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The Character of Christ by Jonathan Landry Cruse: The Fruit of the Spirit in Our Lord

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On August 27, 2023

In Theology/Christian Living

The Character of ChristThe Character of Christ:
The Fruit of the Spirit in the Life of Our Saviour

by Jonathan Landry Cruse

DETAILS:
Publisher: Banner of Truth Trust
Publication Date: April 04, 2023
Format: Paperback
Length: 154 pg.
Read Date: August 6-13, 2023
Buy from Bookshop.org Support Indie Bookstores

The Goal/Design of the Book

The introduction is called “This Is Not A How-To Book.” This is vital, and this emphasis is likely why I bought this book* after hearing Cruse interviewed about it. Christian bookstores (wherever they may still exist) and websites are full of books on how to generate the Fruit of the Spirit in our lives, and are great ways to make yourself feel guilty when they don’t work.

Also, those books really miss the point anyway.

Cruse is clear about the need for believers to produce fruit—and he’s also clear about the way that happens. But that’s a secondary matter for this book—this book is about focusing on the Fruits of the Spirit and seeing how they were seen, manifested, and taught by our Lord.

This is a book about Christ, first and foremost. Following John Owen (and others) Cruse is convinced that as we see Him better, as we understand Him more, we will be transformed and those fruits will be seen.

* Given my appreciation for Cruse, that’s likely an overstatement–but I would’ve bought and read other books first.

What’s The Character of Christ About?

Okay, I just answered that—oops. After the Introduction, Cruse takes one chapter to look at each of the Fruits of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. The organization of each chapter varies—which is annoying for trying to sum it up briefly, but so nice when it comes to reading. It’d have been very easy for each of these chapters to have the same outline, just with different topics—and my eyes would’ve glazed over a lot.

Essentially, we get a good definition of each fruit along with examples of how we see that in the life of our Savior. Cruse will often show us what Christ Himself taught about the fruit, too. Each chapter ends with some sort of application—not in the “How To” sense. But here’s how you can display Christ, go to Jesus, and pray for this to be shown in your life as it applies to each fruit.

The book concludes with a reminder to look to Christ and how He has perfectly kept in step with the Spirit and borne the fruit. As we do so, as we are united to Him by the Spirit, we can be transformed as well.

So, what did I think about The Character of Christ?

This is too brief, not because Cruse was skimpy on details or needed to explain anything better. But each chapter could’ve been twice the length and not lost my interest, I could keep reading more and more about each of these ideas in this manner. Although I’m pretty sure if he did give us twice the length, I’d still be asking for more.

This was a great balance of doctrine and example/illustration. He’s careful not to let the reader focus too much on themselves as they ponder each idea but consistently points to the Author and Finisher of our Faith. It’s easy to read, wonderful to chew on, and truly helpful in the way that how-to books can’t be.

I strongly recommend this to your attention—not just for the content, but the manner in which Cruse presents it.

4 Stars
This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, the opinions expressed are my own.
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Saturday Miscellany—8/26/23

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On August 26, 2023

In Books, News/Misc., Saturday Miscellany

It’s been another quieter-than-expected week here on the blog—I’m hoping to crank out a few posts today so I can jump into next week with a few things scheduled. The big problem is committing to one idea lately, I keep writing a sentence or two on one post before thinking of something I need for another…so I have many, many fragments scattered around my hard drive. My daughter keeps trying to tell me that I have undiagnosed ADD, and with weeks like the last couple, I’m tempted to agree. But I digress.

This is a slimmer miscellany than I anticipated, but some great reads—and the first new release that I talk about literally has me dancing in my seat as I think about it. Yes, I did spend time on websites that aren’t part of Lit Hub this week (as hard as it may be to believe—I actually cut links to that site for this week’s list).

Odds ‘n ends about books and reading that caught my eye this week. You’ve probably seen some/most/all of them, but just in case:
bullet Library kids will save the world…one book, one day at a time… together—his tweet might be too optimistic of a take, but the attached video is sure to make you smile. The feel-good link of the week.
bullet The Land of Lost Things—John Connolly wrote a nice little post about the importance of booksellers
bullet On the Bad Binary of “Good” and “Bad” Literature: Josh Cook on Taking Back the Idea of “Good Taste” from Cultural Authoritarians
bullet How Much Does It Cost to Open a Bookstore?

I'm going to break in with a quick word of warning: some of the subject matter in the next few links is going to be difficult for people who are known for saying "It's not hoarding if it's books" or something like that. Trust me, these are worth a read. Or skip to the Velma link if you're wary. I'm not sure why so many people are talking about this lately...

bullet Moving books is a big pain. Here’s how to make it easier.“The most efficient ways to pack them, how to ensure they aren’t damaged — and tips for easing the pain of culling your collection”
bullet On the Difficulty of Getting Rid of Books: “I don’t get rid of them, per se; rather, I set them afloat, in search of new homes.”title
bullet Get Rid of Your Books: Couldn’t you use a little extra space?
bullet The Ritual of Rearranging Your Books
bullet The Greatest Velmas of History and Fiction—”Velma may be the modern model of a particular ideal, but it’s an ideal that’s existed since a nearsighted Australopithecus shone a torch into the back of her cave to logically prove that the Ghost Mammoth was just Ogg with a blanket over his head.” Here’s a look at some of the best from history, film/TV, and books.
bullet Bringing Comic Books to Life With Comic Book Printing—I can’t help but think that I should’ve known all this, but I didn’t—The Coffee Addicted Writer talks about the various techniques of putting comics in our hands.
bullet The Borders of Speculative Fiction—It’s been far too long since I’ve had some Peat Long thoughts on genre to share. Glad to see him musing again.
bullet There Are Too Many Books!—it’s a provocative title, to be sure. And I get where Krysta’s coming from, but…really? Too Many?
bullet Speaking of too many…Narratess Indie August Sale is a giant list of temptation. Over 300 Indie Titles for dirt cheap (or free), including several that I’ve blogged about or featured here and/or just wanted to read.

