Writer’s Desk with J.A. Webb
Tricia Goyer
Writer’s Desk with J.A. WebbJ. A. Webb is a former atheist and now a devoted follower of Christ, a military veteran, husband, father, small business owner, and Genesis award-winning author writing from his four-acre farmstead in the upper Midwest USA.
Connect with J.A. on his website, and Bookbub, and sign up for his newsletter.
More about FragmentsThe world ended—but its masters remained.
The year is 2158. Civilization has collapsed, but from the ashes, the Order has emerged, not as a savior, but as the unseen power that has ruled all along. Once a subtle force lurking in the background of human history, the cataclysm has unveiled the Order’s dominion in full—an unchallenged, one-world religion that bends all to its will. Truth is a relic. Dissent is a death sentence.
For Father Curtis, a priest of the Order of the Eternal, devotion has long been his refuge. Hidden away in his quiet parish, he has been content to believe the world is as the Order proclaims—until he is branded a heretic and forced to flee for his life. On the run, he begins to uncover a terrifying reality: the faith he upheld was never about salvation—it was about control. The Order does not serve humanity. It enslaves it.
Now, as whispers of rebellion stir, Curtis must decide: will he cling to the lies that once gave him peace, or risk everything to pursue a truth that could shatter the Order’s dominion forever?
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*Due to shipping prices, giveaway open to US addresses only*Q&A with J.A. WebbARCF: Can you tell us a little about Fragments and the inspiration behind it?
JAW: Every time I read 2 Kings 22 the impact is the same. Think about it- the nation of Israel had literally forgotten about the “Book of the Law”, their early version of the Bible. An entire nation, having completely forgotten about God and his Book! All the more impactful knowing how close our own nation is to repeating that mistake.
I often wonder- if such were to happen in our time, how would God move in such a world, where the Bible is lost to living memory? How would he reach out to people? How would they find Him? What would it be like for them to live in such darkness?
Of course, as a former atheist, I know darkness well, and remember suffering that hopeless search, the aching void, the meaninglessness. One which can only be filled by Creator God.
I experienced what it was like to seek truth, but knowing not where to begin looking.
The experiences are quite parallel, living in a world which knows nothing of God and living a life devoid of the knowledge of Him.
And that made me think about the seeker of today- still wandering in that darkness, many having no one to show the way to the light. To them, it is as if the Bible has been lost, for they know nothing of God.
I wanted to write to that person, to meet them where they are. To reach out to them within the context of an exciting tale that is engaging- that stands on its own with or without the underlying spiritual themes. Not a polemic, not preachy- but asking the big questions. Helping lead them to the light while thrilling their souls with a great story.
A parallel motivation to write this series is this- there is too little Christian fiction in the genres that men and young men are looking for. There’s plenty of great Christian Romance, Romantic Suspense, Cozy Mystery, and lots of YA written by and for the female audience, with female teen main characters and commensurate stakes.
That’s not to say any of that’s not great fiction. It is. It’s not to say men and young men can’t enjoy those genres. They can. But . . . . those books are not written for and to the Christian man or young man.
So, meeting that need is one of the great motivators that keeps me writing. If we don’t provide great Christian fiction in this space, young men will be forced to seek exciting stories in the secular marketplace. Complete with the problematic worldviews.
I, myself, run out of reading material and am forced to delve into the wider marketplace. And every time I buy a book I cringe to begin listening, not sure what kind of offensive language, content, or twisted worldview screed I’ve let myself I’m in for.
ARCF: Which character in Fragments do you most relate to personally, and why?
JAW: I most empathize with Father Curtis. The poor guy has been searching his whole life for something to believe in, something to live for, but never finding answers that satisfied.
And then, to watch his soul fill with joy at his discovery of the true God of Creation? That was really inspiring to me, and I hope it will be for the readers!
ARCF: If Fragments got picked up for a movie adaptation, who would you want to cast for the main characters?
