Interviews Archives - Redeemed Reader

Back Porch Book Chat with Becky Dean (YA author)

Hayley Morell — Thu, 28 Aug 2025 15:47:23 +0000

Back Porch Book Chat: a casual conversation about books and writing. Today we’re visiting with Becky Dean, author of four YA romances including Love and Other Great Expectations, and most recently Love Unmasked. Per her author bio: Becky “is a fan of adventures both real and fictional. When she’s not writing or traveling, she can…

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Back Porch Book Chat: Kirsten Turner, the 21st c. Packhorse Librarian

Betsy Farquhar — Thu, 13 Feb 2025 16:51:09 +0000

An interview with Kirsten Turner, founder of one of the 21st century Packhorse Librarian movements helping the Appalachias

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Back Porch Book Chat with Tasha Kazanjian (YA author)

Megan Saben — Wed, 18 Dec 2024 18:17:39 +0000

Back Porch Book Chat: a casual conversation about books and writing. Today we’re visiting with Tasha Kazanjian, author of A Trick of Spades. A lover of old books, history, and theology, Tasha writes fantasy inspired by very real places and times. She can’t resist adding a bit of magic to her worlds, but her stories primarily focus…

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Back Porch Book Chat: Kristyn Getty (Singer, Hymn Writer, and Author)

Janie Cheaney — Fri, 30 Aug 2024 22:59:00 +0000

Kristyn is the founder, along with her husband Keith, of Getty Music. She is an award-winning hymn writer and the author of Sing! and a brand-new children’s biography of Joni Eareckson Tada (read our starred review!). Kristyn and Keith live in Nashville with their four children. Thanks so much for taking the time to talk…

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Back Porch Book Chat: Elizabeth Farquhar (Teen Writer)

Betsy Farquhar — Fri, 29 Dec 2023 11:04:00 +0000

Back Porch Book Chat: A casual conversation about books. Our guest today is Elizabeth Farquhar, a teen writer.

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Back Porch Book Chat: Josiah DeGraaf (Director of Young Writers Workshop)

Betsy Farquhar — Wed, 27 Dec 2023 12:40:00 +0000

Back Porch Book Chat: A casual conversation about books. Our guest today is Josiah DeGraaf, director of the Young Writers Workshop.

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Back Porch Book Chat: Carolyn Givens (Author, Publisher, Reader)

Betsy Farquhar — Thu, 26 Oct 2023 19:07:27 +0000

Back Porch Book Chat: A casual conversation about books. Our guest today is Carolyn Givens.

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Back Porch Book Chat: Josiah Pettit (Director of Westminster Books)

Betsy Farquhar — Fri, 12 May 2023 18:28:20 +0000

Back Porch Book Chat: A casual conversation about books. Our guest today is Josiah Pettit (Director of Westminster Books)

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Back Porch Book Chat: Lucy Gundersen (Mom, Business Owner)

Betsy Farquhar — Thu, 04 May 2023 14:35:34 +0000

Back Porch Book Chat: A casual conversation about books. Our guest today is Lucy Gundersen

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Back Porch Book Chat: Mark Hunt (Author), Part 2

Betsy Farquhar — Thu, 25 Aug 2022 15:06:00 +0000

Back Porch Book Chat: A casual conversation about books. Our guest today is Mark Hunt.

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Back Porch Book Chat: Mark Hunt (Author), Part 1

Betsy Farquhar — Tue, 23 Aug 2022 21:12:33 +0000

Back Porch Book Chat: A casual conversation about books. Our guest today is Mark Hunt.

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Back Porch Book Chat: Meghan Cox Gurdon (Book Reviewer, Author)

Betsy Farquhar — Mon, 22 Aug 2022 07:44:00 +0000

Back Porch Book Chat: A casual conversation about books. Our guest today is Meghan Cox Gurdon

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Back Porch Book Chat: Karina Yan Glaser, author of the Vanderbeekers series

Janie Cheaney — Fri, 08 Apr 2022 18:32:50 +0000

Our series of Back Porch Book Chats are casual conversations with book-lovers like ourselves: authors, booksellers, reviewers, bloggers, moms and dads. Today we’re delighted to welcome Karina Yan Glaser, whom we met over her first novel, The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street! Met virtually, that is, although I (Janie) had the pleasure of meeting her in…

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Back Porch Book Chat: Megan Saben (Book Reviewer, Author, Homeschool Mom)

Betsy Farquhar — Mon, 07 Mar 2022 02:04:53 +0000

Back Porch Book Chat: A casual conversation about books. Our guest today is Megan Saben.

