On today’s episode of Disney heroines that hold up surprisingly well . . .

Alright, I don’t actually know if I’ll turn this into a series or not. You’ll have to let me know in the comments below whether you think it would be worth my while.

But for now enjoy my assorted thoughts gathered from watching a Disney classic with my siblings.

Classic Disney movies get a lot of flack. And sometimes it’s deserved. Outdated and hurtful cultural representation can pop up out of nowhere. Heroines are subjected to sexist interpretations. And I still want to shake some sense into Ariel’s head. Classic stories can at times be a land mine.

But sometimes, classic films surprise me. Sometimes they seem to know how to craft characters and stories better than we do today, or at the very least, in a different way than we use now.

We live in a different time, and therefore the tools at our disposal and the effect they have are different. But we can still learn a lot from the classics, both things we shouldn’t do and things we should start again.

And I found some in the 1953 Disney classic Peter Pan, of all places.

Before we get started, we need to address that elephant in the room. Or crocodile. Or however you wish to refer to it.

Remember what I said about outdated and hurtful cultural representation? I don’t feel that I can write about this film without acknowledging that this film uses racist caricatures against Native Americans. Despite all her other wins, Wendy and the other characters in the film reinforce these stereotypes. In no way, shape, or form do I condone the caricatures and stereotypes in this film. They were wrong then and they’re wrong now. This is one of those cases where we can learn from what they did wrong, so we can avoid those mistakes in our own writing and real-life interactions.

Now let’s get started. Because this is an article about a Disney heroine that held up surprisingly well in the decades between then and now.

And I’m talking about none other than Wendy herself.

If I’m truthful, Wendy always irked me just a little bit when I was younger. Peter and the other boys got to have sword fights and outsmart pirates and Wendy got to sit there on the rock and watch. It seemed like she was pushed aside and forced to look on while the boys got to have the real fun.

And yes, a Wendy sword fight would have been epic.

But on my most recent watch through, I realized that Wendy is an especially strong heroine, and in many ways counter cultural to the era that she was created in. She might have a few things to say about our own heroines as well. 

The Real Leader of the Lost Boys

If I asked you who the leader and protector of the Lost Boys was, most of us would answer Peter. And the movie likes to pretend it agrees.

But there’s only one person that can get the boys in line with only a few words.

And it’s not Peter. It’s Wendy.

From the very start, Wendy is the leader and protector of her brothers. She sticks up for them against their easily angered father, even when gets her banished from the nursery.

Her leadership and protection extends to the Lost Boys. She reminds the boys of who they really are and what they really want. With only a few words, she reminds them that they really do want to go home. When pirates capture them all, the boys would have caved immediately had she not been there. Wendy rallies them against the pirates and encourages them to stand strong in their beliefs, even when it looks hopeless.

So from the start to the end, Wendy plays a traditionally masculine role in the story, even though it’s never stated outright.

And yet she does it all without becoming controlling, or quite frankly, ending up like Peter himself. Peter has to rule through control and putting others down, while Wendy’s kindness makes her strong.

Wendy is the only person who can see through Peter’s bravado and call him out on it. She is the only person who disagrees with him and questions him. And when it comes down to it, she’s the one who’s willing to outright defy him and leave.

And this movie was made in the 50s! Fifties-era girls rarely got to be the leaders or protectors of anything. Which makes Wendy even more astounding.

Your Mother and Mine

When Disney remade Peter Pan in 2023, I stumbled upon an ill-fated review of the film. The reviewer criticized the fact that Wendy took a more pivotal role and joined in on the fights alongside the boys. “It takes away the core of her personality, her very femininity!” they bemoaned. “Wendy was and always will be a mother.”

I have to wonder if they watched the same Wendy that I did.

(To be fair, I wasn’t a huge fan of the remake either, but that wasn’t the reason why.)

Peter Pan—both the movie and the character—seems determined to push Wendy into the mother role. The only reason Wendy gets to go to Neverland at all—even though she’s the one who believes in it the most—is because Peter thinks she might take care of them.

But Wendy quietly pushes back against this, too.

During the extremely cringeworthy scene in the natives’ camp, Wendy is told that she cannot join the celebration with the boys. She’s told that her job is to gather firewood and clean up after everyone else. And what’s her response? To quietly fall in line?

Nope. She straight up just goes home.

But even as she quietly insists she’s worth more than cleaning up after the boys, she also recognizes and celebrates the immense value of motherhood.

Even as she recognizes that she has worth beyond cleaning up after the boys, she also recognizes the immense value of motherhood. It shapes a pivotal moment in the film and in the Lost Boys’ lives. (Mary Darling deserves her own mention here too as a rare and fantastic example of a Disney mom.)

Wendy can say that she’s not the Lost Boys’ mother even as she celebrates mothers. She doesn’t have to tear down one to lift the other up. That dynamic is becoming a rare and beautiful art.

Wendy recognizes that she has worth beyond what she can do for the Lost Boys.

Wendy’s Wonder                
              
And yet she remains one of the most idealistic characters in the film.

That’s the best thing about her. She doesn’t have to lose any of her softness to be strong. She doesn’t have to lose her wonder to be a leader, or her kindness to be a protector.

Rather, those things are her strengths. Her softness, wonder, and kindness enable her to challenge the norm, to take on that role of leader, and to recognize her own worth.

