Interview with Ian Lewis

Tell us about your publishing journey…

My first release was “The Camaro Murders.” I assumed it was going to be

difficult to get published. It’s a novella for one, which meant that

length would work against it, at least in the print world. It’s also a bit

unorthodox in its composition; it’s told from four different first-person

points of view in a non-chronological order. So I was concerned it

wouldn’t be viewed as “accessible.” Untreed Reads picked it up

nonetheless. I was thrilled of course. The story is somewhat literary in

nature, despite the supernatural/fantastic elements. I thought it would be

interesting to write a sober account of a murder mystery/ghost story using

inner monologues of the characters–sort of a dichotomy between the

content and the delivery. The book also spawned an unofficial series with

the recurring character known as the Driver. “Lady in Flames” is the

second entry in that series, also available with Untreed Reads. Again told

in first person, the delivery is somewhat more straightforward, with more

of a storytelling style. “Power in the Hands of One” is my third novella

with UR. It’s an homage to giant robot cartoons like Voltron and The Big

O.

What do you love about being an author?

Primarily, I enjoy the creative outlet. Writing is somewhat of a

compulsion for me, and I have more ideas than I have time to write. It’s

also sort of an escape. When you let an idea percolate long enough, it

takes on a life of its own.

If you could have dinner with any literary character, who would it be and

what would you eat?

I would eat filet with James Bond. No Question. I’ve always been

intrigued with the character, both in book and film.

If your book/ story was to be made into a movie, who would you cast as the

leads?

I write most of my stories with a film version in mind, or at least I

think they would translate well to film. I think this is because a lot of

what I write is inspired by abstract moods or ideas from music. So in a

sense I “see” or “feel” my story before it’s actually written, and so I

have a very clear vision of how the book would translate to film. As far

as characters go, I see them as average looking people, maybe even homely.

I would prefer unknown actors and in the case of the Driver stories, for

the film to be shot in a washed out type of cinematography.

Vampires – do you prefer them as sexy leads or blood hungry monsters?

I suppose I would prefer them with a stake in the heart, but I think

they’re truer to form as monsters.

If you had a time machine, which era would you go back to and why?

I’d love to go back to the early nineties to see Nirvana play live. I

lived through that period but didn’t get to see them. Really, I’d like to

go back to the time of Christ. That seems to me to be the most significant

period of history.

What life advice do you wish you’d been given sooner?

Nothing comes to mind, but something that always resonates with me is

something my Grandpa used to say: “You get what you pay for.” I’ve found

that most times, he was right.

If you were a supernatural creature, what would you be and why?

I have no clue. Maybe I would be a shapeshifter, because then I could be

whatever I wanted.

Where do you write best?

Typically, in my attic office. Though these days, with two little ones at

home, I’m having to write on my lunch break at work.

What was the last book you read, and what were your thoughts on it?

I recently finished “Divine Foreknowledge: Four Views.” It’s a smattering

of theology, philosophy, and logic–cerebral stuff. The book is a

collection of essays which outline four different theories of God’s

foreknowledge: the Augustinian-Calvinist view, the simple foreknowledge

view, the middle knowledge view, and the somewhat controversial

open-theism view. The whole concept consumed me for a few weeks, and it

was really all I could think about, but I enjoy things that make me think.

If you didn’t write in your genre, which other would you prefer and why?

I guess I don’t feel as though I write in a specific genre, or at least I

don’t try to. I’ve published two supernatural thrillers and one sci-fi

story. I’ve also completed an as yet unpublished

action/adventure/thriller. I would like to attempt a fantasy epic, though

I don’t particularly enjoy the fantasy genre. It’s just that I have what I

think is a somewhat original idea for that type of a story that won’t die.

Where can fans find you online?

I have a website (www.ianlewisfiction.com) and I stay active on GoodReads

(https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6538843.Ian_Lewis). I am also

(reluctantly) on FaceBook:

https://www.facebook.com/Ian-Lewis-Fiction-462285677280662/timeline/?ref=hl.

 

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