Unveiled

Mike Duran lives in Southern California, has been married to his wife Lisa since 1980 and has four adult children. After a number of years in the ministry Mike now works with wood by day and words by night. He has written Relief Journal and has quite a following on his blog, deCompose. Mike’s debut novel, The Resurrection is reviewed here at Unveiled. Mike has been kind enough to spend some time to let us know a little more about him.

Tim George: Mike, you were a pastor, worked in construction, are a husband, father, and grandfather. I’m going to break all the rules of interviewing, bypass all that information, and start out with the one answer that is most important to me for you to answer. What’s the deal with tomatoes?

Mike Duran: That’s easy, Tim. I was traumatized as a child. Scroll back to the first time I ever went ocean fishing. My dad, a grizzled fisherman, took my younger brother and I ocean fishing in a small boat. The seas were rough. Really rough. My brother has a notoriously weak stomach. Well, my dad ate tomatoes like apples, which he did that day. There we were, clinging to the sides of the boat while my father nonchalantly salted tomatoes and chomped away. Seeing the red juice oozing down my father’s face while my brother was barfing overboard left a lasting imprint. Hey, you asked.

Tim: I had a similar experience in 3^rd grade school cafeteria. After practically forcing me to eat the big red blob on my tray, my teacher later repented. Let’s just say I gave her a reason to never force the issue again.

I had the honor to write an endorsement for your upcoming debut novel and look forward to telling my readers more about it in the weeks to come. Tell us something about The Resurrection.

Mike: I am fascinated by claims of the miraculous and people’s responses toward purported miracle events. On the one hand are those who deny that miracles occur today. They are naturalists who seek to explain everything in terms of science or psychology, and refuse to accept the possibility that God intervenes supernaturally in the world. On the other hand are those who sensationalize everything, see miracles everywhere, and turn the miraculous into a sideshow event. And then there are those of us who land somewhere in the middle: we believe that God can intervene in the world, but walk a tightrope between skepticism and sensationalism. The Resurrection revolves around a purported miracle, how people across the spectrum respond to that miracle, and two rather naïve people who are caught in the middle.

Tim: Your main character is a pastor facing a crisis of faith and, without giving too much away, the story has an ending that is somewhat ambiguous about that crisis. Why did you choose to leave things that way?

Mike: I felt it was true to that character, Tim. I think the average church-goer would be surprised how many ministers have serious questions about their faith or their calling. I’m not saying they are pretenders or agnostics. But when you work at a church, are viewed as the “spiritual authority,” traffic in theology, and live in close community with others, it is easy to encounter questions and paradoxes, become cynical or disenchanted, second-guess your calling, your motives, and your faith. Reverend Ian Clark is such a minister

Frankly, in my first draft, I wrote Reverend Clark a little different. I followed a more formulaic approach that I figured would appeal to the faith-based crowd. The problem was, it just didn’t seem real. Faith is a journey, and journeys are incremental, one step, one hill, at a time. Sometimes we die before we achieve a goal or reach a destination. And oftentimes, we are simply in transition. Reverend Ian Clark is such a person. The question my readers will have to answer is where Clark was on that journey when the book ends. I’m looking forward to hearing some of their answers.

Tim: So is The Resurrection a stand-alone story or can we expect a sequel?

Mike: This is a stand-alone novel. No sequel is in the works. Although I do have some interesting ideas about possible directions if one were to develop.

Tim: deCompose: How did you come up with that name for your blog?

Mike:I get asked that often. It comes from an essay of mine entitled “Let Us Decompose” that was published by Relevant Online when I first started writing. “Decompose” is about “composition.” More specifically the “deconstruction” of “composition.” If you think about it, all composition is really de-composition. None of us are truly original or create from genuine scratch. Whether it’s words, images, chords, or colors, all we can do is rearrange existing stuff. God is the only real Composer. We can only de-compose.

Tim: You have a knack for posing questions you have to know will stir the pot when it comes to other’s opinions about Christians and writing. Were you the kind of kid who couldn’t resist a good fight?

Mike: Actually, when I was a kid, I was far too cerebral for my own good. My fights were always more ideological than physical.

Not long ago, there was an online squabble between some very prominent Christian writers. I thought the issues being addressed were incredibly relevant and both sides had great points. However, rather than discussing those issues it turned into a turf war and eventually fizzled into a polite call for unity. Listen, I pastored a church for 11 years, Tim. These kinds of discussions and controversies are essential for long-term relational growth. However, they’re messy to work through. And if that exchange was an example, I have doubts whether the Christian writing community really wants to endure the mess.

All that to say, the questions I pose that tend to “stir the pot” are often ones that most Christian writers ponder, but are afraid to openly ask. I interact with other writers on a regular basis and we talk pretty openly about what we perceive as industry issues. But whether it’s tact, diplomacy, or fear of retaliation, most of us keep those questions to ourselves. Call me a rabble-rouser, I just think the Christian writing / reading / publishing community should talk more openly about some obvious issues.

Tim: I have been involved in that discussion on three fronts: as a reviewer, as one who works with publishers and writers to promote their work, and as an author working to become published himself. Too often I see how myopic people on all fronts are – seeing things only from their point of view. So here is a loaded question that may require a follow-up. Which fiction is written better – General market or faith based such as for CDA publishers?

Mike: That may have been an issue at one time, but not now. There are some fantastic writers of faith-based fiction out there: Tosca Lee, Mary DeMuth, Athol Dickson, Mark Bertrand, Sibella Giorella, Dale Cramer, Lisa Samson—and the list goes on. I’ve read what I consider well-written and poorly-written books in both markets, and have come to see that objection as baseless. For every mediocre “Christian book,” there’s an equally mediocre general market book. In my mind, it’s a wash.

Tim: Athol Dickson was an architect for many years and has shared numerous insights with me about the correlation between design, art, and fiction. How does your work in construction influence your writing?

Mike: There are two ways that my work relates to my writing, but neither of them are ways you’re probably implying. One has to do with career versus calling. Most writers juggle two careers and I’m learning how difficult a tightrope this can be. While writing is something I like to do, my day job is something I have to do. That dichotomy can create tremendous tension. I have to keep reminding myself that I am called as much to work construction as I am to write. But that’s not an easy balance to maintain.

Secondly, work relationships are very important to my writing. I work in a shop with 10 other men. These are hard-boiled, non-Christian guys who curse, drink, and womanize. Yet I have been “called” here. No, I’m not there to look down my nose at them or preach every chance I get. I’m there to love them. Sometimes I think we believers live in an echo chamber, a cocoon. We surround ourselves with Christian friends, Christian music, Christian books, and we lose touch with the people who need Jesus. Working around gruff, non-Christian people has helped keep me down-to-earth (in the good sense) and made me realize who I’m ultimately writing for. Plus, I cull some good one-liners from them.

Tim: “Measure twice, cut once.” Every good carpenter knows that rule. Apply that to the process of writing.

Mike: I interpret that as plotting. I am not a Seat-of-the-Pants writer and am pretty anal about not writing until I know where I’m going. That doesn’t mean I need to know every detail, but that until I have enough details, I am reluctant to start “cutting.”

Tim: What’s in the future for Mike Duran readers and where do you see yourself as a writer 10 years from now?

Mike: Gosh—I have no idea. I’m working hard to make my next book the best it can be. I’ve purposely tried to challenge myself with a bigger story, more POVs, and a headier premise. So I’m kind of tunnel-visioned at the moment. I love writing and want to stay at it, but the stories I like also tend to stray off the beaten path. So I suppose I’ll just have to see where those “paths” lead me.

Tim: Back to the tomato thing; do you think you will ever evolve beyond your dislike for the red orbs of disgust

Mike: Actually, I enjoy tomatoes now— I just hate the big beefy juicy ones. And the moment I see someone eating one like an apple, I flashback to that little wave-beaten boat.

an interview with SCR

Sharon Carter Rogers is the psuedonym for the author of Sinner, Unpretty, and Drift. In a recent interview, her answers proved and intriguing and enigmatic as the author herself (or himself) … you get the idea.

Tim George: Okay let’s start right off the bat, who on earth is Sharon Carter Rogers?

Sharon Carter Rogers: Well, that depends on who you ask! According to Internet rumors I apparently have quite a few identities. Some people say that I’m a comic book writer branching out into religious fiction. Others say I’m a retired schoolteacher. Or a woman being sheltered in the witness protection program. Or Dean Koontz slumming in Christian fiction. Or a group of romance writers who wanted to switch to suspense without alienating their readers. Or an actress. Or whatever. (I like the one about how I’m some kind of covert military agent…that one sounds cool.) Although there are some elements of truth in some of the rumors, most people would be disappointed by the whole truth. It’s neither as simple nor as exciting as what people have dreamed up for me! Mostly I’m just somebody with a few stories to tell and a deeply-rooted, complex faith in Jesus.

