It
is hard to dismiss the obvious; 2012 is an election year. Although
taking your opinion to the polls is recommended and encouraged, many
voters wonder where their morals and theology belong in the matter. Red
letter Christians pour over the four gospels looking for answers, while
others ask “How would Jesus vote?”
Many
wonder if politics and religion should intersect while others commit to
turning a deaf ear, convinced their vote bears little weight in the
election results. In his new book, Body Broken, author
Charles Drew asks, “Can Republicans and Democrats sit in the same pew?”
His passion for the church to remain united despite its political
differences is apparent.
“Jesus wants us to. He
prays for it in John 17 and, according to Ephesians 2, he died to unite
Jews and Gentiles (the most deeply hostile social groups in the ancient
world), creating in them ‘one new man’. If, therefore, Christians
cannot find a way to live together in harmony (even when they disagree
politically), they deny the power both of Jesus’ prayers and his cross.
The credibility of the Christian story is at stake.”
Here, in his own words,
Drew openly shares why he felt committed to write-and then revise-an
important faith-based political commentary. “Indivisible under God”
means something to Drew and he wants it to mean something to the church
body, as well.
Why did you write Body Broken?
To
help Christians stay united without ignoring their social and political
responsibility. Republicans and Democrats ought to be able to worship
together in the same church.
What is new about this new revised edition?
There
are two changes. First, it is updated with reference to developments
since 2000—the economic crisis, the election of Barack Obama, etc.
Second, the book is more sharply focused on the necessity and
possibility of Christian harmony in the midst of Christian social and
political engagement.
Why not make peace in the church by withdrawing from all political discussion and involvement?
I
can think of two reasons. First, Jesus commands us to “love our
neighbors as ourselves.” We are his hands, voice, and feet, called to
make him tangible in this world. We cannot be these things if we
withdraw from political and social life. Second, we misrepresent Jesus
if we withdraw from public life. He is not about to withdraw from the
world he died to renew. Neither can Christians.
Should we legislate morality?
Everybody
legislates morality: laws are the instrument we use to enforce or
promote what we value—and values are an expression of morality. The
important and interesting question is a different one: “Which morality
should be legislated and why?”
Which morals should we seek to enforce by law?
Sorting
this question out is difficult and we need to be patient with each
other as we seek to do so. Some of the following distinctions can be
helpful:
- The distinction between theocracy and influence.
- The distinction between moral principle and political strategy
- The distinction between the calling of the church and the callings of individual Christians.
Should there be an American flag displayed in a church sanctuary? If so, where?
This
is a good question—it makes us think hard about the relative importance
of our allegiance to Jesus Christ and our allegiance to America. We
should be patient with each other as we try to sort it out.
- Jesus
says, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s’—which suggests that we obey
Jesus by honoring our country. Displaying an American flag in a worship
space in the United States might for this reason make sense.
- Jesus
also says, “Give to God’s what is God’s”—which demands that our
allegiance to our country must never be absolute. Displaying an American
flag in such a way as to suggest that God and America speak with one
voice would for this reason be problematic.
Should the church support foreign wars, encouraging its members to fight in them?
This
is another good question aimed at pressing us to sort out our dual
allegiance to God and to our country. Once again we need to be patient
with one another as we try to sort it out, guarding each other’s
consciences in areas where the Bible is not explicit.
- Some
(pacifists) will say, “Never. For the state to ask me to use force
against another human being is for the state to step beyond its proper
limits. Jesus says to “turn the other cheek” (Matthew 5).
- Others
(positivists) will say, “Of course. The state is put in place by God
and we obey God, therefore, by exercising loyalty to the state, even if
it means putting ourselves in harms way” (see Romans 13)
- Still
others (normativists) will say, “It depends on the war (is it a just
war—a necessity brought about by a great evil that must be resisted) and
upon what particular deeds I am asked to perform (What happens if my
commander orders me to shoot or maltreat prisoners of war?).
What do you do when you deeply disagree with a fellow Christian about politics?
- Think biblically about what is going on, about what is at stake:
- The disagreement is a chance for you to grow in love and faith.
- Jesus is praying for unity in the church Jesus died to make you one with this person.
- Your relationship with this person will outlast the end of every political strategy and disagreement.
- Pray for yourself and this fellow Christian
- Talk honestly and openly, looking for common ground in hopes that you can do something together
- Sit together in the same pew.
