Saturday, December 27, 2014
Thursday, December 25, 2014
Tuesday, December 23, 2014
Friday, December 19, 2014
Stay special!
I saw this single flower by itself in a twine of leaves. Dare to stand out! We must not forget how special and beautiful we are!
Miranda Lambert and writing at the library
Went to the San Marino public library to write Book 4 of my book series titled, "The Beijing Beauties". Opening scene of a chapter involved sitting across a beautiful blonde sorority girl and I was struggling with it. The ideas were there but I couldn't get it all together. Suddenly, I looked up... and saw Miranda Lambert gracing the cover of a magazine on a shelf directly across from my PC and the ideas came to me.
Thankful for inspirations and feeling blessed! #china #Beijing #amwriting
Thursday, November 13, 2014
Young Chinese women with bound feet in the early 1900's. A social practice that symbolized status at that time.
Young Chinese women with bound feet in the early 1900's. A social practice that symbolized status at that time.
Monday, September 15, 2014
Not All Chinese look "Chinese"
Not all Chinese look “Chinese."
This girl is Chinese. She is Uyghur from the Western province of Xinjiang whom are mostly European and Asian ancestry.
Thursday, September 11, 2014
Monday, September 8, 2014
Happy Mid-Autumn Moon Festival!
Happy Mid-Autumn Moon Festival! The Moon is full tonight. Enjoy your yue-bing or moon cakes!
Thursday, September 4, 2014
Tuesday, August 19, 2014
Bruce Lee's endearing note to his wife when they were dating
Written by Shannon Lee:
This is a note that my father wrote to my mother on the back of his picture when they were dating. They would go on to get married in August of the following year. Yesterday would have been their 50th wedding anniversary!
The note says: "Linda, To live content with small means; to seek elegance rather than luxury, and refinement rather than fashion, to be worthy, not respectable, and wealthy, not rich; to study hard, think quietly, talk gently, act frankly; to bear all cheerfully, do all bravely, await occasions, hurry never. In other words, to let the spiritual, unbidden and unconscious, grow up through the common. Bruce Oct. 20, 1963."
(Photo and description credit: Shannon Lee, daughter of Bruce Lee - Office Bruce Lee Facebook page:https://www.facebook.com/BruceLee/timeline
Saturday, August 16, 2014
Wednesday, August 13, 2014
The Chinese LOVE to stare!
The Chinese LOVE to stare! I've tried staring back but it only invites unwanted attention.
Thursday, July 24, 2014
Bao Bao is turning one!
Bao Bao will be turning one this August 23rd at the Smithsonian National Zoo Park
Wednesday, July 23, 2014
China 2050
"China 2050" photo series by Cezard Benoit, a freelance French photographer based in China, went viral several years ago. Who knows what will happen to China in 2050. However, these photos are funny and entertaining to look at again. Enjoy! (Photo credit: We are lǎowài - 我们是老外)
Replacing migrant workers doing construction - that's funny!
White collar workers will entertain for money
The man in the front doesn't have the Chinese "squat" with both feet on the ground
and he should also be smoking a cigarette. LOL!
Monday, July 14, 2014
Author Interview: Ben Hinson, author, poet and video producer
Ben Hinson, author, poet and video producer
Tell us a little
about yourself and your background?
Where are you from?
My name is Ben
Hinson. I was born in Nigeria, and to date have lived in Nigeria, Ghana,
England and numerous locations throughout the United States. New York City is
my current stomping ground.
Your latest
project, Eteka: Rise of the Imamba sounds like it will be an exciting read. Can
you summarize what it is about?
Eteka: Rise of the
Imamba is a novel based on global mercenary activity that takes place during
the Cold War era and the 1990s. The novel falls under the literary/historical
fiction genre and will be available hopefully by the end of this year.
What inspired you
to write about mercenary activity in Africa, Asia and beyond?
My inspiration to
write this novel came from a number of sources: my love of history, my
experience with martial arts, my experience with different cultures around the
world and my heritage as an African. My novel is the combination of all these
elements. I wanted to tell a gritty, action packed, original story from a
non-western perspective that transcends national lines and expectations. I
wanted to create a universe filled with complex characters from diverse
backgrounds that interact with each other against the backdrop of historic events.