This Week’s New Releases that I’m Excited About and/or You’ll Probably See Here Soon:
bullet 42: The Wildly Improbable Ideas of Douglas Adams edited by Kevin Jon Davies—I’m not just excited because it feels like it’s been a decade since I Kickstarted this and it’s finally on its way to me. But Davies, a collaborator with Adams has gone through boxes and boxes of archival material to bring readers some of the best things from Adams we’ve never seen before.
bullet Fadeaway Joe by Hugh Lessing—almost every sentence in this book’s description checks a box for me, I’m not going to mangle it by trying to summarize it in a sentence or two. Just click the link.
bullet The Art of Libromancy: On Selling Books and Reading Books in the Twenty-First Century by Josh Cook—I was interested in this even before I read Cook’s piece on taste above. Now, I’m really intrigued. What a great title, too.
bullet What Would Velma Do?: Life Lessons from the Brains (and Heart) of Mystery, Inc. by Shaenon K. Garrity—after reading the excerpt about Velmas, I had to find the book. It looks like fun. “A clever illustrated ode to the breakout star of Scooby-Doo, exploring the life lessons this iconic nerd girl teaches us and why we should all aim to be the Velma of our friend group.”

highlyentropicmind asked: Some of your books make it seems like you believe in actual literal magic, do you? () I can write down a few words and make people thousands of miles away, whom I have never met and will never meet, laugh tears of joy and cry tears of true sorrow for people who do not exist and have never existed and never will exist. If that isn’t actual literal magic I don’t know what is.

These Dog Days Aren’t Over

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On August 26, 2023

In Books, Dogs, Fiction, News/Misc., Non-Fiction

(Updated and Revised 8/26/23)

It’s National Dog Day, the annual celebration of “all dogs, mixed breed and pure. Our mission is to help galvanize the public to recognize the number of dogs that need to be rescued each year and acknowledges family dogs and dogs that work selflessly each day to save lives, keep us safe and bring comfort.” So it seemed like a good day to post another version of this.

These Dog Days Aren't OverThis was a hard post to come up with a name for‡, essentially this post came from a comment not too long ago about being hesitant to read books about animals if the reader doesn’t know if they survive the book. I get that, I absolutely do. I still bear the scars of Where the Red Fern Grows and Marley and Me (sure, that wasn’t that long ago, but the wound still stings). So, for readers like my correspondent, here are some perfectly safe books prominently featuring dogs!

I plan on updating this regularly, so by all means, chime in with comments about Dogs I’ve forgotten about/haven’t encountered yet!

Non-Fiction

bullet The Particulars of Peter by Kelly Conaboy—this is a collection of humorous essays giving Conaboy the opportunity to rave about her dog, Peter. In her eyes, Peter is a perfect dog, and as you read this, you’ll be tempted to agree. (my post about it)
bullet Olive, Mabel & Me by Andrew Cotter—Cotter’s charming book describes his life with the two dogs that rocketed to international stardom (and brought him along). (my post about it)
bullet My Life as a Dog by L. A. Davenport—Davenport’s short little book about the relationship between the author and his dog, Kevin, a black and tan, pure-bred dachshund. It focuses on what the two of them did over two days and then a weekend selected from the years they spent together. (my post about it)
bullet Dogtology: Live. Bark. Believe. by Jeff Lazarus—Humans are so obsessed with their dogs, we’ve devoted so much time, energy, and work into them that it’s become a religion, with humans essentially worshipping their pets. This book is a look at that devotion and the rituals and beliefs that accompany it. It’s technically humor, but a lot of it seems pretty on-target. (my post about it)
bullet What the Dog Knows: The Science and Wonder of Working Dogs by Cat Warren—Warren basically covers three topics: there’s the science and history of using working dogs (of all sorts of breeds, not to mention pigs(!), birds, and even cats) to find cadavers, drugs, bombs, etc.; there’s the memoir of her involvement with cadaver dogs via her German Shepherd, Solo; and anecdotes of other cadaver dogs and trainers that she’s encountered/learned from/watched in action. (my post about it)
bullet What the Dog Knows Young Readers Edition by Cat Warren, Patricia J. Wynne—The above book adjusted for younger readers, with some great illustrations. It’s not dumbed-down, just adjusted. (my post about it)

