Interview with Novelist, Barry Napier, and His New Release, As Far Away As Possible.

 I interviewed Barry Napier on 06/05/19 in another blog, now defunct. 

Today, I am interviewing Christian novelist, Barry Napier. I was introduced to Barry when he requested I review his novel, Bound (demon possession, deliverance and spirtual warfare). That was a great novel. 

His new novel, As Far Away As Possible has just been released and I am pleased to interview him here to talk about him as an author and his new novel.

So grab a coffee, sit back and let Barry tell you about his writing and his new novel.

Welcome, Barry, thanks for stopping by!

How about we start with you telling us what inspired you to become an author? Has it always been a desire of yours to write?

Thanks for inviting me here, Peter!

I’ve known I wanted to write as early as the age of 12. I spent my younger years reading these small folk tale sort of books at my grandmother’s house, which led me to reading spookier campfire tales and local legends. Somehow, that led to me purchasing a used copy of Stephen King’s Eyes of the Dragon when I was in fourth grade. Halfway through that book, I knew I wanted to be a writer. It was the first book I’d ever read hat made me feel grown up, and not just because it was more of an adult sort of book. It felt more important and solid than anything else I’d read. But I didn’t start really thinking about being a writer until I read some of King’s short stories. I became obsessed with the idea of writing expansive stories in such a small form. So I started writing. I got my first rejection letter when I was fifteen or sixteen. It was from Eldritch Tales. And even though it was a rejection, it was a very happy day. It was proof that I had written this thing, and that someone that knew a great deal about writing had read it and taken the time to sign a form letter and drop it in the mail to me. So I just kept writing and writing. And here we are today... 

You’re currently promoting your new novel, As Far Away As Possible. Can you tell us what it’s about?

To give something a little different from what you can read on the back cover, it’s about a stubborn online journalist that sets out to debunk a miracle-working preacher but ends up chasing after something of supernatural origins that slowly starts to skew the way he looks at the world. Part supernatural thriller and part slow-burn drama, it’s a story that brings us face to face with the difference between belief and faith. And there’s some very fun cat-and-mouse sort of moments in there as well.

 

What inspired you to write As Far Away as Possible?

Having been a non-believer for the first 27 years of my life, I know all of the questions used to mock Christianity. One of them, obviously, is where are all of the miracles? We read about countless miraculous encounters with God and His power in the Bible, so where are they today? Honestly, it’s a question that I think a lot of believers still struggle with, too. So I wanted to answer that question with speculative fiction...but in a way that wasn’t guided by a blatant (albeit fictitious) miracle. I wanted to use the supernatural, but not in a way that was a copout in explaining how God can indeed work miracles through His people. This is one of those stories where the slightest of details can spoil almost the entire thing, so I have to be careful about what I say in terms of what the book is about. But I wanted to address that above question and along the way, I realized it was leaning towards another topic that is often mocked by unbelievers and even stepped around by Christ followers. I can’t tell what that topic is without spoiling the book, but it is closely linked with miracles and a sort of divine power that I think many of us either ignore or gloss over because we don’t fully understand it.

 

Do you think there is anything significantly different about Christian Fiction, as opposed to non-Christian Fiction?

I think the audience makes it different. It’s an audience that you have to keep in mind while writing. While I know the majority of my readers won’t get upset or fear they are going to Hell if I use some profanity, I still have to write under the assumption that a more conservative Christian might read the work. I also think that Christian fiction—or any kind of art that has the term “Christian” attached to it—is automatically entering the world at something of a disadvantage.

 

I have never liked the word “Christian” added to anything, be it books or music or whatever. Sure, for some, art it is a given. Steven Curtis Chapman is certainly Christian music. But for art that isn’t overtly Christian, I think the term is a hindrance.

 

Does As Far Away as Possible contain a fairly clear Christian message?

Absolutely. But is it so subjectively Christian in scope that the story would be ruined if all Christian elements were taken out of it? No, not at all. So while I understand that labelling it as “Christian” for the sake of categorical purposes on Amazon and in bookstores is a necessity, I also think it’s unnecessary in terms of labelling it in terms of genre.

 

What advantages or challenges does a writer in your genre face in today’s fiction market?

I mentioned some of it above. But—and I may upset some people with this answer—I feel that a lot of today’s Christian art hurts a lot of up and coming writers, musicians, and other artists. Secular consumers see Christian media as cheesy and watered down...and rightfully so. I think the challenges writers of Christian fiction face today is to write truthfully while proving to secular consumers that it’s not all glory, glory and hallelujahs and stories where grace saves the day in a methodically scripted and non-

confrontational way.

 

But on the flip side, as Christians, we also need to convey the story and give credit where it is due—credit to grace and Christ and redemption. Sometimes, it truly can feel like a chess match. It’s actually something I cover a bit in As Far Away as Possible.

 

When writing, how do you keep track of timelines, ideas, inspiration and such? By notes on the computer, a notebook perhaps?

I do. It’s usually just on a plain old notebook, but I sometimes use Google Docs just for easier access.

 

Do you prefer to extensively plot your stories (plotter), or do you write them as they come to you (pantser)?

A bit of both, actually. I put on the Plotter hat when it comes to outlines and most character descriptions and backgrounds. But once the outline is put together, the vast majority of what comes next is very much from my Pantser side. When I go back through for final draft work, the Plotter comes back out, making sure the Pantser has kept something of an eye for detail and didn’t ruin the whole thing.

 

What kind of reaction are you hoping to receive from readers?

The easy answer is I just hope readers enjoy it. The deeper answer is that I hope it makes people think...not just about preconceptions of old Biblical views, but about what Christian entertainment can be. The story always comes first for me. If a believer reads it and feels that I maybe crossed a few lines and they feel uncomfortable, I wouldn’t be upset. On the other hand, if it can stir some conversations about faith and pre-conceived notions about Christ followers among a non-Christian crowd, that, to me, is a bigger win.

 

What was the hardest part of writing your novel?

It’s very important to me to write this sort of fiction without causing non-believers to roll their eyes and walk away. I have read far too much Christian fiction that was just a cheap attempt to hammer the gospel over the heads of non-believers. So for me, as I said above, the story has to come first. Sure, I’ll start with a topic I want to address or maybe even some theological question or truth that I think could translate well to speculative fiction. But the story is the most important thing to me...not making sure I have efficiently bludgeoned the reader with scripture or cheesy and overdone Christian sentiments. It’s a difficult balance to maintain, really. For instance, while there might not be a fundamentally clear picture of the gospel message in As Far Away as Possible, it does deal with some heavy-handed theological issues. And I don’t approach that from the standpoint of thinking non-believers are wrong. I approach it in a way that I hope might draw the attention of non-believers to Christ. But as a story-teller, the most important thing is trying to write a story that is entertaining to everyone—believer and non-believer alike—even if the Christian elements weren’t enough to push a non-believer along on their spiritual journey.

 

How has writing and being an author impacted your relationship with Jesus Christ or vice versa?

