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I love to write stories, but I’m no good at telling them. My husband, however, can spin a tale out of thin air. Maybe because he knows to ask for help.Imagine this scene: tired after a day of backpacking up a mountain trail, a mom and dad and three daughters (ages 8, 6, and 4) are flopped on top of sleeping bags in a tent. It’s not quite dark, because summer evenings stay light past ten o’clock in the Pacific Northwest. Nobody’s ready to sleep.“Daddy, tell us a story!”“OK. Who’s this story about?”“A unicorn!” says the middle daughter.“What’s the unicorn’s name?”“Dave!” says the oldest. “Rainbow!” says the youngest.“OK, Dave and Rainbow. Where do they live?”“In a cave,” says the middle daughter. The oldest says, “Unicorns don’t live in caves, they live in the forest!”“Great, so we have Dave in the cave, and Rainbow in the forest,” the dad says. “So, one day, Dave in the cave is eating breakfast, and there’s a knock at his door. He opens it. Who’s there?”“An octopus!” says the youngest. Her sisters laugh.And that’s how the ‘Dave in the Cave’ stories were born, destined to become a staple of camping trips, long car rides, and even bedtimes at home. The adventures of Dave in the Cave and his best friend Rainbow bore an uncanny resemblance to what was going on in our daughters’ lives at the time, but at a safe distance, and safely disguised.&nbsp;Do you tell stories to your children or grandchildren? Do you ask for their help?

