I initially registered for a writer’s retreat because a friend from Christian Mix 106 and some members from Southern Christian Writers wanted me to go with them. I paid for a private room to pray for direction and work on my next manuscript.
Then Christian Mix 106 offered me a permanent spot Monday night for Pursue Your Passion’s five-minute interviews to help independent artist promote the things they are passionate about. Instead of producing the program sporadically to be dropped in wherever the station needs to fill time, we now needed fifty-two interviews.
It occurred to me there would be many people at the retreat willing to talk about their writing. I got permission from the radio station to represent them at the retreat, and my friend got permission from the retreat director.
I checked into my room and quickly learned how difficult it would be to fulfill my plan. Another radio station had already made appointments with attendees in advance. The retreat had announced their presence, and they had a prime spot to set up. There was no way to let the attendees know I was doing the same thing, and I loathed the idea of competing with another Christian for interviews. They were here first, so I told my friend from Christian Mix I will not do interviews and left my equipment in the suitcase.
I skipped the morning session to pray and work on my manuscript. When I left to get a cup of coffee, my friend saw me and exclaimed, “Where have you been? The man doing interviews had equipment problems and canceled. I just announced at the main session that Christian Mix is doing interviews.” She dropped a stack of business cards in my hand. “All of these people want an interview.” I set up my Rodecaster and microphones, then put a sign on the table announcing Faith’s Mystery availability in the conference bookstore, hoping they might buy a copy.
Two days and seventeen interviews later, I was exhausted. Twenty-two names were on the signup sheet for phone interviews. I left ten books in the conference bookstore and went home with ten books. The people I met were interested in me as a radio host, not an author.
Faith's Mystery 