Can you tell us about your journey from the world of IT consulting and advanced analytics to becoming a published author?
I’ve always wrote, love English enough and the creative writing courses I took in college to warrant a minor in the field. IT consulting and advanced analytics is much about storytelling. Storytelling with data that reveal insights into business performance and decision making. I have always had a plethora of stories in my head, still do, and now as I enter the sunset of my IT career, I want to get those stories on paper and share them.
How do you balance your professional career in data and AI with your passion for writing?
I write at a specific time each day, starting about 5 am and ending at 6:30 am, usually at Starbucks with my coffee. If I can write 4 pages during that time, then that’s a win. The rest of my day is full of meetings and project deliverables, and my evening with my wife and my love of movies. I can stay fresh, let what I wrote that morning resonate, allow context to enter my mind and compare to my book outline before continuing, a process that seems to work.
What inspired you to delve into literature and pursue writing alongside your career?
A way to stay busy, accomplish the goal of getting my stories on paper before I exit my career.
Your book "We Were Boys" combines real events with imaginative fiction. Can you share more about the inspiration behind this narrative approach?
Before the days of cell phones and advanced video games, children had to use their imagination. Growing up, me and my friends used to get into all kinds of mischief and trouble doing things. Everything we did was make believe. I can recall all the events and the way we imagined them as we were playing and how funny many of those adventures were. I thought a book of short stories chronically those events would be a good book, reminding us that it was our imagination that fuel many of the advances in technology we see today.
What themes or messages do you aim to convey through your writing, particularly in your upcoming books "Waiting In Soller" and "Recycled"?
Both books are now unofficially released and available on Amazon, B&N and others, they are still publishing to other platforms and marketing campaign will kick off this month. “Waiting In Sóller” is a historical fiction novel and love story set during WW2 where my three great uncles participated in D-Day. Its message conveys that love conquers distance and chaos and worth the journey. “Recycled” is a story of redemption, how life’s choices can place you on one of various paths, some not as pleasant. It’s told through the lens of a soul recycled into an animal where the comical adventures and real-life situations place the protagonist at a crossroads of decisions that ultimately decide his place in the afterlife. I wrote it as it would appear in a Pixar or Illumination Studios movie for all audiences.
How do your diverse experiences as a traveler influence your writing style and the stories you tell?
It gave me exposure to a variety of people, places, cultures, history, etc. It helps me write so that I can connect to a larger audience. It also helps a bit in world building or historical accuracy, such as the towns in Europe during WW2 or the island of Mallorca where Sóller is located. I fell in love with the town while on vacation with my wife, and the book just came to me as I rode on the train back to Palma. I started it on the cruise ship that very evening.
As someone with a background in English, Finance, and Marketing, how do you think these disciplines have influenced your approach to storytelling and publishing?
English for sure in writing, understanding how to create the story, and basically have a mostly edited book when I am done. I have found the hybrid publisher I am self-publishing with commented that there was basically, very little editing needed.
Your interests include golf, winemaking, and baseball. Do these hobbies ever find their way into your writing, either directly or indirectly?
Winemaking does, in “Waiting In Sóller”, I have not explored the other hobbies. I grew up playing baseball, my biggest regret was quitting it when I had a real shot at playing longer. I’m an avid fan now. Perhaps one day, I write that story.
Can you walk us through your writing process? How do you generate ideas and develop them into full-fledged narratives?
I spend about a week narrating to One Note in my computer starting with the story line, and the approach, foreshadowing, stolen prologue, etc. which usually generates a high level synopsis of 4 or 5 pages. From there I break it down into 5 sections, most storylines have 4-5 sections, a beginning, a rise, a climax, perhaps a decline and a resolution. All the same techniques we use in storytelling with our clients. I then break the sections down into a chapter schematic with at least one bullet of what is happening in the chapter, I will go back and add up to 4 for each one for the final outline. Then I have a world building page, a character page, research, etc. It all depends on the content of the book. I did research for several weeks on WW2 prior to writing “Waiting In Sóller” so that it was historically, at least directionally correct.
What challenges have you faced in transitioning from a career in IT consulting to full-time writing, and how have you overcome them?
Just time management, which I solved by creating my schedule. My colleagues asked how I can finish 2 books while working and I tell them I just dedicate an hour or so each day before work, and a few hours in the morning on the weekends. 10 hours a week, you can do many things like get a college degree in under 5 years, learn piano, become a painter, etc. We spend too much time on our phones or on social media and miss out on the joy of accomplishment by doing something you love to do.
Are there any authors or literary works that have had a significant impact on your writing style or creative process?
I always loved Edgar Allen Poe for poems, the descriptive nature of his writing, I am influenced by authors such as J.K. Rowling in the depth of character building or by the authors that come up with unique concepts.
How do you envision your retirement and full-time focus on writing impacting the themes, genres, or styles of your future literary works?
My retirement won’t influence the themes or genres, I certainly won’t focus on analytics. I am writing the third and final book to my Dystopian speculative fiction series, Aeritheria currently. I have outlines I have made over the years for a half dozen more that span genres, from murder/mystery and paranormal, science fiction, fantasy and a book about my poodle Sebastian who passed away last year, called “The Poodle and the Dragonfly”.
Can you share any insights or advice for aspiring authors who are also navigating dual careers or transitioning into full-time writing?
Figure out what time of day when you are the least stressed, focused, alert and preferably without any major interruptions. Build your other activities around that time and hold fast to that time. If I am not at Starbucks by 5 am, writing until 6:15/6:30 then I am either really sick or in route to a client out of town.
How do you approach the balance between realism and imagination in your storytelling, particularly when blending real events with fiction?
That can pose a challenge. Both books I recently released have some sort of realism, such as the names of places, the events that take place in each location. Historical fiction a little harder, because people typically don’t like change, and expect some things to stay the same, such as the towns in France. As opposed to Central Park in NY, where Recycled takes place, while the landmarks, roads and venues are correct, the magical things that take place there are the imaginative things.
How has your experience of being associated with AllAuthor been?
It has been very good. I love the tools, articles and suggestion made by the site and members. The community is very helpful providing guidance and tricks. Just yesterday, a scam was sent to me saying they want to feature my book at the London Book Fair, they wanted $1500 for me to reserve a spot and have my book reviewed. I asked the forum, they all said, No, it’s a scam. I contacted the London Book Fair, one of the associate directors confirmed it and is looking into it. Things like this, authors helping authors, very nice. It’s nice to follow other authors and have them follow you. My goal is to become a best-selling author, either with the two I just published, my dystopian series, or some future work. Finding a literary agent is my first goal, which is ending up being like winning the powerball lottery.
