Fiction and Baseball

There's nothing like the crack of a bat to usher in spring. Here in Minnesota, snow still coats much of the ground, and they're predicting snow for tonight.

But we don't care.

In one day we'll be singing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame," and we'll be cheering on the M&M boys, Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau. Personally, I can't wait.

But, just because baseball is coming, doesn't mean we need to give up reading. One of life's greatest pleasures is sitting outside, drinking lemonade, and listening to the game on the radio, all while reading a book.

To get you in the mood, I've found a few novels that combine our national pastime with story--books for all tastes.

A GREAT CATCH
book 2 in the Lake Manawa Summers Series
by Lorna Seilstad

Revell, May 2011
368 pages

If a never-grow-up baseball player strikes out with a spunky suffragette, Independence Day may take on a whole new meaning.

When twenty-two year old Emily Graham’s meddlesome aunts and grandmother take it upon themselves to find her a husband among the Lake Manawa resort guests, the spunky, slightly clumsy suffragette is determined to politely decline each and every suitor. Busy working in the suffrage movement, she has neither the time nor the need for a man in her life. The “cause” God has called her to is much too important.

Carter Stockton, a recent college graduate and a pitcher for the Manawa Owls, intends to enjoy every minute of the summer at Lake Manawa before he is forced into the straight-laced, dawn-to-dusk business world of his stern father. He has no plans for romance until Emily crashes into his life at a roller skating rink.

When subterfuge and distrust interfere with their budding romance, will the pitcher strike out completely? Or will the suffragette find strength in her faith and cast her vote for a love that might costs her dreams?

SAFE AT HOME
by Richard Doster

David C. Cook, March 2008
348 pages

The spring of ’53 started out like any other for sports columnist Jack Hall, as he and the rest of his small southern town, Whitney, eagerly awaited the magical first pitch that would open the Bobcat’s season. But when ticket sales wane with the new distractions of air conditioning and I Love Lucy, the Bobcats face an early end not only to the season but to their careers as well. The team needs a white knight to save them and ironically, that white knight seems to be a 17 year old "colored kid", Percy Jackson, who’s got a .364 batting average and has never seen a grounder he couldn’t chase down.

Not everyone—not even most people—though can wrap their heads around an integrated baseball field, even if they have seen them on TV. This is Whitney. Things don’t change and they don’t need to change. Do they?

Hearts, minds, faith and tradition will be tested as will friendships and marriages when this sleepy southern town comes to grips with itself amid the early years of the Civil Rights Movement.

HER BEST CATCH
by Lindi Peterson

Bell Bridge Books, March 2011
204 pages

Allison Doll’s mother is rebelliously turning fifty, her two best friends have started dating and a gorgeous injured relief pitcher has joined her Sunday school class rocking her world into confusion, heartache and temptation, places she hasn’t visited in a long time, much less all at once.

But with the help of family, old friends she really hasn’t lost, a new friend she really can count on, and God, she finds herself no longer a girl waiting for life to happen, but a girl who’s ready to commit to her best catch!

A SEASON OF MIRACLES
by Rusty Whitener

Kregel Publications, August 2010
272 pages

The 1971 Little League season is Zack Ross's last chance to win a championship---and new kid, Rafer, could make that happen. Sure, he's different---but he can really hit a baseball! When Rafer is hospitalized, the team's determined to gain the trophy in his honor. Will Zack learn there's more to life than winning or losing?

LILIES IN MOONLIGHT

by Allison K. Pittman

Multnomah Books, April 2011

352 pages

The Roaring Twenties are anything but carefree for disfigured veteran Cullen and his senile mother, Betty Ruth---until fun-loving flapper Lilly scales a wall and falls face-first onto their property! When Betty Ruth prophesies that Cullen will be healed if he returns to his first love---baseball---the three embark on a winning journey of faith.

Also check out Allison Pittman's STEALING HOME.

THE KING'S GAME
by John Nemo

JNB Books, December 2007
240 pages

A story of fathers, sons and baseball, along with the eternal choice every man must one day face ...

The crowd of 45,000 rises as one, chanting his name. Veteran pitcher Cody King takes the mound for Game Seven of the World Series, unaware these nine innings will mark the end of his troubled existence. With each pressure-packed pitch, King confronts a past - from being abandoned by his teenage mother to keeping his wife's love from fading away - filled with tragedy and talent. And before he flings his final fastball into the cool autumn air, King, a fatherless son who grew up to become one of the game's greatest pitchers, will have to face the one true father he's never known.

HOMETOWN DAD

by Merrilee Whren

Steeple Hill, January 2011

224 pages

A pair of rowdy boys would be exhausting for two parents—little wonder single mom Melanie Drake feels overwhelmed. Her sons are her world, but she knows she needs a helping hand to keep them in line. Enter Nathan Keller—respected banker, descendant of the town's founding father…and baseball coach. Melanie knows he's out of her league, but as her sons learn to love Coach Nathan, Melanie starts falling for him, too. With the whole town rooting for happily ever after, it won't be long before this hometown dad joins their family for good.

