Author Interview: Don Hoesel

Earlier this month, Don Hoesel’s debut novel was released by Bethany House Publishers.  You can read my recent review of Elisha’s Bones here:  LINK.  Being somewhat of a computer geek in my day job, I was intrigued by Don’s bio, which says he is a web designer by trade.  My curiosity peaked, I asked Jim Hart at Bethany House Publishers if Don would be available for an interview.  Don graciously agreed and the interview is below.

Question 1:  Can you tell me about your background (education, family, etc.)?

• Answer:  I live in Spring Hill, Tennessee, with my wife and two children, but I’m originally from Buffalo, New York.  I graduated from Taylor University in Indiana with a BA in Mass Communications, and was originally planning to work in the film industry.  I did take a semester of college in Los Angeles, and even interned for a film production company there, but ended up switching careers.

Question 2:  According to your bio., you’re a web designer by day.  How’d you get your start in writing?

• Answer:  I started my first book when I was in seventh grade and got about 250 pages into it before I realized I was better suited to short stories! So I guess I’ve always been aware that I wanted to be a writer, but I didn’t write much in high school, and not at all in college.  I didn’t seriously begin to write again until I was in my mid-twenties.  Between 1995 and 2008, when I finished Elisha’s Bones, I wrote five books, with Elisha’s Bones being the first to be published.

Question 3:  Elisha’s Bones is a suspenseful, Biblical archaeology thriller.  What was your inspiration for the story?

• Answer:  The idea for Elisha’s Bones came over dinner with a friend.  Oddly enough, we were talking about how one comes up with story ideas.  I’d made the comment that just about anything could be turned into a good story, and used a recent Sunday school lesson about the prophet Elisha as an example.  Before I was done telling him about the lesson, I realized I had my next story idea.

Question 4:  I enjoyed getting to know the main character of the book, Jack Hawthorne.  Are you anything like him?

• Answer:  There are definitely qualities that I share with Jack.  I can be as sarcastic and acerbic as he is.  And I’m definitely a fact guy: research, empirical experience, etc.  And I enjoy a good cigar.  That said, I don’t think I’m quite as unwilling to embrace responsibility as he is.  At least I don’t think so!

Question 5:  Now that you have your first published novel under your belt, do you have any other projects on horizon?

• Answer:  Bethany House was kind enough to sign me for three books, so there are at least two more coming.  The next one is tentatively titled Hunter’s Moon, and I think it’s targeted for a Spring 2010 release, but don’t hold me to that.  It will be a departure from the suspense genre—more general fiction.  I haven’t a clue what the third book will be about yet.  Do you have any ideas?

Question 6:  Is it possible the adventures of Jack Hawthorne will be continued in a future novel?

• Answer:  When I wrote Elisha’s Bones, I did so with the idea that it would be a stand alone.  But I enjoyed writing it so much that I’d welcome the opportunity to do more.  Right now, though, it looks as if Jack’s on hiatus.  Hunter’s Moon is a completely different story/cast of characters.

Many thanks to Jim Hart at Bethany House Publishers for facilitating the interview and Don Hoesel for participating.  You can learn more about Don Hoesel and his writing at www.donhoesel.com.  Click the Elisha’s Bones cover below to read an excerpt from the book at the Bethany House Publishers web site.  Elisha’s Bones is available from Amazon.com and other booksellers.