Interview with D. Nelson
Published 2014-04-18.
What do your fans mean to you?
I am grateful to anyone that becomes a fan of the poetry. I write from the heart and its extremely gratifying to know that it reached someone.
What are you working on next?
A book about finding focus in a life full of distractions.
Who are your favorite authors?
Malcom Gladwell comes to mind. I like writers that write to move people and open them up to a new way of thinking.
What inspires you to get out of bed each day?
God & Family
When you're not writing, how do you spend your time?
It may sound corny but I like to think of myself as an artist. I enjoy all creative pursuits. I paint, I write screenplays, I'm into still and moving photography. I like coming up with things that didn't exist before, alone or with friends.
Do you remember the first story you ever wrote?
Yes. It was a an article published when I was in college titled "When, A Brother's Search For Manhood". The title pretty much tells you what it was about. I grew up without a father or father figure and I wondered a lot about when I would cross that threshold.
What is your writing process?
My writing process for poetry is simple when I'm feeling something deeply that I'm going through or somebody close to me. it just sort of flows.
Do you remember the first story you ever read, and the impact it had on you?
Not the first story but the ones that have impacted me consistently are the stories of people who are sold out for what they believe in and will suffer whatever good or ill comes from their belief.
What do you read for pleasure?
My daughter writes short stories and for pleasure I work with her on them. Most other reading is for a purpose.
What book marketing techniques have been most effective for you?
I have started with a grass roots approach building through social media reach of friends and family. I am in early stages. Ask again in a year.
Describe your desk
Stuff everywhere but I know where everything is.
Where did you grow up, and how did this influence your writing?
I grew up in Gary, IN. I believe it has shaped me through love, struggle, and adversity, but most of all love. I went through a lot early in life but never sweated it because of the love and strength of my mother. I lived with gang threats and gun violence as a norm and we lived in nice neighborhoods but Gary, IN as a whole is a severely depressed city.
When did you first start writing?
I started writing poetry when I was around fourteen or fifteen. I hid it because I didn't want to look soft. The writing kind of caught me by surprise. I never aspired to it as much as had to do it.
What's the story behind your latest book?
It's a book of poetry. It's an exploration through this thing called my life.
What motivated you to become an indie author?
I was motivated by the same need as writing. It just had to happen.
How has Smashwords contributed to your success?
Smashwords has provided a platform for indie writers like me to reach people and for that I am grateful.
What is the greatest joy of writing for you?
The greatest joy is expression. I feel unburdened by writing things down for others to read and sometimes not.
How do you approach cover design?
I seek an artistic approach. I want my covers to feel like art.
Smashwords Interviews are created by the profiled author or publisher.
Books by This Author
A Broken Voice (Resurrected)
by D. Nelson
A Broken Voice (Resurrected) is a book of poetry that you will understand. This book of poetry was written not to confound you but to speak to you. Enjoy.
