Hope Bolinger, who describes herself as a “combo of driven and nerdy,” is a prodigious writer with an impressive resumé. During our interview, she shares why she started writing as a teen, her experiences at Taylor University’s professional writing program, and her love of costumes. (She once sang her order at McDonald’s while wearing a prom dress.)
Join @HopeBolinger, author of the #BlazeTrilogy, on #NovelistsUnwind #ChristFic #YAInspyFic Click To TweetHope’s Blaze Trilogy is a modern-day telling of the Old Testament book of Daniel. The stories, which feature Danny Belte, a high school student, were inspired by a professor who mentioned that Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego may have only been fourteen to sixteen years old when they were forced to leave their homes and journey to Babylon.
In addition to writing YA novels that inspire readers to stay strong in their faith, Hope has written over 800 articles for both the inspirational and general market, sold three screenplays, and is a literary agent for the CYLE (Cyle Young Literary Elite) Agency.
Connect with Hope on her website and on Facebook.
Den
If You Don’t Want to Die, Don’t Sleep with Lions.
Danny Belte barely survived his sophomore year at King’s Academy, having to deal with horrible initiation practices, stomach-churning cafeteria food, and the constant threat of arson.
His junior year doesn’t start off much better. Facing a series of mysterious suicide attempts that begin on day one–and a disturbing pattern that appears to connect them–Danny has a feeling something far more sinister is at play. He tries to narrow down a list of suspects as those closest to him disappear, one by one.
Can he protect his friends from a possible murderer on the loose? Or will he find himself trapped in a fate worse than a lions’ den?
Blaze
If you can’t stand the heat, don’t walk into the fire.
Danny knew his sophomore year would be stressful, but he didn’t expect his school to burn down on the first day.
To make matters worse (and they were about to get a lot worse), he — and his three best friends — each receive an email from the principal of their rival, King’s Academy, offering full-rides to attend the town’s prestigious boarding school. Danny wants nothing to do with King’s Academy and says no. His mother has other ideas. So off he goes to be bullied and picked on for not being part of the popular and rich crowd.
From day one at King’s, Danny encounters hazing, mocking insults from girls at the “popular and pretty” table, and cafeteria food that, for such a prestigious school, tastes as if it was purchased from a military surplus supply warehouse. If he survives, Danny will have to overcome his fears of failure, rejection, and loneliness—all while standing strong in his beliefs and walking into the fire.
