Spies and Undercover Christians

By Lisa Karon Richardson

It will come as no surprise to regular readers, but as far back as I can remember I’ve had a thing for spies. From the Scarlet Pimpernel to 007, to me they are dashing men (and women) of mystery. Even as I write this an old episode of Mission Impossible is playing in the background. I know that such portrayals are highly romanticized and as far removed from reality as the fruitcake who thinks he’s Napoleon Bonaparte, but I can’t seem to help myself. My imagination has been captured.

Spies even have a role in the Bible. Rotten intelligence from ten spies kept Israel out of the promised land for a generation. When they finally made it, they got as far as Jericho and sent spies in to scope out the joint. The poor fellows nearly bought it when they were identified and had to take refuge in the house of a harlot. Of course, that story is a bit like a novel in that one of the spies fell in love with the woman who saved his life and after the battle they married and lived (apparently) happily ever after.

Enamored though I am, I think I’m tired of trying to be a spy. In the past I’ve spent a large part of my time observing the behavior of the people around me and reporting back to God.

It’s not that I denied my Christianity. People know. I just don’t talk about it much. I let it kind of stay under the table. But being an undercover Christian isn’t doing me, or the world, an iota of good.

I’m not advocating an aggressive, in-your-face brand of Christianity, but when acquaintances at work are going through a tough time, I want them to seek me out as a source of comfort. Maybe they ask for prayer. Better yet, maybe I offer to pray with them then and there.

I need to have more boldness in my salvation, not keep quiet when I see someone hurting. Not hesitate to offer hope, when I see someone floundering. Not freeze in the face of ridicule.

Have you been operating undercover lately? 

Influenced by books like The Secret Garden and The Little Princess, LISA KARON RICHARDSON’S early stories were heavy on boarding schools and creepy houses. Now, even though she’s (mostly) grown-up she still loves a healthy dash of adventure in any story she creates, even her real-life story. She’s been a missionary to the Seychelles and Gabon and now that she and her husband are back in America, they are tackling a new adventure, starting a daughter-work church in a new city. Vanishing Act, the second in the Charm and Deceit, series co-authored with Jennifer AlLee, is coming September 2013. She also has a novella coming out September, 2013 from Barbour entitled “Midnight Clear,” part of the Mistletoe Memories collection.

by Gina Welborn

A few weeks ago I was reading a romance where the heroine had sea-green eyes. Okay. Ponder with me for a moment sea-green eyes. Is it this shade . . . ?

Or this one . . . ?

Or this one . . . ?

 

I wasn't -- and still, aren't -- sure. Fortunately, the author further described the heroine's eyes as . . . "the most amazing shade of seafoam green."

Oh. Isn't that like defining a word with a word? Lemme google. According to one source, "Slightly darker than Surf Green, Sea Foam Green (also called Foam Green by Dupont) is a great choice for either a Strat or Tele style body. Originally seen on the '56 Buick it saw life with Fender from '60 to '69." Another source says, "Seafoam green is a "fresh, green pastel that establishes a light and airy mood in any bathroom. It offers a clean, crisp feeling that also works well with other darker greens." Here's a color swatch:

Is it humanly possible to have eyes that NATURALLY shade?

Sometimes I think we romance writers get so busy trying to one-up the next author in eye color description that we create impossible eye colors. Of my five children, they each have blue eyes that range from light blue to cornflower blue to gray-blue to greenish blue. Each with a darker outer ring. If you look close, one of my eyes is more green than blue. I never noticed. Hubby never noticed. Took a flamboyant Elizabeth Arden make-up artist to point it out. Who knew, but he was right.

Speaking of flamboyant characters . . . Val Kovalin at Obsidian Bookshelf compiled an amazing and thought-provoking list of eye colors, many of which have become cliched.(for list click here but be prewarned that Mr. Kovalin writes gay romance fiction) . Or you could just read what Wikipedia has to say about the various eye colors at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eye_color.

To see how realistic some of my favorite CBA romance authors describe eyes, I asked a few for snippets from their novels then I found eye pictures that I thought best represented their descriptions. Did I do a fair job or was totally off?


