Jun 8, 2014 |
Disclaimer: Aaron D. Gansky has been a friend of mine for many years. It is because we are both Christian writers (and he is married to one of my close friends which is how we met) that we get along well. These facts have in no way influenced this book review.
The Bargain is a Selah Award Finalist in Fiction novel. It is a suspenseful Christian fantasy story written by Aaron D. Gansky. It is available for purchase through Amazon and Amazon Kindle.
Aaron D. Gansky
I bought The Bargain for my Kindle. I’m all about supporting local artists. I also like to read what others are writing, and learn from their style and format. The Bargain did not disappoint.
To be honest, I’m no longer much of a reader (I still haven’t finished the Louie L’Amour book I started two summers ago). I want to be. But I keep myself busy with the day job, home life with Dot at Bedford Manor, and writing my own stories.
But one evening I needed a break from all that. So I picked up my Kindle and decided to glance through the first few pages. The more I read, the more I understood the cover art. Can you see it? A pensive man, a train, and a desert. And oh, so much more!
The Bargain by Aaron D. Gansky
It took just seven days for me to finish the story. I haven’t read that fast since I was pregnant with Dot . . . and she’s 19. I found myself irritated that my aforementioned life responsibilities got in the way of reading more, say at 3 o’clock in the morning or during office hours. I made Starbucks staff look at me funny as I gasped, frequently. (Note to self: stop emoting in public.)
The Bargain tells the story of international reporter Connor Reedly, in his own voice, as he struggles to find meaning and make sense of his dying wife, Nadine, and a town the world wants to forget. They arrive in Hailey, home of Nadine’s sister, Aida and her friend Mason. Mason is tasked with offering Connor $250,000 if he writes ten articles in eight days. Mason hints that to refuse means certain death for Nadine, and all of Hailey.
Connor has to choose between spending his wife’s dying days at her side making her comfortable, or talking to strangers in hope of saving her. What secrets does he uncover? In the end, is Hailey really worth saving?
The Bargain, although written by a Christian author and containing Christian themes, is not only for Christian readers. It’s not an in-your-face sermon. The characters are hardened, tough, bitter. They are criminals telling their stories. They are victims sharing their loads. They are a collection of folk who are nitty-gritty in a place that no one wants to visit, let alone live.
And it’s up to Connor, a non-believer, to find out if there are any redeemable qualities, not only in Hailey, but in himself as well.
Okay. That’s the synopsis. Here’s what The Bargain did for me personally:
- It made me cry. It really did. Aaron’s characters are true, honest, not polished or cleaned up. The reality that life sometimes sucks invades this book not with a depressing countenance, but with a breathless, there-but-for-the-grace-of-God-go-I sort of reading. I found myself nodding in understanding at each interaction, with all of Connor’s thoughts, and even in the solitude faced by the characters and Hailey as a whole.
- I saw much of myself in this blend of people. From those who make no sense of their struggles, to those who justify their wrongdoings, to those who question everything, to those who just accept the world as it is. From the hopeless to the hopeful, there is a bit of each of us in each of the characters.
- It left me wanting more. I’m a sucker for ongoing stories and I was sad when I reached the end. I like the continuing soap operas, trilogy movies, etc. So if you’re reading this, Aaron (and I know you are!), please tell me you’re writing more. If not these characters, then more like them. Please. Thank you.
- It changed my perspective. Life isn’t always pretty. That doesn’t mean it has to be hell on earth. It’s not always about me (or Connor) and sometimes the choices aren’t easy. But they are choices. Sometimes, what you think will work, doesn’t. But sometimes, just sometimes, what you have no hope for actually happens. Or something completely different. This book affirmed it’s okay to just close your eyes and say, “What’s next?”
There’s so much more I want to tell you, but I don’t want to give away the ending. I will, however, share my short interview with Aaron for this giveaway:
- Mojo: Is this your first suspense novel?
Aaron: Yes and no. My first novel was also suspense, but, like most first novels, it wasn’t good, and hasn’t been published.
- Mojo: How long did it take you to write it once you had the idea?
Aaron: It was the matter of about eight months from concept to the end of draft one. Tack on another couple of months for editing, then a lot of years shopping it to publishers. Once it was published, we worked on edits for another couple of months. I’d estimate, conservatively, it was a little under two years of active work (most in revisions and edits).
- Mojo: What was the hardest part about writing THE BARGAIN?
