How Christian Fiction Can Lead Others to Christ

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Christian fiction is more than just entertainment—it’s a powerful tool for leading others to Christ through storytelling. For homeschooling parents looking to instill biblical values in their children, faith-based literature provides an engaging way to reinforce lessons of morality, perseverance, and God’s love. Unlike traditional textbooks, Christian novels immerse readers in compelling narratives that illustrate spiritual truths, making it easier for young minds to connect with the teachings of Jesus in a relatable and memorable way. Stories with strong Christian themes help students develop empathy and a deeper understanding of faith, encouraging them to live out biblical principles in their daily lives.

Incorporating Christian fiction into a homeschool curriculum can spark meaningful discussions about salvation, grace, and the power of faith. When students read about characters who struggle with real-life challenges and ultimately turn to God for guidance, they see the gospel in action. Books like The Victor by Marlayne Giron showcase the eternal battle between good and evil in a way that resonates with young readers, making biblical themes accessible and engaging. Parents can use companion study guides or discussion prompts to help children analyze the spiritual messages within each story, strengthening their understanding of God’s word.

Beyond the classroom, Christian fiction has the ability to touch hearts and transform lives. Many individuals who may not typically engage with the Bible find themselves drawn to faith through the power of storytelling. For homeschooling families, this means that the books they choose for their children today can play a crucial role in shaping their spiritual journey for years to come. By selecting faith-based literature that aligns with Christian values, parents can inspire their children to develop a lifelong love for God and His word, ensuring that their education is not only academically enriching but also spiritually fulfilling.

I had a Dream Last Night…

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If you’re like me, you seldom, if ever remember your dreams but the last 2 nights have been an exception.

Last night’s dream is the one I want to share with you. I dreamt I was one of several authors speaking in front of a large crowd about my book, The Victor, which was initially published in 2009 and republished again in 2022. I was trying to convey the purpose for which I had written the book and how I believed it was truly divinely inspired.

I am a Messianic Jew, wife and mother living in Orange County, California who writes Christian fiction. My entire family is Jewish. I attended a reformed (extremely liberal) Temple in my youth and observed the high holy days, but it was mostly done out of a cultural obligation rather than devotion to God. Like many Jews, I was raised with an anti-Christian/anti-Jesus “bias” and was taught that it was the height of betrayal to my Jewish heritage to “convert”. Growing up I had little to no interest in “religion” and at the age 13 considered myself an atheist. At this time the “Jesus Movement” was in full swing, and I found myself a “prime target” for the “Jesus Freaks”. I came to faith in Jesus as Messiah as a direct result of watching the television film, “Jesus of Nazareth” by Franco Zefferelli in 1977. From that moment on I began to read the Old Testament and discovered that believing in Jesus was the fulfillment of my Jewish faith not the betrayal everyone claimed it was. I became the Jesus Freak I used to make fun of.

I was inspired to write The Victor in 1980 from the following words in Amy Grant’s song, “Fairytale”:

“…two princes wage the battle for eternity, but the victor has been known from the start.”

It took me over 30 years to get the story published. Shortly after I started writing it, I asked the Lord for a confirmation scripture that the inspiration had come from Him and “PSALM 45” popped into my head. When I looked, this was the first verse: “My heart overflows with a good theme, I address my verses to the King, my tongue is the pen of a ready writer.” I was absolutely floored.

The Victor is my love letter to God and a means to convey this love to others by getting past their “watchful dragons”. What are “watchful dragons”? It comes from a famous quote of C.S. Lewis (the author of The Chronicles of Narnia) when discussing the power of fiction or “story” to have an impact for Christ:

“I thought I saw how stories of this kind could steal past a certain inhibition which had paralyzed much of my own religion in childhood. Why did one find it so hard to feel as one was told one ought to feel about God or the sufferings of Christ? I thought the chief reason was that one was told one ought to. An obligation to feel can freeze feelings. And reverence itself did harm. The whole subject was associated with lowered voices; almost as if it were something medical. But supposing that by casting all these things into an imaginary world, stripping them of their stained-glass and Sunday School associations, one could make them for the first time appear in their real potency? Could one not thus steal past those watchful dragons? I thought one could.”

