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)!
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.)