It has transformed my writing completely. My first published novel was grim and dark...mainly for the sake of being grim and dark. Don’t get me wrong...it still holds a special place in my heart, but the person that wrote it was selfish, a little on the morbid side, and lacking any sort of clear spiritual guidance. (It also shows signs of a writer that had not yet learned the craft, but that’s another topic altogether).

 

When I gave my life to Christ, I felt Him asking me for my gifts and talents almost right away. I had no idea what that looked like at first but slowly came to understand. It did not mean that I had to give up horror or the darker side of story-telling. In fact, I am coming to understand more and more how horror and the supernatural are amazing vehicles to share the gospel and tell redemptive stories.

 

Sure, age and experience and practice have all played a part in getting me to where I am today, but I do feel that when I was able to submit my writing under His authority, something sort of shifted. I honestly can’t quite explain what it was. The best I can come up with is that I no longer am only writing to maybe cause the reader to get a little spooked or to read the book on the edge of their seats, but also to bring an element of faith into the mix. The trick, of course, is not forcing it in, making sure it is a natural and accommodating part of the story.

 

Do you have a favorite genre? Is it the same genre you prefer to write?

For the longest time, I was a horror traditionalist. It was just about the only thing I read. But somewhere in my late twenties, I started reading dark detective novels...the gritty sort of sludgy detective thrillers. Anything with a good twist is always appreciated as well.

 

In terms of my writing, I do find horror seeping back in from time to time. But it’s sort of morphed into more of a supernatural thriller sort of feel. Don’t get me wrong...I still enjoy sneaking in a creepy scene here or there, but the core of most of my writing these days is more along the lines of thrillers or paranormal mystery.

 

What do readers have to look forward to in the future from you?

I have currently started to re-release an older supernatural thriller series, featuring the character of Cooper M. Reid. The first two books, Dark Water and Rival Blood, are currently available, with Book 3 coming later this year, and Book 4 due sometime by the end of 2019 or early 2020. I am currently in talks about having a strange little Middle-Grade book published but nothing has been signed. I also have a few other books in the works, but none in the finished stages just yet.

 

Your readers can keep in touch with you on the following social media platforms:

Twitter    Facebook   Instagram

 

Barry, thank you! I love interviewing authors about their novels. I feel that the more the reader knows about the backstory of the novel, the more they will enjoy reading it and be influenced by it positively. Knowing how an author thinks and how they craft their novels, also adds to the appreciation of the novel and keeps the reader loyal to the genre and the author.

I look forward to having you as my guest in the future with your next novel. 

If any reader would like to read an excerpt or buy As Far Away As Possible, click on the image below. 

Readers and reviews are an author’s best asset, so I encourage any reader, to consider reading As Far Away As Possible and submit a review on Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest (or any other social media you subscribe to).

Reviews help promote an author’s novel to potential readers and encourage the author to keep writing. Reviews also help get the author’s message (and God’s message) to the reader, whether Christian or not, who may need encouragement and support in their lives while being entertained by the story.

Please note: As an Amazon Associate, I am required to disclose that book cover images or titles of novels in this post are paid links if they are linked to Amazon and result in a sale.

Author Interview: Christopher Weeks and His Debut Novel, 2085: The Rise & Fall of The Sisters (The Drone Chronicles Book 1).

 I interviewed Pastor Christopher Weeks on 19/05/19 in another blog, now defunct.

Today, I have Pastor Christopher Weeks as my guest. He has written a novel, 2085: The Rise and Fall of the Sisters and I am interviewing him about this. This novel describes a dark topic and may become controversial in its themes, that of a society where women rule as matriarchy and men are the weaker sex and those who fail to comply with The Sisters’ draconian laws are sent to labor in the factories as muted drones; drugged cogs in a heartless nation’s machine. 

I have read many novels from Pastors and I find that they offer a unique perspective that is based on their pastoral experience. Many times I have read a novel and thought, is this author a Pastor? And every time, it turns out they are! 

So sit back and let Christopher Weeks tell you about his journey to being a published author and how 2085: The Rise and Fall of the Sisters came about.

Hi Christopher, thanks for stopping by! How about we start with you telling us a little about yourself?

I am a 52-year-old pastor who feels like I am still 21 years young. I love Jesus, I owe him everything, but it took me a while to come to that realization. At the age of 23, I was working in downtown Cleveland, Ohio as a salesman for Honeywell when God decided to turn my life upside down. At the time I was still playing some rugby, drinking beer quite a bit, and I took my relational cues from Tom Cruise and his movie roles, so yes, I would sing “You Lost that Loving Feeling” to pretty girls in bars to try to impress them. Sad, I know.

But God had other plans, and I am sure he was tired of watching me embarrass myself. One day, my dad, who is my hero, lost his lucrative job. He just bought a large house with a huge mortgage and a month later he no longer had any income. It upset my mom terribly, she wondered why God would allow that to happen to us. I will never forget the night my dad had my mom and I sit down at the kitchen table and look into Scripture to try to understand God and his ways. All three of us came to realize that Jesus’ horrible death on the cross was not just a real event in real history, but it was a personal invitation for each of us to come and love his Father, God the Creator.

And so I believed the simple Gospel, which has completely changed my life forever.

It set me on a course to try to use my life in faithful service to Jesus.  I was soon accepted in the master’s program at Moody Bible Institute, which is where I met my wife Michelle. After two years of study, I taught the Bible and Christian Ethics and Morality for a year in the former Soviet Union, and when we came home I was asked to be a youth pastor in a rural country church in Western Michigan apple country where I eventually became lead pastor. I really did not know what it meant to be a pastor, and I still don’t, which is why it is a miracle that the people at my church still keep me around.

I have been at this church for 23 years now, and I have seen God work. In that time God has blessed me with four fascinating children, who are mostly grown up now, and an Australian Shepherd dog named Raphael.

What inspired you to become an author and has it always been a desire of yours to write?

 Here is how the desire to write began for me:

I was at a ministry conference and all the break-out sessions looked hum-drum. So I decided to try a session on writing, it looked like a good way to pass the 45 minutes. Teaching up front was a 5’ 2” hobbit of a man who worked in the editing department of Zondervan. He was rather round, wearing a long-sleeved shirt with suspenders and had thick-lensed glasses that made his eyes look three times larger than normal. I thought to myself, “What did I get myself into? This is going to be b-o-o-o-oring.” He began with a question, just one little question, and it set my heart on fire: “What if Paul the Apostle decided never to write any of his letters to the churches? Where would we be?”

I began to think, “That means no book of Romans or Ephesians, no Galatians, no Philippians.” Those books have completely and utterly changed my life. Paul, who was a religious man who was despised by many, met Jesus and then he decided to write. And now, because he wrote, I am different. He wrote because he had to. And it changed millions upon millions of people’s lives forever.

And I thought to myself, “What if you are supposed to say something and you decided not to because you let the opinions of others shut you down? Who would suffer?”

So I write. So I try.

