How Fiction Shapes Our World

by Dr. MaryAnn Diorio

April 26, 2024

Dear Fiction Readers,

Last time we discussed the health benefits of reading fiction. If you missed that post, click here. Today we're going to talk about how fiction shapes our world.

Stories matter. Stories help to inform our understanding of our world and our culture. Indeed, some stories reflect our culture, while other stories anticipate a future culture.

Here are some ways in which fiction can shape our personal world:

1__Fiction can offer us new perspectives on old topics. It can help us to sort out moral and ethical issues and provide insight on how to solve the problems in our own lives. 

2__Fiction can teach us about the human experience, thereby promoting empathy for the sufferings of our fellow man. Reading about a character's struggles is second-best to experiencing those struggles ourselves. 

3__Fiction can relieve stress. People who read fiction tend to be more relaxed and capable of coping with tense situations. When people are more relaxed, they make better decisions, decisions that affect our world and our culture. 

4__Fiction stimulates the mind. Readers of fiction show less mental decline in old age than do those who do not read fiction. When our minds are sharp, we are better equipped to view our world with logical clarity and act accordingly in solving societal problems. 

5__Fiction makes people happy. Happy people are much less prone to hurting others through unkindness, abuse, and even violence, thereby creating a cooperative society in which each person is valued.

We may not realize it, but as we read a work of fiction, we are coming face-to-face with the author's worldview. Depending on our level of discernment, that author's worldview is impacting our life in some way.

If the author's worldview is aligned with truth, then the work of fiction we are reading will shape our lives for good. But if the author's worldview is not aligned with truth, then that work of fiction could lead us into deception.

Remember this: You become what you read. Choose to read fiction that will make you a better person. In so doing, you will contributing to shaping our world for good.

Now it's your turn. How has reading fiction shaped your world. Please share your comments in the comment box below.

Until next time, keep reading!

Before you leave, be sure to check out my Goodreads Giveaway. I will be giving away 100 e-book copies of my popular, award-winning novel, IN BLACK AND WHITE.

First Place Winner in Historical Fiction in the 2020 Christian Indie Awards Contest, this novel is the story of a white woman, a black man, and their forbidden love.

Summary:
Can endurance and faith sustain the love between a white woman and a black man threatened by rejection, guilt, and racioal injustice? Can love alone reconcile their starkly different worlds, lighting the way to a bright future together?

When graduate student Tori Pendola, a white American woman, and Jebuni Kalitsi, a Ghanaian exchange student and heir to his tribe's chieftaincy, fall deeply in love, they must face not only their own inner demons of rejection and guilt but also the demons of societal hatred bent on destroying their relationships. Will their love survive the cruel and bitter attacks against them? Or will hatred and prejudice gain the upper hand?

In Black and White is a deeply moving story about the power of God's love to restore all that is broken in our lives.

Here is the link to enter the Giveaway:

ENTER GOODREADS GIVEAWAY HERE!

SPECIAL SALE THIS WEEK ONLY! Miracle in Milan ebook only $2.99!

A young female auditor discovers convincing evidence that the man she loves is an embezzler.

Get your copy here!

While the sale lasts, buy extra copies as gifts for those special fiction readers in your life.

FEATURED BOOK OF THE WEEK . . . 

The Medallion by Cathy Gohlke (Christy Award Winner)

" . . . An illuminating tale of courage, sacrifice, and survival, about two couples whose lives are ravaged by Hitler’s mad war yet eventually redeemed through the fate of one little girl."

PRINT

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Dr. MaryAnn Diorio holds the PhD in French with a concentration in Comparative Literature from the University of Kansas, the MA in Italian Language & Literature from Middlebury College, and the MFA in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University. She writes award-winning fiction from a quaint, small town in New Jersey where neighbors still stop to chat while walking their dogs, families and friends still gather on wide, wrap-around porches, and the charming downtown still finds kids licking lollipops and old married folks holding hands. A Jersey girl at heart, MaryAnn loves Jersey diners, Jersey tomatoes, and the Jersey shore. You can learn more about her and her writing at maryanndiorio.com.

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Copyright 2024 by MaryAnn Diorio, PhD. All Rights Reserved.

