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.
