More Author Insights On My Christian YA Short Stories

You got the inside scoop about my short story series in Spotlight on Seasons of Kane. Welcome to Part 2, where I share inside information on my stand-alone Christian YA short stories! Dive into fun facts, behind-the-scenes intelligence, and author insights that will enhance your reading experience.

(Psst! Did you know you can get a free short story ebook when you subscribe to my weekly updates? Don’t miss out!)

Stand-Alone Christian YA Short Stories By Lauren Thell

One White Dark Night

Little does she know the desperation he hides beneath his alarming exterior.

Have you ever gotten a nudge from God that you should do something or say something to someone? They usually don’t come when you expect it, as happens with Raine.

Fun Facts About One White Dark Night:

• Though it doesn’t say so, this story is set in Minnesota, where winter seems to go on for-ev-er. Alexandria is in west-central MN, about 60 miles from the border of the Dakotas.
• Raine’s character was based on a real girl I read about years ago who was born without thumbs and learned to adapt. Imagine holding a water glass or using scissors without thumbs. She could do it all!

The Green Grass Grows Again

Mia is a Christian whose social standing is overturned by an innocent mistake made all too frequently by modern-day teen girls, with both legal and psychological consequences. And after a month of exile, she’s itching to move on. So when she finds herself attracted to the socially-awkward boy next door, is it because she’s desperate…or because she never really looked at Jayden before?

If you’ve ever suffered the consequences of a simple decision gone wrong, you’ll understand Mia’s predicament. And if you have a thing for cute nerds, you’ll want to see how Jayden’s role plays out in the story.

Fun Facts About The Green Grass Grows Again:

• Like Seasons of Kane #4, this book is set in my college town of La Crosse, WI. The Pearl is a real old-fashioned ice cream shop—a must-visit if you’re ever in the area. I highly recommend the marshmallow sundae!
• Ever paused to consider how those tall buildings with all the windows stay clean? There are actual people whose job it is to climb buildings and wash windows. Jayden is a window washer. This idea was inspired by the window washers I saw in La Crosse. 
• The title, The Green Grass Grows Again, comes from what happens after a field of dry, scrubby brush is burned off. Come back days later and see the beautiful green grass that has filled in. God does this to our souls as well.
• Isaiah 43:4 (Jayden’s tattoo) is one of my favorite Bible verses because it is the one place in the Bible where God actually says the words “I love you.” 

Gwendolyn Grace And All The Other Chicks

But that doesn’t mean they don’t have a story to tell.

As a rule, an author should know something about what she’s writing about. (Though I’ve become a pseudo-expert in a lot of things since I started writing.) Which is why chicks—not horses—played a big role. I grew up raising chickens, and my family has them again now. We raise our chickens from the chick stage, and they’re adorable when they’re little!

But the story isn’t just about chickens and people who stray from conventional appearances. This is a story about working through grief.

Fun Facts About Gwendolyn Grace And All the Other Chicks: 

• When Beatrice says, “Chickens have a fetish for shiny things,” this is absolutely true in real life. One of my neighbors had a chicken pluck an earring right out of her ear. I, personally, don’t dare walk amongst my chickens in sandals with painted toenails.
• When the power goes out during a winter storm on the farm (as happens in the story), it truly is a game against time. Water pipes can freeze, animals still need to be fed, and life still has to carry on. My husband still remembers milking their whole herd of cows by hand with his dad and brother when a storm knocked out the power for three days. If you’ve never done that before, it’s a lot harder than most children’s books make it seem!

You + Me = Forever

A question I’ve pondered for the past few years: What makes Christian fiction “Christian”? Is the mention of Jesus in a favorable light, or the presence of characters who pray, go to church, and strive to follow Biblical teachings? There seems to be an ongoing debate between authors and readers alike. Most mainstream fiction neatly avoids matters of faith (or ridicules it), but I’ve also noticed the flip side of the coin, where Christians criticize YA Christian fiction that isn’t Christian enough. 

My goal for fiction writing is not to preach, but to show Christians in action and how they handle adversity, peril, fear, frustration, etc. Val and Zach’s story is a romance more than it is “religious,” but everything they do is influenced by Christ’s love for them and the Biblical values they have been taught.

I hope that will always be evident in my fiction writing.

Fun Facts About You + Me = Forever:

• Horses + Me = Disaster! I am more like Val in this story: I enjoy horses and ponies from a distance. In fact, one of my most vivid memories of riding a pony is actually evidence of God’s active intervention in my life. I was just a kid when the pony I was riding decided to take off at a sprint across the field, against my will. I screamed, I tried to get it to stop, I finally jumped. Then my foot got caught in the stirrup. This is where the story should have turned gruesome. Imagine being dragged over rocks, trapped under the hooves of a galloping pony, unable to free yourself… But the pony stopped. God must have pulled the reins. Needless to say, I don’t ride horses much anymore.
• I have an aunt, however, who loves horses and is very good with them. Her name also happens to be Val (a coincidence or a subconscious choice, I’m not sure). Zach’s horse “Nicker” got his name from one of Aunt Val’s horses.

The Day Hanna Hosanna Helped Cootie Judy

Have you ever met someone who makes you uncomfortable for reasons you can’t describe? Not necessarily because he’s a creep but because he’s so…different. That’s who Jude is for Hanna, the boy who smells weird, talks funny, and walks with his head down and his hair in his eyes.

But there’s more to this story than simply deciding whether or not to defend an underdog from bullies. Because there’s more to Jude than Hanna ever knew.

Fun Facts About The Day Hanna Hosanna Helped Cootie Judy:

• Hanna is an artist who’s enamored with “word art”—pictures made of words. This is an actual thing, and so cool when done well. For more on this and the inspiration for Hanna’s talent, see my post Word Art in “The Day Hanna Hosanna Helped Cootie Judy”.
• The opening bullying scene was taken right out of an experience I witnessed in high school. If you’re dealing with bullies, please read How to Deal With Bullying: 4 Tips For Teens.

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More Resources for Christian YA Fiction Lovers

If you’re a lover of Christian books for teens, make your search for good books a little easier by signing up for my updates. Not only will you know when more of my books become available, but you’ll also get my monthly reading recommendations.

Other helpful content:

• Resources For Christian Teens Navigating the Mainstream YA Fiction Market
• 6 Red Flags to Watch For In YA Christian Fiction
• Standout Characters In YA Novels: A Few of Lauren’s Favorites

Happy reading!