Why One Thing I Know is Different to My Previous Books
A guest post from Kara Isaac
Keeping my readers’ trust is really important to me and so I wanted to write a quick note (okay, maybe not so quick!) about some of the content in One Thing I Know that is different from my previous books. Early reviews have been mixed, and I wanted to share some of the creative decisions that I made when writing Rachel and Lucas’s story so you have some behind-the-scenes insights into why some of their journey is how it is.
Where to Start …
Probably the first place to start is with the main characters, Lucas and Rachel. At the risk of doing an author spoiler you should know that neither of them are Christians at the beginning of the book and neither of them are Christians by the end either.
There is no amazing conversion experience or Road of Damascus experience in this book.
This is NOT because I have lost my way, or compromised my faith, or no longer believe in Jesus, or am chasing the money, wanting to cross over to the general market or any of the many other things that I have seen authors accused of when a book doesn’t fit a reader’s mold for what Christian fiction should be.
The reason is simple.
It wouldn’t have been authentic to the characters. When I started writing over ten years ago that was one thing I promised myself I would never compromise on.
Lucas and Rachel are characters with big baggage and painful pasts. They are also the kind of people who will not be prone to being swayed into faith by emotion or circumstance. They are people who will take their time, ask big questions, and then make a decision based on a cumulative knowledge and experience base. I knew when I was writing their story that that wasn’t going to happen for either of them in the space of one book.
They have some friends and family with strong faith who are significant influences in their lives and you will see more of that journey for them unfold in the next two books. However, if you are a reader who prefers for someone’s belief system to be clear and defined by the end of a book then this may not be a story that resonates with you.
The second thing is, there is a villain in this book called Brad.
He’s from the entertainment industry and he’s very “of the world” with all that that implies. He is NOT a Christian. Not even close. I very deliberately wrote him that way, in part to show contrast between the darkness and depravity of this character and the lightness and goodness of others.
I also wrote him that way because it was true to his character.
It bugs me when authors write non-Christian characters who behave exactly like Christians, follow the same moral code, use the same language, and are basically indistinguishable from the Christian characters except they don’t go to church.
Some early reviewers have been offended that a character like Brad exists in a book by an “allegedly” Christian author published by an “allegedly” Christian publisher.
I hate offending people. I write romance to bring people joy, not offend them!
But Lucas’s story needed someone like Brad to force him to examine his own life and aspirations. So I’m not going to apologize for his existence (and I want to be clear that there is nothing that I consider to be more than PG-13!) but, again, I understand that I may have some readers who just don’t want to read characters like that in your novels.
So, while I hope you hang in there for this new book that is a bit different, I also know that there are many great books and amazing authors out there. If this story doesn’t sound like it’s something that is for you then all I ask is that you find a way to support a book that you do love and can get behind
Looking forward to this one more than the others.
Thank you! I appreciate it 🙂
Love the fact that you have written in non-Christian characters. I think we need to see more of it in contemporary Christian romance because as you say, some non Christian characters are almost identical to Christian characters. It also reflects real life!
I so agree (obviously :)) Thank you for your support!
I enjoy a “Christian” book that is … real. I don’t mind at all that the characters do not come to faith. I don’t believe that all Christian books need to be goody goody two shoes characters and/or be predictable; the book just doesn’t have to be ‘worldly’ ie full of explicit sex, blasphemy etc. It can be realistic romance with the implied marital sex behind closed doors to the reader, and include all other things that make an entertaining read. It should be something that a child or teen would pick up, flick through and be put aside with lack of interest, rather than sneak off with it and read behind closed doors.
I love that comment about lack of interest rather than something to be smuggled behind closed doors. Some people have criticised my books for not being suitable for 12 year olds and I’m always bewildered that there are some people who think a romance should be!
It sounds like a book I’d like to read :). I love authentic characters. God wants us to write ‘truth’ not create strings of plastic people. It’s great that you’ve had the courage to take a risk and write the book you felt he was calling you to write.
Thank you! I appreciate it 🙂
Thanks for sharing. It makes me sad that some reviewers have questioned your credentials as a ‘Christian’ writer because the non-Christian characters act like non-Christian characters. It also gives me hope, because that is the kind of non-Christian character I have in my own writing, and it helps me to know that someone else has tested the waters, and is still able to hold their head up high )i(
Thank you! Any review that makes assumptions about me personally is always hard but I just remind myself that they don’t know me and if I wrote books based on what strangers might think about me I’d never write another one 🙂
Gosh Kara, you have to have a rotten villain… Why? Because they’re there and present a great contrast to the protagonists. I’m interested in the way you are introducing this couple and following through in a series. All the best.
Thank you! Yes, it’s surprising how shocking it is to some people that my rotten villain is actually rotten! 🙂
Hi Kara, Thanks for guest blogging and explaining how ‘One Thing I Know’ is different to your other books. I appreciate knowing this before I read the print copy that arrived in the mail a few days ago. I’ll now have realistic expectations on the faith element in the story, and I’m looking forward to reading your authentic characters. 🙂
‘The story is in the struggle’ I wrote this when I released Amazing Grace about a girl who is struggling with both sexuality and faith. My character is still working out her faith at the end. There’s no easy answer to her struggle in the timeframe of the book.
I’ll look forward to reading your book and seeing how you engage with the protagonists and also how you stretch the genre expectations.
At the end of the day, we must write what we’re led to write.