Fiction

bullet Mace Reid K-9 Mystery series by Jeffrey B. Burton—A Dog Trainer/Cadaver Dog Handler and his dogs get involved in serial killer cases. Warning: Like many heroes in action novels, most of Mace’s dogs get beat up/injured. Some pretty badly. (my posts about them)
bullet Suspect by Robert Crais—One of my all-favorite books, a cop with PTSD gets assigned to the K-9 Unit and works with a dog fresh from Afghanistan combat. (my post about it) The pair also plays a major role in The Promise.
bullet Pug Actually by Matt Dunn—Doug, a loyal pug, plays cupid for his owner. This is a cute rom-com with a charming canine narrator. (my post about it)
bullet Stepdog by Nicole Galland—A love story where the major impediment to happily ever after is her dog (a gift from her ex). (my post about it)
bullet Noodle and the No Bones Day by Jonathan Graziano, Dan Tavis (Illustrator)—This picture book relates the origin of the Internet Craze and the wonderful, photogenic pug behind it. (my post about it)
bullet Oberon’s Meaty Mysteries by Kevin Hearne (Audiobooks narrated by Luke Daniels)—Oberon, the scene-stealing Irish Wolfhound from The Iron Druid Chronicles narrates this series of novellas (my posts about them).
bullet Neah Bay series by Owen Laukkanen—Lucy is a dog who is trained by prisoner Mason Burke, who has to track her down when he gets out. She’s a service dog for Marine Vet Jess Winslow. Lucy connects the two humans in her life and helps to keep them safe when a corrupt deputy comes after Jess. (my post about them)
bullet I Thought You Were Dead by Pete Nelson—I’m not sure how to sum this one up in a sentence. It’s a pretty typical novel about a troubled writer with a romantic life and family in shambles. But his dog is the thing that makes all the difference. (my post about it)
bullet Chet and Bernie books by Spencer Quinn—Bernie Little is a PI in Phoenix. Chet’s his four-legged partner and the series narrator. It’s too much fun to miss. (my posts about them)
bullet The Right Side by Spencer Quinn—”a deeply damaged female soldier home from the war in Afghanistan becomes obsessed with finding a missing girl, gains an unlikely ally in a stray dog, and encounters new perils beyond the combat zone.” (my post about it)
bullet Woof by Spencer Quinn—The beginning of an MG series about a with a penchant for trouble and her dog. (my post about it)
bullet Andy Carpenter books by David Rosenfelt—Andy Carpenter is New Jersey’s best defense lawyer and a devoted dog owner. He helps run a rescue shelter, too—and almost every client he takes as some sort of connection with a dog. These books aren’t dog-centric like the others on this list, but they’re dog-heavy. (my posts about them)
bullet The K-Team books by David Rosenfelt—a spin-off from the Andy Carpenter series. This features a PI team made up of Andy’s wife/investigator, Laurie; the near super-heroic Marcus; and Corey Douglas, a freshly-retired K-9 officer. His canine partner, Simon Garfunkel, comes along, too. Simon Garfunkel doesn’t play a giant role in the books, but he gets at least one good action scene per book. (my posts about them)
bullet Sharp Investigations by E.N. Crane—A series of comic investigations about an Ex-MP and her K-9 partner in Ohio. Both are pretty skilled and are walking disasters at the same time. (my posts about them)
bullet Voyage of the Dogs by Greg van Eekhout—SF for all ages about a team of dogs on a long-distance space flight. (my post about it)

Supportive Roles

These dogs aren’t as significant a presence in their books as the prior group, but they’re important enough to mention.
bullet Mouse from The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher. (my posts about them)
bullet The Midnight Plan of the Repo Man by W. Bruce Cameron and the sequel Repo Madness by W. Bruce Cameron— (my posts about them)
bullet Edgar from the Washington Poe books by M. W. Craven. (my posts about them)
bullet Rutherford from The TV Detective series by Simon Hall (my posts about them)
bullet Oberon from the Iron Druid Chronicles by Kevin Hearne. (my post about them)
bullet Ruffin from the I. Q. series by Joe Ide. (my posts about them)
bullet Dog from the Walt Longmire books by Craig Johnson (my posts about them)
bullet Purvis (and Beau) from The Good Kill by John McMahon (my post about it)
bullet Trogdor from The Golden Arrow Mysteries by Meghan Scott Molin (my post about them)
bullet Mingus from The Drifter by Nicholas Petrie (my post about it)
bullet Herbert and Daisy from Adult Assembly Required by Abbi Waxman (my post about it)

Books with paws on both sides of the line

Some books that belong on this list, but might be a bit too close to not fitting on it for some readers
bullet Lessons From Lucy by Dave Barry—there’s a strong “my beloved dog is old and will die soon-vibe throughout this (it’s the whole point), so some may want to avoid it. But the focus is on what Barry is learning from his aging but still full-of-life dog. (my post about it)
bullet Dead is … series by Jo Perry—the canine protagonist in these mystery novels is a ghost, so there’s a dog death involved. But we meet her as a ghost, so she won’t die (again) in the series. (my posts about them)
bullet Dogtripping: 25 Rescues, 11 Volunteers, and 3 RVs on Our Canine Cross-Country Adventure by David Rosenfelt—For various and sundry reasons, the Rosenfelts decide to move their home and dog shelter from California to Maine. As anyone who’s had to get a dog (or a toddler) into their vehicle for a drive across town can imagine—getting 25 dogs moved across the country is a logistical nightmare. In Rosenfelt’s capable hands, if “tragedy plus time equals comedy,” “nightmarish logistics plus time” does, too. The shelter specializes in senior dogs, so not every dog mentioned or featured lives, but that’s not the focus of the book. (my post about it)
bullet E. B. White on Dogs—if this isn’t every short piece or letter White wrote mentioning dogs, it’s so close as not to matter. Some are witty, some are touching, some are somewhere in between. There are even a few written from the point of view of his dog! Sadly, this does include a eulogy for one dog, a few other mentions of canine mortality, so it can’t make the main list. (my post about it)
bullet Lessons from Tara by David Rosenfelt—a sort-of-sequel to the above. Inspired by the death of their dog, Tara, the Rosenfelts now operate a no-kill shelter for senior dogs. This is the story about the origins and day-to-day of that life. There’s discussion of Tara’s death, and he has to cover the end of days for dogs, but it’s not the focus of the book. It’s one some will want to avoid, but you probably shouldn’t. (my post about it)
bullet Max Boucher Mysteries by Troy Lambert—Max used to be with the Seattle Police, but became a P.I. after the deaths of his wife and daughter. Because of the events of the first novel, Max gains a reputation as an animal detective. Particularly specializing in missing/kidnapped dogs. Most of the dogs in the series get out okay, but some are injured or worse. (my posts about them)
bullet Stray Ally by Troy Lambert—this is an action novel featuring heroics from several dogs working alongside a special ops soldier to try to stop a white supremacist group from launching a terrorist action. Some dogs are hurt, and a few die along the way. (my post about it)

