The Spiritual Aspect of REMNANTS: An Interview with Lisa T. Bergren

Thanks so much to Lisa T. Bergren for allowing me to interview her here today! Check out my review of the first book in her new series: REMNANTS along with her author bio and links to other books written by her that I have reviewed. Make sure to get the clue at the end of the interview and visit Lisa's blog to follow the tour and enter for a chance to win some exciting prizes! And now for our interview:

Julie: Remnants was a great, action-packed read with an oo-la-la romance brewing. Why’d you choose to add a spiritual aspect to it?

Lisa: To me, there’s a spiritual aspect to all of life. It’s what rounds out everything, from love to heartache, triumph and trial. Without it, there’s a piece of the pie missing. And in a dystopian setting, thinking about the end of the world as we know it? At that point, humanity would have drawn the lines on the whole God-thing pretty firmly. Either you’d turn your back on the Maker or be desperately seeking Him.

Julie: That reminds me…Why’d you call God “the Maker”?

Lisa: Well, I’m a Christian, but I didn’t want names to be a hang-up. I wanted the series to be a good read for anyone, regardless of where they are (or aren’t) on the path of faith.

Julie: Yet you don’t come across as preachy. I appreciate that.

Lisa: I hope not. I strive to create natural characters, reacting realistically to what they’re facing. I think it may be why I draw readers who haven’t yet decided what they think about God, which is fine by me. I love it when people are just open to considering the spiritual aspect of life, open to honest conversation. If we’re not open, not growing, not learning, we begin to stagnate, don’t we?

Julie: True! *considers notes* Hey, what do the two brothers, Kapriel and Keallach spiritually represent? Good vs. evil? Are they set up to represent Christ and Satan? Am I reaching too far there?

Lisa: They’re spiritual powerhouses for sure, but they’re human. I was thinking of the way we are all pulled toward good or evil, and the idea of twin brothers embodying that fork in the road fascinated me. As the series evolves, readers will see that neither one is either perfectly good or perfectly evil. Kapriel is constantly dragged back by the dark, and Keallach is constantly pulled forward by the light, just like us.

Julie: Talk to me about the spiritual battles in the story. Do you believe there are angels and demons fighting for our souls?

Lisa: I believe there is an unseen realm that we humans spend little time considering, but should. Once you begin walking the road of faith, it’s like you put on glasses that allow you to see more and more of it. But I don’t get hung up on angels and demons, because my soul has already been won, and there’s enough to deal with here in our physical world. But are there battles? Yes. Every day, every hour.

Julie: There’s a lot of YA fiction with angels and demons. Did that influence you? And will you up their presence in the next books?

Lisa: There is a lot out in the market—readers are clearly intrigued by the supernatural. Demons exist to drag us from the path of light; angels exist to protect us on the path and encourage us onward. Given that the Remnants are all about fighting off the dark and leading others toward the light, angels and demons will logically take a bit more stage time with each book. But our human characters will remain the focus.

Julie: I’m studying about the different gifts we’re given in 1 Corinthians, and it struck me how each of the Remnants has a distinct gift that the Maker gave them and they are to use it for his glory and purpose. Is that where you got it from?

Lisa: Exactly. I pursued this theme in the Gifted series too, because I think it’s so important. I’m autographing books to readers as “one of the Remnants, with her own gift,” because every one of us has been divinely gifted, whether we know it or not.

Julie: And I loved how you show that working together, they can get nearer to accomplishing their goals.

Lisa: Yes! I learn more about this all the time. Given that we’re all uniquely gifted, if we work together, rather than on our individualistic paths (which is so American!), we are more powerful than ever. And power’s important if you’re wanting to bring down the bad guys, slay dragons, and do epic good in the world. :)

Thank you again Lisa for being here and discussing the Spiritual aspects of REMNANTS!

Be sure to write down this STOP #22 LAUNCH TOUR CLUE: creative core

Collect all the clues and fill out Lisa’s Rafflecopter form on her launch tour post at LisaBergren.com at the end of April and you could win either a Kindle Fire HDX ($229) or iPod Touch ($229)!

A QUESTION FROM LISA:

What’s the most spiritual book you’ve read, either on the Christian or general market?(No fair naming the Bible, we're wondering about fiction in particular.)