Rachel Starr Thomson

Long-time faithful Inklings reader Elisabeth Allen has kindly posted an interview with yours truly on her blog, Hope Scribbles. She asked some great questions about writing, faith, homeschooling, and indie publishing, leading to a fun (and I hope inspirational) conversation. Read Part 1 and Part 2 at these links.

Last week I had the tremendous fun of being interviewed by the charming and funny Sarah M. Eden, an author and blogger. You can read the interview here. We talk about the Seventh World books and ballet and secrets from Sarah’s past and all sorts of things . Check it out!

Some of you may remember Chawna Schroeder from a feature I ran on her a while back. Last week, she reviewed Worlds Unseen on her own blog, and she was also kind enough to do an interview with me. Read it here if you’re interested; it was fun .

For this month’s CSFF Blog Tour, Donita K. Paul was kind enough to grant me an interview. Although e-mail and spam filters tried hard to sabotage our conversation, we finally connected. I think it was a conversation worth having. I hope you’ll agree!

Rachel: The Vanishing Sculptor was the first of your works I’ve read, and I admit to being a bit surprised at the centrality of humour. Christian fantasy is rare enough; funny Christian fantasy is even rarer. Is humour always a major element in your work? Is this just your natural voice, or do you have a purpose in using it?

Donita: That is my natural voice, but I also play it up because entertainment is a device for reaching people. Laughter is a very important tool. As my cognitive learning specialist friend often says, “A happy brain is a learning brain.”

Rachel: Upon hearing your name, most readers familiar with your work will probably think “Dragons.” Many years ago in Western literature, dragons were typically evil figures. In Scripture, Satan is depicted as a serpent and a dragon. Yet you’re using them as good creatures; using them, in fact, to share the gospel. Do you find there’s a tension between these two depictions of dragons when you write? Do you run into people who object to your use of dragons as symbols of good?

Donita: The dragon in the Bible is a symbol. And symbols are not carved in stone. Symbols are not universal. Symbols can change within context of something new. The red letter A was a symbol for adultery in The Scarlet Letter, but it would be odd, indeed, if every red letter we saw would bring up the connotation of adultery.

In my books, I used the minor dragons to symbolize talents and abilities that God has bestowed upon his children. The major dragons are just characters to interact with the other characters and provide all sorts of fun elements.
I ignore the traditional aspects of dragons in literature, and go for my own rendition.

Yes, I call it wizard backlash when a Christian (who usually has not read anything I’ve written) harangues me over the evil of dragons, wizards, and magic. I used to get upset about it, but don’t take it personally anymore. If they exhibit a teachable spirit, we’ll talk. If they are perfectly happy in their mindset and not willing to engage in a two-way conversation, I leave it to Someone more qualified than myself to deal with their beliefs.

Rachel: The minor dragons were some of the story’s most vivid characters, and I confess they brought back memories of Anne McCaffrey’s Dragonsong Trilogy for young adults. Dragons in popular fantasy have been taking on several common characteristics, including coming in different sizes, teaming up with special people (Eragon), and communicating via telepathy. Your dragons do all these things. I’m curious as to what unique aspects you’re building into your dragons–how you’re trying to contribute to this modern mythology, so to speak. What perception of dragons might readers take away from your books that they wouldn’t get anywhere else?

Donita: Well, I mentioned the minor dragons depict talents. My dragons are additional characters. I hope the way I depict relationships and the elements of friendship between any of the characters will cause readers to take care of their own relationships, nurturing them with honesty, loyalty, and self-sacrifice.

Rachel: Why “tumanhofers”? Why not just “dwarves”?

Donita: LOL! Because fairies, dwarves, elves, trolls, ogres, and such come with a lot of baggage. There are centuries of established traditions surrounding the typical fey folk. I knew I was dragging dragons out of this standard folklore and I didn’t think I could get away with dragging all of them away from conventional perceptions. Besides, it is more fun to make up your own.

Rachel: One of my favourite aspects of The Vanishing Sculptor is the obvious fun you have with language — whether it’s in names like “Bealomondore” and “Beccaroon” or the roving, hilarious conversations of characters like Fenworth and Lady Peg. Would you say you enjoy writing more for the sake of the story or for the sake of the language itself? Or is that a nonsense question?

