The Thorn

Reviewed by Phee Paradise

The Thorn
By Beverly Lewis

The premise of The Thorn is fresh and should have kept my interest. Two Amish sisters are struggling with love and commitment. Hen, the older, has left the Amish life to marry an English man who is antagonistic to her past. Rose is committed to being Plain, but has a rebellious friend. Their stories are told in a parallel fusion, moving back and forth from one point of view to the other.

At first I wondered how they were connected, since Hen had left the Amish fold. But she visits her Amish family with increasing frequency as she begins to doubt the wisdom of her choices. Her dilemma arises from watching her daughter grow up without any knowledge of her heritage, and – worse – in a very worldly environment. Rose’s dilemma lies in her friendship with the bishop’s adopted son, who remembers his early life and is ambiguous about being Plain. She is happy with her life, including being courted by a handsome Amish man. But her sister and her friend have planted doubts she doesn’t even know she has.

Unfortunately, In spite of this original approach to a story about the Amish, The Thorn did not grab my attention. Rose seemed very childlike in her interests, creating mysteries out of simple everyday occurrences. It seemed as if Lewis had confused a Plain view of life with a simple mind. On the other hand, I was able to relate to Hen who was afraid of the world’s influence on her daughter. But I couldn’t grasp why her husband was so opposed to any hint of the Amish entering their world.

Having said this, I don’t want to turn prospective readers away. The book is well written and the story has enough conflict and intrigue to keep the plot moving. The Amish are presented well and if you like reading about alternate lifestyles, you will finding it interesting.

Pros: Good depiction of the Amish and their responses to the world. The characters face challenging dilemmas that force them to examine their beliefs, hopes and desires.

Cons: Many of the characters lacked depth and their motivations did not seem clear.

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

The Thorn Bethany House (September 7, 2010)

by Beverly Lewis


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Not until her own children were well into middle school did Bev seek to publish her work, first in magazines such as Highlights for Children, Dolphin Log, and Guideposts for Kids. Her first book followed in 1993—Mountain Bikes and Garbanzo Beans—presently retitled Big Bad Beans (book #22 in the popular CUL-DE-SAC KIDS series of chapter books—see list of Bev's children's books).

Beverly's first venture into adult fiction is the best-selling trilogy, THE HERITAGE OF LANCASTER COUNTY, including The Shunning, a suspenseful saga of Katie Lapp, a young Amish woman drawn to the modern world by secrets from her past. The book is loosely based on the author's maternal grandmother, Ada Ranck Buchwalter, who left her Old Order Mennonite upbringing to marry a Bible College student. One Amish-country newspaper claimed Beverly's work to be "a primer on Lancaster County folklore" and offers "an insider's view of Amish life."

Booksellers across the country, and around the world, have spread the word of Bev's tender tales of Plain country life. A clerk in a Virginia bookstore wrote, "Beverly's books have a compelling freshness and spark. You just don't run across writing like that every day. I hope she'll keep writing stories about the Plain people for a long, long time."

A member of the National League of American Pen Women, as well as a Distinguished Alumnus of Evangel University, Lewis has written over 80 books for children, youth, and adults, many of them award-winning. She and her husband, David, make their home in Colorado, where they enjoy hiking, biking, and playing with their three grandchildren. They are also avid musicians and fiction "book worms."


ABOUT THE BOOK

Lancaster County, with its rolling meadows and secret byways, may seem idyllic, but it is not without its thorns. THE ROSE TRILOGY is the stirring saga of two Amish sisters on the fringes of the church, and the unforeseen discoveries that change their lives.

Rose Kauffman, a spirited young woman, has a close friendship with the bishop's foster son. Nick dresses Plain and works hard but stirs up plenty of trouble too. Rose's sister cautions her against becoming too involved, but Rose is being courted by a good, Amish fellow, so dismisses the warnings.

Meanwhile, Rose keeps house for an English widower but is startled when he forbids her to ever go upstairs. What is the man hiding? Rose's older sister, Hen, knows more than she should about falling for the wrong man. Unable to abandon her Amish ways, Hen is soon separated from her very modern husband.

Mattie, their young daughter, must visit her father regularly, but Hen demands she wear Amish attire--and speak Pennsylvania Dutch, despite her husband's wishes. Will Hen be able to reestablish her place among the People she abandoned? And will she be able to convince Rose to steer clear of rogue neighbor Nick?

Watch the book trailer:





To read the first chapter of The Thorn, click HERE.

Writing about Life-changing Events

When Writing Helps to Process Trauma by Debbie Roome
We’ve all experienced life-changing events to one degree or another. They’re the type of thing that halt you in your tracks, make you stop and think, cause a re-evaluation of priorities.

I experienced such an event in the early hours of Saturday 4th September. A major earthquake with a magnitude of 7.1 struck Christchurch at 4:30 am. From being sound asleep, I was suddenly thrust into a world that was rocking, heaving and banging. My heart was racing and although I was trying desperately to get to my children, the motion prevented me from moving. I don’t remember ever feeling so terrified and helpless.

