Character Study: Deborah

Deborah.

What comes to your mind when you think about Deborah?  Seriously, what comes to your mind.  Think about it for a moment.  Once you have a decided essence, proceed to the next paragraph.

When I think of Deborah, I think of two things.  Strong, biblical womanhood coupled with a servant’s heart.  But wait!  Deborah was a leader, wasn’t she?  A leader of men!  A woman who charged boldly into battle! 

Deborah has received much flack from conservative Christians, as well as much image bending from the world and more liberal Christians.  In my mind there is no woman more misperceived than Deborah.  And yet I love this woman.  I love her because of what she stands for. 

Bringing to Life

I love drama.  Not necessarily the drama that seems to be ever present in my life, but drama in the sense of a production, be that book, movie, radio drama, audio book, etc.  What’s more, I love to perform.  That probably comes as no shock to anyone reading this, either.  It is true, though.  There is something so thrilling about developing a character- often one very different from yourself- and tying the hearts and emotions of the audience to that character through your presentation. 

See, an actor can take a flat, villainous character, and add layers to their villainy.  They can give them subtle nuances that indicate a tragic past, cruel upbringing- or they can present the character’s motivation as being derivative of the pain they themselves have felt in the past and now feel like they must inflict on others.    

A Short Tidbit on Fiction

Does fiction build the morality of individuals and societies, or does it break it down?

Since I make no secret as to my love of literature, fantasy, fiction, and the wild imaginings of an active mind, obviously I think it is.  However, I want to bring to light what exactly fascinates me about fiction (on the silver screen, and in the pages of a book)- and how it can be used for evil, or for good. 

By the way, this post is written with a very special friend in mind, and she of the skeptical mind knows who she is.  I’m not naming names, though, so live with the knowledge that you know who you are!

I Caved

No, not Cave Rescue kind of caving, although some day I should do a blog post about my caving adventures. This post is about a different type of caving.

Many of you know, in one form of another, that I am an author. Many of you also know that I am in the process of soliciting an agent for my children’s story at the moment, and hope to be under contract by the end of the year.

Well, today I decided I would do something I’ve never done before. I’m going to cave and share a book excerpt, via fan demand.  Now, while my fans already know what it is I’m going to be sharing, I should probably fill the rest of you in on what exactly I’m talking about.