I also wanted to showcase the cultures of all the countries featured in my
novel, and educate my readers while treating them to an exciting, suspenseful
ride!
I’m curious to know
how your novel ties into Asia and vice versa. Can you shed some light on that?
Asia, specifically Indonesia
during the 1950s is featured within my novel. This period, characterized by the
Cold War, was an interesting time the world over. Military tensions were at play
between the major western and eastern powers, fueled by differences in
political and economic ideologies. Proxy wars were being fought across Asia,
the Middle East and Africa. The Non-Aligned Movement, which consisted of a few
Asian and African member states, would make its presence known on the global
political scene. It’s against this backdrop that Indonesia makes its appearance
within my novel. I don’t want to give too much away, but there is a must read
action sequence I created in this region that you’re not going to want to miss!
Can you personally
relate to any of the scenes/experiences in your upcoming novel?
Yes. I have lived
in a few of the regions featured in my novel, and I did attend a junior level
military academy here in the US for three years, so I was exposed to that level
of consistent discipline. I have also trained in a few of the martial art forms
featured in my novel.
In your blog, you've gone into great detail regarding the history and cultures of
all the countries featured in your upcoming novel. How many countries will be
featured? Why so many countries?
My blog has been a project in itself (smile), which I
created to give you and my audience the best reading experience possible. There
will be a total of 14 countries featured in my upcoming novel. The simple
answer as to why I wanted to feature so many countries is that I wanted the
challenge of mapping two timelines across multiple locations. It felt like I
created and solved my own puzzle! I also love the concept of diversity. The
world is a very large place, filled with many different cultures and tons of
great history to pull from. I wanted to create a gritty story that would both
entertain and educate on not just history, but on the global melting pot that
is our world.
What was the
research process like for this project?
The research behind
this project was very extensive! To give you a small disclaimer: every novel I
write in some form or another is research based. This is why they take so long
to create! For Eteka: Rise of the Imamba, my research involved collaborating
with various university professors here in the United States and in England,
reading through countless research journals, reading through books written on
various themes featured in my novel, pulling from my past experience living in
a few of the locations featured in my work, and spending many nights and
afternoons in libraries all over New York City!
How long did it
take you to finish writing this novel?
I started writing
the first draft of Eteka: Rise of the Imamba in 2009, and we are wrapping up
final edits as I type this. So, approximately five and a half years, rounded
out to six if we take research into consideration.
How do you want
your readers to walk away after reading your work?
With their mouths
wide open and their brains overworked with literary pleasure! I guarantee that
you and everyone who reads Eteka: Rise of the Imamba when it comes out will not
be able to put the novel down and will beg for more when they are done!
For an author who
is not out yet you seem to already have quite a following in social media. How
did this happen?
One reason I
believe people have responded positively to my project is that I take them
along for the ride that is my publication journey. I get their feedback on the
various parts of the project that I create, so they know they are taking the journey
with me. It’s a beautiful thing because I know they are supporting me based on
the projects potential. Another reason for the positive support is because I
provide a lot of rich content around my novel, a lot of which you can find on
my blog.
When are you most
creative?
I am creative all
the time, 24/7. If an idea crosses my mind I do my best to save it and go over
it at a time in the day when I am free.
What are your
hobbies besides writing?
Video games,
swimming, basketball, drawing, and martial arts training when time permits. I
also enjoy writing poetry.
You mentioned poetry, how do you approach writing poetry and what are your influences?
I write poetry
whenever I am moved to do so. True poetry I believe is an emotional impulse,
and the best time to write is when the feeling and idea comes to mind, so the
originality stays intact. If writing your thoughts is not possible when the
impulse comes, say for example if you are working, in a meeting or driving,
then I recommend jotting the idea down in a notepad or phone or committing it
to memory so you can act on it later when time permits. This is a great habit
for any idea you have, whether it be poetry, a new business idea, whatever it
may be. I get inspired from experiences I have, things I have observed, teachings
I learn from and faith in an unseen future. I write lyrical poetry, and I am
convinced that connecting words lyrically with catchy punchlines in a format that
makes sense is an art form in itself. Even more admirable is the ability to
connect words lyrically in a mosaic that has a simple outward appearance yet
timeless inner meaning. This is lyrical alchemy at its finest.
