29 September, 2012

#SpecialFeature :: #Interview with Dave Folsom



*** SPECIAL FEATURE - September'12 ***


An Interview


Welcome Back Dave… You’re back for a second round after 3 months. So what have you been up to during these three months?  
Funny you should ask, as we just finished a three summer project remodeling our house in South Dakota.  Much hard work, sore bodies, and tired bones, but the result was worth it.

We have just met Lee Trainer, Charlie Draper & Scott Jackson. Quite an interesting variation among the three characters – but what inspired you to write each of them? Is there a common thread between the three? Besides you of course!
Scott Jackson was the instigator driving me to write a novel as the number of colorful characters involved in logging demanded documentation.  The other two were later arrivals born of my need to get them out of my head.  Of the three, Charlie Draper is the most demanding right now.  I’m still trying to figure him out.  It’s probably going to take a couple of more books.

Now about your 2 other books - The Zeitgeist Project & Running with Moose. Tell us bit more about those two. 
When I was younger I wrote a considerable number of short stories, many of which never saw the light of day.  I did save a few that I’d created on a Apple II many years ago.  I recreated them in Word where they languished in the dark until recently when I took the better ones and put them together in Running With Moose.  After I wrote Scaling Tall Timber, I started writing another novel but couldn’t quite get it to work.  I had two stories rolling around in my head and after a bit it just made sense to put them together.  The result was a time travel story with an American West component that I titled The Zeitgeist Project.  Little did I know it would later be classified as “Steampunk” genre.

One thing I have noticed – the covers of all your books look like they are real life photographs. I also happen to know that you are very much into photography. So, are all the covers result of your experimentation with a camera?  
You are absolutely right.  My covers are self-designed with my own photos and a little help from Photoshop.  The single exception is the photo on Running with Moose which is from a U.S. Fish and Wildlife photographer.  The moose in the photo so fit the one in the lead story I had to use it with permission.

You mentioned that the box canyon on the cover of Finding Jennifer was the inspiration for the canyon that plays a pivotal role in the rescue of Jennifer. Any other instances of such inspirations – whether captured on camera or not?  
Many of the descriptions of place in my books come from my experiences living and working in Montana and Southern Arizona.  The Sonoran Desert, which figures in so much of Finding Jennifer is a beautiful and intimidating area that becomes deadly during the summer heat.  I’ve been fortunate to meet and work with a variety of interesting though sometimes downright odd people, both male and female.  They have figured prominently many of my short stories and as characters in my books.  Most, of course are the product of a wild imagination.

From Scaling Tall Timber to Finding Jennifer, you have come a long way. Has your writing process changed? Or do you feel any difference at all?
I think my writing has improved a little and the writing process seems to come easier.  I am better able to come up with plot lines.  Short stories have always been easy but my first novel was a struggle and I must have written some of the chapters a number of times trying to get it perfect.  It took me a while to understand how to keep the story line consistent.  Only my readers can tell me if I succeeded. 

I know that you personally hate the formatting stage but what is the most difficult stage for a writer? Coming up with a plot or writing the draft or editing or getting published or the marketing?
Fortunately, I have little trouble coming up with plots, writing or even editing.  Publishing and especially marketing are complicated by finding time that doesn’t interfere with writing.

You have vast interests – from carpentry to photography to writing – all very creative modes. Do you ever just ‘do nothing’?
I have to confess to having trouble ‘doing nothing’.  Even when everyone thinks I’m doing nothing, I’m actually plotting a scene for the next chapter in my latest book.

I think I am going to drop you of on that ‘Deserted Island’ we keep hearing about. What three things are you going to carry?
My Nook with about a thousand books on it that I haven’t yet read with a laptop and a hand-crank generator to recharge them both.

What’s brewing in that mind of yours? What can we expect from you next?  
Other than a second Charlie Draper saga titled Sonoran Justice, I have plans for a novel based on my next door neighbor in Arizona for many years who was a former WWII fighter pilot.  I didn’t learn this until very late in his life though we talked a lot about airplanes in general.  When he started sharing his experiences so full of color, raw humor mixed with terrible tragedy, I began taping (with his permission) our conversations.  Unfortunately, he passed away last spring but I have hours of conversations that I have his widow’s permission to convert into a novel.  I’ve begun the research and plan to start on the writing this winter.  I want it to be not about WWII, but the common individuals, who at a very young age, risked their lives every day for nearly three years doing uncommon things for their country.


Giveaway
Now for the most amazing news! The Giveaway! Mr.Folsom has very kindly agreed to a Very Special Giveaway. This month there's going to be 2 very lucky winners.
 First winner in US only a signed copy of winner's choice any of Dave Folsom's books in trade paperback.  Second winner choice of ebook copy of any of  Dave Folsom's books - gifted through amazon in kindle or smashwords in other formats. 
So,what are you waiting for??? Go Enter NOW!!

Rules:
1. There's only two compulsory entry to qualify for this Giveaway. 
2. If the compulsory entries are not completed properly, additional entries of that person will not count.
3. The Giveaway is open to US for Trade Paperback & Internationally for Ebook.
4. I will select the winner through Random.org on 30th September and will send an e-mail. They have to reply with their mailing address/e-mail id within 48 hours, or I will select another winner.
5. Please do not leave your e-mail id in the comment section.

Open Internationally


US Only

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