Back to the dream. I was trying to explain to the audience about the watchful dragons but in my dream, it came out as the “watchful lions”. I also introduced the concept of “the magic mirror”. Unlike the Mirror of Erised in Harry Potter, which grants you your heart’s deepest desire, (sort of like my book, Make a Wish), the mirror in my dream was invisible. You won’t know that you have looked into it, until you have gotten past the “watchful lions and realized that you need Jesus. The mirror in my dream doesn’t show you what you want. It shows you the truth about yourself if you have the eyes to see it. While trying to explain the mirror concept to my husband, he summarized the “watchful lions” in one word: PRIDE.

It’s our human pride that puts up walls and blinds us to the harsh truth and keeps us from receiving Christ as Savior. Pride in thinking that we aren’t as sinful as the next guy (or at all) and that God grades “on the curve”. The “magic mirror” reveals who we actually are: poor, wretched, blind and naked and in need of redemption. Artfully woven stories can get you past the watchful dragons (or lions) that guard the walls, through the portcullis of “religiosity” and into the courtyard of receiving the truth by engaging your heart and emotions. Good stories get you to invest in the characters and empathize with them only to realize that they represent something (or someone) much greater just like I did so many years ago by watching Jesus of Nazareth.

As I was praying and asking God to help me write this blog post in a way that made sense, I believe He gave me an epiphany on the way home from church. He reminded me of the term that is used to describe a pack of lions: PRIDE.

Are your lions getting in the way?

Goodreads Giveaway!

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I’m giving away 20 e-books of Second Chance Inn on Goodreads for a limited time:

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Second Chance Inn by Marlayne Giron

Second Chance Inn

by Marlayne Giron

Giveaway ends October 31, 2023.

See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.

Enter Giveaway

Kindle of The Victor now only $2.99 for very limited time

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PRESS RELEASE

Marlayne Giron’s New Bestselling Christian Epic Fantasy Fiction eBook, The Victor, Will Be Available At Dramatically Reduced Pricing from October 17 Through October 19, 2022

Giron is considered to be a great new voice in Christian Fiction and writes fiction with a mission. Influenced by epic tales such as Rings of Power and Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, the book will be of special interest to homeschoolers. A no-charge student workbook is also available at her website.

[Wilmington, NC, Oct 13, 2022] Bestselling Author Marlayne Giron has announced that her highly praised Christian Fantasy Fiction e-book, ‘The Victor’, will be available for $2.99 from October 17 through October 19, 2022. The book was heavily influenced by Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings. In the tradition of Stephen Lawhead and Elizabeth Chadwick, Marlayne Giron writes epic fantasy fiction centered around traditional Christian values. Her work has been compared to ‘The Chronicles of Narnia’ and has an endorsement by New York Times bestselling author Tosca Lee on the front cover.

Destined to become a classic, the new book is an inspirational historical fantasy fiction book written for ages 12 and up. This spellbinding tale is set apart from other Christian fiction books by her subtle but powerful method of presenting Christian principles embedded in a majestic adventure that is gripping, riveting, and engaging for readers of any age. It is perfect as a home school resource for both English and history curriculum.

“The book would make a great movie for fantasy fiction fans,” Giron stated recently, “My dream cast for The Victor would include Sean Connery playing the part of Eloth, Gerard Butler as Sir Penloth, Josh Dallas as Joshua the Prince and Pierfrancesco Favino as Lucius. The song, ‘Fairytale’ by Amy Grant inspired the book in 1980. Attaining bestseller status for the book has been a dream come true.”

As noted on Giron’s website, a companion lesson plan is available for advanced Language Arts students in upper middle school through high school. The Lesson Plan explores the language and Biblical symbolism of the novel and works especially well for Christian homeschoolers. Because the Christian Bible plays such a powerful role in history and sociology, the book is recommended for non-Christians as well.

The book will be available at Amazon for $2.99 October 17 through October 19, 2022.

The lesson plan contains a vocabulary list, chapter summary questions, pronunciation guide, guide to allegorical symbolism, short biography about the author, and a bit about the armor that knights and their horses wore during medieval times. End of chapter questions about content are interspersed with ideas for further study, and essay topics.

