From the Author:
Q. Interviewer: Why do you write?
A. Jack: I'm passionate about teaching children the importance of faith, the true meaning of riches, and to never give up chasing their dreams. The stories in The Lost and Found Journal of a Miner 49er, Vol. 1 began as weekly read-alouds for my homeschooled daughter; later, I incorporated them into Sunday School lessons read to 1st-5th graders at my church. Each story presents a clear moral lesson with reference to a Scripture verse. The stories make for a fun way to engage kids in spiritual truths.
Q. Interviewer: If you had to do something differently as a child or teenager to become a better writer as an adult, what would you do?
A. Jack: Fiction writing, at its core, is comprised of four major elements: grammar, poetry, character and (most importantly) ideas. As a young writer, I didn't understand this, which led me to place too great an emphasis on the poetic side of writing. Flourishes of the pen are fantastic to read, but when the author severs them from good grammar and the exploration of character and theme, the writing suffers. I encourage all young writers to focus on the basics of the craft (e.g., vocabulary and sentence structure), while practice-writing specific elements, such as setting, character description and dialog.
Q. Interviewer: Do you hide any secrets in your books that only a few people will find?
A. Jack: You mean like the "Easter Eggs" hidden in computer programs? I'll never forget playing the Atari game Adventure as a kid and finding the so-called "trans-molecular dot" behind a wall. When carried to another part of the castle, it revealed the names of the game's creators. Or, who can forget the flight-simulator embedded in older versions of the Microsoft Excel program? I love that stuff! About this subject, I will only say that for those who seek, they will find. There's more to The Lost and Found Journal of a Miner 49er, Vol. 1 than meets the eye.
About the Author:
Jack Dublin is the author of The Lost and Found Journal of a Miner 49er, Vol. 1, a collection of Christian-themed stories for middle-grade readers. Growing up, he had little interest in history―much less the 49er Gold Rush―until his love of travel and exploration intersected a contentious debate on the lost history of mankind. Mr. Dublin lives in parts unknown―under pseudonym―with his beloved bride, their four darling children, and a fancy bearded dragon.
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.