, freedom meant bondage. The Inquisitor
believed that men couldn’t be free, that they needed to be told what to do, and
the church saved the masses by forcing them to cower in submission.
The Inquisitor twisted the meaning of Christ's three
temptations in the wilderness; speaking as if he (the Inquisitor) was Satan
incarnate, using distorted logic with a kernel of truth when carried to its
logical conclusion.
The parable encompassed more than a spiritual meaning and
made a political statement; i.e., referencing the notorious conquerors of
Timours and Ghenghis-Khan, who subdued men in the name of unity. The Inquisitor
valued submission.
When one contemplates the ideology and the two choices
presented in the parable—freedom versus bondage—and the Bolshevik Revolution
that followed a few decades after Dostoevsky’s death, I wonder what Dostoevsky
had in mind—who was The Grand Inquisitor?
And surely he gave the Russian people more credit than what he opined. Did Dostoevsky
not believe they could live in unity and freedom?
Was the great experiment of American democracy in the 1800’s not sufficient to persuade him? Or was he prophetic? Did he believe the populace would be unable to handle the same freedom if given it? Or was he equating the Inquisitor simply with the time of the Great Inquisition and the depravity of mankind; that even if Christ had returned again, He would have been rejected? Did he accuse men after sixteen centuries of being just as wicked, concluding that Christ had failed once again? Could one surmise that the Inquisitor was Satan himself?
Was the great experiment of American democracy in the 1800’s not sufficient to persuade him? Or was he prophetic? Did he believe the populace would be unable to handle the same freedom if given it? Or was he equating the Inquisitor simply with the time of the Great Inquisition and the depravity of mankind; that even if Christ had returned again, He would have been rejected? Did he accuse men after sixteen centuries of being just as wicked, concluding that Christ had failed once again? Could one surmise that the Inquisitor was Satan himself?
I read The Brothers
Karamazov to understand the context in which the parable was written. The
parable was told by Ivan, an intellectual, to his Christian mystic brother,
Alyosha. Alyosha, in my opinion, was too weak, but represented a moderating
influence on the otherwise dark story that covered much of the book.
Toward the end of the parable, Alyosha stated to Ivan,
"You don't believe in God." Those who don't believe in God take the
most loving aspects of Christ—His salvation and death on the cross—and belittle
it. Perhaps Alyosha was comparing his brother to The Grand Inquisitor. Alyosha kissed his brother Ivan on the lips,
reminiscent of Judas's betrayal of Jesus with a kiss. But representing the
opposite meaning—a feeble attempt at best.
Dostoevsky referenced the Masons in a less than glamorous
way, accusing them of possessing the same "mystery," perhaps in
conflict with the Catholics' pursuit of unity.
Dostoyevsky raised more questions than he answered. I felt a
sense of hopelessness in the parable. Perhaps if Alyosha was more assertive and
less passive, he could have countered the progressive mindset of Ivan—who
attempted to intellectually provide answers to questions that did not require
belief in a higher being. Ivan’s tone
was over‑reaching and intolerant. The two brothers represented types‑‑the
intellectual versus the mystic (I will include the third brother when I analyze
the entire book).
The parable provides no easy answers to the accusations of The Grand Inquisitor. Did Dostoevsky
have an answer? Perhaps that's the point—to give the reader the freedom to
ponder, unlike the accusations of The
Grand Inquisitor, who didn't give people enough credit to even do that.
Perspective is everything. Having had more time to consider
the book, The Brothers Karamazov, I
wonder if my early thoughts were flawed. Upon further reflection, I don’t
believe Alyosha was weak. He was humble. His responses were much like Jesus’
response to those who criticized Him. He never lashed back, except at the money
changers. And perhaps Dostoevsky was making a broader statement about life.
Communism followed in Russia America
If you cherish your freedom, don’t be like the masses who
expect the government to take care of them. Don’t take that government handout.
Don’t expect the government to do for you what you can do for yourself.
