There’s a thing going round among
writer friends – a mini-blog-tour.
Claire Dunn has invited me to participate (see her blog, here).
That’s C.F.Dunn, author of an unfolding
series of novels, Mortal Fire, Death Be Not Proud and, most recently, Rope of Sand.
This mini-blog tour involves
answering four questions –
- What am I working on?
- How does my work differ from others in its genre?
- Why do I write what I do?
- How does my writing process work?
– then nominating two other writers to address
the same questions. I’ve nominated
Rachel Phifer, author of the novel The Language of Sparrows, and Donna Fletcher Crow, a prolific
and successful author of Christian historical novels. Donna will be picking this up on her blog, I know; but I
haven’t yet heard back from Rachel.
So,
then, to the questions.
What am I working on?
My current work-in-progress was
intended as a preachers’ resource, but my publisher feels it will do better as a gift book / bedside book. It’s a fusion of reflection and fiction, in
the same way as was my Lent book published this year, The Wilderness Within You.
This new book is to be called The
Wren On The Fence, and will be a collection of 52 short fictional pieces,
following the liturgical year. Each
piece will explore the theme set for the Sunday of that week in the
ecclesiastical year, and take into account also the quarter-day and
cross-quarter-day themes of the ancient Celtic Year – pre-dating the Council of
Whitby. Each piece will be to a
word-length allowing it to take about ten minutes to read, so it will be handy
for those looking for material for women’s meetings, homegroup meetings,
personal quiet times or for the ministry of the word in an evening service or
‘second’ service (eg an 8.00am communion service).
I’ve just begun this, and its
completion deadline is the end of November.
How does my work differ from others in its genre?
I write both fiction and
non-fiction, Christian spirituality. My
publishers (both UK and US) produce books primarily (broadly) for the evangelical end of the
Christian marketplace. In Christian fiction
there’s a strong movement away from ‘confessional’ fiction, in which the
Christian message is explicit and declared, to a more implicit exploration of
Gospel themes – less upfront about Jesus, more imbued, shot-through, with the
values that characterize (or at least inspire) the Christian faith community.
My work differs from all this in
two ways. Firstly, in my novels, I am not following the trend of being less
up-front about Jesus. Because I believe
that the irreducible minimum content – the essence, the nub – of the Christian
faith is a direct personal encounter and relationship with the living Lord
Jesus, that’s what I write about. It’s possible to be nuanced in expressing
this in fiction, but I don’t try to tone it down or cover it up in any way.
Secondly, my thinking – and
therefore my work – draws on and is informed by other thoughtforms and world
religions; Hinduism, Sufism, Taoism, Buddhism and a whole variety of other
thinkers – secular, scientific, New Age, Theosophist, Anthroposophist – I don’t
mind what they are, I’m interested in what they have to say, exploring it,
considering it, turning it over and over in the light of truth as I understand
it. Listening always for the ring of
authenticity.
In both these respects my focus
and intent, or at least my method, differs somewhat from the general current
trend in Christian fiction and devotional material.
Why do I write what I do?
In 2007 I made a resolve that
henceforth I would do – only do –
what I came here (to Earth) to do. Being an awkward and somewhat dysfunctional
person, my contribution to human society is not considerable; but I have gained
some insights, and I think I can articulate them in such a way that they become
helpful to others and hopefully nourishing to the soul. So my writing is my
offering to God and to other people.
I write fiction with the aim of
making goodness attractive. I’ve noticed many books rely heavily on what is
cruel, unkind, frightening or horrific for their power – the villains and their
activities give their work its splendor. I strongly believe it is possible to
fill life with goodness without being either boring or bored; and my novels set
out to demonstrate this.
How does my writing process work?
I live a secluded, isolated,
retired life, devoted – avidly – to thinking, wondering, watching, listening,
finding out and reflecting.
I make notes of my conclusions.
The process is primarily an
exercise in ferocious concentration. It makes me hard to live with.
