Book: A Year in the Room (The Reluctant Pilgrim Book 2)
Author: Steven Rogers
Genre: Contemporary Christian Fiction
Release Date: October 23, 2024
Reluctant
pilgrim Ben Cahill steps off a flight from Israel facing an
unrelenting list of challenges—a fractured family, no job, no place
to live, and a dubious grip on his newly-found sobriety. He has no
plans for the next steps in his life.
Ben starts over, settling into a small, rented room and working three part-time jobs. As his first year of recovery unfolds, Ben fights an unrelenting spiritual war against his personal demons and the consequences of his past actions.
Can a chain-smoking, no-nonsense grandmother, a retired navy cook, a crusty old Scotsman, and an unexpected pilgrimage to the legendary Scottish Island of Iona, clear away the wreckage of Ben’s life and lead him to hope? Join Ben on his journey in this sequel to the award-winning novel Into the Room.
Click here to get your copy!
Steven Rogers is a Christian author of the
“Reluctant Pilgrim” series. His most recent novel, A Year in
the Room, was published in November 2024. The book is a sequel
to his debut novel, Into the Room, which was published in
2021. In addition to other awards, both books were finalists for
the American Christian Fiction Writers’ Carol Awards.
Steven loves the process of writing, especially exploring characters that are either broken or facing unfamiliar situations. They are usually ordinary people confronting their internal demons and the challenges of day-to-day living. He also enjoys bringing his stories to a happy, or at least hopeful, ending.
Steven serves as the Director of Royalty Management and Acquisitions Editor at Elk Lake Publishing, Inc. In addition to writing, Steven is a speaker and enjoys sharing his journey of faith and exploring how God’s word applies in the modern world.
Steven, a proud father of three adult children and one incredibly lucky son-in-law, is happily married to his wife of thirty-nine years, Kathy. They live in Richmond, Virginia.
When I first began writing, I was trying to become the next Stephen King. I was inventing serial killers, violently murdering people, and using time travel as a plot concept. At the time, I didn’t know there was a robust and far-reaching Christian Fiction market.
Things changed in 2017 while I was on a flight to Israel. Somewhere over the Atlantic Ocean, I had the thought, I wonder what would happen if I were an alcoholic who has just been released from rehab, and I HAD to take this trip? I quickly invented my character, Ben Cahill, and took him on the tour with me.
When we got back home, my wife asked what I’d been writing in my journal during our visit to The Holy Land. After I explained, the following exchange took place:
Her: “You may have a book there.”
Me: “That’s not my genre.”
Her (using much gentler language): “You’re not published yet; you don’t have a genre.”
To make a long story short, the result of this conversation was my first novel, Into the Room.
A Year in the Room is Book 2 in my “Reluctant Pilgrim” series. I wrote the book because I was compelled to continue telling Ben Cahill’s story and explore an alcoholic/addict during the first year of recovery.
Many writers fall in love with their characters. I am no different. Writing about Ben has been a blessing for me. His story has significantly impacted my personal spiritual journey, taught me to forgive, and brought me closer to God. I will be forever grateful for his impact on my life.
Inspired by Fiction, February 6
Simple Harvest Reads, February 7 (Author Interview)
Books Less Travelled, February 8 (Author Interview)
Locks, Hooks and Books, February 8
Artistic Nobody, February 9 (Author Interview)
Texas Book-aholic, February 10
Guild Master, February 11 (Author Interview)
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, February 12
Fiction Book Lover, February 13 (Author Interview)
Jodie Wolfe – Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, February 14 (Author Interview)
Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, February 15
A Reader’s Brain, February 16 (Author Interview)
A Modern Day Fairy Tale, February 17 (Author Interview)
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, February 17
History, Hope & Happily Ever After, February 18 (Author Interview)
Paula’s Pad of Inspiration, February 19 (Author Interview)
To celebrate his tour, Steven is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon Gift Card and a copy of the book!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.
https://gleam.io/AqCbw/a-year-in-the-room-celebration-tour-giveaway
Interview
What things molded your desire to write a novel?
When I was in second grade, my father grew tired of me watching TV and dragged me to the local library, and enrolled me in their summer reading program. For each book I read, I received a paper feather to glue onto a picture of a Native American headdress. The first book I read (something about a swimmer in a neighborhood pool) did not impress me at all. However, the second, The Reluctant Pitcher by Matt Christopher, flipped a switch in my brain, and I became a lifelong lover of reading fiction. Since that eventful summer, I’ve always been reading novels and exploring new authors.
