November 14, 2023 • 20 mins
Steve Dunn Hanson joins Jason to chat about his brand new book, LIGHT — A Story of Discovery and Transformation. You'll enjoy their discussion on how fiction has the power to do much more than entertain. Writers like Steve have a gift for inspiring us to make changes in our lives, sometimes long overdue changes, and to really ... feel. We're honored to welcome Steve to The Book Drop Mic.
Buy Steve's book:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CN5YNZ5G
Learn more about Steve:
https://stevedunnhanson.com/
Learn more about Jason:
http://www.jasonfwright.com
About the book:
When a tech executive’s seemingly perfect life is turned upside down by his family's sudden abandonment and his business's looming failure, he begins to have otherworldly dreams that can unlock a new reality and transform his destiny.
Alef Welch, a brilliant young CEO, is living a charmed life as head of a trendy conversational software company until his wife and daughter unexpectedly leave him. As he tries to reunite his family, a trusted business colleague turns on him as well, and the company he’s dedicated his life to is about to flatline. As he drifts toward the black hole that seems to be his fate, he has extraterrestrial dreams that open the door to unimaginable potential and freedom. He is left with a momentous choice between his current life and the possibilities of his dreams. But will the promise of a new world be worth the price of leaving his old one behind?
Written in the same vein as Paulo Coelho's The Alchemist, this compelling story of personal growth and spiritual awakening will leave you feeling inspired and hopeful.
This podcast is brought to you by InkVeins, your source for book publicity, promo, press releases and more. Text 540-212-4095 for more information.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Hello, my friend, welcome to the Book Drop Mike
brought to you by Ink Veins.
You might know that Ink Veinsis becoming your source for book
publicity, promotion and pressreleases.
Also so excited to remind youthat the Christmas show tickets
are, yes, on sale.
Yes, they are indeed on sale.
(00:23):
We are heading to 20 cities.
Jenny Oaks Baker, her fiveyears family and I heading to 20
cities between, well, blackFriday and December 23rd.
So excited, a little exhausted,but mostly excited thinking
about this tour and going toseven, eight states, something
like that, plus Calgary.
We're so excited about it andwe hope that if we're coming to
(00:45):
a city near you that you'll comesay hello.
Ticket information available atJennyOaksBakercom.
You can, of course, visit mywebsite as well and find links.
There's a VIP receptionhappening in most of the cities
before the show where you canchat with us and Jenny and take
a photo and get a copy of ourbrand new book Witnesses of
Christmas.
Excited about that as well.
(01:06):
Okay, really mostly excitedabout today's guest, not just
because I think that he's anexceptional writer, but because
I think that we see fictionsimilarly as a tool to transform
, inspire, maybe even nudgepeople to change, even if it's
(01:29):
just a tiny adjustment here andthere in our lives.
We met at a writer's conferencesome years ago and have known
each other ever since, beenfriends.
He's such a good man.
His name is Steve Don Hansenand I'm so glad to welcome him
here at the Book Drop Mic.
How are you, my friend?
Speaker 2 (01:48):
I'm doing really well .
Thank you for having me here.
Speaker 1 (01:51):
I was so excited, excited to do this, excited to
have you talk about your newbook, a Light, a Story of
Discovery and Transformationwhich, by the way and you
pointed this out to me veryhumbly before we began taping
today it is number one in yourcategory on Amazon as of this
taping right now.
Congrats on that.
That's pretty fantastic.
Speaker 2 (02:11):
Well, thank you.
Speaker 1 (02:13):
All right, we're going to talk about the book, of
course, but first, I think ouraudience would probably
appreciate knowing I think theyalways do a little bit about the
creator before necessarilyhearing about the creation.
So you, as the writer-creatorof this fantastic new book, who
are you, steve?
Speaker 2 (02:32):
Well, maybe I'm still trying to discover that.
I've had a little experience inmy life.
I have been in everything froma political pollster to a
volunteer chaplain in the jails.
I have a wonderful wife thatwe've been married for many
(02:57):
decades and we have a house fullof grandchildren who we rent
out, if you're interested.
And my writing I've beenwriting kind of on the side for
several decades and now more orless full time at it.
(03:22):
I've had publications, myarticles have been in national
magazines and I have somethinglike eight or nine books that
have been published.
Speaker 1 (03:35):
That's fantastic.