A couple of hours later, I started feeling the need to write. I’ve always handled difficulties by writing about them and find it clears my head and may even help others in the process. So I headed into town with my camera and younger daughter to photograph the devastation before the police blocked the central city off.

Although I’ve only lived in Christchurch for 4 ½ years, I love it as though I’ve been here forever. It was heartbreaking to see the destruction: heritage buildings smashed, walls missing, awnings and roofs collapsed. The profile of the city has been irrevocably changed.

Since Saturday, I’ve written several news articles about the earthquake as well as my own personal story. These have been read by thousands of people and that makes it worthwhile for me. I was also asked to present a slideshow of my photos at church last Sunday and share about what I’d seen.

The people of Christchurch are emotional and traumatized and our sense of security has been shattered. Each morning brings new challenges and we desperately need the support and prayers of Christians around the world. Aftershocks continue to shake the city and those who don’t know God are finding it hard to cope.

As I’ve written, I’ve realized anew how much unnecessary stuff I clutter my life with, how much time I waste on things of little value. The earthquake has forced a change of priorities. Finding enough bottled water for my family is suddenly top of my list and things like TV hardly feature. I know life will settle down and routines will become normal once again - but my prayer is that God uses this earthquake to deposit something rich and meaningful in my life that will last for eternity.

Hear my cry, O God; listen to my prayer.
From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
For you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the foe.

Psalm 61:1-3 (NIV)

Debbie Roome works as a freelance writer from her home in New Zealand. Visit her at Debbie Roome or read some of her work at Suite 101, Associated Content and Faithwriters.

Under The Weather

BY SUZANNE WILLIAMS

Ah, the glorious days of summer - radiant sunshine, blue skies, puffy clouds - afternoon rainstorms? The fact is, sometimes the weather does not cooperate with our plans, and that can be frustrating. Yet, as the saying goes, "when life hands you lemons..."

Some of the most spectacular images are those featuring inclement weather. Heavy clouds, sparkling rain, misting fog, all make for great photography. But there ARE a few things to take into consideration (bar the obvious, protecting your equipment from dampness) in order to create exceptional weather-related photographs.

LIGHT

The most obvious of these considerations is the lighting. Dark skies mean lower light and therefore, slower shutter speeds. The easiest method of adjustment in lower light is to increase your ISO. But remember, higher ISO creates more noise. So find a balance between the two that gives you the best shutter speed for your particular situation.

Seek out a steady support. Use a tripod, monopod, or even a fencepost or table top. Sitting your camera on something that is not moving prevents camera shake, and in lower light you WILL have more camera shake. And don't forget your automatic timer. If your camera does not have a remote, setting the timer will help further reduce unwanted camera movement.

What if there is no available support? Then switch to shutter priority mode. Choose a shutter speed you can hand hold and allow the camera to make the other adjustments. Shutter priority is often overlooked, but in lower lighting it can be very helpful.

SHAPES

Once you have a plan to deal with the lighting, you then have to reconsider exactly WHAT you are photographing. When the lighting is low, the details so prominent in the sunshine are lost. So instead, look for defining shapes, like those of the trees in the image below. Many times it is what cannot be seen that draws the viewer's eye in and sparks their imagination.

REFLECTIONS

Allow the weather to dictate to you what should photographed. Perhaps fog is not the issue, perhaps that day it is rain, then use the rain to your advantage. Rain, and water in general, creates reflections. You have two choices on how to deal with them. Mute them through the use of a circular polarizing filter, or allow the reflection to be the feature.

Always remember that water reflects light, and reflected light will alter your camera's settings. In these situations, try spot metering. Spot metering is a great way to definitively choose exactly how much light you want in an image. However, be careful to not overdo it. It is very easy with spot metering to under-expose your photograph.

BLACK AND WHITE

Blah skies, gray backgrounds, all lend themselves to a black and white image. Take the image in color and then change it to black and white in post-edit. (I like to use Channel Mixer/Monochrome in Photoshop.) You might be surprised by your results, and you also might save an otherwise average photograph.

Never let bad weather stop you from taking photographs. With a few tips and some planning, you can come away with some of your best work. Even if people are involved in your shoot. Stage them to include the weather. It's another step towards making those "on-the-spot" decisions so important to becoming a professional photographer.

-------------------------------

Suzanne Williams Photography
Florida, USA

Suzanne Williams is a native Floridian, wife, and mother, with a penchant for spelling anything, who happens to love photography.

The Place of Conflict in Fiction

Every Story Needs a Problem by Debbie Roome
A story without conflict is probably a narration of events more than a story that captivates readers and draws them in. This applies to short stories as well as full length novels.

