Authors are a special kind of folk. We want to help others and share with them the knowledge we've collected for a bigger cause than ourselves. So today, I interviewed author John Avery of #TheNameQuest.
He'll also be our guest on Modern Living with Dr. Angela on Tuesday, April 14th at 10 am PT/1pm ET.
Q. Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
I grew up in the south of England in a rural area, so I enjoy the outdoor life. When I was fourteen I went on a Boy Scout trip to Norway and Sweden and that gave me a love of travel. During a summer break from university I worked at a Christian conference center in Israel and was able to explore the country extensively. I visited most of the important biblical sites and it was an excellent way to learn more about the Bible. I have also been a missionary in Kenya and Mozambique as well as working with Youth With a Mission (YWAM) in Oregon. After that I became a pastor for about ten years.
Q. What do you do when you are not writing? Do you have a day job as well?
I run a painting company to pay the bills. We mostly paint residential rental properties interior and exterior. In the winter we do some gutter cleaning and moss removal to make up for not being able to paint outside.
When I am not working or writing I like to hike or cross country ski. I also try to stay active in our local church.
Q. When did you first start writing and when did you finish your first book?
The Name Quest began as a personal study about fifteen years ago. For many years I worked on it one night a week. Then I realized that no other book about the names of God approached the subject in the way that I was discovering—an emphasis on relationship with God and growing in faith. I completed the writing in 2013 and it was published about a year later.
Q. How did you choose the genre you write in?
Christian non-fiction fits most naturally with my role as a Bible teaching pastor. I enjoy helping people understand what the Bible is saying and applying it to their everyday lives.
Q. Where do you get your ideas?
Most of my material is a combination of personal experiences and everyday illustrations used to explain biblical truths. Every now and then a story or a comment that I hear triggers my thinking and turns into a piece for my blog.
Q. Do you ever experience writer’s block?
I have a few hundred ideas waiting to be turned into written pieces, so I am not exactly blocked. My problem is finding the inspiration to take those simple ideas and put flesh on them. If I work on them regularly the words begin to flow better.
Q. Do you work with an outline, or just write?
It depends on how complex the piece is likely to be. The longer ones need more of a plan. And most pieces need several edits.
Q. Is there any particular author or book that influenced you in any way either growing up or as an adult?
My favorite Christian authors were writers like CS Lewis, John L Stott, and some of Watchman Nee’s work. I also enjoyed writers like CS Forester and JRR Tolkein.
Q. Can you tell us about your challenges in getting your first book published?
The publishing industry is changing fast. There are many more books to choose from and technology has made self-publishing easier. The options felt like a jungle. The challenge was to find my way through it. But I was lucky enough to be found by Morgan James Publishing on LinkedIn and offered a contract.
Q. If you had to go back and do it all over, is there any aspect of your book or getting it published that you would change?
I have learnt a lot about the importance of marketing a book. I would focus more on that aspect rather than worrying about the layout and printing of the book. Production is relatively easy to do well; marketing is the hardest part.
Q. Tell us about some unique features of The Name Quest. (How does it compare with other books about the names of God?)
Most books about the names of God take a name per chapter and only cover a selection of names. I felt it was important to see God as a complete and integrated personality and to emphasize relationship with Him. God reveals His names so that we can get to know Him. As we know Him our faith grows and we become more like Him. The sub-title of The Name Quest is “explore the names of God to grow in faith and get to know Him better”—that is the distinctive emphasis. However, I did also include some sidebars with helpful information for students (the Hebrew and Greek names of God and some Bible references). There is also an index so that people can find information about each name.
Q. Who would benefit most from reading The Name Quest?
I get very encouraging responses from Christians who say that it works well as a Bible study or as a form of devotional. In fact, my next project is to produce a study guide for groups or individuals. People at every stage of their Christian life will enjoy reading it. There is meat for the mature, but I tried to explain everything for newer Christians too.
