Jennifer Rodewald's Blog, page 3

Great Christian Fiction Books for Teens, Part 2

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Another week closer to Christmas… and we have more books for teens!

As I sift through the options, I keep wondering why it can be such a challenge to find great stories by Christian authors for our teens? It seems like it’s a little bit of a vicious cycle. Books stores often don’t carry them–so publishers shy away from publishing them. Because we aren’t looking for them. But we don’t look for them because they can be so stinking hard to find, so publishers shy away from publishing them, thus, there aren’t many available for bookstores to carry.

Does this sound about right?

Speculation, on my part. The finding YA books for my teenagers problem has bothered me for quite a while. As I said in my first post, YA books for Christian teens are out there, and there are some great writers with some fantastic YA reads on the market. They are there, but not in abundance, and they are kind of hard to find. WHY IS THAT? The YA market in general is pretty big. Really, it is. So, is the Christian YA market just too niche to be of any use? Is the problem that people just aren’t buying Christian YA, or is it that the Christian publishing world has given the YA market the cold shoulder?

I really don’t know–and I’d love to hear your thoughts on it!

I hope it’s not the cold shoulder thing, though. That’d be a little bit like the Church’s response to the entertainment industry in the ’80s and early ’90s. Remember that? The it’s all bad, worldly, and self-focused, so we’re not going to engage attitude? (that wasn’t everyone’s approach to it, but it was pretty prevalent). In the meantime, there was this massive platform that like 99% of the country engaged with, and we kind of missed it.

Sad. And, we’re still trying to make up time for that short-sighted snubbing. (I know, I’m full of opinions here…)

There’s this pretty big platform out there right now that engages our culture. Young Adult Lit reaches not only our children and teens, but a huge chunk of New Adults as well as those of us who have been grown up for a while. It’s a market that bleeds through the generations in a way that most niche genres don’t.

I really think we shouldn’t miss this opportunity. That’s all I’m trying to say here.

Great Christian Fiction Books for Teens

 

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I’m a part of a large reading community, which also blurs into my smaller but thriving writing community. It’s fun. I learn stuff from both groups, and like I said, the information often seeps from one group to another.

One of the perennial topics I see in both groups goes something like, “what do you recommend as far as fiction books for Christian teens?”

And then there’s a lull.

And then…

I’m quite honestly puzzled by some of the books tossed out there as recommends. Seriously, I’m not trying to be ugly here, but my sweet ladies (and gentlemen, because I know there are a few out there) by-and-large, our teenagers aren’t into the same things you and I are into in our forty-plus(ish) universe. Here’s the thing: some of us totally dig the young adult fiction culture. We love it. We devour it. And we’re not ashamed to admit it.

But the deal is, the stream doesn’t really flow both ways (I’m saying this as a mom of three teens and one preteen, and also as a woman who finds herself in the teen crowd fairly often). There are always exceptions, but in general, don’t start recommending your favorite read at forty-something for a fifteen-year-old. Just… it doesn’t work that way, and the reality is, and if we don’t respect that, we will continue to lose our Christian teens’ interest in the Christian publishing world (you knew that was a problem, right?)

Also, on the topic of good books for teens, don’t assume that because they’re not reading your books, that means they’re not reading. They are. Ravenously. I live with a few of them, and hang out with several others, and whenever we talk books, they’re into it. Enthusiastically.

Story still speaks, peeps. It will always speak, regardless of the generation.

So… back to the original question. What fiction books are out there for the Christian teen?

I’m surveying my own teens–they are rabid readers. I’m looking at the YA books I’ve loved. And I’m putting together a short series that I hope will be helpful–especially as Christmas rolls around (there are ALWAYS books under our tree)! There will be a mix of genres within the YA grouping, and I’ll include a couple of OUTLIERS. Books that are either not specifically YA, or not specifically Christian, but fit the Christian Young Adult reader well anyway.

So here we go. Great Fiction Books For Christian Teens, part 1

My Pick of the week:

Slave

by Laura Frances

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Publisher’s Description: There is no sun. There is no moon. There is only gray—the smog belched from coal-fueled factories. The Workers silently shuffle to their assigned posts. The Outcasts watch from the alley walls. On every corner, a Watcher stands stone-faced, a rifle in hand. This is the only life that exists. Beyond the mountains is a dream. But dreams are foolish in a place like this.

Hannah has spent nineteen years dodging Watchers and doing as she is told.

Do not look Watchers in the eye. Don’t give them a reason to notice you.