God gave us freedom in Christ. He knew there would always be
tyrannical governments, like the Romans, and Alexander the Great, and Hitler.
If each person takes a leap of faith, trusts God, and become his brother’s
keeper, we can prevent our country from going the way of others.
As my mother says, our country is going to hell in a
handbasket. Little by little, The Grand
Inquisitor will have his way in America
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Classics Review of A Tale of Two Cities with Lorilyn Roberts
A Tale of Two Cities
By Charles Dickens
Review by LorilynRoberts
(spoiler)
A Tale of Two Cities has
a complicated plot with twists and turns that eventually unravel the tightly
woven story. The story begins in France ,
several years before the French Revolution, switches to England , and then returns to France France
Of particular interest are the characters; the protagonist,
Lucie Manette, discovers her father has been found alive imprisoned in the French
Bastille for the last eighteen years. Lucie is the embodiment of love, and her
unconditional love restores her father’s sanity.
As the French Revolution draws nearer, the reader senses the
progression of hopeless bloodshed through the continued foreshadowing of
events. There is an overarching uneasiness that something evil is going to
happen to the main characters. The darkness of one of the main antagonists, Madame
DeFarge, and her constant knitting of the names of those condemned to death,
stands in stark contrast to the loving protagonist, Lucie Manette.
Soon Darnay and Lucie marry, and a few years later, the French Revolution begins.
Soon Darnay and Lucie marry, and a few years later, the French Revolution begins.
Dickens shows the intense suffering and affliction of the
masses and the arrogant aristocracy, which is portrayed by the heartless Marquis Evrémonde when he runs over a
poor plebian child. The impending conflict in France
creeps ever so closer to the Manette family in England
when Darnay travels to France Paris
The tight
plot, where nothing is wasted, builds to a stunning conclusion with the
eventual escape of Lucie, Darnay, and their young daughter from Paris back to London
One of the most poignant characters is Sydney Carton. In the
beginning, he is an unhappy attorney that has taken to drink and feels his life
has been wasted; yet, he still longs for a meaningful relationship and finds it
in the ever-so-compassionate Lucie Manette. Through her kindness, he becomes
more than he could have hoped for or imagined. Her love reaches deep, and, in
the end, propels him to make the ultimate sacrifice for Lucie and her family,
where his purpose in living embodies ultimate redemption.
A Tale of Two Cities
reminds me of those books and movies that need to be enjoyed twice; the first
time for the overview of the complex plot, and the second time to appreciate
the various symbolisms and motifs that make for a magnificent story.
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Classics Review of The Brothers Karamozov with Lorilyn Roberts
The
Brothers Karamazov
By
Fyodor Dostoevsky
Am I My Brother’s Keeper?
Review by Lorilyn Roberts
The Brothers Karamazov opened my eyes to the depths of
fine writing and what is necessary to improve mine. I felt humbled and
chastised by The Brothers Karamazov. The meanings and symbolism were much deeper
than my own superficiality; i.e., I didn’t like the ending, there wasn’t the
redemption I was looking for, Dmitri was found guilty; thus, the court system
failed. I wanted to know what was going to happen to him. I felt like Dostovsky
didn’t know what to do, so he just left it open for the reader to conjecture, a
cop-out. I didn’t agree with the theme of the book, that we are responsible for
other’s people’s sins in the sense that he was so emphatic. I felt like there
were a lot of extraneous people in the story that served no real purpose, or
why did the little boy die? What did
that add to the story? I liked The Brothers Karamazov, it’s just I
wanted it to be nice and tidy. It wasn’t.
The most
difficult place to affect change is in someone's core beliefs. What depth of
understanding can we impart to a reader beyond his current level? If we can
convict a reader to change one aspect of his thinking, we can influence a whole
generation. The Brothers Karamazov more
than any other book broke down my idealistic view of what is good writing.
Once we acknowledge there is a higher standard than what we are familiar with, we must be willing to risk failure to attain it. Do we not learn more from our failures than from our accomplishments?