Encouragement for the Rookie Writer

Being an unpublished author can obviously be quite discouraging, and the current book selling climate isn't helping matters any. It's a financial risk for a publisher to take on a new author and it's much easier to go with tested novelists. Since publishing is a for profit industry, that makes perfect sense.

We're frequently told it's nearly impossible for the unpublished author to break in. Considering this, I would have thought a list of debut authors in one year's time would be short.

Clearly, I was wrong.

When, on a whim, I decided to create a list highlighting debut authors, I had no clue of the tremendous response it would garner. As of today, I have thirty books listed from several different genres. Books from well-known publishers to small publishers and even e-book publishers. The majority of those listed release by June. And more are coming.

Seeing this leaves me with tremendous hope. It's the improbable becoming possible. Thirty plus authors breaking in in single year? Why can't that debut author be you? Or me?

So, the next time you hear the naysayers claim it's impossible to break in, just look at this list and you'll know the truth.

There is hope for the rookie writer.

Book Review or Recommendation?

I follow several blogs regularly, but there are two that continuously ask me to think outside my comfort zone: Nicole Petrino-Salter's Into the Fire and Mike Duran's deCOMPOSE. Both offer thoughts on writing, theology, and life in general. Both authors are outspoken and aren't afraid to broach the controversial. If you want a daily challenge, I highly recommend their sites.

This week, they've both espoused their opinions of book reviews (FYI and In Praise of Bad Reviews) and on having a book review site. I found their take very interesting. After reading their blogs, they've encouraged me to clarify the purpose of Spire Reviews.

I began writing reviews several years back as I discovered how few Christians read Christian fiction. It's natural to assume that the target market would be churchgoers, right? Well, I volunteered in our church library and frequently asked fellow churchgoers what they liked to read. Rarely did someone answer Christian fiction because they often assume it's all simple, happy reads that fail to connect with the reader.

As a voracious reader, I knew that to be false so I started writing book reviews for our church newsletter and highlighted the diverse selection of Christian fiction (and some non-fiction). My intent never was to critique books, but to show the members of my church the variety they had to choose from. From there, it naturally made sense to post these recommendations on a blog.

But, for me to recommend books to others, they have to meet my very picky standards, likely born from my background in literature. I've completed 23 books this year and have only highlighted two on this blog. Not that the others were poorly written, but only two wowed me. If I'm going to make recommendations to a non-reader of Christian fiction, I want to make sure I tell them about the best books out there.

So, if the function of a review blog is to critique the novel or highlight its pros and cons, admittedly I am not doing that.

The purpose of this blog has been, and will continue to be, recommending excellent works to others, and to dialogue about Christian books, with a focus on fiction.

In Support of the Debut Author

I'm always looking for new authors, people with a unique voice and an usual story. Often I find that in debut authors. The problem is, how do you find those writers out of the thousands out there? How can we offer them support?

I discovered during a discussion on Laura Frantz's March 4th blog, that I'm not the only one who loves supporting debut authors. I did a little research and couldn't find any site dedicated solely to the new novelist (not that there isn't one). So, I figured why not create one?

Debut Novels for 2011

But, I'm going to need your help.

I've gotten a decent start on finding debut authors in the inspirational market, but I know I've barely nicked the surface. If you know of anyone whose first book releases in 2011, please let me know so I can add it.

Thanks for your help!

The Resurrection

debut novel by Mike Duran

Realms 2011
320 pages

Haunting and Redeeming

Ruby Case is an ordinary mom living a quiet life ... until her prayer and simple touch raise a boy from the dead.

Ian Clark is a disgruntled pastor, haunted by demons past and present--demons both figurative and literal. He no longer knows what he believes in. It certainly isn't the God who deserted him years ago. And Ian can't wait to remove himself from the church.

When Ruby's touch brings the boy back to life, both Ruby and Ian are thrust into a search for meaning behind this "resurrection" and uncover a spiritual darkness that's been gripping their town for years.

I've recently discovered Mike Duran's blog, deCompose, and found it to be extremely challenging and thought-provoking. I may not always agree with him, but he continuously encourages me to think beyond my typical box and that's definitely a good thing.

The Resurrection does the same by confronting our spiritual complacency and our acceptance of the status quo. It's not comfortable. And that's good.

As I was reading, questions kept invading my thoughts:

• How many of us have secrets, demons, lurking in the corners of our homes that we try to ignore or are too tired or afraid to expel?
• Miracles happen around us daily. An acorn grows into an oak tree. A caterpillar becomes a butterfly. Life is created when a man and a woman join together. All wondrous miracles, but ones that science can explain away. But how would we react to a Lazarus type of miracle? What would we think if our best friend's touch brought the dead back to life? Would we look to God for the answers? Or would we react with fear?
• And what about spiritual warfare? Do hordes of demons swarm around us, vying for our soul, or is that purely myth?

