What it’s about: Today’s Christian novelists entertain and inspire millions with their heart-warming and thought-provoking books. Yet few readers really ever get the chance to know these talented writers beyond the brief biographies included in their novels. Behind the Stories now offers a rare, behind-the-scenes glimpse into the personal lives of dozens of your favorite storytellers, revealing their hopes and dreams, their successes and failures, and providing fascinating insights about what it means to craft stories from a Christian worldview. These honest discussions of fear and faith, of compromise and calling. Including never-before-published thoughts and insights that will enrich your life—and your future fiction-reading experiences.
Author Quotes:
Bill Myers, “My intent is to use a story the way Christ used parables: to find something eternal that needs to be said, then wrap it up in enough entertainment so the reader will continue turning the pages as he or she is drawn closer to the heart of God.”
Judith Pella, “I am a storyteller. I have finally come to realize that stories can be savored just for the sake of the story. Pure escapism is a blessing to many, and I am happy to be used for this purpose.”
Catherine Palmer, “I see myself as a smuggler of God’s truth under the guise of fiction. I want readers to feel so caught up in the story that the truths sneak into their hearts…and then stay for a long, long time providing light as they face their own challenges and struggles in love and life.”
T. Davis Bunn, “I am not a minister. I am an artist who deals with words. I am an artist who loves God, an entertainer who loves God, and my calling is to be the best artist and entertainer I can be.”
My Thoughts: When I was introduced to The Chronicles of Narnia at age 12, my whole perspective on stories was forever changed. I was enthralled by the world, the characters, and also the deeper message intertwined through each book. So you can bet that when I found a C.S. Lewis biography at the dollar story, I was begging my mom to buy it for me. I desperately wanted to know where Narnia came from. And believe me, I read that book cover-to-cover twice in one month. Now, while I did find out where Narnia came from, I also read about the wonderful history that contributed to Lewis becoming the Christian author that also gave readers Mere Christianity, Screwtape Letters, and so many other acclaimed works.
Through being a part of the Cross Reference Library over the last few years, I’ve become even more fascinated by the many Christian authors that fill the shelves. When Behind the Stories was donated, I was more than excited to put it into the library system. Diane Eble collected more than 10 stories from authors on how God led them to write stories for Him. One of my favorites is about author Robin Jones Gunn. She hadn’t planned on being a writer. Instead, she had hoped to be a missionary who traveled the world to share the gospel. But on one fateful weekend with her husband’s youth group, Robin had discovered that the novels that the teen girls were reading was not something they should have been filling their minds with. So she was given the challenge to write good, wholesome novels for teen girls to take in and be impacted by. And what followed was the creation of 5+ books series that have been read and enjoyed by countless teens. So, my dear patrons, I hope this book will encourage you to discover what inspired your favorite Christian author to bring forth a deeper message through their writing.