Redbend High School Senior, Bianca Ravenwood, is the main
character of Lineage, the third book in my YA Christian suspense series. The
series follows three best friends through high school, with each book
showcasing a grade level. Bianca is cynical, calculating, and strong. And I
must admit, though I love all three of the girls, Bianca is the most fun to
write.
Writing Lineage taught me a lot of things about Bianca that
I hadn’t learned in the two previous Redbend High books, Witcha’be and DizzyBlonde. Bianca has an extremely commanding presence, and sort of controls
situations from the shadows, which doesn’t require her to say much. But Lineage
is Bianca’s story, so she was shoved stage center, into the spotlight, forced
not only to speak, but to have her thoughts accessed by the reader (and the writer).
On the surface, Bianca doesn’t appear to have many
weaknesses. She’s confident, bold, secure in her own identity—and even knows
Christ as her personal Savior. But as I grew to know Bianca better, I realized
her strength is her weakness.
Although she loves her dad and adores her friends, inside she longs for someone
strong enough to hold her up and steady her feet. Someone to relate to, who
truly understands her. A relationship that isn’t held together by a lot of
touchy-feely mush, but is sustained by common interests and mutual respect.
When a strong man named Chase Archer comes along with a
cynical sense of humor and a headful of red hair—just like Bianca’s—and claims
to be her biological father, she is more than a little confused…and a lot
enthralled. She wants to know him better, and soon learns they share a passion
for acting, a love of old movies, and are prone to say the exact same words at
the exact same time. It’s like they’re connected at the brain. Just the way
Satan likes it.
The need to belong. I believe this to be one of the hardest
and cruelest ploys that Satan uses to drag us down. Relationship means the
state of being related to something else, to have a significant connection.
Everyone wants to belong in some way. To belong to a part of something greater,
or maybe just to belong in a relationship with one person who understands where
they’re coming from. In Bianca’s case, Chase used this innate need to
manipulate Bianca, using her as a tool to get to what he really wanted. Even a
person as streetwise and shrewd as Bianca can be blinded by the desire to
connect.
In this excerpt from the ninth chapter of Lineage, Chase
himself speaks to Bianca of Satan’s adaptability:
“Really, now. You don’t think the devil could walk right
into your church and sit down in one of those padded pews? Or step behind the
pulpit, for that matter? Or stand right beside you and breathe in your ear? The
devil can be very convincing. A person might even think she was hearing from
God, if she wasn’t careful.”
Through the writing of this book, I hope I have learned to
keep my eyes opened a little bit wider, my ears piqued a little bit sharper,
and my feet planted a little bit firmer. Using the need to belong, Satan weaves
a powerful web. But, as usual, God provides a means of escape:
2 Timothy 3:12-14 (NIV)
In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ
Jesus will be persecuted, while evildoers and impostors will go from bad to
worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have
learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you
learned it…
“Continue in what you have learned…” That’s good advice. I’m
so glad Bianca followed it.
Anna has written stories for as long
as she can remember. She still has most of her tattered
creations, leftovers she was unable to sell on the playground
for a dime, written in childish handwriting on notebook paper,
bound with too many staples. Her love of storytelling has grown
throughout the years. She is thrilled to learn some people now
believe her tales to be worth more than ten cents.
Anna resides in small town Oklahoma
with her high school sweetheart-turned-husband Tim, and their
teenaged daughter Brandilyn. Anna works as secretary of her
hometown middle school—the greatest place on earth this side of
Disney World.
I loved "Dizzy Blonde". "Lineage" looks awesome, too.
ReplyDeleteIt's very good, Carlene. The wait to 'get into' Bianca's head is worth it.
DeleteThank you, Carlene! I hope you enjoy Lineage.
DeleteAnna has turned me onto YA ...does that mean I'm in my second childhood?
ReplyDeleteLOL, Julie, if that's the case, a lot of adults are in their second childhood thanks to Anna's YA books.
DeleteI think I'm still living in my FIRST childhood, even though I'm a Granna now :) Thank you, ladies, for the extreme compliments!
DeleteI love Witcha'be and Dizzy Blonde so Lineage is definitely on my wish list. Lindsey.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, Heather :) You made my day. I hope you enjoy Lineage!
DeleteBianca is a great character. It's great to read how she affects her writer. I always enjoy reading you, Anna.
ReplyDeletePaulette! So good to see you here! Thank you so much for stopping by, and for always being so very supportive :)
DeleteI like being a young adult. Oops...I meant reading YA! LOL. It's been a few years since I was a YA, but I really enjoy these stories.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Gay :) I can tell you are young at heart by the nonstop energy of your adorable little angel, Sarah.
ReplyDelete