‡ I brainstormed this a bit with my family, and wanted to share some of those titles that didn’t make the cut, just because I enjoyed their creativity:
bullet These Dogs Didn’t Go To Heaven/Not All Dogs Go to Heaven implies these dogs aren’t wonderful creatures, and that’s a solid loser
bullet No Kleenex Required too vague, and not necessarily true, they’re just not required because of a death
bullet The Best Bois
bullet Books Where the Author isn’t A Heartless Bastard (Looking at You, Marley and Me) too long, and boy howdy, does it seem my son has bigger issues with the book than I did
bullet Books that Even PETA Would Be Okay With
bullet Books for the Vegan in You suggests the dog books I don’t mention are in favor of eating them…
bullet Paw Patrol I’m almost confident my daughter’s boyfriend suggested as a joke, for his sake I’m assuming it was
bullet Pawfect Dog Stories I refuse to resort to that kind of joke

(Images by S K from Pixabay and josmo from Pixabay

Grandpappy’s Corner: This Book Will Get You to Sleep! by Jory John, Olivier Tallec (Illustrator): A Delightful Case of False Advertising

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On August 25, 2023

In Uncategorized

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This Book Will Get You to Sleep!

by Jory John, Olivier Tallec (Illustrator)

DETAILS:
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Publication Date: April 05, 2022
Format: Hardcover
Length: 32 pg.
Read Date: April 29, 2023
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What’s This Book Will Get You to Sleep! About?

The book opens with a kangaroo addressing the reader in a breaking-the-fourth-wall kind of way, wanting to tell the reader that this book is going to put them to sleep. But he seems to think he needs to do a better job of getting the reader’s attention—so he breaks out a bullhorn to make that announcement.

But it doesn’t work. So he tries a handful of different methods to put the reader to sleep—like:
bullet “about fifty ELCECTIC GUITARS jamming out on some WICKED ENDLESS guitar solos”
bullet “about fifty CAR ALARMS going off simultaneously”
bullet a stadium full of animals chanting “FALL ASLEEP! FALL ASLEEP! FALL ASLEEP!”

This goes on for some time before the kangaroo comes up with something that might actually work.

Let’s Talk about the Art for a Minute

Tallec knocked it out of the park with this art—each page has so much going on that pre-readers can likely have a great time just going through the pages and looking at the pictures.

The facial expressions of all the characters—particularly the kangaroo–are enough. Actually, what Tallec does with the characters’ eyes is enough to put a grin on my face. But when you add in the actions (and this is a very energetic book) and details of each character and the objects–this becomes a feast for the eyes.

How is it to Read Aloud?

It’s soooo much fun—there’s a lot of variety to read: there are loud parts, sound effects, and all sorts of goofy things to say. I didn’t read too much of it aloud (just a couple of pages to try), but depending on the adult doing the reading, there’s a lot of opportunity to go wild and unleash your inner Robin Williams while reading it.

So, what did I think about This Book Will Get You to Sleep!?

We all know—and many have plenty of experience to back this up—the first book or two that you read when getting someone to sleep doesn’t help them settle down. This is a great book for that slot—it’s definitely not one to put at the end of the setlist or to keep for the encore.

It’s loud, it’s energetic, it’s a great book for the reader and a child to sit and giggle at. I do wonder a little bit how long it’ll keep its charm. But then I remember how many times I watched particular episodes of Blue Clues, etc.—so, yeah, this is going to be a keeper. And I’m definitely keeping my eyes open for more from both of the author and artist(actually, I think I’ve seen a handful of titles from both before that’ve also looked good, but this was the first I picked up).

3 Stars

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, the opinions expressed are my own.
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A Few Quick Questions With…Hilarey Johnson

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On August 24, 2023

In A Few Quick Questions With...

As I said a bit ago, Johnson participated in my Q&A series about writing in Idaho and now she’s back to talk about Stone of Asylum and writing in general. In case you’re interested, I gave my take on that novel a little bit ago. I hope you enjoy this Q&A, and I do expect to bring you more from Johnson soon, so stay tuned!

We’ve gone over your writer’s bio before, but I wanted to follow up on a couple of things. First, could you talk about your path to publication and what sparked your desire to write in the first place?
I wish I had known that writing could be a career choice, I might have finished school instead of this long journey: I was a young mama with time to read, and my grandma passed all her Christian historical romance books through the family. They always ended with a kiss at the altar…I started to feel like the only significant point of life for a girl was to fall in love and get married. Therefore, there was nothing left for me at the age of 20. I was happy in my marriage, but disgruntled that I had nothing significant left to look forward to in life. I had no idea there were other genres in Christian fiction.

One day while my 6 month fell asleep nursing, I daydreamed a complete story arc about a white missionary who rescues a baby from a village just before he was killed by his dad. They raise him up, until they are martyred, and he eventually returns to the his father’s village with the gospel of reconciliation. It was told from the two mother’s perspectives.