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Back Porch Book Chat: Stephenie Pyles (Mom to 8 and Read Aloud Champion)

Betsy Farquhar — Wed, 29 Dec 2021 12:02:00 +0000

Back Porch Book Chat: A casual conversation about books. Our guest today is Stephenie Pyles

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Back Porch Book Chat: Mystie Winckler (Blogger, Author, Podcaster, and More)

Betsy Farquhar — Mon, 27 Dec 2021 12:31:00 +0000

Back Porch Book Chat: A casual conversation about books. Our guest today is Mystie Winckler

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Back Porch Book Chat: Ryan Flanders, illustrator of Something Better Coming

Megan Saben — Thu, 04 Mar 2021 14:32:00 +0000

Back Porch Book Chat: A casual, virtual conversation about books. Our guest today is Ryan Flanders, illustrator of the forthcoming picture book written by Megan Saben titled Something Better Coming. Interview conducted by Megan. Getting to Know Ryan Flanders Brother, our families have enjoyed a lot of fellowship since you started coming to our church…

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An Interview with Daniel Nayeri

Janie Cheaney — Thu, 11 Feb 2021 15:29:24 +0000

If you’ve been reading our website reviews over the last six months or so, you know we’ve been raving about Everything Sad Is Untrue (a true story). We’ll have a little more to say about this book tomorrow—stay tuned! But after reading it, my curiosity about the author was stirred. No wonder that, because his…

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Back Porch Book Chat: Gina Dalfonzo (Writer, Book Reviewer)

Betsy Farquhar — Mon, 07 Sep 2020 11:28:00 +0000

Back Porch Book Chat: A casual, virtual conversation about books. Join us as we chat with book lovers like ourselves about a topic we all love! Our guest today is Gina Dalfonzo, currently on staff with Christ and Pop Culture. Check out her bio after the interview for more about Gina. Interview conducted by Betsy.…

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Purple House Press: An interview with Jill Morgan

Megan Saben — Fri, 19 Jun 2020 13:45:00 +0000

Purple House Press revives delightful out of print stories for a new generation. 1. What motivated you to start Purple House Press? Back in the 90s I sold out of print children’s books. My customers kept requesting the same books over and over even though they were hard to find. One of them was Mr.…

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Back Porch Book Chat: S. D. Smith (Author)

Betsy Farquhar — Mon, 01 Jun 2020 14:18:19 +0000

Back Porch Book Chat: A casual, virtual conversation about books. Join us as we chat with book lovers like ourselves about a topic we all love! Our guest today is S. D. Smith from West Virginia. He chats with us about his family’s reading life, his writing (Green Ember!), and the StoryWarren website. Check out…

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Back Porch Book Chat: W. R. Gingell (Author)

Hayley Morell — Tue, 19 May 2020 02:08:32 +0000

Back Porch Book Chat: A casual, virtual conversation about books. Join us as we chat with book lovers like ourselves about a topic we all love! Our guest today is W. R. Gingell from Australia. She chats with us about fantasy, books and authors that shaped her, why she writes “clean” fiction and more! Interview…

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Back Porch Book Chat: Miranda Collingridge (High school senior and social media intern)

Betsy Farquhar — Mon, 30 Mar 2020 15:53:00 +0000

Back Porch Book Chat: A casual, virtual conversation about books. Join us as we chat with book lovers like ourselves about a topic we all love! Our guest today is Miranda Collingridge, a high school senior who is currently our social media intern. Miranda and Betsy know each other in “real life,” and today, we’re…

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A Literary Hospital Mission Field

Megan Saben — Thu, 19 Mar 2020 13:18:00 +0000

Megan's story of how a medical crisis opened up an unsuspected outreach.

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Back Porch Book Chat: Tim Challies (Blogger, Author, Book Reviewer)

Betsy Farquhar — Mon, 20 Jan 2020 12:22:00 +0000

Back Porch Book Chat with Tim Challies: a casual conversation about books, ministry, and more.

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2020: Meet the Team —Betsy

Hayley Morell — Sat, 11 Jan 2020 17:40:13 +0000

Hayley plays interviewer to introduce the Redeemed Reader team. Today, she's chatting with our managing editor and staff writer, Betsy Farquhar.

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2020: Meet the Team —Janie

Hayley Morell — Fri, 10 Jan 2020 23:16:57 +0000

It’s time for Meet the Team, January 2020 edition! Hayley plays interviewer to introduce the Redeemed Reader team. We’re starting off with our editorial advisor and senior staff writer, Janie B. Cheaney. As Betsy likes to ask in her Back Porch Book Chats, what is your preferred drink as you sit down with a book? …

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Back Porch Book Chat: Bridgette Boudreaux (Chemistry Teacher)

Betsy Farquhar — Sat, 14 Dec 2019 12:51:00 +0000

Back Porch Book Chat: A casual conversation about books. Our guest today is Bridgette Boudreaux

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Back Porch Book Chat: Sarah Dempsen (After School Ministry Leader)

Betsy Farquhar — Thu, 07 Nov 2019 15:15:04 +0000

Betsy interviews Sarah Dempsen, mom and co-director of an after school program on the Yakama Reservation.

