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Author Pen Name: Michael Richard
CA: What genre(s) do you write? Why do you write the stories that you write?
MR: Well, it started in the romance section. Since then, if I want to write about it, I do. Very few things disinterest me. I seem to unknowingly absorb stories from somewhere, a word here, and a word there, suddenly a story is born. Once I write the first few lines of a story, just to get it going, it rockets out of the starting gate. I just love to write now for some odd reason. If you would have known me years ago, you would have said to yourself, ‘you wrote this?’ Question after question followed my first story. All believed I had copied it from somewhere. Though crude, in it’s wording, it was loved. Readers said they had never read anything like it. It was a historical romance, then again, it wasn’t. None knew how to place it in its genre and I for one, had no idea and I really didn’t care. I had moved on to the next story and the next. Basically, I began writing for my own localized readers. I had no intentions of pursuing publishing…it was for them. I was happy and content to bind and hand out those stories to them.
CA: When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
MR: About four years ago, I overheard my wife on the phone with two of her sisters. They were discussing books. They mentioned that there were no good ones that had come out in a long time. Suddenly, something very strange hit me and I spoke out, “I will write you guys a book.” They were laughing at me when I said it, but it didn’t faze me at all. I left them still talking on the phone and disappeared. A few minutes later I reappeared in front of my wife, with what I had written. She read it over the phone to her sisters. All my wife could do was stare at me in disbelief at the first chapter. “You copied this!” When she said that, I struck out again and quickly hammered out chapter two. Giving it to her, and again, she read it over the phone to her sisters. By now, the laughing had stopped. “Write chapter three,” she said to me. Again I took off and returned a short time later with chapter three. ‘Oh my God,’ said the three. From then on, after completion of each chapter, my wife would call her sisters to read them what I had written. Now that was joy in and of its self. It was the sheer pleasure of writing. I had stumbled across something simply amazing I never knew I could do.
CA: Who or what was your inspiration for writing?
MR: Except for what I have already stated, there is no other. Though I was convinced to try and get published, even though I didn’t really care to. What a nightmare that became! Traditional trade publishers make it frustrating, to say the least. Most authors end up going the route of self-publishing, a very hard road indeed. A lot end up spending all the money they have saved, to publish their book. A fraction, I will even go as far as saying hardly any will find success in their endeavor. I never knew so many people were trying their hand at writing and doing they’re very best to get published. This is a sad world we live in when so many good works are out there and will never be seen or published. If you read some of the stories published now, “what were they thinking” comes to mind.
I believe I was given this special gift to write, which could have only come from God! I cherish this gift to create works from nothingness. I will continue to write no matter what. If I become a household name, so be it. If I am not, so be too. Nothing can deter the enjoyment and pleasure I find in what I do. I am old enough to know money will not control nor dictate my destiny, I do. Trust in God, this I do wholeheartedly, He will deliver me where I need to go. He led me to you, Crystal, and let me say now, it is, and has been, a pleasure to make your acquaintance.
CA: What is your work schedule like when you're writing?
MR: I started a new career recently and it is time consuming. My writing time is cut severely. Once I learn the ins and outs of the business, and get into a routine again, I can better answer this question. As of now, my writing is sporadic and I have no set time or schedule, I do it when I can. But I will be back at full throttle soon. I can already see new adventures coming up in the people I meet. These people will be my characters in novels soon to come.
CA: Your book is about to be sent into the reader world, what is one word that describes how you feel?
MR: Moved! When I was notified that I was going to be published, I was so excited I danced my way through the house. It was a feeling of euphoria. Now you, Crystal, are doing my first interview, one of many, I pray to come. This too, carries a new sense of excitement. I am delighted and honored to step into the ring with so many great authors who have come before me.
CA: I do hope you have more interviews Michael, this seems to come so easily to you!
CA: What do you like to do when you're not writing?
