Pilgrim
Strong,
looks like a great personal journey. Any plans for similar style
books?
Yes,
I'm already about 10,000 words into the second manuscript for a book
that continues the "pilgrimage" or "quest"
metaphor. It recounts in memoir-story-telling fashion three distinct
periods that helped me arrive at what I consider a fullness of faith.
The book is called Highbanks Road: From Off the Beaten Path to
Fullness of Faith. That’s the working title, at least.
I'm
also excited about an experience my wife and I will have later this
year that will become the foundation for the third book. We will
serve on staff for 90 days at Pilgrim House in Santiago de
Compostela, serving the needs of pilgrims arriving at the end of
their journey. I believe this will be an amazing experience to live
out the gospel message, and to collect wonderful stories.
What
do you think makes a great personal story?
All
storytelling begins with good writing. The things that make personal
storytelling unique are transparency and the ability to bring readers
alongside you. I don't like "talking" to the reader, I
prefer, rather, to hold her hand. When telling stories, I try not to
tell them directly from my own eyes. Instead I tell them as if I'd
just died on an operating table and my spirit is hovering above and
watching. That's the best perspective for storytelling— a view from
above.
Reading,
traveling, understanding other cultures, and a world view are key to
every good storyteller.
What
inspired you when writing Pilgrim
Strong?
I
went on pilgrimage to celebrate my recovery from chronic depression,
so, in essence, the entire experience was an inspiration. But mostly,
I think, when you are surrounded by people from around the world in
this environment where all you really have to pass the time is walk
and talk, it's all about the people and the stories. I met amazing
people who told me incredible stories. Not sharing them would have
killed me, I think.
What
are your ambitions for your writing career? Full time? Part time?
I’ve
worked as a full-time journalist for 30-plus years and only recently
made the transition into the literary world. It was a much wider
cavern to cross than I’d anticipated. But yes, I’ve now dedicated
my life to full time storytelling in the form of books and public
presentations. We are now on a nationwide book tour much of which has
been coordinated with REI stores across the country. There’s a core
message about truth in all my writing and think of myself as kind of
a “missionary journalist.”
When
did you decide to become a writer?
My
second year in college, when I realized it was just about the only
talent I had.
When
writing Pilgrim
Strong
did anything stand out as particularly challenging?
Well,
there are countless challenges when writing and publishing your first
book from managing the daily discipline to write to making the story
more about the reader than it is you. That sounds crazy for a memoir,
but that's how it works. The story is about the reader, not the
author.
How
did you come up with the idea to write about your journey?
I
prefer thinking of it as a quest rather than a journey.
Pilgrimage
is not something many people really know about or really understand.
The experience doesn't end at your final steps. When you walk 500
miles across a holy place it's an experience you process long after
the final steps. You ask yourself ... what does this mean for me now?
What do I do with this? Is it really over. I asked myself all those
questions, and so as I do normally in every aspect of my life, when
I'm asking myself questions, I write about it. This book is the
result of my processing the pilgrimage through my mind and heart.
What
do you like to do when not writing?
My
style is pretty eclectic.
I
travel a lot, read, loving working outside in the garden. I’m also
kind of an amateur chef who loves cooking and serving others. Food
makes people happy and builds community in a unique sort of way.
How
can readers discover more about you and your work?
My
Amazon page:
https://www.amazon.com/Pilgrim-Strong-Rewriting-story-James/dp/0692927034/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1518440122&sr=8-1&keywords=pilgrim+strong
On
Instagram: https:
//www.instagram.com/pilgrimstrong/
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