February/March Blog Update

Hey folks!

I know it's been a bit spotty around the blog here for a while. That's what happens when you're working 45 hours a week and trying to keep up with housework, I suppose. I'm also trying to re-evaluate where to go with the blog now that I'm taking a bit of a momentary step back from writing full-length fiction.

The Blog from Here

After some self-reflection, I've decided that I'm going to be stepping back posting from twice a week to once a week for the time being, at least for the next few months. Posting once a week lately has allowed me to enjoy some other hobbies of mine, get caught up on housework, and has generally made blogging more enjoyable and less straining for me. 

I'll still be doing similar posts to what we've been seeing on the blog lately--Reality, Meet Fiction; Reflections, etc. I'll also be posting book reviews on a  more regular basis than I have been lately, though not as frequently as I have previously (it turns out I relied on public transportation and times between classes for reading more than I thought I did). However, how often I do that will depend on a few factors. It could be every other week or once a month. One of those factors will be how you respond to the questions in the next section.

Where I'm Asking for Input

The Book Hound started out as a way for me to build an audience for a dream of one day publishing some of my own works of fiction. That dream's on hold for the moment for a number of factors I don't care to go into right now (notably, I'm tired of editing and I don't have a great, fresh novel idea at the moment, so I need some serious time to recharge my creative juices). 

As such, many of the post series I started out a couple of years ago aren't quite as applicable as they once were--such as detailing my writing process or talking about forms of publication. You'll notice that many of those have been replaced by reflections on real life and the continued emphasis on spreading news about good Christian speculative fiction. 

I still want to keep up the emphasis on Christian spec fic, but I do want your input on what sort of things you would like to see on the blog. Do you like Reflections? What about Hound Dog Harmonies? 

Also, while I'm taking a small break from noveling, would you be interested in something like a short story series? (I make no promises, but I do  have an idea or two for some serial-style fiction.) 

Would you be interested in a read-a-long? (Reading a book together with discussion questions posted). I would even be nice and pick something you have a prayer of finding in stores. This might be something fun to do with a book like The Screwtape Letters. 

I guess what I'm asking is, what sort of things keep you coming to the blog, make you think, make you smile, or give you something to talk about? And, if there's something else you want to see, what would it be?

Sound off in the comments! And thanks for your patience!

Friday Fiction Fix: "Thr3e"

Well, it might be Tuesday, but it's been a while since we've had a book review. Note to any other book bloggers--don't save all your book reviews on your computer without backing them up somewhere where you can access them with a loaner computer. 

The Short

Thr3e

By: Ted Dekker

5/5 Stars (And Possibly a Favorite)

What: A seminary student finds himself the next target of a serial killer.

Recommended to those who like: Thriller/suspense, Christian, teen and up.

The Long

I read this book a couple of years back and enjoyed it--though it scared me pretty good at the time, too. Now, a few years later, it still sets me on edge, but I was also able to more fully appreciate the theology subtly discussed throughout the book. It was a surprisingly good pick for the start of Lent. 

Kevin is a young seminary student leading a somewhat normal life, if overly organized. He attends classes, has thought provoking discussions with his professors, and reads voraciously. The only thing his professors absolutely cannot know is that he has a past to hide. 

It's not the sort of past that naturally comes with converting to Christianity, either. It's the sort of past where a serial killer can call you up and ask you to confess your sin tot he world--or he'll blow up your car. 

The resulting read delves deeply into the nature of sin and the two natures of mankind without seeming to get too theological or sacrificing suspense and plot. Really, it's a story that's Christian at its core without being preachy or contrived at all, the way books are meant to be. 

Given that the book does deal with a serial killer, I would recommend it to mature teens and up only. It doesn't involve gratuitous violence, but it can be quite dark at times. 

The Bottom Line: This suspenseful book combines some great action with deeper theological truth in an organic and meaningful way; highly recommended to fans of suspense who are interested in a Christian message.

Reflections: Define Yourself

It's hard to believe it, but I've been out of school for nine months now, working a full-time job and
finding out more about myself every day.