I jumped up and scribbled the outline down. It took me ten years to type out the first draft of that story. It was 50,000 words. I thought I was called to the mission field until I finished writing that book.

When finished, I was confident enough to consider myself a “wannabe writer,” and I got a job in publications. I got mentors, I published in local newspapers. I became the assistant editor. I spent five years writing my second book. (Neither are published.) Then, in 2005, I went to my first writer’s conference and started the path to publication. I wrote Sovereign Ground in a year and it became a finalist in contests before it was published. The editors and agents who liked it told me that the subject was too edgy for the current Christian fiction crisis and economic downturn. So I self-published.

Authors have dozens of ideas percolating at once (if not more), what was it about the idea that became Stone of Asylum that made you decide it was the one you wanted to focus on for a few months? Can you remember what nugget started that book? It’s pretty different from your first two books in terms of genre and tone (at least from what I can tell), was it a conscious choice to look for something different?
I heard once that artists are not satisfied replicating—they desire to create and they need to stretch themselves. My first book was about a dancer and lots of people thought it was my story, because you are supposed to “write what you know.” I was in a tight-knit critique group and they asked my why I didn’t write about martial arts (more about that in question 5). Also, I knew romance would never be the genre I wanted to spend all my time in. I love fantasy.

Was this always intended as part of a series or was it a stand-alone that couldn’t be restrained? How do you go about mapping out the overall arc of a series and what parts of that arc go into an individual book.
I intentionally planned the main story arc to spread over three smaller story arcs. It is intended to be one story told in three parts. I was going for a balance of unfinished but satisfying. It was fun and complicated. I think that was part of stretching myself to build a story differently than I ever had. My critique group helped in the initial brainstorming session. Many of the finer details about the magic and consequences were deliberated with my oldest son—an avid reader, nearly as irresponsible as you.

I like him already 🙂

Talk to me about the research you did for this—you’ve got two immigrant-Asian cultures in the nineteenth century. Immigration to the Western US during that period. Idaho history/mining history…and so much more. Was any of this “old hat” to you or did you have to start at the ground floor entirely?
It was all research. I do not have personal inside knowledge. I read fiction and non fiction written from Chinese Immigrant POV to start to understand motivation and perspective. I visited the Chinese historical museum in San Francisco. And another museum in Coeur d’Alene. It is one of the things I like about being a reader and a writer—trying to feel what someone else would feel while setting aside your own experience (which can make you unable to empathize).

You’ve got some pretty convincing fight scenes in the book, too. How do you compose one of those? I’ve heard of writers using action figures or something to map enact them first, for example. Also—what kind of martial arts background did you have going in—or was this even more research?
Thank you. It was mostly done in my head. But I did have the ability to act out some of the flow. I started practicing a Korean martial art called Tang Soo Do with my dad when I was 7. I met my future husband when we tested for our blackbelts at age 17. When I wrote the Dance of the Crane Series, I was working toward a Master Belt and had a school in Meridian, Idaho. It has been half a dozen years since I stopped practicing/training in martial arts.

What is it about storytelling/writing that keeps it fresh for you? Is this a compulsion to keep going, or is it more pleasure? Along those lines, are there genres you are still hoping to try, or are you sticking in the lanes you’ve picked? Are there genres you don’t see ever trying?
I think for me, it’s learning. I like new. I have a few stories in my head, but they don’t spin like they used to. I feel satisfied for now. I have been spending most of my writing energy on non-fiction. For storytelling, I’m starting to narrate other author’s books.

We should absolutely chat about that sometime.

What’s next for Hilarey Johnson, author?
I hope to continue my blog, Intimacy with God for the Over-Churched >. I’m contributing regularly to IdaHopeChristianWriters.org. And, I would like to set aside a few months to rewrite a non fiction I wrote, and then decide what to do with it.

Thanks for your time—and thanks for Stone of Asylum—I’ll be back for more of The Dance of the Crane soon, I have to know what’s next.
Thank you! That is every writer’s hope.

A Few Quick Questions

Stone of Asylum by Hilarey Johnson: A Clash of Cultures and Reshaping of Destinies

By

On August 24, 2023

In Fantasy, Fiction, Literary Locals

Earlier this year, Johnson participated in my Q&A series about writing in Idaho and later this afternoon, she’ll be back to talk about her own writing and this book in particular. Be sure to come back for that!

Stone of AsylumStone of Asylum

by Hilarey Johnson

DETAILS:
Series: Dance of the Crane, Part 1
Publication Date: March 17, 2017
Format: eBook
Length: 218 pg.
Read Date: August 2, 2023
Buy from Bookshop.org Support Indie Bookstores

What’s the Setting for Stone of Asylum?

While we spend a little time in California, this takes place largely in the Idaho territory (in what would now be considered North Central Idaho…I think) during the Civil War.

There are characters with strong sympathies toward both sides of the War, but it doesn’t come up much, really. Mostly I mention that because it helps locate the story. We do get to see a lot of the racism faced by Chinese workers (Asians in general, although they’re all considered Chinese) in the mines (and other places), as well as other kinds of bigotry and mistreatment of others.

It’s not a kind or forgiving world that Johnson gives us in these pages, but it’s one that seems pretty realistic. At least until you get to the man who can turn into animals. But I’m getting ahead of myself.

