Category Archives: book reviews
Author Interview: Eric Jerome Dickey
I am uber excited to present author Eric Jerome Dickey. His new book, Decadence, released in April and is getting excellent reviews.
I am grateful to have had the opportunity to interview this gifted, prolific and successful novelist.
Eric Jerome Dickey is kind, generous, interesting, intelligent and funny. It was a privilege getting to know him more in this interview. I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed it and I hope you will too.
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1) Have you always known you wanted to be a writer? If not, when did you discover you were meant to be one?
I guess you could call me an accidental writer. I had thought I’d be an engineer until I retired or became a victim of the Peter Principle, or a karate guy, maybe eventually write or perform comedy full-time, maybe become a character actor… the list was long, but being a writer wasn’t included.
I would never say that I was meant to be one. I am enjoying it while I am here. Until I move on… I give it my best.
2) Initially, you were a software developer in the aerospace industry. You also pursued acting, stand-up comedy and screen writing for movies. Was there a pivotal moment that changed the course of your life?
I dropped out of grad school at CSUF after the first exam, followed my heart, what I needed at that moment, and decided to take a chance, had nothing written, no real plan, ran on desire, and thanks to a partial SEED scholarship from International Black Writers Los Angeles, I was able to attend UCLA and become part of the creative writing program through the extension section of the university.
Go Bruins! Yeah, a University of Memphis Tiger said Go Bruins! LOL.
From day one, once inside of those classes, I felt like I was at home. I walked away from the undergraduate degree in Computer Systems Tech, but I carried the knowledge with me. Every class I had taken at the University of Memphis to complete those requirements, from English, to Physics, to Sociology, to Latin, to Electronics, to kicking it in a karate classes with Bill Wallace, it all went with me.
From cradle to the grave, we are all of our ages, and we never leave neither experiences nor knowledge behind. A lot that I learned on the technical side is employed in what I do now. A lot of South Memphis. A lot of the culture of L.A. Antigua. Barbados. Argentina. London. Places I’ve lived for at least a season.
Stories have to be logical, have to have a logical progression. Writing is about communication, and clarity. So all of those wonderful classes came in handy. Left brain meets right brain all day long and they dance in the land of creativity.
The acting classes taught me about character creation, motivation, movement, story, many things. Being in theater helped me see many things. Being in an Improv group did a lot for me as well. Don’t get me started on reading and writing comics. It’s all storytelling.
3) What shaped you as a writer?
I think I answered that during my ramble above. LOL.
Many hours of studying, reading, writing, trying, failing, falling, and getting back up. Every writer’s objective should be to find their own voice, not to emulate or duplicate the works of others. Admire, learn, then do your own thing. Find what works for you.
4) What is your creative process? Where do your ideas and inspiration come from? What is your writing routine?
I have no routine. I just work. From Monday to Monday, bank holidays and birthdays. I get up and work. Morning. Noon. Night. Each day is different, and that lack of redundancy keeps it exciting.
What I do is better described as being a creative engineer. Write. Flowchart. Think. Rethink. Restructure. Rewrite. Search for better verbs. Find another word for thesaurus and something that rhymes with orange. Look for better nouns. Close out book and move on to the next project the next day.
The word or term writer is too generic for my liking. Write checks. Write term paper. It’s not specific. I prefer imagination engineer. But, I will call it writing. Keeps me from confusing the IRS.
Being a writer is operating a small, medium, or large business. You are the CEO, the laborer, and everyone in between. You do it because there is a creative fire inside of you. What you have, it can’t be taught, can’t be bought at the crossroads.
You can learn the rules, can teach the rules, spit theory, but no one can teach you creativity. I love the challenge. The personal challenge.
It’s not about fame, or glory, or what the other guy or gal is doing, or (if you of that type) feeding the narcissism that runs through your veins.
Maybe more than a few might want to do a book so they can have an event and they can be the center of attention, the bride or groom of literature, and hoped to be liked by all in the kingdom.
I’ve seen them, have seen many come and go since back in ’96, sitting at a table, screaming this really happened to me, book poorly written, no one caring, skipping that table to get to the flavor of the month, maybe flavor of the year.
Maybe some writers skipped the part about treating the occupation as a craft, and not as a vehicle for their vanity, not as a tool of revenge, and their efforts died on the vine.
Sitting in a class, getting peer review, attending seminars, sharing work to get critiqued, that was too much work for them.
Better to get feedback on the front end than rejected on the back end. The rejection on the back end is very harsh.
Many kill their own brand out the box.
It’s all about putting your butt in the chair and attacking the project.
I have no idea what inspiration means, honestly. It’s a very reactive word, to me. For me work is proactive.
5) What are some of your favorite books, authors and why?
The Cay. Lord of the Flies. Devil in a Blue Dress. The American. Girl with a Dragon Tattoo.
Why? The writing. The creativity. The writing. The writing. The writing.
6) What are you currently reading?
Just finished reading Grave Descend. Cool noir. Today, was reading Hypothermia by Arnaldur Indridason (Icelandic), then Three Seconds by Roslund & Hellstrom (Swedish).
7) Did you ever imagine you would become as successful as you are? How does it feel?
It feels regular, actually. I’m an introvert. Well, I’ve become one. Used to be a time when I had to keep moving like a shark.
When I think of the truly successful writers I think of those who have been accepted beyond the walls of the USA and have been translated into more languages than people know exist. They can write five books and be ghost, set for life. That is an uber financial success, which is needed to survive in a country where nothing is free.
I love what I have done. Hope it stands the test of time.
But completing a novel, that’s success, even if you never sell one. The first time I held a copy of Sister, Sister in my hand was a WOW moment. From my cheap word processor to the bookstore… Wow.
8) You have a keen awareness of a woman’s psyche and emotional make-up. Were you born with this gift? Or was it learned and developed over time?
It’s writing and studying and being observant. Comics have the same skill. Used to be one. No special powers. Everything is right there in the open, if not, then it has been revealed on damn near every talk show every aired. Much about women is put in those little things called books as well.
