Who Is Miguel? Every adventure story needs extraordinary moments. But it also needs ordinary ones. Mateo may have an ancient Bible waiting for him inside an abandoned church. He may find himself witnessing events from Bible history. But he's still a twelve-year-old boy. And every twelve-year-old boy needs a friend. That's Miguel. He began as Mateo's best friend—the boy who goes to school with him, laughs with him, and knows him simply as Mateo. But as Mateo's world became more extraordinary, Miguel began asking questions. Eventually, he found himself standing beside Mateo and Father Tomás in front of Verbum Aeternum. And Verbum had something to say about their friendship: “Therefore, comfort one another and build each other up, just as you are already doing.” — 1 Thessalonians 5:11 LLV 📖 Today’s Behind the Story is about the friend who helps keep Mateo connected to ordinary life—even when Mateo's life becomes anything but ordinary. 👉 Read Who Is Miguel? steverhartwigauthor.com/blog #ChristianMiddleGrade #BiblicalFiction #ChristianFiction #KidsAdventureBooks

What happens when the book leaves your hands? 🌎📚 For months—or sometimes years—a book belongs almost entirely to its author. Then one day, you press Publish. And it isn't entirely yours anymore. Over the past few weeks, I've watched my stories turn up in places I never put them—bookstores, websites, Amazon marketplaces in other countries, and searches from around the world. Four stories began here in Nicaragua. I know where their journeys started. I have no idea where they'll end. 😊 This week's blog is about that strange and wonderful moment when an author has done what he can—and has to open his hands and let the story travel. “Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established.” — Proverbs 16:3 KJV 🌎 What Happens When the Book Leaves Your Hands? 👉 Read the story on my blog: steverhartwigauthor.com/blog #AuthorJourney #ChristianAuthor #ChristianFiction #WritingJourney

I’m happy to share a new author interview with AwesomeGang! We talked about how *Mateo and the Secrets of the Eternal Word* came to be, the inspiration behind Mateo’s journey through Bible history, and a little about my own unexpected journey into writing. It’s always interesting to step away from the story itself and talk about what happens behind the pages. Read the full interview on AwesomeGang: https://awesomegang.com/steve-r-hartwig/ #ChristianMiddleGrade #ChristianFiction #BiblicalFiction #KidsAdventureBooks #AuthorInterview

Why Genesis? When I created Mateo, I gave him something extraordinary—an ancient Bible that could take him anywhere in biblical history. That created a question I hadn't really expected: Where should I send him first? Moses and the Red Sea? David and Goliath? Daniel and the lions? In the end, the answer became obvious. If Mateo was going to enter Bible history, there was only one place his journey could begin. At the beginning. Eden. Cain and Abel. Noah and the Ark. Babel. But while Mateo was witnessing the beginnings recorded in Genesis, something else was beginning too. His own journey. 📖 Today's Behind the Story: Why Genesis? 👉 Read it on my blog: steverhartwigauthor.com/blog #ChristianFiction #ChristianMiddleGrade #BiblicalFiction #BehindTheStory

Another author interview is live! 📚 Book Reader Magazine invited me to share a little more about the road that eventually led me to writing—from growing up on a small farm in Illinois to making my home in Nicaragua. We also talked about the books and people that influenced me, why I enjoy seeing the world through someone else's eyes, and, of course, Mateo and the Secrets of the Eternal Word. I'm grateful to Book Reader Magazine for featuring my story and giving me another opportunity to introduce readers to Mateo. Read the full interview here: https://bookreadermagazine.com/featured-author-steve-r-hartwig/ #AuthorInterview #ChristianFiction #ChristianMiddleGrade #BiblicalFiction #MateoAndTheSecretsOfTheEternalWord

What Happens When Someone Writes Back? 📬 For a long time, writing is a one-way conversation. You sit at a computer. You write the story. You publish it. And then you send those words out into the world without really knowing who might find them. But then something happens. Someone writes back. A review arrives. A reader sends a message. Someone asks where they can find Mateo. Someone simply says, “I enjoyed your book.” Suddenly, the reader on the other side isn’t imaginary anymore. I’ve discovered that one message from a real person can sometimes mean more than all the views, clicks, and numbers on a screen. 📖 Today on the blog: What Happens When Someone Writes Back? 👉 Read it here: steverhartwigauthor.com/blog #ChristianAuthor #AuthorJourney #ChristianFiction #WritingJourney

Introduction to The Crucified Life. What it means to live this wonderful life of surrender. The Discipleshape Life Podcast

https://youtu.be/R583MP2fQsw?si=ph1mDhs9pcv1ZNdZ