Geneva found herself looking straight into the bluest pair of eyes she’d ever seen. They were the blue of the open ocean off Ferguson Point after the morning fog burned off and the noon sun hung high overhead. Not a cloud diminished the hue of the vast, flat expanse of sea then, but its inky blue depths sparkled with a thousand lights and depths from the reflecting sun. ~Ruth Axtell Morren, Wild Rose, Love Inspired Historicals


When she looked up at him, her eyes were large, amber brown, and fringed with dark lashes. ~Julie Klassen, The Girl in The Gatehouse, Bethany House






And now that she had seen him up close, her curiosity had been assuaged and she could tell Hildy—his eyes were blue, deeper and darker than a woodland pool. ~Melanie Dickerson, The Healer's Apprentice, Zondervan

Tabitha had never seen a man with such beautiful eyes. The rich, deep brown of coffee, they sparkled with pinpoints of gold light behind a fringe of lashes that would have made them feminine if not for his strong cheekbones and firm jaw. ~Laurie Alice Eakes, Lady in the Mist, Revell


Non-Serious Question of the Day :: What eye color description have you read that literally made you stop and ponder, "Is this possible?"

Serious Question of the Day :: Actually, I don't have one. However, would anyone like to join me in singing, "My Father's Eyes?"  . . . eyes full of compassion, knowing what you're going through and feeling it the same . . .

~*~
This has been a re-post! I chose this due to its popularity, and it was created by Gina Welborn who has strikingly 'fine' eyes that seem to go with any hair color  :) 

But go ahead and answer her questions!
And I'll add one. Do you have a favorite eye color (and a story behind such a thought?)

Patrick Henry, Christian Patriot

by C.J. Chase

One of my favorites of all the founding fathers is Patrick Henry (1736-1799). Best remembered for his 1775 speech that concluded with “…give me liberty or give me death!” Henry was also the first democratically elected governor of Virginia (1776-1779) and vocal proponent of the Bill of Rights.

Unlike a number of the other founders who held to deist or Unitarian beliefs, Henry was a devout Christian. Indeed, Henry developed much of his oratory style from listening to the preaching of Samuel Davies (1723-1761), one of the leaders of the Great Awakening. A Presbyterian, Davies was the first non-Anglican minister licensed to preach in Virginia.

Ironically, one of Davies’ main detractors in Virginia was an Anglican rector named Patrick Henry—uncle (and namesake) of the famous patriot. The Great Awakening divided the Henry family. The younger Patrick Henry’s father and uncle remained Anglican while his mother Sarah joined one of Davies’ Presbyterian congregations, a dissenter group during a time when the Anglican Church was Virginia’s state religion.

Sarah Henry frequently took her son to hear the evangelist, and Patrick Henry would later credit the minister with “a most profound influence” on him. Though the younger Patrick Henry maintained a lifelong membership in the Anglican/Episcopal denomination, Davies impacted Henry’s political and religious philosophies. Henry became a devoted advocate for religious freedom in Virginia and the newly independent United States.

I’d long wanted to go to the Patrick Henry National Memorial at Red Hill, the plantation where Henry and his second wife lived after he retired from political office. However, Red Hill is off the beaten path in south-central Virginia (about two hours southwest of Richmond) and we’d never made the trip. With my son now in college about an hour from the plantation (interestingly, at a school founded by Presbyterians with Patrick Henry as one of the first trustees), we decided to fit in time for a tour after we dropped him off at his dorm.

After Henry's death (1799), his heirs added onto the house at Red Hill several times, turning the small cottage into a veritable mansion. Unfortunately, the entire structure burned to the ground in 1919. The building there now is a re-creation.

Recreation of Henry house at Red Hill

However, later research determined that to be the design of the house after Henry's death. At the time Henry lived there with his wife and the 9 youngest of his surviving children, it was much smaller. I've cropped the picture to give you an idea just how small the place was for 11 people.

House as it would have appeared during Patrick Henry's tenure

The Henrys had the wealth to build a bigger house, but they chose to live in a smaller place. Rather humbling!

After he retired from politics, Henry returned to practicing law. His original office building remains on the property at Red Hill.

Patrick Henry's last law office

Henry died in 1799 and is buried at Red Hill. On his death bed, he witnessed to his doctor and friend, an atheist. “Doctor, I wish you to observe how real and beneficial the religion of Christ is to a man about to die." His two youngest sons, only 3 and 5 at the time of his death, inherited the property at Red Hill. The US Congress made Red Hill a national memorial in 1986.

