Hello lovelies! (And gentlemen!) I know you enjoyed our Back to School Bash! Which means you all are reading some awesome books written by the incredible authors of the Inspy blog. And reading is what I want to talk to you about today, but first-I just have to share-because…………
It’s release day! Squee!!! Thank you so much for your support and encouragement as I’ve traveled this road to publishing with Harlequin. It’s exciting and fun and I’m loving every minute of this journey with you all!
But you are probably wondering, what is RE day? I’m so glad you asked.
RE Day is twofold–RElease day for my book–and REader input request day!
And I know you all will be so helpful to me with my request.
I’m teaching a workshop at the Moonlight and Magnolia conference hosted by the Georgia Romance Writers. The workshop is titled, Writing for the Inspirational Market-and I would love your input please.
Part of the workshop will be focused on reader’s expectations regarding inspirational novels. So of course, I’d love to share what you, the awesome readers of Inspy blog, have to say regarding this topic. And it’s a great topic.
Reader’s expectations.
What you love-what disappoints. And honestly, as writers, we need to know the good AND the bad. As a writer I want you, the readers, to fall in love with my characters and my story. And I want the ending to be satisfactory with all loose threads tied up. Which begs the question of cliff-hangers-right?
So, let’s start off with cliff-hangers? Do you love them? Or not? What do you think of an ending that is prompting you to buy a second book? How much resolution do you want which will lead you to joyfully buy the next book in the series?
We know with romance we want a happy ending with the hero and the heroine-That’s a given. BUT-what about if an aspect of the story doesn’t end happily? Is a realistic, yet maybe not happy, ending okay? As in an illness or healing of a secondary character, or someone who doesn’t line up the way they probably should?
Have you read a story where a story thread wasn’t finished? And there is no promise of a sequel? This may seem like a strange thing to bring up, but as an author, I do look for threads in my story that I may not have fleshed out. I probably miss some. Do you see this often?
As writers we hear “never kill the dog.” Or any pet. Is this true? Is there a time where the death of a pet will be okay with readers?
The workshop is geared to inspirational stories. Are there spiritual threads you do/don’t want to read about? Someone who isn’t a believer then becomes one? Someone who is, but transgresses back to an old life, then realizes their mistake?
There so many aspects we can bring up, but I’ll leave that up to you–the amazing readers. In the comment section let me know what you love and can be disappointed by while reading a novel. Touch on the aspects I’ve mentioned above, or share your own aspects.
I’ll be choosing someone from the comment section to receive a $10 amazon gift card! (So you can purchase a good book, of course!)
Oh, and if you haven’t signed up for my newsletter you can do so here.
Thank you for all your input always! It’s a joy hanging out with you.
USA Today featured author Lindi Peterson lives in north Georgia, in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, with her husband and a lively array of cats, dogs and birds. She loves sharing life with her family and friends. Her passion for reading led her to writing, and then God spoke words of love into her heart and changed her life forever.
What I hope is that an inspirational novel is different from something secular, somehow you can tell when an author doesn’t write with God first but rather “let’s see what’s popular in the secular market and make it Christian” doesn’t work.
Also when more than what is good the author is thinking “let’s see how many boundaries I can push between the hero and heroine and keep it clean anyway.”
For the rest, I think that redemption covers all kinds of topics and problems, it would also be important for inspirational authors, especially romantic ones, to think that it attracts teenagers and college students since at least at this moment the majority of the inspiring public are women (in romance especially) mothers or housewives aged 35 and up…girls, their expectations are not always what women aged 30 and below want to read haha, For example, I love small towns but not so much the heroes who are single fathers, heroines who are single mothers, heroines who are “surprise mothers” when they are left with a foreign baby from a relative. Not all girls of 25 years old or a little older want an instant family. and in today’s time (at least in my country) it is unusual for someone who is only 23 to 26 years old to already work, have their own home, etc. The majority are still at university, doing post-graduate studies and living with their parents, so seeing 24-year-old heroines who have everything figured out at work and with their own house discourages me.
Lilly–Thank you! You’ve brought up many true points. And you are right about the younger folks. They don’t have everything figured out yet. And if they do find themselves having to care for a little one, or an elderly person, the readers should see the struggle. That is one area I’ve been trying to focus on. How would a forty-year old handle a problem verses a twenty year old. It won’t be the same. Thank you for visiting Inspy!
Hi from SW Michigan Lindi! The Moonlight and Magnolia Writers Conference sounds fantastic. This retired high school English teacher always enjoyed the interaction at conferences. I enjoy reading a variety of genre and write over 150 reviews a year.
This reader does not enjoy reading stories with a cliff -hanger ending. Foreshadowing what happens in future books in the series is OK. Being 70+, married for 50 years with 3 sons ages 45, 42, & 33 I understand the struggles of the career age. Also have grandkids ages 18, 16, 10, and 6. So life is not Happily ever after – love is a choice and life takes a lot of work and compromise in relationships, family, jobs and more. Life is expensive and throws us many curve balls. That is why I enjoy stories about second chance at love with older characters and read cozy mysteries with older sleuths (ages 50+).
I enjoy reading about mischievous pets. Prefer them to have a long life and not a tragic dismiss. Depends on my mood / state of mind whether I want to read about tragedies – sick or dying character. Definitely prefer happy stories for the holidays (Valentine’s Day, Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas).