Aaron: That’s a good question. For me, the writing isn’t the hard part, it’s the shopping and waiting for publication. But, because I wrote it when my kids were young, I’d say the hardest part was waking up early to write before my kids got up. I kept Starbucks’ pockets well lined in those thin hours of the mornings. In context of craft, I struggled to keep the quality high throughout the novel. My challenge was to make each “article” stand up to the last. I had the first few in mind, but coming up with the others that would be as equally as compelling gave me a lot of trouble.
- Mojo: It’s a fast paced read, and at times volatile and emotional. Did you ever find yourself getting caught up in the story instead of writing it?
Aaron: I did. I think, more than anything else, the final scene in Veronica’s story is what really got me. I won’t spoil it, but if you’ve read it, you know exactly what I’m talking about. It was a chilling scene to write. I knew exactly how I wanted to handle it, and it came pretty naturally, and the words fell into place, and horrified me with each letter that dropped. My hope is that my readers have a similar experience when they read it—a chilling terror that washes over a subtle, quiet hope.
- Mojo: What is your writing process (outline v. discovery)? I learned those terms on your podcast.
Aaron: I’m a die-hard discovery writer. It’s how my mind works. I can outline, but I’ve not had nearly as much success with that strategy.
So. Are you intrigued enough to read The Bargain? Do you want to win your own autographed copy? Then look no further and enter below!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
May 18, 2014 |
A few days ago someone mentioned to me how someone else had hurt her. “Can you believe she says she’s a Christian?!” She said the word like it was sewage.
I immediately asked if she thinks being a Christian means being perfect? Let me tell you, right here, right now: It. Does. Not.
Standing up for Christianity is a complicated matter. I have seen how churches alienate people. I understand the hurt when a Christian points fingers or falls short of that goal line. I’ve been there, I’ve done that. I’ve been both on the receiving and the giving end of this dynamic.
I recently had a very heart-to-heart with someone who doesn’t see God the way I do. Someone who isn’t sure that God can be that personal. Someone who is okay getting through life without a personal relationship with God. Someone who has been alienated by others claiming to be Godly.
So, do I alienate this person, just because their belief doesn’t match up with mine?
I don’t have the words to express how hurtful it is to see people judge Christians based solely on the fact that we say, “I love God.” Are there Christians out there who aren’t perfect? Always.
So here’s my soapbox. I’m just gonna type this out and hope it makes sense to everyone who reads it. Ready?
My Christianity isn’t about saying I’m better. It isn’t about me being perfect, because I’m not. Because I never will be. I fall short every.stinking.day and I’m not ashamed to admit that. I don’t wallow in self-pity, I don’t proclaim my failings from the highest hilltop just to manipulate others into telling me I’m not that bad. Nor do I tell others they’re not that good.
We are all people. We are designed to love and care for one another, and to bring each other closer to goodness. Let’s be real for a minute. Which feels better: being selfish or selfless? Of course it’s nice to have attention drawn to ourselves. I’m crazy about getting the “Thinking of you” texts or the “How are you?” phone calls. But there’s something so fulfilling about truly helping someone else out.
I’m not talking about those people my Pam-Mom refers to as “virtue suckers”. Those are the ones who are always asking for help when what they really only want is attention. The ones who complain without trying to make things better.
I’m talking about really helping people who want it. I don’t want my people to feel obligated to sit by me at church or call me at night. I want them there because they want to be there. I want my people to let me feed them, hug them, help them. I want them to see God in everything I say and do. And when I fail, because I have, I do, I will, fail . . . I want them to forgive me and not judge me.
I could never tell someone their life stinks because they don’t have God. Heck, my life stinks sometimes and I do have God! Who am I to judge what’s in a person’s heart?
There are people who God will warn me to stay away from. But those are few and far between. Christ ate with sinners, prostitutes and tax collectors. If I’m to be Christ-like, who am I to say I’m not the sinner?
And it really hurts me when people assume that just because I’m Christian, I’m supposed to be without faults. It burdens me to hear someone call out a Christian just because he or she lost their temper or had a bad day.
It bothers me when my Christian friends try to proselytize my people, without knowing my people. I don’t live in a bubble. I know others are as imperfect as I am. I’m okay with that because I believe we’re all called to love one another, not judge each other. It’s a two-way street. If I stop talking to BB because he believes in Buddha, what kind of Christian does that make me? If I say I’m not perfect but I expect you to be, what kind of friend does that make me? If I see someone in pain and say “You brought this on yourself!” instead of “How can I help?”, what kind of human does that make me? Not a good one.