Yi Bae

Yi Bae is a Korean warrior who has made his way to San Francisco looking for his sister—they’d been separated sometime before as they traveled through China. He needs to find her to fulfill his mission in life—he is to protect her at all costs. Together they are the last two Watchers in the world—a duty his family has to protect a particular type of garnet with magical abilities.

His search for his sister brings him into conflict with a Chinese businessman/criminal in San Francisco. He then learns some things that convince him to look for his sister in Idaho, which is in the midst of mining booms of various types. He finds that same businessman—who Yi Bae is convinced has something to do with his sister’s disappearance. He also finds himself in the employ, however temporarily, of some less-than-decent people, but is doing what he has to do to track down the other Watcher.

Not only is Yi Bae very capable when it comes to hand-to-hand combat (and those scenes are a lot of fun to read), but that thing I said before about changing into animals? Well, he can do that, too. He’s more like DC’s Garfield Logan (Beast Boy/Changeling) or Jane Yellowrock than your typical lycanthrope, because he can change into various animals.

Eldora

Our other protagonist is Eldora—a young woman whose father is an employee of a wealthy family. Eldora is old enough to begin working as a servant on their ranch. Her primary duty is to be a companion to the family’s daughter. The reader understands quickly that Eldora thinks the relationship is closer than the daughter does—and far closer than the ranch’s owners do. Despite living in a part of the territory that is already fading from prominence in favor of other locales where the mining is better, they’re trying to cling to Southern gentility’s pretensions of position and class.

She is happy (naively so) and well-loved. Which is no small thing. If you can read about Eldora and not almost immediately like her, there’s something wrong with you. Sadly, you know that this happiness and (perhaps) loving environment isn’t going to last long.

I’ll skip over some nasty classist business that reeks of Austen/Brontë-esque villains to the turning point—she has some sort of seizure and is taken from the ranch almost immediately—without her father’s involvement. She’s placed in an asylum, which is exactly as pleasant an experience as you can imagine given the time and location. It might actually be worse. Now we get to find out exactly what Eldora’s made of.

A Chance Encounter

Eldora and Yi Bae do eventually (as we all expected) cross paths with each other—on her way from the ranch. This was my favorite part of the book and I was eager to see what would happen in that eventuality. Sadly, it didn’t last that long—but it did change things for both of them (sadly, only the readers really understand that, for now).

It was kind of a let-down when they didn’t spend too much time around each other, but that’s what future books in the series are for—and what we got was enough to make me want more. A lot more. Which is odd because it wasn’t like they struck up a friendship, or even had a really good conversation. But there was something about them in the same scenes that really worked for me.

The Part that Really Bugged Me

I’m not crazy about the way that Johnson ended this book. It was a bit too abrupt—it felt like she hit a word-limit or page-count and said, “Okay, that’s enough,” and just stopped.

That’s not at all what she intended (I trust)—but that’s what it felt like to me. The last chapter was likely to have been a cliffhanger ending to bring people back for book 2. And that’s fair—I’m not the world’s biggest fan of cliffhangers, but I can appreciate a good one (and can begrudgingly accept them). This wasn’t a good one. I think if she’d left the last couple of pages off and just resolved the arcs for this novel, the ending would’ve been more satisfying. Also, the closing pages and implied threat to one protagonist would’ve been a great hook to start the second novel. I was interested in seeing what happened next to both main characters and knew things weren’t that great for both of them already—I didn’t need the threat to carry me along.

That’s just me—I might be wrong and your results will almost certainly vary.

So, what did I think about Stone of Asylum?

This is a deceptively fast read—there’s a lot more to be mined* from this book if you stop and soak it in—Johnson makes that tough and you can easily just sail along with the current. This is a perfectly fine and enjoyable way to read the book, but you’ll be happier if you catch everything she’s doing.

* Sorry. Had to.

Her fight scenes are great—particularly the way she works in Yi Bae’s supernatural abilities and martial arts skills together. Even if I didn’t care about anything else, I’d probably give the book 3 stars just for these fight scenes.

Yes, I wasn’t happy with the last couple of pages, but the rest were an intriguing mix of family drama, action, fantasy, and cultures mixing (and/or trying not to mix). This blend is a great idea and I’m really looking forward to seeing how Johnson develops this and brings our heroes (and several other characters) through it. I’m also really looking forward to seeing some characters get their just desserts (I’m pretty sure Johnson’s going to be that kind of author) and our heroes figuring out everything they missed or misunderstood here.

In short—this is a solid first entry to a trilogy that I’m eager to see played out over the next two books. I think you will be, too.

3.5 Stars

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, the opinions expressed are my own.20 Books of Summer
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WWW Wednesday, August 22, 2023

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On August 23, 2023

In Books, Currently Reading, News/Misc., WWW Wednesday

The last eight days have not gone at all as I expected on the reading front–or the writing front. Or any front really–but I’ve enjoyed most of the unexpected happenings. I’m definitely not crazy about the reading and writing plans that have gone awry. I really don’t want to turn this into a kvetch-fest, I’m really just trying to explain why this week’s WWW looks so much like last week’s. Since I really don’t believe in jinxes, I can say that next week’s WWW should look pretty different. But if I did…

blah blah blah, I’m going on too long. Let’s get on with the WWW!

This meme was formerly hosted by MizB at A Daily Rhythm and revived on Taking on a World of Words—and shown to me by Aurore-Anne-Chehoke at Diary-of-a-black-city-girl.

The Three Ws are:

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

Easy enough, right?

What are you currently reading?

