Black Maven interviews Steven Wood Collins
Interview conducted at Mr. Collins' residence in Costa Rica on 1 August 2014.
Firstly, I want to thank you for agreeing to this interview on such short notice, Mr. Collins.
Well, it's high time for me to step up and pet the book promotion pony. I'm glad you offered to provide me with the opportunity to do so in my own home. As you know, I'm rather reclusive these days, and not naturally prone to seek gratuitous publicity for either myself or my novel.
Right. So let's begin.
When you're not writing, how do you spend your time?
My wife and I especially enjoy world travel. I'm also heavily involved with my genealogical research. Hopefully, I'll conclude most of the basic research this year so I can begin writing the manuscript. I plan to publish the research findings and related WordPress blog articles, entitled The Patricians, A Genealogical Study, as an ebook at an appropriate time when it's developed to a significant degree, mainly based on the maximum extent of genealogical discovery I can fathom.
Right.
Do you remember the first story you ever wrote?
Of course, like I remember the Alamo.
What is your writing process?
Usually, I adopt the daily routine of writing something, whether as applied to my blog or any new manuscript I'm working on. Moreover, I take a "sketch and paint" approach with the fiction I write. What that means is I develop plot and sub-plots first, and then go back to add literary colors, such as characterization and setting.
Do you remember the first story you ever read and the impact it had on you?
The first book, besides reading Dick and Jane, I vividly remember reading in my childhood was The Shy Stegosaurus of Cricket Creek. First published in 1962, it remains a favorite children's book to this day. I credit it as having initiated my affinity for book reading.
I started reading Ian Fleming's James Bond series when I was in my early teens, although I can't for the life of me remember which one I read first. Ian's literary style and the genre had a significant impact on me then, perhaps as a contributing influence in the development of my writing style as a novelist.
How do you approach cover design?
I try not to produce anything too slick. I prefer the cover design leads the reader's eye to pique enough interest in the story so he or she will at least open the book and take a peek at the interior content.
What are your five favorite books, and why?
I'm an avid fan of historical fiction, particularly Ken Follett's novels. So, all the books of his that I've read would be included in the top five list. You would add A Rage to Live: The Biography of Richard and Isabel Burton to the list. I sort of identify with Burton's life since he too spent his productive and adventurous life in blithe isolation from his contemporary society, the Victorians, often as a social pariah in the main. He and his only wife, Isabella (née Howard), a distant cousin of mine, never produced children though they certainly produced a remarkably historic life together during an age in which they, fortunately for posterity's sake, didn't fit in with the grand scheme of things, particularly concerning the British Empire.
What do you read for pleasure?
Mainly for intellectual stimulation. I used to be a ravenous reader of NYT bestsellers, but when I began writing myself, I got out of the habit. I read historical novels instead for enjoyment.
Where did you grow up, and how did this influence your writing?
My father was a U.S. Air Force officer during the post-Korean War era during my early childhood, so I grew up in a succession of places where my father was posted, usually a different one every six months to a year. When he left the service when I was 10, I lived mainly in Colorado Springs throughout the remainder of my youth. I'm afraid the nomadic military lifestyle left me somewhat prone to isolationism, especially since I never bonded with any one community as a result. I think the flip side of that coin of circumstance is I'm independent and rather open-minded, which leads me to some fiction of no small consequence.
When did you first start writing?
I began writing business prose in my twenties. I traveled and wrote as a publisher's representative for about 10 years after I left college. I then entered the financial services arena, where after a stint as a stockbroker and trader in the late 1980s I took a job in a compliance-related department, wherein my main tasks involved, you guessed it, writing business prose.
What's the story behind your latest book?
