Interview & Spotlight with indie author Harry Whitewolf

I came across Harry Whitewolf's work here at Goodreads. I noticed several friends adding his work to their to-read lists and/or reading it and of course, it got me curious. So I went to check it for myself and read his Poetry book New Beat Newbie - which i totally recommend, even for those who do not like Poetry, like me! (You can read my review HERE https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... .) Since then I have admired his work :) I invite you to learn more about Harry's great mind, through the interview we did for my blog:

1 - When did you start writing? And why did you pick up Poetry/Travel and Children's Fiction?
I’ve always written things. Even as a small child I was coming up with stories and poems, and as a young adult, I was writing a lot of poetry and often performing it. So poetry has always been something that’s just within me. The travel books weren’t something I particularly planned. I just started writing about my Argentina trip and before I knew it, I discovered I had the makings of a book (Route Number 11), which then paved the way for its sister book The Road To Purification; set in Egypt.

Although I published my kids’ books after those travel books, I had actually written the drafts for them a few years before. I haven’t promoted my humorous children’s books (which I write under the pen name of Mr. Wolf) as much as my other work, as I see it as a sort of sideline. Writing kids’ books is most definitely just good fun though. I enjoy the process so much more than writing my other stuff, as my imagination can just run riot and I feel like I’m in a cosy bubble.

2 - You have published several books, which one do you consider your best and why?
I consider The Road To Purification: Hustlers, Hassles & Hash to be my best. I had constructed a new and unique way of writing with Route Number 11, so I was then able to improve and refine that with its successor. I have minor quibbles about my other books, but I feel Road To Purification is exactly how it needs to be. It was also the hardest book to write, ‘cos it wasn’t easy reliving my mad fucked up Egyptian trip!

And I think Two Beat Newbie is my best poetry book. I feel like I reached my apex with my poetry in that one, and I’m not sure I can do any better. That’s why (seeing as I always attempt to improve my writing with each project) I decided to take a sideways step with its successor Rhyme and Rebellion and make a few minor changes to the way I wrote.

3 - How's your writing process, from drafting to finished books?
I write in a mad flurry of blurriness where I can’t get the words down quick enough. Then I edit, rewrite, edit, rewrite etc. for as many drafts as it takes. I’ll have read my books dozens of times before they take shape as the finished articles.

4 - What is your biggest challenge as indie author?
I guess it’s the same as any other indie authors: trying to get noticed! And I guess ‘cos I write non-genre-friendly stuff, it’s a little more difficult too. (i.e – My travel books read more like beat-ish fiction and are mostly enjoyed by people who don’t read travel and my poetry books are enjoyed by people who mostly don’t read poetry!)

5 - And your biggest dream?
The big dream for myself is to earn a modest living solely from writing books. But the biggest dream of all is for world peace. Obviously. :)

6 - Which genres do you like most as a reader?
Yeahhh… see, I’m not really a genre person. Like, I don’t read much fantasy but I love Lord of the Rings, and I don’t read much sci-fi but love 2001 and Vurt. I like Beat stuff, I like Irvine Welsh, Anthony Burgess, William Blake, Mervyn Peake, Sue Townsend, Douglas Adams, George Orwell, Richard Bach, Douglas Coupland… The list goes on, of course. I like specific writers and specific books more than any genre.

7 - How do you get inspired?
By living!

Smoking a fatty boom blatty doesn’t hurt either.

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CHECK OUT HIS BOOKS!
Rhyme and Rebellion Awards: 50 best indie books of 2016, readfree.ly

Where to find Harry's work:

Read Two Beat Newbie for free

Read Mr. Wolf’s The Top Secret Cheese for free

Harry’s books on Amazon.com

Harry’s books on Amazon.co.uk

Website: www.harrywhitewolf.com

Mr. Wolf’s website: booksforchildren.wixsite.com/mrwolf

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And a small news to I wanted to share: I have started a new photo-portfolio in form of a blog. I had one before under the name "YggdrasilFoto.no" and now I reshaped it into Sousa & Neshaug Photography and invite you to take a look :) There's a lot of cool pictures coming!

https://sousaneshaug.com/