Will Beauty Save the World?

One thing I ask from the LORD,
   this only do I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the LORD
   all the days of my life,
to gaze on the beauty of the LORD
   and to seek him in his temple. ~ Psalm 27:4

The quote "Beauty will save the world," is attributed to Fyodor Dostoyevsky. Is this true? And if so, what does it mean for us as Christians? I’ve really been delving into the concepts of art and beauty lately. They are primary ways I connect to God, one might say to the divine. I believe that this generation is not merely looking for a logical, rational faith with sound systematic theology, but rather for beauty and wonder and relationship with the creator of the universe.

Just look at the popularity of flash mobs lately. Does anyone watch those videos of uplifting spiritual songs and dances and say, “Why are you trying to shove your religion down our throats”? Not that I’ve heard of. Do the performers get accused of being close-minded or judgmental. I think not. Art has a way of transcending our preconceptions and going straight to the heart. It’s the perfect means of introducing the world to the beauty of God.

In my last post I recommended a novel which accomplishes just that called The Oppposite of Art. And I also mentioned two books released last year with the same title as the Dostoevsky quote, Beauty Will Save the World. The version by Professor Gregory Wolfe is a sort of treatise on Christianity and the humanities. I haven’t had the pleasure of reading it yet. But since it recently came out on kindle, I do hope to check it out soon.

The one I have read is Beauty Will Save the World is by Pastor Brian Zhand. He takes more of a theological approach, asserting that Christians have somehow managed to get things all wrong. That Christianity was never meant to be about power and politics but about beauty and love. He begins the book with the story of a Russian prince from a thousand years ago who was looking for a new religion for his people. The prince sent envoys to study other religions of the world. Here is the report he received about Christianity in Constantinople.

Then we went to Constantinople and they led us to the place where they worship their God, and we knew not whether we were in heaven or earth, for on earth there is no such vision nor beauty, and we do not know how to describe it; we only know that God dwells among men. We cannot forget that beauty.

And so Prince Vladimer adopted Christianity as the new religion of Russia. This is the sort of Christianity that draws people to it like a magnet. Where is that Christianity today? All too often I think it is missing. But thank goodness, it seems to be on the rise.

Zhand challenges the reader to be a prophetic people ushering the kingdom of God here on earth even now. And to do so largely by living according to the Beatitudes, that very inconvenient and impractical sermon of Jesus’ that we would probably rather brush under the table.

So I spent the last few weeks immersed in a novel about art and a theological book about beauty, but that wasn’t all. I also read Heart of an Artist by Worship Leader Rory Noland. This book helped me to better understand myself as an artist. Both my weaknesses and my strengths. Too often artists are looked down upon in Christianity. Like the Beatitudes, we are viewed as impractical and inconvenient. Volatile people. But God made artists with a distinctive sensitivity to bring special messages to His people. To bring the wonders of the spiritual universe just a bit closer to our grasp through song, dance, paintings, poetry, etc… To bring a little piece of heaven here to earth.

Will beauty save the world? Not beauty for beauty’s sake. But beauty that gently woos people to the savior of the world. That sort of beauty most certainly will. Whether you consider yourself an “artist” or not, let’s all challenge ourselves to be conduits of beauty. To be a prophetic people bringing beautiful glimpses of heaven to earth. To do justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with our God. Not shoving our morals and theologies down people’s throats. Rather introducing to them to the unparalleled wonder of our savior. Let’s do so in our writing, in our art, and in our lives. 

What beautiful things have touched you lately? What draws you closer to God? How can you be a conduit for beauty?

The Opposite of Art - Athol Dickson

This book went on my must read list when Athol started talking about it on Novel Rocket. He predicted although probably his best book, it would also be his biggest commercial flop. Why? Well, in addition to being very “edgy” for the CBA market, in other words realistic, it’s also his most literary book.

So of course I had to have it. The very next amazon gift card I received immediately went towards purchasing this book. I mean, even if I hadn’t known much about it, the name and cover themselves would have been enough to intrigue me.

