Sep 25

QuickFIRE with Western Author Rick Jantz

Gunfighter

The Rules of Gunfighting

1. Bring a gun, preferably two.

2. Anybody worth one bullet is worth two.

3. Only hits count.

4. If your shooting stance is good you’re probably not moving fast enough or using cover correctly.

5. Keep shooting until the threat is eliminated.

6. If you can choose what to bring, bring a long gun and a friend.

7. In ten years nobody will remember details about gun make, caliber, etc. They’ll only remember who lived.

8. If you are not shooting you should be reloading or running.

9. Accuracy is relative in combat. Accuracy depends more on pucker factor under stress than any inherent accuracy of your weapon.

10. Someday, someone may kill me with my own gun, but they will have to beat me to death with it for it will be empty.

You will need to know the rules of gunfighting if you are going to keep up with Western Author Rick Jantz. Rick has just released his first western novel entitled “Colson’s Law,” and it’s a winner. Those of you who’ve already read it will know that already. Those who haven’t will soon learn. This interview with Rick Jantz is the equivalent of the writer’s gunfight. Quickfire questions with quickfire answers. Only one of us will be standing by the end of this interview, and I’m pretty sure it will be Rick.
Q) What makes a great cover, Rick?
The cover should be a snapshot in time of a situation the main protagonist(s) is in and should make a statement of what the book is about.  Alternatively, if the book is in a strange land or another planet, having a book cover that shows the location would help the reader see where the story is taking place.
Q) What inspires you?
Pictures or scenery that have vivid or unusual colors or are of a remote and desolate place.  And people whose faces tell a story are also inspiring and I could gaze at them forever, wondering what their life was like and what brought them to this moment.  Finally, interesting phrases or things said in a different way make me think “that could be a story” and likely a title for one.
Q) How do you find “inspiration,” and where does it live?
Inspiration can come when you are or are not looking for it.  For example, if I want to start a new book, I typically start with an idea that came when working on one of my other projects.  I jot these down so when it’s time I can review all of them and decide which one holds some promise of an engaging tale.  If I need to come up with a new idea, I typically start jotting or typing down what it is I want to write about or what setting I would like to write about.  As I’m brainstorming, an idea begins to raise its hand and demand that I pay attention and flesh it out some more.
Sometimes inspiration comes when you are not looking.  It may come from something unusual someone said or did, from “mundane” happenings in my day that make you say, “Yeah, but what if,” or from something unique that happens during the day.  For instance, I was once in a parking lot and saw a toy truck left abandoned in the middle of a parking stall.  I immediately thought of the little boy who lost it and wondered how special that truck was to him.  A short story was written later that day.
Q) When did you first consider yourself to be a writer?
When still acting and directing stage plays, I was encouraged to write one of my own.  I did and was surprised with how quickly it came to me and how thrilling it was when performed.  At that point I knew I wanted to continue to write, whether for the stage or a book.
Q) How does a cover present itself? Where do those ideas come from?
As I’m writing the book, I always have a vision of the main character; what they look like, how they’re dressed, how they carry themselves, and what they choose to reveal to others in extreme circumstances.  By the time I’m done writing I have an image in my mind of what the cover should look like.
Q) How many times have you started a story without finishing?
Actually, quite often.  And that’s because I either realize the story is not developing naturally or because another idea has shown itself through the first story, and it is this other idea that is the story that needs to be written.
Q) What is the greatest writing aide a writer can have?
A dictionary/thesaurus.  These two tools will ensure that our words are accurate and give us opportunity to try out different variations of other words.
Q) Who is the most inspiring individual you’ve ever met?
I once attended a workshop that was presented by the screenwriter and author, Syd Field.  I found his presentation genuine, and he really broke down the components of a story.  I have many of his books and have incorporated his practices into my own writing.  For instance, and my favorite, is when he talks about “Plot Points” and how they’re used to “hook the action and spin it around into a different direction.”  There are typically two of these in a story.  In the case of Colson’s Law, this occurs near the beginning when Rad Colson decides to escort a young heiress west and help her lay claim to her inheritance.  The second Plot Point occurs when Rad decides to “strap on his guns” and use his law to triumph over the lawless.
Q) How did you find your writing style?
Primarily through trial and error.  It was through writing stage plays, poems, and even short stories that my writing style began to emerge.  And I found that I was writing in a “man of the street” kind of voice; meaning, that I was writing to the average reader but in the vernacular of the characters needed for the book.
Q) Define success and how it will change your life.
Success is writing books that stay true to the vision I have of them.  From there, success flows from becoming published, including online, and seeing satisfactory sales of my book.  That means people see their value and like them.  Any monetary gains means that I’m that much closer to working from home and writing more books, possibly even moving into screenplays.  Success would provide the freedom to write those stories that I want to tell and will allow me to set my own schedule to do so.
Q) What is a “writer’s” heaven?
Home (or on the beach) writing, editing, and marketing my written works.  And then sharing with other writers the insights and knowledge I’ve gained.
Q) What are the things a writer “must not” do?
Preach their views at the world.  While it’s fine to include your philosophies or way of thinking, it’s important that writers don’t use their medium to unquestioningly tell people what to believe.  Writers can persuade or argue a point, but it needs to be done within the context of the story and by the characters the writer has included.
Writers should not spin their stories out without asking for and valuing any feedback or criticisms they may receive.  It may be that the writer is satisfied and thinks of their first draft as a “work of art not to be changed,” but will readers think the same, let alone publishers?
Writers cannot ignore their target audience either.  Don’t write a Western if the book takes place in the East or on another continent.  Your readers have an expectation that the setting will be in the North American west and that it will involve cowboys and/or gunfighters.  Writers need to meet their reader’s expectations of the genre.
Q) Can you tell me what your new book is about in ten words?
A gunfighter defends a young heiress according to his law.
Q) How often have you read another writers book and said “I can do better than that” to yourself?
I don’t believe I have said I could do better than that, but I have said I could write as equally well.  I don’t typically finish books that I find are not well written.
Q) Do you have any advice for beginning writers?
Start by writing what you know about, whether it’s the genre or subject matter.  It is this knowledge that will keep you going through all the hours of working in isolation and then all of the revisions that your book may endure.  If you don’t know about it and want to write in that genre or subject matter, then do your research, including if you’re writing about a land or planet that no one has heard about before.  There still needs to be some substance in your back story.
Q) What is your writing routine? How do you discipline yourself to keep at it?
I try to write in the early to late evening as that is the best time that works in our home, plus I work full-time.  If I have a significant amount of writing I need to get done, then I do it on the weekend but prep for it all week by doing research, working on the outline, or simply reviewing what I have in place already.
I use rewards for myself to keep going.  For instance, I may hold off watching a movie, reading a book, or even going shopping until I have done x,y,z with my book.
Q) Do you write every day?
Unfortunately, I cannot write every day given our home life and my schedule.  But I do try to write or work on my book at the same time on the days that I can.  Routine is very important for writers because that helps the creative mind to focus on the task at hand.
Q) How do you begin a novel?
I spend a lot of time on the first sentence.  I want it to immediately convey something about the story or the main character.  For instance, Colson’s Law starts out with, “Time stood still…but not the gun clearing its holster.”  Something bad is about to happen and the idea is to hook the reader immediately into the story to find out what and to whom.  I then move into the premise of the story, giving the reader a good idea about the story and the main character but, primarily, showing the reader that this book is worth their time to read.
Q) Do you go through a lot of drafts?
I do at least one complete edit, but I also edit and re-write as I go.  And, even though I have a  chapter outline, sometimes the book takes a different direction or a new character must be introduced to move the story forward.  Then I stop all writing and go back and re-write what I have to so that the flow of the story makes sense and the re-write has been properly built into the plot.
Q) To what extent is your fiction autobiographical?
My book is not autobiographical per se, but I always envision myself as the conquering hero if it was me placed in those circumstances.  The characters may exhibit some of my habits or morals if that is what is needed for the story.
Q) Do you consider writing to be a form of activism? Do you think novelists have a duty to address political issues?
Writing can be a form of activism; for example, to one way of thinking or living over another.  But I believe that this is only appropriate if it is within the context of the story.  Second, novelists do not have a duty to address political issues because those issues and the storyline may very well be unrelated.  For instance, the political issues in the time that Colson’s Law takes place are different than those of today.  However, what is common is the greed and power-hungry demands of the antagonists.  So human need, motivation, and sense of entitlement might be similar in real life and a novel.  If so, the author should endeavor to show how their characters faced and possibly resolved those conflicts.
Q) Who are your favorite authors?
Being a Western writer, I like the novels by Louis L’Amour, Max Brand, and Zane Grey.  I also like adventure and spy novels by authors such as Clive Cussler and Robert Ludlum.
Q) I’m a school teacher. What can you offer to help me prepare 4th graders to appreciate writing, now and for the rest of their lives?
How to tap into their imagination or their inner muse and that all stories are valuable because we each have our own perception of things.  Teachers should allow their students, including at the grade 4 level, to use their imagination by writing or telling stories. And I wouldn’t want to see them graded on their creativity, either.   I still remember my fourth grade teacher reading to us the book Big Red.  It was a great story, and he read it a chapter at a time, making us want to hear the next chapter the next day.  We were allowed to envision the scene, talk about the plot, and share what we liked and didn’t like.  The discussion was invaluable.
Q) When it comes to fiction dialogue, do any grammatical rules apply?
Grammatical correctness should still apply, except for when you intentionally change it.  For example, in the old Western days, people spoke a certain way; this is attributable to both culture and education.  So my book was written in the dialect of the characters as I imagine they would have spoken.  That being said, I found I still needed to do some revision because after a while the dialogue written to the extreme that I had written it was becoming cumbersome and distracting.  It was taking away from the story, and so I minimized how often the characters spoke this way and only allowed a select few to keep the abbreviated, western-slang dialect.

