Greetings,
I am excited to introduce Aubrey Reiss Taylor. Her interview was great, and she has a unique voice to share with the world. When I sent these questions out to the authors participating, I did not intend to reply to them. However, I thought it would be cool to do so in this interview. So I'll share some short responses.
Don't forget there are still a few days left on the KingSumo Giveaway. We'd love to give you, the fans, the opportunity to win some cool gifts.
Without further ado, here is Aubrey's Interview...
See you in the 'digital' pages,
M.J.E.
Can you share a specific instance where you felt God was calling you to write?
My writing journey began when I was a child, before I even knew how to write. I would create stick figure cartoons on a small chalkboard in our dining room. For our purposes here, though, my writing journey began in March 2021. It was like a tap on the shoulder—God gave me an irresistible idea for a WWII-era novel. It was a huge step of faith because I had never really allowed myself to sink as deeply into something as I would need to in order to research for a novel. It was also a step of faith because so few people write objectively about the German side of the war.
Matthew: This is awesome. My mother used to encourage me to write things out because she thought I had a gift for story telling and it helped me focus more. Now that she is gone, I also use a lot of Post-it notes when I'm researching and writing. LOL.
In what ways does your identity as a Christian influence the topics and themes you choose to explore in your writing?
Although I no longer write specifically Christian Fiction, my faith is intricately woven into everything I write, and I make no secret of my belief in Jesus Christ. At the same time, I feel called to explore themes that are eschewed by many Christian authors, such as adultery, alcoholism, and homosexuality. My writing isn’t for everyone, but it is definitely for someone.
Matthew: This is a brave path to take, and I feel like that kind of platform is needed nowadays. Every author is called to write for a specific audience. It is great that you have found yours.
How do you incorporate prayer and Scripture into your writing process?
I don’t do anything before I’ve had my time with the Lord in the morning. Whether it is an in-depth Bible study or simply meditating on and praying over a few verses, I have to connect with God. Quite often, the themes in my stories are heavy on my heart anyway, and I have a strong sense of the way the things I am writing about affect our world today. As an author of German-perspective WWII fiction, I am constantly praying for redemption, reconciliation, understanding, and truth.
Matthew: As an author myself, I think connecting with God is the most important part of writing a story. Especially for those of us who are open about our faith.
When you're facing writer's block, what steps do you take to reconnect with God and find inspiration?
I recently enjoyed a season in which I stopped writing almost entirely. After writing a novel and two novellas in less than a year, I was drained. Instead of fearing or fighting the process, I just settled into it and enjoyed not feeling driven to get words on a page. I prayed a lot, caught up on some reading, and enjoyed reading things I don’t normally have time to. I found that I naturally began to bring ideas before God: “This is interesting, but is it something I should pursue?”
Matthew: I appreciate this mindset so much. There are so many times when we, as authors. are pressured to "get things done". Making sure we make time to rest is a biblical principle, and doing so is important to our mental health.
What do you hope readers will take away from your writing, beyond just the words on the page?
I truly do feel called to draw people’s attention to the nuances and truths of WWII. I feel that both Hollywood and fiction—Christian Fiction included—rely too heavily on tropes we’ve used for years. It has entered into the realm of mythology, and it is so easy to perpetuate that. I want to challenge people to think. One of my mantras is “If we really want ‘Never Again,’ we have to be willing to look at the whole picture.” That means being willing to consider the other side of the story. In my case, that means creating a bridge to understanding the German side of the story.
Matthew: Creating a bridge between what has been the norm and the realities that are often overlooked is something worth pursuing. There are so many times when those realities are misunderstood because we are afraid to speak those 'Hard Truths'.
What has been one of the most unexpected or rewarding parts of sharing your writing with the world?
Well, it has definitely reconnected me with my own heritage. I have a good deal of German ancestry, but because of both a natural separation over generations, and the stigma attached to Germany’s role in two world wars, my family never acknowledged it. As I began to research for my books, I wanted to reconnect and get to know the Germans better as a people. I became part of the German-American community where I live, and have forged many rewarding friendships. I have also come to understand myself better along the way.
Matthew: Ahh, understanding thyself. I firmly believe that, as authors, we tend to write what we know. Embracing opportunities to learn about who we are and where we come from is something worth pursuing.
What's the biggest lesson you've learned about writing from a faith perspective?
Writing from a faith perspective does not necessarily mean writing something that will be sold in the church bookstore. Those were the limits I imposed on myself with my first book, and I pulled a lot of things out of that book because I was afraid of crossing the boundaries. Looking back, I think it lost a lot of valuable content. I do have boundaries in my writing (for example, all romance is closed-door), but there are subjects that I feel have to be addressed, because there is a world out there that needs Jesus.
Matthew: This has been a common theme with many of the other authors who have been part of the PenWorks of the Word Blog Tour this year. In all honesty, I have learned a few things about that topic through coordinating this myself. I think we are always growing, and that shows with what you just stated.
Can you share a time when your writing challenged your own faith?
Writing challenges my faith regularly. As I said, writing the world wars from the German perspective is not easy. I haven’t received a lot of pushback (yet), but I wrestle through things almost constantly. I am not ashamed to admit that I read both mainstream and revisionist history, because I feel that somewhere in the middle lies the truth. Still, it’s hard to come up against things that contradict what I’ve been told all my life. I firmly believe that the winners have written history (even though there are people who would refute that), and again, if we truly want to heal from the past, we need to consider both sides of the story.
Matthew: You know, I have struggled with that in my own writing. While the majority of what I am writing today focuses on Biblical History, I still have to look in more places than just scripture to get the 'whole story' as you so beautifully stated. It's the sort of challenge that requires so much research on my part.
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Thank you again for this opportunity to share about my faith and writing. Readers, if tough topics in Christian Fiction are your thing, check out www.braveauthors.com. My blog is also open for writers who feel passionate about exploring difficult and/or historical topics from a Biblical worldview. Contact me at aubreytaylorbooks@gmail.com and I will get you on the calendar!
Matthew: Thank you for taking the time to answer these questions today. It has been a pleasure learning more about who you are, and what some of your passions are.
Aubrey Reiss Taylor unites a fascination for history with a passion for redemption, creating a unique brand of gritty, honest wartime sagas, written from the German perspective. She is the mother of three, and married to her best friend Brian. When she’s not writing or taking care of home and family, she enjoys making music, dancing, reading, and spending time with friends.
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