The short answer is the fictional history of a powerful talisman endowed to humanity by an ancient extraterrestrial civilization, It is first given to an ice age shaman who's charged with its stewardship for the rest of human history. He loans the talisman to qualified individuals who thereafter wield it to ward off mankind's extinction during certain perilous periods. A good historical example would be the Sword of Solomon or King Arthur's Excalibur (though neither figure into my story). The talisman takes on a shape chosen by the wielder, e.g. sword, staff, cigar, etc. In my story, the talisman's power ends after 13 tries, so our protagonist, if chosen, will be the last wielder before the impending Apocalypse.
What do you perceive is your target readership?
Thematically, the novel may have a special appeal to Baby Boomers who actively participated in the Psychedelic, Age of Aquarius, Hippie Flower Power, Tune-in-Drop-out social experiment of the 1960s and 1970s. More recently, however, it should appeal as one of the first transhumanist novels written post-publication of Kurzweil's The Singularity is Near in 2005.
In your opinion, what influence spawned this era in America?
I suppose many of the generations became disenchanted with American culture because the Viet Nam Conflict ran counter to our ethical and moral ideals. As a knee-jerk reaction, many young people of the generation simply began to consider other societal paradigms, often based on pre-Christian tribalism of agnostic nature. They were influenced in the main by early 20th century writers, such as Aleister Crowley and Aldous Huxley (both of whom subjected themselves to psychotropic experimentation way before the 1960s). You'll find elements of their thoughts and themes are interwoven throughout the novel. Dr. Timothy Leary, an early adherent to Crowley's gnostic philosophy and psychotropic drug experimentation, was the ipso facto leader of the movement during the entire experience. I was influenced by Carlos Castaneda. He wrote extensively about his "real life" encounter and subsequent friendship with a Yaqui Indian sorcerer by the name of Don Juan.
What were you doing in the 1960s and 1970s?
Nothing all that extraordinary, I assure you, before I began undergraduate study at Cal-Berkeley during the early 1970s. The extraordinary part of my life began then in terms of my exposure to curricular and extracurricular stimuli that abounded everywhere in and around campus. There were about as many diversions of the "peace, love, dope" variety I don't know how I ever survived my first year there. Anyway, Berkeley and San Francisco formed the frontline of the anti-establishment movement of that era in America. And I was in the thick of it, mainly for the better in terms of my development as an adult, instead of the worse. I could write a book about it, but probably won't.
Did you then consider yourself a political radical?
Not even close to being one, although I got exceptionally close to one co-ed who was. But many of my classmates were stridently radical in their political views. My personality, however, makes me more prone to be an observer as opposed to a radical leader or follower. I became so disenchanted with radicalism, political or otherwise, I fled Berkeley after my senior year, never to return to the campus until over 20 years later.
Did you use psychotropic drugs?
I'd rather characterize it as experimentation. In my late adolescence, I dropped LSD and mescaline, once or twice. My reaction to both was so mentally and physically horrific I never tried either again. The experience, however, probably served to expand my imagination by several notches. Just kidding. Anyway, drug experimentation was a kind of rites of passage thing during that era. Nearly everyone I knew was initiated into the cult. Anyway, as the only alternative to transcendental meditation, the psychedelic hallucination experience became a way to connect with spirituality for the impatient.
Do you think young people today should experiment with psychotropics?
I wouldn't recommend it for any reason. It's potentially dangerous to both mental and physical health.
What did you do after you fled Berkeley?
As explained before, I pursued a career as a publisher's representative for about ten years. In my fourth year of employment with Conde Nast Publications, I entered the financial services arena, first as a stockbroker with the now-defunct firm Dean Witter Reynolds. I ended my career working for Charles Schwab in a compliance-related capacity before embarking on an independent writing career.
Given your background in business, why did you choose to pursue a writing career?
Well, I contracted a rather severe physical disability during my tenure at Charles Schwab. Finally, my treating physician disqualified me from my usual employment career, mainly due to chronic hypertension disease and repetitive-stress injury to my cervical spine and upper extremities. Also, given my physical condition at the time, I had no other choice but to pursue some form of employment on my own (moreover, I doubt potential employers would have hired me knowing of the lingering effects of my physical disability).