The student workbook is available at no charge at Giron’s website at https://thevictorbook.com/download-the-free-student-workbook-and-chivalry-studies/.

Readers and reviewers have praised the book. Robert Heath, Founder and Director of Kids for Christ/USA, stated, “The Victor is an absolute ‘literary masterpiece’ that should be required reading in High Schools across the land. In fact, if there was a required reading list for Christians, The Victor would have to be on it.”

NY Time bestselling author Tosca Lee said, “The Victor is an epic adventure of love, loss, and triumph over evil. Giron’s characters leap off the page into medieval battles, jousts, quests, and romance. Fans of Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, and medieval fantasy will not want to miss out on this classic tale!”

Karen Koch, former editor of the Christian Home Educators Association of California Magazine stated, “I loved this book. The author had me at castles, sword fights, and a gentle romance, but the novel reveals an eternal story of good vs. evil that is much deeper than just what’s on the surface. Middle and high school students (and their parents) will love this account of adventure, drama, betrayal, sacrifice, and ultimate victory.”

Kathi Macias, bestselling author of nearly sixty books said, “Author Marlayne Giron has woven together a fast-paced adventure and a tender love story that will keep readers on the edge of their seats, even as they are caught up in the lives of believable characters, both good and evil. The Victor will introduce – or reintroduce – readers to the majestic story of the Bible, a story of love, redemption, and victory. Though aimed at high-school aged readers, adults will be captivated by it as well. Highly recommended!”

The book is currently available at Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/Marlayne-Giron/e/B09YQPRVL7/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_book_1.

Marlayne Giron is available for media interviews. She can be reached using the information below, or by email at [email protected]. ‘The Victor’ is available at online book retailers. More information is available at Giron’s website at https://thevictorbook.com.

About Marlayne Giron:

Author Marlayne Giron is a Jewish girl who writes Christian Fiction. She has been married to her husband Michael since 1986. She came to faith in Jesus as Messiah as a direct result of watching the television film, “Jesus of Nazareth” by Franco Zefferelli in 1977. From that moment on she began to read the Old Testament and discovered that believing in Jesus was the fulfillment of her Jewish faith.

Contact:

Marlayne Giron

homeII


[email protected]

What is the Deal with the New Book Cover Designs?

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How did we go from book covers like these:

to this?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There’s a hot new trend out there in book cover design and I’m not sure I like it much. It seems very juvenile and cartoony, but they seem to be a big hit with avid book readers on Instagram because they love showing their color-coordinated bookcases behind them (in an hombre color scheme) while wearing a crown and waxing poetic about their latest great read. When did this become a thing? Do I now have to buy myself a tiara to have a video on Instagram?

I’ll have to admit that it takes a lot of courage to put yourself out there and video yourself talking about books in a professional looking manner with all sorts of fancy video effects and music. Some of these “Instagramers” are actually quite cute to look at so they aren’t too bad on the eyes, but I do not fall into that category, so no way do I want videos of myself out there. I’m still stumbling my way through how to upload videos on Tik Tok and Instagram. I could really use a crash course from someone sitting next to me to guide me. What I find most difficult is trying to do all this editing on the tiny little screen of my phone (which requires reading glasses for me to see properly). I much prefer using Canvaa on my home computer to create stuff. What I don’t understand is how any of this will ever translate into book sales?

Perhaps I could hire a gorgeous spokes model to do it for me?

Great News!

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As of today, over 1200 people have downloaded the kindle version of The Victor, putting it into the #1 position on Amazon for Christian Classical Allegory and #3 for Historical Fantasy Fiction!

Author Marlayne Giron Announces New Christian Fiction Book, The Victor, An Epic Fantasy Fiction Centered Around Traditional Christian Values

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Giron is considered to be a great new voice in Christian Fiction and writes fiction with a mission.

[Wilmington, NC July 16, 2022] Author Marlayne Giron has announced the release of a new Christian Fiction book, ‘The Victor’.

In the tradition of Stephen Lawhead and Elizabeth Chadwick, Marlayne Giron writes epic fantasy fiction centered around traditional Christian values. Her work has been compared to ‘Lord of the Rings’ and ‘The Chronicles of Narnia’.

