Reforming The Potter's Clay
Donald James Parker
ISBN: 9780615212234
Sword Of The Spirit Publishing
Reviewed By Latonya Franklin
Official Apex Reviews Rating: 
In
this day and age, the gods of lust, materialism, and self-satisfaction
hold daily court in the lives of countless individuals blindly seeking
some form of validation and acceptance. Lost in the perpetual shuffle,
the traditional values of old are increasingly cast aside, ignored, and
even vilified as modern humanity adopts a new paradigm shift in praise
of instant gratification. In an effort to understand precisely why such
a change has overcome the world, experts and lay people alike assign
blame to numerous different factors for the gradual, yet lasting,
transformation – but more often than not they overshoot the mark, not
realizing that it all stems from something equally simple and sinister…
Nowhere is this case made more clearly than in Reforming The Potter's Clay.
A fresh manifestation of the ages-old battle between good and evil,
this standout work by prolific author Donald James Parker confronts the
reader with the very struggles faced by millions of individuals
worldwide everyday – only this time the brave heroes are barely old
enough to drive. Proud members of the newly formed "God Squad," Adam,
Pedro, Tammy, EJ, and others of their Christian friends commit
themselves not only to withstanding the various attacks of their sworn
spiritual enemy, but also to preventing the spread of his sinister
influence throughout their lives and the lives of those around them. To
be expected, the teens are met with considerable hostility from all
sides – teachers, other students, and even family members included –
but they stick together and rely on the collective strength of their
bond – and, of course, the providence of a higher power – to overcome
any obstacles placed in their way.
On the numerous occasions
that the youngsters state their spiritual case, they display a
commanding authority of scriptural knowledge. That, combined with a
comprehensive understanding of the intermingling of the spirit and the
flesh in practical terms, adds an authenticity to the dialogue and
overall flow of Parker's story, making it that much more of a
compelling read. Also, Parker does a commendable job of avoiding
proselytization while addressing such issues as sorcery, witchcraft,
and other spiritual phenomena. By doing so, he is able to comment
intelligently on a range of different topics without alienating the
very individuals who stand to benefit the most from his insightful
commentary.
Potent without being preachy, enlightening without condescension – and quite amusing at times – Reforming The Potter's Clay is a welcome addition to the world of Christian fiction. Parker dares
to take on quite a challenge in tossing the ideological shackles of
political correctness – but he pulls it off with flying colors.
Official Apex Reviews Interview: Donald James Parker (Reforming The Potter's Clay)
Apex Reviews: Donald, thanks for joining us for this interview. We're looking forward to learning more about your book and other efforts.
It's obvious that much research and planning went into the development of Reforming The Potter's Clay. How long did it take you to put the finishing touches on the book?
Donald James Parker: It actually didn't take me very long to write the book. I even was writing a second book at the same time. I went back and forth between the two - I think taking about 3 months for the pair of them. I really hate to burst your bubble, but almost no planning and only a modicum of research went into Potter. I just sat at the computer and spewed it out - the same way I do my other books. People tell me I have a ghost writer - Holy Ghost. I follow the Jerry Jenkins plan: I just write so I can find out what happens next in the story.
AR: What's the significance of the title?
DJP: This was a play on words. God is referred to as the Potter and we are his clay. Then we have Harry Potter, whose influence has molded many young (and even older) hearts and minds. Reforming has a pair of meanings here as well. Reshaping and changing the clay that Harry Potter has altered is God's purpose.
AR: Are any of the young protagonists in the book based on teenagers that you know or have come into contact with?
DJP: Totally fabricated.
AR: Your considerable knowledge of spiritual matters comes through loud and clear in the book. What kinds of experiences have helped your faith mature into its current form?
DJP: Here again - my experience is fairly limited. I think God provided the insight here. I've read the New Testament a few times in French, English, and Spanish, but have never read the Old Testament in its entirety. I was a missionary for a short while. Other than that, just regular church going, visiting/fellowshipping at lots of different kinds of churches, and a fair amount of reading.
AR: Do you personally believe in the power of resurrection and some of the other spiritual phenomena included in the book?