Being amply equipped with a vivid imagination and wry sense of humor, after resigning from my position at Charles Schwab, I set out to develop my literary style, perhaps as exemplified in my first novel, Puramore - The Lute of Pythagoras. It made sense at the time, particularly because I always achieved high marks in college for my creative writing acumen, which often gave me a half-a-grade point advantage over my competition in most academic courses. And, since one of my goals in life from childhood was to write a literary novel, I eagerly embarked on this new career path.
Still, it must have been a frightful transition to make given your background in business.
Did you have any issues, psychological or otherwise, about venturing on your new career path?
Yes, a few. I spent over 15 years developing a career in the securities business, so abruptly turning my back on it was kind of regrettable. But, since I'd done everything I wanted to do in the industry and the prospect to do anything more wasn't in sight, I quietly closed that door and proceeded to my new future.
Do you have any regrets for having done so?
Occasionally, but less and less over time. What else could I have done? Anyway, I had the time and inclination to devote myself to writing a novel, so why not give it whirl at least?
Do you still suffer from the same diseases?
Of course. The R.S.I. symptoms are always present but remain bearable as long as I don't overdo the use of my hands and arms. The salutary effect of my cervical spine fusion surgery performed on me in 1999 deteriorates daily. And I'm still stage-2 to stage-3 hypertensive.
When you think back on your career in the financial services industry, is there any one particular event or experience that stands out in your mind as having been exceptional?
The one that sticks out most in my mind is my experience as a trader for the San Francisco branch office of Charles Schwab on Black Monday (19 October 1987). While our customers didn't physically perish, it was a Street bloodletting of such extreme proportions many were financially moribund before the session ended. I still recall their screams of anguish over the phone while I sat incapacitated as all retail trade markets ground down to a halt soon after the opening bell. I now know what the Apocalypse will be like if and when it ever occurs during my lifetime.
The intervening halcyon period before the Financial Services Meltdown of 2007 was a time of unprecedented growth and development in the industry. The Black Monday event served to galvanize innovation in market regulation to largely preclude such a widespread panic resulting in catastrophic loss of financial liquidity and portfolio valuation as well as engender investor confidence in the integrity of the exchanges and OTC markets.
As a trader with the San Francisco branch of Charles Schwab, I also participated in the first retail customer trading program that essentially led to the coining of the term "day trading" and the creation of a sub-industry on Wall Street - the discount brokerage industry. We actually became so adept at almost instantly executing customer orders through the firm's proprietary order execution software that experienced retail traders flocked to us in droves, and paid handsomely for the service - albeit at a drastic discount to traditional brokerage commission rates. Today, "day trading" is both a professional and avocational pursuit for many investors and speculators.
What happened in 2007?
Firstly, Black Monday was a surface event in comparison. It resulted from the trade markets simply lacking the capability to rationally process the huge volumes and split-second frequency of trading during "panic" events. We were essentially trading in a post-1929 Wall Street Crash paradigm at the time. I liken it to trying to pass a golf-ball-size gall stone in one day. Nevertheless, the regulators should have anticipated the potential for market dysfunction given the ever-increasing size and frequency of trades. To gain a greater appreciation of the phenomenon, you'd have to see the volume growth as reflected, for example, on the N.Y.S.E. daily volume charts from 1982 (average daily trading volume around 5,000,000 as compared to over 60,000,000 traded on Black Monday). At any rate, except for a downward blip during the mini-crash of 1989, the resulting regulation contained the effects of trading panics by building a structure of automatic "circuit breakers" to either limit or halt trading activity during the onset of severe corrections.
The Financial Services Meltdown of 2008, on the other hand, definitely resulted from a finance industry infrastructure failure. Though Wall Street investment bankers may take most of the blame, government regulators were substantially remiss in either non-enforcement of investment regulations or in lowering the standards for, example, capital reserve requirements. I wrote a rather poignant article on the subject for The Financial Times of London's Long Room forum (click to see The Genesis of the 2008 Financial Services Meltdown).