The power of storytelling

Old favorites cycle through my to-read pile every few years because they fill my heart with light—books like Madeleine L’Engle’s Austin family series and C. S. Lewis’s Narnia series. But my writing friends at <a data-mce-href="https://thehabit.co/" href="https://thehabit.co/" title="The Habit" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the Habit</a> have given me a few new favorites:1) The Carver and the Queen, by Emma Fox, available on <a title="The Carver and the Queen" href="https://www.amazon.com/Carver-Queen-Emma-C-Fox-ebook/dp/B0C4QWVP3K/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1IBPAR7OW67OA&amp;dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.v3ygh8brt2lDW06vQ1m3AvvxjmPaafxEa0FMjeDmvRPphO-dxmAY3i-JCGV5WZxjQv25LcYQQOJB8iDUK2TIsV0le774NTLKbwIdTaj_4Mjq4ne4YUhQZNlPArsGc6Jlos6BsosvWuKhOqxxbNHU_gyjHHQOzs6DsQxXKzLV1njyG6qg6gUxA5M5w9LOUUgysdtcl4zMxjSgpu_bUG9hsGFPR-V7kAuvLoQrWiNR-yM.PRqihmRqT-wbFzgIkj_nZgdxIKkCcmeMMLicz23HgXM&amp;dib_tag=se&amp;keywords=the+carver+and+the+queen&amp;qid=1723160791&amp;sprefix=the+carver+and+the+queen%2Caps%2C264&amp;sr=8-1" target="_blank" data-mce-href="https://www.amazon.com/Carver-Queen-Emma-C-Fox-ebook/dp/B0C4QWVP3K/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1IBPAR7OW67OA&amp;dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.v3ygh8brt2lDW06vQ1m3AvvxjmPaafxEa0FMjeDmvRPphO-dxmAY3i-JCGV5WZxjQv25LcYQQOJB8iDUK2TIsV0le774NTLKbwIdTaj_4Mjq4ne4YUhQZNlPArsGc6Jlos6BsosvWuKhOqxxbNHU_gyjHHQOzs6DsQxXKzLV1njyG6qg6gUxA5M5w9LOUUgysdtcl4zMxjSgpu_bUG9hsGFPR-V7kAuvLoQrWiNR-yM.PRqihmRqT-wbFzgIkj_nZgdxIKkCcmeMMLicz23HgXM&amp;dib_tag=se&amp;keywords=the+carver+and+the+queen&amp;qid=1723160791&amp;sprefix=the+carver+and+the+queen%2Caps%2C264&amp;sr=8-1">Amazon</a>. Inspired by Russian folktales, this is a beautiful story of determination as the two main characters seek to learn their craft, gain their freedom, and marry (in that order of importance). <a title="The Arrow and the Crown" href="https://www.amazon.com/Arrow-Crown-Emma-C-Fox/dp/1796251089/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&amp;qid=&amp;sr=" target="_blank" data-mce-href="https://www.amazon.com/Arrow-Crown-Emma-C-Fox/dp/1796251089/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&amp;qid=&amp;sr=">The Arrow and the Crown</a> is an older title I haven’t yet read.2) Daughter of Arden Trilogy (Exile, Wandering, and Promise), by Loren G. Warnemuende, available at <a title="Daughter of Arden Series" href="https://www.bandersnatchbooks.com/store/p/dofa-bundle" target="_blank" data-mce-href="https://www.bandersnatchbooks.com/store/p/dofa-bundle">Bandersnatch Books</a> or on <a title="Daughter of Arden Series" href="https://www.amazon.com/Exile-Loren-G-Warnemuende/dp/1958863033/ref=sr_1_1?crid=34PGO5QXV9MNM&amp;dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.eJwxP6DfJhJKFplDaCSaMOOpWQ8zOO4aONMWZMFHOs_WszjOT5kfxD9_DeAJDyjNwM2bTvLrvzK35FSXOuqJnZKBK8W0J7Kj-omfyW3hF1Up0kpSCti7Zi5wBYE7vPy_qgilgkN3Dve8lRun9YP0wbqO95dr0zZbw_YXKzhGHNOFYODcF9kn7NpXovrVC1TSDacMCZyVyajnZBvUQHdxfjZMPqr0BcvRNcL3Oyxzknc.ZT6F1HmCZyUeiYgP5RWm5nGXzR-wkb563T02an3YpA0&amp;dib_tag=se&amp;keywords=daughter+of+arden+trilogy&amp;qid=1723161508&amp;sprefix=daughter+of+arden%2Caps%2C265&amp;sr=8-1" target="_blank" data-mce-href="https://www.amazon.com/Exile-Loren-G-Warnemuende/dp/1958863033/ref=sr_1_1?crid=34PGO5QXV9MNM&amp;dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.eJwxP6DfJhJKFplDaCSaMOOpWQ8zOO4aONMWZMFHOs_WszjOT5kfxD9_DeAJDyjNwM2bTvLrvzK35FSXOuqJnZKBK8W0J7Kj-omfyW3hF1Up0kpSCti7Zi5wBYE7vPy_qgilgkN3Dve8lRun9YP0wbqO95dr0zZbw_YXKzhGHNOFYODcF9kn7NpXovrVC1TSDacMCZyVyajnZBvUQHdxfjZMPqr0BcvRNcL3Oyxzknc.ZT6F1HmCZyUeiYgP5RWm5nGXzR-wkb563T02an3YpA0&amp;dib_tag=se&amp;keywords=daughter+of+arden+trilogy&amp;qid=1723161508&amp;sprefix=daughter+of+arden%2Caps%2C265&amp;sr=8-1">Amazon</a>. A fairy tale retelling, this pampered, indulged princess endures danger and gritty hardship to become the strong and wise leader her kingdom desperately needs.3) The Wilderking Trilogy (The Bark of the Bog Owl, The Secret of the Swamp King, and The Way of the Wilderking), by Jonathan Rogers, available at the <a title="Wilderking Trilogy " href="https://store.rabbitroom.com/products/the-bark-of-the-bog-owl?srsltid=AfmBOooRJ8YmgxttrWVbkIzPjXrfLqoqvOZ3mZoWieBOOkv5fj9Fj7lu" target="_blank" data-mce-href="https://store.rabbitroom.com/products/the-bark-of-the-bog-owl?srsltid=AfmBOooRJ8YmgxttrWVbkIzPjXrfLqoqvOZ3mZoWieBOOkv5fj9Fj7lu">Rabbit Room</a> or on <a data-mce-href="https://www.amazon.com/Bark-Bog-Owl-Wilderking-Trilogy/dp/1951872266/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&amp;dib_tag=se&amp;dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.Xjax0sJ0LvBVW3ZeNxFPlp-7tMez9noVyp28xrozTLnGjHj071QN20LucGBJIEps.Z_oA5dtEzEIhLvVRFykzJ0x9rOexPkOYSwyd8qtViog&amp;qid=1723159295&amp;sr=1-1" href="https://www.amazon.com/Bark-Bog-Owl-Wilderking-Trilogy/dp/1951872266/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&amp;dib_tag=se&amp;dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.Xjax0sJ0LvBVW3ZeNxFPlp-7tMez9noVyp28xrozTLnGjHj071QN20LucGBJIEps.Z_oA5dtEzEIhLvVRFykzJ0x9rOexPkOYSwyd8qtViog&amp;qid=1723159295&amp;sr=1-1" title="Wilderking Trilogy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Amazon</a>. This delightful story takes place in the fictional land of Corenwald, which bears some resemblance to the swamps and rivers of Georgia. And it features a boy who bears some resemblance to King David.&nbsp;4) The poets at The Habit have been busy as well. While not YA, their latest collection can be found on <a data-mce-href="https://www.blurb.com/user/thehabit?profile_preview=true" href="https://www.blurb.com/user/thehabit?profile_preview=true" title="Habitations " target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Habitation Poetry Collective page on Blurb</a>.And there’s my own YA novel, which I hope will become someone’s favorite—5) Call of the Desert: Crossing, available from <a data-mce-href="https://shop.ingramspark.com/b/084?iLvIazokEsqYytjBD9alLJ91WW2bvodBZFouYNFohwS" href="https://shop.ingramspark.com/b/084?iLvIazokEsqYytjBD9alLJ91WW2bvodBZFouYNFohwS" title="Call of the Desert: Crossing" target="_blank" rel="noopener">my publisher</a> or ﻿<a title="Call of the Desert: Crossing" href="https://www.amzn.com/B0D49T7FN5" data-mce-href="https://www.amzn.com/B0D49T7FN5">Amazon</a>. It’s the first in a five-part series that follows the protagonist through her senior year of boarding school. The second comes out later this fall.Happy reading!

