Q1. Hello, can you please introduce yourself? Readers would love to know more about you.
Not that extraordinary. A retired US Air Force Master Sergeant, a little left of center politically and just can’t figure out why so many on the right (not all, mind you) can’t just mind their own business and let people be. I’ve been writing for years starting with outdoor and historic magazine work to publishing two online publications – Florida Fly Fishing magazine and Canoe Sailing/Skinny Hull magazines, as well as a number of fiction pieces, Jus Talionis being my novel.
Q2. What were the key challenges you faced while writing your book “JUS TALIONIS : For The Girls”?
Research, research, research. When using factual information in a story, in this case weapons, the types of injuries, and time period items, it’s essential to get it right. An example is one very popular British author who writes about an American protagonist didn’t seem to bother researching America-based facts in his first books, and the errors were glaring.
Q3. What books or authors have most influenced your own writing?
The author mentioned above as an example of sloppy writing to be avoided. Le Carre of course for insight into characters’ mindsets and not overwriting them. At the same time, though, I have begun to skip many of his passages that seem to drone on needlessly just to increase word count. I regard it as having “writing diarrhea”; disgusting, I know. James Patterson, The Thomas Berryman Number, for carrying the theme seamlessly between chapters.
Q4. What’s your favourite spot to visit in your own country? And what makes it so special to you?
I live on Florida’s Gulf Coast and look for a complete change of climate and geography when I visit elsewhere, thus, western North Carolina in the Asheville area. I love the mountains and it gives me an opportunity to fish in environments entirely different from my own.
Q5. What inspired you to write the book ‘JUS TALIONIS : For The Girls’?
Around 1997 a US cabinet member, who among his political peers was anti-military, used the US Air Force as his personal air taxi service to haul him around Europe on government business. On one trip, the place crashed killing everyone on board. My reaction to that was thinking how I would react to such an abuse of power. It’s a stretch but Jus Talionis is based on that, even though the plot is worlds apart from the original theme.
Q6. How long did it take you to write your book ‘JUS TALIONIS : For The Girls’?
Well as I mentioned, the seed was planted around 1997 but the actual writing started and stopped between then and when I made time to sit and begin seriously applying myself to it. I guess it took me four months to write the draft then several more rewriting.
Q7. On what platforms can readers buy your books?
Amazon both as paperback and Kindle. More if the opportunity arises of course.
Q8. Tell us about the process of coming up with the book cover and the title ‘JUS TALIONIS : For The Girls’?
I used a couple publicly available resources for the basic images and then worked them up in Adobe Photoshop. The idea of the cover is to engage the potential reader in the concept of a horrible tragedy involving two young girls playing.
Q9. When writing a book how do you keep things fresh, for both your readers and also yourself?
I write for pleasure though I would like to be well read by a readership. So, I aim to employ a simple plot that at the same time has many nuances when it comes to the message. Part of it also illustrates my disgust with a certain type of person (of whom I am descended) without being preachy. A deep reading of this story would discover many sub-themes while a simple reading for pleasure should keep the reader involved with the characters and their motivations and emotions.
Q10. What is the most valuable piece of advice you’ve been given about writing?
Jackie Collins: “If you want to be a writer, stop talking about it and sit down and write!” Also, someone else said stop worrying about what others think of you, write what you want to and don’t concern yourself with offending people. (I count my first writing success when I got hate mail from a reader of one of my history articles who was offended by the facts as I wrote them.)
Buy JUS TALIONIS : For The Girls on Amazon
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