Interview with Stephen M Todd, Author of Goin’ back to Californ-I-A

What’s the story behind the story? What impressed you to write “Goin’ back to Californ-I-A”?

Writing a memoir about my church mission has at all times been a dream for me since I used to be within the third grade. In 1988, I lastly had a possibility to serve a full-time, two-year mission to San Bernardino, California. I returned dwelling within the early 90’s and since then I’ve stared on the three mission journals that accumulate mud on my bookshelf within the dwelling workplace. Currently, I’ve two youngsters in the home and its troublesome educating them about Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ typically as a result of of the age hole. They have a look at me as if I’m a dinosaur that grew up within the stone age. I battle as a father to try to bridge the hole.

About two-years in the past, I made a decision to write my memoir for the only goal to share with my youngsters that once I was their age (19-years previous) I had an affidavit of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. This is an element of my dwelling legacy to share with my household that I’ve a powerful and enduring private witness that Jesus lives, and he loves each of us. The motive why that is vital is as a result of life will get arduous typically and it’s vital to put into perspective that all of us are youngsters of our Heavenly Father. He loves us and can defend us by means of the great instances and the dangerous.

If you had to choose theme songs for the primary characters of “Goin’ back to Californ-I-A”, what would they be?

An important theme tune for Elder Mark Hancey, one of my mission companions whereas serving in Fontana, CA is “Bad Company,” carried out by Bad Company.

A second theme tune for Elder Mark Kellar, one of my mission companions whereas serving in Palmdale, CA is “Sweet Dreams (Are made of this),” by Eurythmics. The motive why I select this theme tune is as a result of of an incident that occurred between Elder Kellar and I once I punched a gap in our house door after an argument.

What’s your favourite style to learn? Is it the identical as your favourite style to write?

I like studying about singer songwriter kind memoirs. My hobbies are music and songwriting, so I’m at all times intrigued by what makes different artists tick. What’s the story behind the music.

What books are in your TBR pile proper now?

(1.) Don’t Stop Believin’ by Jonathan Cain

(2.) Fortunate Son by John Fogerty (3.)

I Am Brian Wilson by Brian Wilson

(4.) Thunder within the Mountains by Daniel J. Sharfstein

What scene in your guide was your favourite to write?

I loved writing about getting attacked by the killer Collie in Fontana, CA and the religious expertise about Jesus Christ’s crucifixion in Temecula, CA.

Do you’ve got any quirky writing habits? (fortunate mugs, cats on laps, and so forth.)

My quirky writing behavior is to get organized. My dwelling workplace was such a catastrophe with makeshift plastic bookshelves and picket bookcases that didn’t match. I couldn’t focus lengthy sufficient to write my memoir as a result of of all of the litter. So, six months later I customized my very personal bookshelf that matches my writing and artistic wants completely. Organization is essential for me. It allows me to higher talk my ideas extra successfully.

Do you’ve got a motto, quote, or philosophy you reside by?

I just like the previous Nike motto, “Just Do It.” I’m a doer and I like to get issues performed. It’s no totally different when writing a guide…simply sit down and do it!

If you could possibly select one factor for readers to bear in mind after studying your guide, what would it not be?

I would really like my readers to bear in mind the braveness it takes to serve a full-time, two-year church mission with rather a lot of trials. I could not expertise the kind of persecution that occurred on my mission once more, however I’ll at all times bear in mind the enjoyment of serving different individuals by means of small acts of kindness. This is what I need readers to bear in mind essentially the most—exhibiting braveness and kindness to our fellow man.