There are no secrets, only what people chose to ignore. The big thing for me at one point was studying psychology, trying to understand the way we are seemingly wired, figuring out the way people act the way they do, and what role culture plays. (Every culture has the same interpersonal issues, IMHO, and the same desires run though all men and women around the world. We are human first.)
I have to understand the men that I create, many types of men as well. I have to study other cultures to create some of the diverse characters. The characters, be it noir, a thriller, or erotica, or something close to being literary, or an amalgamation of genres, I try not to do stock characters.
The characters that I have chosen to employ or design range from religious, to agnostic, to atheist. Not all have the same value system. From young to old, from French to Southern Black to Southern White to Russian to Spanish to Mexican to Trinidadian to East Indian to Bajan to being a native of Los Angeles, don’t ignore the male characters.
Men have emotions too. Men are complicated. Men are human. Men have pressures placed on them by culture and society as well, not all to their liking. I think the male characters are overlooked, and at times (overly) romanticized. (Hollywood and movies and their style of storytelling has impacted the way people read novels, sadly.)
I have to create a character and see that character from many levels, from many angles, and understand his or her motivation(s).
I am the designer of the matrix. LOL. Red pill, or blue pill? Pick one.
9) Out of all the books you have written, which story was the hardest for you to write and why? And which one was the most fun to write?
ROFL. None have been fun. Each project takes many months. You work until you are burned out. Then you work until it is done.
Writing has never been a barrel of monkeys. It’s work.
Thieves’ Paradise was the hardest way back when, hard characters, the noir plot, the decision to erase a character I had put much energy into creating.
The cons. It’s never the book that’s the hard thing. I had done about 6 books in a row, had toured all over the world, and I was tired. No rest for the weary, nor for those who are on the road to some level of success.
We all have difficult seasons. Your mind isn’t as well oiled, or things in your real life create a distraction or give you a challenge.
You move, change houses. You change jobs. You get sick. Winter comes and the lack of sun slows your productivity. Your mother moves in and brings two dogs, a cat, and sings like a donkey day and night. You have relationships, good and bad, both distracting and at times irritating in their own way.
We’re still (temperamental) people who have to get up and cook and do laundry and run errands and pay speeding tickets and water the lawn as read James Patterson books and wonder how he produces 15 books a year. Flashbacks.
Cheaters was a challenge due to the novel having three voices and at least twenty supporting characters.
Between Lovers was hard because I only used on POV.
Each novel is like a child and each child has his or her own personality.
10) What is the single thing you want your readers to take away from your books?
Overall, I want the story to make sense, just want the ride to be worth the ticket.
11) Was there a time you didn’t take risks as a writer? If so, when did you begin taking risks?
When I first started, I was lost, more or less, tried to understand what writing was, and tried to write like other mainstream writers, writers who had written stories like The Things They Carried. That was a fiasco.
Soon I found my voice, my style, ignored what others did and focused on nurturing my skills, wrote what interested me at that moment, wrote not only what I knew, but more importantly did the research on what interested me.
I write characters that I have nothing in common with and try to make them sing their own songs.
At the same time I continued studying the craft and learning the rules. You have to understand the rules (this is a form of communication) to know how to bend or break the rules, how to modify the rules and make them work for your style.
I started writing in my own way, my language, my metaphors, my similes, and it gradually became better. Some of the things I did, I kept, some techniques were jettisoned.
Again, getting to a place where I felt comfortable wasn’t overnight. We’re talking years of writing each day, reading each day, being in a class at least twice a week, attending workshops, the whole nine. Reading book after book after book on the craft.
I read, and still read, everything I can get my hands on regarding this occupation. Coming from college and the University of Memphis, I approached the field the same way I did in engineering, from the bottom, all the intro classes, and earned my way up to being a rebellious senior.
12) Have you ever dealt with rejection? If so, how did you deal with it? What did you do to not give up?
A black man in America experiencing rejection, surely you jest? LOL.
Rejection is just rejection. Actors, writers, comics, boys asking girls to dance. Especially in Hollywood, the most openly “biased” place in America.
Many parts are written, but not for people of color. (As of this season, we’re back into the slave, butler, maid genres in the business. We’re typecast in literature as well, so far as what they are willing to try to sell, so far as what certain audiences will accept from a writer of a certain hue and heritage.)
But you have to go for it, or settle for living a dream inside of your head. Only you can make your dream a reality, so you won’t be on your death bed singing that song of regret with the refrain could of, would have, and should have (coulda, woulda, shoulda).
Stephen King, Terry McMillan, John Grisham, J.K. Rowling, all were rejected at the start.
Some take it hard and give up.
Some flip the middle finger and press on.
I was seeking a champion for my work, and direction for a new career, one that I had no idea would last beyond two novels.
The life of a writer at times seems to last as long as the life of dragonfly.
Over a period of four years, I had stacks of rejection letters, stacks that were tall and leaned like that famous tower abroad, and I am proud to say that I was rejected by both the best of the best and the worst, was sent “No Thank You” notes from companies large and small, black and white. Life goes on.
My journey wasn’t abandoned. I stayed at UCLA, kept attending workshops, kept getting writing tips, kept editing, kept entering contest, kept losing, kept learning, rewriting, and then eventually I was ready.
What I was working on became palatable and held promise. Eventually I had a short story or two places in magazines. I was on the way. And being on the way is akin to being a the starting line for the LA Marathon, at the back of the pack, knowing that after seasons of training you still had a long way to go, and there was no guarantee you would finish the race.
13) What are the key elements that made you a prolific, successful, award winning, New York Times bestselling author you are today?
Keeping my butt in the chair. Prolific just means you never really get off work. LOL.
Recognizing that it’s a job. Work ethic. Working, while others are playing.
Recognizing that each book is starting over, same issues, same concerns, so you need to hold on to the basics of the craft once again.
14) Lastly, what advice would you give aspiring writers?
When the call comes, be ready.
Know what you’re doing and be prepared to have a conversation with an editor or an agent using the language of the business. You will be chatting with a professional, more than likely someone who has a degree in literature and has championed many authors. They live in the book world, a part many writes never see, they are behind the curtain in Oz, and they are wise, from the first sentence or two can tell if you are truly a writer, or a simpleton trying to cash in on what you think is easy money in an idiot’s occupation.
