An Interview with Kathryn Butler, Creator of The Dream Keeper Saga

We not too long ago caught up with Kathryn Butler, writer of The Dream Keeper Saga, to ask her all the questions on our thoughts in regards to the creatures and characters she created for the e book sequence, what her writing course of is like, and how one can incorporate themes of Christian hope right into a story.

How did you get began writing fiction? What compelled you to truly begin writing?

As is true for a lot of youngsters, tales have been very important to me rising up. When tensions have been excessive at residence, I’d escape into imaginary worlds the place bravery and light-weight have been commonplace. I began drawing tales on development paper earlier than I might write and continued dabbling in fiction till the calls for of drugs edged out time for scribbling.

My love for tales was reawakened after a touching expertise with my son in the course of the COVID pandemic. I’d left apply a number of years earlier than to homeschool my youngsters, however when the virus hit Boston, my colleagues requested me to return to assist in the ICU. My son Jack, who was seven on the time, was frightened for me, and in his nervousness, he began to query God’s goodness. We studied Job, John 11, Genesis 50:20, and related passages to spotlight God’s faithfulness in darkish moments. Then, an surprising second, in an surprising e book, drove the purpose residence.

We have been cuddled on the sofa studying The Return of the King earlier than I went into the hospital for one more evening shift. We examine Minas Tirith underneath siege. Sauron’s armies swarmed towards the gates. Darkness swallowed the once-green hills. All appeared misplaced. Then, daybreak broke. A wind swept from over the ocean, and the Riders of Rohan galloped to the rescue!

My voice caught as I learn Tolkien’s phrases, and Jack, with tears in his eyes, requested, “Are you able to please learn that once more?” We did, after which we talked in regards to the hope to which the scene pointed. Even within the midst of darkness and grief, now we have an assurance {that a} Savior will come. Gentle will daybreak once more. The cursed ring will dissipate. We’d like not despair, as a result of Jesus has assured us he’s with us till the tip of the age, and he’s making all issues new (Matt. 28:20, Rev. 21:5).

That night, as I drove to the hospital, I mirrored on the exceptional energy of a well-told story to present weight, imagery, and colour to the truths we educate our children in Scripture. The perfect tales, I contemplated, replicate the glittering mild and hope of the gospel. And immediately, daydreams struck me as essential. C. S. Lewis wrote that his Chronicles of Narnia arose not from a grand apologetic exposition however from a picture in his head of a faun holding an umbrella. Tolkien, too, immediately had the primary line of The Hobbit pop into his head. As shadows of the Creator who made us in his picture, daydreams have worth when stewarded properly.

And in order that night, when a picture of a woman stumbling upon a dragon in her kitchen popped into my head, I didn’t dismiss it and transfer on. As an alternative, I tucked it away. I spent hours caring for sick sufferers into the evening. Then at 3 a.m., when all was quiet within the ICU, I pulled a sheet of paper from a printer, requested, “Who is that this dragon?” and began to write down.

How do you strategy writing for middle-grade readers? Are there particular challenges in balancing journey, depth, and accessibility?

Many instances as I’m writing, I think about studying the story to my very own youngsters who’re center graders! If I can image them tapping their ft impatiently, I do know I must quicken the tempo. If I can envision the colour draining from my daughter’s face, I do know the scene is just too intense! Having youngsters who’re within the goal age vary—and having a depth of expertise studying aloud to them—has supplied extra perception than any e book I’ve learn on craft.

Having stated that, I feel it’s essential to respect the youngsters for whom you’re writing. Youngsters are able to grappling with huge points, and so they cope with actual fears. Additionally they have well-tuned alert techniques for condescension and insincerity. The best stability, I feel, is to acknowledge the fallenness of the world with out celebrating it, and to at all times supply a counterpoint of sunshine—specifically, the gospel—to thrust back the shadows. And the story must be main. Youngsters decide up a e book hoping to tumble headlong into an journey, to not sit by means of a lecture.

Have you ever discovered something in frequent between being an writer and being a health care provider that stunned you?

