DiAne Gates and her new novel Twisted

In these days of transient and blended families we’ve lost the generational stories of the good ole’ and not-so-good ole’ days, and have settled for the deception of a me-first, get-it-now culture. And relationships within families are the casualties. This breaks my heart for the kids, their parents, and grandparents.

My introduction to the action-packed world of rodeo, a number of years ago, seemed the perfect background to convey a story of teens trapped in circumstances beyond their control. Yet to confirm to teens and adults reading ROPED and TWISTED there is a Sovereign Creator God who is in control of all things. A God who loves them and died for them, so they in turn might live for Him—even when they don’t have a care or clue who He is or what He’s done.

But that process sometimes takes years, and some are lost in the process, as the Fairgate family history shouts.

The three teen personalities of ROPED and TWISTED had to be diametrically opposed to each other at the core of their being. And Crissy Crosby, Jodie Lea Fairgate, and Chun Len have lived up to and beyond my expectations—real life teens with a boo-coodle of every day and not so everyday problems they must face. Problems that threaten to destroy them and their families.

Jesus conveyed His message to the crowds by parables—stories of their culture which ordinary people could understand and hopefully apply to their lives. If our Lord used this method, don’t you think we might reach others for the Kingdom if we told our stories to those He places in our path?

Crissy Crosby, my protagonist, has a get-‘er-done at all costs attitude that is often annoying and generally plunges her in a heap-a-trouble. Guess whose character traits I followed for that girl? Uh-huh! Yours truly, my daughter, and granddaughter! Those apples didn’t fall far from that tree.

Jodie Lea Fairgate’s downright hateful and mean. Devoid of any comprehension of what’s right and good, while she lives in the luxury of the town’s rich, but bully father and coward mother.

Chun Len and his family immigrated from China and have just arrived in a small town in East Texas. Where the Fairgates despise anything different.

One of my edit partners fell in love with Chun from the get-go. And oh my, doesn’t racial prejudice punch a hot button in our world today? But Crissy can’t abide prejudice in any shape, size, or form—especially from Jodie Lea Fairgate.

ROPED gave us a peek into the dark side of consequences, but TWISTED rips off the secret death shroud of the Fairgates cesspool of relatives.

I’m seven chapters into Book Three, UNTIED, and all I can tell y’all is hang on to your hats!!! It’s going to get gruesome! But God is still in control.

“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33 NAS).

Buy Twisted on Amazon $4.99
Buy Roped on Amazon $3.99

About DiAne:

Texas writer, DiAne Gates, illustrates and writes fiction for children and YA, and serious non-fiction for the folks. Her passion is calling the Church’s attention to how far we’ve catapulted from God’s order and walking in obedience to Him as evidenced by her blog Moving the Ancient Boundaries.

DiAne worked as a photographer and writer for the East Texas Youth Rodeo Association magazine, and had the opportunity to be in the rodeo arena, feel the sting of Texas turf in her face and across her camera lens, giving birth to her western rodeo adventure series, released by Prism Book Group in August of 2015, ROPED. This first book of the series placed #5 on Top Ten Christian Reads for Teens and Tweens, 2016, as well as being a finalist in the 2015 Grace Awards, and a finalist in The Christian Literary Henri Awards for 2016.

 Book Two in the ROPED SERIES—TWISTED, was released by Pelican Book Group July 14, 2017.  And the third book, UNTIED, her current WIP, continues the adventure of two Texas teens and their families. DiAne writes a monthly article for Crosswalk, an online Christian magazine.

She also leads LifeSavers, an adult edit group for North Texas Christian Writers. And has a new blog THE SOUTHERN SIDE OF FLAVOR, where she shares family recipes and many tricks to cutting calories while retaining a massive injection of southern and southwest flavor into each tasty bite. DiAne facilitates GriefShare, an international support ministry for those who’ve lost loved ones.

Wife, mother, and Mimi, her passion is to share those hard life lessons God allows in our lives. Lessons she hopes will leap from the page into your heart and play out in loving family relationships.

Movingthe Ancient Boundaries

TheSouthern Side of Flavor

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Crosswalk

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