I enjoy conversations. I also enjoy letting you “listen in” to conversations I have with friends. Though most of you were not able to attend the Evangelical Press Association Convention in Lexington, KY, I want you to meet some of my friends I spent time with there. This blog conversation is with author and missionary Tez Brooks. His words spoken and written can encourage you as they encourage me. He brings hope to people from many cultures and of many ages. I loved our long walk and our dinner. I believe you will love his thoughts.
Chris Maxwell: Before we talk about your latest book, tell us about your vocation, family, and other work in the area of writing.
Tez Brooks: My wife and I are full-time missionaries. I serve for a mission organization called Power to Change. They are based in Australia but I work for them remotely from Colorado. I am the National Comm Director. My wife trains new missionaries, helping onboard them. We have four grown children and very involved in our local church when we are not traveling overseas.
I write nonfiction, usually on family issues. I’ve authored six books by myself and another ten with other authors. Most of my writing and coaching happens in my spare time. I love to teach, so helping writers is a joy for me.
Chris: I loved our time together at EPA. Those are moments of information and inspiration. Other than the wonderful desserts we had at our meals, what did you enjoy?
Tez: I think one thing I love about any conference is meeting up with old friends and making new ones. The Christian literary industry is a whole subculture of people that “get me.” So, it’s always fun to be with those who understand our passions.
Chris: Tell us about your latest book.
Tez: Sure, so it’s called “Adult-o-Nomics: How to Nail it On Your Own” and it’s a fun gift book for young adult Christians who might be moving out on their own for the first time. The audience would be 16–25 years old. It’s filled with 500 tips, random one-liners of advice from scripture, well-known Christian leaders, and contemporaries … some of the tips are written in a way to make you chuckle while still conveying truth.
Chris: What are the book’s key points for readers?
Tez: “Adult-o-Nomics” offers a wide variety of wisdom on topics like academics, housekeeping, car care, cooking, romance, family relations, employment, social norms, and more. But the key point is to avoid anxiety by being less dependent on your parents or yourself and totally dependent on the Lord.
Chris: How can people find out more about you and pick up copies of “Adult-o-Nomics?”
Tez: Yeah, thanks. They can find out more about me and my editing and coaching services at tezbrooks.com. My books can all be found on Amazon.com
Chris: My 12th book comes out October 1, “Things We’ve Handed Down.” It’s about the books which have impacted my life, with each chapter written as a letter to a friend. I write about how I learned much from each book and what I hope my friend would also learn. Tell us about two books which have deeply impacted your life.
Tez: This might sound a little heady but Wayne Grudem’s Systematic Theology is a favorite. It changed my life and grounded me in really knowing the Word of God. Another would be an apologetics study called “Understanding the Times,” by Jeff Meyers.
Chris: Thanks for the time. And thanks for the positive difference you are making.
Tez: Thank you Chris. I can’t wait until we’re together again in person, my friend.
Tez Brooks Bio
Whether he’s working as a missionary journalist overseas, coaching aspiring writers, or writing devotions, Tez’s passion for walking with God is evident. His book, The Single Dad Detour won Book of the Decade with Serious Writer Academy and recently, Christianity.com featured him in “50 Authors You Should Know.”
As a multiple award-winning author, filmmaker, and international speaker, Brooks was recently named one of the Top Writing Coaches by the Coach Foundation. Each year he serves on faculty at several Christian writer’s conferences around the country. His work appears in Guideposts, Power for Living, The Upper Room, CBN.com, YouVersion, Focus on the Family, and more.
Tez is a member of Colorado Authors League and president for two chapters of Word Weavers Intl. He and his wife serve as full-time missionaries based out of Colorado Springs. They have four children. You can learn more at TezBrooks.com
