Author Interview 4 SPOTLIGHT AUTHOR
Liberian Literary Magazine Promoting Liberian Literature, Arts and Culture
Author Interview 4 SPOTLIGHT AUTHOR
RICHARD ALAN
Richard H. Alan Thank you for taking this time with us, we appreciate it. Let us kick off by you telling us a little about youchildhood, education, upbringing etc. Tell us about your early childhood, upbringing, Education.
I am a hippie, biker, rocker, husband, father, and grandfather. My biggest, most enduring interests are in books, an ever-growing DVD and music collections. I am a forever student, which also includes books and DVD or streaming lectures, primarily by the Teaching Company( http:// bit. ly / 1WX7K0i) with a plethora of favorite subjects. Due to my disabilities, I walk, but cannot backpack, play volleyball, or do any strenuous activities. Being a post-martial arts enthusiast and survivalist has led me to collect weapons such as historic replicas, guns( marksmanship), and fantasy weapons such as spears, swords, and knives, some from popular movies like The Lord of the Rings.
I am a creative writer and author on my third visit to this end. Songs and poetry came at an early age. I continued the song writing from about 1963 to 1992. I excelled in
creative writing courses. In 1980, my wife became pregnant and in my excitement, I wrote a children’ s fantasy adventure. A bad agent and lazy artist’ s commitments thwarted that and several other children’ s picture books. In the late 1980s, I turned to screenwriting for The Twilight Zone. They picked up three scrips and scheduled them early in the next season. We were all excited, but the show was cancelled by the TV network.
My music kept me writing and performing, but the highs and lows of these other writing projects depressed me. Then I came out again, hooked up with a vanity press( bad / ignorant move) and published the first book in an epic vampire series. I was published, but because I was so green, they published a great story written and edited very poorly.
I began writing short stories for magazines to keep my sanity as I went back to continue and edit‘ The Rising Series’. I have six drafts written for the series, but I needed time away. I wrote, prepared, and self-published the short novella,‘ The Last Train’( http:// bit. ly / 1yz9P69). With all the experience I gained, I have put out two short story collections, which includes other authors,‘ The Eyes of Prometheus’( Amazon Author Page: http:// bit. ly / 13sKmmB).
I’ ve actually published four books in this first of a two year respite from‘ The Rising’. I plan to do the same this year so my portfolio of books and book covers will not suffer as I yearn for this one difficult series.
Why writing?
I love painting with the written word, finding a poetic phrasing, and entertaining others. I am permanently disabled, so I am no longer performing my music, lead no bands, or perform for children, which I loved as a sideline. Through it all, writing is fun and rewarding. What follows writing is a lot of work for an indie author, but writing is a great adventure chasing down ideas. It is pure joy.
What books have most influenced your life / career most?
I was raised on the classics: Edgar Allen Poe, Jules Vern, Edgar Rice Burroughs, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, H. G. Wells, Zane Grey, Alexandre Dumas, Charles Dickens, Mark Twain, Jack L. Chalker and so many more. Their accumulated works taught me the enjoyment of literature as I traveled delightful journeys and explorations of new ideas, other times, and foreign places.
How do you approach your work?
My primary interest is in fiction. Fiction is like playing and I love to play. It is also systematic. In that sense, it is working with developing writing skills. Therefore, it is a combination of heart, head, and a free spirit.
What themes do you find yourself continuously exploring in your work? Real character building, emotion to engage reader’ s emotions, fantasy, fun, and fear. Tell us a little about your book [ s ]- storyline, characters, themes, inspiration etc.
44