Well, I just have to back upfor a minute, because you said
something that made me smile thefact that you worked in
politics and political polling,and also as a chaplain at a jail
those two things might be moresimilar, perhaps, than we
realize.
Speaker 2 (03:53):
Maybe some similar personalities, huh.
Speaker 1 (03:56):
Yeah, absolutely.
I have read through your fullbio on your website and of
course listeners know that linksto all the good things that you
do and who you are, and yourbooks will be available in the
show notes.
So be sure to check those outand just click, click here and
there to go see more about Steve.
But yeah, your full bio ispretty, pretty fascinating the
(04:18):
things you've done, and we'lllink to that and I would invite
people to maybe dive in a littlebit deeper than you might
normally.
Steve has lived a long andinteresting life for some pretty
interesting educational,transformational experiences,
some might say that have led himto.
I think as we get older and wehave more experiences, our
(04:41):
writing just gets better.
That's just the nature of beinga writer.
I think painters andsongwriters and everyone would
say the same thing, particularlyin the arts, that the longer we
live, the more we absorb ourday to day experiences, the
people we meet, theconversations we have, the
successes and the trials, allthe failures, those things all
(05:02):
add up to a really interestingcanvas that we get to work with
as we create and I certainlythink that applies to this to
like a story of discovery andtransformation, which I kind of
tease in the beginning.
Steve, I think you and I sort ofshare this in common, this idea
that, yes, we can write fictionthat is entertaining and
compelling and of course it'sfiction, so it's just coming out
(05:24):
of our noggin, right.
But I think that we can ifwe're interested in doing it and
not all writers are, and that'sokay but I think we can also
use fiction to teach some reallife principles.
So talk to us about the newbook and how.
Maybe this idea that you'redoing more than entertaining but
you're trying to teach, maybeit applies here.
Speaker 2 (05:48):
In line with what you were saying.
I was just thinking.
As one gets older, it isn'tjust the experiences that
they've had that perhaps givesthem greater understanding, but
perhaps their ability toarticulate what they have
experienced and how that mightapply in other people's lives
(06:08):
increases as well.
This book Light is maybeallegorical, is a correct word
to use here where I've tried touse interesting and symbolic
(06:29):
contexts here to bring outaspects of our lives that we
might take a close look at andmake modifications that could
bring a greater deal ofsatisfaction and happiness and
(06:49):
purpose in our lives.
And the context I've set thisin is the idea that there are
other universes and that thoseother universes are more
involved in our lives than whatwe think about.
(07:11):
For example, I start the bookoff with a conversation between
unnamed individuals that goessomething like this I have a
question yes, are there otheruniverses?
Yes, are there intelligentbeings there?
Yes, do they interface with us?
(07:31):
Yes, how?
Why?
You'll know when you're ready.
So that kind of introduces thebook itself and the story
involves a young man who is acomputer guru, who is involved
(07:56):
in the startup of a company andthey've just done fantastically
well with the conversational AI,artificial intelligence.
But his life has been focusedon his business and not on his
wife and his five-year-olddaughter.
(08:17):
And they leave him and thiskind of opens up the door for a
period of discovery and hestarts having these strange
dreams of his grandfather, whodied 15 or 16 years before.
And they aren't just dreams butthey're real.
(08:38):
And it turns out his grandfathersays he's in another universe
and he's giving counsel to hisgrandson in what he calls tenets
that are principles that willhelp this young man see himself
(09:02):
clearly and his faults and hischallenges in ways that he
hadn't seen before.
And anyway, that opens up thedoor for an opportunity to
change his life.
But the big question is, willhe change his life?
And maybe that's the questionthat each one of us ask
(09:23):
ourselves.
Speaker 1 (09:25):
Yeah, not just will we, but are we even willing to,
or are we willing to even havethe conversation to accept that
maybe our lives do need tochange or, as I said earlier, be
nudged in one direction oranother?
This feels a little bit likethe shack which was such a
(09:45):
breakout hit, maybe.
What was that 10 years ago?
You read the shack, youfamiliar with it.
Speaker 2 (09:51):
Yes, yes, this would be along the same lines.
Another principle or anotherthought that comes in here is
how do we look at ourexperiences?
They are temporary, but we letthem absorb us on occasion and
we let them dictate to us who wewill be, rather than who we are
(10:14):
dictating to the experience howwe're going to handle it.
Speaker 1 (10:19):
Interesting.
So is the book for someonewho's trying to improve their
marriage, their relationshipwith their partner.
Is it broader than that?
