Mythos Christos Author Interview

This interview was conducted by Jordon Greene (www.jordongreene.com), to author Edwin Hebert, the author of Mythos Christos. This book blurb is taken direct from the authors Amazon Page:

MYTHOS CHRISTOS: Alexandria, Egypt / AD 391 - When the great temple of Serapis and its library annex are destroyed by the Christian mob, the Neoplatonist philosopher Hypatia becomes concerned the Great Library might suffer the same fate. She vows to save as much of the ancient knowledge as she can, especially certain telling documents concerning the origins of Christianity. But rather than merely hiding the heretical scrolls and codices in desert caves and hoping for the best, Hypatia contrives a far more ingenious plan. She sets up an elaborate sequence of burials, each of which is governed by actual ancient linguistic and geometrical riddles which must be solved to gain access. Only one steeped in Platonic mysticism would be capable of finding and unlocking the buried secrets.

Author Bio:

Edwin Herbert is president of his local freethought society, has been a regular op-ed newspaper columnist on topics concerning science, skepticism and the mythical roots of various religions. He has a busy optometric practice in Wisconsin, where he lives with his wife in their empty nest. Mythos Christos is his debut novel.

Author Website: www.MythosChristos.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mythoschristos/?ref=aymt_homepage_panel

Twitter: https://twitter.com/EdwinHerbert411

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Edwin-Herbert/e/B01BG7QMAW/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_ebooks_1

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14967907.Edwin_Herbert

https://store.bookbaby.com/book/Mythos-Christos1

Interview:

1. Why do you write? What inspires or motivates you to put pen to paper (or finger to key)?

I wrote Mythos Christos to share information about the roots of Christianity that the majority of readers are unlikely to come upon. I’ve also contributed to a newspaper column called A Freethinker’s Perspective, which dealt with science, skepticism, and religion / mythology.

2. Are you a full-time author or do you have another job by day and write by night (or vice versa)? If you have another job, what is that? What is your profession or professional background?

I am an optometrist by day, and an astute observer of human nature (or at least I try). Since I deal with people on a one on one basis, I think it has helped me to write dialogue.

3. Tell us about your most recently published books? What makes them different? (If you have more than two, please keep this to the last two).

Mythos Christos is my debut novel, the historical research of which took me many years. It is unique in that it is the first novel which promotes the “mythicist” theory—the idea that the gospel tale is mostly, if not entirely, founded on myth.

4. What was your favorite scene to write, or type of scene if the former would give too much away? (No spoilers)

I would say the battle scene in the temple of Serapis was the most fun to write, and the favorite scene of some of my younger male readers. Swords, spears, arrows—you get the picture.

5. Do you write exclusively in one genre, or do you explore multiple genres or maybe even bend genres?

Mythos Christos is difficult to pigeonhole into one genre. Half of the book takes place around the year 400 CE, while the modern story contains elements of archaeological thriller, suspense, and even gumshoe detective mystery.

6. What is the most rewarding aspect of being an author?

Just knowing there are readers all over the world experiencing the world I created is strangely satisfying.

7. What is the most challenging part of writing?

Presenting the knowledge I wish to impart and placing on the lips of my characters in a natural, authentic, and intriguing fashion is most challenging. Revision has been my ally.

8. Who are your top three favorite authors, and why?

Nonfiction: historian Richard Carrier, PhD for his landmark tome On the Historicity of Jesus, where he applies Bayes Theorem to history and actually calculates the odds of whether Jesus existed; David Fideler for his books on Alexandria and ancient mystery cults.

Fiction: Steven Pressfield—his early novels bring ancient Greece to life.

9. What are your top three favorite books (or series), and why?

Tides of War, by Steven Pressfield and The sword of Attila, by Michael Curtis Ford—I love to read about ancient military endeavors.

Harmful Intent, by Robin Cook—although all of his medical thrillers are fantastic.

10. What is your writing process like? Some write spontaneously, some plan. What do you do?

I’m definitely an outliner, but I can get spontaneous creating within that framework.

11. In your opinion, should every story have a happy ending?

If not an entirely happy ending, a novel should at least be satisfying as far as closure. You’ve got to tie up the loose ends.

12. Can you tell us a little about your current project?

I’m currently working on a sequel to MC involving the myth of Moses, though I haven’t come up with a title yet.

13. What are your hobbies outside of writing?

Hiking the bluffs of western Wisconsin, playing chess, and solving any kind of puzzle.

14. Most stories require at least some type of research on part of the author. What have you enjoyed researching the most to make your stories believable to the reader?

My novel in particular required years of research not only to come up with an Alexandria, Egypt of Hypatia’s time (ca 400 CE), but also to be as accurate as possible in the historical detail of ancient mystery cults (including Christianity), Greek myths, gematria, linguistics and early Greek occult learning.

15. If you had to choose, what author has most influenced your writing?

Steven Pressfield (most renowned for his Legend of Bagger Vance) actually urged me via email to write my book. He said that no one else is going to write it. He then asked me to read his book The War of Art, which I promptly did, and was thus inspired to begin the arduous journey writing and publishing Mythos Christos.

16. How much of yourself do you put in your books, in characters and events?

I think writers can’t help but inject what they know into their writing. Often we base characters on personalities with which we’re familiar, or an amalgam of personality traits we’ve dealt with in the past.

17. Is there anything else you'd like to say? (Yes, this is where you get to take the stand and say whatever, within reason of course.)

Several of my readers have compared Mythos Christos to Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code and Angel and Demons. True, my book does entail the Vatican, assassins, and a scholar who follows a trail of riddles, but that’s where the similarities end. Don’t get me wrong, I love Brown’s work so the comparison doesn't actually bother me (it was a best seller, after all). But half of my novel takes place around the year 400 and is far more accurate as far as history is concerned. So if you pick up Mythos Christos, don’t expect a copycat Da Vinci Code! My novel is quite original and unique.