TG: Let’s try this another way. Rumor has it you’re an Alabama Tide fan. As an LSU fan I just want to say “you’re welcome” for passing Coach Saban your way.

SCR: Well, it’s just good to see ol’ Nicky home where he belongs. (Roll Tide!)

TG: How would you characterize your writing?

SCR: This is hard for me, because I don’t think my writing fits neatly into many of the common categories. On the one hand, I tend to write on religious topics, so I’m most often characterized as a “Christian fiction writer.” Interestingly enough, I never set out to write a “Christian” novel. I always just start writing a story. By the time I’m done, my Christian worldview seems to seep through the words and into the plot. If faith is ingrained in the author, it can’t help being ingrained in the story, I suppose.

Anyway, because I also tend to write fast-paced suspense stories with gritty, occasionally violent scenes, I’m also called a “thriller writer.” I think I’m comfortable with either of those characterizations. My publisher is also touting my newest novel, Drift, as “science fiction/fantasy,” I guess because there’s a supernatural element in it. I’m not as comfortable with that tag, though, simply because I have too much respect for sci-fi writers. What they do is markedly different (and probably more creative) than what I do.

So, let’s see, I’d say an SCR novel is typically characterized by a faster pace, suspenseful situations, complex characters, real-world consequences, and unblinking questions about God. Although reading that description again now, I’m not sure if that’s right either. How ‘bout if we just say my books are stories about what goes on in my mind when I can’t sleep, and leave it at that. J

TG:  Your first novel (Sinner) was supernatural in tone while Unpretty was set on more familiar ground. It seems your newest release, Drift, combines the those two elements a little more. Was that intentional?

SCR: Yes. Sinner begins and ends with The Sinner, who is supernaturally imbued with what I call a “harsh grace” from God – something painful but necessary for his redemption. Because of that, the book was supernatural in tone. In Unpretty, I began to worry that I might be relying too much on the supernatural as a contrivance for storytelling, so I strictly imposed a “no supernatural crutches” rule on Unpretty. (Difficult task – especially since parts of Unpretty deal with demonic influences.) That’s why some people were more horrified by Unpretty, I think, because it explores in a more realistic way the depravity of humanity and the question of where God is in the midst of great pain.

I did a lot of research into substance abuse and the artistic mindset to make sure that the things that happened in that book could actually happen. The result was a story that I found both terrifying and hopeful as it wound around the idea that God is “never not present” even in the worst of times. But some Christians (including my own friends) were offended by the gritty, realistic portrayals of violence in that book and they let me know about it! When it came time to write Drift, I decided not to be so literal in my interpretations, and to return to the more “safe” supernatural elements. It’s easier for the reader to disassociate from horrors when they are framed by impossible catalysts.

TG: Drift is a haunting and yet hopeful story. Tell us a little bit about what went behind the creation of Baby Doll and Boy.

SCR: When I sat down to write Drift, I thought it would be interesting to revisit the mythology of The Sinner from my first book. If God had indeed imposed a “harsh grace” on Beverly Scott Thomas, it likely wasn’t a new idea to him. There must have been something in his creation that set a precedent for that action. In my view, it was the Drifters. So (again, when I couldn’t sleep one night), I started thinking about what a Drifter would be like, and where he or she would be found. That’s when I saw Boy in my mind’s eye, sitting beside a fresh grave, cold and miserable. The sight sparked all kinds of questions for me, so the next day I sat down and wrote chapter 1 of Drift. Then I tried to work on a different book (Two Graces)…but I kept getting distracted by Boy. When Baby Doll showed up with Maurits’ gun in her pocket, I was hooked. I actually never finished Two Graces (I turned the first chapter into a short story available on Amazon.com) and instead wrote Drift. (By the way, Maurits’ name is pronounced “Mawr – EETS.” It’s like “Maurice” but ending with a “t.”) And yes, I know that some people ridicule me for the names of my characters, but I can’t help it. Boy and Baby Doll were their names; who was I to change them?

In case your readers are comic book fans, they might be entertained to know that most of the other names in the book (including some of the names of places) are homage to the Golden Age of comic books (1930s-1950s). Someone with too much time on her hands could read up on that era of comic book history and quickly recognize the references. So hopefully that makes up for the unusual names I used in the book. I’m just sayin’.

Oh, and here’s side note about Boy for you. After my publisher read Drift, they were worried that people might think Boy was actually based on a real, theological construct for a group of lesser-known angels. (Despite that fact that Drift is FICTION, and even Boy says plainly right up front “I’m not an angel…”) So I actually had to add a comment in the Reader’s Guide at the end of the book stating clearly that Boy was a “figment of my imagination without any basis in Scripture.” I thought that was pretty funny. It was like when people used to ask me if I’d found the journals of Beverly Scott Thomas on the Internet or at a library. For some the line between fiction and real life is very thin, I guess.

TG: Here’s something I wrote in my review of Drift:

Boy serves as a surreal picture of what it means to feel invisible as so many people in our culture do. Baby Doll is his alter ego: wealthy, well groomed, well educated, and just as much without substance. In the end, Drift is about discovering our reason for existence.

Am I straining too much for ultimate themes or do you see the same correlation between Boy and Baby Doll?

SCR: They say that the reader dictates the interpretation, so if that’s what you see then that’s what it is.

TG: You only got one 1 star review at Amazon for Unpretty. Their problem with the book was it had religion in it. Not the writing, not the characters, not grammar, the religion. Would you like to say anything to that person or others like him or her? (Don’t worry his helpful reviewer rating is 37% and he doesn’t like anything he read apparently.)

SCR: At first I was a little discouraged by the vehemence of the criticism in that review, but pretty soon I just felt sad for the writer of it. What kind of experience with religion does it take to cause you to hate so furiously any association with Jesus – even in a book that’s simply intended to be read for entertainment purposes? If I were to speak with that person, I’d probably ask what’s happened in his life that makes him feel so strongly about the need to censor any discussion of religion in literature. And then I think I’d just listen and let him vent for awhile. After all, he did read half of my book, so I suppose I owe him that much, right?

TG: What is on the horizon for Sharon Carter Rogers and will we ever know who you really are?

SCR: At present, I’m actually contemplating retirement from writing novels. I started a fourth book, called FADED, but my publisher declined to pick it up so I’ve been unmotivated to finish it. But my agent is pressuring me to keep writing, so who knows? Maybe I’ll switch to children’s books or something – that would be fun. J But there’s something attractive about simply disappearing from sight, as it were. We’ll just have to wait and see what happens. As for my identity, I suppose nothing is a secret forever. But I’m not planning on telling anytime soon.

TG: Thank your from taking time from your busy schedule of keeping us from knowing who you really are and for giving us a peek under the hood, so to speak, of what makes Sharon Carter Rogers tick.

I recently had opportunity to talk with Sibella Giorello, author of the Raleigh Harmon series. Listen to the interview at FictionAddict.com and then read my review of The Clouds Roll Away here. Leave a comment and you may become one of two winners of Sibella’s latest excellent work of suspense.

Unveiled is pleased to introduce Kerry Nietz, author of A Star Curiously Singing. Before becoming a fulltime writer Kerry was a computer programmer with Microsoft.

Tim George: Let’s get started with something a bit different. Who said this and why? “"Well, start early! You might get published before you die."

Kerry Nietz: Ah, a memory test! Very good. That statement was made by an elderly gentleman I met on a plane from Detroit to Seattle. He told me he was a writer, and then went on to proudly proclaim that he was “one of the rarest kinds—I’m a published writer!” The statement you quoted came after I mentioned that I always wanted to write.

TG: You took a different road to writing. How did your early years and first profession prepare you to be a writer?

KN: That’s a good question. My major in college was Computer Science and I spent my first eleven working years as a software programmer—first for a small company called Fox Software and then at Microsoft.

There are a lot of parallels between the two professions. They are both highly creative processes where you spend much of your time working alone. You also get a real parent-like affinity for this thing you are creating, whether it is a software program or a story world.

Some of the biggest ways I think being a former coder helped me, though, was that it taught me to handle criticism in a more productive way, and—when editing my own work—to look for the best way to say something. To see the words as something to be manipulated and perfected.

TG: Didn’t A Star Curiously Singing began more as a novella? How did it find its way to a full blown novel?

