Today I'd like welcome Lex Allen, author of "No Heaven" to the Thursday interview. Before we get started, intro please!!
I was born in San Marcos and raised in the cities of Corpus Christi and Austin, Texas. I’ve lived and worked for most of the past forty years in Germany. I spend a large portion of my free-time as a semi-professional musician, and currently perform with an acoustic trio for private parties and in small clubs. Writing fiction, however, has always been my true passion. I’ve written short stories and flash fiction since my early twenties, and I published my first novel in April 2012. My favorite genres are supernatural / sci-fi thrillers and horror.
OK - Here goes!
No.1 Would you break the law to save a loved one? Absolutely! But why?
No.2 What is the difference between being alive and truly living?
No.3 What motivates you to write?
No.4 Why do human's want children?
No.5 What was the biggest challenge in creating your book "No Heaven" ?
No.6 What is the most important thing you have learned in life so far?
No.7 How did you come up with the title "No Hell" ?
No.8 How do you handle personal criticism?
No.9 Why should people read your book?
No.10 Why is there something rather than nothing?
Because there’s nothing more important than happiness and love, certainly not man-made rules that generally serve only the special interests of the lawmakers.
No.2 What is the difference between being alive and truly living?
I know some people that are merely alive and it’s a sad thing to see. True life includes so much more than simply breathing, earning a wage to pay bills and struggling to make ends meet. There are sights to see, wonders to behold and corners to explore, physically and spiritually. Unfortunately, a favorite cliché of mine rings true for so many people. It says, "It’s hard to remember that the mission was to drain the swamp, when you’re up to your neck in alligators!"
No.3 What motivates you to write?
I’m a natural born prevaricator… the bigger and more complicated the lie, the better… lol. The hardest things for me to write are songs and poems. I did pretty well at songwriting (14 published and recorded) but, poems (?)… No way. I barely understand poetry when I read it. Fiction… storytelling, allows for so much more room to play with words and I love words. Mixing facts, theories and wild imagination into a story that is not only entertaining, but also completely plausible, even believable is why I write. Verisimilitude is one of my favorite words… ;o).
No.4 Why do human's want children?
No idea, they’re such a pain sometimes. I know, as I have several. Why do people enjoy sex other than to procreate? Because it feels good (great) and it’s healthy. Children are like that. There is no greater love than that of a parent for a child and vice-versa; and love, is the primary ingredient for a happy, healthy life.
No.5 What was the biggest challenge in creating your book "No Heaven" ?
Writing it while in the midst of a major move of household, computer melt down, and renovation of a 100 year old farmhouse complete with barn, stalls and out- buildings! The book, second in a trilogy, has been in my head for so many years that the move, and renovation work were indeed the biggest challenges to completing the book.
No.6 What is the most important thing you have learned in life so far?
Two things, actually; the first and most important I think, is that happiness and love are truly the purposes of life. The second is not to take things too seriously. Life is too short to waste time arguing with neighbors and relatives, fretting about the future, blowing up in the face of criticism and whether or not there’s a god; you’ll find out soon enough.
No.7 How did you come up with the title "No Hell" ?
Originally, it was titled "Treasure" and part of "The Second Advent Trilogy". Book one of that trilogy was "Disciples". After "Disciples" had been on the market for a year with only marginal sales, a marketing expert told me why it wasn’t on the best seller lists – I’d missed my target audience with the titles!
Long story, short… I realized she was right and changed the trilogy title to "The Imagine Trilogy" and the individual books to, "No Heaven", "No Hell" and "No Religion". Sound like John Lennon? Indeed. John Lennon fans, supernatural and sci-fi fans, open minded readers, as well as atheists and agnostics are among my ‘target audience’.
No.8 How do you handle personal criticism?
Pretty well, actually. I might explode on the person delivering the criticism. I may pout for a while… days, sometimes weeks; but after all that’s done, I think about the criticism, decide whether it’s applicable and/or a valid critique, and either change my ways or blow it off without another thought and no hard feelings towards the critic.
No.9 Why should people read your book?
Because it’s a great story, a suspenseful thriller and it’s entertaining. It’s full of supernatural wonders, quantum physics made easy theories… sex, drugs and rock and roll… no, no…forget the last part, that’s a different book I’m thinking about writing someday.
Seriously, it is a great story that explores, in a fictional way, a touchy subject, one that’s hard to categorize, but also one that touches millions of people on both sides of the religious fence. Most importantly - it absolutely shines with verisimilitude!
I have several five star reviews for the first book but, one of the best reviews I’ve received thus far is a two-star rating. It comes from a devout Catholic that didn’t down rate the book because the writing was bad or because he didn’t like the story. He downgraded "Disciples" because of the treatment I gave to one of the main characters - Jesus. The reviewer is convinced that my story is so believable and people are so gullible, that reading my books could endanger their souls! If that’s not an endorsement, I don’t know what is… lol.
I have several five star reviews for the first book but, one of the best reviews I’ve received thus far is a two-star rating. It comes from a devout Catholic that didn’t down rate the book because the writing was bad or because he didn’t like the story. He downgraded "Disciples" because of the treatment I gave to one of the main characters - Jesus. The reviewer is convinced that my story is so believable and people are so gullible, that reading my books could endanger their souls! If that’s not an endorsement, I don’t know what is… lol.
No.10 Why is there something rather than nothing?
Ah, the really hard one. Question 2 and 4 were difficult enough… but this? This isn’t a trick question? You realize, I’m sure, that there is no answer to this doctoral level, philosophical question don’t you? Yes, and that’s why you asked it… lol. Gotta love the sense of humor, so… rather than expound upon the numerous theological and philosophical paths that all lead nowhere, and most people, especially yours truly don’t understand; my answer is a short and very, very sweet question. Who knows? Or, better yet, who cares?
Thank you lex for taking the time to answer my questions & the best of luck with this wonderfull book!
Check out his new book "No Heaven" on
He claims to be Jesus, but he’s not the Son of God. Instead, he comes from an advanced, parallel universe, and he’s come to save us from a religiously incited nuclear war. He also has proof that Christianity, a religion he neither wanted nor condones, was founded on lies by power hungry men. The religious, political and financial powers-that-be are less than enthusiastic about Jesus’ second coming, and immediately plan to get rid of him. Another alien being, with his own plans for world domination is, however, the real threat that Jesus must overcome to save the world.
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