Wednesday, August 10, 2016

Blog Tour: Godspeed, Carry my Bullet by Ian Lewis #interview



Thriller
Date Published: April 2016
Publisher: Pronoun

Bobby Clyne has nothing to lose. Two illegitimate governments have taken the place of the fallen United States: The Directorate in the East and the United States Valiant in the West. And he's just learned that a man who once terrorized his family as a low-ranking member of the Military Police is set to become the Grand Marshall of the Ohio Region. Armed with his father's Dragunov sniper rifle, Bobby embarks on a mission of revenge with consequences far more reaching than his personal vendetta.


Interview

Is There a Message in Your Novel That You Want Readers to Grasp?

Yes, though the reader could totally miss it if he or she is reading for pure entertainment value. I wasn’t too heavy-handed with the moral of the story. However, my intent was to provide an allegory or commentary on the failure of partisan politics. The premise that our two-party system has done nothing but divide us as a nation has never been more relevant than it is now. But like I said, the reader doesn’t need to pick up on this for the story to be entertaining.

Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?

Simply finding the time to write at all is tough. A full-time job and two small children will do that. Often it’s a choice between sleep and writing.

How many books have you written and which is your favorite?

 I’ve written three novellas, all published with Untreed Reads: The Camaro Murders, Lady in Flames, and Power in the Hands of One. I’ve also completed two novels: Godspeed, Carry My Bullet and the third, as of yet unpublished installment in a loose series that features the Driver character from The Camaro Murder and Lady in Flames. I think Godspeed, Carry My Bullet is the most accomplished thing I’ve written, but The Camaro Murders is probably my favorite. Despite its brevity, the characters are more real to me than those in my other stories simply because I lived with them for so long. I’m also a big fan of the concept: sort of a run-down, quasi-rural town where something supernatural occurs in the midst of a murder mystery.


If You had the chance to cast your main character from Hollywood today, who would you pick and why?

 I can see Billy Burke cast as the Driver. He could pull off the tortured, surly look that would be required of the character.

When did you begin writing?

 I began writing at the end of college, but didn’t keep up with it because I didn’t like what I was writing at the time. Four or five years later, I picked it up again when I had the idea for The Camaro Murders. I haven’t stopped since. This year has seen the release of my first full-length novel, Godspeed, Carry My Bullet, which is a milestone for me.

How long did it take to complete your first book?

 Even though it was a novella, The Camaro Murders took me approximately two years to write, simply because it was the first thing of length that I ever attempted. I’d only written short stories up to that point, and I had never outlined or plotted anything out before. And because the story is told from four different points of view in non-chronological order, I had to pay attention to the order in which the story was told to ensure it still was digestible.

Did you have an author who inspired you to become a writer?

Not in particular, no. Writing has always come easy to me, I’ve always enjoyed reading, and I needed a creative outlet, so it seemed like a good idea to try writing. 
What is your favorite part of the writing process?

 I enjoy the abstract, mental brainstorming that occurs prior to writing anything. I’m a very visual person, and so many of my stories come to life in my head with such a specific vibe or mood that I wish I could just conjure it all up into a movie.

Describe your latest book in 4 words.

 Cliff-hanging thrill ride.

Can you share a little bit about your current work or what is in the future for your writing?


 Godspeed, Carry My Bullet is the first part of a two-part series. It’s my first attempt at self-publishing, and I used a really great platform called pronoun.com to make it happen. The sequel will hopefully be released in 2018.

In the meantime (2017), I want to release the third installment in the Driver series, which will be a short novel.





Ian Lewis prefers not to be bound by a particular genre. Though the inspiration for his work varies, it often finds roots in something he dreamt. He strives for a gritty realism and maintains an interest in the humanity of his characters. His hope is that readers find themselves haunted by his stories in the sense that the narrative sticks with them long after they've finished reading, leaving them with a subtle restlessness for more. Mr. Lewis is the author of The Camaro Murders, Lady in Flames, and Power in the Hands of One, all novellas. His first full-length novel, Godspeed, Carry My Bullet, was published in April of 2016. He has been writing since 2002.


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2 comments:

Unknown said...

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https://books.pronoun.com/godspeed-carry-my-bullet/

Anonymous said...

Thank you for posting

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