What faith book has been influential for you?

Maybe I missed the 'faith books' genre? But Frederic Buechner’s A Longing for Home, and Secrets in the Dark are wonderful articulations of one believer’s journey. In fact any of Buechner’s work. Also, Sherman and Hendricks’ Your Work Matters to God.

What is your go-to piece of Scripture?

Philippians 2:5-8.

In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

Who, being in very nature God,

did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;

rather, he made himself nothing

by taking the very nature of a servant,

being made in human likeness.

And being found in appearance as a man,

he humbled himself

by becoming obedient to death—

even death on a cross!

It is about Jesus’ humility: while many have died for others, only one has had such humility.

Apart from Jesus, obviously, which person in the Bible would you most like to have dinner with?

Paul Barnett’s wonderful commentary on Galatians has given me a new view about the fearless and outspoken courage of St Paul, seemingly unfussed about what people thought about him.

What is your favourite meal?

When are you happiest?

Mmm. I am more regularly thankfully content than happy. But, very occasionally, there is a great morning body-surfing with a southerly breeze and a swell that is good but too big!

What words or phrases do you most over-use?

Fore! (following a wayward shot on the golf course).

Where can you see God’s hand in your creative process of writing?

When my fingers are on the keyboard and words flow sometimes without even seeming conscious of thought processes.

What is your favourite writing procrastination activity?

I consider 10km+ walks part of the writing process. But the research shows that the brain is working on the problem while I am not at the keyboard. So don’t get frustrated: go for a walk!

(E.g. Rest, a book by Alex Soojung-Kim Pang.)

What spiritual practice do you find the most helpful?

Congregational singing.

Which spiritual practice do you find the most difficult?

'For I do not do the good I want to do. Instead, I keep on doing the evil I do not want to do.'

(Romans 7:15)

What is your favourite animal, and why?

I can name all the canines in my life.

If you were a plant, which one would you be?

St John’s Wort just before being sprayed with weed killer.

Which book character would you most like to be?

I would most likely be John Rebus in a Rankin novel. But that’s not answering your question!

Which Old Testament prophet do you most relate to?

Isaiah.

If you had to witness to one of the events recorded in the Bible, which one would it be?

Watching St Peter’s walking on water would look pedestrian in comparison to the Transfiguration.

What is your favourite worship song?

'It Is Well With My Soul' by Horatio Spafford.

'Resurrection' by Nicky Chiswell.

'Hear Our Prayer' by Greg Cooper and Andy Judd.

What is your favourite song (there is no shame here, you are among friends)?

You have to see (on Youtube) Joni Mitchell at the 2022 Newport Folk Festival at age 79 singing 'Both Sides Now'! Then look up the original album of that title released in the 1960s.

Jazz pianist Brad Mehldau’s 'Still Crazy After All These Years', Ella Fitzgerald's 'The Nearness Of You'.