Wayne Zimka hadn’t been writing for very long, but he was producing prolifically and well. With one book in publication, one almost finished, and way too many next-book ideas, he thought he had found his next career. Because of something he said one day, without thinking about the impact of his words, his life would change forever.
His agent had gotten him an interview on a low-profile local Lawrence radio talk show where the host asked about Wayne’s inspiration. Without hesitation he said, “God just gives me the words. It is amazing, Sometimes when I go back to review, I wonder if I wrote them. It is like I am editing someone else’s work.” The Kansas talk show host found this statement so unusual that she decided to post part of the session on Tik Tok. It immediately went viral.
What happened next was unexpected, more by Wayne than anyone else. The chyron at the bottom of the local TV news screen in Kansas City read, “Man in Kansas says that God gives him the content for his books.” Of course, the people in Missouri, where the station was located, felt a certain way about those from Kansas and vice versa. There was a long history of discord between them.
Without warning Wayne was drawing national attention. He often said, “I don’t mind being wealthy, but I don’t want to be famous.” Unfortunately, the opposite was happening. He remembered pieces of what Jesus said about uncleanness. “Nothing that enters a man from the outside can make him unclean . . .What comes out of a man is what makes him unclean . . .for from within, out of men’s hearts, come evil thoughts. . . “ Wayne wondered if he should have ever opened his mouth about his inspiration.
The Big Interview was a national television program; they just had to have Wayne. He didn’t want to go, but his agent insisted, “This will sell more books than anything else we can do!” Wayne went. He didn’t know what to wear, had never had his hair “done” or had makeup “applied.” Yet, here he was in front of Sly Guvnator, the host.
The Director said, “4, 3, 2, ,1” and pointed. The camera came on and Sly asked, “So Wayne, ‘Wayno,’ what has God told you? Is God your muse?”
Wayne didn’t know where it came from as these words tumbled out of his mouth, “Sly, you’ve done some writing. Who is your muse?”
Sly, was momentarily without words but quickly recovered. “Wayno, I ask the questions here at TBI, but I will answer this one. I am part native American and part African and part Irish. The wind in the trees is my muse. It inspires me.”
Wayne asked another, “Have you ever seen the wind?”
Sly said, “Sure, it blows through the trees and ruffles my hair.”
Wayne said, “That is the effect of the wind, not the wind itself. Have you ever seen the wind itself?”
Sly said, “Of course not. You can’t see the wind.”
Wayne said, “So you believe your muse is something you cannot see. You just see its effects. It is the same for me. I have never seen God, never heard His voice in my ear, but He is my inspiration, my muse.”
The camera zoomed in on Sly’s face. He said, “And we will return after this important message.”
When TBI resumed Wayne was gone and the next guest was on.
Video: https://youtu.be/NZZIkcO95MY
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