Literary fiction (with Adventure; Family)
Date Published: 11-28-2022
Publisher: By The Pure Sea Books
“The journey of a 1000 miles begins with a single step.” ~ Lao Tzu
Raiden, an emotionally troubled 40-something guy, is at a major turning point in his life. Rather than choose to face it head on, he undertakes an epic road trip adventure across North America, all with the aim of escaping the single most transformative event of his life – imminent fatherhood.
Searching for solutions in all the wrong places and faces, Raiden is forced to turn the mirror back on himself and shine the harsh light of reality not only on his quest, but into the very depths of his soul, in order to discover what it is he truly seeks.
While he does his best to find the answer, the impactful events he experiences along the way will reveal more about Raiden and his nature than the strange assortment of characters he meets on his overland odyssey.
Ultimately, The Journey is a story that no matter how far you run, your demons always follow.
“Mark T. Rasmussen rewards readers with a fascinating tale of transformation. 5-stars!” – K.C. Finn (Readers’ Favorite)
INTERVIEW
Is There a Message in
Your Novel That You Want Readers to Grasp?
Yes, and it’s that men struggle with life,
too and also need emotional support. While they might be dealing with less
issues than women have to deal with on a day-to-day basis, men equally have
their problems. More often than not, men have even less support than their
female counterparts. If more people got around men, adolescent guys, and young
boys, and offered their support, you’d find there’d be way less problems in the
world as a result – for everyone (men & women). When I started my novel, The
Journey, I didn’t intentionally set out to have a message, but over time,
that’s what I feel came out.
Is there anything you
find particularly challenging in your writing?
Does finding the time count? I’m not sure
if I’m joking or serious. But other than that, probably the most particularly
challenging thing for me, is choosing a single idea to focus solely on and
actually sit down to write. I’m one of those lucky writers who is never short
of an idea. I have a folder full of them – some 50+ screenplays, 30+ books, and
about the same for kid’s books. I may not be able to write all of them, as much
as I wish I could. Instead, I choose the idea that resonates the most. The one
that has a clear beginning and I know the ending, that’s half the battle (and
the secret) to writing great fiction. If you know where to start and have a
clear end in mind, even if it changes, then at least you have something to aim
for.
How many books have
you written and which is your favorite?
I’ve written four, however, three have yet
to be released. Of those four, three are children’s picture books. Two of those
will be released sometime next year. Which is my favourite? I want it to say it’s
the next book I’m writing, but as that’s not finished yet, I’d say it’s this
one The Journey (No matter how far you run,
your demons always follow), which is my first adult fiction novel. Why? Because like
the title, it’s been a real journey just to get here. This book has been six
years in the making. There were times I gave up and shelved it, thinking it’d never
see the light of day. But thanks to a couple of keen (pestering) friends who
wanted to read a draft, their feedback gave me belief that perhaps it was a
decent novel. So far reviews have been highly positive and full of praise,
which feels like vindication for all the hard work and effort I put into it to
get it here.
If you had the chance
to cast your main character from Hollywood today, who would you pick
and why?
Given my main character is an Aussie
wandering the U.S, then it’d be Heath Ledger all the way! Alas, we lost him way
too early. While I’d love to have a Chris Hemsworth, Hugh Jackman or Eric Bana,
they wouldn’t be the right fit. So I’d have to go with either Ben Mendelsohn – one
of the single best actors Australia has ever produced. Though at 53, he might
be “aged” out of it. Noah Taylor might be a good fit, rangy, just the right
amount of self-deprecation. Outside of an Australian actor, Ryan Gosling or
Jake Gyllenhaal, but rarely do US actors master the Aussie accent. But Brit,
Benedict Cumberbatch could pull it off. It’d be between Ben & Benedict for
me.
When did you begin
writing?
My earliest memory is when I was in Grade
4 of primary school. I remember writing a story (which I forget what it was
about), and that story then being voted the second best story among several
other classes who competed. I then wrote on & off through high school but
never seriously. It wasn’t until I hit my late twenties that I started to write
more in a professional manner when I began working for a music entertainment
magazine writing CD reviews and interviews. I took myself back to school,
studied Professional Writing & Editing, continued on, did a playwright
course, went to Rio and sat in on a workshop with Academy Award winner Marc
Norman (Shakespeare in Love), moved onto screenplays, went to L.A for five
years, and then onto Toronto, which is where The Journey first appeared.
