Vincent Donovan Interview Published on: 15, Sep 2023

I am the oldest of six children and grew up in Salem, New Hampshire. We lived in a wonderful neighborhood and I have many fond memories of playing baseball, street hockey, riding minibikes and running through the woods. We even held neighborhood Olympic games the week before we went back to school! As a boy, I wanted to be an Air Force pilot, a missionary priest and later a writer.

When I graduated from college, the country was going through a very tough recession. I remember applying to be an editor for a greeting card company which required relocation and barely paid minimum wage. When I asked about the salary, the response was "well, you have to sacrifice to do what you like!" In my twenties, I worked in different industries, and began graduate school at night to earn an MBA. I joined Millipore in 1988 (which became part of Merck KGaA in 2010) and had a wonderful 27 year career contributing to its noble mission of working with bio-manufacturing companies to develop and manufacture life saving therapeutics. I held a number of senior leadership roles before retiring.

Over my career, I often included stories in presentations to drive home a point and to motivate the teams I led. When my daughters, Heather and Taylor were in high school they were constantly urging me to get back to writing and not abandon the muse that inspired my youth. Since my position required extensive travel and long commutes, I began working on a novel and disappeared into what John Gardner defines as "fictional dream state." As creative as that process is, the hard work is then to edit, polish and repeat the process seventy-times seven!

In my career, I discovered how the English and Business degrees made a fine marriage. Business acumen depends on well-honed communication, both written and verbal. I strive to use the same methodology in writing in terms of analysis and wordsmithing. For instance, in my third novel, "Only Dead Leaves Fall," a carefully crafted business swindle is at the heart of the plot.

I attended St. Joseph's grammar school and the good sisters of Notre Dame were instrumental in nurturing my writing skills. I remember writing a Good Friday reflection and reading it aloud in church when I was very young. I recall the special feeling of exploring something mystical. I still cherish many of the writing assignments from grammar school.

I strive to craft a story that will resonate with the reader. I once had a discussion with a bookstore owner about the popularity of Hemingway's "Old Man and the Sea." The story question is the reason why a reader of any age will buy a book. In the case of "Old Man and the Sea," will the old man Santiago catch and bring in the big fish? At the heart of a good story is a fair amount of conflict and explores how nature and nurture shape each of us in a unique way. I also think most of us have met enough interesting characters in our lives to graft some of their characteristics onto a story.

The stories vary but have common themes of redemption, forgiveness and courage discovered through a personal quest. I strive to construct an interesting story to keep readers engaged and aim at weaving in key takeaways. No matter the genre, each story represents a Trojan Horse to deliver an epiphany or two. The feedback I treasure the most is when a reader accompanies the characters on that journey of self-discovery.

It was a brutal education! "Chasing Mayflies" was the third novel I wrote, but the first to be published. After the Amazon contest, I polished it a bit more and soon it became the runner-up for the Tuscany Prize. The story was motivated by my father who lost a five year cancer battle. The reward was a publishing contract and working with award-winning editor Natlie Hanemann in bringing the novel to its full potential. Bottom line - we blew up the book and rebuilt it! The effort was well worth it. The Weekend Editor of the New Hampshire Union Leader said "in movie terms, it's a bit like Dead Poets Society meets the Bucket List." The lessons learned in working with Natalie and the Publisher were incorporated into re-writing "A Difficult Crossing" and "Only Dead Leaves Fall."

I began writing "A Difficult Crossing" when I was in high school. Back then, the story centered on a WWII veteran that suffered shellshock. As time went by, my focus also changed to include a woman in town that was an outcast. The novel centers on how living on the edge allows one to discover his center. In "Only Dead Leaves Fall," the story revolves around three people who come to terms with the past - one out of greed, another out of revenge and one to discover his identity.

In grammar school, I memorized a speech by Robert Kenendy that always stayed with me. "Some men see things as they are and ask why. I dream of things that never were and say why not." I believe in faith, redemption, courage and forgiveness. You can be the change you want to see in the world with enough faith and perseverance.

