As we celebrate another year at LaurenThell.com, I feel it’s appropriate to highlight the first Christian YA short story series to appear exclusively on this site. Kane was the character who started it all, and during a time when my novels were not yet available for widespread distribution, he allowed me to tell his story in small increments.
Since my main focus as a writer is Christian books for teens, I thought it would be fun to share some inside information about the Christian teen fiction stories I’ve posted on my site over the past year, starting with my kickoff series, Seasons of Kane. Consider it a chance to peek inside an author’s mind (if you dare!).
You don’t have to have all the answers.
but, hey, why not?
Bring me your questions about faith, life, God, the Bible… and I’ll help you find the answers.
In This Article
Seasons of Kane: A Christian YA Short Story Series
I wish I could remember where the exact inspiration for this series began, but sometimes there isn’t an exact moment. An idea makes itself at home in my head and I play around with it until it becomes a story that just has to be told. I have found that the finished product is often drastically different from the original idea!
#1: A Time to Heal
“Sometimes I think seeing people miss out on a lot because they’re too busy looking at things. “
Claudia
In this story, Kane is moving on after a life-altering accident that’s left him with a glaring scar across his face. So when he meets the only person who can’t see it—a blind girl named Claudia—the situation seems ideal. Claudia befriends him unconditionally, because of her blindness.
Or so he assumes.
But the story isn’t just about Claudia’s love. This is about a young man faced with a choice of how to move forward after everything he stood for is pulled into question.
Fun Facts About A Time to Heal:
- Lake Arbutus, where Kane’s aunt and uncle live, is a real place in central Wisconsin! The water is a dark tea color, thanks to the tannins from the soils and surrounding woods, but it is actually a very popular place for water recreation.
- Think it’s a little far-fetched that blind Claudia can swim, cook, and walk dogs all by herself? Think again. You would be amazed at the multitude of stories about blind people who have adapted, at home and on the job. Some have even gone on to work high-powered careers. One remarkable blind boy compensates for the loss of his vision by using echolocation, the same technique utilized by bats. Pretty cool, huh?
#2: A Time to Live
“I did do something wrong. I lived!”
Kane
Kane is still seeking answers in Seasons of Kane #2. He struggles with something called survivor’s guilt, where a person feels guilty for surviving a life-threatening situation when others did not. As the driver that night, Kane feels responsible for what happened to his friends. And though it was deemed an accident, he begins to question whether he’s truly innocent.
Sometimes, bad things happen even after you’ve done everything right. And when they do, you start to question your faith, God’s love, even your own goodness. Kane finally seeks the truth.
Related: Dear Christian Teen, Never Be Afraid of Bad News
Fun Facts About A Time To Live:
- “Beau,” the dog that injures Claudia in the story, is an English Mastiff which is, according to the American Kennel Association, “a massive, heavy-boned dog of courage and prodigious strength” and can outweigh a full-grown man. They’re usually docile, but sometimes it’s hard for a dog to resist a deer, as was the problem for Claudia.
#3: A Time To Wait
“You think all guys are obsessed with sex and that’s all we want and we have no self-control.”
Kane
At first glance, this book might appear to be all about physical boundaries in a Christian dating relationship. That certainly plays a part. Fiction that assumes all Christians have perfect self-control and are always on the same page is very…fictional.
But a bigger issue is brought up here.
Mainstream teen fiction assumes sex is a normal and accepted part of every teen’s life, with the underlying assumption that teens—particularly guys—could never possess enough desire or self-control to practice abstinence. Christian teen fiction, on the other hand, often swings the pendulum too far the other way, where every dating relationship portrayed in a book is all about fighting urges and barely clinging to purity.
Kane challenges this with a question: Isn’t there more to dating than simply passing a test of self-control?
I answer that question in a related post: Christian Dating: More Than Just “Lead Us Not Into Temptation”? Because he’s right. When you put all the focus on what you can’t have, you miss out on the “something better” you could be enjoying.
Fun Facts About A Time To Wait:
- My favorite part to write in this story was the scene where Kane gives Claudia a gift for each of her four working senses: touch, taste, smell, hearing. Really, who wouldn’t want a boyfriend who’s that thoughtful?
- It was shockingly difficult to find things a blind person could enjoy in then Cincinnati area. So much of our amusement depends on sight! The Newport Aquarium, a real place with real hands-on exhibits, saved the day.
- Never heard of a Lladró figurine? They’re actually quite expensive, with the most valuable one costing an astonishing $64,350. (We’re talking porcelain decorations here!) The one that Kane was worried about Claudia breaking was only worth about $7,700. (Still more than I’ve ever spent on a vehicle.)
#4: A Time to Tell
“You think a bad facial scar is enough to keep women from being attracted to you, and you’re dead wrong, Kane. For some, that actually adds to the allure.”
Claudia
At the start of Book 4, Kane is nearly through his first year of tech school. But he still struggles with self-esteem, particularly where his scar is concerned.
That plays a part in this crossroads in the series, where he’s presented with an unexpected choice that could change the course of his future—and whether or not that includes Claudia.
Fun Facts About A Time To Tell:
- In an earlier version, Andi’s name was originally Kasie. I changed it because it was too similar to Kane.
- Kane’s going to school in La Crosse, Wisconsin, the home of my own alma mater. If you ever get a chance to check out this city on the upper Mississippi River, do it! It’s a gem tucked between the bluffs. And Riverside Park is a cool place, both in summer and winter. (I wouldn’t don’t hang out there at night, however.)
- The prank Kane and Andi play on her rivals is a real-life prank. Are you good with cars and wires? You can find all sorts of YouTube videos instructing you on how to pull this off. Just be ready to fix it when the joke’s over!
To be continued…?
Is Book 4 the end of Kane’s story? Certainly not. But whether or not the rest gets put in print is still a matter of personal debate. So if you’ve read the books and want more, drop me a note! Tell me what you liked, and what you’d like to see happen.
You just might influence the course of his future.
In the meantime, be sure to subscribe to my updates so you don’t miss another story—Kane’s or otherwise. And check out the behind-the-scenes insights on my other Christian books for teens.