I had decided this year that I would read books of different genre than my usual picks and with that declaration (to self) I offered to review a book by author, Jeff Horton of biblical magnitude. After all the Bible is the most read book on planet earth and I was ready for an update on my knowledge of it.
Our genres are quite different in most ways. My book, The Skye in June, is about a girl with visions, this book also is about a boy that has visions but we follow him into adulthood. This is where our characters' similarity begins and ends.
When I first received the book I contacted Jeff and said, 'do you realize that my site is of more interest to pagans, Wiccans and witches than bible thumpers (okay, Christians I said,)'. He kindly replied, "Oh I see what you mean. Well, you do what is right for you and your blog readers." I continued to read it.
I learned our spiritual thoughts are not so different,the presentation might be, but the faith in a Higher Being(s) is there, the observation that Mother Earth is unnder serious attack, and the bad characters in politics destroying human rights, as well as believing in certain people have true and useful visions are some of what I found similar.Because of that and because of Mr. Horton's positive reply (too many Christians have lambasted me and my kind for my spiritual choice) I continued with his book and more than that, I wanted to interview him as an author.
The Last Prophet by Jeff Horton
Jonah (Jon) Elijah March is born to ordinary parents in an ordinary town in the United States. But he is no ordinary child. He is one of the last of two prophets mentioned in the Bible’s Book of Revelations.
He has dreams that in time prove to manifest as actual events that become stronger when he is a teen. When his earlier visions, like the one about Lara––literally a girl of his dreams––being involved in an accident does not manifest as he envisioned, Jon thinks he is wrong. In time he realizes that his vision have merit and are not wrong, only he has not been patient or trusting enough to see them to fruition. In time Jon and Lara marry.
Another tells Jon he is slated for great things because of his visions and that God has chosen him to be a prophet but he doesn’t believe it. And then an angel appears to him and follows it up with a miraculous sign. It is then that he accepts his fate. Along with his acceptance comes an ominous message––with the glory comes imminent death.
Jon is not alone in this journey. There are people who see him for what his purpose is to be, such people as the kind Pastor Weathersby who guides Jon to understand his gift and later he meets the Pope along with other spiritual world leaders who believe in his prophesies.
As Jon begins his mission by proclaiming God's message spreading the news that "The End of Days is at hand,” the reader can find comfort in what Horton reminds us, “The world is a very transient place…” And warns people that the Beast (the Bible Beast who’s not a very nice chap) is gaining power and influencing those weakened by their greediness and materialistic needs to where they “worship him” ––the Beast ––thus forsaking all reason and goodness (God). Sounds familiar. I believe there’s a lot of that going on now, don’t you? Jon then reassures all that will listen that “Jesus Christ will once again come to enlighten (or save) them." The Beast is in the image of a charismatic politician, Abe Addon who scams the people into trusting him and his false promises. All the while his only purpose is to control and dominate mankind. We have here what all good stories have––a good protagonist and a good bad antagonist and Abe Addon is a really bad guy with a winning smile.
Jon, Lara and their son Samuel travel to Israel as the end comes closer. In time Jon meets the other prophet Moe Princeton. I liked this character. There was something very earthly about him. Jon at times seemed so intense, even in his loving and insightful ways. On the other hand Moe is more of a regular kind of guy. Both have visions and messages for humankind, who per the usual, aren’t listening.
Horton tells his readers that “Life is a only a brief stop on the road to eternity.” And I find that reassuring while reading about the worldwide disasters spreading––drought, floods massive earthquakes, and finally, a devastating asteroid alerting us that the end of the world is at hand.
I’m not crazy for “Hey, guys! You screwed up big time and now it’s a done deal,” kind of books, but the journey with Jon is an interesting one. I had to agree that the world is in a very precarious position and too many leaders (corporations) have sold out the health of our planet and the welfare of the people for their greed and power ego. All in all, if you want to acquaint yourself with the Bible prophecies and/or be aware that life is fragile and fleeting, this book could be of interest to you.
Interview with author Jeff W. Horton on his latest novel, The Last Prophet
• When did you start writing?
