Ques.1 Describe the journey of becoming an author.
Every journey has its own reward, and becoming an author is no different. Four years ago, I wasn't sure if I could write a book. Now, I'm working on my third. I've grown tremendously as an author in that time. I have written hundreds of pages of material in the last twelve months...much of it with pen and paper. Some of it is breathtaking. Some of it isn't. But I had to write every single word. The journey of an author is learning how to unlock your words so they flow in a manner that is exciting to you and to your readers. There are no shortcuts. Let me caveat what I've said...in my mind, a writer is someone who writes. An author is someone who has been published. In this day and age, it's fairly easy to get published. That was the goal of my first book. After that, I turned my attention to becoming a better writer.
Ques.2 What are the advices you would like to give to the future or the aspiring writers ?
Write, write, write. With pen and paper. A writer's mind is like a playground. Think of the worlds that have been created...Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, the Marvel Universe. Even though most of us experience these universes in movies or on television, they all started in someone's mind, and were first realized on paper. George Lucas created Star Wars. J.R.R. Tolkien made the Lord of the Rings. Write without editing yourself. Write with a timer...don't let the pen come off the page. Don't worry about margins, don't worry about spelling. Just write. After a time, the words say what you want them to say, and how you want them to say it. That is the magic of writing.
Ques.3 What was the most difficult point while writing this book ?
The Lighthouse Keeper was a challenge because I'd never written a full-length fiction story. In a self-help book, it's kind of easy because you're generally sharing things based on your real-life experience, or the experiences of others. In fiction, you're making up a world and inviting a reader to step into it. The more believable and more accessible that world is, the more you engage your reader. That's a little bit daunting, but ultimately you learn to focus on the story and not on your audience.
Ques.4 Why did you decided to write a mind mystery novel?
It's more like I was guided to write it. I came up with the idea for The Lighthouse Keeper while working on my first book, Whiskey and Yoga. It was an idea I shared during yoga class with my students. When I wrote it in W&Y, I knew there was something special about the idea...it just worked. About 18 months later, I was listening to a Hindu monk talk about the relationship between mind and awareness, and it sounded exactly like the idea I had. That's when I knew I had a story.
Ques.5 What makes you smile the most ?
Making a genuine connection with another soul.
Ques.6 What’s the theme of the book cover from your view point ?
A great question! We had 5 or 6 ideas for the book cover. The final one spoke the most to me. It was simple, colorful, and had a little bit of excitement and motion to it. I think the energy in the waves suggests the story has some dramatic elements to it.
Ques.7 When will you be launching your next book ?
Another good question. I'm not sure. I've been working on it for over a year. It's completely different than anything I've ever done. In the Christian faith, Heaven begins on earth. My story is about how that actually starts. I think I'm close to finishing it, but I know I'm going to have to sort through some of the material, because it's all been written by hand. I think it will come out this year.
Ques.8 What interests you the most as an author ?
The real magic in writing is...what gets someone to turn the page and keep reading? That's what interests me the most. I have read books that I literally didn't want to put down because my mind was so keen to understand what was going to happen next. I think that's the dream of every writer...to write something so compelling, people are anxious to understand more of the story.
Ques.9 How did you decide the characters name ?
I don't really remember. Armand...the lighthouse keeper...I knew I wanted his name to sound archaic. I did my best to make the setting of the story feel old without really dating it, and he was a reflection of that. Sam...how his name came to me is something of a mystery. I just pulled it from somewhere deep within my subconscious. In the time since, his name has grown to mean more to me.
Ques.10 How did you manage to write with your job ?
I love writing. I always have, even when I didn't give it serious attention for years. I keep a notepad next to my desk and pick it up whenever inspiration strikes. My job pays the bills until writing does that for me.
Thank you!