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Back Porch Book Chat: Melissa Deming (Bible Teacher)

Betsy Farquhar — Mon, 14 Oct 2019 11:35:33 +0000

Back Porch Book Chat: A Casual Conversation about Books. Today's guest is Melissa Deming.

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Back Porch Book Chat: Lou Hunley (Public Librarian)

Betsy Farquhar — Mon, 02 Sep 2019 11:14:47 +0000

Back Porch Book Chat: a casual conversation about books on our virtual back porch. Today's topic: enjoying the public library with Lou Hunley.

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What Makes a “Strong Girl Character”? Thoughts and a Podcast

Janie Cheaney — Thu, 20 Jun 2019 13:15:26 +0000

Does rejecting gender stereotypes mean there are no distinctions between strong girls and strong boys?

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Back Porch Book Chat: Virginia Lee Rogers (Bookseller and Homeschool Mom)

Betsy Farquhar — Tue, 18 Jun 2019 04:26:01 +0000

Back Porch Book Chat is a casual conversation about books on our virtual back porch. Join us!

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The Author’s Mission: Gary Schmidt

Janie Cheaney — Thu, 28 Mar 2019 10:10:40 +0000

What's the story behind a Gary Schmidt story? More significantly, what are the questions?

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Back Porch Book Chats

Betsy Farquhar — Thu, 21 Mar 2019 15:53:00 +0000

Back Porch Book Chat: A casual, virtual conversation about books. Join us as we chat with book lovers like ourselves about a topic we all love! Below is a list of our Back Porch Book Chat guests to date: AUTHORS/ILLUSTRATORS: Tim Challies: Blogger, Author, Book Reviewer S. D. Smith: Author W. R. Gingell: Author Elizabeth…

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The Faithful Artist: an Interview with John Hendrix

Janie Cheaney — Tue, 05 Mar 2019 14:20:23 +0000

A chat with the author/illustrator of The Faithful Spy, one of our favorite books from last year.

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Christians and Mental Illness: an Interview with Simonetta Carr

Janie Cheaney — Wed, 20 Feb 2019 12:41:55 +0000

The author of Broken Pieces and the God Who Mends them shares further insights about her experience with schizophrenia.

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The 2018 Reading Challenge: Interview with a Teen

Betsy Farquhar — Wed, 26 Dec 2018 13:31:29 +0000

I (Betsy) interviewed my teen daughter about her experience with the 2018 Reading Challenge. She’s a 13-year-old voracious reader who has clear genre preferences, but who is also receptive to suggestions from me. We both did the same challenge level, and it’s been a fun year together! Which level of the 2018 Reading Challenge did…

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Interview with Keith Robinson, author of the Origins Series

Pamela Palmer — Mon, 15 Jan 2018 10:27:48 +0000

Pamela interviews Keith Robinson, author of the Origins trilogy and other Christian sci-fi works. Read on for more information about Robinson, his work, and his many roles. Describe the process you went through in the writing of Origins; how did you first come to consider the project? Did you have a strong sense of God’s leading? Did it develop…

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Bird Boy Project: Discussion Forum 4 (and an exciting giveaway!)

Janie Cheaney — Fri, 29 Sep 2017 10:00:46 +0000

Okay readers, this is it: yesterday I sent out the three final chapters and those of you who have been clamoring for “one more chapter, please!” (there are a few) have now had all your questions answered. Except . . . you haven’t. Sometimes I read an action-packed page-turner and don’t realize until the end…

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Sherri Dusky Rinker Interview

Megan Saben — Fri, 21 Jul 2017 13:25:31 +0000

If you are already fans of Sherri Dusky Rinker’s delightful bestselling picture book Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site, you will certainly enjoy the sequel, Mighty, Mighty Construction Site. The hardworking crew awakens refreshed, but they need help to complete a big job. We have featured Ms. Rinker and her books in the past here and here,…

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Pearl Harbor Child: an Interview with Dorinda Nicholson

Janie Cheaney — Wed, 07 Dec 2016 13:31:54 +0000

Her father was from Kansas City; her mother was native Hawaiian, and Dorinda Makanaonalani Stagner grew up on Pearl City Peninsula, just around the bend from the home of the U.S. Pacific Fleet. Dad worked at the Honolulu Post office and Mom had a job at the Pan-American World Airways Clipper Base. In the fall…

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Pastor, Blogger, Author, Editor: More Church History Recommendations for the Whole Family!

