Today I have the pleasure of interviewing Independent Author Al Boudreau, author of In Memory of Greed.
LP: Good morning Al, and thank you for being my guest today.
AB: Good morning, Linda. Thank you for having me.
LP: Let’s jump right in. Tell us a little about yourself. Where do you live now, and where did you grow up?
AB: I grew up in Southwest New Hampshire and moved to Southern Maine about eight years ago.
LP: Do you feel that the environment you were raised in has any effect on your choice of genre?
AB: My environment allowed my creative spirit to grow, as I spent a great deal of time hiking, canoeing, and camping with some very colorful characters.
LP: Sounds like a perfect life to me. When and why did you begin writing?
AB: I started writing about eighteen months ago in order to begin a new adventure in my life. Ultimately, writing will become my second career and life’s work, if all goes as planned.
LP: Share with us what inspired your first book.
AB: My first book, “In Memory of Greed,” was inspired by observations pertaining to big business and bigger government taking advantage of the middle class. Members of the middle class are people who really make our country great. To eliminate corruption and wrong-doing, I feel there must be a chorus of voices. I consider my writing to be a voice in that larger choir.
LP: As member of that middle class, Al, I’m even more interested in reading your book now. I personally love book titles, and I’m often amazed at how well a title fits the book. How do you come up with your titles?
AB: The title is a summary of the plot subject matter. It also represents a hope; that by making our voices heard, greed and power, for powers sake, can have a spotlight focused on them, making it untenable for those who abuse their positions to continue.
LP: I hear comments all the time that readers “just didn’t get it” when describing certain books that attempted to convey a message. Is there a specific message in your novels that you’d like the reader to grasp?
AB: My specific message to my readers is, take a good, hard look at what’s going on all around you. Don’t believe all you read in the papers or see on tv. Rather, dig deeper and seek the truth. It’s there, if you choose to see.
LP: How much of your book is realistic or based on real life issues?
AB: My book is based on real life issues. I feel, if I’m to achieve my goals as a writer, my readers should be entertained and enlightened about important issues which adversely affect us all.
LP: When did you first consider yourself a writer?
AB: Writing is something I’m passionate about. I will feel like a true writer when I am able to do it full time and balance everything it takes to do so successfully.
LP: Do you have a specific writing style?
AB: I don’t feel I have developed a specific writing style, as my experience is limited. Hopefully, I will grow into that as my body of work expands.
LP: If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?
AB: Though I read many books by authors I admire, I don’t necessarily have a mentor. Amanda Hocking provides me with inspiration. She is so successful and talented, yet grounded and approachable. She is a true professional and I am so proud of her.
LP: I believe Amanda is an inspiration to all Independent Authors. I’m picked up on the fact that, like me, you’re an avid reader yourself. What book are you reading now?
AB: I am presently reading ‘Sankofa,’ by Wyatt Bryson.
LP: Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest?
AB: I am highly anticipating all three of L. M. Stulls works, and an upcoming novel by Marni Mann, called ‘Memoirs aren’t Fairytales.’
LP: If you had it to do all over again, would you change anything in your first book?
AB: In my humble opinion, any author who says they wouldn’t change things in their first novel is not being critical enough … a resounding yes!
LP: Are you currently working on a new book, and if so, can you share some of it with us?
AB: I have begun a detailed outline of my next novel. The title is yet to be determined. The plot deals with social unrest and the governments nefarious plans to deal with it.
LP: You’ll have to keep us updated on your progess. What has been the most challening part of writing your current work in progress?
AB: Time is the most challenging part of writing my current WIP. As an indie author, promoting takes up the bulk of my time lately.
LP: Who are your favorite authors and what is it that really strikes you about their work?
AB: I don’t have a favorite author. Someone who I respect a great deal is Dan Brown. The research required to write a novel like ‘The DaVinci Code’ is truly staggering. My hat’s off to him for that reason.
LP: Do you actually travel to the places you write about?
AB: I feel I must travel in order to convey the true nature of the locales in which my characters do their thing. I feel it provides color and richness that research alone does not.
LP: Do you design your own covers?
AB: I only have one cover and I did design it. I took the cover photo in Africa and completed the cover design as well.
LP: You did a great job. What was the hardest part of writing your book?
AB: The hardest part of writing my book was re-writing my book three times. It was a painful, but necessary process.
LP: I hear you there. I’m getting ready to start the first rewrite of my current WIP. Do you feel that you learned something from writing your book, and if so, what?
AB: In the process of writing ‘In Memory of Greed,’ I learned what to do differently with my next novel. As I write, I feel there should be a tremendous amount of growth from one book to the next.
LP: Do you have any advice for other writers?
AB: I don’t feel nearly experienced enough to be doling out advice. For myself, I try to read other authors works and learn from their talents.
LP: Is there anything specific that you want to say to your readers?
AB: I feel that we should all try reading genres outside the ones we generally gravitate toward. You never know what you might like until you try it. I hope a large percentage of female readers will give my Mystery/Thriller a chance, as the women in my novels are smart, savvy people who get the job done, despite the obstacles they encounter.
LP: Love smart/savvy women. Thank you, Al, for sharing with us today. I look forward to reading and reviewing your book in the near future. I hope when your new book is ready for publication you’ll drop me a line and stop by to update us.
AB: Thank you, Linda, for the opportunity to share with you today and I’ll definitely let you know about my upcoming releases.
Don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m looking forward to reading In Memory of Greed.
Ready to download a sample or buy now?
http://amzn.com/B004L2LJ94
http://tiny.cc/2d76v
http://amazon.co.uk/dp/B004L2LJ94