This story is a combination of separate threads that came together quite unexpectedly. In high school. I was in the backseat of a car that kissed a bridge wall at a hundred-ten miles an hour. That no one was killed is truly a miracle, and no doubt snuffed out all of my nine lives except this one. I have a lot of regrets about that night and the days afterwards. While I escaped with only a concussion, I’ve sometimes mused— usually when things go haywire, that maybe this is all a dream and I’m lying in a coma somewhere.The second thread is the ongoing explosion of virtual reality technology. My son-in-law Michael, is a pioneer in his brave new world and has been very gracious to take me on several tours. Each time I take the Oculus headset off, I’m amazed at the expanding virtual world of the future, realizing its potential for both good and evil. Weaving this story also required different colored threads of perseverance, love, faith and some of the darker attributes of human nature. In thinking through the tenacity of Cassie, or the faith of Rose, I recalled working at Millipore and sharing the story of Dr. Judah Folkman, a pioneer in the study of angiogenesis, a revolutionary approach of starving cancers by cutting off its blood supply. For years, Dr. Folkman was mocked for this theory, but his persistence paid off and led to life-saving cancer drugs. On a personal scale, but no less incredulous, I have seen instances where the curtain between science and the miraculous blurs. Embracing that outlook makes all the difference. While working on the final edits of the story, the last thread came suddenly, when I lost my mother. Though heartbroken, I am comforted knowing in God’s tender mercy, she is now reunited with my father.

Excellent question! I gave a presentation a few years ago to a writing group on the ups and downs (and pitfalls) of getting published. It can be a brutal industry and there are some sharks out there. I used to carry around a note in my wallet which listed all the key events in getting my first novel published. For example, I signed with a literary agent in 2003, and my first book was published in 2016. Some events made me feel like I was on the one yard line, only to stall. The years were a mix of hope and pain, but also of growth. The terrain proved exceedingly difficult at times and the weather fickle. But as Mark Twain once stated, "if you don't like the weather in New England, just wait a minute, " which I did and in the process kept polishing my work. I would encourage every aspiring author to keep at it! Don't let anyone discount your dreams. Learn as much as you can and keep at it. You will find your writing growing stronger the more you write.

I am retired now so it is much easier to find the time but still requires discipline. Some days, the motivation is stronger than others. Like any other endeavor, it is easy to become distracted or procrastinate, but discipline is critical. That said, you cannot force the story, they need time to age and drip out of your soul scene by scene. I find taking a walk or a run gets the blood flowing and new ideas or perspectives will surface.

Here is a review from Amy's Bookshelf that was also included in this months Literate-Ly magazine

Vincent Donovan writes a harrowing and thrilling tale with KILLER DREAMS. I haven't read anything by this author before, and what a hidden gem. I enjoyed it so much, that I have now followed the author and look for more books to read. This author has a grand imagination, and talent for showing the story. The reader is introduced to Cassie, who is basically being treated like the town's pariah. Her mother is in a coma from an accident she caused when she crashed into a group of people, killing and injuring them. The blame is now laid on Cassie's shoulders, even after slowly her mother begins to wake up. Rose has been in a coma for ten years, and things are definitely not the same as they were before the accident. Even Cassie's father is enjoying life, with a new woman. Cassie isn't sure that Rose coming back is a good thing or not, but then she focuses on the truth of what happened, and tries to prove what really happened that fateful day. This is one of those books that grabs you from the start and pulls you in. The story is endearing and heartbreaking. It's a real eye opener. Whatever this author writes, I want to read. This is a magnificent plot that kept this reader turning the pages. This journey was very unpredictable.

I think balance is the right word. You have to set time aside to delve deeply into that "fictional state" John Gardner describes. When I worked with Natalie Hanemann, she likened it to building a house. Even before publication, one has to switch hats and develop a marketing plan. There are a plethora of marketing tactics that can be employed by embracing social media. Working with my publisher on the plan has delivered results. The key point is you can write a classic but it will remain unknown unless readers know about it. You need to promote and build a following which will support future works.

Playing with my grandsons is a reminder there is no age limit on imagination, and I hope to have a few more stories to share. My writing continues to evolve and like any craft can be continually improved.

A few months ago and wish I discovered it earlier! I am highly impressed by the team, the fellow authors and the support.