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Written by James Mercer
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Monday, 24 January 2011 |
Interview with Author, James Mercer
 The Scrolls
Hypothesizing what happened during the eighteen years of Jesus life missing from the Bible. Traveling in Europe, many people I spoke with about the subject were convinced that Jesus traveled to Northern India while in Xi’an, China, we heard legends that Jesus traveled there. Such beliefs and legends are the stuff that books are made from.
1. How long did the book take you from start to finish?
I spent two years writing The Scrolls working weekend and evenings. There were many mornings when I would wake up at 2 am with an idea. Unable to fall back to sleep, I would get up and write.
2. What aspect of writing the book did you find particularly challenging?
Creating drama and emotion was a challenge.
3. What surprised you the most about the book writing process?
During the writing process, I was surprised at how well disparate pieces of history fit together.
4. Did you have any favorite experiences when writing your book?
Part of my novel takes place in Turkey and China. I had already traveled to China. While working on one of my many drafts, we visited Turkey. This not only helped me write that portion of my book, I thoroughly enjoyed Istanbul.
5. What do you hope your readers will gain from reading your book?
I hope my readers will be entertained through a learning experience while having preconceived biases and beliefs challenged.
6. What projects are you currently working on?
I am currently working on a historical novel that takes place during the early portion of the Spanish Inquisition. It is a very interesting period. In 1492, the Spanish defeated the Moors, a royal decree was issued requiring Jews and Muslims to convert to Christianity or be expelled from Spain, and the New World was discovered by Columbus.
7. Is writing your sole career? If not, what else do you do?
No. I am a hydrogeologist, writing many technical documents. The Scrolls is my first novel.
8. Did you do any research for your books, or did you write from experience?
Both, I read books, searched the internet, traveled to locations in my book and drew upon personal experiences.
9. How did you come up with your title?
Early in the book, scrolls are discovered to the southwest of the Dead Sea in Israel. Unlike the actual Dead Sea Scrolls that concern the Old Testament, my scrolls are the earliest know version of the New Testament.
10. What books have influenced you the most?
One book that comes to mind is Misquoting Jesus by Bart D. Ehrman. Other books include The Tao of Zen by Ray Griggs and The Sisters of Sinai by Janet Soskice.
11. Who was your publisher and why did you choose them?
My publisher is Lulu.com. We have had previous experience with Lulu and were very happy with their service. The barrier of literary agents prevented approaching other publishers.
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 25 January 2011 )
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Written by Editor
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Monday, 10 May 2010 |
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Excerpt of MindBody FX Lifestyle by Melonie Dodaro  The Mind Body FX Lifestyle
Instead of giving myself reasons why I can’t, I give myself reasons why I can. – Unknown Author
Autobiography in Five Short Chapters by Portia Nelson
I. I walk down the street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I fall in. I am lost...I am helpless. It isn’t my fault. It takes forever to find a way out.
II. I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I pretend I don’t see it. I fall in again. I can’t believe I am in the same place. But it isn’t my fault. It still takes a long time to get out.
III. I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I see it there. I still fall in...it’s a habit. My eyes are open. I know where I am. It is my fault. I get out immediately.
IV. I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I walk around it.
V. I walk down another street.
Imagine this street. It’s a picturesque street, lined with gorgeous flowering trees whose canopies surround you like a warm sweater. Their scent wafts down around you. The sun is streaming down, warming the pavement under your feet. The breeze is light and soothing. Homes along this street are welcoming. Children are playing and laughing. People you see are smiling and happy. They wave to you. You’re standing at one end of the street. At the other end is yourideal weight. You know it’s there; you can see it and it seems like an easy stroll down the street toward it, so you start walking. One foot in front of the other…how difficult can it be, you wonder, to reach the end of the street and your ideal weight?
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Last Updated ( Thursday, 10 June 2010 )
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Written by Editor
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Tuesday, 04 May 2010 |
Excerpt - Built to Sell by John Warrillow  Turn Your Business into One You Can Sell
There are many reasons for wanting to create a sellable business. You may want to retire, travel, cash out or just sleep well at night knowing you could sell your business if you needed to. Unfortunately, however, just 1 out of 100 Canadian business owners are successful in selling their company each year.
The reason so few business owners are successful in selling their company is that the business has become too reliant on its owner. The owner is the subject matter expert, so customers ask to deal with the owner; the owner becomes personally involved in delivering the product or service, reinforcing the customer’s dependence on the owner; the customer, in recommending the business to friends, suggests they ask for the owner; and the cycle continues. A business reliant on its owner is hard to sell, so the owner becomes trapped in the business.
An important note before you embark on the eight-step journey outlined below: Engage a good accountant with experience helping business owners with succession planning. In Canada, many small business owners qualify for a one-time capital gain exemption of up to $750,000. If your business is worth more than $750,000 and if your spouse or kids are shareholders, there may be ways to legitimately and ethically multiply this exemption. However, in order to qualify for the capital gains exemption, shareholders must hold their shares for at least two years. There are a number of other criteria you need to meet so talk to an account about your succession plans at least two years before you want to sell. |
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 04 May 2010 )
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Written by Editor
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Saturday, 27 March 2010 |
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 Kings Rapids
Writing about auto racing is the most exciting part of my books. In real life, auto racing can be rather mundane. In my novels I can enhance and glamorize the experience (since it’s my fictive world), as I follow the life of a stockcar race driver, who lives an intriguing life and uses his unique experience and logic to solve mysteries. I chose this topic because I raced cars as a young man, and I’ve been an avid auto racing fan for over 50 years. How long did the book take you from start to finish? The first book in the series, Masonville, took over 20 years because my career intervened. Kings Rapids is the second book in the series and took approximately 14 months from start to publication. As I get the rhythm down, it looks like I can write a Kurt Maxxon book every year. What aspect of writing the book did you find particularly challenging? Keeping track of events, actions and the thoughts of characters through the entire manuscript to avoid duplication and repetition. If I wrote lineally—started writing at page 1 and went straight through to page 500—keeping track of everything would be difficult. However, since I write non-lineally, keeping track of it all is impossible. That said, I have to spend a lot of time administratively managing the project using forms, flowcharts, notes, and anything I can think of to keep it all straight. |
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Last Updated ( Saturday, 27 March 2010 )
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