Medical doctors are literally storytellers. A lot of their work entails eliciting the historical past and particulars about somebody’s situation, piecing all the knowledge collectively such that it creates a cohesive narrative.

On a deeper stage, nonetheless, I feel medication greatest informs writing as a result of it unveils so many nuances of human nature. Those that work in medication witness profound struggling firsthand. They’ve a front-row seat to grief and brokenness, in addition to poignant glimpses of restoration and therapeutic. While you each day interface with the arduous realities of the human expertise, you develop perception into how individuals behave, for what they lengthy, how they love, and why the gospel is such excellent news.

For individuals who aren’t conscious, what’s the primary premise of The Dream Keeper Saga?

The Dream Keeper Saga is a middle-grade fantasy sequence with Christian themes. A woman named Lily, grieving for her late father, travels to a realm the place desires stay on after we awaken. She learns she’s a dream steward with distinctive powers to create, and he or she quickly stumbles into an journey that confronts her with questions of braveness, hope, and religion. All through the saga, she encounters Prince Pax, in whom she develops deepening belief because the stakes rise ever larger. Allegory waves all through the tales, pointing youngsters to the promise of redemption by means of Christ.

What was probably the most difficult a part of creating the characters, creatures, and world of The Dream Keeper Saga?

My writing course of is directly a supply of ample pleasure and nagging complications. I’m a “discovery” author; as an alternative of planning out every element, character trait, and narrative beat forward of time, I chase after pictures in my head, ask the place they lead, and uncover the story as I am going. The method is extra akin to brushing away mud from an artifact than assembling a constructing. It’s as if the story and the world exist already, and my job is to deliver them into the sunshine, fairly than to assemble them brick by brick.

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This strategy is a delight within the second, as there’s at all times one thing new to gaze upon and surprise about. A draw back, nonetheless, is that typically inconsistencies come up. Characters don’t behave the best way you count on. Your ending immediately hovers on the horizon within the north whilst you’re heading south. When such issues come up, I’ve to step away from the manuscript and spend a variety of time with a pocket book and pencil in hand, brainstorming the way it all suits collectively. These are the moments when my prayers in regards to the work—about stewarding the story for his glory—are probably the most ardent!

By the gospel, now we have a hope that can by no means disappoint and an assurance that burns away the shadows to disclose the good daybreak.

Which fantasy creature or idea that you just dreamed up for the e book are you most happy with?

I wouldn’t name it pleasure. I view the tales and all their particulars as presents that I’m to steward. I do, nonetheless, have a particular affinity for Cedric. He’s the kind of pal I’d like to have. As a child I dreamed up many imaginary pals identical to him, and would speak to them frequently. I feel if I did the identical factor now individuals would possibly name the police.

Is there a specific character that you just recognized with probably the most? How a lot did you write your self or different individuals you already know into the characters within the story?

A number of of the characters are composites of individuals I do know. I relate to Lily’s awkwardness; as a child I used to be teased for my top, and the anecdote within the first e book about bananas smooshed in Lily’s hair was based mostly on an actual occasion (on faculty image day!). Keisha’s gutsiness jogs my memory of my daughter, and my son is quirky like Lily. I’ve identified a number of goofy youngsters like Adam, and Sprock vaguely jogs my memory of a mentor from surgical procedure residency. A lot of the characters, nonetheless, weren’t associated to anybody particularly.

How did your individual journey of religion form the themes and messages present in The Dream Keeper Saga?

The Lord introduced me to himself by means of struggling. I didn’t know the gospel rising up, and I mistook Christianity for “being particular person.” Once I failed to avoid wasting three dying youngsters within the emergency room in the identical evening, I wrestled with God’s goodness and finally fell right into a darkish evening of the soul that endured for a 12 months. In a second that usually jogs my memory of Jonah, who ran from God and didn’t pray till steeped within the gloom of the fish’s stomach, the Lord softened my coronary heart whereas I used to be locked in that deep darkness. He opened my eyes to Christ, and particularly to the reality that he works by means of all issues—even loss of life on a cross—for the nice of those that love him (Rom. 8:28).