If someone's listening rightnow and trying to decide do I go
check this out or not, do theyneed to check a box in order to
(10:41):
go pick this up?
Speaker 2 (10:43):
Not at all.
In fact, a book that I'vecompared it to is the
All-Kinlist, where theprinciples are general and are
to be applied in specificconditions or circumstances.
The storyline here has to dowith a marriage on the one hand.
(11:08):
It also has to do with hisdealings with his partners in
his business and the challengeshe's having there.
The principles can be appliedacross the board and I think are
applicable to just abouteverybody period regardless of
what your vocation or yourmarital status is or where you
(11:31):
are in your life.
You could be 20 years old, youcould be 80, and they're still
applicable.
I think interesting tocontemplate.
Speaker 1 (11:41):
Those are terrific comparisons, the All-Kinlist
love, love, love that book.
For those that have not read it, it's by Brazilian author Paulo
Coelho.
It is a gorgeous, gorgeous bookand it has been an
international bestseller Everyplace.
(12:02):
The book has been translated,it has made an impact in the
world and love, love, love thatbook.
And compared to also, as yousaid, to the shack, which I
enjoyed a great deal.
The movie had some changes made.
Many people listening probablysaw the movie and perhaps didn't
read the book.
But if you did see the movieand didn't read the book, I
(12:25):
would recommend going back andreading the original shack.
It's such an interesting wayagain to introduce these
principles, whether they arereligious or spiritual, just
this idea that you can sort ofstep into this other world
knowing that you're suspendingdisbelief.
(12:47):
Right, you have to sort of say,okay, I recognize that the
author is creating somethinghere.
For me, this isn't nonfiction,it's not, you know, even
historic fiction.
It's just this completely newworld that came, in this case,
from Steve's head.
But, boy, when I'm there, thelessons, the emotions, the
conversations, even the dialoguefeels real to me, and I think
(13:11):
that's how we learn.
And as someone who's written anumber of books that sort of
fall into this category, whetherit's the 17 Second Miracle or
Christmas Jars and even theChristmas show that I've created
with Jenny Oaks Baker.
You know it's about thisfictional shepherd named David.
(13:31):
It's the role that I play inthe show and of course he didn't
exist and he even admits at theend of the show that he's not a
real character, that it's justme playing him.
But we hope, as peopleexperience the show or, in this
case, your book, they're willingto say okay, I get it, it is
fiction, this isn't real, but Ithink I can learn something from
(13:52):
this and I think my life can bebetter in a really nonfiction
kind of way.
I just think that's such aninteresting marriage when we do
that.
Now, if you're listening and youlove books that perhaps don't
lean on theme, perhaps you likenovels that are just it's the
beach read, you read it, youenjoy it, you stick it on the
shelf.
You maybe even forget you everread the thing.
(14:13):
That is completely okay.
And who hasn't read a book likethat?
That it's sole purpose whetherit's a Grisham or a Patterson or
whatever it's just to entertainyou, to just take your mind off
your worries for a few hours ora few days.
That's terrific, and I alsolove books and movies and shows
like that.
But again, to me, and I sense,to you, there's something really
(14:33):
special about a book that triesto do just a little bit more,
to take this new fictional world, to pull a real reader into it
and then say, okay, let's learnsome real life lessons.
And I think that readers aregoing to experience that with
this, all right.
So I always challenge authorson the show.
You gave us a great descriptionof the book.
(14:54):
Of course it'll be a longerdescription on the Amazon link
that we'll post in the shownotes.
But if I had to just reallyforce you, steve, to tell me in
like 15 seconds or less what thebook is about the classic
elevator pitch, what is it?
Speaker 2 (15:15):
Well, as I've said before, it's written in the same
vein as the Alchemist.
It is symbolic, but it's subtlysymbolic, and it has a
compelling story of personalgrowth and spiritual awakening
that I believe will leave thereader feeling inspired and
(15:40):
hopeful.
They will be caught up in thestory and in the personalities,
but they will have theopportunity to feel.
One of my readers has made thatvery statement and I read this
book and I felt the power andthe message that was being
(16:03):
portrayed.
Speaker 1 (16:06):
Well, there it is.
I mean, if you liked the shack,if you liked the alchemist, if
you, there's another book calledthe Peace Giver, which some
might be familiar with.
It just occurs to me that youmight look up on Amazon as well.
