James A. Luginbyhl

Why I Started Writing:

I started writing during a season of grief, and I found it therapeutic. At first, I was mostly journaling, with a little storytelling mixed in. But when I shared some of what I wrote, I realized it was helping other people who were dealing with grief of their own.

I’d written poetry since I was a child, but storytelling helped me find a voice I hadn’t known I had. I grew up on a cattle ranch in West Texas, and I began to see that the people, places, and experiences I carried with me were a rich source of stories.

Authors Who Have Influenced Me:

I’m drawn to writers who tell the truth plainly and let the people in their stories remain human. Ernest Hemingway’s spare prose has influenced the way I think about language and restraint. Fyodor Dostoevsky’s work has influenced how I think about story structure and character creation. C. S. Lewis has shaped how I think about faith, suffering, and hope. I also admire writers who make a particular place and time feel lived in, with all the beauty and hardship that come with it.

Books I Have Written:

My first book, Hymns for the Unfinished, is a memoir about faith, grief, and the long work of becoming whole. My second book, Hig, is Christian historical fiction inspired by my grandfather’s life in West Texas and his service in the Navy during World War II and the Korean War.

What I'm Working On Now:

I’m currently working on bringing Hig to readers. The novel follows a quiet West Texas ranch boy through a life of grief and an identity based on hard work. I’m also continuing to write and record CREDO, my podcast about what I believe and why.