The Stone Writer, Christian Fiction for Young Readers and Teens by Toni M. Babcock The Stone Writer is a collection of short stories written to convey biblical principles in a fun and thought provoking way. The collection was written in two parts: Short Stories for Young Readers, and Short Stories for Teens. Topics featured are as follows: Coping with loss (Jacob and the Stone Writer). Jacob loses his dog, and learns that sometimes when you think you've lost, you discover something wonderful you never knew you had. Handling criticism (The Finch and the Fiddle). Goldfinch learns the benefit of singing God's song far outweighs the cost. Understanding the Gospel (The Gospel According to a Pirate). The gospel is shared with an unusual twist. Living unselfishly (Kali and the Lady Slippers). Kali discovers God has a reason for everything, even an ugly pair of purple slippers. Being friends to hard-to-like people (Olivia and the New Girl). Olivia becomes emotionally trapped until help comes to her rescue in a welcome way. Learning from the elderly (Lucas and the Widow of Wicker Woods). Lucas develops a lasting friendship with an old woman named Frannie Wicker. God bears our sin and our sorrow (The Storm and the Way of the Cross). Kali is devastated to discover her creation has been marred, like God's was when His creation was marred by sin. Learning from a wayward horse (A Horse Called Trouble). Jacob, Lucas, and Peyton discover a wayward horse, and soon all havoc breaks loose. Not rushing to judgment (The Missing Piece). Jacob blames his cousins Joe and Nick for hiding his puzzle piece. Jacob learns a lesson about judging other's when the real culprit is revealed. Prayer changes things (The Wing Master). Once reticent to be friends with Serena Sweeney, Marianna has a change of heart and becomes friends with Serena during a neighborhood block party. What to do about bullies (The Bully of Buck Hill). Peyton, Joe, and Nick are bullied by a teenaged boy. He soon discovers the bully is moving next door! Peyton makes friends with the bully's little brother, and plays an important role in rescuing him from abuse. The grace of forgiveness (Fire Ants!). Deanna is convinced her little brother Benny has destroyed Grandpa's prized anthill. A surprising revelation turns her thoughts around when Grandpa reveals what really happened. Following God (The Promise Pearl). Ruby shares a loving attachment to her Great-Grandma Pearl, and learns important life lessons during the time they share together. Overcoming regret (The Ghosts of Green Lake). Eddie becomes sullen and angry after the accidental drowning of his Grandpa. His principal at school, and his cousin Cassie help pull him back from the "Ghosts of Green Lake". Working toward a common goal (The Best Live Nativity Ever). Jade must think of a way to raise money as part of an assignment at school. Frustration turns into a bright idea as Jade rallies the help of her family to help put on a live nativity. Facing our true self (Shadow Man - part one and two). Tess, a new camp counselor, is thrown into turmoil when the director's son Gabe steals from the canteen. Tess and her sister Jenna go on a mission to rescue junior counselor Gabby from Gabe, and Tess learns a lesson about forgiveness. A story of conversion (Sophia and the Sacred Places). Sophia puts her faith in Christ a few weeks after an interesting conversation with Dex Davison on the banks of the Snake River during a white water trip in May. Facing death (The Rest of Amos). Colette learns to face death unafraid after an unusual dream and a meeting with a man named Amos. Spiritual warfare (The Tale of Timorous and How He Found His New Name). This allegory takes the reader through the trials and tribulations of Timorous, a double-minded little man who learns the importance of wearing his spiritual armor and claiming his new name.
About the Author: Toni M. Babcock is a freelance Christian writer from Minnesota. She enjoys writing short stories for children and young adults, as well as memoirs, poetry and spiritual essays. Toni cherishes time spent in the north woods and enjoys weaving her northland experiences into her short stories. Her stories of canoe travels have been featured in The Boundary Waters Journal. Her memoirs have also been featured in Minnesota Memories, an anthology of Minnesota writers. As a member of Faithwriters.com, Toni enjoys using the medium of spiritual essay to communicate faith in engaging ways. Her essays and devotionals have been posted on several Christian websites through the Faithwriters.com program. As a grandmother and former student of the Institute of Children's Literature, Toni has a special interest in creating short stories for children that communicate faith and hope in Jesus. Her story Red Bird's Secret was featured in Aletheia, an art and literary magazine for Christian teens. She hopes her current collection, The Stone Writer, will be a spiritual inspiration to children and teens worldwide and a source of reading pleasure for years to come.