Elaine Marie Cooper Author

Historical Fiction That Grabs Your Heart and Feeds Your Soul

Elaine Marie Cooper

Romance or Raw Lust?

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As I scrolled down my Facebook feed one morning, I did a double take.

There was a Christian author friend, posing next to a cover model for romance novels. She was dressed in a modest dress. He was shirtless, six-pack rippling, pants on the edge of too low, with his arm around my friend. My author friend had just come from a secular romance writer’s conference and had posted this photo.

It was the same day her Christian devotional posted on her blog to which I subscribe.

Is there something wrong with this picture?

I checked out the conference she had attended. The featured authors ran the gamut from Christian to VERY edgy. When I checked out the books of one of the authors in attendance, I discovered numerous titles with such words as “devil,” “temptation,” “sin” and “virgin.” I’ll give you this much: Even secular writers know the correct terminology. In this PC world where many want to deny the evil one and the existence of sin, at least it was good to know the secular writers know they are real.

This issue of Christian romance authors side-by-side with the pornographic romance writers has bothered me for some time. And many times it is not the authors themselves who put themselves in such company. Their publishers do.

A wonderful Christian author with a beautiful historical novel was recently a finalist in a contest frequented by secular romance writers. This Christian author knew nothing about how her book was even entered.

This same romance organization that sponsors the contest has a publication that prints book reviews. As a newbie historical romance writer a few years ago, I subscribed to this magazine. To my surprise, it arrived in a dark cellophane wrapper. Only after opening the magazine did I realize why: The abundance of sexually suggestive covers displayed were enough to cause even this romance writer to blush.

I looked for the “Inspirational Romance” section for reviews. It was a few short pages, surrounded by page after page of book covers with scantily dressed lovers in various poses. The activity of the paramours was obvious. After reading the reviews in subsequent issues, I soon realized I was not going to be able to read them without the visual assault of one book cover after another tempting my libido at every turn of the page. I started dropping the unopened magazine into the trashcan upon arrival. Needless to say, I no longer subscribe.

There has been a growing trend among women supposedly trying to revitalize their sex lives by reading a recent series of books about “Forty-Nine Plus One Derivations of A Dull Shade of Black.” I refuse to name the title due to internet search engines. 🙂

 

What is shocking is that a recent survey revealed many of the readers of the aforementioned series are Christian women. What is even more troublesome is that there has also been a dramatic increase in women delving into pornography.

 

A recent book, “Pulling Back The Shades” by Dr. Juli Slattery and Dannah Gresh, addresses the concern. In an article in Christianpost.com, Dr. Slattery (who read the trilogy of books) describes not only the kinky nature of the explicit sex in the popular series, but the frequent Satanic symbolism. The latter agenda in these books shocked Dr. Slattery, a Christian psychologist. To read the full article in Christianpost.com, including details about the survey, check it out here.

So here is my question: As Christian authors do we have an obligation to distance ourselves from the organizations that promote lustful images? Or should we hang out with the sinners, hoping our offerings of less-explicit romance novels will influence the buying public to reform their reading habits?

I don’t have clear-cut answers. But I will say one thing: if you ever see me posing with a shirtless man other than my husband, send me a virtual slap.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Great Snow of 1717

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Today my post at Colonial Quills talks about a winter even MORE severe than the winter of 2014.

At least we don’t need to shovel out our upstairs windows to escape our homes. 😉

 

Click here to read.

 

 

Audio Version of “Fields of the Fatherless!”

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I received wonderful news this week from my publisher: Fields of the Fatherless was going to become an audio book!

My publisher had contracted with an actress (Becca Ballenger) after she’d auditioned for the reading. I think her reading is perfect. 🙂

If you’d like to hear the first 15-minute preview, you can listen to it here:

Fifteen Minute Audio

When the whole book is available, I’ll be sure to announce it.

And thanks for listening.

A Tribute to Darin Tschopp, my Oxen Expert

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I recently received an unexpected e-mail from my writer-friend, Marie. “Darin passed away.”

Darin? My oxen expert?

“But he was fairly young, wasn’t he?” I couldn’t wrap my mind around the reality. He was not that old but of course, death is not discerning of age when it comes to its victims.

“Darin hadn’t been feeling well and had some chest pain, which they think he mistook for indigestion because they found some acid reflux medicine,” Marie wrote.

Though I never knew Darin in person, he had become my go-to guy when I had a question about the lives and habits of the huge beasts of burden that were used in Colonial America. His cousin-in-law, Marie, had connected us on Facebook. She knew I wrote about Colonial America and she recommended his expertise for everything “oxen.”

And Darin never let me down. He never made any question that I had seem too trivial for him to take the time to answer. I so appreciated his help for writing a scene in “Fields of the Fatherless,” that I put his name in my acknowledgements. I did so proudly. Not everyone can claim an oxen-expert for their contacts. 🙂

Darin in front of the corn field at Plimoth Plantation in 1996
Darin in front of the corn field at Plimoth Plantation in 1996

Even in my brief Facebook exchanges with Darin, I sensed a warm and caring person—someone who loved the animals he cared for in his job at Colonial Williamsburg as well as a gentle spirit who cared about people.

