Interview with Michael Aubrecht

Michael Aubrecht is a Christian Civil War historian and author from Fredericksburg, Virginia. His non-fiction book titles include: Onward Christian Soldier: The Spiritual Journey of Stonewall, Christian Cavalier: The Spiritual Legacy of JEB Stuart, The Southern Cross: a Civil War Devotional, and Houses of the Holy: Historic Churches of Fredericksburg. Michael is also a contributing writer for Baseball-Almanac.com, as well as various newspapers and magazines including the Free Lance-Star and Civil War Historian.

Tell us a little about your road to publication.

About 14 years ago, I started writing editorial pieces for free and submitting them to various Internet sports-news outlets. This led to small paying jobs writing historical bios for fan newsletters and websites. Baseball-Almanac was my first big break. Through BA, I was able to establish a reputation, portfolio, and most importantly, respect. I actually wrote a piece on baseball during the Civil War that opened the door to more pieces on the War Between the States. Ultimately, I left the baseball-genre after 6 years (although I still do the occasional feature and radio show on the subject) and wrote CW stuff full-time.

Today, my Christian work feeds my secular work and vice-versa, and it was only through the grace and providence of the Lord that I am where I am today. I must always remember that. My successes are more importantly, God’s successes. No matter how many books or articles I publish, no matter how many people come to hear my lectures, it is all for His glory, not mine.

When you first entered the publishing world, what surprised you the most? Was there any aspect of the business that caught you off guard?

It’s very easy as a writer to become egotistical.

First off: GET OVER YOURSELF. When you are just starting out, and writing for free, YOU make your own deadlines, YOU choose your own topics. YOU edit your own work. When you get picked up by a publication whether it is a website, newspaper, magazine, or book, YOU are no longer in charge. Chances are someone else with far more experience and qualifications will be selecting your topics, setting your deadlines, editing your copy etc. This is a shock at first. But I say listen to these people. THEY know what they are talking about. And if you work hard enough at it, you start to earn that control back a little at a time. Today, I pick my own features, pitch the ideas to the various newspaper, magazine, and book editors that I have a relationship with, and we collaborate. I learned that after doing years of assignments.

SECOND: THINK BEFORE YOU SPEAK. I’m a fairly active webmaster and blogger. I have been recognized in the industry for my websites and editorial postings and I am part of a thriving Civil War Blogger’s Community that has been featured in magazines like North and South and Civil War Interactive. We all post about our various projects and interests and sometimes people can get personal and/or political. Unfortunately these tend to erupt into heated debates and sometimes even arguments.

The reality of cyberspace is that once something is uploaded it can come back to haunt you in the future. Always try to think before you post something online. The Internet is a great tool, but it is also a repository for things you wish you could take back. I learned through my own mistakes that professionalism must always be maintained. You never know who will be at your next lecture or book signing. Treat everyone with respect, even those who attack you online.

Being a Christian historian who also works in the secular realm, I have been attacked on occasion by progressive academics that are anti-religious in regards to education. They seem to dismiss any history that is written for a Christian point of view as propaganda. However, Christian book sales and popularity negate their theories so I no longer bother with them in any capacity. I fully support their rights to have and voice their opinions. I just don’t pay any attention to their blogs anymore.

Why historical non-fiction?

It all goes back to my love of history and a life-changing weekend at Gettysburg. It was the summer of 1978 that my family traveled to the National Military Park in Adams County, Pennsylvania. I recall how I had absolutely no idea what happened there. I recall seeing real cannons for the first time and lots of big gray statues and monuments. I remember feeling so small while looking up at these giant bearded guys on horses that were wielding guns and swords.

As our vacation progressed, the tales of these men and the three-day battle in which they participated captivated me like nothing had before, or has since. I began to understand the impact of the Civil War and respected the North’s battle to preserve the Union, as well as the South’s fight for state’s rights. Now I live in Fredericksburg, Virginia, and the same magic that I experienced in the north now surrounds me in the south.
As a young adult, I began to study the private lives of J.E.B. Stuart, Robert E. Lee, and “Stonewall” Jackson. I was equally captivated by their spiritual strength and faith. As a Christian, these guys were heroes to me.

In the middle of all the death and destruction of Civil War battles were countless examples of God’s glory. That is the reason why I write what I write.

What are you working on now that you’d like us to know about?

You’re timing couldn’t be better. I have two books coming out in the next few months. First off is devotional titled The Southern Cross: a Civil War Devotional. Each section covers a specific virtue and each page contains a relevant verse of Scripture, an associated quote and a short vignette on a related topic. I have defined five major categories that express the virtues of a Christian soldier: Courage, Duty, Faith, Honor and Mercy.
Each of these is illustrated by some of the most inspirational stories to come out of the Civil War. I have also included a special sermon that was presented to Confederate soldiers in the field and six biographical tributes to the South’s most pious commanders. As a bonus, I have also enclosed a wonderful bible-study aid that will enable you to read the entire Good Book in one-year, cover-to-cover. That book is being released by Patriot Press: www.patriotpressbooks.com.

The second book is in the editing stage and is titled Houses of the Holy: Historic Churches of Fredericksburg. Seventy-five photographs will accompany this regional study on our local landmark churches and include multiple perspectives from local Christians of all colors and denominations who collectively witnessed their country’s great divide. There were two other groups of our citizens sharing in the same wartime experience,—the local Unionists and the African-American population. This book was a real challenge and uses the most primary source material of anything I’ve ever written. HOH is slated to be released this summer by The History Press: www.historypress.net.

Do you have a favorite historical novel?

Come back tomorrow for part two of the interview with Michael Aubrecht. Leave a comment for a chance to win a copy of his Christian Cavalier: The Spiritual Legacy of JEB Stuart.