Interview with Steven Rogers & a Giveaway

Please help me welcome Steven Rogers back to the blog this week! He’s sharing about his latest release, A Year in the Room, which is the follow-up to his debut novel, Into the Room.

For a chance to win a paperback of his new book, leave a comment below by March 11!

Welcome back, Steve! Start off by telling us a little about yourself and your family.

My wife, Kathy, and I have been married for thirty-nine years. We have three grown children, a son-in-law, and one grandson. Kathy and I grew up in Massachusetts and have been in Richmond, Virginia since 1988.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

The second baseman for the Boston Red Sox.

I love how specific you were, even as a kid. Do you have any hobbies? Have you incorporated any of them into your books?

My hobbies are fishing, traveling, and playing golf with my best buddy. The travel component of my life is a big part of my books. For example, in my most recent novel, A Year in the Room, my character visits the Scottish Island of Iona on a pilgrimage. My wife and I visited Iona to research the story. For the third book in my “Reluctant Pilgrim” series, we’re taking a “Footsteps of Paul” tour through Greece, Turkey, and Rome.

Interestingly, my characters often possess skills I don’t have. The main character in both of my books is one of those “handy” guys. He is a gifted carpenter and can fix things around the house. This is not me. I guess I’m living vicariously through him.

How fun for you and your wife to take these research trips together! As a follow up to that, tell us more about your book’s setting.

A Year in Room is set in two locations—Richmond, Virginia and the Island of Iona in Scotland. The neighborhood in Richmond is entirely fictional, although I did visit the downtown area to ensure I was creating a setting consistent with the city’s actual neighborhoods and layout.

The Island of Iona is real. It is part of an archipelago off the west coast of the Scottish mainland. Iona has a rich history with the church and is considered a “thin place”—a location where the boundary between heaven and earth is considered especially thin. For centuries it has been a pilgrimage destination. My wife and I visited on our own pilgrimage, and I took my character, Ben Cahill, with me.

Is A Year in the Room inspired by true events or personal history?

While A Year in the Room is fictional, the story reflects my own experiences observing alcohol and drug abuse in others. This perspective was forged by living with those around me suffering from the disease, witnessing their recovery, and addressing impacts those addictions had on me and my life. My journey has led me to do extensive research into the mind of the alcoholic/addict and the reality of alcoholism/addiction as a family disease. No one escapes untouched. I’ve tried to reflect this perspective through the story.

Thank you for tackling such an important issue in your books. How do you incorporate Christ and hope into your writing?

God and Jesus are the underlying forces in everything I write. Whatever characters I create and regardless of how deeply I lead them into despair, God’s provision, love, mercy, and grace will always be present in my stories. This doesn’t mean my characters won’t be flawed, weak, or subject to the world’s temptations. However, they will have a chance at redemption, and I strive for a happy, or at least hopeful, ending. 

What did God teach you through the writing of A Year in the Room?

I have a whole presentation on this topic and could talk about it all day long. Said simply, writing about my protagonist, Ben Cahill, and his journey with alcoholism taught me to forgive others and helped clear my heart of resentment, anger, and guilt. In addition, walking with Ben through the story helped me to better understand God’s grace and His love for all of us. I truly believe that, if the book had never been published, the story would have still changed my life.

What a great outcome! What do you hope your readers take away from A Year in the Room?

First, I want readers to enjoy and be entertained by the story. While the subject matter is difficult and the book’s events troubling, I’ve tried to make the book entertaining by injecting colorful supporting characters, humor, and a romance subplot to break the tension.

Second, I’m hoping that readers see a glimpse of themselves in the story, something they’d like to work on with God.

Third, and at a more specific level, I would love if the story assisted alcoholics/addicts or those affected by alcoholism/addiction to know there’s a way out and a path to redemption and healing.

Sounds like there’s something positive for every person to take away from your story. Which character in A Year in the Room was easiest for you to write and why? 

This is the easiest question you’ve asked! In A Year in the Room, there’s a character named Pearl. Pearl’s a seventy-five-year-old, chain-smoking woman of faith who won’t take anything from anybody and is a master at holding others accountable for their actions. She is the heart of Ben Cahill’s support system. I could not wait to write her scenes in the book. Someday, I’d like to write a novel telling her story.

Pearl sounds like a hoot. How long, on average, does it take you to write a book?

I usually need about two years to complete a manuscript. I’d love to write more quickly, but I’m careful to honor my own pace and my own process. I spend a lot of time getting to know my main characters. In addition, I’m also a “pantser,” which results in a lot of “back and forth” as the plot develops. These two factors force me to take my time and be patient as I write.

I love that you know your process and stay true to it. Has a reader ever blessed your socks off? How?

One of my beta readers for A Year in the Room said, “I actually think I’m a better man for having read this story.” His comment was a blessing beyond anything I could dream of.

That’s wonderful. What’s next from you?

My plan is to write the third book in my “Reluctant Pilgrim” series. The working title is Beyond the Room and will continue to tell Ben Cahill’s story.

Thanks for sharing with my readers, Steve. I pray the Lord will continue to bless you as you write for Him.

Join the conversation. Have you read Steven’s debut novel, Into the Room? Are you interested in this second book in his series? What resonates with you most in Steven’s interview? What questions or comments do you have for him?

Be sure to comment below by March 11 for a chance to win a paperback of A Year in the Room!

Please share Steven’s interview on social media and with your friends to help spread the word about his books!

If you missed my Five-star Reads post last week, you can FIND IT HERE.