Dan E. Hendrickson is the bestselling, multiple award-winning author of eight books. His writing spans multiple genres including adventure fiction, historical fiction, Christian fiction, and more. For his literary prowess, he has been recognized with numerous international literary awards including a Book Excellence Award, Feathered Quill Book Award, Online Book Club Book of the Year Award, and Readers’ Favorite Award. As a sought-after expert, Dan has been featured in local and national media publications and podcasts, where he shares his background and experience as an author, his writing process, and information about his upcoming books.
Born in Sheridan Wyoming in 1962, Dan obtained a degree in Journalism from Casper Community College and a degree in Practical Theology from the Way College of Indiana. For most of his adult life, he carried out volunteer Christian ministry work throughout the United States and has been an active Christian Minister for 35 years.
Presently, Dan runs Detailing Technologies, a dealership, auto detail shop and body shop in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. He continues to write and publish books, bringing to life new, original works of fiction for readers of all ages and backgrounds around the world. His latest book, Magi Apprentice, was published in 2023 and met with widespread critical acclaim. This one-on-one interview shares Dan’s background and experience writing the book.
Tell us about Magi Apprentice.
A work of historical fiction set in faraway Parthia in the years just preceding the birth of Jesus, Magi Apprentice tells the story of a young cavalry officer named Rassan. Orphaned when young and trained as a soldier as his father was, he becomes an adept student of astronomy and is convinced of the significance of the configurations he studies with the Magi. Despite repeated attempts to either kill or dissuade him and disappointed by the deceit of a young woman he intended to marry, Rassan remains passionately committed to following the stars. Under the Parthian emperor’s seal, Rassan travels to Babylon to return sacred star charts to the headmaster of the Astronomical Sect of the Magi and enter into an apprenticeship with him. The charts were rescued after an act of murder, but Rassan himself becomes a target in a power struggle that threatens the Astronomical Sect. Painstakingly researched for authenticity and believability, Magi Apprentice is a compelling work of Christian historical fiction that follows Rassan’s journey in pursuit of the study of the astronomical signs that would point to the coming of the prophesied Champion of the Creator who would vanquish evil and save humankind.
What inspired you to write Magi Apprentice?
The biblical background of the book is based on a book called Jesus Christ, Our Promised Seed by Victor Paul Wierwille where he documents the biblical prophecy and astronomical signs that took place around the birth of Christ.
It all starts with Daniel in the Old Testament in the court of Nebuchadnezzar when he was made chief of the magicians, which is Magi. It’s been speculated by many scholars that he taught people how to read the stars from a Biblical interpretation point of view. There were a group of people who stayed true to that training and were able to watch the stars and interpret them properly to know that Christ was born.
As a subject that has never really been put into a fictional tale and I thought it would be enjoyable to do so. In the book, I not only showcase how they did it, but the courage it would have taken for members of the Parthian Empire to show up to a Roman controlled Kingdom and get safe passage into Jerusalem.
How did you feel when you found out you received a Book Excellence Award?
I was very happy and honored to receive the award! I am grateful for the Book Excellence Awards’ expansive reach so I can share my book with new readers from around the world.
How did your background and experience influence your writing?
The confluence of my personal life experience and professional expertise led me to write in the Christian Historical fiction genre.
My father Carl Hendrickson was an English professor, inventor and small business owner. He loved to write poetry and plays and was one of the most prolific readers I’ve ever met. His love of books inspired my passion for reading, and I developed an aptitude to want to learn how to write. This is why I pursued journalism in college.
Journalism helped me develop my writing style as I was trained to write in third person present tense. This creates an almost cinematic style that keeps readers engaged because they are not only seeing the protagonist or antagonist’s point of view, but everyone’s point of view.
In addition, for the past 35 years, I have been a Christian Minister. Although I write in several genres, I do try to incorporate biblical principles into the majority of my writing through the characters, themes and morals of the story. My main passion in life is to help others see the scriptures of the bible as the living and real Word of God.
Purchasing the Book
Magi Apprentice is available for sale on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Readers are encouraged to purchase their copy today: https://www.amazon.com/Magi-Apprentice-Dan-Hendrickson-ebook/dp/B0CM4HDPMC/
To connect with Dan and receive updates on new book releases, visit: https://danehendrickson.com. You can also find him on social media on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.
Media Contact
Company Name: Author News Network
Contact Person: Media Relations
Email: Send Email
Country: United States
Website: authornewsnetwork.com