Alton Gansky Interview

What inspired you to become an author? Did you feel called?

Like many people, my interest in writing emerged when I was a child, except mine didn’t go away. I have a very eclectic background. I’ve worked in a bank, been a campus cop, a firefighter, spent 10 years in architecture, and spent 22 years in the pastorate. Through each of those incarnations I spent a fair amount of time thinking about being a writer and tried my hand at several types of writing.

I’m reluctant to say I feel called to write. Certainly many Christian writers do. I feel God’s permission more than I feel His call. That statement won’t make sense to most people, but it is how it works in my life.

How has writing changed your life?

I probably would have made more money by going into business but I doubt I’d find it as satisfying. In fact, I get depressed if I don’t write which is odd since the two things I hated in school were English and typing. I’ve been writing for a long time and my love for it grows, and not just for novels. I enjoy writing short nonfiction and nonfiction books. Publishers and agents often hire me to help with other authors and projects and I enjoy that as well.

Writing is the only thing that blends all my interests.

What was your road to publication like? Smooth? Bumpy?

Fairly smooth. I came through the backdoor. The first writer’s conference I attended I did so as faculty. I wrote several small things (book reviews, articles, etc) before I took on a novel. I sent the manuscript to a “pay-to-read” agent. I didn’t know better. It came back rejected. I doubt he even read it. I put the book on the shelf where it sat for years. A telephone call from Jack Cavanaugh made me pull it off the shelf and rewrite it. Victor Books bought it and BY MY HANDS became my first novel. I’ve continued to sell novels and nonfiction every since.

What are the qualities aspiring authors need if they want to be successful?

First, have a real, abiding love for the craft. Not an infatuation with writing, but a genuine love. The kind of love that drives him or her to learn as much as possible, to improve with every new work, and to endure rejection. I’ve written about 30 books and I still love studying the craft. I have so much to learn.

Second, endurance. It’s a tough business. It’s a frustrating career. No one would continue in it unless there was a greater passion driving them.

Where do you want to be in your writing career in five years? In ten?

This is a career that defies goals. I would like to continue to increase sales and spend more time developing my books.

Tell us something about yourself that readers would be surprised to know.

That’s a tough question. I’m too dull to be surprising. How about this: I never read my books once they come out in print. Can’t stand to look at them.

What is the most important thing you want to communicate to your readers?

Ordinary people can do extraordinary things. I base all my novels on that principle. I take a Christian and put them in unusual and dangerous settings and let their faith solve the problem. If I do my job right, then the reader will see how a Christian might deal with such unusual happenings.

Tell us about your latest novel, ANGEL.

ANGEL is a stand alone, supernatural suspense book published by Realms Fiction, a publishing company that specializes in Christian themed supernatural novels. The idea for the book came from Galatians 1:8-“But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed!”

I began to wonder how an angel with a false gospel might operate. How would he appear? What would he claim to be? Could he lead humanity astray? The result is ANGEL. It’s a book about deception and how willing we humans are to embrace falsehood.

I had fun with this book because I took a minor character from my first novel and brought her back as the protagonist.

What are you working on now?

I’ve just finished two collaborations and am working on another. This week I’ll start a nonfiction book on Jesus that will be marketed to the general audience. I’m also trying to settle on my next novel.

Anything else you’d like to say?

Not really. I appreciate your good work and the opportunity to do this interview.