Q1 Can you please introduce yourself?
I’m Don Holbrook, my life has been spent traveling and seeing the world as an economic Develpment Economist. This career allowed me to visit so many places and learn about so many unique cultures and their stories, I feel blessed with my many friends. All of my fiction stories are based upon real events and mostly I am made aware by listening to other folks on my journey.
Q2 What difference do you see between a writer and an author?
First, I’m a story teller, I use writing as my venue to show and tell the world about my stories. Being an author is simply my identity given to me by the public, it demonstrates that I have the courage and follow through to reveal these stories to the world, and of course open my work up to others for their own enjoyment and critique. You can be a writer and story teller and never publish, which is what elevates you to the status of an author.
Q3 What part of the book did you have the hardest time writing?
I think the hardest part of most books is the middle. You have so much information you need to convey, yet you have to maintain a pace that keeps your readers interested and curious as to what is next?
Q4 How do you celebrate when you finish your book?
A great dinner with a good scotch or port and then I smoke a wonderful cigar.
Q5 How do you use social media as an author?
I should be better, I use it to connect to other authors, editors, proofreaders, artists, and colleagues. Of course my family and friends and my readers. I’ve just learned about the real enjoyment of being interviewed on podcasts. They seem very rewarding to me.
Q6 How many hours a day do you write?
I don’t write everyday. I do writing when I’m inspired and moved and then usually it absorbs me for weeks and months. My fire to tell a story won’t let me stop. I do work everyday on book issues related to being a full time author. It’s your own small business and you have to budget and invest in your work or it won’t get discovered.
Q7 What books did you grow up reading?
The classics, black beauty, call of the wild, little house on the prairie and of course comic books. I’m a DC Universe fan.
Q8 What author in your genre do you most admire, and why?
Tom Clancy hooked me on adventure thrillers. Vince Flynn really was one of my favorites. Then my most favorite story teller thriller and historical adventure author is Steve Berry. His Templar Legacy really hooked me on Cotton Malone. I also, like Jack Whyte’s Templar series, Jeffrey Archer and of course I enjoyed Dan Brown’s Da Vinci Code, and that opened my imagination to the bloodline theory of Christ. You’ll see all these influences in my next fiction thriller coming out, “The Ninth Templar.”
Q9 Has writing and publishing a book changed the way you see yourself?
Yes, I’ve been writing for nearly 20 years now. I started in non-fiction and then only recently switched to fiction. Writing opened my life up to so many interesting people around the world. I’ve made dear friends and developed life long relationships because of being an author. This is my favorite part of my life. I feel like I finally found my reason for my journey. Exploring possibilities, following clues, listening to stories and weaving a compelling story is my passion.
Q10 If you had to describe yourself in just three words, what would those be?
Storytelling Digital Nomad
Sassy Reviews 