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Elmer Fuller interview on crafting
faith-friendly historical fiction
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Matthew, I'm delighted for this opportunity. Thank you for the interview.
You write both biblical and Christian historical fiction. What's the difference?
Biblical and Christian historical fiction are subsets of historical fiction. Fiction set before the Vietnam War is a standard definition for historical fiction, although that definition might change. I've spoken to one author who considers anything before the last life-changing technology to be historical. We may include everything before the smartphone's invention in the future. Regardless of where you draw the line, historical fiction covers a vast amount of time and can be set anywhere on the planet.Christian historical fiction typically uses characters who have a biblical worldview. So, a story about Neanderthal cavemen would not qualify. Christian historical fiction also has the characteristics of other Christian fiction genres, namely the absence of material that would require a movie rating of PG, maybe PG-13.Biblical fiction, then, is a subset of Christian historical fiction. It is set in the times and places mentioned in the Bible, and often includes biblical characters and events. A story might be set in the New Testament era, or the time of the Patriarchs, which still leaves a vast number of story possibilities.
Do you prefer to write Christian historical fiction or biblical fiction?
I enjoy writing both and have story ideas across both genres.
You advertise that you write “faith-friendly historical fiction.” What does that mean?
It means readers of faith will be encouraged by my stories. They will avoid objectionable material or worldviews that are contrary to the Bible.
How do you make your fiction authentic, since you might write about places you've never been and time periods beyond your experience?
Research is the key. I weave my stories around actual events. This is certainly true of Birth of a Warrior. To succeed, I needed to research the characters and chronology of the biblical narrative. I invented some characters, but also used historical people like Benaiah, son of Jehoiadah, the main character. I work to make sure I remain true to what the Bible says.
I understand how research can make your writing authentic, but how do you make your stories entertaining?
Well, research is part of that as well. I look for things to add flavor and dimension to my fiction—like adding spices when cooking. When I find details about day-to-day life, I save them and try to use them. For example, I found that in King Saul's time, bread was not always baked in an oven. A large perforated bowl, almost like a cage, could be placed over a fire, and pita dough placed on top of it.Characters are the other things that make a story entertaining. Characters must have different roles in the book as well as different personalities. Well-crafted characters capture our attention, especially when they interact.
What types of things have you researched?
For the time and setting of Birth of a Warrior, I watched videos of running camels, waded through academic reports of archaeological digs, studied the terrain using Google Maps and websites of Israel's national parks, and pored over a couple of books on the manners and customs of the Bible. I also ran many web searches as questions arose on different things, such as the chronology of Saul’s reign.
What is the most surprising thing you uncovered in your research?
By far, the biggest surprise in writing Birth of a Warrior was not something I dug out of research. It was something I missed. My editor, Tim Pietz, fact-checks things. He called my attention to two important items since he knew I valued staying true to the biblical narrative. One was the tribe of my main character, Benaiah, which is not directly stated in Scripture. I had made an assumption that was likely wrong.When he pointed it out, I dug in and wrote a short position paper based on my research and reached out to an Old Testament professor at Central Bible University to review it. He agreed with my editor and the conclusions of my new research, so I had to rewrite some scenes.
Do you use AI to research? If so, how?
I have played around with AI as a research assistant, but haven't used it much in that way, at least by going directly to Gemini or Grok. These days, most search engines are powered by AI already. I may read the AI-generated summary of search results, but invariably click the links to check the source directly.
What do you hope readers will take away from your writing, beyond just the words on the page?
I want my readers to enjoy a good story and root for my characters, who face both internal and external challenges. I also want to encourage my readers to overcome their obstacles by seeing the example of my characters. In Birth of a Warrior, Benaiah must overcome shame and find courage. Those are things people also need today. Though readers don't face a yelling horde of pagan warriors, they often need to find courage and overcome their past. I hope the way Benaiah does these things inspires them.
Featured Book
Birth of a Warrior: A Biblical Epic of Courage, Faith, and the Making of a Mighty Man of DavidHaunted by his father's rejection, seventeen-year-old Benaiah must prove his courage on ancient battlefields. As King Saul's jealousy threatens to tear Israel apart, Benaiah finds himself caught between two anointed kings, fighting not just for survival, but for the heart of the woman he loves and the honor he seeks to reclaim.Buy Birth of a Warrior at Amazon:
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Elmer Fuller is an American author of faith-friendly historical fiction. He writes historically researched novels that combine real settings and events with stories of faith, courage, relationships, and personal transformation. With a passion for uncovering the human drama behind historical figures, Fuller combines research with engaging storytelling to create immersive reading experiences. He has written two novels.
Fuller, a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, holds a BA in Christian Ministry and an MA in Theology. His experience includes careers as a minister of small churches and in the corporate IT department of a multi-national manufacturing firm.
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