Deeanne Gist - www.deeannegist.com - Inspirational Romance Author

Friday, October 21, 2005

Chris Well --- Live and In Person

Chris Well, author of Forgiving Solomon Long--the book we've been discussing this week in case you're just popping in--has graciously accepted my invitation for a short interveiw and then a Q&A thing on our comment section.

Forgiving Solomon Long is your debut novel. How has it been received by the market so far? Are we going to be seeing more and more Christian suspense thrillers on the store book shelves?

"For a debut novel, I have gotten many, many fine comments and reviews. One of my editors remarked that my book is unusually well reviewed, in fact.

This is not the first Christian suspense novel, by any means — there are many others who broke ground there -- but, apparently, I have written the first 'Christian mobster novel.' (And certainly the first Christian mobster novel so jammed full of kooky characters and pop culture references right alongside plot parallels with both the Bible and William Shakespeare.)

But the market for all of Christian suspense is growing by leaps and bounds--so this is a great time to get in on the action (so to speak)."

What did you do before you became a novelist? Do you write full time now?

"I have been working in magazines and newspapers for probably 25 years, which I started while still in high school.

I have been a full-time magazine editor for the past 12 years, including, at various times, work for 7ball Magazine, Release Magazine and, yes, Christian Bride.

My day job for the past three years has been (and continues to be) editor of Homecoming Magazine, and I am also a contributing editor for CCM Magazine."

Your next book, Deliver Us From Evelyn, is coming out in March. What is it about?

"Reclusive media baron Warren Blake is missing -- but his public relations-conscious wife, Evelyn, is more worried about running the media empire than in finding him.

Meanwhile, a vengeful Russian mobster is convinced the disappearance is connected to a bloody ambush from a rival gang, and a con artist with a Bible is working his own angle on the 'grieving' Mrs. Blake.

Under the blaze of media scrutiny, the Kansas City police are feeling the heat to find Blake, and quickly — even as the case threatens to drive a wedge between Detective Tom Griggs and Detective Charlie Pasch ..."

Ooooh! That sounds good, doesn't it? I really enjoyed our discussion, folks. Thanks so much to Chris for stopping by today and thanks to all of you who participated. If you are just now stopping in, scroll down and join in!

And now .... heeeeeeeeeeeeere's CHRIS! If you have a question (or comment) for him, don't be shy!

posted by Deeanne at 9:26 AM

18 Comments:

Barb said...: Hey Mr Well--Very engrossing story you put together in Solomon Long. What was the one thing that initially sparked this specific story in your head? A character concept? A situation idea? A particular message you then fit the story around?
Meg said...: Chris, I'm not usually into mobster stories but I enjoyed Solomon Long on a lot of levels. For one thing, I think you struck a good balance with how graphic you chose to be. I could let my teenager read it without worrying that it would warp him, but I could also recommend it to my cynical brother who expects only smarmy-sweet stuff from CBA houses.

How many of the characters from FSL will be in the next book, besides Griggs and Charlie?
Chris Well said...: > What was the one thing that initially sparked this specific story in your head? <

Although the novel turned out to be an ensemble piece, the original spark was a one-sentence idea about hit man Solomon Long. And that idea, in turn, was inspired by a movie. In the film, a hit man becomes reluctant to fulfill his contract, and then the mob comes after him. Any writer plays a lot of "what if" when reading or watching something, and I found myself wondering what if the hit man's unwillingness to fulfill a contract was that he could not kill anymore? How do you defend yourself then? That was the spark, and then everything sort of flowed out of that idea. The spiritual principal at work -- some call it "karma," the Bible calls it "seedtime and harvest" -- is something I was taught at my church, Bethel World Outreach Center. Every act we do, every word we say, is a seed planted. And, but for the grace of God, whatever we plant is going to come back to us -- for good or ill.
Barb said...: Oo--that's a heavy thought. So the next book continues with a buncha the same characters? Are Griggs and his wife happily ever after in the next book? And whaddid you want people to feel toward Solomon?
Chris Well said...: >> I think you struck a good balance with how graphic you chose to be. <<

This surprises some people, but I am not one for wallowing in watching or reading about violence. I do not want to take for granted that we are all of us made in the image of God, and valuable in His sight.

That said, I think there is also something in implying certain actions, as a way to engage the reader. In those moments where the reader is given just enough information to fill in the blanks for him- or herself, it becomes a partnership, giving the reader a greater sense of involvement. A more vested interest in what happens to the characters.
Chris Well said...: >> How many of the characters from FSL will be in the next book, besides Griggs and Charlie? <<

I wanted to make this second book as stand-alone as I could, for the sake of readers who did not already read Forgiving Solomon Long. So maybe 70-percent of the characters are brand-new, and are doing brand-new crimes and other sins.