And if you feel like boy,that's actually a really
insightful review from thatreader, steve, this idea that
(16:29):
the book made you feel like whatmore could an author or creator
, a songwriter, ask for than tocreate something that just
conjures up real feelings in aworld that is pretty dark
sometimes and where light can behard to come by?
What?
What better review than knowingthat you produce something,
(16:50):
steve, that a reader absorbed,felt, light, felt, felt
something, felt some connection,perhaps to heaven or to God or
to whatever they might believein.
That is, that is beyond thislife.
And maybe, most importantly, ifyou're just interested in, in
reading something that willinspire you to make just one
change, what if you just readthis book and Steve asked you
(17:12):
this rhetorically if a readercame up to you and said I read
your book and I don't know ifit's going to change my life or
not, see, but I read the bookand it inspired me to do
something different today, inthis moment, I made a different
choice than I might haveyesterday, because of the
lessons and the experiences andthe characters you created.
Does that make writing worth it, steve?
Speaker 2 (17:36):
That makes.
That gives the full purpose towriting.
As far as I'm concerned, andalong those same lines another
reader made this statement Ibelieve I'm a better person from
having read this book.
Speaker 1 (17:51):
Yeah, again, I don't know what more you could ask for
, so I'm I'm excited for forfolks to discover the book.
I confess I have not finishedit I am in the middle of it now
but I'm excited about where it'sgoing and I can see why you're
excited that it's number one inyour category on Amazon Pretty
exciting stuff.
Tell us what's next then.
(18:12):
What is next for Steve afterthis?
Speaker 2 (18:14):
Well, I'm actually.
I have a middle grade bookcalled Peter and the Prince,
peter and the Promptor, whichinvolves a magic amulet.
It's the setting is the theearly 50s in St Louis and grade
school and a grade school therewhere racism is rampant but
(18:40):
there's a sort of anintersection here between
between racism and bullying andlove and kindness, and I'm
excited about that.
That book, again, it'sprinciple, it's principle focus,
but on a 12, 13, 14 year oldlevel.
(19:03):
So that will be coming outmaybe the end of end of 2024.
I also have a nonfiction book Icall the Plan that will be
coming out in 2025 likely, and Ialso have written in a musical
(19:24):
play that it's called.
It's called Legacy, inconjunction with my friend,
Jackie Halverson, who's anextraordinary musician.
So it's a musical and that willbe going into production this
next year as well.
Speaker 1 (19:43):
Well, you've got a few things on your plate.
That's fantastic to hear and itsounds like you're.
You're not slowing down and andwe thank you for that.
We thank you for living acolorful life which has given
you an extraordinary, justvariety of experiences that that
add color and detail andlessons to your writing.
(20:06):
I certainly appreciate that andappreciate your friendship and
appreciate you being on the showtoday.
Again, if you're listening,check the show notes for links
to Steve and his work, his bio,lots of great stuff about Steve
and his life available online,and thank you for coming by the
mic.
We appreciate you, steve.
Speaker 2 (20:25):
Thank you so much.
Thank you so much Jason.
Hello, my friend, welcome to the Book Drop Mike
brought to you by Ink Veins.
You might know that Ink Veinsis becoming your source for book
publicity, promotion and pressreleases.
Also so excited to remind youthat the Christmas show tickets
are, yes, on sale.
Yes, they are indeed on sale.
(00:23):
We are heading to 20 cities.
Jenny Oaks Baker, her fiveyears family and I heading to 20
cities between, well, blackFriday and December 23rd.
So excited, a little exhausted,but mostly excited thinking
about this tour and going toseven, eight states, something
like that, plus Calgary.
We're so excited about it andwe hope that if we're coming to
(00:45):
a city near you that you'll comesay hello.
Ticket information available atJennyOaksBakercom.
You can, of course, visit mywebsite as well and find links.
There's a VIP receptionhappening in most of the cities
before the show where you canchat with us and Jenny and take
a photo and get a copy of ourbrand new book Witnesses of
Christmas.
Excited about that as well.
(01:06):
Okay, really mostly excitedabout today's guest, not just
because I think that he's anexceptional writer, but because
I think that we see fictionsimilarly as a tool to transform
, inspire, maybe even nudgepeople to change, even if it's
(01:29):
just a tiny adjustment here andthere in our lives.
We met at a writer's conferencesome years ago and have known
each other ever since, beenfriends.
He's such a good man.
His name is Steve Don Hansenand I'm so glad to welcome him
here at the Book Drop Mic.