Donita: Story is paramount. I believe literary fiction delves heavily into just how great your sentences roll off the page and into the reader’s mind. To me, literary works point to the author instead of to the reader. A good story resonates with “everyman.” My purpose is to present characters and plot that engage a reader enough to forget me. I want them to identify with the characters as they mature. I want them to struggle with the plot’s twists and turns. In the end, I want the reader to walk away from the experience as I do, with a new understanding of mankind, perhaps a resolution to be better in some area of his or her life, and with renewed hope.

Rachel: Do you have any words of encouragement or advice for aspiring writers, especially those who are at the agent- and publication-seeking stage?

Donita: Go to conferences. Join professional organizations like ACFW. (American Christian Fiction Writers) Network online with people who have the same vision of fiction that you do and some who write in the same genre. Keep growing.

When Ashley and I began talking about featuring her on Inklings, I asked her to tell me a little about herself and her writing journey. She did, sharing her unique journey.

Rachel: Tell us about your history with writing. When did you begin? Where do you find inspiration?

Ashley: I’ve lived in western New York all my life. I’ve always loved the beautiful colors and rolling hills. Somehow they inspire me. Being homeschooled all my life, I had the privilege of taking my work outside sometimes, or of working extra hard to finish early so I could venture into the fresh air. Often, when I’m writing, I take my laptop outside and write in the fresh air and creation. Somehow I get more creativity and inspiration out there.

I’ve loved writing for as long as I can remember. There’s just something super neat about the words becoming life on the paper and then in the minds and hearts of the readers. Incidentally, I also loved to read. I often curled up with a book on the couch for hours, oblivious of all passage of time. Somehow it intrigued me that my writing could do the same for someone else.

Rachel: Reading is a shared passion for most writers, I think — and as you realized, the journey of writing only starts out as a solitary endeavour. Once your work is on paper, your journey is shared with others. That’s an awesome thing . Tell us about your transition from reader to writer.

Ashley: I began writing a book when I was about 12, but I never finished it. I was writing it for me, and not for the Lord. Some years later, I was hit with a really neat idea for a story. It captured my heart and swept me up so I just HAD to write it. I intended it to be around 90 pages long. Then I could print it for less cost and I figured if that one made enough money, maybe I”d have money to print the first book I’d started when I finished it. But as I wrote, I realized the characters and story deserved more space. NEEDED more space. So the 90 page book turned into a 360 page book. My first novel.

Over the course of about 3 years I wrote off and on in between my filming projects and other things. The biggest difference between this book and the first one I started was that I was writing this book for the Lord. It had meaning and purpose, and it inspired me. I felt like the Lord had given me a message for the book, and I hoped it would help heal people’s hearts – one of my passions. As I neared the end of writing the book, an urgency gripped me to finish so the story and message and healing could begin to reach people’s hearts. I wanted to do this, not by preaching or teaching, but just by a fun, though deep, heartwarming story. Through the lives of my characters. Just like God uses our lives in other people’s lives… your actions speak louder than your words.

All through the writing, it was rather amazing to me how the story just poured out. I felt like God was giving me the story. The writing journey was exciting and rewarding. Currently I’m working on the sequel!

I pray the Lord uses the book and all else I do to heal people’s hearts and draw them to Him.

Rachel: Writing isn’t your only creative outlet, or the only place of ministry you see for yourself. Tell us about your other work.

Ashley: I also love making films. I feel like films and books are a lasting way to make an impact for Christ. It strikes me as very neat that they’ll probably be around even after I’m gone. Because of my interest in filmmaking, I took the knowledge I’d gained working on a few different Independent Christian movies and got my family and some other homeschoolers together and we made a fun commercial/trailer advertising the book! I thought seriously about making the book into a feature length movie too, but we’ll see how the Lord leads with that.

I imagine writing on and off will be a part of my life, as well as making films and other creative things.

Rachel: For this first book and your films, you’ve chosen to go the indie route for publication. Why is that? Did you look into traditional publishing at all, or did you always know you would self-publish?

Ashley: I always had in the back of my mind that I wanted to self-publish. When I was younger, I’d heard that if you went the traditional publishing route, they wanted to have some control over the content of you work, and I didn’t want that. I wanted to be able to write just exactly what I felt God had given me to write.

I did look into traditional publishing a little bit, but decided for the self publishing route. Somehow it seemed more free and like an adventure too… not to mention it felt more like God was in control. I may someday go the traditional route, but for now, I like the self-publishing journey.

