Q1. Hello, can you please introduce yourself? Readers would love to know more about you.
A1. Hi. My name is David Bastian Marshall. My full name is my pen name since there are quite a few David Marshalls in the world. Bastian is my mother’s maiden name, so that portion of my name holds significance with my life.
Words and names are significant; I enjoy wordplay which is evident with the title and contents of Earth to God: This is not a religious book, yet the story plays with the concepts of Creation.
I have practiced writing for forty years. I call my writing ‘practice’ because I began journaling when my wife and I welcomed our first child into this world. One hundred and sixty journals later, I am not able to stop my addiction with exploring life and commenting on my discoveries.
I am an engineer by trade as well as a programmer. You’ll find evidence of those professions in my written works. My engineering career commenced in Mid-state New York, so The Finger Lake Region is significant as the setting for the Earth to God trilogy since it is a beautiful place to live and visit.
Q2. What were the key challenges you faced while writing your book “Earth to God: In The Beginning”?
A2. My key challenge with writing Earth to God was to trim the information that was bombarding my mind. That is why I split it into three books. And I still have much more to write. I intend to have at least one more book that follows the storyline of Earth to God. I intend to practice other genres soon.
Q3. What books or authors have most influenced your own writing?
A3. I think Jodi Picoult has been a big influence. She touches upon subject matter that stretches one’s mind and asks us to consider alternative meaning and reasons for what happens in the life of her characters. There are others who have influenced me, such as John Medina and his books about our brains; he makes the brain sound intriguing. I have read many books by many authors – fiction and nonfiction; the ones which stretch our minds to consider the functional potential of our lives and mind are the ones that wow me the most. I am not a big fan of fantasy and mystique that violate Science and the Laws of Nature.
The Christian Bible is a big influence too. As an engineer, I ponder how certain scenarios in The Bible are possible in our lives. Many authors contributed to The Bible, so there are multiple points of view about Creation and how Our Creator continues to participate in the operation of Earth and the universe.
I take liberties with my characters’ perspectives about life and this existence. I introduce Man’s responsibilities for Intelligent Operation of Earth and the Science that binds Earth with Our Creator – both of which are important as we investigate and manage the health of Earth.
Q4. What’s your favorite spot to visit in your own country? And what makes it so special to you?
A4. I love The Finger Lakes; that is the setting for most of Earth To God. I lived near that area for five years. My wife and I fell in love with the wineries. We try to visit that area once a year. The scenery is spectacular and the bike riding is exceptional.
Q5. What inspired you to write the book ‘Earth to God: In The Beginning’?
A5. Earth to God is an epiphany that has sparked through my mind for several years. Once I had time to nurture the sparks, the plots and concepts exploded onto paper – nearly writing themselves. And the flames continue to flair as I finish this trilogy and begin my next projects.
Q6. How long did it take you to write your book ‘Earth to God: In The Beginning’?
A6. Once I began writing full time, it took me around six months to write the first draft of Earth to God: In the Beginning”. It took me another four months to edit it and massage it into something that I felt was adequately written. It was my first book, so I spent considerable time editing it.
Q7. On what platforms can readers buy your books?
A7. I self published with Writer’s Republic. It is also available from Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
Q8. Tell us about the process of coming up with the book cover and the title ‘Earth to God: In The Beginning’?
A8. I wanted something plain and candid for the book cover of Earth to God: In the Beginning. The Black and White cover is symbolic of simplicity and sincerity.
The title Earth to God is a play with words that has dual meaning. “In the Beginning” also has dual meaning since it is the first book of the trilogy and it introduces concepts about Creation.
Q9. When writing a book how do you keep things fresh, for both your readers and also yourself?
A9. The topic for Earth to God is nouvelle. Once I had the subject matter, I researched the topic to see if anyone else presented the topic the same way that I did. Then, inspiration took me on the ride of my life. I still enjoy reading the books. If no one else understands or appreciates the concepts, at least I do.
This book has been important to me due to the content and topics. I am not sure whether this book appeals to a large audience because the concepts are technical; the concepts are fresh, but maybe not easy for everyone to understand. I tried to use multiple intellects for my characters. As they interact with each other they provide multiple perspectives of the technical concepts that are incorporated in the books. I hope the reader can identify with one or more of the characters.
I will do more market research before I write my next books. I have many topics to exploit and my journals contain 40 years of notes that are still fresh ideas. I want to write original material that an AI writing system most probably could not author.
Q10. What is the most valuable piece of advice you’ve been given about writing?
A10. Write. It is important to write as often as possible. Get the information on paper (or on your computer) as it flows from your mind. Then edit it. I heard that it is common to reduce the final version of one’s book by a third. That has been the case for my books.
Then publish. Don’t wait until the book is perfect. After all, life is not perfect. There is always something that we could have added into our books. Of course, correct all of the typos before publishing.
Then, if you want to sell your book, figure out a marketing plan and implement the plan.
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