Here's a list of my favorite YA books—old and new

Which goes against everything I’d imagined about being a writer. My first gig as a technical writer, I worked alone. Terrified I would do it all wrong, I overachieved. That became my modus operandi until I was hired to work as a member of a team. Talk about having your brain put in a blender and liquefied! I had to learn new work habits, learn to trust the work of others. It was awesome.&nbsp;Fast forward to my life as a fiction writer. Again, I imagined the lonely writer, hunched over her keyboard, toiling away on a masterpiece that would be revealed to the world only when it was done. LOL. Attending my first writing conference was like putting my brain back in the blender. Wait . . . what? I’m supposed to have critique partners? What are beta readers? There are classes on how to structure stories?&nbsp;Now I’m a member of several critique groups, where I hear what works and what doesn’t in my writing and provide that feedback for others. I &nbsp;also belong to an online writing community (<a data-mce-href="https://thehabit.co/" href="https://thehabit.co/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Habit</a>), where we support and encourage each other. True, I sit down at my computer every morning by myself. But I’m surrounded by a virtual community of writers. It’s awesome.And when I published my debut novel, <a data-mce-href="https://www.amzn.com/B0D64G3J1X" href="https://www.amzn.com/B0D64G3J1X" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Call of the Desert: Crossing</a>, I called upon that community to help. The publishing support group at The Habit gave me courage. Kori Frazier Morgan of <a data-mce-href="https://www.inklingcreative.work/" href="https://www.inklingcreative.work/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Inkling Creative Services</a> did a phenomenal job with the editing, and <a data-mce-href="https://reedsy.com/xavier-comas" href="https://reedsy.com/xavier-comas" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Xavier Comas</a> and his team (including <a data-mce-href="https://aurorairaita.com/" href="https://aurorairaita.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Aurora Iraita</a>) produced an amazing cover. I’ve also been using art from their initial concepts in my website and social media posts.&nbsp;Isn’t it awesome that we don’t have to do this alone?