I’m currently in a relationship with a guy who isn’t sure where he stands with God. And I’m okay with that. Why? Because he (My Complicated) is open to me praying for and about us. About our relationship, about him, about any- and everything I feel led to pray about. Do I wish he could come to church with me each week? Absolutely. Am I going to stop seeing him because he can’t? Not yet. Do I feel a bit oxymoronic for falling for a guy like him? Not at all. Because he’s a really great guy. And because God is calling him. He just doesn’t know it yet.
We have one commitment between us. Don’t Leave. Period. It’s that simple. If we disagree, we can take time out to calm down and think. We can hang up the phone and breathe. We can walk away. But we have to come back. We can’t leave. Not until it’s worked out.
That doesn’t mean everything is always perfect. I don’t know what kind of happy ending this will have. But I know he’ll fight for me.
And I do know that God says the same thing.
Don’t Leave. Period.
So no matter how imperfect I am, no matter how difficult my friends, family, and My Complicated can be, I’m not leaving God.
He’s never left me. He fights for me every day.
Being Christian isn’t about being perfect. It’s about not being alone. Ever.
It’s about those dark quiet nights when no one’s holding my hand. It’s about going to the grocery store by myself. It’s about celebrating with dinner for one (two if Dot is home). It’s about doing all these things alone, but not being alone.
Being Christian is about sharing my life with God, and knowing that He’s doing what He can to share His with me. He’s asking me to just not leave Him.
Does being Christian make me perfect? No. But I strive to attain the best imperfection I can for Him. Does it mean judging others? Not without pointing fingers right back at me. Does it mean abandoning those who I treasure, adore, love? Never.
Will I get in your face and tell you, you need God? Always. Why? Because I know God. And He wants to know you. Because God is supernatural and able to manage my life in ways that I can’t. Because God loves us all even when we don’t love ourselves. Because I can’t see inside you. I can only know the parts of you that you share with me. And I don’t know what conversations you’re having with God. It’s mean and cruel of me to assume that anyone doesn’t know God. I can tell you what I feel in my heart when we talk. But I can’t tell you if you’re in His arms or not. No. That’s not true. I can tell you, every single one of us is in His arms. I just can’t tell who’s fighting Him and who’s enjoying His comfort. And I will never make that judgment call.
As I’m writing this, I know deep inside that someone is reading it with that first glimmer of faith and hope. Whoever you are, please know that I am praying for you. Please know that I want to dance with you on streets of gold. And until we get there, while we are still here, I love you with an imperfect love. You may be a stranger to me. That’s okay. Reach out to someone who can be there for you. Pray. Pray with a friend, a family member, or even a stranger.
Don’t be afraid of the label of Christianity. Don’t think you can’t measure up. Don’t worry about being judged. Don’t think wherever you are in life that you can’t reach out. Don’t worry about others. Just give it your all.
And just know that God has made this promise to you.
Don’t Leave. Period.
He never promised peace and fulfillment. Rather, He warned us that just the opposite would happen. That people will hate Christians for no reason other than being Christian. It is not easy. But it’s definitely better.
Years ago God gave me a choice to keep a friend, or turn that friend over to God. As painful as it was to walk away, I opened my hands and released this person to God. God told me the process would be long and painful. And it was. To have to say no to my friend. To have to walk away and let God step up. But the result is beautiful. My friend is now married with children. Living a very successful life, and a very Godly life.
It’s so possible to be completely fulfilled with God. It really is. Your dreams are rarely His dreams, but as you draw closer to Him, he will change your heart so that your desires are for Him and His will.
I promise it’s worth it. And I promise He will never leave you or forsake you.
Whoever you are, I’m praying for you. So hang in there.
Don’t Leave. Period.
And Frankly, My Dear . . . that’s all she wrote!
You may also enjoy reading:
It’s Complicated, Part One: My Relationship
The First Step
P.U.S.H.
Dear God, Did You Forget About Me?!
May 17, 2014 |
Last week on my personal Facebook profile, I changed my relationship from “single” to “it’s complicated”.
It’s Complicated.
