Steven Massey has been with Paley, Whatley, & Greenleaf Press since 2017.
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*Author Interview*
Q1: Why do you write?
I write to give thanks to God for his steadfast love. I write to express my emotions and feelings with the hope that this connects people to my experience but more importantly to God, the author of my life.
Q2: How would you describe your writing method?
My writing method is a connection of relational and devotional. My book is unique in that it combines two writing styles. The songs are poems that I have written which are very personal and authentic. Then there are devotions that expand and expound the message of the poem.
Q3: How would you respond to the question, Is there Christian art or artists who are Christian?
When I look at creation, I see beauty. I see it in the serenity and power of the ocean and the babbling stream. It see it in the interaction of flora and fauna. I see it in each fragile snowflake and each majestic mountain. I would say that God is the greatest artist. Since we are his creation, he has placed in his children the capability for art. So Christian art and artists are a natural result of praise by his children who were created in his image.
Q4: Do you have words of wisdom for aspiring authors?
If you feel like you have a message to share, share it. I wrote my book because a friend made a simple statement. “Steve, you have a gift.” That was all the encouragement I needed to get started.
Q5: Which of your creations has brought you the most joy?
The poem that started the healing for me is the song, Standing Stone. I have the ability to put words to a well known melody. Standing Stone was written when I was at the beginning of the healing process and I consider it to be a gift of God.
Q6: Which of your creations brought you the most heartache?
The reality is that this whole book, Songs from the Pit is a product of heartache. It was God’s way to bring me healing and also giving grief a voice, hopefully for healing. I would say that one of the most personal poems was “What Do I Tell My Son.” How does one give reason to a child whose whole life has changed because his mother died with no warning?
Q7: Is there anything that you’d like to say?
You have a message to share. God has uniquely prepared you to be his witness. Listen to the voice if it has been placed on your heart to share your story. But also be patient, because there needs to be somebody who will be willing to give a platform for your voice to be heard. Thank you Athanatos Ministries for taking that risk with me.