Ron Clark

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a retired pharmacist with 42 years of experience in retail pharmacy. My wife, Kitty, and I have three children and six grandchildren. We have had the pleasure of living in several Texas cities as well as Richmond and Lynchburg, VA. We have vacationed on two ocean cruises, London, France, Tokyo, and several cities across the United States. We have also participated in two mission trips, once to Calli, Columbia, and Bantoom, and Bangkok, Thailand.

I published my first book, The Prophet’s Secret in 2016 with Tate Publishing, which has since gone out of business and republished the book in 2020 with Kindle Direct. I am currently writing a sequel to The Prophet’s Secret, but have yet decided upon a title.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest, and only book, is The Prophet’s Secret. My original idea occurred to me when I read mention in the book of Maccabees in the Books of the Apocrypha about a letter written by Jeremiah the prophet and sent to the Jewish exiles in Babylon telling them that he had hidden the original Tabernacle and its worship articles in a cave on the mountain where Moses stood and looked out over the Promised Land.

I loved the movie, Raider of the Lost Ark, but I did not want to copy the adventure and I wanted to include the prophetic implications of such a discovery. I also wanted to explain the meaning of several prophetic mentions in the Bible. Thus, The Prophet’s Secret was born.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t believe my writing habits are the least bit unusual. As I write, my characters and the story seem to come alive for me and the storyline just seems to flow of its own volition. When that flow begins to wane, I stumble and must recapture the natural reactions of the characters.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
While I’ve discontinued reading Stephen King, because of his use of profanity in his current writings, his style, and character development was a mighty influence. The Thoene’s and their use of biblical scenarios to extrapolate an interconnected storyline is also a great influence.

What are you working on now?
I am currently working on a sequel to The Prophet’s Secret, as yet untitled. At the moment, the flow of the storyline is stumbling along.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
To be honest, I haven’t had much luck with any website. Personal contact and book signings at libraries has served me best.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
My best advice is to be very careful in choosing a publisher. Check them out for complaints and success stories. Tate Publishing was a disaster because the owners began to retain royalties for deposit into their personal accounts and the company provided virtually no promotional services. They have since been prosecuted by the Oklahoma Attorney General’s office and received a very favorable sentence for themselves.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
John D. MacDonald once wrote, “If you really want to be a writer, then write.” Mrs. Miller, my freshman English teacher at Del Mar College, told us that every slaughtered syllable is a deed well done. In other words, don’t be superfluous.

What are you reading now?
Currently, I am reading The Desiderata Stone (The Blind Sleuth Mysteries Book 7) by Nick Aaron. It’s a departure from the usual for me since it uses a dual setting, ancient Rome, and current-day Rome. The main characters are either blind or deaf. It’s interesting.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Currently, I will finish the sequel to The Prophet’s Secret. After publishing that book I will put in a lot of effort to find a new inspiration. I am also facing a move from Fredericksburg, TX to, hopefully, Wimberly, TX.

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
My first choice of a book would be the Bible. The Bible has influenced more literature and teaching that any book in history. Almost every book ever written contains some element of the Bible. Secondly, I would choose a comprehensive Bible dictionary and concordance. The God Portal by Tim Ferguson is one of my all-time favorites with time travel and the idea of meeting Jesus fascinates me.

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