Read Clean YA with CJ
Episode Forty-Six
Welcome to another episode of Read Clean YA with CJ, where we explore clean, engaging books for teens and young adults. In this compelling episode of Read Clean YA with CJ, bestselling author Bryan Davis discusses his new novel The Sacred Scales, the power of sacrificial love in storytelling, and his journey from computer programmer to an author who has sold over a million books.
Episode Show Notes Below
Links to Things Discussed in this Episode:
Forgiveness, Faith, and Fire-Breathing Dragons: Inside Bryan Davis’s The Sacred Scales
Episode Show Notes:
Bryan Davis is the bestselling author of several fantasy adventure series, including the beloved Dragons in Our Midst series. His stories blend medieval fantasy, Christian themes, and powerful messages about sacrifice, forgiveness, and faith.
Introducing The Sacred Scales
The Sacred Scales is the first book in Davis’s new Dragons of Camelot series, set in the larger Dragons in Our Midst story world. The novel follows two 11-year-old protagonists:
- Hawk: An apprentice in Camelot whose father was killed by a dragon
- Sabina: A “wild child” raised by a dragon after losing both parents
“I wanted two characters who are very likable, but also have some problems that they’re struggling with so that readers can connect to them,” Davis explains.
Weaving Faith into Fantasy
One of the unique aspects of Davis’s take on Arthurian legend is his portrayal of Merlin as a Christian prophet. This allows him to naturally incorporate biblical themes while maintaining the medieval fantasy setting.
Key themes in The Sacred Scales include:
- Sacrificial love
- Mercy and forgiveness
- Trust and discernment
- Coming of age
“As a Christian writer, the sacrifice of Jesus and his love for us is the paramount theme of the Bible. I wanted to express that in these simple illustrations that grow and grow.”
The Power of Heroic Characters
Davis intentionally writes heroes rather than anti-heroes, believing young readers need positive role models:
“I don’t have characters who are liars or cheaters or thieves. I want to write heroes. They might make mistakes, but usually with young characters, they’re kind of innocent mistakes. They lack wisdom, experience, foresight.”
From Computer Programmer to Storyteller
Davis’s journey to becoming an author began with homeschooling his seven children. Wanting to help them improve their writing skills, he started crafting stories with them.
The breakthrough came with a dream about a boy who could breathe fire, which eventually became Raising Dragons. However, the path wasn’t easy:
- Over 200 rejections
- 8 years seeking publication
- 24 rewrites of the manuscript
Taking the Hero’s Door
In a powerful moment of faith, Davis felt God challenging him about his own willingness to take risks:
“I felt like there were two doors in front of me on my path, one labeled ‘hero’ and one labeled ‘hypocrite.’ I quit my job. I had a mortgage on a house, seven kids, and I said, ‘All right, God, it’s up to you.'”
Within a year of that decision, Davis had contracts for six books. Today, he has sold over a million copies of his books and receives letters from readers worldwide about how his stories have changed their lives.
Where to Find Bryan Davis’s Books
Readers can find The Sacred Scales and other Bryan Davis books through:
- Major online retailers (Amazon, Barnes & Noble)
- Christianbook.com
- DavisCrossing.com (for autographed copies)
- Select bookstores
- Homeschool conventions nationwide
A Message for Young Readers
Davis encourages young people to be discerning readers:
“Keep reading, but be careful to read the good books. There’s a lot of stuff out there that’s going to tear you down spiritually, but there’s a lot of good Christian authors out there.”
The Sacred Scales delivers exactly what Bryan Davis’s readers have come to expect: exciting fantasy adventure grounded in biblical truth, with heroes worth emulating and themes that challenge readers to live lives of faith and sacrifice.
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Bryan Davis
Author
Bryan Davis is the author of several fantasy/science-fiction novels for youth and adults, including the bestselling Dragons in Our Midst series. His other series are Oracles of Fire, Children of the Bard, Dragons of Starlight, Tales of Starlight, Time Echoes, Reapers, Oculus Gate, Astral Alliance, and Wanted: Superheroes. He also has the following standalone novels: Let the Ghosts Speak and I Know Why the Angels Dance.
Bryan was born in 1958 and grew up in the eastern U.S. After graduating from the University of Florida (B.S. in Industrial Engineering), he worked as a computer professional for twenty years before becoming a full-time novelist. In addition to writing, he also teaches at relevant writing conferences and conventions.
He and his wife, Susie, have seven adult children, and they work together as an author/editor team.
About Your Host
Award-winning author CJ Milacci writes stories for teens and young adults with heart-pounding action and hope. As the podcast host for Read Clean YA with CJ, she loves talking about books and the deeper themes woven into the pages of each novel. She’s passionate about crafting stories of good overcoming evil, finding hope in the midst of seemingly hopeless circumstances, and true acceptance.
Always willing to get real about hard issues, C.J. also enjoys the cheesiest of puns. She chats about writing, her faith, bubble tea, and other fun adventures online (@cjmilacci) and at cjmilacci.com.
CJ Milacci is the award-winning author of The Talionis Series, and she writes stories for teens and young adults with heart-pounding action and hope. As a referee, she’s always relearning the hard lesson that it’s impossible to make everyone happy, and she’s discovered that stories can be found anywhere, even on a lacrosse field. She’s passionate about crafting stories of good overcoming evil, finding hope in the midst of seemingly hopeless circumstances, and true acceptance.
Recruit of Talionis, Book 1
A teen with a dark past. A secret military force that kidnaps new soldiers. Can she survive as a Recruit of Talionis?
Fugitive of Talionis, Book 2
They kidnapped her. Trained her. And now they’re hunting her.
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