Q1. Hello, can you please introduce yourself? Readers would love to know more about you.
I’m Chris Morehouse. I’m 62, serve as a deacon in a Presbyterian church in West Virginia, where I live with my family. And I just published my first book!
Q2. What were the key challenges you faced while writing your book “Legacy: Wisdom of African Traditions and the Bible”?
When you self-publish, you are your own finance and accounting departments, your own legal department, your own art department, and your own marketing department. So that can be a lot! One of the advantages is that you have a lot of freedom.
When I started, I was apprehensive about getting permissions for quotes. I am pleased to say that was not nearly the challenge I expected.
Another challenge was keeping things short! I am known for run-on sentences, but wanted the writing to be concise yet insightful, like a proverb. I hope I’ve achieved that.
Q3. What books or authors have most influenced your own writing?
I return often to the insights of the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., and James Baldwin. Additionally, I have enjoyed books by Fr. Richard Rohr, Fr. Gregory Boyle, Rev. Marcus Borg, and Neil Douglas-Klotz. I’m a great sermon reader, too, and have deep appreciation for the reprinted sermons of people like Rev. Wilda Gafney and Lisa Sharon Harper—and those of my own pastor, Rev. Gusti Newquist.
I read very widely, though. In addition to religion and spirituality, I love history and science. I’m currently reading a book about how jellyfish are taking over the world (Stung!, by Lisa-Ann Gershwin).
Q4. What’s your favourite spot to visit in your own country? And what makes it so special to you?
Wow. So many wonderful places! I’m a mountain person. So Charlottesville, Virginia, and Asheville, North Carolina both come to mind. They’re in the mountains (or foothills) and have great food and great bookstores!
Q5. What inspired you to write the book ‘Legacy: Wisdom of African Traditions and the Bible’?
If you’ve ever seen the “Golden Rule” poster, comparing versions of the Golden Rule across the great faith traditions, you might have noticed they leave out the African versions. That puzzled me.
I’ve been interested in Africa since I was a kid. I actually planned to work in African development. My career took a different turn, one that I am grateful for. But when I was in graduate school, where I met students from several African countries, I started collecting and reading compilations of African proverbs to try to understand the cultures better.
Then, about 7 years ago, I came across the “Parallel Sayings” books, which explored the great faith traditions and their teachings on specific topics, such as compassion or forgiveness. That’s when I got the idea for the book. I looked around, and didn’t find anything quite like this at the time.
Q6. How long did it take you to write your book ‘Legacy: Wisdom of African Traditions and the Bible’?
Well, I started compiling the proverbs from various sources in 2018, and began writing in 2019. It was a little bit at a time!
Once I had the basic structure, I decided to reach out and find African collaborators. I ended up with about 30, representing multiple cultures and countries (but not all those referenced in the book). I asked them to confirm that these were proverbs from their cultures and requested information about context—how are these proverbs used? Additionally, in several cases, I asked about translation issues to English that could enhance our understanding. I also shared with them the verses I intended to compare the proverbs to. The collaborators enhanced the book tremendously. I could not have done it without them! They became true partners, suggesting additional proverbs or verses. Several of them mentioned access to special resources, such as the national library, a royal family (in one case), or rural women—the keepers of knowledge!
Q7. On what platforms can readers buy your books?
You can find the book at the online bookstore of my publisher, iUniverse, as well as on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
Q8. Tell us about the process of coming up with the book cover and the title ‘Legacy: Wisdom of African Traditions and the Bible’?
I worked with a Portuguese designer, João Rego, on the cover. We considered a few alternatives, but settled on the baobab tree. Somehow, he read my mind! It was his first project. It’s a stunning design, and really invites the reader in. It recalls an Akan proverb, “Wisdom is like a baobab tree; no one individual can embrace it.”
Regarding the title, I settled on “Legacy” because the word refers to precious things that are passed down to the next generation. Just like the wisdom embedded in the proverbs!
Q9. When writing a book how do you keep things fresh, for both your readers and also yourself?
It was a labor of love, and with so many topics to explore, it was always fresh for me. I hope readers may find some insights.
Q10. What is the most valuable piece of advice you’ve been given about writing?
Don’t rule out self-publishing. It’s increasingly an option in a market where recognized names capture the lion’s share of attention. I think if you have a clear vision, self-publishing may work for you. Find a reputable publisher.
At the same time, however, I’ve been told that, when you self-publish, be careful about unsolicited marketing appeals. They can be pricey.
Buy Legacy by Chris Morehouse on Amazon
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