Writing superficially is safe. It's not that we don't have an arc to the story, a protagonist and a villain, complications and a denouement; it's just that the superficiality will not touch deeply the heart of the reader. If we write with emotion and risk failure, though no one may acknowledge or know the risk except the writer, we will have raised the art of our writing to a new level.
Once we acknowledge there is a higher standard than what we are familiar with, we must be willing to risk failure to attain it. Do we not learn more from our failures than from our accomplishments?
Writing superficially is safe. It's not that we don't have an arc to the story, a protagonist and a villain, complications and a denouement; it's just that the superficiality will not touch deeply the heart of the reader. If we write with emotion and risk failure, though no one may acknowledge or know the risk except the writer, we will have raised the art of our writing to a new level.
Initially,
due to my own flawed perception and pride, I felt like Alyosha was weak and
Zosima was a dreamer. But they were real people with untarnished characters.
They were their brother’s keeper. Pride has a way of distorting our vision of
who we are. The Brothers Karamazov confronted
my flawed thinking about antagonists, forcing
me to address my own sin in one
significant area: Maybe I am my brother’s keeper.
But I
admitted in my black heart, I don’t want to be my brother’s keeper. That means
I have to love some people that are quite unlovable. If I am unwilling and I call
myself a Christian, I am a fake. Am I willing to be my brother’s keeper? If
I apply my beliefs to only loving those whom I choose to love, that means I am
no different from Ivan or Dmitri.
It
would be rare for a book to change more than one core belief in a person's
thought process. To effectuate any change
is mind boggling. How many people read the Bible and walk away, darkened in
their understanding? If the Greatest Book ever written can't convict every soul
who scours its pages in search of answers, what pride we must have to believe
we can bring about a metamorphosis in anyone. There must be a movement of the
Holy Spirit to effectuate change. Only then can our words be powerful and only if
executed to perfection. The Brothers
Karamazov came as close to bringing me to my knees as any book I have read
outside the Bible.
It is also interesting to note the political undertones in The Brothers Karamazov which predated the communist revolution in Russia by a few decades. .And freedom – Christ set men free. The opposite of that is totalitarianism. Perhaps the fight is greater than we realize. Our thoughts spoken into our books may even reflect prophetically the future as we seek to write from a Christian worldview. That was certainly the case with Fyodor Dostoevsky.
Some consider The Brothers Karamazov the greatest book ever written outside the Bible. Considering its place alongside the rest of the classics I have read, I would agree.
It is also interesting to note the political undertones in The Brothers Karamazov which predated the communist revolution in Russia by a few decades. .And freedom – Christ set men free. The opposite of that is totalitarianism. Perhaps the fight is greater than we realize. Our thoughts spoken into our books may even reflect prophetically the future as we seek to write from a Christian worldview. That was certainly the case with Fyodor Dostoevsky.
Some consider The Brothers Karamazov the greatest book ever written outside the Bible. Considering its place alongside the rest of the classics I have read, I would agree.
Friday, November 4, 2011
Classics Review of Wuthering Heights with Lorilyn Roberts
Wuthering Heights
By Emily Bronte
Critique by LorilynRoberts
Wuthering Heights is one of the most perfect novels I have
read. Here are my thoughts on what makes
Wuthering Heights an outstanding read and why it’s considered a classic:
Characterization:
There are no extraneous characters introduced into the story. Each person serves a purpose and is often complementary to another character in the book, like a mirrored reflection or a duality, sometimes the same, sometimes opposing; i.e., Catherine and Heathcliff, Edgar and Isabella Linton, Hindley and Heathcliff, the younger Catherine and Hareton, Mr. Lockwood and Nelly, Nelly and Joseph, the two families at Wuthering Heights and the Grange, the mother Catherine and the younger Catherine, and Isabella and Heathcliff. The relationships among the characters are complicated and evolving. If you were to take one of the characters out of this story, the plot development would be negatively altered. The plot is character-driven and tightly woven throughout the story.
