The Making of Truthcry

Hello, reader!

I can't even begin to say how excited I am to share my newest book, Truthcry, with all of you! It was released on May 22, 2023, but the entire project started about a year earlier... and, well, how it all came about is a long story.

Before I get carried away and dive into all the details about this new adventure and the history behind the book idea, I just wanted to mention there are NO spoilers ahead! (So, if you haven't read Truthcry yet, don't worry! 😉)

So, without further ado, let's get into it!

The Inspirations

After completing my previous series, it took a while to return to writing, simply because I lacked an idea that I really loved. Going into it, I already knew I wanted to write a book centered around the search for truth since it plays such a huge part in human lives and is evident in every direction we look. Most people long to find the truth, but sadly, many look in the wrong places. I knew my book should take place in a world much like ours where the characters are struggling to find their way amidst dark times, trying to fight the lies without really knowing the truth.

I also knew I wanted this adventure to take place in the Middle Ages (or a period similar to it). To be frank, I love the lack of cellphones and screens, the way everyone used horses to get around, and the sword-fighting. 😂

Although I had a mental sketch of what the new book should be, I literally had no idea for a plot or characters until I read an awesome book: Cloak of the Light by Chuck Black, which focuses on a young man who can see angels and demons. (If you love Christian Fantasy, I highly recommend checking out his work!) Jeff Wheeler's Muirwood series was another great influence on my new novel, as it introduced the idea of evil creatures whispering deceit directly into the minds of their victims. A passage in 2 Kings 6 further inspired me: the armies of Aram were bearing down on Elisha and his servant. While his companion feared for his life, Elisha remained calm and asked God to open the servant's eyes so he could see the heavenly hosts of angels guarding them from danger.

The concept of being able to see spiritual warfare in everyday life resonated within me, setting the pieces for my own book. I realized that the lies didn't have to be abstract. When my characters were fighting the lies, they could battle against real creatures which represent Satan's evil warriors.

Using the Muirwood series and Cloak of the Light as inspirations, I dove deeper into the idea by reading Biblical passages on spiritual warfare, my favorites being 1 Peter 5:8-9 and Ephesians 6:10-18. I became excited about this book's potential... until I came across the difficulties of developing a plot. 

Planning

Ah, yes, planning the plot. 😐 It's certainly one of the most difficult parts of the job, and I would be lying if I said it was a joy from start to finish. There were definitely times when I considered dropping the whole idea, until I remembered how excited I was about the concept.

Since I learned the hard way while writing Rebel War, I made sure this time to plan everything out before beginning the writing process. Although it was slow-going at first, I was thankful in the end that I wrote out a very long (and very messy) outline before typing the first chapter.

The Title

Since the title is usually the first thing I come up with, I was rather surprised when I looked up from my almost-done draft to discover a sad "My Book" still labeling the top of the document. It was actually my dad who came up with "Truthcry," and I immediately liked how it was unique, original, and pointed directly to the main theme. After some playing around with similar titles and joining other words to "Truth" (we had a good laugh over "Truthcake" 🤪), I settled on "Truthcry." That's been the title since then.

The Blurb

For those who haven't read Truthcry yet, here's the blurb! Enjoy! 😉

“Like a knight without armor, no one here knows the truth. That is their downfall.”

For decades, the tension between the two kingdoms – Conwald and Skovlar – has been stretched tight with the unspoken threat of war, but when a treaty is arranged, Keira Feldman believes peace is near. Daughter of a simple farmer in southern Conwald, Keira watches from the roadside as the Skovlarin king and his son, Prince Wilkin, approach. But things are not as they appear.

When murder threatens the fate of both kingdoms, the commoner and the prince are thrown into an unexpected adventure fraught with peril, fear, and unlikely friendship.

But humans aren’t their only hunters. From deep in the Foreboding Woodlands, a mysterious force of evil converges on the broken kingdoms.

As their world collides with the powers of the unseen, Wilkin and Keira must discover the truth.

Beautiful, deep, and breathtaking, Truthcry tells of the battle between darkness and light through a Christian perspective.

Well, there you have it: a brief history of my newest book! 😊 I hope you enjoyed this blog post, and, if you haven't already, be sure to check out Truthcry on Amazon by clicking the button below! 

Until next time, 

Evelyn Grace :)