Author Interview: Ethan Holmes
Welcome to our series of Author Interviews, where Charlie Bray chats to a variety of Indie writers about their lives and their books.
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Today I am delighted to interview author, Ethan Holmes.
Hi Ethan,tell us a little about yourself
I am a rural Pennsylvania-bred writer, author and professional nature photographer. I started writing with intent at the age of ten, starting with poetry. I currently reside among the high desert country of northern Arizona. I’m single and still searching for the girl of my dreams.
How many books have you published so far?
Up to this point I have published five books; two novels, two short story collections and one humorous self-help book.
Tell us a bit about your novels
Earth’s Blood, my first novel, is about the after-effects of the single most profound seismic event ever to strike the planet. The entire world as we know now it changes almost instantaneously and the survivors must adapt or die.
The Keystone is a murder mystery revolving around an ancient, dilapidated hotel. It is home to the
cast-offs of society, including the elderly, recovering addicts and just plain down-on-their-luck folks who are being knocked off with increasing frequency.
Shorts and Other Laundry is a collection of ‘best of’ short stories.
A Multi-Pack of Brain Flakes is my first collection of short stories.
Live Your Life In A Crap Free Zone is my humorous and dry-witted look at life and the many choices that are presented to us. The paths we set upon change as quickly as we make those choices.
What inspired you to write them?
The inspiration for my writing comes from the many ideas that life presents and the inner voice of every true author that cries to get out.
Do you plan out your book beforehand, or does it find its own direction?
I never ‘plan out’ a book. I prefer to write off the cuff, so to speak. I actually enjoy not knowing what is going to come out when I sit down to write. The only thing that is planned is the general premise and direction of the story.
Why do you write?
I write because I cannot help myself. It must come out, the story must be told. I must tell it even if I think no one cares to hear it or read it.
Who are some of your creative influences? Were there any specific ones that inspired a particular book of yours?
I grew up reading Ray Bradbury, Edgar Rice Burroughs, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Jules Verne and many others. Today I read David Baldacci and Nelson DeMille, among others. All the good writers I read then inspire me to be a good writer today.
What do you enjoy the most, and the least, about writing?
Of course, I most enjoy a reader reading my books. However I also enjoy honing my craft in a quest to be known as a writer who writes well. I suppose what I enjoy least about writing is not about writing at all. It is the necessary ‘other stuff’ like marketing and social networking which are requirements in the ‘Indie’ world.
Any advice for other indie authors?
Two words; persistence and patience. You must persist, persevere and continually strive to be better than you are today. Then you must have patience, especially when things don’t seem to be working or sales roll up and down like a roller coaster for no apparent reason you can fathom.
Do you have any future projects in the works?
I have two projects in progress. I started a novel about four months ago tentatively titled 5:23. It is a book about how easy it is to cause chaos, panic and confusion without malicious destruction or the intent to kill.
The other novel is tentatively titled Playing With Matches. It is the story of a man who has had such horrible and terribly disappointing experiences on Internet dating sites that he ‘snaps’ and takes matters into his own hands.
Thank you so much, Ethan, it’s been an absolute pleasure to talk to you and I know our readers will find your comments very helpful.
You can browse or buy any of Ethan’s great books by visiting his website http://www.ethanholmes.com
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