Meet RM Ruiz, author of the Chosen Kids Saga. These inspirational adventures with relatable characters are meant to help kids get closer to Jesus and discover their identity in Christ.
Tell us about yourself!
I’m a redeemed sinner saved by Jesus Christ.
Tell us about your books.
The Chosen Kids Saga mixes action and adventure with fantasy elements and a transparent Christian theme that includes gospel truths without symbolism. The books are suitable for ages 10 to 12.
This is a “What if?” story. What if evil beings were trying to destroy the world? And what if God chose a family of kids to stop them?
The series tells the tale of six cousins (ages range from 11 to 16) and their aunt who are chosen to stop a band of evil beings from causing a fake apocalypse. Each of the family members is appointed a certain job and receives a tool, blessed with God’s power, to help with their task.
With time running out, they must track, capture, and send the enemy back to the underworld before the fiends cause irreversible destruction.
The story showcases the powers of God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit with family love, redemption, spiritual growth, kid banter, and humor all mixed in for a fun and exciting journey. It is told through the perspective of the youngest cousin, 11-year-old Caiden.
Middle grade readers will follow along as these flawed characters embark on a life-transforming quest to save humanity.
They start off as selfish or mean or bossy or impatient or proud or disobedient or just confused. But by the end of the series, these chosen kids will become some of God’s greatest warriors.
The characters are inspired by my family—third and fourth generation Mexican-Americans. We are not rich in Mexican tradition, but I wanted to include what I could for our culture, so I went with the food element. Each book will have a popular Mexican dish and a few Spanish words.
What kind of child are you trying to reach with your books?
This is an easy-to-read story that I wrote with the reluctant middle grade reader in mind. Advanced readers would enjoy it for a quick read. It is fast-paced, and most of the chapters end on cliff-hangers.
It will appeal to both boys and girls who know about the Lord, but the world is pulling at them, and they need an inspirational adventure with relatable characters that could help revitalize their faith.
It also appeals to middle graders who are aware of their identity in Christ and who would appreciate an inspirational adventure about kids getting closer to Jesus.
But it’s not only for believing middle graders. It’s also for those who don’t know the Lord but are curious about Christianity and who would like an inspirational adventure with relatable characters that could help them discover their own identity in Christ.
Give us a little flavor of some great characters or the setting.
When God gives us a task, He gives us the tools to get it done—such as our unique talents or actual objects (like the Staff of God He gave Moses).
In the Chosen Kids Saga, each of the kids is appointed a role and receives a supernatural tool to use along with their skills to help with their mission.
For example:
The eldest cousin, named Raelyn, aspires to be a detective and loves solving mysteries. (Think Nancy Drew.) She is appointed as the Tracker of the team and receives a blessed compass that flashes blue when an evil being is within a certain distance. She must use the compass and her smarts to track the evil beings.
The second eldest cousin is Caleb. He is a bully who lives for video games and pizza. (God loves to choose unlikely heroes for His Glory, right? Don’t worry, Caleb doesn’t stay a bully.) He is appointed as the Warrior and receives an old pair of night vision goggles that show the true form of an evil being (who look like humans in the light, but are really monsters). He can use the goggles during the day to narrow down their location.
The main character Caiden is a book lover who reads mostly children classics. He is appointed as the Storykeeper and receives an old book called the Compendium that only he can read. The book has stories with illustrations and diagrams to help the Chosen Kids catch these monsters.
There is also a blessed Polaroid camera, a set of drawing pencils, candies to use as bait, and a parasol that opens a certain gate . . .
What inspired you to write this series?
God put this story on my heart.
In 2020, when Covid stopped the world, I reflected on my life and realized I had lived it so selfishly. I wanted to do something for God. He had always taken care of me, answering my prayers, watching over my children and me when I was a single mother, and even miraculously saving my life a few times!
I was ready to start living only for our Father. I asked Him to give me a task, and this is what I received from Him. The ideas started flowing, with my own nieces and nephews as the inspiration for the characters, and I got to work!
How did you know you wanted to be an author?
When I was ten years old, I asked Jesus into my heart. At that time, I read The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis, and it made such an impact on me that I told myself I would write a Christian book someday.
After 40 years in the “wilderness,” God brought me out and gave me the chance to write for His glory.
What advice do you have for aspiring writers?
Christian authors, if you want to glorify the kingdom of Heaven, write bold, transparent Christian fiction. Pray for the Holy Spirit’s guidance as you write and open your heart to Him completely. He will keep your ideas flowing, help with plot holes, and strengthen your writing.
Consider self-publishing so you won’t have to compromise your message. God will make it happen.
What formats are your books available in?
- Paperback
- Ebook
Find them here.
What’s next for the Chosen Kids Saga?
I just released book two, Encounter at Paradise, in March of this year. Book three, Encounter at Ambrose, is set to release August of 2024. And books four and five will be out spring and fall of 2025.
How can parents find you?
People can find me on my website www.thechosenkids.com or on Facebook and Instagram @thechosenkidssaga and on Goodreads.
The books are available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Walmart, my website www.thechosenkids.com, and other online book retailers.
Liked that?
Try these!
If you’re in the market for middle grade books, I’d love to share my series with you!
Power Pup is a Christian superhero adventure series for readers ages 9-13.
Calvin Quinn is a long way from the corn fields of Nebraska.
The rookie canine reporter dreams of bringing criminals to justice with his front page headlines, while working alongside famous investigative journalist team Mittens Meow and Alex Digger.
But Calvin has a secret:
He’s also a rookie superhero!
After months of training, Calvin Quinn is ready to hit the streets and defend the innocent as . . . Power Pup!