Keep Firing Bullets With Rick in his Brand New Western Release…

Sep 24

16 Questions. 16 Answers. Don Massenzio on Breaking The Writers Code

Pull up a chair and meet hard-boiled fiction writer Don Massenzio. Don writes hard-line, wisecracking fiction with a large dose of class. Read the interview and don’t you dare miss the books… The Don Massenzio collection is available here.

 

1. Quickly, give us the title and genre of your book and a short tagline:
Frankly Speaking – A Frank Rozzani Detective Novel – an enthralling detective mystery set in modern day Florida that will keep you on the edge of your seat.
2. Who is your intended audience and why should they read your book?
Readers of all ages will enjoy this, but it is targeted at those that love mysteries with twists and turns.
3. How did you come up with the title of your book or series?
The title is a play on the main character’s first name.
4. Tell us a little bit about your cover art. Who designed it? Why did you go with that particular image/artwork?
I use a graphic design acquaintance to design my covers. I think it conveys a bit about the story and the mystery aspect.
5. Who is your favorite character from your book and why?
Jonesy. He is a wise ass. So am I.
6. How about your least favorite character? What makes them less appealing to you?
Cobb. He thinks that power and wealth overrule basic rights.
7. If you could change ONE thing about your novel, what would it be? Why?
I would make it a bit longer, but other than that, I don’t think it’s healthy to think about changing existing work. It’s better to strive to make the next one better.
8. Give us an interesting fun fact or a few about your book or series:
It was inspired by the old 70’s television show, The Rockford Files.
9. What other books are similar to your own? What makes them alike?
Jonathan Kellerman’s Alex Delaware series is similar in that he uses dialog and descriptive narrative more than action, gore, and sex.
10. Do you have any unique talents or hobbies?
I am a musician as well as a writer.
11. How can we contact you or find out more about your books?
Through my web site: www.donmassenzio.com or by email don@donmassenzio.com
12. What can we expect from you in the future?
The sequel to Frankly Speaking is due out in October. Also, look for a compilation of short stories and a crime/mystery/thriller anthology.
13. What can readers who enjoy your book do to help make it successful?
Reviews are extremely helpful. Also, feedback via my web site or email help as well.
14. Do you have any tips for readers or advice for other writers trying to get published?
Write, edit, rewrite, edit, rewrite, publish. If you don’t start, you’ll never achieve it.
15. Is there anything else you’d like to say?
Thank you for let me telling you about my work.
16. And now, before you go, how about a snippet from your book that is meant to intrigue and tantalize us:

 

It was dark and the stench was terrible. The rocking was constant. The bathroom was a plastic bucket. The food was a bowl of slop with gritty water to drink. It was quite a contrast from just two days ago. She thought that was hell. Being tied to a bed and locked in a room was heaven compared to this. There was no bed. She shared the wooden floor with four other girls that had been here longer then her.  All of their will to live seemed to be gone. They just existed and had given up hope. She had not given up yet, but hope was beginning to fade as she wondered how she had ended up here.  Just a week ago, she was the happiest girl alive. She was in love. God had given her the gift of a new life which she had carried inside of her. She had all of this with Troy, who at 19 was wise beyond his years. He was kind, caring, and the father of her child. Now, just a week later, all of that was gone.

She agonized as she relived her ordeal. She knew surprisingly little about her captors or about her location. She went back to her last memory of freedom. She was at the retreat. Pastor Rick had been so inspiring that day. He had spoken about trust; trusting yourself, trusting your family, and trusting God. His talks inspired her and Troy to trust Pastor Rick and confide in him about their situation. They trusted him and wanted his guidance. They told him of their plans to talk to her parents and Troy’s dad. Pastor Rick was supportive, but also concerned about their ages. She had known she was pregnant for a week after receiving a positive result on a test. As they left Pastor Rick, she and Troy decided to speak to Maggie’s parents as soon as the retreat was over on Saturday morning. She was, at most, two months pregnant. It was early, but she did not want to hide this from her parents. She knew they would be supportive. Her talk with her sister, Missy, had confirmed this for her. Missy said that her biggest mistake as a rebellious teen was not telling her parents when she first had a problem she needed help with. This only made it worse later when she could no longer hide the problem from them. So Maggie returned to her dorm room at Christianity Today that Tuesday night feeling as if the weight of the world had been lifted from her shoulders. Then, her world changed.

 You can now Pre-Order…

Sep 18

Conspiracy Theories and Writing Go Together: An Interview with Rachael L. McIntosh

rachael header

This interview is the first of a three part blog tour with Rachael L. McIntosh. Her new book, “Security Through Absurdity,” is currently available on Amazon, and there’s no book more worthy of your Kindle. Read this interview and then try out the book… You will be not be able to put it down.

Rachael, let me ask you this. How do you conceive your plot ideas?

I’ve lived through a lot of the stuff I write about.  And I don’t understand a lot of the things that I’ve lived through.  I guess I just make stuff up to try and understand some of the world around me.  See BOOK ONE: LITTLE YELLOW STICKIES for a taste of what I lived through during the lead up to the Iraq War and 9/11.

Have you written a book you love that you have not been able to get published?

No.  I’ve never tried to write before.  This SECURITY THROUGH ABSURDITY trilogy just came pouring out of me.  When I submitted it to the publishers, they told me that I’d have to do three things.  #1.  Break it down into a trilogy because I had submitted the equivalent of 4.8 novels.  # 2. Use a pen name.  #3 Take out a life insurance policy.  I have done everything but use a pen name.  My family and friends have heard my accounts of these things in real life from me so I thought, “What’s the point?  It’s listed as FICTION anyway.”

How long did it take you to publish your first book after you started trying?

About two years from sitting down at the keyboard to seeing the first book in the series for sale on Amazon.

What do you think makes your book “Security Through Absurdity” unique, and how does it fit into the everyday lives of readers?

The fact that the publishers and I couldn’t come up with what genre this book falls into other than FICTION should tip people off that it defies classification and is unique. Corporate Crime or even Political Thriller would sort of work, but it doesn’t really fit in with the pre-scripted story line of these genres. It’s really a fictionalized whistleblower thing.  But the characters don’t know they are whistleblowing, and it lacks the typically outraged, angry tone.  It’s up to the reader to grab onto some of the info being presented, so it doesn’t even fit that whistleblower genre, either.  It’s just FICTION.   James Perloff, author of non-fiction Shadows of Power, has said that it’s “Working Girl meets The Net, but the issues are too real world to ignore.”

I guess that’s how it fits into the everyday life of the reader because it is so real life.  It is the story of an everyday life where truth is stranger than fiction, and the character just adapts.  This adaptation contributes to her foibles.   It makes the reader say, “Gee I wouldn’t do that…would I?”

How have your personal experiences affected your writing?

Deaths and near misses.  Working for a corporation that was diametrically opposed to my nature. Illness.  Falling in love.  Having children.  War.  And, of course, money.  Add that to my involvement in national politics, well, all of these things impacted my perception of the world and caused me to focus on things that I probably would not have bothered with years ago.

What should readers know about the world of politics? What really goes on?

The way I came into it was via a lot of feel good rally-like stuff.  But then slowly I got acclimatized to the fact that there were rules you had to learn, or at least be aware of, like Roberts Rules of Order. Tedious tasks had to be performed like collecting signatures and keeping track of government deadlines and paperwork and accounting, and therefore, minions were needed.  It soon became a lot like a “real” job.  With the same kind of “office politics” vibe but more political (imagine that!).   That back door deals are made and that people who you thought were on your same team are not.  And it becomes apparent that a lot of people enjoy politics for the power trip and confrontation aspect (think: Debate Team captain from a private school).  There is a lot of “I’m more important than you” and hierarchy; and it’s just silly, especially when you discover that both teams are ultimately working for the same interests.  That despite the gift wrapping of a political slogan being bantered like a battle cry, it all comes down to money,  and the ultimate monied interests don’t worry about what colors the teams are waving around. They really don’t.  They control both teams anyway.  An individual voting has very little consequence on what will ultimately happen.  I now look at voting as voluntarily participating in a market research study.

What are the major themes of your work?

Top  Major Themes

#1 Human foibles

#2 Miscommunication

#3 Hope as misdirection

#4 Don’t hate the player, hate the game

 

“Security Through Absurdity” has connections with 9/11. Can you explain what that connection is?

 

Chapters 12, 13, and 14 relay via my fiction pretty much exactly what was going on inside the office I worked at on 9/11.  I have taken these chapters and published them as a tiny booklet called 28 Pages, making reference to the 28 pages George W. Bush withheld from the”Joint Inquiry into Intelligence Community Activities Before and After the Terrorist Attacks of September 11, 2001.”

 

I hope people will read these three chapters from Security Through Absurdity, think about them, and feel free to pass the information on to someone else.   28 pages will be FREE on Amazon starting on 9/11/14.

Do you truly believe 9/11 changed America, and how did it change America?

Yes. USA PATRIOT ACT, the core of which was written by now Vice President Joe Biden, was crafted well before 9/11, right before the Oklahoma City bombing took place and was supported by the Reagan and Bush Administrations.

 

USA PATRIOT ACT got passed with the quickness after 9/11 and blew America and its civil liberties, as everyone had understood them, out of the water.

 

Then the Department of Homeland Security was created and that opened the door for the full-on militarization of the police, the TSA and their body checks at airports and bomb sniffing dogs on trains, “If you see something, say something” campaigns lifted right out of Orwell and history, and of course the NSA and their eavesdropping and obsessive data collection on citizens.   It’s been over a decade now, and the population seems to have reached a point where people think this is normal.  It’s not.

When you think of America pre-9/11, what comes to mind?

My dad flying really close to the World Trade Center with me and my sister in his Beechcraft Bonanza.  Going to the airport to see the jets and other cool planes.  You could just walk right up to the planes on the tarmac without much trouble.  That was back when people sort of trusted other people.  They really didn’t talk about politics or religion in polite company and CNN was really a new thing.  Bombing and hijacking occurred someplace else and would never happen here.  Everyone felt safe and, as a nation, fairly well off.

And post-9/11?

