(Author's note: this post is late because the email server I use to post entries is down.)
Welcome to another edition of Author Fridays! Sit back, relax and read about this week’s featured author, Bary Fike!
Barry Fike is a first-time author. His book, “Mikveh” was published in January 2009 by publish America.
www.publishamerica.com
Fike was born in Alabama and moved around quite a bit as a child. His father was a minister. He became interested in researching topics at the age of ten. he has a Bachelor’s in Speech Communication (Freed-Hardeman University), and a Masters in both Theology (Logos University) and Education (Pepperdine University). He is married with four grown children and one granddaughter. his hobbies are reading and researching biblical topics. “I love to read material on first century Judaism and it’s correlation to modern day Christianity,” he says. “My interest in Judaism of the first century, and the corresponding centuries, fascinate me as they give me a foundation for my belief in God and Jesus. My favorite authors are Abraham Joshua Heshel, Prof. David Flusser, Prof. Roy Blizzard, and Prof. Brad Young.”
“I first had the desire to write in ninth grade when I began to work on a novel based on “The Phantom toll Booth” that I read when in fifth grade,” he goes on to say. “From that time on I excelled in term papers in college and worked on several curriculums at schools and youth groups. I began to do research in the field of first century Judaism and the background for the belief that would later become known as Christianity. My inspiration for my writing comes primarily from my wife, Connie, whose patience and enduring qualities have helped me to evolve in both patience and scholarship.”
Fike’s second mentor is Dr. Roy Blizzard who first opened his eyes in 1988 that would lead to his current beliefs.
When it comes to ideas for his books, Barry says, “Ideas for my books come primarily from my background theologically. Since baptism is a major tenet in the group that I was raised in, the possibility for learning new information concerning baptism was fascinating. Currently I’m working on another theological problem that I’ve wrestled with most of my life: Women’s role in the church. I’ll be taking a fairly “liberal” position that my “denomination” usually doesn’t see eye to eye with me about.”
A Rabbi that recently read Barry’s book said: “Loved your book. It really (more than most Jewish books on the topic) gave me a fresh perspective on Mikveh, because you look at the topic with such fresh eyes. I would be hard-pressed to give you feedback relevant to Christian audiences -- it seems as if you are rather fearless and unflinching!”
“From reading my book,” Fike believes, “a Christian will gain a new appreciation for something that many considered a Christian innovation. Instead, they will learn about the rich history of ritual immersion beginning with the children of Israel in the wilderness and continuing until, and beyond, the time of Jesus.”
As for advice to those wishing to become published, Fike encourages, “Work hard and don’t quit sending your book to publishers. The major ones will take quite a bit of work, maybe even some money on your part since you are an unknown. Try to find publishers who will pay all expenses hoping that you’re the next Steinbeck or Hemingway. At least that way you’ll be published and can begin to show off your rhetorical skills. The problem with such publishers is that they usually don’t have editors and you’d better do a pretty good job in editing your work or it can look shoddy and ill prepared for the public to take seriously. Anyone that loves to write and research should share their material with the world. You never know who might pick up your book and it change their life or give them a new perspective.”
If you are interested in Barry Fike’s book, click on the following link for more information
http://www.amazon.com/Mikveh-Relationship-Immersion-Christian-Baptism/dp/1607037742
Thank you for joining me once again for another edition of Author Fridays! Be sure to come back next week, same time, same place to read about our next featured author, (To Be Announced).
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Just a couple of comments.
ReplyDelete1. Commercial publishers don't charge for publication, even for debut novels. Therefore it's not clear what Mr Fike means when he says, "The major ones will take quite a bit of work, maybe even some money on your part since you are an unknown."
If you're paying to be published - either upfront or through the back door by buying your own books from the publisher - this is vanity publishing. This is *not* being accepted by a major publisher.
2. Contrary to the claim that "The problem with such publishers is that they usually don’t have editors", commercial publishers *do* have editors. The major houses have them and the small presses have them.
My first novel is being published by a small press. It had two rounds of edits, plus it will be read by a final line editor and a copyeditor.
Vanity presses generally don't have editors, since they make their money from authors rather than from the reading public.
Thank you.