I think a fair assessment as to ultimate culpability for the meltdown should first start with an examination of the financial instruments that provided the tinder. CMOs and low-grade mortgage pools were sponsored initially by nearly defunct, quasi-governmental agencies (e.g. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac). If you look at it as part of a political agenda to spur the growth in the housing construction sector, then investment banking concerns involved had little or no choice but to underwrite and market these abysmally ill-conceived instruments. Adding to the tragedy of that investment characteristic was the fact that when they went bad there was no viable market for them whatsoever. As a result, the middle and upper tiers of the debt pyramid also collapsed almost instantaneously, leaving the U.S. government obliged to step in to fill the void, much like Hercules holding up the World for a while.
I get the distinct impression you possess a solid background in the financial services industry. How did you acquire such insight?
I'm a 3rd generation stockbroker. My grandfather started in the intangible investments business during the mid-1920s. In the latter 1930s, he formed an open-end mutual fund company, Founders Mutual Depositor Corporation. The company is now a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation. The Founders trademark went by the wayside more recently when the firm was fully absorbed into the Dreyfus Funds Group. Furthermore, my father was a sales executive for the company during the 1970s. So, given the relationship(s), I naturally acquired a certain insight and related concern for the industry. In addition, I majored in Economics and Finance as an undergraduate at Cal-Berkeley.
Beyond that personal experience, my Dutch ancestors established "de Waal Straat" on Manhattan Island during the mid-17th century. In the late 18th century, they started trading securities under a buttonwood tree located somewhere along the length of the eight-block street. Later in the late 19th century, my cousins, including J.P. Morgan and William Fargo, began to refine securities underwriting and trading processes. They underwrote or financed most of the major late 19th-century industrial projects, such as J.D. Rockefeller's Standard Oil Company and Leland Stanford's Central Pacific Railroad.
Where and when did you start writing the book?
I started writing the novel when I lived in the Cayman Islands during the early 2000s. As I recall, I wrote the first paragraph in 2001. You don't want to see the first draft of the first chapters I wrote because it's kind of awful. I had to reinvent myself as a writer over the next several years to develop anything I considered worth reading. I maintain all the WORD files of dozens of drafts I wrote and rewrote, mainly to occasionally remind me of the laborious and tedious process involved in producing my first manuscript. Nevertheless, you should maintain those files in a safe and secure place for posterity's sake, and in case the legitimacy of your authorship is ever broached. I've already made that arrangement. In addition, several work-in-progress manuscripts are on deposit with the U.S. Copyright Office. In fact, in 2004 I registered the first one under the original title of the book, The Retopians.
What are you working on next?
I'm currently working on the sequel to Puramore - The Lute of Pythagoras. Entitled The Retopians, it deals with mankind's continued struggle to defeat (or at least contain) Wingtip, humanity's arch-villain, and then afterward establish Earth as a Class-1 planet.
I've also produced two acts of a three-act play. Entitled The Shovells, it's a satirical comedy in the theatrical genre.
Who are your favorite authors?
Ken Follett, Arthur C. Clarke, and William Shakespeare (a.k.a. Earl Edward de Vere).
What inspires you to get out of bed each day?
What is the greatest joy of writing for you?
The total absorption of literary creativity.
Is there someone you can name that you consider as having mentored or encouraged your interest in a writing career?
Hmmm. Let me think. Now that I think of it, Jonathan Newhouse once praised my reporting writing skills in person when I worked for Conde Nast during the early 1980s. Coming from him, I suppose that's all the encouragement I ever needed to pursue a writing career. The rest is history.
What makes you think you have the background to pursue a career as a writer?
Firstly, I was paid to write during my business career. That's all I did for the last 10 years before my fiftieth birthday. In the main, then, I wrote business prose, sometimes, but very seldom of a fictional nature.