Rachel: You’ve shared about your heart for ministry through writing and other creative work, which is a marvelous passion to drive what you do. As you’ve discovered, though, writing and self-publishing are also a lot of work. Can you tell us about the process of marketing so far? How have you marketed your work? Do you find that marketing intersects with ministry?

Ashley: Yes! Writing and self-publishing IS a lot of work! I loved the writing part! Though sometimes it felt a little overwhelming, usually the story just poured out. There were times I wouldn’t be able to sleep at night as ideas poured into me. I began keeping paper and pen beside my bed and got very good at jotting things down in the dark.

I haven’t done tons of major marketing yet, but we do have a plan. Before the book was even done, I created a website (www.trestle2treasure.com) and began offering pre-orders once I had a pretty certain completion date. I got quite a few! And it helped immensely with the upfront costs that come with self-publishing. I also wrote a script and shot the commercial I mentioned before and put that on the website and other online video sites such as YouTube. We plan to send an information package to companies and catalogs including a DVD of the commercial for them to see. I also put an ad in a homeschool magazine, “Homeschool Enrichment”. Based on how well that does, I may place ads in other ones as well.

My Dad sees many people as he works every night delivering newspapers to stores. It’s really neat how his life is a ministry to them, just by living it. He found creative ways to tell various people about my book as he went on his nightly rounds and some of them ordered it! It’s been touching to hear some of the stories he brings back to me… thrilling really… of how they couldn’t put the book down, and they passed it along to their mother, who passed it to her neighbor… I pray it touches their hearts too.

So, yes, I do see that ministry and marketing are kind of tied together. Really, the testimonies of how people loved it or it touched their lives are the only reward I need. That was my goal as I wrote it, I saw making money as an extra bonus if it should happen.

It sends chills down my back to think of how many people could be holding my book right now and what God might be doing through it. Many prayers went out with it… that it would make an impact and help heal hearts, the first step of which is to find Jesus and make Him Lord.

Rachel: Ashley, thanks so much for sharing your work and your heart with us. Readers, learn more about Hearts Journey Home tomorrow!

Today’s post concludes the interview which began on Thursday with questions about Faith vs. Fear and how Leah came to be a writer. Today, we talk about the business side of writing.

Rachel: I’ve been impressed by your commitment to marketing your book. Did you have a marketing plan before you published Faith vs. Fear, or have you been learning as you go?

Leah: Definetly learning as we go.
This is such a new experience!
Just reading a book you wouldn’t think there would be THAT much to it, but there truly is.
It’s an amazing process to watch and be apart of.
Since I was pretty young when I wrote the book, my Mom and Dad have been so faithful in helping me with the business aspect of the book.
Together we are learning how to promote the book and let people know about it through websites and interviews such as this, and we appreciate people like you so much who help us let other people know about it!
Thank you so much!

Rachel: You’re welcome . Helping young authors like you is a major reason this blog exists. Can you tell me about your favourite/most unusual experiences in marketing your book?

Leah: I love meeting new people at book signings.
It’s fun to get aquainted with such a wide mesh of personalities and hear the stories that they have to share too!
That is another thing I’m learning through this experience.
Everyone you meet has a story to share!
My favorite book signing was actually held at my friends Christian book store.
My book had just been released, and we really weren’t sure what to expect.
I was astonished and oh so blessed when almost all of the people that attend my Church came to support me!
It was also a very awesome day because the “Girls of Grace” were there to sign the first copies of my book as well.
As far as the “unusual experience” thing goes, I have met a few people that were just a little…too uniqe? LOL.
However, I love and appreciate them too!

Rachel: How much has Tate Publishing been involved in the marketing of your book, and how much have you done on your own?

Leah: Tate has been amazing, but we have to put in a lot of work too.
They distribute and market my book, but we do most of the promoting on our own.
It takes about 70% of our own effort to make sure that my book is promoted and gets “Out there,” but Tate helps a lot to distribute the book.

Rachel: What has surprised you most about the business and marketing aspects of being a writer?

Leah: Everything! (Ha ha!)
It is just amazing to see how much time and effort goes into not only writing the book but also editing, graphing, and marketing the book as well.
It amazed me how many great people were involved in this process.
It also gives me goosebumps to think of all the places my book is going!
We actually had a few friends that were Missionaries in Bosnia.
They used to own a library that provided books where people could learn to speak english.
Can you believe that they mailed a copy of “Girls of Grace”?!

