Welcome all to the Spinning Room! Today we have a special visitor, one of our Colonial Quills contributors, Lynn Squire. You may recall some of Lynn's creative posts about horses in colonial times, done in character. Her ingenuity doesn't stop there. Lynn has a featured early colonial era novel in serial format that she shares on her blog entitled Dawn Over Narraganset Bay, book two in her Colonial Baptist Series. The first book is set in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, and this book takes place in Rhode Island during the 17th century.
Please join in the conversation as we get to know Lynn a little better. Feel free to ask questions in this informal discussion/interview.
http://www.lynnsquire.com/
We are so glad you could join us today, Lynn. I've heard great things about Joab's Fire - congratulations! Would you please tell us about the setting and how the plot relates to the book of Job?
ReplyDeleteHi Carla. Thank you so much for having me today. I am truly blessed to be a part of this fabulous group and feel honored that you would have me on this special day.
ReplyDeleteJoab's Fire is set in the District of Alberta, North-West Territories, Canada 1903. Today, this would be southern Alberta. The town, Surbank, doesn't exist. However, I created it in the general location of Arrowwood, Alberta. In 1903, the land where Arrowwood sits, would have been part of the Blackfoot Indian Reserve.
Just as Job lost his family and all that he had, so Joab Black lost his son and his farm.
Just as Job was covered with sores, Joab is covered with burns from fighting the fire that consumed his home.
Just as Job had friends who sat with him, so did Joab.
Many people read Job or hear about Job and ask why? Even after reading the entire book of Job, we often shake our heads and marvel that such things could happen to one person.
Sergeant Dixon of the Northwest Mounted Police does the same as he investigates the death of Rupert Black and the burning of Joab's farm. The story is really about Dixon's spiritual journey.
I am so glad to be able to discover this great Blog site Carla, and I will be looking for this book by Lynn!! Thankyou!!
ReplyDeleteMany many Blessings, Linnie
Hi Linnie,
ReplyDeleteThank you for stopping by! You can order Joab's Fire on Amazon.com, or you can go to a bookstore and purchase it (ask the manager to order it if they do not have it in stock).
Lynn, I like how Joab's Fire is about Dixon's spiritual journey, as the book of Job prompts us to consider our own as we contemplate Job's suffering.
ReplyDeleteI really am impressed with your ingenuity. What made you decide to feature Dawn Over Narraganset Bay on your blog? What has been the response to this early colonial period fiction?
Linnie! We are so glad that you are enjoying Colonial Quills! If you haven't seen these Spinning Room days before they are a lot of fun. You might like to check on the label in the sidebar to see some of the others we've done!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for hosting Lynn today! Lynn and I met through ACFW and she has been my critique partner, and very helpful! This summer she went up to Canada to do her book tour for her new release.
ReplyDeleteCarla, my decision to feature Dawn over Narragansett Bay on my blog boils down to ministry.
ReplyDeleteI write to present Biblical truths through story. Because of this, I desire for my readers to be more than just entertained. I desire that they are challenged in their faith or to even have faith. That is why each chapter is accompanied with "Food for Thought" questions. Simple questions that I hope will challenge the reader to rethink his or her current perspective.
I also have a sense of urgency. First, because I believe Jesus may call those who are saved home to be with Him at any time--"in the twinkling of an eye" (I Corinthians 15:52), and secondly because lives are being lost every moment of the day.
Our moment by moment decisions do affect eternity. If, by my written words, by my story, God might chose to speak to someone's heart, I don't want to wait--to hold off in order to receive someone else's approval of my words (please realize that doesn't mean I don't want to be edited or critiqued--that I need and must have).
My writing has always been about ministry--a tool God has given me to use to reach people with His message.
My blog is also a tool for my ministry.
I've used stories on my blog for almost four years now. I ran Joab's Fire through the blog before having it published. With Joab's Fire, I saw that people were being reached--that God was using it as an instrument in their lives to draw them to Him.
Dawn over Narragansett Bay is considerably different. I originally wrote it with traditional publishing in mind, but when I realized that was not the direction God wanted me to go with my writing, I sat on it for awhile.
Joab's Fire was written with the intention of being a serial, like what you find in the late 19th and early 20th century magazines. Each month I wrote a chapter. When it went to the blog, each chapter appeared weekly.
Because Dawn over Narragansett Bay required more depth of writing, especially in conveying historical attitudes and lifestyles, I found I needed to focus on it three times a week.
People's response to the early colonial period? The emails I have received indicate that people have only a little knowledge of this era and any tidbits of how people thought or lived at that time interest them.
