Harry Kraus: A Self Portrait
Harry Kraus Revealed
About Harry Kraus
Revealing Questions
- Q. How would you describe your life in only 8 words?
- A. Child of GRACE, father, husband, author, surgeon, visionary
- Q. What is your motto or maxim?
- A. "Grace from the cutting edge"
- Q. How would you describe perfect happiness?
- A. Happiness is a state of mind when your soul is at rest, content to be just where you are, not perfect, but aware of being loved as a broken vessel.
- Q. What’s your greatest fear?
- A. The fear of self-deception, that I could walk around blind to truth.
- Q. If you could be anywhere in the world right now, where would you choose to be?
- A. I've always wanted to visit the South Pacific. Now would be as nice a time as any...
- Q. With whom in history do you most identify?
- A. The disciple of Christ, Peter. Sometimes bumbling, denying his Lord, but effective, passionate for the cause.
- Q. Which living person do you most admire?
- A. Too many to name...mostly servants of the poor who have chosen to give up lucrative medical practices to serve the poor in remote countries.
- Q. What are your most overused words or phrases?
- A. If I was aware of them, they wouldn't be overused, would they?
- Q. What do you regret most?
- A. I regret the time I've wasted feeling guilty.
- Q. If you could acquire any talent, what would it be?
- A. To speak foreign languages fluently, perhaps Arabic.
- Q. What is your greatest achievement?
- A. I'm tempted to say my three sons, but I know that parenting is so unpredictable, that I really can't take credit for their success.
- Q. What’s your greatest flaw?
- A. I tend to focus too much on the big picture and lose the details. "Honey, have you seen my wallet?"
- Q. What’s your best quality?
- A. I am a great idea person, not easily mired in all the possible reasons to fail.
- Q. If you could be any person or thing, who or what would it be?
- A. Someone that can inspire the next generation, speaking with passion and wisdom into today's challenges....someone like Louie Giglio.
- Q. What trait is most noticeable about you?
- A. I hope that it is that I am approachable, not so caught up in the prestige of being a surgeon or author.
- Q. Who is your favorite fictional hero?
- A. Jack Bauer!
- Q. Who is your favorite fictional villain?
- A. Dr. Simons, from my first three novels. Motivated. Passionate. But oh, so wrong!
- Q. If you could meet any historical character, who would it be and what would you say to him or her?
- A. I'd like to meet the Apostle Paul and ask him questions about my life's direction.
- Q. What is your favorite occupation, when you’re not writing?
- A. Surgeon. Is there anything else more fun?
- Q. What’s your fantasy profession?
- A. Fighter pilot.
- Q. What 3 personal qualities are most important to you?
- A. Integrity, generosity, faithfulness
- Q. If you could eat only one thing for the rest of your days, what would it be?
- A. I'm trying to think of the most nutritionally complete food that would allow me to do this without suffering....oh well, never mind...ice cream!
- Q. What are your 5 favorite songs?
- A. I love so many different songs, from contemporary stuff to old hymns. I don't really have favorites. I do like "Third Day," Matt Redman and David Crowder
On Books and Writing
- Q. Who are your favorite authors?
- A. Frank Peretti, Francis Schaeffer, John Piper
- Q. What are your 5 favorite books of all time?
- A. "This Present Darkness" (Peretti) "Don't Waste Your Life" (Piper) "The Christian's Secret of a Happy Life" (Smith) The Biblical Epistle to the Galatian church. "Love Your God With All Your Mind" (Moreland)
- Q. Is there a book you love to reread?
- A. "Breathing Grace: What You Need More than Your Next Breath."
- Q. Do you have one sentence of advice for new writers?
- A. When working on a first draft, don't slow down to make it perfect.
- Q. What comment do you hear most often from your readers?
- A. How do you find time to write books, be a surgeon....etc?
- Q. How did you come to write Salty Like Blood?
- A. I wanted to write a book about testing the limits of human forgiveness.