Secondly, my ancestral and genealogical background in literature tends to support my proclivity as a writer. You can judge for yourself by reviewing the list of my ancestral relationship to authors, poets, and publishers listed on the Poets, Authors, Playwrights, and Publishers article featured in my Goodreads Authors Blog.
What concerns do you have about achieving success as a writer?
To tell you the truth, it won't hurt my literary sensibilities if I never realize commercial success as a writer, poet, or novelist, What would hurt my feelings as a human being, though, is a malevolent threat to freedom of speech ever presented itself to thwart the exercise of creative writing pursuits by individuals like myself. If that ever occurs on a global basis, it'll spell the end of our civilization.
Do you perceive such a threat looming on the horizon?
It's not only looming, it's here in full regalia. Some people see the internet as the "salutary" realization of Marshall MacLuhan's "Global Village", I see it quite differently in that the trappings of Aldous Huxley's "Brave New World" society are instead beginning to show, As a "gathering of the people..." phenomenon, the internet "Global Village" gives me pause to consider its potential spiritual ramifications. I more than tangentially deal with that issue in my novel.
On the face of it, Puramore - The Lute of Pythagoras appears to belong to a somewhat sardonic genre of literature. Is that an accurate assessment?
I think that's not necessarily an inaccurate assessment. If we consider the "Creators" - such as those of the Olympian, Christian, Hindi, or Judean tradition- we might conclude that they had a sardonic sense of humor in creating mankind, or their version thereof, in their image. I don't necessarily believe the "Gods" are wagering as to how we're going to behave in terms of their laws, but if they are placing bets in the Heavenly Casino, they must be having a good time and yucking it up at humanity's frailty.
Does the novel secretly represent or espouse any philosophical point of view?
I'd rather characterize the main theme as representing a literary snapshot of an unorthodox philosophical mindset that flourished during the early to the mid-20th century. It gained traction from the British tradition of gnostic philosophy, as chiefly promulgated by Aleister Crowley, that traces its more immediate roots to Celtic-Christian William Blake. This movement later formed the impetus for the offshoot socio-philosophical phenomenon in America, probably starting with the 1950s' Beat Generation. I assure you, I've represented nothing that hadn't already been represented before, either philosophically or otherwise. All I've done is paint a literary portrait through a non-dystopian, pro-Guadapada consciousness cosmology of a different scenario of the future for mankind in a somewhat sardonic vein. I thought about making it ponderously serious, but I'm so humorous I thought I'd make it an entertaining read instead. Isn't that funny?
Your novel reads like it was written by a British novelist. Is there a reason you wrote it that way?
I wrote it that way to enhance thematic elements in the portrayal of the main characters and the semi-dystopian storyline. I wanted the story to read like it was written by an early 20th-century dystopian novelist, such as Golding, Orwell, or Huxley.
That was brave. Did you find it difficult to assume that role?
As a novelist, hopefully, that's what I do best, that is, assume the role of a character. So, no, it wasn't difficult to assume that role, but to portray it down to the letter turned out to be a challenge. Fortunately, many British writers from the Authonomy writers' showcase venue realized what I was doing and helped me along. After that, as an anglophile of longstanding, it came somewhat naturally to me.
How did you come about that obsession?
As a child watching 1960s British television series, such as The Avengers and The Prisoner, I suppose. Oh, the early James Bond films had a huge impact on me. I just thought that the aforementioned productions and characters were "cool". Later, I seemed to gravitate to British TV and film productions in a choice of media entertainment. I also preferred to read British literature. You must understand I had no rational notion as to the reason for the predilection.
Beyond the first impression, I never really understood the basis for my affinity for British culture until I got involved in genealogical research of my ancestral heritage. I discovered my British ancestry was deeply rooted.
That must have been a startling genealogical finding for you.