In the end, Wendy’s sense of wonder saves them all, her stubborn belief that Peter Pan is real and that he will come to save them. She might not pick up a sword and beat off an approaching pirate (although I fully believe she would have thrown hands with a mermaid), but she rallies all the boys to keep believing.

Her wonder is what earns her a spot on Disney heroines who hold up surprisingly well.

So what do you think? Is this worth a series? Who’s your favorite Disney heroine, or any heroine you’d like to see me cover? Let me know in the comments below! 

Hi, I’m Rachel! I write young adult/new adult fantasy novels that walk the line between the darker elements of fantasy and the weirder elements of cartoons. But more importantly, I write the novels I needed growing up—the novels I still need. Novels for the weird little girls and the women they’re becoming.

Maybe you need those stories, too? You can get one for free by signing up for my email newsletter via the “HOME” page of my website. It might involve a girl and the magical violin she didn’t want and maybe a metaphor about grief. Plus, you’ll also get email-exclusive updates about what I’m reading, watching, and writing. Sound good? I hope I’ll see you there! 

Have you watched Black Widow?

My sister and I rewatched it for the second time recently. I still had to look away during the opening credits sequence. We laughed over the jokes we’d forgotten and gasped over moments that caught us off guard.

What surprised me most was how this is a perfect “girl power” story done right.

In a twist that shocks no one, I very much support girl power stories. Some Christian artists tear down any example of “woke feminism,” the mystic and buzzy words that spell doom for most heroines.

Here’s the thing though. As I grew up, and especially during my teen years, I couldn’t relate to the heroines I saw and read. No matter how demure I was forced to look on the outside, inside I never felt like I fit common feminine stereotypes.

So as I made more viewing and reading choices for myself, I craved those heroines who were different. I sought out strong heroines, women who challenged injustice and abuse, women who did the things everyone said girls couldn’t do.

And I found Natasha and Yelena.

Marvel certainly hasn’t always hit the mark with their heroines. Heck, it took them over a decade to get Black Widow herself right. (I refuse to discuss the travesty that is her representation in Iron Man 2.) But they did finally get there. And we're going to explore how--as well as how it works for your own leading ladies. 

No One Gets Pushed Aside

If you’re like me, you might have come here to create a strong female character that isn’t “aggressive” or “abrasive” to your audience.

And we’ll get there. But I also want to challenge that idea. 

With women-led stories, when commentators call them aggressive and abrasive, it’s often code for something else. Aggressive means it steps a little too close to my own pet prejudices, challenging me in uncomfortable ways. Abrasive means that the heroine is too loud, too strong, too something or another, and she makes us feel threatened.

Stories like Black Widow should make me uncomfortable. It’s hard to not cover my eyes when girls are dragged screaming away from the only family they know, and said family watches them go. And I need that discomfort.

Aggressive and abrasive can also mean something else, though, and we’ve all read a girl power story like this. Where the heroine tears down everyone around her, regardless of gender, so she can lift herself to the heights she needs.

Black Widow deals very up close and personally with some very evil men. And yet, never once did they tear down a man to lift their woman up.

I hear you. “But Alexei—” you say.

And it’s true. The characters—and us, the audience—mercilessly mock Alexei. But we don’t mock him because “he’s a man and all men are dumb and stupid.”

No, we mock him because he’s Alexei. He could have been a woman and we would have laughed the same way. His character traits and the things we may or may not mock him for are not tied to his gender. And in the end, he has the chance to choose something more heroic, just like our heroines do, whether or not he ultimately takes it.

There aren’t very many men in Black Widow, but there’s at least one good dude, even if it’s just the guy who gives Natasha a safe house, or references to how Clint Barton has helped her. Which is so important especially when dealing with heavy subject matter like this film does, where the men would and could be villains.

But in making sure the heroines don’t put anyone down, the film also doesn’t allow anyone to put down the heroines. No other character, regardless of who they are, eclipses Natasha and Yelena. The women take center stage here. But they didn’t push anyone out of the way to get there.

Because they didn’t have to push anyone down to get where they are, Natasha and Yelena are actually stronger. They don’t steal their strength from someone else, male or female. And because of that, their inherent strength is more, because they have enough to stand on their own.  

The Female Gaze (alternatively titled The Importance of Pockets)

Just because they included good guys doesn’t mean they downplayed evil and injustice. Dreykov still exists. There’s a reason I cry during the opening sequence. It is brutal and it is heart-wrenching and it captures feelings that touch every woman on this planet in a way.

On the flipside, the film also includes the unique joys that women experience—whether that’s sisterhood or the value of an outfit with lots of pockets. (If you know you know, and you’re probably a woman.)

I should also note that none of their struggles centered around romance. That’s not to say that it wasn’t represented—Melina had whatever she had with Alexei.

But neither Yelena or Natasha can have children, but they don’t treat themselves like they’re broken. Neither Yelena or Natasha are at all interested in romance right now, and they don’t act like they’re incomplete. (Unlike some other Marvel projects I could name . . . cough, cough, Age of Ultron.)

In a culture that, for all the empowering messages it claims, also tells women that they only matter if they’re attached to someone, it’s refreshing to see a film that neither slanders marriage and family but also recognizes that marriage and family is not a woman’s purpose.

