The former Marine officer turned acclaimed author discusses his unconventional writing process, upcoming projects, and the divine inspiration behind his work
When Lawrence Paul Hebron sits down to write, he doesn’t rely on detailed outlines or classical writing techniques. Instead, this former Marine officer begins each writing session with prayer, asking God to make him “His stenographer.” It’s an approach that has yielded multiple published works, including his latest novel AR2 Squared and the upcoming Lion and Lamb Initiative: Handbook for Rebuilding America the Good the Great and the Godly.
A Writer is Born in the Corps
Hebron’s journey as an author began not in a writing workshop or English classroom, but in the military bureaucracy he came to despise. As Executive Officer of Company B, First Tank Battalion, First Marine Division, he was “urged” by his Battalion Executive Officer to enter the U.S. Naval Institute’s annual Leadership Essay Contest.
“When a major ‘urges’ a first lieutenant to do something in the Marine Corps, well, there really isn’t any option,” Hebron recalls with characteristic humor. His essay, titled “Paper Prisons,” struck a powerful chord with military leadership, focusing on how growing bureaucracy in the Department of Defense diverted attention and resources away from meaningful training.
“I didn’t join the Marines to shuffle papers,” he explains. “I joined to arrange the meeting between the bad guys and their Maker so they could explain their errant behavior.” The essay won the contest, and at the awards assembly, the young first lieutenant found himself surrounded by generals and admirals eager to share their experiences. “Apparently, I had hit a nerve. That was the first time I ever thought about continuing as a writer.”
An Unconventional Writing Method
Hebron’s approach to writing is as unorthodox as his path to becoming an author. While classically trained to compose detailed outlines, he has abandoned that method for all but one of his books—the exception being a work with over 300 quotes that required careful management.
“After becoming convinced I had an idea worth sharing, I would sit down at my computer and begin by praying,” he explains. “I start with the Lord’s Prayer and then I get specific. I tell God I just want to be His stenographer. Tell me what you want, and I’ll write it.”
This spiritual approach to writing often surprises even Hebron himself. “Often I have no idea where I’m going when I sit down. Sometimes I have to go back to read a chapter to see what is in it, because I was just taking dictation.” It’s why he insists that his books’ bylines include only his name, without the word “By.”
“I don’t think I have written these books. I just wrote them down, and I’m not going to take credit for Someone else’s work. I will take responsibility for what is in the book, but not the credit.”
Writing in Organized Chaos
Those expecting to find Hebron working in a pristine, organized office might be disappointed. He describes his writing space with military precision and dark humor: “Imagine a tidy, well organized office with full file cabinets, book cases, papers neatly stacked on a desk, and various office accessories strategically placed to maximize efficiency. Now imagine dropping a fragmentation grenade in the middle of it as you walk out and close the door.”
His desk, located in the corner farthest from the door but closest to “ground zero,” is so cluttered that his wife requires “a veteran sherpa” to navigate the office. Yet Hebron finds comfort in the chaos, noting that pictures of Albert Einstein’s desk reveal a similar state of organized disorder.
The Night Shift
As a self-described “night-person,” Hebron does his best work when the rest of the world is winding down. “I may have been nibbled on by a vampire when I was young,” he jokes. While the world expects him to be alert by 4:30 a.m., he acknowledges that true alertness won’t come for many hours. Left to his own schedule, he would stay up until 3:00 a.m. and rise at 10:00 a.m., preferring to write starting around 6:00 p.m. or later.
Music doesn’t factor into his writing routine. “Of course not. I have a ‘Y’ chromosome. I can only pay attention to one thing at a time. The tinnitus and assorted voices in my head are distracting enough. I don’t need anything more.”
Hidden Messages in AR2 Squared
Hebron’s latest novel, AR2 Squared, serves as the fictional companion to his earlier non-fiction work AR2: Handbook for the Second American Revolution. The title reflects both the mathematical concept of squaring a number and the author’s intention to “muscle up” the revolutionary ideas from the first book.
But readers who pay close attention will discover that Hebron has embedded numerous clues throughout the novel. “Almost every main character in the book is inspired by a real person. The character’s name provides a clue about the identity or the nature of the real person.”
Some names reveal their secrets in foreign languages—”Zloy” means “evil” in Russian, “Fantoche” means “puppet” in French, and “Macellaio” means “butcher” in Italian. Others can be rearranged or sound similar to real people’s names. Even the protagonist Patrick Harder holds a secret: “Patrick isn’t his first name,” Hebron reveals.
A Divine Mission for America
Hebron’s upcoming book with Defiance Press, The Lion and Lamb Initiative: Handbook for Rebuilding America the Good the Great and the Godly, addresses what he sees as America’s fundamental problem: the nation has forgotten the divine inspiration that guided its founders.
“As George Washington acknowledged in his first inaugural address, ‘No people can be bound to acknowledge and adore the Invisible Hand which conducts the affairs of men more than those of the United States,'” Hebron explains. “The hand of God was instrumental in the founding of the United States and in its rise as a wealthy, powerful, and noble nation. As long as we did things His way, we succeeded.”
Hebron believes America’s decline in multiple areas directly results from abandoning this divine guidance. “There can be no true healing of our nation without a deliberate return to God. It’s just this simple: Without God, we cannot win. With God, we cannot lose.”
Dreams of the Multiverse
Among his future projects, Hebron envisions exploring concepts that blur the line between science fiction and spiritual reality. He’s developing a story that asks provocative questions: What if dreams aren’t unconscious fantasies but actual experiences in parallel universes? What if brain wave patterns connect us to different “floors” of a cosmic multiverse, and what if secret government agencies were learning to control these connections?
“It could change everything, as Brandon and Emma would find out,” he hints about his potential protagonists.
Currently, Hebron keeps two books on his bedside table: What Happens Next by Max Lucado and Hirohito and the Making of Modern Japan by Herbert P. Bix—a combination that reflects both his spiritual interests and his appreciation for history.
The Stenographer’s Mission
For Lawrence Paul Hebron, writing isn’t about personal achievement or literary fame. It’s about being faithful to what he believes is a divine calling to share important truths with America and the world. Whether addressing military bureaucracy, revolutionary ideas, or the need for spiritual renewal, he approaches each project as a humble stenographer, ready to transcribe whatever message he’s meant to deliver.
In an age of self-promotion and personal branding, Hebron’s insistence on giving credit where he believes it’s due—to a higher power—sets him apart as an author whose greatest concern isn’t literary recognition, but faithful service to his calling.
