The fifth interview is with Erin Pearson, a former Flagship Fiction author with a great first name! 😉

E.L. Pearson has rarely been seen without a book in her hand. Naturally, this opportunity to share with others the story God placed upon her heart has represented the apex of her life’s dreams. From early on, this natural born author has been fascinated by the art of telling stories; her favorites to this day include White’s The Once and Future King and Scott’s Ivanhoe. According to those who know her best, the first literature that truly made her imagination blossom were in fact Bible stories… especially those involving Angels. As her fascination with these celestial beings grew, so did a yearning to weave a compelling storyline and thus, the bedrock for Prodigal Lost was born. Through her own trials and failures, E.L. Pearson has seen the influence of darkness in this fallen world and has herself felt the burden of those who feel suffocated by it. But through her faith, she has also felt the joy of God’s grace and mercy, a redemptive power which pulled her from her despair and set her to work reaching others with a life-saving message. E.L Pearson desires but one thing – to let the world know that no matter the sin, no matter the stain from the past, Jesus Christ is the cleansing power of redemption. As her relationship with God has grown, so have her blessings, which include a patient and loving husband and twin sons who remind her just how much God loves her. Together, they do life in Nebraska.

1) How long have you been writing for, and why did you start?

I have been writing since I was very small, probably still in elementary school. I have always been fascinated with how words put together formed more than just a sentence, they formed emotions, and could build pictures in my mind. I started writing because my imagination was full of so many beautiful things, and I needed to share them! I admired fantasy fiction from the start, and have always had a soft spot for Arthurian literature. Robin Hood has long-standing been my favorite hero, and I always yearned for a story like his and Maid Marion. I started writing because I loved the way books made me feel that I could go anywhere, or be anyone, without spending a dime.

2) Out of everything you have written, what is your favourite piece and why?

Prodigal Lost is definitely my favorite piece. I have written many other articles for blogs and emagazines, but it’s by far my best work. A close second is a feature I wrote on my childhood growing up in the infamous sandhills of Nebraska. I love writing about things with which I’m familiar, yet I love to research things that fascinate me, so I can learn more about it. It usually ends up in a story somehow, much like the Loretto staircase in Prodigal Lost was something I stumbled across while I was researching angels, and low and behold, Mason became the person I imagined would build something like that.

3) Which author is your biggest inspiration?

Francine Rivers is a huge book-crush of mine. I took my initial steps toward novel-writing after reading her Mark of the Lion series. Hadessah was such a strong character to fall in love with, and the Atretes character made me dream about Rome. So much so in fact, that I decided to write Prodigal Lost in ancient Rome! Little known fact, Prodigal Lost’s dreams/flashbacks were all written prior to the New Orleans frame was ever even conceived, Rivers’ work inspired me that much. And of course, I can’t forget some of the classics, as that’s what I focused mostly in my collegiate career. World-builders like Tolkien, game changers and wordsmiths like T.H. White and Thomas Moore. I could read their work over and over and still be inspired.

4) How does your Christian faith inspire your writing?

Without my faith, I wouldn’t have writing. I believe God gave me a gift, and I feel I have a perspective that most people take for granted. I write simply, and I choose my words very carefully. But at the end of the day, I don’t write a single word of it. I’m not made for the simple life, I’m made to make an impact, and the way I impact people is to tell stories. I’m blessed to be a Christian, and be a part of telling the greatest story ever told!

5) What are your plans for the future? Are any more books in the pipeline?

Lots of plans for things – I’m currently working from a fleshed out outline for Prodigal Lost 2. I write by scene, so, I’m working backwards compared to Prodigal Lost: Oasis of the Fallen, and I’m actually constructing the present day story, then I plan to weave in the dreams/flashbacks. Also in the works is a fiction novel that strikes close to home that looks at divorce in the modern world, through the eyes of a traditional ranch family. Beta reviewers have likened it to The Shack, so I’m pretty ecstatic about continuing forward with that piece. I also am buttoning up a non-fiction piece for parents of premature multiples, as I was a parent with children in the NICU (neo-natal intensive care unit). It’s a devotional to help parents cope with a longer hospital stay, and gives an account of someone who’s been there. I’m excited to get it into some hospitals in the US here to share with other families encountering the same difficulties I did. I also have several different children’s series’ in mind, and am starting to get them down on paper, and am searching for an illustrator to work with!