MR: When I am not writing I like to do strenuous labor, the harder the better. There is nothing like a good sweat for several hours to keep you in shape. The alone time is for me, to collect myself, and my thoughts, back into a focused mode. I have even come up with stories while doing some of these demanding tasks. Whether splitting wood with an ax, hand digging trenches, moving large stones, the physical aspects help clear the mind, body, and soul.
When I retired from the Navy, after twenty years, my wife and I searched for that perfect permanent home. We were tired of moving from one place to the next, in our military lives, so we searched far and wide in the area from which we came. My wife discovered our farmhouse first. ‘You have to see this place,’ she told me. When I finally saw it, I knew too, this was it. Built in 1928, the two-story, 10 acre tract, with a white picket fenced yard, was our dream home. We had talked about such a place for many years and now we found it. The only thing missing was our pond, and I am currently working on digging it out and building it.
CA: How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?
MR: Nine books thus far. Which is my favorite? Well that is a hard question to answer. Each one has a personal attachment because they started out as only thoughts and now they exist. To ask if I have a favorite one, I cannot truly say I do. That’s almost asking which child is your favorite!
CA: Do you tend to base your characters on real people or are they totally from your imagination?
MR: I use characteristics of real people. From my travels, I have witnessed first-hand, many different people and cultures. Using this mixture, it seems to create relatable characters. Much like an artist who sits and studies all the features of a landscape, before they begin painting.
CA: How can a reader contact you or purchase your books?
MR: Readers can contact me personally at eyesofmichael@yahoo.com
At present my book is in the digital format only, an electronic (e-book), which can be viewed on a computer or book reader. The following sites offer free downloadable versions for viewing e-books. Please check them out. I believe readers will be surprised how much cheaper e-books are compared to paperback. To purchase a book please visit
http://www.clublighthousepublishing.com/
http://www.amazon.com/
http://www.mobiepocket.com/
Also on these sites, you will find out more about the different types of readers---with new ones emerging on the market in ever-increasing numbers. These readers allow you to carry with you as many as two hundred stored books, so you will never be caught without a good book to read. In seconds, without leaving the comfort of your own home, you can be reading an electronic book.
Crystal, I would like to thank you for the opportunity to let readers know that I, and my book, exist. You have brought hope that the strict publishers of magazines and newspapers, do not wish to do, and that is to hear authors requests and our voices. I guess once an author has made a name for themselves, it is easier, but what about before then. I could not get anyone to hear me speak. You don’t know the amount of time spent, just on them, trying to get my voice heard. Now you appear, all smiles, loving your job, and with enthusiasm to do it right. If you can do it, why can’t they? If people no longer like their jobs, and can no longer attack it with the passion they once had, they should step down. There are many others with the eagerness to go get it, devouring what they really love. I am foremost an author, not an advertiser nor promoter. I love to write, so I have chosen what I really love and do it with passion, pouring all my heart and soul into it. To remove me from my field, and place me in the advertising department, truly affects my writing. That is the difference in a good book and a great book. An author needs no additional stress, because most are already under a timeline to finish their next book. Publishers are generally looking for a trilogy or a running-line of books, and to get them completed while the market is hot for the author or the series. Normally 3 – 5 books a year, not an easy task, just in itself, but it can be done. Though having these added distractions compounds our efforts. Help, such as yourself, Crystal, is a welcomed sight. Thank you again, from the bottom of my heart. –Michael Richard
CA: Michael, Thank you so much for your kind words. And yes, I do love my job, although it does get a little backed up at times because I am first and foremost a mother and a wife..but I always find time to read no matter what. I wish you all the luck in the world with your writing career and if there is ever anything I can do to promo you just let me know and I’ll be there!! Thank you again for taking time out to do this interview, you truly are one in a million!—Crystal
CA: What genre(s) do you write? Why do you write the stories that you write?