It takes a community to write and publish a book

Light coming from book in woman&#39;s hands in gesture of giving

Madeleine L'Engle was born 40 years before I came along. She wrote her first story at five years old. At five, I was still making mud pies and playing with bugs. Author of more than sixty books, L'Engle is best known for A Wrinkle in Time, which won the Newbery Medal in 1963.I'm embarrassed to admit that I didn't even read A Wrinkle in Time until I was an adult with children of my own. I must’ve grown up on Mars or the literary equivalent. Anyway, when I did read it, I was entranced.Why? Because Madeleine L'Engle blended science fiction, fantasy, and faith in a way that portrayed God as exciting. Relevant. Urgent. In A Wrinkle in Time, L’Engle made a young teen girl the main character in a story where the forces of good and evil are joined in mortal combat. And this girl, with her manifold flaws and failings, is the one who must set things right. Her choices and actions matter. SHE MATTERS! (Can you hear me shout that?)I didn’t start writing when I was five. More like thirty-five. And I didn’t start with fiction. But when I was ready to write stories, I asked God (this is true and slightly embarrassing) to help me write like Madeleine L'Engle. Because she inspires me to write stories that weave together science and fantasy and faith, to give teen characters choices and actions that matter, to portray matters of the heart and spirit as exciting, relevant, and urgent.I miss her. Don’t you? I’m thankful we still have her stories.

Do you miss Madeleine L'Engle too?

Call it a case of arrested development, but I write teen fiction because that’s what I need to read. Scratch the surface of any YA story worth its salt, and you’ve got at least one important life lesson you get to learn/relearn right along with the protagonist. We’re talking biggies, like overcoming fears, accepting reality, learning to trust others or oneself, assuming responsibility, sticking up for someone, and sorting out different kinds of love. Stuff teens have to deal with every day as part of growing up, along with studying for the math test (they’re my heroes).How do YA authors do it? I mean, the novels I’m talking about aren’t exactly self-help books. The answer: sneakily. The reader thinks they’re reading one story, but they’re actually reading two: the easy-to-see story on the surface that has the exciting plot, and the subtle one underneath where the real transformation takes place. All good YA stories involve transformation—the protagonist starts out with a want and a need (she may not know her need), and ends up transformed because her need has been met (even if her want has not). It’s that transformation that keeps me coming back for more, because it gives me hope. Hope that I can still change. Hope that the world can still change.In Call of the Desert: Crossing, Claire and her two closest friends continue the YA tradition of transformation that brings hope.

Why I’m obsessed with young adult (YA) fiction

In Call of the Desert: Crossing, twelve-year-old Claire has to muster her courage to even get close enough to meet Mrs. Green because a desert dog guards Mrs. Green’s porch (everyone knows desert dogs can be dangerous). And, of course, there’s the tendency of Mrs. Green’s villa to sometimes shimmer and turn into something else, possibly somewhere else. But Claire does get close enough, and Mrs. Green invites her in for tea and snickerdoodles.And Claire’s life changes.Because Mrs. Green’s hospitality isn’t just tea and small talk. It opens up a space where Claire feels safe enough to tell the truth. Safe enough to think about uncomfortable things. And Mrs. Green’s respectful yet matter-of-fact approach to what is clearly magical oversets Claire’s notions of what is real. And important. The encounter jumpstarts Claire’s quest to learn her true identity.Have you ever met a Mrs. Green? Someone who invited you into a space where you felt safe and not judged? Where you felt brave enough to look around inside you, because you knew that no matter what you discovered, your Mrs. Green wouldn’t flinch or turn away, but would hold you and your discovery tenderly. Where you were encouraged to find and honor the truth of who you are.I met my Mrs. Green when I was in graduate school. Unchurched, unbaptized, ignorant but hungry, I had just mustered my courage to approach an Episcopal church. And Edith Moore—my Mrs. Green—invited me in.Is there a Mrs. Green in your life? Have you ever been a Mrs. Green to someone else?