The Best Gifts

The best gifts are ones that cannot be opened with your hands. I think that a heart full of love and forgiveness that Terry offers me is just the best gift that one human can give another. Of course the greatest Gift of all is our Lord Jesus.

Now I want to be a little less spiritual for a moment. I remember back when I was 4 yrs old Mother and Daddy gave me a life size "walking doll". She was exactly my size and could wear my clothes. Her official name was Patty Play Pal but I named her Mary. Mama and I didn't change her clothes many times because she wasn't very pliable. It usually turned into a wrestling match between Mama and Mary. Mama liked curly hair and Mary had hair that was as straight as a board. We put curlers in it many times and never made any kind of impact on her hair. I was very jealous of her the first week I had her because Mama and Daddy really seemed to like her a lot. (I felt more than me at times.) I was shy in front of her until it occurred to me that she wasn't real. I put her in bed with me but soon kicked her out because her cold plastic legs and arms never warmed up. They stayed cold. I reminded myself that she was NOT real, again. Would you believe that Mary stands in the corner of my bedroom next to some of the other favorite dolls, Sweetie Pie and Kitty (Yes, I was a Gunsmoke fan...Miss Kitty in particular.) Mary is wearing a little pair of jeans and a red shirt with a beautiful rhinestone crown that my brother bought for me. (That is another story.) I said all of that to say, "Some gifts are for Keeps."

Please read my interview with Emil Kirstein from South Africa.



1. 1.What is your name and the title of your book(s)?
Thank you for this interview. My name is Emil Kirstein and I’m from South Africa. The name of my debut novel is Quest for Freedom, and it’s published by Tate Publishing & Enterprises.

2. What is one thing you think your readers would like to know about you?
Maybe the readers would like to know that I’ve got mileage on my odometer and overtime on my clock. Jokes aside, I write from my experiences and real-life lessons that I’ve learned. Though my stories are fiction, I strive for them to be real.
My experience stems from having been in business, a missionary, a Bible teacher and an English teacher in South Africa’s Western Cape Province, Malawi, and South Korea. Currently my wife, Lorna, and I are semi-retired. We focus on writing books and tutoring English, mostly to Koreans studying here in South Africa.

3. When did you know that you wanted to become a writer?
Since primary school days I’ve been a storyteller, but had never considered sitting down and writing a novel. I felt that I was a missionary and teacher, full stop. I did write a lot of Bible school material and on a few occasions I did consider writing a book on some teachings—but that just never happened. Then about midway into 2006 I was reminded that the greatest teacher, Jesus, was a storyteller. He knew that the vast majority of people are more interested in listening to a story than listening to a teaching—even though a small minority prefers a teaching. Thus my novel was born.

4. What are your strong points in your writing style or methods?
I try to tell a story that’s true to life and has life-lessons embedded in it. I try to tell it simply, but I also try to use good language in the process of telling it. I try to skip the boring parts even though some boring parts are unfortunately necessary to fill in the background and set the scene. The readers will have to judge for themselves whether I’ve been successful in my goals.

5. Are you a reader?
Ironically, no! During my high school days I was an avid reader of Westerns. It took me about two hours to read a cowboy book. Nowadays I like reading study materials like encyclopedias and the like. Rather weird, wouldn’t you say?

6. What are you reading right now?
Please don’t laugh, but I’m busy brushing up on English grammar and South African history. As I said, please don’t laugh.

7. Do you have another book that you are working on and hasn't been submitted for publication? Tell about it.
Quest for Freedom was the first on the drawing board, and has by God’s grace progressed to the bookstore. From the beginning I’d envisaged a trilogy—continuing with Quest for Life and finishing with Quest for Truth.

8. What are your biggest obstacles to writing and how do you overcome them?
I’m one of those creatures who have difficulty in multitasking. So, when I write, I’d like to be marooned on an island, cut off from the world—but with all the benefits of civilization intact of course. However, that’s simply not possible. So, it’s start up, pause, step back, restart, pause… an endless cycle. I’m quite sure that I’m not the only writer on a quest—a quest for peace and quiet! Therefore, the best time for me to start writing is about 2am! You may check with my beloved wife if you don’t believe me.

9. Please put a description of each of your books here. (back matter is ok)
Quest for Freedom is a story about freedom, as the title suggests. It’s a story about relationships— relationships between people and relationship with God. The secondary title expounds on it a bit: Being free amidst life’s ups and downs. The back matter on the book cover reads thus:
Mike and Anne are about to get a divorce. Despite the love between them, the hardships in their lives might be too much for them to take. A fresh start could be the best thing for both of them. Paul and Claire Shaw have a different problem. Paul is a pastor, and Claire is a compassionate wife. After a series of tragedies, however, Paul’s faith in God is severely shaken. What do these couples have in common? They are on a Quest for Freedom from the secrets that have scarred their souls. They are looking for hope despite trauma and turmoil.
Enter Old Charles Young, a man who has a different kind of secret: he has found true freedom from the pain and darkness of his own secrets, trauma, and turmoil. Walk with these couples as they learn that they were made for freedom, regardless of the challenges life hands them.
Author Emil Kirstein’s easy, conversational style allows the reader to become a “fly on the wall” as each character unfolds his or her Quest for Freedom. The real-life lessons they’ve learned provide clues for the characters—and the reader—to find what they are seeking.
In his review, Jim Miller, Marketing Representative of Tate Publishing & Enterprises, said:
Quest for Freedom tells the story of two struggling couples who find hope in the wisdom of an old man they barely know. Emil Kirstein writes with the heart of a pastor and the insight of a counselor. This book is an enjoyable read, but it is also much more than that. It is useful as a companion to pastoral or Christian counseling, a gift for people who are seeking answers for the difficulties in life, and as edification for fellow believers in Christ. The best part about Emil’s writing style is that it is in no way heavy-handed or preachy.

10. How can readers contact you or purchase your books? Please put your website or blog here.
Readers can contact me at my website, http://kirsteinonline.com. There are links to email me, buy the book, read my blog, connect with me on Facebook, and the like. I welcome feedback from readers. It helps me keep my stories real.

This was a great interview. If you missed one of the past interviews of the talented authors I have been interviewing be sure to visit my blog and catch up. These was interesting people!