New Book By Marc Eckel To Honor John Boren
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Staff Report-
To many he was a man who met them in their time of need, offering hope for this life, and the one to come. But to one local author he was the inspiration for a new novel.
“I first heard John’s story when I was in the jail helping with chapels as a performance artist,” Marc Eckel recalled.
Eckel is the man behind Splat Experience, a Christian Performance Art Ministry and Blue Spaghetti LLC, headquartered in Claypool.
“John shared his story during the first chapel. I was amazed! During the second chapel I thought someone should write a book about his story. During the third chapel I was taking notes,” Eckel said.
After that evening in November 2008, Eckel and Boren started talking about the idea of writing a book that is now in the process of publication. Over the course of 15 months, the two met during lunch meetings at the Bob Evans restaurant in Warsaw to discuss Boren’s life, chapter by chapter.
“The book is actually a novel titled ‘ReBoren.’ It is based on the two lives of John Boren,” Eckel said.
The book has some fictional storylines, for drama’s sake, but is about 98 percent a retelling of Boren’s journey.
In short, Boren lived for many years as a pillar of the local church. He seemed like an honest, churchgoing man to everyone who crossed his path. But he was actually living a double life. Aside from his church reputation he was secretly a drunk, a thief and a man deeply addicted to pornography and deception, according to a press release provided by Eckel.
Everything changed for Boren Dec. 19, 1993. That was the day his lifestyle of habitual stealing was interrupted as he was caught shoplifting at Marsh Supermarket. He was arrested and eventually spent time in the Kosciusko County Jail as God started to work in his life.
“During that evening in November 2008, when we were working in the jail, John said, ‘I lived 15 years for the devil, and tonight I celebrate living 15 years for Jesus.’ He felt he had broken even and the Lord was still using him to touch countless lives in the jail ministry,” said Eckel.
Boren read the book after it was finished and approved of how the story was written. And now that the story is moving toward publication, one of the main goals is to help Boren’s story and ministry continue to touch lives.
Eckel, who became a close friend with Boren, meeting on a weekly basis for lunch meetings, is now taking pre-orders for the book, which is tentatively scheduled for a fall release.
“The publisher is excited about the book, but it takes time to work with an editor to refine the manuscript, and to get on the publisher’s press schedule after the book is designed into pages.” Eckel said.
He is currently taking pre-orders for the book through kickstarter.com If local people want to buy their copy now they can go online and pledge through the web campaign, searching for “ReBoren.”
“John told me the book takes the reader farther back into his story than what he typically shared. So many who know John’s story will hear even more through the book,” said Eckel. “In the end, this is a remarkable story based on the true life experiences of John Boren.”
Eckel is also the author of the biblical novel “Leperd,” and the children’s book “Stan the Snowman’s Plan” for a “Summer Tan” (the first book in his “Train Tales” children’s book series).
The books can be ordered through splatexperience.com[[In-content Ad]]
To many he was a man who met them in their time of need, offering hope for this life, and the one to come. But to one local author he was the inspiration for a new novel.
“I first heard John’s story when I was in the jail helping with chapels as a performance artist,” Marc Eckel recalled.
Eckel is the man behind Splat Experience, a Christian Performance Art Ministry and Blue Spaghetti LLC, headquartered in Claypool.
“John shared his story during the first chapel. I was amazed! During the second chapel I thought someone should write a book about his story. During the third chapel I was taking notes,” Eckel said.
After that evening in November 2008, Eckel and Boren started talking about the idea of writing a book that is now in the process of publication. Over the course of 15 months, the two met during lunch meetings at the Bob Evans restaurant in Warsaw to discuss Boren’s life, chapter by chapter.
“The book is actually a novel titled ‘ReBoren.’ It is based on the two lives of John Boren,” Eckel said.
The book has some fictional storylines, for drama’s sake, but is about 98 percent a retelling of Boren’s journey.
In short, Boren lived for many years as a pillar of the local church. He seemed like an honest, churchgoing man to everyone who crossed his path. But he was actually living a double life. Aside from his church reputation he was secretly a drunk, a thief and a man deeply addicted to pornography and deception, according to a press release provided by Eckel.
Everything changed for Boren Dec. 19, 1993. That was the day his lifestyle of habitual stealing was interrupted as he was caught shoplifting at Marsh Supermarket. He was arrested and eventually spent time in the Kosciusko County Jail as God started to work in his life.
“During that evening in November 2008, when we were working in the jail, John said, ‘I lived 15 years for the devil, and tonight I celebrate living 15 years for Jesus.’ He felt he had broken even and the Lord was still using him to touch countless lives in the jail ministry,” said Eckel.
Boren read the book after it was finished and approved of how the story was written. And now that the story is moving toward publication, one of the main goals is to help Boren’s story and ministry continue to touch lives.
Eckel, who became a close friend with Boren, meeting on a weekly basis for lunch meetings, is now taking pre-orders for the book, which is tentatively scheduled for a fall release.
“The publisher is excited about the book, but it takes time to work with an editor to refine the manuscript, and to get on the publisher’s press schedule after the book is designed into pages.” Eckel said.
He is currently taking pre-orders for the book through kickstarter.com If local people want to buy their copy now they can go online and pledge through the web campaign, searching for “ReBoren.”
“John told me the book takes the reader farther back into his story than what he typically shared. So many who know John’s story will hear even more through the book,” said Eckel. “In the end, this is a remarkable story based on the true life experiences of John Boren.”
Eckel is also the author of the biblical novel “Leperd,” and the children’s book “Stan the Snowman’s Plan” for a “Summer Tan” (the first book in his “Train Tales” children’s book series).
The books can be ordered through splatexperience.com[[In-content Ad]]
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