About Larry Trapp:
Larry Trapp was born and raised in the southern San Juaquin Valley of California in the city of Bakersfield. Larry likes to remind people who have never been to California or don’t know much about it that it is an extremely complex state demographically. It is probably one of the most ultra-liberal states in America, but there are vast areas of land containing large numbers of the population who hold very traditional beliefs about God, family, and the nation. Larry was raised and still lives in a region of the state that holds politically conservative ideologies, and this has had a huge impact on his worldview and a deep faith in God.
After graduating from Bakersfield High School (go “Drillers”!), Larry went to Riverside to attend what was then known as California Baptist College (now called California Baptist University). He majored in music there but had to return home to care for his disabled mother. By 1968, to avoid being drafted into the infantry, Larry enlisted in the Army and eventually was trained to be an air traffic control radar operator. After serving in Vietnam for 1½ years, and being honorably discharged in 1971, Larry returned to college, attending Bakersfield Community College. Larry likes to tell most people that he successfully crammed four years of college into twenty-eight years, and finally, in 1999, earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Organizational Management. During those 28 years of instruction, Larry was able to attend and pass many different types of courses including a lot of studies of American History and Western Civilization. College also afforded him the ability to conduct research on many different subjects.
While teaching the Logic and Rhetoric phases (7th to 12th grades) at Heritage Oak School in Tehachapi, California, Larry was given and took the opportunity to earn his master’s degree in education. Heritage Oak School uses a Classical/Christian pedagogical approach to instruction. The key guide to this type of learning is taken from the book by Dorothy Sayers titled The Lost Tools of Learning. Sadly, in March 2020, all the schools in California were forced to adhere to the restrictions of online instruction. This was the indicator for Larry that it was now time to retire from actively teaching in the classroom, and in June 2020, Larry officially retired from work, and then set out writing the book you are holding that had been in the planning stages for nearly ten years.
Larry has been married to his lovely and loving wife Merryl for nearly 48 years (since December 10, 1976). He has two sons, Wayne who is 42 years old, and David who is 40. He is also the proud grandfather of Brogan (16 years old) and Rorie (11 years old).
The author also wants to testify of his deep abiding faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. He has been born again since February 1973 and has known and experienced a wide range of emotions in serving the Lord. It is also abundantly clear to Larry that following the Lord is not for the weak of heart. There are adventures in serving God which goes far beyond any that one can find on their own. Following the leadership of God will not insure a pain-free life. Quite the opposite. But it does ensure that you have someone with you whenever those heartaches and challenges come your way.
God Bless!
What inspires you to write?
I taught literature at our local Classical/Christian high school (Heritage Oak School) for nearly 20 years and I was inspired by the writing of many different authors. I experienced how these men and women, both Christian and non-Christian, were able to transport me to another place and another time. I love the Lord, I love history, and I love this great nation. So I was inspired to write about, not a perfect nation or past, but about a perfect God who offers redemption to even the seemingly unredeemable.
What authors do you read when you aren’t writing?
I love to read C.S. Lewis books (fiction and non-fiction). J. R. R. Tolkien books have given me a great amount of encouragement. Francine Rivers's books are great, but oddly enough, John Jakes series called "The Kent Chronicles" inspired me as I wrote my "Harlin Saga" trilogy (two of which have been published, and the third to come out next spring).
Tell us about your writing process.
For reasons only the Lord knows, I am an organizer. I love outlining and have found that it is the only way that I am able to coherently relate a story. I also like o imagine the 'what ifs' in life. I usually let a story roam around in my imagination while taking notes along the way. A lot of my characters are combinations of the many people I have encountered over the past nearly 75 years.
For Fiction Writers: Do you listen (or talk to) to your characters?
Mostly, I listen to them. They have a lot to say, and I have a lot to learn.
What advice would you give other writers?
Read as much as you can and listen to the Holy Spirit. Also, be very, very patient. Be willing to rewrite. And always seek ways to improve your grammar and writing skills.
How did you decide how to publish your books?
I would have loved to go the traditional route and submit my manuscript to a literary agency to have it published. But I am a realistic writer and know that you can get caught up in a proverbial "catch-22" situation – you almost need to have been a published writer to be noticed, but you cannot be noticed until you are published. So, I decided to self-publish. I used a vanity publisher for my first book, but found that the editing process was not as well done as I would have preferred. For my second novel, I used a completely self-publication method, and I feel that the quality of my writing has improved immensely through the experience. I would encourage any new writer to do a couple of things. First, find a person whom you can trust to read your manuscript and give you honest opinions and advice. Second, find and use a good editing software program to help you with your skills. And third, be very patient and persistent.
What do you think about the future of book publishing?
I believe that people tend t not read as much as they did in the past, and sadly, this applies especially to people of Christian faith. I believe that the future of publishing will rest more in the audiobook formats rather than the written form.
What genres do you write?: So far, I have just written Christian historical fiction. In the future, I plan to write on the topic of faith-based music and art.
What formats are your books in?: Both eBook and Print, Audiobook
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All information in this post is presented “as is” supplied by the author. We don’t edit to allow you the reader to hear the author in their own voice.