As a result of my love for reading, I can’t remember a time when I didn’t want to write my own stories. I spent the first fifty-five years of my life occasionally dabbling with short stories or unfinished novels, but it wasn’t until I retired from the corporate world in 2016 that I seriously pursued the craft.
I first realized I may become a published author when one of my short stories, “Deep Waters,” won an honorable mention in the Writer’s Digest short story contest. The recognition encouraged me to keep pushing forward and work to improve. It also gave me the confidence to start pitching my novels to agents and editors.
The journey since has been a dream come true.
What has been your greatest writing achievement to date?
One reader of A Year in the Room said, “I actually think I’m a better man for having read this story.” To know that my writing had a positive impact on someone was a compliment beyond anything I could have dreamed of receiving.
If you could give advice to a newbie writer, what would it be?
Second, I’d recommend they attend conferences/workshops, read books on writing, and talk with published authors as often as possible.
Third, write the story you want to write and be yourself as an author. Not everyone is going to like your work. You'd better be darn sure you do.
Finally, and this is especially true for Christian authors, I’d ask, “Are you vulnerable enough to dig into your soul and expose some of your demons?” To truly impact a reader, an author must be willing to let themselves be seen on the page. This does not mean writing an autobiography or detailing specific events in your life. What it does mean is confronting your emotions and/or behaviors. For example, in writing about my protagonist Ben Cahill’s alcoholism, I had to face my own actions, faults, and addictions, working them, directly and indirectly, into Ben’s personality and the plotline. This is not easy to do, but I believe it makes for an authentic story.
What do you find the hardest part of the writing process?
Patience. I always want to write faster and complete my books more quickly. However, I can’t and still be satisfied with the product. For instance, with A Year in the Room, I wrote sixty pages before deciding the narrative was too “flat” and that I wasn’t letting my characters drive the plot. I ended up throwing away all but about ten of those sixty pages and starting over. For me, sixty pages are a couple of months’ worth of work. I forced myself to take a deep breath and trust my process.
On a more specific level, I find creating tension without overusing adjectives and adverbs to be the most challenging part of writing.
Do you have a favorite character you’ve created? Tell us about them.
I relate the most to Ben Cahill, the main character, who is a recovering alcoholic. My connection with him is not because he’s autobiographical; I have no personal issues with consuming alcohol. However, I can relate to Ben’s journey of faith, especially his early skepticism and sarcastic view of believers.
My favorite character in A Year in the Room is Pearl, a seventy-five-year-old, chain-smoking woman of faith who won’t take anything from anybody. She is a master at holding others accountable for their actions and is the heart of Ben Cahill’s support system. I could not wait to write her scenes in the book. Someday, I’d like to publish a novel telling her story.
Do your books revolve around certain themes?
God and Jesus are the underlying forces in everything I write. Whatever characters I create and regardless of how deeply I lead them into despair, God’s provision, love, mercy, and grace will always be present in my stories. This doesn’t mean my characters won’t be flawed, weak, or subject to the world’s temptations. However, they will have a chance at redemption, and I strive for a happy, or at least hopeful, ending.
Is your book part of a series?
Yes. A Year in the Room is the second book in my “Reluctant Pilgrim” series. The first was Into the Room. The third and final story has a working title of Beyond the Room and will continue to tell Ben Cahill’s story. As research for this story, my wife and I led a “Footsteps of Paul” tour through Greece, Turkey, and Rome in May of 2025.”
Share something funny that’s happened to you.
In 2017, I was halfway through a flight to Israel when I had the idea of writing about an alcoholic who, for some reason, was required to take the trip. I reached for my notebook, invented my main character, Ben Cahill, and began journaling in his voice as we visited The Holy Land. When we returned home, my wife, Kathy, asked me what "all the note-taking" was about. I described Ben and how I'd inserted him on our tour. The conversation that followed simultaneously made me laugh and changed my life:
Kathy: "You know, you may have a book there."
Me: "Faith-based fiction isn't my genre."
Kathy (in her unique and gentle way): "Hon, you're not published, you don't have a genre."
Me (appropriately humbled): "Right. I'll check into the Christian market."
I love telling this story and still laugh at how she concisely pointed out that I was missing the point in my writing journey.
When you aren’t writing, what do you enjoy doing?
My hobbies are fishing, traveling, and playing golf with my best buddy. Of these, travel is a passion shared with my wife, Kathy. We love traveling and experiencing new places and cultures.
My favorite destinations have been Italy, Israel, Iceland, and Africa. The most unique trip we took was to Antarctica. The beauty and landscape there is like nothing I’ve ever experienced.
Our next adventure is to Japan in April of 2026.