But when the cops show up to investigate, it's Detective Tom Griggs and Detective Charlie Pasch and also a couple of the others who were mentioned in passing before.

In that sense, the book should make complete sense to anyone who starts there.

However, for all my plans to make Deliver Us From Evelyn self-contained, I did find that there were certain elements of FSL that I did not want to simply sweep under the rug or ignore. After all, there is a power vacuum in the criminal underworld following the events of this first novel; so the criminals are living in this new environment where different factions are vying to fill in where Frank "Fat Cat" Catalano left off.

And there were, of course, things that happened to Griggs and to Charlie -- physically, mentally and spiritually -- that really needed to be addressed. They have both grown as people since the first book, but they are also both dealing with (and struggling with) the aftermath of Forgiving Solomon Long, as well.

As such, Deliver Us From Evelyn should make perfect sense to the brand-new reader, but to anyone who wants to see Griggs and Charlie again, this book really is the next step in their lives and careers.
Chris Well said...: >> Are Griggs and his wife happily ever after in the next book? <<

They are still in counseling, but Griggs is trying harder now. As I mentioned in the other answer, though, Griggs is also still struggling with some of the stuff that happened to him in the first book, some of which plays into how his and Carla's relationship progresses.
Chris Well said...: >> what did you want people to feel toward Solomon? <<

That is a difficult question to answer. He is a complicated character -- a tragic figure, a victim as a child, a brutal murderer as an adult -- who is confronted with a force more powerful than anything he has ever seen or can understand.

To be honest, I was focused on the pastor's dying act -- and how that sent Solo on a tailspin. How Solo turns out -- and what you feel about him -- really has to do with what you bring to the book as a reader.

(I hope that does not sound like too much of a cop-out.)

:)
Barb said...: "A cop-out"--ha ha! :oD Um, why did Solo hafta come from a nasty "Christian" home? Instead of a nasty pagan home? That actually was the most painful aspect of the book for me--things his mother said and all, in the name of Christianity/Jesus. (Tho the screwdriver murder and body in the dryer were close seconds.)
Chris Well said...: >> why did Solo hafta come from a nasty "Christian" home? Instead of a nasty pagan home? <<

It was a truthful way to show the whole spectrum of how people act in the name of Jesus.

It was also a device to draw in readers who are only accustomed to "crazy religious" types in popular media (and, frankly, the news). As I demonstrated this familiar behavior that is "anti-Jesus but in the name of Jesus," I earned the right with those particular readers to then demonstrate legitimate Christians who actually read the Bible and do what Jesus said.

But I would never have gone into such a dark space if I had not been allowed to balance it with the light of legitimate Christians, as well. I knew that in an "equal time" situation, Jesus would come out ahead -- because Jesus Is Lord.
Barb said...: Hmm. Do you have any idea of what sorts of people are reading the book? Do you have a dominant group in your audience (by age or sex or whatever), or is it random?
Chris Well said...: This post has been removed by a blog administrator.
Chris Well said...: >> Do you have any idea of what sorts of people are reading the book? Do you have a dominant group in your audience (by age or sex or whatever), or is it random? <<

If you are asking who I want to read the novel, the answer would be "Everyone who exists." And while that statistically just cannot happen, I certainly do not want the book to be limited to a very narrow demographic group.

As I was writing the novel, however, I suppose in many ways I was writing for myself. I wanted to write the sort of story I never see.

The end result seems to be connecting with a lot of different kinds of people -- men and women, the elderly and young adults, and people of a lot of differing religious backgrounds.

By the way, to go back to one of your earlier comments, Barb, the "nasty Christian home" was a painful part of the book for me, too. It should be painful.

As I was writing those sections, I was thinking about the many, many people I have encountered over the years who are under the mistaken impression they have rejected Christ, when they had actually rejected one of His misguided splinter groups.

So, I suppose, Forgiving Solomon Long was ultimately written with those people in mind. I wanted to 1) acknowledge their experience and share their pain; and 2) show that Jesus is not like that.
Deeanne said...: Well, I just wanted to thank Chris again for stopping by and visiting with us.

Hope everybody has a great weekend and I'll see ya on Monday!
Barb said...: Ack--it's over so soon?! I had to go to a meeting and dinner. Boo hoo! Thanx for coming by live and in person tho, Mr Well, and thanx for doing this too, Miz Dee. I thought it was great, esp since I don't have a group like this in my area (and haven't been able to interest anyone in making time to do one). Pleeze consider doing it again in the future!
Meg said...: Thanks for taking time to share your thoughts with us, Chris. I'm looking forward to reading your next book, too.
Chris Well said...: This post has been removed by a blog administrator.
Chris Well said...: Thank you all so much for your time. (And thanks to all you lurkers who emailed me!) And many thanks to you, Deeanne, for being such a gracious hostess!