tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10487188.post7184651103584547868..comments2023-08-12T03:14:16.855-05:00Comments on The Least Read Blog on the Web: CSFF Blog Tour: ReduxJohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13919292358655167603noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10487188.post-78614172793872329992010-04-29T18:58:38.293-05:002010-04-29T18:58:38.293-05:00John,
Thank you for your thoughtful responses an...John, <br /><br />Thank you for your thoughtful responses and questions about the story.<br /><br />I don't know if this will help clear things up, or make things more confusing. But here goes...<br /><br />Others will disagree with me, but it is my opinion that this series is not "Christian fiction" ... at least, by the normal definition of the term. <br /><br />I not writing for an audience of Christians. I am writing for people who read literature. That's a pretty big audience. <br /><br />Am I a Christian? Yes. Is WaterBrook a religious publishing company? Yes. <br /><br />But I wrote these stories (rough drafts, anyway) before I ever talked with anyone at any particular publisher. <br /><br />I wrote them for a general audience, meaning to write an epic fantasy in the style of the stories that I loved growing up. I am striving not to preach a message or craft an allegory, but to invent interesting characters, turn them loose, and see what kind of story results. I want to find a new story that feels like it "works." It's my job to write the story, not to decide ahead of time what it means.<br /><br />Andrew Stanton is a Christian. Was "WALL-E" a Christian movie? No. Do its themes correspond with what Christians believe? Sure, in many ways. That's the kind of thing I'm talking about.<br /><br />The Lord of the Rings is not an allegory. Tolkien disliked allegory (and so do I). He also disliked The Chronicles of Narnia (and I've never been very fond of them myself). You can see reflections of Christ in the choices of many of Tolkien's characters, but it is a history and a story all its own.<br /><br />In my view, insofar as a story is beautiful, then it "harmonizes" with God's truth. Some writers fashion a story specifically for a Christian audience. I don't. Some try to persuade readers of the veracity of the Gospel through a story that teaches a lesson. That is not my conscious intent, although I do believe that beauty does draw people toward God.<br /><br />If a work of art is beautiful, then it will offer many glimpses of truth and beauty... not just a "message." It will lead us to questions as much as answers; sometimes more so. I write stories because they help me explore questions in ways that no other process can. I often end up with more questions than when I started. I like that. It feels like a journey. <br /><br />I'm striving to write something beautiful, because I wouldn't want to offer readers anything less. If, by God's grace, I achieve that at all (and I certainly cannot say)... that is for readers to decide over time. <br /><br />So... no, Auralia is not Jesus. Not as much as I understand her. But she is an artist, and artists have a prophetic role in culture. So of course, she has moments of Christ-like humility and sacrifice... like many brave visionaries in human history.<br /><br />The Keeper... well, you'll just have to wait and see.<br /><br />Thanks again for your thoughtful response.Jeffrey Overstreethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14715376140228118442noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10487188.post-1836525487768674542010-04-29T10:20:07.616-05:002010-04-29T10:20:07.616-05:00Hey, thanks for going into my questions so deeply!...Hey, thanks for going into my questions so deeply! I think what you're saying is fair -- this series does smell an awful lot like allegory, so it can be confusing. I think I read an interview before I even started reading the books, so I just told myself they weren't allegory and happily larked on from there :). But that is part of the reason I asked Jeff in my interview with him if he was avoiding allegory completely or if most Christian readers had just latched on to the wrong one -- the allegorical signals are there.<br /><br />Overall, though, I feel as I think you do. There's richness and complexity to this story that will teach us a lot about ourselves (and maybe even about God) if we just let it speak. Thanks again for your answers!Rachel Starr Thomsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01115239312232415130noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10487188.post-73277025206604874792010-04-29T09:39:07.793-05:002010-04-29T09:39:07.793-05:00I agree...not every book has to have a blatant eva...I agree...not every book has to have a blatant evangelical message. The story is the message in and of itself. It doesn't have to preach. Good article. <br />http://www.lindarondeua.comLinda Wood Rondeauhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13811737844333814786noreply@blogger.com