Given my very own journey, once I got down to write The Dream Keeper Saga, I didn’t wish to draw back from harsh realities. Struggling is actual. Sin is actual. And but, by means of the gospel, now we have a hope that can by no means disappoint and an assurance that burns away the shadows to disclose the good daybreak. After witnessing my very own son’s want for that reality—for that clear distinction between the gloaming now, and the glory to come back—I wished to present youngsters the identical picture of gospel hope. I wished to emphasise to youngsters that it doesn’t matter what occurs, our hope in Christ endures as a result of his steadfast love and faithfulness endure perpetually.

Have been there any characters or elements of the story that have been notably arduous or emotional so that you can write?

I cried a number of instances when writing The Quest for the Guardians as a result of as a dad or mum, I sympathized with Lily’s father. It’s a candy and but troublesome reality that our children will not be our personal. They belong to the Lord, and typically the trail down which he guides them—which is at all times the best path, given his sovereignty and style—carries them away from us. Daniel’s desperation to guard Lily, and his realization that faithfulness meant letting her go, hit near residence.

Writing the conclusion to the sequence was additionally arduous, particularly the previous few chapters. I grew to like these characters over time as in the event that they have been my youngsters. To thrust Lily into such hazard on the finish twisted my intestine. I used to be grateful to replicate on the brand new heavens and the brand new earth within the ultimate chapter!

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What did you uncover about your self as you wrote these books?

I found that any good I can have an effect on is just by his grace and in accordance with his work and can. I’ve acquired letters from readers who gleaned consolation and reassurance from these tales at simply the best time, which I by no means might have orchestrated. All through the method, I’ve seen Ephesians 2:10 and a couple of Corinthians 12:9 play out time and again. Writing is stewardship. My job is to stroll faithfully within the process the Lord units earlier than me; the fruit is his, the nice works are his, and the glory is his alone.

What did you uncover about God as you wrote these books?

Lily’s journey is considered one of sanctification, and following her allowed me to replicate deeply on how God works in our hearts to form us all our lives. I continuously mined Scripture and marveled at moments when his divine windfall subverted the goals of sinful man, and when he introduced therapeutic and renewal from brokenness, like new progress from scorched soil. Most of all, I mirrored on passages that present how he works in good, beautiful, and delightful methods on the most surprising moments: Lazarus within the tomb; Joseph within the jail cell; Job within the mud; and most of all, Jesus on the cross. Lily continuously needed to belief in Pax when all appeared bleak and when she didn’t perceive his actions. God calls us to do the identical—to belief that we stay in his grip and that he’s sovereign, holy, and good, even when our restricted minds can’t fathom our circumstances.

What do you hope youngsters will stroll away with after studying this sequence?

Once I was a child in a non-Christian residence, my first glimpse of the gospel wasn’t in church and even in a storybook Bible, nevertheless it was in The Voyage of the Daybreak Treader. I examine Aslan liberating Eustace from his dragonish type, and though I couldn’t articulate why, my soul thrilled. I knew I’d simply beheld one thing wondrous, one thing with deep, marvelous, beautiful which means that I couldn’t fairly unpack.

My hope is that when youngsters learn The Dream Keeper Saga, echoes of the gospel equally observe them after they’ve closed the books. I hope they see parallels to the biblical narrative and that these pictures embolden them when life appears awash in grey. I hope once they learn of Pax laying down his life, the picture stirs their hearts in remembrance of Christ on the cross. I hope once they learn of Lily’s hopelessness within the Sea of Oblivion, they rejoice that simply as Pax rushed to her rescue, so additionally Christ has saved us. And when Pax makes all issues new, I pray they suppose upon Jesus, the Alpha and the Omega, who gave his life for us, who will wipe away each tear from each eye, and in whose home we are going to dwell perpetually.

Kathryn Butler is the writer of The Dream Keeper Saga.

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