Filling the Gap
Have I told you all that our oldest daughter Grace has written and published her first novel? We are all really excited about it, so I asked her to tell you a little about it. If you want to know more you can find her at her blog, J Grace Pennington.
In my “Firmament” series, each book has a specific purpose. Showing the importance of responsibility or trust, or explaining the significance of being made in the image of God, or demonstrating the foolishness of allowing the end to justify the means. But there’s also a single, specific purpose behind the series as a whole.
Perhaps you’ve noticed something about the young-adult fiction market: it’s sadly lacking in books that are both clean and well-written.
That’s the purpose behind the series. I want to help fill the gap in young-adult fiction between the well-crafted, demonic, sensual, graphic stories, and the sloppy, boring, squeaky clean ones. Within this gap, stories exist but are so few and far between that the gap echoes when you stand inside it and cry for good books.
A few days ago, I nervously but excitedly placed the first “Firmament”novel in the gap. It’s not enough to even begin to fill the gap, nor are the seventeen other books in the series that shall henceforth follow it. It’s not perfect, but it’s clean, and if my test readers are any indication, it’s not badly written for a first novel, by the grace of God alone. And it is my prayer that it can be a very small step towards filling the gap.
I don’t just want it to be full, either. I want it to overflow, for there to be such a surplus of good, fun, clean books that you are overwhelmed by the choices. That you can’t decide whether to spend your money on my novel or on Aubrey Hansen’s or on one of the other up and coming authors who I just know you’ll be hearing about soon.
“Firmament: Radialloy” may have some mistakes, but you won’t find any witchcraft, sensuous teenage romances, graphic violence, extreme darkness, rebellious children, or foul language in its pages. And that is a rarity I wish didn’t exist in today’s literature. I want that state of things to end.
Will you stand in the gap with me?
You can order Grace’s book through the Amazon link below or get a signed copy through her blog.
I am so glad you posted this! I bought the kindle version the day that Lisa posted it on her FB page, read it immediately, LOVED it, enjoyed it thoroughly, and meant to go write a review on Amazon but forgot. I will do that now!
I’m a bit older than your target audience, but I definitely think it does exactly what you intended it to, Grace. It slides right into that gap and I’m thrilled to know you plan 17 future installments! I also loved that, though the main character is female, it’s a story with strong “supporting characters” and a story that will appeal to both male & female readers; that’s another gap, so many young adult books seem to be one or the other, with not enough cross appeal.
I’m happy to have discovered a novel (and series! Yay!) that I can pass to my boys and know they’re reading something that is both entertaining and worth their time to read. Keep up the good work!
I applaud you for taking the step to stand in the gap, my dear Gracie. 😀 I look forward to reading your book, and I can’t wait for the day that I too can stand with you in that gap. 🙂
I just bought it through your website! I read the prologue and I am intrigued! I know my kids will be too!
Thanks for standing in the gap Grace! We’ll stand with you!
i will surely be sharing this with my girls (15, 12). they are avid readers, and have pretty much exhausted what they claim is ‘readable’ at our library.
*my oldest volunteers at the library, and cannot even take part in their teen book discussion this summer because the gap is so big. “annie dressed in blood” ??? uh … no, thank you.
how proud you all must be. thank you, Grace for being brave!
*blushes and grins at the mention* Love you, Gracie! 😀
As you know, this is one of my main purposes for writing also. I admire you deeply for this and am very happy to be beside you in this journey. I’ve gotten many hours of enjoyment out of Radialloy and will get many more out of your future books! Let’s go! 😀
I’m looking forward to seventeen more books. 😉
*enjoyed reading this* I am so glad that you are helping fill in the gap, Grace. Maybe someday, I can do my part. 🙂
Congrats Grace!! I think it’s just wonderful that you’re not just finding an area in our culture that has a gap, but you’re taking action and filling it in! Great job! 🙂
Good for you Grace! I’m so happy to see Christian young people doing things like this for God’s glory. I hope you have great success and many more God honoring books in the future.
So great! One of my coworkers is also in the gap – she published her first novel Why I Must Lie.
I read Aubrey’s book a few months ago on your recommendation and will be reading this one next! Thanks for bridging the gap. 🙂