KN: The first draft of ASCS was over 48,000 words so I think it was technically still in novel range. (The Nebula Award defines novellas as 40k and under, for instance.) That said, I knew when I sent it to Jeff Gerke (see bio below) that it was on the short side, and I also knew that the ending probably needed some expanding. There was so much about the book that was experimental and often verboten, though—the first person and direct address of the reader, for instance—that I didn’t want to spend a ton of time on it before I had an expert opinion. I also suspected there was some really cool concepts in it—stuff I’d never seen done before. Plus I was fairly confident in the premise. I knew the plot was unique.

Long story short, Jeff loved the same things about the manuscript I did. He hinted that if the ending was longer and “bigger” from a theatrical perspective, he would be interested in publishing it. So I went back to work, made the changes he suggested—also adding a longer prologue in the process. Jeff is a stickler for description too, which added words. (Good, necessary stuff, though.) Ultimately the book was well over 70,000 words.

TG: So let’s get right to your first novel, A Star Curiously Singing. Can you give us an elevator pitch for the story?

KN: Funny you say “elevator,” because my story has one of those. In fact, mine goes all the way to space! As for the story, A Star Curiously Singing is a speculative Christian novel with a decidedly cyberpunk feel. It takes place in a future hundreds of years from now, where much of the world is living under sharia law.It is dualistic society, where average people live on the streets in near-squalor and the powerful ride above them in cable car-like conveyances. This latter group is shrouded in high tech, to the point of needing specialized debuggers to handle their machines.

That’s where my protagonist comes in. Sandfly is a debugger who’s summoned to solve the mystery of why a bot malfunctioned. The extenuating circumstances? The bot has been on an interstellar voyage in an experimental ship. Something about the trip made it malfunction. So it is a sci-fi mystery of sorts.

TG: Sandfly has to be about the coolest MC I’ve come across in a novel in a while. Is there a bit of debugger in you?

Oh yeah, there’s lots of debugger in me. Solving problems is my thing. Learning new things, making stuff work—drives my wife crazy some times. I have the most wired home of anyone I know. I have combination cable running to thirteen spots in my home—meaning I can have phone, TV, or a networked device in any of those places. I even have wires running to our master bathroom. Haven’t found anything cool to do with those particular wires yet, but I will someday.

TG: On a serious note. Even though the setting and style is a bit cyber punk, you deal with some pretty serious issues in the novel. What kind of world does Sandfly live in and how does that speak to the real world we live in?

KN: Well, the story really started from me asking myself “What future do I fear for my children?” Sandfly’s world is one where a particular set of beliefs is mandated by the state, and stringently enforced. In Sandfly’s case that enforcement goes a step further in that—instead of just punishing forbidden behavior—he is physically stopped from performing such behavior in the first place. Thoughts that would lead to illicit actions produce painful shocks. It is like he has a Skinner box in his head.

Curiously, Christians are often criticized for that sort of thing—for wanting to “mandate morality.” Most professing Christians find that idea laughable, though. We know that if a man’s heart isn’t changed, then his behavior can’t be. And in truth, Christianity and the outgrowth of Christian beliefs (e.g. the American Constitution) have done more to free people and cultures than anything else in history.

Unfortunately, there are some cultures—demographically expanding cultures—where they really do try to legislate and enforce beliefs and morality, with often chilling results. Disciplinary action that average Americans would find barbaric are often commonplace there. Yet this very real danger to freedom is often overlooked by our media for fear of offending.

TG: I wonder how many big house publishers would have been willing to take on your story considering it’s obvious cautionary tone toward militant Islam.

Good question, but I honestly have no idea. I know Ted Dekker toned down the novel he released that touched on Islam. Originally it was released as “Blink” but now it is, what, “Blink of an Eye” or something? I don’t know if that was a personal decision, or one forced on him by the publisher. To be honest, I can’t say I know enough about how the big house publishers operate, aside from what I’ve heard from my own publisher. His take is that mainly the big houses make their decisions based on what will easily sell at Christian bookstores, and science fiction isn’t it.

TG: There is an interesting phrase the Abduls (Sandfly’s masters) use concerning hopes for the afterlife. They talk about putting enough coins in the scale. Could you elaborate on that some?

KN: That concept is at the heart of Islam. The goal is for your good works to outweigh your bad. Consequently there is no real assurance of salvation. You have to keep working, striving—hoping that your good will ultimately outweigh your bad. Truthfully, there are many Christians who live that same way—as if their own effort will take them to Heaven. Christ was pretty clear on the point, though: No one comes to the Father except through me.

TG: Some visitors to Unveiled may not be familiar with Marcher Lord Press. Tell us about your publishing house and what make it so special.

KN: Marcher Lord Press is the brainchild of this writing and editing genius named Jeff Gerke. The impetus came out of frustration really. During his many years as an acquisitions editor at some of the larger Christian publishing houses, he saw a lot of “out there” fiction (fantasy, science fiction, thrillers, etc…) that was both fascinating and brilliant. Yet Jeff knew he could never publish those works because the Christian publishing industry is geared toward the kind of books that will easily sell in Christian bookstores—things like romances, mysteries and women’s fiction. (There are occasional exceptions, but those are few and far between.) So Jeff took it upon himself to create an outlet for that kind of weird fiction with a message. He’s a trailblazer really, and I’m honored to be a part of his group.

TG: I know there is another installment of your DarkTrench series on the way. Without giving away too much where is Sandfly headed?

Sandfly? You mean I didn’t kill him off in the first one? How did I miss that? Here I thought I was writing a tragedy…Seriously though, the next book, entitled “The Superlative Stream,” is due this spring, and follows Sandfly’s attempt to solve another—grander—mystery. It takes place in deep space and has lots of really cool things in it: raging stars, space anomalies, and maybe even an ancient civilization or two. It really is way outside the map, and I don’t want to say too much for fear of spoiling it. Suffice it to say that Jeff said it was both “amazing” and “fantastic” and yet “would never be published by CBA house in a million years.”

TG: Thanks for spending this time with us Kerry. I can’t wait to see where Dark Trench takes us in the next installment!

Robin Caroll has served as president of American Christian Fiction Writers and is current director of the ACFW conference. Along with numerous suspense novels published, she is a proud southerner (which of us isn’t?), married, and the mother of three girls. Robin’s newest novel, Deliver Us From Evil, will be available soon.

Tim George: Let’s start with something a little fun. Word association, what’s the first thing that comes to mind?
Music – Dance – Movie – Ice Cream – Writer.

Robin Caroll

Music – Dance
Movie – Popcorn
Ice Cream – COLD
Writer – Author

TG: Your next romantic suspense, Deliver us From Evil, is already getting great reviews. Tell us something about the story.

RC: It’s about a beautiful yet tough woman working in a beautiful yet tough setting, Brannon Callahan is a search and rescue helicopter pilot for the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Strong faith and a decorated history of service have kept her one step ahead of on-the-job dangers, but there’s no precedent for what’s about to happen. After a blizzard takes down a small plane carrying U.S. Marshal Roark Holland (already haunted by a recent tragedy), Brannon must save him in more ways than one and safeguard the donor heart he’s transporting to a government witness on the edge of death. Otherwise the largest child trafficking ring in history-with shocking links from Thailand to Tennessee-will slip further away into darkness along the Appalachian Trail.

TG: That’s interesting because Lisa Harris also a novel coming out in a couple of months that deals with human trafficking. Why is it important to find ways to inform believers about this?

RC: Because it happens right under our noses, and so many of us are totally unaware! Until I began researching, I had no clue about the frequency of occurence. It’s appalling. Raising awareness is the first step in banding together to bring a stop to this modern day slavery.

TG: I’ve asked Athol Dickson this same question. What makes the bayous of Louisiana such a great setting for stories of suspense?

Because they’re creepy to most people. LOL For me, they’re home. I can close my eyes and "see" the bayou…hear the sounds…smell the scents.

TG: You didn’t know when I contacted you but I am a bayou rat as well. I spent my childhood with all the critters, sounds, the creepiness of the swamp. So what led you in the direction of the Smokies in Deliver Us From Evil?

RC: I needed a setting that could host a blizzard (granted, I exaggerated how it would normally be in current day) to work best for my plot. Since I am a southerner, I needed to stay south of the Mason-Dixon line. LOL

TG: Suspense, thrillers, romantic suspense: what’s the difference?

