On Thursday, we had the pleasure of chatting with Acacia Beumer over at Writing Innovations which was so much fun. Today we get the male dynamic of this duo, and we are pleased to introduce you to Aaron Slaton, poet and co-author of Launch Out Into The Deep!
Welcome Aaron!
BK: Please tell us a
little about yourself...
My
name is Aaron Slaton, co-author of Launch Out Into The Deep. I have
been employed with AT&T for 14 years. In my free time I like to
produce music on my computer and write poetry. I’m a pretty laid
back individual and I can be sort of to myself at times, although I
do have my moments where I can be talkative. I am currently learning
to play the piano. This journey has been off and on so a big dose of
consistency is definitely needed.
BK: Please tell us a
little about your book....
Launch
Out Into The Deep is a devotional-style book that consists of short
essays. Most of the chapters in the book end with a Bible verse,
words of the wise and a poem. The topics in the book deal with peer
pressure, sexual promiscuity, loneliness, faith and many other topics
that men, women and teens will find useful in their lives.
BK: What inspired you to
pen this particular novel?
Initially
there was no plan to even write a book. My sister, Acacia Slaton
Beumer, the author of Launch Out Into The Deep, was writing a poem
and couldn’t bring it to a conclusion. She asked for my help with
the poem and I was able to assist her with the completion of the poem
called “Fear Not Only Believe” which is the first poem in the
book. She encouraged me to write other poems so I continued to write
on an almost daily basis. The plan was to write a poetry book but as
Acacia did research she learned that poetry books are very hard to
market. She then started to write essays to go with the poems and
that is how Launch Out Into The Deep started.
BK: When did you first
consider yourself a writer?
Around
the age of 12 or 13 I started to write rap lyrics. Although at that
time I wasn’t really that good, I was just writing because I had
this dream of being a rap artist. As the years progressed I
continued to write and I would have moments when I thought this
sounds pretty good, but I still just thought of myself as an average
writer. It was even hard to believe some of the compliments I
received from some of the poems in the book because I just looked at
them as average poems. I guess now at 36, I am finally realizing
that God has given me a gift that He wants to nurture and grow into
something that He can use for His glory.
BK: How do you keep your
story flowing?
There
is always something to write about. It’s about capturing those
everyday moments; when people are having conversations about life,
family, work, church etc. Everybody has a story that has already
been told by many people, but there still may be something that makes
your story unique. We can hear a million songs about praising God,
but then an artist breathes fresh life into the topic and it feels
like something new.
BK: Do you ever run into
writer's block, and if so, what do you do to get past it?
I
do run into writer’s block sometimes. In the past I would sit
there and stare at the paper and try to force the words to appear,
only to read what I wrote and feel it lacked that flow. Other times,
a topic will hit me out of the blue and the words just seem to flow
without much effort. Now, when I experience writer’s block, I try
not to force it. I find that stepping away for a while and coming
back hours and even a few days later helps me to have a fresh
perspective on what I am writing about.
BK: What is your writing
process like?
Do
you have any quirks, or must-haves to write? My writing process is
pretty simple. I don’t have any quirks. Inspiration will sometimes
hit me almost anywhere at work, in the car, at home, etc. As long as
I have a pen or computer available and a spark of inspiration, most
times I am ready to write.
BK: Where do you hope
your books/writing will be in the future?
One
thing I have a desire to do is work on songs with different artists.
I would like to work with an artist on a solo project or a group of
artists on a type of compilation project. Also I want to continue to
write poems that will touch, encourage and inspire people.
BK: What do you hope
readers will take away from your books?
I
hope that as people read Launch Out Into The Deep, they will realize
that the stories in the Bible are relevant and do apply to our lives
today. It’s easy to look at the Bible as a lot stories complied
together and miss the message that God is trying to convey through
the scriptures.
BK: What is one piece of
advice you received that you carry with you in your writing?
This
piece of advice relates to a lot of things in life. I had to learn
this in reference to music production and I’m still learning. Stop
comparing yourself to other people and just keep creating. It’s so
easy to get discouraged with your level of growth that it can cause
you to sit in one place doing absolutely nothing.
BK: What is one piece of
advice you would give to new and aspiring writers?
If
possible, try to write on a regular basis. I have to admit that I’m
not the best at doing this myself, but during the times when I would
write every day, my skill level grew to where the words would flow a
lot better in my poems. It’s easy to write when moments of
inspiration hit you, but to practice writing on a regular basis will
make you a better writer.
BK: Where can readers
find you?
You
can find me, and my sister, Acacia Beumer, at:
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The topics are
contemporary and compelling; these are subjects that affect our world
today and those for which people are seeking genuine guidance. Her
words reveal an understanding of the depth of emotions in our world,
as she explains situations through her own personal experiences. Yet,
throughout the book, there is a solid and strong emphasis on the Word
of God. The author has effectively bridged the gap between the
natural and the spiritual world. Her complete reliance on the power
of God brings a taste of heaven to some of today's bitter situations.
Sexual promiscuity, peer pressure, disease and even crime are
discussed with a bold and frank style. Readers will know there is
nothing outside of God's reach that He cannot restore and make right
again. An added layer of spiritual enlightenment comes from the poems
that accompany many of these essays. Intense and extremely
insightful, the words of Aaron L. Slaton provide a strong commentary
to his sister's counsel. Encouraging, yet filled with many
hard-hitting exhortations, this book speaks with a contemporary
language and a timeless commitment to love and truth.
Acacia Beumer:
Acacia
Slaton Beumer is a graduate of Oral Roberts University; she will earn
her Master of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy in the summer of
2012. She works in the Social Service field and finds a sense of joy
from helping others. Her husband John is in the United States Army.
She has two daughters; Jana is 3 years old Jaci is 1. Acacia loves to
interact with readers and welcomes questions and feedback. Her next
project is to write an autobiography about her many life experiences.
If you're interested in contacting Acacia email her at
acacia@launchoutbook.com
.
May you be tremendously blessed and continue to persevere and daily
grow in your walk with Christ.
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Aaron L.
Slaton:
Aaron
Slaton is the author of the poetry and one chapter featured in this
book. Writing since the age of twelve, Aaron has been gifted with the
ability to bring the Scriptures to life through rhythm and rhyme.
Aaron is an aspiring songwriter and producer. If you're interested in
contacting Aaron email him at aaron@launchoutbook.com
.
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