Hunt, Angela Elwell 1957-

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HUNT, Angela Elwell 1957-

Personal

Born December 20, 1957, in Winter Haven, FL; daughter of James (an engineer at NASA's Kennedy Space Center) and Frankie (a telephone operator) Elwell; married Gary A. Hunt (a youth pastor), May, 1980; children: Taryn Li, Tyler Jordan. Education: Liberty University, B.S. (English; magna cum laude), 1980. Politics: Republican. Religion: Christian. Hobbies and other interests: Gardening, singing.

Addresses

Agent— Greg Johnson, Alive Communications, 7680 Goddard St., Suite 200, Colorado Springs, CO 80920. E-mail— [email protected].

Career

Former English teacher; full-time secretary until 1983; freelance writer, 1983—. Member of faculty, Young Writers' Institute.

Member

Authors Guild, Chilibris, Novelists, Inc.

Awards, Honors

Lorna Balian Prize, Abingdon Press, and Children's Choice Award, 1987, both for If I Had Long, Long Hair; Evangelical Christian Publishing Association Gold Medal nominations, 1991, for A Gift for Grandpa, 1993, for The True Princess, and 2002, for The Shadow Women; Campus Life Book of the Year nomination, 1991, for If God Is Real, Where on Earth Is He?; Chicago Women in Publishing honorable mention for design, 1992, for Calico Bear; Angel Award of Excellence in media, 1997, for The Proposal, 1999, for The Golden Cross, 2000, for The Truth Teller and The Velvet Shadow, 2001, for The Island of Heavenly Daze, 2002, for The Note, and 2004, for The Shadow Women and The Canopy; Golden Quill Award, 1999, for The Golden Cross; Aspen Gold Award, 2000, for The Truth Teller; Reviewer's Choice Award, Romantic Times, for The Island of Heavenly Daze; Christy Award finalist, 2002, for The Shadow Women; Foreword Book-of-the-Year Silver Medal for The Justice;

Writings

"CASSIE PERKINS" SERIES; YOUNG ADULT NOVELS

No More Broken Promises, Tyndale House Publishers (Wheaton, IL), 1991.

A Forever Friend, Tyndale House Publishers (Wheaton, IL), 1991.

A Basket of Roses, Tyndale House Publishers (Wheaton, IL), 1991.

A Dream to Cherish, Tyndale House Publishers (Wheaton, IL), 1992.

The Much-adored Sandy Shore, Tyndale House Publishers (Wheaton, IL), 1992.

Love Burning Bright, Tyndale House Publishers (Wheaton, IL), 1992.

Star Light, Star Bright, Tyndale House Publishers (Wheaton, IL), 1993.

The Chance of a Lifetime, Tyndale House Publishers (Wheaton, IL), 1993.

The Glory of Love, Tyndale House Publishers (Wheaton, IL), 1993.

"NICKI HOLLAND" SERIES; YOUNG ADULT MYSTERIES

The Case of the Mystery Mark, Here's Life/Thomas Nelson (Nashville, TN), 1991.

The Case of the Phantom Friend, Here's Life/Thomas Nelson (Nashville, TN), 1991.

The Case of the Teenage Terminator, Here's Life/Thomas Nelson (Nashville, TN), 1991.

The Case of the Terrified Track Star, Here's Life/Thomas Nelson (Nashville, TN), 1992.

The Case of the Counterfeit Cash, Here's Life/Thomas Nelson (Nashville, TN), 1992.

The Case of the Haunting of Lowell Lanes, Here's Life/Thomas Nelson (Nashville, TN), 1992.

The Case of the Birthday Bracelet, Thomas Nelson (Nashville, TN), 1993.

The Secret of Cravenhill Castle, Thomas Nelson (Nashville, TN), 1993.

The Riddle of Baby Rosalind, Thomas Nelson (Nashville, TN), 1993.

"THEYN CHRONICLES" SERIES; HISTORICAL FICTION

Afton of Margate Castle, Tyndale House Publishers (Wheaton, IL), 1993.

The Troubadour's Quest, Tyndale House Publishers (Wheaton, IL), 1994.

Ingram of the Irish, Tyndale House Publishers (Wheaton, IL), 1995.

"COLONIAL CAPTIVES" SERIES; HISTORICAL FICTION

Kimberly and the Captives, Tyndale House Publishers (Wheaton, IL), 1996.

