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What if your father drank a vial of holy water that might have come from the Tree of Life? Then you researched his work, and found yourself waking up in the Middle Ages—just as the peasants began revolting? Novelist Jody Hedlund explores this in Come Back to Me, book 1 of her fantasy-romance-time travel series The Waters of Time, and we will explore this with her in today’s episode.

Concession stand

• This episode will be different. Lots of books name-checked in this one!
• Also, we’ve grown enough to open Fantastical Truth to relevant sponsors.
• They’ll be relevant. No ear buds, meal delivery services, or gold-buying on this ship.

Introducing Come Back to Me

The ultimate cure that could heal any disease? Crazy.

That’s exactly what research scientist Marian Creighton has always believed about her father’s quest, even if it does stem from a desire to save her sister from the genetic disease that stole their mother from them. But when her father falls into a coma after drinking a vial of holy water believed to contain traces of residue from the Tree of Life, Marian must question all of her assumptions. He’s left behind tantalizing clues that suggest he’s crossed back in time. Insane. Until Marian tests his theories and finds herself in the Middle Ages during a dangerous peasant uprising.

William Durham, a valiant knight, comes to Marian’s rescue and offers her protection . . . as his wife. The longer Marian stays in the past, the more she cares about William. Can she ever find her father and make it back to the present to heal her sister? And when the time comes to leave, will she want to?

Introducing Jody Hedlund

Jody Hedlund is the bestselling author of more than thirty historical novels for both adults and teens, including Come Back to Me, and is the winner of numerous awards, including the Christy, Carol, and Christian Book Awards. Jody lives in Michigan with her husband, busy family, and five spoiled cats. She loves to imagine that she really can visit the past, although she’s yet to accomplish the feat, except via the many books she reads.

Learn more about JodyHedlund.com, and explore Jody Hedlund’s Readers Room on Facebook.

Questions we explore:

1. Why do historical fiction fans enjoy romanticizing the past?
2. What risks do we face when time-traveling, via magic water or other means?
3. How can time-traveling readers show honor and love for the true Time Lord?

Episode sponsors

Sponsor 1: Joshua David’s novel Seed: Judgment

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Seed falls from the heavens and judges humanity. One foretells of the coming calamity, but the words are heeded too late.

Few remain after the war against the cosmic demon. Long confined to one of the few outposts left on Earth, Sal accepts an unauthorized mission to find a survivor lost in the Vegas wastes.

He believes his target is special, imbued with a spirit that might finally turn the tide against the darkness. But to save her from the risen still haunting humanity, he’ll have to fight alone and outgunned against enemies that have already conquered the world.

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—Lorehaven (sponsored review)

Sponsor 2: A. J. Chamberlain’s novel Urban Angel

Urban Angel is a story of courage, redemption, and spiritual warfare, set in contemporary London.

One day the church will be made perfect, but for now she bears the scars of war. Alex Masters knows all about that war. For her the journey to faith has been marked by grief and loneliness, but still she chooses to believe.

Daisy is a child of the social media generation, lost in every belief and none. When tragedy strikes, she seeks out her cousin Alex because she knows that Alex understands what it is to face the darkness.

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Com station

“Notleia” wrote about our show notes for episode 67:

I think a large part of the problem is that a lotta people in this subculture have trouble distinguishing between “descriptive” versus “proscriptive.” Which makes sense because there have been countless denominational and church splits over what, exactly, is descriptive vs proscriptive in the Bible itself. (At least they come by it honestly?)

Next on Fantastical Truth

Christians talk a lot about “backsliding,” that is, doubts or struggles with our faith. Often the stories we share reflect characters who do the same. But how can Christian-made stories best explore this challenge, moving past cliches and shallow pictures of “backsliders” and showing more realistic images of people who fall back from faith but find restoration in Jesus? We’ll explore this especially after recent controversies with Mary Magdalene’s character in The Chosen, and share our favorite stories of backsliding characters!