And the contents did not disappoint. I can’t say this is one of those books that kept me riveted, and I didn’t put down. In fact the opposite is true. I found that again and again I had to pause for upwards to a day to digest and reflect upon what I had read. But I will say this, it’s going on my top five all-time favorite novels list. If forced to pick a spot at this very moment, I’d probably put it at number two, but it’s a little early to make that final decision.

Why did I love it? First of all, the main character is a brilliant artist. After a near death experience, he’s determined to paint “the glory” as he calls it. But he can’t quite remember it. He can’t quite grasp it. So he begins a worldwide quest through the major religions of our time in search of it.

Will everyone love this book as much as I do? Maybe, maybe not. If you’re looking for fluff, don’t even bother. But if you love a book that will challenge you and make you grow, then dash immediately over to amazon and buy it, because it’s right up there with the best of the best. It’s not the fastest paced book, although there is ample romance and suspense to keep you interested and provide entertainment value. The structure is sort of odd, and yet it serves the story. At times, it delves into the realms of magical realism in a beautiful and symbolic way that brings to life the wonders of the spiritual world.

In his quest through the world’s religions, Athol uses a delicate hand both in showing the beauty that does exist and the areas where they fall short. Although he never clearly states, “Jesus is the way,” I believe he showed that with gorgeous symbolism that lived up to the theme of the book. For him to have pinned it down and become didactic, would have undermined this book as a great piece of literature. And Lord knows we have few enough of those in Christian fiction.

I simply loved every moment of this novel. But I think what I loved the most was the quest for the ultimate beauty. God is the quintessential beauty. He is beauty personified. Too often I think we overlook that in Christianity. We focus on laws and rules and theologies and forget about the unparalleled bliss of a relationship with the divine. There are two new books that came out in 2011 called Beauty Will Save the World. And I think it’s true. This generation will not be drawn to God through ration and reason, but rather through beauty and love. Please join me for my next post when I will delve further into this topic.

The Trouble with Romance

(From October 2009)

I Corinthians 13
4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8Love never fails.

That’s God’s definition of love, but where does romance fit? Doesn’t sound much like feelings and passion to me, not that there’s anything wrong with feelings and passion. I would have to say that I for one am a great fan of feelings and passion, but at the end of the day, they don’t make for love that never fails.

As a young lady, I had unrealistic expectations about marriage, and I think reading too much romance was one factor. Now, I realize personality and personal weaknesses must also factor into the equation, but here are my thoughts on problems with the typical romance scenario.

1) Romances take place over a short period of time. So feelings develop quickly and don't have much opportunity to mellow into something lasting.

2) There is a sense of the hero "sweeping the heroine off her feet," which is also based on feelings.

3) Much of the story centers around physical attraction.
4) A lot of fighting takes place between the hero and heroine, but alas, (sigh and put back of hand to head) love conquers all.
5) Heroes are almost superhuman. Although they may not see eye to eye with the heroine, or have some very specific flaw, overall they are way better than real life men.
6) Even the “happily ever after” itself is a farce. It should be “basically content although they'll still face real life problems ever after.”
7) Finally, romance novels end with the wedding. Real marriages begin with the wedding. So romances leave the reader in the midst of a high, which in actual life is short lived.

For me, here were some of the results. I met my husband and was overwhelmed by his alpha male personality and good looks and married him less than three months later. Makes perfect sense in a romance novel. He swept me off my feet and made me feel like a princess. We seemed so sure of ourselves that our pastor and parents supported the decision. I believed the fact that my husband was in such a hurry to get married proved how much he loved me.

Actually, my husband was impetuous and impatient about everything back in those days, and ended up making many horrible decisions because of it. He’s Lebanese, sexy accent and all, (Catholic background, not Muslim--people always want to know) but we had huge cultural differences, which we were in no way prepared to deal with. We were painfully poor. However, with his alpha male personality he thought he'd have a big business break any moment and went further and further into debt trying to accomplish just that.

Worst of all, the “take charge” attitude I loved so much, translated into an oppressive male who tried to control everything I did and squelch my personality.

I know that sounds awful, but the first five years of my marriage were awful. And by the time they were done, despite my strong Christian upbringing, I was convinced I made a terrible mistake and feeling desperate to escape and find someone else. The right kind of guy. "True Love." Like in the novels. I never did physically betray or leave my husband, but in my heart, I was long gone.

