I am grateful to my mom and her dear Aunt, whose modest legacy upon her recent passing allowed my mother and I and my sisters and our daughters to tour the Mediterranean coasts of Italy and France this past week. It was an amazing trip, daily kissed by the sun and gentle breezes, and we learned so much about so many things, like how Sorrento artists make those beautiful wood inlays, why so many in Pompeii refused to evacuate when Vesuvius was roaring, the level of Michelangelo's genius as displayed in the Sistine Chapel and within his statues of David and the Pieta, the power of the Medici family and why the beautiful promenade in Nice is named after England.
I have returned refreshed (albeit a bit jetlagged) and am ready to launch myself into the nitty gritty of the book I am writing, due in a mere 10 weeks (gasp), and which will command my all my attention over the remainder of the summer. I imagine my posts between now and the end of August might be a bit random and scattered as I usually have a hard time concentrating on real life when I am immersed in the heart of a novel. You have been warned.

And since today is a major relaunch day (I wrote nothing while on vacation) I leave you to get right to it, but I close with a few more photos of the beauty of the Mediterranean coast. Above is me and my daughter taking a self-portarait from the ship with the lovely town of Villefranche in the background. Next is me at Positano trying to look chic. Below that is the drop-dead gorgeous Amalfi coast, followed by me at the Trevi fountain (taking care of the little details that assure me a return trip to Rome) and lastly my daughter and I in Marseilles. See you on Friday!

Au revoir and Ciao!

All's quiet next week

I am heading out tomorrow for a nine-day adventure abroad so the Edge will be silent next week. I am not even sure I will have access to a computer. And actually, when you are on vacation, dontcha think it's a good idea to stay away from all things that compute?

Before I head out though, here's a fun picture of my dear friend Susan May Warren, who is at this moment abroad herself in the Netherlands, holding up a copy of The Shape of Mercy in Dutch! They both look pretty fab!

And we have a winner for Bonnie Grove's Talking to the Dead. Patty L, congrats all around. And thanks to all who entered. If you didn't win, find a way to get the book. You won't be disappointed.

Until I return with a few good stories, no doubt. . .

Ciao.

Talking To the Dead

A few months back I was asked read Canadian writer Bonnie Grove’s debut novel, Talking To the Dead. The evocative title and its beckoning cover convinced me to say yes. I am so glad I did. I was blown away by Bonnie’s stellar yet subtle storytelling. She paints a stunning, picture of a grieving, betrayed widow whose sorrow leads her to imagine she hears the voice of her dead husband.. And never fear. It’s not creepy. It’s tender, raw and completely believable, and Bonnie’s writing style draws you in from the first line.I asked Bonnie to stop by the Edge today to talk about her new book. And I have a copy to give away. If you post a comment, you are in the drawing to win it. I’d post a comment if I were you!

Edgewise: Where did the idea for Talking to the Dead come from?

Bonnie: My inspiration for Talking to the Dead is difficult to nail down. The novel came in bits and pieces – I’d love to say I was so smart and savvy I had it all planned out, but that’s simply not what happened. In part, the story came out of my experiences as a counselor, sitting with people who were attempting to articulate their pain and distress. It occurred to me that many of the things these people were doing (the behaviors I saw) were often an attempt to accomplish something very different that what they were doing – in other words, behavior didn’t match intentions. It caused me to truly see why Jesus commanded us not to judge others. We simply don’t know what’s going on under the surface.

The second inspiration for the novel came from watching how God was always present in the messy lives of these people who were hurting. He mingles with our humanity. And that is the story I wanted to tell; God in the midst of our messy lives.

Edgewise: Kate’s pain, grief and sense of betrayal seem real, which is of course your novel’s main strength – among many! How did you tap into that kind of emotional nightmare?

