Joshua Sipper grew up in a small town called Luverne, Alabama where his rich family history and Native American heritage inspired him to write his first full length novel, Runaway Swimmer.

Though Joshua's novel has not yet been picked up for publishing, he did go through all the necessary steps to get a book published, something few of us can claim.

Many of us have ideas for books and novels, but few of us put pen to paper and even fewer of us go through the process of getting a book published, assuming we even know the said process.

I interviewed Joshua in the hopes that he could offer advice and ideas to budding authors as well as his thoughts on inspiration and the actual process of finally writing a book. I came away learning that success in the field of writing is not so much based on how much you can make in sales of books you write, but in the fulfillment and reward one finds in finishing a task as daunting as researching for and writing a novel.

I am sure, being a fan of literature that you had always wanted to write a book. What finally inspired you to put pen to paper and write your first book?

I had toyed with the idea of the book all the way back during my junior year of college. So, I was about 21 when the idea first took root. There were several false starts and changes that happened along the way, including entire rewrites. I'd get 50 pages into it and then start over again (a strategy I still use for other books). The inspiration was really a combination of things. Probably the most significant part, though, was the fact that my wife was about to have our first son and I was suddenly 29 (on the verge of 30). I knew that if I didn't start then, I might never write any book, much less the one I had struggled with for so long.

I understand the book is loosely based on your family history and your Native American heritage. How did you go about researching for your first book, Runaway Swimmer? Did you consult family journals or speak with family members who know the history, or both?

This is really where another aspect of inspiration hit. For years, my family has handed down a rich oral history of stories, mostly through my Great Aunt Luna. My Dad and I used to go sit for hours and listen to her tell stories about our ancestors. That was when I first considered that the story of George Washington Skipper's abduction by the Cherokee on the eve of the Trail of Tears might make an intriguing tale. The specifics were filled in by my father's deep genealogical research. He has hundreds of documents (original and copies) that give dates, places, descriptions, etc. One of the most exciting for me is Samuel Skipper's enlistment record. It literally gives a physical description of my 5X great grandfather! I mean, how many people have that kind of family information?