Author Bio: Charles
D. Drew received his education at Harvard (BA in English) and
Westminster Seminary(M. Div.). He has pastored for thirty years in
Virginia, Long Island and New York, all in university settings. He
presently serves as the senior minister of Emmanuel Presbyterian Church,
which he founded in 2000 near Columbia University. Drew speaks
frequently to universities and churches and is also the author of A
Public Faith: Bringing Personal Faith to Public Issues, An Ancient Love
Song: Finding Christ in the Old Testament and A Journey Worth Taking:
Finding Your Purpose in This World. He and his wife Jean, a science
teacher at the Brearly School in Manhattan, have two married children
and two grandchildren. Sailing and music are two of Charles’ great
loves.
You can learn more about the intersection of church and politics by visiting Drew’s blog. Purchase a copy of Body Broken, visit New Growth Press.
Author interviews also featured in the September issue of TWJM: Michael J. Scott, Murray Pura, and Delia Latham.
About Mary Nichelson: http://www.marysworld411.com/.
This interview is courtesy of The Wordsmith Journal Magazine.
Author Delia Latham’s goal as a writer is straight forward; “To be used of God to touch the hearts of others through my writing.” Why through writing? “Writing
has been my passion since third grade, when I won an essay writing
contest and took home the coveted prize: a beautiful bed doll with a
pink quilted satin skirt. Winning that contest made a profound impact on
my young psyche - enough so that I never stopped writing.”
She
is credited with writing songs, poems, greeting cards, articles, short
stories, and yes, novels. Her audience is as diverse as the genres that
she covers, encompassing young readers as well as adult lovers of
historical and contemporary Christian fiction. Although on the surface
Latham appears to be a multi-talented successful author, she gauges true
success by the way her writing impacts readers.
“Hearing
that a fellow Christian pilgrim has been encouraged and uplifted
through words I have written is among life's sweetest moments. To know
that someone has been stirred to renew a relationship with Christ
through those words would be a source of immeasurable joy!" Her recent release Gypsy’s Game hit
book stores earlier this year, rounding out her Solomon’s Gate series.
She settled into our interview regarding the series, answering questions
pertaining to her characters and the issues they faced as well as
freely sharing why she loves being a princess daughter.
MN-Tell us a little about the Solomon's Gate series and what exactly, Solomon's Gate is.
DL-Solomon's
Gate is the name of a Christian dating agency founded by Destiny May -
the heroine in the first novel of this 3-book series. Destiny's dream of
owning an agency where Christian "Seekers" can find true love comes to
fruition - with the help of an attractive investment guru and an angel
named Solomon. In the first book, Destiny finds not only a dream come
true...but a love of her own. In the two books that follow, other
Seekers walk through the Gate...and create stories of their own.
MN-Book Three in the series, Gypsy's Game, was just released. Is this the last in the series?
DL-For
the moment, it seems so...but now and then I think I hear the creaking
of a pair of huge hinges.... Solomon's Gate doesn't follow the rules of
earthly plans and schedules - it is operated by Divine hands. So who
knows when it might swing open yet again?
MN-You
write so accurately regarding issues near and dear to women that your
novels become a connecting point with your readers. Are your characters
based on personal life experience or divine intervention from God during
the writing process?
DL-The Solomon's Gate
books were definitely inspired by Someone other than me. God took the
"wheel" and steered these characters down paths I didn't even know
about. He was working in and on me as I wrote. The entire experience was
a blessing.
MN-Your bio states that you
"especially love being a princess daughter to the King of Kings and Lord
of Lords." I love that! Can you elaborate on what that means to you?
DL-Oh,
yes! I've never been wealthy - don't expect that to change in this
life. And yet I am rich. My Father is a KING! I may never own a mansion
in this world. I may never wear royal robes while I breathe earthly air.
But I know the plans my Father the King has for me...plans to prosper
me, to give me hope, and a future. Every day He loads me with benefits.
He chases me down to pour blessings out on me. I am indeed the petted
and pampered princess daughter of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords!
MN-Playing
piano, enjoying nature and designing are just a few projects you are
involved in. Do you relate to God in an artistic manner-more through
expression than contemplation?
DL-Very much so.
Through music, in particular, I find that special bond to Christ. But
He's there in every part of my life, every day.
MN-What books are on your to read list? What are some of your all time favorites?