RC:  I enjoy reading all three, actually. LOL True suspense, I like to say, is like a horror movie to the extent that the reader/watcher KNOWS who the killer is and where he’s hiding in the house…the reader/watcher is screaming at the book/screen "Don’t open the closet door…he’s in there with a knife!" LOL A romantic suspense is like that, but with a thread of romance blended into the plot and story. Thrillers…to me, they’re faster paced than a mystery/suspense, have a bit more of the physical action, yet are just as satisfying.

TG: You have served as President of American Christian Fiction Writer’s  and are now Conference Director. Tells us something about work with ACFW and why it is so special.

RC: ACFW is unique in that it was founded by a small group of Christian authors who saw a need for such an organization. In a little over a decade, the organization has grown by leaps and bounds, but still serves the Christian novelist, the aspiring writers, and other industry professionals. On a personal level, I’m sure I wouldn’t be where I am today without ACFW….

TG: I know Amber Stockton is a member of ACFW and writes romance novels. Have you figured out a way for my pal (her husband) Stuart, and Amber to co-write a prairie romance in which the school marm is attacked by reptilian aliens?

RC: LOL…you’d be amazed at some of the ideas that stem from late night talking in the lobby at ACFW conferences….I recall one such discussion that involved a bonnet, an alien, and a mad scientist who was teleported from the early 1800s who began a serial killer. LOL

TG: What is on the horizon for Robin Caroll.

RC: I just turned in the last book in the "evil" trilogy. Now I have to focus on ACFW Conference work for this next month. And, of course, spend a little time contemplating what havoc I can cause in my next book!

Thanks Robin for taking the time to let us know a little more about you.

CJ Darlington’s debut novel, Thicker Than Blood, won the 2008 Christian Writers Guild Operation First Novel contest and has now been published by Tyndale House. She is also co-founder of the website TitleTrakk.com. Unveiled is pleased to have a few moments to chat with CJ.

Tim George: On the lighter side. Let’s do some word association. Name the first thing that comes to mind:

• CJ Darlington:
• Music – Rock
  Fiction – Novels
  Biography – Research for my novels
  Movie – The Blind Side, the latest movie I saw in the theater
  Food – Cereal (I love it)
  Super-hero – Wonder Woman
• Will I be tested on these?

TG: No tests but while we are at it how about a one sentence reaction to The Blind Side.

• CJ: The Blind Side is a terrific movie with just the right balance between grit, humor and inspiration. You don’t have to be into sports to like it, and Sandra Bullock’s performance is spot on. I highly recommend it. Just keep in mind there’s some mild language, so probably best for thirteen and up.

TG: Your debut novel, Thicker Than Blood, placed first in a contest. Tell us something about that and the value of such contests for aspiring writers.

• CJ: Contests are a great way to give yourself a deadline to finish a project. That was a huge benefit to me—it made me complete my first novel. I entered an early version of Thicker than Blood in the Christian Writers Guild’s Operation First Novel contest back in 2004. It placed as a semi-finalist. Then I entered again in 2008 with a much-revised version of the story, and it won!
•  
• The awesome thing about the CWG contest is that the finalists are evaluated by the fiction team at Tyndale House. It’s a way to get your foot in the door of a major publisher who usually doesn’t accept unsolicited manuscripts.

TG: I told the owner of my favorite used book store I had reviewed a novel about an antiquarian book dealer. She asked how you managed to make that exciting to non-bibliophiles (yes she actually used that word). I assured you that you pulled it off quite well. How did you choose the subject matter for Thicker Than Blood? Were there any challenges in that choice?

• CJ: I’ve been involved in the antiquarian book industry for over thirteen years now. I actually started out book scouting for a large used bookstore very similar to my fictional Dawson’s Book Barn. My sister Tracy and I would lug boxes of books from store to store waiting with bated breath to see if we’d discovered something really valuable. It was very exciting.
•  
• The challenge for my novel came in deciding how many details to include in the story, and which ones would be of interest to readers. When you’re immersed in a world, it’s tricky to keep the distance necessary to write about it for those completely unfamiliar with the subject.
•  
• But I’ve experienced so many crazy and bizarre things in my pursuit of rare books—they were just begging to have a novel written about them for the CBA market. John Dunning has written about rare books in the mainstream market, but besides Matt Bronleewe’s August Adams thrillers and Paul Robertson’s novel Because of Their Deeds, the antiquarian book world is a mostly untapped setting. I loved writing about it and plan to continue in this vein with at least two more novels.

TG: There is a lot of discussion among Christian writers and publishers about proper boundaries for Christian fiction. Are there any guidelines you apply to your own writing?

• CJ: I’ve thought a lot about this subject, and what I’ve decided is I want my books to be accessible to teenagers as much as to their parents. That said, I deal with some pretty heavy topics in Thicker than Blood. My main character starts out a chain smoking alcoholic. But these aspects of her life aren’t thrown in just to be edgy, and they aren’t glorified. They have a point—to show readers the powerful reach of God’s love and forgiveness. I personally don’t like to read novels that make me feel dirty or put graphic pictures in my head. So much can be said subtly. My goal is to write realisticly about life, but I also want to offer real hope in my stories. Now that I’m hearing about kids and their parents reading my books, it’s even more important for me to keep all ages in mind. But I don’t feel constrained by that at all. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with Christian fiction being safe in this regard. That’s why I read it.

TG: How does you own personal faith shape your writing?

• CJ: My faith is the reason why I write. I want to share the hope that I have with the world and encourage other believers to do the same.

TG: You are among several authors who also have web sites that provide reviews and interviews. Why did you and your sister start TitleTrakk and what is the future for it now that you are published?

• CJ: TitleTrakk.com began as a way for my sister and I to combine our interests in books and music. We had considered writing a book together but decided we’d start with a website. Tracy was actually published before I was in the magazine market, having written for Brio, Breakway, YS and other teen publications, so she had some great material right off the bat for us to use. But the site grew even quicker than we expected, and we now have dozens of talented writers contributing. The future of TitleTrakk.com is bright! We plan to keep on the track we have been, bringing new reviews, interviews, contests and more every week to our readers.

TG: As you know I am a writer as well (though haven’t grabbed the publishing brass ring yet). How has managing TitleTrakk helped you as a writer?

• CJ: The biggest benefit I’ve noticed is the contacts I’ve made over the years with other authors. TitleTrakk.com has given me a reason to communicate with many industry professionals I probably wouldn’t have had the chance to meet otherwise. And it’s helped me keep my fingers on the pulse of the Christian publishing industry. I’ve always been fascinated with the ins and outs, but now I have an excuse to dig deeper. Another way it’s helped me is by writing reviews I’ve learned how to summarize a novel in a paragraph or two. That’s come in handy when I’ve needed to write a synopsis for my own fiction.

TG: Which authors have been the most influential in shaping who you are as a writer?

• CJ: James Scott Bell has been a huge influence on me, both through his terrific novels and his writing how-to books. I consider him a mentor. He’s helped me in so many ways, and I’m very thankful for that.
  Frank Peretti was also an early influence on me. His Darkness novels were some of the first adult Christian fiction books I read as a teenager, and I think they affected me even more than I realized back then.

TG: Where do you see CJ Darlington in 2030?

• CJ: I can hardly believe it’s 2010, and you want me to think about 2030! Okay, I’ll give it a shot. I would still be writing, of course. I’d be happy if I had my own little writing room with a view of mountains somewhere out West. I would hope that my craft would’ve improved over those twenty years, and maybe I could produce faster. On my shelf would be at least twelve more published novels.

TG: Speaking of James Scott Bell, I just finished reading The Art of War for Writers. What books on writing have been most valuable to you personally?

• CJ: I loved The Art of War for Writers! That’s a good one. I also love Bell’s other how-to books, especially Plot & Structure. So much information in there you can reference over and over again. If I could only have one writing how-to book I’d pick that one.
•  
• But another book which inspired me early on (that is unfortunately out of print) is Writer to Writer by Bodie & Brock Thoene. You can learn the craft of writing from any skilled writer, Christian or not, but Writer to Writer showed me that God could call people to write for Him.

TG: Can you share what’s in the works for the coming year?

• CJ: I have just completed the sequel to Thicker than Blood, and while it doesn’t have a contract yet, maybe I’ll have good news to report on that front soon. This book continues the stories of some of my main characters in Thicker, only this time around they become the minor characters.
•  
• The working title for this book is Innocent Blood, and I will give you the very first sneak peek at the logline I’ve written for it: A sister searching for justice. A teenager on the run. One man’s innocent blood will change both their lives forever.

TG: Thanks CJ and we look forward to what God has in store for you for years to come.

