In this episode of the Read Clean YA podcast, host CJ Milacci interviews young adult author Lyndsey Lewellen about her debut dystopian novel, The Chaos Grid. Set in a futuristic Texas wasteland filled with monsters and storms, the story follows a girl who joins a crew of truckers to avoid becoming the savior of the dome city that murdered her parents.

Lyndsey shares that the initial spark for the story came while she was stuck in traffic, wondering "what if all of these cars weren't here?" This led her to imagine a world where people stayed inside their cities, with truckers braving the dangerous wastelands to transport essential supplies. She also cites influences like Mad Max, Dune, Tremors, and Blade Runner.

While discussing the book, Lewellen and Milacci dove into some of the powerful themes woven throughout the story. One of the central themes Lyndsey explores in The Chaos Grid is the far-reaching impact of our choices.

"Sometimes we think we live in a vacuum and that whatever we do is just going to affect us and that's it. And it's not the case," she explains.

The story also wrestles with the challenge of forgiving others, even when it seems unthinkable. As Lewellen explained:

"I think the core theme for this story is what happens to us when we choose our own way over God's way and how does that affect other people around us? Sometimes we think we live in a vacuum and that whatever we do is just going to affect us and that's it. And it's not the case."

She went on to pose the question:

"How can you forgive someone when you have every reason not to? ... What if they kill someone in your family? Like, what are you going to do then if God calls you to forgive that person?"

This is the struggle the protagonist Juniper wrestles with. As Milacci pointed out, forgiveness like this feels beyond human capacity:

"I really don't know how it's possible without God's grace in our own lives. Because I think when we hit those moments, it is like, how do you overcome and forgive and show love to somebody who's harmed you so much and so intentionally, you know, that's, I think that's something that's beyond us as humans on our own, in our own strength and in our own power."

They emphasize the importance of distinguishing forgiveness from trust, and acknowledge that while God calls us to forgive, that doesn't mean allowing harmful people unrestricted access to our lives. There is a place for boundaries. Ultimately, forgiveness is about our own hearts and relationship with God, and harboring bitterness ultimately harms yourself more than the other person.

Lewellen shared how she knew this theme of forgiveness would be central to the story from the very first line she wrote:

"The day Plex City burns to ash will be the best day of my life."

She could see Juniper's character arc and the situations she would need to go through to get past this bitter unforgiveness. While not always an easy or comfortable theme to grapple with, it's one that is deeply resonant, as we all face moments where we must choose whether or not to forgive the seemingly unforgivable. "The Chaos Grid" promises a gripping exploration of this powerful theme through Juniper's journey in a gritty, action-packed dystopian world.

Unlike many authors who have been writing since childhood, Lyndsey originally aspired to be a comic book illustrator. She struggled with mild dyslexia growing up, which made reading difficult. It wasn't until after having children that Lyndsey began writing. She was inspired by the lack of clean content in young adult fiction and her desire to write the kind of books she wanted her kids to read.

The Chaos Grid is Lyndsey Lewellen's compelling debut novel that transports readers to a gritty future while exploring timeless themes of forgiveness, faith, and the far-reaching consequences of our choices. To hear the full interview and learn more about Lyndsey's work, check out this episode of the Read Clean YA podcast. The Chaos Grid is out now.

I hope you enjoyed this conversation with Lyndsey Lewellen. Lyndsey and I met at a writer’s conference and we were introduced through a mutual friend, and it was so nice to talk to her and get to know her more during this episode.

Since recording this episode, I have had the privilege of diving into the Chaos Grid, and it is so much fun! If you’re looking for an epic dystopian adventure through a Texas wasteland, with monsters, trucks, and tons of action, then you are going to love the Chaos Grid.

For any young or sensitive readers, I did want to mention that there are some potentially scary moments in this story. There are monsters (like I mentioned) and some characters are murdered, though the violence isn’t overly gory. There are also instances of nano-drug induced rage, and nano-drugs are a main plot element used by the antagonist, but they are never seen as good by the main character. There is also one scene where the main character is trapped with a man high on nano-drugs and he threatens to abuse her, but she uses self defense to escape.

Next time on Read Clean YA with CJ, I’ll be talking with young adult James R. Hannibal, author of the Lightraider Academy series. James and I had a fantastic conversation, and his heart for his readers shines through. It was wonderful to talk to him, and if you’re looking for some great books for your boys, you won’t want to miss this episode!

Thank you so much for listening to Read Clean YA with CJ. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend so they can discover exciting, clean young adult books too.