The last 5 years I have decided to post online beginning with a little blog called Shopka and Coffee, which is now christopherjweeks.com. I just wanted to try. If I was bad, at least going public would reveal my ineptness. I would know right away if I was all washed up. And after about ten posts, it started. People came up to me and said thank you, others from my past reconnected, and many got mad! I know I make people mad. But did you know, sometimes to wake people up you have to make them mad?

Last year I was encouraged by some very persistent and honest friends to put my words to page, “Why not write your own book?” I shooed them away and said, “Forget it, no one will want to read what I have to write.” I am great at downing myself…as most people are. But a few of those friends kept after me until I believed it could be done.

 Do you think there is anything significantly different about Christian Fiction, as opposed to non-Christian Fiction?

That is a tough question because most of the popular Christian fiction I have read is not that appealing to me. It is too cookie cutter, villain with a black hat and swashbuckling hero with a white cross who wins the Amish damsel in distress. So when I read, besides my regular intake of theological issues of the day, I only read secular fiction (I love dystopian novels) and non-fiction for fun. I like good writers who talk about life as it is, or could be in an interesting way, and most of the Christian writers I have read only talk about life in naïve simplistic ways. I do adore C. S. Lewis, Oz Guinness, and G. K. Chesterton. I wasn’t that aware of all the indie Christian writers (ie: Jess Hanna from The Crossover Alliance) until they started coming to my church. And it was from them that I saw that there are some Christian writers who are willing to write more true to life, meaning they are willing to create characters who are flawed and complicated.

When writing, how do you keep track of timelines, ideas, inspiration and such? By notes on the computer, a notebook perhaps?

I brainstorm ideas, about people, places, and situations on a yellow legal pad with a timeline. I also have another pad filled with characters. And I also have a pad with terminology that fits in my world. But the rest is just stored in my brain, and when I am sitting in the grass I just think, “Hmmm, what if?” And then I start writing.

Do you prefer to extensively plot your stories (plotter), or do you write them as they come to you (pantser)?

I am definitely a pantser. I read a book by Stephen King where he said, “Write the story you want to read and it will begin to write itself.” So I decided to do just that. I asked myself, “Chris, what would capture your attention?” So I would plot out the storyline with plot twists I think would look good in a movie, and as long as my characters stayed true to who they were, I would go where the characters took me. One of the characters in my book, Simone Gladstone, I originally wanted to be a terrible angry woman. But I began to like who she was, and much of what she says is what I wish people could be honest enough to say and do. It was a weird feeling, here was a character that turned almost into a real person the more I wrote, and I wanted to get to know more of her. And who she became really was fun to see.

Has being a novelist impacted your role as Pastor or vice versa?

 No, I serve at a church where very few people read. They like to hunt, so getting them to pick up a book is like pulling teeth. They are not that impressed. As long as I still do their grandma’s funeral they will be happy with me! But I would say pastoring has helped me write better. My job is about knowing people, and what they do behind closed doors. So I think I have an idea of how dark some people really are.

What has surprised you the most about becoming a self-published author?

That someone like you would take your time and contact me. Or my mom would actually smile seeing the book as a product you can buy.

Now let's discuss your Novel.

What is 2085: The Rise and Fall of the Sisters about?

 Here is the back cover:

“Above the smoldering ashes of a demolished patriarchy stand The Sisters and their ruthless ironclad rule. This is a world where men are the weaker sex and those who fail to comply with The Sisters’ draconian laws are sent to labor in the factories as muted drones; drugged cogs in a heartless nation’s machine. 

Celebrity Vlogger and Fashion Icon Beck Paris’ life is turned upside down when she unexpectedly meets a daring man who is more than willing to challenge the supremacy of The Sisters. Beck’s surprising interest in this man places both of them in the cross-hairs of the power-obsessed leader of the State, Dr. Simone Gladstone.

Can their love survive? Will women and the feminist struggle for control finally reign supreme? Beck will have to decide if gaining love is worth the risk of losing her life.”

So the story is simple: Beck Paris is tired of the world The Sisters created. And her only escape from their monolithic soul-killing regime is found in a man. Over time her heart warms to him and she realizes that the woman’s fight for superiority is all a façade. But the ruler of the State is not a woman to trifle with.

What are the Christian themes? Any particular message you want to convey?

I want to convey three main ideas:

• Marriage and family are what satisfies. It is a good and healthy thing.
• Woman are just as subject to greed, envy, and control as men are. So when they are given power they will abuse it too.
• Gender and biological experimentation get old, it is confusing and monotonous. If a person really wants to be whole, they will find that their original created gender and biology is what truly satisfies.

 What inspired you to write this novel?

Hatred for The Handmaid’s Tale. 

Based on your feelings for this novel that formed the motive to write 2085 as a Biblical response,  readers would need to know what The Hand Maid's Tale is about:

Provocative, startling, prophetic, and more relevant than ever, The Handmaid's Tale has become a global phenomenon. Now, in this stunning graphic novel edition of Margaret Atwood's modern classic, the terrifying reality of Gilead is brought to vivid life like never before.

"Everything Handmaids wear is red: the colour of blood, which defines us." Offred is a Handmaid in the Republic of Gilead, where women are prohibited from holding jobs, reading, and forming friendships. She serves in the household of the Commander and his wife, and under the new social order she has only one purpose: once a month, she must lie on her back and pray that the Commander makes her pregnant, because in an age of declining births, Offred and the other Handmaids are valued only if they are fertile. But Offred remembers the years before Gilead, when she was an independent woman who had a job, a family, and a name of her own. Now, her memories and her will to survive are acts of rebellion.

The Handmaid's Tale and its iconic images - the red of the Handmaids, the blue of the Wives, the looming Gileadean Eye - have been adapted into a film, an opera, a ballet, and multi-award-winning TV series. This groundbreaking new graphic novel edition, adapted and featuring arresting artwork by Renée Nault, is destined to become a classic in its own right.

Not having read your novel, the description hints of feminism of today's ideology. Are you expecting any criticism or heated discourse from feminists?

Honestly, I am not sure they will criticize it because it simply shows them a world when they are fully in control. They might actually like that, especially the part where men are reduced to mindless drones. It should be fun for them. I am not extolling any virtues of men that will make them happy, the male protagonist is a drinker, and my heroes are mostly all women. All I am trying to do is taking some of their political desires and showing them what would happen if they actually came true. Complete power and control do not make for a better world.

The only criticism I may get is that I over generalized and the characters are too unbelievable to make for a viable story. In some ways, I welcome criticism because that means they will read it.

What would you say in reply to this criticism?

I have four sisters and I will just tell them that they liked my book!

What research did you conduct in creating this novel?

I love reading about social and political issues. So I read a lot of opinion journalism and I have been keeping updated on the silly and outright ridiculous things the progressive pundits are saying. I also love to read dystopian novels, and 1984 has always fascinated me. So my creation comes from the question, “What could this world become if we really take the words of the progressive politicians seriously?

I have read many novels from Pastors. What made you branch out into this field as a Pastor? Jesus told parables to illustrate a message on various topics and this as a story method that we can relate to. Would this have anything to do with you branching out into this field?

