Jesus Freaks for Writers discussion

And of course, we have to talk about books! What are your favorites? Who's your favorite author?

My favorite author is Karen Kingsbury! I LOVE her. My favorite series of hers are the Redemption Series and the Firstborn Series, with the Baxter Family.

Andrew Klavan is probably my favorite author, especially his YA books.

I've heard his really good, but I've never read any of his books

Have you read The Lord of the Rings? Fabulous books, and definitely my favorites!!!!!

Yes, I love those books. I've watched the movies too, but the books are so much better. Everyone should read the books before watching the movies. Agree?

Depends on the book and movie. Some you should see first.

Yes, I agree, it depends on what movie and what book it is. But with The Lord of the Rings in particular, I would strongly recommend reading the books first since they are such classics.

Well, I've seen the LOTR movies, but still have not read the book... I know, I'm awful.

No, don't worry about it! :)

lol. I was being sarcastic.

My personal opinion is that you should always read the book(s) first, no matter what!

Depends. Sometimes, having an idea what the characters look like, what the world looks like, already having an emotional attachment and being invested in the story, etc. It make a great book even better.

Really? I prefer making my own mental images, and it always bothers me when the casting isn't what I think it should be. (Honestly, movie makers should just consult me before they make any movies, and I'll tell them exactly how to do it!!) ;P

There's nothing like having a *very clear* picture of everything while reading.

True, but I still like making my own mental pictures! ;)

The Berinfell Prophecies!

I need to read those. I love Wayne Thomas Batson's works and that's the only series I haven't read.

yes, you really need to

:)

I love the Lord of the Rings books mentioned above! The silmarilion is amazing too!

Jason wrote: "I love the Lord of the Rings books mentioned above! The silmarilion is amazing too!"

I am hoping to read the Lord of the Rings books this summer!

Have you read them before? They're SOOO good!!!!!!!! *happy sigh* :D

Lena wrote: "Have you read them before? They're SOOO good!!!!!!!! *happy sigh* :D"

No :/ I tried to read them a couple years ago and I found them boring :/ I watched the movies and loved them. And I have had friends gush about the books!

I can see why they'd be hard to get through when you're young. There are a few chapters that can be, how shall we say? slow, at times. It's worth it, though!!

Lena wrote: "I can see why they'd be hard to get through when you're young. There are a few chapters that can be, how shall we say? slow, at times. It's worth it, though!!"

I think I'll enjoy them now! Especially since I have read Anne Elisabeth Stengl's books and I feel they are a little bit the same with the word building and all that!

My favourite books...too hard! I love all of Tessa Afshar's books, and all of Chuck Black's books - seriously, he writes amazing Christian allegory/fantasy type books. And his sci-fi type series is amazing too.
Other favourites...Sarah Sundin's "Wings of Glory" series, Alicia Ruggieri's "The House of Mercy" and "The Fragrance of Geraniums", MacKenzie Morganthal's "Not Abandoned" and unpublished "Final Dare", and so many others. :) The How To Train Your Dragon books are fantastic too. :) Oh!! And "The Huntress of Thornbeck Forest" by Melanie Dickerson - that is just amazing. Okay, I'll cease now.

I have read a few from Chuck black and they are pretty good.

How do the how to train your dragon books compare to the movies?

Well, I am a huge fan of the movies (except for one part in the 2nd one...too sad, and I could totally rewrite that to be better! XD), and I love the books, but they don't really 'match up'. I mean, the movies don't follow the books hardly at all. Toothless, whom I adore in the movie, isn't actually a nightfury in the books - he's a tiny, most common garden dragon. :) And he's super whiny too, but it's hilarious, I think and I like him nearly as much in the books as the movies. Oh, and in the books, none actually kill dragons - they're vikings that have trained them for many, many generations.
I think I am more attached to the movies, but the books are good too. HTTYD is one thing where I'm not too upset that they didn't follow the books.

Hm... that is a lot different! Never would have guessed most of that. It sounds like a completely different story.

Yeah, it pretty much is. There's a ton of differences - I think they mainly just kept the names and the very vague idea of it all. Although, I have a fear they will be using the books in the third movie, which I would not be happy about - I've heard rumors that the 3rd will be void of the dragons because in the books it starts out "In my day, there were dragons..." But in my opinion, they haven't followed the books thus far, no need to start with that depressing line! ^.^
Sorry for continuing to go on about this - I love HTTYD =D

Lol no worries about going on I have always wondered what the books were like. :)

That is very interesting indeed. either way, I sure hope they do the third one as well as the first.

:) Yes, I agree. :) 2018 seems like a long time to wait for the third one though. Oh well.

My favorite author is definitely J. R. R. Tolkien, and while I love all his works, The Hobbit is my favorite. When it comes to my writing, most of my inspiration comes from him. Though I also give credit to authors Agatha Christie and Christopher Paolini for inspiring me with their work as well.

Yes, 2018 is a ways off.


Bailey, that is a great line up of inspiration indeed. *thumbs up* I loved Tolkien as well but honestly I found the hobbit hard to finish. It wasn't because I didn't like it (I did very much) but I had JUST finished the Silmarilion... going from that to the hobbit is NOT a good idea for me.

The silmarilion was without doubt my favorite of his works. I love how technical it gets and deep.

I have The Silmarillion waiting for me to read it on my shelf, though I think I may read this book that I have had for over a year that I haven't read yet. It's called Searching for Darkness. Or I might read Tolkien's version of Beowulf.

Well, whichever you decide to read first I definitely recommend the Silmarilion!

Have you read the Children of Húrin by Tolkien? I have that as well.

I have not read that one yet, no.

Honestly I can write three times as much as I can read in a day. I am quite a slow reader unless something really grabs my attention as the Silmarilion did.

Have you read the Children of Hurin yourself? I have heard that it is very good.

Ooo, I have the Silmarillion! I'm so excited to read it this summer! I'd really like to read Children of Hurin as well. :)

No that's why I was asking, to get your opinion on it. There are just so many books to read in such little time!

@Lena:

Idea! Maybe we could read it at the same time? I've had friends do this :)

It is definitely worth your time Lena!

Indeed, there are a LOT of books. So many good ones I would like to read.

That would be fun! :) I'm kind of a slow reader, though, because I read, like, four books at a time... ;)

I've tried to read more than one book at a time, but it got confusing for me so I just stick to one at a time. I'm a slow reader as well, but sometimes I read books faster than others. I remember staying late up at night over and over again to read The Hobbit or The Hunger Games books :)

Lol Lena... that is at least a decent reason to finish a book slowly. I am just a slow reader because... I read slow. :P

I read about 10-15 pages a day and that is about it on most books. It takes me a long time to get those pages read as well.

Whereas I can write 10 pages a day and don't feel near as drained. :P

I wish I could write more than I read...for me it's the opposite. I can spend hours reading, but writing, as much as I adore it, comes slower. :)

I have the same problem, Raechel!
You don't know how lucky you are, Jason! ;)

I'm the same as well. The only things I write *kinda* fast are poems. Everything else takes me a while

:) Well, as long as it's in God-s hands and timing, there's nothing to worry about. I will sometimes struggle with my slowness of writing, but then He reminds me that He's the One I'm writing for, and the One in charge of my writing - it's all Him. So, I just need to leave it in His hands. For me, it's a lesson I am reminded of frequently. ^.^