By Dusty Crabtree
Being a high school English teacher and youth sponsor at my church, I get
to use my passion for teens on a daily basis, investing in their lives, trying
to be a good role model and mentor to them, and oftentimes just being their
friend. A few years ago, a friend suggested I write a novel like the paranormal
YA books about angels we’d been reading, and I discovered a whole new medium
where I could funnel not only my passion for teens, but also my creativity:
writing fiction! I loved every minute of writing my young adult urban fantasy, Shadow Eyes, and I am thoroughly
enjoying writing the sequel as well.
But the best part isn’t the writing. It’s hearing from readers who tell me
that they loved my book, that reading it has given them a different perspective
about the world around them, or that they cried because of the powerful ending.
My goal is to change lives with this book series, whether subtly by influencing
the way people see their world, or substantially by giving people hope when
they feel there is none. I truly believe reading can change lives like that. I
just feel honored to be a part of the whole process.
So where did the idea for Shadow Eyes come from? Obviously, it has a little to do with angels, but,
strangely enough, the idea actually first came to me as a screenplay for a
Christian horror movie, if there ever was such a genre. The movie would have
been about a cast of intertwined characters going about their lives and making
mistakes with dark, creepy shadows (demons) hovering around them, whispering to
them, and influencing them to do evil things. Only the audience would see the
shadows. The characters would be completely oblivious. After my friend’s
suggestion, I immediately thought back to that screenplay idea and tweaked it
until I had the basic concept of Shadow Eyes – a 17-year-old girl who had this
special ability to see the shadows and light figures when nobody else could.
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"I live with my husband, Clayton, in Yukon, Oklahoma,
where we often serve our community as foster parents. Apart from the obvious
reading and writing, I also enjoy serving on the praise team and drama team at
church and watching movies. My favorite movies so far are Inception, Avatar,
Miracle, and October Sky, and my favorite books are the Hunger Game trilogy and
the Hush Hush series."
View the book trailer at
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