Interview with Christian Adventure Novelist Jonathan Williams, Author of Jungle Sunrise




Jonathan Williams served as a missionary with the International Mission Board’s Xtreme Team in the jungles of Peru for two years. It was there, lying under a mosquito net in a hut in the middle of the Amazon Jungle, that Williams began to write his first novel, Jungle Sunrise. Williams, 30, writes and lives in North Texas with his beautiful wife, Jessica, and adorable daughter, Gracie. He pastors Body Life church and serves as the Campus Pastor for Trinity Christian Academy as he pursues a Masters of Divinity degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. His passion and desire is to inspire readers with creativity and truth.

Visit www.JungleSunrise.com for social links, reviews, and a video trailer.

Q: Welcome to The Writer's Life, Jonathan. Can you tell us how long you’ve been writing professionally and how your journey led to writing your latest book, Jungle Sunrise?

I began to write as a staff writer for newspapers and magazines in college. I enjoyed the journalistic writing style, but prefer creative writing and the freedom and challenges of writing fiction. Jungle Sunrise is my first novel. The story was born out of my personal experiences as a missionary in the Peruvian jungles. I spent two years discovering how God can get your attention and change your life when you’re in the middle of a native village. I wrote this story in order to inspire readers to open up to that kind of experience.

Q: I love your title…can you tell us why you chose it?

My wife actually named the book. I was struggling landing on a title, and she came up with it. Jungle Sunrise is a perfect title, though, because it immediately engages the reader with the dangerous and native background of the story while alluding to the symbolism of the protagonist’s journey. Throughout the story, the reader will encounter various sunrises that often point to a turning point in the life of Jonah Frost.

Q: Why did you believe your book should be published?

The adventure, danger, and love story will entertain, but my hope reaches far beyond that. I think that readers will be inspired by this story. Most people can relate to a character that is searching for a second chance at life, and they’ll be encouraged to know that those chances are out there.



Q: Can you tell us the story behind your book cover? Did you choose it or did your publisher, Nordskog Publishing, have full control? Were you happy with the decision or did you have something else in mind?

The entire Nordskog Publishing team, especially Desta Garrett, was so gracious in allowing me to have input and involvement in the cover design. The picture on the cover is actually one that I took of an actual Peruvian jungle sunrise. I was standing on the edge of one of the villages, Masenawa, where I was afforded a beautiful view of the river, the tree line, and, of course, the breathtaking sunrise.

Q: How have you approached marketing your book? Do you have someone doing it for you or have you had to do most of the marketing yourself?

AHelen Cook with PrimeStar Publicity has been invaluable in promoting Jungle Sunrise. She has scheduled multiple online and radio interviews, sent out press releases, and made this virtual book tour possible. I have also had several book signings at churches and bookstores.

Q: What book on the market can it compare to? How is it different? What makes your book special?

Kaci Hill, co-author of Lunatic and Elyon with NY Times Bestselling Author Ted Dekker, reviewed Jungle Sunrise for FictionAddict.com and compared my novel with The End of the Spear, Apocalypto, and Safely Home. I think Jungle Sunrise is unique because the main character becomes intimately involved with the true culture of the jungle tribe, the Amarakaeri. Their way of life, native dialect, and personalities are all reflected in the book, setting it apart from other adventure novels based on research rather than experience.

Q: Open to a random page in your book. Can you tell us what is happening?

Jonah Frost, the main character, is in the middle of a jaguar hunt in the depths of the jungle. This is a pivotal moment. Jonah is becoming the man he was meant to be, beginning a new chapter in a story that he thought was already over.

Q: Do you plan subsequent books?

I’m currently working on my second novel, which follows the story of neglected street kids living in crowded plazas in a city in the Andes mountains.

Q: Thank you for your interview, Jonathan. Would you like to tell my readers where they can find you on the web and how everyone can buy your book?

Thank you for this opportunity. For reviews, a synopsis, links, and a video trailer, visit www.JungleSunrise.com. The best place to purchase the book is through www.Amazon.com.

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