Indeed. Well, I immediately lost a basic affinity for French culture as I'm more of a Saxon-German in combined DNA makeup as a result. Perhaps when my sister, who resided in Germany for several years with her German boyfriend, comes to this realization she'll lose a taste for escargot. Don't get me wrong, though, I am proud of my French ancestral heritage from a genealogical standpoint, particularly considering many of my mother's forefathers possess essentially the same haplogroup YDNA as mine.
What do you think of America, your birth country?
I think America is a wonderful place for Americans to live and raise their families. Don't get me wrong, I lived there for nearly 48 years, so I naturally possess abiding respect and affinity for the American way of life. My American ancestral heritage is ancient and deep-rooted. My American forefathers immigrated to North America from England during the early 17th-century. Moreover, as a result, if there isn't someone of that Great Migration era with whom I'm not directly, I'd be highly surprised. Many of The Patricians blog articles reveal that statement as a historical fact. I don't boast about it because I'm afraid it would mainly fall on deaf ears outside the halls of American establishment society. Generally, I found that the run-of-the-mill American doesn't want to be reminded of the scant contribution their ancestors made to the historical development of the country in comparison. Nevertheless, if you're an American, or even think you're one, that's the place to live.
Why did you decide to settle in Costa Rica?
I'm fond of the country for many reasons. It's a haven for American and European ex-patriots who reside there to enjoy the country's favorable economic and climatic conditions. The environmental beauty and friendly population also make it an attractive place to live.
Next question.
Do you practice any religion?
One thing I don't do is practice much of anything at my age, except writing and trying to be a good husband to my wife. I'm so open-minded and observational I can't get my mind wrapped around anyone's religious belief that would make me, say, forego watching American football games all day long on Sunday. Drat. I'm sure that'll seal my doom. Maybe I should start practicing some form of magic, however.
Do you consider yourself an atheist or an agnostic?
Agnostic is perhaps the more accurate description of my religious beliefs, or lack thereof, again, because I'm so open-minded, and always have been.
I was baptized a Catholic in my early childhood, so perforce of my involvement with the church at a young age, I gained an appreciation for the mysticism of religious ritual. I probably would have remained true to the Catholic faith if I hadn't had fallen out of the habit of attending Mass during my early teens, mainly because neither of my parents did. My father attended a Jesuit prep school and my mother was a devout Catholic, although neither attended church services, as I recall, after the time I entered my adolescence. I don't remember my late father having any active involvement with Catholicism after I was born. Nevertheless, that early experience with religion rendered me inclined to consider gnostic or other religious beliefs, but I was never even close to embracing one.
I do try to live by the Golden Rule. First promulgated in the Code of Hammurabi, it's the oldest ethical maxim in human history. All succeeding western civilizations adopted the ethical precept in one form or another.
Which gnostic or other religious beliefs did you consider?
Many. In truth, however, I only scratched the surface of most, because, as a hedonist of sorts, I wasn't particularly bent on discovering spirituality of any nature. Plus, any religion, or religious cult, that attempts to shut down freedom of expression is way too abhorrent to have spiritual validity for me.
I did have a brief encounter with Scientology when I lived in Sacramento during my late teens. While I found it immensely profound in theology, adherence to its discipline was far too intrusive and expensive for me as a college student. I didn't know it at the time but L. Ron Hubbard is a relatively close cousin of mine, as is Prophet Joseph Smith, Jr.
What do you think of Christianity in general?
I could write a book about what I think. This is a complicated and ponderous question for me to field on the spiritual level, particularly because my Celtic-Judaic genealogical roots predate the advent of Christianity. Moreover, the New Testament scripture based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth is inextricably entwined with the post-antediluvian religions. Sounds somewhat obtuse, I know, but I defer further comment until such a time I can offer a formal contextual presentation to address the subject. I can only state now that it might follow the lines of the British Israelism doctrine.