Well obviously the scene at the airport has changed.  The scene in general has changed to include a hypersensitivity to danger.  Yet currently, people seem to feed themselves with inputs of fear on a regular basis via video feeds from all over the world.  I mean, I have a friend who walks in the city with a Geiger counter on him.  People feel very OK with cameras on them at all times and of course people talk politics and religion like it’s going out of style now.  People are obviously scared as is evidenced in newly developed and articulated prejudices.  This, to me, is one of the saddest of developments of our post 9/11 America.

What will the next instalment of “Security Through Absurdity” be about? How will the story progress?

Book Two: Bubbles Will Pop is where everything bad happens to the character.  It starts off with this quote:

 

“For a seed to achieve its greatest expression, it must come completely undone. The shell cracks, its insides come out and everything changes. To someone who doesn’t understand growth, it would look like complete destruction.”

― Cynthia Occelli

 

And that quote lets you know that there is a transformation occurring in the main character.  Even though some of those bad thing are absolutely based in my real life experience, this is where the story gets even more fictionalized, especially with the character of Ethan.  He’s out of his mind.  This is all in preparation for the dramatic conclusion of  Book Three: The Big Show, which is also based squarely on a lot of reality in the political arena.

 

rachael mcintosh cover

 

The Truth is Out There… Get Your Copy Today

Sep 17

WORK SPACE BLOG HOP

I was nominated by my client and frend G. Michael Vasey to take part in a work space blog hop. We both live in the Czech Republic at the moment. He lives in Brno and I live in Prague. We both work from home offices and you can see his work space hop here.

I also have to mention his big, bestselling novel “The Last Observer” which is available now from Amazon.

office 1

My office is at the back of our apartment. It’s a comfy clean space I share with my wife. I chose this room as the office because it’s big enough to spend your whole day in. My desk is at the bottom of the room and the rest of the room is pure floor space. I broke my last swivel office chair so I replaced it with a comfy, lounge-around-at home green chair with a cover. I spend most of my day sitting on it– so why not?

Sunlight streams across my desk so it’s always bright and sunny in this room. It’s a joy to walk into every morning.

office 2

I keep my cell phone close by and that book over there is my filo-fax. I jot down ideas, dates and appointments in that book and my business couldn’t run without it. Now, this desk is normally untidy, so you caught it on a day when I wasn’t sticking sticky notes across it to brainstorm promotional ideas. You can see the stickie pad is on my wifes side of the desk at the moment. On any given day you can find my desk covered in these yellow stickies.

office 3

I am not much of a hoarder in the Czech Republic. I keep 5 Cliff Roberts novels and 4 Tim Flanagan novels on the shelving unit by my desk. The Cliff Roberts novels were my big, breakthrough hits. We moved 100,000 of those. Tim Flanagan is one of my favorite writers and one of my best friends. I keep his books around because they are some of the best teenage fiction novels on the market. He is also a consistent seller.

Below the books I keep records. Harry Belafonte, Roy Hamilton, Sam Cooke, Sammy Davis, Stan Kenton and Bobby Darin. I like to have music playing all day long in my office. It helps me think. I grew up in a house filled with music.

office 5

The view from my office window. It’s peaceful at the back of our apartment and I enjoy spending my downtime just relaxing in here.

office 4

This is the view from my behind my desk. Red mouse, blue phone and laptop. You can see my external drive where I keep all my promotional ideas and strategies. I also have to have an overhead lamp as I tend to work late into the night and the chandelier lighting in here drives me crazy. I like low level lighting.

You’ve all seen my office now. This is where the creative magic happens. Sticky notes, a filo-fax, a cell phone, laptop and external drive. I lead a simple life in the Czech Republic– but a fulfilling one.

Thank you to Gary Vasey for nominating me. I would like to nominate Tim Flanagan. I think you will find his working space very interesting…. Won’t they, Tim?

Sep 15

Touring Across America: Author G. Michael Vasey Spills The Beans

 G. Michael Vasey is one of those unique writers you come across on a hot summer day. I have marvelled at this interview, and I’ve wondered what I can really say about it. I like this writer—a lot—and I can’t wait for you to like him, too! His book The Last Observer is a bit of everything, and that is the best way to describe this interview. It’s a bit of everything!

G. Michael Vasey is currently touring radio stations. Catch his breathtaking interview with “The X Zone” today.

gary vasey

 

Who do you have in mind when you write?

Me. I write about my interests and things that I am passionate about. I trust that the end product is something of interest to others and that I have something unique to offer – my perspective and one that is entertaining and different.

How do you find “inspiration” and where does it live?

Inspiration often comes to me in a semi-meditative state. So listening to music of the right type can start the juices flowing, or sometimes I listen to meditation music on Youtube as I write. It seems to relax me and open a channel to the creative part of me. Other books can also give inspiration too, so when I am reading something it will trigger a series of questions or thoughts and an inner dialogue. I don’t find finding inspiration difficult to be honest. If you look around and pay attention to what is around you, how can you not be inspired? For example, until recently, I lived in Prague. Most people tramp to work, head down, worrying about the day ahead or wishing themselves miles away. As I walked through Prague to work, I looked up – at the glorious architecture and beauty, history and sheer wow of the city I lived in…. that inspires me.

Have you always aspired to be a writer? 

No, but writing has always been a key part of what I do for a living, and I have always enjoyed writing. Being an author sort of sprung up on me when I realized what a body of work I had had published as articles, newsletters, book chapters and so on. Once I got comfortable with the idea, I thought – why not give it a proper go?

Tell me about how you became a writer. What was the first step for you?

Having to write so as a part of my job. I must have written well over 500 articles in newsletters and magazines professionally along with 100 white papers and reams of blog articles. So, it is something I do continually. The step you ask about is probably when I first sat down with the objective of writing a book, and I did that because I was told to in meditation…

Do you have a distinctive “voice” as a writer?

I don’t know to be honest, but in poetry I do try to play with words in certain evocative ways.

Do you think anyone can learn to be an effective writer, or is it an unnamed spiritual gift?

I think anyone who really wants to write can learn, but very few writers are true masters. That is a gift that you are born with.

Is there a book you’ve written that you’re most proud of?

No, as I tend to keep looking forward as opposed to backwards. That’s not to say there isn’t a book I am fond of. My novel, The Last Observer, though certainly not perfect, is my favourite book to date; and my last book of poetry – Moon Whispers – I think is my strongest effort yet. I pick the novel because it has the potential to appeal to a broader group of readers, I think.

On average, how long does it take for you to write your ideas down before you start writing a book?

I don’t follow this approach usually. I plan it in my head and then, after it’s going, I start to write down subplots and themes I wish to develop. In the end though, the books have a surprising talent for writing themselves and surprising even me. I suppose it’s because I write in a meditative state usually and it’s as if it’s not me doing the writing anyway.

What would you say is the “defining” factor in your writing? What makes it yours?

Ah, good question! I think it’s my passion for trying to understand the nature of reality and my practise of magic. You see, I think magic (or if you prefer, metaphysics) has already described the Universe, and science is gradually catching up. What fascinates me is how we create our own reality or our own perspective on reality and how imagination and will can make magic. This provides for a never-ending smorgasbord of ideas, plots, endings and concepts to play with.

How do you guard your time to do what’s most important?

I am a multi-tasker and am always engaged in fifteen things at once. I move my focus from one thing to another and that constant variety keeps me engaged and busy.

What are some of the more common distractions you struggle with, and what ways have you found to overcome them?

There are times when I simply do not want to write. So I don’t.

What kind of review do you take to heart?

Oh, I hate bad reviews and take them ever so personally. It seems to me that there are a few people out there that simply get a kick out of writing deeply negative reviews – like trolls on a discussion board. I can’t help being hurt by deeply negative criticism. On the other hand, we only get better through criticism. It is how that criticism is delivered that makes the difference between something we gain from or something we are hurt by.

How do you decide what your next book will be about?

Well, I decide probably in a moment of massive interest in something or an idea, but then I end up writing something else entirely! For example, on my bio it says I am writing a book about the Fool in magic. It’s a great idea, and I have written a few pages, but I keep finding other things to write about, and I make no progress at all on that idea. I keep it in the bio to remind me that I must/should/will write that book.

Was there a link between your childhood and your vocation as a writer?

Yes – imagination. I had and still do have a very well-developed imagination to the point I can really be where I imagine I am. It is this imagination that runs riot and is the creative seed within me.

As a writer, however, you have the opportunity to self-reflect, to revisit experiences. How does that feel?

Sometimes good but not always….often, the worst of life’s experiences are actually the best – at least for writing.

What motivates you to tackle the issues others may avoid, such as nature and spirituality?

I have been interested in such things since I was knee high to a grasshopper as I wrote in my first book – Inner Journeys. Back when I was 12, I was attending meetings of the church for psychical research and reading Blavatsky… So, I am well-grounded in this stuff and a practising magician to boot. As a result, I guess I see the world a bit differently and want to share the idea that the world looks like you want it to.

When you start a new book, do you know how a book will end as you’re writing it?  Or does its direction unfold during the writing, research and/or creative process?

The Last Observer wrote itself, I swear. The ending surprised me and still does.

How do you see your role in impacting and influencing society?

I only hope that I can make people think a bit, wake up and look around and see that not everything is how they were taught. If they do that, then I have already succeeded.

If you weren’t a writer, what would you like to do?

Writing is so integral to everything I do, and it’s not possible to answer this question.

What are the things a writer “must not” do?

You know, I don’t like rules. Why should a writer not do anything? I do feel sometimes that we are constrained by success, but real art is breaking all the rules and having the product mean something. This is why I love poetry – there are NO rules. I hear some people criticising Indie writers as if the only people who should write are Shakespeare and his ilk; but this is literary snobbishness, isn’t it? Everyone should be able to write if they so choose, and if they break rules of grammar but people love their stuff, then great….

What are some pieces of advice that you would give someone on writing well?

I would never tell someone how to write – I think people should write as they wish, and some will deem it to be good and some bad.

Young writers often make foolish mistakes. What is a mistake to avoid?

Answering a bad review… don’t do it. Ever. I did and I learned.