If you have a minute to kill (and I’m guessing you do if you’re reading this), here’s a interesting exercise I stumbled upon in the depths of Google one day. Someone placed the Black Widow Avengers poster beside the Black Widow poster for her titular movie. I won’t even say anything, just take a look at them and guess which film was directed by a woman.

Everything from her costume color to her hairstyle to the angle she faces the camera is affected by a women’s viewpoint.

And if you’re a dude and you’re despairing and thinking this counts you out, let me point out that a man wrote the Black Widow screenplay. Learning these angles and ideas is for everyone, not just women.

This Princess Saves Herself

Hear me on this: There’s nothing wrong with a man saving a woman.

But the vast majority of women have had to save themselves. They have had to fight and kick and claw and scream their way out. So stories where a man saves the woman from all her troubles can feel trite and insulting.

This movie allows for that. Natasha, Yelena, and Melina sever their own nerve so to speak to escape Dreykov and rescue the women around them. 

And yet not every woman is an untouchable savior. Melina allowed Yelena and Natasha to be trafficked and even assisted their trafficker. Natasha attempted to kill Dreykov’s daughter to complete a mission. Yelena . . . okay, Yelena is actually fine for now, although she gets into sketchy stuff later in the MCU.

The heroines are allowed to be messy and imperfect and sometimes deeply wrong.

This is why it was so important that Taskmaster was a woman. Her struggle, Natasha’s struggle, and the ways they mirror each other even as they’re hurting each other has a very raw power. We all support women helping women, but women also sometimes hurt women. Watching Natasha make that right, however imperfectly, means something, much more than if Taskmaster was just another male villain.

When all is said and all is done, the movie is allowed to be a story about women and the myriad of relationships between them. But notice that this movie never says “this is a story about women.” There’s no impassioned go-girls speech. Instead, the filmmakers simply let their heroines take the lead and followed them into all the messy, confusing places of being a girl in this world.

There’s not only something beautiful about that, there’s something powerful. 
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If you’ve followed my emails this year, you know that my writing hasn’t gone quite the way I had hoped.

I had planned that I would complete my first fantasy novel this year, and it would be THE ONE. (Whatever that means.)
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I didn’t expect perfection, or at least that’s what I told myself. But I did expect smooth sailing. After all, I’d drafted six publishable novels before this. I would pitch THE ONE, and, if I acknowledged my wildest dreams, I’d publish THE ONE.

None of that happened. THE ONE joined the sad collection of brilliant concepts that I gave up halfway through. Something was off and I couldn’t put my finger on what.

Not even five years ago, I was finishing novels left and right. I still looked back on those stories and characters and loved the work I did.

Now, even when I did struggle through a story and reach the end, I didn’t even like it all that much. I could see the glimmer of something good deep inside them, but they fell far short of all I dreamed they would be. I’d lost that connection that I once had.

And now I couldn’t even finish a story.

I felt like I’d lost the ability to write. No. Worse than that. I felt like I’d lost my creativity, my ability to create a story and a world and characters.

I couldn’t remember a time when I couldn’t write. I’d always had that ability. Stories had always been there. I’d always been writing one story or another. And now when people asked about my writing, I had nothing to show for my hours and hours of work.

I felt like I was letting someone down somewhere.

I was letting myself down.

I know I’ve said a lot about myself, but maybe you can relate, too. Something you could do once is gone, and it feels like it’s taken a part of you with it.

Lots of factors can cause this, some of them serious. So I’m not at all saying  this discussion will cure it all. There are things that are bigger than what we can handle alone.

So I asked my writing mentors and instructors how they handled it. Was this even a normal feeling? Turns out it was. And each instructor, without fail, said I needed to step back.

That was the last thing I wanted. I wanted to push forward! I wanted to accomplish things! I wanted to impress all those people who were waiting on me to do something spectacular! I watched so many good opportunities slide past. I felt like I was missing out and left behind.

But the advice didn’t change—take a step back. Reconnect with what I love. Why did I love those early stories I wrote? Why did I love writing? What would keep me going when it wasn’t fun or easy anymore?

So reluctantly, I cleared all the big writing projects I’d hoped to complete this summer. I decided to use these months to write whatever interested me at the time.

I can’t speak to the long term effects of this approach. But I can say that I have had a lot more fun with my writing sessions, the way I used to.

But I want to focus on something else for a moment.

When I was most discouraged, I thought I would never complete another story I loved ever again. (My brain is quite the drama queen.) My brain confused the fact that I couldn’t write right now with the idea that I never would again.

But like I said, I’d always been able to write. It wasn’t that I couldn’t do it yet. I already had. So didn’t I need to just push through and do it? To quit being lazy?

Enter Pilates.

Since I’ve had more time during the summer, I’ve been working out more. And nowhere was this “not yet” concept illustrated more clearly than during Pilates.

Of course I had a rough first couple days. But I slowly built more muscle and stamina, until I could hold the stretches as long as the instructor.

Which made me even more frustrated when I couldn’t. I mean, this was ridiculous! I could hold a perfect bridge yesterday. Why not today?

There were lots of reasons why. Maybe I hadn’t slept well. Maybe I’d been more active than usual the day before. Maybe I was sick. Maybe there was no reason! (That was the one that infuriated me the most.)