When you’re ready, make sure you have a great agent and make sure you have an attorney on standby.
Doing a book is no easy task. It’s a never-ending job. Writing is not a fool’s occupation. It takes the better part of a year, maybe more than a year, to create what many will read in less than two days.You can write it, love it, and still boxes of your labor of love will not move from the stores.
But stay at it. Find your own voice and create your own lane. Susan Collins did it. J.K. Rowling did. John Grisham did. Stephen King did. Terry McMillan did it. It can be done.
Do your best, despite the international color lines.
Honestly, I hope they work in your favor and 100 countries want your work translated into their native tongue.
Don’t follow, be you, move forward and never check the rear view mirror as you zoom toward your destination.
If you’re in it for the money, fame, and glory, good luck, but walk into a bookstore (if you can still find one) and look at all the books on the wall, ask yourself how many of those writers are known, how many could afford to quit their day jobs.
What the Internet, Walmart, Amazon, and Google+ has done to erode sales, well, that’s a book that is still being written. I can hear the trees laughing, this being their revenge.
In the meantime, read a bit here:
http://www.salon.com/2012/03/13/scott_turow_on_why_we_should_fear_amazon/
Most of all, write. Forget the pomp and circumstance and the idiotic things and silly creature comforts and special this and special that fussy people claim they need to be able to be productive.
It’s not like in the movie Romancing the Stone. Who in the hell can write in the Caribbean heat? That was ludicrous. It’s not glamorous. Not for me. You don’t have to be on a beach snorting coke and doing shots, but if that’s your thing, hey, let the Ernest Hemingway, Charles Baudelaire, Phillip K. Dick, Jack Kerouac, Edgar Allan Poe, Stephen King, and Hunter S. Thompson in you take control.
All I need is to be well-rested. And a slice of solitude.
Enough talk. I’m done rambling.
Now. Put your butt in the chair. Write. Study. Read. Rewrite. Repeat. Earn that nap.
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Eric Jerome Dickey was born in Memphis, Tennessee and attended the University of Memphis (the former Memphis State), where he earned his degree in Computer System Technology. In 1983, he moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in engineering.
After landing a job in the aerospace industry as a software developer, Eric Jerome Dickey’s artistic talents surfaced, inspiring him to become an actor and a stand-up comedian. Yet Eric quickly found out that writing was something he could do and do well. From creative writing classes to avidly consuming the works of his favorite authors, Eric Jerome Dickey began to shape a writing career of his own. Having written several scripts for his personal comedy act, he started writing poetry and short stories. “The film work gave me insight into character development, the acting classes helped me understand motivation…All of it goes hand in hand,” Eric explains. He joined the IBWA (International Black Writers and Artists), participated in their development workshops, and became a recipient of the IBWA SEED Scholarship to attend UCLA’s Creative Writing classes. In 1994 his first published short story, “Thirteen,” appeared in the IBWA’s River Crossing: Voices of the Diaspora-An Anthology of the International Black Experience. A second short story, “Days Gone By,” was published in the magazine A Place to Enter.
With those successes behind him, Eric Jerome Dickey decided to fine-tune some of his earlier work and developed a screenplay called “Cappuccino.” “Cappuccino” was directed and produced by Craig Ross, Jr. and appeared in coffee houses around the Los Angeles area. In February 1998, “Cappuccino” made its local debut during the Pan African Film Festival at the Magic Johnson Theater in Los Angeles.
Short stories, though, didn’t seem to fulfill Eric Jerome Dickey’s creative yearnings. Eric says, “I’d set out to do a ten-page story and it would go on for three hundred pages.” So Eric kept writing and reading and sending out query letters for his novels for almost three years until he finally got an agent. “Then a door opened,” Eric says. “And I put my foot in before they could close it.” And that door has remained opened, as Eric Jerome Dickey’s novels have placed him on the map as one of the best writers of contemporary urban fiction.
Eric Jerome Dickey’s book signing tours for Sister, Sister; Friends and Lovers; Milk in My Coffee; Cheaters; and Liar’s Game took him from coast to coast and helped propel each of these novels to #1 on the “Blackboard Bestsellers List.” Cheaters was named “Blackboard Book of the Year” in 2000. In June 2000, Eric Jerome Dickey celebrated the French publication of Milk in My Coffee (Cafe Noisette) by embarking on a book tour to Paris. Soon after, Milk in My Coffee became a bestseller in France. Eric Jerome Dickey’s novels, Chasing Destiny, Liar’s Game, Between Lovers, Thieves’ Paradise, The Other Woman, Drive Me Crazy, Genevieve, Naughty or Nice, Sleeping with Strangers, Waking with Enemies, and Pleasure have all earned him the success of a spot on The New York Times bestseller list. Liar’s Game, Thieves’ Paradise, The Other Woman, and Genevieve have also given Dickey the added distinction of being nominated for an NAACP Image Award in the category of Outstanding Literary Work in 2001, 2002, 2004, and 2005. In 2006, he was honored with the awards for Best Contemporary Fiction and Author of the Year (Male) at the 2006 African American Literary Award Show. In 2008, Eric was nominated for Storyteller of the Year at the 1st annual ESSENCE Literary Awards. In January 2001, Eric Jerome Dickey was a contributor to New American Library’s anthology Got To Be Real: Four Original Love Stories, also a Blackboard Bestseller. He also had a story entitled “Fish Sanwich” appear in the anthology Mothers and Sons. In June 2002, Dickey contributed to Black Silk: A Collection of African American Erotica (Warner Books) as well as to Riots Beneath the Baobab (published by International Black Writers and Artists of Los Angeles in April 2002). His books have held steady positions on regional bestseller lists and have been featured in many publications, including ESSENCE, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Los Angeles Times. Dickey’s last novel, Pleasure, held true to form and landed on bestseller lists for The New York Times, USA Today, and ESSENCE.
