Gateway To The Past (The Last Bucelarii Book 3) By Andy Peloquin Interview
Why A Wandering Mind is a Good Thing
For those of you who don't know me (most of you), I'm the
kind of person who HATES sitting and doing nothing. I can't simply stare off
into space and let my mind wander—I have to be doing something: playing a game,
writing, working on marketing, talking to people, reading a book, etc.
But for the sake of my creativity, I've had to FORCE myself
to sit still and let my mind wander. Sounds unproductive, right? That's how I
felt at first, but an article
on Psychology Today made it clear that it was a good thing.
According to the article, letting your mind wander is a way
to think more clearly about the future, including goals and tasks we want to
achieve. Brain scans found that the hippocampus was more connected with other
parts of the brain after allowing the mind to wander, leading to mental
stimulation that helped the person to find multiple paths to achieving a goal.
It helped the people be more creative in their problem-solving!
I don't know about you, but for me writing a novel takes A
LOT of problem-solving. Not only do I have to figure out who my characters are,
but I have to present them with a challenge, put them through a series of
obstacles, encourage character growth, include tension and action, and make it
all smooth and cohesive. A lot of problems all wrapped up into the pages of a
book.
As I get more into the novel-writing process, I spend more
time sitting and allowing my mind to wander. I don't focus on any one
thing—it's not meditation, just sort of daydreaming—and my subconscious mind
will usually work on the problem at hand (my novel). As my mind wanders, it
begins to make connections between various elements and plot points. Before I
know it, some new problem, obstacle, solution, character change, or theme is
dancing its way through my mind. All I
have to do is pluck at the thread and see where it leads. The action of
sitting and letting my mind wander has led to some amazing stories.
If you find your mind wandering, it's not always best to
corral your thoughts. Sometimes, if you let your thoughts drift, you may find
yourself going down fascinating paths—leading to stories, solutions, answers,
and creative ideas that you'd never have come up with on your own. I highly
recommend setting aside a bit of time to do it every day. It can do wonders for
your creative process!
Author Interview
What book/s are you
reading at present?
I'm about half-way through a book titled The Dead City by
Dylan J. Morgan. Not my usual fare (post-apocalyptic military thriller), but
one I'm HIGHLY enjoying.
Tell us about the
cover/s and how it/they came about.
The first cover was inspired by a random piece of artwork I
found on the internet (so random I can't even find it again). I wanted
something that conveyed the dark, gritty tone of the world. The rough sketch
and outline of the character was perfect, and the addition of the red tones
help to emphasize the bloody nature of the book.
Once I saw the book cover, I knew I had the perfect theme
for all the books. The cover of The Last
Bucelarii (Book 3): Gateway to the Past shows the interaction between the
Hunter (main character) and Hailen (the child he saves). Specifically, how
physical contact with the Hunter causes the boy's fingernails to bleed
(physiological reaction to contact with the demonic blood)
Did you get
interviewed by local press/radio for your book launch?
I haven't been fortunate enough to be on the radio or TV,
but I hope to be someday soon. I LOVE talking about my stories and the things
that go into "making the sausage". I have so much fun on podcasts and
web-based radio shows that it would be a blast to do one live.
In what formats is
your book available?
eBook and Paperback, available via Amazon:
How do you relax?
I LOVE reading, and I'm big on board games, card games,
video games, and puzzles. I'm also a bit of a TV nut, and follow a lot of TV
shows—for research, of course. I got lots of novel ideas from the various shows
I watch.
What is your favorite
quote?
"I'm on the wrong side of Heaven, and the righteous
side of Hell."—Five Finger Death Punch. That's sort of my motto for
writing the character of The Hunter.
What advice would you
give to aspiring writers?
Keep writing, even if you don't see success within a year or
three. A writing career is built over the course of years, not months. It's
very rare to see overnight success, so don't plan for it. Plan to put in 5-10
years of daily writing, marketing, outreach, talking to people, and building
your author platform. That's the only realistic way to do it!
What was one of the
most surprising things you learned in creating your books?
I've found that the human brain/mind/psyche/emotions can be
truly terrifying! The demons in my book are far less scary than the people
doing terrible things to one another for the sake of greed, desire, lust, love,
hatred, jealousy, or power.
How can readers
discover more about you and you work?
You can find me on ALL my social media profiles under Andy
Peloquin, as well as my website (links in attached Media Kit)
What does your family
think of your writing?
They love the fact that it makes me happy, and that it gives
me a way to express myself creatively. None of them are real fantasy nuts (or
at least not dark fantasy), but they like the fact that they can say, "My
brother/son/parent is an author." Or, at least that's what I tell myself.
Hehe
Comments
Post a Comment