Sisters Three Press

Hey folks! Today we’re going to you with an author interview from Jeremiah Friedle who is releasing his first book today! We haven’t read it but it looks epic y’all!

So, if you want to learn more about Jeremiah and his book be sure to stick around! Now, let’s get into this interview! What say you?

Hi Jeremiah, it’s great to have you on Sisters Three today, and we’re super excited that you’re letting us pick your brain, we mean, ask you some questions!

😁😎Thanks for letting me join!

Tell us a little about yourself.

I like to describe myself as a homeschool graduate, lifelong writer, ice cream lover, and native Texan who can imagine danger just about anywhere and anytime. That last part hints at how my constantly-active imagination influences what I write—young adult stories with suspense and intrigue. Or as I sometimes say, Christian YA thrillers. I write those kinds of stories because that’s what I love reading, page-turners that are so good they keep me up long after I really should have gone to bed.

Aside from writing, I love getting out in God’s creation, whether that’s hiking, camping, running, or just reading quietly on the porch. When I’m not browsing grocery stores for the latest deals on Blue Bell ice cream and frozen pizza, you might find me seated behind a large screen with one of my beloved spreadsheets or watching a movie with my family. I have so many good memories hanging out with my five siblings!

This is your first novel…so, what inspired it?

I’d been writing for years and already had some ideas coming together for a YA dystopian story. The idea for CORE Deception was largely birthed in 2020 when I faced fears I didn’t know I had. It was an odd, disruptive time for many, and somehow the unknowns of a strange illness and the changes that came to just about every aspect of life triggered fear in me. I’ve struggled with fear of acceptance, fear of failure, and fear of incompetence before—to name a few fears. But this was new to me. It was fear that dominated my thinking and tried to control my actions. (And really, doesn’t all fear try to do that?)

Something told me this wasn’t right—more like Someone. As a Christian, I shouldn’t fear like that, not if I believe the Bible. After all, our future is secure, no matter what happens to us physically. And as Christ-followers, we have more hope than anyone else.

So why was this fear so strong? It was a while later that I came across a quote by Max Lucado from his book Fearless. He put it really well: “Fear, at its center, is a perceived loss of control.”

Ouch, that was me. He nailed it. It felt like I had lost control of almost every aspect of normal life. Not that I had control in the first place. And that was the foundational deception of my fear. Life had been going fairly well, and I’d built my stability around that instead of the hope I have in Jesus. Experiencing this fear was painful because it forced me to face a reality—I wasn’t trusting God like I thought I was, like I wanted to think I was. But as painful as that was, it was a gift.

That’s the struggle for the main character, Seth, in my book CORE Deception. But that’s not all. Throw in some espionage, a little hacking, a dystopian government, and another ice age and soon you have both an exciting and thought-provoking read.

What did your writing process look like for this book?

If I remember correctly, it started with the curation of some ideas, ideas that I initially didn’t realize would come together to form CORE Deception. I’m sure I’m not the only writer who’s had an idea I can’t seem to let go of. So I embraced that, encouraging my imagination, considering possibilities, discovering what I liked about it, and so on. For me this phase often includes collecting photos that inspire settings and characters.

One day when I wrote an exploratory scene. I’d been inspired by a specific photo of Skogafoss, Iceland. On a whim I started writing a scene with a similar setting. The words flowed quickly, two strong characters emerging, and I even received some hints at the plot. Incidentally, that scene remained largely unchanged throughout the novel’s editing and for the longest time was the opening scene (now it’s chapter 2). It wasn’t until much later that I realized how much this scene set the stage for the entire novel and the whole series. While it’s no longer set in Iceland, an ice age in Hawaii bears similarities.

After developing characters and building some form of an outline, I jumped into the drafting phase. I dictated most of the first draft, often while in my truck (it’s a little awkward to dictate a story while sitting in a coffee shop). I found dictation helps keep the words flowing. When I see the words on the screen as I type, I’m tempted to think about what I have written and how to edit them, instead of focusing on what should be written next.

After writing that first draft, there’s a lot of cleaning up to do. As a whole, the story was much too long, and it took me a while to figure out exactly what the character arcs should be and what plot was best. Which is the start of the editing phase.

What sparked your interest in writing? In other words…why writing?

I’ve been writing since I was a kid. One of my first stories was a one-of-a-kind picture book I wrote and illustrated myself as a kid. It was four pages long with a grand total of seven sentences (if you include “the end”), put together with construction paper, masking tape, and staples.. The name was Twenty Door Bells. A real page-turner, huh? You can tell I was using cutting edge print-on-demand technology too. But you can see my imagination was already at work.

Mostly, I only wrote creatively when it was required for school. But somewhere along the way, I found I liked crafting stories. Sometimes it was because my siblings were writing stories. Later, it’s more likely that I ran out of stories to read, and so I decided to write my own. I enjoyed it so much I kind of became an overachiever with writing assignments.

For example…

• Assignment: 5 pages of fanciful fiction
• Completed Project: 39-page story of animals in a medieval kingdom, complete with intrigue and major battle scenes.
• Assignment: Short story with dialogue (short, as in, only a few pages)
• Completed Project: 35-page mystery with black-cloaked thugs and a pie fight, among other things.