MR: Well, it started in the romance section. Since then, if I want to write about it, I do. Very few things disinterest me. I seem to unknowingly absorb stories from somewhere, a word here, and a word there, suddenly a story is born. Once I write the first few lines of a story, just to get it going, it rockets out of the starting gate. I just love to write now for some odd reason. If you would have known me years ago, you would have said to yourself, ‘you wrote this?’ Question after question followed my first story. All believed I had copied it from somewhere. Though crude, in it’s wording, it was loved. Readers said they had never read anything like it. It was a historical romance, then again, it wasn’t. None knew how to place it in its genre and I for one, had no idea and I really didn’t care. I had moved on to the next story and the next. Basically, I began writing for my own localized readers. I had no intentions of pursuing publishing…it was for them. I was happy and content to bind and hand out those stories to them.
CA: When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
MR: About four years ago, I overheard my wife on the phone with two of her sisters. They were discussing books. They mentioned that there were no good ones that had come out in a long time. Suddenly, something very strange hit me and I spoke out, “I will write you guys a book.” They were laughing at me when I said it, but it didn’t faze me at all. I left them still talking on the phone and disappeared. A few minutes later I reappeared in front of my wife, with what I had written. She read it over the phone to her sisters. All my wife could do was stare at me in disbelief at the first chapter. “You copied this!” When she said that, I struck out again and quickly hammered out chapter two. Giving it to her, and again, she read it over the phone to her sisters. By now, the laughing had stopped. “Write chapter three,” she said to me. Again I took off and returned a short time later with chapter three. ‘Oh my God,’ said the three. From then on, after completion of each chapter, my wife would call her sisters to read them what I had written. Now that was joy in and of its self. It was the sheer pleasure of writing. I had stumbled across something simply amazing I never knew I could do.
CA: Who or what was your inspiration for writing?
MR: Except for what I have already stated, there is no other. Though I was convinced to try and get published, even though I didn’t really care to. What a nightmare that became! Traditional trade publishers make it frustrating, to say the least. Most authors end up going the route of self-publishing, a very hard road indeed. A lot end up spending all the money they have saved, to publish their book. A fraction, I will even go as far as saying hardly any will find success in their endeavor. I never knew so many people were trying their hand at writing and doing they’re very best to get published. This is a sad world we live in when so many good works are out there and will never be seen or published. If you read some of the stories published now, “what were they thinking” comes to mind.
I believe I was given this special gift to write, which could have only come from God! I cherish this gift to create works from nothingness. I will continue to write no matter what. If I become a household name, so be it. If I am not, so be too. Nothing can deter the enjoyment and pleasure I find in what I do. I am old enough to know money will not control nor dictate my destiny, I do. Trust in God, this I do wholeheartedly, He will deliver me where I need to go. He led me to you, Crystal, and let me say now, it is, and has been, a pleasure to make your acquaintance.
CA: What is your work schedule like when you're writing?
MR: I started a new career recently and it is time consuming. My writing time is cut severely. Once I learn the ins and outs of the business, and get into a routine again, I can better answer this question. As of now, my writing is sporadic and I have no set time or schedule, I do it when I can. But I will be back at full throttle soon. I can already see new adventures coming up in the people I meet. These people will be my characters in novels soon to come.
CA: Your book is about to be sent into the reader world, what is one word that describes how you feel?
MR: Moved! When I was notified that I was going to be published, I was so excited I danced my way through the house. It was a feeling of euphoria. Now you, Crystal, are doing my first interview, one of many, I pray to come. This too, carries a new sense of excitement. I am delighted and honored to step into the ring with so many great authors who have come before me.
CA: I do hope you have more interviews Michael, this seems to come so easily to you!
CA: What do you like to do when you're not writing?
MR: When I am not writing I like to do strenuous labor, the harder the better. There is nothing like a good sweat for several hours to keep you in shape. The alone time is for me, to collect myself, and my thoughts, back into a focused mode. I have even come up with stories while doing some of these demanding tasks. Whether splitting wood with an ax, hand digging trenches, moving large stones, the physical aspects help clear the mind, body, and soul.
