Q1. Hello, can you please introduce yourself? Readers would love to know more about you.
Fictional writer drawing from life’s experiences and adventures into a blend of storytelling with a deep connection to the emotional side of the human heart. With a mix of 25 years of technology sales, marketing, and content creating, I enjoy sharing my experiences with the world. Being a cybersecurity expert, this background has become a nucleus for my fictional writing and short essays.
Q2. What were the key challenges you faced while writing your book ‘Sunrise in Saigon’?
The book is a blend of a non-fictional and fictional storyline. Many of the plots began with an element of non-fiction and ended with some creative storytelling fiction. The challenge in writing this story was around how to maintain a balance between the two writing styles.
Q3. What books or authors have most influenced your own writing?
Tom Clancy – The Hunt for Red October – Clancy provided extraordinary detail in his novels. He, too, also flirted with the balance between non-fiction facts and fictional storytelling. I loved all his books.
Q4. What’s your favorite spot to visit in your own country? And what makes it so special to you?
I live in Carlsbad, California, 4 Km from the beach. I love to cycle in California, and pretty much anywhere in the world, I can take my bike.
Q5. Is there lots to do before you dive in and start writing a book?
That depends on the book you are writing. “Sunrise in Saigon” was influenced by my trip to Vietnam in 2012 and 2013. I started writing the book in 2019 based on many events from those trips.
Q6. How long did it take you to write your book ‘Sunrise in Saigon’?
Great question. I wrote the draft edit in 3 months. Due to Covid-19, my publisher- Austin Macauley, like everyone else, struggled with the remote work challenges. In the end, they helped bring the book to market, and I love to write for them.
Q7. On what platforms can readers buy your book ?
Amazon.com, BarneandNoble.com, Walmart.com, Austinmacauley.com, Abebooks.com, Blackwells.co.uk, and bookshop.org.
Q8. Tell us about the process of coming up with the book cover and the title ‘Sunrise in Saigon’?
I shot this photo on the morning of 12-12-2012 from the 18th floor inside the Renaissance hotel in Saigon(Ho Chi Minh City). The river is very symbolic. You will need to read the book to understand better 🙂
Q9. When writing a book how do you keep things fresh, for both your readers and also yourself?
Always remember that every story has a beginning, a middle, and an end. How you get the end is based on well you tell your story from the beginning and use the middle to “big the plot” in hopefully creating a wonderful ending. The ending in “Sunrise in Saigon” took almost two weeks to write. Once you read the book, hopefully, you will know why 🙂
Q10. Are there any secrets from the book (that aren’t in the blurb), you can share with your readers?
Oh.. well yes. Lots of non-fiction to fiction and back to non-fiction again. You will just need to read the book and discovery which parts are fictional and non-fictional 🙂
Patrick Greenwood on Amazon
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