No photos. No names. I’m not one to spill intimate details. I like to protect the privacy of the people who choose to expose themselves to a writer’s life ~ this writer’s life.The family I’m born into and gave birth to don’t have much say on the matter. But the ones who have a choice . . . those are the ones I admire. The ones who are strong enough to stick around when the word goes to print. The ones who don’t unfriend me on Facebook because they see the struggle between who I am and who I want to be, and the dichotomy between my very personal and sometimes public life.
Last week, my two worlds collided in a very unexpected manner. An old friend came to town. We went out. And then he said it. It. Those three little words that every woman loves to hear from the man she wants to want her in return.
Complicated? I’ll say so. There are many dynamics [read: hurdles] we would have to conquer to make a relationship work. Those are the private moments. But we’re talking. We’re sharing. We’re growing closer. That’s the public life.
He’s not perfect. [He had the nerve to ask “Why Toronto?” when discussing travel destinations.] He doesn’t drink coffee as much as I do. [That’s okay, I’ll have his share.] But he likes cats. He encourages my writing. And he’s taller than me. [Yes, mother, when I’m 5’8″, a man who can tower over me is a nice thing!]
I’m not perfect. I cry too much. I told him I hated him for holding my hand. I told him I was going to write every flaw and fight for dramatic content, of course. I drink his coffee and eat his chocolate. I order before he looks at the menu. But he likes me anyway.
It’s too soon to know if I’m blessed with this man or if we’ll end up hurting each other. I do know we’ve been friends for such a ridiculously long time it would be impossible to leave him completely. Right now, our complicated promise is only this:
Don’t Leave. Period.
The rest we’ll either figure out or we won’t. We’re not in a rush to make it work or find out it won’t. For This Girl, who thrives on stability and steadiness, this uncertainty is new. I’m used to being alone, solitary, not asking for help with decision making or planning someone else’s social schedule. This is familiarly new to me.
Is he a good catch? I think so. I’ve always thought so. Except for those in-between times when we’ve danced around each other’s lives with someone else. Except for those in-between years when we forgot we liked each other. After all this time, we are in the same place at the same time. And it’s complicated. Because it’s not.
It’s a little terrifying. A lot satisfying. And pretty much the reason I haven’t had a decent night’s sleep in a week.
I want to make sure I’m not using him for his attentions. Let’s face it–who doesn’t love some nice “You look good” and “Have a chocolate” stuff. He deserves more than me just wanting his attentions. He deserves me wanting him completely, as he says, “warts and all”.
And so I’m praying. I’m praying for clarity and direction and all the things a person prays about in a relationship. I’m praying to be able to keep God first not just in this, but in every relationship. I desire God to be above all else in my household. I crave a man who is so in love with the Lord that he forgets I’m in the room.
It’s so complicated. I don’t want a guy to replace God as my Head of Household.
And in the quiet of the late night, when the rest of the world is gone and asleep and I’m left alone after hanging up the phone and My Complicated is far away, I hear God saying, “I’m still here.”
That folks, is what we in the writing world call “the hook” or “the cliffhanger”. Come back tomorrow for the rest of the story.
And Frankly, My Dear . . . That’s all she wrote!
You may also enjoy reading:
Apologetic
I’m Afraid of My Own Succcess
May 16, 2014 |
Five Things Friday at Frankly, My Dear…
This week’s Five Things Friday is all about experiences. Those moments that are more than moments. Those times that leave more than memories. This week’s post is about the whole kit-and-caboodle.
Because I write (or perhaps influencing the way I write), life is more than just passing time. I love to absorb everything about everything. I want to relive it completely: the look, the feel, the sight, the smell, the sound. I enjoy watching strangers and making up stories about them. I like discovering the nitty-gritty of what makes people tick.
And while I’m healthiest when I’m writing, there are a handful of experiences I would love to be able to write about but haven’t yet.
These are my Five Things Friday Experiences.
1. National Police Week. My good friend Danny lost his brother nearly two years ago. [Read Dear Amy, I’m Just So Sorry For Your Loss.] Pat’s wife, Amy, and their four children continue to be a strong public symbol of faith and forgiveness. This last week, Danny was a part of the Police Unity Tour. He rode nearly 300 miles on a bicycle to draw attention to our fallen officers. While much pedaling isn’t on my Bucket List, doing what I can to support police officers and their families is a big deal. I’m proud of our selfless heroes, proud of Danny, and proud of Amy for continuing to show her strengths and vulnerabilities to the world. We need all the heroes we can get, and they need our support.