Anger made me write. I was reading an article in the New York Times about the new Hulu show called “Handmaids Tale” and how the new Trump administration is going to bring it to reality. And I remember reading the book years ago and it was a really far-fetched dark story. And so I got a little irritated that a supposedly respectable new source really believed conservatism wanted to enslave women. And then the next week the Women’s March on Washington happened where Ashley Judd said, “I am a nasty woman!” And I thought to myself, Wouldn’t it be fun to write a story opposite of The Handmaid’s Tale where nasty Women are in control? So I wrote. I did it more for personal release and humor than parabolic teaching.

Why write a novel about this topic instead of a non-fiction narrative of the same?

Most everything I do every week is non-fiction, that is what a sermon is. But I wanted to write a story so I could come in through the back door with getting people to think. And it was also written for fun. I liked the idea and I wanted to run with it.

In this novel do you support any of your themes with Biblical verses, doctrines or apologetics

 I hint at Biblical verses, and I try to show in the desires of the characters that they really want the world the way God designed it. In one part I have a feminist leader realize that her daughter’s desire to have a baby is a great thing. So when she is asked to betray her daughter and grandchild she couldn’t out of love for her family. This ultimately overrides extreme feminist ideology. So the Biblical worldview leaks out of the cracks of the atheistic worldview’s failure.

What kind of reaction are you hoping to receive from readers?

 Secret satisfaction where the reader would say, “Ha, that is exactly what is happening in the world, and that is exactly how I feel.” I want them to see that all people are broken, even women. And people who claim they are LGBTQ often are LGBTQ for less than altruistic and morally good reasons. All people have depraved desires, and they will cloak those desires in moral platitudes and liberal notions of equality and fairness when all it often is a justification to flaunt their selfish desires in public without feeling guilty for it. Women and men are both human, both are part of the fallen race, and I want this book to pull back the curtain behind the “isms” and show how they are all covers for selfish agendas.

Here is how one of my characters, Duenna Black, thinks about it, “Duenna Black realized the win for the female gender was nothing more than a farce. Feminism was just like patriarchy, the only difference was the lipstick, pink ribbons and coiffed hair. The desire for power and pleasure was no less intoxicating in the heart of a woman than it was in the man. The only difference Duenna Black noticed between the two hierarchies was that The Sisters were better liars than the men. They played off a softer and gentler leadership, but they were just as brutal when it came to their endgame—all humans lusted after having control over others. Both men and women had hearts of flesh, weak and easily seduced. That was the ultimate tragedy.”

What message do you want readers to receive from 2085: The Rise & Fall of The Sisters (The Drone Chronicles Book 1)?

[bctt tweet="When people try to build a world out of spite and hatred, that same spite and hatred will boomerang back to destroy them. No one can create a new world without sin ruining it. So without God and following his design, the foundations of civilizations will always crumble.

What was the hardest part of writing your novel?

 Believing that I have a voice. I still feel this way. By nature, I don’t feel like I have a right to be heard because I am not as accomplished or polished as real writers. So I write naively hoping someone will listen. The journey of writing is a joy, I really like it. I didn’t even mind the editing process because it was fascinating to see how clean you can make a story. But I still wonder why anyone would want to read what I have to say. I have been preaching at the same church for over 23 years and I always am amazed people will still come and hear me preach. I would get bored with me. So I carry that same apprehension into my writing.

Are any of your characters like you?

 No, they are more like my dad. He was a man who sacrificed an awful lot for his six kids. And so I write to try to give the perspective of a man who is honorable and lives a quiet life. His love and masculine driven protection for his family as head of the house is ridiculed by the world and so I try to have a character that is caught in the results of callous feminism gone wild. I am not in my book myself because I am too boring of a person to write about. No one wants to read about the lazy guy who sits in the corner and reads.

How long did it take you to get your rough draft finished on your latest release?

 Writing this book was a strange process. I started it two years ago just posting a chapter at a time on my blog. I didn’t even consider publishing it as a book, it was meant only as a weekly addition to my blog, to have something different for people to read. And then some friends said, “It sure would be nice to have the story in a whole book form because I hate waiting for the next chapter each week. And it is also hard to follow.” So another friend said they would help me put it together and edit. So after two years of fixing, adding, and editing it is ready to release.

What do readers have to look forward to in the future from you?

 If 2085 has any traction I am already planning for two more books. But they scare me because the topics will be far more controversial than women’s rights and LBGTQ issues. The end of my book has a world that is going to be run by an African woman, and she is going to help bring reparations back to the Americas. So those who have more dark racial DNA will help rule the country. I just know how that may be extremely explosive!

Do you have any words that you’d like to leave us with?

 Joy. I love joy, and I hope my writing brings joy to a potentially dark subject. Ultimately I believe in people, not politics. I know God can move those who are willing to be moved. But when you start categorizing people by gender, orientation, race you lose individuality. And you lose the ability to hear from God.

Your readers  can keep in touch with  you on the following social media platforms:

Website     Twitter    Facebook     Amazon Author Page    

Thank you, Christopher for being a guest on Perspective by Peter and enlightening us on your journey to becoming a published author and this novel that contain many themes of gender, marriage, feminism, all things that are up for redefinition nowadays that can only lead to the further discord as these take us away from how God had created us. No longer are we created in His image, fallen man and his rejection of God now create us in man's image based on these destructive ideologies. I applaud you for writing a Biblical response to these issues, we need more authors and even Pastors to do this, to defend God and His creation and the reasons He created us as He has. 

To buy or preview 2085: The Rise and Fall of the Sisters, click on the image below:

Readers and reviews are an author’s best asset, so I encourage any reader, to consider reading 2085: The Rise & Fall of The Sisters and submit a review on Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes and Noble and on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest (or any other social media you subscribe to).

Reviews help promote an author’s novel to potential readers and encourage the author to keep writing. Reviews also help get the author’s message (and God’s message) to the reader, whether Christian or not, who may need encouragement and support in their lives while being entertained by the story.

Please note: As an Amazon Associate, I am required to disclose that book cover images or titles of novels in this post are paid links if they are linked to Amazon and result in a sale.

Interview: Gary W. Ritter and his new novel, Alien Revelation: The Unveiling (Sons of God Chronicles, Book 1).

I interviewed Gary Ritter on 10/09/19 on another blog, now defunct. 

Today I am interviewing novelist, Gary Ritter, author of Alien Revelation, released on 4th September. I volunteered to review this novel when I discovered it on a Facebook post.

I am fascinated by the topic of fallen angels and their offspring, the Nephilim mentioned in Genesis 6: 1-4, and the physical and spiritual implications and evidence throughout history leading to their re-emergence before Jesus' return.

Being very impressed with this novel with its adherence to the Biblical account of this topic and the spiritual warnings from God concerning fallen angels and Nephilim, I wanted the backstory to Ritter's novel so I offered to interview him about it.

So sit back and let Gary expound on these topics.

