Author of Lady of Arlington
http://john.jperry.net/
By: Trisha Bleau Smith
T4JYM: Lady of Arlington sounds like a fascinating story that I am anxious to read. Where did the idea for the book come from?
JSP: I had already written a couple of books about Christian figures in American history whose faith journey wasn’t familiar to the general public. I enjoyed this work a lot, and decided to look for another likely suspect. Mrs. Lee fit the profile perfectly. Also she was a woman, which intrigued me as a subject. Furthermore, her story is one of the few aspects of the Civil War that has never been written much about; books on that topic tend to be steady sellers over time, and in this case I had the story all to myself.
T4JYM: How many publishers did you send this manuscript to before it was picked up? How many publishers rejected it and did they offer any reasons why? Or were you lucky enough to already have a publisher ready to take your works?
JSP: Fortunately for me, I had an agreement with a publisher before I started on the book. I do know, however, that many, many times a good book is repeatedly rejected before it finally finds the right publisher. The most frequent reason a book is rejected is that it isn’t different enough from all the other books already out there. Publishers are eager to support fresh, exciting, new ideas, but those kinds of ideas are rare. Also it’s a matter of the taste and preference of a particular editor or publisher. One of my favorite novels, A Confederacy of Dunces, was rejected by 16 publishers before somebody took a chance on it. When it finally came out, it won the Pulitzer Prize.
T4JYM: How has this book been received by the general public? Has there been positive feedback? Any negative feedback? What about previous books you have written?
JSP: This book has been very well received. History has given Mrs. Lee a bum rap. Based on a few isolated comments in letters from her husband to his friends, she has often been branded as a neurotic whiner and a general pain in the rear. The fact is she was a gracious, beautiful, talented, spirit-filled woman who was a true heroine in her own right. Readers tell me they’re amazed at the new information in my book (the result of my discovery of a previously unknown prayer journal), and how at last she steps out from under the historical shadow of General Lee.
I can’t think of anything negative that’s significant. The only thing that comes to mind is one reader who thought I put too much of the prayer journal in the book. My position was, when I have this priceless resource that expresses Mrs. Lee’s emotions in her own words, I ought to take every advantage of it.
I have written a number of other books, both under my own name and as a ghostwriter for other people.
T4JYM: What are your next plans for writing? You have many books to your credit already that cover various genres. Do you plan to do any more books along the same lines as this book? Will you move on to new writing?
JSP: I have recently finished a biography of Chuck Colson, which will be released March 28. I’m hoping to start soon on a novel based on some lyrics written by a top Christian musical artist whose kids and mine go to school together. It would be premature at this point to say who it is, but it’s somebody your audience will be very familiar with.
T4JYM: What is generally your target audience? How do you decide on what audience to focus your writing on?
JSP: The target audience changes with each book, but in general, they are people who love stories about how Christians deal with the real world, how faith keeps you sane during tough times, and how when everything else is gone, faith alone can triumph over evil.
T4JYM: What training do you have in writing? I noticed that you are a college graduate which means you had writing courses. Did you take any special writing courses or focus on journalism or writing specifically in college to obtain the skills you have currently?
JSP: Before I wrote my first book, I spent years as an advertising copywriter and radio producer. Ad copy has to be fast, succinct, and clear, so it was good training. Actually I only had one writing course in college because there was only one available in the four years I was there. College courses can help your writing, but they’re certainly not essential.
T4JYM: When did you start writing? What kind of writing did you begin with? Do you do any other writing for fun, like journaling, poetry, etc.?
JSP: The first writing I did was keeping a journal in high school. In college I was editor of the yearbook one year, and also did publicity for a club I was in. I think all the writing I do is fun, whether it’s for work or for enjoyment. I’ve taken a shot a poetry, but I don’t think I have much of a knack for it.
T4JYM: What advice would you give to someone who wants to pursue a career in writing?
JSP: There are lots of different kinds of jobs in writing, so don’t think your first job has to be writing a book. Every big company has a communications department. And even hospitals, airports, and other unlikely places have public affairs or marketing staffs. Also, there are lots of writing opportunities that don’t pay much but provide experience and exposure in the marketplace – newspaper features, magazine contributions, newsletters, etc. Look for those on the side in order to get a little work under your belt while making your living with something more reliable. Most writers also do something else to help pay the bills, at least at first.
T4JYM: What advice would you give to someone interested in publishing their works?
JSP: Never give up. Never give up. Never, never, never, never, never give up. It is a frustrating, humbling, and seemingly endless task getting something published. You have to be patient, and you have to have faith that God’s timing is always perfect, even if it isn’t the timing you had in mind.
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