How are you, my friend?
Speaker 2 (01:48):
I'm doing really well .
Thank you for having me here.
Speaker 1 (01:51):
I was so excited, excited to do this, excited to
have you talk about your newbook, a Light, a Story of
Discovery and Transformationwhich, by the way and you
pointed this out to me veryhumbly before we began taping
today it is number one in yourcategory on Amazon as of this
taping right now.
Congrats on that.
That's pretty fantastic.
Speaker 2 (02:11):
Well, thank you.
Speaker 1 (02:13):
All right, we're going to talk about the book, of
course, but first, I think ouraudience would probably
appreciate knowing I think theyalways do a little bit about the
creator before necessarilyhearing about the creation.
So you, as the writer-creatorof this fantastic new book, who
are you, steve?
Speaker 2 (02:32):
Well, maybe I'm still trying to discover that.
I've had a little experience inmy life.
I have been in everything froma political pollster to a
volunteer chaplain in the jails.
I have a wonderful wife thatwe've been married for many
(02:57):
decades and we have a house fullof grandchildren who we rent
out, if you're interested.
And my writing I've beenwriting kind of on the side for
several decades and now more orless full time at it.
(03:22):
I've had publications, myarticles have been in national
magazines and I have somethinglike eight or nine books that
have been published.
Speaker 1 (03:35):
That's fantastic.
Well, I just have to back upfor a minute, because you said
something that made me smile thefact that you worked in
politics and political polling,and also as a chaplain at a jail
those two things might be moresimilar, perhaps, than we
realize.
Speaker 2 (03:53):
Maybe some similar personalities, huh.
Speaker 1 (03:56):
Yeah, absolutely.
I have read through your fullbio on your website and of
course listeners know that linksto all the good things that you
do and who you are, and yourbooks will be available in the
show notes.
So be sure to check those outand just click, click here and
there to go see more about Steve.
But yeah, your full bio ispretty, pretty fascinating the
(04:18):
things you've done, and we'lllink to that and I would invite
people to maybe dive in a littlebit deeper than you might
normally.
Steve has lived a long andinteresting life for some pretty
interesting educational,transformational experiences,
some might say that have led himto.
I think as we get older and wehave more experiences, our
(04:41):
writing just gets better.
That's just the nature of beinga writer.
I think painters andsongwriters and everyone would
say the same thing, particularlyin the arts, that the longer we
live, the more we absorb ourday to day experiences, the
people we meet, theconversations we have, the
successes and the trials, allthe failures, those things all
(05:02):
add up to a really interestingcanvas that we get to work with
as we create and I certainlythink that applies to this to
like a story of discovery andtransformation, which I kind of
tease in the beginning.
Steve, I think you and I sort ofshare this in common, this idea
that, yes, we can write fictionthat is entertaining and
compelling and of course it'sfiction, so it's just coming out
(05:24):
of our noggin, right.
But I think that we can ifwe're interested in doing it and
not all writers are, and that'sokay but I think we can also
use fiction to teach some reallife principles.
So talk to us about the newbook and how.
Maybe this idea that you'redoing more than entertaining but
you're trying to teach, maybeit applies here.
Speaker 2 (05:48):
In line with what you were saying.
I was just thinking.
As one gets older, it isn'tjust the experiences that
they've had that perhaps givesthem greater understanding, but
perhaps their ability toarticulate what they have
experienced and how that mightapply in other people's lives
(06:08):
increases as well.
This book Light is maybeallegorical, is a correct word
to use here where I've tried touse interesting and symbolic
(06:29):
contexts here to bring outaspects of our lives that we
might take a close look at andmake modifications that could
bring a greater deal ofsatisfaction and happiness and
(06:49):
purpose in our lives.
And the context I've set thisin is the idea that there are
other universes and that thoseother universes are more
involved in our lives than whatwe think about.
(07:11):
For example, I start the bookoff with a conversation between
unnamed individuals that goessomething like this I have a
question yes, are there otheruniverses?
Yes, are there intelligentbeings there?
Yes, do they interface with us?
(07:31):
Yes, how?
Why?
You'll know when you're ready.
So that kind of introduces thebook itself and the story
involves a young man who is acomputer guru, who is involved
(07:56):
in the startup of a company andthey've just done fantastically
well with the conversational AI,artificial intelligence.
But his life has been focusedon his business and not on his
wife and his five-year-olddaughter.