I could go on trying to justify my poor behavior, but let me wrap up this portion by saying what I learned. God is not interested in putting us with someone who will make things easy on us. He is interested in accomplishing His purposes in our lives and the lives of our spouses.

My marriage has been hard, but we've survived. The result of all those hard years is that my husband is now a great guy who is leading a major ministry. I don't think he would have ever gotten there without an American wife who stood up and forced him to change. And for me, well, clearly my "god" of romance has been smashed on the altar.

I asked my husband to read this post, and when he got to this part he said, “But your readers won’t be satisfied with the lessons you learned. They’ll want to know how the story ends.”

The truth is, I don’t know. This story isn’t over yet. When I told that to my husband he said, “I’m sorry. I know it was hard. I love you,” and gave me some gentle kisses. I guess that bodes well for the ending.

To wrap it up, here are some things that I think make for awesome inspirational romances with the right kind of message.

1) Making the relationship more about why God would want the couple together, especially if it doesn’t fit their plans.
2) Hearing God's voice about getting together.
3) Having to overcome old hurts, prejudices, and weaknesses in order to fulfill God's plan for hero and heroine to be together.
4) Heroes with plenty of real life variety flaws, but heroines that love them anyway. (Has anyone ever had a hero pass gas or burp in a book? Now that would be realistic.)
5) Show physical attraction and feelings coming and going, but ultimately it is a choice to love and fulfill God's plan.
6) Make sure that the hero and heroine really know and love each other, flaws and all.

So these are my thoughts. Again, I love romance, and I think there are very good ways to write romances. I’ve read some great ones by authors like Francine Rivers, Mary Lu Tyndall, Julie Klassen, Deeanne Gist, and Ruth Axtel Morren. I like when despite the strong feelings between the hero and heroine, a lot of prayer and even God's supernatural intervention are required to get them together. I also love the silly chick lit novels that have romance but on a much more realistic level. Okay, and I like it when the hero is totally hot, as long as the right message comes through :)

What’s your favorite romance?

Learning to Live Freely and Lightly

Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly.

About two years ago I chose the above quote as the theme for my life and my writing. Would it surprise you to hear that it’s actually a scripture from Matthew 11:28-30? You might recognize it in this translation.

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

I’m sure I had read that scripture a hundred times. And it’s good. Don’t get me wrong. But it never resonated with me. Not until I stumbled across The Message version did it spark to life in my mind.

Boy was I burned out on religion. So exhausted from trying to do things in my own strength. Weary of the judgmental attitudes and external focus often found in Christianity. But God wanted me to recover my life. To take a real rest. He would show me how he did it.

Then it got even better. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. You see, I’ve been a worship dancer for eighteen years. This phrase, I understand. Flowing in the magic of the music. Letting it take you over. Seep into your skin and blossom from the inside out. Nothing forced or regimented. This is how our relationship with the Lord should be. His righteousness should permeate us and flow from the inside out. I saw even more in those few words. I imagined myself twirling in the arms of the Lord. Letting him lead my dance—my life. Responding to his gentle tugs and pulls. His subtle shifts and sways. Yes, this is how I desire to live.

And he won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting upon me? At that time, two years ago, one aspect of my life felt incredibly heavy and ill-fitting. I needed to turn it over into God’s hands. I needed to abandon trying to make it work through my own efforts. I surrendered. Metaphorically and physically. I gave up. I’m still working through that area of my life. Still learning to live freely and lightly in the Holy Spirit. But I’m keeping company with him as the scripture suggests. And much healing has occurred.

So this is now my theme. Learning to live freely and lightly in the unforced rhythms of God’s grace. This is what my books are about. This is what my life is about. Will you join me?

What is your favorite Bible verse? Do you have a theme for your life? Are you living freely and lightly?

