Oddball: the blurb

          Oddball tries to escape the racial prejudices that threaten his life and homeland. But being a postal traveler only borders him more precariously on danger's edge. He and his partner must navigate through unknown lands, face fierce creatures, and tiptoe around war-riddled kingdoms as they deliver the interkingdomal mail on time. In the end Oddball comes out not only with some scrapes and scratches, but also with the knowledge that there's a God who loves everyone no matter what they've done and that there is a place where even half breeds belong.


           Yeah, that's it. I used to call it YA. But it has this plot frame of one-adventure-into-another, so it might actually be MG.

          Also, I'm still uncertain on the part about God. Because I don't really want it to be a Christian book. I don't want it to be cliched. And definitely not preachy. But how do you write a book in which the protagonist becomes saved and still keep it from sounding preachy or being stuck in the Christian genre? It's a challenge. I'm not sure if it's a challenge I can write up to. I've never finished a full manuscript before. So that part, is tentative to change. I think I will write it like this first, and if it still doesn't come out right then I'll take the Christianity part out. Maybe it shouldn't even be in the blurb if it's not supposed to be the main point.

          I do want it to glorify God, but if people turn away from it just because it's cliched or too preachy then how can it glorify Him? It's a story, not a sermon. So story trumps message. Which is the best way. When the story trumps message, the message shines all the more in its excellent subtlety.

           What do you think? How do you approach God in your writing? What kind of challenges do you have that you think are too big for you right now?

           By the way, I will post the first scene some time this week (probably at the end, suspense is a good story element, you know). I haven't read it in a long time. I'm tempted to post it without reading it first. just for the insane fun of it.