The Health Benefits of Reading Fiction

 by MaryAnn Diorio, PhD, MFA

It seems as though the world is divided into two camps: 

1) Those who believe that reading fiction is essential to life;

2) Those who believe that reading fiction is frivolous and shallow and serves only as an escape from reality.

To say that I belong to the first camp is quite obvious, since I am not only an avid reader of fiction, but I also write fiction. Plus, I would not have started this blog if I didn't think that reading fiction is absolutely essential to the well-being of readers and writers alike. 

So how does reading fiction benefit you, the reader? Here are some proven reasons:

1) Reading fiction fosters empathy and compassion. If you tend to be on the lower end of the sensitivity spectrum, then reading fiction will help you to relate better to people.  

Recent scientific studies reveal fascinating discoveries on the relationship between reading fiction and developing empathy in real-life relationships. These studies have shown that reading fiction activates the same parts of the brain that are activated in our efforts to understand those with whom we are in relationship. 

Research psychologist Raymond Mar did an analysis of 86 fMRI studies and noticed a significant overlap in the areas of the brain that are used to understand fiction and the areas of the brain that are used to navigate our human relationships.

In his fascinating thesis study titled Exploring the Link between Reading Fiction and Empathy, Mar notes the following: "Exposure to fiction was positively correlated with social support. Exposure to nonfiction, in contrast, was associated with loneliness, and negatively related to social support."

One reason for this development of empathy by reading fiction is that when we read about the situations and feelings of the characters in a novel, it's as if we are feeling those feelings ourselves. Upon scanning the brains of fiction readers, it was discovered that, while reading fiction, their brains responded in nearly the same way as though the readers were actually living the very situations they were reading about. 

2. Reading fiction relieves stress. It puts our brains into a relaxed state in which we can relax and unwind. After only a few minutes of silent reading, our heart rates slow and muscle tension diminishes. 

3. Reading fiction helps us to navigate relationships. Dr. Keith Oatley, professor emeritus of cognitive psychology at the University of Toronto, says that "novels, stories and dramas can help us understand the complexities of social life." Indeed!

When we read about characters who apply certain principles to overcome their problems, we learn how to apply those same principles to our own lives to overcome our own problems. As writing coach Lisa Cron so aptly notes, "We don't turn to Story to escape reality; we turn to Story to navigate reality." 

So the next time you are accused of being frivolous and shallow by reading fiction, politely give your accuser these three reasons above that prove reading fiction is good for your health.

One final caveat: While reading fiction is indeed good for your health, the fiction you read must show the triumph of good over evil. In other words, it must align with truth. If it does not align with truth, then, in the long run, it could be more harmful than good. So keep this in mind as you choose what authors and stories to read. 

Now it's your turn. How has reading fiction been beneficial to your well-being? Please share your comments in the comment box below.

Until next time, keep reading!

Before you leave, be sure to check out my Goodreads Giveaway. I will be giving away 100 e-book copies of my popular, award-winning novel, IN BLACK AND WHITE.

First Place Winner in Historical Fiction in the 2020 Christian Indie Awards Contest, this novel is the story of a white woman, a black man, and their forbidden love.

Summary:
Can endurance and faith sustain the love between a white woman and a black man threatened by rejection, guilt, and racioal injustice? Can love alone reconcile their starkly different worlds, lighting the way to a bright future together?

When graduate student Tori Pendola, a white American woman, and Jebuni Kalitsi, a Ghanaian exchange student and heir to his tribe's chieftaincy, fall deeply in love, they must face not only their own inner demons of rejection and guilt but also the demons of societal hatred bent on destroying their relationships. Will their love survive the cruel and bitter attacks against them? Or will hatred and prejudice gain the upper hand?

In Black and White is a deeply moving story about the power of God's love to restore all that is broken in our lives.

Here is the link to enter the Giveaway:

ENTER GOODREADS GIVEAWAY HERE!

My Featured Novel of the Week . . . 

The Legacy of Longdale Manor by Carrie Turansky

Summary:
Two women—a century apart—embark on a journey to healing, faith, forgiveness, and romance.

In 2012, art historian Gwen Morris travels to England's Lake District to appraise the paintings and antiques of an old family friend, hoping to prove herself to her prestigious grandfather. While at Longdale Manor, she meets David Bradford--the owner's handsome grandson--who is desperate to save the crumbling estate by turning it into a luxury hotel. When Gwen stumbles upon a one-hundred-year-old journal and an intricately carved shepherd's staff similar to one in a photo of her parents, she's left searching for answers.