DL-White
Rose Publishing (a division of the Pelican Book Group) has so many
wonderful books, and many of them are on my TBR list. I also love Mary
Conneally and Vickie McDonough. But my all-time favorites are not books
you'd expect me to name. They are The Stand, by Stephen King, and Swan
Song, by Robert R. McCammon. Both are epic accounts of good vs. evil in a
post-apocalyptic world.
MN-In a perfect world, where standards and belief systems are universal, what would "faith based" mean to you?
DL-Based on God's leading and direction. Founded on spiritual concepts and Rock-solid salvation.
MN-Describe your ideal writing spot.
DL-I
haven't found it yet. But I never stop looking. I move from place to
place with my laptop, and end up writing in the same ol' humdrum places.
But that's just boring reality. In a perfect world, I'd have a pristine
clean and awesomely organized office in a glass-walled room overlooking
the ocean. Hey, a gal's gotta dream!
Author Bio-Born
and raised in a place called Weedpatch, Delia Latham moved from
California to Oklahoma in 2008, making her a self-proclaimed California
Okie. She loves to read and write in her simple country home, and gets a
kick out of watching her husband play Farmer John. The author enjoys
multiple roles as Christian wife, mother, grandmother, sister and
friend, but especially loves being a princess daughter to the King of
Kings and Lord of Lords. She loves to hear from her readers. You can
contact her through her website or send an e-mail to delia@delialatham.net.
Many
writers admit to stumbling upon the craft as a second career choice or,
in some cases, never intended on penning a bestseller. While the
aspiring author might wince upon hearing those admissions made by other
authors, Murray Pura can not make the same claim.
“Murray
Andrew Pura was born on Bobby Burns Day, hence his first two names, and
one of the reasons, no doubt, that he was writing stories by the time
he was eight. His first work of fiction was published when he was
fourteen, his first award in a writing contest came at seventeen.”
Although
Pura has been a successful author from a young age, his life
experiences have not been confined to the key board. As an ordained
minister, he has pastored churches in Nova Scotia, British Columbia and
Alberta. This endearing quality-remaining connected to humanity at its
worst and possibly very best-is magnified in the characters he creates.
In his latest series, Snapshots in History, love and war play
out in the reader’s hand but as Pura makes clear, the series is not
intended to be read as a history textbook; he has something much bigger
in mind.
MN-Before the first chapter, there is a short disclaimer of sorts stating that The Face of Heaven "is
not a history of the Civil War. Nor is it a history of...the Iron
Brigade, or of the 19th Indiana." Why was it important to you to make
this statement in the beginning of the book?
MP-The
Civil War remains one of the most hotly debated topics in American
culture. People still argue about what might have happened if various
battles had gone differently, if Stonewall Jackson had not died before
Gettysburg, if Grant faced Lee in 1862 instead of 1864, etc., etc. I
wanted Civil War buffs to know from the outset that although I
researched the war meticulously, and have been reading about it since I
was a boy, I was not out to write a textbook - I was there to tell a
story to which the war was a backdrop.
MN-Until
I read your book, I had not seen very much in the market related to The
Civil War and The Amish. The two rarely intersect in novels. Yet, I
noticed that later this year, several more Civil War/Amish books are set
to be released. I believe you will be considered a trail blazer of
sorts by default by releasing your title first. What about this
storyline interested you?
MP-The American Civil
War has always fascinated me and troubled me . It fascinated because of
the high drama of brothers fighting brothers, families fighting
families, Americans fighting Americans. But it troubled me for the same
reason - a nation turning on itself in fury so that there were more than
700,000 dead, almost twice as many as World War 2. I wondered - what
did the Amish think of all this? So I decided to have young Amish men
question their church's stance on avoidance of conflict when the nation
itself was at stake and whether that nation would be slave or free.
MN-There
are critics who say a male author can not adequately express female
emotions in print. I am going to be very honest with you by saying I had
to verify that a male wrote the book because you not only adequately
captured female emotions, you capitalized on them. What life experiences
have you experienced that helped form this writing quality?
MP-Women
are endlessly fascinating to me for their combination of beauty,
intelligence, strength, and compassion. I did not marry until I was 29
so obviously I had many years of dating and had relationships with many
different women. Then of course I married my love. All of these factors
combined to make me see and listen and take in what women expressed with
or without words. I became much more than a casual observer. I wanted
to understand.
MN-Which gave you the most trouble in writing The Face of Heaven; the love story or the war story?