Her latest book, ‘The Victor’, is an inspirational historical fiction book – written for ages 12 and up – that is destined to become a classic. Perfect as a home school resource, this spellbinding tale is set apart from other Christian fiction books by her subtle but powerful method of presenting Christian principles embedded in a majestic adventure that is gripping, riveting, and engaging for readers of any age.

A benevolent king, his sword of power.

A ruthless traitor bent on revenge, and the faithful son who stands in his way with the woman destined to share his throne.

Who shall emerge the victor in this epic battle between good and evil to rule the lives of hapless men?

“I was inspired to write this book by famed music artist, Amy Grant’s song, ‘Fairytale’ as a means to convey the gospel to those who won’t go to church, read the bible, and don’t want to be witnessed to,” Giron stated.

Readers and reviewers have praised the book. Robert Heath, Founder and Director of Kids for Christ/USA, stated, “The Victor is an absolute ‘literary masterpiece’ that should be required reading in High Schools across the land. In fact, if there was a required reading list for Christians, The Victor would have to be on it.”

NY Time bestselling author Tosca Lee said, “The Victor is an epic adventure of love, loss, and triumph over evil. Giron’s characters leap off the page into medieval battles, jousts, quests, and romance. Fans of Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, and medieval fantasy will not want to miss out on this classic tale!”

Karen Koch, former editor of the Christian Home Educators Association of California Magazine stated, “I loved this book. The author had me at castles, sword fights, and a gentle romance, but the novel reveals an eternal story of good vs. evil that is much deeper than just what’s on the surface. Middle and high school students (and their parents) will love this account of adventure, drama, betrayal, sacrifice, and ultimate victory.”

Kathi Macias, bestselling author of nearly sixty books said, “Author Marlayne Giron has woven together a fast-paced adventure and a tender love story that will keep readers on the edge of their seats, even as they are caught up in the lives of believable characters, both good and evil. The Victor will introduce – or reintroduce – readers to the majestic story of the Bible, a story of love, redemption, and victory. Though aimed at high-school aged readers, adults will be captivated by it as well. Highly recommended!”

As noted on Giron’s website, a companion lesson plan is available for advanced Language Arts students in upper middle school through high school. The Lesson Plan explores the language and Biblical symbolism of the novel and works especially well for Christian homeschoolers. Because the Christian Bible plays such a powerful role in history and sociology, the book is recommended for non-Christians as well.

The lesson plan contains a vocabulary list, chapter summary questions, pronunciation guide, guide to allegorical symbolism, short biography about the author, and a bit about the armor that knights and their horses wore during medieval times. End of chapter questions about content are interspersed with ideas for further study, and essay topics.

Marlayne Giron is available for media interviews. She can be reached using the information below, or by email at [email protected]. ‘The Victor’ is available at online book retailers. More information is available at Giron’s website at https://thevictorbook.com.

About Marlayne Giron:

Author Marlayne Giron is a Jewish girl who writes Christian Fiction. She has been married to her husband Michael since 1986. She came to faith in Jesus as Messiah as a direct result of watching the television film, “Jesus of Nazareth” by Franco Zefferelli in 1977. From that moment on she began to read the Old Testament and discovered that believing in Jesus was the fulfillment of her Jewish faith.

Contact:

Marlayne Giron
https://thevictorbook.com
[email protected]

Welcome to my new website

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Welcome to my new author website!

Hello!

In addition to my breast cancer blog (Kvetching with Marlayne), I now have this author website dedicated to my books. I will be sending out a newsletter on a monthly basis which may be unique to most typical newsletters because I will be inviting people to share their deepest, heartfelt wish with me to be eligible to receive a custom written "wish fulfillment" short story written by me. As soon as I have enough for another "Make a Wish" type book, I will be publishing it into a sequel novel.

The newsletter will also be asking subscribers to share their "God stories". Stories of supernatural answers to prayer, angelic visitations, maybe even a glimpse of heaven experiences. I will also be sharing some of my favorite go-to resources for defending the faith, bible prophecy (a passion) as well as the latest news on my author journey and books.

I hope you'll both subscribe to my website and sign up for the newsletter!

Here's to the journey ahead!

Marlayne