Smashwords Interviews
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What are you working on next?
I'm nearly finished a completely different type of book. It's non-fiction, and based on blog posts and diaries I kept during 2008/9. The subject is the aftermath of having a prostate biopsy, which for me didn't work out well. I've also included the stories of other men who've had similar or worse experiences. Fortunately I came out of this okay (and without prostate cancer). The book is aimed towards men who need to know about prostate problems and prostate cancer, which covers most of the male population from the mid-fifties up...
What inspires you to get out of bed each day?
The fact that I wake up! Plus, being retired, all I have to do is put on my dressing gown and slippers and go into the other room and boot up the computer. I start the day with writing notes about my relationship with Jesus, and my studying of the Bible, plus keeping a diary of what's happened recently. After some chores, I'll get on and work on writing.
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What is the greatest joy of writing for you?
I love exploring. Writing is about looking at things from a new perspective, or putting yourself in someone else's shoes. I love to walk through new worlds and find out what stories the people there want to tell.
What are you working on next?
I'm working on a more conventional fantasy tale then Dave Woke Up. I have been examining contrasting philosophies and I'm trying to start with something simple like magic and technology. The world is coming along and I think I have a story to tell. Temporary title is The Forest and the Trees.
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Where did you grow up, and how did this influence your writing?
I grew up in suburban New Jersey, not far from New York City. But in the 50s and 60s my little suburban town still had a few farms and horses. I loved going into the woods to hunt for turtles or catching fish in a stream with a spool of thread and a bent pin. That town is completely different, today.
As to how it influenced my writing -- that's more difficult. The most obvious influence would be the locations I build for my stories.
What is your e-reading device of choice?
My favorite ereader is the JetBook Lite. I love it for the same reasons that most people hated it, I suppose. The one facet that I like most is that it uses ordinary AA batteries. We had extended power outages (longer than a week) in 2011, following the Halloween blizzard, and in 2012, after Hurricane Sandy. I keep plenty of fully charged batteries on hand, but I like knowing that I can buy a set of batteries for it any time I need them.
Also, the "battery bulge" on the back makes a convenient finger hold while I'm reading and I can do page advances with my thumb. No "touch screen" means no smudges to read through -- something that really annoys me on my Android tablets!
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What motivated you to become an indie author?
My husband and I (and our dog) are currently traveling Latin America trying to reimagine our life and work. Work in Latin America is very entrepreneurial, and what better way to get started than to self-publish?
What's the story behind your latest book?
During our travels, I found myself asking: what do I have to contribute to this world? Supervisory skills were the first thing that came to mind. I chose it as my topic because I genuinely believe three things: 1) Being a manager is hard, and most people become managers not realizing how different it is from their previous role. 2) No matter what your job is, one of the biggest things that impacts whether you enjoy it is whether you have an awesome or awful manager. 3) My mentors taught me some pretty remarkable things, and it would be a crime not to share that with others.
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What inspires you to get out of bed each day?
Life itself in a way. I'm a single father, have been for the last 12 years and knowing that my son depends on me helps get me up each day.
When you're not writing, how do you spend your time?
Reading. My elementary school librarian advised me that if I really wanted to become a great writer than the best thing to do was read. When I'm not reading or writing I am thinking about reading or writing.
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Do you remember the first story you ever wrote?
Not exactly, because it's long gone. But I remember something about it. It was written, when I went to the Elementary. And it was a story about a boy, who suddenly got reunited with a dead friend. Guess, I started early on the dark side stories.
What is your writing process?
Do I have one?
Well, I'm not one of those guys who takes the seat in front of the screen, thinking "I want to write another story".
Even if I do, I only start out on my own, and as further the writing of the story goes, I realize that the story is actually creating itself. I just sit there, writing it.
To make the picture to you:
Imagine you're in the movie theater, and what you see is what you write.
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Who are your favorite authors?
It's hard, but if I had to choose TWO it would be James Baldwin and Siri Hustvedt
What inspires you to get out of bed each day?
My wife, Aino!
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How do you discover the ebooks you read?
I mostly surf the web and just keep my eye open for new releases. The titel and cover page have to catch my attention.
Do you remember the first story you ever wrote?
Yes, it was a poem. We had to do it as an exercise for school and I wrote in within 5 minutes in the train going to school. It was about love and I liked it. (laughs)
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What is your writing process?
The process starts very early in the morning the moment I wake up. I lay in bed, eyes shut, and think (or day dream). Characters come to life and play out a short drama. If I like their drama, I then sit with my laptop and start writing. Before long, the story takes on a life of its own. I don't worry about grammar, punctuations or chapters. I just write. Later on I clean everything up.
Do you remember the first story you ever read, and the impact it had on you?
Yes, the Nancy Drew mysteries. As a child I loved reading the adventures and mysteries in the "Nancy Drew" collection. I progressed to Sherlock Holmes and own all the stories. They had a tremendous impact since every writing assignment in school, where I had an option, was sure to be about a mystery.
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What motivated you to become an indie author?
I wanted to give the world and people who want to lose weight and get real results to have my time proven diet and workout. I have seen the joy of my clients get into the best shape of thier life and how sexy they see themeslves and everyone else. I love helping my cliets and I credit it to my being one of the top trainers in Las Vegas. I train Movie Stars, Actors, Dancers, Law Enforcement, Doctors, you name it. I give them all my love and attention and watch them transform and become happy inside and out.
What is the greatest joy of writing for you?
People telling me how much they love my stories.
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