What Kind of Conflict should I Introduce
Conflict in short stories is normally not as serious as that found in a novel. This is because the writer has far fewer words to resolve it in. Typical conflicts include things like couples who hate the sight of each other or someone dealing with a change in circumstances. In a novel, conflict may appear as an addiction or a disintegrating marriage.

When should the Conflict Begin
The conflict should begin as soon as possible. Introducing the problem in the first few lines or pages, should be done in such as way as to capture the reader’s interest and keep them reading on. Here are the first few lines of a story I wrote that took first place in a competition. I wrote them to try and provoke curiosity and questions in readers:
Violet sat on the kitchen table, two kilograms of ash cocooned in polished rimu. She’d been there for five weeks now. Alone. Secluded. Guarded by his watchful eye. It was a temporary measure for soon Katy would insist on taking her. Insist on burying her in the family grave.

When should the Conflict be Resolved
The problem should persist throughout the story. This is fairly easy in a short story but more difficult in a novel. Conflict in a novel should be more complex and the solution must be elusive. Closure should only come in the last chapter of a book or last few lines of a short story.

Before writing any story, ask yourself what problem the main character is facing. This will be the underlying current that adds interest and keeps the reader turning the pages. Always remember that a story must have conflict to make it interesting.

Debbie Roome works as a freelance writer from her home in New Zealand. Visit her at Debbie Roome or read some of her work at Suite 101, Associated Content and Faithwriters.

Tissue Alert

Reviewed by Phee Paradise

Choosing to See
By Mary Beth Chapman with Ellen Vaughn

Warning: open a new box of tissues before you pick up Choosing to See by Mary Beth Chapman. It’s the heart rending story of the loss of her youngest daughter. Chapman tells the story with honesty, openly sharing her grief, love and even joy. You’ll start crying on the second page, where she describes her daughter’s death, but the story is not only about loss and you’ll laugh with her as well.

Mary Beth Chapman is the wife of well known Christian musical artist, Steven Curtis Chapman. The pain and loss that their family has experienced is probably well known among his fans, but Mary Beth tells it in a very personal way, bringing her reader into her circle of friends and family. After opening the book with a brief, but heart wrenching account of little Maria’s death, the author goes back to the beginning of the Chapman story. She tells us how she met Steven, how they struggled as he tried to break into the Christian music market, and how their family grew. She brings each member of the family, including their six children, to life so that the readers feels like we really know them.

This prepares us for the devastating loss of Maria, their youngest. When Steven had achieved success in his career and their three natural children were no longer babies, the Chapmans decided to adopt a child from China. This led to more adoptions, helping friends adopt and creating several adoption ministries. Maria was their third Chinese daughter. At age five, the Lord took her home under devastating circumstances. After describing her loss again and the family’s overwhelming grief, Chapman goes on to tell us how God helped them begin to heal. The book is a story of triumph, as well as grief, but even the healing will make you cry. Only two years since her loss, the author’s emotions are still raw, and the healing has only begun. But Chapman brings you alongside her, as if sharing herself with a close friend. It’s a wonderful gift.

After you have cried with Mary Beth, I know you will pray for her and you will also thank God for her amazing testimony.

Available September 2010 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.


About the book
From the beginning, Mary Beth Chapman's life was not how she planned. All she wanted was a calm, peaceful life of stability and control. Instead, God gave her an award-winning singer/songwriter husband, crazy schedules, and a houseful of creatively rambunctious children. Most difficult of all, God's plans for her also included tragedy.

In Choosing to SEE, Mary Beth unveils her struggle to allow God to write the story of her life, both the happy chapters and the tragic ones. And as the story unfolds, she's been forced to wrestle with some of life's biggest questions: Where is God when things fall apart? Why does God allow terrible things to happen? How can I survive hard times?

No matter where you find yourself in your own life story, you will treasure the way Mary Beth shows that even in the hard times, there is hope if you choose to SEE.

About the authors
Mary Beth Chapman is the wife of Grammy and Dove Award winning recording artist Steven Curtis Chapman. Together they began Show Hope, a nonprofit organization dedicated to caring for the world's most vulnerable children by providing financial assistance to families wishing to adopt, as well as increasing awareness of the orphan crisis and funneling resources to orphans domestically and internationally. Mary Beth serves as president of Show Hope and is a speaker for Women of Faith 2010 with her husband. She is also coauthor with Steven of the Shaoey and Dot series of children's picture books. Mary Beth and Steven have six children: Emily, Caleb, Will Franklin, and adopted daughters Shaohannah Hope, Stevey Joy, and Maria Sue, who is now with Jesus. The Chapmans live in Tennessee.

www.MaryBethChapman.com

Ellen Vaughn is a bestselling author and inspirational speaker. Her recent books include It's All About Him with Denise Jackson (wife of Alan Jackson), which debuted at #1 on the New York Times nonfiction list. She is also coauthor with Chuck Colson of Being the Body. In addition to her nonfiction work, Vaughn is an award-winning novelist. She lives in the Washington, D.C., area with her husband, Lee.