Mark Zumbo

Why I Started Writing:

I didn’t start writing until later in life. As a kid, I loathed the process and found it painfully difficult. Reading was as overwhelming as navigating endless labyrinths, and articulating thoughts on a page was like trying to catch air. Yet strangely, I was always drawn to books. It was not until college—after the Lord seized me and I glimpsed a future in education—that I saw writing as a powerful way to crystallize thoughts and share ideas. Today, with some technical hurdles behind me, I am enthralled by the strength of the written word. The process remains painstaking, but it’s a good pain now.

Authors Who Have Influenced Me:

My greatest influence isn’t found on a bookshelf; it’s my wife. She is my spark and my sharpest critic. She is a wonderfully natural and witty writer, though ironically, she couldn’t spot a preposition to save her life. Nothing I write goes live until it passes under her eyes.

Aside from that, I balance my inspiration between two worlds. I’m fueled by the lean prose of Hemingway, Steinbeck, and O’Dell, while my spirit is fed by the deep wells of T. Austin-Sparks, DeVern Fromke, Major Ian Thomas, and Watchman Nee. Still, at the center of my library stands God’s Word.

Books I Have Written:

His Brother’s Keeper is my debut novel.

What I'm Working On Now:

Right now, my focus is on being a loving spouse to my wife, a good father to our three homeschooled children, and a faithful member of our church family. As for writing, nothing is certain, but I am waiting to see what the Lord has in store.