EVERY WAKING MOMENT - Chris Fabry - One Free Book

Welcome back, Chris. God has really been moving in your writing life. What do you see on the horizon?

I want readers to have changed lives because of my stories. Sometimes that happens in small ways, just a slight shift in their perspective. I’m getting feedback from those who enjoy the characters and plots that come to me, but even better are the emails of people who say, “You helped me see my life and my relationship with God in a real way. That’s the best thing on the horizon.

Tell us a little about your family.

My wife and I have been married for more than 30 years. We have nine children, one dog, one bird, and a high electric bill. We went through a toxic exposure in Colorado that made us lose just about everything we owned and now we’re living in Arizona and recovering.

Has your writing changed your reading habits? If so, how?

I read more technical books on writing now and enjoy the 808 section of the library. I also read to understand how an author I enjoy reading does something well—a flashback or writing from different points of view. But writing has not changed my love of reading, getting into a story, getting lost in it, and exploring new areas of the heart. That’s the most fun about reading. It can take you anywhere in the galaxy, but it can also take you deep into your own heart.

What are you working on right now?

I completed Every Waking Moment, a story about a girl named Treha who has a special gift to bring people with dementia and Alzheimer’s “back.” It’s out now. But I realized after writing it that the story isn’t complete, so I’m working on the “rest of the story” of Treha’s life.

What outside interests do you have?

I love sports, film, and reading. My writing and my work on the radio (“Chris Fabry Live” is on the air two hours, each weekday on Moody Radio) take up most of the rest of my day, plus, marriage is work as well.

How do you choose your settings for each book?

Setting is so important—the characters pretty much determine that for me. I write about wherever they live and try to do it authentically. The book I just finished is set in Tucson, near where we live now. The next book will take readers to Tennessee.

If you could spend an evening with one historical person, who would it be and why?

Obviously, Jesus. No question. But if you pinned me against the wall and made me choose one other person, I would pick Mary. I think it would be fascinating to hear more of what life was like in those silent years of Jesus’ life.

What is the one thing you wish you had known before you started writing novels?

The meaning of success. Most define it with sales, readership, popularity, expanding platform, pick your poison. Most writers will never succeed in terms of wild popularity and readership, and then the numbers, money, contracts that follow. For me, success is being faithful to the story that’s chosen me rather than the story I choose. In other words, the pain, struggle, problems, roadblocks in my life right now are part of the story I’m telling. I don’t tell it well by going to a deserted island and by pushing everything hard away, I tell it through the swamp that is my life. Life is not the absence of struggle, but the presence of it. Success cannot be measured by externals.

What new lessons is the Lord teaching you right now?

The new lesson is an old lesson, and it comes through Every Waking Moment. The question, “If this is as good as your life gets, are you okay with that?” is ever-present. Am I going to fight and scrape for something just beyond my grasp, or will I cultivate contentment with what I’ve been given. That’s a hard, but good, place to be.

What are the three best things you can tell other authors to do to be successful?

Thinking about writing, talking about writing, is not writing. Only writing is writing. Sit down (or stand) and write. Don’t wait for someone to validate you and tell you that you are a writer, believe it and act on the belief. Listen to the editors in your life for they want your book to succeed as much, if not more, than you do.

Tell us about the featured book.

Every Waking Moment is about a girl who has fallen through the cracks in life. And everyone she comes in contact with is asking that same question, “If this is as good as life gets…” Her name is Treha, and through the book you discover her gift, her wound, and her destiny. These three things are at the heart of each of our lives. As her past and present unfold, you’ll have hope for your own life.

Please give us the first page of the book.

Treha imagined it like this: A summer afternoon. Her mother’s satin dress billowing. Fully leaved, green trees swaying. Crossing a busy street.

“Keep up with me, Treha,” her mother said.

Looking into the sunlight, she saw the silhouette of her mother’s face with beads of sweat on her lip and the wide-brimmed hat casting shade. Her mother not quite smiling but showing dazzling teeth. Deep-red lipstick. Like a movie star with a hint of concern on her face.

Momentum carried them to the sidewalk and the corner shop with the tinkling bell as they passed the red bricks and moved into the cool, sweet air smells and bright colors under a sign that said Ice Cream.

Her mother led her to the glass case that held the containers. Treha stood on tiptoes but wasn’t tall enough to see over the edge, so her mother picked her up and held her, letting her hover above the colors. She pointed out the ones with dark specks and those with pecans and pralines or cookies or M&M’s.

“Which one would you like? The orange? Yellow? Don’t take all day now.”

How can readers find you on the Internet?

www.Chrisfabry.com

Thank you, Chris, for sharing this new book with us. It sounds really interesting. I just received it yesterday and hope to start reading it this weekend.

Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
Every Waking Moment - Christianbook.com
Every Waking Moment - Amazon.com
Every Waking Moment - Kindle

Christian Book Store

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