In 1912, after her father's death, Charlotte Harper uncovers a painful family secret she can only confess to her journal. She and her family travel to the Lake District to stay on a sheep farm, hoping eventually to find a home with Charlotte's grandfather at Longdale Manor, but old wounds and bitter regrets make it a difficult challenge. As Charlotte grows closer to shepherd Ian Storey and rebuilds her shattered faith, she must decide whether she will ever trust in love again.

E-BOOK

PRINT

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Sources cited:

___Mar, Raymond A., Oatley, Keith, and Peterson, Jordan B. "Exploring the link between reading fiction and empathy: Ruling out individual differences and examining outcomes."  

___"Can Fiction Stories Make Us More Empathetic"

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Dr. MaryAnn Diorio holds the PhD in French with a concentration in Comparative Literature from the University of Kansas, the MA in Italian Language & Literature from Middlebury College, and the MFA in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University. She writes award-winning fiction from a quaint, small town in New Jersey where neighbors still stop to chat while walking their dogs, families and friends still gather on wide, wrap-around porches, and the charming downtown still finds kids licking lollipops and old married folks holding hands. A Jersey girl at heart, MaryAnn loves Jersey diners, Jersey tomatoes, and the Jersey shore. You can learn more about her and her writing at maryanndiorio.com.

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Copyright 2024 by MaryAnn Diorio, PhD. All Rights Reserved.

Book Reviews Matter

April 12, 2024

Book reviews matter! Why? For a number of reasons. Let's look at those reasons from both the viewpoint of the reader and the viewpoint of the writer.

READERS

1. Book reviews help readers decide whether or not to read a book. Reading a book involves time and money. Both of these commodities represent a portion of our lives. While money can be replaced, time cannot. Since time is the stuff of life, we want to use our time wisely. When we choose to read a book, we are giving to that book a portion of our lives. That is a serious matter.

2. Book reviews provide insights from avid readers who are familiar with the genre and can evaluate the book intelligently.  Book reviewers are usually people who read widely in a particular genre and are familiar with the requirements of that genre. As a result, they are well qualified to evaluate a book because of that knowledge. 

3. Book reviews help readers discover authors they might not discover otherwise. A book review brings to the attention of readers books that a reader might never read without having learned about it in a book review. Discoverability is a key benefit of book reviews.

4. Book reviews offer readers the opportunity to connect and interact with other readers and with authors. Through book reviews, readers offer their valuable insights to both groups in a way they could not do otherwise.  


WRITERS

1. Book reviews provide valuable feedback to writers as to the impact their book is making on readers.  A book review tells the writer that his or her book is having an effect on the lives of readers. If the feedback is positive, the writer knows that she is on the right track. If the feedback is negative, it provides the writer with insight into ways that he can make his next book even better. While book reviews are subjective, they still offer valuable information to the writer. 

2. Book reviews provide social proof that a book is worth reading. This social proof greatly enhances the writer's capacity to reach more people with his book.

3. Book reviews help authors to market their books. Reviews are used as third-party testimonials which, in turn, provide good reasons for readers to purchase the book for their own reading pleasure.

4. Book reviews boost author sales. This follows from the point above. When readers learn about new books through book reviews, they are more inclined to purchase the book for themselves. This, in turn, helps authors by providing compensation for their hard work. Oftentimes, it is this compensation that enables an author to continue writing instead of having to work at a full-time job to earn a living, thereby restricting his writing time.

One of the best services a reader can render to an author is to post a book review after reading the author's book. The best venues for posting reviews are Goodreads, Amazon, and BookBub.

When you post a review, you will be helping not only your fellow readers but also the authors who wrote the books. Both groups will thank you!

Before you leave, be sure to check out my Goodreads Giveaway. I will be giving away 100 e-book copies of my popular, award-winning novel, IN BLACK AND WHITE.

Winner of First Place in Historical Fiction in the 2020 Christian Indie Awards Contest.

A white woman. A black man. And their forbidden love.

Can endurance and faith sustain the love between a white woman and a black man, threatened by rejection, guilt, and racial injustice? Can love alone reconcile their starkly different worlds, lighting the way to a bright future together?

