P.B. King Sr. Interview Published on: 15, Feb 2022

Born in Berlin, NH, one of many cities I lived in. I was a “Retail Brat”. My father was a retailer in his career and we moved around a lot. When I was in 6th grade I actually attended 6 different schools. As i entered High School I attended four years of Military School and graduated with academic honors in English and literature. I was always an avid reader as a child. My Mother would take me to a bookstore in Manhattan where I would end up walking out with at least two to three books each visit.I think my adventures started early with the Hardy Boys series and grew from there.,While attending High School, my pastime always found me reading, mostly Action Adventure and thrillers, but whatever the interest , you found me there. I think I have read mostly every James Bond novel, and then there’s Star Trek, You name the book, I read it. Recently we donated over 100 assorted titles from our bookshelves to the local library. As I entered college, the passion for reading never stopped and my library of books continued to grow with me. Reading books has never stopped and when I am not writing or doing research on a book, I always sneak in time for a good read.

My Mother was an avid reader and we would always talk about the books we read, although she was more into the romance versions, she would ask me about my “adventures” and what I enjoyed the most about my recent book. Her interest in my reading always kept me reading more, learning the appreciation of all types of novels. Ironically I still remember my first visit. Unfortunately the bookstores of yesterday are long gone, there were so many, but it was like a toy store, but the books were abounding. My first novel was a Hardy Boys mystery, and from there I was hooked.

I have always had the desire to write, from my time in College up until the present. Of course work and Family were the priorities, so writing took a backseat until 2018 when I had just finished a new novel from one of my favorite authors.. Sitting there it came to me flooding ideas and I started jotting notes and theories, outlines and characters. The challenges were presented as I started writing the first thought. Developing your story, grabbing the reader from the first page and keeping them tuned in. The plots, the scenes ever changing and how to tie in all the scenes into one final story. I had one synopsis all written with two to three chapters, but it just didn’t work the way I wanted, so in the trash it went and I started over, same idea, different settings and a new story. Some writers have a plan., they outline it and stick to it. I couldn’t make that work. As I wrote, each day brought new ideas, each chapter new challenges how to make it all tune in. The story developed as I wrote it, as some writers cal it the “Pantsie style of writing” or better yet, writing by the seat of your pants.Every author faces their own challenges, characters, story development, , possibly how many stories within the story and how to keep your reader involved. Those are the challenges ever writer faces. My total focus was to grab the reader from page one, keep them in the adventure, keep the imagination going and give the a few twist or turns along the way.If you accomplish that, you have met your challenges for that moment.

The plot for An Ocean for Revenge started out as I was reading a novel from my favorite author Clive Cussler. The plot itself was far fetched from the novel I was reading. My Wife and I love cruising, and as my mind wandered I ad come up with a notion of a Cruise ship with a vengeful passenger on board as his wife was lost at sea in a previous cruise with the Cruise line. Searching for days but the Cruise Line giving in and returning to port. The Husband could not forgive the line for that, so he returns with explosives in hopes of revenge to the Captain. Also boarding the ship was a passenger returning from Africa, unknown to him, he carries a deadly virus on board, and once out to sea, the virus spreads and the ship cannot go into any port due to the virus.

It was coming along nicely until January of 2020 when Covid hit. I looked at the manuscript and knew that was not the timing for that idea, so in the trash it went, starting over with the storm and vengeful husband, but changing the story with new characters and a plot that I placed together from ideas that I had put together .As I wrote the story, it constantly changed as did my ideas, always wanting the reader more involved in the story. When I started the book, it came out completely different than had originally been thought. I had looked at a picture of a cruise ship in a storm, did research and that became the backdrop for the story within the story.

My total focus when I was writing my novel was how to involve the reader. My intention was once the reader picked up a book, whether it be mine or any action thriller, you can’t put it down. I want my readers involved, taking them from the present, placing them right in the midst of the action. What would they do next, how would they react. Using the readers imagination, even for a moment, places them right where an author wants them, in the heart of the story. Every reader identifies with a character in the story, The Good Guys, The Heroes, even the Bad ones, but they become involved with that character. How the author presents that character and works them through the chapters is how we keep the reader involved. I think one of the most important developments in writing a book, whether Action, Thriller, Spy, Western or Romance, is character development and how you make that character prevalent in the novel. How long do they stick around, short term or Long? If there is a sequel, are they going forward. New

Villains or old ones returning. That is the fun part of character development.

I feel “Worldbuiding” is as important to the story as character development.. Its how you process the place and stage of your story. Like chapters in a story, the scenes, the places and how you interweave them together , keeping your characters in place within that set. This is a most important issue when writing, because those two factors work hand in hand. The set where your characters are in and how you progress that landscape. Working them has to keep the reader involved, you lose one, even for a moment, you might in fact lose the reader in confusion. Worldbuilding is a delicate factor, one I found to be one the the most challenging factors in writing An Ocean for Revenge, as I was taking the reader in all different directions, keeping pace with our characters.

Writing a novel of any type, fiction, non fiction or any genre takes time, thought and in a lot of cases study and research. In An Ocean for Revenge, I did a lot of research on weather, shipbuilding, and personalities of different characters and how I wanted to present them. I feel before you begin, what type of story are you writing. Develop your characters and how you present them. In a story, your characters have personalities, don’t lose sight of that. In Worldbuilding, once again, develop your story and see your audience involved. Your story will change many times as you write, keep focused on your changes and your sets as you change. Don’t lose your reader, if they get lost, they may never finish your work.

