The Bobtails Meet the Preacher's Kid

Apr 29, 2025

When writing Christian fiction… well, I have proposed a whole series of principles for those of us who write Christian Fiction. Above all, that our fiction needs to glorify God. And each of the principles mean we need to be proactive in designing our story to bring out the principles, and deal with them in a Godly way.

Christian Fiction

So what I have proposed, in my Christian Fiction and other posts, is a list of principles that the Godly Christian writing fiction should include in his books. This is, obviously, only a partial list, and some issues will depend on who the characters are in your book.

The Bobtails

Which brings me to my ‘Bobtails’ series, and the first book in particular, “The Bobtails Meet the Preacher’s Kid”. How did I work out these principles in these books, and this book? I thought that that would make for an interesting study. I am not claiming to have arrived, indeed I invite comments. How can I do better? How can we all do better?

First, some intro:

Robert was determined to do his best and make his dead father proud. Esther put her grief aside to take care of her little sister. Roger didn’t believe his parents were dead, and was just going to have fun until they came back. Ruth was confused and lost. But Aunt Grace had set her mind to providing the best possible home for her orphaned niblings; and Aunt Grace always did what she set her mind on.

A poignant story about four orphans and their widowed aunt who takes them in. Set on a dairy farm in Northern Vermont in 1889, Bobtails follows the children’s journey through grief, jealousy, and, finally, settled love with a new family and friendships.
From the Book Blurb

That’s the intro I gave the world. A book about four orphans and their widowed aunt, a dairy farm, historical fiction, grief… etc etc.

But there are some things that I put between the lines. Robert, the oldest son is introduced as wanting to make his dead father proud. His father, now dead, has passed on his values to his son… and his son’s desire is to fulfil those desires. And those desires, as we see in the book, are to protect, lead, and guide his family.

Family

The theme verse of the book might be said to be I Timothy 5:8:

But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.

The story opens with four siblings coming together at a judge’s office. One woman, a youngish widow, childless, who owns and operates a dairy farm; and her three brothers. She comes to the meeting, where they are expected to decide the fate of their orphaned niblings (nieces and nephews), fully expecting her oldest brother, who has two children and plenty of money, to take the children and raise them.

Or perhaps one of her other two brothers… her poor (and lazy) middle brother, or her highly fertile youngest brother. But, to her shock, in the midst of the first two brother’s arguing about who would be best… she finds herself volunteering. The judge and her two older brothers are shocked, her youngest brother just grins.

And the judge gives them to her. On probation. And she sets herself to… provide for her own. To take these children in and raise them right! To do her best, and to succeed!

Discipline

And they are good kids… but even good kids need discipline. Even children in the middle of grief need discipline. Firm boundaries so that they can feel safe, and lots of work to do so they can learn their place in the world.

And Aunt Grace sets about to provide that discipline. She is not very good at handling her own grief, let alone the children’s, but she provides a safe place for them to do so. Safe meaning well-ordered, well-disciplined, free from chaos. She may cry, herself, in her room, but she presents only a bold face to the children.

What about Sex?

Well, if you read my post about sex in Christian Fiction, you would already have heard about it in this post. I speak of ‘Mother and Father’ and ‘Uncles and Aunts’ and ‘Brothers and Sisters’ and ‘Children’. Those are all ‘sex’ words.

But I take it farther than that. I don’t leave the widowed aunt widowed. The Lord designed the family to have a mother and a father, and I bring that out in my story. And the resulting marriage is not at all platonic. Far from it.

So, she doesn’t have some torrid affair… she gets married. To a horse breeder. Who teaches the children about his business.

But is it Preachy?

Yes, in several ways. First of all, it includes literal sermons. Like, from the pulpit. (Sermons from that age, actually, copied directly from old preachers.) But the preaching doesn’t end there. The various characters ‘preach’ to each other. The new mother paddling her new son, reminding him of right and wrong. The older brother and sister encouraging each other do do right through difficult circumstances.

And a side character (well, not so side, he appears in the title) learning to exchange jealousy for friendship, and laziness for work, and not while the others around him remain quiet about his faults.

The Rest of the Story

There are lots more items in my list, and lots more story in my story. And lots more stories following it as well. There are lots more themes that I explore, and attempt to tease out the Christian view of. I would love to hear from readers and discuss what other themes they found and even what I missed, what I got wrong! If you wish to review the book, feel free to DM me for a reviewer’s copy! There are three books published in the series already, and several more laying in pieces on my desk.

Here’s a book blurb video that a friend of mine did. Rough draft.

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Thank you for reading Von’s Substack. I would love it if you commented! I love hearing from readers, especially critical comments. I would love to start more letter exchanges, so if there’s a subject you’re interested in, get writing and tag me!

Being ‘restacked’ and mentioned in ‘notes’ is very important for lesser-known stacks so… feel free! I’m semi-retired and write as a ministry (and for fun) so you don’t need to feel guilty you aren’t paying for anything, but if you enjoy my writing (even if you dramatically disagree with it), then restack, please! Or mention me in one of your own posts.

If I don’t write you back it is almost certain that I didn’t see it, so please feel free to comment and link to your post. Or if you just think I would be interested in your post!

If you get lost, check out my ‘Table of Contents’ which I try to keep up to date.

Von also writes as ‘Arthur Yeomans’. Under that name he writes children’s, YA, and adult fiction from a Christian perspective. His books are published by Wise Path Books and include the children’s/YA books:

The Bobtails meet the Preacher’s Kid

The Bobtails and the Cousins

The Bobtails go to France

and

No Ordinary School

As well as GK Chesterton’s wonderful book, “What’s Wrong with the World”, for which ‘Arthur’ wrote most of the annotations.

Arthur also has a substack, and a website. On the substack you can listen to some of his published books. Free.

Thanks again, God Bless, Soli Deo gloria,

Von

Reviewers copies available