Paul Clark interview

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

A little introduction:

My name is Paul Clark. I'm author of two published novels, with a third due out in the New Year. I've spent my working life in English language teaching. I've lived in Italy and Thailand and have worked with people from more than 70 countries.

When did your love of books begin?

I've been an avid reader for as long as I can remember, both fiction and non-fiction.

When did you start to have the wish to become an author?

I have wanted to write since at least my mid-20s. I worked on a number of projects, some on paper and others in my head, but as a hands-on dad with a busy job, I never found the time to actually get round to writing. Only when my children were teenagers and needed less attention did I feel able to get on with it.

How have you found the process for becoming an author?

I started by doing a creative writing course at my local college. Then I sat down and started typing. It was and is one of the most enjoyable things I have ever done. It took eighteen months to write my first book, and then I spent years editing and re-editing, helped by feedback from friends and relatives.

Getting published was another matter. It took three or four years to find an agent, who did a fantastic job of editing. Unfortunately, he passed away and his agency died with him. Eventually, I gave up and wrote a completely different book. For several years, I had my own business and worked 50-60 hours per week, so I stopped writing altogether.

I sold my business in 2019, in large part because I wanted to go back to my books. Then I took a course in independent publishing and went for it.

What would you say to those wanting to become an author?

The first thing I would say is just do it, though it could be an idea to start with a creative writing course.

But don't expect to make any money, unless you are very good and/or very lucky. Like any worthwhile activity, it can be hard work, and you will have a lot to learn. And if you want other people to read what you write, you may end up spending more on advertising and promotions than you earn in royalties.

Tell us about your book/books:

I have written political thrillers set during the 1980s and 1990s in what was the Soviet Union. The first book, The Price of Dreams, tells the story of an idealistic and ambitious athlete who falls foul of the Communist authorities and is forced to choose between throwing away his future and betraying everything he has ever believed in and the people he loves.

The second book, A Long Night of Chaos, follows him in the bloody chaos that came after the fall of communism. His newly-independent homeland is falling apart as different ethnic groups seek to detach themselves from each other. We witness his desperate efforts to halt the slide to civil war.

What do you love about the writing/reading community?

It's great to have contact with people who are in the same boat as me and who are dealing with the same issues. There are some great people out there who are happy to share their ideas. I have also read some very good novels by other independent authors.

If you could say anything to your readers what would it be?

Please leave a rating or a review on Goodreads or the online store where you brought the book. We need those reviews.

Where can people connect with you?

I'm on Twitter https://twitter.com/paulclark42GB and Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Paul.Clark.Author/. I also have a website https://paulclark42.com/.