Note to the Reader

Some books are designed for entertainment, some to send a message, others to influence or change the audience. I honestly can’t say why I wrote Jaded. What started out as a light romance five years ago evolved into a painful story that continues to tear at my heart.

I hope it tears at yours, too, in a good way. I hope you find yourself somewhere in its pages and grow because of the journey you’ve taken with Ruthie and the Trapp congregation. Not all hearts are as hard as hers, but we all have room for improvement. And certainly not all congregations are as bitter as hers, but as long as we’re on earth, the church will be filled with humans who have real-life flaws and opinions. I pray we have the humility and strength to forgive each other’s sins until we reach heaven, where everything will be so, so much easier.

Trapp, Texas, is a fictitious town created from a blend of places I’ve lived and visited. It sits approximately in the same location as Post but undoubtedly shares characteristics of my hometown, Grandview. However, the culture and geography in Jaded are not quite true to either, and I apologize for any inaccuracies in my memory and research.

And just for the record, the Trapp congregation—bless their hearts—exists nowhere on Earth. Or maybe it exists in every town; you be the judge. Either way, Neil Blaylock and the other characters are figments of my imagination, and any resemblance they may have to members of your local congregation is purely coincidental.

Soon you will be able to find the sequel, Justified, which continues the story through the eyes of Ruthie’s former friend, Fawn Blaylock. In the meantime, feel free to contact me online at varinadenman.com. I’d love to hear from you.

Thank you for reading,

Varina