But when she wakes to the valley exploding in revolution, Hannah is forced onto a dangerous path, where nothing is what she believed. Suddenly freedom is in her grasp, and the way there requires working with the men she fears most.

My thoughts: I listened to this book on audio, and I was completely absorbed in it. If your teen likes dystopian, such as The Hunger Games, Divergent, or Matched (a massive percentage of them are completely in love with this genre, in case you were wondering), they’ll love this book. And bonus! Book two, Hero, is scheduled for release soon (I’m reading an early copy now. It’s fantastic).

The Sixteen-year-old’s Pick of the Week:

Golden Filly Collection

by Lauraine Snelling

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Publisher’s Description (Bethany House): Sixteen-year-old Tricia Evanston and her father share something very special: their love of horses. With Tricia as jockey and her father as trainer, the two have big dreams of winning the Triple Crown. Tricia has other pressures, too, like declining grades, a strained relationship with her mother, and the constant worry about her father’s failing health. But Tricia’s faith in God always gives her the strength to push her limits. Collection One includes The Race, Eagle’s Wings, Go for the Glory, Kentucky Dreamer, and Call for Courage.

Her thoughts: This is a standby favorite for years. If you have a horse-lover, this is your go-to.

The Fourteen-year-old’s Pick of the Week:

Dauntless (Valiant Hearts Book #1)

by Dina L. Sleiman

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Publisher’s Description (Bethany House): Where Legend and History Collide,

One Young Woman Will Fight for the Innocent

Born a baron’s daughter, Lady Merry Ellison is now an enemy of the throne after her father’s failed assassination attempt upon the king. Bold and uniquely skilled, she is willing to go to any lengths to protect the orphaned children of her former village–a group that becomes known as “The Ghosts of Farthingale Forest.” Merry finds her charge more difficult as their growing notoriety brings increasing trouble their way.

Timothy Grey, ninth child of the Baron of Greyham, longs to perform some feat so legendary that he will rise from obscurity and earn a title of his own. When the Ghosts of Farthingale Forest are spotted in Wyndeshire, where he serves as assistant to the local earl, he might have found his chance. But when he comes face-to-face with the leader of the thieves, he’s forced to reexamine everything he’s known.

Her Thoughts: Courage and adventure… a clever twist on the classic Robin Hood, this was a book that needed to be finished. ASAP.

The Twelve-year-old’s Pick of the Week:

The Ryn

by Serena Chase

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Publisher’s Description (Candent Gate):

DESTINED by prophecy. GUARDED by deception. PURSUED by Love.

Centuries ago, an oracle foretold of the young woman who would defeat E’veria’s most ancient enemy, the Cobelds. But after two centuries of relative peace, both the prophecy and the Cobelds have been relegated to lore—and only a few remain watchful for the promised Ryn.

Finally, a child is born who matches the oracle’s description, but a Cobeld curse accompanies her birth. Led to believe they succeeded in killing the prophesied child, the Cobelds emerge from hiding with plans to overtake the Kingdom.

But the child survived.

Secreted away and called “Rose” for the first nineteen years of her life, Rynnaia E’veri has no idea of her true identity until a chance meeting with an injured knight reveals not only her parentage and true name, but the task assigned her by the oracle: discover the Remedy that will destroy the Cobelds’ power.

Now, her time has come.

Offered the assistance of pirates, scribes, storytellers, a young woman who died centuries ago, and the knight who is quickly working his way into her heart, Rynnaia is fortified with friends. But if the Ryn is to complete her task, she must come to terms with not only who she is, but for whom she must be willing to die. For the kingdom’s survival depends on her.

Her thoughts: It’s fantasy (favorite!) It’s Narnia-ish. It’s adventure and love and magic and allegory and… amazing. What else could you possibly want?

And something for the guys…

The Shock of Night

by Patrick W.Carr

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Publisher’s Description (Bethany House):

The Darkwater Claims All Who Enter It.

All But One.

When one man is brutally murdered and the priest he works for mortally wounded, Willet Dura, reeve to the king of Bunard, is called to investigate. As he begins to question the dying priest, the man pulls Willet close and screams in a foreign tongue. Then he dies without another word.

Willet returns to his task, but the clues to the crime lead to contradictions and questions without answers, and his senses are skewed. People he touches appear to have a subtle shift, as though he can divine their deepest thoughts. In a world divided between haves and have-nots, gifted and common, Willet soon learns he’s been passed the rarest gift of all–a gift that’s not supposed to exist.

