John3:16 Network Blog Tour – G. Edward Snipes

Today we're talking to G. Edward "Eddie" Snipes, author of I Called Him Dancer, published February 8, 2011. G. Edward Snipes is a freelance writer, president of the Christian Authors Guild, and founder of Exchanged Life Ministries. He has had four award winning short stories, and regularly has articles published on several online ministries. Visit his ministry site at exchangedlife.com or his personal blog at eddiesnipes.com.

How long have you known you wanted to be an author?

Though I’ve been actively writing since 1998, I had no real visions of becoming an author until about five years ago. I was a writer in denial.

My writing journey began with prison ministry. When prisoners wanted material to study what we were teaching, I agreed to write it out. Prior to this, I never dreamed of writing. Over time, the chore transitioned into a desire. I began to realize how much I enjoyed writing. But I still didn’t consider myself a writer.

Once I was asked to put together an in-depth study at church. I wrote out a six-month, 95,000 word study. When I gave out the study guide, someone said, “Wow. Are you a writer?”

I said, “No. I just put my thoughts on paper.” Hmm. Exactly what is a writer, then? It would be another eight years before I came out of denial.

Can you tell me a little bit about your newest book?

For a moment, Michael danced on top of the world, but one bad choice turned his life upside down. The once promising Broadway star now washes windshields for tips and lives among the homeless. When his former dance partner recognizes him behind the fray of whiskers, shame drives him away from her. Angry at God and the world, the Dancer refuses to allow anyone into his life. When everything is stripped away, three things remain: faith, hope, and love. The greatest of these is love.

I Called Him Dancer is a story about how one woman’s enduring faith and unconditional love drives her to reach out to a homeless man who has given up on life.

When a reader gets done with your book, what do you want them to come away with?

Hope. We’ve all met someone who thinks life is hopeless. Some have family members lost in the vortex of drug addiction. I used a Meth addiction because I know people who have struggled. And some that continue to struggle. When you watch someone’s life falling apart, and they reject any attempt to help, it’s easy to believe they are beyond hope. But the truth is that hope is never lost.

The Bible says that God sees the end from the beginning. The Lord doesn’t deal with us based on who we are, but who we will be when we stand before Him. Even if we completely ruin our lives, God still deals with us with perfection in mind. We can’t see how God is working behind the scenes until everything comes together in a miracle of grace. Then we see hopelessness shattered, leaving us awestruck at the amazing plan of God. I’ve seen this in real life, and I wanted to give readers this picture in I Called Him Dancer. Perhaps it will inspire someone who is in this situation with hope.

If you could have dinner with two people, who would they be?

Abraham Lincoln and my wife. Visiting interesting places and meeting people aren’t fun without being able to share it with family.

Do you have a favorite hobby?

I love chasing mosquitoes with a weed eater. When I’m not doing this, I also like wood working. The lathe is my friend. I do segmented bowls and vases, and have won twelve ribbons in competitions. They also make great Christmas gifts.

Is there something about you most people wouldn't know?

Unless you’ve read my blog, you may not know I’m dyslexic. Dyslexia creates a big writing when challenge. Wait, something’s not right with that sentence. I mix up names, similar sounding words, and other things. So editing is a challenge for me. But don’t look down upon us. Slysdexics are teople, poo.

Do you have any suggestions for the aspiring writer?

Writing may be a solo activity, but publishing is a social journey. Get connected. Join writer’s groups, critique groups, and find fellowship with like-minded writers. We need each other during every step of the journey. Critiquing allows others to point out what we cannot see. Believe it or not, there is much you can’t see. The mind fills in the missing information, so what’s clear to the writer may not be clear to the reader. Then we need others to help in the publishing process. Finally, we need others to help market the book. A great book sits on the bottom of the sea of literature unless others are helping to keep it afloat.

Another thing is to write to improve the craft. Everyone’s writing stinks when they begin. You probably don’t think so. Neither did I. At least, not until I read my older work. What I thought was great almost makes me hurl. Passion is the hardest thing to find in writing. Anyone who has the passion to write will become a good writer if they work to improve their work. And are willing to take criticism. Oh, and don’t hide your writing from the world. You have the gift for a reason. Don’t be the guy who hid his talent out of fear. If you don’t know what that means, start reading at Matthew 25:14.

Any last thoughts for your readers?

Yes. My great, great, great grandmother needs me to sell 10,000 books so she can get her cat back from the evil baron – who is holding it hostage until she pays her debt. It’s been a while, so he’s eager too.

The eBook version is only .99 cents. You’ll laugh. You’ll cry. It will move you. And all for less than a buck. What a deal!

And how can they connect with you?

My website is http://www.eddiesnipes.com

Readers can email me directly from my website.

Connect with me at the following places:

Twitter: @eddiesnipes

Facebook: eddiesnipes

LinkedIn: you guessed it! eddiesnipes