When graduate student, Tori Pendola, a white American woman, and Jebuni Kalitsi, a Ghanaian exchange student and heir to his tribe's chieftaincy, fall deeply in love, they must face not only their own inner demons of rejection and guilt but also the demons of societal hatred bent on destroying their relationship. Will their love survive the cruel and bitter attacks against them? Or will hatred and prejudice gain the upper hand?

In Black and White is a deeply moving story of the power of God's love to restore all that is broken in our lives.


Here is the link to enter the Giveaway:

ENTER GOODREADS GIVEAWAY HERE!

 

My Featured Novel of the Week . . . 

E-BOOK

PRINT

Firstborn by Robin Lee Hatcher

Erika Welby had a secret she thought no one would ever discover. But someone knew ... "Dear Mrs. Welby, I know you were only seventeen when I was born. I've got many questions. I wonder if you have questions to ask me, too." Erika's worst fear is realized when her well-kept secret shows up on her doorstep. As she reaches out to the daughter she gave up for adoption 21 years ago, her husband pulls away, leaving Erika with an impossible choice.

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Copyright 2024 by MaryAnn Diorio, PhD. All Rights Reserved.

The Value of a Reader's Perspective

Dear Amazing Reader,

If you've followed this blog for any length of time, you know that I value readers. Not only do I value them; I treasure them. As I often say, a writer is nothing without a reader. 

So, today I want to talk about a few reasons that a reader is so important to a writer. 

1) The Reader is the other side of the Writer/Reader coin. A coin has two sides that cannot be separated and still make a coin. The same is true of the Reader-Writer relationship. A writer needs a reader, and a reader needs a writer. Plain and simple.

2) The Reader gives the Writer purpose. Why would I write if I didn't have readers? Why would a reader read if she didn't have something to read? Basic logic, right?

3) The Reader sees things that the Writer doesn't see. If you read last week's post on The Function of a Beta Reader, you'll better understand what I mean. I can't tell you how many times a reader has seen something in my book—whether it be a theme, an insight, or a character interpretation—that was never in my head when I wrote the story. :) I love this about readers. They bring a fresh perspective to every story I write.

4) The Reader co-creates with the Writer. This is the perfect segue from point 3 and is my favorite part about the Reader-Writer relationship. My reader actually co-creates with me in writing the story.

What do I mean? Well, consider this: When I write the story and you read the story, we picture the main character in two different ways. Even though I may describe the character in detail, your picture of her in your mind's eye is different from my picture of her in my mind's eye.

The same is true with setting. I may describe the 19th-century Italian parlor that I see in my mind, but it will be totally different from the 19th-century Italian parlor that you see in your mind.  To me, this original perspective on each of our parts is fascinating and is what makes me say that you as the Reader and I as the Writer write the story together. :)

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this Reader-Writer co-creative process? Do you agree? Disagree? Question? Have a different perspective? Please share your thoughts with me and with your fellow Readers.

And thanks for being such a valuable part of my Reader Team!


Love and Blessings,

MaryAnn

P.S. Stay tuned for my upcoming Goodreads Giveaway to begin on April 10th and to end on May 9th. I will be giving away 100 e-book copies of my popular romance titled In Black and White. It is the story of a white woman, a black man, and their forbidden love.

Please tell your fiction-reading friends about this Giveaway. Thanks! :)

P.P.S. As an update to an earlier post on How Important Is a Book Title?
and thanks to my Reader Team, I've chosen a title for Book 3 in The Wives of Old Cape May series. It is The Farmer and Mrs. Lombardi. This title follows the pattern of the first two books in the series, The Captain and Mrs. Vye and The Rabbi and Mrs. Goldstein.

Thanks to all of you who offered title suggestions. I've saved them to a folder and, Lord willing, may use some of them for a future story.



Featured Book for This Week . . . 
 
Miracle in Milan (Contemporary Romantic Suspense)

A young female auditor discovers convincing evidence that the man she loves is an embezzler . . . 

PRINT:

E-BOOK

My Fiction Pick for the Week . . . 

Women of Hope: Three Novel Collection by Robin Lee Hatcher

Available in E-BOOK Format Only

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Copyright 2024 by MaryAnn Diorio, PhD. All Rights Reserved.