Those are just a few of the questions Duran raises. The Resurrection doesn't necessarily provide tidy answers. Yet, amidst the darkness, this book is filled with hope and redemption.

I don't typically read speculative fiction because it's often so far out I can't relate to the characters or the story. Duran eliminates that problem by creating very real characters. He introduces them in plausible situations, and then throws in the fantastic. By doing that, he makes this story believable and relatable.

He keeps the action moving so the book is impossible to put down, and he keeps the reader guessing. I had no clue how the story was going to play out.

While this  novel is targeted toward adults, I know teens would love it. It's one part This Present Darkness (Frank Peretti), another part The Visitation (also Peretti), another The Nightmare (Robin Parrish), yet the story is fresh and it's told with a unique voice. My teens love Peretti's The Veritas Project two-book series and have read those books numerous times. Now, they're trying Peretti's other works. Parrish's The Nightmare is one of their favorite reads and they've recommended it to their friends. And look at teens' most popular series' today: Harry Potter and Twilight. Kids are hungry to learn more about the spiritual realm. As a parent, I can't think of a better book to give them than The Resurrection.

With this debut novel, Mike Duran has proved his literary prowess and I look forward to reading more from him in the future.

Learn more about Mike Duran at http://mikeduran.com/.

WORDS

debut novel by Ginny L. Yttrup

B&H Publishing Group 2011
352 pages

Haunting. Compelling. Beautiful.

Kaylee Wren is ten. And silent. She hasn't spoken a word since her drug-addicted mother deserted her, leaving Kaylee behind with an abusive man in a run down cabin hidden among redwoods. The only memento her mother left behind is a book filled with the words Kaylee can't say. A dictionary.

Twelve years ago, Sierra Dawn's horrible choices ended up robbing her daughter Annie's life. Living with the guilt steals any joy from Sierra's life.

On the twelfth anniversary of Annie's death, Sierra Dawn flees to the remote redwoods where she discovers the little girl with haunted eyes. Eyes very much like Sierra's.

The two begin a journey searching for truth and find love along the way.

Anything I could write would be inadequate in describing this novel, so I'll just leave you with a few emotions and thoughts I recorded as read this book.

Painful. Compelling. Tear-inducing. Beautiful. Sickening. Powerful. Heart breaking. Uplifting. Maddening. Inspiring. Heart wrenching. Frustrating. Redeeming. Haunting.

Grace. Mercy. Hope. Love. Beauty.

By far, this is the best book I've read in 2011 and I recommend it to anyone looking for books that dare to dig beneath the surface, that dare to get down in the dirt with the hurting and lift them up out of it.

Meet Ginny Yttrup

Ginny Yttrup is an author, freelance writer, and writing coach. She has two grown sons and lives near Sacramento, California. WORDS is her debut novel.

http://www.ginnyyttrup.com/

My Favorite Things ...

When it comes to what people enjoy in literature, readers' tastes are as eclectic as the people reading the books. What I might love, the next person probably hates. Another reader may be indifferent. I actually love it when a book has a variety of reactions; it makes for a for more interesting book discussion than when all readers agree.

So, what do I look for in a book? What are my favorite things when it comes to reading?

Musical prose:

I don't just read books, I hear them. Good prose has a tempo and meter. The tone crescendos & falls. Some books call for a staccato telling, while others require legato. Some books are written like a symphony with multi-dimensional characters and story lines, while others keep it as simple as a child's a Capella version of "Jesus Loves Me." Some books call for eight-part harmony (and dissonance), while others are best told solo. Neither is more beautiful than the other. When an author knows this about their prose, when their storyline matches the timbre and complexity of the words they choose, and their words sing from the pages, they've created a beautiful masterpiece that I will enjoy over and over again.

Complex Story Lines:

I've been a stay-at-home mom for nearly 19 years now, and that isn't necessarily conducive to deep thinking. Because of that, I crave books that proffer a challenge, books with multiple story lines weaving together, books with covert and overt symbolism, books with themes that challenge my status-quo way of thinking.

Male Protagonist:

Perhaps it's because I grew up in a household with four brothers (and two sisters), plus a male cousin who helped farm every summer, I tend to understand the male psyche better than female. I believe that women write too flowery at times, where men are typically more straight-forward. What I like the most, though, is hearing the male point-of-view. I want to know what they're thinking. I want to sympathize with their issues too, understand their problems, not just women's.

Well, that's a beginning anyway. I'm certain I'll have more Favorite Things to post as the week goes on.

I'm curious about you. What do you look for in a book? What makes you label a novel Favorite?