I admire Christianity as a religious institution that has contributed greatly to the development of Western Civilization. One clear example lies in the development of genealogical recordkeeping during the Middle Ages. Imagine where we'd be today if Catholic monks hadn't kept copious records of the vital statistics of their parishioners. I also think Christianity is laudable for having developed a system of temporal education institutions that's second to none. However, from a historical perspective, the institution is as frail as any other at times in clearly not representing, or sometimes outright contra-vailing its stated charter. Well, it's human.
Do you think young people should read your novel?
I don't see any reason for them not to after the age of 21, but only under the strict supervision of a board-certified psychiatrist until after they're 30. It's kind of entertaining and may even give them a glimpse and appreciation of a generational mindset distinctly different than their own.
How so?
To start, young people today have never had to endure the social shock and trauma caused by the social upheaval resulting from the assassination of President Kennedy and the country's protracted military involvement in Viet Nam. Add to that the civil rights struggle. Basically, given all the turmoil, I would not elect to return to that era if my life depended on it. In contrast, if asked 40 years from now, most young people will probably say they wouldn't mind returning to this era of relative social stability. Given the difference in experience, nevertheless, ours was an era of unprecedented accomplishment and creativity in America.
It was also an era of self-sacrifice on a mass scale, not only in terms of military expenditure of soldiers' lives but also toward the furtherance of social causes, such as the civil rights movement. While Americans have always heeded the call to defend their country with their lives, not since then have succeeding generations been compelled, either voluntarily or involuntarily, to sacrifice their lives on such a widespread scale.
Do you think that'll ever again occur?
Voluntary military service precludes another all-out war effort such as WWII and the Viet Nam Conflict due to the attendant budgetary costs, etc. And I don't think that Americans will ever again allow military conscription for a mass-scale ground war, basically due to its technological obsolescence in the modern warfare setting. But you never know what lurks around the corner to precipitate WWIII of a guerrilla warfare kind. In that event, Congress may have no other alternative than to reinstate military conscription by the reinstatement of the Selective Service Board to provide professional military leadership with required troop levels from the civilian population.
Domestic social unrest leading to a mass sacrifice of human lives is unlikely to occur in my estimation. Since America entered Big Brother...I mean, Homeland Security phase of mass managing the movement of the citizenry, widespread civil dissent leading to civil war seems more unlikely, as well.
Have you ever been called obnoxious?
All the time and a lot worse. I don't care about that as long as I'm called to supper.
How did you acquire your special sense of humor?
I'd say I inherited the talent from my father who probably inherited it from my great-grandfather, Hurlbert Wood. They possessed a wry and subtle, sometimes acerbic sense of humor. I honed the skill in watching hours upon hours of Marx Bros. films. Groucho is my favorite comedian of all time. Others who greatly contributed to my comedic development include Benny Hill, Red Skelton, Mel Brooks, Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, and W.C. Fields. I think it's also very important for aspiring comedians to study the theatrical styles of the silent-picture comedians because they spoke through their droll body gestures. This could only serve to potentially enhance your presentation on stage. I think the great modern comedians have mastered this skill, and most laughs are derived from it. But I digress.
Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?
Well, if you think you're a writer, you'll find aspiration is less than 1% of writing perspiration. It's really hard work, perhaps the most difficult endeavor I've ever pursued, and you should be prepared to toil for hours on end in a solitary existence. You must also realize that setting one's imagination on paper is a humbling experience, especially because you must be your own worst critic about everything you write. To develop a thick skin and be prepared for that experience because it can only get worse when you present your offering to literary agents.
What was your experience in that regard? I noticed you self-published your novel.
It was exactly as I expected it to be - frustrating. Well, I gave it a good shot but didn't bag any elephants in the literary representation jungle. I must say, however, I'm surprised that literary agents are so kind as to even respond to a query from a first-time novelist. After realizing the futility of my quest, I lowered my sights and decided to self-publish. It took a while to gain familiarity with all the available free self-publishing venues, but I believe my novel is now shown on most of the important ones, such as CreateSpace, Amazon Kindle, Barnes & Noble Nook, Smashwords, iBook, Kobo, Google Play, and Lulu. I am pretty pleased that it's available in print and ebook editions worldwide.
