THE FULL INTERVIEW

Marcher Lord Press: Tell folks a bit about yourself, Marc.

Marc Schooley: I’m a Christian and a Texan (yes, in that order). I’ve spent years singing and playing a Les Paul, owned a used car lot for several years—I prefer the phrase “small business entrepreneur,” thank you. I currently work in the space program in the Houston area. I love my family and going to church. I am nearly complete with my second Masters degree, which I hope to convert into a PhD if I can unearth the time.

Marcher Lord Press: What is your novel, in a nutshell?

Marc Schooley: It’s a bunch of paper bound together with words and stuff on it, but that’s not important right now. It’s an adventure story with self-discovery written slightly beneath the line of appearance, which provides a hopefully fun and interesting vehicle to illustrate one or two deep theological truths of the Christian faith.

Marcher Lord Press: What's cool about your book? Why should I, a potential reader of your book, read it myself or buy a copy for someone I know?

Marc Schooley: The concept of cool has suffered the death of a thousand qualifications, yet I believe it’s in actuality an objective standard. I think The Dark Man qualifies: the characters for the most part have that feel. I’m relying on you, the reader, to recognize it when you read it. To potential readers of all backgrounds, then, it’s an entertaining book. If that’s your aim in reading, this book should work for you. There’s a healthy dose of action, intrigue, dream/vision sequences, and other fun stuff. Moreover, there should be an emotional attachment to at least three of the characters. There’s someone for anyone to root for, and against. If you expect more from a book, this one should deliver the above plus a wealth of metaphorical undertow, surface-level abstraction, popular and cultural element interplay, and most importantly, orthodox theological themes. If you are Christian, most crucially, this is a book about the Gospel—its power in the world and in the individual’s life.

Marcher Lord Press: Why is Marcher Lord Press the ideal publisher for your novel?

Marc Schooley: I was referred to Jeff Gerke by a well-known Christian author. It’s readily apparent that the recommendation was well-deserved. He’s proved to be a top-shelf editor with an innate, or perhaps developed, sense of what makes fiction work, and the craft thereof. I relied almost exclusively on Jeff's WhereTheMapEnds site to see me through the tortuous route of the first-time fiction novelist. There was never really a question of publishing anywhere else once Jeff expressed an interest. I have high hopes for the future of MLP.

Marcher Lord Press: What do you hope to accomplish with this novel?

Marc Schooley: I hope to further the cause of the Gospel and the Church. This is a book about both. God willing, this book will allow me to spread the Gospel where there are ears to hear and eyes to read. Please feel free to join my conversation about all things Christian at marcschooley.com, coming to an Internet near you on 2/15/09.

Marcher Lord Press: Are there more books in you? If so, what might some of them be?

Marc Schooley: Currently, I have four books in the works: a work on atheism, a book on the Church political, an epic Christian quest-type novel, and, naturally, a sequel to The Dark Man. This story has legs.

Marcher Lord Press: Have you written other Christian speculative fiction? If so, what?

Marc Schooley: I wrote my Master’s thesis on the Problem of Evil as experienced through the eyes of two used car salesman (who better to discuss the POE, right?) transported to an allegorical underworld by the devil. There, they entered into a game of chess with the devil for their very lives, the pieces each representing, and subsequently ushering in, a facet of the POE. It was great fun, and, in fact, an experience that spurred me to write The Dark Man. I am forever indebted to Professor Craig White, aka “the Captain,” my thesis advisor, who pushed me in the direction of fiction.

Marcher Lord Press: Where can folks go to read more of your stuff?

Marc Schooley: Please visit marcschooley.com around 2/15/09, especially if you enjoy theology, philosophy, and general Christian thought.

Marcher Lord Press: Finally, and most importantly, if you could travel to any time period or alternate world, what would it be and why?

Marc Schooley: Right. And next I suppose you’ll want to know what the best movie is, what the best song is, and what the best guitar solo is. (I actually know the answer to the first one, as long as I could split the answer into drama and comedy). If a genie offered me one wish, I’d wish for an unlimited number of wishes. As long as the Leprechaun rule of three didn’t kick in, I’d be set. Hypothetically, then, if one could travel beyond the reaches of Planck time (and not be consumed or lost in metaphysical time, if there is such a thing), he would have immediate access to all temporal-spatial points between the past and the present, allowing access to all the wonderful things he could wish to see. (Hey, you’re the one assuming time travel, so cut me some philosophic slack). Hence, I could see the New Testament unfold, and certainly the Resurrection. Then there’s the Red Sea, the creation, dinosaurs, the New Mexico desert circa 1947, Deley Plaza, Pickett’s charge, Jonathan Edwards…you get the picture, and that doesn’t even take the future into account. And if it’s possible to access alternate worlds, perhaps as conceived by multiverses or the philosophic conception of possible worlds, then 221B Baker Street comes to mind, as do Tars Tarkas, Aldonza Lorenco (a.k.a. dulcinea del Toboso, if there is such a person), Roland Deschain of Gilead, Hamlet… Okay, enough. This could go on forever. But that’s the idea behind time isn’t it? Or is it?