Danniel Campbell Artist & Author Part 2

Hi everyone. This is our last interview with Danniel Campbell.

What inspires you, Danniel, as you create illustrations?

The inspirations have been many over the years. When I was younger it was from the desire to make my own movies on printing paper with crayons. However, today visually portraying the characters of my stories is my inspiration.

Nice!

What inspires you as you write?

To make God known is my inspiration to write. A pastor once called entertainment “detained for entry.” The Bible also says in Proverbs 23:7 KJV “For as a man thinketh, so is he.” The world’s entertainment is dark in means to darken the hearts of man further from the light of God. My drive as a writer is to be used by God to help lighten the hearts of man to the Light of God. I want my writings to be used to confront some of the most trying issues we face today by first showing that we are the primary instigators of them, and that only through repentance from our sins and faith in Christ can we be delivered from our issues.

Beautifully stated, Danniel!

Do you ever have writer’s block and, if so, how do you overcome it?

Yes, I do get writer’s block. For me one of the best solutions is to keep thinking of the story’s purpose. What do you want the reader to get out of it? If you go back to the story you might see that it went in a direction it wasn’t meant to go down, and that may have been what caused the block.

I so agree!

Would you share with us why you wrote Penelope?

Penelope was originally a novel called Stray Crusader. The heroine was originally a blood thirsty, lascivious, brunette vigilante, but after I watched the movie Return of the King I was so heavily inspired by it. I sought to make a story that married both the Celtic themes of Tolkien’s master piece with my love for Feudal Japan. Thus I changed the heroine into a Holy, blonde, vigilante (as if lightening the hair color made her Godlier). 

The protagonist, however, was flat, the story had no point, it was too violent, it was theologically problematic, and the professionals I sent a few of its chapters to bashed it. I was too impatient to polish it any further and moved onto another manuscript I was working on at the time.

But, the story never left my heart. Having grown since then in obedience to Christ of how I viewed women, this time around I wanted to make a heroine that was a strong woman of God bereft of any intent to gratify ones lust. I also wanted her to be an officer of the law since I came to realize that taking the law into your own hands disrespects authority and in turn disrespects God who establishes all authority. When my proofreader, a mature woman of God, told me she couldn’t get Penelope out of her head, it felt like an affirmation from the Lord that this goal was accomplished. 

What a journey, Danniel, and I’m glad you didn’t give up on that story.

After them being entertained, what is the message you hope readers will remember from reading Penelope?

That fear is a choice. If we put our faith in Christ, we will be free to do every good thing, regardless of the consequences.

Amen!

Tell us why you wrote “Charlotte”.

My pastor preached a message based on Proverbs 24:11-12, “Rescue those who are being taken away to death; hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter. If you say, “Behold, we did not know this,” does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who keeps watch over your soul know it, and will he not repay man according to his work?”

In this context he was speaking of the unborn being taken away to death. I didn’t believe that I had the time to protest outside these murdering physicians’ homes like others did, but I did want to do more than just give money to ministries on the front-line confronting this. Thus I wanted to write something that showed that nothing justifies the murder of innocent life and that God’s solution to this is a changed heart. Souls in submission to Christ don’t murder, nor write laws condoning the murdering of the unborn.

Spoken in full truth, Danniel!

Are there any other stories you are working on? If so, please share your one line snippet.

There are many, but I’ll share a catch phrase for one of them called “Tomahawk”; Giant huntress fights to keep the peace between her people and the ruling colonists of her land.

Ohhh, I can’t wait to read this story.

Before we conclude, Danniel, is there something that is your heart’s desire, something you are praying about as to whether or not God may have one more plan for your life?

To be a husband and a father. If I leave this world only having worshiped God with what I have I will have died satisfied, but I would love to experience the blessing that comes with loving a woman as myself, sacrificially helping her be all that she can be in worshipping God with all her gifts and talents, and raising children to God’s Image and Likeness in this world.

Danniel, I will pray that God gives you this heart’s desire.

Thank you, Danniel Campbell, for taking the time to share with my audience a little bit about your life and your work.

Once again, you may click on book cover titles to purchase Penelope and Charlotte.

Here is the link to Danniel’s illustration site:

https://m.facebook.com/Dactastical/?tsid=0.6520942869193913&source=result

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