Rachel: Many of my readers are young writers who would love to be where you are now. Can you give them some business advice?

Leah: Well, my favorite part of writing is that it is something that brings me so much cloer to God.
That fills my heart with so much joy!
I suppose the best advice I can offer is to have fun and make sure that God is your top priority.
Write about things you love to write about, and write for people that love the same things you do!
Keep in mind that it’s not about fame or how many people read what you wrote…it’s the hope that at least one person might be touched by what you have to say.
And you don’t need to be published for that!
If you’re excited and want to see if God might want you to go in that direction though, patience is a must.
We sent my book off to several publishing companies, and it takes a VERY long time to hear back.
It is also important to know that rejection letters will come, and it does not mean that you are not a wonderful writer.
It means that one person is not interested.
Try again!

This interview concludes my feature on Leah R. Eads. I hope you’ve enjoyed reading about Leah’s book and her work as a young writer and now promoter of her own writing — may her journey be an encouragement to you also!

Leah Eads is the 14-year-old author of Girls of Grace: Faith vs. Fear, the story of a group of girls who go on a Christian reality show in a bid to save their beloved crisis pregnancy center, published by Tate Publishing. I met Leah through her mom, Carol, who got in touch with me several months ago. I was thrilled to hear about Leah’s work — I love to see young authors really pursuing their dreams — so I offered to feature Leah on Inklings. I’m glad I did!

This week’s profile will kick off with an interview. Tomorrow, I hope to post a review of Faith vs. Fear. Today, I want to start by interviewing Leah about her book, the many ways in which it intersects with reality, and what it’s like to be a writer. Part 2 of the interview, coming on Saturday, will examine more of the business aspects of being a young writer.

So, without further ado, I give you Leah Eads!

Rachel: Leah, you were published at age 14. That’s a dream come true for many writers! When did you start writing, and when did you decide to pursue publication seriously? Can you tell us a little about your journey to publication?

Leah: Well, ever since I can remember I have always loved stories.
My Mom had a special knack for telling stories that made you feel like you were right there with the characters.
I never wanted them to end, but when they did I wasted no time asking for another one.
I have always had a special relationship with my family, so the way I viewed it, asking for a story was just another ticket to my Mom’s lap!
Pretty soon, she began to encourage me to tell her stories, and it tickled me to find that she too always asked for “Just one more!” =)
At that age I was still too little to write my thoughts on paper, and bless her heart, my Mom listened to every story that filled my head.
When I learned to read and write on my own, my thoughts and stories had no where else to go.
They found their way to notebooks and napkins.
Then we got our computer and I learned to type them, which was terrific because I have trouble reading my own handwriting!
Shortly after that I entered a few children’s writing contests and nearly burst with excitement when I won my first award! I couldn’t contain myself…I entered almost every year afterwards.

Rachel: The “Girls of Grace” are a group of moms and daughters who meet for prayer, discussion, and fun. Your bio on the book cover says that you and your mother “enjoy spending time with the real-life Girls of Grace” (pictured above at a book signing with you!) How much of this story is fictional, and how much is based on real-life people and events?

Leah: All the “Girls of Grace” mentioned in the book make up a group of very colorful characters.
In real life it is no different–each of them are real, fun, sweet, and wonderful young women that fill my life with joy every day!
I’ve enjoyed growing up with them and seeing how God is using each personality for His glory.
I would say that the only difference between the girls in the book and the real life Girls of Grace is probably that no one could possibly capture their true and unique personalities with words alone!!
The story takes place in a town called Kingman, (where we really live.)
As the story unfolds, we meet additional characters, such as Miss Teresa who owns the Crises Pregnancy Center.
She too is real and full of passion from God for the unborn, and all of us love volunteering at the Crises Center!
The book takes a major twist when the “Girls of Grace” realize that the Crises Center might close its doors if someone doesn’t step up and raise the money it needs to keep it opened, and that is what causes the girls to take a giant leap of faith and journey to an Island far from home and completely step out of their comfort zone to face the unknown.
This part is fictional, but oh so exciting!
There’s a lot more I could say…but I think I might just keep everyone wondering. =)
At this point in the story we meet a young woman named Nancy Quinn with a terrible past and unknown future.
The only thing that is keeping her together is her new found faith in the Lord Jesus.
With this new hope, we follow Nancy in an adventure of her own as she learns to trust God…wherever He leads.
Nancy is also a fictional character, but one many can identify with!
So, with all of this being said, I would say my book is half and half.
Most of the adventure is fictional, but most of the characters are real!

