Dear Readers:
Every once in a whle I come across an author with a talent that I simply cannot keep quiet about. Today's author interview with Joseph Ganci is one of those. Let me tell you about his book before you read his interview. I hope you enjoy learning about Joseph and his wonderful book.
Dr. Mel
Unleash the Legend: "David: God's Chosen Crucible" — The Making of a King
Embark on an epic journey through the tumultuous life of David in "David: God's Chosen Crucible," the second volume in the riveting Empire of Israel series. Witness the transformation of a humble shepherd boy into the revered King of the Jews and valiant prince of Israel. David is not just a man; he is every man's hero—a fierce warrior, a passionate lover, a gifted musician, and a profound poet-philosopher.
Experience God's vision for David—a man with the heart of a lion, the resilience of a bear, and the unwavering spirit of a true action hero. Follow David's perilous adventures as he deftly escapes the clutches of King Saul, navigates deadly traps, and learns from each encounter, drawing ever closer to his Creator.
Cheer for David as he protects and expands the sacred grounds of Zion, the haven for God's chosen people. From his breathtaking narrow escapes to his heartwarming romance with the love of his life, David's story is one of achieving unimaginable heights of worldly success.
Stand beside David during his desperate search for sanctuary and his unexpected alliance with Achish, the Philistine prince. Feel the tension as David battles to rescue his kidnapped wives from the cunning Amalekites, claiming not just his beloved but a vast treasure of riches.
Join the final battle at Mount Gilboa, witness the strategic fall of Rabbah, and be a guest at the poignant wedding of David and Bathsheba, whose union sets the stage for the reign of their son, Solomon.
This tale isn't just a narrative; it's a celebration of faith, courage, and the relentless human spirit. Perfect for anyone who cherishes biblical epics and stories of profound transformations, this book is a must-read that will stir your soul and uplift your spirit.
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What inspired you to
become a writer, and how did your journey begin?
Over the years, I
discovered I had a surprisingly natural talent for poetry and played it as a
hobby. I wrote a tongue-in-cheek short story based on a poem titled How to Ward off Two Single Sliders. It was
about an overly promiscuous girlfriend and her codependent sister—but not of
anything noteworthy. I was told I had a fraction of wit and was told on several
occasions that I should write a book. My granddaughter, at nine years old, also
surprised me when she said Papa, "You need to write a book." At that time, I was
on my sixth pass of the KJV Bible and came across a phrase in Judges 7, a
military dispatch to Ephraim: Take them to the waters of the Jordan and the
Bethabara. It meant the shallows and the
only cross-over point. Gideon was going to drive the Midianites south as hounds
to the hunters. Then, in Judges 9, Gideon captures the two Midian Kings and
uses them as a trophy to prove his victory. Having no further use of them, he
said, I would have kept you alive, but you killed the sons of my mother, even
my brethren at Tabor. That one word gave me Judges 4 and 5, Debra the Prophetess, the Jabin King, Sisera and
his 900 chariots of Iron, Barak and his
10,00, and my first seven chapters and made Gideon’s pursuit a blood feud, and
I was off to the races.
Can you describe your
daily writing routine? How do you structure your writing day?
Simple: I write when I
feel inspired and when I don’t. I don’t believe in the blank page. Although I
am working on King Solomon, most of his story is unavailable biblically, such
as his youth and his interactions with Demons, wine, and women. His only
battles were with himself.
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What is the most
challenging aspect of writing, and how do you overcome it?
Finding the missing
details makes these ancient characters come alive and relatable as flawed human
beings with hopes, fears, pride, lust, and anger. Either rising above or
falling below, carrying on, or succumbing to life challenges.
Which authors or books
have influenced your writing the most, and in what ways?
Herman Melville and his
Moby Dick, the great white whale, is a metaphor for God and the futility
of ego when challenging the divine. Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse-Five
is a whimsical yet underlying philosophy of the temporary nature of all things.
Ernest Hemmingway, the ultimate man's man, lets the reader fill in the
storyline using only short, complete sentences. Tolkien created worlds with
unforgettable characters. Ian Flemming,
the first series I ever read, got me
hooked on the flawed hero who overcame all odds with a lot of luck. I’d rather
be lucky than good-looking and smart.
How do you approach
creating characters, and what makes them resonate with readers?
By overcoming their weaknesses, sometimes by circumstance and often by faith.
What doesn’t kill you makes you less edible, tougher, and harder to swallow.
The sociopath has no regard for the plight of others, and sometimes the saint
is self-sacrificing, but often, there is a little bit of both in most of us.
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Are there recurring themes
or messages in your books? What are you hoping readers take away from your
work?
That there is nothing new under the sun. What
has been will be. People have not changed and, for the most part, remain
predictable. What changes are location and culture and their closeness and
understanding of an all-loving God.
What piece of advice
would you give to aspiring writers who look up to you?
Write for yourself and the pleasure of the
art. Try and remember everybody is an art critic. Immerse yourself, but it is
well advised to hone your skills from the successful and learned in and out of
your genre.
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How do you handle
feedback and criticism of your work?
I love the good ones
and hate the bad ones. Early on, a fellow gave me one star because I used the
word gravity. There are 100,000 words, and he panned it like an anchor in
review averaging. But that is the chance you take when you write an established
biblical story that has been sacrosanct for thousands of years. One reviewer
said I took a Bible story and turned it into a fantasy and that it had muscular
writing. But he was bored because the ending had not changed. In other words,
the Titanic always sinks. I keep to the biblical outcome the same as
written. Most folks see it as an action-adventure novel that is enlightening.
Can you share an
example of a significant change you made to a book based on feedback or during
revisions?
I had finished and published Gideon's The Sound and The Glory but could not find the whereabouts of the Ark of the Covenant, its missing location for twenty years, so I made up a story of it being hidden in a cave. But during my regular Bible reading, a fellow named Ahiah And Saul said, “Unto Ahiah, Bring hither the ark of God. For the ark of God was at that time with the children of Israel.” The name means brother, and I had previously learned that the high priest at Nob was Ahimelech, which means Brother to the king. Nob also housed the house of God, and I was about two or three miles away from where Saul was battling the Philistines in Gibeah. Ahiah was Ahimelech’s familiar name or nickname., so the Ark was housed in the house of God at Nob. As it needed another editing anyway, it made it into the rewrite correctly.
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Are you currently
working on any new projects? Can you share something about what’s coming next?
Yes, but it is a challenge, Solomon. It’s
tricky as most of his story is extra-biblical. Nothing of his youth and eleven
biblical chapters well known, cutting the baby in half, the many wives and concubines,
and his enormous wealth. But nothing about his pentagram ring that he used to
command demons and the archangels that frustrated them. And his extraordinary
thirst for wine.
What are you currently
reading, and how do you choose the books you read?
The Testament of Solomon, The Magical Books of
Solomon, The Greater and Lesser Keys, The Wisdom of Solomon, and the Book of Jasher,
which he wrote, are grist for the mill. I choose them by current interest.
How do you want to be
remembered as an author? What impact do you hope your books will have?
As a nobody picked by
God to reveal his ancient word, a prophet was once asked, “Who receives
revelations?” He replied, “The mysteries from the beginning often flow down
from heaven to babes, the weak, the obscure, and the despised.” God uses the
weak things of this world to confound the wise and the foolish to confound the
wise. It will be held as the correct connection to ancient biblical doctrine in
time.
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About the Book
