Day 2 of the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance tour for Taylor Field's Squat brings us to the first half of my interview with the author. Many thanks to Taylor for taking the time to answer my questions and to David Woodard, of Broadman&Holman Publishing, for his help.
The Bedford Review(TBR): Is Jason's character based on you and your experiences when you first went to the city?
Taylor Field(TF): My experience was different than Jason's, but I have struggled with some of the same issues he is struggling with.
TBR: Unc states many different theories to help make Jason think. From your experience, do you believe that the church has contributed to this culture?
TF: I believe that many actions have unintended consequences. Many of our deeds as individuals and as churches produce results we did not expect. These issues can be especially intense when addiction is involved, and I wanted this novel to come at some of those problems from a different perspective. I remember hearing a song by the songwriter David Wilcox entitled "Guilty Either Way." The songwriter felt guilty if he helped his alcoholic friend, and he felt guilty if he didn't help him. I wanted to show Jason struggling with some of the problems many of us struggle with in terms of the help we provide and the motives behind our help.On another level, a case could be made, for example, that in the 1930's cheap food and cheap housing in the Bowery contributed to attracting a particular group of people to its neighborhood. Did free food from churches and free housing in squats attract a certain kind of person to the Lower East Side in the 1980's? I was interested in the fact that few Christian providers in the area wanted to talk about such a possibility in this neighborhood at the time. However, my hope was that the novel could convey heartache of some of these problems from some other angles besides the sociological.
TBR: What impact has Graffiti Ministries had on the homeless situation?
TF: I don't think we can really evaluate the long-term effects. In some way or other, the ministry reaches out to over ten thousand people a year. However, at this point in my life, I see the truth in the scripture which says "people cannot see the scope of God's work from beginning to the end" (Ecclesiastes 3:11). I do believe that Jesus has instructed us on how to give a party (Luke 14:13). I hope we at Graffiti continue to say, "Yes, Lord, we follow your instructions." It is certainly true, in my opinion, that the bigger the city, the more personal we need to become.
TBR: What do your sons think of the mission field you are involved in?
TF: This mission was and still is their family. I find it fascinating that they both left the city to go to school and they are both business majors. I've never taken a business course in my life.
The second part of this interview will be posted tomorrow. Make sure you join us because Taylor will let us in on his future writing projects.
To learn more about the author and this book, follow this link.
Please take the time to visit the other blogs that are participating in the tour.
Alison at A Little Creative LicenseAmber at Amber MillerBonnie at Bonnie WritesBrandilyn at Forensics and FaithCaleb at Reviews Plus+Camy at Camy TangCheryl at Unseen WorldsChris at Chris Wells: Learning CurveChris at So Much Stuff I Can't RecallChristy at Christy's Book BlogDaniel at Daniel I. WeaverDave at Curmudgeon's RantDave at Stupid Human TricksDebbie at On Considering InconveniencesDebra at Soul ReflectionsDee at Christian FictionDineen at Kittens Come From EggsErnie at Writing: My Adventures In WordsGeorgiana at Georgiana DGina at Refreshment In RefugeJim T. at The Well-Dressed BranchJaime at Just a Little Something To Read Before BillsJason at Spoiled For The OrdinaryJennifer at UnwrittenJerome at Christian Political FictionJoe at Words on a PageJoleen at faithfictionKathleen at Reading, Writing and What Else is There?Katie at Christian NovelsKelly at A Disciple's StepsKelly at Scrambled DregsKevin H. at Collected MiscellanyKevin L. at The Bookshelf ReviewLaShaunda at See Ya On The NetLauren at Wren ReviewsLinda at Musings From The WindowsillLisa at Author IntrusionMarcia at Writer-leeMarilynn at Rhythms of GraceMimi at Mimi's Pixie CornerMichael at gritty and brightMichelle at Just A MinuteNessie at Illuminating FictionRebecca at A Christian Worldview of FictionRuth at Booktalk & more...Sean at Sean SlagleShanna at Intertextual MeSue at Never Ceese - A Spiritual FantasySusan at Susan May WarrenTina at Scraps of MeTony at TLHinesTricia at It's Real LifeTy at Cookie MixValerie at In My Little WorldVicki at The Savvy Christian WriterVirginia at Crazy about Coffee
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