And now, an interview:
Is there anything that you would
like to tell us about yourself?
I’ve
spent three years in federal prison and consider myself to be the
luckiest man in the world. If God can turn someone like me around, he
can turn anyone around. I’m a living and breathing example of what
can happen when you take the gifts God has given you and use them for
your own purpose instead of for his glory. At the same time, I’m
also an example of his incredible grace and forgiveness.
Have
you always wanted to write, or is it a more recent thing?
I’ve
enjoyed writing since I was a little kid, but never really put much
time into writing until I did the original draft of The
Reason.
Could you tell us a
bit about your reasons behind writing The Reason?
I
was inspired to write this story in early 2004, which on the surface
was a pretty difficult time in my life. I had just gone through a
divorce and was in the middle of activities that were hurting a lot
of good people. Those activities would ultimately lead me to federal
prison.
I
clearly remember walking down a hallway at a hospital in Detroit. I
was there to visit my oldest daughter who had just been diagnosed
with type 1 diabetes. At the time, I guess it would be safe to say I
was pretty much drowning in my own pity party when I came across a
young couple, probably in their late twenties, pulling their son in a
little red wagon. The little boy was probably around three years
old, hairless, frail, and he had a gray and ashen look that suggested
the end was probably near. For me, it was one of those rare moments
in life when you realize that your problems aren’t as bad as you
think, and while I was trying to fathom the amount of stress this
family was going through, this little boy looked up and smiled at his
parents and they smiled back. It was one of the most beautiful
exchanges I had ever seen, and something inside of me wanted to find
a way to make those smiles last, because in so many cases,
particularly in cases like that, they don’t.
So
over the next couple of years, as I continued to head down the wrong
road in life, and continued to hurt everyone around me, I somehow, in
the middle of all that destruction, I wrote a manuscript about a
magical character who appears at a small Michigan hospital that has
the ability to make smiles last.
At
the end of 2007, I entered federal prison and the story got scrapped.
Prison is one of those experiences I wouldn’t wish on my worst
enemy, but at the same time, there are few things for which I would
trade the experience, because from a spiritual standpoint, it gave me
the opportunity to slow down and realize what is important. As my
faith grew, I became increasingly anxious to share some of the things
I learned involving faith, grace, forgiveness, and realizing that the
world doesn’t revolve around me. At the same time, I didn’t want
to come across as some jailhouse lunatic, so I figured my best way to
share these lessons was to go back to my manuscript and rewrite it in
a way that was a lot less “magical” and a lot more “spiritual.”
Do
you have any plans to write another novel?
My
next book, The
Sinners’ Garden,
will be out on December 17th,
2013. We have received amazing feedback from early readers and I’m
excited for it to hit the stores.
Now, I know your
publishing story, and I have to say that it is amazing, but some of
my readers may not. Could you tell us about it?
Whenever
I think about this, I shake my head. God has been too good to me. I’m
fortunate to have missed the need to hunt for an agent or ever submit
my manuscript to a traditional publisher, yet I still ended up
working with the biggest Christian publisher in the world.
We
had originally planned on self-publishing The
Reason,
and a few months before the self-published version of the book was
going to be released, we were comfortable with the story and decided
to print 100 advance copies to create a little buzz. I then contacted
some of the biggest churches in the country and asked if they had any
avid readers who would be interested in reading an advance copy of
the book and then maybe provide me with feedback. Once I had
permission, I included a letter with each copy sent. In the letter, I
introduced myself and provided my phone number and email address, and
also mentioned I would greatly appreciate it if the reader would let
me know what they thought.
I
didn’t hear anything for a month or so, and I was expecting, at
tops, maybe a half a dozen responses. Beyond getting any general
feedback, I also wanted to identify recurring themes or concerns
readers had so that I could make revisions before the final version
of the book was released.
Then
I received my first email from a woman out west that said she enjoyed
the book and couldn’t wait for it to come out. It was an awesome
feeling. And then I received a phone call from a woman that ran a
church bookstore, wanting to know how they could buy it. Before I
knew it, we had around 250 responses from men, women, teenagers, and
ministers, sharing how the book affected them in ways that I couldn’t
believe, and these responses were so heartwarming that they literally
changed the reason I want to continue to write.
Fortunately,
one of those advance copies we made ended up on the desk of a
receptionist at Thomas Nelson, and it was her response to the book
that resulted in it being passed on to their fiction team. Just
before we were to release the self-published version of The
Reason,
Thomas Nelson picked up the title along with a request for me to
write two additional titles. Once again, God has been quite good to
me, and I couldn’t be more thankful.
Your novel, The Reason,
has a number of characters. Is there any one that you most sympathize
with?
I
would have to say Dr. Zach Norman. He reminds me quite a bit of the
way someone I know very well used to be. Money and possessions can
serve as some people’s God, which leaves very little for the real
God.
What was the most
difficult part of actually writing The Reason?
Forgiveness
is something that I have received more of than I truly deserve.
Forgiveness plays a huge role in all of our lives on earth, whether
it be giving it to someone or receiving it from someone. With that
said, the most difficult scenes for me to write were Zach Norman in
the cemetery and Carla under the bridge. These scenes reminded me of
the only real forgiveness any of us ever need, and I found myself
wiping tears off my cheeks while writing both of these scenes.
In
addition, it was also difficult writing the scenes involving Brooke
and Alex. I believe that the bond between a mother and a child is
much different than that of a father and child. I had a lot of help
capturing the emotions a mother would have when she finds out her
child has a serious illness. I’m very pleased with the way these
scenes turned out and I’m truly grateful for exceptional editors.
Here
on Backing Books, every Wednesday we have a Writing Tip. Do you have
any tips or tricks to share with us?
I’m
sure you’ve heard it before, but the best advice anyone can give
about getting better at writing is to write a lot and read a lot.
Also read before you write, as it greases the wheels and gets you in
the mood. When you have writer’s block, write about your writer’s
block. Just like anything, the more you practice, the better you will
get. I
haven’t taken any writing classes, gone to conferences or worked
with writers groups, but I do have a group of reader friends I show
my work to that I trust to tell me what I need to hear, instead of
what I want to hear. Also, if you are writing fiction, try writing
your ending first, that way your characters have targets to hit.
Before you know it, they will be telling you what to do.
Is there a Bible
verse that inspires you?
I
have two. 1 Timothy 1:15 and the 23rd
Psalm. In Timothy, Paul is basically telling us he is the worst
sinner in the world, but it’s okay … because he is forgiven and
SOMEBODY has his back. No sinner is beyond that somebody’s saving
power, and I think we know who that is.
In
the 23rd
Psalm, really what David is saying is that despite being the richest
and best looking guy in the history of the planet … nothing matters
more than him being comfortable with God managing his life. Once we
put God at the center of everything, it’s amazing how the rest of
puzzle pieces all come together.
And finally, my
favorite question for every author: Is there anything that occurs in
your novel that has happened to you in real life?
Zach
Norman turning his life over to God. He busted out of a routine of
selfishness and
is also a recovering control freak, much like the guy that created
him.
Are there anyways for
readers to learn more about you and your book?
I
love to hear from readers and they can find me at WilliamSirls.com,
on Facebook (William Sirls) and on Twitter @williamsirls
Description: Summer
1886
Author Bio: Amber
Stokes has a Bachelor of Science degree in English and a passion for
the written word - from blogging to writing poetry, short stories,
and novels. After her brief time at college in Oregon, she is now
back home among the redwoods of Northern California, living life one
day at a time and pursuing her passion via freelance
editing
and self-publishing her debut novel, Bleeding
Heart.
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