Sibella Giorello grew up in Alaska and majored in geology at Mt. Holyoke College. After riding a motorcycle across the country, she worked as a features writer for the Richmond Times-Dispatch. Her stories have won state and national awards, including two nominations for the Pulitzer Prize. She now lives in Washington State with her husband and sons. Sibella’s novel, The Stones Cry Out won the Christy Award as the best first novel of 2007 while The River Runs Dry continues the saga of Special Agent Raleigh Harmon.

Tim George: Here’s a fun thing to get started. 36” annual rainfall … 69” annual rainfall, match the amounts with the city (Pensacola or Seattle).

Sibella Giorello: I’m a writer; I can’t do math. But you’re probably proving it rains as much, or more, in Pensacola than in Seattle. I’m not surprised. It rains more in a lot of places, but Seattle’s rain is an unceasing spittle. It comes misting out of the sky in late October and doesn’t stop until March. By that time, when you see the sun, you start to cry. I’m not complaining, however. This weather builds readers — or alcoholics. It’s the kind of weather for thinking and ruminating. This is part of my amateur anthropological theory: weather helped create the greatest literature in the world from the Irish, the English and the Scots. Weather, and strong tea.

Tim: I just finished reading and reviewing The River Runs Dry and look forward to spending some time with my ARC of The Clouds Roll Away. Tells us a little about Raleigh Harmon and how she came to life in your mind as a writer.

Sibella: Thanks for your great review of "The Rivers Run Dry." It was lovely. Now I must purge it from my memory. Praise is like gum — taste and chew but don’t swallow. Too much work ahead.

But back to Raleigh Harmon. When I was a reporter on a daily newspaper in Richmond, I would walk to work, always passing this certain old house on Monument Avenue. Gorgeous mansion, gone to seed. I wondered who lived in it. That’s when Raleigh showed up. Scientist, southerner, grieving daughter. She appeared in some short stories that went directly to my desk drawer and later, when I was home with young kids, writing a mystery while they napped, Raleigh kept me company during those wonder-filled yet labor-intensive infant and toddler years. And she continues to fascinate me, getting herself into these law enforcement quandries and spiritual predicaments.

Tim: You talk about the label of “Christian Fiction” in some of your interviews and its inherent dangers. At the same time, you mention on your web site how a New York Agent wanted nothing to do with the religious elements of your novel. What is the answer to this seeming Catch22?

Sibella: You’re right: it’s kind of Catch-22. I don’t want to deny my faith, but I don’t like piety. Among the reasons I started writing this mystery series was my annoyance with cultural depictions of Christians — even from the home team. Secular fiction paints Christians as villainous fools, but Christian fiction has been guilty of portraying a world that doesn’t match reality. It’s some spiffed-up reality that doesn’t even match Jesus, who dove into the thick of the worst, never prettying up appearances.

Tim: So what’s the answer to the Catch-22?

Sibella: I just told you I don’t do math. And I don’t. But I play a mathematician on TV….

Seriously, math offers some great abstract concepts that reveal the universe. Take fractions. The rule is, you can’t add two fractions together unless they have the same denominator. For instance, an equation that reads: "1/4 plus 1/6 equals…." won’t work. The fractions need equal denominators to combine. In this case, "3/12 plus 2/12 equals…" Still with me? I’m saying this because the math rule works for people. We can only be drawn together by our common denominators. Human beings share emotions of love, hate, jealousy, envy, a respect for sacrifice.

The truly great writers who were believers, like Charles Dickens and Flannery O’Connor, didn’t write explicitly "Christian" literature. They didn’t see the world in terms of "us and them." They wrote stories that brought fractional worlds together, forming a complete picture of life. As believers, they also loved their characters as themselves. Even the bad guys. You can feel that when you read their work.

So the real answer to this Catch-22 is, instead of worrying about whether we’re writing "Christian fiction," we should work at being authentic Christians who write whatever God puts on our hearts. And let it fall where it falls. The rest is just noise.

Tim: So then, perhaps the answer is whatever house is willing to publish the story God has put in our hearts determines how that story is labeled. Randy Springer once told me, “The God of the pen is the also God of the publisher.”

Sibella: I like that quote. It reminds us that God is sovereign. But the other problem with the "Christian fiction" label is that it marginalizes books. Imagine if we could only find Dickens and O’Connor and Tolkien in the "Christian fiction" section. Suppose Dickens was a new authors, writing today. "A Christmas Carol" might get shelved way in the back at Borders. Some amazing writers are working today in "Christian fiction" but that silly label keeps their books hemmed in, never finding their full audience. I feel this way about labels like "African-American" or "Chick Lit," too. Some of it goes back to my fractions analogy. We’re dividing into lonely groups, instead of uniting under good stories.

Tim: Born in Alaska, found Jesus in Virginia, and now living Seattle. How have you varied experiences prepared you to be the writer you are?

Sibella: Writers are called to observe, which means we’re perpetual outsiders to a certain extent. God moved me around a lot, constantly forcing me to look, listen and evaluate a wide range of places and people. That was a terrific writer’s workshop. But these days I’m like the spider in Charlotte’s Web, staying in one place and watching everybody else move around.

Tim: Your writing combines a unique mix of the hard-nosed FBI world and nearly poetic descriptions and prose. Where does that come from?

Sibella: Interesting observation. I guess it comes down to Raleigh Harmon. She’s a scientist, and a Christian. She’s a young woman with a bright future, and she’s suffering deep pain. FBI agent in a gritty environment, who can never show the heart that breaks daily. Opposites complete this girl, and I guess that’s what comes out in the language.

Tim: It’s kind of you to give Raleigh all of the credit but I think the writer has something to do with that as well. In these days of minimalist sentences it’s nice to see writer’s who still know how to write with style and depth. Personally, I place you and Athol Dickson at the top of the class in this regards. Try and enjoy that piece of gum for a moment before spitting it out J

Sibella: You got a point — and I am laughing. Maybe having written for newspapers for more than a decade, I’ve grown weary of the simple declarative sentence. However, I’m serious when I say Raleigh is the one drawing that language out. Yes, I enjoy poetry. in small doses, but If her mother were the lead character, these books might read like Revelation. Or maybe they’d be written in tongues! Imagine finding a publisher for that . . .

Tim: One thing that has impressed me in every interview I’ve read about you is your love for the Bible. How does that love affair with God’s Word prepare you for the day and for writing?

Sibella:As somebody who grew up Jewish and Catholic with a lot of secularists around the Thanksgiving table (talk about food fights), it was a long time before I understood how much God wanted a close relationship with his children. And since I’m human, I still forget that. The worldly idea is that God’s busy. He doesn’t have time for our concerns, our worries, our anxieties. That’s a lie. The truth is, He’s listening. And He’s ready to help — provided we quit trying to do things our way. When I read the Bible, I sense Him tilling the soil for other words. When I read the Bible, I remember who God is.

Tim: Without giving away too much, tell us what’s ahead for Raleigh Harmon in your next installment of her story, The Clouds Roll Away. Will there be more of Raleigh after that?

Sibella: "The Clouds Roll Away" goes deeper into Raleigh’s personal life than the two previous books. She returns home from her stint in Seattle, and like many people who leave their hometowns, she experiences a jarring sense of "otherness." It’s still her hometown, but she’s seeing things differently. And, of course, she’s got a murky case to solve, with clues buried deep in the soil.

There are two more Raleigh Harmon books planned. I’m currently writing the fourth installment, for 2011, "The Mountains Bow Down." The fifth book, as-yet untitled, is being sketched out now, but already I see the necessity for some tough FBI interviews.God bless those good souls in the Bureau.They put their lives on the line and get mocked by the media for it.

Tim: There a number of aspiring writers who read these interviews. Aside from the usual to-do list, would you share a personal word to your fellow soldiers of the pen (or keyboard)?

Sibella: Your battle analogy is right on. I always want to tell fellow writers: "Lock and load!"

All the junk that’s supposedly keeping you from writing will always be there — always. In fact, once you get published, the challenges only grow. So if you want to write, write. Ignore that voice whispering in your ear, the one that insists ten or twenty times a day that you should just quit. Don’t quit. Fight back. FIGHT BACK.And when you need to call in reinforcements, read James Scott Bell’s "The War of Art for Writers." You’ll see just how clearly the battle lines are drawn for us foot soldiers at the keyboard. Semper Fi, scribes. Semper Fi.

Tim: My thanks to Sibella Giorello for her graciousness. Keep locking and loading Sibella … and chew that gum at least for a few more minutes.

There is no more prolific writer in the world of Christian suspense than Brandilyn Collins. She not only has authored a number of sucessful series (including the Kanner Lake series) but has also authored several excellent books on the craft of writing. Unveiled is pleased to welcome the author of seatbelt suspense.

