Al Davidson interview

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

When did your love of books begin?

Very early. Kindergarten early. I can't remember a time when I didn't have my nose in a book. I grew up on the books my mom read as a kid like Alexander Dumas (Three Musketeers, Count of Monte Cristo), Rafael Sabatini (the original author of Captain Blood and the Sea Hawk), Robert E. Howard (Conan the Barbarian), Edgar Rice Borroughs (Tarzan, John Carter of Mars), Louis L'Amour (westerns). I was always a dreamer, so I spent my childhood in fantastic worlds going on amazing adventures.

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

I began 'writing' when I was old enough to hold a crayon. I couldn't spell very well at the time, so my early books were all picture books. These books were either high fantasy or westerns about gunfighters and horses. I progressed to comic book-like bubbles, and at 14 wrote my first high fantasy. My mother kept all these and it's a hoot to look and read them.

How have you found the process for becoming an author?

The process of writing a book is a combination of fun, a lot of work and frustration. My editor encouraged me to go the traditional publishing route, but I decided to go independent. I enjoy all the aspects of indie publishing from running your own ad campaigns to mundane things like formatting my own book for paperback and ebooks. All the successes and failures are mine to celebrate or chalk down to a learning experience.

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

You know the silly memes about 'adulting'? One comes to mind of a cute rabbit reclining on a sofa and the caption says "I don't want to adult today, I want to bunny". Being an author requires more adulting than you've ever had to adult before. It requires you to put your behind in the chair every day and write, even if you don't feel like it. Either this is a hobby or a job, and if it's a job, you need to treat it as such (although, it's a fantastic job!). 

Another part I can't stress enough. Other authors are not your competition. Readers read much faster than writers can write. No person has one book in their library. Reach out to other authors, especially in the genre you write and read their books. Note how they engage their readers and be part of that fan club. And always review. Reviews are so important to writers, even critical reviews are helpful.

Tell us about your book/books:

Zero-Day #1 of the Sommerfeld Experiment is a cyberpunk book in a series of three. It's about a genetically modified young man whose 'mother' stole him from the lab and hid him in a hellscape of a city that used to be San Francisco. I say 'mother' because she provided genetic material for his creation. He has no clue who or what he is until a covert government entity pursues him. I am lucky to know a lab full of neurobiologists who helped me with the science that makes Joshua, the protagonist and an anti-hero,  so unique with amplified senses and boosted reflexes. #2 Gauntlet should be out in March and #3 Mindlinked will be out around July.

I've worked in Hollywood and written a few screenplays. One, a Buffy the Vampire like story called "Catching Hell" had two producers but unfortunately never made it to the big screen.  I have plans to turn that into a book series when I'm done with The Sommerfeld Experiment.

What do you love about the writing/reading community?

I love that the indie community is so supportive of indie authors. We give each other shoutouts and I know a few authors in the cyberpunk community have put together an anthology of science fiction stories. 

I'm a part of the writing community, but also a part of the reading community. The last few hours of my evening is spent reading and I read indie books almost exclusively. I love the dedication to craft and the willingness of indie authors to delve into odd subgenres. I've recently gone down the litRPG rabbit hole and it's amazing. I can't get enough. I think this subgenre could only exist through the indie community as  writers are only constrained by the amount of time it takes to write and edit and the short turnaround time keeps their readers on the hook. 

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

If you like a book, review it! If you liked it but it has some flaws, review it! Let the author know how you felt about his or her work. If you have a suggestion about the flow of the story, absolutely let the author know. A lot of authors have a website and you can contact them. I would love it if a reader did that even if it's a critique. Who knows, I may go back, fix the issue and reupload the book (which is one reason I love being an indie author, if I see a mistake I can fix it in the manuscript and reupload it). Don't hesitate, as a reader, to reach out to the author.

Where can people connect with you?

I begin my day of adulting with social media. I am mostly active on twitter @ADzer0day and facebook at https://facebook.com/AlDavidson.stories. I can also be reached at aldavidsonstories.com through the contact button. I answer everyone and it really makes my day to hear from a reader.

I had a reader write and thank me for not killing their favorite character.  That started up a fantastic and lengthy conversation about the craft of writing characters.