Rachel: Your book has a great sense of humour, and I noticed that you poked the most fun at the character you based on yourself — “Leah” in the book is funny, quirky, and never one to shy away from an embarrassing situation! Again, how much is Leah based on you?

Leah: The funny part is that I’m really much more like my character in the book now than I was then!!
I used to be very shy…but the real life “Girls of Grace” worked on that. =)
God really helped me to come out of my shell by spending time with them, and I learn every day that there’s simply too many great opportunities in this life to hide or shy away from!
However I am very much a goof ball, as seen all throughout the book.
We all love to poke fun and laugh with each other, and sometimes I just so happen to accidentally do things worth laughing at!
Each girl has a special and definite sense of humor…and there simply is no way that we could spend a day together without a giggle or two.

Rachel: I’ve enjoyed getting to know your mom, Carol, over e-mail. How great a role did she play in the writing and publishing of Faith vs. Fear?

Leah: On a scale of one to ten, I’d say she played a role of at least eleven. =)
My Mom is an amazing person, and I am so glad that God blessed me with her.
As far as inspiration goes, my Mom was actually one of the main reasons I started writing.
She was the one that wrote and told me stories, and read as well as listened to the ones I wrote for her.
She and my family were constantly encouraging me, and had it not been for their support, I probably wouldn’t have started this journey.
My Mom mailed my book off to several publishing companies, and together we prayed that even though I was young and didn’t have the experience of other writers, that it might at least be looked over.
She was also the one that screamed and jumped up and down with me the day my acceptance letter came from Tate Publishing!
From then on she helped me understand everything that was happening since most Publishing Companies don’t usually work with kids.
She spent long hours proof reading, re-reading, editing and an re-reading again, and I am so, so thankful for her and my fantastic family.
And, might I add that I am also so thankful for the outstanding God I serve…He has never let me down, and to have His friendship love and support means everything to me.

Rachel: Are you working on any other books at the moment? What are your future dreams as a writer?

Leah: I am working on several books right now!
A few months ago I finished a second “Girls of Grace,” and I am half way through the third one.
However, I am still praying and waiting to see what God has in store.
I have taken a break from writing “Girls of Grace” books for a season to work on some other books, which are coming along wonderfully!
The one I am working on the most right now is called “Stormy Seasons,” and I am amazed at the direction God is taking it.
It is so much more different than anything I have ever written, and it’s neat seeing God take over.
I have so many dreams, but the biggest one of all is that I might write in a way that honors God.
In a way that excites readers to turn the next page, and in a way that brings each person closer to Jesus.

Rachel: Finally, if you could leave your readers with any message, what would it be?

Leah: That it doesn’t matter who you are, but who He is.
You can do anything through Christ who gives you strength.
That God didn’t make you like anyone else, you are special and uniqely designed in His image, and He loves you very much.
God has a plan for your life!
I never would have imagined that God could use someone like me.
But I’m learning that He uses the unusable people the most to show just how fantastic HE is!

Coming tomorrow, my review of Leah’s book. On Saturday, I’ll post Part 2 of Leah’s interview — it’s just as good as Part 1, so check back!

Before I’d even seen Pendragon: Sword of His Father, I knew I wanted to interview its creators. Marilyn Burns, who stars as Wenneveria in the film but also handled other film creation aspects — from cowriting the score to designing costumes to helping with a million logistical details — was kind enough to grant me an interview. As I’m a writer, I wanted to know especially about the writing of Pendragon. Enjoy!

Rachel: Every good movie starts with a good screenplay. What was the process of writing the Pendragon screenplay like? Who really took the role of screenwriter?

Marilyn: The Pendragon screenplay was written as a joint effort by the team… which (although it definitely led to some interesting debates!) allowed to us to incorporate good ideas from every member of our team.

The script writing process began when our team got together for a week-long trip over Christmas break. The distance between our families was a challenge, but we continued to work long distance, and got together many times to work over the next year or so.

Each person had a slightly different role in the process – Chad kept everyone on task, I used a laptop to organize our ideas, Aaron and Nick generally provided a little comic relief… The younger kids always had plenty of ideas as well, and the parents would stop in now and again to offer suggestions. There was never any lack of opinions!