What obstacles and opportunities do you see for writers in the years ahead?

The whole industry is in flux with eBooks, Amazon and so on. Trying to keep up with how to market what you write, how to make money, how to find an audience, whether to self-publish or not? It’s knowing how things will fall out that could present either an obstacle or opportunity.

Could you talk about one work of creative art that has powerfully impacted you as a person?

Yes – a CD by Blackfield called Blackfield II. The music on that CD inspires me to write, and it feeds my creative juices. Every single poem in Moon Whispers was written listening to that CD. In fact, music often is the work of creative art that sends me….

What relationship do you see between imagination and creativity, and the real world?

Imagination and creativity are intertwined like lovers – one needs the other, and together they make beautiful music.

For a writer, it is easy to become an elitist.  Have you ever (or do you still) struggle with pride as an author?

Not really – I do what I do and lots of people do the same so there is nothing special about me. But let’s see how I behave if I ever have a real best seller, shall we?

With all your success, how do you stay humble?

Age. I am that sort of age where nothing much impresses me anymore, least of all myself.

Have you ever considered writing fiction full time?

I would love to… will you get me a contract?

Explore your imagination with “The Last Observer“…

Sep 11

Blue Canadian Rockies: Rick Jantz Brings the Western Back

The name is Rick Jantz, and he’s a new writer on the block. He writes Westerns and his first book, “Colson’s Law,” is the stuff that movies are made from. This first interview with Rick should tell you that he is eloquent, interesting and devoted to his craft. When Rick asked me to interview him, I knew it would be a great interview. All I can say before you read this is… I told you it would be good.

Rick Jantz

Rick Jantz created a very popular novel when he released “Colson’s Law.”

 

1. Quickly, give us the title and genre of your book and a short tagline:

The title of my first Western novel is, “Colson’s Law.”  A shamed gunfighter must give up his whiskey bottle and return West to help a young heiress claim her ranch.

2. Who is your intended audience, and why should they read your book?

This book is intended for anyone who likes great Western novels, primarily men of all ages.  The book is action-packed with gunfights, brawls, and mystery as a mysterious force attempts to sway Wyoming politics in their favor through violence and murder.

3. How did you come up with the title of your book?

The title shows one man’s determination to use his six-gun law to bring justice to the frontier.

4. Tell us a little bit about your cover art. Who designed it? Why did you go with that particular image/artwork?

The cover was designed by JH Illustration.  I had researched different cover designers, and the work that Jeanine Henning had done was simply outstanding.  Fortunately, she posts some of her work on her website, so I could see that she knew what she was doing. After initial discussions with her, I contracted her to do my cover.

5. Who is your favorite character from your book and why?

My favorite character is the main one, Rad Colson.  He’s a man who learns to rise above his alcohol addiction and chose to fight for that which he knows to be right.  Once he decides to do so, the reader quickly realizes that he also has the physical ability to fight those who would impose their will on an untamed land.  He is also a man who knows how to treat others that deserve it with respect, and he is someone who wants to love and be loved.

6. How about your least favorite character?  What makes them less appealing to you?

One of the antagonists, obviously.  She’s manipulative and not afraid to use treachery and murder to get what she wants.

7. If you could change ONE thing about your novel, what would it be?  Why?

I would spend more time with the Vic Ranch, the largest ranch in Wyoming Territory.  I would want to give the reader more time and insight into the workings and beauty of a great ranch back in the late 1800s.  Ranches were difficult enterprises back then, and there were many that were not nearly as successful.  I would like to spend more time exploring how it became successful and the impact that it had on the frontier.

8. Give us an interesting fun fact or a few about your book:

The story occurs just before Wyoming was to become a state within the Union in 1890.  This enabled the story to include power struggles for fictional characters to set themselves up as powerful leaders.

Women were not always ladies back in the old West.  In fact, they could become nasty and be just as willing as men to kill for gain.

Colt .44s are not light guns. They could weigh as much as 5 pounds, which could make it difficult to get out of the holster as fast as the main character does.

9. What other books are similar to your own?  What makes them alike?

The plot and writing are similar to Louis L’Amour, one of the greatest Western writers of all time.  Our stories are about tough men who are fast with a gun, know how to live off the land, and want love and marriage to a woman who is as strong or stronger than they themselves are.

10. Do you have any unique talents or hobbies?

Besides writing, I like to act and do comedy.  I’ve had a very successful stand-up comedy character that was able to ad lib onstage and keep people laughing.  Interestingly enough, he’s an old mountain man who doesn’t understand modern society but puts his own simple spin on life.

11. How can we contact you or find out more about your books?

I can be contacted via my author website: rickjantzwriter.com.  I post about my books and the craft of writing.

12. What can we expect from you in the future?

I am now working on my next Western, which I plan to turn into a series.  It’s called “Six-Gun Twins” and is about twins who are equally fast with their six-guns.  The tagline is: “2 Men – 4 Guns.”  Doesn’t that just whet your appetite?

13. What can readers who enjoy your book do to help make it successful?

I would love to hear that readers enjoyed the book and leave me a review on Amazon.  They also need to let others who like Westerns know that there is a new writer on the scene, and they need to share the book with them.

14. Do you have any tips for readers or advice for other writers trying to get published?

Don’t give up on your dream to become published.  There are so many more opportunities for writers nowadays, whether they want to go with traditional publishers or self-publishing.  This places writers in control and will let them develop their craft based on readership engagement and purchases.  I would also strongly advise that they get their book covers professionally designed because mine has received so many compliments and really jumps out at you.  Also learn how to self-promote and even hire a book promoter. It’s money well-spent.

15. Is there anything else you’d like to say?

I’m very pleased to finally offer my book to the public.  I wrote it 25 years ago, and then family and career stopped me from pursuing my dreams of writing until now.  Those were things I chose to focus on, but now it’s back to my passion for writing.  The response to my first book so far has been incredible and ensures that there will be another book forthcoming.

16. And now, before you go, how about a snippet from your book that is meant to intrigue and tantalize us:

Here’s an excerpt about Rad Colson’s speed with his guns:

 

“Everybody on the Laramie street saw what happened that day and they would tell it to their children and their grandchildren.  They saw Ed Nelson’s gun begin to come out of its holster before his intended victim had even touched his.  But when he did, Lord, how he touched it!

No one even saw Rad’s hands move as they swept down and up with the twin .44s spitting death at the man a short distance away.  The first thought their minds were able to register in that millisecond was that two slugs tore simultaneously into Ed Nelson’s puny body.  They would later see that both bullets had entered the heart of their victim, within a coin’s width of each other.”

 

Get your copy of Colson’s Law today

 

Aug 25

Ready For Take Off: An Interview With Author Rebecca McLendon

Rebecca McLendon is a new writer, but this new writer title has a twist. She has years of experience with words. As a teacher she taught the written word, and as a retiree she has dedicated her time to learning to fly and writing a book. That book is called “The Day I Grew Wings: Journey of a Soul With A Destiny.” 

What’s this new book about?

It’s about learning to fly!

“It all began when we decided to get an airplane. I looked forward to riding with my husband over the countryside and enjoying the scenery. But one day he dropped the bomb. He told me I would need to learn to fly the plane, because, should something happen to him up there, I would have to put it on the ground. I began waking up at night silently screaming because I felt I was flying out of control up there with no way of getting the plane down. We ordered the Ground School materials, and thus the journey began. I had overcome cancer. I could do this too. My new song became, “I believe I can fly.” As instruction continued, and the hours added up, I suddenly realized I was a pilot.”

Let’s see what Rebecca has to say about her experiences as a writer!

 

 

Good morning, Rebecca. What inspired you to write your first book?

Hi there. I began this book as a blog on the Internet.  Friends began contacting me and telling me it should be a book, so I set it up on my computer and began the book.

How did you come up with the title?

The title came  to me about midway through the actual book, evolving from several ideas that floated about.  I saw a poster one day of an unborn infant and it said “A Soul with a Destiny.”  I liked that and inserted it as the title.  It then became “A Journey of a Soul with a Destiny.”  One day I saw something about growing wings….and the question arose: So when did you grow wings?  It was an AHA moment, and the final title emerged:  “The Day I Grew Wings: A Journey of a Soul with a Destiny”

Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

There are always exciting opportunities and challenges in life no matter your age.  Carpe Diem!  Seize the day and make it count!

How much of the book is realistic?

My book is ALL realistic!  I write what I have lived and what I am currently living.

If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?

I have two.  John L Moore has inspired me with his own novels and life.  He has also been my chief motivator to finish what I start!  My other mentor would be Richard Bach who taught me how to write about flying and making it a powerful and realistic experience for the reader.

What books are you reading now?

“Looking for Lynne” by John L Moore and “The River Caught Sunlight” by Katie Andraski.  Both have written fiction novels based on real life experiences, which is a project I hope to entertain in the near future.

Are there any new authors who have grasped your interest?

Mike Trahan, pilot-author of “The Gift” series, Books 1, 2, and 3; and Katie Andraski, “The River Caught Sunlight.”

What are your current projects?

I have currently drafted the first four chapters of my second book.  Of course there is no title yet!  That has to come via inspiration from a surprise source.  However, if I write it, it will come.

Name one entity that you feel supported you outside of family members.

All the citizens of the Pilot Nation have surrounded me with a common love for flying and a spirit that encourages one another no matter the smallness or the magnitude of an accomplishment.

Do you see writing as a career?

Anything is possible.

If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?

I would include a couple or three pictures in significant places, but I do prefer to paint the pictures with words.  No need for pictures if the words say it all.

Do you recall how your interest in writing originated?

I began “writing” as a pre-schooler by  first asking my mother or grandmother to draw my stories out on my large chalkboard.  I then began drawing my own storyboards  and “telling” my stories as I drew…as soon as I could write well, I wrote my first “book” at age 8 about an ill-fated duck hunt and then a lengthy document (65 pages in pencil on lined paper) about a trip out west at age 11 during math class each day.

Can you share a little of your current work with us?

