Jimmy Root Jr.
Jimmy Root Jr., author of Distant Thunder: Book One of the Lightning Chronicles is a life-long student of Bible prophecy and has connected ancient prophecies with world events in a fast-paced fiction thriller. Jimmy has been an ordained Pastor since 1982 and has served churches in Nebraska and Missouri. He and his family also served for five years in Colombia, South America as a church planter and educator. He is an alumnus of Central Bible College of Springfield, Missouri, and Southeastern University of Lakeland, Florida majoring in Theology and Cultural Studies. Raised in the Mid-West, Jimmy is an outdoorsman and sports enthusiast. He is an aficionado of the military thriller genre and is an avid blogger as well as an author. More can be discovered about Distant Thunder and the Lightning Chronicles series by visiting his website at: www.lightningchronicles.com. He also hosts a blog dealing with current world events and their relationship to Bible prophecy at: www.prophecyalert.blogspot.com, as well as a writer’s blog at: www.lightningchronicles.blogspot.com. His Facebook url is: http://profile.to/jimmyrootjr/
Distant Thunder by Jimmy Root Jr.
Welcome to Beyond the Books, Jimmy. Can we start out by telling us whether you are published for the first time or are you multi-published?
Thank you. This is my first published work beyond a few articles written for a religious periodical.
What was the name of your very first book regardless of whether it was published or not and, if not published, why?
Distant Thunder was my very first book, and fortunately, it received a contract and will be released on August 10, 2009.
For your first published book, how many rejections did you go through before you either found a mainstream publisher, self-published it, or paid a vanity press to publish it?
The dream of seeing one’s work in print is blissful. Actually making it happen is closer to being a nightmare. I sent upwards of two hundred and fifty queries to publishers and agents before receiving three positive responses. Most of my queries went unanswered. All but three were rejected, but of those three traditional publishers, I was able to pick the one that best fit what I was seeking. So, although the process was somewhat stressful, it all turned out as a positive experience in the end.
How did the rejections make you feel and what did you do to overcome the blows?
No one likes rejection. But I am the kind of person that uses rejection as a motivation to achieve my goal. I knew what I had written had merit both as a message and as an exciting storyline. It was simply a matter of perseverance.
When your first book was published, who published it and why did you choose them?
Distant Thunder is being published by American Book Publishers, a smaller traditional publishing company. The contract thay present seemed to be very pro-author, and they go out of their way to find and partner with new unknown authors. In today’s publishing market, unless an author has an established name or a high powered agent, it is practically impossible to be picked up by a major publisher. My experience with ABP has been a delight in most aspects.
How did it make you feel to become published for the first time and how did you celebrate?
I suppose the first feeling was relief. As I said, the process was stressful. But seeing one’s work put into a marketable package is exhilarating. I celebrated by giving my first copy away, then taking my wife out for dinner.
What was the first thing you did as for as promotion when you were published for the first time?
The first act thing I activity I did was a book signing. I sold about eighty books and signed them all. It was a wonderful way to start, especially since at my second book signing I only sold five or six.
If you had to do it over again, would you have chosen another route to be published?
I’m not sure if it would be any different if I could do it all over again. As I stated earlier, most traditional publisher will not even consider someone like me. Self-publishing was not an option, nor was the route of a vanity press. I had plenty of opportunity to do both, but I felt traditional publishing was the only option I wanted to pursue.
Have you been published since then and how have you grown as an author?
Yes. The second book in the Lighting Chronicles trilogy, A Gathering Storm, received a contract and is in the editing process. I can certainly say that the publishing experience, especially partnering with an editor, has made me a much better writer.
Looking back since the early days when you were trying to get published, what do you think you could have done differently to speed things up? What kind of mistakes could you have avoided?
For me, the entire process was a learning experience. I had to research the fine art of writing a query letter, and then figure out how to pitch my book. I know authors who have spent upwards of five or more years pitching their books before finding a publisher. Again, I was fortunate to have been able to find one within three months of finishing my manuscript.
What has been the biggest accomplishment you have achieved since becoming published?
I think the biggest accomplishment has actually come with the publishing. I am speaking specifically of using Distant Thunder to build a platform. As the book concerns the fulfillment of ancient Biblical prophecy within the framework of current world events, I was able to build a platform that speaks directly to the accuracy of the Bible. It is something that people want to hear.
If you could have chosen another profession, what would that profession be?
Actually, my day job is as a member of the clergy. I pastor a fine congregation in a Kansas City suburb and love every minute of it. My writing and my ministry go hand in hand.
Would you give up being an author for that profession or have you combined the best of both worlds?
It is literally the best of both worlds. I am able to use my ongoing experience as a pastor in molding my storylines and characters. Plus, a large part of preaching is storytelling. I am a natural storyteller, so it seemed to be a natural step to begin putting a story to paper.
How do you see yourself in ten years?
The way things are heading I see myself having published the entirety of the Lightning Chronicles series and be well into another extended series in the area of historical fiction. My goal is to develop a story based on the life and times of the Old Testament prophet, Daniel.
Any final words for writers who dream of being published one day?
First, I would tell my fellow writers that their dream is worth pursuing. It takes work, but the reward of seeing your story published is worth the struggle. Second, I would encourage them to persevere. Rejection will come, but use that rejection to refine yourself and your writing. Stick with it. Grow. Don’t give up.