Rachel: Those of us who write books know that a story will change considerably from our original idea as we encounter obstacles, new ideas, and creative spurts. Did you find this to be true in the writing of Pendragon?

Marilyn: Definitely! The process of creating the story and writing the script took several years, and the final version was definitely much different from our original concept.

It was often a struggle to create a unified storyline from the many different ideas offered by each team member, but we hope that the final product allowed us to create a powerful story with a strong and unified message.

Rachel: Pendragon is based on one of the great archetypal stories of all time: the story of Arthur, King of Britain. Your Web site calls Pendragon “an exciting historical fantasy.” How much would you say is history, and how much is fantasy? Did research influence or change the story, or did you do most of the research before writing the story?

Marilyn: The story is based on the few facts which are actually known about the character Artos or Arturius, a British general who later became the basis of the legend of King Arthur. Pendragon is a name referring to this British leader, and his standard – literally “head of Dragons.” We mainly avoided the later legendary material, and built our own fantasy on the general historical setting, and the few factual elements which are known.

We did a great deal of general research before beginning the script, and specific research later, as we were developing concept art for props and costumes, etc.

Rachel: My sisters and I watched the credits with our fingers on the “Pause” button so we could read them in depth. I was impressed by how much YOU did–writing music, designing costumes, playing a starring role, and more. Did you know what you were getting into when you began this project? Out of all the hats you wore, which was your favourite? Which was the biggest stretch for you?

Marilyn: We definitely had no idea what we were getting into when we began the project! Balancing each of our many roles was definitely one of the biggest challenges for our team. (Not to mention that many of us had jobs or were going to school full-time “on-the-side”! The scope of the project grew as we worked on it, so the final outcome was on a much grander scale than what we had originally envisioned. It’s probably a blessing we didn’t know what we were getting into at the beginning, or we may never have started!

Personally, my favorite job was probably the hands-on creative aspect. Imagining a fantastic costume or prop and then setting about turning that into a tangible object. The ingenuity required to do it on our budget just added to the challenge, but it was great fun. One of my favorite creations was Ambrosius’ leather armor – it is constructed from a set of covered hockey pads… just add leather! The music was also a lot of fun, and wearing the costumes… and the opportunity to talk with kids was definitely my favorite part of playing the “princess” role.

Rachel: Some Christian artists feel that Christian art, whether it’s music, movies, books, etc, shouldn’t be based around a particular message. Others feel that communicating certain truths is the whole point. Pendragon obviously doesn’t shy away from communicating messages. Of these, which do you feel is most important? If your viewers could come away with one truth burned in their hearts by the movie, what truth would you want that to be?

Marilyn: Our goal with Pendragon was definitely to communicate a clear message – we hope to inspire viewers to embrace the specific challenge that God has for their lives. “The One who gave the Vision still calls…”

Rachel: And of course, the Most Obvious Question: is Burns Family Studios working on another film?

Marilyn: Our goal at Burns Family Studios is to produce Christ-centered historical action films that will inspire and encourage – up till now this is a genre almost untouched by other Christian film makers. Our current goal is to pay off Pendragon’s creditors, and lay a financial foundation for the next film, which we hope will have a significantly larger budget and broader reach. Stay tuned…

Tonight, I’m privileged to wrap up the March CSFF tour with an interview with Allan Miller, one of the Miller Brothers, who took time out of a very busy schedule to first agree to a last-minute interview and then to thoughtfully answer my questions about art, allegory, homeschooling, and more! I really enjoyed my conversation with Allan, and I hope you will as well!

Here we go:

Rachel: Once I was a few chapters into Hunter Brown, I found myself impressed by the big issues you tackled. Actually, they made me uncomfortable: I really didn’t like the idea of looking into a mirror and seeing an evil, black-eyed face looking back. What was it like writing such heavy issues into a children’s book? Were you ever tempted to water them down or make Hunter morally better than he really is?

Allan: Good! We wanted to make you squirm! Well, just a little anyways… One of the points we wanted to be central in the story of Hunter Brown was the idea that doing good and being good are two entirely different things. So many books and movies today inspire us do good — and somehow that is what saves the day. “If you just find the hero inside yourself…” we hear. Sounds nice, but the problem with that is that it’s a lie that sells us short of the scary truth: we’re not good, and nothing inside us is going to save us. We need something greater to redeem us. That’s the powerful message we wanted to challenge our readers with. The Hunter that readers first meet is not a terrible kid, but he’s clearly not perfect — he’s just a “not-as-bad-as,” “good enough” kind of guy. We think readers relate to that quality of Hunter — we all want to think of ourselves as being good, even though we know we’ve fallen short. That’s when we try to become good. The real adventure is in finding out how big of a problem that really is.