Bonnie: Thank you, Susan. I drew from different sources – those of the people I’ve counseled (not their actual experiences, of course, but their descriptions of grief, loss, etc). It has been a privilege to sit with these people in the midst of their pain. Also, I’ve lived a fairly messy life myself. I didn’t mean to – but I’ve experienced some significant losses and betrayals in my time, and I’ve discovered the costly grace of God is there, always, chasing me down and drawing me closer to the One who knows me.

But, before you picture me sobbing at my keyboard, reliving the pain of my past, let me say it wasn’t like that. I don’t believe God called me to write in order to rip open old wounds – rather, I believe that God has allowed me to write in order to bring healing, hope, and humor.

Edgewise: What did you learn about grief while you were writing it?

Bonnie: Grief is a shifting thing. It doesn’t come all at once. This is a good thing; if it did it would crush us. And over time, our grief changes. I dislike sayings such as “In time you’ll get over it,” or “you need to get on with your life.” What I prefer is to speak of grief in ways that accept the “new normal” of loss. And I often speak to people about asking God to come into the center of grief and bear it with us. There is a scene in Talking to the Dead that communicates that sentiment (I won’t give it away!), the idea that God weeps with those who weep.

I was also reminded that God truly is healer – it just may not look like the kind of healing we would expect.

Edgewise: Did Kate ever surprise you? Did the storyline progress like you originally planned?

Bonnie: Kate surprised me often in small and big ways. Once, as I was writing a scene between her and another character (Maggie), I was picturing the scene in my head and Kate turned to me and said, “This is boring.” She was absolutely correct. It was boring! I asked her what she’d rather do instead, and was stunned by what she decided. Her version of the scene made the book – mine went into the dustbin!

As I wrote, I thought I was certain what Kate’s main issues were, but one day, as I was writing Kate sat down and had a talk with me. She had a secret – and now that the book was nearly done, she was ready to share it with me. I can’t tell you what that secret was – I don’t want to spoil the book for you! – but it changed the book a great deal.

Edgewise: Why do you think a story like this needs to be told?

Bonnie: It’s good to be reminded of some of the reasons why God tells us not to judge people. We simply don’t know what’s really going on within them – we can’t tell by looking. That’s one reason for a story like this.

But the main reason I think it needs to be told is because God is real, and He loves us. All of us, without exception. It isn’t about being ‘good enough’ or ‘worthy’. It’s ‘just cuz’ love – that kind that never changes, never dims, never pulls the rug out from under us. God isn’t waiting for us to say the correct words in the right order, or to organize our lives in tidy compartments. He’s just waiting for us to look toward Him and ask, “Who are you?”

Edgewise: What’s next on the horizon for you?

Bonnie: I’m finishing work on another novel. No title yet – I’ve been affectionately referring to it as Gabby Wells, the Musical! It’s all the drama, fun, and intrigue of a musical without the singing. Or dancing. Or music. The kernel of the idea came from a question I asked myself; what would it look like to follow Jesus no matter what? So my protagonist, Gabby Wells, has been thrust into a daunting situation to find out. It will be out (with a title!) next June. And the pot is stirring for another book that will explore the themes of good and evil, love and obsession.

Thanks so much, Susan, for having me on your blog. I’ve enjoyed it!

Edgewise: Thanks for stopping by!

Here’s the link to Bonnie’s very cool website where you can find a video trailer for Talking To The Dead. And please let me hear from you by noon Friday if you’d like to win the book, ‘cause I am heading out of town and the Edge is going quiet next week.

See you Friday.

The Help

One of the themes I pondered in The Shape of Mercy is the ease with which we are able to make value judgments on people based on little more than group-think.

I find it disconcerting that it is part of our nature - a part of our nature we must tame - to assess someone's worth based on our own criteria as we were in a place to judge at all.

Literature is one of the ways we tutor ourselves to not only face this weakness but ruthlessly hone the skill to see everyone as loved of God and therefore of incalculable worth.

Kathryn Stockett's debut novel, The Help, is as richly drawn a piece of literary fiction as you can find on this theme. The book centers on the lives of three women - a young, white journalist and two African-American maids (the "help"). The setting is Jackson, Mississippi, in the height of the Civil Rights movement.