I'll close with more of Henry's most famous words:

If we wish to be free--if we mean to preserve inviolate those inestimable privileges for which we have been so long contending--if we mean not basely to abandon the noble struggle in which we have been so long engaged, and which we have pledged ourselves never to abandon until the glorious object of our contest shall be obtained--we must fight! I repeat it, sir, we must fight! An appeal to arms and to the God of hosts is all that is left us!
...
The battle, sir, is not to the strong alone; it is to the vigilant, the active, the brave. Besides, sir, we have no election. If we were base enough to desire it, it is now too late to retire from the contest. There is no retreat but in submission and slavery! Our chains are forged! Their clanking may be heard on the plains of Boston! The war is inevitable--and let it come! I repeat it, sir, let it come. 

It is in vain, sir, to extenuate the matter. Gentlemen may cry, Peace, Peace-- but there is no peace. The war is actually begun! The next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms! Our brethren are already in the field! Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty, or give me death!

After leaving the corporate world to stay home with her children, C.J. Chase quickly learned she did not possess the housekeeping gene. She decided writing might provide the perfect excuse for letting the dust bunnies accumulate under the furniture. Her procrastination, er, hard work paid off in 2010 when she won the Golden Heart for Best Inspirational Manuscript and sold the novel to Love Inspired Historicals. Her current release, The Reluctant Earl, is now available  in online bookstores. You can visit C.J.'s cyber-home (where the floors are always clean) at www.cjchasebooks.com 

What To Bring to ACFW

by Susanne Dietze

Here's the bald truth: I've never been to American Christian Fiction Writer's annual conference.

So why should you listen to me on the subject of what to pack? I'm greener than a bar of Irish Spring Soap.

Well, my inexperience is precisely why I've been doing research as I plan what to pack for this year's ACFW Conference in Indianapolis (starting in a matter of days!!). I've read others' blogs on what to take, asked questions of the other Inkies, and learned from my experience attending RWA 2012. I thought I'd share what I learned with you.

RWA12 with Debby Giutsi, Anne Barton, Sandra Leesmith, Anita Mae Draper, and me, in need of a haircut.

What to pack in your suitcase?

• Clothes, of course. Here's a riddle for you: What's black and white and red all over? At RWA 2012, the answer was Me. I coordinated my clothes like a Garanimal; that way, everything matched so I could take fewer shoes, I wouldn't have to change my entire outfit if I spilled on something, etc.
• Conference wear is Business Casual. To some, this means denim; to others, it means suit. You want to be comfortable but neat, and remember that it's better to be overdressed than under-dressed. I take my favorite jeans for "off-campus" trips, but at the conference, I dress churchy. 
• Less than you think you need, according to Gina Welborn. In other words, pack light.
• Take layers. Barbara Early reminded me that "rooms are either too hot or cold." Debra E. Marvin agreed, sharing, "The one time I went to a conference in downtown Indy, I packed for warmer weather and they had a cold spell. I was freezing in the hotel as well. Walked next door to the mall and bought something warmer to wear." I did the same thing at RWA: I was so cold I ended up buying a shawl in the hotel gift shop. I was not the only one wrapped in a shawl during workshops.
• Cozy clothes for down time, like hanging out with friends, suggests Gina Welborn. 
• Something fancy for the gala Sunday night (church-appropriate to formal, according to the website).
• Flat Shoes.Unless you're the type of person who is fine wearing heels all day long, bring along some nice, comfy flats. You'll be on your feet a lot.
• Sufficient Electrical "Stuff": Lisa Karon Richardson suggests if you bring a laptop, you "may want an extension cord as well. The classrooms can be pretty large, and if they run out of juice they may be too distracted to pay attention to the workshop." Same goes with supplies for your hotel room. Anita Mae Draper brings "a power bar for laptop, tablets, chargers, etc. There are very few open plug-ins because most are filled with cords from tv, lamps, radio, microwave, coffeepot, etc."
• Anita Mae Draper also brings a handheld luggage scale "for weighing suitcases before leaving the hotel. I first saw one used by Gina Welborn and now I never travel without one. Provides peace of mind at a hectic time." Airlines don't like it if your suitcase is over 50 pounds, and the resulting fees are not part of my budget, so I will be hitting up my roomie Anita to borrow her scale. 

Hyatt Regency, Indianapolis. by Frankie Roberto, via WikiCommons.

 What Not to pack in your suitcase:

• Stuff you will need if your luggage gets lost. Remember to take medicines, a change of clothes, etc in your carry-on.

 Speaking of Carry-On's...

