Every author has a shtick. Now that I'm working on my third book- Kiss Me If You Dare - I can look at the pattern set by Love Me If You Must and Kill Me If You Can and figure out what my underlying message is. So what is it? It's honesty. We can all look good, smell good, and sound good, but what's really going on inside?
Check out this picture of me in my dining room. I'm all dressed up and headed to church. But squint to the right a little - and (gasp) there's my messy laundry room! Hearts are the same way.
In my series, Patricia Amble has taken off the glitz and bared herself to the world. Instead of pretending she's a really great person both inside and out, she's completely honest that she falls short in every category - except where she's blatantly lying to herself and the reader. Does that make her a bad person? Is she going straight to hell? After all, we can't hold her up as a lofty example of how a Christian should behave. Rather, some of us might prefer that she not be a witness for Christ at all - her laundry room is too big a mess! And yet, Tish has been set aside for a grand and wonderful mission.
If you find yourself judging Tish harshly, ask yourself if you're being completely honest with yourself in your own life. If you identify with Tish, congratulations! You have already begun to work on the agonizing task of replacing old habits with new choices that bring serenity to lives once filled with chaos. Need more help? A weekly support group can keep you headed in the right direction. Ask your pastor for one that's right for you. Or, e-mail me for ideas.
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