There are no extraneous characters introduced into the story. Each person serves a purpose and is often complementary to another character in the book, like a mirrored reflection or a duality, sometimes the same, sometimes opposing; i.e., Catherine and Heathcliff, Edgar and Isabella Linton, Hindley and Heathcliff, the younger Catherine and Hareton, Mr. Lockwood and Nelly, Nelly and Joseph, the two families at Wuthering Heights and the Grange, the mother Catherine and the younger Catherine, and Isabella and Heathcliff. The relationships among the characters are complicated and evolving. If you were to take one of the characters out of this story, the plot development would be negatively altered. The plot is character-driven and tightly woven throughout the story.
Tone:
The tone of the story is brooding and dark. The sensuous feeling is foreboding, first exhibited in the setting which Emily Bronte describes in detail. There is an element of overarching suspense and aversion to the characters: the morose Heathcliff; mother Catherine who dies of a brain disorder; the drink of Hindley; the tragic life of Isabella following her marriage to Heathcliff; the delightful younger Catherine who succumbs to depression after coming under the control of Heathcliff. The depressing scene and dysfunctional characters that greet Lockwood’s arrival prompt him to ask Nelly to explain the history behind Wuthering Heights.
The tone of the story is brooding and dark. The sensuous feeling is foreboding, first exhibited in the setting which Emily Bronte describes in detail. There is an element of overarching suspense and aversion to the characters: the morose Heathcliff; mother Catherine who dies of a brain disorder; the drink of Hindley; the tragic life of Isabella following her marriage to Heathcliff; the delightful younger Catherine who succumbs to depression after coming under the control of Heathcliff. The depressing scene and dysfunctional characters that greet Lockwood’s arrival prompt him to ask Nelly to explain the history behind Wuthering Heights.
Societal:
I was struck by how Emily Bronte weaves the social status of the characters into the story: Joseph and his barely intelligible English; Nelly, the servant and principal narrator, and her portrayal of others from an inferior social position; the many differences between the upper class Lintons and the middle class Earnshaws; the emphasis on social structure with less opportunity for upward mobility, which impacted the “heart” of the story -- mother Catherine sacrifices her desire for Heathcliff to achieve a higher social status by marrying Edgar. The characters’ traits, flaws, and attributes within the structure of society make for believable people that the reader both loves and hates.
I was struck by how Emily Bronte weaves the social status of the characters into the story: Joseph and his barely intelligible English; Nelly, the servant and principal narrator, and her portrayal of others from an inferior social position; the many differences between the upper class Lintons and the middle class Earnshaws; the emphasis on social structure with less opportunity for upward mobility, which impacted the “heart” of the story -- mother Catherine sacrifices her desire for Heathcliff to achieve a higher social status by marrying Edgar. The characters’ traits, flaws, and attributes within the structure of society make for believable people that the reader both loves and hates.
Multi-generational:
The differences between the generations were striking: Heathcliff and mother Catherine seemed unable to change with the passage of time or grow as individuals. They were locked into extremisms that became dead-end roads. Eventually, their flawed natures doomed them to early deaths, providing an opportunity for the next generation in Catherine and Hareton to overcome the past. In contrast to their parents, they were able to adapt and redeem the past, and through their transformation, the reader is filled with hope for the future. The multigenerational aspect of time adds to the completeness of the story—this is a family with a history, a past that threatens to destroy the future.
The differences between the generations were striking: Heathcliff and mother Catherine seemed unable to change with the passage of time or grow as individuals. They were locked into extremisms that became dead-end roads. Eventually, their flawed natures doomed them to early deaths, providing an opportunity for the next generation in Catherine and Hareton to overcome the past. In contrast to their parents, they were able to adapt and redeem the past, and through their transformation, the reader is filled with hope for the future. The multigenerational aspect of time adds to the completeness of the story—this is a family with a history, a past that threatens to destroy the future.
Spiritual/Psychological:
Emily Bronte probes deeply the psychological aspects of people’s behavior and the ramifications of the dark side of human nature. The story touches on the spiritual nature of the individuals, with references to the small church, the recurring battle with death, the repeated references to ghosts, and Joseph’s incessant recitation of Scripture.