The Deadly Chase, Tyndale House Publishers (Wheaton, IL), 1996.

"LEGACIES OF THE ANCIENT RIVER" SERIES; HISTORICAL FICTION

Dreamers, Bethany House (Minneapolis, MN), 1996.

Brothers, Bethany House (Minneapolis, MN), 1997.

Journey, Bethany House (Minneapolis, MN), 1997.

"HEIRS OF CAHIRA O'CONNOR" SERIES; HISTORICAL FICTION

The Silver Sword, WaterBrook Press (Colorado Springs, CO), 1998.

The Golden Cross, WaterBrook Press (Colorado Springs, CO), 1998.

The Velvet Shadow, WaterBrook Press (Colorado Springs, CO), 1999.

The Emerald Isle, WaterBrook Press (Colorado Springs, CO), 1999.

"KEEPERS OF THE RING" SERIES; HISTORICAL FICTION

Roanoke: The Lost Colony, Tyndale House Publishers (Wheaton, IL), 1996.

Jamestown, Tyndale House Publishers (Wheaton, IL), 1996.

Hartford, Tyndale House Publishers (Wheaton, IL), 1996.

Reheboth, Tyndale House Publishers (Wheaton, IL), 1997.

Charles Towne, Tyndale House Publishers (Wheaton, IL), 1998.

"HEAVENLY DAZE" SERIES, WITH LORI COPELAND; CHRISTIAN FICTION

The Island of Heavenly Daze, Word (Nashville, TN), 2000.

Grace in Autumn, Word (Nashville, TN), 2001.

A Warmth in Winter, Word (Nashville, TN), 2002.

A Perfect Love, Word (Nashville, TN), 2002.

Hearts at Home, Word (Nashville, TN), 2003.

"ON TOUR" SERIES; WITH STEPHEN ARTERBURN

Josiah, Tyndale House Publishers (Wheaton, IL), 2004.

Liane, Tyndale House Publishers (Wheaton, IL), 2004.

Noah, Tyndale House Publishers (Wheaton, IL), 2004.

Paige, Tyndale House Publishers (Wheaton, IL), 2004.

Shane, Tyndale House Publishers (Wheaton, IL), 2004.

Taz, Tyndale House Publishers (Wheaton, IL), 2004.

OTHER

(With husband, Gary Hunt) Surviving the Teenage Years, Here's Life (Nashville, TN), 1988, published as Too Young to Drive, Too Old to Ride: Surviving Your Child's Middle-School Years, 1993.

If I Had Long, Long Hair, illustrated by L. Diane Johnson, Abingdon Press (Nashville, TN), 1988.

(With Gary Hunt) Mom and Dad Don't Live Together Anymore, Here's Life (Nashville, TN), 1989.

The Tale of Three Trees, (picture book), illustrated by Tom Jonke, Lion Publishing, 1989.

The Adoption Option, Victor Books, 1989.

(With Gary Hunt) Now That You've Asked Her Out, Here's Life/Thomas Nelson (Nashville, TN), 1989.

(With Gary Hunt) Now That He's Asked You Out, Here's Life/Thomas Nelson (Nashville, TN), 1989.

Calico Bear, (picture book), illustrated by Natalie Carabetta, Tyndale House Publishers (Wheaton, IL), 1991.

A Gift for Grandpa, illustrated by Terry Julien, D. C. Cook, 1991.

If God Is Real, Where on Earth Is He?, Here's Life/Thomas Nelson (Nashville, TN), 1991.

(With Charles Dyer) The Rise of Babylon: Sign of the End Times, Tyndale House Publishers (Wheaton, IL), 1991.

Loving Someone Else's Child, Tyndale House Publishers (Wheaton, IL), 1992.

The Singing Shepherd, illustrated by Peter Palagonia, Lion Publishing, 1992.

The True Princess, illustrated by Diana Magnuson, D. C. Cook, 1992.

(With Laura Krauss Calenberg) Beauty from the Inside Out: Becoming the Best You Can Be, Thomas Nelson (Nashville, TN), 1993.

Howie Hugemouth, Standard Publishing, 1993.

Pulling Yourself Together When Your Family's Falling Apart, Tyndale House Publishers (Wheaton, IL), 1994.

Pulling Yourself Together When Your Parents Pull Apart, Tyndale House Publishers (Wheaton, IL), 1995.

The Proposal, Tyndale House Publishers (Wheaton, IL), 1996.