• Suzie Johnson always brings essentials, including a "needle and thread in case Amrak sends your luggage to Canada, and the only clothes you can find with the money Amtrak gives you to shop with, fit everywhere but the waistband, so you have to take a tuck or two - or forever be tugging at your pants. Seriously, it's happened to me twice."
• First-Aid--Suzie Johnson brings band-aids. They take up almost no room and I tend to get hangnails, so I tuck a few into my bag, too.
• Food. More than one Inky suggested this since sometimes, hotel food can be a) expensive or b) unappetizing. Suzie Johnson also brings "tea bags. Always tea bags." 
• Stuff to stay neat. Barbara Early suggested a lint roller and a Tide-to-Go pen, "because Murphy's law says you will get a stain right before an appointment." (It's like she's already met me! I am the most clumsy gal...)
• Whatever helps you sleep. Debra E. Marvin suggests "chamomile tea, Nitey Night, ear plugs, or a mask. Also, bring makeup to cover the dark circles because you are going to be in about 50 photos in cyberspace."



ACFW 2009. Back row, Anita Mae and Debra. Front Row, Jennifer, Lisa, and our dear friend Connie Marquise

What to take in your tote bag/big purse?

You'll no doubt carry a bag around with you when you travel, attend workshops, etc. 

• Snacks are always smart.  Barbara Early likes to take "chocolate--small pieces in quiet wrappers, for that afternoon slump. And a few ginger teabags if you get a nervous stomach." Before a pitch appointment, perhaps? I can relate to that. Also, I always have a snack bar in my bag, because if I go too long without protein, I become fatigued and grumpy. If you meet me at conference, bear in mind I may want to include food in our chit-chat!
• Business cards and any other printed promotional items. Remember your business cards advertise your industry, which is YOU. Your card should include important info, such as your name, tagline, and website information. Mine also includes a photo of me, my twitter ID, and my agent's contact info. If you do not have an agent, be sure to include your email address. 
• Something to keep business cards in--yours and the ones you receive. I put the ones I receive in a zipper pocket of my portfolio. Later, if a card is super important (ie has an editor's contact info on it), I take photos of it with my phone. (Thanks for teaching me that, Anita Mae!)
• An Organizer of some sort. Gina Welborn shares, "Gina Conroy did a blog post about creating a binder with conference schedule, bios of agents and editors in attendance, any other info you can find on the agents/editors to refresh your mind about that person before you meet, plastic pages for businesses cards you receive, and copies of one-sheets, etc. Oh, I also created a list of Conference Goals. That notebook was my Go To booklet."
• One-sheets for pitch appointments. I use Vistaprint to print my one-sheets of my proposals for my editor pitches, but you can print something up on your computer easy-peasy.
• Prepare a one-sheet cheat-sheet for pitches, but memorize your elevator pitch. Also think about who your audience is, why you think you might be a good fit for a publishing company, and any other pertinent details about your story.
• Unscented sanitizer, lotion, etc--unscented is a rule at ACFW. I do not know if there are allergy police sniffing for hairspray, but the bottom line is, be conscientious and try to stay fragrance-free.
• $1 bills to tip with. There are a lot of people to tip: maids, airport shuttle drivers, cabbies, etc.
• Something to take notes with--your laptop or a notepad. If you forget a pen, don't worry. There will be one or two (thousand) in the goody room. ;)
• Medication, even if it's something you might not need like allergy meds. Barbara Early says, "Better to pack it and not need it than need it and not pack it."
• Credit Card. You'll have plenty of opportunity to use it eating, buying books, etc etc etc: in other words, expect to spend some $$$.

Anything Else?

• Your Bible, but I suggest downloading a free e-version rather than taking your favorite translation. You'll have lots of books to bring home, adding additional weight to your luggage.
• Arranged plans: Gina Welborn suggests you "make a list of authors you want to connect with, and pre-schedule as much as possible times for you to meet. I have some authors I'm doing that with." 
• Stay hydrated. You can bring a water bottle, but at RWA, there was water provided at most of the workshops I attended.
• Try to get some rest, too. At conference, there's always something going on. You have to say no to something. That's ok. Enjoy what you experience! At least, that's one of my goals.

How about you? Do you have any tips for me as I pack?

***

Susanne Dietze is a Genesis finalist this year, and will therefore be so nervous she'll have a hard time eating her Gala dinner Sunday night. Considering she wrote this post, however, she will remember her own advice to eat something.