Tim George: This interview is a first for me. This marks the first time I have ever interviewed both a character and the author of the novel that character appeared in. Any idea who I am talking about?

Brandilyn Collins: You’re talking about Stuart Stockton, who formed the basis of my character, S-Man, in my Kanner Lake series. Actually S-Man isn’t really much like Stuart, but S-Man’s science fiction manuscript, Starfire, really is Stuart’s manuscript. At the time I was writing the Kanner Lake series, Stuart was trying to get Starfire published. In the fourth and final Kanner Lake book, Amber Morn, S-Man has sold the novel. It would hit shelves in Kanner Lake time in the spring of 2009. Guess what? Stuart sold the real Starfire. And guess when it was published? Spring of 2009.

TG: Your latest stand-alone novel is called Exposure. Its theme could well be the theme of the body of your work … fear. As a writer of Christian fiction how did you choose suspense as your focus in writing?

BC: What genre can better portray God’s power and grace than suspense, in which characters are dragged to the brink of their endurance and stare evil in the face? The saying “There are no atheists in foxholes” rings true. When my characters face death, questions about God and eternity naturally arise. All humans understand this, including my nonbeliever readers. They may be reading for sheer suspense, but truth is woven through that tension. Some of the truth is on the surface. Other truth flows beneath the surface plot, where discerning readers love to swim.

As I write in this genre, in which I push my characters into a dark place I’d never want to go, every time I end up before the face of God. By the end of the book my characters, and therefore I and my readers, have learned truths that can hit that strongly only after looking evil in the eye—and realizing where ultimate power lies.

In short, suspense allows me to explore the depths—and possible heights, thanks be to God’s provision—of mankind.

TG: Most of your suspense is more psychological in nature rather than the thriller/slasher variety (Exposure is an excellent example of this). Are there any lines in depicting evil you won’t cross as a writer of Christian fiction?

BC: I won’t spell out graphic violence. You can do a lot with setting the scene through tone, emotional reaction, and a few choice words without going into great detail. For example, Violet Dawn, book #1 in my Kanner Lake series, contains a rape scene. The reader certainly knows what’s happening. But it’s told through the emotional reaction of the girl being raped rather than through the graphic actions that are being forced upon her. You just don’t need that kind of stuff.

TG: A good number of regular readers here at Unveiled didn’t read much suspense before coming here. Since many of them were formerly addicted to warm-fuzzy fiction (you guys know who you are) tell us about the Big Honkin Chicken’s Club.

BC: Well, first, it’s got a fun logo.

An unofficial BHCC was around before I hit the suspense scene. It’s basically those folks who say they’re too “chicken” to read suspense. My Seatbelt Suspense® just gave them new cause to rally. To honor these folks, I gave them a page on my Web site and created a logo for them. On the BHCC page I’ve listed my books with a ranking of one to three chicken heads—three meaning the scariest. I urge people who haven’t tried my suspense before to try it—perhaps by reading one of the less frightening books. (Although frightening is so subjective. Many of my readers love the tension in my books without thinking they’re truly scary.) There are ways, through the BHCC web page, to win a copy of one of my books, or to earn a BHCC magnet, key chain or mousepad. You can also buy these products—or a way cool BHCC T-shirt.

TG: Tell us about your Forensics and Faith Blog. You seem to spend a fair amount of time giving back to the world of writing. Why is that?

BC: Writing is just plain hard. The craft, the business—all of it. On Forensics and Faith I like to share information with other writers—info about marketing, the craft of fiction, and the business end of publishing. And now and then I tell a crazy story or two. Forensics and Faith readers include writers ranging from unpublished to multi-published, readers of fiction, agents, editors, and bookstore owners.

The archives on F&F can be very helpful to writers looking for specific articles on craft. Also in the Archives is my “Never-Ending Saga,” as it came to be called. (In the Archives it’s called “How I Got Here.”) It’s a long series of posts on my ten-year quest to be published in fiction—written to encourage others who are finding their own journey long and arduous.

TG: A couple of things you share on that blog that struck me are: “a review is merely one person’s opinion” and “always write for the smartest reader”. Why are those two things important for writer’s to remember?

BC: Ah, yes. You’re quoting from the post “Ten Things I’ve Learned as a Novelist.”

Regarding reviews—a good one can enthrall a new writer. A bad one can stop the creative flow for days. I’ve been reviewed enough over the last ten years to realize that any review, good or bad, is simply what that reader thought about the book. Every person reacts to a novel according to his own past experiences. And a reader’s past experiences are not something an author can control. Some readers will “get” a character and others won’t. No book is for everyone. The faster an author learns to deal with reviews, particularly the negative ones, the better.

My “smartest reader” comment refers to die-hard suspense readers, who are used to the conventions of my genre, such as red herrings and foreshadow. I write for a wide variety of people—everyone from the BHCC member who picks up a suspense for the first time to raving suspense fans. If I wrote even to the middle of this spectrum, I’d be writing “down” to my largest target audience. And it’s the smart readers who keep me on my toes. If I can outwit and surprise them, I’ve accomplished something.

TG: You give the same advice Stephen King does in his book, “On Writing.” That is, to follow the 50/50 rule of balance between reading and writing. Why is it so important for writers to also be readers? And, what do you like to read most?

BC: An aspiring novelist can’t learn to write by only writing. You need to read craft books on fiction, and to read many, many novels—especially those in your genre. From reading novels, with pen in hand and marking notes, I learned such things as POV, symbolism, dialogue, etc. I learned what worked and what didn’t. And I learned about my own author’s voice. Those passages that make your soul sing? They’re akin to your own writing voice. Pay attention to them.

TG: So who do you like to read most and why?

BC: Specifically, I love Dean Koontz for his word pictures and tone. On the women’s fiction side I love Anne Rivers Siddons’ characterization and vocabulary. (She’s got a big vocab and ain’t afraid to use it!) Generally I read a lot of suspense, both in the Christian and secular markets. It’s important to keep up with your genre, particularly in your own market—which is why I try to read all the new suspense authors who come along in Christian fiction.

TG: I know you and your daughter are preparing to do an audio interview over at Fiction Addict. Tell us a little about the Rayne Tour Series.

BC: This young adult suspense series features Shaley O’Connor, daughter of a rock star. You might think Shaley has it all. But she has hurts in her personal life. And stumbling upon the body of her best friend on concert tour doesn’t help matters either.

The Rayne Tour books are officially for readers age 13-16. In truth readers of all ages are enjoying them. I’ve had grandmothers, mothers and daughters in the same family write and say how much they loved Always Watching (book 1), and now Last Breath (book 2, just released). My teenage daughter, Amberly, and I have worked on the series together. We just turned in Final Touch, book 3, which will release next spring.

Oh, by the way. Always Watching has just won two national awards: The Gold in the 2009 Moonbeam Children’s Award, Young Adult Fiction Horror/Mystery category; and an Honors Award from NAPPA–National Parenting Publications Awards.

TG: Any special challenges working with your own child? My oldest son and I nearly killed each other one time while building a fence together.

BC: Oh, haha. Actually it was amazingly painless. We split up the work from the beginning. Amberly and I both created the Rayne Tour series concept and the characters. We plotted the stories. Then I wrote the novels, and she would edit, particularly for that 16-year-old POV. Together we’ve done marketing for the series as the books release.

TG: What is on the horizon for Brandilyn Collins?

BC: More Seatbelt Suspense®, of course. I mentioned that we just turned in Final Touch to the Rayne Tour editor. Two months before that I turned in Deceit, my next stand-alone adult novel, which will release in July 2010.

I do love to keep in touch with my readers. Here are some ways to do that:

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Ace Collins has written over sixty non-fiction works covering a variety of subjects from Lassie, to Southern Gospel music, to Evel Knievel. Now with Farraday Road and his soon to be published Swope’s Ridge, Ace has introduced us to some really great classic mystery. Read my review of Farraday Road.

Tim George: Ace, I always like to start my interviews with something personal, so here goes. You and I have a similar interest in old time radio shows. Tell me about that.

Ace Collins: I love old radio shows because the imagery is so strong. I might be listening to Richard Diamond, The Saint, Boston Blackie or Lux Radio Theater on my iPod, but I am actually seeing the programs as clearly as if they were a movie I was watching on a big screen in the theater. Because the radio shows had to be dialogue driven, they offer practical lessons in storytelling that I really can’t find anywhere else. Though the programs are actually more than sixty years old, the way they present the stories reflects modern book writing. The action, adventure and romance are quick hitting, this pacing creates a great deal of fast movement and the complicated plots are woven together to keep the listener anxious for the next scene.