MP-It
is so pleasant to do the love scenes I've decided to do more of that in
the novels to come. Love scenes are not hard to do. Battle scenes are
harder because you are working with death and violence. Characters you
have created and loved get killed - this can be more upsetting for the
writer than many readers might suppose. Death is not a fiction any more
than love is. So while love scenes remind you of your personal
experiences with regards to romance the war scenes remind you of your
personal experiences with regards not only to death in and of itself but
violent death. It's not a pleasant stroll down memory lane.
MN-Tell our readers about your Snapshots in History series.
MP-It
was envisaged as a series that touched on the watersheds of American
history and how those watersheds were experienced by people who embraced
the Christian faith - ordinary people who were caught up in
extraordinary times. The series was meant to put people right there, not
as observers, but as participants having to make life and death
decisions in the flash of an eye and with the swift utterance of a brief
prayer. Each book was meant to stand alone though from time to time we
may bring certain characters back in another story. (That is actually
happening with Number 3 in the series, Whispers of a New Dawn, where the
characters of The Wings of Morning return.) We hope to see the series
run to six or seven volumes, depending on how our readership grows and
how it expresses interest in new titles.
MN-In The Romantic Times review of The Wings of Morning, they noted, "Pura has created one of the finest stories in Amish fiction I have ever read." What
a compliment considering the Amish genre is saturated with excellent
writers. Was that a milestone for you as an author to know your work was
considered not only competitive but superior in a popular category?
MP-For
sure it was a strong shot in the arm - after all, I'd never put the
Amish and historical fiction together in one story before. When you are
branching out as a writer and trying something new it is an enormous
encouragement and affirmation to receive a positive review like that.
Publishers Weekly also gave a thumbs up review so put together I was
very excited and very grateful. It keeps you going.
MN-You've
occupied several career titles including reporter, editor, ski
equipment salesman, emergency medical orderly, camp director, security
officer, book store clerk and advocate. It is obvious that you love
people. How can we improve on the way we form relationships with each
other, especially as it relates to connecting with those that aren't
like minded?
MP-I really think good fiction
helps with that because it can put you in those other people's shoes.
You hear their stories and you indirectly experience what they have gone
through and all of a sudden you see them as people, not enemies or
oddballs. You develop empathy and compassion because a story engages you
heart and your imagination. It really is a matter of experiencing them
as humans with a story, sometimes a story not unlike yours. Fiction in
book form or in TV and film or on stage helps us arrive at a point of
humanizing those we and others have dehumanized or even demonized. We're
all people and God made us all - that's where we have to arrive at and
that's were we have to start from eventually.
MN-"Christianity
was not meant to be a weapon or an argument or a show of force or a
political tool. Or an act of aggression or coercion. It was never meant
to be a cause or a prop for a cause. Or something to pacify and make
thousands go to bed happy and unthinking. It was meant to be a
challenge, yes, but that challenge to a second life was meant to be
laced with kindness. If someone forces you to choose between God is holy
and God is love choose God is love because holiness without love
translates into tyranny." This is your life philosophy, I am
presuming, and one that needs to be shared worldwide. God really is
love. How can readers come to know the God of love as opposed to God of
judgment only, or God of condemnation?
MP-To me
it is really a matter of reading the gospels. All of the Bible is
significant, of course, but the gospels tell us the story of Jesus and
therefore they need to be read more often and more closely. When we do
we realize many things churches do and many ways Christians act in and
out of church have little or nothing to do with Jesus. Reading any of
the gospels in any translation is always a wake up call to me because
the rest of the Bible and Christianity and my personal life has to go
through him. So many times people lunge at verses that Jesus altered
(eye for eye = love your enemies) and act on them as if he never came -
they live lives under the law and not under grace. So many times the gap
between Jesus and people of the Christian faith is so huge the rest of
the world might be pardoned for asking, "Does Jesus have anything to do
with your faith - your business - your persona life - your church? At
all?" Jesus is the Word. You can't say you're following the Bible and do
things he transformed when he walked among us n the body. "What would
Jesus do?" is still one of the best antidotes to preventing the
Christian faith from running off the rails that I know of.
