Sigmund Brouwer Interview

Q: Let’s start by asking you to tell us a little bit about who Sigmund Brouwer is.

A. Author background: With close to three million books in print, Canadian Sigmund Brouwer is a novelist and children’s book author. Over the last ten years, he has given writing workshops to students across Canada and the United States, ranging from schools north of the Arctic Circle to inner city Los Angeles. One of his latest novels, The Last Disciple, appeared in Time magazine and earned him a recent appearance on ABC’s Good Morning America. His books for children include Rebel Glory, part of the Lightning On Ice hockey series.

Q: Could you give us the highlights of your professional writing career including how you got your first writing break?

A. I remember attempting to write my first book when I was ten years old, so it must have always been there. I sent my first story out for publication when I was 20, but it took seven years and dozens of attempts for my first published story, and another three years to get my first book in print, a mystery written for children, in a series that would become the Accidental Detectives. I sent this book out to 20 publishers, and was very grateful when it was accepted!

Q: Please describe your latest book.

A. Broken Angel is a story about government agents chasing a fugitive on the run – the genetically-altered young woman named Caitlyn – and her two companions. It takes place around seventy years from now in Appalachia. The government of Appalachia is an offshoot of the conservative religious movement and the story examines what happens if you take the shaping a nation through religion and politics in one extreme direction. In short, the novel is a suspense thriller in a setting that prompts questions about the politicization of Christian faith.

Q: Where did the inspiration for Broken Angel come from?

A. The characters were there before the concept. Once I knew who Caitlyn and Jordan were, and what had happened to Caitlyn before her birth and how Jordan had been responsible, I began to wonder when and where they would be fugitives. That lead to Appalachia, a state run by literalist, controlling fundamentalists.

Q: What do you want your readers to take away from Broken Angel?

A. Well, the main theme behind the book really is “freedom to believe.” That’s the basis for Caitlyn’s story. I argue indirectly through the novel about the critical importance of the separation between church and state. Once, during the writing of the novel, my wife, Cindy, challenged me on this. She asked what would be wrong with allowing a teacher to talk to kids about his Christian faith in a public school setting. I asked in return if she would resent a Muslim teacher doing the same with our seven-year-old sitting in the classroom. Without arguing for or against the merits of either religion, I hope my question to her highlighted a need for that separation. I read recently that a federal judge had blocked a Missouri public school from distributing Gideon Bibles to fifth-graders. My immediate reaction, as a Christian, was anger. But then I asked myself how I’d feel if the Koran had been distributed instead. I think America’s founding fathers understood that when you don’t separate church and state the end result may well lead to country ruled like Iran. You can argue all you want the truth behind our Christian faith, but when politicized and with misguided leadership it’s just too easy for a religion to disintegrate into a power structure. You don’t have to look any farther than the Inquisition to understand this.

Q: Where do you like to write your books (in bed, a coffee shop, an office)?

A. Nearly always in my office. My wife, Cindy, and I have two young daughters. (check the dedication in Broken Angel!). I love my family life and try to make sure that my girls are a priority, so I separate the act of writing by keeping it in the office. Although, it’s impossible not to think about my characters outside of the office.

Q: Your favorite book, and why?

A. Broken Angel. It became intensely personal for me, as it involves a father and a daughter.

Q: What book are you currently reading?

A. The Complete Works of Shakespeare. Just kidding. Thought it sounded like a good answer though. I’m usually reading a science or history book, or ripping through a suspense thriller.

Q: What are you working on now? (If you can tell us)

A. A sequel to Broken Angel. It ends, I hope, in a satisfying way for readers. But I’d really like to find out what Caitlyn does with the knowledge that she escapes with.

Q: What one tip would you give to any of our readers who want to become writers?

A. Never, ever, ever, ever, ever quit.