(08:17):
And they leave him and thiskind of opens up the door for a
period of discovery and hestarts having these strange
dreams of his grandfather, whodied 15 or 16 years before.
And they aren't just dreams butthey're real.
(08:38):
And it turns out his grandfathersays he's in another universe
and he's giving counsel to hisgrandson in what he calls tenets
that are principles that willhelp this young man see himself
(09:02):
clearly and his faults and hischallenges in ways that he
hadn't seen before.
And anyway, that opens up thedoor for an opportunity to
change his life.
But the big question is, willhe change his life?
And maybe that's the questionthat each one of us ask
(09:23):
ourselves.
Speaker 1 (09:25):
Yeah, not just will we, but are we even willing to,
or are we willing to even havethe conversation to accept that
maybe our lives do need tochange or, as I said earlier, be
nudged in one direction oranother?
This feels a little bit likethe shack which was such a
(09:45):
breakout hit, maybe.
What was that 10 years ago?
You read the shack, youfamiliar with it.
Speaker 2 (09:51):
Yes, yes, this would be along the same lines.
Another principle or anotherthought that comes in here is
how do we look at ourexperiences?
They are temporary, but we letthem absorb us on occasion and
we let them dictate to us who wewill be, rather than who we are
(10:14):
dictating to the experience howwe're going to handle it.
Speaker 1 (10:19):
Interesting.
So is the book for someonewho's trying to improve their
marriage, their relationshipwith their partner.
Is it broader than that?
If someone's listening rightnow and trying to decide do I go
check this out or not, do theyneed to check a box in order to
(10:41):
go pick this up?
Speaker 2 (10:43):
Not at all.
In fact, a book that I'vecompared it to is the
All-Kinlist, where theprinciples are general and are
to be applied in specificconditions or circumstances.
The storyline here has to dowith a marriage on the one hand.
(11:08):
It also has to do with hisdealings with his partners in
his business and the challengeshe's having there.
The principles can be appliedacross the board and I think are
applicable to just abouteverybody period regardless of
what your vocation or yourmarital status is or where you
(11:31):
are in your life.
You could be 20 years old, youcould be 80, and they're still
applicable.
I think interesting tocontemplate.
Speaker 1 (11:41):
Those are terrific comparisons, the All-Kinlist
love, love, love that book.
For those that have not read it, it's by Brazilian author Paulo
Coelho.
It is a gorgeous, gorgeous bookand it has been an
international bestseller Everyplace.
(12:02):
The book has been translated,it has made an impact in the
world and love, love, love thatbook.
And compared to also, as yousaid, to the shack, which I
enjoyed a great deal.
The movie had some changes made.
Many people listening probablysaw the movie and perhaps didn't
read the book.
But if you did see the movieand didn't read the book, I
(12:25):
would recommend going back andreading the original shack.
It's such an interesting wayagain to introduce these
principles, whether they arereligious or spiritual, just
this idea that you can sort ofstep into this other world
knowing that you're suspendingdisbelief.
(12:47):
Right, you have to sort of say,okay, I recognize that the
author is creating somethinghere.
For me, this isn't nonfiction,it's not, you know, even
historic fiction.
It's just this completely newworld that came, in this case,
from Steve's head.
But, boy, when I'm there, thelessons, the emotions, the
conversations, even the dialoguefeels real to me, and I think
(13:11):
that's how we learn.
And as someone who's written anumber of books that sort of
fall into this category, whetherit's the 17 Second Miracle or
Christmas Jars and even theChristmas show that I've created
with Jenny Oaks Baker.
You know it's about thisfictional shepherd named David.
(13:31):
It's the role that I play inthe show and of course he didn't
exist and he even admits at theend of the show that he's not a
real character, that it's justme playing him.
But we hope, as peopleexperience the show or, in this
case, your book, they're willingto say okay, I get it, it is
fiction, this isn't real, but Ithink I can learn something from
(13:52):
this and I think my life can bebetter in a really nonfiction
kind of way.
I just think that's such aninteresting marriage when we do
that.
Now, if you're listening and youlove books that perhaps don't
lean on theme, perhaps you likenovels that are just it's the
beach read, you read it, youenjoy it, you stick it on the
shelf.
You maybe even forget you everread the thing.
(14:13):
That is completely okay.
And who hasn't read a book likethat?
That it's sole purpose whetherit's a Grisham or a Patterson or
whatever it's just to entertainyou, to just take your mind off
your worries for a few hours ora few days.