Eric Jerome Dickey is also the author of a six issue miniseries of comic books for Marvel Enterprises featuring Storm (X-Men) and the Black Panther. His novel Naughty or Nice has been optioned by Lionsgate Films.
Author Interview – Julie Cantrell
I have the sincere pleasure of welcoming another one of my favorite authors, Julie Cantrell. I first discovered her after reading her debut novel, Into the Free. I can’t emphasize enough, how much I loved this book. I fell in love with the characters and story, so when Julie Cantrell came out with a sequel, When Mountains Move, I was excited. These two books are on the top of my list.
Julie Cantrell is such a gifted writer. The characters and story do not reflect her life at all. They are works of fiction and the story is entirely made up from her imagination. I can only dream and aspire to write like her.
Without further ado, Julie Cantrell.
- When did you decide to become a writer? or When did you discover you were a writer?
Writing has always been my way of processing the world around me. When I was a young girl, I kept a journal. As a teen, I wrote poetry, song lyrics, and short stories. And I’ve always loved to write letters to friends and family across the miles. But when I told my high school teacher that I wanted to be a writer, she quickly nipped that dream in the bud. She told me not to waste my scholarship to study writing, saying that I would be lucky to write greeting cards but that I would never get beyond that. I happen to think writing greeting cards would be a fun job, but she meant it as a criticism. The problem is, I believed her.
I spent the next decade writing only my college assignments, and I never took a writing class. I would walk past the English and Journalism buildings every day and want to sneak into those classes. I ended up studying to become a speech-language pathologist because I am fascinated by language development and communication in all forms. Plus I love to help people. It has been a wonderful career for me. But, I am happy that now, after twenty years, I finally realize that teacher was wrong. I am glad I took the leap and dared to write a novel; and I’m thankful readers are taking a chance on Millie’s story.
- Which writers inspire you?
I am inspired by the authors who blog with me at Southern Belle View: Beth Webb Hart, Rachel Hauck, Shellie Rushing Tomlinson, and Lisa Wingate, as well as dear author friends I’ve met the last two years of my journey. Just a few include Christa Allan, Missy Buchanan, Judy Christie, Lynne Gentry, Kellie Coates Gilbert, Kathy Harris, Ann Hite, River Jordan, Michael Morris, Kathy Patrick, Jolina Petersheim, Karen Spears-Zacharias, Carla Stewart, Michel Stone, and Renea Winchester. I’m also inspired by authors in my local community, (Oxford, MS.) such as Katie Anderson, Ace Atkins, Beth Ann Fennely, Tom Franklin, and Neil White, and by those represented by my agency (WordServe Literary), many of whom join forces to blog at www.wordservewatercooler.com.
- What are your favorite books?
I have WAY too many favorite books to list, but here are a few that surface in my brain at the moment (in no particular order): The Poisonwood Bible, by Barbara Kingsolver; Pippi Longstocking, by Astrid Lindgren; Unbroken, by Laura Hillenbrand; The Samurai’s Garden, by Gail Tsukiyama; Life of Pi, by Yann Martel; Looking for Alaska, by John Green; I Know This Much Is True, by Wally Lamb; The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini; The Glass Castle, by Jeannette Walls; Water for Elephants, by Sara Gruen; and The Last American Man, by Elizabeth Gilbert.
- What books help shape you as a writer?
I send a big shout-out to the classic, Save the Cat by Blake Snyder. A friend, Katie Anderson, loaned me her copy of this screenwriting manual. Of course, I’m still learning new things every day…but this book (actually it is one of a set of three) is a wonderful tool that can be used to sculpt a three-act plot structure. While it is written for screenplay writers, it can easily be adapted for a short story, novel, stage play, etc.
- What is the hardest thing about writing?
Writing. And by that I mean, the actual physical act of sitting down and diving into that fictional world. I have to enter a different mental zone to really get a good scene down on the page, and that’s not always easy in the midst of a hectic life. It’s also difficult to find time to enter that sacred creative space because so much of my day is spent on the other part of the job…emails, social media, interviews, phone calls, mailing books, etc. I fantasize about having an intern someday who could handle some of that “other stuff”…ahhh…the dream.
- What made you decide to sit down and actually start something?
Insomnia. And a bucket list. And a very strong nudge from Millie, my main character, who gave me her story and insisted it wasn’t mine to keep. (Thank you, Millie!)
- How did you come up with your characters and story?
Honestly, it really did just come to me. The original spark for the first novel, Into the Free, was a blurb I had read years earlier about a gravesite in Meridian, Mississippi. Kelly Mitchell was buried there in 1915, and her tombstone reads: Kelly Mitchell, Queen of the Gypsies. This fascinated me, and I thought I’d write about the Romany Travelers who roamed through the southeastern segment of the US (and continue to do so today). The Roma ended up being a thread in a larger coming-of-age tale about Millie Reynolds.
- Where do your ideas come from?
I’ve always been a daydreamer, so most of my ideas come from that strange realm of imagination. I also rely on sparks, like the blurb I mentioned regarding Kelly Mitchell’s grave. And from my real-world experiences, although I never write about real people in my life and hope no one ever worries that I’ll put them in a book. People tend to assume I’m writing about myself, especially because I write in first-person, but the works really are fictional, and Millie’s story is not my own.
- What is your writing process?
I tend to write freestyle, meaning I don’t outline or do anything by following a routine. I write without worrying about edits, and when I come to a space where more research needs to be done or I might need to go back in the story and confirm a detail matches, etc…I just insert *** in that spot and then work out the kinks later. I don’t let those little holes slow me down as I’m writing the story. All of that can be tweaked after the story has roots.
I’m a gardener, so I see the act of building a story much like that of building a garden. Seeds first. Then the roots. Then the stalk. Then the stems. Then the leaves. Then the pruning. Then the blooms. And finally…the fruit. It’s a process that takes time, patience, and a bit of hard work. If you’re afraid of getting dirt under your nails or sweating a bit…writing is not for you.
- Do you write every day?
If I’m lucky.
- Do you write full-time or part-time?
