Interview with Marvin Wilson

Marvin D. Wilson is a writer, blogger, and author. He enjoys delivering spiritual and inspirational messages in his own inimitable humorous, poignant, oftentimes irreverent, at times shocking way, through the spinning of an entertaining tale. He took the time to speak to me about his latest novel, Owen Fiddler -- which is available online at Amazon.com -- and about his life as a novelist.

How did your latest novel, Owen Fiddler, begin? What was the writing process like?

Marvin: Owen Fiddler was first a short story I wrote in one long sitting, a little over three years ago. It was a Christmas story, actually. I didn’t publish it, but I posted it as a holiday post on my blog and also emailed it to friends and family and printed out some copies to mail to some folks. So many people expressed how much they liked it and encouraged me to lengthen it, I decided to write more and turn it into a full-length novel. Once I started on the manuscript, I got into this blessed “writer’s zone” where I could not key the words in as fast as the inspirations were coming. I would wake up in the early morning with one or more of the characters urging me to get up and write something they had to say or do. It was incredible, like nothing I’d ever experienced before. I wrote the full 65,000+ words in about five weeks. Then I spent three months doing the self-editing, revisions and rewrites, polishing it up as best I could. After that, I sent it in to my editor, Peggy Ullman Bell, who is a real task-master and demands the very best from me. The back and forth with her, all the rewrites, rearranging, revisions and changes she demanded, took another month. So all told, it was about a six month process before it was ready to submit to the publishing house.

Award-winning author and professional book critic Lisa Haselton says: "Whether or not you believe in God, a higher being, heaven, law of attraction, or any type of life after death, you will walk away from this novel having at least been inspired to glimpse the possibility that there is more to life than a simple daily existence." Was this your purpose in writing this book?

Marvin: One of them, yes, and I was elated when she read the book and wrote that, because it let me know I had accomplished one of my objectives. I like to deliver spiritual and inspirational messages without coming off as “preachy” – I am a Christian, but I don’t write books in the “Christian Book” genre because I don’t like the limitations imposed in that arena, and I’m not one for “preaching to the choir.” I’m more of a Maverick loose cannon kind of Christian spiritualist author who tells it like it is and relates to all people, not just the religious.

You are a self-described "realist." How does this influence your writing?

Marvin: This sort of ties into my last answer. As I said, I prefer, even though I am a Christian, to publish my books in the general fiction genre - “spiritual/inspirational” category. There I am not restricted with what kind of language my characters can use, what kinds of graphic scenes I can “realistically” portray, etc. Although I’m not a “potty mouth” author, I will use occasional cuss words if I’m writing a badass character, and while I don’t get into pornographic sex scene depictions, my characters do have sex, just like “real” people do, and I will write those scenes as well. Also, I tackle some topics that most religious people would rather not talk about or even recognize as being worthy of discussion. I’m not a religious person at all, and I love to stir up controversy for the sake of whipping up healthy debate.

What drives you to write?

Marvin: My favorite answer to that is to quote Thomas Berger: "Why do writers write? Because it isn't there."

What's next for Marv Wilson?

Marvin: Oh gosh, lots! I have three Works in Progress, in various stages of completion. One is a sequel to Owen Fiddler. It’s a comedic mystery whodunit, titled “Detective Snoop” and will be a lot of fun with some spiritual messages thrown in to boot. Another is a romance, featuring a female main character who is an avid mountain climber and a best-selling author, married to a traveling rock star. That book is titled “Heaven’s Slope Ascended.” And the third one, which is only about two chapters long right now but my favorite, is about – well, here … I’ll paste the blurb I wrote for it for promotional purposes:

What if a homeless, smelly, ugly unkempt old man had a hug so powerful it could cure cancer? Cause a prostitute to stop hooking and seek true love? Shake the demons of addiction free from a junkie? Make a Christian want to hug and love a Muslim and visa versa? But rare is the beneficiary of his divine hug – nobody wants to come near him out of fear.

That one has the tentative working title, “Beware the Devil’s Hug.” So I have all that to write - I want to have at least one, hopefully two new releases by the end of the year, and I also do a lot of editing. I’m on staff with All Things That Matter Press and I do freelance work as well. I usually have two books I’m editing at any given time. Call me crazy, I just can’t get enough of reading, writing, and editing books. Love it. Oh, and again call me maniacal, I also publish a new blog post every day on The Old Silly’s Free Spirit Blog, where I have hundreds of regular readers stopping each day from well over a hundred countries around the planet. Can’t let them down, hmm?

Hey thanks for having me on your blog, Dallas. I enjoyed composing the answers to your questions, and I’ll be stopping in several times today and into the early evening to interact with your readers if they wish.