Anticipating THE Kingdom with Jennifer Rodewald

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About the Author

J. Rodes lives on the wide plains somewhere near the middle of Nowhere. A coffee addict, pickleball enthusiast, and storyteller, she also wears the hats of mom, teacher, and friend. Mostly, she loves Jesus and wants to see the kids she's honored to teach fall in love with Him too.


Find her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/authorJRodes
Or on Instagram at @author.j.rodes.
Sign up for her newsletter at www.authorjenrodewald.com




SW: Welcome to the Diamond Mine, Jennifer. It’s a pleasure to have you join us this week. 

Would you rather: ride on a train, dance in the rain, or feel no pain?  (breaking out my Dr. Seuss impression here).

JR: Haha! I love that. Hmmm… that’s a tough choice. I love trains! So, can I have option D? Feel no pain (I have chronic back pain, so that would be dream come true!) while I ride in the observation car on the train in the midst of a gentle rain. Can I do that?

SW: Sure, why not, option D sounds like the best of all worlds to me! Would you rather wash dishes, mow the lawn, clean the bathroom, or vacuum the house?

 JR: Mow the lawn, because that is actually my favorite chore. Nothing better than a fresh cut lawn. 😊




SW: Fresh cut lawns are great (and you probably don’t deal with the humidity like we do here in Tennessee). 

When writing, how do you like your music: blaring, background noise, or complete silence?

JR: Depends on the mood/scene. If I’m in non-active mode, which means I’m building the story in my mind (or letting it build itself) without doing any writing, the music might be blaring. If I’m in full-swing writing, the music will be background or non-existent. 


SW: Still on the music topic, what song would you choose to sing at karaoke night?

JR: Ummm… yeah, no. 


SW: Ok, that answer cracked me up! 

What are the best and worst things about living in a rural area?

JR: The best thing is that you generally know almost everyone, and they know you. The worst thing is that you generally know almost everyone, and they know you. Plus also, driving. Lots and lots of driving. 


SW: All that driving = audio books! But that gets more difficult when you’ve got the kids in the car too. What are three things you always have near you when writing?

JR: Coffee. And that’s about it, consistently. Sometimes a pen and pad of paper, but not

always. Sometimes a reference book of some sort, but not always. 






SW: I have found authors are wonderfully supportive of each other. Who are your mentors/biggest supporters/go-tos when you’re stuck when it comes to your writing?

JR: Sarah Monzon, Sondra Kraak, and Janet Ferguson are my most consistent critique partners, I go to them with issues, block, or plotting advice. The same group for just emotional support, and also Christina Coryell, who has been fantastically faithful to read every one of my books and lend her proofreading savvy to the projects as well as her continuous encouragement. With specific YA questions/help, I’ve started going to Serena Chase, whom I met at the Christian Fiction Readers Retreat, and have found to be just a straight-up beautiful, sincere person. For marketing/tech ideas/advice, I’ve gone to Misty Beller and Valerie Comer, who both know what they’re doing with all of this. And sometimes, if I just need a general writerly chat, I’ll go to a FB group dedicated to Christian authors.


SW: The Christian Fiction Readers Retreat is one of my favorite events of the year! I met Serena at CFRR17! And you just proved my observation: authors are the best encouragers when we're struggling with anything.

You’ve written about some difficult topics (addition, grief, anger, struggling marriages) and are transparent about the spiritual battles you go through while writing your books. Can you share an example or instance of the refining process you went through while writing one of your books?

