A Visit From Marvin Wilson

The other day, I shared information with you on Marvin Wilson and his newest book, Beware the Devil's Hug.  Please continue scrolling after this post and read about the contest information--then click beneath the cover art for a link to buy the book!!! 

I had a chance to ask Marvin a few questions, and he agreed to honor us with a guest post today!   Please enjoy--and show your manners by leaving him a thak you :-) (Always a mother, aren't I?"

It's all yours Marvin!

Hi Joyce, and everyone. It’s a pleasure to be stopping here today as part of the Hugs Therapy Virtual Tour 2010. Joyce, you asked me to write a special piece for this post, one that focused on how the book, Beware the Devil’s Hug, came about. Specifically, you asked:


· Where the idea came from

· Why did I write it

· What do I hope the reader takes away from it, and

· Who is my favourite and least favourite character – and why.

Good questions. The idea for the book is one that I came up with almost five years ago. I was observing—for quite some time—an old homeless man panhandling on a street corner. He seemed to me to be a kind man, gentle, very humble and gracious. But of course he was raggedy, old and ugly, poor, probably smelly, and just, well—to most people who didn’t take the time to really look deeply at him—repulsive. Some people would stop and give him some money, pulling their hands back quickly as soon as he had taken the cash—as if touching him might infect them with a terminal disease—and walk away without any emotion other than a mild relief. The majority of folks would look down and/or away, not even wanting eye contact with him.

And I thought to myself, what if this man is some high spiritual being, maybe an angel, someone with special powers, who chooses the life of a homeless beggar not out of necessity, but simply for the purity of it? And that’s where the adblurb and premise idea for the book came from:

What if a homeless, smelly, ugly, unkempt old man had a hug so powerful it could cure cancer? Cause a prostitute to stop hooking, find happiness and seek true love? Shake the demons of addiction free from a junkie? Make a radical terrorist Muslim want to befriend and love a Christian and visa versa? But rare is the beneficiary of his divine embrace – nobody wants to come near him out of fear.

I knew this book would be, needed to be, special. And several times over the next four and a half years I tried to write it. Each time the writing did not do it justice. Nothing but mundane, lame writing. I did more highlighting and deleting when trying to write this story than on any other manuscript. Then one day, several months ago, it all came together in my mind and heart. Suddenly I knew how to write the story. I wrote furiously, in the blessed writer’s zone, barely sleeping or eating. The characters were alive in my head, telling me, sometimes shouting at me, what they needed to do and say next. Three weeks and almost 90,000 words later the rough first draft was finished.

I wrote it because I had to. Just had to. For some reason I couldn’t rest spiritually and emotionally until I got it out of me. So I feel all better now. (big smile)

What do I hope the reader takes away from it? That appearances are not always what they seem; that beauty is not on the surface; that the people you call strangers could very well be your best friends if you would overcome inner fears, open up, and receive them into your world with love; that love is the tie that binds, connects us all together, and is the root meaning of all true spiritual paths—hating and warring against each other over religious beliefs is a horrible misuse and ignorant abuse of the great teachings of all the Avatars upon whom the various world religions were founded—Jesus brought people to the truth through unconditional, all-encompassing, non-judgmental love, not through hatred of those who had not yet seen the light. Also I would hope the reader was entertained, experienced the full gamut of emotions, including some laughter and a couple of wet eyes here and there. And when the last line is read, I’d hope the reader feels inspired to open up more to others, becoming more loving, understanding, and caring for people who may not seem, on the surface, like anyone they would normally allow into their life.

As for my favourite character, that’s a tough one, but I guess I’d go with Iam, The Old Man ... he’s an example of some of the vast potential within any of us. My second favourite would be Christian Dean Wilson, because after all, he’s fashioned a great deal after Marvin Dean Wilson (wink). Well, except for his prudish ways when it comes to sex. I was never that puritanical as a young man, but hey—nobody’s perfect, right? Christian’s views and beliefs on spiritual and social matters are mine. He is the author’s voice throughout the book.

Least favourite would have to be Hans. He’s one of the head leaders of the Zenith Group (which is really the Bilderberg Group, I just didn’t want to use the actual name and wind up having helicopters flying over my house when the book gets popular), and he is instrumental in the terrorist plot to squash Christian’s coalition, CUE (Coalition for Unity and Enlightenment). The Zenith Group considers CUE a threat against the establishment of their egregious and nefarious designs for the New World Order.

Joyce, again thanks for having me here today. It was a pleasure thinking through and writing the answers to your thought-provoking questions. I’ll be stopping in a few times today and through the early evening, so if any of your readers would like to ask questions or make a comment that inspires a reaction, I’d be happy to interact with you all.