What is your name and/or pen name?
Scott
Blasingame.
What
genre do you write?
Primarily
science fiction or fantasy with a heavy action/adventure flair. But I’ve also
published a book of poetry and a book of Bible topics.
What
made you want to be a writer?
Honestly, I was
hard pressed to find the kinds of stories I like to read. Either the plot and
drama were there, but the action was lacking, or the action was there, but the
plot and drama were lacking. I had dabbled at it off and on since I was kid,
writing and drawing my own comic books, writing short stories, or beginning
stories that just never quite went where I wanted them to so I quit fooling
with them.
I hadn’t written
anything for a number of years, but I was always jotting down plot ideas,
little character developments, and snippets of dialogue for different stories.
My wife often told me I ought to write a novel, and one day it just clicked. So
I went through my folder of stuff and decided to tackle the story idea that was
fleshed out the most. By the time I was into the third chapter, I could tell it
was a different experience than what I’d had in the years previous. And I was
both hooked and compelled to finish it. My first book was “The Warrior-Son”.
What
do you use to keep yourself inspired while writing?
I am an avid
reader, though I’m not big on what many would consider to be the classics. I
find I enjoy reading history the older I get. I love a good biography or
autobiography. And I keep a mountainous backlog of fiction on hand. I probably
read more fantasy, specifically the “sword & sorcery” type, than science
fiction. But I love a good Western, crime novel, or horror story.
I’m also a film
buff, especially when it comes to martial art movies. (I actually studied Northern
Shaolin Kung Fu for almost 10 years.) I tend to watch a lot of those when I’m
working on something because I get good ideas from them for staging action
scenes. I enjoy writing detailed fight sequences.
How
do you feel about the writing community as a whole?
Well, I reckon I
can only speak regarding the self-publishing community because that is how I
make my work available. I’m in a couple of the Facebook discussion groups, the
majority of which is made up of self-published authors. Generally, they’re very
encouraging. They can be very helpful and informative. They can also be highly
critical at times, and that’s not a bad thing depending on the context of the
critique you give or get. (I haven’t really looked into joining any local
writing groups where I live. Guess I ought to do that.) Many times they will
cite examples of their characters or plot lines. Odds are they aren’t meaning
to be egotistical, that’s just their point of reference. I have to remind
myself of that when reading comments such as that. Still, I don’t like being
that guy, so I make a conscientious effort not to do that (though I’m sure I
have on occasion).
Have
you or will you be willing to collaborate with other authors in the future?
I don’t think
so. I’ve been asked to a couple of times in the past, but honestly, I have
enough ideas of my own to keep me busy for a quite while. I like to outline my
stories to keep me on track as far as plot points and staging the action. I’m
not sure how that would work with someone similarly minded who would have their
own ideas about how the story should go, or with someone who writes the story
as it comes to them. I would also think that on some level, whether consciously
or unconsciously, one would become the alpha writer and the other would
eventually get resentful. I don’t care to get into a dynamic like that.
Tell
us about your book and if it’s upcoming or already published.
I have a series
titled “The NightDragon” which features my own mystically enhanced martial artist
superhero, who is based in a city called Nocturnity. The first 2 books, “Enter
the NightDragon” and “DI3”, are already available. These contain the origin of
the main character and his encounter with a group of thieving assassins known
as the Deadly International Trio or DI3 for short (and pronounced ‘die’). Hopefully,
books 3 and 4, “Simian” and “O Mortifero”, are due to come out in the next
month or so. In book 3, the NightDragon encounters a bizarre, intelligent
creature that is part man/part monkey. Then book 4 sees the NightDragon trying
to prevent Simian and some of his genetically altered friends from being taken
by O Mortifero (which Portuguese for ‘the deadly one’), a lieutenant of sorts
for a global organization taking its initial steps toward world domination.
Is
your book or upcoming book an eBook, paperback, or both?
It will indeed
be available as both.
Is
this your first book?
It’s not. The
first was “The Warrior-Son” which is epic in scope and part of a planned
trilogy, the second of which is “The Warrior Lost”. (The third is yet to be
written.)
The NightDragon
was the second book I wrote and published.
Are
you planning to write more?
Oh yes. The
NightDragon is intended to be an ongoing series. I’m always adding characters,
plot lines, possible book titles, and such to my folder of ideas for it. I’m
currently dabbling with an outline for the fifth book.
Is
there anything you would say to other writers, that want to write and publish a
book?
You have to be
dedicated and disciplined to see it through to the end. If you hit a wall while
writing and can’t seem to get past it, let it sit and gel for a day or two,
three at the most. Sometimes a little time away helps, but don’t fall into the
trap of constantly putting it off. That is why outlining helps me so much. I
like to know how I plan to begin and end the story I’m working on. Then I start
staging things in between that takes the plot from one to the other.
My best advice
is to write the story you want to read. That’s what I did. Most likely, others
will like it, too. And it always helps me to keep in mind this quote by Alfred
North Whitehead:
“A man really
writes for an audience of about ten persons. Of course if others like it, that
is clear gain. But if those ten are satisfied, he is content.”
Where
can my readers find your book and how they can follow you on social media?
Leave only links that you want open to the public.
Both the ebooks
and print books are available on Amazon. And thank you for interviewing me, Mr.
Talbot. I greatly appreciate it.
Thank
you Scott for sharing with us, I completely understand when you talk about
writing the story you want to read. I just hope and pray that you will get more
than 10 people to enjoy your books, and I am sure you already have more than
that. With that being said I invite everyone to use the link above and check
out all of Scott’s published books to date. When you are done reading, make
sure to leave a review.
Also
Scott, I feel the need to point out that Mr. Talbot is my father, everyone just
calls me G. D. J
As
Always, Happy Reading and Writing Everyone
G.
D. Talbot
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