I have been teaching English as a Second Language to Kindergarten and First Grade students until this year. Now, I am writing fulltime. It became a little too tricky to juggle teaching, farming, writing, volunteering, and … my top priority … mothering. While I love all the segments of my life, something had to give, and I feel very grateful to have quiet time now to write during the day while my children are at school. I’ve always been one who believed in Family First. Now, I no longer have to work while everyone else sleeps, and I admit…it’s divine.
- Lastly, what advice would you give to aspiring writers?
- If you feel called to write, then write. No excuses. Just write.
- Don’t worry about what anyone else will think of your work. Write as if no one will ever see it. Write as a gift to yourself, as a tool to stretch your soul, expand your mind, and free your spirit.
- If you do decide to venture into publishing, don’t take yourself too seriously. Don’t get caught up worrying about reviews, sales figures, awards, or shelf space. It’s all part of the business of publishing, but your job as an author is to create. When the other stuff begins to steal the joy of the creative process, remember to put things back in perspective and celebrate the gift you were given. Write because it’s who you are and because you can’t NOT write. Write because it makes you happy and brings you peace. And if you are nudged to share the stories you are given, share them to make others happy and to bring them peace. Nothing else matters.
Pilar, thanks so much for inviting me here today. It’s been an honor to chat with you about writing, and I am grateful that you have dared to pull Millie’s story from the shelf and enter her world for a while.
Thank you, Julie. The honor is mine.
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Julie Cantrell has served as editor-in-chief of the Southern Literary Review and is a recipient of the Mississippi Arts Commission Literary Fellowship. She is the author of two children’s books as well as Into the Free, whichreceived Christy Awards for Best Debut Novel and Book of the Year 2013 as well as the Mississippi Library Association’s Fiction Award. Cantrell and her family live in Mississippi where they operate Valley House Farm. Her second novel, When Mountains Move, released September 2013.
Learn more:
Website: www.juliecantrell.com
Blogsite: www.juliecantrell.wordpress.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/juliecantrellauthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JulieCantrell
Email: julie@juliecantrell.com
Author Interview – Carolyn Weber
Today, I have the distinct pleasure of interviewing one of my favorite authors, Carolyn Weber. I discovered her after reading her first book, a memoir, Surprised by Oxford.
I have a penchant for memoirs, and this one was by far, my favorite.
Carolyn Weber came out with another fabulous book, Holy Is The Day which I reviewed recently.
I’m excited to share my first author interview with you.
When did you know you were a writer?
I don’t think there was a “moment” – although I do remember writing as a child but hiding my work because the teacher didn’t believe me when I tried to write a novel in grade 1. I’ve been an academic writer for some time because of my professorial career, but when I finally wrote my conversion memoir a few years ago (“Surprised by Oxford”), well, that was a turning point, and I’ve enjoyed writing more specifically as a faith walk, and hopefully as a praise since then.
What are your favorite books and why?
All types of books qualify as favorites for me – I don’t have one particular type. Though I do love many of the classics, and not just because I should. I honestly do find something enduring about them, and an appeal to aspects of our deepest humanity. Jane Eyre, The Brothers Karamazov, The Odyssey, Paradise Lost … they are all electric.
When did you decide to write your memoir, Surprised by Oxford?
Once I was tenured, and it was relatively “safer” to write a spiritual memoir in an academic environment. But by then, the story had percolated long enough too – I had promptings for ages from students and friends. So I finally sat down on my sabbatical and wrote it.
Was it your dream to become a professor or become a writer?
It was always my dream to teach, from as far back as I can remember. And I love to study writers, I love to read. Writing now across many genres, and pushing myself as a writer, has felt like “walking through the looking glass,” so to speak. I now know more intimately what the writers I had studied for so long had to actually go through – from the thrill of inspiration to the icy exposure of criticism.
I enjoyed reading your new book, Holy is the Day? Can you tell us a little bit about how this book came about?
For some time, I had been sitting with the notion of what does it truly mean to be in God’s presence? When I discovered I was pregnant with a surprise baby, and one who potentially faced health problems, the writing process became a sort of prayer process in itself of trusting our God.
You touched a little bit about your leaving teaching? Do you think you will return to teaching English one day? Or do you want to just focus on writing?
I will always be a teacher. I can’t root it out, in spite of me. But for this life season, the writing and the parenting keep me busy enough.
In Surprised by Oxford, it chronicles your life and how you came to know the Lord. Do you find there is a conflict between being a Christian and being a professor?
No conflict exists in the actual teaching itself, or in the reading of books. Those things only facilitate my inner conversation with God, and my outer living of faith. Any serious conflicts, I have found, arise from bureaucracy and the fearful, but that is nothing new.
Do you find Christian writers to be mediocre? If so, why do you think this is the case and how do you think this can be corrected?
I think mediocre writers, like any other profession, exist everywhere. Christian writing can seem particularly beleaguered because there are strains and judgments placed upon it from within the church as well as from without. I know, for instance, that when I went to publish my memoir, some Christian publishers won’t publish profanity, point blank (even if it’s used carefully, not gratuitously). Or they want you to edit out gay people, or drinking. I can understand some concerns but overall this seems ridiculous. Life is where it is lived; Jesus showed us that by his very example among us. But then on the other hand, many secular publishers won’t touch a manuscript which takes Jesus seriously with a ten foot pole. So what is the Christian writer to do? Which God to serve, so to speak? I think this can often stilt or deform even the most well-intentioned writing. If we are each honest and forthright about our own stories before God, then I do believe He will use them where they are most needed.
What are your goals and aspirations as a writer?
I hope to encourage readers in their relationship with God but also let them know it’s okay to ask the big (or little) questions. Our God is not a fragile God. I would like to explore this strength and nuance and presence through many types of genres. The well is bottomless!
Lastly, what advice would you give a novice writer?
Pray. Pray when you pick up the pen, or strike the keyboard. Pray when you write, and edit and slash and cut. Pray when you have gushed out all you have for that day. And pray over the final piece. That what was in you seeking God would find its home in another who also needed it. That your writing would bring peace and praise. And that no other worldly static would interfere with your joy in the word.
