Your novel will be published as a result of a contest. Which one?
The contest is Operation First Novel, sponsored by Jerry B. Jenkins’ Christian Writers Guild and Tyndale House.
Why did you enter?
I’m not sure why. I’d like to give the Christian cliché: because I was led to. While there is a lot of truth in that, I also have to admit there was some ego involved to. Partly, I wanted to see how I measured up against other writers in the eyes of professionals.
DiAnn Mills also provided a lot of inspiration and encouragement. I met DiAnn at the North Texas Christian Writers Conference in September, 2008. She read my first five pages and asked why I hadn’t entered the conference’s fiction writing contest because, in her opinion as one of the judges, I would have won.
DiAnn’s encouragement, mentoring and challenging have had a huge influence in my growth as a writer.
I entered Operation First Novel in 2008 and bombed. Got a nice letter that said I proved I could complete a novel and pointed out some of the more serious flaws in my manuscript.
In truth, I was led to enter this year, which is actually the 2009 contest. I had no plans to enter until the deadline approached. I had this spiritual nudge to enter the contest, so I did.
I did an extensive re-write of the novel during the year and received feedback from agents, publishers, critique partners, DiAnn and others.
I knew it was better, I didn’t expect it to be that much better to win.
Are you a member of Christian Writers Guild?
I’ve been a member of Christian Writers Guild for about four years. I’ve been a member of ACFW for about three years and North Texas Christian Writers for about five years.
Did you take the Christian Writers Guild courses?
I’ve taken all three of the CWG courses: Apprentice, Journeyman, Craftsman.
Tell us a little bit about your writing journey up until now.
This is another one of those hard to give a definite answer questions. Writing has always been part of my life in one way or another. Writing stories as a kid, poems in college, etc. Writing has been part of my work, too: policies, procedures, training curriculum including skits, court documents. Graduate school for social work was constant writing.
In the mid-1990s, I put the first part of my novel on paper. Very rough, very bad. I would take it out every few months and fiddle with it. Never got much past the first chapter. Would you believe I have a perfectionist streak in me?
In 2002, I had serious heart surgery: valve replacement, double bypass, with complications. It was like a combo meal that got supersized. To quote Miracle Max of Princess Bride, I was mostly dead at one point. That I’m here today is a testimony to the power of faith and prayer. One of the nurses actually called me the Miracle Patient.
While I was in ICU and then a regular bed, I heard the Father telling me to “Write.”
So I took out my novel and started working on it again. I read writers magazines and stumbled along. I saw an ad for the North Texas Christian Writers conference so I went, met other writers, attended workshops, and bought books on writing. Plugged along sometimes feeling I had a NASCAR inspired GPS to guide me—I could only make left turns and went in circles a lot.
But the Father’s hand was there all the time. I knew I was called to write Christian fiction (Habakkuk 2:2,3).
Discovered CWG and signed up for the Apprentice course. Learned a lot about the basics of writing in every area from newspaper articles to devotionals to non-fiction to fiction. The Journeyman course helped me hone my skills and craft.
2009 was the breakthrough year for me in many ways. I focused on rewriting my novel. I attended two fiction mentoring clinics with DiAnn Mills. I attended the Writing for the Soul conference, the North Texas Christian Writers conference, the ACFW conference and the Ridgecrest Writers Retreat. I was exposed to and inspired by excellent faculty who had a profound influence on me. People like Brandilyn Collins, Steven James, Angela Hunt, Doc Hensley, Mary DeMuth and many others. I dug into my local critique group and my on line group.
The high point of the year was in November when I attended a five day residency as part of the CWG Craftsman Course. Five days with Brandilyn Collins, Jerry Jenkins, McNair Wilson and John Perrodin where we not only worked on our craft but on our abilities to pitch and sell ourselves and our books.
By the time of the Residency, I knew I had made the ten semi-finalists for Operation First Novel. During the Residency, they announced the four finalists. I wasn’t among them but I was humbled and honored to make the semifinalists.
You are a writer with a day job. Tell us about your other life.
I can’t. Witness Protection program, you know. If I told you, men in black suits and dark glasses would show up at your house. It wouldn’t be a pretty sight.
Actually, I work for Kenneth Copeland Ministries. I’ve been with the ministry for ten years. My current assignment is in the mail processing department where we read and respond to letters sent to the ministry for prayer, product, etc. Prior to this, I worked in the personnel department screening applications. Before that I worked in the audio department running sound for services and meetings, etc.
Family?
Linda and I have been married for over forty-two years. We have five children. The oldest, Sean, is in heaven. Scott and Meaghan live in Rhode Island, Shannon lives in New Jersey, and Patrick lives in Branson. We have one grandson, so far. He’s nineteen and in college in Ohio.
How do you begin your day?
On work days, I get up at 4:00 a.m. I do my treadmill time, devotions and get ready for work. By then I have between one and one and a half hours of writing time before I have breakfast and finish getting ready for work. I think I can expand this to two hours without having to get up earlier. I’m working on it.
What are your writing habits?
My morning writing time is devoted to working on fiction only and CWG course assignments which directly tie in to my fiction. I don’t have a set word count. I just try to discipline myself to write steadily for the time allotted. To paraphrase William Faulkner: “I only write when I’m inspired and I make sure I’m inspired at 5:30 every morning.”
Evenings after work is the time I devote to e-mails, blogging and critiquing. I stop between 8:30 and 8:45 p.m.
On weekends, I review and edit what I wrote during the week and I work on ideas, outlines, characters sketches, research, etc. for current and future works.
What is the name of your winning book?
Journey to Riverbend
When will it be released?
It will be released in February, 2011 by Tyndale House.
How excited are you?
This is hard to describe. The initial euphoria has worn off. I’m still touched, honored and humbled to win this contest. It’s another example of the favor, grace and mercy of my Father. When people congratulate me, I do my best to reflect it back on Him. I want my ego out of this. I want Him to be glorified.
One of my test readers brought this home to me in a very touching the other day in an email. She wrote: God, I pray you give Henry wisdom, knowledge, creativity, patience and energy to finish Your book. Amen and Amen.
This isn’t my book. It’s His book. I am His vessel and I’m honored to be used by Him in this way. My goal is to bring Him honor through my writing in obedience to Him.
Henry’s Links
http://www.christianwritersguild.comwww.ntchristianwriters.com/
http://www.acfw.com/
http://www.kcm.org/