(With Heather Whitestone) Listening with My Heart, Doubleday (New York, NY), 1997.

Gentle Touch, Bethany House (Minneapolis, MN), 1997.

(With Grant R. Jeffrey) Flee the Darkness, Word (Nashville, TN), 1998.

The Sleeping Rose, illustrated by Chuck Gillies, Tommy Nelson (Nashville, TN), 1998.

(With Grant R. Jeffrey) By Dawn's Early Light, Word (Nashville, TN), 1999.

The Truth Teller, Bethany House Publishers (Minneapolis, MN), 1999.

(With Grant R. Jeffrey) The Spear of Tyranny, Word (Nashville, TN), 2000.

My Life as a Middle School Mom: My Kids May Be Deductible, but They're Still Taxing!, Vine Books (Ann Arbor, MI), 2000.

The Immortal, Word (Nashville, TN), 2000.

(With Robin Lee Hatcher and Deborah Bedford) The Story Jar, Multnomah Publishers (Sisters, OR), 2001.

(With Bill Myers) Then Comes Marriage, Zondervan Publishing House (Grand Rapids, MI), 2001.

The Note: A Story of Second Chances, Word (Nashville, TN), 2001.

(With Stephen Arterburn) Flashpoints: Igniting the Hidden Passions of Your Soul, Tyndale House Publishers (Wheaton, IL), 2002.

The Shadow Women, Warner Books (New York, NY), 2002.

Pretzels by the Dozen: Truth and Inspiration with a Heart-shaped Twist, illustrated by Bill Dodge, Zonderkidz (Grand Rapids, MI), 2002.

The Justice, Word (Nashville, TN), 2002.

The Pearl, Word (Nashville, TN), 2003.

(With Heather Whitestone McCallum) Let God Surprise You: Trust God You're Your Dreams, Zondervan (Grand Rapids, MI), 2003.

The Canopy, W Pub. Group (Nashville, TN), 2003.

The Debt, Word (Nashville, TN), 2004.

(With Heather Whitestone McCallum) The Crown That Will Not Fade, Zondervan (Grand Rapids, MI), 2004.

(With Heather Whitestone-McCallum) Heavenly Crowns: Striving for a Godly Life in the Midst of Daily Struggles, Zondervan (Grand Rapids, MI), 2004.

The Awakening: A Novel of Discovery, WestBow Press (Nashville, TN), 2004.

Unspoken, WestBow Press (Nashville, TN), 2005.

Uncharted, WestBow Press (Nashville, TN), 2006.

A Time to Mend, Harlequin (New York, NY), 2006.

The Novelist, WestBow Press (Nashville, TN), 2006.

Adaptations

Then Comes Marriage, The Canopy, and The Shadow Women have all been adapted as audiobooks.

Sidelights

A prolific writer of Christian fiction for teenage girls and young children, Angela Elwell Hunt has also won praise for her historical novels and romance fiction. Her "Nicki Holland" mystery stories introduces a group of teens with a knack for solving mysteries, while the "Cassie Perkins" books introduce readers to young people who learn engage life within a Christian context. Acknowledging that modern life can be confusing to everyone, particularly children, Hunt once commented of her children's series books: "I want to write about the solid things we can hold on to like love, honesty, friendship, and eternal truth. I want my readers to know that no matter how gray things may seem, there's still hope on the horizon. I guess I'm an optimist; I just know I like happy endings. Even if things aren't perfect at the end of a story, at least there's hope for the future. So whether my book is about Cassie looking for hope, or Nicki Holland searching for the answer to a mystery, or the little girl wishing for long, long hair, we can all find what we're looking for. We just have to learn to look in the right places."

Hunt's picture book The Tale of Three Trees, a retelling of a traditional folk-tale, became an international bestseller after its first publication in 1989. "I had heard the story many, many times about the three trees on the mountaintop," Hunt once recalled of her first major publishing success. "The first one wants to hold treasure, the second one wants to be a sailing ship, and the third one just wants to stay on the mountain and point to God. And their dreams come true, but not at all in the way that they expect."

