About The Book
Book: Mojave Man
Author: JW Gilbert
Genre: Christian Fiction – Action/Adventure
Release Date: November, 2022
Mojave Man continues the adventure of Arcon Franklin as he seeks to escape the authorities demanding his containment. His rescuer, Elaina, flees with him to a survivalist compound that could end up being a trap. As a tenacious reporter edges closer to exposing Arcon, Jesus himself makes his desires known. Whether he likes it or not, Arcon’s foray into the outside world could be cut short. He may have to return to ArcPoint, whether they want him back or not. Click here to get your copy!
About The Author
John Gilbert Wozniak (JW Gilbert) grew up in an Oregon farm town. He retired in 2016 as an international data center cooling expert. Around the turn of the century, he began writing as a hobby. After years of expert guidance and a lot of editing, his ArcPoint trilogy is complete. His intent is to write books that are enjoyed by all ages—biblically accurate—with a touch of adventure, romance, and humor. JW has been married to his best friend Darlene since 1980. They are both retired and enjoy the hobby of creating lapidary jewelry. He is a member of Oregon Christian Writers, Mensa, ALLi, and the Tualatin Valley Gem Club.
More from JW
I became an avid fan of Christian fiction, especially after reading This Present Darkness by Frank Peretti. Working 12-hour night shifts as a data center technician, I had ample time on my hands. At one point I was devouring a book per night, but my favorite genre—action/adventure—was almost non-existent in Christian fiction. So, as is the case with many would-be authors, I decided to write the book I wanted to read. The setting? The future when Jesus is ruling the world, as told in Revelation chapter 20. My protagonist? Arcon, an adventurous young man from an isolated tribe of people. The premise? The people of ArcPoint don’t know that the outside world is safe and that Jesus has returned.
My first attempt at writing went well. I wrote my first draft in three weeks, edited it for six months, and landed a hybrid publisher with the final manuscript. The book garnered four- and five-star reviews, so I was pleased. (Not bad for someone who’d flunked English three times.) I was glad the reviews showed that the writing was good, but my readers were missing the message. I pulled it off the market.
For the past few years I’ve been honing my skills as a writer and reworking my ArcPoint story. There have been a few challenges. While researching, I found over a thousand verses in the Bible that sparked ideas for the time period I was writing about. Now the original book has become a trilogy, plus a prequel. However, traditional Christian publishers were not in the market for adventure stories, so I had to learn about self-publishing. And then, like a page right out of my prequel, the unexpected happened—a pandemic. I decided it would be best to put off publicizing until the entire trilogy was available. Now it is.
To see if the first book was ready to be self-published, I sent copies of Mojave Rift to Reader’s Favorite for professional reviews. It got five stars across the board. Then I entered Mojave Rift in their contest and won a silver medal. All the reviewers seemed to appreciate my inclusion of action, romance, and humor in a squeaky clean, fast-paced, futuristic novel.
I hope my ArcPoint series receives high scores from English teachers, but since I still don’t know a passive voice from a hole in the plot, we’ll see. Writing likable characters and adventure stories that run deep and inspire is something I enjoy. I’ve worked hard and it’s a thrill to get high audience scores.
BTW, did I mention the world-building for the isolated tribe in my story is set in America? Now that was a challenge.
Q & A with JW Gilbert
Many authors say that they have always been a writer — making up stories
as a child. When did you first become a writer?
Around the turn of the century, when I was in my forties.
Was there a special someone, such as a teacher, parent, or other relative,
who encouraged you to pursue writing?
Certainly never as a career (I flunked English three times). But a number of people said I should write down miracles I’d witnessed, since I’d seen quite a few. I included some of them in a fiction book, then over 150 of them later as a memoir.
Were there any obstacles you faced in your journey to publication?
Choosing a genre for the trilogy. It’s Christian fiction action/adventure, but that genre doesn’t exist. Without a specific genre, traditional publishers have not shown interest, forcing me to self-publish, which is difficult.
What types of research do you pursue? Books, on-site visits, etc.
Intense study of the Bible, finding over 1300 verses from 49 of its books. For earthly things, it’s mostly resource books and internet articles on science, horticulture, survival, and maps.
What does a typical writing day look like? Are you structured or informal in your writing schedule?
Very informal. Whenever I find the time, I write.
How long does it usually take to craft your books? (from outlines/first drafts to final edits)
About one to two years.
Can you tell us a little about what inspired your latest novel?
Isaiah 26:20 — Come, my people, enter into your rooms and close your doors behind you. Hide for a little while, until indignation runs its course. I thought, what if some people hid so well from tribulation, they weren’t aware when Jesus returned?
What do you want your readers to take away with them after finishing one of your novels?
Hope. Based on the many Bible verses I’ve collected, Jesus is soon returning to establish His government, and world peace.
Readers always want to know what is next for an author. Do you have any works in progress you can share about?
The next in the series, Mojave Rock, is about to be published. A prequel to the ArcPoint trilogy, Mojave Lee, will be out early next year. I’m also working on a sci-fi time machine sort of story, as well as rewriting my first two books.
Blog Stops
Vicky Sluiter, November 9 (Author Interview)
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, November 10
By The Book, November 11 (Author Interview)
Texas Book-aholic, November 12
Simple Harvest Reads, November 13 (Author Interview)
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, November 14
For the Love of Literature, November 15 (Author Interview)
Mary Hake, November 15
Locks, Hooks and Books, November 16
Tell Tale Book Reviews, November 17 (Author Interview)
Blogging With Carol, November 18
Jodie Wolfe – Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, November 19 (Author Interview)
The Lit Lady, November 20
Artistic Nobody, November 21 (Author Interview)
Exploring the Written Word, November 21
Guild Master, November 22 (Author Interview)
Giveaway
To celebrate his tour, JW is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon gift card and a print copy of Mojave Man!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.
https://promosimple.com/ps/28d34/mojave-man-celebration-tour-giveaway
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