This year, I’ve really been inspired by meeting so many Christian authors on Instagram. I’ve shared my testimony of coming to Christ and how that has inspired my writing, and I thought it would be great to have other amazing authors share their stories too!
This week is an awesome down-to-earth author of YA Christian fantasy, Kaitlyn King!
Author Interview
How old were you when you decided to serve/follow Jesus?
I was raised in church, receiving Christ as my savior at age 6. For the longest time, church and my relationship with God was only a part of my life. As a teenager, I started attending camps and conferences that encouraged us to dedicate our entire lives to Jesus and whatever His will was for our lives. I was 14 when I felt God tugging on my heart to do just that. I decided that I would place my future in his hands, forgoing any plans I had in favor of what His will was for my life.
What was it like for you to grow up as a Christian?
Growing up as a Christian was a balancing act. There were things being taught to me at church that contradicted with what my friends or even my teachers said. I learned early on to be steadfast in my beliefs, and to have compassion and understanding when it comes to someone else’s beliefs. I hated when people judged me harshly for my Christian values. I tried to be a light wherever I could, though I know I wasn’t always the greatest at it.
What’s the most important thing you’d want younger Christians to know about serving God?
God has a unique purpose for each of our lives. When I first dedicated my life to Christ, I thought I had to fit into the molds of the Christians I saw coming out of Bible colleges. They all dressed, talked, and acted the same. There were only a few degrees available for girls: teaching, secretarial, and missions. It felt very constraining to try to picture myself in one of those boxes. I decided to keep praying that God would show me His will and was very excited when I realized He wanted me to be an author. I knew it without a doubt. And yet, I still felt like I had to fit into one of the boxes. I went to Bible college for teaching, hoping it would teach me enough about writing that I could use it in the future. It wasn’t until after I had graduated, got married, and settled down as a teacher that I realized that even though in all appearances I was in the will of God, I really wasn’t. I finally had to step out of the box, and I’m so glad I did.
God has taken me on a journey that is very different than what I thought was normal for following Him. I’d love younger Christians to ignore the boxes they think they are being forced into and to listen solely to the passions and problems God brings to their attention. There are many times we notice problems, like a certain group of people that don’t have what they need, and God puts those problems on our hearts for a reason. Even if it’s unconventional, God can be calling us to solve those problems.
As a Christian author, what is your goal with writing?
I always loved reading, (I still do!) but when I became a teenager I stopped being able to relate to the characters in books. The books made for the “average American teenager” didn’t fit the lifestyle I was living. At a camp, I met a man who said he wanted Christian teens to have books too. I was very grateful for him doing that, and realized God wanted me to meet that need as well. C.S. Lewis said, “We read to know we are not alone.” I’ve kind of made my mantra, “I write so others will know they are not alone.”
What is the most important godly message you share with your audience?
I always try to have the plan of salvation somewhere in my stories, even if it is just in my own personal testimony in the back. The other godly message I like to put in my stories is an example of a walk with God. I love for my characters to talk about verses they’ve memorized, passages they read when they are struggling in certain areas, and the prayers they pray in their own hearts. I feel it’s important to demonstrate a walk with God so Christian teens can see what it’s like. Teenagers are very observant, and often will see discrepancies between adults that pray magnanimous prayers in public, but live ungodly lives when they think no one is looking. This causes many teens to think the Christian life is full of fakes and hypocrites. I hope my characters show them that it’s possible to have a real relationship with Christ, and that they will decide to take that step themselves.
How can you reach the author?
If you’d love to connect with Kaitlyn King, you can check out her newsletter, author website, Youtube channel, and more! Here are the links:
Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/0c390f348e4f/author-kaitlyn-king-newsletter
Author Website: https://authorkaitlynking.com
Youtube: https://youtube.com/@authorkaitlynking?si=RjxHAL8gBa1_sixc
