Penance: Book 3 of the This Generation Series
1. What really inspired you to
write your book, to force you from taking an idea or experience and conveying
it into a book?
For nearly
30 years, I was a businessman in New York City. It was a very interesting life.
Eight years ago, I took an early retirement to care for my mother who suffered
a massive stroke. It wasn’t long into the daily grind of elder care that I
realized I needed to do something to keep my mind occupied and to make up for
the active social life I had enjoyed previously.
I often
joke and say that the characters of my novels first came about as imaginary
friends to compensate for the sudden solitude of my life. But that’s not
entirely true. The stint at elder care merely gave me the time to reflect on my
life and my passion for Bible prophecy.
I think
one of the neatest things about this whole exercise is that I got to pay homage
to some real-life heroes that I have been privileged to know in life. The characters of Chris, Vinnie, Gabe, and
David all have their beginnings in the lives of some great men of God who have
blessed my life.
2. What is it about and whom do you
believe is your targeted reader?
The This Generation Series of books is based
on a simple premise: The prophecies of various cultures all point to this
generation as the one to see significant, possibly catastrophic, societal
changes. Looking from various angles, there is a point where these prophecies intersect
with thoughts commonly called conspiracy theories. My characters live at the
point where these prophecies and theories merge.
That all
sounds kind of “heady”, but the books are propelled by really engaging
characters, exciting plot twists, fast-paced storylines, and hard-driving
action. In short, these books are a lot of fun!
This
brings me to the targeted reader. The
characters, action, and storyline should make this series compelling for anyone
looking for a fun read! But if you’re looking to explore some of the concepts
of conspiracy theorists and Bible prophecy, then these are the books for you.
If you’re someone who has an itchy feeling that things just aren’t as they seem
and that the world is on the brink of major change, then these books are for
you too!
3. What do you hope will be the
everlasting thoughts for readers who finish your book? What should remain with
them long after putting it down?
I guess I
would say this: Things aren’t as they
seem. Prophesied events will come to pass, although not necessarily as everyone
suspects. Open eyes and ears are the best way to filter through the daily news
to see the broader pattern of events being woven in world events.
4. What advice or words of wisdom
do you have for fellow writers?
Listen to
your editors when they are giving you style points and writing advice, but stay
true to your vision for your characters. Nobody will understand and love your
characters the way you do.
5. What trends in the book world do
you see and where do you think the book publishing industry is heading?
I don’t
know how to answer this question. I was taken aback to learn that overall book
sales only rose last year on the back of adult coloring books. Absent them,
book sales would have fallen. I certainly wouldn’t have seen that one coming.
I can tell
you what I would like to see more of – a return to books with complex
storylines where you don’t know the ending on page one, with realistic characters
that stay with you and even inhabit your dreams, and with enough length that
you feel a part of the character’s lives. These are the types of books I loved
growing up—books like Gone with the Wind,
Stephen King’s The Stand and Dark Tower series, Taylor Caldwell’s Captains and Kings, and Pat Conroy’s The Lords of Discipline.
6. What great challenges did you
have in writing your book?
The actual
writing of these books has been pretty easy. When I’m in writing mode, I
literally wake up each day anxious to see what the characters are going to do
or say. Obviously I have certain plot points that I know I need to hit in
advance, but the conversations and character interactions were sort of
spontaneous.
A harder
part for me is the editing. No matter how witty the conversation or compelling
the action, if it doesn’t fit the overall pace of the narrative, it has to go.
I’ve lamented cutting some of the scenes I’ve sent to the editing room
floor—but the overall product is better for it.
By far the
hardest part for me is the separation anxiety when the manuscript is sent off
to the publisher. The entire writing process is oddly intimate to me and brings
about strong emotional ties to my characters. When I send the manuscript off to
the publisher, it’s like sending my characters to first grade … and when the
readers get to form their own relationships with the characters, it’s like the
characters have left home to have a life of their own.
7. If people can only buy one book
this month, why should it be yours?
I truly
think it is the characters. These books will sweep you into the characters’
lives. I’ve had readers tell me they’ve dreamt of the characters while reading
the books. Many tell me they really want
to see these books done as movies or television miniseries—that is because the
characters have become so real to them. The readers want to actually see these
new friends and foes that have entered their lives.
TC Joseph
is a retired executive from a major, global consumer products company. He now
lives in the Great Lakes region where he enjoys time with his family. His
life-long passion for Bible prophecy combines with his rich and varied life
experiences as a global executive to inspire the compelling characters and
relentless pace of This Generation Series. For more info,
please see: http://thisgenerationseries.com/
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Brian Feinblum’s views, opinions, and ideas expressed in this blog
are his alone and not that of his employer. You can follow him on Twitter
@theprexpert and email him at brianfeinblum@gmail.com. He feels more
important when discussed in the third-person. This is copyrighted by
BookMarketingBuzzBlog 2016 ©. Born and raised in Brooklyn, now resides in
Westchester. Named one of the best book marketing blogs by Book Baby
http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs
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