Author Bio-Murray
Andrew Pura was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, and has traveled
extensively throughout Canada, the United States, Europe, Asia, and the
Middle East. Ordained as a Baptist minister in 1986, Pura has served
five churches in Canada and headlined numerous speaking engagements in
Canada and the United States. He has five books published, was a
contributor to the Life With God Bible, has been a finalist for The
Paraclete Fiction Award, The Dartmouth Book Award, and The John Spencer
Hill Literary Award, and has been shortlisted for the prestigious 2010
Kobzar Literary Award of Canada.
You can connect with Murray Pura on facebook and by visiting his website. You can also read excerpts from his books and order through his website.
Although
Michael J. Scott specializes in action thrillers and suspense, his real
forte is how quickly his novels are being written and released. His
first book, Jefferson’s Road was released in 2011 with
three more debuting in the same year. He is actively engaged in
bringing four more novels to print this year, making the last
twenty-four months industrious as a writer. Scott’s readers appreciate
and reciprocate the passion for his work by using such phrases as “If
Michael Scott didn't write in paragraph form, I would forget to breathe”
in their reviews. As busy as Scott is with his writing, he generously
took time out to talk with me regarding his novels and another passion
of his, freestyle Kendo.
MN-Before
I could finish reading the prologue, I was intrigued and already
looking forward to the way the plot would play out. How did you write The Lost Scrolls; per outline, starting at the ending and working backwards, or did it just develop as you went along?
MS-I wrote The Lost Scrolls with an outline. I had just finished my first novel, The Coppersmith,
and I’d started several others, but nothing really “sparked” my
interest. My family and I went on vacation, visiting my in-laws in North
Carolina. We were staying in a nearby motel room, and when the
inspiration hit me, it was after 10 pm. Since we were all staying in a
single room, I took a chair and went and hid in the bathroom so I could
write with the light on without disturbing anybody. I outlined the
entire novel in one sitting.
MN-I
like the way that the format of the book is reader friendly. The way it
is broken up into small, readable passages actually keeps the reader
moving along, as opposed to looking for the next stopping point. Was
this intentional on your part-a niche of sorts for you as an author?
MS-Yes,
this is entirely intentional. I’ve read numerous other thrillers and
adventure books, and decided that shorter chapters would help keep the
pages turning. Of course, I try to keep the action up as well.
MN-In a review by Christianbookstoday.com, it says "(The Lost Scrolls is a) spy vs. spy meets James Bond meets Indiana Jones quest." Do you believe this is a fair and accurate assessment?
MS-Perhaps.
I can’t say there’s any “spy” in it, though there is plenty of
intrigue and mystery. It may be that they’re referring to the Catholic
priest who used to be a CIA operative, or the Orthodox monk who once
served in the Romanian Securitate. There is definitely a bit of the
Indiana Jones in it, though.
MN-The Lost Scrolls has
been described as "edgy" and "not your mother's Christian fiction". Do
you think modern readers are looking for more than what traditional
authors have offered? How can a Christian writer cater to readers
without crossing over a line that would appear secular?
MS-Like
many fiction authors today, I cut my teeth when Christian fiction was
just being reborn here in the States. There was an attempt by
publishers, early on, to keep Christian fiction “safe.” The result was
that no Christians were ever portrayed in a negative light. They ceased
to be real. At the same time, the antagonists tended to be painted in
very dark colors. The books I read reminded me a bit of the old
spaghetti westerns, where all the good guys wore white hats and all the
bad guys wore black hats. I try to mix it up a bit more. I want to show
that the Christians in my novels are still sinners saved by grace and
not by any virtue they possess. I also want to show that even my bad
guys are still made in the image of God. This has the effect of making
the characters—and therefore the story—that much more real and relatable
to the average reader.
The
challenge for Christian writers today is to write what the story
demands. Christian fiction should not be characterized so much by what
it avoids as by what it presents. In other words, what makes a fiction
book “Christian” is not the absence of sin per se, but rather the
Presence of Christ in the story. Does it present Jesus? Does it present
grace? And does it do so in a way that is organic to the story, rather
than tacked on?
MN-Would you like to see The Lost Scrolls on the big screen and if so, who would you choose to play Dr. Jonathan Munro?
MS-I would love to see The Lost Scrolls on
the big screen. As for Jonathan Munro… he’s tough to cast because he’s
not your typical action star. He shouldn’t be someone too attractive or
buff or anything like that. See, now having said that, how can I
possibly suggest an actor without insulting his physique?
MN-You
have written several books-six with several to be released in the near
future. Considering the many characters you have developed, which is
your favorite?
MS-Wow.
