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The Interview - Jean DeFreese Moore

Which character do you enjoy writing the most as a writer and why? If choosing a favorite character is like choosing a favorite child, which character do you find requires the most attention and detail from you as a writer?

My favorite character has changed with the stories. Of course, Travis Britt was my favorite until he died in book 4 (Sacrifice and Service). His son Reid was a favorite. He began as a shy kid, abused by his siblings and loved by his father. He grew into a brave, bold, compassionate character that God trusted as his child. Luke is a favorite with his outgoing joyful personality. His love for his little brother Reid is admirable. James requires a lot of attention. He struggles, physically and emotionally and keeping up with his growth can be challenging. We first saw James when his mother was murdered at age six. He fought the bullies on the school playground, went to war, was injured, came home to experience a healing miracle, finished school, married, and then stood against the government he once faithfully served only to be knocked down. But he rose to defend his fellow veterans and countrymen during a time in history when many people suffered. These men held true to God through trials and hardships; an example how faithful men succeed in God's Kingdom.

What are some books or authors that you would recommend to our readers?

I would highly recommend Grace Livingston Hill's books. She wrote in the early 20th century with a gentle way of describing life. She wrote over 100 books. My favorite is probably 'The Big Blue Soldier.' Lynn Austin's books are fabulous. Again, she is a clean Christian author. Some of hers that are my favorites are 'Wonderland Creek,' 'Fire By Night,' and the 'Chronical of the Kings' series. Frank Peretti is always great. As an adult I even enjoyed his 'Cooper Kids' series for older children. Ted Dekker, Mesu Andrews, Joel Rosenberg, and Cliff Graham are all good authors. Any of their books would be great. Amir Tsarfati has recently written a great Mossard thriller series .

Have you been able to incorporate your previous experience in [jobs/education] in your writing?

My career involved other writers. I worked for a Division I athletic program at a major university. It was my job to proof the writers and do the desktop publishing for media guides and programs for the 14 athletic programs. I did very little writing myself, but I read everything the writers in my department did. I was familiar with AP style writing. I've always been able to express myself better in writing than with the spoken word, but I lacked the confidence to offer my writing publicly, for all to view and critique. It wasn't until I retired and was helping my granddaughter with her project that I even considered sharing my work. I guess when you become an old lady you really don't care what other people think anymore.

To date, what is your favorite (or most difficult) chapter you have ever written?

This would have to be the chapter in book 4 (A Father's Love: Sacrifice and Service) when James drives into the poison gas during World War I. I've never been to war. I don't know the feelings that a soldier has when his buddies are in danger or when he thinks his own death is certain. But I do know, that for a Christian, especially a strong Believer, death isn't the worst thing that could happen. So I sent James into the fight to rescue abandoned soldiers with the understand that he was protected by God. Live or die, he belonged to God, and his desire to save the other soldiers wasn't his own, it was God's. So, if God's son could willingly die to save others, James would willingly die to save other, too.

Was there anything you had to research for the book?

I have had to research for all six books I have written. Book 2 (A Father's Love: Justice and Forgiveness) was interesting. I researched undercover work within the department of justice and laws passed during that period of time. In book 4 (A Father's Love: Sacrifice and Service), I researched World War 1, gas used in warfare, treatment of injured, and how those injuries affected life after the military. I also had to explore railroad accidents and operations. The Spanish Flu was also researched, including how the government and the U.S. Army hid information from the public to support the war effort. Book 6 (A Father's Love: Love and Honor) was especially challenging as I had to research everything I could find on the Bonus Army of 1932. Much has been written about this, but reports often conflict with each other and government propaganda was used to sway the public into believing things that were not true. I had to pick through the scraps to determine timeline of events, how the conflict began, and care of the injured according to 1932 medical treatments.

Did you always want to be an author? If not, what did you want to be when you grew up?

Never in my life did I want to be an author. It never occurred to me. But when God told me to finish the story I started with my granddaughter's home school project, I obeyed. I thought I would write a few more pages and that would be it. Several times I thought that. But God kept giving me more and more and the story hasn't ended. So I'm going to continue being obedient to my Lord, and I'm going to write. Currently I'm working on the continuation, set in 1937 pre-war Europe. Same family, same characters. Same love for Jesus Christ. 

Do you have any personal connection to the story or characters?

I have lived with the characters in these books for seven years. Yeah, it's a personal connection. The first book (A Father's Love: Faith and Family) was inspired by my then 13-year-old granddaughter. She was working on a home school project on writing and I was helping her from another state. I decided if I was going to write a story it wouldn't be just for fun, it would teach her something. She was born in West Virginia, so I gave her some history of the state, some American history, and added some Christian teachings. The second book (Faith and Family: Justice and Forgiveness) was inspired by my then 10-year-old grandson, who read the book and said one of the characters needed siblings. This led to discussions of morality and Christian beliefs. A personal family history incident also played a part in this story. I had a great grandfather who married a widow who had lost five husbands already. One of those husbands had been an FBI agent who disappeared while undercover. This inspired the undercover work in the book. Books 3 (Joyous Hope) and 4 (Sacrifice and Service) continued with historical and Biblical teaching. Book 5 (A Father's Love: Redemption) was inspired by my daughter who said that Naomi had to be doing something illegal, and that's why she didn't tell her father where she was for several years. So, I had to figure out what she did that was illegal while keeping the family's moral compass pointing toward Christ. Book 6 (A Father's Love: Love and Honor) just fell into place as a continuation of the story. So, yes, the story did come from a personal connection with my family, my faith, and American history.