Today on the blog, we have an interview with Beth Steury.
D. T.: Hey Beth, it’s great to have you with us today. Diving right in, what’s a topic you feel is underrepresented in Christian Fiction?
Beth: In general, the hardest parts of real life. Although I do feel the landscape is changing for the better, it seems like a slow progression. I believe so much in the power of story and that’s why I champion fiction that utilizes authentic, well-developed characters experiencing real-life scenarios through the lens of a Christian worldview.
D. T.: I agree. I’m so glad to see more Christian authors doing this. So, in your opinion, what makes a great story?
Beth: Well-developed characters whose personalities and quirks, past, present, and hoped-for futures meld into unique voices that burst from the page via strong, vivid writing throughout an engaging,
compelling storyline.
D. T.: Unique character voices and good plots are something I love too.
What would you consider to be a “brave” topic in fiction?
Beth: I would consider any topic that authors are encouraged to shy away from—because publishers will not be interested in those themes or a bookstore wouldn’t know on which shelf to place the book—to be a “brave” topic. With care and thoughtfulness, I believe that nearly any topic can be included in a story written from a Christian worldview. A key consideration should be that the topic is central to the storyline and character development rather than a tossed-in-for-no-good-reason element or a tacked-on “just because I can” addition. And never, ever included to see if and how many feathers can be ruffled.
D. T.: I completely agree with you on that. Including difficult topics has to be done well and for a good reason.
In what ways do you think you’re brave as an author?
Beth: I write very candidly about the challenge of saving sex for marriage and the difficult-but-not-impossible task of committing to “renewed waiting.” Without gratuitous scenes, the characters in the Choices Matter three-book series experience the very real temptation to succumb to temptation and grapple with how to tackle challenging scenarios with both honesty and transparency.
D. T.: That’s a topic we need to see addressed more often, for sure.
Which of your characters is your favorite?
Beth: I like all my characters, but Preston edges out the rest of the cast by a small margin. While told from both his and Maggie’s perspectives as the two lead 17-year-old characters, the story belongs first to him. It’s his past and his drive to do and be better in the future that launches the story.
D. T.: He sounds like a very compelling person.
Which book of yours is your favorite?
Beth: I love each of the books in the Choices Matter series just as I’m partial to each of the cast members. But the way the final book, between you and me, brings their long, growth-filled journey to such an organic close—one that surprised even me, in a good way—gave me chills. The story came together in a not-too-predictable yet very satisfying conclusion that fit the characters well.
D. T.: You can’t beat a good conclusion.
So, where did you get the inspiration for the series?
Beth: The inspiration came from a radio interview I heard many years ago. Following a presentation, a well-known youth speaker met outside in the parking lot with a young man from the audience. The young guy leaned on his truck and looked up at the speaker. “What happens when true love didn’t wait?” he asked. The speaker went on to say how that young man’s question changed how he approached the subject of teenagers and sex. For days, that scenario played through my mind accompanied by the faces of the many teenagers I knew who also had stumbled into premarital sex. Soon, the plot began to form in my mind.
D. T.: That’s a really intriguing question. I can see why you followed it.
What do you hope readers will take away from your latest book?
Beth: Choices matter. Saving sex for marriage still matters. It’s never too late to make wiser choices. Don’t let the past call the shots for your future.
D. T.: Wise words for sure.
Do you read your reviews? Why or why not?
Beth: I do read my reviews. Even though I know many authors advise against it, I’m too curious to resist. I’m both a bit anxious and super curious to know if the story resonates with the reader, how compelled the reader felt to keep turning the pages.
D. T.: I’m a fellow review reader, so I get it.
Just one more question today and somewhat related to the previous one. What is the best feedback you’ve received from a reader?
Beth: I pumped my fist when a reviewer noted: “The author knows teen culture. I’ve been telling the people I know to read this book.”
D. T.: That’s fantastic. It’s one thing to think you’ve hit something. It’s another to hear that from an outside source.
Thank you so much for being with us today, Beth. It was great to have you with us.
More about Beth:
Beth Steury’s combined experiences teaching the high school Sunday School class, substitute teaching in the public school, and connecting with the teenage staff at the fast-food joint where she claimed a “back booth office” helped inspire her YA “Choices Matter” fiction series. She’s a “cheerleader” for saving sex for marriage and for “renewed waiting” because it’s never too late to make wiser choices. Her “Waiting Matters … Because YOU Matter” blog helps people of all ages navigate the choppy waters of saving sex for marriage while her “Slices of Real Life” posts find GOD in the day-to-day moments of real life.
As a genetic genealogy enthusiast and “search angel,” she writes and speaks about her experiences as a “foundling” who located her birth parents via DNA. Her journey to find and connect with her biological family is chronicled in the blog series “A Doorstep Baby’s Search for Answers.” She advocates within the adoption community for truth, transparency, and restored access to original records and serves on the board of the National Association of Adoptees and Parents.
Connect with her at Bethsteury.com and find her on Facebook and Instagram at Beth Steury, Author.
