Stephen Reed is an author and illustrator, who has brought Arcos and his search for the mysterious Misaro’Deio to life in a fantasy adventure set in the land of Aratae’Tor. Based on John 7, The Cartographer’s Presence helps older children to understand that God loves them personally.

Stephen, could you just tell us a little about yourself?

I’m Stephen, and I live with my wife Emily, in Sydney, Australia. I love bushwalking and mountain biking, reading epic fantasy, writing stories and drawing pictures. I studied Visual Arts at Uni and have been illustrating, painting and water-colouring portraits, people and mountains for a little while now!

Why did you decide to write The Cartographer’s Presence? And where did the inspiration for the book theme come from?

A couple of years ago I wrote a Bible talk for my church and it had a short story in it called the Cartographer’s Kingdom. The idea for this book evolved out of that story. I decided to write the book because I love stories, especially stories that delicately paint a picture of the grace of God and reveal the person of Jesus to us in a creative, imaginative way.

The inspiration for the theme came from a desire I think many of us have to know what it would be like to stumble upon the promised Messiah and hear his stunning words of life and light … it’d be amazing!

So, I imagined a young man in an unfamiliar city, who has come to offer his grain sacrifice, but is cruelly rejected from the citadel. He then stumbles upon a person who might just change his life forever…

Who have you written this book for?

I’ve written it for young people, those in late primary school to early secondary school, who may be new to their faith in God, or wondering if God really cares about them. I hope they’ll be encouraged from reading it that he does indeed care.

Why did you decide to write this within the fantasy genre rather than as a straight retelling of the Bible events?

I enjoy reading fantasy stories that are set in interesting places, have elements of the familiar in them, but stories that let our imaginations explore and discover something new. So, I wanted to tell a story like that, with a familiar biblical feel to it, but set in a new place, with new names and a new world to enjoy and explore.

You have created a whole new world for this book, what was the inspiration for this?

The inspiration for the world came firstly from my love of the mountains in Nepal. When I was a kid, I grew up in sight of the Himalayas, and I’ve always had a great amazement for the towering peaks and vast valleys, roaring rivers and winding ridges. I’ve always wanted to tell a fantasy story set in the high mountains.

And secondly, I’m fascinated by the history of Israel, particularly how the Israelites gathered together when they celebrated festivals, brought their offerings to God and honoured him with their time, their work and their lives. It’s remarkable to read how they gathered to hear his Word read and proclaimed, and to remember all that he had done for them in the past.

Plus, I love maps. And I enjoy drawing new ones and combining new fantasy lands to go with them. Aratae’Tor, the land where the book is set, is one of these maps of my imagination.

Your illustrations are integral to the book. What do you think they add to the book, and why is art so important to you?

I think the drawings help the reader to imagine the world that Arcos is living in, to see it through his eyes, because he’s an artist himself, drawing what he sees - the people he meets, the emotion that he’s feeling. Hopefully the illustrations help us to identify more closely with the characters, to truly feel like we’re there with them, journeying through this world, seeing and experiencing its beauty and hardships.

Also, I simply love drawing, it’s easily my favourite way of imagining and creating, so I can never write a story without illustrating it!

What was the most challenging element of writing the book?

It was probably in writing Chapter 4. I wanted to have a depth to the book, one that reached into the Old Testament prophesies about Jesus, and also shows the richness of what the OT literature meant to the people of Israel. I found it challenging to include a good amount of that, to keep it relevant to the story, meaningful to Arcos and what he’s going through, and to make it interesting and engaging!

And what was the most rewarding element of writing this book?

Definitely finishing writing the last page, and then later, seeing the illustrations bring the story to life. It’s so rewarding when a small idea that forms in your imagination builds and grows into something beautiful.

Have you learnt anything new/ been reminded afresh about God/ your faith while writing this book?

I was amazed again at how intent God is for strangers, outsiders (and all people!), to be brought into his kingdom, to be shown acceptance and love through the hands of Jesus. I love the verse in Isaiah 56:7, where God says he will bring in all the nations to his holy mountain and give them joy in his house of prayer.

What do you hope readers will most get out of reading this book?

I hope that young people will see Jesus afresh, to be drawn to him and his goodness, his gentleness and his love. I hope they’ll be amazed at how God works, to see how his hand has not only sketched the long and twisting coastlines, but also reaches in and touches our hearts. May they be reminded of his presence with them!

In one sentence, how would you describe The Cartographer’s Presence?

Such a hard question!

It’s a story that follows a young man who’s questioning if the Cartographer really cares about him, as an artist, he draws, but as a person he searches, seeking to be known, seeking to be reassured of what he believes to be true.

Is there anything we can pray for you?

I’d love it if you prayed that I’d continue to remember that Jesus is persistently working in our hearts for our good. That he continually speaks and encourages us, even when it feels like he hasn’t for a while. Pray that I’d be attuned to his love, his leading in the future and to be thankful for his grace that he pours out today.