This is an excerpt from Chapter 8:  A No-Flying Lesson is Still a Flying Lesson

Listen to your gut in your daily decisions.  Avoid the common pilot trap: confirmation bias, where you seek the advice of others around you and attempt to formulate your decision about going or staying based on what they think or what they say they’d do. A pilot must make decisions DECISIVELY.  Period.  Even if the whole aviation world chides you to go on!

On another occasion, Tom and I planned to fly 19 minutes north of Crockett to fuel the plane for my lesson.  I had opted for an early morning lesson to beat this horrible triple digit weather. Remember, most small aircraft are not air conditioned, so I was learning to fly with my window open.  Tom called and told me to get some water and a snack and meet him at the airport.  I had seen the cumulus clouds building up taller and taller earlier that afternoon, but as I drove out I could see they were rapidly building up into a thunderstorm.  VFR pilots do not fly in or near a thunderstorm.  Tom called while I was en route to report weather build up where he was driving from.  I told him I was already “on it.” I arrived at the hangar and told our aviation friends and experts we were about to have a weather conference.

“Why?” they said, “Looks good from here.” I said, “Step outside.”

Surprise drove us to our computers and phone apps to start monitoring the system.  So far the route we were heading was “clear,” but after a few minutes, I saw a small green blob moving across the radar, and my thought was, “Sure, it’s clear for now, but that thing is moving such that it will cut right across our path on our return!”

“We aren’t going anywhere,” I said.

John, emerged from the dark, cluttered “office” of his hangar and jokingly flapped his chicken wings. “Prawwk prawwwk….!”

The phrase came to me:  “’Tis better to squawk than croak.”  I meant it, so I said it.  And he, being a seasoned aviator and instructor himself, grinned, I am sure, thinking, “The little woman does have a brain.”

We reluctantly made the final call to scrub the flight after monitoring and watching a huge lightning filled hail storm pass right over our intended flight path.  The whole area was under a Convective SIGMET, which is a relatively short-lived system of thunderstorms that last about an hour from start (the cumulus stage like I saw outside my bedroom window and increased rapidly in size as I drove to the airport) to finish (downdraft stage).  These are to be avoided.  Don’t expect all to go as planned.

We scrubbed the flight.  We would just get up very early, do our preflight, and run up there to get our fuel.  All went well, with the exception of an aborted initial landing attempt.  The runway view showed we were entirely too high to land.  We “went around,” which is terminology for aborting the landing and reentering the pattern for a second attempt.  ‘Tis better to be cautious, even if others are goading you to “aww go on, you’ll do fine.” ‘Tis better to squawk down here than it is to croak up there.

Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?

I find balancing the busy-ness of everyday living with setting aside definite time to write extremely challenging.  Many think I just “play at the computer all day” not realizing I am writing OR editing someone else’s writing.  It’s also really hard to attend to ironing or cooking or mopping when inspiration is screaming to be expressed!

Do you have to travel much concerning your book(s)?

Actually, until recently I have done all there is to do about my books via the Internet.  It’s amazing to be able to send documents, edit documents and manage promotions, sales, etc. from your desk. I went to a friend and fellow pilot’s hometown to join in a book signing event, which would constitute traveling.

Who designed the covers?

The photo on my book was actually my first “Pilot selfie”….

What was the hardest part of writing your book?

I found wrapping it up the hardest part.  Events kept happening, and I kept wanting to “add a chapter.”  A friend and fellow writer finally said “BECK!!  Finish the book!!”  That jarred me out of “scope creep” where I was about to take a project and keep adding to it and spreading it out into infinity.

Do you have any advice for other writers?

Everyone has a story!  WRITE it.  And if you cannot write it physically, record it for someone to transcribe!  Writers, especially biographical/autobiographical writers are actually historians.  But all writing contributes to a society’s history, simply because it reflects the heartbeat of its people.

What were the challenges (research, literary, psychological, and logistical) in bringing it to life?

My greatest challenge has been “putting myself out there.”  To write autobiographically is doing just that.  You must be willing to have your very life and character read by the entire world.

How long did it take you to publish your first book, after you started trying?

On the average, anything I write in book form I expect to take eighteen months to two years.  Simply because I do not have hours and hours to stay at it daily.

How have your personal experiences affected your writing?

My personal experiences ARE my writing.

What genre of books do you like to read? Do you limit yourself to only the genre that you write yourself?

I love good, wholesome fiction with a finely tuned plot woven with sub-plots that engage my MIND.  I like it to be credible and substantiated with truth.  I also love personal experience stories of people with common interests, adventure writers, journals.

Were you always good at writing?

Yes, expressing myself in words has never been a problem.

What advice would you give to people who “run out of creativity” when writing?

Take a break.  Take a walk.  Look at God’s creation.  Listen to good music.  Doodle on a drawing pad.  I started a story once drawing stars all over the paper.  Another with “I don’t know what to write.”  Another with a Haiku poem.

Who are your target readers?

People of all ages who have a dream to do something.  To step out of their comfort zone to fulfil that dream, even if it is in their imagination. (That’s the beauty of fiction.  And that is the beauty of the fiction piece I am “entertaining” in my mind.  I may never do it in real life…but my character WILL.)

What are the major themes of your work?

Overcoming fear.  Mastering a goal.  Believing in yourself and trusting in God for all things.

What do you think people search for in a book?

In this world full of violence and darkness, I think, bottom line, people look for something that will actually turn out well.  Something that lifts us above the things that create great angst in our being.

What do you consider to be your most valuable accomplishment?

Raising and educating three children with my husband.  I also value the thousands of souls I have been in touch with through teaching in public schools.  It was worth it all.  I pray my writing expresses that.

Get your copy today!

Aug 21

Tomorrow? How About Susannah Cord Today!

A new book will be released tomorrow. A book called “The Little Book of Scattered Thoughts.” The author? Well. She’s called Susannah Cord and she wears many writing hats. This new one from her is almost like spending time in her mind. It’s deep. It’s interesting. It’s revealing. Just like this interview. It’s a side of Susannah you have never seen. It’s a side you may never see again.

Who do you have in mind when you write?

This is going to sound really corny, but I don’t really have anyone in mind unless of course I am describing a certain person, but even then, what I really have in mind is not a who but a what – a feeling, a reaching inside for the right words to describe the truth of how a person or thing or situation makes me feel. A desire to tell this in a way that will reach out and grab someone in a beneficial manner. I have said before that I write from the heart first and foremost, and this applies to everything. I write from how something or someone makes me feel, and I want to pass that on as best I can.

Have you always aspired to be a writer? 

~ Not with any real intention, no. I was a prolific dabbler in writing for most of my life. But it was something I did because it helped me, made me feel better, find clarity when I was hurting and confused, and because whatever was bottled up inside came out and became a creative rather than a destructive exercise.

Tell me about how you became a writer—what was the first step for you?

It was a very slow process. It started when I was four and tried to copy my mother’s grocery list which looked like an orderly line of intriguing hieroglyphics. My earnest attempt to reproduce that effect looked like worms tripping on LSD in a puddle of milk, so it was disappointing to say the least, not to mention frustrating, but, to my credit, I persevered.

In time, the worms metamorphosed into words and the words carried meaning and my repertoire expanded as it came to include a lot of essays, poetry and prose, lyrics to songs no one would ever sing, a column for an equestrian magazine, a blog and ultimately, my first book, a fairytale I wrote for my niece Zoe and published to honour the memory of my mother. When I first held that real book in my hands, that was the moment I felt that desire to do more, the moment I thought “Wait a minute. I can do this. I WANT to do this. I have a lot more to say and write.” Then the safari to Kenya came along and the rest, as they say, will one day be history…

Do you have a distinctive “voice” as a writer?

Of course, I like to think I do, and this is where I get to say that several editors have told me I do, but ultimately, like beauty, I think that will be in the mind of the reader. One musician told me once that I phrase musically, and I don’t even know what that means, but apparently he thought it was pretty cool, so there you go. That’s my answer- but of course, I phrase musically, don’t you know?

Do you think anyone can learn to be an effective writer or is it an unnamed spiritual gift?

What an interesting question. It immediately makes me think of horses and riders. Because in the equestrian world we talk about people that are gifted with ‘feel’ and how it simply cannot be taught. You can teach technique, you can teach someone how to ride and how to master exercises and how to be an effective and capable rider, but you cannot teach them how to feel, how to intuit just the right thing to do in that split second moment of decision. You can teach them an approximation of that feel, but to actually have feel, no. You just can’t. And that is what separates a great rider from a good one.

Some will say you can teach it using technology, but I say you can’t – because feel comes from the inside, from spirit. Feel is an intuiting of the information carried in pure energy and we and the horse read this with a sixth sense that you will not find in machines. You are riding the horse and you are both riding a wave of energy between you.  I was gifted with a lot of this ‘feel’ as a rider and I cannot tell someone how I knew to do just that in that moment, I did it because it felt right, not because that was a technique I learned. More often than not, I am not even sure what I did, it might have been as simple as relaxing one body part while tensing another, sending the horse a subtle message only he felt and understood. And it might not work tomorrow but then my ‘feel’ will tell me what to do then.

So I would think the same applies to writing. You can teach good grammar, techniques, rules etc etc and just like riding horses, these are necessary. You have to know the rules in order to break them well, and you have to have good technique to bend them. But knowing just how to build a sentence for maximum effect and beauty, how to bend the rules just so in order to sway the sentence with a touch of magic – that is something that comes from the heart and spirit, woven independently of and yet within the confines of rules and technique. And either you access that or you don’t.

Was there a point at which you felt this would be a career?

Yes and no. First it was just a slow awakening to the idea that this was something I could do and do full time and be effective – that yes, I did have a voice. It had me thinking. Then I had an offer out of the blue to write a book for one of the world’s premier equestrian publishers with one of our most interesting, out of the box, horsemen and that was the moment I realized this could be for real. Ultimately, I had to put that project on the back burner because the riding safari project came along, but it’s still there in the back of my mind, and it was the trigger that made me consider taking myself seriously as a writer.

