Author Interview – Garry Rogers

4:15 AM | Labels: Authors

How much of the book is realistic? Everything in the book is possible; we are just not there yet.

Have you included many of your life experiences, even friends, in the plot? Of course, my experiences influence the plot and characters, but no particular experiences or friends are included.

How important do you think villains are in a story? Villains are a great source of conflict. I have four. Three I consider truly evil, but one is merely misguided.

What are your goals as a writer? Novel a year, each better than the last.

Have you ever considered anyone as a mentor? Yes, several. My friend and former student, John Robertson shows me every day how to see the bright and delightful. My PhD supervisor Donald R. Currey taught me to be consistent in my use of logic and experiment to search for truth. My friend Professor Richard W. Travis taught me how to add a touch of humor to my work. My father taught me that it was possible to do very difficult things without rest.

Who is your favorite author and why? John Steinbeck for the poetry of his prose.

Have you started another book yet? I have finished first drafts of two nonfiction books, and the beginnings of the sequel to “Corr Syl the Warrior.”

Do you recall how your interest in writing originated? Girls inspired me to write. I wrote about them, and I wrote to them. I was very sentimental. Occasionally they wrote back, but they all broke my heart.

What do you consider most challenging about writing a novel, or about writing in general? The hardest thing is to relax and let the ideas fall on the page. Too often, concerns for grammar, precision, and originality get in the way. Then everything is stiff and dull.

Did writing this book teach you anything and what was it? Being a first novel, it taught me a great deal. I began by creating the backstory and a few bits of dialog. Then I started reading about writing. I read the advice of hundreds of writers. For the first year, I tried to keep track of all their names, but there were too many. I studied several textbooks. I tried and retried different techniques. Now I need lots more practice. I hope my readers forgive me for my fumbling beginning. I will improve.

Do you intend to make writing a career? Writing is my career. After achieving my childhood goals to become a scientist and a business entrepreneur, I believed I was finished. Then the idea for the world of the Tsaeb came along. My boyhood enthusiasm returned and I became eager for new discoveries. I realize now that writing was always part of my activities. It didn’t take center stage because I had other goals: solving research puzzles and expanding a business. Now my main goal is to write well.

Have you developed a specific writing style? No. There are glimmers, but nothing yet.