Betsy Farquhar — Mon, 31 Oct 2016 13:18:22 +0000

We’ve spent all month reading and learning about church history. It’s been such a rich study with interviews and book reviews, but we are not the only ones who care about reading church history! We’ve asked some folks to contribute to our study with their top 5 church history recommendations for all ages. Check out these…

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Church History with Tim Challies

Hayley Morell — Fri, 28 Oct 2016 22:39:57 +0000

Today we are happy to bring you a virtual interview with pastor, author, and blogger extraordinaire —Tim Challies. Tim serves as a pastor at Grace Fellowship Church in Toronto, Ontario. He is the author of 5 books, and he is a book reviewer for World Magazine. He blogs about books, faith, theology, and culture at…

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Learning from John Wycliffe: an Interview with Douglas Bond

Janie Cheaney — Fri, 14 Oct 2016 12:17:43 +0000

Yesterday we reviewed The Revolt: a Novel in Wycliffe’s England. Today we’re happy to have the author of that book answer a few questions for us: RR (Janie): Tell us a little about your research. I know you make frequent trips overseas: did you visit Lutterworth or track down Wycliffe papers at Oxford? DB: This…

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5 Questions for Brian Cosby, author of God’s Story

Betsy Farquhar — Fri, 07 Oct 2016 13:24:08 +0000

We are delighted to bring you a virtual interview with Brian Cosby, author of one of our featured church history resources for teens: God’s Story: A Student’s Guide to Church History, published by Christian Focus. A native of Signal Mountain, Brian was called to Wayside Church (PCA) in April 2012. He is Visiting Professor of Church History at Reformed…

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Interview with Jonathan Bean, author and illustrator

Megan Saben — Mon, 09 Nov 2015 14:00:37 +0000

I’m delighted to introduce our readers to Jonathan Bean, author and illustrator of a recently published picture book about homeschooling based on his childhood experience: This Is My Home, This Is My School (FSG, 2015). He has won numerous awards for both writing and illustrating, and was kind enough to share his experience as an…

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I Don’t Know How the Story Ends: an Interview with Janie Cheaney

Betsy Farquhar — Sun, 18 Oct 2015 11:28:21 +0000

Janie’s newest novel for young folks, I Don’t Know How the Story Ends, hit store shelves this month, and she’s been busy signing copies and enjoying early reviews. Book babies are a bit like eggs in a nest: patiently, the author sits on the drafts of the book, keeping them warm until they hatch. Publication…

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5 Questions on Writing with our very own J. B. Cheaney

Betsy Farquhar — Mon, 05 Oct 2015 12:16:31 +0000

Janie’s sixth middle grades novel, I Don’t Know How the Story Ends, is due to hit store shelves this Wednesday (October 6th)! We will be featuring an interview with Janie about the new book in particular in two weeks (so you all have time to read it before then!), but today we are taking the opportunity…

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Caroline Starr Rose: An Interview!

Betsy Farquhar — Mon, 30 Mar 2015 13:53:01 +0000

We’re privileged to feature a virtual interview today with Caroline Starr Rose, author of Blue Birds (just released on March 24; read our review) and of May B. (read our review). Both are historical fiction novels in verse. Caroline resides in Albuquerque with her pastor husband and two sons. She writes about faith, writing, her books, and other thoughts at her…

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Fifty Shades Roundtable with WORLD’s Megan Basham

emily — Fri, 06 Feb 2015 14:00:19 +0000

(This interview was originally published Aug 8, 2012. We are republishing today in preparation for the movie’s release Valentine’s Day weekend 2015.) Fifty Shades of Grey by E. L. James is the first in a trilogy of novels labeled erotica by its publisher Random House. The novels were released in 2011 and besides topping the…

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Interview with Storyteller Jim Weiss

Megan Saben — Wed, 22 Oct 2014 13:00:15 +0000

Jim Weiss is beloved in many homes for his warm, ailment original literary storytelling and audiobook recordings. Although he is probably best known in homeschooling circles for his reading of Susan Wise Bauer’s The Story of the World series, store he has also won over a hundred awards from national organizations representing parents, librarians, homeschoolers, and…

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Interview with J. B. Cheaney & Giveaway!

