Meet author Luke Seibert

I met Luke Seibert through our Word Weavers critique group. We meet every month online, share portions of what we’ve written, and then use the “sandwich method” to critique. Luke’s critiques are always encouraging!

For anyone who doesn’t know what Word Weavers is, you can visit their website at word-weavers.com. I highly recommend becoming part of a critique group!

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Let’s meet Luke!

Jen – It’s great to have you on my blog! Tell us a little about yourself.

Luke – I’ve lived in small towns pretty much all my life, both in Maryland and now in Alabama. I currently live in Ardmore, a city right on the state line with Tennessee—literally. The town straddles the state line. I was a carpenter for a few years, and I remodeled our house along with a friend and one of my brothers before we moved in. 

I lost my sight in a car wreck about six months after we moved in, and that threw my plans for a loop. But the Lord stood with me and my family. Through a series of events, he brought the peace that he promised in Philippians 4:6-7. The Lord taught me so much through that season. I was already a Christian, but he gave me a deeper love for him and his Word. He increased my faith to believe that he was with me, no matter what dark trial I faced. 

Since that time, he’s continued to direct me in a new path—pastoring. I preach at our church on Wednesday nights, and I just completed my Master’s of Divinity. Although the congregation is small, it’s been the right church for my family these past few years.  

Music has also been a big part of my life, especially bluegrass and modern hymns (Keith and Kristen Getty, Sovereign Grace Music, CityAlight, etc.). Guitar’s my primary instrument, but I also play mandolin and upright bass. I love getting together to play with friends at local festivals or just jam around a campfire. There’s nothing like praising the Lord with music. 

Books by Luke Seibert

Jen – After knowing you for a few years, I’ve come to realize how much you love music! Tell us about what you’ve written.

Luke – One genre I write is contemporary fiction, and I’ve written four books in this category. All of them are set in the south: either Alabama or Georgia. One is a middle-grade novel, “The Legend of Saint Creek,” and it’s about a mystery a few friends discover on a camping trip. My favorite, “Enough,” is a full-length novel that retells the story of the Prodigal Son in a modern setting. I try to delve into the problems of the heart that led to his leaving, as well as the struggles of the older sibling.  

Enough by Luke Seibert

 Jesse Barrett knows music is the key to his future. The only problem is, his dad doesn’t agree. Try as he might, he can’t satisfy them both. And with his overbearing sister, the pressure continues to grow.

Then Jesse meets a new group of friends who finally get him. Although they challenge his Christian faith, they’re the best musicians he’s ever played with. As he joins the band, he finds an outlet and a possible escape.

If Jesse could get his portion of the inheritance now, he’d be set to live out his dream.  With firm resolve, he crosses an irreversible line. His plan is simple: he’ll make music with the girl he loves, and nothing is going to hold him back. But what if he’s wrong? What if forces outside of his control dash his dreams to the dust? And if he loses everything, where can he turn? Find out in this modern-day telling of the prodigal son and discover whether God really does receive rebels home once again.

Other books by Luke Seibert

Jen – I’ve loved reading this as it’s gone through the critique stage. What else have you written?

Luke – “Never Saw It Coming” is a short memoir that tells the story of how I lost my sight and what God taught me in that first year of coping with blindness. 

I also thoroughly enjoy writing historical fiction. I’ve written four books in this category as well. “The Chesson Valley Series” is a trilogy about the American Civil War, told from the perspective of a young man who is adamantly opposed to slavery but lives in northern Virginia. “Worth the Cost” is about a Jewish uprising in the 2nd Century BC. The characters struggle with how to hold fast to the Lord amidst changing times and an increasingly secular society.  

And my current project is another historical fiction series: Britain to Berlin. This is a four-book series that gives a picture of WWII from the buildup to D-Day through the end of the war in the West. It primarily follows the American perspective, but it also switches to show some of the German point of view as well.  

Folks can check out the books on my website: www.hisministries.com.

Luke’s bio:

Luke Seibert lives in north Alabama and serves as the associate pastor of Elkmont Baptist Church. Besides writing books and preaching, he enjoys spending time with family, woodworking, and playing bluegrass music. 

Luke’s writing habits

 
Jen – I always love to ask authors about their writing habits. What works for you?

Luke – I typically write in the afternoon or evening, but I don’t have blocked out time on the schedule for that. I usually have a cup of coffee handy, and I always have music playing in the background. For some reason, having the music seems to help me write better. Perhaps that habit comes from my time as a carpenter (we kept the radio going non-stop while we worked). 

That setup’s been pretty standard for me the past several years. What has changed, however, is my approach to writing. When I started, I was strictly a pantser. I had an idea for a book, and the story just developed as I wrote. I would jot down some scenes here or there, but nothing like a clear outline. That really changed with my last novel, “Enough.” I had started to write the book in the beginning of 2023, but took a break for several months. The story wasn’t going the way I wanted, and I was distracted by other parts of life. When I came back to it that Fall, I felt the Lord show me what the rest of the story should look like, and I plotted it out.  

I’m now a mix of plotting and pantsing. I come up with a general outline first. It varies on how specific it gets, but it’s never down to the chapter level. I also jot down ideas for specific scenes I know I want to happen. I do this for each of the main points of view of the book. Then I fill in gaps and change the outline as needed as I write. This gives me structure and road marks to shoot for along the way, but still gives me freedom during the writing process. 

Jen – I’m a mix of plotter and pantser, but I definitely lean toward pantser. I’m glad you’ve found a system that works!

Research for Luke’s books

Jen –Did you have to do research for your stories? If so, what did you find most interesting? 

Luke – I’ve had to do research for most books that I’ve written, but the level depends on the type of story. For example, my modern-day telling of the prodigal son didn’t take a whole lot of research. The main character’s passion is bluegrass music…so yeah, I was already in that world. I did, however, have to research drugs and drug rehabilitation for part of that story. 

