This week’s author interview is with Spencer Harmon. He is the coauthor of Letters to a Romantic: On Dating and Letters to a Romantic: On Engagement.

 

• Question #1—Tell us a little bit about yourself: where you’re from, family, job, personal interests, unique hobbies, what you do in your spare time, etc.

I’m originally from Cincinnati, Ohio. I moved to Louisville in 2009 for school at Boyce College. In college I met my wife and we were married in 2014. The Lord has given us two precious daughters in our three years of marriage, so our life is full – but we love it!

I have been serving as the senior pastor at Vine Street Baptist Church in Louisville for a little over a year. We’re situated in a tiny neighborhood right outside the city, and we love the saints there.

I love spending time with my wife and girls: from special times away to just grocery shopping together. We really enjoy being together and I’m so grateful for that. If I have spare moments (which are rare these days!) and we have a baby sitter, I love trying a new restaurant with my wife in our city and spending time with her. She’s my best friend, and I love getting one-on-one time with her.

 

• Question #2—Which writers inspire you?

My mentor and friend David Gundersen has always inspired me as a writer. He’s not well known, but is a careful thinker, clear writer, and writes beautiful prose and poetry. He’s influenced me (and my writing!) and more ways than I can count – I’d love to see him read by more people. You can read some of his writing at davidagundersen.com

C.S. Lewis has always inspired me as someone who combines beauty and precision in a way I have never seen before. Anytime I read his books I’m challenged and inspired to say old truths in fresh ways. Outside of the Christian genre, Marilynne Robinson books contain sentences and phrases that have literally taken my breathe away. Her writings contain observations about people and the world that I have yet to find in another writer.

 

• Question #3—Have you always enjoyed writing?

Ever since I can remember. Fun fact, I began writing through poetry which developed into a 5-year stint in hip-hop music. The hip-hop genre of music really lends itself to growing in creative writing skills, and I believe my habits and style of writing was shaped by that season. I still believe that hip-hop is one of the more powerful genre’s of music because of its ability to shape people’s minds through words.

 

• Question #4—What inspired you to write this book, about this topic?

Sean and I wrote Letters to a Romantic: on Dating, and Letters to a Romantic: on Engagement because we both recently walked through these seasons of romance in our own lives. We saw a need for practical wisdom in the myriad of issues that arise during these seasons, and wanted someone to write resources that were committed to the sufficiency of Scripture in these seasons of life. As we began writing about these things on our blog, we saw people resonating with that need, and set out to write the books.

Since their release, that need has only been confirmed. We didn’t set out to write a method of dating or to be exhaustive, but to give people categories of thinking. We like to say that our books are out to “start a conversation” for couples who want to honor the Lord in romance.

 

• Question #5—At what time of day do you write most?

Early! I usually do my best writing between the hours of 5:00 AM and 8:00 AM. It’s very rare that I produce anything worth reading in the evenings – I get so tired and foggy headed!

 

• Question #6—Favorite food?

I love Buffalo Chicken of any sort. If that’s on the menu at a restaurant, it’s probably what I’ll order.

 

• Question #7—Favorite flavor of ice cream?

Graeter’s Black Raspberry Chocolate Chip – the best ice cream in the world. Seriously.

 

• Question #8—If you have a favorite book other than the Bible, what is it and why?

If I measured it by impact on my life, I would say Future Grace by John Piper. That book helped me at a very important time in my life and walk with the Lord. It’s a book I’ll be reading for the rest of my life.

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How can readers discover more about you and your work?

Blog: unspokenblog.org

Twitter: @SpencerMHarmon

Facebook Page: Spencer Harmon