Interview with Biblical Fiction Author Elmer Fuller and a Giveaway!

Welcome to Readers Write to Know! I asked you, my readers, what questions they would ask their favorite authors if given the chance, and the authors visiting my blog answered them! I’m so happy to bring my weekly interview with a Christian Author back! We’re kicking it off with Biblical fiction author Elmer Fuller! I really enjoyed Elmer’s interview — especially to learn he was in Dallas on the day of JFK’s assassination! Many authors have used that day to answer the question about the first headline they remember, but as far as can tell, Elmer is the first one to have memories of events going on in the area! Elmer is giving away a copy of his recent release, so read on to see how you can enter to win!

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

I began writing freelance articles in 1984 for the Christian Standard and Lookout magazines and released a short nonfiction book in 2000. After careers in ministry, corporate training, and IT, I retired and turned to fiction in 2021. I stay active writing, speaking, and volunteering for my church and different organizations. I enjoy faith, family, travel, St. Louis Cardinals baseball, and Kansas City Chiefs football.

Tell us about your current release.

The Bible character Benaiah, one of David’s mighty men, has fascinated me for years. He is my favorite Old Testament character. I began to ask several questions. Why would a man face a lion in a pit on a snowy day? What motivated Benaiah? Where did he come from, and why did he follow David? I began to imagine his coming-of-age story.

What inspired you to start writing, or did you always want to write?

When I was a child, my father told stories and anecdotes about growing up in the Ozarks during the Great Depression. As an adult, I listened to him reminisce with his mother and sister and decided I wanted to craft those stories into a novel. That motivated me to join the ACFW and begin writing fiction.

With all those characters in your head screaming to get out, how do you write fast enough to get it all down?

Speed to a quality story is a challenge. I have improved my speed, but still think I write too slow. I’m a plotter, so I plan out the story arc and draft a quick description of each scene in the book, tweaking the structure before I write a draft. I then dictate my first draft of a scene. I may do a few scenes, but do not dictate the entire book. I find my first draft of a chapter is so rough, I can’t wait very long before I polish and refine it or I lose the flow.

Do you have a pre-determined length in mind when you first begin a book?

In general, I hope to write a story of 40 chapters and 80,000 words. However, I allow the story to adjust its length somewhat.

Who were some of your favorite authors as a child? (Book series, maybe?)

As a child, my great aunts always gave me and my siblings books for gifts. I love the Curious George books. I also have a signed copy of Cinnabar, the One O’Clock Fox by Marguerite Henry thanks to my Aunties. As a young teen, The Yearling by Marjorie Rawlings impacted me. I also read every Alistair MacLean book in the library, as well as mystery series like The Hardy Boys.

What’s the first major news headline that you can remember, and what do you remember about it?

I was a kindergartener when JFK was assassinated. We lived in the Dallas metro, and I remember looking at jets flying overhead and wondering if it was the plane carrying the President’s body. I remember watching the funeral procession on TV and seeing the President’s children.

If you knew ahead of time your book would benefit only one person on their spiritual journey, would you still write it?

Wow. Great question. I imagine all authors are like me—after the investment of time and money, we hope multitudes will read our book. That said, if I knew that my book would seriously impact only one person’s spiritual life, I’d like to think I’d still write it.

What advice do you have for aspiring writers?

Get feedback on your writing. Don’t wait. The more critique you get, and the sooner you get it, the better. Join contests that provide critiques, like the ACFW Genesis contest. Use beta readers. Find critique partners. Pay for a professional to edit your story. I’ve used all of these methods and learned the most from editors. My critique partners also help smooth my writing, catch logic problems, and provide ideas.

Find Elmer Fuller online:

Website: elmerfuller.com
Amazon author page: Elmer Fuller on Amazon
BookBub: BookBub
Goodreads: Goodreads
Facebook: @AuthorElmerFuller
Newsletter: Sign up here