Betsy Farquhar — Tue, 09 Sep 2014 13:26:41 +0000

***As of Sept. 15, this giveaway is over. Winners have been notified. Please check back for more free books!*** GIVEAWAY! Tell us a favorite bus memory, school or otherwise, in the comments below and you could win one of five giveaway copies of Janie’s new book, Somebody on This Bus is Going to Be Famous!…

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The Shakespeare Stealer–and an Interview with Author Gary Blackwood

Janie Cheaney — Fri, 11 Apr 2014 16:15:38 +0000

The Shakespeare Stealer (1998), Shakespeare’s Scribe (2000), and Shakespeare’s Spy (2003), by Gary Blackwood. Penguin Group; Puffin Books. Age/interest level: 12-16. True story: in 1998 I was shopping around a manuscript about a 14-year-old boy in 16th-century London who through a series of happy misfortunes becomes an actor in William Shakespeare’s theater company. Before starting…

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Truth in the Tinsel: A Family Advent Tradition

emily — Fri, 29 Nov 2013 22:17:57 +0000

Truth in the Tinsel Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! I suppose the Christmas race has officially begun now, and with that in mind, I wanted to share with you an advent devotional my kids and I will be doing this year. I know that there are many worthy Advent studies. (For instance, I…

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Anselm: An Interview with Simonetta Carr

emily — Wed, 16 Oct 2013 13:06:26 +0000

Anselm of Canterbury (Christian Biographies for Young Readers) by Simonetta Carr. Reformation Heritage Books, 2013. 64 pgs. Ages 8-up. Simonetta Carr recently published Anselm of Canterbury, the sixth in her Christian Biographies for Young Readers with Reformation Heritage books. The books fill an important niche in Christian publishing–picture books about church history. They are not…

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The Enemy Stone: An Interview with Robert Treskillard

Janie Cheaney — Wed, 18 Sep 2013 19:17:14 +0000

Last Friday we had a fascinating discussion with our interns about some of the first titles of a brand new YA imprint from Zondervan. One of those titles, you may recall, was Merlin’s Blade, the first volume in a very promising trilogy called the Merlin Spiral, by a debut author. We expect to see more…

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Space Odyssey for Little Ones: An Interview with Kevin Luthardt

emily — Wed, 11 Sep 2013 14:28:26 +0000

THE BOOK REVIEW When Edgar Met Cecil. Peachtree Publishers, 2013. 32 pgs. Ages 4-8. Kevin Luthardt is an author-illustrator who has had a pretty big impact on our family through his picture book entitled Larabee. (You can read about that in our 2012 interview with him.) So imagine my delight upon learning that just in time…

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Lemonade and Lit, Week 7: Klavan Discussion

emily — Sat, 27 Jul 2013 17:26:59 +0000

Other Lemonade and Lit posts: Introduction, Week One: Booked, Week Two: Booked Discussion, Week Three: Beauty, Week Four: Sexuality in Booked, Week Five: Beauty Discussion, Week Six: The Last Thing I Remember, Week Seven: Klavan Discussion. Lemonade and Lit: An Adult-Teen Read Along, Week 7 It’s been a fun summer, and we’re finishing strong with…

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Lemonade and Lit Read Along, Week 2: Booked Discussion

emily — Sat, 22 Jun 2013 22:14:37 +0000

Other Lemonade and Lit posts: Introduction, Week One: Booked, Week Two: Booked Discussion, Week Three: Beauty, Week Four: Sexuality in Booked, Week Five: Beauty Discussion, Week Six: The Last Thing I Remember, Week Seven: Klavan Discussion. Lemonade and Lit: An Adult-Teen Read Along, Week 2 Last Saturday, Gina Dalfonzo of Breakpoint Youth Reads introduced our…

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Interview with Judah Ben: Kai’Ro, Christian Rap and the Progress of Urban Pilgrims

emily — Thu, 02 May 2013 16:25:23 +0000

Introduction There are very few modern books that I see as really significant. But I see the Kai’ Ro series–an urban interpretation of Pilgrim’s Progress–by youth minister, Judah Ben, as one of those series that may actually help change the landscape of Christian publishing. How you ask? His book brings the Christian rap movement–a kind…

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Podcast 29: What’s in Your Local Public Library?

emily — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 16:47:11 +0000

Library Tour Introduction It’s taken us all week to pull it off, but we finally have it: a conversation with Janie Cheaney (the kids’ book author), Megan E. Saben and Betsy Farquhar (our resident librarians), and me–Emily Whitten (a former assistant editor at a kids’ book publisher). For more about us, see our About page.…

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Church Literacy, Part Two: Welcoming Kids and Adults with Reading Difficulties

emily — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 13:49:45 +0000

Last week in Church Literacy, Part One, we heard from a Christian mom who dealt with dyslexia in her son. I hope that gave you a little insight into what a family faces when they deal with something like dyslexia. Of course, dyslexia is only one of the many reasons roughly 20% of any given…

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Church Literacy, Part One: Interview with Mom of a Dyslexic Child

emily — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 15:12:28 +0000

How Is Your Church Affected by Literacy Challenges? How many words do you read in your church worship service? 500 or more? Don’t forget to count the words of hymns, Bible readings, and bulletins. If a visitor came to your church, how many words would he read to get to the right parking lot, Sunday…