Is there a book you’re most proud of?

~ Not yet. I am on my third book and so far all three have been so different – Fenella is an illustrated fairytale, Seeds of Change is a book of essays and photography and my new book, Each Wind That Blows is a memoir – so I am proud of each, each in their own way. They all challenged me in different ways, taught me different things.

Writing is so internal, in the head, how do you release the pressure before you begin writing?

~ Exercise, yoga and meditation. Either my morning workout and/or working with my horses which can be like a meditation in movement. I attend yoga classes twice a week and practice at home along with rebounding and using a ski machine. It clears my mind and grounds me for the task ahead. Being with the horses is being in Nature and it connects me with that indefinable sense of spirit that I always try to write from. I often say a little prayer before I write, asking for guidance to find the right words and to be guided to the stories that need to be written.

On average, how long does it take for you to write your ideas down before you start writing a book?

~ A few seconds and minutes here and there, mostly it is all in my head and in the mental fog, waiting to be revealed. So far my writing, except Fenella, has been heavily based upon personal experience so mostly I just open that vault and go. If – and it is a dream of mine – I one day attempt to write a full blown fiction or fantasy saga, then I am sure that will change and some serious planning will have to go into it as well as my usual ‘go with the flow’ rule.

What would you say is the “defining” factor in your writing? What makes it yours?

~ For now, I would say the fact that it is drawn from personal experience to a great degree. But also that I simultaneously consciously invite Spirit in to form my words and tell the story in the best possible way, that will mean something to the reader. It isn’t just about me needing to figure this out on paper, or wanting to share my experiences, thoughts and ideas, it is about what is my experience worth to someone else. I don’t know that, only Spirit has the big picture and I consciously turn it over and surrender my ideas to Spirit, God, Source, call it what you will. And I am often very, very surprised at what comes out.

How do you guard your time to do what’s most important?

I am absolutely terrible at that. If you know how to do that, do let me know. I get so caught up in what I am doing, be it horses, writing or photography that I lose track of time and I have a hell of time switching gears once I get comfortable in one. It is one of the great challenges of my day to day life to balance these many passions of mine. So basically, it’s an exercise in self-discipline that I have yet to master.

What are some of the more common distractions you struggle with and what ways have you found to overcome them?

I don’t have many real distractions because they are all my passions and they fill up my day but there is one that qualifies as outright distraction although it’s also part of where I keep up with conservation efforts worldwide as part of my project, The Katika Nuru Project. It’s embarrassing, but Facebook can be a major distraction. I have liked so many Nature pages, photographers, conservation organizations and so on, and this is mostly what shows up in my feed so it’s great for keeping up with what’s happening. But if I am not careful, an hour goes by with me watching what they caught on camera and the latest, cutest elephant video or rare snow leopard footage or I am signing petitions for conservation and animals all over the world….

What kind of review do you take to heart?

A good one! I try to take any review, the good and the bad, with a grain of salt. Every review will still be through the filter of that human being’s perspective and he/she and I may not be on the same page never mind the same planet at all. If something still sticks with me after a few days, I will take that to heart as a sign of a grain of truth to be considered, something I maybe kind of knew but wasn’t ready to face on my own. Even a compliment can be hard to accept, that is how twisted the human mind can be.

How do you decide what your next book will be about?

I don’t. I am told by my manager upstairs and when I understand those are the marching orders, I go where I’m led. Of course, I make some kind of decision to comply with this and that is when I get that feeling that no matter now frightening the concept is to me, how vulnerable it might make me feel, how overwhelming or not what I thought I’d be doing, I can’t not do it. That is when I decide to do as I am told, so to speak, that is when I say yes, I will follow my nose, my heart.

Was there a link between your childhood and your vocation as a writer?

Only in so far as I have always enjoyed writing, from the time I could only make psychedelic worms appear on paper to the time I wrote my first story at six or seven. But our family was very science oriented, I come from a family of engineers so it was ‘nice’ that I wrote well, but it was never encouraged as a vocation. I was going to be an engineer, or a doctor or a vet or an archaeologist, but a writer was never on the menu. Well, now we know how that turned out.

As a writer, however, you have the opportunity to self-reflect, to revisit experiences. How does that feel?

Mostly, cathartic. Sometimes, disturbing, confusing, challenging. I have spent sleepless nights wondering what really happened, why did I do what I did, say what I said, what was really going on, what was the lesson. That is when I turn it over to Spirit and say, OK, show me, what the hell was that really all about? And Spirit always does. I start writing and understanding begins to dawn as the words pour out.

What motivates you to tackle the issues others may avoid, such as nature and spirituality?

Just an inner drive and conviction, that is my world, it is where I live and am the most content, it is what I am the best equipped to write about. Write what you know. Well, that is what I know. And it seems there is a corresponding need for readers to have that to read about. Fortunately!

When you start a new book do you know how a book will end as you’re writing it?  Or does its direction unfold during the writing, research and/or creative process?

I usually think I know, and I am usually wrong. I am always happy to be wrong. It is very much an unfolding, creative process, as you say, and that to me is part of the fun of writing, not being entirely in control, it being a collaborative process between me and Spirit, because as I said before, Spirit sees the big picture where I get mired in details and can’t see the forest for the trees. So to say, OK, here is what I think I am inspired to write, and how I think I should write it, but what do you think? And then just let it flow and see where it goes, it is just a fantastic ride.

That has never been more true than with Each Wind That Blows. When I started that book, I had no idea it would be about so much more than a riding safari in Kenya. It’s been full of surprises. Several of my first test readers said it needs more about your childhood and mother, and I sat there going, oh shoot. That’s really personal and do I want to go there and where do I start? But I also kind of knew they were right. So before every writing session I’d ask “What do I tell?” and boom, it would pop into my head. It was rarely what I expected but I’d write it and lo and behold, it made beautiful sense in the end.

How do your books speak to people, both inside and outside the reading world?

I think, emphasis on think, because I don’t actually know, I think my writing speaks to people because I write from my place of truth, to be as authentic as I know how, and do my very best to remain absolutely true to that. What I often heard from my readers of my equestrian column was “Thank you for saying that. I always knew that, but didn’t know how to express it.” So me writing from my place of truth excites that truth in them, and off we go.

How do you see your role in impacting and influencing society?

Oh, this is a dangerous question, it invites all kinds of self-aggrandizement! Really, I guess history will tell. But! It’s very tempting to speculate, of course. If I were to be bold, I would say simply I am a messenger. I ask Spirit to help me write in a way that reaches people, and thereby I become a messenger. I don’t have to know what the message is for each individual person, because every person will have their own interpretation of my story and what it means to them, I only have to write in such a way that Spirit gets to speak through me and let’s a little magic loose on the world. If that were to be true in the rear view window of history, I would be very content.

If you weren’t a writer, what would you like to do?

There are many careers that could fascinate me. Archaeologist, marine biologist, conservationist, astronomer, nature photographer, host of a wildlife show, explorer, that kind of thing.

Do you look at yourself as an “envelope pusher” with your writing?

Not really. I just write what comes to me. It can be pushing some personal boundaries, in fact, it should be, but I don’t see myself as that on a larger scale. I wouldn’t mind if others thought that, though! It sounds kind of cool. I’ve never been cool before, that I know of.

What are some pieces of advice that you would give someone on writing well?

Oh, there are so many, but most of all, just start. Just freaking start writing. Like anything, it improves with practice. And don’t cuss. It looks bloody awful on paper and can’t frigging be erased once the crap’s been published.

Young writers often make foolish mistakes. What is a mistake to avoid?

Trying to be something you’re not, falling in love with a writer and trying to be like them. Trying to be Hemingway or Steinbeck or any number of famed authors. Read them, be inspired, be informed, be educated, soak it all up like a sponge and then go distil and be who you are. Write as you, and write your truth as best you can. And don’t believe your own press, good or bad. If they don’t like what you write, let them write their own damn book. If they love you, be grateful, stay humble. Pretentiousness always stinks. Stay honest, especially with yourself and you will have no regrets when you reread your work years later.

What obstacles and opportunities do you see for writers in the years ahead?

Writing for an increasingly technological age, an age of instant gratification, Youtube Videos, high tech games, and I am very afraid, generations of children who are increasingly out of touch with the wonderful fun in the reality of a bucket of dirt and a few earthworms, growing up to be people who need more than words on a page to catch their imagination. Worms are a recurring theme, notice that?

Which is more exciting for you, writing or riding?

Oh no, you don’t! There is no comparison, I won’t even try. Each is a thrilling and fabulous journey in its own way, each is a ton of work, an exercise in self-discipline, self-mastery, a day by day spiritual endeavour, an invitation to collaborate creatively with spirit while just showing up, day after day, good days, bad days, in between days. I will say this, after a day of working horses I look forward to plonking into my chair and resting my body on something that does not move while still being gainfully employed writing something. That is very exciting after twenty years as a professional horse trainer, to ride for fun and write for a living.

Could you talk about one work of creative art that has powerfully impacted you as a person?

Hmm, tough question, as there have been many. Chronicles of Narnia taught me early on about right and wrong, difficult moral choices, the virtues of loyalty and honesty and my love for fantasy and animal. Illusions by Richard Bach reawakened my spiritual self when I was seventeen and had lost touch with that part of myself for a few years. Illusions got me searching for what I had lost.

And at twelve, seeing a photo of a masterful horseman of the twentieth century named Nuno Oliviera imprinted me directly and immediately with what kind of horsewoman I wanted to be, there was some kind of magic in that photo, in the expression of horse and rider, the synergy that flowed between them that told me this was horsemanship as an artform and I knew it was where I belonged. I knew I had to know what he knew, that my ‘feel’ mirrored if not equalled, his. I spent the next thirty years searching until miraculously, I came across one of his long time students who is my beloved teacher today. I will never be as good as Oliveira, but I will die trying. It is a quest of sorts.

What relationship do you see between imagination and creativity, and the real world?

