Howdy Folks! With this year’s Frasier contest accepting entries, let’s acknowledge someone who has made it possible. Introducing Nicole O’Dell and her new book The Shadowed Onyx!

Q: Nicole, can you give us a little bit about your new book?

At age seventeen, Joy Christianson is the life of the party. That is, until her best friend commits suicide. Joy’s already wavering faith slips completely out of her reach; darkness sets in, and her smile fades. Her “friends” lead her to the Onxy, meant to help her let go of the past and bring her into harmony with reality. Joy embarks on a dark journey of witchcraft. Eventually, afraid of letting the depression and evil take root, Joy decides to seek help in the haven of Diamond Estates—and try to reclaim the Joy she once knew.

Q: What was your favorite scene?

The Epilogue. I know that probably sounds funny, but here we are at the end of a three-book series that began with Olivia’s story in The Wishing Pearl, then Carmen’s story in The Embittered Ruby, and now Joy’s in The Shadowed Onyx. It’s been a wondrous journey through darkness, sadness, and pain, mingled with the light of hope and the promise of Christ. Loosely based on my own teenage years, writing the Diamond Estates series was a spiritually, mentally, and emotionally exhausting labor of love.

The Epilogue is the part of my story that I’m living now. It’s where the fruits of the pain are paying off. I can look back on all the parts of my life and see God’s hand of grace and mercy on me from the very beginning. Joy’s epilogue is beautiful in that way. It’s satisfying.

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Nicole O’Dell, author of 21 books since 2007, founder of Choose NOW Ministries and host of Choose NOW Radio: Parent Talk and Teen Talk, writes and speaks to youth, women, and parents on preparing for life’s tough choices. The mother of six, including toddler triplets, she’s author of YA fiction, including the Diamond Estates Series, and non-fiction for teens including Girl Talk, based on the popular advice column she writes with her two daughters. Hot Buttons, O’Dell’s non-fiction series for parents, pre-empts peer pressure by tackling tough issues and was recently endorsed by Focus on the Family. Visit www.nicoleodell.com for access to her bustling blog network and other resources.