When I retired from the Navy, after twenty years, my wife and I searched for that perfect permanent home. We were tired of moving from one place to the next, in our military lives, so we searched far and wide in the area from which we came. My wife discovered our farmhouse first. ‘You have to see this place,’ she told me. When I finally saw it, I knew too, this was it. Built in 1928, the two-story, 10 acre tract, with a white picket fenced yard, was our dream home. We had talked about such a place for many years and now we found it. The only thing missing was our pond, and I am currently working on digging it out and building it.
CA: How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?
MR: Nine books thus far. Which is my favorite? Well that is a hard question to answer. Each one has a personal attachment because they started out as only thoughts and now they exist. To ask if I have a favorite one, I cannot truly say I do. That’s almost asking which child is your favorite!
CA: Do you tend to base your characters on real people or are they totally from your imagination?
MR: I use characteristics of real people. From my travels, I have witnessed first-hand, many different people and cultures. Using this mixture, it seems to create relatable characters. Much like an artist who sits and studies all the features of a landscape, before they begin painting.
CA: How can a reader contact you or purchase your books?
MR: Readers can contact me personally at eyesofmichael@yahoo.com
At present my book is in the digital format only, an electronic (e-book), which can be viewed on a computer or book reader. The following sites offer free downloadable versions for viewing e-books. Please check them out. I believe readers will be surprised how much cheaper e-books are compared to paperback. To purchase a book please visit
http://www.clublighthousepublishing.com/
http://www.amazon.com/
http://www.mobiepocket.com/
Also on these sites, you will find out more about the different types of readers---with new ones emerging on the market in ever-increasing numbers. These readers allow you to carry with you as many as two hundred stored books, so you will never be caught without a good book to read. In seconds, without leaving the comfort of your own home, you can be reading an electronic book.
Crystal, I would like to thank you for the opportunity to let readers know that I, and my book, exist. You have brought hope that the strict publishers of magazines and newspapers, do not wish to do, and that is to hear authors requests and our voices. I guess once an author has made a name for themselves, it is easier, but what about before then. I could not get anyone to hear me speak. You don’t know the amount of time spent, just on them, trying to get my voice heard. Now you appear, all smiles, loving your job, and with enthusiasm to do it right. If you can do it, why can’t they? If people no longer like their jobs, and can no longer attack it with the passion they once had, they should step down. There are many others with the eagerness to go get it, devouring what they really love. I am foremost an author, not an advertiser nor promoter. I love to write, so I have chosen what I really love and do it with passion, pouring all my heart and soul into it. To remove me from my field, and place me in the advertising department, truly affects my writing. That is the difference in a good book and a great book. An author needs no additional stress, because most are already under a timeline to finish their next book. Publishers are generally looking for a trilogy or a running-line of books, and to get them completed while the market is hot for the author or the series. Normally 3 – 5 books a year, not an easy task, just in itself, but it can be done. Though having these added distractions compounds our efforts. Help, such as yourself, Crystal, is a welcomed sight. Thank you again, from the bottom of my heart. –Michael Richard
CA: Michael, Thank you so much for your kind words. And yes, I do love my job, although it does get a little backed up at times because I am first and foremost a mother and a wife..but I always find time to read no matter what. I wish you all the luck in the world with your writing career and if there is ever anything I can do to promo you just let me know and I’ll be there!! Thank you again for taking time out to do this interview, you truly are one in a million!—Crystal
2 comments:
Writing for your wife and her sisters... I love that!
Good luck and all the best
Congratulations, Michael!
First sells are awesome.
Writing for your ladies, has to be the most romantic thing I've heard a man doing in a while. Two thumbs up!
________
We really didn't move all that often when my husband was in the military - but two years after we settled back here at home, our oldest at that time was sixteen and wanted to know when we'd be moving again. He was bored sitting in one spot for only two years.
It's been twelve years and I'm I find it nice sitting here. We have our own little piece of country in the middle of town.
Have a fantastic Sunday!
Bekki
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