Take the time to develop your story, and don't be afraid to move things around. Keep your story flowing from scene to scene, chapter to chapter. It takes time to write, make the time you spend writing as adventurous to you as to your audience, have fun with it. Give it some good old twist and turns , keeping your reader involved, wondering what’s happening next? Have others read your work, get there impressions. You may love some advice, not cherish other advice, but a small focus group of readers will help steer you in the right direction. Not all feedback is good, but better to hear it now and be able to regroup, than not listening. Remember once it’s published, there’s no going back to fix something.

The subject of Ebooks is an interesting topic of discussion. I have been asked my opinion and my choice from family and friends for a long time especially since I have been writing..For the most part I was brought up on Hardcover and Paperback books, in school, in business and in Social marketing through the years. So to me, you can never replace a good old physical book in your hands, The feel, the touch, and the smell of fresh pages. And don’t forget the paper Jacket with full color art drawing you right in. There are many people I know that won’t indulge in ebooks, even family members, they want the physical version. Now I will admit, I have read several books on my iPad. First of all it is convenient. you can carry a whole library with you on a tablet. The cost has gotten tighter recently. Years ago, the Ebook price vs Hardcover was almost half the price, so the cost factor was a major deal, but in recent years, the pricing has gotten tighter, but the convenience of ordering your book online and having it in minutes has its advantages. It is advantageous in the business world, so many documents and information in one place, the technology has gotten so much better.

Still there still is the fact of just having the physical print in your hand, just something about it that will never die. Ebooks are a great alternative but print books will always be here, they are not going anywhere, Hallelujah! There is certainly a need for both, depending on your own style of reading. Basically it is a personal choice, to each their own !

A complement in any fashion of speaking is a welcome phrase. It starts from the time you pick up your pen to write down the idea to the first chapter you write. My family was totally behind me as I started and kept coaching me on., that is what keeps one going. Their compliments were the most cherished, and the compliments from everyone were welcome from the start to the finish. Their cheering me on, even when writers block hit, kept me going.

The release of the novel brought sincere congratulations from everyone, and as the book was released the comments started going in. My first comment on Amazon was one of my favorites, it was simple, but it brought out the one thing I wanted to accomplish, Adventure, Imagination and the reader had fun. That was the goal, now we know a sequel is in the stages.!

“This is an amazing book. Kept my interest from the beginning with wonderful twists and turns. I felt like I personally knew the characters and was experiencing everything with them. I already want more. Very well written with exquisite attention to details. A must Read. You will not be disappointed. Can not wait for more from this author P B King Sr..”

Retirement is something we all look forward to as we get “a little older”. I traveled my entire business life, my family transferred with me as we crossed city to city, town to town. State to state. In 1986 we made our last move and settled in upstate New York. Where we finally had a place to call home, kids to attend school and no more moving. I finished out my career in 2013, and decided to retire and accomplish things I had been wanting to do for years. I continued working part time for small businesses but when Covid hit, it was time to close in, and that was my opportunity to really accomplish my #1 goal, to write.

In 2018 I started with those ideas, putting them into the ideas and synopsis that eventually became a manuscript that after several changes and additions, I submitted to the publisher for their review and acceptance. A year and a half later, edits, revisions, design and layout, July 16 2020 a dream came true. So no matter your age, your profession, your ideas. If you chase it long enough, It can be done,.

Fortunately any and every person or Author that wants to write, reads first. I know when I pick up a book, I want to be transformed into the action, or the story as one may say. I feel every reader wants a good story, one they can dive into, be part of. Take that one character and be them. Take a good plot twist, take them in a direction they think they are going, and take that rug right out from under them. A reader wants to become emotionally involved, to the point before putting that book down for the night, “

Let me get one more chapter in” I feel as an Author you want your audience of readers to use the imagination along with the story, putting them right there in the story, placing them with the question < What would I do?

The description of passion is wide range but really comes down to what passion is

“Passion is a feeling of intense enthusiasm towards or compelling desire for someone or something. “

It’s funny how plot twist play into a story. As I wrote” An Ocean for Revenge”, the plot was always changing, new ideas, new days. I never intended for Revenge to be a sequel, in fact up until the last chapter, I was closing it out with the villain ( the antagonist ) being killed off in an accident leaving the scene of the ship, but as I wrote it, I discovered I left him wide open during the story, and even though he played the main antagonist behind the story, he never really accomplished his goal. As I wrote the closing scene, I switched gears the last moment and left him opening in the next sequel to An Ocean for Revenge. Of course that is dependent on how the readers feel about the book, but so far every comment I am getting they want to see more, in the sequel .

I am not one for sequels, I actually don’t enjoy them at all, it makes you wonder , never closes out and you question how is this going to really end, but I cave in knowing I will be the first to watch that sequel or buy the book, I have to know how this ends. So as much as I don’t cherish sequels, they do bring out the Imagination, and that is the perfect plot twist! Would I do a third sequel in series, ,No. You can only take the train so far, but if successful, there will be a third in the series, but a different adventure with our group of Investigators, that plot already on paper !

I joined AllAuthor in August of 2021 after my release of An Ocean for revenge.it is a great community of Authors and readers, gives an Author a chance to follow other Authors and at the same time offers you the tools to promote your book in many ways,

The promotional tools available let you customize your book in various formats, and promoting them on the Social Media Outlets. The mock ups and ideas are great and offer you great ideas to promote your book. AllAuthor has been a great community for me and it will be a part of my author experience for years to come.