It’s Author Thursday on my blog, one of my new favorite days! Today, I share an interview with one of my fellow Christian authors, Jarm Del Boccio.

Jarm (‘J’ pronounced as a 'Y') finds her inspiration in everyday life, but in particular, when she travels the globe, observing the quirky things that happen along the way. Focusing on lives of characters from the past, Jarm is devoted to breathing new life into the pages of history, and offers her young readers hope, heart, and a real-life hero.

Jarm loves to travel, is passionate about visiting new places and determined never visit the same location twice. Unfortunately, sometimes she has to break her own rule. Having journeyed to six out of seven continents, she’s slowly checking off destinations on her bucket list. Jarm’s next dream destination is a stay in a Mongolian yurt with plenty of yak milk to drink!

Some interesting factoids about the author: Her first job was working in—no kidding—a Chinese laundromat! After meeting a bat head-on, Jarm had the distinct privilege of sporting black eyes for eighth grade graduation. Her secret desire? To get caught up in a flash mob singing a tune from a favorite musical.

Jarm taught kindergarten and high school art/home economics, served as school librarian, and later, nannied a four-year-old girl. But her greatest challenge was educating three missionary children in an isolated bush village in Papua New Guinea without the benefit of modern conveniences.

Jarm is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, American Christian Fiction Writers and Word Weavers, and has published two articles in The Old Schoolhouse magazine (2018/19). She finished her advanced course with the Institute of Children’s Literature, completing her third MG historical fiction.

Jarm Del Boccio is content with the journey God has placed her on, and lives with her husband, adult daughter and son (when he lands at home), in a tree-lined suburb of Chicago. Her debut middle-grade historical fiction, The Heart Changer, released with Ambassador International April 26, and recently won the Illuminations Silver Medal Award in the Children’s/YA category, and honorable mention in The Purple Dragonfly Book Award’s spiritual/religious category.

Connect with her through the links at the end of this interview.

—By Jessica Brodie

JB: Tell us about yourself and your faith journey. How did you get to where you are? And when did you know you wanted to become a writer?

Jarm: I began my relationship as God’s child at the young age of four, after my father, whom I loved dearly, died of a stroke. He was artistic and musical, and a wonderful story teller, so I fell in love with the written word and learned to read early. Last year I found a favorite book of Bible Stories from my childhood with the last pages scribbled on with crayon in a ‘cursive’ script. Evidently, I thought I could write a better book, and did so between the lines of the page! I went on to keep a diary for most of my teen and adult years, reflecting on the joys and sorrows of life.

My mother raised me as a single parent for 10 years, then remarried and moved away, leaving me to spend my high school years with my best friend and her family. It changed my life! Although I instinctively knew my mother loved me, she tended to be harsh and critical, but I must say her love of history, travel and foreign cultures made an impact on me even today. Traveling across the US continent to visit family and friends, along with a trip to Europe solidified my love of history and travel.

Living with a loving family gave me confidence for the next part of the journey God had for me as a kindergarten/high school art and home ec teacher at a Christian school. During those seven years I received my degree as a School library/media director, which further fostered my love of books and desire to share them with my young students.

In the ensuing years, I served as a nanny for a Chicago news anchor, and a short-term (two-yearr) missionary in an isolated village in Papua New Guinea. There I had much more time to read, so I devoured any book I could get my hands on! I began keeping a diary once more, and took a Children’s Lit course while sequestered in the bush.

Moving fast forward, I came home, got a nursing degree, married, adopted two children from Russia, and home educated them through HS, which exposed me to great literature and fascinating history. When they went to college, I began my journey into writing, first memoir (worried I’d forget my childhood and family history after my mother died at almost 100), then picture books, and finally middle grade historical fiction where I had many more words to tell a story!

JB: How does your faith influence your writing?

Jarm: I think every story I write has an underlying purpose: to give hope to my readers no matter their age, and show them God has a purpose for each of them. As Kay Arthur of Precept Ministries loves to say: ”Everything God brings into our lives is filtered through His fingers of love.” Isn't that encouraging?

Whether I write for the secular or Christian market, those themes can be found in all my writing. Events in life are never happenstance. God makes all things work together for good in His grand design for history. And He uses everyday kids like my readers to be that hero He can use for His glory! I want them to know kids in Scripture and history were just like them — same emotions and desires, although the setting may be different.