DJP: I have read several reports of resurrections. Many are taking place in India, where God's spirit is being poured out upon a simple and trusting people. Personally, I've never seen what I consider a real miracle. But I believe whole-heartedly that God can do whatever He wants to. He created the laws of the universe. If He wants to suspend or break them, He has the power.
AR: As our reviewer noted, through your characters you take quite a few strong stances - on everything from prayer in schools to the Harry Potter series of books. What kinds of reactions have readers had to the various positions that you've taken?
DJP: Nobody has commented much about it. I only know of about eight people who have read it. Only one has said much along the lines of the actual subject at hand - the occult. That reader is a practicing witch. Ironically, she enjoyed the book but was not changed by it, though I can't help but think it planted some seeds.
AR: Can you share more with us about Sword Of The Spirit Publishing, through which you published Reforming The Potter's Clay?
DJP: Another piece of irony here - Potter's Clay provided the impetus for the birth of Sword of the Spirit Publishing. I went to a writer's conference and tried to pitch the Potter book to agents and a publisher. The feedback I got was, "We like Harry Potter" or "Our company doesn't use fiction to present an agenda." At that point I decided the only way this book was going anywhere was to start my own company. Currently I am the only author I have published, but I hope to find other worthy authors who have a message from God that is not being printed by traditional publishers because it might not be profitable. Sword of the Spirit will not shy away from controversy.
AR: Please share more with our readers about the other books that you've written.
DJP: I have a five book series about the Masterson family - Lance (Bambi) Masterson - and his daughter Maria:
Book 1: The Bulldog Compact. Lance composes a document called the Bulldog Compact, in which the signers pledge to give all they can to win the state basketball championship.
Book 2: More Than Dust in the Wind. Lance grows up, gets married, and takes on several new challenges in life as his daughter, Maria, grows to young adulthood. The topic of evolution is introduced here. One fairly unique tangent to this book is a focus on girl's cross-country and track.
Book 3: All the Voices of the Wind. This one is my personal favorite. I did do a lot of research for this one - though God guided me through the writing as usual. This one focuses almost entirely on the evolution/creation/Intelligent Design debate, though a nice love story and a father/son relationship struggle bring some added dimensions to the book. This one contains so much science and logic that it is a bit hard to read.
Book 4: All the Stillness of the Wind. The hero from book three studies religion with the same fervor that he studies evolution in that book. He's in love with Maria but won't sacrifice his search for the truth, even to win the love of his life.
Book 5: All the Fury of the Wind. Maria and Jeremy go to the University of the Nebraska on sports scholarships and get involved in the fight against evolution there.
Angels of Interstate 29. This one is just in the final throes of publication. It should be available for sale in a couple of weeks. It is very much different from my other books in the sense that its heroes are senior citizens and they use a little salty language. This one could become a cult favorite of the AARPA set.
AR: What's next for you?
DJP: I have so many books on my drawing board, it makes my head spin. I have a couple I really want to do, but I feel called to finish one other one first. In that book, I go after the sexual revolution the same way I went after Harry Potter and the occult in this book. The strength of my writing appears to be the dialog. Thus, I am toying very seriously with the idea of launching into writing movie scripts. I think Voices would be a perfect candidate for a flick. The Bulldog Compact would be a great TV movie (Hallmark, are you listening?) Potter, maybe. The other books might be candidates as well. However, if I do movie scripts, it would probably be brand new material. I'm waiting to see where God takes me in this area.
AR: Where can people learn more about you?
DJP: www.donaldjamesparker.com
AR: Also, how can people contact you directly?
DJP: I have a "Contact Me" button on my website. A note in my guestbook will also do the trick (on either my website or SOS at www.SwordOfSpirit.net )
AR: Any final thoughts you'd like to share with our readers?
DJP: At the moment, readers can download the e-book versions of all my novels for free from my website. I'd be very appreciative if anyone enjoying these books would spread the word. The world of book marketing is an extremely harsh environment. The only way a little guy like me can succeed is through the assistance of loyal fans.
AR: Thanks again, Donald, and best of continued success to you in all your endeavors!
DJP: Thanks, Apex Reviews. The review was very well written, and this interview nicely done as well. I'm impressed.