Q: Would you tell us about your current book release Unseen?|
James H. Pence interview with Susan Sleeman
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June 08, 2014
A. Well, I’m 58 years old and I live in North Texas with my wife Laurel. We’ve been married almost 34 years, have two grown children and one awesome granddaughter. We live on about six acres in the country and have two dogs and two cats. In addition to being a writer, I’m a performance chalk artist and singer. And (in all my spare time) I teach karate to homeschoolers Q: When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer? A. A personal tragedy launched me on the path to becoming a writer. Back in 1987, when Laurel and I were expecting our first child, we learned 20 weeks into the pregnancy (via a sonogram) that the baby had severe birth defects and would not live long after she was born. God took us on an amazing and difficult journey over the next few months, and during that time I decided that someday I’d write a book about the experience. I never did write that book, but I did become a writer. Q: Could you give us the highlights of your professional writing career including how you got your first writing break? A. My first big writing break came after (on a whim) I submitted 13 queries to computer book companies for a book about doing web pages written, “for non-techies by a non-techie.” I didn’t expect any results, but to my surprise, Osborne/McGraw-Hill liked the idea and signed me to write How to Do Everything with HTML. Since that time, I’ve written two more computer books, two novels, one novella (which I ghostwrote for a bestselling author), and two memoirs. Nowadays, I mostly do collaborative writing. I enjoy helping other people tell their stories.
A: Unseen is the story of how a man who lost his wife and children in an auto accident, and who is angry with God, comes to grips with God’s goodness and sovereignty in his loss. When two children who are being pursued by a religious cult are dumped into his lap, he must rescue them and return them to their mother, who is in hiding. In doing so, he finds a reason to live. Q: Where did you get your inspiration for Unseen? A: Unseen was inspired by cult tragedies such as Heaven’s Gate, Jonestown, and the Branch Davidians in Waco. The twist was, what if you had a cult that didn’t want to retreat into its own little world, but wanted to infiltrate ours? Q: What is the main thing you hope readers remember from this story? A: That no matter how bad things get, God is still there. He is still good. And He will bring you through. Q: What is your favorite scene/chapter from the book? A: Definitely the scene in the bayou where an alligator eats marshmallows tossed over the side of a boat. That scene is based on a real-life incident. Q: What inspires you to write? A. Now that I’m a full time writer, I’m “inspired” by the need to pay bills. Not very glamorous, perhaps, but true. Writing is my job, and if I don’t show up, I don’t get paid. Q: How has being a published novelist differed from your expectations of the profession? A: Writing is the hardest work I’ve ever done. I had no idea how difficult it was, not just to write a book, but to carry it all the way through to publication. It’s not for the faint of heart. Q: What advice or tips do you have for writers who are just getting started? A: 1. Learn your craft before you start trying to get published. 2. Approach writing as a professional, even if you’re not making a living at it. 3. Start building your platform now! 4. Don’t rush in to self-publishing just because you become frustrated with conventional publishers. Q: Would you share with us what you are working on now? A. I’ve got six book projects in various stages of development. Five are nonfiction/collaborations. One is a novel that explores how a school shooting affects a small town church and pastor. Q: When you’re not writing what do you like to do? A. I draw, play the keyboard and sing, mow a seemingly endless amount of grass, and watch beautiful Texas sunsets from my front porch. Q: Where can readers find you on the internet? A. My website is: jamespence.com | Facebook: facebook.com/jameshpence Twitter: @jameshpence | https://www.facebook.com/pages/Unseen/521198814667347 Q: Anything else you’d like to tell or share with us? A. I harbor a secret addiction to marshmallow Peeps. J |
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James Pence is a multi-talented author, published in both fiction and nonfiction. James broke into book publishing in 2001 when Osborne/McGraw-Hill published How to Do Everything with HTML, a book about Web authoring. He is also the co-author of Terror by Night, the stunning true story of Terry Caffey, a modern-day Job who lost his wife and children to murder and then forgave the killers. When he’s not writing, James is a performance chalk artist, singer, and speaker. In his spare time he teaches karate, writing, and art to home-schooled children. James has been called a “Renaissance man,” but he prefers to be known simply as a follower of Jesus Christ and a storyteller. James and his wife, Laurel, live near Dallas, Texas. They have been married for 33 years and have two grown children and one granddaughter.
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