What genres do you read? 

Fantasy, contemporary, romance, non-fiction, mystery, historical? 

Like a lot of things in life, it’s easiest to stick with what you know. To stay in your comfort zone. 

Imagine the typical reader’s paradise. 

A fire crackles in the hearth, rejoicing in bursts of yellow and orange. You sit curled in a comfortable chair, wrapped in a warm blanket, book in hand, a perpetually steaming mug of hot chocolate or tea or whatever you prefer resting beside you (on your lap or a little table perhaps). Outside, snow swirls through the frozen air, dancing ever nearer the ground, where it settles in drifts, blanketing the world. 

If you’re a reader, you’re likely to stay right there. It’s safe, warm, welcoming, and you have everything you need (except perhaps a snack, but you can get that easily enough). 

Now, imagine that every time it has snowed, you’ve stayed right there on the chair. Maybe you open the door once or twice before hurriedly throwing it shut in a vain attempt to block out the cold that has already rushed into your cozy home, but you never venture out. 

It’s comfortable and easiest to stay inside. You know you’ll only end up freezing if you step out your door, and you can happily watch the falling snow from inside.

But of course, whether you know it or not, by staying indoors you’re missing out on a world of wonder and grandeur. 

If you would only bundle up and leave your house, you would find something to rival the stories you read. Snowflakes and icicles, snowmen and, with company, snowball fights. You may not want to live in the snow, but you’ll likely be very glad you left your fire and warm blanket to explore a new world.

Or think of roller coasters. 

All my life, I’ve been terrified of the large coasters with inversions and drops in the hundreds of feet. When I was younger, I only rode the tiny coasters, but as I got older I tried slightly more challenging coasters. First Big Thunder Mountain, then Space Mountain, then The Everest Express, but I still avoided the largest coasters. 

This past Thursday though, I did something I didn’t expect. I rode Stardust Racers. And not only did I ride it, but I loved it (after getting over some initial terror). I did the yellow side first, and then I went a second time on the green side. Huge drops, multiple inversions. I thought I would hate it, but I am so, so glad I did it.

Because God didn’t design us to stay in our comfort zones. He designed us to grow and change, to explore the world He placed us in and constantly learn. And, oftentimes, when we step out of our little safety bubbles, we find the world is more wonderful than we dreamed. We gain perspective and discover new favorites.

For years, I thought I only enjoyed speculative fiction and mysteries in my free time. That was, until I came across a then-snippet-series in The Young Writers Workshop entitled The Jewel of Berlin.

The Jewel of Berlin is the first in L.E. Levens’ series Jewels in the Light, and this past Thursday was the official release of the second book, The Light that Remains! 

I haven’t actually had a chance to read it yet, but I’ve got a bit of foreknowledge, and it’s going to be wonderful. (She’s actually hosting a giveaway for it here if you’re interested!)

It’s a historical fiction series set in WWII Germany and includes some of my favorite tropes including missing memories, found family, and clean romance (an addition to my list after I first read this).

But it’s not something I expected to enjoy much. It’s not one of my usual genres. 

Still, like the snow and the roller coasters, I loved it. 

If you’re stuck in one genre, read something in another. If you’re afraid of the big coasters, work your way up and try one. If you’re glued to your hearth, bundle up and throw open the door. 

Maybe you won’t enjoy it, but maybe you’ll find your new favorite thing.