Writing Kingdom Fiction

Back in 2012, I met a New York agent at a small East Texas Writers’ conference whose maiden name was McAdoo! I knew this was a divine appointment. My husband and I had nine titles published traditionally at the time—all but one from small regional presses. We volunteered to drive her back to DFW for flight home, and on the way, she told us, “Write me a historical Christian romance set in the 1800s, and I’ll sell it.”

We did, and she did! In only a few months! To Simon and Schuster!

That book VOW UNBROKEN led us to write many, many more historical Christian romance novels, and the genre wasn’t the only divine plan, but publishing independently came about when our “book two” didn’t fit The CBA (Christian Book Association) guidelines, and S&S declined to exercise their option on it.

So many friends were sorry for the rejection, but I said, don’t be! God has another plan! That’s all! We had to wait six months to publish HEARTS STOLEN ourselves through Amazon, and we’ve never looked back or regretted it. I say ‘we’ because we do still write together though only my name appears on the cover. The S&S editor wanted one name, so we chose mine. It worked so well for us, we just kept up the tradition.

What I love about writing Christian fiction is the ability to add Scriptural principles, things Holy Spirit has taught us over the years on how to live more like Jesus throughout our stories through our characters. Some little things, some big things. Not all of our folks are Christ followers, and not all of our Christian characters live a sin free life!

That’s right . . . sort of like it is in this world we live in, isn’t it?

I love it when a Godfearing heroine leads the hero into a relationship with the Father by showing him the Beloved Son in the way she lives her life. When he gets ready to get serious, she or someone else offers the plan of salvation, and he is forever changed! Do some of our heroines unequally yoke themselves by marrying a non-believer? Why, yes, of course they do. Just like in real life.

I don’t know why people get the idea that Christians are perfect. Some of our heroines learn that even though a man may love God, he can still fall out of grace. Afterall, he is just a man, but a man with a Heavenly Father who hands out second and third and fourth chances when we repent! Praise God for that! I have used up all kinds of chances in my lifetime, and He loves me still!

The father in our family teaches his children to be aware of the words they speak. It says in the Bible God creates the fruit of our lips... What could that be other than our words? Ron and I have taken so many words out of our vocabulary.

One of the earliest was ‘luck’. Scripture says all good things come from the Father above. To say ‘Good Luck’ is to credit ‘lady luck’ with the good thing that God did! He is jealous of His glory! The most recent word we’ve eliminated is ‘wish’. If we wish something, to whom are we wishing—or to what? A star? A birthday god (lower case intended since that would be a false one!)?

Through our characters we show our readers they should never fear or worry—ever—about anything! They only need to trust in the Lord, and He is altogether trustworthy! Such awesome, wonderful peace is obtained when we truly can trust in Him. It’s how Holy Spirit has taught us to live this amazing abundant life!

We haven’t made a lot of money off our books; most authors don’t, but I know Father has given us the stories, and Holy Spirit has used them in the lives of His children to help them learn how to be more like Jesus, and that’s the greatest thing I can think of to be doing in my life!

That’s why I #lovewhatIdo!  

Caryl McAdoo, praying her story gives God glory, loves God, her husband of fifty-plus years Ron, five sons and six daughters (birthed and in-loves), and twenty-seven grandsugars—then writing stories and singing the new songs God gives her. (Hear at YouTube.) Readers love her historical Christian romance family sagas with their characters who become friends. She also writes contemporary romance, Biblical fiction, historical mystery, and for young adults and mid-grade booklovers. The McAdoos live in the woods south of Clarksville—seat of Red River County in Northeast Texas—waiting expectantly for God to open the next door.