On the Third Day: Behind the Scenes

This episode looks at Hilary's new children's book, On the Third Day:  A Christian Adventure Book for Children to Boost Faith in the Resurrection of Jesus 

• Who asked her to write it and why?
• What is it about? What makes it different from other stories about the Resurrection of Jesus Christ?
• Plus a word about the interesting illustration process!

The book will be published in ebook and paperback versions on March 18th, in good time for Easter!

It is available for pre-order through these retailers: AmazonUS   iBooks  Kobo  B&N

Hilary Walker is the #1 Best Selling author of Catholic and Christian novels.
Visit her at https://HilaryWalkerBooks.com and download your free ebook!

Transcript

ON THE THIRD DAY: BEHIND THE SCENES

A Christian Adventure Book for Children to Boost Faith in the Resurrection of Jesus 

Publication date: 18th March 2025 

Available for pre-order: AmazonUS   iBooks   Kobo   B&N

Who Wanted This Book to Be Written?

Monsignor, my spiritual director. asked me to write a children’s book on the Resurrection of Jesus, and there was no refusing him! But not being a children’s author, I didn’t feel up to the task.

However, Monsignor is known among us as a living saint (which embarrasses him no end) and I should have had faith that his prayers for inspiration to the Holy Spirit on my behalf would bear fruit.

The Mission

“Nobody talks about the Resurrection anymore,” he said, and requested my help with cultivating faith in Jesus’ rising from the dead on Easter Sunday.

Monsignor especially wished children to feel profound awe for this glorious truth, so its impact would remain with them their whole lives.

A Lukewarm Attitude

It is a sad fact that most of us adults no longer marvel at the Resurrection of Jesus Christ; the event is too familiar.

We have ceased to reflect with amazement on the Love of Jesus, Who endured an unspeakably agonizing death to purchase for us the rewards of eternal life.

This tepidity hinders our ability to instill awe in our children over His selfless deed. It prevents us from inspiring in them a desire to love Him in return.

Leading Children through Wonder and Beauty

Children have a limitless capacity for wonder and a deep appreciation of beauty. Nurturing these gifts rouses their curiosity about the Creator of the world and all that is good in it.

Once their interest is piqued, we can guide them towards the Infinite Love of Jesus, and His victory over death at His Resurrection.

Making Jesus Come Alive

However, Christ rose from the dead two thousand years ago. How do we make this relevant to today’s youngsters?

By creating reverence and awe for Jesus’ sacrifice through a personal encounter with Him.

And thus the storyline of On the Third Day draws two siblings, aged 10 and 12, into a series of adventures intertwining the New Testament with the present day.

During their exploits, they develop a close relationship with Jesus.  His Passion and Death are real for them, as they see first-hand the consequences of our sins throughout the ages, and hence our dire need for a Savior.

The book ends, of course, on a happy note with the rising of Jesus and the children’s joy at seeing Him alive again.

The Illustrations

Monsignor was keen that the book contain illustrations to help the young reader remain engaged in the story. The drawings and the cover were produced by means of AI, which in itself was an interesting exercise!

The theory is that you describe what you want, and hey presto! up comes the result you’re looking for. The reality was a little different, reminding me that AI is still in its infancy. I frequently got sheep with two heads or three legs, and human characters had more than the normal number of hands or arms.  There was no way I could conjure up a Border Collie herding sheep; the sheep were always chasing the dog, no matter how I phrased my request.

As a result, a little ingenuity was needed. 

In another example, the boy Tristan was supposed to end up face down on the ground at one point. But AI in its wisdom decided this was an ‘illicit’ image, so Tristan ends up lying on his back, as this was acceptable to the program.

Overall, I think I spent more time on the illustrations than on writing the story.

In Conclusion

It is my sincere wish that the children who read this book, and those who read it to them, will come to better understand Jesus’ great love for us – and feel inspired to repay His sacrifice through a life of Faith.

May the Holy Spirit also use this story to reignite belief in a loving God within any who feel abandoned by Him because of grief or other misfortune.

Whatever your age, have fun reading On the Third Day!