Meet Cait, a London-based author with roots in a small town in southern Ireland celebrated for its rich storytelling and myths. Through her children’s books, Cait intricately blends captivating narratives, age-old myths, and profound biblical teachings. Her unique approach weaves positive messages into fast-paced, supernatural tales, offering young readers an enchanting journey that informs, inspires, and encourages.
1. Can you please share a bit about yourself and what inspired you to write your books.
My name is Cait and I am a London-based author of children's books that blends storytelling, myths, legends, and biblical teachings to inform, inspire, and encourage young people. My books convey positive messages in a fast-paced, supernatural style. Originally from a small town in southern Ireland known for its storytelling and myths, I draw on my background to help create engaging stories.
2. Your book(s) often incorporate biblical themes in a subtle way. How do you balance the mystery and the spiritual aspects to engage your young readers?
Well my current series Shadow Jumper, is a contemporary and thrilling time-traveling series that follows the journey of four young cousins, who up to this point had very little contact with each other mainly due to geographical location. Book One, "The Quest," sets the stage for an action-packed adventure that takes place in the future. The children find themselves in a strange land ruled by a tyrant, where children are non existent. The story follows the cousins as they have to work together to survive and find their way back home. While I try to keep the plot within biblical prophecy, I want a fresh take that will captivate readers, as they are carried on a journey that is new and unique to them. Without the faith message being too in their face. One of the biggest challenges in writing for children is keeping them engaged and interested in the story. One way to do that is by making the characters relatable to the audience. Children want to see themselves in the story, so it's important to create characters that they can identify with. This can be achieved by giving the characters traits and experiences that many children can relate to, such as what they learned in school, dealing with friendships, family home life. Then children are more likely to become invested in the story and want to join the characters on their unique quest.
Buy Now on Amazon (As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases): Shadow Jumper The Quest.
3. Many of your characters face moral dilemmas in your stories. How do you use these situations to convey important life lessons rooted in your faith?
In my story, Sinead, one of the main characters, is an orphan who is angry at God for making her one. However, her feelings are dismissed by neighbours and extended family as being a disturbed child. A view the other children have latched on to. It's not until her cousins face a similar situation that they begin to understand the pain and heartache that Sinead has been enduring for years. Throughout the story, Sinead gradually comes to terms with her loss with the help of
two witnesses, and learns that it is normal to grieve the loss of a loved one. But it is important to have faith, and know that one day we will see them again, our time on this earth is limited, but we are born to spend eternity with God.
4. What are some common biblical themes or messages that readers can find in your books and how do they impact the overall narrative?
Book One, Shadow Jumper The Quest, delves into the tribulation period on Earth. After the rapture of children and some adults, confusion and loss plague those left behind. The book introduces us to two witnesses sent by God to aid those who remain.
In Book Two, Land of the Giants, the children travel back in time to the days of the Nephelim, exploring legends and myths about giants and their link to the book of Genesis.
The third book, "The Locust King," is currently in its first draft and offers an exciting adventure set in the book of Revelation. The story follows the world's plight during a plague of man-eating locusts. Expect to encounter both old foes and new allies in this thrilling sequel.
5. Could you please share an example from one of your books where a biblical message played a significant role in the plot or character development?
Yes. I think the encounter between Sinead and Enoch as she learns that it is normal to grieve the loss of a loved one. But it is important to have faith, and know that one day we will see them again. Our time on this earth is limited, but we are born to spend eternity with God. This is another important highlight that is conveyed through the book, God wants a relationship with us. He doesn’t want to hear from us only on the good days, and when we feel "holy…. " and everything is OK, but also on the bad days, when our world is turning upside down, and we want to cry and scream. He wants to hear about those days too. Even people that have been in church all their lives can forget the simple thing that God wants from us and that is a relationship.
6. How do you approach character development in your stories, especially when it comes to the spiritual growth of your teenage protagonists?
Even though all four children are still quite young, they have already learned about church and God in a strictly religious manner, lacking proper spiritual guidance. However, through their time-jumping adventures where they encounter biblical characters, they are presented with situations that require them to trust and pray to God, something they may not have considered before. As they continue on with their adventures, they will begin to see the world and life from a different perspective, what Christians refer to as "spiritual eyes."
7. Teenagers today face wide range of challenges. How do you hope your books can offer guidance or inspiration based on Christian values?