That's terrific, and I alsolove books and movies and shows
like that.
But again, to me, and I sense,to you, there's something really
(14:33):
special about a book that triesto do just a little bit more,
to take this new fictional world, to pull a real reader into it
and then say, okay, let's learnsome real life lessons.
And I think that readers aregoing to experience that with
this, all right.
So I always challenge authorson the show.
You gave us a great descriptionof the book.
(14:54):
Of course it'll be a longerdescription on the Amazon link
that we'll post in the shownotes.
But if I had to just reallyforce you, steve, to tell me in
like 15 seconds or less what thebook is about the classic
elevator pitch, what is it?
Speaker 2 (15:15):
Well, as I've said before, it's written in the same
vein as the Alchemist.
It is symbolic, but it's subtlysymbolic, and it has a
compelling story of personalgrowth and spiritual awakening
that I believe will leave thereader feeling inspired and
(15:40):
hopeful.
They will be caught up in thestory and in the personalities,
but they will have theopportunity to feel.
One of my readers has made thatvery statement and I read this
book and I felt the power andthe message that was being
(16:03):
portrayed.
Speaker 1 (16:06):
Well, there it is.
I mean, if you liked the shack,if you liked the alchemist, if
you, there's another book calledthe Peace Giver, which some
might be familiar with.
It just occurs to me that youmight look up on Amazon as well.
And if you feel like boy,that's actually a really
insightful review from thatreader, steve, this idea that
(16:29):
the book made you feel like whatmore could an author or creator
, a songwriter, ask for than tocreate something that just
conjures up real feelings in aworld that is pretty dark
sometimes and where light can behard to come by?
What?
What better review than knowingthat you produce something,
(16:50):
steve, that a reader absorbed,felt, light, felt, felt
something, felt some connection,perhaps to heaven or to God or
to whatever they might believein.
That is, that is beyond thislife.
And maybe, most importantly, ifyou're just interested in, in
reading something that willinspire you to make just one
change, what if you just readthis book and Steve asked you
(17:12):
this rhetorically if a readercame up to you and said I read
your book and I don't know ifit's going to change my life or
not, see, but I read the bookand it inspired me to do
something different today, inthis moment, I made a different
choice than I might haveyesterday, because of the
lessons and the experiences andthe characters you created.
Does that make writing worth it, steve?
Speaker 2 (17:36):
That makes.
That gives the full purpose towriting.
As far as I'm concerned, andalong those same lines another
reader made this statement Ibelieve I'm a better person from
having read this book.
Speaker 1 (17:51):
Yeah, again, I don't know what more you could ask for
, so I'm I'm excited for forfolks to discover the book.
I confess I have not finishedit I am in the middle of it now
but I'm excited about where it'sgoing and I can see why you're
excited that it's number one inyour category on Amazon Pretty
exciting stuff.
Tell us what's next then.
(18:12):
What is next for Steve afterthis?
Speaker 2 (18:14):
Well, I'm actually.
I have a middle grade bookcalled Peter and the Prince,
peter and the Promptor, whichinvolves a magic amulet.
It's the setting is the theearly 50s in St Louis and grade
school and a grade school therewhere racism is rampant but
(18:40):
there's a sort of anintersection here between
between racism and bullying andlove and kindness, and I'm
excited about that.
That book, again, it'sprinciple, it's principle focus,
but on a 12, 13, 14 year oldlevel.
(19:03):
So that will be coming outmaybe the end of end of 2024.
I also have a nonfiction book Icall the Plan that will be
coming out in 2025 likely, and Ialso have written in a musical
(19:24):
play that it's called.
It's called Legacy, inconjunction with my friend,
Jackie Halverson, who's anextraordinary musician.
So it's a musical and that willbe going into production this
next year as well.
Speaker 1 (19:43):
Well, you've got a few things on your plate.
That's fantastic to hear and itsounds like you're.
You're not slowing down and andwe thank you for that.
We thank you for living acolorful life which has given
you an extraordinary, justvariety of experiences that that
add color and detail andlessons to your writing.
(20:06):
I certainly appreciate that andappreciate your friendship and
appreciate you being on the showtoday.
Again, if you're listening,check the show notes for links
to Steve and his work, his bio,lots of great stuff about Steve
and his life available online,and thank you for coming by the
mic.
We appreciate you, steve.
Speaker 2 (20:25):
Thank you so much.
Thank you so much Jason.
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