Thank you, Carolyn Weber for this wonderful interview. I look forward to reading your next book.
Carolyn Weber is an author, speaker and professor. She has taught literature to undergraduates for 15 years, most recently as associate professor of Romantic Literature at Seattle University. As the Canadian Commonwealth scholar for literature, she completed her M.Phil and Doctoral degrees at Oxford University, and later served as the first female Dean of St. Peter’s College, Oxford.Carolyn lives in London, Ontario Canada with her husband and their 4 children.
True and False Revival by Andrew Strom
Paperback: 132 pages
Publisher: RevivalSchool (September 11, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0979907314
ISBN-13: 978-0979907319
Price: $11.91
Purchase: Amazon
Description:
Andrew Strom is founder of RevivalSchool.com and the international REVIVAL List. He was involved for 11 years in the same Prophetic movement as Todd Bentley and Rick Joyner – until he quit in anguish over the unbiblical and bizarre things going on in that movement. As an insider, Andrew questions a lot of the ‘angels’, the gold dust, and “revivals” like the one in Lakeland. Read the FACTS to find out why. What is real Revival? And how do we tell the true from the false? The answers are found in this provocative book.
Review:
True and False Revival is about learning to discern which is true and which is counterfeit in the Church. Andrew Strom is an insider who knows about the counterfeit and has studied revival extensively. I consider him an expert on true revival.
This book is such an important book, especially for leaders.
Andrew Strom writes in an easy to read format. True and False Revival is a warning to the Church and a call in the wilderness.
We need John the Baptists in the world who will preach on repentance and renewal. There is too much focus on signs and wonders, materialism and secularism in the Church today.
Andrew Strom has a burden for the Church in bringing them back to true revival. This book is an excellent resource on this subject and I highly recommend it.
Andrew Strom is an international writer and speaker, founder of RevivalSchool.com and the international REVIVAL List – and author of ten books including ‘The Sinner’s Prayer – Fact or Fiction?’ Andrew was born Downunder in New Zealand. He has been happily married to his lovely wife Jacqui for 26 years. They have six wonderful children.
Kundalini Warning by Andrew Strom
Paperback: 120 pages
Publisher: RevivalSchool (April 14, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 097990739X
ISBN-13: 978-0979907395
Price: $12.91
Purchase: Amazon
Description:
Written by a genuine “Insider,” this is the true story of one of the most frightening “invasions” in the history of the church – and the fight to keep it out. Andrew Strom has been part of the Charismatic movement for over 25 years – and was deeply involved in the modern “Prophetic” movement for 11 of those years. He is the founder of RevivalSchool.com and the International REVIVAL List. In this book, Strom traces this mass invasion of false spirits back to 1994, and shows how it culminated in the bizarre events surrounding Todd Bentley and the Lakeland revival in 2008. What are ‘Kundalini’ spirits? What are the signs of their presence? And how can such an invasion be turned around? All this and more is discussed in this provocative book. “A ‘MUST READ'” – The Voice Magazine. “The church of Jesus Christ does not realize that it has been infiltrated by demonic forces. Discernment has been lost! A book that is beyond needful.” – Greg Gordon, SermonIndex.
Review:
When I first saw the video above, I knew I needed to read Kundalini Warning by Andrew Strom. I never knew about Andrew Strom before I saw this video. I’m happy to have discovered him.
Kundalini Warning is a must read for every believer, especially in the day and age we are living in. This book will show you the spirit which is invading our Charismatic churches today.
I assure you this book is an eye opener. I completely relate to the content of this book, since I was heavily involved in the new age movement and Hinduism years ago.
Kundalini Warning will not only bring to light on what is happening, but it will also help you not fall into deception.
Just as the title says, it’s a warning that we should be aware of and take heed to.
This book is full of information you will not want to miss. I highly recommend this book.
Andrew Strom is an international writer and speaker, founder of RevivalSchool.com and the international REVIVAL List – and author of ten books including ‘The Sinner’s Prayer – Fact or Fiction?’ Andrew was born Downunder in New Zealand. He has been happily married to his lovely wife Jacqui for 26 years. They have six wonderful children.
When Mountains Move by Julie Cantrell
Paperback: 416 pages
Publisher: David C. Cook (September 1, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0781404258
ISBN-13: 978-0781404259
Price: $14.99
Purchase: Amazon | CBD | BN
Description
It is the spring of 1943. With a wedding and a cross-country move, Millie’s world is about to change forever.
If only her past could change with it.
Soon after the break of day, Bump will become Millie’s husband. And then, if all goes as planned, they will leave the rain-soaked fields of Mississippi and head for the wilds of the Colorado Rockies. As Millie tries to forget a dark secret, she hasn’t yet realized how drastically those past experiences will impact the coming days.
For most of Millie’s life, being free felt about as unlikely as the mountains moving. But she’s about to discover that sometimes in life, we are given second chances, and that the only thing bigger than her past … is her future.
Review
When Mountains Move is the sequel to Julie Cantrell’s debut novel, Into The Free. I absolutely loved Into The Free that I was ecstatic when the sequel arrived.
Julie Cantrell does it again. She does not disappoint. What a beautiful story. I am in love with her writing and characters. Julie Cantrell is a phenomenal writer. I can not say enough about her.
When Mountains Move picks up where Into The Free leaves off, which I was thrilled about. As I wanted to know what was going to happen. I was left with an expectation with Into The Free that needed to be satiated.
When Mountains Move does that and more.
I don’t want to spoil it for you by giving anything away. This is the kind of book you must read for yourself. But please, do read Into The Free first.
Julie Cantrell has become one of my favorite fiction authors. I can’t wait for her next book.
In conclusion, I want to thank Wynn-Wynn Media and David C. Cooke for the complimentary advanced copy of this amazing book.
Julie Cantrell is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Into the Free, which won Christy Awards for Best Debut Novel and for Book of the Year 2013 as well as the Fiction Award from the Mississippi Library Association. Cantrell has served as editor-in-chief of the Southern Literary Review and is a recipient of the Mississippi Arts Commission Literary Fellowship. She and her family live in Mississippi, where they operate Valley House Farm. Her new novel, When Mountains Move, is the sequel to Into the Free.
