Q1. Hello, can you please introduce yourself? Readers would love to know more about you.
A1. Here’s an excerpt from my website About page: I’m one of those less common personality types that is pretty left/right brain balanced. I worked for 35 years in a highly technical environment as a mechanical designer for a number of corporate engineering departments (there’s the left). Early in that career (back when engineering drawings were still being done on the drafting board) I often got comments about how nice my drawings looked. “Are you an artist?”. Before that, I was a guitarist in a rock band and still play in church (there’s the right). I’ve always been known as a reliable guy by friends and coworkers. “Good old Woody” (there’s the nickname – another story), a friend would say. I’ve always tried to put 100% effort into just about everything I do, down to the little details (left brain again).
I love the outdoors, which you probably gathered from my Colorado and Montana references. Nowadays I take daily walks on a nearby trail where I live with my wife in Elk River, Minnesota (when it’s not frozen). It’s from these walks that much of the content for my writing has come.
One quirky thing about me is my affinity for wearing socks with his sandals (the short ankle ones – but only white, black would be nerdy). “Hey, it keeps my feet from getting dirty.” My wife and two daughters and some friends are always on my case about that.
My writing journey has been filled with ups and downs. I considered giving up the effort after a number of negative critiques. There’s something inside me, though, that won’t go away. In my daily walks, driving in the car or waking up in the middle of the night, it stimulates my mind and encourages me to keep with it. There must be more to this than just a guy who thinks he can tell stories. “It feels like something has been put there that doesn’t belong to me and I have to let it out.”
Q2. What were the key challenges you faced while writing your book “Apocalypsis”?
A2. I envisioned it as a short story, but as I began to write, the plot had issues. As I thought more about how to develop the story, an idea came to me which blew the entire plot wide open. Once that element was included, the story began to grow. It would no longer be a short story, but a bona fide novel. About halfway through the writing, I had another idea that would expand the narrative even further. The addition of that element didn’t allow me to keep the length to just a single novel. The completed manuscript would have to be broken in two with the second half still needing some development. I had a framework for the rest of the story, but as I worked on outlining it, more elements came to me. It had to be a trilogy. This brought me to the place I am now. The first novel is virtually complete, the second is about 60% done with the third novel in the trilogy as the first few chapters. While I pursue publication of Apocalypsis, the challenge will be fleshing out the rest of the plot.
Q3. What books or authors have most influenced your own writing?
A3. Books: Moby Dick, The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings. Authors: C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkein, Tom Clancy
Q4. What’s your favourite spot to visit in your own country? And what makes it so special to you?
A4. The Rocky Mountains. I lived in Colorado Springs for six years where you could get up in the morning and look out the front window at Pikes Peak. I’ve also taken a few trips to Montana where I climbed Granite Peak, the highest mountain in the state. It’s also where I acquired the nickname, “Woody”. There have been so many “wow” moments out there.
Q5. What inspired you to write the book ‘Apocalypsis’?
A5. The original idea came from a message a pastor gave using the allegory of passengers on a bus as it traveled to its destination.
Q6. How long did it take you to write your book ‘Apocalypsis’?
A6. It’s been about five and a half years since the idea first occurred to me.
Q7. On what platforms can readers buy your books?
A7. Currently unpublished. Readers can visit the website for a brief description and view the cover art. Subscribers to the mailing list will receive occasional newsletters and the opportunity to download a free copy of my novelette, “Offering”.
Q8. Tell us about the process of coming up with the book cover and the title ‘Apocalypsis’?
A8. The cover comes from a pivotal scene in the book. I had it in mind for a while and decided to source someone to create it for me. I’m very pleased with the result. The title for the book when I started it was originally “Voyagers”. As the story developed over time and I had two more titles to create, I needed to come up with something more unique to each novel. “Apocalypsis”, which is Greek for revelation, seemed an appropriate choice, as the characters in the story face ongoing revelations about themselves and the ship.
Q9. When writing a book how do you keep things fresh, for both your readers and also yourself?
A9. I try to create characters that are real and that the reader can be invested in. I also attempt to keep a level of mystery or suspense that makes the reader want to keep reading. I have a pretty visual writing style and my hope is that the reader will create these scenes in their minds.
Q10. What is the most valuable piece of advice you’ve been given about writing?
A10. Keep working. It’s a process.
Sassy Reviews 