You have short poetry videos that you put together. Can you share with us how you
produced these videos?
First I selected
which poems I wanted to visually illustrate, and then narrowed my selection
down to as many poems as would fit within my budget. Then I went over the costs
regarding camera equipment, editing software, talent and so on. Next came
scouting the right locations across New York City to shoot the videos,
obtaining permissions wherever applicable, shooting the videos themselves and
then editing the videos.
"Wanna Be Rapper"
Actor: Jennifer Robayo
Shot in SoHo, New York City
"King"
Actor: Isaiah Clifton
Shot in SoHo, New York City
"Do You Believe"
Actor: Paul Thomas Ryan
Shot in SoHo, New York City
What do you want to
say to your readers?
Thank you for your
support and for considering my work out of the thousands of other options you
have! I promise to give you the experience of a lifetime with my upcoming
novel, Eteka: Rise of the Imamba!
Where can readers
find your books or learn more about you?
You can learn more
about me on my website, www.benhinson.com.
I also encourage you to check out my blog at https://medium.com/@BenHinson/publications where
I’ve given great overviews of all the locations featured in my upcoming novel,
recipes from these places and so much more! Finally I invite you to follow me on
Facebook at www.facebook.com/OfficialBenHinson
to stay updated regarding my activities!
Click Here to go to Eteka: http://www.benhinson.com/Synopsis.html
*All data including images and videos for this interview was used with the permission of the author. They belong to the rightful owner and this blog claims no ownership.
Tuesday, July 8, 2014
Monday, June 30, 2014
Wednesday, June 25, 2014
Authors Amy Tan and Stephen King perform Rock Bottom Remainders rock group. Bangor, Maine, 1998. #stephenking #amytan #amwriting
Authors Amy Tan and Stephen King perform Rock Bottom Remainders rock group. Bangor, Maine, 1998. #stephenking #amytan #amwriting
"Arab Labor", an Israeli hit TV sitcom on PBS resonates The Beijing Family
I watched "Arab Labor", an Israeli hit TV sitcom on PBS with English subtitles. It focuses on the family and work situations of Amjad, an Arab-Israeli journalist. Much of the comedy derives from the paradox of Amjad's love-hate relationship with his Arab identity and his simultaneous wish to integrate comfortably into Israeli society. It pokes fun at the cultural divide, Kashua's characters play on religious, cultural and political differences to depict the mixed society prevalent in Jerusalem. It kind of resonated with my book series - The Beijing Family, focusing on the family and work situations of Simon Wang, a Chinese billionaire and his family living in Beverly Hills filled with comedic cultural and life adjustments.
Friday, June 20, 2014
The growth of China in 15 photos
Beijing parking lot 1979
Check out this article on the massive changes of China in 15 photos. The comparison of the metro rail system between Rio De Janeiro and Shanghai is unbelievable! I've ridden the Shanghai Metro and it's safer and cleaner than the LA Metro.
Click on link below:
Cool video of Beijing shot with a quadcopter. Nice shots of the Forbidden City!
Cool video of Beijing shot with a quadcopter. Nice shots of the Forbidden City!
Monday, June 16, 2014
Author Interview: Jade Lee - Sexy, Sassy Romance. Multiple Award Winning, USA Today Best Selling Author
Jade Lee - Sexy, Sassy Romance
Multiple Award Winning and USA Today Best Selling Author of over 30 romance novels
Tell us a little
about yourself and your background?
Where are you from?
I was born and
raised in the middle of Illinois. My mother was from China, my father from
Indiana. They met while getting masters degrees at the University of Michigan.
Dad was getting an MBA, Mom got a MS in psychology. As for me, I went the
all-English route. Undergraduate in English, MPW (Masters of Professional
Writing).
So that’s the
educational background. I know, boring. I had planned to write great
screenplays mixing fantasy and romance. But when we moved back to the midwest
(out of LA) I ended up switching into novels. I started writing historical
romance (regency era) and just kept branching about from there.
What are your books
about?