My tagline reflects these thoughts: "My Passion is to Breathe New Life into the Pages of History: Illuminating the Past. Making Sense of the Present. Offering Hope for the Future — giving my young readers heart, hope and a hero.”

JB: When did this particular story first start stirring in your heart, and what do you hope readers take away from this book?

Jarm: I constantly think to myself, “What if?” as I consider people and events in history. My first story, a picture book, was about the little boy who gave Jesus his lunch. Talk about a young person who made a huge impact on people! But what brought him near to Jesus in that enormous crowd? How did he feel about giving Jesus his lunch? And what happened to him after that life-changing day? So, using those questions as a prompt, I told “Tobias (Toby’s)” story!

But it was over 1,200 words, which would never sell in today’s market. So I lengthened it to over 2,500 words, and called it a chapter book. But, the words were too mature, so I’m now in the process of expanding it to a middle-grade novel. Why am I telling you this? Well, after I wrote the original manuscript, I realized I need a girl’s version of a ‘hero’ story, and began thinking of unnamed girls in scripture who make an impact on those around them. That’s when “Miriam” came to mind.

Again, I brainstormed. How did she get into Naaman’s employment? How did she respond to her servitude? And how did “Miriam” connect Elisha with her master to facilitate his healing? What happened afterward? My reflections of Naaman’s wife’s servant girl soon was crafted. It, too, went through many revisions. I imagined “Miriam” would have been angry and heartbroken when taken from her village and brought to Syria. Resentment probably welled up inside her heart, affecting all she did. God would have had to deal with her heart before she could be of help to Naaman. I named it “The Heart Changer”, because not only would Miriam need compassion for her captor, but of course, Naaman’s heart would have to believe in God’s power to heal. As I’ve mentioned above, I want to give my reader’s hope and trust in God, who can change hearts and turn tragedy to triumph.

Can an Israelite captive, wrenched from all she loves, serve the very man who destroyed her village?

Miriam is asked to do the impossible: serve the wife of Naaman, commander of the Syrian army. Clinging to treasured memories of home and faith, Miriam faces captivity with worry and bitterness. Little does she know the Heart Changer is wooing and preparing her for a greater mission—far beyond what she could imagine.

This middle-grade historical novel reflects the heartache and angst of a young refugee in a foreign land where all hope seems lost.

JB: Do you have other books coming out in the future (or any you are actively writing now?)

Jarm: I have three MG historical fiction I am actively revising. One, “The Orphans Who Saved the World” relates the little know historical event of carrying the live smallpox vaccine back to the New World via the skin of Spanish orphan boys, so the dreaded disease, brought over unknowingly by Columbus and his men could be arrested. This one I wrote while taking a class with the Institute of Children’s Literature.

The second, “Fair Investigations!” is a novel set at the World’s Columbian Exposition of 1893, infused with adventure, humor and a touch of mystery, and includes historic characters like Bertha Potter Palmer and Thomas Edison. My mom took me to all the world fair’s during my childhood, so I’ve always been fascinated by this spectacular venue. I have submitted both of these novels to agents and editors, but so far, no contracts — only requests for full manuscripts which is an honor in itself!

My third, truly a work-in-progress, is “Soli’s Saving Grace,” based on a little know shred of information found at Sally Lunn’s Bun Shop and Museum in Bath, England. Supposedly, Sally was a Huguenot girl, Solange Luyon, who escaped persecution in France and found herself in Bath, where she eventually opened a popular (even to this day), bun shop. It was a challenge to imagine her journey, as I attempted to stay as close as possible to the true account of that horrible time in France’s history. The fun part was visiting Bath and the bun shop twice in the past few years. This February, I took a tour of the Abbey where I surmised Soli’s journey began, reaching out to the staff for information on the Huguenot population in that area. Unfortunately I have not heard back. I have hired a professional editor to help through the revision process this time.

Connect with Jarm:

Author’s Facebook Page: https://m.facebook.com/JarmDelBoccio

Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/JarmVee

Author’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jarmdelboccio/

Author’s Website: http://www.jarmdelboccio.com/

Author’s Blog: http://www.jarmdelboccio.com/blog

School Visits and Speaking: https://www.jarmdelboccio.com/school-visitsspeaking.html