Author Spotlight: Jason K. Koop
We are pleased to introduce Jason K. Koop. Jason recently published The Long Road Back with us, which is now available through the Word Alive Press Bookstore, and everywhere fine Christian books are sold. We asked Jason to share a little bit about his new book and his writing. But first, a little bit about him.
About
Jason K. Koop is an everyday Christian with a passion for weaving faith into fictional stories. He grew up on a lake in Southern British Columbia with his parents and two older brothers. When he is not writing, he enjoys working in the trades as a residential painter.
Jason hopes to encourage everyday faith in his fellow believers, and newfound faith in those who’ve yet to come to the Lord.
Q&A
Q: Can you tell us a little bit about your writing process?
A: My writing process is simple: I write on my phone anywhere and everywhere. I don’t have any particular special tools, clothes, furniture, or anything like that. I just write. And at the end of the day, you should too. If you spend too much time focusing on a special set of circumstances to write, chances are you won’t get much done. There are exceptions to this, of course. Some of the best writers are eccentrics with special processes to be able to get their work done. But at the end of the day, even they just had to sit down and write.
Q: What inspired you to write this book?
A: I get inspiration from all over the place: music, movies, poems, sights, sounds... anything can spark an idea. Songs I’ve listened to a thousand times before will suddenly spark a new idea. Places and experiences will give birth to all manner of concepts. From there I expanded on it and filled it out, then began writing. As a discovery writer, I had goalposts I wanted to reach but would find out how I got to them as I wrote. My advice would be to just live your life and keep your eyes, ears, and heart open to the world around you. Allow yourself to feel it all as best you can without getting lost in it.
Q: What are your views on self-worth?
A: It is found in God. There are many things in the world that we chase after and believe give us worth, but those things aren't permanent. They ebb and flow, and can't be relied on. It leads to a fluctuating sense of self-worth that only ever hurts us. God is always there. Resting in the knowledge that the creator of everything finds so much value in us that—even if only one human ever sinned—He'd still make that sacrifice to allow them to join Him. This is, of course, far easier said than done. It's often the world that is before us, and we get caught up in all of it. It's a constant battle.
Q: How has God worked in your life?
A: He's protected me in many ways from a variety of paths that would lead only to pain and destruction. He led me to writing and to my fiancée.
Q: What do you mean by “massive come-to-Jesus moments” vs. “everyday faith?”
A: It's been my experience that much of Christian media loves to pivot character development around "come-to-Jesus moments." A character is dealing with a problem in their life (lack of faith, a personal struggle, etc...) and then they have this spiritual moment (a classic is falling to one's knees in the rain) that somehow fixes everything within them. I don't want to discount real experiences that people have had regarding this which drove them to better themselves and pursue God, but a lot of people, I've found, spend their time chasing that feeling. They want to keep having those moments, and in the process neglect the daily maintenance of one's faith: reading the Bible, praying, taking part in guided studies, going to church weekly, etc.
Q: Why do you avoid vilifying worldly characters?
A: I did my best to avoid vilifying worldly characters because, at the end of the day, everyone is human. We all have fears, insecurities, and things that drag us down. To vilify someone based solely on their worst moment and present them as a horrible person isn't realistic. I do have a character or two who are living in their worst by choice (Once you've read the book you'll know who). However, in general, I did my best to make it more of a realistic story.
Q: Why do you feel that this book needed to get out there and be read?
A: Because I know that there are a lot of people out there struggling with their faith, or lack thereof, and I want to reach out to those people. I also want to entertain in a meaningful way. This book allows me to accomplish both goals.
Q: Do you have any other writing projects in the works?
A: I am currently writing a science fiction novel about a Christian man in the military having to deal with being special forces and the moral quandaries that can come along with that, including the many other issues of dealing with extraterrestrials, interplanetary politics, the issues surrounding persecution, and extremism (in patriotism, in social movements, in religion, etc.).
Connecting Points
Find Jason K. Koop online:
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And check out his book here: The Long Road Back