Still Small Voice Author Interview and Giveaway!

Posted by abakersp in Spotlights / 5 Comments

Welcome to the Celebrate Lit Blog Tour for Still Small Voice! I had the pleasure of speaking with the author for part of this tour 🙂

ABOUT THE BOOK

Book: Still Small Voice

Author: Allen Brokken

Genre: Middle Grade Fantasy

Release Date: July 24, 2020

The Still Small Voice Leads the Way

Because of their faith, twelve-year-old Lauren and her younger brothers, Aiden and Ethan, prevailed in the battle for the Tower of Light. But their victory did not stop the Dark One. Darkness continues to spread across Zoura’s frontier.

Now, in a vision, Mother tells them to light a second tower in Blooming Glen. Before they can set out on their journey with the Knight Protector, their Uncle arrives with a different set of instructions. He doesn’t trust the Knight Protector or the Mighty Mercenaries and believes the children should go to grandma’s house instead.

Unyielding in his belief, Uncle unknowingly leads the children off their path. And a misguided acolyte follows them. Lurking in the shadows, he strikes at every opportunity as the dark forces prepare to descend.

Lauren, Aiden, and Ethan are Zoura’s last defense. Can they convince their Uncle of the truth—that he must listen to the still small voice—and make it to Blooming Glen before the Dark One’s forces overtake them?

Click here to get your copy!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Allen Brokken is a teacher at heart, a husband and father most of all. He’s a joyful writer by the abundant grace of God. Follow his endeavors @towersoflight, @twodadsandajoke, and http://www.brokken.net. Your children can grow their own faith and love of God by following the adventures of Lauren, Aiden, and Ethan (plus their pets!) at instagram.com/towersoflight.

INTERVIEW WITH ALLEN

Welcome to the blog Allen! Can you tell us the inspiration behind this story?

I began writing the towers of light series for my kids when they were little. I was traveling for work and would come home on the weekends and tell them a fantastic story about themselves. Still Small Voice in particular is about listening for the holy spirits calling on our life and the importance of heeding that calling.

Thank you for sharing! What’s in your current TBR pile?

I’m reading the Mercury series by Steve Raza.

**off to look that up*** Tell us about any research trips you took while working on this book.

The setting is inspired by Little House on the Prarie and the rural Midwest I grew up in. I had the opportunity to visit the Little House on the Prarie Museum. It was really interesting to hear about Laura Ingalls Wilder’s life story in her own home. I didn’t realize that her husband actually built the house and all of the possessions in it from hand with materials from the area. The heavy oak furniture in the kitchen in my story is patterned after things I saw at the museum.

Oh I would love to go to that museum! I adore those books. I went to school with one of her descendants!! Did you google something as research for this book and find something funny?

Not funny, ha, ha but funny odd. A couple years back, my brother and my Dad were talking about cougars being loose in Iowa and telling tall tales about going cougar hunting. I really wanted to figure out how to incorporate a cougar hide into Uncle’s look in the story. But I was also going for realism. So I researched curing hides. I found it odd how important salt was in the curing process.

I agree! Tell us about your writing routine.

I write best early in the morning or on an airplane. When I have a deadline I build a chart of what I need to get done and then drive that as many days a week as possible early in the morning.

You can have dinner with any character, who would you pick? What would you eat? What would you talk about?

I always wanted to be Han Solo. I think we’d meet at a space diner like in Episode 2, eat some bantha burgers drink blue milk shakes and I’d ask him to hear his version of the Kessel run.

That would be fun! Favorite dessert?

It’s called fluff. Graham cracker crust, sweetened cream cheese, chocolate pudding, whipped topping. It’s the best.

Yeah I want to go eat that right now!! If you weren’t an author right now, what would you be doing?

That’s interesting because my day job is selling software. So this is really something I do on the side. I guess if I wasn’t doing this I’d still be doing something creative. Likely model building, or collecting and painting toy soldiers.

Wow, how do you find the time to write!? What’s your favorite bible verse?

“And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake:

And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.”

1 Kings 19:9-13

It’s a reminder that we always are looking for God to do these huge and powerful things, but in the end he’s close to us, as close as a whisper.

I love that! What’s one thing readers don’t know about you?

I was a Mortarman in the Army Reserves when I was younger.

Wow! You’re on a stranded island and you can only have one book with you. What would you pick and why?

I would say the Bible. Its like no other book. I’ve read and reread it many times and every time I find something new.

Yes I agree 100%! What do you want readers to gain from reading this?

A sensitivity to listen for God’s calling on their life. There is a Still Small Voice that God uses to direct us on a path to shine our light for his glory. But we have to listen for it, and do what it asks.

What a powerful message. Do you characters ever talk to you at odd times?

Well since the characters are my kids there are a number of things in here that are patterned off of conversations they’ve had. Things like waking up from a nap to see stuffed animals on their head and the like.

🙂 What’s the weirdest thing you’ve written notes on for a story idea?

I have another set of stories on the back burner I’m calling “Fat Guys can be Heroes if…” and then there’s a series of challenges big guys like me have in the world.

…runnings not involved.

…they don’t have to fly coach.

…the roller coaster safety latch will close

…an all you can eat buffet doesn’t make an appearance.

I have to finish the Towers of light series before that will be real.

Haha I love this! What are you working on next?

I’m actively working on Books 3 and 4 on the Towers of Light series, tentatively titled Fear No Evil and Full Armor of God. Book 3 may be out in the December time frame, a lot of things have to come together to make that work, otherwise early 2021. Book 4 is looking to summer 2021.

Looking forward to hearing more! Thanks for taking the time out of your busy schedule to talk with me today!