Pilates stresses listening to your body. Not in a creepy “I can heal myself with my mind” way—paying attention to which muscles hurt, which areas feel good, where I’m struggling, where I’m getting stronger. I’ve learned to notice where I can challenge myself and where I need rest so I don’t hurt myself. Crazy thing—God designed our bodies like that.

When I write, I can listen to my brain and to my heart. What can I do today? Where can I stretch? Where do I need rest?

So I did what I could do that day. And sometimes the next day I still struggled. But sometimes the next day I could do it again.

And during a Pilates class, I finally realized. Writing might be hard now. But that didn’t mean I couldn’t write at all. I could do what I was able to right then.

And just because it’s hard right now doesn’t mean that I’ll never create a story again. It means I can’t right now, and I need to rest and slowly build those muscles again.

I wasn’t a Pilates failure because I couldn’t hold one particular stretch. I could do an easier stretch instead. I could take a break. It didn’t matter. I was working out, I was getting stronger, and I was having fun.

So I couldn’t draft a full length novel right now. But I could write a short story. I could play around with new ideas. I could revisit old characters. It didn’t matter. I was writing, I was being creative, and I was having fun.

Just because I can’t do it today doesn’t mean I never will. Just because I could do it yesterday doesn’t mean I have to do it today.

I don’t know what your thing is—whether art or exercise or work or something completely different. But what has been true for me these past months is true for you, too. Just because you can’t do it today doesn’t mean you never will. Rest if you need rest, and reconnect with why you love whatever it is.

It will come back when you’re ready. Challenge yourself a little bit at a time. You’ll get there soon enough. 

Hi, I’m Rachel! I write young adult/new adult fantasy novels that walk the line between the darker elements of fantasy and the weirder elements of cartoons. But more importantly, I write the novels I needed growing up—the novels I still need. Novels for the weird little girls and the women they’re becoming.

Maybe you need those stories, too? You can get one for free by signing up for my email newsletter via the “HOME” page of my website. It might involve a girl and the magical violin she didn’t want, plus maybe a metaphor about grief? Plus, you’ll also get email-exclusive updates about what I’m reading, watching, and writing. Sound good? I hope I’ll see you there! ​

​I know, I know. We’re almost halfway through 2025 and I’m doing this now? But you know what, life happens, so here I am. Anyway, here are my most anticipated 2025 reads, which ones I’ve read, and how they’ve measured up. They’re in no particular order, just so you know. I’ve also included content warnings.

Ambessa: Chosen of the Wolf by C. L. Clark
(Fantasy) (READ)
(Please note: this book deals with sensitive topics/content including harsh language, gore, and implied sexual content. Some readers may also want to be aware of LGBTQIA+ characters.)

It is absolutely no secret that I love the TV show Arcane: League of Legends. So I freaked out a little when they announced a spin-off novel. While this one is best enjoyed by Arcane and League of Legends super-fans, I found it very true to the TV show, especially the characters and the brutal moral dilemmas they faced. (Five stars.)

The Codebreaker’s Daughter by Amy Lynn Green
(Christian adult historical)

Amy Lynn Green never misses. I’m fascinated with codebreaker stories, and it looks like the mother/daughter conflict and relationship will play a huge role in this one, which I’m definitely here for. My copy actually just came in, and I can’t wait to get started!

Glass Across the Sea by Sara Ella
(YA fantasy)

Sara Ella’s books just get better and better the more she writes, and I can’t wait for her unique twists on the Cinderella fairy tale in this novel. It looks like it will tie in with the original Perrault fairy tale and I’m super excited.

The Ivory City by Emily Bain Murphy
(Adult historical mystery)
(Please note: The content in this author’s books varies, so I can’t speak yet to this title’s content.)

I’ve read most of Emily Bain Murphy’s books, and I’ll be honest, some have been hits for me and others not so much. But I’m still excited to see what she does with an adult historical mystery, especially one with such an intriguing setting.

A Language of Dragons by S. F. Williamson
(Historical fantasy)

This one might turn out really good or really not, I’m just not sure yet. But it’s Bletchley Park and dragons—an absolutely killer concept. Because I haven’t read any of this author’s stories before and found this through the Goodreads blurb, I can’t speak to any content it may or may not have, so use discretion.

A Lethal Engagement by A. J. Skelley
(Historical mystery)

Man, this year has been all about the clever fantasy and the historical mysteries. But on the historical mystery side of things, this one really sticks out. It seems to have a bevy of interesting elements that you don’t always see in historicals and I’m interested to see how it all plays out, especially since this is my first A. J. Skelley book.

The Secret Investigator of Astor Street by Stephanie Morrill
(YA historical mystery)

The Lost Girl of Astor Street is getting a sequel after all these years? Yes, please! I remember Piper Sail as a wonderfully sensible main character and detective, and I’m looking forward to revisiting her and Astor Street.

Sons of Day and Night by Mariposa Aristeo
(Christian YA fantasy)

I have been following Mariposa Aristeo ever since she put out a series of Disney themed bookstagram reels (seriously, those reels won the internet for a good long while for me). It’s been so neat to follow her writing journey since then, so I was ecstatic when she announced she had a book deal. On top of that, the story for this one sounds so unique and fantastic, and I have a feeling she’ll take it in some unexpected directions.
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Star Wars: Sanctuary by Lamar Giles
(Sci-Fi)

Guys, we’re getting a Bad Batch novel! Bad Batch is one of my favorite Star Wars projects and I’m hopeful for where we see the characters end up in this book. (Don’t do them dirty. Please.)

