Hot Apple Cider

Keith Clemons is the author of the second selection in Hot Apple Cider. Keith, who is known for his issues-based fiction, wrote a true story about two miracles that happened in his parent's lives. Both miracles were apparently the result of the prayers of two mothers – Keith's grandmother and his mom. The title is "Faith of Our Mothers – Holy Faith."

Keith Clemons is the author of four award winning novels. His first three, If I Should Die, Above the Stars, and These Little Ones, each earned the “Best Contemporary Fiction” award at The Word Guild’s Canadian Christian Writing Awards celebration, with his latest release, Angel in the Alley, taking home an Honorable Mention. 

Of all the books handled by STL Distribution, Angel in the Alley was the top selling title at the 300 store chain of Family Christian Stores for three consecutive months in 2008.

Keith is an alumnus of California State University, Fullerton, where he earned his degree in English Literature.

In addition to writing, he frequently appears on radio and television where he expounds on trends that affect both the Church and society at large.

His passion for communication has resulted in the publication of more than a hundred articles.

He resides with his wife at their home in Caledon, Ontario.

Keith, Hot Apple Cider came together in a rather unusual way. What made you want to have your work in it?

I believe Canada has some of today’s brightest and most creative minds, so when I was asked to participate and be associated with this exceptional group of thinkers and writers, I didn’t hesitate. It was only after the book was released that the wisdom of my decision was revealed. It humbles me to be aligned with the finest talent in the nation, if not the world.

This book is 100% Canadian. Canadian authors, publisher, printer – everything. Is that important to you?

Absolutely! The population of the United States is nearly ten times that of Canada, so with a greater pool of talent to draw from, U.S. writers often receive accolades for having brilliant ideas, while Canadians are overlooked. What Hot Apple Cider does, in pulling together this collection of Canadian talent, is clearly demonstrate that great thought and creativity are also to be found north of the border.

In her foreword for Hot Apple Cider, Janette Oke mentions that writers are often asked, “Why do you write?” How do you respond to that question?

At the risk sounding cliché, I must say it’s a calling. I believe I was called from my youth. I’ve always wanted to write. In university, I took my degree in English Literature, even though my friends argued that all I could do with an English degree was become a teacher, or a librarian. It took many years of wandering before God got me to settle down long enough to write my first novel, but once He had me where He wanted me, He opened the doors, and I haven’t looked back.

You have four novels published and one more due out soon. Yet for your submission to Hot Apple Cider, you decided to write a touching story about your parents. Why the switch?

I’ve been troubled for some time about the lack of miracles in some Christian’s lives. It’s almost as if they believe God is out there in the great cosmos, but that He can’t, or won’t, intervene on their behalf. I decided to use this particular opportunity to share with readers two very real miracles that happened to my parents, incidents that cannot be explained in the natural world, and that could only have come about by the supernatural hand of God. But to do this, I had to write a straight forward account. Telling the story as a fiction piece would have undermined the message.

Keith, where did you find the very folksy, humorous voice you used in “Faith or Our Mothers—Holy Faith”? It’s quite different from your normal fictional voice.

That’s an interesting question. It wasn’t what I intended to do. It’s just that one day I was driving in my car mulling over what I was going to say, and as I listened to the voice rehearsing the story in my mind, it had that folksy drawl you mentioned, so when I got back and started writing, that’s the way it came out.

What do you feel you can do in a novel that you can’t do in nonfiction?

I have always used my fiction to communicate a message. Whether I’m addressing right to life issues, child trafficking, or, as in my latest novel, the threat of Islam, I wrap my topics in stories that, at the core, are really about people and change. I try to get my readers involved with the characters, so they’ll hopefully relate to the story on a personal level. I want my readers to reach the same conclusion they might by reading a non-fiction book on the subject, but without feeling preached at, or indoctrinated.

I’m assuming you get feedback from people about your books, and feedback is great for the author – you know someone is actually reading your words! But I’m wondering if you’ve learned anything from your readers that you could share with us?

The number one thing I’ve learned is that you never know who’s reading your books, or what impact they might have. Some time ago I received a letter from an inmate of the California State Prison in San Luis Obispo. Someone had given him one of my books and he was so blessed he wanted to know if I’d written any others. I sent him several, and received a heartfelt thank you letter along with his testimony. About a year later I received another letter from the same prison, but this time from another inmate requesting more of my books. So it would appear I have a growing fan club in the California State Pen.

Aside from your own story, is there a particular piece or thought in the book Hot Apple Cider that stood out for you?

That’s a really tough question. There are so many poignant stories it seems unfair to zero in on just one, but if I must, the piece I most readily call to mind is, “On Writing with Passion and Integrity,” by M.D. Meyer. It’s just a short story, tucked in toward the back of the book, but it really voices the way I feel about my own writing—the compulsion and zeal to write for the Lord. The author even used the phrase, “Sometimes I think I’m only a pen in His hands.” She didn’t know it, but that’s something I pray almost every day. I say, “Lord, let me be the pen in your hand, let your Holy Spirit flow through me like ink, let me communicate your thoughts, not my own, for that is the only thing of value to my readers.”

A lot of people want to share their stories in order to help others. What advice do you have for someone who wants to write but isn't sure where to begin?

I suppose that depends on the person. God gives different gifts to different people. For some, the answer might be to write. If the person feels called in this direction, then by all means they should put pen to paper and write their story down. Even if it’s never published, it will still document the story, and who knows what God might do with it at some point in the future. Someone else, however, may have a different gift entirely. Perhaps they’re called to speak. More good stories are told from pulpits that from the printed page.

Or maybe it’s enough to share what God has done one–on-one with friends and family, or whomever God puts in their path. Whether they write, speak, or just want to pass their story along to the next generation, the important thing is to do something. An untold story is worthless. God brings circumstances into a person’s life for a reason, and often that reason is to help others, so if God has given them something to share, I say—do it!

Are you working on something else now?

Yes, I have just completed my fifth novel, Mohamed’s Moon, which tells the story of two brothers separated at birth who grow up in different cultures worlds apart: one as a Christian, and one as a follower of Islam. It’s a modern story of Cain and Able, where the lines are drawn not just over which God is right, but also over the fact that they’re both in love with the same girl. Except for the final copy edit, that project is done and due for release in May, so I’m currently on another deadline and making progress with writing book number six.

What is your prayer for the readers of Hot Apple Cider?

A book like this contains numerous touching stories, each of which carries a slightly different emphasis, each of which is communicated in a slightly different way. Only God knows which story is needed by a particular  individual to help lighten a heart, resolve an issue, or meet a specific need. It is my prayer that everyone who opens this book finds that one particular story written uniquely written for them, and that they receive encouragement, insight and spiritual blessing from the reading.

Read Keith's article in Hot Apple Cider

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