Sexy romance. (I’m
not talking 50 shades sexy, but definitely explicit) My mainstay as Jade Lee is
sexy historical romance. (search Jade Lee at amazon or bn or your favorite
outlet. I’ve always got at least one book up for free). What the Groom Wants is
the latest. The feed in novella, The Groom’s Gamble is free right now! I also write sexy contemporary romance as
Kathy Lyons. Newest one coming out June 30 is Two Week Seduction. I also try very
hard to add humor to my books. If you can’t laugh while falling in love, then
there just isn’t enough sense of the ridiculous in you!
February 2014
January 2014
What inspired you
to write these books?
Romance at its core
is: Love Conquers All. My life—and everyone else’s—hasn’t been a piece of cake.
It’s been hard with traumas and difficult places. And what has gotten me
through? The love of my life. He’s my husband and today we celebrate 30 years.
OMG, where has the time gone?
Who are the primary
readers of your books?
Romance fans. The
demographics of the romance genre readership is varied. Mostly women. My
audience tends to skew younger, but I’ve got fan mail from every demographic
(including men!). If you like to fall in love, laugh, and have hot sex, then my
books are for you!
How long did it
take you to write them?
That varies widely.
The fastest I’ve ever written a book was 3 weeks, but it was a shorter
contemporary. My historicals are double that length. The longest – well,
there’s this one book that took over 2 years and never was released. Sometimes
you’ve just got to say, nope. That’s not going anywhere.
How did you come up
with the titles? The covers?
I’m TERRIBLE at
titles and at covers! That’s the publisher’s job. On my computer, the titles
usually the heroine’s name. Or the hero’s name. Or something that happens in
the first chapter. My current work is titled CLOSET because something happens
to the heroine as she opens her closet door. And when they ask for cover advice
– I say, I like a clinch. Manchest, maybe. I don’t know. Whatever works.
See, I’m terrible
at marketing!
What was the
hardest part in writing your books? How did you resolve it?
Sitting down and
doing it. I’d much rather read. ABCD – Apply Butt to Chair Daily.
What was the
easiest part in writing your books?
When the idea is
funny and the scene just spools out in my mind, the writing is a joy. Sadly,
that doesn’t happen as often as I’d like. Almost never. *sigh*
What is a typical
writing day for you? When are you most
creative?
I’d like to say I
leap out of bed, grab a nutritious breakfast and start banging out words. That
has happened…um…never. Coffee comes first, food eventually. Email, games,
social media, blogs and interviews, all of that can eat into my morning. But
eventually, I have to force myself to get going. My most productive day was
when I wrote before I even opened my email. OMG, that was discipline! You’d
think I’d do it again. Huh. Maybe I should try that…after I finish this other
thing…and I just got another email in…and… See? SQUIRREL! It’s my personal
motto. Or curse. Or just…oooh…Shiny!
What are your
hobbies besides writing?
I play a lot of
racquetball. I went pro for 2 weeks before blowing my knees. *sigh*
Do you have any
advice you’d like to give to aspiring authors?
It’s a marathon,
not a sprint. Write, write, write every day. ABCD (Do what I say, not what I
do). Network with other writers. And eventually, you’ll get better and better and
better. And then I’ll be asking you for cover quotes!
Where can the
readers find your books or your works?
Everywhere! And be
sure to search for my books. There’s always something free! My website is: www.jadeleeauthor.com or www.kathylyons.com All my links are there.
*All data including images for this interview was used with the permission of the author. They belong to the rightful owner and this blog claims no ownership.
*All data including images for this interview was used with the permission of the author. They belong to the rightful owner and this blog claims no ownership.
Monday, June 2, 2014
Check out this blog: iLook China I Looking at China from an outsider's point of view.
Check out this blog: iLook China - Looking at China from an outsider's point-of-view. http://bit.ly/1l1OrDC
Just got an awesome review for The Beijing Family Book 1 on Amazon from a reader. Thank you for reading and supporting! http://amzn.to/1nJ5RIC #amazon #amreading #goodreads
Author Interview: James Paddock, novelist, writer of mystery and suspense
James Paddock, novelist, writer of
mystery and suspense
Tell us a little about yourself and your background? Where are you from?
