Author Spotlight: F.M. Allsaints
We are pleased to introduce F.M. Allsaints. He recently published The Eternal Flame: Walking with the Master which is available through the Word Alive Press Bookstore, and everywhere fine Christian books are sold. We asked him to share a little bit about his writing and process. But first, a little bit about him.
About
F.M. AllSaints was born and raised in Calgary, Alberta. He was born to Roman Catholic parents who went on to divorce when he was two years old. This unfortunate start to life left a God-sized hole in him.
F.M. has always been a dreamer. Growing up, his imagination was his refuge from a chaotic home life. This head-in-the-clouds mentality led him to question many things.
As a teenager, he left the church to pursue excellence in competition. For a time, success gave him the attention he lacked at home. Indeed, his competitive spirit was enough to get him through university, although he was still seeking to fill the void within him. Spirituality and substances eventually replaced competition, leading him down a dark path.
As a young man, F.M. found himself alone after a lifetime of trying to fill the emptiness inside. Tormented regularly by demons in his dreams, he had reached the end of his rope. From this place, he returned to the faith of his youth and began reading the Bible and praying every night.
One fateful night, he prayed to Jesus and felt the spirit of the Lord wash over him. He devoted his life to Jesus that night.
Since then, F.M. has found new life. He is currently in the discernment process towards becoming a deacon, raising his ten-week-old daughter with his wife, and continuing to write and explore his faith.
Q&A
Q: What event in your life inspired you to write this book?
A: It all comes from my coming into a relationship with Christ as a young man at the age of twenty-eight. In the process of exploring my newfound faith through personal study, Bible college, and church, it became clear that I wanted to share my testimony. The book was on the backburner for the better part of a year, but an unfortunate series of events served as the blessing in disguise that gave me the time and headspace to write.
Q: How is the topic of your book personal to you, and why did you choose to share it with readers?
A: It’s personal because Jesus rescued me from a dark place and is now the centre of my life. I chose to share my testimony with readers in the hope that it might be useful.
Q: Why should people purchase and read your book?
A: I invite anyone seeking a closer walk with the Master to purchase and read my book. I thought I had Jesus and the church pretty well figured out when I left as a teenager at thirteen. Coming back to the faith, however, I discovered that these things run deeper than I could have ever imagined.
Q: Explain two things you most want readers to walk away with after reading your book.
A: The first would be a desire to be in a closer relationship with Jesus, and the second is a desire to be of service rather than to be served. I hope that reading this book will help bring the reader’s faith to life.
Q: What is your writing process?
A: I learned early on that I’m not the type of person who can write an outline and knock out a book on command. For me, it’s a process of getting into a creative flow and allowing the book to write itself.
Q: How do you get into a creative flow?
A: I think it’s a very individual process. Personally, I spent years writing poetry and learning how to express my emotions with words. When I feel an emotion and sense there’s a poem waiting to be written, I find that there’s usually a fully formed poem on the other side of that feeling.
Q: How do you prepare yourself to get into this creative flow?
A: For me, it’s a matter of following my heart and immersing myself in things, people, and places that make me feel alive. It’s important not to force myself to write. When I give myself space, sometimes I won’t write for months, but other times I’ll write every day for a month.
Q: Do you have any advice for new writers?
A: My advice is to find out what works for you and do that. Personally, I try to carve out time every morning for reading and writing. Sometimes I just read, sometimes I just write, and sometimes I do both. Allowing myself the space to move along at my own pace helps keep my creative juices flowing.
I know people who have very logical and structured writing styles, and that works for them. If you need an outline and a set time to research and write, that’s okay. It wasn’t until my fourth attempt at writing a book that I was able to pull it off. I would say that if you want to be a writer, the most important things are to find your method, keep writing, and don’t give up.
Connecting Points
To learn more about F.M. AllSaints’s debut book, The Eternal Flame: Walking with the Master, exploring one’s relationship with Jesus, or to contact him, visit:
Website: fmallsaints.com
Facebook: F.M. AllSaints
Instagram: fmallsaints
X: FMAllSaints
Come meet him in person! On Sunday, August 30 at Christ Our King Anglican Church in Calgary (1311 4th Street SW) from 9:30 a.m. until 12:00 p.m., which includes a church service scheduled from 10:00–11:00 a.m.