Which is your favorite childhood memory?
Watching Star Wars for the first time on the big screen. I loved big action movies after seeing that, especially ones that took place in space and other worlds. It certainly sparked my imagination and thinking up storylines while playing with my action figures.
As a teenager, what were you obsessed with?
Comic books... I lovedto read and collected comic books for a good long while. I loved the artworks, the stories,and the characters. Batman was truly my favorite of them all.He had so many different villains and story arcs, it really intrigued me.
What would your life be like if you had followed your childhood dreams?
Well, I think if I had followed my childhood dreams.... I would have become a priest, or maybe, Darth Vader... I just remember wanting be Darth Vader for some reason. Maybe because he had such a cool power or seemed very terrifying as a villain. Naturally, as time went on, I abandoned those two ideas... can’t be a priest (wasn’t my calling) and being Darth Vader? Well... that wasn’t going to happen, of course. But I loved his character and did finally write some fan fiction stories based on him. Guess, I stepped into the mindset of him while writing it.Not sure if that was actually a dream fulfilment.
What are the challenges of being a self-published author?
Editing, promoting, editing, startinganother title...it can be daunting if you’ve never had any experience in that sort of thing. I had zip. So,it was definitely an eye opener for me, for sure.You definitely need to do the research though, especially when it comes to knowing the where/when/how of getting your books publishedin print or online. Cost being the big factor. Print has gotten really expensive, more so now than ever before. The print medium is a perk for sure butdoing it as an eBookis much more cost effective. There arealso audiobooks, which I do have out for most of my titles. It can be expensive as well, if you can’t narrate and produce one on your own, but there are companies that do it all for you. It’s just a matter of figuring out which one is the best for getting your title made and getting good royalties from them. Like I said, you’ve got to do your research and figure it out.
What was the first book that sparked your love for reading?
I couldn’t say one specific one for sure, there have been many good titles I’ve read over the years. I think Neuromancer (by William Gibson) was my first actual love for book reading. It set my mind into the future and the possibilities of where humanity might go.
How much did you research while writing your novel, "The Long Lost War"?
I’d like to say I did do some research on it... but, really... I had little to none. I had a vision of the story while driving to work one day. I have such long drives back and forth to my job that I tend to think of stories and futures. Everything that’s in that book was based solely on a dream I had one night. Like a movie playing out in my head, I could see how the story all happened and shaped it further like film editor. That’s pretty much how I know what my stories are going to be like. I kid you not. I loved the idea of clones battling it out, but then I thought, well... what if they had no choice? Or felt the need to change what they are, who they are, what they were meant to be? It gave me a perspective I never thought of and fleshed it out inmy mind.
What is the most ideal ambiance for you to write in?
Silence, absolute silence. I need to hear my thoughts and have no distractions whatsoever. Some writers put on music, take the computer everywhere (cafes, libraries, in front of the TV), but not me. I need total quiet if I’m going to steep my mind into that alternate universe I’ve created. I need to be those characters, live in that world I’ve created, and I need to let the words flow from my brain to the keyboard.
Who inspired the character of George Orwell in "Your Service Is Required"?
I’m not sure I understand that meaning. There’s no George Orwell “Your Service Is Required”. Unless you’re talking about the book being likeor ‘inspired’ by George Orwell. I’ve never really thought of it like that, but I guess perhaps there was some influence from his books. It sure does have a 1984kind of vibe to it.
What kind of cultural value do you think reading and writing have/brings?
I think it brings about the ability to broaden one’s mind and give rise to greater reader imagination. Books have been one of the most resourceful resources at our disposal. They can inform us, entertain us, give us knowledge,and help to communicate with others. I keep thinking of the episode of The Twilight Zone where the guy was left alone on the planet after a major war, and all he had was nothing but books to read. That made me think that, yes, the only thing that will be left of any of us will be what we’ve written. Much like the ancestral cave paintings, books will be there long after we’ve gone, our only legacy and record of who or what we once were as a species.
What are your hobbies apart from writing?
I like building Lego sets, and occasionally drawing or sketching things. Not as much so, nowadays, I’ve been far too busy with life and trying to focus on writing.
Do you have any advice on how to balance different elements in a story when blending genres together?
Blending genres isn’t very easy. It’s quite challenging. With my other book “The Mysterious World ofProfessor Darkk andMiss Shadow” I had to incorporate elements of horror, science fiction, fantasy, and paranormal thriller. Trying to come up with something new is very hard to do and you can really get it wrong some days. That’s why it’s good to test it out first, with beta readers or getting reviews from ARCs (advance reader copies), that way you can see what their reaction to the story and characters will be. Negative feedback should never be dismissed, not ones that are constructive or give some critical suggestions, those might actually help you in the long run. A writer needs to be willing to take a few hits to the ego in order to create a perfect final book.
What made you decide to take the self-publishing route instead of trying other publishing houses?
Rejections... my stories were being rejected from a few magazines and publishers. So, when I discovered self-publishing, I took the plunge and gave it a try. It wasn’t easy, let me tell you. I didn’t have the computer programs back then, like
I have today, to help polish the manuscript and format the book properly. I had to do it all myself and with little to no training on doing it. I had to research a lot, find out how it gets done and how the heck I get my book online. It was a frustrating time for me then.
Isit important that an author has other friends that are writers as well? Do you have any?
Actually, no... no I don’t. I talk to other writers on social media, but no friends that are close to me or in a writing circle as such. I’m pretty much alone in my author-life, it seems, only giving some vague comments to those who send out a tweet or post a comment on such topics.
Which is the next book you are working on? Is it a series or a stand-alone book?
I have a TON of books I’m working on. I’ve gotseveralseries, another few stand-alone titles, and a sequel/prequel book of The Long Lost Warin the works. I’m very swamped. I’m currently trying to finish my full first novel of “The Burning Fire Rises: The Mysterious World ofProfessor Darkk andMiss Shadow”. I just sent out The Massive Planet: The Adventures of Deep Contact, that’s the first book of a series I’m trying to make. If you’re a fan of The Long Lost War, you might like that one as well.
How long have you been with AllAuthor now and how have you been enjoying it?
It’s been over a couple of years, I think, I’ve enjoyed the help in pushing the promotion of my titles and connecting with other writers doing the same. There aresome great digital mock-ups for displaying them or featuring them from time to time. It does the job for spreading the word about your books.