I started writing four or five years ago. I wanted to try and find something that I would enjoy doing, something I might one day be able to make a living doing. After several false starts, I sat down and began work on The Dark Age. Though it was the second novel to be published, it was the first one I started on first. The Great Collapse, the prequel to The Dark Age came out first, followed by The Dark Age and then The Last Prophet, which by the way is not part of the Survivors of the Pulse series.
• How personal is your writing?
I imagine that most authors draw a lot from their own life experiences, beliefs, worldviews, etc. Again, many authors write about subjects that they know a lot about or that they are interested in. These certainly apply to me as well. I write about subjects, situations, etc. that I feel are important, or that I find interesting. I enjoy watching and learning from stories that are transporting, giving us a break from the stress and pressures of life, so I attempt to write stories like that myself.
• What was your life like before becoming an author?
Not a lot different really, though I probably got more sleep and looked more rested. Perhaps that will change if one or more of my novels make the bestsellers list!
• What inspired you to write the book(s)? What sparked the idea for your novel?
I started writing the Dark Age because I thought it would be interesting to write a post-apocalyptic novel, where swords, bows, and arrows were once more the norm of the day. The Great Collapse was the prequel to The Dark Age, and sets the stage for the post-apocalyptic world that follows.
I have always wanted to see more written around the book of Revelation in the Bible, and was excited about the opportunity to write a story about it myself in, The Last Prophet. To make it even more interesting and to change things up a bit, I also decided to write The Last Prophet in the first person, from the perspective of the prophet, John March.
• When did you decide to publish?
It was always my intent and my hope to get published. I was very grateful to my two publishers, Tate Publishing, who published The Great Collapse, and World Castle Publications, who published The Dark Age and The Last Prophet, for taking a chance on me. Hopefully, the novels will do well and we all will reap the benefits.
• What is your favorite part of the book(s)?
For The Dark Age, the favorite part of the story for me is at the climax, where the antagonist and the protagonist meet for the second time towards the end of the novel.
One of my favorite parts of The Last Prophet is when God raises the two prophets, John March and Moe Princeton. I thought it was a pivotal, and touching scene.
• What was the hardest part to write in the book(s)?
Believe it or not I had the most difficult time with the epilogue for The Dark Age. I had already finished most of the rewrites of the novel when I got around to the epilogue. After several revisions, I ended up discarding all of it and replacing it with a completely different epilogue. I feel the new one was far better than the original, however, and well worth the effort.
I suppose the hardest part to write in The Last Prophet was the ending. After several rewrites, I still felt I had included far too many quotes from scripture. I ended up paraphrasing a number of the quotes at the end, which helped the story flow much better.
•How do you begin to set about writing your story (stories)
I am an organic writer. Once I have a core idea, I just sit down and start writing. The story soon takes on a life of its own, and I end up doing nothing more than recording what I see played out in my mind's eye. Once I have written a few chapters, I start to flesh out a rough outline for the remainder of the novel, which helps ensure a firm foundation for the entire novel. Like they say, writing a novel is a marathon, not a sprint.
•Which comes first? The character's story or the idea for the novel?
For me it's been both. The Great Collapse and The Last Prophet began with the idea. The Dark Age began with the protagonist, Ferrell Young, and flowed from there.
•What advice do you have for someone who would like to become a published writer?
That is a tough question to answer. I believe it probably helps to know someone already well established in the business such as an agent or editor, or an established author, but most writers probably do not have that luxury. I believe that the biggest hurdle for an unknown author, after writing a great story of course, is to get above the noise level, to get the attention of publishers and most importantly, the reading public. Social networking sites are helpful in this regard, as are book blog websites and book reader sites like Goodreads. I suppose the most important thing I can say to an aspiring author is this; never give up, and always believe in your self.
CHECK OUT MY BOOKS, THE TIMELESS COUNSELOR: THE BEST GUIDE TO A SUCCESSFUL PSYCHIC READING AND THE SKYE IN JUNE, A NOVEL. BOTH ALSO E-BOOKS.
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