Now Willet must pursue the murderer still on the loose in Bunard even as he’s pulled into a dangerous conflict that threatens not only his city, but his entire world–a conflict that will force him to come to terms with his inability to remember how he escaped the Darkwater Forest–and what happened to him inside it.

Finally, this week’s outlier…

It’s neither Christian, nor is it YA, but it’s powerful, beautiful, and one of my favorite books, even when I put on my “think like a teen” hat. I know what you’re going to say… Nicolas Sparks??? Yes. He’s got a few that are appropriate for teens, and this is definitely one of them. The story hits family, forgiveness, and life after everything falls apart, and I had no problem recommending it to my oldest when she was fourteen.

The Last Song

by Nicolas Sparks

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Publisher’s Description (Grand Central Publishing):

Seventeen year old Veronica “Ronnie” Miller’s life was turned upside-down when her parents divorced and her father moved from New York City to Wilmington, North Carolina. Three years later, she remains angry and alientated from her parents, especially her father…until her mother decides it would be in everyone’s best interest if she spent the summer in Wilmington with him. Ronnie’s father, a former concert pianist and teacher, is living a quiet life in the beach town, immersed in creating a work of art that will become the centerpiece of a local church.

The tale that unfolds is an unforgettable story of love on many levels–first love, love between parents and children — that demonstrates, as only a Nicholas Sparks novel can, the many ways that love can break our hearts…and heal them.

 

And there you have it. A short list to get you started. Next week we’ll add more. Any you think I should know about?

The Hangover

Catchy title, right? I know… clickbait. But not really.

Today, I opened a file that has been languishing on my laptop since December of 2016. The one I’ve ignored because it didn’t fit my project schedule for 2017–the year I dedicated to my dystopian trilogy.

I opened that book, half written. It’s a women’s fiction, my original brand. A book several of my readers have told me they’re waiting for. I’m waiting for it too…

I opened it.

And my mind went back to Braxton and Eliza. To Hannah and Quinn and Tristan and Skye. This surprised me, to be honest. I thought I was ready to move on. Ready for the next story. But I opened that file, and looked back. And it wasn’t a smile that settled in my heart when I did.

I guess because opening the waiting file of that stalled work-in-progress meant that the dystopian journey was done.

I finished it, and now it’s done…

To be honest, writing that trilogy was MUCH harder than I had anticipated. I’m not sure I can pinpoint the reason exactly, but the work The Uncloaked and its companion books demanded was a bit like thinking “I’m going for a nice hike today,” only to find out that really, I was climbing a fourteener (I’ve done that before, a few times, so I do actually know).

Identity. Do You Know Yours?

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Thinking about….

Identity.

My kids’ youth group has been talking about this, and when the youth pastor and I were chatting, he was sharing about how profoundly important he felt like the discussion is.

I completely agree.

Knowing who you are… and who you are not willing to become… it’s like a runner putting in the miles of practice (a crazy number of miles, I might add) for one solid race. Without those strides; failure. I’m not talking about not winning, kind of failure. I’m talking not finishing. Or worse. Injury. Physical illness—sometimes creating an emergency situation.

But having a solid grip on your identity… Wow. I mean, power, baby. The strength to [image error]stand, the power to change the world around you with that strength.

I can’t help but think of the book of Daniel—and we just have to start in chapter one. On first read, that chapter just seems like backstory—here’s some stuff to help you set the scene. Setting, yes, but oh, so not the whole importance of it.

Take the part when Daniel and his buddies (you know, the ones who came out of the fiery furnace completely unaffected by the flames?) humbly ask the man in charge to let them eat veggies and drink water. If you don’t remember that part, go back and check it out; Daniel 1:5-14.

Pause.

Weird?

Let me take this moment to BEG you not to let this whole scene be reduced to a diet plan. PLEASE DON’T. If you do, you will have missed the real point. The strength and necessity of this backstory intro (you know writers don’t give backstory unless it is essential to the rest of the story, right?)

Daniel wasn’t worried about Eating Real. He wasn’t protecting his health. If that were the case, this whole intro makes NO sense whatsoever to the unfolding of the rest of Daniel’s incredible story. Because you see, there’s no real, lasting power in that.

Get the full picture with me. Daniel and his boys are Jewish young men. THEY ARE JEWISH. That means something to them. It means they are set apart. Yahweh’s men. Called beloved, for a purpose, with a Divine plan that extended beyond their digestive system. A plan that was intended to touch the whole world.

And they’ve been taken captive.

