Beauty - in all shapes and sizes

In argument of my last post concerning physical attractiveness, I give you Kyle Carpenter. Who was a good-looking guy when he entered the Marines. He's an amazing man after all he's been through.

Then we have a movement of beauty.

Visit help-portrait.

282,295 PORTRAITS GIVEN

HELP-PORTRAIT IS A GLOBAL MOVEMENT OF PHOTOGRAPHERS, HAIRSTYLISTS AND MAKEUP ARTISTS USING THEIR TIME, TOOLS AND EXPERTISE TO GIVE BACK TO THOSE IN NEED.

Writing for the soul? Writing for entertainment? Writing for the PG crowd?

Twice a month I attend a webinar on writing. Which is awesome. Tonight's was great. I found it very informative.

However, I also found it incredibly disappointing. I won't lie. I asked a question of the presenter which was answered at the end. As you can see from a post in April it is a topic which has been on my mind for a while.

I wanted to know what a Christian author could rely on besides overstating a character's physical attraction to make a "despicable" character likeable to their love interest. The answer in a nutshell was "it's risky to try making your character anything less than physically attractive because readers don't want unattractive characters."

We'll leave aside the fact this webinar was geared towards the Christian fiction writer which means the Christian fiction reader should be unique from the non-Christian reader.

The beauty of books is you can't "see" the characters. I can name attractive actors. I've gone to see movies just because an actor is in who I appreciate. Some actors I see their movies because of their talent. Some actors I see their movies because of their looks. Some actors I see their movies because of a balance of looks and talents. Let's be honest though not every good-looking person is a talented actor; not every talented actor is a good-looking person. I've found a good balance of both is rare. You don't really have to be a good actor to fight machine aliens shirtless though. You just need to clock decent time at the gym.

Beyond the fact you can't see a book character though, why does one have to be physically attractive for us to relate to them? I can't root for the slightly pudgy girl to get the guy? I can't hope the balding guy won't be turned down by the girl he's crushed on forever? If a writer has to rely on a strong jawline, perfectly ruffled hair, deep blue eyes, and a six pack to make the character our hero, I'd suggest they find a new line of work.

Why support Hollywood's presentation of a love story? We all can't wait for our Noah (Ryan Gosling) to sweep us off our feet. We all aren't Allie Calhoun (Rachel McAdams) choosing between Noah and Lon Hammond (James Marsden). Most of us will find our Fin (Kevin Connolly), a guy who next to Noah appears plain. It doesn't make him any less the right man for us.

I read Nicholas Sparks. More than a few of his books are on my shelf. However, when I read his books I can cast the inevitable movie. In the end his books are just longer versions of the movie script. His books are like eating rice cakes. They are an easy hour and a half away from daily life, but they don't satisfy the hunger.

The reality is we are all beautiful. The truth is we are all ugly. There are beautiful people with ugly souls.  There are unattractive people with beautiful souls.

I guess it isn't really writing for the soul. It is writing PG-rated love stories for the Christian reader.

There are so many thoughts running through my head, I'm losing coherency. I'm sure we'll revisit this topic. In the meantime...

"Excellence matters." Brandon Webb

FWIW the last guy I found ridiculously attractive, let's just say his character caught my attention first. My eyes eventually caught up but it was the person he is which I first noticed.

Here To Stay

Here To Stay by Melissa Tagg

I am so glad Tagg told Blake Hunziker’s story.

*ahem*

Blake Hunziker returns to his hometown of Whispering Shores five years after leaving to forget the painful memories of his brother, Ryan. Ryan’s death has simultaneously pushed Blake to a life of adventure while guilting him into leading a quiet life. After a fake marriage with a reality TV star, Blake returns home to face the wrath of his family.

Except wrath isn’t waiting for him when he opens his parent’s front door. Unexpectedly his parents couldn’t be happier to see him and Blake wasn’t prepared for their joyous response. At his father’s bidding Blake finds himself committing to reviving the Christmas Festival. Facing tinsel instead of a lynching mob has Blake overwhelmed, he turns to Autumn Kingsley to assist with the planning.

Autumn’s life is wrapped up in a not-so-perfect bow in Whispering Shores. Her family’s Inn is falling apart and one missed loan payment away from no longer being the family inn. Her not-so-secret dreams of leaving Whispering Shores are one letter away from coming true. If she can just get an investment, she can save the Inn and the jobs of her friends. When Blake shows up on her doorstep asking for her help, she agrees believing a successful festival will cement the chances of her departure.

What follows is a fun and charming story. Made To Last was a cute story, but Here To Stay was memorable. A good writer tells a story. A great writer makes you part of the story. I was engulfed in Here To Stay. I wanted Autumn to realize her dreams of traveling. I wanted Blake to come home and finally shake off the guilt. I wanted them to be together. I’m curious to see what Tagg has planned next.  

Made To Last

Made To Last by Melissa Tagg

What does a woman who hosts a home repair show with slipping rating do to increase public interest? She introduces the husband she's spoken about for the past three years. What does a woman who hosts a home repair show do when there is no husband? She hires one to be a stand in for the press. What does a supremely private woman do to further help her struggling show? She allows a reporter to shadow her and compose a daily blog.

At least this is what Miranda Woodruff does when her show is threatened with cancellation. Only three people know the truth the husband she talks about so often was supposed to be the ex-fiance who walked out on her three years prior. She mistakenly believes Blake "Blaze" Hunziker is the former fiance, Robbie, and an idea is born.  Suddenly Randi's solitude in the mountains of North Carolina is overrun when reporter, Matthew Knox, moves in to a cottage on her property to observe her relationship with Blaze. The weight of the lie rests heavily on Randi's shoulders until it threatens to overwhelm her when Blaze, Matthew, and Robbie collide.

