Thursday, November 28, 2013

Featured Author Interview: James L. Rubart

James L. Rubart is the best-selling and Christy award winning author of, ROOMS, BOOK OF DAYS, THE CHAIR, SOUL’S GATE, and MEMORY’S DOOR. 

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During the day he runs Barefoot Marketing which helps businesses and authors make more coin of the realm. In his free time he dirt bikes, hikes, golfs, takes photos, and occasionally does sleight of hand. No, he doesn’t sleep much. He lives with his amazing wife and teenage sons in the Pacific Northwest and still thinks he’s young enough to water ski like a madman.

The following is a November 2013 interview with James.

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ENTER THE GIVEAWAY 
AT THE END OF THE INTERVIEW


Be in to win a set of 
Soul's Gate and Memory's Door 
by James L. Rubart


One set to be won

Contest open to entrants in the USA only.

Contest runs from 22 November - 5 December NZDT


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 Tell us a little about yourself

Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, graduated with a degree in Broadcast Journalism, was on air at a Seattle radio station for a number of years, started my own ad agency in ’94. Married to the word’s most amazing woman, and father to two incredible sons, 20, and 18.  And I like to write (but I think you knew that already.)


How did you become a novelist, and did you always want to write?
Yes, I’ve always wanted to write and be an author. The dream crystallized in 7th grade, but after taking journalism as an 8th grader I was turned down when I tried out for the school paper and it shut me down. I stuffed the dream in the back closet of my heart. I believed the lie that I couldn’t write. So for a long time I was too scared to take the risk, leap off the cliff, and put my writing out there. Because what do you do if your biggest dream crashes and burns? What is your purpose in life at that point? I dabbled at writing for years, but it was hidden.

But in the spring of 2002, my wife went on a fast without knowing why she was doing it or for how long. She only knew God had told her to. After three days, a light bulb exploded over my head and I felt like God said, “I’ve given you this gift, I’ve given you this desire, when are you going to step into your destiny?” I turned to Darci as we were driving home and said, “I know why you’re fasting. I’m supposed to be a novelist.” She said, “Wait a minute, I’m hungry for three days, and you get the answer?”

We both laughed, but that was the start of me going after the dream of becoming an author. I finished by first novel (ROOMS) three years later, and it was published in 2010.


What do you think is significant about Christian fiction?

It is one of the greatest tools available to change lives, to set people free, to draw them deeper to God. It cracks me up when I hear pastors and others say Christian fiction is trivial or a waste of time. The reality is, stories stick with us to a far greater degree than straight teaching. Try to remember your three favorite sermons from the past ten years. Almost impossible. But if I ask you to recall three of your favorite novels, you’d be able to come up with them in seconds. Not to mention the greatest teacher of all time used stories as his method to reach inside and open up the heart of his listeners. In fact the Word says at one point, Jesus taught only in parables.   (Matthew 13:34 New Living Translation: “Jesus always used illustrations and stories like these when speaking to the crowds. In fact, he never spoke to them without using such parables.”)

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How do you hope your readers react to the stories you write? 

Two ways. First, I want them to be wildly entertained. When I get notes from readers telling me they couldn’t put a novel down, I’m thrilled. I love getting immersed in a great story, and when readers tell me I’ve done that for them it makes me smile. Second, I want them to be changed. To be set free, to see God in ways they’ve never seen him before. I want them to find healing and restoration. I want to make people think, and when readers say they’re still pondering my book a month or two months after reading it, again, I feel like I’m being the type of novelist God has led me to be.


What responses to your novels have affected you the most and why? 
By far, the ones that have impacted most me are when a reader chooses to follow Jesus for the first time, or turns back to him after years away. And of course when a reader says they’ve been set free, or been given hope where their seemed to be none, or they’ve been pulled out of deep, deep darkness … it gets awfully dusty and my eyes start to water.

             
How has being a novelist impacted your relationship with Christ? 

My beliefs have been stretched. Significantly. As you know, I write about the supernatural things in the Bible, and bring them into modern society. Things that clearly happened in scripture, but aren’t so common these days. For example, in my Well Spring series (Soul’s GateMemory’s Door, and The Spirit Bridge—out May ’14) I have my characters teleporting.

Now that Soul’s Gate and Memory’s Door are out, I’ve had multiple people I know—not strangers—tell me about modern day teleporting. They’ve spoken about a kind of soul travel similar to what happens in my books. They’ve showed me jewels they say fell from heaven. Gems I’ve held in my own hands that have been tested by jewelers that say the gems are not made of anything on this earth.

So here I am writing about things I think are fiction, which intelligent, well-spoken, mature Christians are telling me are real. What do I do with that?

Let’s examine the teleporting idea a moment longer. It’s crystal clear in scripture that this happened again and again. So why can’t it happen today? I can show you in the Word why it could happen today, can you show me where it couldn’t? Consequently, I have to open my mind to the possibility that God is way bigger than I ever thought He was. Which is a very good thing.

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Other than writing great novels, what other goals do you have for your life? 
I want to love my wife with my whole heart, and think of her before I think of myself.

I want to be a strong father for my sons, full of grace, mercy, inspiration and friendship. I want expand my speaking career (I love to speak almost as much as I love to write). I want to go deep in my friendships. I want to know the Trinity more intimately. I have more, but that’s probably enough for the moment.


What do you like to do in your spare time? 