Understand for a moment here that the strength and genius of Babylon’s grip on the people they took captive wasn’t simply oppression. No, the king was so much smarter than that. The strength of his rise to power was more subtle. We call it assimilation. He took those captives violently, but when he had them, he essentially said “Here. Become one of us.” He stripped them of their former identity, until all those captives knew or wanted fell within his design.

(Does this sound even a little bit familiar?)

A tempting offer. Look what the king was willing to give. The best life. A place in the palace. The best education. The promise of a job. And food. Choice food. Health, wealth, and security. The only cost? Your identity.

Life as a Babylonian. Comfort. Privilege. Who would want to be anything else?

This is where this story begins. Not in a diet plan, but in a humble and yet powerful declaration of identity.

Daniel was respectfully claiming who he was.

I am a Jew. Set apart by Yahweh himself. No matter what you offer, how spoiled you make us, you, oh king, will not change that about me. You will not strip me of WHO I AM.

Food was simply the vehicle of that statement, not the essence of it. And suddenly the rest of his life makes so much more sense.

He knew who he was… and who he wasn’t willing to become. And because of that solid sense of identity, Daniel, and the three men who joined him in his respectful defiance, changed the heart of several kings, and sometimes, the practice of an entire nation. They had the strength to stand when most of us would fail.

Identity is that important. Do you know yours?

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What will you do with what you believe?

This is the question God has me wrestling with right now. The theme of the final book in The Uncloaked trilogy, which I am finishing this week.

I’m not sure of the answer. It seems like it should be easy to nail down… but it’s not. Perhaps that’s because I live a pretty cozy-comfy life. Or maybe I want a better definition of the question. “What do you mean, what will I do? Do I need to do something different?”

Hmm… what do you think?

We’re discussing this in our home. What does Kingdom work look like? How can I better be the loving hands and heart of Christ to my community?

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Like I said, we’re wrestling with this. Recently, I sent this question out on my newsletter, and I loved some of the responses. One precious woman suggested I share them, and I thought that was a fantastic idea… so here we go:

I strongly believe that as Christians, we need to be there, listening and sharing Gods love for us and for those around us, and I truly believe that most of that comes through our actions, not words, but just that simple sign of caring for those who are struggling, alone, giving a smile as we walk by, saying bless you if someone sneezes, these little things though small seem huge to those people that feel small, lost and alone. –Julie

The simplicity of this… living and doing, with kindness, in Jesus’s name. Amen!

We should show by actions how we treat others, this, I think is easiest–when we are kind and caring helping to others. We could take time to serve others at soup kitchens, help at nursing homes reading, or talking to, or playing cards or games with residents have no one left or family to far away to visit and would love to have a family to spend time with. Teach someone to read, help children in foster care, donate our clothes, or raise funds, or goods when schools starts for them to have basics book bags, pencils and paper etc. –Debbie

So many tangible, boots-on-the-ground suggestions in that!

In my life, it has to do with everything.  When I drive in traffic, I’m a Christian.  When I’m at the grocery store, I’m a Christian.  When I’m talking or waving at my neighbors, I’m a Christian. –Sydna

Living Christ while living life. It is the same. I love this.

storm

“Bless the Lord, oh my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name. Bless the Lord oh my soul, and forget none of His benefits.” ~Psalm 103:1-2

The storm gathers. I feel the winds sweeping, growing in strength and chill. The gray clouds cluster, swirling, churning, warning. It has been for a while now.

Not the first time. Won’t be t[image error]he last. You’ve been there too.

We want to name the storm. Identify the source. Sometimes, though, it’s name is simply life. It rises and falls, there are days of sunshine and days of rain. It is appointed to be so.

So, in the midst of the descending darkness, when the sun hides its warmth and light, what do we do?

I am reminded that it was in the midst of the worst storms he’d even known–a real one, on the ocean–that John Newton finally bowed before God, and his life began a new, redeemed direction. And, in the darkest place of human depravity, Corrie and Betsy ten Boom found the hungriest souls with whom to share the good news of Christ. And the disciples… in the midst of wind and waves, they fell to their knees in a fresh level of awe.

Light breaks through the darkness. Purpose birthed into the storm. That is the power of the Redeemer, the awe and beauty of redemption.

So, come. Blow, winds. Toss, waves. Rumble, thunder. We for light to break through.

Because in the end, darkness will not defeat Light.

 

Cover Reveal! The Uncloaked

There’s something about getting the finalized version of a book cover.

Makes all of the work seem like it’s been wrapped up, that awesome cover the final bow on the package. To be honest, I was nervous about this cover. This genre can be tough, but getting the first impression right is essential. I’ve seen some fairly meh covers for this genre (please note, I’ve seen some outstanding covers for YA spec/dystopian too. That’s where I wanted the cover for The Uncloaked to fall).