I’m still reading Light Bringer by Pierce Brown—I’ve blown past the library due date and have endangered several other deadlines, but it’s been one of those weeks. I may finish it tonight, however. I am currently listening to The Camera Man by Peter Grainger, Gildart Jackson (Narrator) on audiobook. I’m loving it and am going to finish it before I’m ready to take another break from this world.

Light BringerBlank SpaceBlank SpaceThe Camera Man

What did you recently finish reading?

The last book I finished is still (I’m using that word a lot today) Justin Reeds’s However Long the Day and the very silly and fun, The Blonde Identity by Ally Carter, narrated by Emily Ellet, Andrew Eiden, on audio.

However Long the DayBlank SpaceBlank SpaceThe Blonde Identity

What do you think you’ll read next?

My next book should still (there it is again) be the second Max Boucher novel, Teaching Moments by Troy Lambert, but I might squeeze in Norah’s Ark by Victoria Williamson, so I can be ready for the Book Tour Spot next week and my next audiobook should be Hell and Back by Craig Johnson, George Guidall (Narrator). Maybe I’ll like it better in audio.

Teaching MomentsBlank SpaceNorah's ArkBlank SpaceHell and Back

What about you?

LITERARY LOCALS: A Q&A About Writing in Idaho with Paul Regnier

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On August 22, 2023

In A Few Quick Questions With..., Literary Locals

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Paul Regnier’s fantasy novel, Bard Tidings, came out in June (and it looks pretty good–since Fflewddur Fflam, I’ve been a sucker for bards). You should absolutely give it a look. But we’re not going to talk about that today (hopefully soon)*. Today, we’re focusing on what being a writer in Idaho is like for him. Enjoy!

The way things are going around here, “soon” probably means February.

Before we get into things, why don’t you give the reader a brief introduction to you and your work.
I’m Paul Regnier. I’m a writer living in the Treasure Valley here in Idaho. You can find me online at www.PaulJRegnier.com.

Are you a native Idahoan? What brought you to Idaho in the first place? (answer whichever question applies) What is it about Idaho that keeps you here?
I’ve lived in Idaho for the last six years. I’ve heard once you cross the five year mark you’re an honorary native Idahoan. My family and I love it here. I love all the pine trees and the beautiful mountainous landscapes. Winters are mild and there’s very little humidity. I’m happy to call Idaho my home state.
I’m going to have to check the handbook on that five-year rule (is that akin the to 5-second rule?) and get back to you.

Are you tied into some sort of local author/bookish group/culture? If so, tell us about it and how it helps you as an author.
I’m connected with a group of local writers called Idahope (idahopechristianwriters.org). They have get togethers, conferences, and events all geared around writing. It’s a great group to be a part of.

I’ve been connecting with a few IdaHope members recently—what to you is the biggest benefit? Or maybe I should ask, why would you tell a local author to join up?
The writing journey can be lonely. Much of the time it’s just you typing away at the computer. It’s so refreshing to get together with other writers and creative people and talk about stories and books and movies and everything in-between. Online meetups are nice as well but nothing compares to face to face, personal interaction with fellow writers.

What kind of events in the area do you attend—either to sell/promote your books or to network with authors? Are there any outside of this area that you hit regularly and wish we had something like it here?
Besides the Idahope group I’m a part of, I’m looking into homeschool events that take place in the area. There’s one in Nampa that I plan on attending next year. Homeschoolers are big readers so the events are great places to connect as a local author.

That’s a great idea! And one that no one has mentioned before—a good fantasy novel and that crowd (at least those I know in that audience) sounds like a great combination. That’s not just a great market, but a fantastic way for readers to get to know you. Are you and your family part of the homeschooling community and is that why you thought of this, or did you get this tip from someone else? (thinking back to when I homeschooled, I don’t remember anyone doing this, but I’d have loved to see it)
We haven’t personally homeschooled our kids but my daughter had experience with online school and I was her learning coach so I got to experience it in a small way. I think homeschooling is such an amazing opportunity for families and if parents have the time and resources, I think it’s a great way to educate your kids, especially when it comes to imparting family morals and spiritual truths.

One of my favorite writing conferences is Realm Makers. It’s a conference focused on speculative fiction writing (fantasy, sci-fi, supernatural, superhero, etc…). Besides the annual conference, they go around to various homeschool events with their mobile bookstore. They always report on the great response they get from homeschoolers. That’s where I first realized what an amazing opportunity it was.

What’s the breakdown of your audience—do you have a strong local base, or are your readers from other parts of the world?
I would say my readers are more national than local. Generally people find me online through Amazon or from online recommendations. The internet is a wonderful way to reach readers around the country and around the world.

Do you have plans to change that—or is it early enough in your writing career that you’re still trying to see what works before you make solid plans?
Honestly, I’m open to anyone, anywhere that enjoys my books LOL. I’ve tried to go around to local libraries and give them free copies of my books but the response has been lackluster. With online accessibility, it’s just so much easier and quicker to “spread the word” to a wider audience.

Do you think there are particular challenges or advantages to being a writer in the Treasure Valley? (possibly both)
The latest series I’m working on is a fantasy series (the first book in the series is called Bard Tidings). Since the Treasure Valley in Idaho is filled with lush pine trees, hills and mountains, the scenic setting really helps in the creation of a fantasy world. I get inspiration for many of my scenes from the amazing locations around me.

Were you writing before you came to Idaho? If so, was the bookish community (writers or readers) noticeably different?
I lived in Southern California for many years but we moved here six years ago and never looked back. We love it here! I think my only tie to “local writing groups” in CA was a writing critique group that I was a part of. However, most of us are still in touch and we try to meet online as often as schedules allow.