I don’t enjoy reading stories with abrupt endings – a kiss, engagement. Prefer to have an epilogue that tells what happens a month, year, 5 years later. Hopes this helps. Best wishes. Happy Fall!
I honestly don’t mind if every thread in the story isn’t cleared up, as long as there is another book coming, and will be addressed there. I do like a happy ending (or the promise of one!) for the main characters. I do NOT need a wedding in every book, I’m happy just knowing they will get together. If their story is also carried over to the next book, I’m good with that, too. I don’t mind if there are hard issues in the book as long as it’s handled tastefully. Life if he/she isn’t a Christian and uses not so good language, you don’t have to tell me the words, just say they swore or something. If a pet is killed or dies, as long as it moves the story or pertains to the plot, I don’t mind it, as it happens in real life. As long as the story is believable, I’m good. Just don’t have them only pray before meals and forget God the rest of the time and call it Christian.
Congrats on your new release, Lindi!
skip books with cliffhangers
I don’t mind books with a thread of secondary characters which is left hanging for a second book, but I don’t like cliff hangers. I think it’s great when stories deal with real issues – that life isn’t always perfect and even a great relationship can go through difficult times. I think this is where inspirational fiction is different though, because this enables the characters to experience the love of God through good times and bad. I expect the characters in inspirational stories to show that the joy they find in love and relationships is a reflection of the joy we find in Jesus.
I don’t mind sad storylines like the death of a person or a pet if it seems necessary for the story, but I don’t read stories with pregnancy loss or miscarriage.
I’m okay with a book ending without all the strings tied in a nice bow, but only if the main storyline and themes have a satisfying conclusion. I recently read Wedding by the Sea by Melissa Tagg and she did a wonderful job tying everything up, while still leaving a couple small things unfixed within the characters lives.
I also really enjoy books that deal with real life issues instead of trying to gloss over the struggles in life. Like when characters struggle not to become intimate before marriage, I think that can be well done in a way that honors God and shows why waiting until marriage is the best way even though it’s difficult to do so for both each of the couple.
Renate! Thank you for your input. I do love a holiday romance–and I don’t like cliff hangers as well. I remember when I was a teenager reading a book and throwing it across the room when I was done because of the cliff hanger. I did find there was a second book, but geez!
Thank you for visiting Inspy!
Trudy—so many great points here. I find myself wanting to write weddings in each story–I do have to curtail that at times. I do reading a book where the characters are carried over. Thank you for visiting Inspy.
Thank you, Megann!
I agree!!
Ruthie–thank you for the insight. Pregnancy loss and miscarriage is tough to read about and needs to be handled with care. And I agree about the cliff hangers. :)
Megan,
Thank you for your input. I do like to see real struggles as well. :) Thank you!!
I usually don’t like cliffhangers unless I have the rest of the books if I don’t then I won’t read them if it says it has a cliffhanger in it. I can’t wait to read your new release I have it on. Hold at the library.
Happy book birthday. I love feeling a connection to the characters where they are either friends or members of my family. Cliffhangers can be challenging. I love the suspense of not knowing, but the waiting for the next book in the series can be hard. Thank you so much for sharing. God bless you.
I hate cliffhanger endings. It is okay to have some loose threads that still need to be dealt with but anything major is frustrating. Real life issues are fine as long as long as it is not overly depressing. I read to escape, and I want a hopeful and positive story, not one marred with so much sadness and despair that you end up feeling worse than before you opened the book and started to read.
Kendra—Same here–and thank you for reading!!
Debra–I love those connections as well. Especially if they carry over to other books. Thank you for visiting Inspy!
Cherie—I read to escape as well. Sometimes I have a hard time with the sad novels…I have to be in the mood for those for sure. Thank you for visiting Inspy!
I am a pretty easy going reader in how an author concludes ‘threads’, its your story, your baby. I do like the major plot resolved of course, but the author created this work of art and I feel privileged to be able to read it.
I don’t like cliffhangers. If the book is part of a series, I like each book to have an ending that feels finished. I’ve read a few series that have had a minor continuing thread going through that wasn’t cleared up, and that didn’t bother me too much. However, if the ending leaves me completely hanging, I don’t like it. I also prefer books that aren’t preachy. The inspirational aspect needs to be organic to the story, so it’s integrated into it. If it gets too preachy, it pulls me out of the story.
I am so late been really sick the past few days. I hate cliffhangers especially if you have to wait a year to read book two. its only a month then maybe and I am likely to buy both at the same time. But if I don’t know there is a cliffhanger I get frustrated.
I have read a book where the end one of the main characters died. I was ok with it cos of the way the book was playing out.
On loose threads I don’t like them. I remember reading a LIS where a clue was put into the book or it looked like it. seemed it had to have something to do with it and it wasn’t mentioned again. Left me frustrated. Why put in what looked like a vital clue if it wasn’t going to be mentioned again.
I don’t like to see a pet die but there are times when it is ok. its life and if done tactfully especially if there are children it is a good learning tool. A friend once said when a pet passed away and the people responsible buried it. she said they should have told them so they could deal with it as life and death is part of life and kids even young ones need closure. I don’t want to see one run over etc.
the inspiration part doesn’t have to be heavy and I hate where its forced like just having them go to church to make it inspirational. I also don’t like pages of preaching on the page.