I have to say, Roseanna White exceeded my expectations for this one! So, without anymore waxing and waning…

 

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Need more? How about a back cover copy teaser?

No one stirred in the area—people stayed in their little hovels. Hiding, most likely. From the cold, the helplessness. Maybe from the Party. Staying out of sight, like cockroaches.

I am not a cockroach. 

***

“Apathy is the illness of the overprivileged…” Words laced with fear—and maybe a hint of prophecy. His father’s words. Words Braxton would prefer to ignore.

Braxton Luther is sixteen when the Progressive Reform Party takes over the government. It can’t be that bad. So they don’t want religion in government—that’s constitutional. He can’t understand his church’s hypersensitive reaction or his father’s cryptic warning to stand against the Party’s ultimatums.

But after living under the new government for a year, Braxton faces a choice—conform to the demands of the ungodded in order to protect his best friend, Eliza, or defy the system and go into hiding, ensuring a life of misery. Still certain that life will settle back into normalcy in the near future, Braxton chooses compliance.

Then the killings begin, and Eliza is captured and sent to Reformation Camp for her defiance. Reality finally sinks in.

And finally, just so we all know that, yes, this is really, really happening…

A preorder link.

Changes on the Horizon

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It’s time.

That makes me pretty nervous, but it’s time. I hope you’ll jump in with me.

I love Women’s Fiction. I love true-to-life, shift-your-thinking fiction that transforms. Maybe even redeems. I love writing those kinds of books, and I’m not done with them yet.

But almost four years ago, I had a vision for a different kind of book. Young Adult. Dystopian–(read darker, heavier, more challenging). When I outlined the idea and showed it to Superman, he got that concerned line in the between the eyebrows thing on his face. Yikes.

“Why this? It’s not really what you’ve been doing.”

I wasn’t sure how to answer him at the moment, other than I saw the story pretty clearly, and it challenged me–how I approach who I am and what I believe–and maybe more importantly, what I do with what I believe. Not one to say, don’t try it, you’ll fall on your face, Superman nodded and said, “I can’t see it, but I’m sure you can do it.”

And so The Uncloaked began.

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Finally, now it’s ready to face the world. Book one will release April 28th, and I’m biting my nails nervous about it. It’s not Women’s Fiction–not my brand. But it is a story that digs in deep, provokes thought, introspection, and maybe even a little change. That is me, that’s what I look for, because I don’t want to tread water in the pool of life. I want to move. To be challenged and changed and better for it.

I hope there are some Kindred Spirits out there looking for the same. But, if The Uncloaked just isn’t your cup of tea, I get it. We can still be friends. Right?

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Giant Giveaway!!!

Y’all! I’m super excited…

Guess who’s participating in this promo? (Me!) Enter to win over 45 Inspirational Contemporary Romances, including books from authors like Susan May Warren, Melissa Tagg, Sarah Monzon, and Janet Ferguson.

Talk about a BIG giveaway! Pretty sure you don’t want to miss it (I might just enter myself…except, can’t).

Why Kale?

So….Kale.

Yeah, the character in Ordinary Snowflakes. That girl. I’m getting some interesting responses to her. Her name, actually. Some of the reviews are actually quite hilarious as they rant about this “hipster” name I’ve pegged this otherwise lovable character with. Super funny, because, well, they’re just funny. And also because if you know me at all, I’m the last woman you’d peg as a “hipster.” No kidding.

[image error]So, for the sake of clarification, (and hey, something fun to talk about!) I thought I’d just share why I chose Kale for Ordinary Snowflakes.

I wasn’t trying to be trendy (I’ve actually never met a person named Kale (or Cale), so I didn’t know it was a trend). Or original (I’m seriously not that clever). I named her after the little girl in the movie Dreamer. (Yes, I realize in the movie her name is spelled with a C. The Anne with an E in my head told me that C always looked so smug. Arguing with Anne is silly.) That movie (Dreamer) has a couple of lines which God used to spur me forward in writing, in embracing courage and in trying for my dreams. I knew Kale was an “off” name, but because of what was pressed into my heart from that little girl’s spunk and courage, I used it in this book–for another character who’s life was full of spunk and in need of some courage.

Pretty simple, really. Honestly, I never imagined her name would stir up such strong reactions![image error]

Oh, and yes, it’s pronounced just like that leafy green veggie you either love or hate (my daughter thinks that stuff is only good for her chickens. Just thought you’d like to know