This week on the Story Behind the Story, we welcome Katherine Barger! She has a brand new book out, Fortune’s Fall. Before we get into the nitty gritty of what inspired her story, let’s fine out a little bit about it.

While her classmates prepare for elite careers across America, Nyssa Ardelone trains for her secret job as the president’s dream interpreter. But when her mentor lies to the president about the prophecy in his latest dream, Nyssa must figure out why before the lie unravels. What she learns could destroy her own future. Fearful of a rumored rebellion, the president has launched a gas attack on Nyssa’s hometown, and her mentor lied about the dream to protect the survivors from more harm. When Nyssa learns her parents were injured in the attack, she flees with a stranger sent to steal the antidote—a stranger who claims to know her. Together, they race to deliver the cure as well as an interpretation of another prophetic dream only Nyssa can provide. But a devastating loss dulls her caution, and she learns too late that not everyone is trustworthy. To survive the president’s deadly pursuit, Nyssa must break every rule she’s ever followed, learning along the way that faith is the only thing that can save her.

That sounds really interesting! What inspired you to write such a suspenseful story?

A lot of people have asked what inspired me to write Fortune’s Fall. I’ve always been fascinated with the stories in the Old Testament, and when our pastor did a sermon series on Nehemiah, I went down a million Googled rabbit-holes to learn about the Babylonian exile of the Jews. When I learned that only the elite Jews were exiled to Babylon and everyone else was left behind to fend for themselves, a story began to brew. What if the Jews who were left behind not only survived, but they thrived, waiting somewhere for their ultimate return to Jerusalem?

My main character in Fortune’s Fall was born from that question. A character inspired by Nehemiah – an exile who led the rebuilding of Jerusalem, and Daniel – an exile and dream interpreter to the king. Fortune’s Fall is the futuristic tale of a people exiled to an unfamiliar place, the family and friends they left behind, and a girl’s determination to bring them all back together.

Now, three years after I first began to brainstorm, Fortune’s Fall has evolved into a story I’m really excited for others to read. But also, my motivation as a writer has evolved. I want to write books that parents aren’t afraid to let their kids read. Clean books. Books that have a faith message without being overly preachy. The verse that pops up over and over throughout Fortune’s Fall is Hebrews 11:1. “Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we don’t see.” I hope that readers see Nyssa’s journey to Fortune’s Fall as a testament to faith, just as Nehemiah and Daniel faithfully followed God.

Katherine Barger writes stories about characters of faith in a world where faith is challenged. When she’s not wrangling kids alongside her forever-forbearing husband, she’s writing, eating Mexican food, or snuggling with her family’s two rescue pets: a dog named Queen Elsa and a cat named Princess Jasmine.

Social Media Links

Blog: https://katherinebarger.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KBargerAuthor/?modal=admin_todo_tour

Where to buy Fortune’s Fall

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3eHLbOt

Barger is doing a giveaway of Fortune’s Fall. Directions below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thank you so much, Katherine, for joining us and sharing your story!