Guest Blog: Steven Rogers and Into the Room *Free Book To Commenter **WINNER: Laurie Sibley

Dear Readers, thank you for reading this blog--I appreciate you being here and so do our guest authors! I hope everyone is safe and relatively unaffected by Tropical Storm/Hurricane Debby (we're tired of being inside from all the rain but so happy not to have been affected by the flooding). Blessings to everyone and I'm always praying for you!

Introduce yourself—name, where you’re from, and something people notice when they meet you?

My name is Steven Rogers and I’m from Richmond, VA. When people meet me, I think they tend to notice that I’m a welcoming person who is sincerely interested in getting to know them. I strive to make the folks I meet comfortable and love to learn about their background. It’s amazing how rich our lives are and how many ways people spend their time. Everyone has a unique story.

Tell us about your book?

My book is called “Into the Room.”

Here is the black cover blurb:

Into the Room – Jacket Blurb

Ben Cahill’s life is an alcohol-saturated mess. After an insincere effort in a rehab facility, he is alienated from his family, out of work, and determined to continue his habit. To make matters worse, he finds himself on a tour of Israel, along with, as he calls them, a bunch of Holy Rollers.

As the trip progresses, Ben experiences the Holy Land’s major historical sites and is exposed to God’s word. He interacts with his fellow travelers, gradually learning about their faith and their lives. Along the way, Ben becomes embroiled in a spiritual war, reinforcing his guilt and, in turn, forcing him to recall his past actions and behaviors. He also begins a different journey, one that leads him to redemption and a place in God’s family. 

Share one thing that you found difficult or challenging about writing this book?

I got the idea for “Into the Room” while flying over the Atlantic to visit Israel. Sitting in the jet’s cabin, I immediately began to sketch out the main character, Ben Cahill, an alcoholic who had just been released from rehab. While I was on the trip, I journaled in Ben’s voice and recorded detailed notes of the sites we visited. Upon returning home, I started turning my journaling into a novel.

While I do not suffer from alcoholism or drug addiction, I’ve been surrounded by people who have struggled with one or both. Telling Ben’s story opened a lot of wounds and was, at times, emotionally exhausting. More than once, I considered not finishing the book, but taking Ben to Israel and having him find the first steps towards redemption kept driving me forward. There’s no question I finished each day’s work tired and drained.

I’ve since discovered that completing the story was very cathartic for me—writing about Ben helped clear out the anger, resentment, fear, and anger I’d allowed to grow over my heart. Since then, I’ve been able to move forward and have learned to forgive those around me—and myself.  

Ask the blog reader a quirky question or two?

Looking back, what’s the dumbest thing you did as a kid? For me, this is an easy one. One day a friend and I were fishing and decided to cook some of the fish we were catching. Unfortunately, we didn’t have anything to cook them in or on. Instead, we found a used piece of tinfoil left behind by a camper, wrapped up our fish, and cooked them without even attempting to clean the foil. I’m still amazed we didn’t get botulism.

What’s a TV show you’re afraid to admit you like? For me, this is Gilmore Girls. I watched the show in my late fifties, and I’m certain “middle-aged man knocking on the door of senior citizenship” was not the target demographic for the program. However, I absolutely loved the series and following the adventures of Lorelai and Rory.

Share your social media and buy links!

My website: https://steven-rogers.com/

Amazon: https://bit.ly/3TjCuNe

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StevenRogersWriter/

Instagram: stevenrogerswriter

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevenrogerswriter/

X: https://x.com/SRBooksForHope

Thank you, Steven, love meeting new authors (to me) and wish you a wonderful day and good writing!