On Reading a Certain Inspirational Fiction Author's Book

I just read a Christian novel by a certain author I will not name--but it was one I'd almost promised myself I'd never read. The only thing that kept me from making this vow official was that I was so uninterested in ever reading her books that there was no reason to make myself promise--it was such a given! But I took it on as homework, part of my research into the market, to see what her writing was really like. Recently at a conference, a writer insinuated lack of respect for this writer; she said she tried to read one of her novels once and threw it out the window of her car. I resonated with that, or at least my preconceptions resonated with that--I hadn't yet actually read any of her works. But this writer recognized there is one thing of value to those books--she is doing something right. She mentioned a survey that revealed that writer is so popular, selling a million copies every time she puts out a new book, because women say they like that she can make them cry.

So, at the library, finding everytihng I wanted unavailable, I three times walk by this very popular, can-make-women-cry novelist's books. But I finally succumb and pick one off the shelf. I further justified it by making the one I choose fulfill a double duty. My other homework is to read Christian novels that deal with adultery and see how they handle it, so I chose this author's book on that topic.

I read it in 2 days--a quick read. Yes, she did make me cry. And if that book is an indication of typical plot lines of others, I can say I'm not interested in reading more. I was frustrated by a number of things. One, the extremes of the plotline seemed to be a cop out. I read once that readers can forgive coincidences to get characters into trouble, but not to get out of trouble. I saw a certian character's death quite a cop out to the main character's biggest challenge, setting up the romance for future installments of the series.

Secondly, I was annoyed by some of the characterizations of the faithful. I can't articulate why yet. (My last post "Struggling with my characters' faith orientations" was about this.) But something about it just didn't sit right with me. And the writer didn't even have everyone in the book as a Christian. So it wasn't the problem that I expected--a whitewashed world where everyone agrees and follows Jesus, etc. It might take me a while to pinpoint what exactly strikes me as disingenuine about the write'rs portrayals of people of faith. A third annoyance is just the way characters were written. It wasn't bad, but then it also wasn't really good. I started reading Anne Brashares The Last Summer of You nad Me right after this book, and it made a sharp contrast. I love, LOVE the way Brashares characterizes people, and the way she gives them internal monologues that reveal how they see the world. I feel like I'm learning something about the world through their eyes. They are so rich. By comparison, this best -selling inspirational fiction writer was thin, shallow. But her subject matter was not. I liked a lot of the themes she was adressing, and even the way she handled them at times. But the writing jsut wasn't great. Or the plot structure.

When I hit writers' block, I write nonfiction articles. Heres' a smattering:
How Much Genetically Modified Food Do You Eat?

Green Tea Anti-Oxidants: How Do They Actually Fight Cancer?

Chemical in Some Disposable Diapers Cause of Obesity and Hormone Disruption

Telling Breyers to make Their Ice Cream "All-Natural" Like They Used to