“I don’t like the idea of having to spit out bones to get to the meat. This book goes on my ‘no-way’ list. It had potential, but it flopped.”
I stared at my laptop screen, digesting the words that concluded the Amazon review. I read the paragraph aloud to my husband, and we both rolled our eyes and shook our heads, irritated by the reviewer’s flippant dismissal of my book.
On one hand, I’m accustomed to dealing with negative reviews. I won’t tell you I like them or that they’re easy to swallow, but I accept that negative reviews are part of my work as a writer.
But this was different. This reviewer had not only judged my writing, she had also rejected ten of the women featured in the book. She had deemed the book a flop and those ten women unworthy of inclusion for one reason: their theology didn’t perfectly jibe with her own.
…I’m over at my writer friend Ed Cyzewski’s place, writing about why Christians choose who’s in and who’s out. Join me over there?
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Hi Michelle,
I appreciated this post. Oddly enough, I had this discussion only yesterday about how as a church, and as human beings, we need to be more inclusive. I have enjoyed reading your book, especially because of the ten women you mentioned above. I was never exposed to their stories until I read your book. No matter their theology, they each sought Christ.
It should never be “an us versus them” because Jesus walked this earth and was crucified for all of us. I’d love to see the day when we drop the labels (Protestant, Catholic, Baptist, etc.) and refer to the body of believers as Christians….because in the end, we are all following the same thing…Christ.
I love the way you think, Veronica, especially this: “No matter their theology, they each sought Christ.” Exactly. We’re just doing the best we can, right? Thanks for stopping by, and thank you, too, for reading the book!