Interview with Wayne Purdin
Published 2015-01-10.
What are you working on next?
I am doing the final edits and ebook formatting for my self-help book, The Wonderful Wisdom of Oz: The Soul's Journey on the Golden Path to Home. It has a very conversational and interactive tone because it was a workshop I gave in person in Miami and Phoenix in 2012 and online through Meru University in 2013. I begin with a discussion of fairy tales in general, go a little into L. Frank Baum's bio, then get into the spiritual symbolism of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and the many lessons it has that we can apply in our spiritual development.
Who are your favorite authors?
If you mean all-time authors, I would have to say Charles Dickens, Ernest Hemingway, Mark Twain, and L. Frank Baum.
What inspires you to get out of bed each day?
The sun. It also inspires me to write.
When you're not writing, how do you spend your time?
I edit other authors' manuscripts or spend quality time with my family.
How do you discover the ebooks you read?
They're usually recommended to me.
Do you remember the first story you ever wrote?
Yes, I was 10 years old and I wrote a science fiction story about an underground civilization. Oddly enough, three years ago, I had an article published in World Explorer magazine that examined evidence for an underground civilization called Agartha.
What is your writing process?
I usually read all I can about a subject, take notes, draw up a rough outline, and start writing. When I get stuck, I sungaze.
Do you remember the first story you ever read, and the impact it had on you?
Yes, it was the Wonderful Wizard of Oz when I was about 5. I think it had a tremendous impact on me because of the archetypal images in it that I may not have been consciously aware of but whose meaning my subconscious picked up on. That's one of the things I'll be writing about in my next book, The Wonderful Wisdom of Oz, due to be published at the end of January.
How do you approach cover design?
A simple background image or color with large bold text and contrasting foreground image(s).
Where did you grow up, and how did this influence your writing?
I grew up in Southeastern Connecticut where the winters are long and people stay indoors a lot. I would spend quite a bit of time reading and writing and developed my skills.
When did you first start writing?
I was in the fourth grade. The nuns had us write an essay about the Holy Spirit. When I handed mine in, my teacher took me to the Mother Superior's office and showed her what I wrote. I thought I was in trouble, but she said, "God has given you a talent for writing. Use it to do good."
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