Interview with bestselling author Marlayne Giron
Author Marlayne Giron is the author of a bestselling Historical Fantasy Fiction novel, The Victor.
In the tradition of Stephen Lawhead and Elizabeth Chadwick, Marlayne Giron writes epic fantasy fiction centered around traditional Christian values. Her work has been compared to Lord of the Rings and the Chronicles of Narnia.
Her latest book, The Victor, is an inspirational historical fiction book – written for ages 12 and up – that is destined to become a classic. Perfect as a homeschool resource, this spellbinding tale is set apart from other Christian fiction books by her subtle but powerful method of presenting Christian principles embedded in a majestic adventure that is gripping, riveting, and engaging for readers of any age.
Tell us about yourself
I grew up pretty much as an only child. My sister was 12 years older than me and wanted nothing to do with me until I was in my 30’s. I had very low self-esteem for most of my life. In fact, for many years I actually hated myself. I was bullied terribly in junior high and can, to this day, still remember the names of my tormentors but not those of my other classmates. My only 2 good friends attended other schools and I was very much a loner and learned to self-entertain. That is where reading vociferously and writing came in. I read hundreds of books and that is how I learned to write (in addition to my High School English Teacher, Mr. Duckworth). I grew up in a nonreligious Jewish home where I was taught it was the ultimate betrayal of my Jewish religion to believe in Jesus. God was never discussed and the love of God definitely never was. In 1977 I watched Jesus of Nazareth by Franco Zefferelli on television and despite my anti-Jesus bias, I remember thinking “if He could do that for me, the least I can do is to give Him my life” and I prayed to do so right during the crucifixion scene. I soon learned from reading the scriptures that believing in Jesus as the Messiah was the most Jewish thing I could ever do but what most amazed me was discovering that the God of the universe not only knew who I was but wanted a personal, loving relationship with me. That just blew my mind. The experience of writing The Victor has led me to write three other books (two of which are published: Make a Wish, and In Plain Sight). The last book has yet to be published. I currently have a great full-time career with a major lending institution as a real estate specialist and write in my spare time.
Tell us about your book
The Victor is my first novel. I began writing it when I was 20 on a typewriter. I’ve always loved fairytales, books about knights and chivalry, jousting and especially the quest where the book’s hero sacrifices everything to save those he loves. My favorite book of all time is The Lord of the Rings. The Victor is an epic love story of betrayal, love and sacrifice that can be summed up as follows: A benevolent King, his sword of power. A ruthless traitor bent on revenge and the faithful son who stands in his way with the woman destined to share his throne. Who shall emerge the victor in this epic battle between good and evil to rule the lives of hapless men? The heroine in The Victor, Llyonesse, is in her teens.
Who did you write your book for?
I wrote the book primarily for young adults, but adults would enjoy it as well. The book is really an allegory of God’s tremendous love for us and how His Son, (the prince in my book) sacrifices everything to redeem his bride (us). I wanted to reach people with the love of God who are like I was: won’t read the Bible and don’t want to go to church or be witnessed to by appealing to their heart through their emotions.
What was your inspiration to write this book?
It was inspired by an Amy Grant song called “Fairytale” that came out in 1980. A line in that song said: “two princes wage the battle for eternity, but the victor has been known from the start”. It brought to my mind evil personified as a knight in black armor and the prince in shining armor crossing swords over “the bride”.
What do you hope to accomplish with your book?
To get past the “watchful dragons” of people’s anti-religious bias and have them see the love of God for them from His point of view. That He would suffer and even die the most horrific death for the joy that was set before him: US.
What is the biggest takeaway readers will get from reading your book?
There are scripture references throughout The Victor (superscripted numbers) so the reader can see how the story parallels the major themes of the bible. That the God of the universe loves them personally as though they were only one in the entire world. That He would suffer gladly just for them alone because He loves them that much. It is my ultimate hope that the reader will discover God’s love for themselves in the pages of my “fairytale” which truly is happily eternally after for real!
Visit Marlayne Giron’s website: https://thevictorbook.com
Amazon page: https://www.amazon.com/Marlayne-Giron/e/B09YQPRVL7?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1661171183&sr=8-1
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authormarlaynegiron
Twitter: https://twitter.com/marlaynegiron