Themes:
The many themes are timeless—love that is forbidden, prejudices that hurt people, the meaninglessness of life without hope, hate that destroys, the vindictiveness of human nature, and the darkness of the soul without God.
The many themes are timeless—love that is forbidden, prejudices that hurt people, the meaninglessness of life without hope, hate that destroys, the vindictiveness of human nature, and the darkness of the soul without God.
Setting:
Established in the first paragraph, a “perfect misanthropist’s heaven. ” Right
away, I am told a lot about this story
in a unique way which encourages me to keep reading.
Classic Author Similarities:
I am struck by the fact that many classics, like this one,
have been written by individuals who have experienced tremendous suffering.
I wonder if there is a relationship between a giftedness to write great
stories and the degree to which one has endured hardship. Perhaps the strong
emotions that are pent up in a tortured soul find solace in the pen as a
healing balm.
Risky:
Creative, original stories take risks. For instance, there isn’t one protagonist
versus one antagonist in Wuthering Heights. Ninety-five percent of the story is
dark and unsettling; the story reinforces negative stereotypical issues and
characters. The orphan is the troublemaker and destroyer of the family,
perpetuating a common “myth” with adoptees. Joseph uses the Bible in a beguiling way to
demean people, contrary to the Good Book’s ultimate purpose. The submissive
role of women and their inability to escape from abusive husbands or families
is also perpetuated in Wuthering Heights,
reinforcing the long-held notion that women are inferior to men. Despite these risks, Emile Bronte creates a masterpiece.
Fictional Dream:
Emily Bronte immerses the reader into a world that is vivid
and dream-like, with colorful characters and a complex plot. She uses literary
techniques that make this is a compelling read, one worth pondering after the
last page is finished. It’s a shame she died so young—what other books might
she have written?
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Classics Review of the Power and the Glory with Lorilyn Roberts
The Power and the
Glory
by Graham Greene
Reflections by
Lorilyn Roberts
I initially
had a tough time getting into this book—couldn’t find anything to enjoy about
it. I came to the conclusion abut midway through The Power and the Glory that this wasn’t a book to be enjoyed. It
was a book to ponder deeper meanings of faith, politics, humility, commitment,
sin, and consequences.
The
protagonist, the priest, who is never named, is the only priest left in a
certain state of Mexico
There were
many characters in this book representing “types,” such as the antagonist, the
lieutenant who hated the clergy; and the mestizo, a type of Judas. The many
children represented hope, as poignantly shown in the final few pages when the
young boy lets the priest into the house to hide him from the police. I most
identified with the priest and his internal struggles. Greene did an excellent
job of showing the priest’s outward struggle to avoid capture as well as his
inner turmoil of sin and unrepentant spirit with reference to his illegitimate
daughter. All the characters were real, deep, and memorable.
The
takeaway from this book to help me be a better writer includes:
1. Make
every character in the book count for a purpose and a deeper meaning than just
“another person” to fill up the pages.
2. Include
qualities even in the antagonist that make him a sympathetic character—the
story will be more believable. No one is all good or all bad.
3. Be
willing to tackle a controversial position—a protagonist that is severely
flawed and that falls short of the standard can still be redeemed, changed, and
become a hero.
4. Think of
ways to use people or animals or locations to enhance symbolic meanings that
grow the story. For instance, the priest’s fight with the dog over the bone;
the references to the dentist’s equipment and working on teeth; the numerous beetles bashing themselves
against walls—symbolizing pain, the fight for survival, the baseness of human
depravity, and loss of dignity.
5. What you
write will linger later in the mind of the reader—shine a light of hope; i.e.,
the priest who knocked on the door and was met by the young boy.
6. Not all books are to be
necessarily enjoyed, but perhaps serve a greater purpose. Do you want to only
entertain, or are you willing to probe the deeper meaning of life and leave the
reader with significant ideas to grapple and ponder?
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