That became even more evident when I saw the memorial tributes posted on his Facebook Page. Here are a few of the posts from friends and co-workers:

 

–       He was such a gentleman

–       Darin was one of “the good guys”

–       A gentle giant with a warm, friendly smile

–       Darin Tschopp will be missed tremendously. So saddened to hear the world has lost such a kind man.

–       He loved God!! And he was a man of God!! He loved history and he loved sharing it with others. It was his life!! There is so much more I could say but the biggest thing would be to say that I will miss you, Darin Tschopp, But the most important thing would be to say is that I will see you in heaven because I know that you loved your Savior.

 

I still cannot fathom that Darin is gone. Whenever I have a question about oxen in my future books, I will remember him. And miss his kind manner. I am so grateful that I was able to send Darin a signed copy of my book before he passed into eternity. Had I put that off, I would have regretted it always.

We are never assured of tomorrow. But death is assured for all. Never put off doing good unto others for another day. Their tomorrow—or yours—might not exist on this earth. As another of Darin’s friends wrote, “Life is precious, dear friends. Don’t waste a moment.”

I never met you face-to-face on earth, brother Darin. But I look forward to meeting you one day in heaven. I’ll look for the kind keeper of the animals.

And I’ll end with one more message of love from a friend:

“Fair winds and following seas, brother. Until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of His hand. You will be missed.”

 

 

 

 

 

Detour on the Journey

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Occasionally, life takes us on detours. That is where my writing path has currently taken me: from historical fiction to a non-fiction memoir.

Since I am trusting the Lord with each step on this very important side road, I am relying heavily on His strength to carry the burden. So far, His yoke has been easy, albeit, covered with tears.

My book writing began seven years ago when I began researching for my first historical fiction (“The Road to Deer Run”). Since then, I’ve published three more in the same genre, each set in the era of the American Revolution.

But nearly three years ago, I was at a Christian Writers Conference, worshipping God during the praise time, when a very real impression of God’s direction in my life took root in my heart and mind: the Lord was telling me to write a memoir of my daughter Bethany’s battle with a brain tumor. She passed away ten years ago.

Prior to this moment, I had determined in my steel heart that I would NEVER write about that painful journey. But there I was, with tears rolling down my cheeks, the Lord reassuring me in my spirit that He would give me the strength. And He has.

So now I labor to relive that worst trial in my life. And I’m praying that her story will bless others to help them glimpse a speck of light on the darkest of days.

I’m also praying that my book will help other families who are in similar circumstances, empowering them to be their loved one’s advocate. Helping family members and friends to know where they can say “no” and perhaps—even when they are unsure of their steps—to know they can say “yes” as the Lord guides them on unfamiliar terrain.

So on this temporary detour—perhaps the most important in my calling as a writer—I pray that my daughter’s memory will be honored and that her story will touch many for His glory.

I covet your prayers as I work on “Bethany’s Calendar.” And I thank you.

 

(Photo of sun peeking through the clouds courtesy of Thomas Deitner)

Books of Impact

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I was recently “Tagged” on Facebook to ask which books I considered to have “stayed with me.” They might have been memorable for any number of reasons but they must be books the reader could not forget.

How intriguing: Not just favorite books but books with impact. It really got this author thinking about the variety of books I’d read throughout my life, and which ones were implanted in my memory as having impact. After contemplating the challenge, here are ten books that have influenced my life. I’m sure there are more, but these rose to the top of my thoughts:

 

10 – A Pillar of Iron by Taylor Caldwell; for the first time as a teen reader I was aware of the extensive research that went into a book of historical fiction. I was in awe of the author’s time and hard work spent on gathering facts.

9 – Those Who Love by Irving Stone. Read when I was a teen, I was amazed that real life historical figures could be brought to life in fictional form. I was enthralled by the process and the engaging read.

8 – Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. I loved the brave heroine in the midst of suffering circumstances. She held her head high despite those who would treat her as an inferior. The book made me fall in love with window seats to read upon. 😉

7 – Crazy Busy by Kevin DeYoung. A short but powerful glimpse as to motivations behind being too busy. Thought-provoking.

6 – Simply Salsa by Janet Perez Eckles. Powerful true testimonial from a lovely Christian woman who went blind amidst numerous other trials in her life. Inspiring story of strength and trust in Jesus as Lord and Savior.

5 – A Love Worth Giving  by Max Lucado. Allowing Christ’s love to SO fill you that the overflow will spread to those around you.

4 – The Redemption Series by Karen Kingsbury and Gary Smalley. This is five books (Redemption, Remember, Return, Rejoice, Reunion) that sparked my appreciation for the impact Christian fiction can have on a reader. It can actually draw you closer to the Lord. It was a revelation that helped inspire me when I started writing my own Christian fiction.

3 – A Narrative of a Revolutionary Soldier by Joseph Plumb Martin. First person account by an elderly veteran of that war that brought me into the mindset and language of soldiers during the American Revolution. Best research source for my Revolutionary War era novels.

2 – Roses in December: Comfort for the Grieving Heart by Marilyn Willett Heavilin. Given to me on the day of my daughter’s funeral, this book is the autobiography of a Christian Mom who lost three sons over the course of several years. Inspiring. Heartbreaking. Comforting.

1 – The Bible. Source for my faith, my hope, my salvation.

 

 

So what are ten books that have stayed with you? I’d love to read your list.