A Study of Shattered Spells by Josiah DeGraaf
(Christian adult fantasy)

This one is probably my most anticipated book this year. I love all the dark academia vibes, and, as someone who works at an elementary school, I love the idea of a magic school from the teacher’s perspective. I also love that it looks like an excellently written Christian book that handles harder topics well. Plus, it’s a Christian fantasy for an adult audience, which is not very plentiful right now. It’s had a very successful Kickstarter run so far, and I can’t wait to receive the book this fall.

Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins
(YA dystopian) (READ)
(Please note: this book deals with sensitive topics/content including gore, some language, and overall intensity. Some readers may want to be aware of LGBTQIA+ characters.)

This one blew me away, guys, and not just because it’s Hunger Games. Some call this the most brutal Hunger Games installment yet, and I do have to agree with that. And yet it tells such a crucial piece of the story that it changed how I saw all the other Games. It also carries with it some very deep and important themes. Oh yeah, and it also destroyed me. (Five stars.) (Let me know in the comments if you’d want a blog post about my Hunger Games reread!)

Wings of Starlight by Allison Saft
(YA fantasy) (READ)
(Please note: some readers may want to be aware of LGBTQIA+ characters.)

Yes, I was a hardcore Disney Fairies kid. So yes, I didn’t even really read the blurb, I just clicked the want to read Goodreads button. I read it last month, and while it’s definitely not the best book I’ll ever read, it did make my inner fairy-loving seven-year-old very happy. And that’s worth something, I think. (Three stars.)

What books have you been looking forward to this year? Have you read any of these? What did you think of them? Let me know in the comments below! (And also let me know if you want that Hunger Games blog post!) 

Who’s up for another hyperfixation time?
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I warned you about this article. An article detailing all the reasons that I love the Six of Crows duology by Leigh Bardugo. Friends recommended these books over and over, and every time they did, I’d add it to my TBR list, certain I’d get around to it at some point. (Famous last words.)

Except this time, I did get around to it. And this book blew me away.  I speed-ordered the sequel and found myself just as engaged. These books quickly worked their way into my favorites of all time.

So I did what I love to do with all my favorite stories and tried to figure out why it drew me in. I’ve learned a lot about telling stories and my own writing this way.

Six of Crows was no exception. And I realized that Six of Crows also showed me what stories I want to tell.

Note: Six of Crows deals with some mature/sensitive topics that some readers may find triggering. Use discretion if you search it yourself.
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​I always said I wouldn’t write a fantasy novel.

I didn’t have the head for it, or so I thought. I couldn’t develop a whole new world and all the rules and laws that came with that—my imagination didn’t stretch that far.

I never got into the medieval scene, and that meant I didn’t read much fantasy either. But you know what I did read? Historical fiction.

So I wrote historical fiction. It still let me escape into another time, another world. I thought that settled it.

Until I read fantasy.

I’ve experienced a “reading awakening” over the past few years. And somewhere—not sure when or how—I caught myself reading more fantasy than historical fiction.

Turns out it wasn’t that I didn’t like fantasy. I just didn’t like 2000s-era Christian allegorical fantasy. Not that there’s anything wrong with them—I look at some series in that subgenre and wish I could have gotten into them. But I could only take so many medieval Narnia rip-offs.

As I got older, not only could I choose what I read, but the fantasy market widened, like, a lot. Christian and general markets both made room for more subgenres, not to mention they had more books to choose from in the first place.

Goodbye, medieval Narnia rip-offs!

So I read fantasy and wrote historical fiction. Because I still didn’t believe I had the head for it.

Two things happened that slowly changed my mind. Well, really three. But I’m getting ahead of myself.

First, the more time I spent in historical fiction circles, the more I realized how much they really truly loved research. Which blew my mind a little. I thought research was the monster we all pretended to put up with until we found those couple things that made your brain light up.

That’s how I did it. Get the couple shiny ideas I wanted, research like a mad person for a day or two, and write a book. But when it came to the nitty-gritty of historical accuracy (what were they wearing then? What were they eating? What did houses look like?), I didn’t care nearly as much. Other than the few elements that interested me, it was hard to drag myself to research.

More or less, I used my historical setting like one would use a fantasy world.

Not a great system. Would not recommend. It only dragged me down when all those nitty-gritty things I skipped came back to haunt me during editing.

Second, I came across two stories that redefined how I wanted to write.

But I should go back a bit, let’s say 2019-2021, when I read the books Fawkes by Nadine Brandes and Shadow by Kara Swanson. Both made me turn the final page and say, “I want to write like that.” Both ironically were fantasy novels, despite my historical era, so I really should have seen this development coming.

Well, last year, it happened again, for the first time in a long while.

First, I came across the TV series Arcane: League of Legends. I promise I’ll spare you the PowerPoint presentation. (Besides, I already wrote a blog post about how much I love it, so if you want to know, you can check it out HERE.)

Then I took everyone’s recommendations at long last and read the Six of Crows duology by Leigh Bardugo (which will get its own blog post soon).

