Read Clean YA with CJ
Episode Forty-Three
Welcome to another episode of Read Clean YA with CJ, where we explore clean, engaging books for teens and young adults. Today, we’re diving into a conversation with Katherine Briggs about her latest fantasy novel and the power of speculative fiction.
Episode Show Notes below
Links to Things Discussed in this Episode
Dragons, Virtues, and Epic Adventures: Katherine Briggs on Writing Speculative Fiction
Episode Show Notes:
Meet Katherine Briggs
- Classical educator teaching middle school students
- ESL teacher for adults
- Language enthusiast
- Author of the Threshold duology
- Crafted her first monster story at age three
The Immortal Abyss: A Fantasy Adventure
“In order to seize the throne from the corrupt dynasty, Toll must summon this mythological legend to life.
Key elements:
- Elemental fire gifting
- Cardinal virtues
- Mythological inspiration
- High-stakes adventure
The Power of Fantasy
“Fantasy allows us to kind of practice these situations and it can encourage us in our own challenges.”
Briggs explores:
- Battling modern-day “dragons”
- Finding courage in difficult times
- Overcoming seemingly impossible odds
- Making good choices in hard circumstances
Themes That Echo Truth
Key messages woven throughout:
- Never give up on the good
- Personal responsibility
- True friendship
- Worthiness beyond circumstances
- Light breaking through darkness
“I write this in the books that I sign: never give up on the good ever.”
Connect with Katherine Briggs
Find Katherine Briggs at:
- Website: www.katherinebriggs.com
- Instagram: @katherinebriggs_author
- Newsletter: Story updates every 2-3 months
- Free short story collection for newsletter subscribers
Looking Ahead: C.J. Milacci’s Kickstarter
Captive of Talionis Kickstarter:
- Launches: May 1st
- Ends: May 23rd
- Complete series available
- Special editions and extras
- Early release copies
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Katherine Briggs
Author
Katherine Briggs crafted her first monster story at age three. Since graduating from crayons to laptop, she continues to devour and weave fantasy tales while enjoying chai tea. She, her coadventurer husband, and rescue dog reside outside Houston, where she classically educates amazing middle school students, teaches ESL to adults, and enjoys studying other languages.
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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