JR: Oh, how do I pick one to share? In Finding Evergreen, I had to face the Pharisee in me—and that was scary. Because we don’t see Jesus holding out the gentle hand of compassion to the Pharisees nearly as often as He did the non-Pharisee. Asking the question, with my heart stripped bare, “can you love me too? Is Your grace for me too?” put me in a vulnerable spot. Maybe because we see so many who minister to our world who claim the younger brother’s story in the Parable of the Prodigal, and we assume that the whole story there is about that younger, rebellious son. 
a. But it’s not. 
b. That story is about the Father. And He has two boys, not one. And that gentle, loving Father wanted a sonship relationship with both boys. This is huge. Especially when we go back to the beginning if that chapter and take into account the audience standing there. The Pharisees. The non-Pharisees. 
c. Bottom line? Neither boy understood the relationship the Father longed for. One boy just wanted the blessings without the ties. The other boy locked himself into the bondage of slavery. 
d. Both desperately needed grace. This is the message. And this is the gift. Grace goes there. For both kids. 
e. Writing has made me a warrior for grace, because I take on so many points of view, see life from many different angles. And because of that, I’m a fighter for the gift and right to claim grace. For the rebellious and the slave bound legalist. Because the Father kindly offers it to both.
f. With this new story, Emerald Illusion, I’m freshly and keenly aware of the Kingdom. It is. It’s coming. And it’s awesome. I can’t wait to share this story with the world, because gaining that fresh, Kingdom view is… it’s just… wow. 
g. We can’t even imagine.

SW: Jennifer, your words are so often on point. And I can’t wait for THE Kingdom to be fully revealed (and I'm also looking forward to your new book).

You’ve written contemporary, YA dystopian, rom-com, and your upcoming release (Emerald Illusion, Oct 25) is YA fantasy.  What drew you to each genre?

JR: The story. Everyone on of them. Just the story. I learn through story—it’s my language. And God is faithful and oh-so-good to continue teaching me through it. The shades and flavors of story vary—and isn’t that so like our big God?—but the foundation is the same. He shows me something new in each adventure, and I’m game for whatever He’s got.



SW: God communicates best with the non-believers in Scripture through story, and I am so grateful he gave that gift to others—like yourself—to share. 

Y'all, Jen's new book is a take on The Wizard of Oz! How cool is that?

I am fascinated by the creativity and imaginations of authors when it comes to world-building. How was that process for you when writing Emerald Illusion?

JR: Ohhh… I actually loved it. Because I saw reflections of reality in the world building, as well as tender hints of the Kingdom, and it gave me a taste that thirsts for more. It’s given me a real hunger for the great Kingdom..


SW: Thank you so much for taking time out of your schedule and sharing a little bit about yourself and your writing.

JR: Thank you so much for having me! I’m honored to be able to share my heart with you here! <3

More About Emerald Illusion

Abrielle used to dream of a different life. Adventure. Romance. Hope. 

Not of Kansas.

Now, after the loss of her mother and a move she didn’t want to make, she’s lost the will to dream anymore, let alone believe in her father’s Somedays.

But a swirling wind, a wall of leaves, and a blinding darkness literally transform her world.

She and both of her brothers, Brogan and Matteaus, are swept from Kansas to someplace beyond—to a desert in which everything is watery-brown, including the sky and the light of the weak sun. Abrielle finds herself in the middle of a realm everyone had heard of but no one believed existed. Except this version is rundown and broken, void of color and hope. Not much different from her view of life in Kansas.

When she gathers her bearings, she discovers her youngest brother is missing, lost in a land that is foreign and dying. Finding Matteaus becomes her sole focus, but when she and Brogan meet a boy named Levi, who only adds more mystery to this world that shouldn’t exist, she finds out this kingdom is much more perilous than the children’s book ever told.

Matteaus is in great danger.

There is nothing safe about Oz.

Purchase here

Jen is giving one reader (US addresses only) a print copy of the first book in her YA Dystopian series. Y'all I (Suzie) loved this trilogy. Even though it's classified as YA, I got so much out of these books. They are about discovering who you are and what you are going to stand for, even is it isn't the popular opinion. Don't miss your chance to read this series!

Entering is simple. Leave a comment below and tell us what your favorite genre to read is (it's okay if you have more than one). If you follow Jen on social media or sign up for her newsletter, tell us that too and you'll get an extra entry.

***US Addresses Only, there must be five unique commentors before giveaway is valid. Giveaway ends midnight 10/23/18