Prayer Series Wrap-up

During the summer I did a series of posts on prayer and devotion. Then I got a little sidetracked with my debut novel release ;) But I'd like to review and collect all the posts together in order for you here. If you followed throughout the summer, you might have noticed that I used the word “prayer” in a different way than you expected. That prayer for me is not simply talking at God, but rather time spent in relationship with him. In my posts about prayer, I’ve included information about Bible reading, meditating, praise and worship, art, nature, and simply resting in God’s presence. Have you noticed that the Bible often refers to “prayers and petitions.” Sometimes I wonder if what the evangelical church has come to think of as prayer, is in fact merely the petition part.

My goal throughout the series was to equip you with a sort of “prayer toolbox.” To expose you to styles of prayer from various backgrounds and denominations, so that you could find the type of prayer that best ministers to you and best helps you find intimate relationship with your creator. So let’s go back and re-cap in case you missed anything.

With Unveiled Faces http://awesomeinspirationals.blogspot.com/2011/05/with-unveiled-faces.html In my first installment of this series, we discussed our spiritual senses, and that while we might  begin by “seeing through a glass darkly,” as we spend time in God’s presence, we will view him more and more clearly “with unveiled faces.”

Divine Reading http://awesomeinspirationals.blogspot.com/2011/06/divine-reading.html Do you desire a personal word from God? This post will inspire you to ruminate on scripture looking for those special words that glimmer. Through the process of divine reading, you will be encouraged to mull over those words and hear God’s personal message for you.

Open the Eyes of My Heart http://awesomeinspirationals.blogspot.com/2011/06/open-eyes-of-my-heart.html This article discusses how to use your inner imaging system to picture meeting with God, as well as to imagine the truth of scripture in your life, thereby igniting your faith.

Shut Up and Listen! http://awesomeinspirationals.blogspot.com/2011/07/shut-up-and-listen.html Too often we focus on talking to God in prayer, but how much better to be quiet and listen for his answers. He knows our problems, and only he knows the solutions. This article will give you some practical tips for tuning your inner ear to God’s voice.

A Place to Pray http://awesomeinspirationals.blogspot.com/2011/07/place-to-pray.html Based on the assumption that prayer is meant to be enjoyed, this article will encourage you to prepare a special place to meet with God, surrounded by items that will inspire you and have you longing to return to God’s presence again and again.

A Time to Pray http://awesomeinspirationals.blogspot.com/2011/08/time-to-pray.html Discouraged by your attempts to establish a regular prayer routine? This post provides practical advice to help you incorporate prayer time into your everyday life.

Put Your Mind at Ease http://awesomeinspirationals.blogspot.com/2012/01/prayer-put-your-mind-at-ease.html In response to God’s instruction to pray with both the spirit and the understanding, this article discusses ways to relax your mind and pray from your spirit, including spontaneous artistic expression, repeated scriptures, and praying with a prayer language.

Deep and Wide http://awesomeinspirationals.blogspot.com/2011/08/deep-and-wide.html In this final installment we talked about different methods for Bible reading, prayer, and worship that help us to go both deep and wide, allowing for quality and quantity time with God. 

Did you learn anything new in this series? What is the most important lesson you've ever learned about prayer? Do you have any questions about prayer or intimacy with Christ?

Prayer - Put Your Mind at Ease

I just realized that my "Prayer and Devotion" series from last summer got preempted by my novel release. Here's an installment I missed. And it's a great one. Hope you enjoy :) You can check out the posts through the links on the side for now, but I hope to organize them in order soon.

¹⁵ So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my understanding; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my understanding. ~ I Corinthians 14:15

Last year I led a ladies Bible study for a few close friends. One of the ladies had a hard time praying. She would feel anxiety and even panic when she prayed. How sad! For this woman prayer was scary. A performance of sorts. As if God was judging her words and deciding if he would magically grant her wish or strike her with a lightning bolt for her shoddy job.

If you've been following my bi-weekly series on prayer, hopefully you already understand that prayer is not a performance. Once this woman realized that simply basking in God’s presence, merely listening to his voice, or dwelling on a scripture could be a form of prayer, things began to go much better for her.

