Author Looks Into Work as Ministry

The Daily News

Author Richard Paul Evans never suspected a Christmas gift for family and friends would provide a life changing-event for him and many others.

That gift -- "The Christmas Box" -- was an immediate and sustained best-seller. Now years later, Evans is still writing inspirational books, guided by his Mormon faith.

His latest book, "The Christmas List," was released in October to critical acclaim and the New York Times Bestsellers List.

Evans will discuss the book and his new series "The Walk," to begin release in April, tonight at the Christ Episcopal Church's fellowship hall, as part of a series of discussions sponsored by the Warren County Public Library.

Tickets have been issued for the event, but there should be more than enough space for anyone who wants to attend the free event at 6 p.m., according to Jayne Pelaski, who coordinates the program.

Evans didn't always write books.

"I was interested in politics," he said. "And I was going to go to law school."

But while working on a gubernatorial campaign, he was talked out of going to law school.

"I saw the ad guys having fun ... so I decided that was what I wanted to do," he said. "I was the ad guy ... who writes things meant to change behavior."

Evans still has that effect. Since writing the first novel, his family has helped open numerous homeless shelters through his philanthropic Christmas Box House International foundation and the 100th angel statue, introduced in his first book, has just been dedicated.

"Every book has meant to change ... behavior," he said. "My books are a ministry."

The latest book is about a real estate developer who on the surface had all the trappings of success.

But along the way, he alienated his son and was divorcing his dying wife. The man, James Kier, reads his obituary in the newspaper and the accounts of his life are scathing.

Kier then sets about to change his life.

Evans said writing the book was almost a reaction to his last book, "Grace," which was about an abused child -- a very heavy subject.

He needed something lighter and Evans said he was told "no one wants to read a sad book during the recession."

Evans said he has been surprised to hear from so many people who said they know people like Kier. At least seven CEOs of major companies think the character was modeled after them.

"But I would never do that ... because of legal reasons," he said. "But I do think we can all see a little of ourselves in him."

Evans said he knows he has at least 10 books left to write.

He will write at least five more Christmas books, something he had gotten away from for a few years but discovered he truly likes.

And he will release "The Walk," a series of five books about a successful man who lost it all in four months and then proceeds to walk from Washington state to Key West, Fla., in a sort of catharsis.

Evans and his eldest daughter, Jenna, researched the book driving along the path that the man would take.

"We met so many interesting people," he said.

The journey was so much like what the book's character was meant to have experienced that Evans said they expected to see him along the way.

It's no accident that the book's character is changing his life by walking -- Evans said that walking is where he derives his inspiration.

If he had a little more control over his schedule, he'd start off every day by walking, he said.

For now, he is happy to talk to others about his writing and what it has accomplished.

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