For older readers Hunt collaborates with Stephen Arterburn on the "Young Believers on Tour" series, which focuses on the six members of the Christian band YB2. In series opener Josiah readers are introduced to a thirteen-year-old singer who worries that his inability to perform some of the group's onstage choreography due to his scoliosis will cause him to be dismissed. In a Booklist review of the book, Jennifer Mattson noted that the band's sense of its Christian mission will be appreciated by teen readers "swimming against the tides of a culture that's typically more profane than sacred." In an article for Today's Christian Woman, Hunt explained that the series, which is geared for middle-grade readers, was inspired by her own year-long experience as part of a traveling singing group. The hope of both Hunt and Arterburn is that readers will "enjoy these books as great stories" and also be reassured that "God's in control, that He has a plan, and that He is faithful."

Though much of her early fiction dealt with issues pertinent to contemporary teens, Hunt has more recently focused on historical novels and romances for older teens and adults. Ancient Egypt is the setting for the "Legacies of the Ancient River" series, as well as for her 2002 novel The Shadow Women, a retelling of the story of Moses through the eyes of the women in his life that Myrna Dee praised in a Kliatt review as providing "plausible motivations" for the actions of its Bible-based characters. "The medieval 'Theyn Chronicles,'" according to Booklist reviewer John Mort, is comprised of "well-written costume romances" that "dramatize entertainingly the plight of Christians in barbarous times." The "Heirs of Cahira O'Connor" series traces the stories of several generations of strong Irish women; its opening novel, The Silver Sword, was described by Mort as a pleasing mix of "early history of Protestantism by way of Ivanhoe," while subsequent entries take the series from Ireland to America during the U.S. Civil War. And colonial America provides the background for Hunt's "Keepers of the Ring" series.

In addition to writing fiction, Hunt has made forays into adult nonfiction, penning books about marriage, divorce, adoption, and child rearing. Commenting on her life as a writer, she noted that, while she initially turned to writing as a way to financially support her family, much of her inspiration has come from her Christian faith. "What is the most surprising thing I've learned as a writer?," she once commented; "I've learned that you can't borrow passion. You have to write the story that comes from the deepest place of your soul with the passion that arises with the story. It's taken me a long time to learn this.… Someone once said that a book prepared in the mind can change people's minds; books written in the heart will change people's hearts. I think I'd like my books to do both."

Biographical and Critical Sources

PERIODICALS

Booklist, October 15, 1994, John Mort, review of Afton of Margate Castle, The Troubadour's Quest and Ingram of the Irish, p. 401; January 1, 1996, John Mort, review of Roanoke: The Lost Colony and Dreamers, p. 787; November 15, 1996, John Mort, review of The Proposal, p. 571; June 1, 1997, Patricia Hassler, review of Listening with My Heart, p. 1646; June 1, 1998, John Mort, review of The Silver Sword, p. 1728; January 1, 2002, John Mort, review of The Justice, p. 804; September 1, 2003, Joyce Saricks, review of The Shadow Women, p. 146; April 1, 2004, John Mort, review of The Debt, p. 1347; October 1, 2004, Jennifer Mattson, review of Josiah, p. 341.

Christian Reader, September, 2000, p. 12.

Kliatt, May, 2004, Myrna Dee Marler, review of The Shadow Women, p. 19.

Library Journal, February 1, 1996, Henry Carrigan, Jr., review of Roanoke, p. 64; September 1, 1996, Henry Carrigan, Jr., review of The Proposal, p. 163; April 1, 1997, Melissa Hudak, review of Gentle Touch, p. 78; September 1, 1998, Melissa Hudak, review of The Golden Cross, p. 164; February 1, 1999, Melissa Hudak, review of The Velvet Shadow, p. 72; February 1, 2001, Melanie C. Duncan, review of Then Comes Marriage, p. 77; November 1, 2002, Shawna Saavedra Thorup, review of The Shadow Women, p. 71; February 1, 2004, Tamara Butler, review of The Debt, p. 68.

Publishers Weekly, August 21, 2000, review of The Immortal, p. 19; February 19, 2001, review of The Story Jar, p. 71; December 24, 2001, review of The Justice, p. 44; September 9, 2002, review of The Shadow Women, p. 40.

School Library Journal, August, 1996, Cynthia Rieben, review of Dreamers, p. 184; November, 1997, Judy Sokoll, review of Listening with My Heart, p. 150; January, 1998, Claudia Moore, review of Brothers, p. 136; January 19, 2004, review of The Debt: The Story of a Past Redeemed, p. 55; June 7, 2004, review of The Awakening, p. 31.

Today's Christian Woman, May-June, 2004, Angela Elwell Hunt, "Young Believers on Tour," p. 22.