Holy Is The Day by Carolyn Weber
Paperback: 192 pages
Publisher: IVP Books (October 6, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0830843078
ISBN-13: 978-0830843077
Price: $12.00
Purchase: Amazon| BN | CBD
Description
Life pulls us in many directions, sometimes even to the point of pulling our souls apart. We know rest and reflection are necessary for a healthy life—even Jesus took time to get away from the crowds, away from the demands of everyday life, to pray, to spend time with close friends, to sleep.
But when Carolyn Weber—emotionally and physically exhausted from managing her career as a college professor, writing her first book and parenting three children under the age of three—hears this truth from a friend, all she can think is: but who will do everything if I don’t?
And this sets her on a journey to find the still, small space in each day.
In these pages Carolyn reflects on the eternal beauty that lurks within the present. Drawing from literature, history and everyday life, Holy Is the Day is a collection of spiritual reflections that trace the way God’s ever-renewing grace is a gift of the present. Opening it we find poignant stories of endurance, humility, compassion, remembrance and gratitude, as well a harrowing account of near-death experience.
Carolyn gives us new eyes to receive the precious gift of the present and give it away to others.
Review
In January of 2012, I reviewed Carolyn Weber’s award-winning memoir, Surprised by Oxford. This book spoke to me on so many levels.
Surprised by Oxford is one of my most favorite memoirs.
When I was asked by Intervarsity Press to review Holy Is The Day, I was more than excited, I was ecstatic.
Holy Is The Day is absolutely breathtaking. Carolyn Weber writes exquisite. She is a master wordsmith. Her writing reminds me of C.S. Lewis and Frederick Buechner, both of whom are my favorite authors. Carolyn Weber is in a lane by herself as her words are poetic and meaningful.
She writes so beautifully, that I am committed to reading everything she writes until the day I die. I know this sounds dramatic, but I am telling the truth. I do not want to miss out on anything she writes.
Holy Is The Day is written as a meditation. Carolyn Weber shares her personal experiences, weaving stories from Scripture. Her spiritual reflections are breathtaking and powerful.
Lately, the theme has been to live in the moment, Holy Is The Day is timely to say the least.
I was blessed to have received a complimentary advanced copy from Intervarsity Press for which I am grateful.
I highly recommend Holy Is The Day; it is beautiful beyond words.
Carolyn Weber is an author, speaker and professor. She has taught literature to undergraduates for 15 years, most recently as associate professor of Romantic Literature at Seattle University. As the Canadian Commonwealth scholar for literature, she completed her M.Phil and Doctoral degrees at Oxford University, and later served as the first female Dean of St. Peter’s College, Oxford.
Carolyn lives in London, Ontario Canada with her husband and their 4 children.
Start by Jon Acuff
Hardcover: 288 pages
Publisher: Thomas Nelson (April 23, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1937077594
ISBN-13: 978-1937077594
Price: $22.99
Purchase: Amazon | BN
Description
Wall Street Journal best-selling author Jon Acuff reveals the steps to getting unstuck and back onto the path of being awesome. Over the last 100 years, the road to success for most everyone has been divided into predictable stages. But three things have changed the path to success: Boomers are realizing that a lot of the things they were promised aren’t going to materialize, and they have started second and third careers. Technology has given access to an unprecedented number of people who are building online empires and changing their lives and changing their lives that would have been impossible years ago. The days of “success first, significance later,” have ended. While none of the stages can be skipped, they can be shortened and accelerated. There are only two paths in life: average and awesome. The average path is easy because all you have to do is nothing. The awesome path is more challenging, because things like fear only bother you when you do work that matters. The good news is Start gives readers practical, actionable insights to be more awesome, more often.
Review
I read Quitter, I went to the Quitter Conference and now I’ve had the sincere pleasure of reading Start.
I enjoy Jon Acuff’s voice. He has an impeccable sense of humor. This man makes me laugh harder than anyone. He also makes me cry. He is wise, compassionate and brilliant.
I wish I can carry a miniature Jon Acuff on my shoulder every day. He is the greatest encourager and motivator out there.
He doesn’t share what he hasn’t gone through. He is transparent with his struggles and the mistakes he’s made. He writes what has helped him go from Point A to Point B. He is generous with advice and doesn’t hold anything back.
His passion is helping others reach their dreams without destroying their lives. How can you not love this guy?
Start is the kind of book you will want to keep reading and not put down. It is full of wisdom, humor, inspiration, encouragement and motivation.
Why settle for ordinary, when you can be awesome. Jon Acuff tells you how to do it in, Start.
I loved Quitter and Start even more. I believe you will too.
Jon Acuff used to be a Serial Quitter. He had eight jobs in eight years, constantly hoping the next one would be different. From writing advertising for The Home Depot to branding for companies like Bose and Staples, he’s no stranger to the cubicle.
In 2010, Jon closed the gap between his day job and his dream job when he joined the Dave Ramsey team to become a full-time author. He has contributed to CNN.com, speaks nationally on a variety of subjects, and is the author of three books: Quitter; Gazelles, Baby Steps And 37 Other Things Dave Ramsey Taught Me About Debt; and Stuff Christians Like.
He lives in Nashville, TN, with his wife and two daughters.
Never Say Never by Victoria Christopher Murray
Paperback: 400 pages
Publisher: Touchstone; Original edition (June 4, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1451695772
ISBN-13: 978-1451695779
Price: $15.00
Purchase: Amazon | BN
Description
In this emotionally charged and inspiring novel about a love triangle, secrets between best friends threaten to blow up friendships and a marriage and change lives forever.
When Miriam’s fireman husband, Chauncey, dies while rescuing students from a school fire, Miriam feels like her life is over. How is she going to raise her three children all by herself? How will she survive without the love of her life? Luckily, Miriam’s sister-friend Emily and Emily’s husband, Jamal, are there to comfort her. Jamal and Chauncey grew up together and were best friends; Jamal and Emily know they will do all they can to support Miriam through her grief.