Paul instructs us to pray with both the understanding and the spirit. There are a number of prayer techniques, used throughout the ages, that allow our minds to rest and our spiritual awareness to blossom. Let me begin this next section by saying that any hard-core conservative evangelicals might want to skip this post. Or at the very least, I would request that you remove any large rocks from your vicinity before proceeding ;)

Spontaneous Creative Expression

Risen! - by novelist Lisa Samson

Let’s start with one that shouldn’t be too scary. Art. Art is a form of communication. Anything we can do with speech, we can do through singing, dancing, painting, writing poetry, etc... And yes, through these means we can pray.

Letting your mind flow free to worship God and express your heart spontaneously through the arts can provide an amazing experience in God’s presence. Little wonder most churches begin with music. And while planned music or dancing can work well as worship and prayer, how much better to engage in our own personal artistic prayer experience. Allow your emotions to well up from within and express them to God through your chosen medium, engaging your spirit and giving your mind an opportunity to rest. Bask in the tone of the music, the color of the paint, the texture of the clay.

Some churches even allow for such expression on Sunday morning. But I encourage you to consider adding your favorite form of artistic expression to your personal time of prayer. And take a moment to enjoy this worshipful art by one of the Inkies' favorite novelists, Lisa Samson.

Repeated Scripture

Choosing a significant scripture and repeating it in a rhythmic pattern in time with your breath is a prayer technique that was used by both the ancient Hebrews and medieval Christians. This method of prayer is one of the most soothing techniques I’ve ever experienced. And it gives one a sense of entering the kingdom of God deep within.

Here are some of my favorite scriptures that I like to pray:

~“Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty”

~“King of Kings and Lord of Lords”

~“In Him I live and move and have my being.”

~“Be still and know that I am God.”

~“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want..”

Any short scripture of personal significance can work. As you repeat these scriptures, allow your mind to dwell on them, to picture them. Imagine what your life would look like if these scriptures were fully at realized in it. Allow them to do a work deep in your heart. Imagine the change that will take place when you truly begin to believe them.

Prayer in the Spirit

When reading I Corinthians 14:15 in context, you will discover that Paul is specifically referring to…dare I say it? I'm tempted to just call it the "t-word," but that doesn't seem right considering the New Testament refers to it on numerous occasions. Speaking in tongues had taken a bad in Christendom. And for good reason. Despite the fact that I was raised in a charismatic church, even I have held reservations about this technique, mostly because it has caused so much division in the body of Christ.

However, just because something causes controversy doesn’t make it wrong. In fact Christianity itself is quite controversial these days. The only theological argument I’ve ever heard against praying in tongues is a single scripture. And I would argue that a single scripture not taken in light of the entire word of God, at the very least, begs for reconsideration. Many churches avoid tongues not for theological reasons but because it is hard to control and has been abused. But that does mean it cannot be done decently and in order. Or even just privately at home. And who’s to say God would not like us to give up our control from time to time and give him the reigns.

As I’ve been doing this series on prayer, I’ve felt God prompting me to reexamine speaking in tongues. And it occurred to me that speaking in tongues serves the same purpose of many other prayer techniques. It eases our mind, it allows us to pray God’s words and not our own, and it is a way for the Holy Spirit to speak through us and to us. Paul prayed in tongues more than anyone around him, and maybe there is something to be learned from that.

Praying in tongues can seem intimidating because it by definition can’t be understood with the logical mind. We might worry we’re speaking gibberish, or something we heard someone else pray rather than an actual earthly or heavenly language. But Paul says in Romans 8: 26, “For we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.” And I suspect it might be the release from deep in our spirit that matters more than the specifics of the words themselves.

Maybe speaking in tongues isn’t the thing for you. That’s cool. No worries. The important thing is to be open to how God is leading you to pray. However you choose to pray, remember that prayer is not a performance. Remember to pray both with your spirit and your understanding. And remember that it’s okay to put your mind at ease.

Are you able to put your mind at ease when you pray? Have you ever tried or had an experience, positive or negative, with any of these techniques? How is God leading you to pray?

