My name is Katherine Padilla (pronounced pa-DEE-ya). I created Novaun Novels in 2003 because I love novels. I love to read them, and I love to write them. I read other kinds of literature from time to time, but nothing satisfies me quite as much as a novel does. Through this website I hope to share the novels I have written and the titles of many of the novels I have read.
The novels I recommend are more than just my favorites; they’re all works I consider wholesome. By “wholesome” I don’t necessarily mean “family fare.” I believe fiction can be wholesome and still not be for the entire family. Over the years, I’ve given speeches on the topic of wholesome literature and compiled several book lists. All are available on my “Clean-Reading Resources” page.
I am particularly interested in fiction that dramatizes complex, realistic problems while remaining anchored in traditional values and avoiding foul elements such as vulgar language and situations, depictions of nudity and sex, and extreme violence. At the same time, I search for novels that combine entertainment with literary excellence. Basically, I want the novels I read and write to be wholesome, entertaining, and intelligent.
Does this sound like an impossible combination of qualities? It’s not, I assure you. One doesn’t have to look any further than classics such as Anna Karenina, A Tale of Two Cities, and Jane Eyre to find the kind of literature I’m talking about. More recent examples include Till We Have Faces, by C.S. Lewis, Cold Sassy Tree, by Olive Ann Burns, and the historical novels of Thomas B. Costain. I’m also interested in learning more about the traditional values of cultures that are unfamiliar to me, which is why I find novels such as The Joy Luck Club, by Amy Tan and The Chosen, by Chaim Potok, so interesting.
I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and everything I write comes from that basic perspective. Much of my work is meant for a general religious audience. Some of these writings, such as my blog posts, contain a few Latter-day Saint references, and others, such as the Heirs of Novaun quartet and “Wholesome Literature—A Realistic Choice,” have none. When I address a general religious audience, my focus is on traditional values such as those outlined in the Ten Commandments.
When my work is meant specifically for Latter-day Saints, the description will say so. In those novels and essays, I often discuss doctrines and practices unique to my religion and refer to the full canon of scripture used by my church. If you aren’t a member of my church and want to take a peek at these writings, I can’t stop you, but if it gets a little weird, you can’t say that I didn’t warn you!
In 2015 I adjusted the focus of Novaun Novels slightly to be “Envision Zion.” In 2021 I fine-tuned it to be “Envision Zion through Clean, Complex, Compelling Fiction.” For more about what that means and how Novaun Novels seeks to achieve that goal, please read the introductory blog post entitled “Glimpse of Zion.”
The featured image came from Pixabay.
