WordUp by Chad Gramling

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Whenever I tell people I have written a novel and that I am going to try and get it published, the very first thing I am asked is either “how long is it?” or “what’s it about?” To this point, I have had a very difficult time telling people what it is about. It has been so tough, I have struggled and despaired over providing an answer. I started with the very simple premise that quickly became quite complicated.

You see, I am a fan of prose that forces people to think and consider both the realm of possibility as well as potential pitfalls in our lives and the world. Tonight during a special event at our church, I finally had an epiphany. I think Distant Replay fits into both those categories.

One of my recent posts was about the old White Lion song, “When The Children Cry” that was more recently redone by Seventh Day Slumber. Without a doubt, this song has had an impact on me, and tonight, the Lord made everything come full circle in my own mind.

I hesitate to tell anyone that I want to become a “Christian Novelist” because I really am not trying to do so. However, there will probably be a Christian sentiment to everything that I ever write. This is definately true for Distant Replay. The basic story is pretty much the way in which society fabricates heroes through sports, government, film, music and all forms of celebrity only to tear those heroes down to nothing before all is said and done. In other words, I might have titled the book “Faux Hero” and been a little more descript.

However, there is more to the plot than sheer entertainment. Tonight, for some reason, I realized how much I fear for our society and our world. Anyone who thinks things are getting better are very far off from reality. We are in a constant state of war, we are all but telling Christians that there is no place for them in popular culture and we are certainly telling the world that we are individuals who need only ourselves to be happy.

Sadly, what we are telling the world is all wrong. Wars do NOT need to be perpetual. Christians belong AND ARE NECESSARY to the world and life is about serving OTHERS BEFORE YOURSELF. I gotta think that if Christ were among us today, he would say the same thing (but who am I to put words in the mouth of Christ?).

So, when you ask me what my book is about, I can now tell you that is about “the fall of fabricated heros and choosing to follow the one AND ONLY hero that there ever was or will be.” Wow. That wasn’t so difficult after all. I just needed to wait for God to give me the words. Funny how that works out.

(By the way, the book is about 70,000 words long).