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Unseduced and Unshaken: An Interview w/ Rosalie De Rosset

emily — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 17:46:20 +0000

AN INTRODUCTION Last week, we ran a book giveaway of this book, Unseduced and Unshaken: The Place of Dignity in a Young Woman’s Choices by Dr. Rosalie De Rosset. I felt it was particularly noteworthy for our readers, considering both the author’s background and the use of classic literature as a kind of moral capital…

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2012’s Best Author/Illus Interviews

emily — Thu, 27 Dec 2012 20:05:57 +0000

While we’re finishing off the Christmas cookies and figgy pudding (does anyone really eat figgy pudding? what is it anyway?!), Janie and I thought we’d celebrate the closing of the year with a few retrospective posts. If you’re new to the site, or if you just happened to miss a few, here are our ten…

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Andrew Peterson: A Sudden Joyous Turn (Hobbit Read Along Finale, pt 1)

emily — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 19:24:16 +0000

Other Hobbit Read Along posts: 1) Introduction, 2) Week One, 2) Week Two, 3) Week Three, 4) Week Four, 5) Week 5, and 6) Finale, pt. 2. Andrew Peterson!! Let’s be honest, it’s a huge honor for us to host such a talented kids’ book author and singer-songwriter on our blog. If you’re looking for…

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The Twilight Effect: RR Podcast 25 with Megan Basham and Thomas Purifoy

emily — Fri, 16 Nov 2012 06:54:54 +0000

Has the sun finally set on Twilight? When Stephanie Meyer published The Twilight Saga in 2005, I expect most people were taken aback at the warm welcome it received. Sure, the Harry Potter franchise had shown there was plenty of teenage interest in traditionally dark/occult topics, albeit in a kinder, gentler, moral package. But $2.5…

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Lit! – An Interview with Tony Reinke

Janie Cheaney — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 17:22:37 +0000

Most of the readers of this blog would accept the title of bibliophile. But have you ever thought about your bibliophilosophy—why it exists, what it does for you, and how to manage it? Tony Reinke, currently a member of the staff at Desiring God Ministries, is a guy who’s spent so much time thinking about…

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RR Podcast 21: Douglas Bond and William Boekestein

emily — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 14:31:22 +0000

My readers are broken people…children are sinners in need of grace….If I take some other posture to my writing, I’m not going to be authentically leading other sinners to the cross and the gospel. –Douglas Bond Our Guests My guests today are two authors keenly interested in bringing history alive for kids. But not just…

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Podcast 20: Sally Lloyd Jones on Kids’ Devotionals

emily — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 17:08:16 +0000

The Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd Jones is a staple among Christian parents these days who want to help introduce kids to the Bible in a way that focuses on Christ. Not only is it theologically rich, but the illustrations by Jago are enticing for both children and adults, combining reverence, tenderness and even…

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Interview with Jonathan Rogers: Flannery O’Connor, Violence, and Mercy

emily — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 19:43:08 +0000

MEET THE AUTHORS Jonathan Rogers is not only one of the most talented Christian writers for kids’ today (see our review of The Charlatan’s Boy), he’s also kept his own faith while passing through the highest echelons of academia. He holds a Ph.D. in English Literature from Vanderbilt University, and just recently published a biography…

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Podcast 14: Susan Olasky on the Revolutionary War for Kids

emily — Wed, 27 Jun 2012 15:40:22 +0000

Compared to the aristocracy in Europe, these were really modest people and they weren’t perfect people…[but] they really lived motivated by these ideas. If you want to teach your kids that ideas have consequences, and big ideas and grand ideas can result in really wonderful things, I think the Revolutionary period displays that.–Susan Olasky I…

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Tough Guy: An Interview with Andrew Klavan

Janie Cheaney — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 20:18:23 +0000

Andrew Klavan’s new novel, Crazy Dangerous, is the story of complicated characters in a complex world. Not necessarily the story you’d expect from a Christian author these days, but then not much about Andrew Klavan fits the Christian author stereotype. He grew up in a Jewish home, and his writing–from screenplays to editorials in the…

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Dad-lit: Views and Interviews

emily — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 15:39:06 +0000

Over the past 16 months since launching this website, Janie and I have the opportunity to interview a number of authors and cultural critics who also happen to be dads. And as we eagerly await Andrew Klavan’s interview this Friday, June 15th, we thought we’d make a list of a few of our favorites: Douglas…