On the other hand, my series about WWII has required pretty intense study. Originally, I planned to write about paratroopers during D-Day. But as I began to study, the entire trajectory changed. The series now centers on the infantry, and the saga begins almost a year before the D-Day invasion. And even with that new direction, the storyline has changed several times (for both the Americans and the Germans) as I’ve continued to study and delve deeper into the history. 

One neat example I came across in my research was how pigeons were used in the war to pass information from France back to England. The allies would drop pigeons in small crates by parachute at night. Then any citizen brave enough to defy the Germans would write messages, attach them to the birds, and send them back across the Channel. A lot of the birds didn’t make it through, but some information was incredibly helpful. I didn’t know anything about that operation until recently, and it has provided a sub-plot for the first book in the series. 

Jen – That’s fascinating! I love reading your WWII story in our critique group.

Goals for Luke and his writing

Jen – As writers, especially Christian writers, we have goals for what we’re writing and trying to share. Tell us about yours.

Luke – My goal is to write stories that point to Christ in an excellent way, both in terms of content and as well as craft. One of my guiding verses is Philippians 1:10, where Paul prays that believers “may approve what is excellent” (ESV). In the Christian subculture, it can feel like we sometimes settle for less skillful art just as long as it has a Christian message. And if that’s all a person cares about, that’s fine. But I believe that excellence also includes the aspect of craft or skill. Unfortunately, so many skillfully written books contain explicit scenes and a plethora of R-rated language. My goal is to pair excellent content with excellent craft. I’ve read some books that have done this in a beautiful way, and they’ve inspired me both to write and grow as an author.

Jen – Yes! I totally agree. 🙂

Reading time

  
Jen – What do you like to read?

Luke –Hands down, my favorite novel is “The Visitation” by Frank Peretti. I don’t write in that genre, but I identify so much with his main character, and the story stirs my love for the pure gospel every time I read it (at least five times over the years). His books “Oath” and “Monster” also rank high on my list. I have also really enjoyed some older books like “The Chronicles of Narnia” and “A Tale of Two Cities.” 

Although I love fiction, I find myself mostly reading non-fiction these days. I’m especially drawn to anything about the local church, such as “The Compelling Community” by Mark Dever. I also love books on practical theology like “Delighting in the Trinity” by Michael Reeves or “The Hole in our Holiness” by Kevin DeYoung. These books have greatly helped me not only understand the Lord better, but also see how that knowledge should play out in my daily life.  

How to find Luke

 
Jen – Where can we find you online?

Luke – I’m mostly on Facebook right now, but I am starting a monthly newsletter to share about the books I’m writing and reading. Folks can sign up at my website: https://www.hisministries.com/?page_id=398  

My podcast is called “Take Your Stand,” and I’ve gone a few directions with it over the years. I’m starting it up again, and the focus has clarified. I’ll cover a variety of topics, but they all connect with thinking through the implications of the gospel. The gospel itself is simple, but it radically shapes every aspect of our lives. So I explore theology, the local church, books, scripture, and cultural issues, but all with this goal: what impact does the gospel make in my life today? 

Jen – That’s exciting. I’ll have to check that out!

Luke Seibert and fun facts

 
Jen – Share some fun facts your readers would love to know!

Luke – I am very much a coffee drinker. I typically take it black, but I do enjoy a good hot mocha from a local coffee shop in town. 

I still do a little carpentry work. I have an adaptive measuring tool and a small shop here on the property, so I still work on projects like the occasional bookcase. 

I love dogs—but big dogs. Not too hip on Dachshunds or Chihuahuas (sorry, small dog owners). 

I’ve never cared that much about clothes, but I’m a sucker for ball caps. I’ve got a bunch, and sometimes it’s hard to pick which one to choose. 

More about being an author and writing

Jen – What is your advice for new authors? 

Luke – I would encourage new authors to pray for a writing ‘reason’ that they could hold on to. Maybe it’s a particular message, or maybe it’s a specific type of book. Having a reason is what motivates me to write. For my Prodigal Son story, there were a few specific messages I couldn’t shake and I felt I had to share. With my WWII series, I’m writing to provide a clean set of books in that genre for young men. The reason can vary from book to book. But if you have a reason to hold on to, it helps guide the storyline and gives you a reason to press on even when you feel like giving up. 

Jen – What inspired you to start writing? 

Luke – I hated writing growing up, but I also loved stories (either reading them or making home movies). Then when I lost my sight and I had a lot of time on my hands before going back to school, I started to write just for something to do. I didn’t set out to write a book, but as the story grew, that’s what it turned into.  

Also, I was frustrated with several books I had started recently and none had turned out good. I figured that if I couldn’t find a story that captured my attention and still honored the Lord, I should write one. That thought, combined with writing to fill time, is what led to my first book, and I haven’t stopped since. 

Jen – Thanks so much for being on my blog, Luke! It was great getting to know you better!

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Hi, I’m Jen! I’ve been married for over 39 years, have 5 amazing kids, and have 3 adorable grandkids. I homeschooled our three youngest children and used to blog about homeschooling. I also taught Oral Communication as an adjunct instructor for over 5 years.

Jen Dodrill Writes is born of a passion of mine – to write a novel! My first cozy mystery – Birds Alive! – released Feb. 27, 2024, and the 2nd in the series, Where’s the Quetzal? released Feb. 25, 2025! My romantic suspense novella, SeaBreeze Obsession in Trinity Sands Beach Club, released June 17, 2025!

When I’m not working, you’ll find me writing, spending time with my family, or curled up on the couch reading and drinking a mug of dark roast coffee. (Don’t forget to check out my mug shop – JDMugs!)