They are all inter-changeable. My real world is someone else’s fantasy, there are those who would find me delusional and I would find them lacking in faith and imagination. Our imagination creates and colours our reality and our creativity defines the how and when and how far, how to. None would exist without the other, they are completely symbiotic. All are inter-related and beholden to the reality we have created as a mass of consciousness. That is the mass reality, but our own, day to day, personal reality is very much affected by our imagination and willingness to give ourselves over to our power of creativity. It’s our secret super powers, creativity and imagination. And ‘the real world’ is our playground.

For a writer, it is easy to become an elitist.  Have you ever, or do you still, struggle with pride as an author?

I struggle with pride as a human, period. I am deeply passionate about whatever I take on, be it training horses, writing something, gardening, photography, being a good friend or pursuing spiritual understanding and growth, and with such passion comes positive  pride as an expression of integrity and virtue, knowing you are giving it your all. But pride, like anything else can have a dark side when it becomes controlling and domineering and self-congratulatory and I do have to keep an eye on that.

With all your success, how do you stay humble?

I remember that I am a child of God, Source, the Universe, but then, so is everyone else. My gifts are not my own really, but a blessed synergy between me and Spirit, an agreement that I entered into to put this gifted brain and body to good use, take good care of myself so I can be available to play my part such as it is. I am here as a cog in a great divine machine, I am not the machine nor do I run the machine alone. And I still muck stalls, do my own laundry, take out the trash and do the dishes. So just how special can I be?

Have you ever considered writing fiction full time?

No. Variety is the spice of life so I think I will always go from one end of the spectrum to another and visit some places in between. I can’t imagine saying I will just write one thing from now on. As for full time, writing will always be just one of the things I do. I also cannot imagine giving up training horses and it is just as demanding and fulfilling an endeavour for me as writing. And better exercise! I have to get out and move every day or I get very grumpy. And that’s bad. Ask anybody.

Jul 10

Susannah’s Mind: An Interview With Susannah Cord

Susannah Cord, author, horsewoman, thinker, wife, friend… What does she think about when she writes pages of a book? Why did she even become a writer? How does anyone become a writer? I have questions and Susannah has answers. This is the first interview on her brand new blog tour. I think you will love it!

 

Who do you have in mind when you write?

This is going to sound really corny, but I don’t really have anyone in mind unless of course I am describing a certain person, but even then, what I really have in mind is not a who but a what – a feeling, a reaching inside for the right words to describe the truth of how a person or thing or situation makes me feel. A desire to tell this in a way that will reach out and grab someone in a beneficial manner. I have said before that I write from the heart first and foremost, and this applies to everything. I write from how something or someone makes me feel, and I want to pass that on as best I can.

Have you always aspired to be a writer? 

~ Not with any real intention, no. I was a prolific dabbler in writing for most of my life. But it was something I did because it helped me, made me feel better, find clarity when I was hurting and confused, and because whatever was bottled up inside came out and became a creative rather than a destructive exercise.

Tell me about how you became a writer—what was the first step for you?

It was a very slow process. It started when I was four and tried to copy my mother’s grocery list which looked like an orderly line of intriguing hieroglyphics. My earnest attempt to reproduce that effect looked like worms tripping on LSD in a puddle of milk, so it was disappointing to say the least, not to mention frustrating, but, to my credit, I persevered.

In time, the worms metamorphosed into words and the words carried meaning and my repertoire expanded as it came to include a lot of essays, poetry and prose, lyrics to songs no one would ever sing, a column for an equestrian magazine, a blog and ultimately, my first book, a fairytale I wrote for my niece Zoe and published to honour the memory of my mother. When I first held that real book in my hands, that was the moment I felt that desire to do more, the moment I thought “Wait a minute. I can do this. I WANT to do this. I have a lot more to say and write.” Then the safari to Kenya came along and the rest, as they say, will one day be history…

Do you have a distinctive “voice” as a writer?

Of course, I like to think I do, and this is where I get to say that several editors have told me I do, but ultimately, like beauty, I think that will be in the mind of the reader. One musician told me once that I phrase musically, and I don’t even know what that means, but apparently he thought it was pretty cool, so there you go. That’s my answer- but of course, I phrase musically, don’t you know?

Do you think anyone can learn to be an effective writer or is it an unnamed spiritual gift?

What an interesting question. It immediately makes me think of horses and riders. Because in the equestrian world we talk about people that are gifted with ‘feel’ and how it simply cannot be taught. You can teach technique, you can teach someone how to ride and how to master exercises and how to be an effective and capable rider, but you cannot teach them how to feel, how to intuit just the right thing to do in that split second moment of decision. You can teach them an approximation of that feel, but to actually have feel, no. You just can’t. And that is what separates a great rider from a good one.

Some will say you can teach it using technology, but I say you can’t – because feel comes from the inside, from spirit. Feel is an intuiting of the information carried in pure energy and we and the horse read this with a sixth sense that you will not find in machines. You are riding the horse and you are both riding a wave of energy between you.  I was gifted with a lot of this ‘feel’ as a rider and I cannot tell someone how I knew to do just that in that moment, I did it because it felt right, not because that was a technique I learned. More often than not, I am not even sure what I did, it might have been as simple as relaxing one body part while tensing another, sending the horse a subtle message only he felt and understood. And it might not work tomorrow but then my ‘feel’ will tell me what to do then.

So I would think the same applies to writing. You can teach good grammar, techniques, rules etc etc and just like riding horses, these are necessary. You have to know the rules in order to break them well, and you have to have good technique to bend them. But knowing just how to build a sentence for maximum effect and beauty, how to bend the rules just so in order to sway the sentence with a touch of magic – that is something that comes from the heart and spirit, woven independently of and yet within the confines of rules and technique. And either you access that or you don’t.

Was there a point at which you felt this would be a career?

Yes and no. First it was just a slow awakening to the idea that this was something I could do and do full time and be effective – that yes, I did have a voice. It had me thinking. Then I had an offer out of the blue to write a book for one of the world’s premier equestrian publishers with one of our most interesting, out of the box, horsemen and that was the moment I realized this could be for real. Ultimately, I had to put that project on the back burner because the riding safari project came along, but it’s still there in the back of my mind, and it was the trigger that made me consider taking myself seriously as a writer.

Is there a book you’re most proud of?

~ Not yet. I am on my third book and so far all three have been so different – Fenella is an illustrated fairytale, Seeds of Change is a book of essays and photography and my new book, Each Wind That Blows is a memoir – so I am proud of each, each in their own way. They all challenged me in different ways, taught me different things.

Writing is so internal, in the head, how do you release the pressure before you begin writing?

~ Exercise, yoga and meditation. Either my morning workout and/or working with my horses which can be like a meditation in movement. I attend yoga classes twice a week and practice at home along with rebounding and using a ski machine. It clears my mind and grounds me for the task ahead. Being with the horses is being in Nature and it connects me with that indefinable sense of spirit that I always try to write from. I often say a little prayer before I write, asking for guidance to find the right words and to be guided to the stories that need to be written.

On average, how long does it take for you to write your ideas down before you start writing a book?

~ A few seconds and minutes here and there, mostly it is all in my head and in the mental fog, waiting to be revealed. So far my writing, except Fenella, has been heavily based upon personal experience so mostly I just open that vault and go. If – and it is a dream of mine – I one day attempt to write a full blown fiction or fantasy saga, then I am sure that will change and some serious planning will have to go into it as well as my usual ‘go with the flow’ rule.

What would you say is the “defining” factor in your writing? What makes it yours?

~ For now, I would say the fact that it is drawn from personal experience to a great degree. But also that I simultaneously consciously invite Spirit in to form my words and tell the story in the best possible way, that will mean something to the reader. It isn’t just about me needing to figure this out on paper, or wanting to share my experiences, thoughts and ideas, it is about what is my experience worth to someone else. I don’t know that, only Spirit has the big picture and I consciously turn it over and surrender my ideas to Spirit, God, Source, call it what you will. And I am often very, very surprised at what comes out.

How do you guard your time to do what’s most important?

I am absolutely terrible at that. If you know how to do that, do let me know. I get so caught up in what I am doing, be it horses, writing or photography that I lose track of time and I have a hell of time switching gears once I get comfortable in one. It is one of the great challenges of my day to day life to balance these many passions of mine. So basically, it’s an exercise in self-discipline that I have yet to master.

What are some of the more common distractions you struggle with and what ways have you found to overcome them?

I don’t have many real distractions because they are all my passions and they fill up my day but there is one that qualifies as outright distraction although it’s also part of where I keep up with conservation efforts worldwide as part of my project, The Katika Nuru Project. It’s embarrassing, but Facebook can be a major distraction. I have liked so many Nature pages, photographers, conservation organizations and so on, and this is mostly what shows up in my feed so it’s great for keeping up with what’s happening. But if I am not careful, an hour goes by with me watching what they caught on camera and the latest, cutest elephant video or rare snow leopard footage or I am signing petitions for conservation and animals all over the world….

What kind of review do you take to heart?

A good one! I try to take any review, the good and the bad, with a grain of salt. Every review will still be through the filter of that human being’s perspective and he/she and I may not be on the same page never mind the same planet at all. If something still sticks with me after a few days, I will take that to heart as a sign of a grain of truth to be considered, something I maybe kind of knew but wasn’t ready to face on my own. Even a compliment can be hard to accept, that is how twisted the human mind can be.

How do you decide what your next book will be about?

I don’t. I am told by my manager upstairs and when I understand those are the marching orders, I go where I’m led. Of course, I make some kind of decision to comply with this and that is when I get that feeling that no matter now frightening the concept is to me, how vulnerable it might make me feel, how overwhelming or not what I thought I’d be doing, I can’t not do it. That is when I decide to do as I am told, so to speak, that is when I say yes, I will follow my nose, my heart.

Was there a link between your childhood and your vocation as a writer?

Only in so far as I have always enjoyed writing, from the time I could only make psychedelic worms appear on paper to the time I wrote my first story at six or seven. But our family was very science oriented, I come from a family of engineers so it was ‘nice’ that I wrote well, but it was never encouraged as a vocation. I was going to be an engineer, or a doctor or a vet or an archaeologist, but a writer was never on the menu. Well, now we know how that turned out.