I was born and raised in the Big Sky Country of Montana. Once
of age I joined the Navy and said goodbye to my home state, for places like Illinois,
Rhode Island, Virginia, Florida, the North Atlantic, The Mediterranean, and a
tour around South America, eventually marrying and settling in South Carolina.
In 1985 I left the Navy, built a business and raised a family. It was from the
little town of Goose Creek in the Low Country of South Carolina that I began
playing with the notion of writing. Twenty-plus years and three states later I retired
and settled in beautiful, sunny Florida, playing pool and golf, and of course, writing
the next series of great American mysteries.
So, South Carolina is where you began writing. How did it
evolve?
I think the notion of storytelling–making up stuff and sharing
it with others–started way back. I am a daydreamer and apparently, from what
I’ve been told, I was that way as a lad, running around the streets of Great
Falls, Montana, making up stories for my cousins. For the next 30 years I
continued to daydream, though as I got deeper into adulthood I stopped sharing.
I thought something was wrong with me. In '82 and '83 I had duties aboard Navy
Merchant Ships that provided me with a lot of free time, and a typewriter...
yes, the old fashion kind with ribbons and a bottle of whiteout. I started a
novel. Today I have rather foggy recollections of what it was about, not even
sure it had an identifiable plot. When I returned to the states I let someone
close to me read it, someone whose opinion I thought of highly. The facial
expressions and lack of any verbal encouragement or criticism, told me all I
needed to know. Forty or so pages of manuscript went into the trash and I
figured that writing novels was not in my skill set.
Ten years later, 1992 to be exact, the notion resurfaced. Why,
I don't remember, but I did enroll in a creative writing class at a community
college. The final for the class was to submit a short story to a publisher. An
anthology publisher shelled out $25.00 to publish my first story. It was like
I’d won the lottery. That is truly where it all began. This year, 2014, marks
my 22nd year learning the process of fiction writing. There is still a lot more
learning to be done. I hope it will never stop.
What
are your books about?
I have nine novels at this point that span a variety of plot
lines including:
· Terrorists entering the US through Canada with a
WMD (weapon of mass destruction). Elkhorn Mountain Menace - previously
titled Angels in the Mist
· The use of DNA to recreate Smilodon, the largest
of the sabre-toothed cats. They find their calling in Montana in a trilogy. Smilodon,
Sabre City, The Last Sabre
· An accidental time-travel. Imagine being
pregnant in 1987 but giving birth in 1943, and then in book two finding the
daughter 20 years later wanting to know what the hell happened. Before
Anne After, Time Will Tell
· A suspenseful, heart-pounding story of twins
separated and then looking for each other in LA 20+ years later. Lost
& Forgotten
· A heart-warming and inspirational story of a
young woman finding a new path for her life in the Nevada desert. Hot
Roast Beef with Mustard
· A Tucson, Arizona ex-cop, now private
investigator with family and relationship issues, winds up the prime suspect in
a serial killing rampage. Deserving of Death
What
inspired you to write these books?
I am inspired by my daydreams, or maybe some would call them
nightmares. They usually pop up while walking the beach, the isles of Wal-Mart
(think about the nightmares walking around Wal-Mart at night) or mountain
trails. Sometimes, as in the case of Smilodon, the idea comes up after
watching a TV program. It was a Discovery Channel special on the sabre-toothed
cat that planted the seed that eventually built the trilogy. I'm not inspired
to save the world or make a political statement. I simply want to entertain,
take one away from the problems of the world, if only for a few hours.
Who are the primary readers of your books?
I'd like to think that my readers are anyone who enjoys fiction
and a story full of suspense, edge of your seat twists and turns, with real
world characters dealing with real world and in some cases, out of this world,
challenges. Of course, real world characters are emotional, whether it be
anger, love, fear, joy, or disappointment. If you like an emotionally charged
story with lots of suspense, then you're my reader.
How did you come up with the titles?
Titles are one of the smaller stress points for an author. They,
like the cover, have to be eye-catching and pertinent to the content. My first
novel was titled, Angels in the Mist (can still be obtained in paperback) but it
didn’t have anything to do with Angels. I just happened to use the phrase on
the last page and at the time thought it was catchy. Angels confused people
because it was about terrorism in Montana. One lady at a book signing went on
about how she loved to read books about angels. I actually talked her out of
purchasing Angels in the Mist. I have since republished it as Elkhorn
Mountain Menace and am still stressing a bit over that title. It may
get changed again.