2. The Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writer’s Conference. Conferences are a great place to make connections and share writings. Several of my friends and colleagues speak at the BRMCWC and I’m hopeful to attend next year. Between now and then, I’ll do whatever I can to raise the funds necessary to get there. I’ve yet to attend any writer’s conference, and I can think of no better way to start than by going across the country to meet up with people I know and admire.
3. Book Tour. What kind of writer would I be if I didn’t rehearse television interviews and plan my agenda years in advance? Once NOLA is a best seller (think positive!), I’ll start in New York and travel my way around the United States with stops in Michigan, North Carolina, New Orleans (of course!), Texas, Arizona and wherever else I can land.
NOLA Inspiration
This is all actually just a clever ploy to meet up with family and friends. Selling books is secondary to my wish to see all my loved ones again.
4. Last Resorts. I’m not shy about admitting that I like to taste the finer things in life. Last week I was delightfully treated to my first dining experience at Duane’s Prime Steaks & Seafood, the elegant restaurant at my most favorite place, The Mission Inn in Riverside. It was beyond my expectations. It was magical. And yes, it was worth it. I’ve stayed at the Mission Inn once and would love to do so again. The Keeper of the Inn Suite, if you please.
Peaceful Morning
There, and the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island, Michigan. As a child, we would drive up to Mackinaw City each summer. Driving across the bridge was always so adventurous.
Mackinac Bridge [Photo by Danny O’Rourke; used by permission.]
5. Italy. My second home will be in Italy. Tuscany. Rome. Venice. It doesn’t matter. Italy is small enough that I can easily get from one place to another in a reasonable amount of time. Until then, my house will continue to look like an Italian countryside coffeehouse.
My Favorite Coffee Mugs
There are many more experiences on my Bucket List. But these are my top five.
What are yours?
And Frankly, My Dear . . . that’s all she wrote.
You may also enjoy reading:
FIVE THINGS FRIDAY: Everything Old is NEW Again
2014: BETTER.
I’m Afraid of My Own Success
FIVE THINGS FRIDAY: The Big Easy
Destination: Mission Inn, Riverside, CA
Destination: Grand Hotel, Mackinac Island, Michigan
Apr 27, 2014 |
By now you’ve probably heard the latest near-celebrity uproar that involves the owner of the L. A. Clippers basketball team, Donald Sterling, and his purported bigotry and hatred toward blacks and other minorities.
You’ve at least heard the shortened audio clip that is being broadcast nine ways to Sunday in an effort to “promote awareness”.
Let me be perfectly clear: I do not tolerate bigotry or prejudice in any fashion.
Having said that, I also don’t accept a blanket decision based on tid-bits and samplings. I prefer to discover the entire story and not make snap judgments.
I also have a problem with vilifying a person based on a conversation recorded by someone else.
Sure, Sterling said things that are highly inflammatory. Worse than that, it appears he really does think and feel in a disgusting, greater-than-thou matter.
But the girlfriend who recorded, and then broadcast, the conversation (or perhaps an edited version of several conversations), is not an innocent bystander. V Stiviano is just as guilty for promoting this hatred because of the manner in which it was done.
Doesn’t recording such a volatile discussion indicate forethought? A person doesn’t start rambling and say “Oh, I wish I’d recorded that.” There’s no magic button that can go back in time to record from the beginning of a conversation when it’s nearly over. No. The idea to record a conversation was already there. She knew she would need it.
And for what purpose? To trap Sterling into saying something vulgar?
I did a little research. I read the entire nine minute transcript. And I learned how the girlfriend has been accused of embezzlement and how she threatened to “get even”.
My point is this. Sterling has admitted to being bigoted and prejudiced. Those beliefs and behaviors are disgusting and dangerous.
But so is the mindset of recording conversations with the intent to use them later. Stiviano is not innocent. Sterling is not innocent. I don’t like giving people like that publicity.
But as long as the news will continue to show small clip bits and use colossal words like “angry” and “mob mentality”, I will speak up and use words like “acceptance” and “love” and “okay”.
I’m not perfect. Far from it. But my imperfections have nothing to do with the color of my skin, my gender, or even my country. My imperfections come from being human. And since we all are, I promote peace and forgiveness.
Shame on you, Sterling, for thinking you’re something greater. And shame on you, Stiviano, for using underhanded means to get your point across.
Neither of you are getting an invitation to any of my holiday parties.
And Frankly, My Dear . . . that’s all she wrote!
