Friday, January 15, 2016

Calling All Outsiders

Have you ever felt like an outsider—that you don't fit any category or group acceptable by the majority? Well, that's how I've been feeling lately. My son-in-law, one of the first purchasers of Molly, found it too religious. My daughter couldn't get past the racism of the characters.

A friend who read the manuscript copy of the story suggested that I seek a Christian publisher. However, I feared it would be rejected because I had used a few curse words in the early part of the book for authenticity of some of the characters. About a dozen traditional publishers had thanked me for my submission but were uninterested in pursuing publication.

So far, only one person who has read the books—Molly, Brothers, and Generations--has failed to give them a positive review. He felt that Molly was more suitable for younger readers. Perhaps it lacked that swift action, violence, or sex that he was accustomed to as an adult reader.

One reader, after reading the first chapter of Generations to her husband, said, “I'm hooked.”

Another reader said, “I couldn't wait to get to the next chapter.”

Still another reader said, “I believe it was your best book yet.”

While critiquing Generations, members of my writers' group urged me to write new material about Matthew, one of Molly's grandsons. That section turned out to be one of the best pieces of writing I had done up to that time.

If you like books that are realistic to life as we experience it but not embarrassed by faith in God, I hope you'll try the three books of the Carroll Family Saga. It is a slice of history from the 1920s the 1970s as seen through the eyes of one north Florida farm family. It recounts the racism, war, and social upheaval that marked the twentieth century. If you feel like an outsider, you might just enjoy these books.

Written by Harry Mann

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