JAW: Ian McKellan, who played Gandalf in Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings, is the obvious choice for Professor Reuel, and might one hope, at the same time, it would spark within his own soul some interest in our Lord?
I’d love to see Jim Caviezel as Father Curtis.
Bill Fagerbakke is going to need a time machine as he’ll be playing both young Leif and young Lars.
And we’d definitely need Jonathan Roumie to play Phillip.
ARCF: Is there a particular song or soundtrack that you listened to while writing Fragments?
JAW: I don’t listen to music when I write. I keep meaning to, but I get so immersed in the story, I forget. Anyway, I’d probably either not hear the music- or get too engrossed in it to write.
ARCF: What do you hope readers take away from Fragments?
JAW: I hope they turn the last page, anxious for the next book to come out. Excited to have spent time in the world of the Seekers. And having their souls thrilled- or in the case of the lost- having the big questions echoing in their minds. Unable to silence those echoes until they’ve sought Him out.
ARCF: Do you see Fragments as more of a psychological journey or a spiritual one?
JAW: Though the story progresses as an interplay between the passions and desires of the characters, and their struggle to survive against the efforts of the tyrannical Order, the underlying fabric is absolutely spiritual. Just as the spiritual informs everything in our lives, here in the real world.
ARCF: What does your typical writing process look like? Do you plot everything or write more instinctively?
JAW: I’m a total discovery writer, not a plotter.
When I start writing, I have a big picture idea of what the story is, but just as my readers will, I get the joy of discovery as the story plays out. Even better, I get the thrill of surprise as my characters suddenly do the unexpected in the middle of a scene, taking the story to completely new places that I’d never have imagined.
What fun!
ARCF: How long did it take you to write Fragments from start to finish?
JAW: The actual book took a little over two months to write . . . but then nearly two years and dozens upon dozens of re-writes (and a lot of learning about craft) before I got it to a publishable state.
That first draft was UGLY!
ARCF: What challenges did you face while writing this story — either creatively or emotionally?
JAW: There are always those whispers, the self-doubts. “Maybe this isn’t good enough. Can I really write a book that other people are going to enjoy?”
And once it written? Trying to find an audience when your book is one needle in a haystack of millions of books? It sometimes seems an insurmountable task. It’s easy to feel like giving up.
But then, to hear from readers who have been blessed by the book is such a thrill, leaving you ready to charge out and write another!
ARCF: What authors or books that influenced you becoming an author?
JAW: I grew up reading great fiction with very questionable world views. Great writers like Heinlein, Asimov, Ayn Rand, Frank Herbert.
The world needs Christian fiction just as great, sadly lacking in these genres, especially as written for men and young men, right now..
ARCF: What has been the most surprising or touching piece of feedback you’ve received from a reader?
JAW: I hate to play favorites, every reader reaction is so precious. So I’ll generalize and give you a few.
It’s touching to me when a parent or grandparent reads my book, then buys a copy for a wayward child in hopes it’ll inspire them . . . and then to hear that it did!
It’s thrilling to hear from a teen boy who has always “hated reading”, but now loves to read because he’s found a book written for him!
It’s amazing to hear from non-believers, some who have even been self-described followers of Wiccanism, who appreciated that the book wasn’t “preachy”, and who are now on their own journey of discovery- hopefully to one day enter the fold. What a privilege!
ARCF: And finally, can you share what is coming up next?
Inheritance, Book Two of the Seekers Series is releasing 5/13/25 and is now available for pre-order wherever books are sold, in eBook, print, and audio- the audio narrated by multi-Nebula, Grammy, and Audie award winner Stefan Rudnicki.
He’s been my favorite narrator since Ender’s Game. What a thrill to have such a talent narrate my own books!
Interregnum and Persecution, books 3 and 4 of the series, are now in the works and will be released in the coming year.
But in the meantime readers can get more free reading at jawebbauthor.com/free where currently the series prequel Novella Fugitive is available free in eBook or audio form.
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