I could say so much about these two stories, but suffice to say, they both had such unique fantasy worlds, unlike anything else I had ever seen. They dealt with deep questions and themes, came with relatable characters, and told a beautiful, albeit dark at times, story.

I often get a “hangover” after consuming good media where my own fear bombards me that I’ll never be able to write something like that. But these two projects didn’t make me feel that way. I finished them, and I knew somewhere deep inside myself that I wanted to write stories like this. I knew I was meant to write these stories right now.

And third, around that time, I joined a writing group. That’s right, a real, in-person writing group. And everyone in that group wrote fantasy or speculative fiction of some flavor. I think that was my first acknowledgement of this new thing, the first time I decided that I wanted to try it, even if I didn’t quite realize it yet. I entered fantasy writing contests and registered to attend a fantasy writers conference/fan convention this summer.

And then I did it. I needed a new novel to pitch. So I sat down with a historical concept, that no matter how much I loved it, wouldn’t quite click.

Turns out it made the perfect plot for my fantasy world.

I planned to try a few chapters, see how I felt about it. I expected that it would be too hard and I’d scuttle back to historical fiction and pretend this never happened.

That concept unlocked something. I wrote the first quarter of the novel in sixteen days—the fastest I’ve written anything since I don’t know when. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still a mess, but I can look underneath it and see a solid story, not all the work needed to make it somewhat presentable.

And most importantly, I had fun with it again. I recovered the ability to play around with my first drafts, to write things just because it sounded fun, to try wild outlandish things that sometimes work.

It scares me. After all, I did all this work as a historical author. What would it mean to switch genres now? But I think I’ve weathered it like so many other things in my writing life. I went with the flow and saw where it went.

So what now? Am I done with historical fiction forever? I doubt it. I’ll always leave that door open. There’s too many fascinating things in history for me to ignore. Maybe this phase is what I need right now, maybe I don’t have the mental bandwidth for research and such right now.

But I can’t ignore this door before me either. I wonder if everything’s led to this after all. Historical made a great lower-stakes genre to improve my craft before having to balance worldbuilding with telling a good story. Maybe that’s why I didn’t get a novel deal before now. I just don’t know. So I’ll keep telling the stories that I have right now.

I mean, really, can we do much else?

I don’t really know why I wrote this blog post. It seems a little presumptuous to assume you all want to read this story about what happens in my head.

I guess I hope it reaches someone else who’s thinking of doing something very different, whether switching the genre they write or maybe some other life direction. I hope maybe my experience might help you see where God uses your own life and leads you in this new direction, like maybe you were supposed to be here all along.

It’s scary, but it can be a lovely place to rediscover yourself and your own creativity and what you can do. Don’t panic. Give it a try, go with the flow, and see what comes. 

Got anything new you're trying lately? Let me know how your writing, reading, or whatever has been going in the comments below!

I’d planned a longer post this month, but the brain has not been brain-ing very much. So instead, I’ve listed my favorite books that I read over the past year. I’d also love to hear about your favorite 2024 read.

Before the Devil Knows You’re Here by Autumn Krause

This spooky read twists both folktale influence and light horror elements to create a hopeful story. I loved how the author wove in her Christian beliefs and Biblical themes into a general fiction story. (YA fantasy)

(Some readers may want to be aware of infrequent mild language and some gory/intense scenes.)

The Boy Who Didn’t Exist by Mariposa Aristeo

This short read (available for free Mariposa Aristeo’s website) is so unique and different. I mean, when did you last see a Christian steampunk? She captured those inner feelings of invisibility and also provided good abuse survivor rep. (Christian YA fantasy)

The Conductors by Nicole Glover

I loved her refreshingly no-nonsense main couple and the way the author blended magic and murder mystery. Points for also being remarkably clean! (Adult historical fantasy)

(Some readers may want to be aware of two LGBTQIA+ side characters.)

The Foxhole Victory Tour by Amy Lynn Green

This was one of my first 2024 reads and remained a favorite. I loved the fantastic stakes and sympathetic characters that made it hard to root for just one winner. I also loved the plus-size heroine. (Christian adult historical)

If I Were You by Lynn Austin

This book should be like a four-hour long movie like the 80s Anne of Green Gables. This Christian story feels authentic, rather than preachy. I loved how the author gave each character their biases and flaws, but rather than beat us with the message, she let us grow along with them. (Christian adult historical)

Ignite by Kara Swanson

This one is my top Christian read this year. I felt so seen when I read this book. The author represented the mental effects of abuse through a beautiful, fantastical story. I’ve never read another story with a setting like this one, and I can’t wait for the second book. (Christian YA fantasy)

Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo

These two are my top general fiction reads this year. I finally understand why people recommended it for years. This book is a masterclass in just about everything, but especially the characters. I never turned a page and thought, “ugh, this character again.” I wish I could back and read it for the first time again. (YA fantasy)

Note: This book deals with various mature/potentially triggering topics including trauma, PTSD, ableism, and abuse, including sexual abuse.

(Some readers may also want to be aware of some strong language, some gory/intense violence, and three LGBTQIA+ characters.)

Thieves’ Gambit by Kayvion Lewis

This perfectly scratched my heist novel itch, and besides that, it raises interesting questions about trust. It avoids the cliché theme of “well you should trust people more.” Instead, it questions what happens when you do that and the person you trust fails you. Fantastic suspense. (YA thriller)

(Some readers may want to be aware of mild language and three LGBTQIA+ side characters.)

