James Rubart's "Memory's Door"

Got Freedom? The Next Book In The Well Spring Series Is Here!
James L. Rubart’s novel, Soul’s Gate, won both an INSPY award and a Christy Award, and now the highly anticipated sequel, Memory’s Door, has released. It’s an epic story of four warriors who have fulfilled a powerful prophecy by learning how to send their spirits into other people’s souls to fight for healing and freedom. But it’s also an extremely intimate story that explores the devastating consequences of holding onto our regrets—and how we can get free of them.

Q: I want to talk about Memory’s Door, but first let me ask you a quick question about the first book in the Well Spring series, Soul’s Gate winning a Christy. Was that a surreal moment for you?

A: That’s the perfect word for it. I’d won awards for my other books, heard from many wonderful people how my stories had changed their lives—but there was something about standing up there on stage, looking out at all these people I’d admired for so long and winning an award I’d dreamed of winning for what seemed like forever that made it a surreal moment in the best way.

Q: Authors are taught to “write what you know”, which you do by including the Pacific Northwest—where you live—into your books. You also include some pretty incredible spiritual elements in your novels. How do you come up with them? Does their inclusion mean you’ve had some unusual spiritual experiences?

A: I have had some unusual experiences but I’m not sure I should call them unusual. They’re certainly not unusual when you look at Bible. I think there’s so much more to God than we allow; certainly in the westernized culture we live in. Many of us take the most speculative, supernatural, fantastical book ever written—the Bible—and turn it into a list of rules, dos and don’ts, and principles.

I try to push my readers to think beyond that. I got an e-mail recently from a pastor who asked, “Where did you get your training? Where can my staff and I get more teaching like the things in your book?” I loved it. Love hearing about people who are pressing into the deeper things of God.

Q: Tell us about Memory’s Door. What’s the overarching theme?

Freedom from regret. I believe we all carry regrets, and Memory’s Door hits that issue head on. I believe it will set people free from the devastation of holding onto the past. Also, if readers liked Soul’s Gate, I think they’ll like Memory’s Door even more. The stakes are higher, the lows are lower and the battles are more epic. There were a number of scenes that brought dust to my eyes as I wrote them, and that’s always a good sign that I’ve captured a few elements that will go to the deep parts of people’s hearts. Here’s a book trailer my son and I put together that tells people little bit more about the novel: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dStdRfVx7sE

 Q: So far in your Well Spring series you have Soul’s Gate and Memory’s Door. How many others will there be?

A: Just one more. It’s called The Spirit Bridge which releases in May of 2014. I’m editing it right now and love the way it’s turning out. I have some brilliant editors who have really helped me shape the story into what I believe will be a stunning and powerful conclusion to the series.

Q: Please tell us three random things we might not know about you:

·         I can juggle three basketballs for at least two minutes
·         I used to voice radio commercials
·         The Lee in my middle name comes from Robert E. Lee

Q: The running themes through all your books are forgiveness and restoration. Why?

I think everyone has a theme that is at the core of their life—whether they know it or not. When I consult with other authors, I tell them I can figure out the theme of their life (and how they should brand/market themselves) if they’ll tell me what their three favorite movies are. In other words, what they are drawn to—what resonates with them—tells me what is deep inside them.

What resonates most deeply with me is the theme of my life is freedom. I’ve been all about that since I was a kid.  I believe most of us have too many chains around our bodies holding us back from our God designed destinies … and if we can find freedom, we can step into the glory God planned for us from before the beginning of time. So that’s what I write about.

Q: What is the best way for people to connect to you?

The best way is on my Website/blog and Facebook. I just launched a new website and if people sign up for my newsletter they’ll be able to find out where I’m speaking, find out about the occasional freebie I’m giving away, and the release of new books.

As always, thanks for having me, Dawn!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JamesLRubart
Twitter: @jameslrubart

Website: http://jameslrubart.com/

James L. Rubart is the best-selling and Christy award winning author of, ROOMS, BOOK OF DAYS, THE CHAIR, SOUL’S GATE, and MEMORY’S DOOR. During the day he runs Barefoot Marketing which helps businesses and authors make more coin of the realm. In his free time he dirt bikes, hikes, golfs, takes photos, and occasionally does sleight of hand. No, he doesn’t sleep much. He lives with his amazing wife and teenage sons in the Pacific Northwest and still thinks he’s young enough to water ski like a madman. More at www.jameslrubart.com