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Welcome to College: Caity Interviews Jonathan Morrow

emily — Wed, 30 May 2012 14:04:00 +0000

This interview was conducted by one of our interns, Caity Kullen, an English Literature major at Oklahoma State University. Thanks, Caity! If you’d like to know more about the author she interviews, Jonathan Morrow, see his website www.thinkchristianly.com or his blog, which has some good resources on worldview challenges your kids will face in college.…

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Thriving at College: An Interview with Alex Chediak

emily — Wed, 23 May 2012 12:56:44 +0000

A handbook of practical wisdom for the would-be college student. Essential summer read for every incoming freshman.–Dr. Gene Veith, provost of Patrick Henry College About this time last year, we had the honor of hosting Dr. Gene Edward Veith on our website. He talked us through some of the challenges of both secular and Christian…

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Mother’s Day: Our Interview with Susan Hunt

emily — Sun, 13 May 2012 03:44:38 +0000

Last Thanksgiving, Janie and I had the privilege of speaking with Susan Hunt on the subject of encouraging thankfulness in kids…and in ourselves! We thought this Mother’s Day was a good time to reflect back on that conversation, since it touches on spiritual mothering. For those of you who don’t know Susan Hunt, you’re in…

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Interview with Avengers Illustrator, Sergio Cariello

emily — Wed, 02 May 2012 14:52:52 +0000

Who is Sergio Cariello? With The Avengers movie opening in theaters this weekend, I invited Sergio Cariello–a Marvel comics illustrator who worked on Avengers comics–to help whet our appetites. Sergio is one of the few creative types I’ve ever interviewed with his own Wikipedia page. If you want a taste of his work, though, skip…

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Speaking of Poetry: An Interview with David Harrison

Janie Cheaney — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 11:55:39 +0000

I’ve known David since the publication of my first novel, when we started seeing each other at children’s book events. He’s tall, thin, and genial, and one of the most dedicated writers I’ve ever known. Up until a few years ago he managed his family business full-time–while holding to a very active writing. publishing, and speaking schedule. …

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Kingstone Part 2: Interview and Babylon

emily — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 14:48:00 +0000

By Redeemed Reader intern Jack Mertens Today I continue my series on Kingstone Comics, begun on Monday with reviews of two of Marvin Olasky’s graphic novels. This morning’s post includes an interview with author Art Ayris, as well as a review of his graphic novel, Babylon. Interview with Art Ayris This is my first interview,…

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RR Podcast 12: Simonetta Carr on Pinocchio and Christ in Italy

emily — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 20:16:51 +0000

Introduction A few weeks ago, I posted a written interview with Simonetta Carr on her novel for young readers, The Weight of a Flame: The Passion of Olympia Morata. Which brought up the fact that Simonetta was, like Olympia, born and raised in Italy. So as part of our series on folktales from around the…

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Talking Over the Hunger Games, Part One

Janie Cheaney — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 15:35:19 +0000

Since Susanne Collins’ Hunger Games trilogy (reviewed here) has sparked so much discussion in school cafeterias and dorm rooms (not to mention break rooms and car pools), we thought it would be worthwhile to get different points of view—particularly the young readers for whom the books were written. So we’ve invited two Christian college students…

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Simonetta Carr on Reformer Olympia Morata

emily — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 12:21:20 +0000

Simonetta Carr is one of my favorite authors writing about historical subjects today. Her care for historical detail shows in all her biographies for children, including her books on John Calvin, Augustine, and John Owen. I’ve also had the pleasure of interviewing Simonetta twice already and I always enjoy the thoughtfulness behind her work. One…

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The Lorax: A Podcast with Dr. James Wanliss

emily — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 14:43:43 +0000

This Friday, The Lorax opens in theaters nationwide. It’s a movie based on Dr. Suess’s book by the same name, and it deals with issues of the environment and man’s role in it. This post is only the beginning of our coverage–we will soon be releasing a parents’ guide to environmentalism in kids’ media, as…

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Interview with Author Jane Kurtz on African Stories

emily — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 17:01:22 +0000

More African stories! Today, we hear from Jane Kurtz, who was raised by missionary parents in Ethiopia. Since then, she’s come to live in the U.S. (though she travels frequently!) and she’s written scores of kids’ books. I haven’t read all of them, so I can’t give a blanket recommendation. However, her literary gift is…

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Africa: A Literary Adventure and Podcast!

emily — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 22:22:51 +0000

This month my local public library is offering a marionette show of African folktales starring Anansi the spider. It’s a unique way to celebrate Black History Month; what better way to introduce my kids to African influence on this country than getting to know of their stories? But of course, my focus won’t be the…

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Interview with Kevin Luthardt

emily — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 15:59:10 +0000

I was introduced to Kevin Luthardt’s work many years ago, when I was but a mere Operations Assistant at Peachtree Publishers. I thought his work was quite good back then, but if I’m totally honest, as a fresh-from-college kid with a head still full of Flannery O’Conner and Francis Schaeffer, I wasn’t a groupie. However,…