My day job is that of a veterinary technician/veterinary nurse with a focus in anesthesia. I'm one of the newest employees; the youngest, least experienced person in my department; and I just entered phase two of the three-part training program that will end with me answering emergency calls in the middle of the night and dropping 2000 pound horses by myself. I'm determined, hungry to learn, and stressed to the max.

At some point this week, it dawned on me that part of my stress is due to the fact that I am no longer quite the person who started nine months ago. I don't have any of the labels that meant so much to me before graduation.

"Honors Student" and "Good Test Taker" don't mean much here. It doesn't matter what my GPA was, what my test scores were, or even that I can tell you the life cycles of about 20 different parasites. I no longer study for hours into the evening on a regular basis. I don't eat, sleep, and breathe books for class.

That's not to say that my education was a waste or those skills that I developed aren't useful; I use them every single day--hourly, in fact. I still need to know the physiology of the heart, understand how the drugs I use work, and be able to identify anatomical structures for epidurals.

But what I saw myself as--a good student--isn't important here. Being a good student set me up to be a good vet tech, but it can't be my end-all be-all. My self esteem can't come from good grades on tests, or seeing my name on the dean's list.

And it's hard to find my definition of self in a workplace where feedback is hard to come by and where I'm trying to compare myself to techs who have been in the field for ten or twenty years and are amazing at what they do. I don't have a little box to tick to say that I'm doing a good job. Each day, I try to find how I can affirm that I'm good enough. That I'm living up to the definition of whatever I'm trying to define myself as.

And there's the catch, isn't it?

At the end of the day, those vocations we have will change. Student changes to employee. Son changes to Father. CEO changes to retiree.

We can't be the perfect <fill in blank here> in the limited time we have; even if we had unlimited time, we'd never be perfect. It's futile to try. Chasing these things, we'll never be satisfied. We'll always come up short. We'll always be yearning for something more if we seek fulfillment in these transient things in life.

Instead, we have something else we can define ourselves as; something that won't change. Because that definition comes from outside of us. It's placed on us by Someone else, who doesn't have an impossible to-do list of incredible things for us to do. That name is a Child of God.

Jesus died and rose for us, and, at the end of the day, that's all the definition we need for ourselves. It won't change whether we're single or married, whether we're the best at our jobs or the worst at our jobs. It won't change whether we're students or teachers.

Because we're His.

And one day, I hope that I'll more fully understand why that's enough for me.

Reality, Meet Fiction: Sporting Events

Reality:

This week is a big week in American sports. The Superbowl (championships for the National Football League--American Football, of course) was on Sunday. This Thursday marks the kick off of the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, which should be interesting as well. 

Regardless of how sporty you are (personally, I'm watching the Yukon Quest sled dog race over football), these events give some insight into national mentality. 

Not only does it show that we have enough time, leisure, and extra money to pay people millions of dollars to play for our entertainment, but it offers insight into what Americans value. 

And you don't get much more American than the Superbowl. Home celebrations center around greasy, overly sweet, and spicy foods accompanied by mass amounts of pop and (depending on the group) alcoholic beverages while yelling at the television. The event itself is subject to huge marketing, with some people just watching it for the commercials. Beyond this, it focuses largely on many typical American things, notably the military; this year, a WWII vet did the coin toss at the beginning of the game and, as for many big sporting events, there was a flyover by the Air Force at the start of the game. National pride definitely shines through in American Football, in spite of any politics that may have taken center stage earlier in the season.

Fiction:

How can you utilize sports or recreational events to show part of your world's culture? Do they compete for religious reasons? Or is it pure entertainment? 

Are there stereotypes about people who are fans of a particular sport? (Loud, obnoxious, nerdy, fanatical, etc.) Are certain sports more popular than others? Are nations associated with a particular sport? (It's American as baseball and apple pie).

What sort of marketing goes into the sports your culture values? How does that reflect on the culture at large? 

Are there stereotypes of people who compete in different sports? Are they considered violent? Stupid? Smart? Patient? Skilled? Graceful?

What's your favorite sport to watch? Are you looking forward to the Olympics?