Dear lovely readers, we are in for a real treat today as I have the great honor of interviewing my agent, Wes Yoder of Ambassador Literary Agency! Wes has a new book out, Bond of Brothers: Connecting with Men Beyond Work, Weather and Sports. I’m excited to find out more about Wes and his new book!
You have had a long and amazingly varied career in Christian entertainment and ministry. How did that all start and how has it changed over the years to bring you to this place today?
I moved to Nashville in 1973 for what I thought would be one year of working with a Christian music artist. As it happened, I was the very first person in Nashville to work on what became CCM. Over the years, we helped launch many artists including Amy Grant, Michael Card, Buddy Greene and Rebecca St. James. In 1984 we launched the first ever Christian based speakers bureau, and in 1997 added literary agent services along with select national PR clients who have stories to tell thorugh general market media. We are out of the music business except for Buddy Greene, and we focus primarily on literary and speaker representation. Some of our recent projects include literary or media representation of The Purpose Driven Life, The Shack, Son of Hamas, Bonhoeffer, and Mistaken Identity.
What is the best part of being a literary agent? The worst?
The worst part is having an almost-good-enough-to-be-published author that I have to decline. The best part is creative, being able to interact with life-changing ideas and helping shape both the message and the way the story is told.
Have you always wanted to write a book? What lead up to this topic?
Not always. I toyed with the idea for a long time, but until one knows what he wishes to say it’s a bit difficult to say it. What led to this theme was my daughter beginning to fall in love with the man she eventually married. I realized that by saying “yes” I would with one word have much to do with her future welfare and my legacy. Two huge life-sized things hung on one word, and I had never had a single conversation or heard one sermon on what this really means to a father. The natural follow-up question that occurred to me was, “What else are men not talking about these days?” The list gets scary. The answer – “We’re not talking about much of anything, especially not the things we really care about.”
If a wife were to buy this book for her husband (I’ve already bought Tony his copy!!) what might he get out of it? How does this book encourage men?
Well, if a wife actually reads the book she might observe how little she can get out of her man when she rolls her eyes! What was the question again?
I think guys are going to better understand that the treasure within them was created and put there by God. They will find ways past their silence, out of the grip of guilt and shame, and into a world of friendship. I expect they will find new ways to connect with their children, their spouse, and their friends. They will learn that the narrative of their life in all its parts whether broken, healed, messy or admirable…all of it together as one complete narrative is valuable to those who love them most.
Men will see, no matter what mess they are in or what difficulty they face whether of their own making or from others that God has not brought them to this point of their existence to abandon them. Everything is designed by God to help men understand they are sons of the Father. The choice to walk in forgiveness or live in bitterness is entirely ours.
As I have had the privilege of getting to know you, I can say that relationships are very important to you – something you practice even more than preach. Is this something that you’ve learned over time or always valued? Any stories to illustrate?
One of the kindest compliments I have ever received came from my son. He said, “Dad, I have never seen you treat a poor man any differently than you treat a rich man.” This is the result of how I saw my parents live. Everyone was welcomed at their table. Everyone. Thousands of people over the years from roadside tramps to Ambassadors from other countries. Each was welcomed with dignity and grace. This idea of the equal and infinite worth of every individual is uniquely Christian, and to this day is one of the grandest concepts in the entire universe.
My husband has friends, but he does lack deep, close bonds with other men. Why is it important for him to have those things? Why should I, as his wife, encourage him toward relationships when he already seems so stretched?
There is a myth about marriage floating around these days that says, “My wife (or my husband) is my best friend.” There are things that go through the mind of a man (women, speak for yourselves on this matter) that I cannot possibly tell my wife. She would never forget the hurt, the evil, the ridiculous insanity of broken manhood. But I can tell my best friend. The question is, “Should I tell my wife.” The answer is “Yes, sometimes”, and it depends on the particular circumstances, whether there has been entrapment by our enemy that can be broken by such a telling. I’m for no secrets in marriage and in friendship, but I am not one who believes my wife should be the dump for my garbage. This is just a small part of the answer to your question, the part that gets most of the focus when we think of this.
The larger part is that men need friendships with other men. We need this for our own development and growth. Since women have one facet of the image of God within them, and men another, it is important for our life balance to have healthy relationships with both men and women, first with our spouse, then with others. If a man does not have solid friendships with other men, but has a healthy relationship with his wife, it is as if he is yet half the man God made him to be. The question may be whether a man can have a truly healthy relationship with his wife if he does not have men who are his friends.
Where can we learn more about you?
www.BondofBrothers.net and Bond of Brothers on Facebook
Where can your book be purchased?
Amazon.com; BN.com and bookstores everywhere
(Okay, for all the folks looking for an agent . . . I really don’t like to share but I’m doing the right thing by asking! J) Are you accepting queries/proposals? If so, what are looking for and how could someone submit something to you?
We are accepting a select kind of manuscript, primarily non-fiction at the moment unless the writing is spectacular like yours! We request a descriptive query letter and a sample chapter for starters.
Thanks so much for taking the time to chat with us, Wes! Any closing thoughts?
Whatever your hardship or struggles at this time of your life, whether you are a man or a woman, God will not make an orphan of you. You belong to Him. Enjoy being a son or daughter of our Father.