Gary, thanks for stopping by to discuss your novel and the topic of fallen angels, the Nephilim and God's judgement of them. How about you start by telling us a little about yourself.

We see where a lot of authors have wanted to write since their youth. I never had that desire. One dirty little secret I have from grade school, that I immortalized in one of the short stories written for the Faithwriters Challenge and included in one of my short story books, deals with a young man (me, more or less) who’s given a school writing assignment. This young man loves to read comic books and plagiarizes a story for his assignment. The teacher is impressed with his writing and gives him an ‘A’ but his guilt keeps him from enjoying the purloined fruits. Was that the genesis of my writing but to stay honest as I do it?

The one thing I do know is that toward the end of an acrimonious divorce, I had a desire to write that seemed to come out of the blue. Obviously, it was God nudging me in that direction, although at the time, since I didn’t know Him then, the reason was unclear. The first couple of books were highly autobiographical for my situation in that period and not very good. Over time I worked out my frustrations and was able to begin working on my craft.

You seem to want to say more! Please continue!

In my early days at college, I began seeking beyond what I knew in coming from a fairly sheltered neighborhood where I grew up. That seeking led to drugs and to Eastern religions. Both were subtle and alluring. Within a few years, however, I stopped both. It was inconvenient to drop acid and too much work to pursue nirvana. My work life kicked in and that was much of my focus.

I had a sense of morality, but I didn’t know why I should do or not do certain things. I believed in God and actually prayed the Lord’s Prayer and “Now I lay me down to sleep…” many nights.  God was watching over me and subtly drawing me to Himself.  It wasn’t until my third marriage and many years of not knowing God in any way other than in those prayers that He broke through. My wife and I visited a B&B for a weekend. I’ve always loved to read, so I inevitably peruse bookshelves. The Inn had the Left Behind Collection in the study. It looked interesting, and I told my wife I planned to read it. When we both did, that changed everything. I intuitively knew I was in big trouble with God. The truth behind the fiction came through loud and clear. That led to our seeking a church, finding the right one on the first try (God has been so gracious to us in this whole area of finding good churches), and soon after we both got saved.

One of the things I’ve believed wholeheartedly in my walk with the Lord is that I must read His Word in order to know Him. Pastor Hal, my first pastor, told me that it was important that I read the Bible daily. Not knowing any better, I took his instruction to heart. He gave me a Bible-in-a-Year reading plan and I’ve done that faithfully and more every year. It’s a discipline and a habit that God has used in my life to impart to me what He’s wanted me to know. I still give others that same reading through the Bible tract; in fact, I just did so again today.

You have just published your new novel, Alien Revelation. Can you tell us what it’s about? 

The “what if” of the story is: What if aliens appeared and changed the course of life on earth? I placed them as having come at the height of World War II, causing the war to come to a screeching halt because they made all weapons inoperable at the time. Fast forward to today in a world seventy years hence, one that has lived under the dominion of the aliens. Kari Shelton doesn’t know any other life. She and her husband Geoff have their marital issues that he exacerbates by wanting a child not allowed in society. That results in an unpleasant encounter with their alien masters that affects both their lives. Ultimately, Kari is challenged in her beliefs and begins searching for an object that has been banned and mostly eliminated from the world. That quest puts her at odds with their alien overlords and could cost Kari her life.

What inspired you to write this novel? Where did the idea come from? 

I spend an hour or so exercising every day. I’m disgustingly regular in this habit. I’ll usually watch sports on the weekends when I exercise but have migrated generally from listening to the radio on weekdays during this time to watching various YouTube teachings. I’m not a music guy except in worship which, by the way, I love to do, but usually only in a church setting. I like to learn and be challenged. That has led me into some interesting YouTube content.

Somehow, I found AlienResisitance, which has numerous videos from their Ancient of Days conference they held in Roswell, NM, as a Christian alternative to the various goings-on during the annual Roswell UFO festival. Guy Malone and Paradox Brown were a major part of this, so I’ve also read much of what they’ve written on alien encounters and UFOs. Dr Michael S. Heiser was one of the speakers at Ancient of Days, so that’s where I was introduced to him.

All this alien and UFO information from a Christian perspective intrigued me. Over time that interest turned into thinking about my book concept.

What type of research have you conducted for this novel? Did you refer to the Book of Enoch, the book of Jubilees, the Book of Jasper or the Book of the Giants? 

I wish I could say I had such deep reading prior to writing the book, but I didn’t. Only recently have I read Enoch. Most of my learning came from various Malone-Brown teachings and books, with a little bit of Heiser thrown in after I’d written much of the story.

Have you read any Christian novels or secular ones regarding the Nephilim and/or Watchers/Fallen Angels? You are a fan of Michael Heiser. Have you read his Facade Saga that deals with these topics and their history? 

I recently downloaded The Façade but haven’t gotten to it yet. Dave Hunt and Terry James are both inspirations to me with some of their works. Subsequent to my writing Alien Revelation, Peter Younghusband recommended Gods They Had Never Known to me. I loved that!  How I wish I was smart enough to have written it! I’ve recommended the book to several people as I also have Heiser’s The Unseen Realm, which is a must-read for anyone desiring to understand God’s bigger plans and purposes that we simply aren’t taught in our everyday Christian walk.

The topic of the Nephilim and the Watchers is a controversial one amongst Christians, whether they are scholars (those who are qualified to study the Biblical and non-Biblical texts and study apologetics) or everyday Christian who has some knowledge or conducted some investigation into these two topics. I would not be surprised if those who have researched like yourself have been either excommunicated from their denomination, been called a heretic or been ridiculed for any connection with these topics. Just the topic of the Nephilim or fallen angels can be enough to make one tread carefully with other Christians! I remember being cautioned by an Elder when he heard me talking about a novel on this topic with someone at church.

Have you had any negative or challenging conversations with other Christians when they discovered you were writing a novel on these topics?

As I was learning about the implications of the Genesis 6 account of the fallen angels (actually rebellious sons of God), I had a discussion with my pastor. Like so many people in the church, he believes in the supernatural aspects of the virgin birth, Jesus’ resurrection, the miracles, etc., but the idea that heavenly beings could procreate with humans was inconceivable to him. His argument was that only God had the creative power to bring forth life. Of course, that begs the question, “How do we do it?” My pastor stood on Matthew 22:30 that after the resurrection people won’t marry, just like the angels in heaven. I’ve thought about that a lot since then. One of my counter-arguments is that Jesus could very well have meant that people at that point in time won’t marry. I think there’s a good case to be made that in the New Heavens and New Earth, God may once again declare to His human—now divine—family to “go forth, multiply, and subdue the [new] earth.” In addition, it may well be that the angels choose with their free will not to transgress the boundaries God has put in place, not that they can’t have sex and procreate.

I’ve actually been very fortunate in my church about all this. I proposed to my pastor that I do a series of teachings on The Unseen Realm, and he gave me he go-ahead to do it. After I did the two nights I had planned, he even asked me to teach a third on the subject, so he’s had some challenges to his original thinking through all this.

