A Deep Dive into Unseen Fields Through the Eyes of Its Author

The Professor sits down with author Thomas Plemmons and talks about his new book: Unseen Fields.

The Professor: What was the initial inspiration or spark for this book? -

Thomas: As a missionary kid for 10 years, I’ve been pretty passionate about equipping churches on how to deal with returning families and kids from the mission field. I also have put a lot of study into the Acts 13 & 14 and the biblical mission method presented there. 

The Professor: What do you hope readers will take away from reading it?  

Thomas: My prayer is that readers take away a better understanding of struggles that missionaries deal with and the reality that returning MK’s go through when they return.

The Professor: What are the biggest misconceptions people have about your subject, and what do they need to know?

Thomas:  I think a lot of the the misconceptions revolve around returning MK’s, but I also feel that we deal with that issue because we may simply be practicing a method that doesn’t match up with how we are intended to do missions (world evangelism).

The Professor: Which part of the book was the most challenging to write, and how did you overcome it?

Thomas: It think the most challenging to write was from the missionary wife perspective - as I am not a woman and have never been a missionary’s wife (lol). How I approached it was just recalling conversations I've had with missionary wives in the past, what we saw our mom deal with personally and an understanding of what women experience from a ministry perspective based again on many conversations and testimonies in the past.

The Professor: What was the most surprising discovery you made during your research?

Thomas: I guess surprising to me was just the fact that hardly any of the missionaries I reached out to wanted to talk about the subject. When I asked even softball questions, the general response was cautious and then it turned into “what is this for?” And “who will be reading this?”. This speaks to a much bigger issue that we don’t talk about these things because we don’t “let" missionaries talk about things. So we’ve made it taboo and there is a general fear to discuss it at all.

The Professor: Were there any significant parts you had to cut from the final version?

Thomas: I did not have to cut anything from the final product. If anything, I kept adding the more I reviewed to try and cover everything I had a burden about.

The Professor: For those interested in learning more about the subject, where should they start?

Thomas: Talk to your missionaries. Write them, call them, text them. Reach out to their home churches and their kids - with permission. 

The Professor: How has your writing process evolved since you first started?

Thomas: I still write pretty linearly. I set the topic, I document my key points. From there I break topics up into logical chapters and write according as time allows.

The Professor: What does a typical writing day look like for you?

Thomas: I don’t write in day blocks. I have a full time job and several ministries I’m involved in at our church, so I write when I have time - or when a thought I’ve been trying to develop finally breaks loose. Sometimes that looks like 15 minutes, sometimes that looks like 5 hours.

The Professor: How much did the editing process change your work?

Thomas: I use an online AI editor, and ensured it stayed very true to my original content. While some of the wording may have been polished and better vocabulary used, the finished work is 100% exactly what I intended to release and 99.9% unchanged.

The Professor: What is the most important thing you’ve learned about writing?

Thomas: Write what you know. When I began to write, I started with the intent of writing a high fantasy novel. I have months worth of world building, languages, races, timelines all queued up and ready. I have the first 5 chapters written for that book. But my passion wasn’t there. The Sell Your Cloak books and Unseen Fields came from a place of passion and burden. So I just started writing what I knew - where I’ve been personally convicted, where I’ve had a personal burden. 

The Professor: What is one piece of advice you wish you had known when you first started?

Thomas: Instead of trying to publish through multiple providers, pick one and stick with it. Amazon Publishing has been a great platform and easy to navigate. I’d point everyone there first.

The Professor: What do you enjoy most about being a writer?

Thomas: Just the freedom to get all your thoughts out and then release it into the world. It’s not really about success for me, it’s about the message. There are testimonies shared about my other books that just bless my soul. Salvation, life change, a return to biblical values. It’s just been amazing to see God use the books to spark connection, conviction and conversation.

The Professor: What are you working on next?

Thomas: I have a book releasing early next year that is the next book in the Sell Your Cloak series. Beyond that, I don’t have anything I’m working on right now. Maybe I’ll go back and revisit that fantasy series.

The Professor: Who are some of your favorite authors, and how have they influenced your work?

Thomas: Charles Swindoll, Gavin DeBecker, Jack Carr, Jerry Locke, C.S. Lewis, Tolkien, Peter Zeihan, Joel C. Rosenberg (great Christian political thriller author), Brian Andrews (Christian tactical and covert ops author), David McCullough is a prince among authors. 

The Professor: What do you like to read when you're not writing?

Thomas: I love political and tactical thrillers. Both historic and fiction. I’m always consuming some book on tactics or awareness as well. This past year I’ve taken to consuming some of the classics: To Kill a Mockingbird, Fahrenheit 451, etc.

The Professor: Is there a book you love that people might not expect?

Thomas: I know it’s weird, but Michael Romkey is an author that writes vampire novels, but he mixes in historical references and characters that I just find fascinating.

The Professor: What made you want to be a writer?

Thomas: I didn’t really want to be a writer. Never imagined it was a path for me. Sell Your Cloak was a passion project, but then I found there were more things I was just as passionate about. So I just kept writing. I don’t know what that looks like in the future, I may never publish another book. But the books I have published I am very convicted and humbled by. If I can’t publish a book that convicts me personally, then I won’t publish one. I think it is important to share our journey. To let others know they are not alone in the season they are in. My prayer is that one of the books I’ve written helps them find perspective. 

The Professor: Did you ever think you would be a published author?

Thomas: Not in my wildest dreams. When I was a kid, my brothers and I used to tell stories to each other every night. I used to think it would be cool to write those stories we made up. It never took shape. God has plans we never imagine and delivers in ways we don’t fully understand. 

The Professor: In closing thoughts on the book?

Thomas: Unseen Fields isn’t meant to be a condemnation, and I pray no one takes it like that. It’s meant to be an honest, soul-baring discussion starter for churches across the US. We need to do better. We need to try something older, more biblical. If we can dare to, I firmly believe that our world evangelism will be the better for it and have many less casualties of ministry.