Hey readers and adventurers, and welcome to the next post in this blog series exploring the role of fiction. Today we have the privilege of hearing from author Andrea Jo Rodgers. Let’s see what she has to say!

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When Liz kindly invited me to write a guest blog post for her website about the importance of fiction, I couldn’t help but think what a perfect topic it is for me. Why? Because I primarily write nonfiction. With that said, I’ve written two fictional middle grade action-adventure novels and have a yearning to write more fictional novels in the future. 

I’ve always loved reading and writing. There’s something infinitely magical about the characters in a book. As a child, I loved to become absorbed in the fantasy worlds threaded together by skilled authors. To this day, there’s nothing better than reading a book you don’t want to end. 

I’m a busy mom, wife, physical therapist, and author. I’ve also been a volunteer emergency medical technician on my town’s first aid and rescue squad since high school. Over the years, I’ve responded to over 9,000 first aid calls, fires, and accidents. During this time, I’ve been blessed to witness extraordinary miracles. I share them in At Heaven’s Edge, On Heaven’s Doorstep, and Help from Heaven. My fourth Heaven book, Heaven-Sent Miracles and Rescues  will be released later this year.  

After writing At Heaven’s Edge, I decided I wanted to write a fictional middle grade book. At the time, my children were middle graders themselves. As we waited in the airport to board a flight for Rapid City, South Dakota the idea for my novel Saving Mount Rushmore: Mission One-Saint Michael the Archangel Academy was born. I began feverishly scribbling on scratch paper all the way there. 

One of the joys of writing fiction is the ability to create and mold characters as they interact within their worlds. For example, In Saving Mount Rushmore, John Jenkins, an awkward thirteen-year-old teenager, is unexpectedly chosen to attend Saint Michael the Archangel Academy. The top-secret school’s mission is to protect our nation by assisting authorities in solving crimes. Since the academy is for students with extraordinary abilities, John is puzzled as to why he’s been accepted. After all, he’s an average teen without any notable gifts. 

While working with Team Liberty to save Mount Rushmore from Devlin Black and Team Mischief, John struggles to discover his special gifts. He’s mortified when he discovers that he’s been accepted to the academy due to a clerical error. He becomes strictly an “observer” until the mission’s end. But when his teammates run into trouble, John must summon up the courage to try to save Mount Rushmore.  John and his friends have an opportunity to save another national monument in the sequel, Saving the Statue of Liberty.

Today, cell phones, TV, and technology occupy much of children’s time. I’m a firm believer that there’s no movie or video that can stir the soul and set ablaze a passion within us in the same manner as a well-written work of fiction, which enthralls, absorbs, and engages our minds and senses. Fiction is valuable, especially to younger people, as an alternative to mass media entertainment because it stimulates the imagination and encourages independent thinking. Next time, instead of picking up a cell phone, pick up a novel and escape into a whole new captivating world. 

Andrea Jo Rodgers

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Well said, Andrea! Thank you for being on my blog. My kids loved the suspense and laughed their heads off at the pet monkey in Saving Mount Rushmore. Now they’re really looking forward to Saving the Statue of Liberty, and I’m looking forward to the character development they’ll learn from John Jenkins 🙂

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Andrea Jo Rodgers holds a clinical doctorate in physical therapy and has worked as a physical therapist for over 25 years. She has served as a volunteer emergency medical technician on her town’s rescue squad for over 30 years and has responded to more than 9,000 first aid and fire calls. She lives on the east coast with her husband, two children, and two fur babies. Her middle grade adventure novels, Saving Mount Rushmore and Saving the Statue of Liberty are fun yet educational books that teach faith, courage, patriotism, and friendship. At Heaven’s Edge, On Heaven’s Doorstep, and Help from Heaven include true inspirational stories based on her experiences as a volunteer EMT. Heaven-Sent Miracles: True Stories from a First Responder will be released in October 2022.   

Follow Andrea on her website, Amazon, and Facebook.

Readers and writers, what role do you believe fiction plays in our lives? Post your positive comments below 🙂