Give the Gift of Good Scenes

Recently, I read a book submitted to WhiteFire Publishing. Awesome voice, compelling subject, talented author. But I had to give it a "not yet" because the scenes still need work. I've turned down a number of books for this reason, although I asked this specific author to resubmit due to her skill in other areas. This made me think that perhaps for the New Year, I should give us all the gift of good scenes. Here is an excerpt from my online writing class, "The Inspiration and the Perspiration."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Next, let’s discuss scenes. In our video based society we are used to stories coming to us in scenes. In classic books you will often find characters meandering from one time and place to another with no clear break and the narrator jumping around from one mind to another.

In contemporary fiction, a simple “***” takes us effortlessly from one time and place to another, and requires little or no explanation of how we got there. The reader understands that we are cutting to the vital information that moves the story forward. This allows the author to keep the tension high and the pages turning by eliminating a lot of fluff. In your own mind, you will want to figure out what happened in between and how the transitions occurred, but your reader needs only the briefest explanation and does not care about irrelevant details.

As you edit, make sure that each scene is doing its job in advancing the plot and/or deepening characterization. Something vital should happen in each scene. If not, cut it. If you have a scene where nothing happens but reflection, weave the relevant reflection into a different scene. If you have a scene where nothing is happening but description of an important setting, weave it into a different scene. If you have a dialogue scene that’s interesting but nothing really happens, weave the conversation into a different scene. Every scene should have tension and conflict and end with something to thrust the reader forward into the next scene.

Are you getting the point? Of course, not every single scene requires every element. Certainly stories and examples in your nonfiction will not always need every element. However, check every scene and story for places you could strengthen it by weaving in characterization, action, dialogue, inner dialogue, and description.

First when editing your scenes, decide if they’re pulling their weight, and if they earn staying in the book. Second, look for a nice balance of elements above. Also, look at the progression of your scenes. In a story, it is good to be continually moving in a cause and effect progression. You don’t want to say. “She entered the room and turned on the lights because it was dark.” Say, “She entered the dark room shrouded in nighttime terrors. Her hand scraped across rough stucco, searching the wall for the switch. Light flooded the room, chasing away the shadows…”

In the first version, “because it was dark” stops the flow of action. In the second version, it’s actually hard to find a stopping place. One sentence flows into the next, and there’s a feeling that we must keep going. Notice how I also wove characterization and description into these simple action sentences. I even created a tone.

The fourth thing you want to look for in a scene, is a clear and consistent point of view. In a first person story or limited third person point of view, this will stay consistent throughout the book. However, still check to make sure that what they see and think is true to that character and is not your author’s voice intruding with things that they wouldn’t know or contemplate.

For example, if you’re character is standing behind someone, remember that they can’t see their facial expressions. You can move them to a different vantage point, or they can comment on general body language. Likewise, a character will not comment on their own facial expressions, unless they are aware of the face they are making. You wouldn’t say, “Confusion flashed through my eyes.” You would instead describe how confusion felt in their body, or give of a glimpse into their confusing thoughts. A male POV character will not describe another guy as "cute" or "sweet."

The most popular point of view being used these days is multiple third person point of view. In this POV, each scene should take place from the perspective of a specific character. Since we’re using scenes anyway, think of this as the cameraman for the scene. We can only see what they see and hear what they hear. If we are in “close” third person point of view, we can even hear their thoughts.

So perhaps this is a cameraman whispering commentary to the audience. If you are writing in multiple third person, give thought to who will be most changed or effected by a given scene, and put the scene in their POV. If during a specific time and place you want to switch point of view, that’s fine, but it still constitutes a scene change and requires a  “***” break. If you aren’t sure if you are firmly in one head, try rewriting the scene in first person, then change it back when you’re finished.

As each scene opens, drop us firmly into the head, even the body, of the point of view character. Set up the scene by letting us know where and when they are. Twang at least one of our five senses so that we can see, hear, feel, smell, taste, or touch what they are experiencing. Then we will be ready to join the character in the fictional world of the scene.

And one last thought to connect this back to my tension post from a few weeks ago. Be sure to end your scene with a hook to drive the reader forward into the next scene to keep them going. Don't want them putting that book down, you know.

So there are a few tips on writing good scenes. Writers, what tips would you add? Readers, what do you look for in a good scene? What authors use scenes to great effect?