Here's part of the teaser copy: "Twenty-two year old Skeeter has just returned home after graduating from Ole Miss. She may have a degree, but it is 1962 Mississippi, and her mother will not be happy until she has a ring on her finger. Skeeter would normally find solace with her beloved maid Constantine, the woman who raised her, but Constantine has disappeared and no one will tell Skeeter where she has gone.

Aibileen is a black maid, a wise, regal woman who is raising her seventeenth white child. Something has shifted inside her since the loss of her own son, who died while his bosses looked the other way. She is devoted to the little girl she looks after though she knows both their hearts may be broken.

Minny, Aibileen's best friend, is short, fat and perhaps the sassiest woman in Mississippi. She can cook like nobody's business. but she can't mind her tongue so she's lost yet another job. Minny finally finds a position working for someone too new to town to know her reputation. But her new boss has secrets of her own. . ."

I had the pleasure of hearing Ms. Stockett speak at Warwick's Books several months ago about how her childhood prepared her to write this book. It is exquisitely written, impeccable in its prose and authentic to a T.

One of the challenges of being a novelist is crafting for each of your characters a voice that is their own. It is a labor to give each one a uniqueness such that the author becomes invisible and all you hear is the character - this person who only exists in the fictive world the author has made you believe is real. Ms. Stockett excels at this. The voices of Skeeter, Aibileen and Minny are distinct and engaging.

This is one of those books that leave you with the impression that you've made new friends who matter to you. Turning the last page is not entirely satisfying even though you loved the ending.
You didn't want their story to end. . .

Today we’re taking a peek at my friend Cheryl Wyatt's (a writer of romances who was born on Valentines Day. How cool is that?) newest book, A Soldier’s Reunion. Here’s the story in a nutshell: “Despite a decade apart, this isn't the reunion Mandy Manchester expected! She thought she'd put high school sweetheart Nolan Briggs behind her. Now he's back…and the para-rescue jumper literally sweeps her off her feet. He's ready and willing to rekindle what they once shared. Mandy, though, isn't prepared to put her heart at risk. He left her before—she won't trust him again. Can Nolan teach this grounded girl to take a leap of faith?”

Well, I am thinking he probably can! Here’s a little Q and A with Cheryl:

Edgewise: So, Cheryl. What kind of research did you do for this book? Did you jump out of any planes?
Cheryl: Ha! Nope, didn't jump out of any planes. I had military servicemen and women, though, who have jumped out of planes, assisting me with the technical stuff in (Wings of Refuge) the PJ (Pararescue Jumper) stories. I researched this series for many years before selling my debut novel, which was the first book in this series. And the research is ongoing. Of course certain things are changed on purpose, such as uniforms, etc. Also, the PJs are actually airmen, not soldiers. But my publisher wanted "soldier" in most of the titles since soldier stories tend to sell better around an election year.

Edgewise: Well, that’s something I haven’t thought enough about! What has drawn you to the romance genre?
Cheryl: Because a happy ending can always be counted on. I read to escape because life has so many sad endings. I want to know that when I finish a book, things are going to turn out fine. And since I'm an avid romance reader, it was only natural for me to write them. I love entertaining people with stories that guarantee a happy ending.

Edgewise:Why do you think love stories have such wide appeal?
Cheryl: I think because life's struggles don't leave anyone alone. Everyone will go through something hard. And because love stories, or romance at least, normally carries with it a happy ending. We all have dreams that we want to come true. Love stories let us hope for that happy ending without fear of disappointment I think.

Edgewise: What’s your hoped-for takeaway with this book?
Cheryl: I hope that folks will feel romanced by God through this book and that anyone who has at one time had a strong relationship with God but who is now distant will be encouraged to draw near again. It has a strong reuniting theme, both for the characters and between the heroine and God.

You can check out Cheryl’s blog here and her website, where you can see that she loves giveaways and contests.

On Friday, my review of The Help. I am almost done reading it. Achingly good.