Wolf by Wolf and Blood for Blood by Ryan Graudin

She races a motorbike so she can kill Hitler. With a concept like that, I couldn’t not try it. This novel as well as its sequel both tell a compelling story with a unique alternate history timeline. The author brought out each characters’ motivation so well and kept me hooked until the last page. That ending, though. (YA historical fantasy)

(Some readers may want to be aware of mild language.)

What was your favorite book you read this year? Let me know in the comments below! 

Last month, I talked about making my peace with Christian fiction and all its imperfections. What I didn’t talk about was how many times I wrote and rewrote that article. I didn’t want to come across too strong or give the impression that I was harsh and critical towards Christian fiction. As I wrote, I kept asking, “But what about this book? What about this author?”

So I decided this series needed an unofficial third part—where I dive into some of those stories and authors that make such a big difference in Christian fiction and the reasons I love their work. I hope you’ll enjoy switching gears a little bit here.

(You’ll notice most are historical and fantasy, since those are the main genres I read and write. Even if you’re not a huge fan of either genre, still check these authors out on social media or their websites!)

Hope Ann
(fantasy)

Hope goes after the deep ideas and questions and tells excellent stories. Even when she's discussing what seems like a fairly straightforward theme (such as the fruits of the Spirit), she digs beyond the top layer and gets into what that really looks like. She has several novellas available and I’m excited to see where her stories go from here.

Mariposa Aristeo
The Boy Who Didn’t Exist (YA steampunk fantasy)

This short read touches a special spot with its abuse survivor representation, but it also touches anyone who might feel invisible sometimes. It also has a steampunk setting—when was the last time you read a Christian steampunk novel? The best part? You can get it free on Mariposa Aristeo’s newsletter.

Terri Blackstock
Catching Christmas (adult contemporary)

I read this Christmas story every year, but only this year did I realize how much it does Christian storytelling well. The faith elements are explicit, no denying them, and yet no one has a dramatic sermon moment. It’s down to earth and feels so very real.

Nadine Brandes
Fawkes (YA fantasy)

Guys. I swear by this book. First off, people can do magic through colors, how cool is that? It’s also a clever allegory for the 1600s Catholic and Protestant clashes. I wrote an entire article about how she portrayed her God figure because it’s just that unique and just that good. (You can read it here: kingdompen.org/fawkes-book-review/). 

Ashely Bustamente
Vivid (YA fantasy)

I discovered this gem earlier this year, and I must confess, I haven’t read the rest of the series yet (I’m working on it). Like Fawkes, this book demonstrates that you have to find truth for yourself, but frames it within a Christian worldview.

Josiah DeGraaf
A Study of Shattered Spells (upcoming adult fantasy)

Alright, to be fair, this one hasn’t released yet. I helped with the cover reveal last month, and I am beyond excited for this book. Josiah has spoken about how he is self-publishing this book because he couldn’t find a Christian publishing house that accepted adult fantasy, but he didn’t want to tone down his Christian elements for a general market audience. He also discusses conversations within Christian fiction and fiction in general on his email list and on his Instagram. 

Enclave Publishing
(fantasy)

While I haven’t read all their books, they’ve also published quite a few of my favorites. I love how they provide a wider space for Christian fantasy and sci-fi authors and their stories.

Amy Lynn Green
(adult historical)

I look forward to Amy’s books every year. Her stories always include diverse representations and unique characters, and besides that, she tells wonderfully engaging stories.

Jocelyn Green
(adult historical)

Jocelyn also writes excellent adult historical stories with diverse experiences. The Metropolitan Affair is my favorite, again because she tackled abuse representation, but I also highly recommend the Windy City Saga.

Rachel MacMillan
(adult historical)

I haven’t read nearly as many of Rachel’s books as I wish, but the ones I have both told a good story and included diverse experiences and representation.

Andrew Peterson
The Wingfeather Saga (MG fantasy)

I read these a couple summers ago, and I fell in love with this whimsical fantasy series. While it is a Christian allegory, and usually that would signal a Narnia rip-off, Andrew takes unconventional routes both in his fantasy world and the way he presents his ideas. A good all-ages read. (They’ve also been adapted into a fantastic TV show.)

Kellyn Roth
(historical women’s fiction)

I worked with Kellyn Roth on our 2023 anthology, and I love her commitment to hard topics in Christian fiction. I get so excited whenever her posts pop up, because she’s thought through these questions and issues in Christian fiction, and that she will inspire me to do the same. Highly recommend following her email list or Instagram account.

Kara Swanson
Heirs of Neverland duology and Ignite (YA fantasy)

Ignite, Kara Swanson’s most recent book, is one of my top reads this year. Like Kellyn Roth, she’s dedicated to hard topics, specifically mental health. Ignite, for example, represents abuse and the many ways that affects how we think about ourselves and our world. I always feel seen when I pick up her books, and her books got me through some very tough times.

Roseanna M. White
(adult historical)

My favorite thing about Roseanna M. White’s books, what keeps me buying every single one, is how delightfully different they are! She foregoes the stereotypical Christian historical paths and instead incorporates spies or thieves or codebreakers or treasure hunters.