When you think about the novels of that period (as opposed to old radio series) the writing style is much different. Though the top authors were brilliant, their books moved slowly. For modern readers it is almost agonizing to read the incredible detail and slow pacing of novels from the 1930s and 1940s. Therefore, beyond just enjoying old radio drama, suspense and comedy as entertainment, listening to these series is an education process that I feel sharpens my skills for modern storytelling. I think you can actually sense a bit of that as you read my novels.

TG: I began listening to Old Time Radio some time ago myself and I agree with you about their power to spark the individual imagination. You have written about The Cathedrals, Evel Knievel, The Dixie Chicks, Negro Baseball Leagues, and Lassie. Is there anything you aren’t interested in?

AC: One of my sons once said that I know more useless information that anyone. Maybe he is right. In some ways I have never grown up because I am always asking new versions of the question “Why is the sky blue.” I love to read, watch the history and biography networks. The fact is I just like to know the stories behind everything that holds interest for me. As per an example, I don’t just watch an old movie with someone like Jean Harlow, but I also dig into why she became a star, what was she like in her private life and why did she die so young. Thus my “Stories behind books” and the biographies I have written really do reflect my personality.

TG: You have had a rich and varied writing career but Farraday Road and Swope’s Ridge are your first ventures into fiction. Why the change and why mystery?

AC: I outlined Farraday Road, though it was then called “To Find My Killer,” back when I was in college. Hence I have always wanted to write novels. I actually wrote several novellas when I was in grade school and high school. Yet it took me years to feel I had the experience to do justice to my ideas. Thus, I honed my skills working with great editors until I felt I had progressed to the point of taking the plunge into fiction. In truth, I probably should have made that step a decade before I did, but my nonfiction work was keeping me too busy.

My love of mystery goes back to my own “who done it” curiosity. Also, my favorite writers, such as Clive Cussler and Brandilyn Collins (no relation), spin those kind of yarns. Hence, you like to write what you like to read.

TG: Steven James recently made a similar transition from non-fiction to fiction. How do you feel your previous experience prepared you to write novels? What are the differences in preparation?

AC: I collect classic cars and the transition from fiction to nonfiction is as different as driving a 65 Mustang as compared to a 1936 Cord. Yet, for those who have read my nonfiction it is obvious that I write those from the point of view of a storyteller. So the leap was not as large as if I had been a hard news reporter.

When I prepare a nonfiction work, I outline the chapters and stick to the outline. In fiction I create outlines as well, but I find as the characters develop they change the story line. Thus, I am constantly adding things and altering directions in the fiction work. In Farraday Road a character is introduced late in the book that was not in the outline because I realized none of the other characters had the skill to survive in a certain situation. I planned on Janie only being in the few chapters I needed her, but she emerged so strong that she is an integral part of Swope’s Ridge. That kind of thing doesn’t happen in nonfiction. So in a novel I have learned you have to be flexible. In nonfiction telling the truth means you must operate within a tight framework.

TG: Okay let’s talk about Farraday Road and Swope’s Ridge. I have to tell you; together they make up one of the best pure mysteries I’ve read in a long time. Tell us a little about the story.

AC: Thanks for those kind words. The story was born from an idea of a man who simply had no direction or calling. He was happily sliding through life until the night he and his wife were murdered. The EMTs brought him back to life and he is suddenly confounded by the startling question as to why anyone would do such an act. The mystery he finds pushes well beyond his home town and into the very heart of a modern world gone mad. The various threads connect everything from a legendary missing train from the 1800s, to a forgotten Nazi plan to change the course of World War II, to a modern terrorist movement to paralyze America. And those seemingly unrelated elements lead Lije into discovering why his wife was killed.

On another level, the books are really about the various characters also having to dig deeply inside themselves to find what they are made of and what their calling is. Thus, the books are a about personal growth. Lije, who begins the story shallow and directionless, ends it strong, determined and focus.

Finally, none of the characters are either all good or all bad. They have reasons for their shortcomings. Judging from the email I have received from readers of Farraday Road, the characters come off as very real.

TG: How did you choose the setting?

AC: For these books I chose a setting I know very well. The Ozarks are where my family’s roots are. My grandparents lived on Shell’s Hill, though in a much more modest home than our lead character. I practically grew up on Spring River and Swope’s Ridge was owned my one of my uncles. Thus, these are places I know well. And, in chapters where we go to other locations, those are also places I have seen.

By the way, I’ve been told these are the only novels ever set in this part of Arkansas. I don’t know if that is true are not, but as rich as the area is with legends and folklore, more stories should be set there.

TG: That’s amazing that no one has ever tapped into that area as a setting for fiction. I know Hwy 9 quite well as my father loved to take us for vacations to see different caves and sites. I grew up exploring Cosmic Caverns, Mystic Caverns, and a hundred other unique places around Jasper, Harrison, and Eureka Springs. If it weren’t for space I’d tell you quite a story about Hurricane River. Is that how you came up with the idea of the various legends surrounding Swope’s Ridge?

AC: There was an historic train in local lore, but it actually crashed into Spring River rather than suffer the fate we gave it in the book. Cathcart’s house doesn’t exist, but railroad executives did have homes on the bluff at Hardy that seemed liked mansions to the locals. These executives lived and worked in Memphis but spent time in Hardy homes on vacations and weekends. Sadly, there is no place in Melborne that has pie like I described in the book.

TG: What do you feel you calling is as a writer?

AC: That is a tough question. I’ve have always wanted to write, going back to third grade. My grandfathers were great storytellers, so I think I inherited a bit of that bent from them. In nonfiction my calling seems to be to awaken and inspire people by citing stories that have been forgotten or missed. When folks know the stories behind something, it seems to add a great deal of understanding and meaning to a place, tradition, song or life.

In fiction I think my primary calling has to be to entertain. Few people want to wade through 400 pages and not enjoy them. Yet the deeper calling is to create characters that cause people to look deeper into themselves. Fictional characters can be great teachers. Thus my goal has to be to both entertain and lift.

TG: So how would you delineate between a story that is “preachy” and one that leads us to think about higher or deeper realities?

AC: In my writing, I try to place “trail markers” that might get someone to pause and reflect on where they are, how they use their faith, etc. Maybe someone will read something about Lije and say, “Yeah, I can relate to that. I felt the same way.” I actually had one reader email me and quote something that was said about Kaitlyn. It was just a line about the way she prayed. I was really using it as a line to describe her “working” faith so the reader could get to know why so many so admired and respected her. In other words, it was just a part of describing her personality. Yet that line touched this reader very deeply and led her to rethink her prayer life. So I try to be subtle and allow those “trail markers” to perhaps make a statement of faith that will take root and grow.

TG: What is on the horizon beyond Swope’s Ridge for you in fiction? Have we heard the last of Lije Evans and his Scooby Doo crew? (See, I really did read the books).

AC: If the sales are strong and the readers demand to see Lije and his gang in more books, I am ready. I have five more Lije Evans Mysteries outlined. I think the next one, if it is written, will be the best yet. It tells the story of what happened to the missing treasure. Added to this is Lije and his gang finding an old, forgotten paddle wheeler, a trip to Europe to stop a madman, and finding the evidence to set a man on death free (this one involves a serial killer). The book climaxes at the spot where 1930s famed actress Carol Lombard’s plane crashed. So, if readers want to find out more about those elements, let Zondervan know.

In the meantime I am writing a novel with a new character, a university professor, named Harlow Burke. He is fighting against time to track down a lost book from the Bible that might reshape the whole concept of the Christian faith. His lonely quest takes him around the globe, where he must escape numerous attempts on his life. Those trying to beat him to the prize are terrorists and a mysterious South American billionaire. I can best describe “Words Of The Father” as Indiana Jones meets the Di Vinci Code.

And yes, I am still writing nonfiction stuff as well. Have a new Christmas book out this fall, a sequel to my “Sticks and Stones” book out next spring and another Christmas book set for 2011.

TG: That’s good to hear because my wife wanted me to ask you personally when she would have something else to read by Ace Collins. I think she read Farraday Road in one night.

AC: Thanks. I deeply appreciate the opportunity to talk a bit about the books. And tell your wife I would love to hear her take on her favorite characters and scenes. When I get email, that is always the first question I ask the readers. I want to know who hit them and why. I want to know who they want to get to know better.