Too many things to do them all consistently! I’m a water skier, back packer, guitar player, sleight of hand artist, photographer, golfer, and dirt biker. I love movies, friends, and hanging out with my wife and sons, and not too surprisingly, I love to read captivating novels.


What can you tell us about your latest novels? 

My latest novel is called Memory’s Door, and it’s the second book in the Well Spring series. Here’s the back cover description which will give you a feel for what the novel is about:

The prophecy brought them together. But the Wolf has risen, and now their greatest battle begins.

The four members of Warriors Riding have learned to wage war in the supernatural, to send their spirits inside people’s souls, to battle demonic forces, and to bring deep healing to those around them.

But their leader Reece is struggling with the loss of his sight. Brandon is being stalked at his concerts by a man in the shadows. Dana’s career is threatening to bury her. And Marcus questions his sanity as he seems to be slipping in and out of alternate realities.

And now the second part of the prophecy has come true. The Wolf is hunting them and has set his trap. He circles, feeding on his supernatural hate of all they stand for. And he won’t stop until he brings utter destruction to their bodies . . . and their souls.

Although you can tell from the above, the novel will have some epic moments, the heart of this story is regret. What do we do with our regrets? How do we get free of them? At the time I wrote the story I was going through a period of having to face my own deepest regrets, so those trials were interwoven into the story to a great degree.

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What stories can your fans expect from you in the days ahead? 

The next book in the series, The Spirit Bridge comes out in May next year and it’s the first novel I’ve written where I liked it immediately. With my other books, right after I finished, all I could think about was the elements I could have done better. With The Spirit Bridge I was pretty happy right away. It’s the final book in the Well Spring series and I think it’s an epic conclusion to the story.

The novel after that? I’ve just started it … so even I don’t know exactly what it’s about! But I can say the premise is extremely intriguing, at least to me, and that’s always a good sign when I start a new story.


What would you like to say to your fans in New Zealand, and others worldwide?

Thank you. Then thank you again. I’m so grateful for you. Without you, I wouldn’t be able to do this novel writing thing. And thank you for your prayers. That kind of support means the world to me. And finally, thank you for joining me as we press deeper into Jesus together. He is Life.


Do you have any parting words?

Step into your dream, whatever it is.  Large, small, whatever you’ve longed to try, jump off the cliff and build your wings on the way down. I’ve learned God’s definition of success and ours is very different. Ours is getting that book contract, or opening a restaurant that becomes a hit, or selling that painting for a lot of money, but God’s definition is simply to try. Risk it. Try it. In the scope of eternity the trying is what counts, not the outcome. (Parable of the talents anyone?) Consequently we can’t fail if we make the attempt. So jump. I’ll see you in the air.

You can find out more about James L. Rubart on Facebook,  Twitter, and his website


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Soul's Gate

“Every now and then we get a break from reality. A glimpse into the other world that is more real than the reality we live in 99 percent of our days. The Bible is about a world of demons and angels and great evil and even greater glory.”

What if you could travel inside another person’s soul? To battle for them. To be part of Jesus healing their deepest wounds. To help set them free to step boldly into their divinely designed future.

Thirty years ago that’s exactly what Reece Roth did. Until tragedy shattered his life and ripped away his future.

Now God has drawn Reece out of the shadows to fulfill a prophecy spoken over him three decades ago. A prophecy about four warriors with the potential to change the world . . . if Reece will face his deepest regret and teach them what he has learned.

They gather at a secluded and mysterious ranch deep in the mountains of Colorado, where they will learn to see the spiritual world around them with stunning clarity—and how to step into the supernatural.

Their training is only the beginning. The four have a destiny to pursue a freedom even Reece doesn’t fully fathom. But they have an enemy hell-bent on destroying them and he’ll stop at nothing to keep them from their quest for true freedom and the coming battle of souls.



Purchase Soul's Gate (Well Spring Series #1): 
[Amazon.com | Amazon Kindle
The Book Depository]




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Memory's Door

The prophecy brought them together. But the Wolf has risen, and now their greatest battle begins.

The four members of Warriors Riding have learned to wage war in the supernatural, to send their spirits inside people’s souls, to battle demonic forces, and to bring deep healing to those around them.

But their leader Reece is struggling with the loss of his sight. Brandon is being stalked at his concerts by a man in the shadows. Dana’s career is threatening to bury her. And Marcus questions his sanity as he seems to be slipping in and out of alternate realities.

And now the second part of the prophecy has come true. The Wolf is hunting them and has set his trap. He circles, feeding on his supernatural hate of all they stand for. And he won’t stop until he brings utter destruction to their bodies . . . and their souls.



Purchase Memory's Door (Well Spring Series #2): 
[Amazon.com | Amazon Kindle
The Book Depository]





Buy James' Books at The Book Depository

Free Delivery on all Books at the Book Depository

ENTER THE GIVEAWAY

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Be in to win a set of 
Soul's Gate 

and Memory's Door 
by James L. Rubart


One set to be won
Contest open to entrants in the USA only.

Contest runs from 22 November - 5 December NZDT



Please comment about the interview, or leave a message for James when making a blog post comment. Simply commenting about entering the draw or wanting to win the books does not qualify for valid entry into the draw. 

All entries must be made using the Rafflecopter contest to be eligible for drawing. Winning entries drawn will have their entry options validated before being accepted - if incomplete another entry will be drawn. 


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