That’s a tough one. There’s a little bit of me in each of them (even
more frightening when you consider that some of my characters are
psychotic killers. Yikes!). I think I like the characters best who
surprise me, who take on a life of their own and sometimes take over the
plot. Certainly Izzy did that. I had a completely different ending
written for The Lost Scrolls, but when I came to it,
she wouldn’t play the part I’d laid out for her. She was determined to
do something so unexpected, it threw me off for a week and left me
wondering how I’d ever finish the book. So in that sense, I like Izzy
quite a bit, which is why we’ll see her again. Special Agent David
Wisenhauer inThe Coppersmith also surprised me – mostly with some of the things he says. But I can honestly say that Peter Baird from the Jefferson’s Road series
is the character I know the best – if only because I’ve written the
most about him. He’s like Jon in the sense that he tries hard to do the
right thing, but unlike Jon, he compromises a lot more, and it gets him
into serious trouble.
MN-I noticed in your author's biography that you are active in Freestyle Kendo. Can you explain what that is?
MS-Freestyle
Kendo isn’t really Kendo at all, though it’s loosely based on it.
Essentially, it is fencing with a double-handed bamboo shinai (a Kendo
practice sword), and very little body armor. Unlike typical fencing,
which relies on thrusting techniques, Freestyle Kendo relies on cutting
and blocking techniques. It’s similar in style to what you would see in
most sword movies—Highlander, Braveheart, Robin Hood Prince of Thieves,
the Star Wars saga, and other films.
My
sparring partner is a six foot six inch tall, 580 lb gorilla of a man
who usually beats me six out of ten times. It’s a lot of fun, and
sometimes we get a little bruised, but it’s also an amazing stress
reliever.
MN-The
Christian worldview and how it influences daily interactions is one of
your passions. Is it possible to maintain a faith-based, stable
worldview as it relates to morals and ethics when society is constantly
changing her standards?
MS-Dean
William R. Inge once said, “Whoever marries the spirit of this age will
find himself a widower in the next.” And Simone Weil said, “To be
always relevant, you have to say things which are eternal.”
Society
is an ocean. She’s always shifting about this way and that—utterly
unstable and prone to make you seasick if you try to stand firmly on her
surface. I find great comfort in the solidity of God’s Word—the Bible.
It doesn’t change. I know right and wrong are whatever God says they
are, and since He is eternal, I know that right and wrong won’t change
just because someone comes along with a clever argument.
That
being said, I very much consider myself a truth-seeker, and not a
dogmatist. My opinions have changed as I’ve grown, but they remain
anchored in God’s Word. I don’t always interpret it as I used to, but my
aim is always to interpret it correctly—to understand what was meant
when it was written within the context in which it was written. There
are essentials of the faith that are so crystal clear in Scripture that I
have no doubt of them whatsoever. There are non-essentials and
mysteries of the faith that aren’t as clear, and I learn and grow as I
study and press deeper into God for greater understanding—which is why I
think God left the mysteries there, so that we would seek Him rather
than simply pat ourselves on the back for having all the answers clearly
spelled out.
I know
this: God is, and Jesus is the God-man who died for my sins, rose again
bodily from the dead, and is coming back to take home those who trust
Him for salvation. I am not perfect and I don’t have it all figured out,
but I do know that Jesus loves me, and that His mercy is the only
reason any are saved. So yeah, it’s entirely possible to maintain a
stable, faith-based worldview in the face of this world’s changing
standards. In fact, not only is it possible, it’s essential.
Author Bio-Michael
J. Scott specializes in action/adventure thrillers and suspense. He
released four novels between 2010 and 2011, and is expecting to release
as many in 2012. He lives outside of Rochester, NY with his wife and three children.
Michael is currently working on a sequel to The Coppersmith entitled Topheth, about a serial arsonist torching churches, the next installment of the Jefferson's Road series: The Tree of Liberty, and a dystopian teen novel calledIn The Widening Gyre. He has a sequel to The Lost Scrolls entitled The Elixir of Life coming from Ellechor Publishing House in 2013.
You can visit Michael J. Scott at his website-as well as following him on Twitter-@AuthorMichaelJS
Other interviews featured in The Wordsmith Journal Magazine: Murray Pura, Delia Latham, and Charles Drew.
About Mary Nichelson: http://www.marysworld411.com/
This interview is courtesy of The Wordsmith Journal Magazine.