Interview with Frank A.J. Braun

Published 2015-05-01.
What led you to an interest in writing?
My mother, though having only an eighth grade education, was an avid reader. Living in an isolated Missouri farm community, she seldom got to Jefferson City, but when she did she would bring home an arm full of books from the Missouri State Library for her and us children.

At an early age I developed a desire for an education. When I graduated from our small elementary school during World War II there were no regular means of transportation to a high school. Nevertheless, an uncle arranged for my older sister and me, along with two of his sons, to attend high school while working at a nearby hospital for room and board; our starting salary was $2.00 per month. Washing dishes, folding laundry and scrubbing floors only increased my desire to excel.

My own interest in writing started the second semester of my junior year of high school. Christian Brother Liguori started (and startled) our class, saying, “Open your grammar books to page one. When I graded your tests from last semester, I realized you don’t know your English." He thereupon introduced us to sentence diagramming and other challenging exercises, which I took to like a duck does to water. This course served me well through college and my later professions.
When did you start writing?
My job as a Special Agent in the Office of Special Investigation, USAF, required writing detailed, factual reports. They were expected to be not only an accurate summation of the facts, but orderly and well written. Upon entering civilian life as an insurance investigator and claims handler, I found myself under a superintendent who was a stickler for reporting. This was not a burden, but a challenge which I relished.

Upon starting to write my first book, I found it required a different style of writing. Whereas report writing requires the writer to compile the subject matter of a case in condensed form, I discovered the subject matter in a book needs to be embellished just as leaves, blooms and husks provide elegance for fruit, nuts and grain. Thus my natural style of writing is more like that found in a handbook, however, I am hopeful that that the reader's interest is captured by the same fascination that led me to explore the subjects in my books.
What drives you to pick your subject matter?
From the time I experienced the vision of a beautiful red heart crowned with thorns rise slowly from an uncle’s casket when I was nine years old, the reality of God became clear to me. Thereafter, I had an intense desire to know more about my relationship and man's relationship with God. These questions fascinated me for years as I did extensive reading, listened to evangelistic teaching and pursued a Master's Degree in Religious Studies from Gonzaga University.

The two principle questions to which I sought answers were: How are we created in the image and likeness of God, and how do we experience the practical reality of grace? To those who would give me a lengthy definition of grace, I would ask: Put one in my hand!

After decades of research and learning in pursuit of these questions, I believe I have gained at least a partial understanding of their answers. With definitions, graphs, explanations, examples and stories, I have tried to relate the results of my investigation. My first book, the 2008 edition of "The Spirit and Me," left me with a feeling that it was incomplete. However, now that I am publishing a revised edition of "The Spirit and Me," along with "The Unruly Spirit," I feel that I have fulfilled my call.
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Books by This Author

Lord, Teach Me to Pray
Price: $6.99 USD. Words: 18,610. Language: English. Published: July 9, 2021 . Categories: Nonfiction » Religion & Spirituality » Prayer, Nonfiction » Religion & Spirituality » Christian Theology / History
Did you know there are different ways to pray? Frank Braun gives historical context to the practice of prayer, and he shows the different ways present-day Christians can pray effectively.
The Evolution of the Human Soul and Cognitive System: A Spiritual and Scientific Perspective
Price: $6.99 USD. Words: 11,380. Language: English. Published: July 22, 2019 . Categories: Nonfiction » Religion & Spirituality » Christian Life / Spiritual Growth, Nonfiction » Religion & Spirituality » Religion & Science
This ebook discusses how Homo sapiens evolved, soul and body, and how the psyche (Gr) of the soul and the brain of the body form the cognitive system under the autonomous "I." A detailed model and text of the psyche and brain illustrate how the two form consciousness and are coordinated by the sensory faculties. This work is a composite of theology, philosophy. psychology and brain science.
The Ego, Superego and Id
Price: $2.99 USD. Words: 2,520. Language: English. Published: May 15, 2018 . Categories: Nonfiction » Religion & Spirituality » Religion & Science
With text and two figures (Pyramid Model of the Human Soul; Cognitive Model of the Soul), author Frank Braun explains from a spiritual AND scientific point of view how humans process stimuli and information using the ego (mind), superego (spirit) and id (body). This paper serves as an introduction to longer ebook works by the author: "The Spirit and Me" and "The Unruly Spirit."
The Spirit and Me: In Ministry, the Greater Call
Price: $9.99 USD. Words: 92,390. Language: English. Published: September 19, 2016 . Categories: Nonfiction » Religion & Spirituality » Christian Theology / Pneumatology, Nonfiction » Religion & Spirituality » Christian Life / Spiritual Growth
"The Spirit and Me" examines the historical and present-day relationship between the Triune God and humanity, as well as the make-up of the human soul and how its components--mind, body and spirit--interact and affect each individual's well-being. Drawing on scripture, as well as many areas of science, "The Spirit and Me" is an extensive look at the role of God and the spirit in everyday life.
The Unruly Spirit: A New Look at Human Behavior
Price: $2.99 USD. Words: 7,250. Language: English. Published: May 1, 2015 . Categories: Nonfiction » Social Science » Christian studies, Nonfiction » Religion & Spirituality » Body, mind, & spirit » Spirituality / general
“The Unruly Spirit” theorizes a new and unique understanding of human consciousness supported by descriptive graphic models. Emphasis is on the role of the human spirit in the cognitive process, especially the habitual behavioral norms. The book is a composite of theology, philosophy, psychology and science.