Before Anne After and Time Will Tell have to do with
time-travel. The first is about Anne, before and after her travel
through time. The sequel, Time Will Tell, is about her
daughter, Annie, nearly 20 years later. Annie has some issues that may or may
not get resolved, but, of course, only Time Will Tell. Both of those titles
were my wife’s inspiration.
The trilogy of sabre-toothed cats was easy to title. Smilodon
is the big cat I brought back to life in Montana, Sabre City conjures up a
vision of a city of sabre-toothed cats, and The Last Sabre brings to
mind the possible demise of the cats.
Now, I like to think, my titles arise from the plot. With Deserving
of Death, the title might have one considering who is deserving to die.
Once you read it you'll realize how thought provoking the title is. Currently I
have six titles listed for my work-in-progress. I keep them at the top of the
first page of the Word document and periodically review them, deleting one or
two and adding one or two more.
What was the hardest part in writing your books? How did you
resolve it?
The hardest part about writing a novel is starting, except for
maybe the starting the new chapter, which ranks right up there with the ending.
After that it’s the marketing that is probably the most
challenging and the most stressful. Some would say that they hate the editing
the most, that they’d rather get branded by a hot poker. For me the editing process
is the most rewarding because I’ve already done all the hard work to get there;
it’s the equivalent of a getting a second wind on the home stretch or going
back with the touchup brush after painting the whole house. All I have to do is
smooth it out, fix the typos and the she
has red hair in chapter 6 and brown hair in chapter 18 kind of stuff.
What was the easiest part in writing your books?
See the last question. There is no easy part. Just when it
seems like it is getting easy, another wall emerges and there I am, against the
wall. There is hard and less hard. There is nothing I would call easy.
If it's not easy, why do you do it?
If we only did what was easy, we'd still be wearing tree
branches for underwear while throwing long sticks with sharpened points at
water buffalo because what they're wearing looks warmer than these dratted
leaves. I wonder when they discovered poison ivy didn't work? We do the hard
things because when we've succeeded we feel a lot more satisfaction, and pride,
and a lot warmer, than if we only do the easy things.
Did you do research for your books?
I had a reader ask me one time if there really were
sabre-toothed cats roaming the mountains of Montana. That made me feel good
because it meant that the processes I presented to recreate the big cats must
have had enough truth mixed in with my make believe world to make if feel real.
That doesn't happen with magic. It happens as the result of painstaking
research. For the time-travel series I researched Einstein, Kerr,
Schwarzschild, Minkowski, Feynman, Gödel, Lorentz, Hawking and possibly a few
more I've forgotten. Don't get the idea that I understood much of it. I only
needed to be able to glean enough of their theories so that I could make the
fiction I'm building believable, and in fiction believability is vitally
important. If the reader (or viewer) doesn't believe it, the story loses its
punch. We all know that a gigantic spaceship cannot suddenly jump to warp
speed, but the writers of Star Trek
made it sound as though it already existed and then the movie makers did it
right before our eyes on the big screen. From my research of Einstein and the
like, I created the Waring Triple Jump Deviation Theory, the Waring Four
Dimensional Tube Theory, and the Hair Nuclear Tri-Generation Theory. Let’s not
forget SMUDDWAGEN, Dr. Hair’s creation in Time Will Tell. Sorry, you’re not
going to find those in any text book. If you do, I demand credit and royalties.
I want my readers to put the book down and say, "Wow!" and then
wonder if there really are people at MIT working on time-travel, or secret
organizations in Montana growing Sabre-toothed cats in test-tubes.
Did you learn anything from writing your books and what was
it?
Other than all the tidbits of trivia gathered in research, I've
learned that persistence leads to results. Imagine getting up in the morning
and writing 600 words. That’s not all that much when you really think about it.
What if you did that every day for 6 months? That’s 108,000 words. Looks like a
novel to me.
What writers do you read and who has most influenced your
life?
