“The RoseBouquet”

First, I want to thank Barbara Good and Shannon Martens for promising to take part in this virtual workshop and give me some feedback. I hope there are others - maybe you just haven’t got around to letting me know, right?

Now I want to stay on schedule, so I’m going to use my imagination and run this workshop AS IF a whole host of friends are paying close attention and ready to jump in with some feedback and brainstorming ideas. I’ll prime the pump. so to speak.

The Question under discussion today is; What exactly do you think is the theme of Ruthe’s Secret Roses?

Here’s what some early readers told me they saw in the book;

Kathy W: I loved all the transformations; the physical make overs, the home decorating, and best of all, the total heart conversions. All are made possible by an unassuming young Mennonite woman who trusts God to lead her and work through her.

Sharon (in Scotland): I liked reading about the characters developing new skills in their new-found lives with God, or developing skills they already had for His glory. I also liked seeing their lives being blessed and transformed….. I identified with Ruthe in that I too have felt an incredibly desperate desire to help others find Christ.

Rose (Eastern Canada): Wow! This little lady gets around doesn’t she! The style is unique, not your typical bookstore novel. I like the “stream of consciousness” effect as we see into her thoughts and she talks to her Companion about everything. All in all, a very interesting, action-packed chapter…..

Kathy O: I was touched by the way Ruthe was able to bring so many people to trust Jesus as their Lord and Saviour, and was able to be in so in touch with her family. I know that Ruth help so many people like the first family, the O’Briens, and their grandmother. Ruthe got the grandmother to accept the Lord as her Saviour before she died, and then they found out how much the grandmother thought of her.

Thelma: I loved the way Ruthe reached out to the unsaved, and the way in which each one turned their life over to living GOD’s way. That was the highlight, and many times when I was reading where one got saved, and then another, and another, it made me really think how shallow my outreach is. I must do better.

I loved the way she witnessed to the motorcycle gang. I liked also that even tho’ she was a real witness for the Lord, she wasn’t beyond having faults also.

Well, you can read their complete reviews and others
on this page

Back to me.

I have a multitude of interests so I may have cluttered up the book with too many themes and sub-themes, but here’s what I always thought was the theme of this book, and what I tried deliberately to weave into it;

Main Theme:
You can know Jesus as your BEST Friend, the way you see Ruthe knows and relates to Him. Watch her intimate relationship and learn how to pray and cope in crises from her example.

Sub-themes (mostly character studies):
Compassion and Conversion - how to help others have a salvation experience.

A Bleeding, Caring Heart - character study of someone who REALLY cares for hurting people.

A Care-giving Oldest Sister - the roles Ruthe and June play are a study in oldest sisters with siblings.

Designing and Make-overs - great fun for those who like to see or do make-overs - or just experience them. The major events are all make-overs.

Giving Gifts and Surprises - like Ruthe some people just love to give to others!

Making Work Juggle Right for You - watch Ruthe manage her busy life with discipline.

A Mentor or sCounselling Friend - learn the value of a mentor and how to be one.

Do you see any more? Or do you think I’ve split one character into too many facets?

I would really love to get some honest feedback from people who have READ the book, not just read what I write about it. I need some perspective from outside of my own head and heart.

Some secondary questions;
Are there too many themes? Does my book really bring the theme(s) out well enough?

Once you have read at least some chapters of the book, I’d like you to explore the website, Ruthes-SecretRoses.com, which I built around what I thought was the theme of the novel, and then tell me if the site actually does reflect the theme YOU see in the book.

This may be getting a bit ahead of myself here, but some have said there are too many characters to keep track of - so would an interactive game on the site, to get to know the characters help?

To be able to answer these questions you need to have read the complete novel, or at least the free sample chapters on the site. Start Here

Reward! IF *repeat* IF, I get some really helpful feedback between today and next week Tuesday morning, I will make time to craft some crepe paper roses to send you. (This is a dying skill that no one else in my large circle of acquaintances and friends knows how to do. They are quite realistic, very lightweight and will travel well in a parcel to any part of the world).

Next week I will report on feedback, and we’ll discuss Target Readers.