Soon I was writing even when there wasn’t any assignment—short stories, poems, novellas, novels—and sharing them with my family and friends.

I got into westerns, action, mystery, humor, sci-fi, fanciful, fantasy, retellings, and even an interactive mystery-thriller. I did flash fiction, short stories, novelettes, novellas, short novels, novels. Having siblings who wrote helped a lot, offering camaraderie and some friendly competition. I have terrific memories cowriting with my brothers and sisters. Also, it was huge that my mom (and homeschool teacher) fostered creativity.

As time went on, I sensed God calling me to do more with my creative writing. If I was going to spend time on it, I should use it for His glory and not just my personal enjoyment. Yes, I want to write engaging stories that whisk readers away into an amazing world of fiction, but I also sensed the call to use my stories to “lay up treasure in heaven” (Matthew 6:20). That includes reflecting biblical worldview and weaving in themes that inspire courageous living for God.

What was one of the hardest parts of writing CORE Deception?

I think it’d have to be the revision phase called developmental or substantive edits—getting the story right in the big picture. This was my first time editing one of my stories this thoroughly, so I was facing a big learning curve. Not only was the first draft like three times longer than necessary, but I had major plot, character, and setting problems to figure out. You read that correctly—nearly three times the word count needed. Trust me, you wouldn’t want to read that first draft!

It’s like I had so much story and so many aspects that I couldn’t tell what was important and what I needed to cut out. After months of struggling to figure it out—and after many prayers and the help of a story coach—a solid story framework emerged. From there, I was able to make the necessary changes and cuts, paving the way for the finished product.

What is your biggest tip for other young authors wanting to publish their first book?

There are others who have addressed this question better than I and are more qualified to answer it than I. After all, I’m just now publishing my first book!

But personally I’d say seek how God may have you to use your writing. Pursue Him, not writing. If He’s calling you to write, the best way to do that is doing it His way. Always keep Him at the center of your writing, filtering all you write and any writing career moves through the word of God. As prolific writer Jerry Jenkins said in his book Writing for the Soul, “There are things more important in this world than your writing career. The Bible asks, what does it profit people who gain the whole world and lose their own soul?” If you exchange a piece of your relationship with God in order to accomplish something in writing, you haven’t profited where it really matters.

Who is your favorite character in CORE Deception?

It’s probably the main character, Seth. He has struggles like my own, but he also gets to do some really cool stuff like hacking, ciphering, and deceiving surveillance…all for good reasons. I love espionage and the cyberworld, and this story delves into both. But don’t worry if you don’t consider yourself tech-minded. CORE Deception doesn’t get so scientific you can’t follow along.

Do you prefer writing from a female or male POV best?

I’d say male, just because I am one. For years I wouldn’t have considered writing a female’s perspective (POV). After all, I’m a guy and what do I know of “the other side”? 🙃But one time I was challenged to stretch my writing muscles and write from a POV that wasn’t my natural go-to. So I tried a teen girl—and made sure I implemented feedback from some of my female writer friends. Input from others is necessary for any writing, and this definitely applies when writing a POV I’m not familiar with.

CORE Deception actually features three POVs. Most of the chapters are narrated by Seth, but his sidekick Krystin and the antagonist also get some page time.

Last question, what is your why as a writer?

Our skills and passions can be clues to God’s calling for our lives, or a season of life. I write because I believe God has called me to. I desire to use stories to encourage others in their walks with the Lord, especially readers of YA fiction. That’s what I try to stay focused on, though sometimes I get distracted with creating fun stories or the business side of being an author. But ultimately it’s about God. It’s what we do for God that truly matters in this life and beyond (Matthew 6:20).

Thank you so much for letting us interview you!

Y’all are very kind to have me. Thank YOU!

ABOUT THE BOOK

In a world where the government’s CORE systems see and track everyone, seventeen-year-old hacker Seth Alvarez is determined to save his sister from being placed in a reeducation facility. Armed with a cryptic letter, Seth embarks on a search for the powerful incognito devices—cyber master keys that can set his sister free. But with only three weeks remaining, he finds himself wedged between two powerful forces who will stop at nothing to get the devices first.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jeremiah Friedli is a homeschool graduate, lifelong writer, ice cream lover, and native Texan who can imagine danger just about anywhere and anytime. He enjoys getting out in God’s creation, whether that’s hiking, camping, running, or just reading quietly on the porch. His favorite books—the kind he loves to write—are those annoyingly good page-turners that keep him up long after he really should have gone to bed. When he’s not browsing grocery stores for the latest deals on Blue Bell ice cream and frozen pizza, you might find him seated behind a large screen with one of his beloved spreadsheets or watching a movie with his family. Learn more and connect with him at jeremiahfriedli.com.

Conclusion

What do you guys this? Another Ice Age? Suspense? Espionage? What about that doesn’t sound epic? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!

Stories of Hope, Purpose, & Adventure!

Hooroo!
Sisters Three