 Recently, I was interviewed about my journey in writing by “Books for Badal”, an online book reviewer who had just completed book reviews for, “The Shard of Asclepius” and “The Activist Poet Vol’s 1 & 2”. Here are the questions and answers for that review.
Interview by Books for Badal: This interview is for all the avid readers out there, aimed at helping them connect with the author on a deeper level and gain more insight into their creative journey. Dive into the interview with the brilliant mind behind these captivating books! This exceptionally talented author has crafted collections of writing that are truly breathtaking. Be sure to explore their work and show your support by purchasing their books and more! It has been an absolute pleasure collaborating with you, and I sincerely hope you'll continue to pursue your writing endeavors and further develop your career. Thank you for generously sharing your valuable time for this interview." 01. Can you tell us about your journey as a writer? What inspired you to start writing? The true beginning to my writing can be attributed to a few influential high school teachers in the 1970’s who encouraged and supported me with positive feedback. They got me to believe in myself, and so, I started writing poems and short stories on my own time. I found that I really enjoyed writing. When some of those stories made the school newspaper, it inspired me to continue writing. Although five years after leaving high school I stopped writing due to other interests and distractions. But I came back to writing years later, as a way to express my disillusionment with the way the world was heading. By 2007, I launched my first blog to harbour my thoughts, my discontent, my passion for justice and my activism. I also returned to writing poetry after a twenty-three-year absence (2005). Eventually I launched three books of poetry, social commentary and political analysis in a vein attempt to help wake up the western world (2021-2022) and that led to the next logical step, novel writing. 02. How do you develop your characters? Do you draw inspiration from real-life people or create them entirely from your imagination? I think we all meet memorable characters throughout our lives, good and bad. Some of them leave lasting impressions which weave themselves into our own lives and actions. So, it’s a bit of both real life and imagination when it comes to creating characters. Bits and pieces. 03. What is your typical writing process like? Do you follow a strict routine or write whenever inspiration strikes? I write almost everyday, although it’s not just novel writing that I focus on, but also poetry or social / political /economic commentary. I guess it depends on my mood and what hits my interest first in the morning scrolls 😉… be it news or inspiring posts, I’ll always have something to say. 04. How do you handle writer's block or moments when you feel stuck in your writing? I don’t really get writers block per say. Sometimes I just don’t feel like writing and prefer to listen to music. It’s all about one’s moods and biorhythms. For me, there’s always something to write about, just not always a mood to write. 05. What role does research play in your writing? How do you approach the research process for your books? Research is important for all writers in my opinion, regardless of what topic or genre it is. If one wants to get a point across, there is a saying, “don’t do it half assed, spend the extra time and do it right”. Be analytical and don’t be afraid to question. 06. How important is the setting or location in your stories? Do you prefer using real places or creating fictional ones? Both the imaginative and real places are important in my writing. For the most part, I try to keep places as real as possible so that readers can identify with them. While some places hold special meaning for me, and can be springboards for diving into imagination. I suppose imaginary settings or locations are like wishes where you try to bring those places into reality. 07. Are there any particular themes or messages that you try to convey through your writing? I believe that there’s a better way to live on this planet than the way in which we are living right now. A world that is inclusive for all and not just the privileged few. So, you will find this respectful theme and message in much of my writing. I like to plant seeds in the reader’s mind...little seeds of truth that are often censored or lost in all the noise that’s screamed at us in day-to-day life. For each person that investigates a truth and does their own research, they not only free themselves but also remove a tiny bit of the burden from humanity’s shoulders. The message is about turning a negative energy torus into a positive energy torus. 08. How do you handle criticism or negative reviews of your work? Do they affect your writing process or style? A review is just one person’s opinion. However, it’s great to get feedback, good or bad. I’m more focused with the general reception of my writing rather than a concern for one negative review. However, If the negative review is honest in its criticism, then I welcome it so that I can grow as a writer. It then becomes a positive review. Turn a negative into a positive. 09. Can you share any memorable fan interactions or feedback that have impacted you as an author? When I hear from readers that tell me they really enjoyed the story, and that they couldn’t put the book down, well, I can’t help but feel a deep sense of satisfaction...that something I wrote inspired such a positive comment and reaction. 10. Do you have any specific writing rituals or habits that help you stay focused and productive? Depending on the time of year, I go to the soccer field or the gym for a good workout. After-which I then go home, relax and take a nap. When I wake up, I feel good, I’m refreshed, my mind is open and the thoughts just flow. It’s the perfect atmosphere and conditions for writing. 11. Do you have any advice for young writers? Don’t stop writing and don’t let negative comment turn you from your passion. Writing, as is life, is all about experience over time. Keep writing, keep a journal or keep a notebook with you to jot down inspirations, observations or impressions. It’s all good, because it’s you and your personal journey. I have found that you can reach your highest goal if you put your mind and your heart into it.