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Raising Readers: An Interview with Alan Jacobs

Janie Cheaney — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 19:37:18 +0000

Alan Jacobs is Professor of Literature at Wheaton College, where he went to teach for two semesters and stayed for 28 years. Teaching is his joy, and writing is his particular gift, and God has placed him where he can speak to both the Christian and the secular academic world (see this interview with PBS,…

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RR Podcast 10: Roger Lowther on Japanese Literature

emily — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 17:05:10 +0000

This interview is part of our Japan: Literary Adventure. See Part One for an introduction as well as links to the books we talk about today. Yesterday I had the great pleasure of sitting down via Skype with Roger Lowther to ask him a few questions about Japanese literature. Roger and his wife Abi are…

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Ereaders and ebooks: An Interview with Mike Sugimoto

emily — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 17:10:43 +0000

Should your family purchase an ereader or ipad? What about your kids–should they be allowed to read book apps or ebooks? Tablets or ereaders are fast becoming a mainstay in American book publishing, but is there any compelling evidence that ereaders or ebooks could be damaging to kids? Earlier in the year, we addressed ereader…

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RR Podcast 8: Interview with William Boekestein

emily — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 15:49:50 +0000

“Are you ready to begin your quest for comfort…?” So ends William Boekestein’s video of his newest book for kids, The Quest for Comfort: The Story of the Heidelberg Catechism. What a great book to introduce on Reformation Day, and a great question, since they take up many of the same concerns we’ve been addressing…

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RR Podcast 7: Douglas Bond on Reformation Tours

emily — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 14:49:15 +0000

THE PODCAST Plenty of Americans dream of taking a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Europe…to see the Eiffle Tower, hear the chiming of Big Ben, and float along the romantic canals of Venice. But for many devoted Christians, the idea of a Reformation Tour never crosses their minds. Today, Douglas Bond tells us about the Reformation Tours…

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Author Interview: Simonetta Carr on Athanasius

emily — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 14:03:01 +0000

Athanasius. By Simonetta Carr. Reformation Heritage Press, sale 2011. 66 pp. Ages 9-12. What makes a good children’s book? We’ve talked a lot the past few days about what doesn’t make them. But last week, I had the opportunity to interview author Simonetta Carr about her experience as a Christian writer as well as her…

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Podcast 6: Janie and Emily, and a Prayer for Banned Books Week

emily — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 17:25:52 +0000

Over at BannedBooksWeek.org, the celebration has begun. And while Janie and I made our objections to Banned Books Week clear last week, we are happy to join with our fellow book and library lovers in celebrating the freedom of the press we DO have in this country. We don’t believe that YA Saves, but we…

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Interview With Meghan Cox Gurdon

Janie Cheaney — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 16:06:44 +0000

Early last June, the YA publishing world was rocked by a column in the Wall Street Journal by Meg Cox Gurdon, who reviews children’s books for the paper. Titled “Darkness Too Visible,” the short piece related the experience of Amy Freeman, mother of three, who visited the local Barnes & Noble to buy a book…

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Janie on Chris Fabry Live!

emily — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 16:33:43 +0000

Welcome old friends and new! Most of you probably know by now that Janie was interviewed on Chris Fabry Live! on July 13th. For those of you who aren’t familiar with him, Chris Fabry has been involved in a number of successful radio shows over the years, including A Love Worth Finding. His daily show…

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RR Podcast 5: Douglas Bond from Scotland

emily — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 15:09:54 +0000

Today’s podcast is a follow-up to our last interview with Mr. Bond, RR Podcast 4: Douglas Bond on Fatherhood. Last time we talked about his devotional books for young men and their fathers, Fathers and Sons. But this time we focused more on his fiction–including his series on hymns of the church featuring Mr. Pipes,…

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RR Podcast 4: Douglas Bond on Fatherhood

emily — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 13:05:32 +0000

Today’s interview is regarding Douglas Bond’s devotional series for young men and their fathers, Fathers and Sons. I hope to eventually do another interview with Mr. Bond, since we weren’t able to touch on his fiction. However, in this interview Mr. Bond explains why he chose to write to young men and their fathers together,…

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Interview with Dr. Veith: Part Two

Janie Cheaney — Thu, 26 May 2011 19:12:13 +0000

Part Two of our Interview with Gene Edward Veith In Part Two of the interview, we’re talking about how to prepare our kids for college–and whether they need to go to college at all! But don’t miss Part One. 3. Sometimes, parents send their children to a Christian college thinking they will escape the most dangerous pitfalls…

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