What is Redemptive Fiction?
In my bio, I describe my writing as REDEMPTIVE FICTION, but what does that mean?
The word redemptive means:
acting to save someone from error or evil.
Of my books, the theme of acting to save someone from evil is best illustrated in my novel “Saving Detroit.” The main character is a young man named Luke who is on the cusp of attaining his dream job, when he is in the wrong place and is abducted by a man who deals in sex trafficking. The story follows his horrific 6 month ordeal as he is abused, taunted, and tortured not only in his body, but for his faith in God. He is rescued and returned to his family only to discover his father’s past led to his capture. Luke is forced to wrestle with the consequences of his abuse, the choices his father made, and most importantly - how can God be trusted when horrible things happen?
While there are no on page descriptions of the torture, and very little foul language, this book would not be categorized as ‘clean’ by anyone’s standards. And that was not my goal in writing it.
The idea for this story came from a headline I read that said 50% of human trafficking victims are boys. The news talks a lot about girls and women being assaulted or trafficked, but the reality is, just as many boys and men are victims.
This kind of evil is a dark part of the world we live in, and without it being exposed to the light, evil is able to thrive. “Saving Detroit” strives to shed light into the darkness not by shying away from it, but by charging into it with the light and hope of the gospel and showing the faithfulness of God even in the midst of evil so wretched no one wants to talk about it.
Redemptive also means to save someone from error, and that is what my novel “Safe Cages” strives to do. Michael and Sam are two men who have been best friends since childhood and come to realize they feel more for each other than simple friendship. The story chronicles their marriage and the love they grow to have for one another. Michael, though raised by strict Christian parents, who ultimately turn their back on him after he marries Sam, knows God is calling him to believe and trust Him. With the careful guidance of a pastor who has his own identity struggles, Michael’s understanding of and surrender to God’s word forces him to make a decision about his marriage to Sam.
The ending of this story is not what the LGBTQ community would want it to be, but I believe it honors both the very real emotions, struggles, and desires of a gay man who loves his partner fiercely, yet choses to put his full faith and confidence in the Lord. This story is neither an affirmation of a lifestyle directly opposed to God’s design, nor is it a condemnation of a person who has genuine desires and emotions for someone of the same sex. It is an exploration of how a church can, through gentle, redemptive love, encourage someone to reconsider a behavior that is in error.
These novels are gritty, emotional, and controversial in Christian circles. But, the Bible doesn’t hesitate to use gritty stories to illustrate how God’s light of truth, love, and hope is the only thing that can redeem a world so broken these kinds of situations even exist. The reality of His love and the sacrifice of His Son to redeem us is the redemptive template laid over all the stories I write.
If you are looking for difficult stories and hard topics that illustrate the real hope of Christ, then these books are for you. You can follow the links below to learn more about each novel, and purchase your copies today.
What if the main character in the movie ‘Taken’ was a young man?
Luke Kelso is about to land what he thought was his dream job as crew chief for his dad’s pro-race team, but a celebratory night out with friends turns into a six-month nightmare of abuse after he is drugged and forced into service for a high-end sex trafficking ring.
His rescue and return home to a family that loves him should have given him a safe place to recover and begin rebuilding his life. But when the truth about his family’s involvement in his ordeal is revealed, Luke turns his back on God, his family, and his career, vowing to take down the one who shattered his world forever.
An emotional story of recovery and healing through faith in God, Saving Detroit is a heartbreaking look at the horrors of human trafficking seen through the eyes of a young man fighting a battle against an evil only God can defeat.
Trigger Warning: Prostitution, Sexual Assault, Drug and Alcohol Use
Best Friends. Dads. Husbands.
Christian.
From the moment they met at the batting cages, Michael Casio and Sam Jones have been best friends. When his feelings for Sam developed into something that conflicted with his strict Christian upbringing, Michael fled the state hoping the forbidden attraction would go away.
Sam was sure he'd lost his friend for good and did his best to move on. But when Michael came home willing to risk it all, they discovered a love neither of them would have imagined possible.
Their life seems perfect until a series of events leads them to Cornerstone Community Church. While there, they have an encounter with God and His love changes everything.
This book is driven by Biblical principles. It depicts a marriage between two gay men who ultimately come to faith in Christ and chose to obey God's commands to divorce. The story ends with a happy for now for both characters.
Trigger warning for alcohol use and LGBTQ relationship.