Interview with Jessica Spelman

Author of The Last Prophet

Where are you from originally and where do you reside now?

I grew up and live in central Ohio with my husband and four kids.

If you currently reside somewhere besides where you were born, what’s the story that lead from there to here?

I lived in England for a year during college, and I lived in Phoenix, Arizona for 5 years in the late 1990s. I spent a month working in a rural hospital in Kenya. But central Ohio is my home.

What made you decide to write and publish your first book?

I was working as a primary care physician in a downtown clinic in Marion, Ohio. Marion is an old factory town that had been left behind. My clientele consisted of drug addicts, kids in the foster care system and folks struggling to survive day to day. My husband was pastoring a church in the same low-income town. I got hit with a bogus malpractice suit, and my oldest son got in with a bad crowd at school. I needed something in my life that was completely different.

Books had always been my escape from the stresses of life. I love the way a good story carries you off on an adventure. I’d never considered writing, but it gave me a purpose and escape at the same time.

How would you describe your books to first time readers?

The Last Prophet is a Christian sci-fi. It takes place a thousand years after the “rapture.” It is the story of how a Utopian society falls back into sin and disaster. Teen-aged Erik is a nonbeliever who finds himself in the midst of apocalyptic events.

Who do you feel is most likely to connect with the topics you write about?

This book’s target audience is young adults who are Christians or open to Christian ideas.

What unexpected or surprising thing did you learn during the process of writing and publishing?

Essentially, I created a story for myself – a book that I would want to read. The good news was that other people loved the story too.

If you could, what advice would you give to your past self before embarking on this journey?

I would tell myself not to give up, that failure is the most common pathway to success.

How many people would you ideally like to reach with your books?

I would love to reach teens and young adults all over America.

What has been the biggest challenge and frustration during the process to date?

Marketing to the appropriate audience is expensive and challenging.

What’s your biggest strengths when it comes to book a) writing, b) publishing and c) marketing?

I love writing and the process of a story evolving into a book. I love talking to people individually and in groups.

What’s your biggest weakness when it comes to book a) writing, b) publishing and c) marketing?

Marketing has been a challenge for me. I self-published, so I don’t have an agent. I’m also still working as a physician to support my family, so it’s a balancing act.

When do you think you will write your next book?

I have 3 books written and in the editing stage. I’m trying to find an agent at this point.

Are you self published or did you use a hybrid publisher, or a traditional publisher?

I did self-publish. But I’m hoping to go through a traditional publisher for my next book.