There's a learning curve involved in posting a manuscript to free print-on-demand (POD) and ebook publishing sites. If you're doing that yourself for the first time, be prepared to spend some time just learning how to exploit whatever resources are presented to you. There are some fairly awesome capabilities, so don't let that deter you. For instance, while the CreateSpace program is brilliant, it's finicky if your manuscript isn't in the perfect submission form. It took me quite some time to get up to speed with the prerequisite approach. I'm sort of an expert now at self-publishing from scratch as a result.
Good advice.
Besides the relative ease of market penetration through, CreateSpace and Ingram Spark, are there any other advantages of POD over print-run to the self-published author?
One distinct advantage is POD books are never out of print. And, while it costs marginally more to provide the reader with a copy, readers of POD books never need to search far and wide for contemporary titles they want to buy.
How do you deal with writer's block?
I treat it as a symptom of creative development. I've found that ignoring it altogether eventually leads to better long-term results in my writing, mainly because ideas naturally evolve from deeper and more prolonged consideration of thematic elements. Patience is the key to discovery, which I've found, more often than not, can result in an improved literary presentation. If you think you've contracted writer's block, don't fight it. Let time be your ally as your mind works through the possibilities of structuring and developing your theme, etc. I've gone several months or more without writing a single sentence before I magically struck on an idea worth setting down on paper, so to speak. If you can afford that luxury as a writer, I would recommend taking that approach to the writer's block malaise.
Another salutary approach is to write about something else, perhaps on your blog, until your mind has sorted through whatever's causing the blockage. For instance, my Goodreads Author's Blog gives me a way to keep writing daily when I'm temporarily experiencing a lull in developing my fiction. The blog also continues to produce new ideas for other projects, mainly of the historical fiction genre. I suppose that point is to write something daily even if it's only tangentially related to the manuscript you're working on.
What do you consider is the major obstacle in marketing your novel at this point?
Aside from the continued conspiracy to wrest the authorship of the manuscript from me. I think book sales would skyrocket with the application of the right publicity. I've done quite of bit of work myself to establish my credentials as a writer, and think the novel has the potential to sell itself via word-of-mouth publicity. But realizing any sort of success with that marketing strategy will take time to unfold.
Would you care to elaborate on the dreadful report of the manuscript theft conspiracy? Who's involved?
I'd better not since it's currently under criminal investigation. All I can state now is anyone foolhardy enough to take credit as the author of my novel in any way, shape or form, needs to consider hiring a criminal defense attorney right now.
You know, I would consider selling the manuscript at the right price and to the right party. To forever forego recognition for its authorship, the right price would likely be way out of reach for nouveau-riche bidders. Anyway, it's a sad commentary on the human condition that there are people like them who're so starved for the cultural recognition they'll pay any price, if it can't be stolen, to acquire some vicarious attention. It's pathetic and makes me ashamed to be a human being.
Simply dreadful villainy of the first order.
Well, that concludes the first interview with Mr. Collins. The second interview will address the novel's themes, plots and characters.
Are there any last words you'd like to share with us about your book on your own?
None come to mind right at present, except that the new eBook edition is now available through most online booksellers. The product's new format includes an array of digital images designed to spark the reader's imagination before the text begins. You can view the set for free via the downloadable preview edition. If you don't want to download, then the Barnes & Noble web page for the book provides an instant "look inside" preview of the first 15% of the interior content.
Right.
Thank you for your time in extending us this opportunity to learn about you and your novel, Puramore - The Lute of Pythagoras.
It was my pleasure, Black Maven. I hope to see you soon again. We also need to talk offline about the book I'm considering writing about you. You're indeed quite a stimulating character in your own right.
