This month I interview Amy Deardon, author of A Lever Long Enough, published by Taegais and released February 2009. Amy has given me a personally autographed copy of A Lever Long Enough that I will have a drawing for this month. I'll announce the winner in the July issue.
Jo: Welcome, Amy. I so appreciate this personally signed copy of your book. One of my subscribers will win it for their own library. Please tell our readers a little about yourself.
Amy: I'm married and fortunate enough to be able to stay at home with our two children, now 15 and 12. In my life B.C. (before children) I did bench science research and taught anatomy and physiology at an undergraduate level.
I undertook a personal quest to investigate the claims of Jesus' resurrection with the goal of destroying them. To do this I studied biblical and extra-biblical accounts of Jesus and numerous commentaries by believers and skeptics alike, listed the facts agreed upon, and began to explore scenarios that could explain what was known. To my surprise and considerable dismay, the evidence kept pointing away from naturalistic explanations and eventually formed a virtually certain case for the resurrection of Jesus. Finally I admitted defeat and became a Christian.
Jo: What is your book about?
Amy: In the near future, the Israeli military has developed a prototypic time machine. When believers in Yeshua (Jesus) create a politically explosive situation that threatens the balance of peace between Israel and nearby countries, the Israelis must send a team of four elite soldiers back to film the theft of Jesus' body from the tomb and thus disprove Christianity. The team, consisting of a Special Forces soldier as leader (Benjamin), an ex-American astronaut as engineering specialist (Sara), an archaeologist, and a linguist, has exactly seventy-two hours to collect the video evidence. Drawn into a web of first century deception and death, the only way to escape is for the team to change the past. In the present, a traitor, Gideon, attempts to sabotage the mission and seize control of the military complex. Benjamin is the only one who can reveal him, but he is trapped two thousand years away. Even with a time machine, time is running out . . . . .
Jo: Which character in your novel most interested you while you wrote? Why?
Amy: I love all of my characters, but if I had to choose a favorite, I'd pick Sara. She is very much like me--focused, quiet, but beneath her calm exterior a seething mass of turmoil. Her faith journey also parallels my own--she didn't want to become a believer, but was pulled in by the strength of the evidence. She was pursued by what C.S. Lewis termed the 'Hounds of Heaven.' An uncomfortable process, I might add!
Jo: Why will readers enjoy your novel?
Amy: I HOPE they enjoy it! While the emphasis is on the story, Lever fairly presents the arguments for and against the resurrection, and demonstrates (without the use of any fictional miracles) that the case for the resurrection is remarkable. Believers will also enjoy Lever, but I actually wrote this book to the skeptic I used to be. I want it to be the kind of book that someone races through to finish, closes it, and then says, 'wait a minute.'
Jo: What are you working on now?
Amy: My prequel to Lever, entitled Nest Among the Stars from Obadiah 1:4, that follows Sara's space station disaster. This one is really shock and awe, with a deep theme of forgiveness. The second project is nonfiction, entitled The Story Template, that is a practical guide for a writer to develop a resonant, complete, compelling story from vague ideas. It's based on an algorithm I've developed during my story studies, and with students I've coached I've seen it really works. It's not a formula, more like a description of proportions and guidelines that work with any genre, since I'm a great believer in the uniqueness of each artist's vision. You can see a sample tutorial I've put on my website under *resources.*
Jo: What would you like your readers to say about your writing?
Amy: I hope they say that my writing is exciting and also makes them think. Lever, and the other novels that I plan, are the complex kinds of stories full of action, romance, and exotic background and ideas that are my favorite things to read.
I want my writing to appeal to non-Christians as well as Christians. I want to get past a skeptic's religious preconceptions so that he might be open to considering Christ.
Jo: What do you like to do in your spare time?
Amy: Well, I love to spend time with my family. Our kids aren't going to be home for too much longer, so I'm trying to enjoy every minute.
When I have time, I enjoy reading a good novel, going to lunch with a friend, sewing, knitting, crocheting, playing flute or piano. I'd like to claim I garden, but my mother-in-law calls me the plant hit-lady.
Jo: What advice do you have for aspiring authors?
Amy: Don't expect to produce perfect prose off the bat--just as you wouldn't expect to play a Beethoven Sonata for your first piano lesson. Just believe in yourself, and persist.
Jo: Thank you Amy for joining us and giving our readers a fascinating interview.
You may visit Amy at her website http://www.amydeardon.com and read her blog http://amydeardon.blogspot.com. Amy's book is available here. Autographed copies of her book are available at the publisher's website http://taegais.com.
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Title:
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