RB: Welcome Roger. I heard your writing style is Christian fiction rippling with laughter, tears, & YES! Moments. Your new book sounds like it truly delivers this. What can you tell us about it?
Roger: Kim Hartlinger—eighteen and spoiled—arrives on a mission trip to Mexico and discovers, to her chagrin, that she’ll be doing construction in a tiny remote village without plumbing and electricity, rather than evangelism in a medium-sized town with a McDonald’s. . . “Roughing it” isn’t exactly what Kim had in mind when she signed up for this trip. As if that isn’t enough, the group is without a translator, and Kim’s “dual-language” Bible turns out to be Spanish-only. After breaking her arm the first morning on the job, Kim struggles to find a way to help her team and share the truth of God’s Word with the villagers.
Will Kim be able to touch the villagers’ hearts with the Gospel? Or will her time in Mexico be up before she gets the chance?
RB: That sounds like an amazing journey for your character and readers alike. What is the overriding theme you'd like them to come away with?
Roger: One of the most important themes in Found is forgiving and then forgetting. As Christians, we focus a lot on the forgiveness, but not the forgetting. Another overriding theme is obedience to God. Kim came to Mexico thinking of all the things she planned to accomplish on her own. Ha! Didn’t work out that way.
RB: Is there a character in your book that has special meaning for you?
Roger: I must admit I especially like Kim Hartlinger, my lead character. Because I wrote the book in first person from her point of view, I know Kim best. But I also have a special interest because of the similarities (and differences) between Kim and my daughter, Kristi.
RB: I always ask my featured author if they have any advice for writers struggling or just starting out. What advice can you give them?
Roger: Learn grammar so well you don't get caught up worrying about it. Be patient; getting published usually takes a while, and newbies—this was true of me—often think their manuscripts are ready to publish long before they really are. Have fun with your writing, though; let your personality bathe your work.
RB: That is great advice, Roger. Tell us what you have coming up next career wise.
Roger: Right now, I'm waiting to see if Barbour will offer contracts on books 3 and 4 of the Altered Hearts series. I'm also starting a stand-alone YA novel. Like other newly published authors, I'm struggling with how to market this first book. I've learned the hard way that not many teen girls shop in Christian bookstores.
Later this month, I’ll be doing a multi-author signing in Newport News, Virginia. I just did one with my daughter in Orlando.
RB: Good luck on your tour, Roger and thank you for stopping by.
Roger has generously offered a free copy of his book, Found In Translation to one lucky commenter. Leave thought or question and I will use a random number picker to choose who wins. Be sure that you have an email associated with your comment profile so we can get your address to mail the book to you.
Roger Bruner worked as a teacher, job counselor, and programmer/analyst before retiring at sixty-two to pursue his dream of writing Christian fiction full-time. A guitarist and songwriter, he is active in his church’s choir, praise team, and nursing home ministry. Roger also enjoys reading, Web design, mission trips, photography, and spending time with his wonderful wife, Kathleen. His website is RogerBruner.com, and his Facebook page is Facebook.com/Roger.Bruner.