E.L. Harris

Biography

Eugene "Gene" L. Harris began his writing career while attending the University of Oklahoma with an evening job as a news writer for an Oklahoma City television station. Subsequently he became writer producer of documentary features before leaving for Houston in 1968. After a tenure as writer/producer for KHOU-TV, Harris joined the staff of an energy corporation as senior writer, during which time he traveled worldwide, providing articles for the national press.
In 1972 Harris began his free-lance career, establishing himself as one of the premier business writers in the country. During this period he also became interested in fiction, but it wasn't until after his marriage that he actively began to pursue novels. In the early 1980's, he and his wife traveled extensively in South America where he began collecting interviews from individuals that would eventually form the foundation for characters in subsequent novels.
Alternately working on his fiction and his vocation, Harris has since produced several historical non-fiction works: The People Machine, and The Shadowmakers. His first novel, Wings of the Fly, (2013), deals with the cocaine wars between rival cartels in Peru and Columbia.
The Aestrah Cycle, (2014) takes place in prehistorical South America where a matriarchal-dominant society controls male consciousness. He is currently working on a third book, So Simple A Name As Eden, a novel of the Galapagos Islands.
Gene currently lives in the mountains south of Santa Fe with his wife, a standard Poodle and two fine cats.

Smashwords Interview

What's the story behind your latest book?
The Aestrah Cycle came about as the result of two non-related incidents. The first was my involvement with the Houston Esoteric Center (now defunct) and an Akashic Reading from founder William David. Somehow this reading opened up dim memories of past lives which eventually took on a life of their own. The second incident was a series of trips to South America where I came in contact with the Uros and Auca Indians. From them came the legend of Las Madres del Sombra, a whispered story that obviously originated from the Inca's. These two things eventually framed Aestrah, along with the miserable state of women's affairs all around the world.
What motivated you to become an indie author?
I've been hammering away at fiction for over 35 years. During the 1980's I had connected with a literary agent, had a book accepted, sent to an editor who gave me a wonderful edit, but by the time I had finished the rewrite, my editor had left the profession to become a lawyer. After that, the publishing wars began, with the majors eating up the minors and hard-line genre's became the norm. I had submitted Aestrah to several agents and publishers, but the book, while well received, never truly fit into a genre (wasn't really Fantasy, Science Fiction, etc.). I even submitted it to feminist publishers under my wife's name, but had the same result. As time passed, I felt this book needed to be published; thusly making me an Indie author.
Read more of this interview.

Books

The Aestrah Cycle
Price: $3.00 USD. Words: 65,190. Language: English. Published: July 2, 2014 . Categories: Fiction » Women's fiction » General, Fiction » Inspirational
Since recorded history began with ciphers etched into stone, no viable records exist of an actual matriarchal-dominant society. But myths and legends suggest that matriarchal rule was dominant. One need look no further than deep in the Amazonian jungles of South America where the legend of Las Madres de la Sombra still exist. From these legends comes The Aestrah Cycle.
Wings of the Fly
Price: $3.00 USD. Words: 84,730. Language: English. Published: June 26, 2014 . Categories: Fiction » Adventure » Action, Fiction » Plays & Screenplays » American
The Medellin Cartel's leaders have been a thorn in the side of Don Esteban Ochoa, head of the Peruvian familia that established the South American cocaine cartels in the late 60s. But 40 years later, who can control such men? A beautiful and mysterious woman, Alexandra Macintosh. Wings of the Fly paints a portrait of obsession, of absolute power corrupting absolutely and of innocence overwhelmed.