What were the challenges of switching from drama to writing these events in book form?
A fertile mind loves challenges such as this. I would argue that I am first a dramatist, then an author. Most writers do not come at their craft from the field of drama. But for me, that’s my starting point.
I become the character; I portray the character on stage. After living in that character’s skin for a time, I feel I am able to write from his perspective—to see things as he would see them. For me, this is a distinct advantage, not a handicap.
I have done something very similar with the Psalms. I have memorized fourteen Psalms and present them as drama. After doing this dramatization for ten years I wrote a devotional study book entitled Psalms Alive!
I also do a full, in-costume dramatization of the Epistle of James, which I call A Visit from James. Currently, I have an agent working on landing a publishing deal for a manuscript I have written on the life and ministry of James, the brother of Jesus.
There’s also a multi-voiced, dramatization of the same events in The Soldier Who Killed a King. What was that process like?
This was a project I really loved. I enjoyed working with amateur actors to make this book really come alive.
It’s all about transporting the listeners to a different time and place. I had a particularly good recording engineer, Tristan Brake, who worked that magic at our local Christian radio station.
So…the audio drama is based on a book that’s based on another drama. How did that make the process easier or harder?
I think it made it easier. It’s a building process, building one block onto another. The next project is the movie. That’s the ultimate goal.
How much are these three projects different experiences for the same audience vs. actually reaching three different audiences altogether?
For the most part I think it’s reaching three different audiences. Yes of course, there is some overlap. But there are plenty of men who haven’t read a novel since high school, and they’re not about to do it now, but they might attend a Passion of Christ drama at their local church. Similarly, there are thousands who have read my novel, but they will never get an opportunity to see the play. In the same way there is a distinct audience for audio books.
Click through to find out how a minister / dramatist / teacher brings all those other facets to writing his books…