What obstacles did you encounter while developing this novel? How did you overcome these?

Although I was familiar with the concept of world-building in science fiction, I’d never actually written anything that required that line of thinking. As I started writing the story, I realized I had to deal with certain logistical issues. The Nephilim and humans frequented the same buildings and drove on the same roads. That meant that the world had changed drastically to accommodate these massive beings. From there I had to think through how these two species lived together.

Because I had a pretty good handle on New Age and occult deception, the concepts that the Watchers introduced to the world came pretty easily to me.  Of course, the aliens want nothing more than to help us. Why wouldn’t they be an advanced race that had evolved? Given their benevolence, doesn’t it make sense that they could show us how to eventually become like them through many reincarnated lifetimes? Those kinds of ideas certainly tickle people’s ears these days.

What are your thoughts on whether the Nephilim can be redeemed? 

Biblically, you’ve really got two incarnations of Nephilim, those before the flood, and those after. The initial Nephilim resulted from the union of God’s rebellious sons procreating with human women. I think most people who have considered this believe that those Nephilim who died in the flood became what we today call demons, i.e. disembodied spirits. Those “first generation” Nephilim, with direct “angelic” lineage, absolutely could not be redeemed.

I think this question comes into play following the flood in two ways. In some manner, we have giants after the flood.  At that point, they’re called Rephaim. Different theories abound, but I personally like the idea that Ham’s wife carried contaminated DNA. It’s through that line only that we have the Canaanites and the various giant tribes.  These giants didn’t result from direct insemination by divine beings. These were second, third, and who knows how many generations of human conception, but by those whose blood was contaminated. They still had Watcher DNA floating around.  In every single case with these groups, God instructed the Israelites to “devote them to destruction.” They and even their animals in many instances were to be completely annihilated. It doesn’t leave much room for redemption.  Even the giants that were left in Gath, David and his men ultimately killed.

Then we come to the possibility that in these latter days we might see another wave of Nephilim through additional rebellion of God’s sons. If this happens, likely during the Tribulation, again I would think that first-generation Nephilim would have the same fate as their forebears.  From them, we’d have more demons.  If second-gen Nephs come into the picture, it might be a different story with Jesus on the scene. On the other hand, the odds against their redemption during those awful seven years might be prohibitive. The delusion that will encompass humanity will be so great that it would truly take an act of God to break through to the hearts of these giant beings. I don’t know that I discount it, but we’re talking a pretty great uphill climb for it to happen.

That question is an example of a topic that polarizes Christians. Some Christians believe that Jesus’ death on the Cross was for the redemption of mankind only yet others believe that His death could also be for other entities or even other life forms on other planets. What do you think of this?

First, you have to believe there might indeed be life elsewhere. I can’t conclude, certainly Biblically, that there’s currently life on other planets. The whole issue revolves around free will, sin, and who did Jesus die for? He died for humanity—for us. He didn’t die for someone on Alpha Centauri. How would they know? 

I had an interesting discussion with someone the other day who contacted me in response to a blog entry I wrote on how we limit God, particularly during the New Heavens and New Earth, which I touched upon earlier.  This fellow thinks as I do that not only will God put us to work in recreating Eden on earth, as Dr Heiser suggests, but that God may put us to work elsewhere in the universe. He wasn’t taking the Mormon position of us being gods of those planets, he was simply speculating that perhaps God’s work for us is even more expansive than what we might do on this world. Beats me. The one thing I do know is that God won’t have us sitting around on our clouds playing our harps and eating heavenly bon-bons all day for eternity.

You have stated on your blog that few pastors preach on Bible prophecy and end-times events and you have added alien abductions to this list. Why do you think that there is this lack of preaching on these topics? 

My personal attitude is that there seems to be a lack of effective teaching from Pastors and the Church in general on the topic of the Watchers, Nephilim, fallen angels and I agree with you on your list!

 Let’s first separate pastors who are still true to God’s calling from those who have fallen off the deep end and no longer bother to hold to the Word of God. Those who are still true to the faith are generally either ill-equipped to address these issues or are simply fearful of offending or sounding like crackpots.  (Don’t want to lose those sitting in the pews who fill the coffers!). The Book of Revelation intimidates people. They consider it too esoteric, too potentially symbolic to decipher, and as a result, don’t even attempt to understand it. Revelation is full of symbolism, but it also interprets that symbolism to a large extent. Also, if we read Revelation literally as we generally do every other book in the Bible, in the context of Ancient Israel in which it was written, and to the people at the time who understood that context, I think we can get pretty close to knowing what the Apostle John was communicating. It takes some digging—work! heaven forbid—but God intended to communicate to His people that which is to come. When we ignore Bible prophecy—Revelation and all other prophetic Scripture—we’re essentially telling God that His Word doesn’t matter to us.

We’ve had “aliens” with us a long time, albeit in different forms. Think, fairies, goblins, and the bogeyman in the closet. Our adversary simply adapts to the times. We’ve been inundated by alien stories since Roswell in 1947 (which, by the way, I think Guy Malone at Alien Resistance quite effectively debunks). Since then, Hollywood, the media, and the government (ours and others worldwide) have primed the world for an alien invasion of sorts; at the very least, to believe that aliens are the cause of something very dramatic. What could that be? I’d say the Rapture fits that bill. The world will need an explanation after that incredible event that has disappeared so many people. Aliens works for me. As a result, why shouldn’t we talk about that from the pulpit?

The aftermath of the Rapture leading into the Tribulation (I’m a proponent of the gap theory of at least 3.5 years based on the required Ezekiel cleanup following the Gog-Magog war) will be one of great chaos and questioning. If for no other reason than to warn our families and friends who are left behind, we should at least tell them of the possibility of this deception. Will they hear? Will they remember? Is there a second chance for those who heard the Gospel before the Rapture and chose not to trust in Jesus?  Now there’s a Scriptural crapshoot.

Briefly, as to the pastors who have already turned to heresies and apostasy, well, we wouldn’t expect them to preach much Biblical truth, especially when it comes to prophesy. The stakes are too high against them.

Speaking of these topics that Pastors are not preaching about, do you feel the same can be said for spiritual warfare? 

That may have more to do with the particular church. I imagine Pentecostal or charismatic churches place more emphasis on this because there’s at least an acknowledgement of spiritual gifts. Because the gifts can be used to combat spiritual oppression of various forms, warfare is integral to that whole area.

You don’t want to see demons behind every bush. Much of our troubles come from ourselves or others because of our sin nature and the depravity that follows. But Satan and his fallen brothers are very real and quite active in the world. We’d better be prepared to wage war against them.

That brings up the other aspect of this, i.e. that Satan isn’t operating alone. Heiser’s The Unseen Realm helps us see this clearly. Rebellious spiritual entities are much more prevalent than we generally realize. References to this unseen realm are fife throughout Scripture. Because we’re not taught about it, we pass over those applicable verses as oddities. That’s one of the most revelatory things I’ve been learning lately.

