HOME RUN - Travis Thrasher - One Free Book

Readers, have you been hearing about the new movie Home Run? The book recently released as well. And we have the author of the book here today.

Welcome, Travis. How did you end up working on the Home Run novelization? 

In December of 2011, I received a call from one of my publishers, David C. Cook. They asked what my writing schedule was like. They were bidding on a project for a novel based on a movie. I said I'd love to be a part of it and started praying. The next week they officially presented me with an offer to work on it. I still needed to connect with the producers and get their approval, which all happened in January of 2012. 

How different is it writing a novel versus writing a novelization for a movie? 

In some ways, it's night and day different simply because the story is already there on paper for me to expand. A lot of time on a novel is spent figuring out characters and motives and themes and scenes. With a novelization, you are working off a screenplay to expand and build that story. Sometimes it's tricky because you don't always know what the backstory is and what the screenwriters were wanting to do. Writing a novelization for me is about staying true to the filmmaker's vision for the film. There's no need to deviate from the story but rather enhance and expand it. 

How much did you know about Celebrate Recovery before working on this project? 

I didn't know anything about it, to be honest. The publisher told me that it was a ministry started by Rick Warren's Saddleback Church. Obviously I'd heard of that, so I knew it had to be a great ministry. Little did I know how big this ministry is and all the amazing things they're doing.

What is Celebrate Recovery? 

Celebrate Recovery is a biblical and balanced program that helps us overcome our hurts, hang-ups, and habits.  It is based on the actual words of Jesus rather than psychological theory. Twenty years ago, Saddleback Church launched Celebrate Recovery with 43 people. It was designed as a program to help those struggling with hurts, habits, and hang-ups by showing them the loving power of Jesus Christ through a recovery process. Celebrate Recovery has helped more than 17,000 people at Saddleback, attracting over 70% of its members from outside the church. Eighty-five percent of the people who go through the program stay with the church and nearly half serve as church volunteers. Celebrate Recovery is now in over 19,000 churches worldwide.

How does the novel for Home Run compare to the movie? 

I think it's a great compliment to the movie. A book can't do all the things a movie does. It doesn't have the beautiful soundtrack, or have pictures of the attractive Oklahoma setting (or equally attractive cast of actors!). But what a novel can do is get deeper in the minds and hearts of the characters. I stuck with the story in the movie but built off Cory Brand's story by sharing why he is the person he is today. 

What was the experience like to work on this novelization? 

I had worked on one before but this was an extremely rewarding experience. I've loved getting to know everybody on the Home Run team as well as so many wonderful people in Celebrate Recovery. It was an incredible journey and I'm so glad to be a part of it. 

Do you think some people are beyond hope or repair in their lives?

Absolutely not. And I'm thankful for it. That's what this movie and book remind us--nobody is beyond hope or repair. Nobody. 

What's one of your favorite scenes in the movie/book? 

I love when Cory Brand hits rock bottom and his sponsor's reaction to it. I love the opening and closing songs of the film--they're beautiful and heart-breaking and are as important to the film as the cast and setting. I also love the scene where Cory's sister-in-law shares her story. 

What's the message of Home Run in one or two sentences? 

No matter what you've done in life, and no matter how far you've run away, God will always love you and be there to heal you. Everybody has hurts, hang-ups and habits. It's what we do with them that matters.

Thank you, Travis, for sharing your part in this project with us.

Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
Home Run: A Novel - papaerback
Home Run: A Novel - Kindle

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