a novel idea

Last week, I took my oldest daughter to see Enchanted. Yes, it was good and we had fun, but that’s not the point.

The theater shares a parking lot with a mall, so I assumed parking would be at a premium due to the post-Christmas shopping madness. I made sure we arrived early to be in the theater with plenty of time to spare. I hate missing the previews, but that’s not the point.

One of the previews was for Prince Caspian. I had already watched the preview online, but there is something special about seeing it on the big screen. The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe hadn’t quite lived up to my expectations, but it was still good and I’m looking forward to the series’ continuation. Once again…not the point.

As the preview drew to a close, my soul swelled. Something deep in me wants not only to experience great stories, but to tell them as well. As a pastor, as a Christian, I want to be one that experiences, lives, and tells a great Story. Stories hold deep beauty and truth, whether they be fiction or a retelling of actual events.

Since seeing that preview, I’ve decided that I don’t read enough fiction. I only read eight works of fiction last year; as I look back at them, I read each one because there was some kind of extra motivation to read it. It’s almost as if I’ve operated with an unspoken understanding that fiction doesn’t have a point. What a pity.

I’m not big into New Year’s resolutions, but I will make one. My nightstand is going to be a resting place for more pointless works of fiction, for more beauty and truth. I usually am reading 3-4 books at a time, and I’m adjusting my habits to always have something story related in the mix — whether a novel, or perhaps a biography or an anthology.

Hello Kite Runner.


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6 Responses to “a novel idea”

  1. Gravatar of Marlow Marlow
    1. January 2008 at 14:56

    Kite Runner is very good. What else are you going to read. I need some idea’s!

  2. Gravatar of Charlie Pharis Charlie Pharis
    1. January 2008 at 15:26

    Yeah…keep the ideas coming! I need some, too!

  3. Gravatar of john john
    1. January 2008 at 15:33

    Well, I’ll probably dig into the Harry Potter series.

    As I mentioned below, The Poisonwood Bible is definitely a recommendation.

  4. Gravatar of jamie jamie
    1. January 2008 at 17:44

    I recommend Stephen R. Lawhead’s the Pendragon Cycle as well as Orson Scott Card’s Ender’s Game and all the sequels and the parallel novels.

  5. Gravatar of recent reading | some strange ideas recent reading | some strange ideas
    29. February 2008 at 23:22

    [...] Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone / Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, by JK Rowling My novel idea is coming along quite nicely, thank you very much. I’m 2.5/7 into the Harry Potter septilogy [...]

  6. Gravatar of some strange ideas » reading routines some strange ideas » reading routines
    27. August 2008 at 09:55

    [...] At the beginning of this year, I committed to always be reading a story, whether that be fiction, or some other form of narrative like a [...]

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