I ask this as this is my experience from the various denominations I have been part of over the past 30 years. What I have learned about spiritual warfare is directly from the Bible, Christian websites that deal with its application and hermeneutics. And one not obvious or expected source, Christian fiction! Your novel is one of those!!

You depict, very powerfully, Kari using spiritual warfare, notably rebuking the Watchers by using the Name of Jesus to break the Mighty Ones’ demonic power and influence over her and her fellow Christians. I was so impressed when you depicted this as it is one part of spiritual warfare that is very important, but one I find that most Christians do not practice, they seem to be scared/wary of it, do not believe it is necessary, or do not see that they have the authority given to them from God to do this when they become Christians. Yet some are just ignorant of this reality and practice or what the Bible instructs about it. What are your thoughts on this? 

Aside from the Left Behind Collection impacting me so strongly, the other novel that I always remember is Frank Peretti’s This Present Darkness. If my novels could have some fraction of the impact of those books throughout the community of believers and even to unbelievers to get them to consider the ways of God, I’d be ecstatic. That’s one of those big dreams that is far beyond my ability to influence; one that only God could make happen. But we are told to think and dream beyond what we can accomplish on our own—right? That way only God gets the glory.

We do have authority, but it’s always and only in the Name of Jesus. I have issues with hyper-charismania, where many adherents believe that they can call down angels in spiritual warfare and bring about other signs and wonders through speaking them out in their faith. We can’t do anything. We petition the Father in Jesus’ Name and ask Him to do these things. God isn’t (in the words of Ray Comfort) our divine butler. We can’t command Him to do anything. But we can ask and believe.

In Kari’s case, God directed her to rebuke the enemy. Aside from Him, we can do nothing.

How did you come up with the character names of the fallen angels and Nephilim?

The Arkays, e.g. Arkay-ena, are a takeoff on archon, which is from the Greek. There were nine ruling magistrates in ancient Greece and apparently this term was extended to angelic rulers.

For the Nephilim, I went Bible surfing in the Old Testament. Nimrod was considered a mighty warrior and may have been—since he came after the flood—a Rephaim, although I don’t believe the Bible spells that out directly. The first Lamech came fairly early with a notation that he killed a man, as well as took two wives. He self-proclaimed the mark of Cain on himself saying that if God’s vengeance was seven times upon anyone who harmed Cain, the vengeance that would befall anyone touching him was seventy times seven. From that, he sounded like a good candidate for one of my Nephilim.

What Biblical themes or message have you included in Alien Revelation?  

Organically in the writing, I often seem to end up with various Biblical themes or messages based on the situation on the characters. Kari’s a sceptic and has to come a long way to true faith. It’s a struggle for her since she’s so indoctrinated in the way of the world as it’s been shaped prior to her birth. This is all she’s known. With her, there’s a seeking and finding that doesn’t come easily. In that is the evangelistic efforts of those Christians she encounters and the working of the Holy Spirit in His subtle ways.

Because I’ve been involved with Voice of the Martyr for a number of years, the issue of persecution and the suffering that Christians endure as they stand boldly and courageously for their faith has long been near to my heart. That certainly comes out in the book as it does in my Whirlwind end-times series.

What kind of reaction are you expecting to receive from readers?

My intent in writing is to glorify God and to point people toward Him. I hope to do that through a compelling story that hopefully makes people think, and even convicts if the Holy Spirit so wills. I wouldn’t be writing if God hadn’t set me on this path and made a way in my life that I have the time and wherewithal to spend so many hours at my computer in this endeavor. Whatever skills and talents I may possess, they come from Him. I can’t take any credit for any of that. He really has given me creativity and inspiration that I never thought I had. If you have issues with my writing, I blame God.

Seriously though, since my first purpose is to lift up His Name and to magnify Jesus through what I write, I do the best I can with the tools He’s given me and I don’t worry too much about reader reactions. Do I get irritated at inane comments by people who don’t know any better? Of course, but there’s always someone out there sniping. All I can do is pray for them that God would open their eyes and soften their hearts.

Just like anyone, I love to have readers give me acclaim or praise the story, but that just can’t be my focus. It’s got to be about Jesus.

What was the hardest part of writing Alien Revelation?

I think the biggest challenge for me is crafting a climax that’s big enough. I want the story to swell toward that point where everything comes together, or falls apart, in a way that makes sense and satisfies in the context of the narrative. Sometimes that requires thinking and rethinking that part of the novel.

Which character was the easiest and which was the hardest? Who is your favourite? Mine was Kari. I bet she becomes most people’s favourite!

I don’t know that I found it particularly difficult to create any of the characters. They all kind of flowed. In one sense, my favorite was Nimrod. He’s so locked into who he is, but he’s questioning his existence, his purpose, and he wants more. Nimrod also has some moral qualms about God that he tucks deep within himself so he doesn’t have to face them. As I said earlier, I don’t believe a Nephilim like Nimrod could be saved; just the idea of such a thing is difficult for him to grasp, yet…

I do like writing female characters. Obviously, I’ve got a limitation not being that fairer sex, but hopefully, I’ve got enough insights into human nature to make someone like Kari believable. In Kari’s case, I had a lady in mind who ministers like Kari and Adela do with victims of human trafficking, but Kari developed into a much different person than my friend.

For Alien Revelation, did you plot it all out before you started writing (plotter) or did you write as it came to you (pantser, as in writing by the seat of your pants)? Have you done the same with your other novels? 

When I first started writing some years ago, I plotted extensively. Then I lightened up on that and wrote from a higher story arc, i.e. where does the plot need to go? With the Whirlwind series, I plotted pretty deeply on the first two books, then again began a season of not so much. Sometimes I’ll put more plot structure into the first part of a book and let the story go where it will in the second half, as long as I know the end game. That’s more or less what I did with Alien Revelation.

In regards to your previous novels, what is your favourite? Why?

It would have to be The Tattooed Cat. I actually wrote the novel 20 years ago, but from an unbeliever’s perspective, since I was far from saved at the time. I always loved the title and once I had several books once more under my belt, I brought out the story. When I read it, I was really impressed with myself, thinking, “This is a really good story. I wrote this? Wow, that amazing.” I guess I had the thought that having written it so long ago, it wouldn’t necessarily be as good as it was.

Naturally, however, I couldn’t let the book stand as it was because it had no Christian viewpoint, which is a necessity for me in my writing today. It required my rethinking a number of scenes and concepts, so I hope I pulled that off well. In reality, I thought this book would take off and do well, but it’s languished, not from the plot, characters, or anything like that; I think that the genre is perhaps too strange for many Christians to embrace.  Speculative Christian fiction probably isn’t everyone’s cup of tea because they don’t understand it and thus avoid even trying it.  There’s supernatural evil going on, and moving from that into a Christian redemptive context—and of course communicating that in my marketing promotional efforts—hasn’t flown all that well. Maybe when you read and review it, Peter, that’ll change everything!

How has writing and being an author impacted your relationship with Jesus Christ or vice versa? 

