One Degree of Freedom
Click here to watch my video. I tell a little of the story behind the story and do a short reading.
Sometimes it only takes one small act to unchain a captive mind.
Fifteen-year-old Adriana Nicu lives in the sheltered world of Bucharest, Romania, in the year 1987. Under the rule of Communist president Nicolae Ceausescu, citizens of Bucharest live with the eyes and ears of the government ever present. Adriana’s future, which will involve becoming an engineer, is locked in against her will.
READ WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING:
A fierce heroine who reads banned books—my favorite kind of hero! And for book nerds like me, literary references abound in One Degree of Freedom, by Taryn Hutchison. Brilliantly conceptualized and beautifully written, and a coming-of-age tale set in the Cold War era, with characters you fall in love with and root (and cry) for. Adriana comes to understand her family’s place in the world around her and makes incredibly difficult decisions as she recognizes and stands for her own beliefs. Meticulous research and excellent writing immerse readers in the setting and show life during the times, as Adriana and her friends travel on their journey.
~Kim Childress, Book Editor, Girls’ Life Magazine
Two Lights of Hope
Even the smallest glimmer of hope can break through the darkest night.
Life in Communist Romania in 1988 becomes increasingly dangerous for sixteen-year-old Adriana Nicu as she and her friend Gabi seek answers to a forty-year-old mystery. Their mission: find an old wardrobe intended to be a Jewish family’s way of escape from the Nazis, and maybe—just maybe—find out what happened to the family after they disappeared.
READ WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING:
Gripping. Relevant. Expertly crafted. Two Lights of Hope captured me, held me, and has refused to let go. Author Taryn Hutchison’s deft portrayal of resilience and hope in the darkest days of Ceauşescu’s Romania compelled me to explore my own devotion to freedom—and what I’d risk and sacrifice to keep it. An exceptional, beautifully written sequel to One Degree of Freedom sure to land in hearts of all ages.
~ Cheryl Grey Bostrom, bestselling author of the award-winning novel Sugar Birds
We Wait You
“We waited 45 years for you to come and set us free. Why did you take so long?”
Inspiring and with humorous moments, We Wait You is the real-life story of hearts transformed after the 1989 revolutions that forever changed Eastern Europe, as told by one woman who made a difference.
READ WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING:
“Taryn Hutchison is a fresh voice of those who continue to break new ground telling the old story … What Elisabeth Elliot’s writing accomplished a generation ago in opening the eyes of the world to tribal missions, Taryn Hutchison skillfully accomplishes in opening the eyes of the world today to global missions … Within the covers of this book are run-ins with the Russian mafia, joyous celebrations in the street, intrigue, hidden microphones, faith, and adventure lived out by Taryn and her sea of friends who said ‘Yes’ to God. Woven through the subtext of the book is a hope-filled love story that only God could orchestrate … We Wait You is a ‘must-read’ not only for short-term mission teams, missionaries and their supporters, but for every person who desires to live missionally and make an impact for the Kingdom of God.”
~Dr. Eric Swanson, Leadership Network
Co-author of several books, including The Externally Focused Church
Sentenced to Life
Click here to watch our book trailer. You’ll get to hear Curtis share some thoughts about the book.
Sentenced to Life is the riveting story of Curtis Roberts, who served twenty-nine years in prison for three unarmed robberies totaling $116. But God set Curtis free long before his eventual release from San Quentin. His journey is one of faith, redemption, and unexpected grace.
READ WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING:
“Curtis’s story is so compelling, full of twists and turns: some deeply disturbing and confounding while others are simply wondrous. In 2017, part of his story was turned into an Ear Hustle episode, called “Left Behind.” It remains one of our most listened-to, asked-about, and praised episodes. Sentenced to Life takes you even deeper into Curtis’s story and lays out plainly why we need to care about prison and sentencing reform.”
~Nigel Poor, co-host and co-creator of Ear Hustle from PRX’s Radiotopia, co-author of This Is Ear Hustle