Faculty Friday Spotlight: Interview with Dr. Marianne Modica

We recently interviewed Dr. Marianne Modica, chair of the Education department at the University of Valley Forge and a distinguished author, on the release of her newest book, a novel called Green World Gray. Along with her newest release, her three previous works, Race Among Friends, The R Word, and King Me! can all be found here on Amazon.

UVF: You have published multiple novels in the past few years. What is it about writing fiction that appeals to you?

Dr. Modica: Someone once said “fiction is the lie that tells the truth.” To me, fiction is the best way to explore the experiences of people across time and place. When we enter into story, we can learn more deeply what it means to be human in the world that God created. Jesus knew the importance of story, which is why he often spoke to his followers in parables.

UVF: In three of your books (Green World Gray, The R Word, and King Me!) you write about young people experiencing challenges in a pivotal season of life. What draws you to this theme?

Dr. Modica: My stories are about young folks who grow as they face life’s dilemmas and learn about themselves and others. I’m drawn to write about characters who are as flawed as I am, yet who eventually overcome and live their best lives.

UVF: What advice do you have for students who are facing decisions – big or small?

Dr. Modica: My advice to students, or to anyone facing life decisions, is to relax and trust the Lord. When I begin writing a novel I don’t necessarily know the ending, but I’ve learned to trust the process. Life is the same—we can’t always see where it will take us, but if we stay on track and follow the Lord, we know he will always be with us (even when things go wrong, as they will).

She also added, “Green World Gray is different from my previous novels because it is my first work of science fiction. In it, my characters discover a device that allows them to travel through time and, as you can imagine, all kinds of adventures follow. At the core of the story though, is the idea of longing. It asks the question, what things do you long for and what would you do to achieve them? As Christians, I think we instinctively long for a better world, the world God originally meant for us. Although Green World Gray is not overtly Christian, the underlying themes help us to explore that sense of longing that pushes us to want more than what this temporal world can offer.”