Interview with D. Barkley Briggs

Today is a blog tour for a book called "The Book of Names" by D. Barkley Briggs. Unfortunately, I was unable to read the book as it seems to have been lost in the mail. To make it up, Dean agreed to give us an interview.

After being a pastor for so long, what made you decide to start writing speculative fiction?

I had the great privilege to be married to the girl of my dreams for 16 years. Together, we had four boys. During this time, I pastored for 11 years. At age 36, after losing my wife to cancer and watching my world crash, I moved my family to a new state in search of healing and a fresh start. Surprised by love, I remarried another dream girl, herself a former widow. Together, we now have eight kids. It’s been a strange journey, and it’s not over. I’m discovering more of the breadth and pain and goodness of life every day. The Book of Names is part of that journey. It is this strange, semi-biographical, fantasy hybrid thing: three parts wild adventure, one part real life. My four boys are the four brothers of the tale, lost in a strange new world, searching for home. As to why I chose speculative fiction, the answer is fairly simple. Fantasy is the only fiction I read! (BTW, I know all the reasons for the broader title of spec fic, but I’m old school).

I relate well to Sci-Fi and Fantasy, but many people don't think of them as Christian genres. Can you tell your opinion on why you think that speculative fiction should be more promoted in Christian presses?

In my view, fantasy is a natural ally of truth, especially in this deflated, materialistic age. We should expect big things from God, and teach our kids the same, but how? Kid’s imaginations are so anemic today, fed a watery diet of video games and timid little stories. They need big, daring tales---of heroes and courage and sacrifice. So if on a larger scale, the framework of an otherworldly story emerges from a thoroughly Christian worldview, elements like magic become abstract plot points, wings for the soul---not really theological in nature since they belong to the context of another world. The question becomes, “Is it true to the story of that world?” What might the ordering of an entirely different world look like? If there was another place of human existence besides earth, how might an infinitely creative God choose to express Himself there? Would the narrative of earth’s history simply be duplicated in that place, or might we be surprised by some twists and turns? Is God a one note storyteller? No doubt, there would be a consistent moral core, but the expression of those divine values might change. Or so I suspect.

But not all fiction is equal. Does the story evoke the right longings? That’s highly subjective, I realize, but nonetheless real. I remember reading Madeline L’Engles A Wrinkle in Time in the 4th or 5th grade. I had no idea she was a committed Christian, and there was nothing overtly Christian about the story. In fact, it had isolated elements that could have been argued to be otherwise. But every time I read it, even in the 4th grade, I came away thinking, “I can’t put my finger on it, but I think she’s a Christian.” Years later, in college, I discovered that as a fact. Something of her own walk with the Lord inevitably informed the soul of her story, and I caught a whiff of it. For me, the point of fantasy isn’t to contradict Scripture, but to feed the imagination. Done properly, that’s a holy thing. I love the escape, the passion, the burning sense of mission that often comes with stories of this type. Everything is on the line, the world is faced with doom, and the odds aren’t good. What will you do? What will you sacrifice to save those you love? I’m drawn to the deeper questions that get raised by the demands of the hero’s quest. Treachery, redemption, magic. I love the process of transformation, where princes are exposed as petty or cowardly, and yet the humble farmer’s son rises to defy the looming darkness. It’s all or nothing. It’s fantasy, and yet it strips away the illusions. Anything that strips away illusions is potentially a servant of truth. Of course, this calls for discernment. It might be argued that the fantasy genre runs a greater risk of creating illusions than dispelling them. But no more, really, than any other genre. The integrity of the story, the author’s intentions, clarity of perspective—all serve to reveal truth, or mask it, regardless of genre.

I see that you have 4 boys of your own and 4 more step-children. With 8 children in your life how did you find time to write your first novel?

Ahh, it’s very difficult! And to be honest, I’m unsatisfied with the current state of things. I squeeze in too many late hours that detract from family time. Very often, I’m grabbing an hour here, two hours there, at a pace I know I can’t sustain indefinitely. I chose it for the launch of the series to bring the books in quick succession to market, in hopes of building momentum and a fan base. But my kids need me more than they need books written by me. So I juggle. I schedule individual time and family time. I put it on the calendar and try not to break it. After that, I spent a lot of hours up late. Fortunately, I have a wife who is very understanding and supportive of the process. It would be impossible without her.

Do you find inspiration in your family for your writings?

Tons of inspiration! As I mentioned, the heart of the story is biographical, beginning with those dark, lonely moments when it was just me and my boys facing a strange new world together. They were even younger, then. They didn’t know how to express their grief. I realized they needed a voice. For my part, I could hardly get out of bed, dealing with my own pain, but it occurred to me that if I gave them their own adventure, sort of dropped them into a this other world where they could cry and hurt and fight their way back, they might just find their voice. It’s been an amazing process. It’s put some life back into all of us.

How has your faith guided your writing?

My gut reaction to this question was a verse: “I knew whom I have believed in, and am persuaded that He is able...” Over the last four years, I’ve wrestled with God a lot. But ultimately, I see the story of my life as quite similar to my boys. Bad stuff happens. God has placed me in this world of wonder, where I can cry and hurt and fight to live again. I battle for my heart every day. I try to teach my kids to do the same.

For any aspiring authors who might have trouble working on their novels, is there any advice you can give to help them become more motivated?

Well, my answer begs the question, but...you have to persevere! It won’t just be handed to you. You’ll get a mountain of rejection letters before you get published. Accept that fact and outlast the rejections. Wear them down. I wish I could motivate you with tales of money and fame, but I can’t, because I don’t have either! I wrote because I wanted to write, because I needed to write. If you don’t want it enough, or need it enough, chances are you probably aren’t meant to write.

Has your journey, in writing your novels, straightened your faith? How?

Ever since my Amy passed away, my journey with God has been very different---different than it’s ever been. Grief is a long, draining process. It affects every part of your being. More than anything, I rest in the knowledge that even in the darkness, He sees me. And His plan for me is good. A verse that was very meaningful to my wife during her fight with cancer has become a lifeline for me: “When He has tried me, I shall come forth as gold” (Job 23:10).

Others blogging about this book:

• Sally Apokedak
• Brandon Barr
• Keanan Brand
• Rachel Briard
• Valerie Comer
• Frank Creed
• Amy Cruson
• CSFF Blog Tour
• Stacey Dale
• D. G. D. Davidson
• Shane Deal
• Jeff Draper
• April Erwin
• Karina Fabian
• Andrea Graham
• Todd Michael Greene
• Timothy Hicks
• Joleen Howell
• Jason Isbell
• Cris Jesse
• Jason Joyner
• Carol Keen
• Magma
• Rebecca LuElla Miller
• Mirtika
• Eve Nielsen
• Nissa
• Steve Rice
• Crista Richey
• Alice M. Roelke
• Chawna Schroeder
• James Somers
• Rachel Starr Thomson
• Steve Trower
• Speculative Faith
• Jason Waguespac
• Phyllis Wheeler
• Timothy Wise