Which is your favorite childhood memory?
My Dad ran a church camp for boys and girls from ages 8-14. I loved spending summers at that camp. It was about an hour out of town, close to the woods. It was so peaceful being “away from civilization”, learning about the Bible, playing ball, swimming, etc. I became a camp counselor at the age of 16. I served as a camp counselor for 22 years before my Dad retired. The things I learned at Camp Morvin served as a great foundation for my teaching/coaching career.
How has been your experience of being a public school teacher and coach?
It was a privilege to be able to teach school for 27 years and coach varsity sports for 29 years. I continue to live in the same small county that I taught/coached in so I see former students/players all of the time. It’s really special to see, hug and talk with those students/players each week. My goal was always to inspire each student/athlete and show them that I believed in them to fulfill their purpose in life.
Since how long have you been living in Alabama?
I have lived in Alabama all of my 52 years.
What inspired the plot of your first novel?
The inspiration behind writing my first book was to give people that are struggling with substance abuse hope, especially hope found in Jesus.
How do you think your books have helped young readers spark their imagination?
I want young readers to know that they should go for their dreams. They have one life to live, so set goals and set out to reach those goals/dreams.
What makes a book ‘Publish worthy’?
A book is publish-worthy if it inspires readers, is emotional for readers, or if the book is written in such a way that makes the reader feel like they are actually watching the story unfold in person.
How do you deal with emotional impact of a book on yourself as you are writing the story?
Writing the book was difficult at times because I had to relive so many bad, difficult and emotional memories. Writing the book was also therapeutic in many ways because through the writing of the book, I felt like healing took place in my life.
How did you come up with the title of your book, "The War Within: My Story"?
Everyone is fighting a battle of some sort whether it’s an addiction, fear, pride, low self-esteem, mental illness or whatever. There is a spiritual war within each of us to overcome those weaknesses and shortcomings.
Your thoughts on conventional vs. self-publishing? What route did you choose and why?
If someone has the time and resources to self publish, that is good.
I did not have the time nor resources to self publish. I was very pleased with Christian Faith Publishing and their process. I want to reach all people, however; not just a Christian audience.
Do you usually write the 'back-of-the-book' blurbs at the back of your books or does your editor? How long does it usually take to write these mini summaries?
I wrote that back of the book summery.
It depends, but this particular back of the book summery came to me in about 30 minutes.
What is the most positive review you've ever received? What about the most negative? How did you handle both?
All the reviews that I have gotten have been positive, but those reviewers that were inspired with hope are special.
Haven’t had negative reviews yet.
It’s easy for me to handle positive reviews with humility and thankfulness. I can also deal with negative feedback by using it as constructive criticism.
Why did you decide to write "The War Within" from a dad’s perspective?
I wrote the book from my perspective because that’s what I lived out in real life.
What challenges did you face while writing about addiction and a family thrown into the horrifying situation of dealing with it?
Reliving those horrifying/life or death situations while writing was difficult, but ultimately helped me deal with it. The Lord help heal me through the writing of the book.
Are you working on anything at the present you would like to share with your readers about?
I am currently working on a poetry book that I’m excited about.
How has been your experience working with AllAuthor? What are some things you love about the website and its services?
I have been very pleased working with all author, meeting others authors, having my book promoted, etc. Meeting other authors, having my book promoted on social media, and I love the cool banners!
