Perhaps youβve heard some buzz lately about the release of a certain movie,
based on a certain best-selling novel thatβs being packaged and sold as a
"romance." In fact, itβs even being released on Valentineβs Day. I think you
know the phenomenon to which I refer.
Fifty Shades ofβ¦yeah, well, you
probably know the rest.
Iβve been asked a number of times lately for my take on the
Fifty
Shades craze and a book that, for better or worse, has captured cultural
imagination.
First off, I wonβt lie. Iβm intrigued by any book that generates the kind of
attention weβve seen with the release and movie adaptation of
Shades.
Iβve been tempted to read the first book of the series just to find out why
everyone is in such an uproarβboth for and against.
Late last year, I came to within millimeters of adding
Shades to my
kindle. I donβt read erotica, I donβt enjoy erotica, but like the movie tagline
asks, "Are you curious?" I was. I can own that and take responsibility for it.
Shortly after logging on at Amazon, after I re-read the blurb and debated with
myself, I felt a Spirit prompt that kept me from clicking the "buy" button. The
vibration, the voice, was in no way condemning. This wasnβt a fire and brimstone
moment. Rather, I heard the voice of a loving father say, βDaughter, thereβs no
need for this. I have other places, more meaningful missions, where I need you
to dedicate your time and energy.β
That gentle prompt stilled my forward motions at once and removed that
temptation forever.
Before my faith walk matured, my first three romances were secular, written for
a "Big-Five" publisher. They featured open door love scenes. Out of wedlock.
They werenβt erotica by any stretch, but they werenβt in tune with a pull I kept
feeling in my heart to affirm faith by writing Christian fiction and romance.
Iβm not a prude; I enjoy the intimacy, the soul flow of making love with my
husband. The thing is, I believe there are some things that are so private, so
precious and sacred, that they should only be revealed and shared with the one
God designed for me. I like to "close the door" if you will, not because Iβm
embarrassed by the topic, but because it belongs only to me and to my husband.
The pivotal moment in my face-off against
Shades helped me realize I
write for God. I write to honor Him and honor the Christian world view that I
try to embrace and uphold in my own life. Sex is meant for husband and wife; why
and how that ever became passΓ© is beyond me. Sex is meant to strengthen the
foundation of a Godly union created to stand the test of time. But Iβve also
learned that in todayβs culture, sex is seen as the easy and disposable part of
a relationship. I think the philosophy of "If it feels good, do it" has fanned
the flames of fascinationβto dark degreesβtoward
Shades.
How sad that something so beautiful could become so corrupt.
Over time, shock value wears off. Over time, heat cools to a steady warmth. Over
time, every relationship is going to have good times and bad. God means for us
to stand strong together in loving relationships. Thatβs not easy, nor is it
disposable.
Pure Amore is a
new imprint of Christian New Adult romances offered by Pelican Book Group
promoting pre-marital chastity and purity. As men and women in their twenties
and thirties forge their lives, as they strive to adhere to Godly truths and
teachings, they find love even as they are challenged by culture and
circumstance. But Pure is far from boring. These books refuse to surrender one
ounce of the delicious tingle, those butterflies, the heartaches and joys of
falling in love.
As one of the authors recruited to contribute to the imprint, I thank God that,
like the protagonists of my books, Iβm learning to pay attention to Godβs voice
and find beautiful, satisfying ways to spend my time, share my gifts, and honor Him!
I guess you might say I took off the
Shades and found my way to a whole
new brand of sexy. A Pure kind of sexy. Care to join me?
About DATE NIGHT
Ethan Millerβs family has doneβ¦what?
His profile is plastered on MingleInFaith.com. Now, this career focused,
happy-to-be-a-bachelor is forced to endure an episode of speed-dating.
Interior Designer Natalie Gibbs is on the dating circuit, eager to find βthe
one,β but she has strict rules about the manner in which sheβll embrace a
romantic relationship. She wasnβt even supposed to meet Ethan Millerβbut God had
other plans.
Ethan spends a month each year in Honduras, offering eye care to the
underprivileged. He senses a sweetness to Natalie that prompts him to invite her
along on the next mission trip.
The voyage leads them far from their home base of New York City, but straight
into the hearts of the Honduran people. Slowly, Ethanβs heart is swayed toward
the idea of love. But Natalieβs mission work teaches her about a love that
reaches far beyond romance.
Whatβs Godβs plan? Should their hearts combineβor does He want them to serveβ¦and
learn...from one anotherβand an extraordinary date night?
Giveaway
Readers, are you finding your way to a whole new kind of sexy? Leave a comment
below for your chance to win a copy of
DATE NIGHT
I'm so glad you are writing books like this! These are the kinds of books that I enjoy reading!
(Kathy Morrison 9:40am February 13, 2015)
I have not gotten into the Fifty shades craze... but I do read all levels of heat in romance.... for me the books I read are more for sharing the characters journeys to their HEA.
(Colleen Conklin 4:10pm February 20, 2015)
I suppose there is a rule that romance books must include explicit sex scenes, but I recently read a book that contained three stories by three authors. The first and third story had interesting plots, but the middle story seemed to be "a paragraph" between each sex scene. I wondered if that author wrote it in one afternoon. I found myself feeling sorry for the two authors who had agreed to write along with the second author. That story had no value whatsoever.
(Gladys Paradowski 12:06pm February 21, 2015)
© 2003-2026