Rachel: There’s a debate going on about Christian art: some feel that Christian art can’t preach a clear message without losing its quality as art; others feel that the message is the whole point. Where are you on that spectrum?
Allan: More and more, we are becoming convinced that you can’t separate the message from the art. Every story has a message behind it — no matter how hard a person might try to hide it. In our opinion, we’ve got the greatest message on earth to tell. We’d be wasting our time if we didn’t. As we do, we hope our work reflects excellence in creativity (again, we’d be wasting our time if we didn’t do that too!). In the end, I think that’s the combination that will truly inspire others.

Rachel: Related to the above question, I’ve heard Hunter Brown criticized as “paper-thin allegory.” In your view, what is the purpose of allegory? Is allegory any good without a clear message?

Allan: Actually, we take that criticism as a compliment of sorts. While we certainly don’t want a “beat you over the head” experience (never pleasant, though at times effective), we more importantly don’t want the message lost or left wide-open to interpretation. Allegory should convey truth in an instructve way. Hopefully we’ve achieved a balance to allow our readers to enjoy the story in a way that also lets the truth sink in over time. Time will tell!

Rachel: The famous writer question — which I won’t ask! — is “Where do you get your ideas?” But in a book as heavily allegorical as Hunter Brown, I’m curious as to what came first. Did you begin with a message you wanted to share, a world you wanted to create, characters whose story wanted to be told?

Allan: Thank you for sparing us! It started from a childhood love of a “tissue-paper-thin” allegory that impacted us greatly… Pilgrim’s Progress. The images and concepts it brought to life about our spiritual journey as Christians was something that inspired us all throughout our lives. We give that story a couple nods in the early parts of Hunter Brown if you look for them. After that root inspiration, defining our message came next, and the rest quickly dissolves away into the mushy realm of the creative process where worlds and characters come to life in a way even we don’t fully understand.

Rachel: You guys have a whole lot more going on than just books. Your company, Lumination Studios, promises to develop “Books, Graphic Novels, Musical CD Products, Web-based Products, Animated Films, Games & Toys.” That represents an impressive array of talents and interests on your parts! Can you tell us about what’s in the works now? What upcoming products are you most excited about?

Allan: Beyond continuing our Codebearers Series (Book Two, Hunter Brown and the Consuming Fire, is slated for 9/9/09), we are also working on completing our other series, the Heroes of Promise children’s books. The other non-book mediums are works-in-progress (like a kids’ musical of “Gid the Kid”). As long as Chris is alive, there will be plenty of ideas swirling around for us to pursue. One developing property combines modern-day youth, time-travel, mystery, and early-American history. Another is a new-format book that we’ve dreamed up to function as part story, part puzzle. We’re getting nibbles from publishers on that one and really hoping it gets picked up. Someday we’d love to produce some animated movies (our first love), but we’re on hold with that pursuit for now. Until then, we’re so grateful we can use our talents in the books we write and illustrate.

Rachel: As a homeschool graduate, I was delighted to discover that you were homeschooled through your latter school years as well. How did those years influence your career direction? If you hadn’t been homeschooled, do you think you’d still be doing this?

Allan: It’s hard to say “what would be had we not…”, but we can’t imagine how we would have gotten here without the gift of homeschooling. One of the greatest gifts of homeschooling (besides the closeness it gave our family) was the chance to explore our strengths beyond what “normal” school would have. Our teacher (Mom) had the great wisdom to allow us to pursue our interest in art within our daily school projects. We explored animation, sculpting, and creative writing. Our science studies turned into illustrated children’s books. It was a great way to learn and grow. The extra time together also helped us foster a stronger bond as brothers which, of course, has been a big part of allowing us to work together.

Rachel: Allan, one of my favourite parts in Hunter Brown is in your special thanks section: “My big brother, Chris — dreams are great, but so much better when they are shared. Keep dreaming big with me … just give me time to catch up every once in a while.”

It’s rare to see brothers who dream together in this day and age, and I’m inspired by your example! Thanks for sharing some of your journey and message with us!