Giveaway and Author Interview: The Victor

Welcome to Writing for Christ! Thank you for being with us today.
Tell us about yourself!

Marlayne Giron is a full-time career secretary, wife and mother who likes to read, cook, entertain, draw, ice-skate and scrapbook. The Victor is her first novel.
1: How long did you write before you were published?

I actually got my start writing in my early teens with my best friend, Lisa. She put us in as characters into our favorite television series at the time (The Six Million Dollar Man). We read our parts out loud to each other and just cracked up. It was so much fun I wrote the next one. We wrote hundreds of these short stories (and one “feature” length one as well each). I was inspired to write The Victor from an Amy Grant song from 30 years ago called “Fairytale” from her Father’s Eyes Album. (As a result of my employment 30 years ago with the now President of the Gospel Music Association, Amy Grant has a copy of my book and autographed mine for me. I’m hoping to meet her this June at the Life and Faith Concert in Richmond, VA.) I wrote the first draft in about a year on a Smith Corona typewriter (yes...before there were computers) and rewrote it more times than I can count over the course of the next ten years. After almost 30 years it was finally released during Holy Week of 2009 which was appropriate because the entire book basically retells the fall of Satan, the fall of man of the redemption of Christ’s bride, the church as a medieval romance.

2: When you held that first book in your hands, what was your first thought?

It was actually surreal. It felt odd. It was just hard to believe that the “story” I hadn’t been able to pay people to read for the past 30 years was finally in print; especially when you consider the fact that I had basically given up on and forgotten all about it for over ten years! I still find it hard to believe all this is happening!

3: What are you working on now?

Marketing, marketing, marketing! I waited so long for The Victor to come into existence that I want to make sure it reaches the full potential in ministry that God has for it. I am having some success getting it into public schools along with the Lesson Plan I created with a teacher friend. It is not a book written for fellow believers (although all who have read it really love it). It was written for the unbeliever as a way to convey the Gospel to people who have no interest in church or reading the Bible. I found Jesus as my Messiah as a nonreligious Jew as a direct result of watching Jesus of Nazareth on television in 1977 despite my ingrained bias. I believe the Lord wants to use this book to reach the lost and gave me a scripture shortly after I began writing it confirm the idea was from Him: Psalm 45. The first verse reads: My heart overflows with a good theme; I address my verses to the King; my tongue is the pen of a ready writer.” The remainder of the Psalm describes the wedding of the King to His bride which I use almost in its entirety at the end of the book.

4: Where can readers find out more about your books?

My book website is: http://www.thevictorbook.com/ . It is available on the usual websites: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Christianbook.com (search on my first and last name not the title) or for those who would like a personally autographed copy I have Paypal on my website along with the Lesson Plan. The accompanying Student workbook is a free download.

5: What message(s) do you want to be clear to your readers?

For fellow believers: that the Bible is the ultimate love story of our redemption and that we are loved with a passionate love by our Savior. For those who don’t believe: that they will identify and become emotionally involved with the main characters so as to recognize that they too have a choice to make; whether to accept their rightful King and enter into his kingdom of light, love and peace or to reject Him and have nothing to do with His kingdom.

6: What are two things that people wouldn't normally know about you as a writer and or person?

I write “wish fulfillment” stories for anyone who asks as a gift. I have done about 20 so far and the person who requests is put into their own story as the “star” (just like the stories I used to write as a kid). Their stories are then posted on my book website for their family and friends to enjoy. The other interesting fact would be that I never went to college or took advanced writing classes. It’s all a result of a lot of reading and writing for pleasure.

Thank you for being with us today. Any final words for readers?

I love to make new friends, please feel free to email me at thevictorbook@sbcglobal.net

Okay readers here is your chance to check out Marlayne's book!

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