Jamal steps in and helps Miriam with the funeral arrangements and with her children, plus he gives her hope that she has a future. But all the time that they spend together—grieving, sharing, and reminiscing—brings the two closer in ways they never planned. . . .
Review
There is one word to describe Never Say Never, scandalous.
Victoria Christopher Murray does it again by this cleverly written novel.
Never Say Never is heart wrenching on many levels. I had trouble reading this book because it was so realistic and emotionally challenging.
Victoria Christopher Murray is a masterful writer and storyteller, she lures you in at page one.
I do not want to get into the specifics of Never Say Never, because I do not want to spoil it for you.
But if you want to go on the ride of your life, I highly recommend reading Never Say Never. You won’t be able to put this book down.
Personal Disclaimer: For mature audiences only.
Victoria Christopher Murray is the author of ten Essence bestselling novels, including Too Little, Too Late and Lady Jasmine. Her most recent novel, Destiny’s Divas, was nominated for an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work (Fiction). Winner of the African American Literary Award for Fiction and Author of the Year, she splits her name between Los Angeles and Washington, D.C.
The In-Between by Jeff Goins
Paperback: 176 pages
Publisher: Moody Publishers; New Edition edition (July 23, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0802407242
ISBN-13: 978-0802407245
Price: $13.99
Purchase: Amazon | BN | CBD
Description
We’re an “instant gratification” generation, but the trouble is, most change happens gradually.
Most of us spend our lives searching and longing for something more than what is in front of us. Whether it’s traveling abroad or chasing cheap (or expensive) thrills, we’re all looking for medicine to satisfy our restlessness. And, so often, we’re looking in the wrong place.
The In-Between is a call to accept the importance that waiting plays in our lives. Can we embrace the extraordinary nature of the ordinary and enjoy the daily mundane-what lies in between the “major” moments?
Moments of breakthrough are not where life’s greatest transformation happens; the stuff that God uses to shape us often lies in the in-between. It’s the bus stops and layovers and DMV lines and moments of unintentional pause that force us to become better people.
That’s not to say there aren’t moments of epiphany. There are. It’s just that most of us find ourselves living somewhere in the in-between. Learning to live in this tension, to be content in these moments of waiting, may be our greatest struggle-and our greatest opportunity to grow.
Review
As promised, here is my review for the amazing book, The In-Between by the talented and prolific writer, Jeff Goins.
Can I keep it real with you? This guy just rocks it, from his outstanding blog, to his TribeWriter’s course, to his amazing books and more. I just can’t get enough of his writing.
Jeff Goins writing is like eating my favorite ice cream. It’s delicious.
His book, The In-Between was timely for me. The premise of chasing after the next big thing resonates with me. I struggle with restlessness. I’m always on the move, waiting for the next big thing to happen in my life. Something that will make me feel alive and take my breath away.
Reading The In-Between really made me think about my life. Here I am chasing after stuff and I’m missing all that is happening in the moment.
I don’t know about you, but waiting is not my forte. My husband will tell you, I’m always busy and in a hurry. I have no patience when it comes to waiting or being still. Honestly, I have no patience at all.
I’m always on the go, running around and never stopping. According to what I read and learned in The In-Between, I’m losing out on valuable moments in the here and now. Moments I’ll never get back.
The stories Jeff Goins intimately shares in The In-Between is beautiful, emotional and romantic. I know, I never use that word, romantic. This book really touched me in more ways than one.
I also got to learn more about Jeff Goins in this book which is a real treat. He has a lot of depth and wisdom. I appreciated him before, but after reading The In-Between, I appreciate him even more now.
Honestly, I can continue giving accolades, but I would rather you read and experience The In-Between for yourself.
I absolutely love this book and highly recommend it.
Wrestling With The In-Between
I am reading this book which is really provoking me. I’m sure you all heard me speak of Jeff Goins. Well, I am reading an advanced copy of his new book called, The In-Between, which is coming out on August 1st.
I just started reading it and can’t put it down. I absolutely love the way Jeff Goins writes. He is never boring. He also exudes wisdom in his writing. He’s an old soul. I also find myself relating to much of what he writes. I’m not going to give it all away because I want you to read and experience it for yourself. I will also be posting a review when I am done.
He is really making me think. The kind of deep, looking at yourself kind of thinking. I find myself stopping, remembering, and making connections in my own life. This is the reason why I follow his blog because not only is it good writing, but he really makes you think and gives you meat to chew on. I aspire to write like him.
I know, I know, I am not really comparing myself to him although I can’t help but admit I truly wish I can write like he does. But then, I wouldn’t be myself, right?
I go through a liturgy within myself of all the reasons why no one would like my writing. Why would anyone bother reading what I write? There are people like Jeff Goins, Chris Brogan, Seth Godin, Steven Pressfield, and Andi Cumbo. I mean, who in the world wants to read what I have to say?
Which is why I totally feel dejected and rejected when someone unfollows or unfriends me. I get repulsed with myself in the sense that I’m being totally self-absorbed and pathetic.
Why do I want to matter so much? Why do I want everyone in the world to like and accept me? What is this thing inside of me that wants me to be like everyone else instead of being myself, being happy with myself and that being good enough?
I mean, for goodness sake, I’m going to be 47 years old. You would think I would grow up already and display some sort of maturity here? I feel like I’m still stuck in high school, trying to be accepted by my peers. To be in the “in” group and part of the cool clique. I believe this may even be called narcissism.
I wrestle within myself; one part of me says, Who cares what people think about you, your writing, or what you have to say? The next minute I’m licking my wounds from someone unfollowing me because they didn’t like what I had to say.
Jeff Goins says, You don’t write for other people; you write for yourself. You don’t write for accolades; you write because you have to. You see? He’s so smart.
In his book, The In-Between, he discusses writing as a calling. I’m trying to figure out if writing is my calling or not. With so many talented writers out there, where do I fit in?
I don’t have the answer, but despite the resistance to write and publish, I will continue… as hard as it is for me… I will try to be brave and courageous as those I mentioned above and not give up.
What about you? Do you go through this as a writer? How do you battle the resistance and the incessant negative voices?
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