Because of some of the research I’ve done, that has led me into areas I probably wouldn’t have known about. I’m a big Bible prophecy guy, to begin with, but the Whirlwind series necessitated an even deeper dive into eschatological matters. It also required a much greater understanding of Islam. I had a preacher’s wife comment that she was impressed by my merging of occult practices into Islamic thinking in the stories. That’s common in Islamic culture because they often blend pagan concepts into their daily lives. Understanding Islam makes me so much more appreciative of what I have in my faith in Christ.

Additionally, as I mentioned earlier, my exposure to aliens and demons led to my absorbing the teachings of Michael Heiser. That has had a dramatic impact on my Christian worldview and what God really intends for His human family.

So many times when I am reading a novel, I find myself thinking that this author must be a Pastor. I then check the author out and find this to be so! I had this same feeling when reading Alien Revelation! I don’t know what it is, but I find that Pastor’s add a special something to the novel. It must be based on their experience as a Pastor. What do you think of this? 

Certainly, from a deeper theological perspective, a pastor should be able to bring issues and concepts into the story that someone might not have been exposed to. I’m a lay pastor and serve as my church’s Missions Director. However, I think where I’ve gained the most over the years has been from my association with Voice of the Martyrs. In that, I’ve read a lot about persecution and suffering. I’ve attended many VOM conferences to hear stories and accounts from martyrs’ own lips. I’m part of the Assemblies of God which has an initiative to reach unreached people groups in difficult areas called Live Dead.

Living dead is such a perfect description of how God actually wants us to live for Him. Our life should count as nothing. What will we bring with us into God’s presence? Only those things which have already been through the fire. Everything else will burn up, including our mortal flesh, these earthly bodies. If we live as if we’re already dead, no act of man can actually touch us. The Bible says that, contrary to the way every one of us in Western Christianity thinks, there is joy in suffering. Do I want to be persecuted and suffer? Absolutely not! But I have to have the mindset that I might experience it at some point. I have to have already made the decision to stand on my faith in Jesus BEFORE the storm comes. If I or anyone else waits to make such a decision until the crashing waves are upon us, we’ll be swept away.

Apart from the subsequent novels in the Sons of God Chronicles, what other ideas or planned novels are in the works? 

I’m currently working on a story about eco-terrorism. This is another of my novels from past writing, but it was only half-completed. Naturally, I’ve had to shape this once more with a Christian worldview and remove some rather racy parts that I’d written. I’m not sure why I didn’t previously finish it. That period in my life may simply have been when I was winding down on writing. The one thing I needed to do in this story was to find the big climax. But I’ve also been adding many pertinent ideas into the novel that are very much part of the Left’s understanding of the world and where that thinking leads.

It’s rather interesting thinking ahead with future novels. I’ve got several in mind, including additions to the Sons of God Chronicles. The question that is often in my thoughts, however, is how long we have on this earth before Jesus comes to sweep us away into the clouds with Him? I can’t let imminent thoughts of the Rapture keep me from plowing ahead. Our calling is to occupy until He returns. But what about the rest of the books in the series? Will God use the offerings of my writings to impact those left behind? How?  And once we as glorified believers reach the Millennium, will he have me writing then?  Can I finish the series then than I won’t be able to prior to the Rapture?  What will stories look like at that time? Sin will still be in the world, but Satan will be bound. To what extent will books be written reflecting these realities? So many questions.

Specifically, in relation to the Sons of God Chronicles, and without giving away too many spoilers, what can you tell us about the next novel in this series? 

I’ve struggled with this. I’d like to write a prequel to bring us from the beginning of the world to the point where the aliens inject themselves into the affairs of mankind in World War II., i.e. where Alien Revelation basically begins Trying to figure out a compelling structure for a cohesive narrative has eluded me so far. I can definitely go to the next point in the future with the series since Nimrod is still lurking around. This would likely take place during the Tribulation.

I’ve also got a sequel for this current eco-terrorism story on tap. There are some frightening things going on in the world from an occult perspective that would influence this storyline.

You state on your website that you write Christian worldview Fiction, suspense, thrillers and end times? How did you come to only write in these genres/classifications? 

I grew up reading a lot of mysteries, thrillers, suspense, and science fiction. When I came to the Lord via Left Behind that started me on the end times trajectory. To be effective as an author, you’ve got to at least have a basis for how you write. You may not know everything about the topics to begin with—you can research those—but you need to know what makes a story tick and moves it forward so as to carry the reader along. You only know that by reading in the genre. So, for me to write, for instance, a literary story would be stretch.

What does the Christian Redemptive Fiction Award by Radix Press mean to you? That is your first Author/reader Award. I know you were totally not expecting this but what was your immediate reaction? 

I was surprised and pleased when Peter notified me, but I didn’t realize the implications since I wasn’t aware how Reality Calling gauges books noteworthy enough to receive the award. Once I’d read the guidelines and understood how David Bergsland and Peter evaluate a story, then I got excited because it’s a big deal. What they’re looking for is exactly how I want my fiction to come across.

Where can readers find you? What are your social media platforms?

I have three primary means of communication:

Through my Facebook Gary Ritter Author page, I generally promote my work and other writing topics as they interest me.

On my website, people can learn more about my books.  I provide a few chapter excerpts for each one so they can see how they start. In addition, I write a blog I call Looking Up that appears on this site. The blog primarily looks at Bible passages, often in relation to things going on in the world today, through a Scriptural and prophetic lens.

My Gary Ritter YouTube channel. I tell people to search my name and look for the fish symbol. This is where I put the video version of my blog entries plus a number of extended teachings I have done with my church on various prophetic topics.

My novels can be found on my Amazon Author Page. 

Anything else you would like to say about your novel, this topic or other issues raised in this interview before we close?

Just that I appreciate this opportunity Peter has given me. What you’re doing, Peter is a ministry to raise up and encourage Christian writers. It’s unique and certainly needed. That you so much!

My pleasure, Gary! I do love encouraging Christian writers through reviews, spotlight posts, interview, guest posts and blog tours. I have enjoyed interviewing you, and you more than expounded on the issues and themes of the novel! I am sure readers will find this interview an interesting and thought-provoking one.

You are welcome to return here for any future novel or to discuss the themes or issues relating to them.

If this interview has piqued an interest in reading Alien Invasion, The Tattooed Cat, Michael Heiser's fiction and non-fiction, Gods They Had Never Known or The Left Behind Collection, click on the images below. For Frank Peretti's novels click here:

Frank Peretti Amazon Page.

Readers and reviews are an author’s best asset, so I encourage any reader, to consider reading Alien Revelation and any of the other novels listed above and submit a review on Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes and Noble and on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest (or any other social media you subscribe to).

Reviews help promote an author’s novel to potential readers and encourage the author to keep writing. Reviews also help get the author’s message (and God’s message) to the reader, whether Christian or not, who may need encouragement and support in their lives while being entertained by the story.

Please note: As an Amazon Associate, I am required to disclose that book cover images or titles of novels in this post are paid links if they are linked to Amazon and result in a sale.