After a successful career as a writer in the General market Terri Blackstock felt led by God to redirect her efforts to writing Christian suspense. With over six million books in print, Terri has proven her staying power as a writer. To learn more about her testimony you can visit her site here. You can also read my interview of her newest novel, Intervention.I am so pleased to introduce Terri Blackstock to the readers of Unveiled.

Tim George: Most of my interviews begin with something on the light side so let’s start with things I feel sure we have in common. I’ll pose some words and you give your first reaction. The Elite or Primos? Westland Plaza? The Canton Flea Market?

Terri Blackstock:
The Elite or Primos? – Primos
Westland Plaza – Where all the kids in Jackson used to go to Shoney’s and circle it in their cars all night, to see and be seen.
The Canton Flea Market – A cultural icon of Mississippi, and one I’ve never attended and always wanted to. But I always have deadlines around the time of the flea market.

Tim: Since very few of my readers have any idea what we are talking about let me clarify. Terri and I grew up and around the some home town (Jackson, MS) but as far as I know we have never met each other. My grandfather barbered for over half-a-century on Capitol Street and I graduated from Forest Hill High School in 1974. Anything you would like to add about where you grew up before we move on?

Terri: I didn’t realize you were from this area! What a blast from the past! I graduated a year later and had friends at Forest Hill, so we probably ran into each other.

Tim: Your readers may or may not know how active you are in various ministries outside of writing. Share some of those with us and how they have affected your life as a writer.

Terri: I lead Precept Bible studies at my church. I’ve been a Precept student or teacher for the past fifteen years, and have literally learned everything I know about the Bible through these studies written by Kay Arthur. I highly recommend them for anyone seeking to know the Bible better. (www.precept.org).

I lead a confidential prayer group for parents of prodigal children.

I sort of “host” a very large Sunday School class which my husband teaches–over 100 people each Sunday. My husband has an extraordinary gift of teaching, and he just teaches through a book of the Bible, line by line.

I used to do regular prison ministry at our county jail for women, but now I only help with certain events, such as the Christmas party for the incarcerated women each year.

And I do various other things my church is involved in throughout the year.

Tim: Sounds like you are a very busy lady. How have those activities enhanced your writing?

Terri: First of all, they’ve helped me put into practice what I write about, and what I’m convicted about. But also, I think we writers tend to isolate ourselves and live in our dream worlds, so it’s good to be involved in things that get us outside ourselves, so we have experiences to write about. It also helps us to see the problems others are facing, and gives God the opportunity to speak to us about things. I can incorporate much of that into my novels.

Tim: You have written a number of successful series (Suncoast Chronicles, Cape Refuge, The Restoration Series, and Northpoint 911) but your last two novels are standalones. Any reason for that change?

Terri: Most of my books have been part of a series, and after several series in a row, I just decided that I needed a break from series. When you’re writing a series it’s easy to get bogged down in keeping details straight from one book to another. It just adds another level of complexity and slows me down. I thought I’d try writing stand-alones for a while. But I do get attached to my characters, and I look at every stand-alone as having a potential sequel. At some point I may go back to series, but for now I’m enjoying this.

Tim: You made your change to Christian fiction in the mid-90’s. What changes have you seen in the market during that time?

Terri: I was probably one of the first suspense writers in the Christian market, and now there are many. I remember that our best-seller lists in the Christian market bore no resemblance at all to the general market best-seller lists (such as New York Times). The NYT would have suspense thrillers, mystery, sci-fi, legal, fantasy, sagas, military, horror, etc. The Christian list would have only prairie romances and historical romance. It wasn’t that Christians didn’t read those other genres; they did. They just didn’t have Christian books in those genres. But all that has changed. Now the Christian market has almost every genre that the general market has, and that’s reflected on our best-seller lists. Having more genres has drawn many more readers, and now some Christian writers are making it to the general market best-seller lists.

Tim: Your latest novel struck a real cord with me. What led you to write Intervention and how do you hope it effects its readers?

Terri: Intervention is inspired by my experiences with my own daughter and her very serious drug addictions. Our family has been through a terrible few years of trying to keep her alive and get her help. She’s doing, well now and has been sober for a year, but she has a very long road ahead of her. Since I’d learned so much during this time, I wanted to write a novel about a family dealing with drug abuse. I really hoped that I could write about some of those lessons I’ve learned. Intervention is about a mother who hires an interventionist to convince her daughter to go to treatment, and as the interventionist and daughter are on their way to the rehab, the interventionist is murdered and the daughter disappears. The mother and her fourteen-year-old son set out to find her, not certain whether she committed the crime or not. But the police are certain that the daughter was the killer.

Of course there was no murder in my personal story, and the novel in no way reflects true events in our family, but I poured a lot of myself into Barbara (the mother), and I can tell you that this is my most personal novel to date.

Tim: This really isn’t a question from a reader but rather the words of a fellow-traveler who read my review of Intervention. I’m going to give the quote and let you respond any way you see fit.

It actually sounds like a life I’ve lived! Truthfully, you do NOT know to what extremes you will go in order to rescue a child. Even though our battle still rages, I have full confidence in the God Who IS that He will keep His promise, and this child will come back to Him. Meanwhile, this mother still fights that battle for the soul of her daughter and for the grandchildren we now help to raise.  (Claudette in North Carolina)

Terri: Keep fighting, Claudette. Moments ago, I got off the phone with my daughter, and I’m feeling so good that we’re finally at a place where I’m not terrified for her. I’m praising God that she’s finally sober and no one is forcing her to be! Her life is moving forward. But this has been a very long battle, and this time last year, I was desperate and hopeless, and wondered if I’d even be able to keep her alive much longer. I’ve trusted God through all of this, believing that He would bring her through it, even though there were times when my faith felt very thin. Trust that the work He’s doing is much more effective than the work you’ve been doing to help her. And one of the greatest lessons I’ve learned is something someone else told me: “Don’t deprive your child of an encounter with God by rescuing her from her pain.” Some great resources for you are www.notalone.org and www.settingboundaries.com.

Tim: I read recently where you said you are a Christian fiction writer as opposed to a Christian who happens to write fiction. Can you explain the difference?

Terri: Yes, there’s a difference in my mind. I write novels with spiritual themes, and my purpose is always to show that “the crisis is often the blessing.” We Christians see suffering and trials as having a purpose. My books do point people to Christ and to the Bible, and they do have spiritual threads woven throughout the plots. That’s different from a Christian who happens to write fiction. John Grisham is a Christian who writes fiction, but he would never call himself a Christian fiction writer. Christian fiction is a very specific genre.

I love clean, wholesome books that don’t make you wade through profanity and graphic elements, but I don’t think those can be called Christian Fiction if they never mention Christ and have no Christian themes. They may be sold in Christian stores, and that’s fine, but they don’t fit my definition of what Christian Fiction is.

Tim: There are a number of aspiring writers that visit this site so if you don’t mind how about a few technical questions.

Tim: How extensively do you plot your novels and series?

Terri: Very extensively. Before I start writing, I try to do as much of an outline as I can. Because I write suspense, I have a lot of things going on in every book–clues, red herrings, subplots, intricate crimes that much in the story depends on, etc. So if I just started writing without an outline, I’d have a mess on my hands before I got very far. I do, however, change my outline as I go and as new ideas spring up.

Tim: Do you set writing goals for yourself (other than the hot breath of deadline)?

Terri: I set goals, such as having the first draft finished by a certain date. But life sometimes interferes and I have to constantly change my goals.

Tim: What are your personal goals for the future?

Terri: To write the next book. And then the next one. And then the next one. And to make each one better than the one before.

Tim: You seem to be somewhat politically active. Is that a fair portrayal?

Terri: Yes, because I’m an information junkie. I love watching the news and I’m very attentive to politics and public policy debates. I’m very worried about the direction our country is taking, but I’m proud to be an American in fly-over country. America has a proud heritage and an amazing Constitution. Sometimes, though, we have to work hard to protect it.

Tim: You’re sitting with an aspiring Christian author at Starbuck’s (pretend it’s me) and you only have a couple of minutes to give me (I mean the aspiring author)some advice. What is it?

Terri: The best advice anyone ever gave me was, “Don’t get it right, get it written.” That revolutionized my writing when I kept trying to get the first three chapters perfect, and then I’d lose interest and start something else. Once I learned to write my first draft without judgment, then rewrite several more drafts getting deeper and more creative each time, I was able to finish a novel. My favorite part of a book is the second draft, because by then I have the extremely hard work of getting the story on paper done. Each subsequent draft is a joy.

Terri, thank you for sharing your valuable time with us. Congratulations to Claudette Woods of North Carolina for winning a free copy of Intervention!