I recently did a Q&A interview with fellow blogger Matt Litton, author of Mockingbird Parables, about my life as a religion writer. The interview was part of the “Five Good Answers” tradition he has on his blog every Friday, where he has talked to Brian McLaren, Doug Pagitt and others.

It was an honor to be included, and a good excuse to think more deeply about the projects I’m in the middle of — Flunking Sainthood the book is at press and will be released in November, and I’m near the halfway point for the Twible project. These are busy and fun times for me professionally, but life has been so crazy lately that it was a helpful reminder to think aloud about why I love being a writer. Sometimes I’m under so much obligation that I forget the joy.

So in this interview I discuss my writing habits, my Mormon faith, how I respond to criticism of my theology, and what I learned in failing at twelve (!) different spiritual practices for the Flunking Sainthood book.