Last question first... everything I read influences me in some
way or another, but nothing stands out as saying, “This is the be all do all story that changed my
life.” I’ve had books make me joyful, pleased about life, such as Stephen
King’s The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon.
That is one that few people have ever heard of but which I consider one of his
best. It may have been psychological horror, but I felt good about reading it. For Whom the Bell Tolls by Earnest
Hemingway (the audio version) left me angry and depressed for days. Stephen
King’s The Green Mile is one which,
after reading it, I went out and rented the movie so I could share it and
discuss it with my wife. In non-fiction I’ve Recently read Married or… merry? By Kate Papas. I found it not only entertaining
but a great trigger for some productive discussions with my wife. One that
influenced my bucket list would have to be
Dungda de Islan’ by Charles Dougherty, a true story of sailing the Eastern
Caribbean for a year. I can't help but think about that story every time I see
a map of the Caribbean.
Most of what I read is purely for entertainment, though
everything teaches me how to be a better writer. I consciously watch what
writers do right and what they do wrong and try to learn from both. Loaded in
my “Now Reading” folder on my Kindle are: Siren
Song: Book One of the Siren Song Trilogy by B.A. Blackwood, a humor-filled
fantasy involving fallen angels interacting with normal humans; Married or… merry? by Kate Papas because
I want to read it again; and Social Media
Just for Writers by Frances Caballo because I really need to learn more about
social media. Standing by in Hardback is David Baldacci's The Target. Can't wait to get into it.
What is a typical writing day for you? When are you most creative?
I am strictly a morning person when it comes to mental
creativity. Before retiring from the pesky day job, I would spend approximately
one hour each morning in my writing craft before going to work, writing, editing,
researching, daydreaming. Weekends would range from two to five hours each morning.
Of course I need to knock out vacations, mowing the lawn, the honey-do list,
napping, colds & flu, staring at the flat screen, more daydreaming, just
generally being lazy… well, you get the picture.
Are you a pantser or outliner?
I have to say I'm a pantser. I always wing the first draft,
that is I write by the seat of my pants. There is no beginning outline or
character profile, often times no more than a sketchy idea for a plot. For
example: What if the sabre-toothed cat was brought back to life and then got
loose in Montana? That was all I had when I started Smilodon. Character
profiles are buit as I go, as they tell me who they are. The only character I
create is the first one. He, or she, introduces me to the next few and then the
story goes organic, heading off in directions I never anticipated with new
characters I never saw coming. It’s kind of like life, or at least mine.
Do you have any advice you’d like to give to aspiring
authors?
The exact same advice they’ll hear from most successful
authors… WRITE. That is, write until the story is finished. Seems silly to say
it that way, however, there are many who when they see they are within 10 or
20,000 words of the end, start rushing, leaving things hanging here, dangling
there. Kind of like being served a great meal only to be presented with a dry,
stale, tasteless cookie for desert. That cookie will be the last thing I
remember and may keep me from returning to the restaurant for another meal. You
want to leave your reader wanting to come back and sample all your other great
titles; don’t leave them with the memory of a tasteless cookie ending.
The most important thing to do after finishing a story is edit
it. Whether you pay a professional, sweet talk Aunt Sally or do it yourself, it
has to be done and it has to be done correctly. If Aunt Sally’s going to hold
back because she doesn’t want to hurt your feelings, or can’t see the typos
because she hasn't cleaned her bi-focals, or simply gets lost in the story, she
is doing you no favors. Great stories with typos and inconsistencies will be
read only by relatives and friends. For everyone else it will get bad or no
reviews and fall into the digital dustbins.
So, write, edit, publish, market.
For me it goes like this:
Write…edit…edit…edit…publish…market.
Sometimes following that there is:
Unpublish…edit...edit...republish…market.
Where can the readers find your books?
The best place to find me is at Desert Bookshelf Publishing - http://www.desertbookshelf.com or simply
search for me by name at your favorite on-line eBook store.
Also, please feel free to look me up, or follow me, on:
IAN Social Network - http://iansocialnetwork.ning.com/profile/JamesPaddock
Twitter - https://twitter.com/jameswriter
*All data including images and videos for this interview was used with the permission of the author. They belong to the rightful owner and this blog claims no ownership.
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