AN INTERVIEW WITH STEPHEN
- Your Name and about yourself
Stephen D. Edwards began writing while in high school, but lost the passion for it in his late 20s. After gaining freedom from long-term depression, he wrote a memoir titled “The Branch and the Vine” to celebrate that victory.
His passion reignited, he now writes Christian fiction that encourages and uplifts in ways that non-fiction cannot do.
- Are you happy about being an Author?
I am ecstatic about being an author! Even while I was writing in my twenties, I used writing as an outlet for many thoughts and emotions. There are two significant differences from that earlier time to now: I was depressed back then and I lacked vision because of that. Today I am free from that prison and am far more creative. The reason I picked up writing again is that I needed to share my story about gaining freedom from depression. As everything I had written in that past life was fictional, I began to have ideas about stories I could write. I was surprised how much larger and brighter the stories were this time, but in hindsight it makes sense that the old Stephen (who wrote as sd edwards) wrote from darkness and now I am enjoying the light at the end of the tunnel.
The things I learn through writing are the surprises that I use my writing to make a difference in people’s lives. It shouldn’t surprise me that readers find my writing encouraging. And yet I am quite surprised. I am a believer in Jesus and it was He who called me to share my story. I believe He knew I would use my skills to encourage others.
- As an author , what do you think are the positive things about your writing/stories/publications?
Simply to make a difference in the lives of readers is a huge blessing to me.
- Which book or e-books have you published and which are in pipeline? ((You can also write about each of them if you wish to.))
- The Branch and the Vine: How Jesus Gave Me Freedom from Depression
When Stephen D. Edwards gained freedom from depression, he wondered how he became depressed in the first place. As he didn’t want to dwell in the past, it occurred to him that it was important to know how he gained freedom. This book came out of all of that. He describes his childhood and other life events that he believes caused him to sink into the dark world of depression and goes on to discuss the how healing became a reality.
He assessed how God transformed him from a person with an angry, selfish and unforgiving nature to the generous, grateful, merciful person he is today, because he realized the true meaning of friendship and the source of his joy. The best news yet is that he is open to allowing God to show him other areas to improve.
The best is yet to come!
- The Joy at the End of the Tunnel: How I Got Freedom from Depression
When Stephen D. Edwards gained freedom from depression, he felt he had to share his story to give hope to those who struggle. So he looked into how he might have become depressed in the first place. Then as he didn’t want to dwell in the past, it occurred to him that it was important to know how he became free. This book came out of all of that. He describes his childhood and other life events that he believes caused him to sink into the dark world of depression and goes on to discuss the how healing became a reality.
He assessed his transformation from a person with an angry, selfish and unforgiving nature to the generous, grateful, merciful person he is today. Stephen reveals the true meaning of love, friendship and the source of his joy. Hope and joy abound to those who pursue it!
- David the Prophet King
David grows up in ancient Israel at the dawn of the era of kings in a large family and is despised by his family. Many people treat him poorly, but he always finds a way to rise above the noise and confusion. God chooses him to become king over Israel before anyone outside his family knows anything about him. So this is how a shepherd boy becomes a servant king who is in constant contact with God.
As king, David is wise beyond anyone’s understanding and gains vast amounts of territory and wealth for the nation. Yet at home, he makes a single mistake that threatens to derail everything he has gained.
- Feed My Sheep
Daniel is a former gambling addict who dies and meets St. Peter at the pearly gates of heaven. They reflect on the struggles they endured in their earthly life and give each other a view into the marvels that were their lives. Peter tells of the fantastical events that took him from the time he was crucified upside-down in Rome back to the time Jesus told him to feed His sheep on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. Daniel tells his story from the time he became an addict to the time he found healing and fed the addicted sheep he met along the way.
- The Lazarus Intersection: A Collection of Short Stories
These stories rise from wondering about all the interactions of Jesus and the many people who followed Him. As I began to explore some of these characters whom appear in the Gospels only in name or description, these stories wrote themselves into my mind. Some of them took a few hours to write while others took weeks.
Here are some of the main characters in these stories: Simon of Cyrene, Joseph of Arimathea, Judas Iscariot, the woman healed from the issue of blood, Barabbas, the man with a legion of demons and even an archaeologist from our present time who travels through time to a time just days before Lazarus emerges from his tomb at the command of Jesus.
- What’s your advice for budding authors?
Whether you write a novel or your own story in a memoir, don’t hesitate. It may not matter that you don’t publish your work. However, it is better to give than to receive. The reason I say that is that every opportunity taken to bless others through your writing will bless you back a hundredfold. So I encourage you to publish your work.
- Do you believe in “Writer’s Block”?
I believe that writer’s block comes from doubts. Doubts that my work is any good. Doubts that my work will be any different than what’s already been done. Doubts that I’m good enough. Doubts that my work will be perfect.
That last doubt is an odd one. I don’t believe I can write a single piece that can be perfect anyone’s eyes so there’s no point trying to make it perfect at all. Instead, Excellence is all we can achieve. If what defines excellence is that my editor doesn’t tear a piece apart or says it’s perfect, another editor might say it’s garbage. It is somewhat subjective.
So as an author I need to overcome these doubts. I need to stop over thinking, which is where many of these doubts come from. I’ve found that there are a few things I can do to overcome them and these are in no particular order.
- Read. Read a favorite author’s work or read something you haven’t read before whether in the same genre or not.
- Read through the work in progress on which you are working.
- Work on another piece whether starting a new one or editing.
- What are the problems that you have faced in your Author journey?
Marketing on a low budget can be a struggle. However, I must maintain a teachable heart and learn from every mistake and circumstance to find solutions.
- What Genre of Books do you create and Why you chose it?
I’ve written two memoirs of my story for different audiences, because I felt compelled to write them. These memoirs are a labor of love for those who struggle with the mental illness that leads so many people to suicide.
The fictional stories I write are intended
- If you could tell something to your younger writing self, what would it be?
I believe that to speculate on what I might tell my younger self is to speculate about how my future might have turned out. For my future self to have had a better success as an author would be to change myself and the depth of the depression I experienced might not be so bad. I’m grateful for everything I endured to get to where I am today. I would not change a thing, so I wouldn’t say a thing to my younger self. I arrive at this thought because of a subject I have covered in my memoirs that gratitude is important to life. So as an encouragement to anyone reading, be grateful for everything and everyone you have in your life. Your gratitude will empower a blessing you can never regret.
- Do you try more to be original or to deliver to readers what they want?
I neither concern myself with originality nor to deliver what readers want. When I get an idea, I decide whether I have already read or heard of a similar story. And then if there is a similar story already done, then I work at making the characters different enough to drive a different story. I did this with David the Prophet King. I could not make David’s character different from what I’ve seen in other novels, scripts and movies; however, many of the other characters David encountered in his life were opportunities to modify characters (because they appear in Scripture in name only) and drive a different story.
- Where can people contact you?
My website is https://stephendedwards.net
My email address is stephen@stephendedwards.net