Do you bring Idaho (or some sort of Idaho-sensibility, assuming one exists) to your work? Whether or not anyone else sees it, can you look at some aspect of your writing and think “That’s Idaho” or “I would do ____ differently if I was a Kentuckian or from Illinois?”
For me, the main aspect of Idaho that inspires my writing is the landscape. The trees, hills, and mountains. The beauty of creation. I created a fictious small mountain town in Idaho called Crystal Falls for my cozy mystery series. The setting was inspired by the area around Cascade Lake and Payette Lake.

One final question, is there a book (or two…or 18, if you get really carried away), that embodies Idaho/the Idaho spirit to you to recommend to my readers?
If there is, I haven’t found it. I think the “Idaho spirit” means something a little different to each resident and it probably varies in different parts of the state. For me, Idaho means peace, the beauty of God’s creation, and family.

Thanks for your time and participation! Hope you enjoyed it!

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RinthCon 2323: Your Science Fiction Con of the Future

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On August 21, 2023

In News/Misc.

I got an email about RinthCon last week and was intrigued enough that I had to share this information with you all. I have plenty of questions about it, still. But I think that’s part of the point right now. Check this out!

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RinthCon 2323

Your Science Fiction Con of the Future

August 13, 2023 (HOUSTON, TX) – We all wonder about the future, but what about the science fiction of the future? You can get a glimpse of this and more by following RinthCon from August 24-28, 2023.

Set in the year 2323, RinthCon takes place in an asteroid beyond the orbit of Saturn. A freak accident with a piece of mysterious technology in the stall of a book vendor pulls people from the alternate universes of books to RinthCon. What will happen to the con when these books come to life?

Guest Authors
Jim Butcher, Fantasy
Fern Brady, Science Fiction
Steven Brust, Fantasy/Science Fiction
Cassandra Rose Clarke, Science Fiction
Rose Garcia, Fantasy
Davy Jones, Cartoons
KimoKawaii (Anime Convention), Anime/Manga
Mack Little, Historical Romance
Scott Oden, Historical Fantasy/Sword and Sorcery
Corrie Peters, Historical Mystery
John L. Simons Jr., Science Fiction

You can’t go to RinthCon in person, but you can follow the news, happenings and adventures of RinthCon at the addresses below and on the websites and social media feeds of participating creators.
Discord: https://discord.gg/Nyfr9x6Utu
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/quarantinedcon
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rinth_press/
X (Twitter): @RinthPress
Threads: @rinth_press
Website: www.RinthPress.net

About John Simons – John is a science fiction author and publisher whose novel Explorers of Rinth will debut at RinthCon alongside Corrie Peter’s historical mystery novel Outfauxed. John is also the founder of Comicpalooza, Houston’s pop-culture and comic convention.

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REPOSTING JUST CUZ: The Christian’s True Identity by Jonathan Landry Cruse: An Introduction to the Glory that is Being “In Him”

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On August 20, 2023

In Non-Fiction, Theology/Christian Living

Okay, I’m too tired to get something new ready. So instead of talking about Jonathan Landry Cruse’s newest book, let’s take a look at his previous one.

The Christian’s True Identity

The Christian’s True Identity:
What It Means to
Be in Christ

by Jonathan Landry Cruse

Kindle Edition, 144 pg.
Reformation Heritage, 2019

Read: March 21, 2021
Grab a copy from your local indie bookstore!

Many of us are raised believing that Jesus is simply the way to salvation. But no—He is salvation. He is the way, but He is also the life! He is both the giver and the gift. He is not a means to an end; He is the end. We are not to come to Christ looking for Him to give us something (like salvation, sanctification, a better life—or at least a better car), but instead we are to come to Christ looking for Him.

What’s The Christian’s True Identity About?

I’ve spent too much time trying to be clever or profound with this, it’s a short book, I can be brief here. The book’s point is pretty simple—despite all the noise and hubbub today about finding ourselves, choosing/shaping our identity. For the Christian, our identity comes from being rooted in Christ.

One of the—possibly the—greatest truths recovered by the Reformation was that union with Christ is at the core of all the blessings, all the amazing things that are true of the Christian, the Christian Life, and the Life of the World to Come. It’s all rooted and grounded in Him.

John calls it “abiding in” Christ. Paul repeatedly describes our blessings “in Him.” Cruse looks at ten passages from Paul’s epistles where he uses the phrase “in Him,” reviewing the passage, explaining how the passage reflects and teaches this truth about Christian identity, and applying it to the reader.

So, what did I think about The Christian’s True Identity?

Throughout this book we have considered how an identity in Christ far excels any identity the world might offer us. When we are in Christ we are chosen, forgiven, accepted as righteous, adopted into God’s family, placed in community, made new, and kept perfectly secure come what may. Our blessings in Jesus Christ are so expansive that it can truly be said that our union began in eternity with election and will forever continue in eternity with glorification.

That’s pretty much what’s covered in the book—done effectively, warmly, and clearly. Cruse has an easy-to-read, engaging style—he’ll draw you in and make you want to learn more. He skillfully uses writers from throughout Church History, contemporary scholarship, and current cultural examples to help bring these truths to life.

I think it could be deeper, I think it could be more detailed. But that’s not what the book aimed for—it’s an introduction or a refresher, that’s all. It’s supposed to drive the reader to further study, further reading. It accomplishes that goal while pointing to glorious, foundational truths. I commend it to you for that.

3.5 Stars

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, opinions are my own.

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