Eric Wilson is truly one of my favorite authors and his novels deserve a place on any bookshelf. He is the author of Dark to Mortal Eyes, Expiration Date, The Best of Evil, A Shred of Truth, Facing The Giants, and the upcoming Jerusalem’s Undead Trilogy. He lives with his wife, Carolyn Rose, and their two daughters in Nashville, Tennessee. Visit him at www.wilsonwriter.com
I appreciate so much Eric taking the time to answer questions about his writing and about his latest novel, A Shred of Truth (See my review here). Let’s get to it!
I’m always fascinated with how novelists get their ideas. Where did the idea for the Aramis Black series come from?
EW: With Aramis Black, I wanted to explore a character who was struggling with his newfound faith. I wanted this struggle to be very visceral, and so I created a character with a violent and troubled background, a character who isn’t perfect, but wants to understand and know God while also honoring his mother’s legacy. Once I came up with the name Aramis (stolen from the cologne, then later connected with the character in Dumas’ “The Three Musketeers”), I knew I had a series on my hands. It’s been a blast!
Aramis is such an engaging and memorable character. In Aramis we see elements of humility and compassion, yet we also find very dark characteristics. Rage, vengeance, and a knack for violence seem to be a part of his makeup as well. He is truly a flawed character who is searching for truth and meaning. Were these qualities and characteristics part of the original design for his character, or did they develop as the story grew? How much of yourself do you see in Aramis?
EW: The qualities in Aramis, both good and bad, developed as the story went along. I let the story reveal to me who he was, who he wanted to be, and I went from there. I actually wanted to go a bit deeper into his darker areas, but I was reined in by my editors. Oh well. I guess CBA’s not quite ready for certain things. Regardless, I’ve had a lot of fun with these books. Yes, I see parts of myself in Aramis. One of my editors said, “Aramis is like Eric Wilson on steroids.” I laughed. In my whole life, I’ve never punched anyone in the face, never tackled someone in the middle of an airport, never even been drunk. But yes, I struggle with a sin nature daily, and so I understand that–even if I haven’t lived out every dark thought and emotion.
In both The Best of Evil and A Shred of Truth you really bring the city of Nashville to life, so much so that the city seems almost like a main character. How difficult and challenging was it to develop the setting of the city in these novels? Do you actually visit each location you write about?
EW: One of my goals with this series was to show that Nashville has much more to it than most people think. It’s a complex mix of history, modern growth, religion, and creativity. Yes, I’ve visited all the places in the books, sometimes sneaking around, making notes, and checking things out from…uh…places I’m not really supposed to be. That’s half the fun. I did want Nashville to come alive in these stories. I hope that shows.
The Aramis Black novels are obviously written in the first person narrative from Aramis’ point of view. I have read countless novels written in the first person, and you have really seemed to master the technique in this series. What sort of challenges and obstacles did you face in telling this story from one man’s perspective?
EW: First-person was a lot of fun for me. It allowed me to get into Aramis’ head, but I think there’s a fine line, not letting the story become too full of thoughts and reflection. I tried to balance those moments with action and suspense. Of course, when seen through only one person’s perspective, I had to allow other characters to give insight into Aramis through their reactions and dialogue with him. I also had to introduce clues and foreshadowing in unique ways. For me, it was a natural style which I thoroughly enjoyed writing.
A big CONGRATULATIONS to you on signing with Thomas Nelson/West Bow. You’re first novel with them (Facing The Giants) is due out soon. What can you tell us about the novel version of the very popular movie? Usually films are adapted from novels. What was it like to take a film and put it into novel form?
EW: Writing a novelization of “Facing the Giants” was awesome. The original screenwriters, the Kendrick brothers, were a lot of fun to work with. They wanted the book to be very true to the movie, but they allowed me some leeway with characters’ thoughts and histories, as well as a few subplots. The process was all backwards because no one expected this movie to do as well as it did. The idea for the book came after the movie’s release. It was not driven by money–in fact, I got less for this book than any of my others–it was driven by a desire to see God’s love and faithfulness highlighted through a moving story.
Your next major project is potentially controversial, but one I am eagerly awaiting. What can you tell us about the Jerusalem’s Undead Trilogy? When will the first book be available?
EW: I’m so excited–and partly scared–about doing this “Jerusalem’s Undead Trilogy,” because it’ll definitely be controversial in nature. It will be a battle of good and evil, with humans caught in between. Mixing biblical elements and even some Jewish tradition, it will be a hair-raising story meant to highlight the spiritual struggle we are in, and the need to “die to ourselves daily,” as Jesus instructed. This is not a popular theme in America. We’re all about “living for ourselves.” The first book will be out next August, I believe. Man, am I glad Thomas Nelson was willing to give me this opportunity. I hope it doesn’t ruin my career…But hey, why not have some fun while I’m at it!
Where did the idea for the Jerusalem’s Undead Trilogy come from?
EW: The idea for this series originated from two specific groups of “undead” in Jerusalem. The first: the saints that came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection, mentioned in Matt. 27:52&53. The second: a group of 2000 year old tombs broken into in 1989 by a bulldozer outside Jerusalem. What if…? My story is set in the near future, with a few humans stuck in the middle of these two forces, one good, one evil. It will be very visceral, but full of symbolism.
You recently visited Jerusalem to research the upcoming trilogy. What was that trip like and what places were you able to visit?
EW: I just returned from Israel. It was an amazing trip, visiting the Sea, Masada, Petra (in Jordan), En Gedi, and sites in Jerusalem. It seemed like God went ahead and prepared the way in so many aspects. On my last day there, for example, I got to meet the original archaeological director and the diagrammer from the 1989 discovery. Talk about the best research possible! It was amazing. I showed up five minutes after the museum closed, but a guard at the booth took me down through a rabbit warren of tunnels and stairs, into the museum’s heart, where I met this pair totally unplanned!
One thing I love about your novels is that they are all set in the same universe. In A Shred of Truth we even see a subtle connection to the Jerusalem’s Undead Trilogy. Do you have plans to finish the Five Senses and Aramis Black Series? Were you able to find a way to connect Facing The Giants to the rest of your novels? If so, I must say that is too cool and quite impressive.
EW: I am tying all my books together, with the overarching themes to be revealed by the very end. In the second to last chapter of “A Shred of Truth,” I mention secrets still buried in Jerusalem. That leads into my
“Undead Trilogy.” Unfortunately, I didn’t see a way to tie in the “Facing The Giants” book, without violating the Kendricks’ original purposes. (I did work in a reference to the Oregon Ducks football team, though…Go Ducks!)
What is the one piece of advice you would give to an aspiring novelist? What are some of the hard truths about writing and publishing that you wish someone had told you when you first started?
EW: If you want to write, write! Write for you local newspaper, write for your church bulletin, write poems for your husband or wife, boyfriend or friend, write notes of encouragement and thank you notes…You get the point. Publication is awesome, yes. It’s a thrill to see your own book in print, no doubt! But it’s also an empty thing, in so many ways. Soon you realize that you’re only one fish in a very large sea. Most people may never read your stuff, much less know you exist. It all comes down to doing what God puts in your heart, being faithful and disciplined, and then trusting His plan. I’m basically a big baby, whining and complaining a lot of times, but God is a very patient and loving Father.
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