God loved the world so much, that he gave his one and only Son… is the central theme of Love Came Down by Bethan Lycett, and I was so excited to be able to ask her a few questions about her book. Do read on if you’re looking a book to give away this Christmas:
Tell us three things we should know about you...
I am a wife, and mum to 3 boys. I am someone who loves cooking and crafting. I’m a big maths and engineering geek having taught maths for 13 years (I do still tutor maths and mark exams since leaving the classroom 3 years ago).
What inspired you to write Love Came Down?
I wrote a nativity book 3 years ago and the aim of that book, The Nativity, was to tell a more biblical account of the nativity story without extra things that have crept in over but aren’t mentioned in the bible (donkeys, kings, etc) and also to include things that often get missed out (Elizabeth, Zechariah, the trip to the temple with Anna and Simeon etc). Having written that I didn’t think that I would write another Christmas book, I’d almost ticked that box. So when I was asked if I had any ideas for a Christmas book my initial answer was no!
But I decided that a book which tied together the whole story of the bible would work. So in some ways, Love Came Down isn’t actually a Christmas book, its a book that tells the story of the whole Bible through John 3:16 as the basis, but obviously that includes Christmas when God sent his only Son! It is well suited to give away at Christmas, but actually is a book I hope is read all year round.
Why did you decide to write the 3 different types of book?
Initially the book was written just for preschool children. One of the Facebook groups I’m on for leaders of toddler groups around the country had been saying that many books could be too wordy and difficult for really little ones to understand. So I asked the question, “What would the perfect toddler book be like be?” The answers came back: a board book, short words, short sentences and at a good price! So that is what I set about doing. Once I had completed the toddler book and 10Publishing liked the sound of it I was then asked to write a version for older children. With my previous Christmas book, The Nativity, I wrote the older children’s one first and then condensed it into a simplified version, but this time I was going the other way which is actually a bit harder! I had to flesh out the story to make it clearer for an older child, but still make it understandable.
Previously we had done a colouring book to accompany The Nativity, but for this one I really wanted an activity book because my own children aren’t too bothered about colouring but would do a word search or a maze, so I decided to adapt the different parts of the book into different activities, while still keeping elements of the story being told. Hopefully this means it is a resource that can be used across a wide age range from babies right up to top primary school.
What was your favourite moment of writing and preparing?
When you try and write in rhymes like I do sometimes finding the perfect couplet can seem like it’s never going to happen. This can be a real problem when you’re trying to tell biblical truths. Writing a made up, fictional story, gives you the flexibility to be able to add in words and phrases that suit the rhyme. However, when you’re trying to stick to the truth of the gospel you don’t have that license and so it can take a while to find the correct phrases. Sometimes it’s a bit of a eureka moment when you find something that works and sometimes I can be literally anywhere when that happens, so I have to get out my phone and make a note of it before I forget! I also always enjoy seeing what my illustrator, Hannah Stout, has transformed the words into when she is doing the illustrations. She is so talented and created a whole back story of a parent and child which weaves through the book.
Who do you hope will read Love Came Down?
I hope that many children get a chance to read Love Came Down from both non-Christian and Christian families. Having read it to my own children there are so many important truths that it is good to remind them about, and certainly the rhyming story sticks in your mind. That’s why this book is also great for non-Christians, and my hope is that it will be given away widely through toddler groups, church clubs, and other outreach activities, so that children might understand why Jesus came, why he died, and how we can respond to him.
What’s next for you?
In terms of writing, I have a few ideas for an Easter book, and also a short booklet for giving away around Halloween time, as I know these are other key points in the year when non-Christians are keen to engage in the community. In terms of reaching out with the gospel, I try and look for opportunities as an individual, and also through the church, to engage with non-Christians and point them to Jesus. I also edit the Life Magazine, which is an evangelistic resource which can be given out throughout a community, so I’m always looking out for great stories of lives changed by Jesus, and ideas for other interesting articles too, from recipes to money saving ideas or home tips!
Do head on over to 10ofThose where you can buy the books as presents or in bulk to give away (at any time of the year!).