Author Interview with Paul White

Today, I’m honored to have Paul White on my blog.  He is the founder of Electric Eclectic book branding, CQ International Publishing, TOAD Publishing, and a founding member of the Authors Professionals Co-operative.  Paul’s latest release is A New Summer Garden published under the Electric Eclectic brand.

So, let’s get started.  What inspired you to start writing?

I’m with Maya Angelou and her quote from ‘I Know Why the Caged Bird

Sings’, “There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.”

I always knew I had something inside I needed to share. The problem was, I

had no idea what it was or how to achieve it.

I started to seriously experiment with my writing by penning songs for local

bands and singers when I lived in Bristol and by writing poetry, which is an

amazing way to learn wordsmithing. It is something every writer needs to do.

My ability to draft anything near a comprehensive story was just about

surfacing at this time. I think I was about 20 years old. Anyway, everything I

wrote was naïve and poorly constructed.

One of those early tales, which I lost for some years, eventually became

‘Miriam’s Hex’, an Electric Eclectic novelette, in which I tell the whole story of

how, years later, this terrible, part manuscript became a book.

How do you balance marketing one book and writing the next?

Finding time at the moment to write anything is an issue. I simply grab a few

moments now and then and write something between my other commitments.

Even at quieter times I tend to have three or four books on the go; say two

fiction and a non-fiction work, along with researching for another, or vice

versa.

Working this way means I have a lot of books ‘out there’ which need constant

promotion. Clearly some do get a little neglected, but those which are selling

will earn my attention. As I am a full-time author, I must focus my efforts on

the areas which give me the highest return.

When you’re not writing, what do you do to recharge?

I do several things. I think it is so very important to have other aspects to your

life. Writing is, by its very nature, a seclusive pursuit and as much as I love it,

to have a healthy mental life balance one must find interests away from the

keyboard.

For myself, I am a digital artist and enjoy creating images which stimulate the

mind. It just so happens this allows me to be a book cover designer too.

However, digital art does not get me far from the keyboard, so I have three

other means of relaxing and enjoying myself.

Photography goes hand in hand with my love of travelling. I am an

independent traveler; I do not use travel companies or agencies. I guess ‘being

indie’ must run through me like words in a stick of rock.

Recently, I have become rather fond of Scotland, both for the hospitality of the

people and for the amazing scenery which is a photographer’s dream. So, I get

plenty of exercise and fresh air while pursuing two of my loves.

Finally, a lot closer to home, I enjoy gardening. I have recently constructed a

‘vegetable patch’ and am beginning to reap the rewards of the first year’s

crops. I find pottering around in the garden is therapeutic as well as relaxing.

What (not who) would you take to a lonely island?

Oh, I love this question. It got me seriously considering ‘what’.

I am, mostly, a practical person, so things like ‘flint strikers’, which are all

weather firelighters, came to mind, as did a first aid kit and medicines and a

ton of stuff I won’t bore you with. I thought of a few crates of fine whisky and

chest of Assam Tea. But still too boring.

Then my mind started to question… is this a tropical island or a wild rugged

windswept outpost… could there be a story here, a book?… sorry that’s how

my mind works all the time.

So, to finally answer this question in some (hopefully) amusing way, I would

take, now, let me think… ahh… no, oh, yes… or not… humph…

Who would you like to invite for dinner?

I would be so bad. I would love to sit a whole bunch of people down to dinner

who would absolutely not get on with each other.

What fun I would have sitting back and watching, as they all pretended to be

‘luvvies’ at the start of the night, and then watch and listen as the whole

evening degenerated into a total farce as the inhibitions and alcohol kicked in.

Yes, I must have a dark cynical side. (who hasn’t).

Tell us about your story. When and where is your tale set?

My latest project, (well, one of them), is a novel called FLYOD and is about a

psychopath named Floyd, funny enough! who believes he was unfairly

committed to an institution for the criminally insane.

When Floyd escapes, he sets out on a spree of violent retribution and reprisal

targeting all those who had, even the slightest connection, to his arrest and

sentencing.

Molly helps him, the new Molly that is.

Once Floyd has achieved his goal and has killed all those who lied; the police,

the judge, the jurors, the whole bunch of lying bastards, Molly can reveal

herself to everyone, she can come into this world so everyone can see her.

Then they will know she is as real as he told them she is.

Floyd is a bloody, no holds barred, slasher, pile up the bodies, sort of a story

yet it carries a clear insight and understanding into the disturbing logic of the

mentally insane psychopathic mind.

The setting for this tale, oh, it is just along the street where you live. You know,

that house where you never see anyone around, well it’s a few doors along

from there.

Thanks, Paul, for taking time to answer my annoying questions.  How do I get a copy of your books?

All my books, works in progress, artworks, photography, a contact me page,

and the ‘other’ stuff, is all an my website at

https://paulznewpostbox.wixsite.com/paul-white

Of course you can also visit Electric Eclectic books where you can find my

novelettes. They are only in eBook format at this moment but will soon be

printed in paperback ‘Pocketbook’ format, a smaller, easier to carry, ram in a

bag, size paperback book. http://bit.ly/visitEEbooks

Another option is to go to the @open24 store on Amazon. Here you can find

all my books listed on one Amazon page, http://bit.ly/PWopen24

as you can the entire library of Electric Eclectic books.

http://bit.ly/EEbooksonOPEN24

Whatever site you visit, I know you will enjoy finding a book to suite your

taste.