PHOTO: Chris Fabry, award-winning author and storyteller, pictured against a bookshelf filled with inspiration for his heartfelt novels.
Award-Winning Novelist Explores Redemption, Identity, And Hope In His Thoughtful Works
Chris Fabry reflects on balancing humour and heartbreak, his writing process, and the impact of personal experiences in crafting memorable narratives that resonate deeply with readers.
Chris Fabry’s name might already resonate with readers who find solace in stories that peel back the layers of the human heart, revealing a complexity that is both tender and fierce. His works—infused with themes of redemption, identity, and hope—have garnered accolades not solely for their literary merit but for their ability to speak so profoundly to the human experience. With an instinctive grace, he navigates the precarious balance between this world’s light and shadow, humour and heartbreak, faith and frailty.
From June Bug’s poignant question of self to the intricate spiritual dimensions of Almost Heaven or the tender resilience of Every Waking Moment, Fabry’s storytelling is a tapestry that weaves real and imagined, mystery and clarity. Each book feels less written and more gently unearthed, as though the characters have merely borrowed his pen to tell us something startling about life. It is this kind of writing—present, curious, raw—that resonates long after the last page is turned.
Perhaps what makes Fabry’s art exceptional is the palpable sense that he does not write to preach, fix, or even gently console but to wonder. His stories are dotted by questions—sometimes unanswered—and the echoes of his own journey, from his roots in West Virginia to his life in Arizona, spill urgently into his pages. To enter a Chris Fabry novel is not just to meet Grayson Hayes, Treha Langsam, Truman Wiley, or Billy Allman—it is to meet yourself. And in that meeting, to discover that grace often arrives in the simplest moments: a song, a conversation, or even the failure to hold on.
In Saving Grayson, how did you balance the humour and heartbreak of Grayson’s journey with early-onset Alzheimer’s?
Real life is not all comedy or tragedy, it’s a mixture of both. I think laughter through the hard times is evidence of God’s grace at work so I try to show the lighter moments as well as the heavy. My research showed that most people who walk with someone through a dementia diagnosis smile through their tears as they talk about that long goodbye. The reader discovers the love people have for Grayson, even if he can’t see it.
What inspired you to portray Grayson Hayes as an unreliable narrator, and how did that choice shape the novel’s structure?
I found that idea of allowing Grayson to lead the reader quite captivating. He surprised me a few times with the choices he made which made every day an adventure.
The Forge centres on mentorship and transformation. How did adapting the Kendrick Brothers’ screenplay influence your storytelling approach?
I describe the process in a farming motif. The Kendricks put a fence around their story and I play in the pasture. I ask questions about the characters, their backstories, their motivations and use the writing as a time of discovery. In many ways, I like other people making all the hard decisions for me.
In A Piece of the Moon, how did your personal experiences in radio broadcasting inform the depiction of Country 16 and its characters?
Almost every scene at the radio station had some correlation with my experience as a teenager who was turned loose at a local station. I had no desire to be in radio. But that experience changed the direction of my life. I’m still doing radio almost 50 years later.
Every Waking Moment features Treha Langsam’s unique gift. How did your family’s experience with toxic mould exposure influence her character development?
My wife and I have nine children and all of us were ill from our house, but we had no idea it was causing the disparate illnesses. Treha’s story followed some of our struggles with the medical community to discover what was wrong and how to recover. Her exposure as a child caused irreparable harm, but she also was able to thrive in ways to overcome what could have held her back.
Almost Heaven explores Billy Allman’s life through his guardian angel’s perspective. What challenges did you face in blending earthly and spiritual viewpoints?
I remember my editor’s reaction to the initial idea. There was much consternation on her face. But she turned me loose anyway. I had classes in Bible School on Angelology, so I was careful not to step over theological lines—but I liked the idea of showing the sovereignty of God over seemingly insignificant people and how their lives have rich meaning to the kingdom.
Not in the Heart tackles themes of addiction and redemption. How did your background in journalism shape Truman Wiley’s character and moral dilemmas?
I studied journalism because it felt the closest I could get to a spiritual pursuit at a university. Find the truth and write about it. What could be better? Truman is based on a friend with a lot of foibles but who desperately wants to uncover truth about a murder and an innocent man convicted of it. I found that a compelling ride.
If people haven’t read any of your stories, which one would be best to start?
June Bug. I remember my editor’s response to my pitch to her over dinner one evening. “A little girl rides in an RV around the country with her father. She walks into a Walmart one day and sees herself on the missing children poster.” Her eyes lit up and she peppered me with questions. That reveal is the first page of the book, so the rest of the story is there for the reader to answer all the questions she is asking. Who am I? Who is he? Where am I from? Where are we going? Most people say they like my other stories, but June Bug is their favorite.
What essential advice would you offer aspiring authors seeking to craft stories that resonate deeply with readers?
My current best advice is to put process over outcome. It’s difficult to not chase success and base your existence on numbers and finances. Everyone wants to write a bestseller. But I’ve found that the most satisfying part of writing is the self-discovery I find in the novels that raise their hands and wave at me to write them. I can easily get into the negative thought rut of, “That will never sell,” or, “Who will read a story about that?” But if the characters and plot interest me and bring me to the page each day, why would I want to jettison that? So I would say, write what makes you come alive. Stop trying to imitate others and their success and become yourself.
