Interview with Murray Pura & GIVEAWAY | The Engrafted Word

Murray Pura was born and raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, just north of the Dakotas and Minnesota. His first novel was released in Toronto in 1988 and was a finalist for the Dartmouth Book Award. Since that time he has published ten more novels, two collections of short stories, and several nonfiction titles including the Zondervan books Rooted and Streams and the Baker devotional Majestic & Wild. He has been a finalist for several awards in the US and Canada and in 2012 won the Word Award of Toronto for Best Historical Novel. Murray lives and writes in southwestern Alberta and is currently published by Barbour, Baker, Harper One, Zondervan, and Harvest House as well as several other publishing houses – he works with publishers in Canada, America, the UK, and Holland.

His releases for 2013 include the novels: Ashton Park, The Rose of Lancaster County, A Road Called Love, Seven Oaks, The Painted Sky, Whispers of a New Dawn, Beneath the Dover Sky, The Name of the Hawk, and An Amish Family Christmas. His diverse writing spans many genres including: historical fiction, contemporary fiction, literary fiction, romance, adventure, western, suspense, fantasy, Amish, and inspirational. Most of his work is available in ebook format for Kindle, Kobo, and Nook as well as in paperback.

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Welcome to The Engrafted Word Murray Pura! It’s wonderful to have you here!

Interview with Murray Pura & GIVEAWAY | The Engrafted WordSavanna: Since you’ve just celebrated another exciting book release, can you tell us what was your favorite part about writing London Dawn? 

Murray:  For me it was writing about the courage of ordinary people who were facing a terrible threat – being invaded and conquered by the ruthless regime that was Nazi Germany. Some I put in airplanes, some on ships, some in hospitals, some in their homes with their grandparents and their children, some in the arms of the ones they loved, but all of them do their part to keep the faith, keep their country free, and to keep love and hope alive.

Savanna:  What did you learn from the Danforth family throughout writing this trilogy? What do you hope your readers take away from the series?

Murray:  From the Danforths I learned how important it is to keep a family together so that they can then be strong enough not only to help one another but also help their neighbors and their church and their country. I want readers to be blessed, challenged, and inspired. I want them to feel like they’ve lived the story just as if they were in it and it was real life for them. I want them to feel stronger about living their lives to the full and reaching out to God and true love with all their heart.

Interview with Murray Pura & GIVEAWAY | The Engrafted WordSavanna:  Your books have swept across many different time periods. Do you have a particular favorite time in history you like to read?

Murray:  I wish I could somehow combine the Age of Sail, when those beautiful tall ships ruled the waves, and the early decades of flight, when planes had two wings and open cockpits and you flew simple airplanes with the hair blowing through your hair. I love writing about those two eras.

Savanna:  Of all the places you’ve traveled to, what has been your favorite location to visit so far and why?

Murray:  I loved living and working in Israel – the climate was lovely, the land beautiful, the prophets and heroes of the Bible, even Jesus himself, have walked there, and there was this sense of working alongside a people with their backs to the wall who needed a great deal of courage to get through every day and every year. Their bravery was a constant inspiration.

Savanna: It sounds like you’ve had quite an adventurous and exciting career so far. Can you name one of your most unforgettable moments from your writing career to date?

Interview with Murray Pura & GIVEAWAY | The Engrafted WordMurray:  Getting my first contract from Harvest House for The Wings of Morning was extremely exciting. I remember we had had a rejection that day and the editor said a story that combined the Amish, flying the first airplanes, romance, and the First World War wouldn’t work, people wouldn’t buy it. But Harvest House said YES and it has become one of my best selling novels.

Savanna:  I love hearing the journey behind the book. 😉 Thanks for being here today, Murray. Is there anything else you’d like to add? Any upcoming projects? How can readers connect with you?

Murray: Thank you so much for the interview, Savanna. Readers can find me at Murray Pura Writing on Facebook, on my Amazon Author Page and my Goodreads Author Page, and at my website: www.murraypura.com.

As for the near future, I am hoping to land a contract with a British publisher and it actually would be a romance and adventure set during the Age of Sail. If I get it I will let you know. It would be brilliant, to borrow an British expression, to write a novel like that, with the blue ocean rolling under my feet, and the vast blue sky stretching over my head, and then transport the reader there with me.

Interview with Murray Pura & GIVEAWAY | The Engrafted Word

GIVEAWAY!!

Murray has generously offered one autographed copy of LONDON DAWN to one lucky winner AND six sets of 4×6 postcards that are glossy replicas of all his book covers with Harvest House to another half dozen readers! (one of the cards autographed)

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