Made To Last was the first book by Tagg I've read. I enjoyed her voice and the authenticity she pens stories with. I would have appreciated a little more information on Blaze. I'm over the schtick of introducing a character and teasing their back story for the follow up novel. It tends to keep the character from being fleshed out.

Beside the one minor nitpick, I am looking forward to Tagg's next novel. Luckily for me it is Blaze's story. It's on to Here To Stay.

Undetected

Undetected by Dee Henderson

Gina Gray excels at everything academic she touches. Twenty-nine years old and she's a secret weapon for the U.S. Navy. She fails socially in her own mind. Freshly single with her thirtieth birthday around the corner, Gina recovers from her breakup at her brother's condo on a Navy base.

When she asks Jeff to consider introducing her to a few of his friends, Jeff immediately considers Mark Bishop. After consulting with Mark, Jeff introduces Gina to Daniel Field. As Gina and Daniel grow closer, Mark realizes his mistake.

While Gina struggles with determining her romantic future, her professional future stands on the cusp of a breakthrough. As Gina's discovery change the scope of modern warfare for the U.S. Navy, her personal life becomes a series of conflicting emotions. As Gina grows socially and determines the roles of the two men in her life, she becomes a national asset with long-reaching ramifications.

I was hesitant to invest in Undetected. I've loved Henderson's writing from the O'Malley series. She came back from her hiatus and lost the action-suspense which set her apart from most other writers. Her books have become light on action while increasing the number of pages.

Undetected was a wonderful read. While still light on the action-adventure, the characters and their journeys was compelling. Gina Gray is awkward with her relationships with men. She wants a straight-forward answer and direction. She's looking for honesty. Mark Bishop, a widower, is looking to be a good husband again. Daniel Field is hoping be a husband one day to the right woman.

Each character had flaws. While at times the characters can appear to be a bit too perfect, they are real. They struggle with their faith and hoping for a future. Gina tries to balance the responsibility of her naval discoveries and the insecurities she feels regarding every other aspect of her life. Once I opened the pages to Undetected I became lost in the story.

Raptor 6

Raptor 6 by Ronie Kendig

Kendig begins her third military series with Raptor 6 with Captain Dean Watters and his team in Afghanistan. A local school is blown up and when Dean and his team show up with an assist, he meets missionary Zahrah Zarrick. An American with Afghan bloodlines, Z is a contradiction who holds secrets which will make her a target either of her own people or the American soldiers fighting against terrorists. As their lives continue to intertwine and nefarious plans come to light, Dean battles his history as it shapes his future.

I enjoyed Raptor 6 more than Kendig's last tale in her Military Working Dog series. I connected with Dean and Z almost from introduction. My only complaint is real life kept me from finishing the book in one sitting. The plot moved at a pace which meant putting the book down was torture.

Kendig's fictional work is an homage to our men and women and the sacrifices, burdens they shoulder, and the honor with which they live their lives. There were roughly five chapters in Raptor 6 which were hard to read because Kendig writes with respect and realism. She doesn't glorify the soldiers as unbreakable, perfect men and women. She gives them faults and allows them to make mistakes, but doesn't shy away from the realities they face on the battlefield.

Reading Raptor 6 so close to Easter brought to mind the photos which make their way around Facebook periodically. On Good Friday we watched The Passion of the Christ. Raptor 6 tied in to the sacrifice our Lord made for us. He bore the pain and suffering we earned. He endured the cross to save us from the torment.

The ending of Raptor 6 gave us a brief glimpse this ride isn't over. We'll be revisiting Dean and his team as they neutralize the continued threat.

Christian Authors and the Dilemma of Physical Attraction

A favorite blog writer of mine recently asked a question concerning things in books as a reader you don’t like. She mentioned describing the male lead as devastatingly handsome. It immediately brought to mind one of my top three pet peeves – overselling the physical appearance of characters in a book.

Unlike movies and television where you can actually see the characters, books offer a chance to imagine the characters. I don’t need an excessive amount of details for a literary character. My mind will sketch the characters as I see them. I’d rather read about their hands shaking in anger than the color of the skin covering those hands. Tell me about the excitement in their eyes before you wax poetic about the ocean being the same shade. I’d rather have an abstract picture of a character in a book than a paint-by-number portrait.

God gave us sight and created each and every one of us to be wonderfully made. Physical beauty is neither a curse nor a blessing. Society has defined what is attractive and asks us to all conform. God asks us to view others not with the eyes of the world, but through His eyes.

Where does the responsibility end for a Christian author who is setting the scene and describing the fictional world they have created? I have stopped reading more than a couple of authors because their emphasis on physical attractiveness is nearly worldly. I’ve become tired of reading about silky hair, long legs, strong arms, flat stomachs, and beautiful faces. I need more than physical attraction to believe two characters are going to commit to each other when they are written as though they can’t stand to be in the same room together.

In TV and movies I believe there is a direct correlation between the quality of writing and the nudity of the characters. The more poorly written the story line is the more likely you are to have nearly naked actors on screen. In the literary world there is actually a designation when this happens on paper – PWP, porn without plot. PWP lets the reader know there is no story here just written porn. Christians authors more than likely aren’t writing PWP, but they need to find motivation for attraction between their characters to be more than just physical. Physical beauty fades or can be taken from us in an instant. The beauty of a God-fearing heart and the fruit of a Godly life lives forever.

Christians can’t ignore the physical traits of the opposite sex. I can list for you the physical qualities I find attractive in a guy. God designed us with eyes to see and brains to process what we see. We have to take care we don’t emphasize the physical over the traits God has outlined as important. While we all can’t poke out our eyes to prevent being physically attracted to someone, we can guard our minds with the Word of God.

I believe authors have a responsibility and should be held accountable. I won’t read an author anymore if I believe their romantic storylines are led with worldly views.