However, what I have gleaned the most from this experience is that characters matter more than era. People will keep reading because they want to know what will happen to the characters.
Dawn over Narragansett Bay is about a young widow, Josephine, who is angry with God. Her family moved from the Massachusetts Bay Colony because of the persecution they experienced from the Puritans. Josephine's husband was killed because of the actions taken by men who felt they needed to make an example of a small group of Baptists (this is included in the first book of the series).
Part of the Puritan theology was that you must be chosen by God to be saved. Josephine's angst focuses around her believe that God has not chosen her. Her pride then gets her into deeper trouble.
I want my readers to see how God loves everyone "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)
I also wrote Josephine's story for those young women who think they must find love at any cost and from anyone who will take them. I am very burdened by the pressure young women feel today to "shack up" with someone in order to have companionship or feel loved and accepted.
Josephine allows herself to be deceived by a man in order to obtain security for herself and her son. Her story, for me, represents so many women who make bad choices thinking they are doing what is best for their loved ones.
My prayer is that her story will cause readers to consider carefully before giving into the pressures of society and any ungodly men.
Hi Carrie,
ReplyDeleteYou've been an awesome critique partner! But more than that, you've been an awesome and supportive friend. Thank you for making this "Spinning Room" event happen.
Lynn, Heartfelt congrats on your new release! Am so thankful you're a part of CQ. You add so much. And your love of history (and horses) shines through;) I'm looking forward to reading Joab's Fire as soon as edits are done. I know I'll enjoy the story. And I need to follow your blog as I don't think I've done that yet. Bless you as you continue to write for Him.
ReplyDeleteHi Laura, edits have long been done on Joab's Fire. :) You can purchase it at your local bookstore or on Amazon.com.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your kind words!
Lynn, Diana Flowers just sent her review to me for Overcoming Through Time http://cfpagels.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteThe gave it FIVE STARS which is saying a LOT coming from Miss Diana! We should get that up soon, Lynn!
Wow! Carrie, I'm thrilled. Tell that sweet lady thank you! I'm so glad she enjoyed it.
ReplyDeleteI'm the sweet lady, well uh, the lady (don't know about the sweet part;)), who just posted your review. What a powerful book, Lynn! I read it in one sitting, and that, Carrie is saying a lot coming from Miss Diana. lol Thank you, Lynn, for helping me to count my blessings a whole lot more!
ReplyDeleteDiana, Praise the Lord, eh? God is so good. I'm glad He allowed me to be a blessing to you.
ReplyDeleteLOL, Lynn, I knew I typed that comment too fast. I meant MY edits;) Not yours. But then again, I always have edits! And they never really end! I look forward to reading your finished book very much!
ReplyDeleteLOL, well okay. I understand now, Laura. :) May your edits go quickly. :)
ReplyDeleteI knew exactly what Laura meant when she said "the edits" LOL. Sounds like a disease, doesn't it? Instead of saying "my edits" and calling it "the edits" it kind of objectifies it. I think it is a sort of illness with stomachaches and headaches associated with it ;)
ReplyDeleteWaving at Diana who is a lovely lady and does great reviews. We have an interview up on our blog next week (Overcoming through Time) and a book review of Lynn's recent release Joab's Fire. Will post it up top on CQ when we get those posts up!
ReplyDeleteSusan Craft said...
ReplyDeleteSorry to come to the spinning room so late, but I was away all weekend and had to catch up on everything. Lynn, I like the way you see your writing as a ministry. That you want your readers not only to be entertained, but to be uplifted and inspired and to know about God's love. I was at the grocery checkout today, and heard the cashier tell the customer ahead of me that "nothing in this life is free." I smiled and said to them both, "Oh, but God's love is free for the asking." Until I matured in my faith, I never would have been able to say that out loud, but I felt a nudge to say something. I feel those same nudges in my writing, which I see as my ministry, just as you do, Lynn.
Praise the Lord, Susan. What a wonderdful opportunity the Lord gave you.
ReplyDeleteLadies I really enjoyed reading all of your comments. I am headed to check out Lynn Squire's books. Thanks and have a blessed day!
ReplyDeletePatricia, May God bless you through them!
ReplyDeleteI so agree with the burden to instill in our young women that they don't *need* a man at any cost. It breaks my heart to see them moving from man to man looking for what they'll never find. Bless you for writing books that can bring that message out!
ReplyDeletehttp://faithfictionfunandfanciful.blogspot.com/2011/09/book-review-of-joabs-fire-by-dee.html Book review of Joab's Fire on Lynn's blog!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Pegg. And Carrie thank you for putting up the link. :)
ReplyDelete