And these are just a small list! I can get so hung up on what I wish was different about Christian fiction, that I worry I’m overlooking all the good that these authors do. I hope you might give their books a look, if they’re your thing. And even if they’re not, you can always find their email lists or Instagram accounts and read their thoughts.

But now I want to hear from you! What Christian books or authors go above and beyond for you? Why do you love their work so much? Let me know in the comments below!

Dear Christian Fiction:

I think you must believe I’m disappointed in you.

You’ve watched me add general market books to my shelf. And you read that open letter I wrote about general fiction last month.

Since I grew up with Christian media only, you must worry that I’ve gone off the deep end and walked away from Christian media completely. So I thought I’d explain myself.

My previous letter explained how I first read a general market novel. And not only did I engage with stories and topics I never thought I would, not only did I set my own boundaries about what I would read, but I recognized the benefits reading these stories could bring me. I lost my fear of general fiction.  

And yet, I never once considered leaving you behind. If anything, I returned more excited than before. What if I could find powerful stories, like these general novels I’d discovered, but with a Christian worldview? Where could I find them?

And then I realized that I hadn’t finished making peace with my reading habits. I just never expected you would pose a fight.

I’ll put this as nicely as possible—you skate by on many counts simply because you're Christian. Christian readers are so desperate for something comforting or truth-filled or even just something clean that we’ll overlook certain quality issues.

That doesn’t fly anymore. More and more, bookstores shelve Christian market books beside general market books and expect them to keep up.

This encourages me—it proves people take you seriously. But it also means that we need to up our game. Especially in two specific areas.

One: Diverse representations (including hard/sensitive topics).

It seems a bit counter-intuitive that if someone wants a character with their same struggles or physical characteristics, their only choice is a general market novel. Christian books largely don’t address these topics.

Or, if and when you do, you either resort to hurtful stereotypes and trite clichés, or you don’t know how to spread the word (i.e., a story with a plus-size lead with a skinny lead model on the cover). If we believe the truth, if we believe the Gospel, then why on earth don’t we write that truth for all people? Why don’t we show all people that they are loved and valued?

Two: Messages vs. telling a good story.

General market books tend to weave their messages into the story—because if they get too preachy, they will likely be held to a harsher standard.

Christian market books, on the other hand, sometimes smack me with a two-by-four in the form of a lengthy Scripture passage, prayer, or sermon that completely halts the plot. When you do that, I feel cheated. Instead of taking me on this incredible journey, making me think, and letting me feel rewarded when I interpret it for myself, I get left with a few blocky pages of text telling me what I should think.

I also think the clean fiction movement contributes to this. In scrubbing our books of all objectionable content, we’ve scrubbed it of authenticity. (I wrote a whole blog post on that, so I won’t get into it all now. You can read that post HERE.)

Three: Knowing and serving your audience. 

Christian books are largely going to Christian readers. So truthfully, when I do get a preachy monologue in a Christian story, I have to wonder who they're trying to benefit. If you're trying to benefit the Christian readers, aren't you preaching to the choir a little bit? 

Does that mean there isn't a place for Gospel presentations and come-to-Jesus moments in Christian fiction? Absolutely not. (If they're executed well, that is.) Every Christian needs reminded of the Gospel sometimes! 

But I do think we need to keep our audience in mind. Is this a book an unbelieving reader is likely to pick up? Maybe it's a good candidate for a come-to-Jesus subplot. However, if it's a book that is more likely to appeal to the already-saved, by all means, include the Gospel--but maybe focus more on its impact in a believer's life.

There are so many different ways to depict the Christian life. I wish I could find more stories that spoke to what that Christian life looks like. 

Am I saying the general market never publishes its less-than-stellar novels? Of course not.

So why do I pick on Christian fiction specifically? Because we should know better. Like I said, we believe the truth. We believe the Gospel. So why on earth don’t we bring it to everyone? And what better way to bring it to everyone than to tell a genuinely good story? 

And am I saying that every Christian novel needs all the gritty and edgy? No. There is a place for fluffier or cleaner novels.

The problem is when that’s all we offer. The problem is when authors with diverse backgrounds struggle to find space in the Christian market. The problem is when we don’t write any books about the harder topics, or when we do, we resort to hurtful stereotypes.

I hated that some of the stories I grew up with weren’t as wonderful as I once thought. And I hated that some of my own stories might not be welcome in Christian fiction because of the topics I addressed.

I could leave it there and let myself get discouraged. Why not give up Christian fiction all together and read general fiction for good?

Because Christian fiction matters. My relationship with Jesus matters. The Gospel matters. And being able to see that in fiction matters. While I can see aspects of my faith even in general market novels, it’s still important to have stories that come from that place of truth and love. I need both general fiction and Christian fiction.

That’s why I hold you to such a high standard.

So what do I do with Christian fiction? I keep trying and I keep searching. I’ve found so many authors, both general and Christian, who love Jesus and write excellent stories. And I want to lift them up, to celebrate the excellent stories, to push for progress and authenticity.

And when I come across those Christian novels that skate by, I let them make me think about the change I want to see. I let their mistakes inspire me to keep writing my own stories. Because general or Christian, the world needs all our stories.

So no, I haven’t given you up. I don’t think I ever could. If anything, I can’t wait to see where we go from here.

What’s your favorite Christian book or author? Share it in the comments, and I’ll share some of my faves!