I’ve been thinking a lot about how much Madeleine L”Engle has influenced me, both as a person/reader, and as a writer. I read the Time Quartet as a kid, or maybe as a teen, and I LOVED those books! I saw myself in Meg Murry: I was smart but awkward, I felt ugly, and I …
Letter to My Student Emilia The teacher from the middle school told me for six months you’d worked a second shift job after lying about your age, then you slept every day in class. She made you quit the job, and in ninth grade, you begged me to help you find work. We thought our …
Number 5: The Sparrow/Children of God duology by Mary Doria Russell – These books were re-reads for me this year, but like the first time read them (at least 10 years ago), I was deeply moved. These books ask the question: Can we believe in a loving God in the midst of suffering?” This, of …
I’m currently reading yet another YA book with a “strong female character” who performs crazy physical feats. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a great book (Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard) and I love the action in the book and the main character, Mare. However, I’ve been thinking a lot about all the female heroines and …
I always wanted to be the type of writer Madeleine L’Engle was. who was a Christian and was also a writer, but spurned the label “Christian writer.” In an interview, she called herself “a writer who is struggling to be a Christian.” Those words, perhaps, best encapsulate my current moment as a writer. After a few years of …