It’s been a steadily building process, that has taken me several decades.
Today, as a published author, I actually feel like I am finally a writer!
How long did it take
to complete your first book?
The Journey took me just one
month to write the first 50,000+ word draft! It then would take six more years
before it would be a published novel. It’s been quite the journey just to get
here. There were periods in there where I’d edit and rewrite it, creating new
drafts, then completely leave it. Come back, have another go, then shelve it.
It wasn’t until early this year (2022), that I finally upped my game, and hired
a professional editor, proofreader, cover designer, and interior formatter,
that I kept forging ahead. What you see in front of you, is six years of
dedication and perseverance. I hope you enjoy it.
Did you have an
author who inspired you to become a writer?
No, not really. I’ve read a tonne of
different authors and genres, from J.R.R. Tolkien (Lord of the Rings)
through to Paulo Coehlo (The Alchemist), Yann Martel (Life of Pi)
Gregory David-Roberts (Shantaram), Dan Brown (The Da Vinci Code),
Gillian Flynn (Gone Girl), Taylor Jenkins-Reid (Daisy Jones & The
Six), to even Dr Seuss (Oh, The Places You’ll Go), along with my
wife Jennifer Juvenelle’s phenomenal debut (Daughter of Belial), and
everything in between.
I guess, in some small way, each has inspired me along the
way with their dazzling words and magical stories, but no one specific author
as such.
What is your favorite
part of the writing process?
Coming up with the ideas. I mean, who
doesn’t love that? You get to go off into your vivid and creative imagination,
create worlds, characters, stories from scratch, and get to act like God. It’s
amazing! My only problem is, I have a LOT of ideas, so sifting through them to
choose the best one, is a process in itself. Ha ha! But yeah, that’s my fave
part because you can throw anything out there, let your imagination run wild,
and see where it takes you. So much fun!
Describe your latest
book in 4 words.
Adventurous. Riveting. Transformative.
Intimate.
Can you share a
little bit about your current work or what is in the future for your writing?
My next adult fiction novel, is called The Last. It has a kind of sci-fi bent to it, but is still literary
fiction at its core and is a novel very much grounded in the here and now. The
Last explores humanity and its destruction of the world in big & small
ways, all seen from the eyes and experiences of ‘the last’ Martian who comes to
earth to see out his final days. Needless to say, The Last is big on
current global events, yet is steeped in heart and love. I’m really excited to
get back into it once the launch for this novel is over. Several ideas have
been percolating in my mind and I’ve already gotten a few chapters written.
There’s actually a special advanced preview at the end of The
Journey, letting readers into the beginning of
that world. It’s my hope that readers who really enjoyed The Journey (No matter how far you
run, your demons always follow), will stick around to see how I’ve progressed as a writer
and intend to further my author career. I’m genuinely excited by everything I
hope to achieve with The Last.
Outside of that, I’ll be releasing my first two children’s
picture books (Mama Dada Love, and Everyday I Love You). One has already been illustrated and is almost ready to be
published. I hope to be able to continue writing both adult fiction and kid’s
books, because I enjoy the contrast. I also get to use my brain in different
ways.
Then beyond that, there’s a screenplay called ‘Walls’ that has been gnawing at me for about two plus years now.
That’s one I will be writing with my beautiful & brilliant author wife, Jennifer Juvenelle. We’re both super psyched for that one. We’ve already
fleshed out a synopsis, have several scenes written down and believe it’s a
story that every woman and man needs to see on screen! One we believe, will
bring light to an otherwise dark topic. So yeah, got quite a bit on my creative
plate between now and then but the future looks very bright.
MARK T. RASMUSSEN is an Australian author born by the sea, cultivated in the city, formed via the world. Previously a professional journalist and editor, Mark now writes evocative, thought provoking subject matter for his adult novels and screenplays, and fun, captivating, thoughtful books for children. An avid adventurer, he currently lives in a remote Mexican seaside-jungle village with his beautiful & brilliant, author wife, and youngest son, finding it an idyllic piece of paradise to read, write, and love. For more info visit: MarkTRasmussen.com
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1 Comments
Hey, thanks for hosting me My Reading Addiction, I greatly appreciate it. Loved your interview questions. I hope your avid readers & followers enjoyed my answers and are keen to dive into my book and discover more about it. Cheers and Merry Christmas! Hearts, Mark T. Rasmussen xo
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