As a writer, however, you have the opportunity to self-reflect, to revisit experiences. How does that feel?

Mostly, cathartic. Sometimes, disturbing, confusing, challenging. I have spent sleepless nights wondering what really happened, why did I do what I did, say what I said, what was really going on, what was the lesson. That is when I turn it over to Spirit and say, OK, show me, what the hell was that really all about? And Spirit always does. I start writing and understanding begins to dawn as the words pour out.

What motivates you to tackle the issues others may avoid, such as nature and spirituality?

Just an inner drive and conviction, that is my world, it is where I live and am the most content, it is what I am the best equipped to write about. Write what you know. Well, that is what I know. And it seems there is a corresponding need for readers to have that to read about. Fortunately!

When you start a new book do you know how a book will end as you’re writing it?  Or does its direction unfold during the writing, research and/or creative process?

I usually think I know, and I am usually wrong. I am always happy to be wrong. It is very much an unfolding, creative process, as you say, and that to me is part of the fun of writing, not being entirely in control, it being a collaborative process between me and Spirit, because as I said before, Spirit sees the big picture where I get mired in details and can’t see the forest for the trees. So to say, OK, here is what I think I am inspired to write, and how I think I should write it, but what do you think? And then just let it flow and see where it goes, it is just a fantastic ride.

That has never been more true than with Each Wind That Blows. When I started that book, I had no idea it would be about so much more than a riding safari in Kenya. It’s been full of surprises. Several of my first test readers said it needs more about your childhood and mother, and I sat there going, oh shoot. That’s really personal and do I want to go there and where do I start? But I also kind of knew they were right. So before every writing session I’d ask “What do I tell?” and boom, it would pop into my head. It was rarely what I expected but I’d write it and lo and behold, it made beautiful sense in the end.

How do your books speak to people, both inside and outside the reading world?

I think, emphasis on think, because I don’t actually know, I think my writing speaks to people because I write from my place of truth, to be as authentic as I know how, and do my very best to remain absolutely true to that. What I often heard from my readers of my equestrian column was “Thank you for saying that. I always knew that, but didn’t know how to express it.” So me writing from my place of truth excites that truth in them, and off we go.

How do you see your role in impacting and influencing society?

Oh, this is a dangerous question, it invites all kinds of self-aggrandizement! Really, I guess history will tell. But! It’s very tempting to speculate, of course. If I were to be bold, I would say simply I am a messenger. I ask Spirit to help me write in a way that reaches people, and thereby I become a messenger. I don’t have to know what the message is for each individual person, because every person will have their own interpretation of my story and what it means to them, I only have to write in such a way that Spirit gets to speak through me and let’s a little magic loose on the world. If that were to be true in the rear view window of history, I would be very content.

If you weren’t a writer, what would you like to do?

There are many careers that could fascinate me. Archaeologist, marine biologist, conservationist, astronomer, nature photographer, host of a wildlife show, explorer, that kind of thing.

Do you look at yourself as an “envelope pusher” with your writing?

Not really. I just write what comes to me. It can be pushing some personal boundaries, in fact, it should be, but I don’t see myself as that on a larger scale. I wouldn’t mind if others thought that, though! It sounds kind of cool. I’ve never been cool before, that I know of.

What are some pieces of advice that you would give someone on writing well?

Oh, there are so many, but most of all, just start. Just freaking start writing. Like anything, it improves with practice. And don’t cuss. It looks bloody awful on paper and can’t frigging be erased once the crap’s been published.

Young writers often make foolish mistakes. What is a mistake to avoid?

Trying to be something you’re not, falling in love with a writer and trying to be like them. Trying to be Hemingway or Steinbeck or any number of famed authors. Read them, be inspired, be informed, be educated, soak it all up like a sponge and then go distil and be who you are. Write as you, and write your truth as best you can. And don’t believe your own press, good or bad. If they don’t like what you write, let them write their own damn book. If they love you, be grateful, stay humble. Pretentiousness always stinks. Stay honest, especially with yourself and you will have no regrets when you reread your work years later.

What obstacles and opportunities do you see for writers in the years ahead?

Writing for an increasingly technological age, an age of instant gratification, Youtube Videos, high tech games, and I am very afraid, generations of children who are increasingly out of touch with the wonderful fun in the reality of a bucket of dirt and a few earthworms, growing up to be people who need more than words on a page to catch their imagination. Worms are a recurring theme, notice that?

Which is more exciting for you, writing or riding?

Oh no, you don’t! There is no comparison, I won’t even try. Each is a thrilling and fabulous journey in its own way, each is a ton of work, an exercise in self-discipline, self-mastery, a day by day spiritual endeavour, an invitation to collaborate creatively with spirit while just showing up, day after day, good days, bad days, in between days. I will say this, after a day of working horses I look forward to plonking into my chair and resting my body on something that does not move while still being gainfully employed writing something. That is very exciting after twenty years as a professional horse trainer, to ride for fun and write for a living.

Could you talk about one work of creative art that has powerfully impacted you as a person?

Hmm, tough question, as there have been many. Chronicles of Narnia taught me early on about right and wrong, difficult moral choices, the virtues of loyalty and honesty and my love for fantasy and animal. Illusions by Richard Bach reawakened my spiritual self when I was seventeen and had lost touch with that part of myself for a few years. Illusions got me searching for what I had lost.

And at twelve, seeing a photo of a masterful horseman of the twentieth century named Nuno Oliviera imprinted me directly and immediately with what kind of horsewoman I wanted to be, there was some kind of magic in that photo, in the expression of horse and rider, the synergy that flowed between them that told me this was horsemanship as an artform and I knew it was where I belonged. I knew I had to know what he knew, that my ‘feel’ mirrored if not equalled, his. I spent the next thirty years searching until miraculously, I came across one of his long time students who is my beloved teacher today. I will never be as good as Oliveira, but I will die trying. It is a quest of sorts.

What relationship do you see between imagination and creativity, and the real world?

They are all inter-changeable. My real world is someone else’s fantasy, there are those who would find me delusional and I would find them lacking in faith and imagination. Our imagination creates and colours our reality and our creativity defines the how and when and how far, how to. None would exist without the other, they are completely symbiotic. All are inter-related and beholden to the reality we have created as a mass of consciousness. That is the mass reality, but our own, day to day, personal reality is very much affected by our imagination and willingness to give ourselves over to our power of creativity. It’s our secret super powers, creativity and imagination. And ‘the real world’ is our playground.

For a writer, it is easy to become an elitist.  Have you ever, or do you still, struggle with pride as an author?

I struggle with pride as a human, period. I am deeply passionate about whatever I take on, be it training horses, writing something, gardening, photography, being a good friend or pursuing spiritual understanding and growth, and with such passion comes positive  pride as an expression of integrity and virtue, knowing you are giving it your all. But pride, like anything else can have a dark side when it becomes controlling and domineering and self-congratulatory and I do have to keep an eye on that.

With all your success, how do you stay humble?

I remember that I am a child of God, Source, the Universe, but then, so is everyone else. My gifts are not my own really, but a blessed synergy between me and Spirit, an agreement that I entered into to put this gifted brain and body to good use, take good care of myself so I can be available to play my part such as it is. I am here as a cog in a great divine machine, I am not the machine nor do I run the machine alone. And I still muck stalls, do my own laundry, take out the trash and do the dishes. So just how special can I be?

Have you ever considered writing fiction full time?

No. Variety is the spice of life so I think I will always go from one end of the spectrum to another and visit some places in between. I can’t imagine saying I will just write one thing from now on. As for full time, writing will always be just one of the things I do. I also cannot imagine giving up training horses and it is just as demanding and fulfilling an endeavour for me as writing. And better exercise! I have to get out and move every day or I get very grumpy. And that’s bad. Ask anybody.

Jun 30

PRESS RELEASE: And The African-NAFCA Oscar Nominees Are….

CONTACT: NICK WALE

EMAIL: NICK@NICKWALE.ORG

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

Princess0003

 

PRINCESS FUMI HANCOCK, PRESIDENT OF CAMBIUM BREAK PICTURES, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER, SCREENWRITER, HER MOVIE “OF SENTIMENTAL VALUE” AND CAST MEMBERS NOMINATED FOR NUMEROUS AFRICAN-NAFCA OSCAR AWARDS JUST IN TIME FOR THE RELEASE OF HER NEW BOOK 

At 12 noon Eastern time, it was announced that Novel Ideas client Princess Fumi Hancock, her movie, Of Sentimental Value and some of her cast members have been nominated for the following African-NAFCA “African Oscar”. Her show “Princess of Suburbia” dubbed “The Princess in Suburbia” ( with co-producer Ese Morrison) ( a lifestyle TV Talk Show ) and her upcoming movie “Of Sentimental Value” (co-producers, Chichi Njoku and consulting producer Dstreets Films, Demetrius Navarro), Director, (Jean Senelier) have both been heavily nominated, and Princess Fumi has already been announced as the winner of “The Peoples Choice Award– Favorite Screenwriter.”


General Categories:


BEST TV/ONLINE SERIES
Princess of Suburbia

BEST MAKEUP

Of Sentimental Value (Jessica Garza)

 

FOREIGN FILM CATEGORY
Best Actor in a Foreign Film
Malik Yoba – Of Sentimental Value

 

DIASPORA CATEGORIES
Best Drama Diaspora Film – Of Sentimental Value

PEOPLES’ CHOICE AWARDS- FAVORITE SCREENWRITER

Princess Fumi Hancock has been been announced as the winner already.

 

LEARN MORE BY VISITING THE FOLLOWING LINKS:

Of Sentimental Value Official Website

The Princess in Suburbia Facebook Page

Of Sentimental Value Facebook Page

Official Cambium Break Pictures Twitter Page

Official Fumi Hancock Twitter Page

Of Sentimental Value Official Book Website

The Official Fumi Hancock Website

Princess in Suburbia Youtube Page