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 Very excited to announce that I am now, officially, a published author! 😎. My first novel, "The Shard of Asclepius" is now officially on sale at all online stores through Friesen Press, Barnes and Noble, Amazon, and Ingram’s global network of book sellers.
The Shard of Asclepius is also available in all e-book formats including Nook, Kobo, Kindle, through Amazon, Apple Books, Google play, and of course, Friesen Press. I’m very grateful, first and foremost, to the Friesen Press team, whose unending professional support helped guide me through the forest of learning curves that can befall an inexperienced first time novelist. They’ve made navigating the publishing jungle so much easier with their focused expertise and professional recommendations that I now find myself to be a published author. I recommend them highly to anyone who wants to publish a book as an independent author. I’d also like to thank the community of writers that I’ve interacted with on the All Poetry website. Their friendly support and constructive criticism on my poetry and prose helped improve my overall skills as a writer. I’d also like to thank the sea of online friends that supported my writing and influencers such as Graham Hancock, Brien Foerster, and Randle Carlson for their eye-opening presentations and investigations to uncover earth’s ancient past; a topic which I have been passionate about since my early teens. Of course, my biggest thanks go out to my wife and children, whose unwavering support gave me the strength, confidence and courage to become a writer. This is for you. And for everyone else, I hope you enjoy, “The Shard of Asclepius”, a science fiction supernatural thriller, and book one of the New Horizon’s series. Please feel free to comment on the book or drop me a line. It's all good.  I thought I’d kick off this new blog of mine with a mini short story, and since tomorrow is Father’s Day, here’s one called, “Father’s Day.” Happy Father’s Day everyone! Fathers Day The subtle chime of the Westminster clock echoed another hour as the light in the evening sky slowly fell from the living room window into the shadows of early dusk. The house was quiet, except for the ticking of the clock, but the old man’s thoughts were very much alive with the moving silhouettes of children, laughing from chasing games they played so long ago, like, “Beware the Claw!” and “The Roaring Monster”! Memories, all with happy endings, play out in his mind like old black and white movies as he sits comfortably in his shapely wooden chair passed down to him from his grandfather. Content in thought, a smile trembles on his lower lip with a far away gaze that is captured in the mirror across from him with the last rays of light from the sky. It’s Fathers Day and the children will surely call. Would they remember the silly bedtime stories that never had an ending, the summer campfires roasting marshmallows, or stargazing in the country from lawn chairs till sleep took them. The walks in elf forest, and coming home with the plunder of the elf’s little treasure chest full of old coins found in the hollow of a tree. Would they remember the winter magic of jumping in snow drifts ten feet tall, the toboggan runs on the village hills that were filled with hearty glee and laughter or the ice rink behind the house that lit up the trees and young imaginations after supper… It’s Fathers Day and the children will surely call. Thoughts then turn to his own father, a man that took life by the horns and made everything right. A hero who fought on the side of good in World War II, a man who became a community builder, a coach, mentor and role model. The father who drove his son around on his Sunday paper route in a four-door powder blue Plymouth Fury III with perfectly folded newspapers he stacked in rows on the front bench seat ready for delivery by a ten-year-old boy. Memories wisp and billow through his thoughts to then open up to a place in time when he was gently woken by the aroma of freshly buttered toast, coffee, and the busy sounds of CFCF radio 600. Dad was always the first one up and prepared breakfast for the family. Time then jumps to hockey games in the winter, soccer in the summer and football in the fall. They all echo the old man’s shouts of encouragement from those halls of yesteryear. Exciting moments from early days that encompass the smiles from a boy now past his father’s age. The clock chimed another hour and still the phone was silent…no worry, today is Fathers Day, and the children will surely call. Thoughts go back to a hospital room where his old man battled a terminal illness. A cold numbness remains from the day he passed away; it was the day before Father’s Day and the family was there with him. He recalled the helplessness of the moment, standing beside his hospital bed as he watched his father die in front of him; the black blood that came up when he coughed, just before the life slowly left his eyes. He remembered trying empathically to pull him back from the river of death that claimed him, and wonders still, if his father heard his words in his transit towards the light, “I love you Dad”! It was the first time in his life that he was able to muster the courage to tell him. …And just as thunder startles life on the earth, a knock at the door shakes the old man to the present, as the hallway fills with the merry sounds of children and adults. They fill the room with their smiles, energy and life, “Happy Fathers Day Grandad”! “Go put your things away or the claw will come to get you!” said the old man’s son to his giddy happy children. He then turns to the old man and says, "It’s so good to see you Dad, Happy Father's Day"! |
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