Teenagers today live in a very lost, and scary world. They live in a world, where God and biblical teachings have been removed from school. We see young people who have never heard of the Rapture, Tribulations, or that there were once giants. Some have heard of Moses possibly through film, some may have heard of Noah’s Arc. I hope that through storytelling and our four wonderful time jumpers, we will get to share biblical messages with young people that may not hear of it otherwise.
8. Writing mysteries can be quite complex. How do you weave suspense and intriguing plots while conveying your Christian message effectively?
Yes, this does take a lot of creative energy and time. I find myself inclined towards creative flow, often referred to as a "Pantser" approach, where I allow the story to unfold naturally, leading me on a journey that spills onto the page. However, I recognize the importance of a more meticulous approach, which I refer to as the "turtle phase." During this stage, I focus on polishing and perfecting individual scenes.
Background characters can play a significant role in stirring up trouble for our main characters. The question arises: how much information should the reader have about them? Should we reveal their role early on or keep it a mystery until the story's climax? As someone who enjoys plot twists, I'm in favor of keeping the readers guessing. However, I must also keep in mind that some readers are younger. So I try to sprinkle hints throughout the story, keeping them curious without overwhelming them.
9. Are there any specific passages or stories that have influenced your writing, and can you describe how they’ve impacted your work?
My main influences include the Book of Revelation and End Times study. These have been a significant influence in my life. Witnessing biblical prophecy taking place in front of our eyes during this era is simply astonishing. I find it sad that our younger generations are missing out on this, while constantly being exposed to darkness.
10. Your books appeal to a diverse audience. How do you ensure that your Christian messages are accessible and relatable to readers from various backgrounds and belief systems?
My characters are of multicultural backgrounds. My goal is to reach as many readers as possible with the Christian message, and I hope thatbstorytelling will make it more accessible. However, I have no intention of altering biblical truth in order to accommodate other belief systems. While I use creative license in storytelling, the biblical message remains unaltered.
11. Can you share any feedback or experiences from readers who have been positively impacted by the biblical messages in your books?
Josie
"I couldn't put the book down. Really loved the storyline and how it was written in such an interesting and adventurous way for the younger audience."
Charli
"The author did well in the changing of point of view to introduce you to each character. It did not take me out of the story, nor did it slow it down. The world-building of this story was easy to get into. I wished there would have been more, but understanding the age group and length, I think there was enough. The Christian underlining in this story was a good balance. It was not too in your face, but you knew it was there and it was an interesting twinning with the fantasy aspect. I enjoyed this story. Introductions to a series are always the set-ups. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys adventure, life learning, and fantasy."
In addition to my other works, I have written a children's picture book titled "Wings for Christmas." This book is perfect for children
aged five and under, as it tells the story of the first Christmas in a fun and engaging way that is perfect for bedtime reading.
Monroe - Wings For Christmas
"A modern take on a classic story and the ending really touched me. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this to my daughter and it sparked a nice conversation about the first Christmas. Recommend!"
Buy Now: Wings for Christmas
12. What advice do you have for aspiring authors who want to incorporate their faith into their storytelling especially in the context of writing for teenagers?
There is a famous quote by Toni Morrison, Nobel prize-winning Novelist, “If there’s a book that you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.”
Writing what you know is always a good start. If you have a story burning inside you, go ahead and put it down on paper. Be prepared
for multiple rewrites, which is a normal part of the process, so don't let that discourage you. You can also find free resources on YouTube from experienced authors who are happy to share their knowledge. As far as publishing goes, the traditional route is always an option, but indie publishing is becoming increasingly popular and offers a growing market for new writers.
13. How do you see the future of your writing evolving and what can readers expect from your upcoming projects in terms of biblical messages in teenage mysteries?
In addition to my current book, Shadow Jumper The Quest, which is available worldwide, I am currently working on two upcoming books: Land of the Giants and Locust King, which is part of the Shadow Jumper series. I'm also excited to announce that I'm developing a new series for young adults, "Walker's World." A new young adult series that features a character briefly introduced in the beginning of "Shadow Jumper The Quest."
This book is available on the following platforms:
Waterstones - https://www.waterstones.com/
Rakuten Kobo - https://www.kobo.com/ww/en/ebook/shadow-jumper-1
Book Depository - https://www.bookdepository.com/Shadow-Jumper-Cait-Shea/9781786235794
Wings for Christmas (book)
Get in contact with Cait Shea:
Instagram - @sheacait2u
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