On a quest
In an
interview recently, I was asked what kinds of books or authors I like to read.
Since I have
an extremely eclectic reading taste, ranging from politics, history, theology,
and media in society, to fiction of all kinds from historical to mysteries to
fantasy to sci-fi, I was stumped.
What kinds
of books or authors Do I like?
Since the question was phrased in the context of my own novel writing (there too, it’s
eclectic from suspense thrillers to historical novels) I immediately tossed my
non-fiction list aside and concentrated what kind of fiction I like.
As I pondered,
I listed such authors as C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien among my greats. I toyed with
adding Jodi Taylor’s time travel series The Chronicles of St Mary’s or
Rachel Caine’s alternate universe series called The Great Library.
Others flooded into my mind: Ken Follet’s Pillars of the Earth; Stephen
Lawhead’s Byzantium. The flood of favourites continued as I considered
the many varied takes on the Arthurian legends that I enjoy. I considered my
enjoyment of mysteries from Arthur Conan Doyle (no relation) to Agatha Christie
and a host of modern-day authors. Then I trolled through the various sci-fi
novels I’ve read.
I even
considered my own suspense thrillers in the Oak Grove Conspiracies
series. I like them!
As I did all
this thinking, I came to a quick realization. Pretty well every one of my
‘likes’ entailed some version of a quest!
I love
stories that involve overcoming an insurmountable quest. That’s what The
Hobbit and Lord of the Rings entailed. It’s what Lewis was writing
about in his Narnia books. Or Hemingway’s Old Man and the Sea.
As I thought
about that, another fact struck me. My entire non-fiction life has been that of
a quest.
And so has yours.
During those quests, we have each met challenges great and small. We have battled giants—financial,
employment, relationships—while on our quest. Incredible people and events have
changed our course of action. Sometimes for good., Sometimes for evil.
Some of us
have had a clear idea of what that quest looked like. We saw financial goals,
retirement, a big house, travel, as the ultimate end of our quests. Others have
had more esoteric and fulfilling quests to improve life and situations for our
fellow human beings. That encompasses those who aimed for and perhaps created
life-changing technologies or medical procedures, or who explored science and
space in search of the answers to life’s basic questions. Come to think of it,
I’d put the many theologians and impactful preachers into that category as
well; people like Lewis (not just his fiction) or Augustine, or the Apostle
Paul and the gospel writers.
All were on
a quest. To understand their situation and strive toward a goal that would empirically
change existing understanding or, more impactfully, change lives for the better.
Even at the
simple unspectacular level of life that most of us inhabit, we are following a quest. It might be for job advancement, education, better
parenting, or healthier lifestyles. But it is still a quest. Or, rather,
numerous quests. It's what keeps us going day to day, through rain and snow, ups and downs, and through failures to success.
Every day we
set huge plans for the next day with zero knowledge of what that tomorrow might
bring. But we go on the quest anyway. That is confidence!
I like
quests. I like reading about them. They excite me. They invigorate me. They
frustrate me. They lift me to new levels. They guide me and challenge me to put
the novel down and take on my own quest.
As I read about
Frodo and Sam climbing up Mount Doom, I recognize the frustrations, pain, and
discouragements of my own quests. But I also see the challenge met and
achieved, and it gives me hope and confidence.
For years I was a reporter, editor and broadcaster. Later I was a professor. Now I am a crisis
management consultant.
But always,
lurking in the background, was the dream of writing a novel. There were a
thousand and one reasons why I should drop the idea. It was daunting. It was a
lot of work. It was not fulfilling financially at a time when I still need to
generate income. research showed me that it was very hard work that got even harder after publication. I had limited time to work on something so iffy. Worse, I had
no concept for a plot or characters or situation.
But I
absorbed the lessons of my fictional friends and accepted the challenge. I went
on a quest. Now, some six years on, I just published my fourth novel and am now
embarked on a fifth.
What kind of
quest lies lurking in your life? They are there you know. Hiding, waiting for
something or someone to ignite them.
Pick up your
favourite novel—any novel—and see if there isn’t a quest hidden in the story.
Step into the story. See the protagonist accept the challenge, He or she strives
forward, is battered, disappointed, seemingly fails and then ultimately
achieves.
I challenge you to go on a quest. Accept the
challenge. Embrace it, warts and
all, ups and downs, failures and successes.
It makes
life worth living. I know. I followed my quest.
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