Interview with Debut Author, Justin Price, Author of The Beginning of the End (The Called, Book 1)

I first came across Justin Price through Twitter where he was advertising his debut novel, The Called. I contacted him asking for more information. I liked what he had to say about this book. I offered to review it once released. My review can be found here. I like to support and encourage new authors so this interview is a fitting part of encouraging him and promoting this book. 

I was totally enthralled in The Called. I am looking forward to the rest of this series. Justin has stated that he is very excited about the next instalment which will be released in the Spring of 2015. 

Please read on and check out this new promising author.

The Called

The Called is an action packed apocalyptic sci-fi thriller. In a world where all religion has been purged from society, a remnant of individuals is called out for the purpose of withstanding the evil that has emerged onto the world scene. The World Council takes steps to snuff out the pockets of believers who will not swear their allegiance to Samyaza al Assad, the Syrian leader of the new world government. Advanced technology causes untold chaos as the battle between good and evil spills out onto earth.

Author Bio

Justin Price is a Christian author and speaker. He resides in Illinois with his wife and two daughters. His desire is to see believers live their lives to the potential that God had intended for them and to influence the culture for Christ in new ways. His debut novel, The Called, was released on Amazon on November 27th, 2014. 

Tell us a little about yourself, your work and how you got into writing.

I am in my late 20’s. I grew up in church and was saved and baptized at a young age. I began preaching and speaking around the age of 14 until I was 16. I strayed from God for a few years until God swooped in and picked me up again. I was never really sure out of high school and college what I wanted to do with my life. As a result, I have worked several different types of jobs, but never really found fulfillment in any of them. My wife and I went away to Nashville, TN on our fourth anniversary in April 2014. It was then that I decided to make the leap and get into writing, which I had wanted to do for years, but just never took the time to realize that dream. 

How do you come up with the character names in your books?

That method varies. Sometimes, it is based on people that I know personally. Other characters have names that mean something specific to the story or character of that person. Take Samyaza in The Called for instance. That may sound like an odd name, but look it up on google and see what results you get.

Have you ever written yourself or people you know as a character in one of your books?

So far, I haven’t written myself or anyone I know as a character, but there are certain aspects of some of my characters that I have gleaned from myself or
relationships with friends or family.

What type of research did you do for this book?

I did research on technological trends and where we are expected to be one hundred years in the future. I did some research on post traumatic stress disorder and aftereffects of witnessing violent crimes.

Why did you choose the world leader/antichrist to be Syrian?

The bible refers to him as the Assyrian. There are some differences on whether that is actually talking about the antichrist or not. I tend to lean that direction but Samyaza al Assad is also of European descent as well and he even has blue eyes. In our eclectic society, with the world increasingly becoming a melting pot, I wanted to include both possibilities in his background.

How did you decide what to include in the speech by Cain to the World Council of Nations? That seemed very well thought out and professional, almost as if it was written by a political speech writer. 

I am really into keeping up with politics and I have always enjoyed history. I think that I have just heard so many speeches that it came naturally without much forethought.

You write well and others on Twitter have stated this as well. Have you always been proficient with the English language or did you have any coaching as you developed this novel?

Oddly enough, English was my least favorite subject in school. Once we got into literature classes, I became very interested. I've also been a public speaker; preaching and teaching for over a decade. I think it has just naturally developed. Grammar check and being friends with the local librarian is a great help also. 

Where did the idea for an apocalyptic, sci-fi, eschatological topic come from? Sounds very ambitious for a new author and one I must say that you deliver very well.  

I have always had an interest in eschatology and I basically grew up reading the Left Behind series. I also enjoy a good sci-fi story. It's hard to pinpoint the moment that I decided that this was the type of story I wanted to go with. I did pray about what to write and I just started writing. The story quickly took shape and I knew where I wanted to go with this. Not only with the first book, but for the entire series.  

What question or theme/message did you want to communicate?

My main purpose is to communicate that there is a God who cares for your struggles and your pain. He is a loving God who pursues His creation fervently through His Spirit. I want to communicate that when Christianity is really stripped down to it's bare bones, it is really about a simple love for God and a decision to follow him on this adventure of life.

What do you do when you are not writing?

When I am not writing, I am spending time with my family or working my day job as a service technician for a propane company.

Is anything in your book based on real life experiences or purely all imagination? 

It is really a mixture of both. I approached my first book purely from my imagination, but as I read through what I have written, I can see many experiences that relate to things that I have felt or experienced in my own life. In fact, it is my hope that people see a little bit of themselves in each character. 

What is the best piece of advice you ever received from another author?

I think that the most simple, yet resounding piece of advice I have ever received has come from a few authors. “Never give up.” It can be a difficult profession to be in like any other job in arts or entertainment until you catch a break. It can feel like all the hours spent writing and promoting your work isn’t worth it, but anything worth having is going to be work. That is a perspective that needs to keep echoing in my mind as I press forward as a writer.

Do you have any advice for other writers?

Don’t give up. Keep pressing forward, change if necessary, and do everything with the potential readers in mind. See your craft as an art form where you can express yourself before you see it as a job.

Who are you reading right now?

A.D. 30 by Ted Dekker.

What’s next, do you already have a new project in the works?

I am in the beginning stages of planning the sequel to The Called, which I plan on releasing in Spring of 2015. 

Do you ever suffer from writer’s block? If so, what do you do about it?

I have suffered from writer’s block, but not for prolonged periods. There are days when the words flow like a river, but sometimes I have to be happy with a couple of paragraphs. I just take a break for a day and start back in at a later time. By then, the block has been cleared. 

What tools have you found most successful in advertising/marketing yourself and your books?

Social media; especially Twitter. Limited time sales of the book also helps to gain visibility among the many books on Amazon.

Did any specific author(s) motivate you to begin writing?

There are so many authors that motivated, inspired, or influenced me in some way. Ted Dekker, Frank Peretti, Tim LaHaye, and Jerry B. Jenkins. Even authors such as Stephen King had an early influence on my style. 

Where can readers find you?

Readers can follow me on Twitter at @JRPrice86. 

They can also keep up with my blog at http://kingdomwordsbyjustinprice.blogspot.com 

or find my first book on Amazon at