AUTHOR INTERVIEW: George Duncan

Another great interview!

See why George chose writing over golfing and why he's still trying to balance both interests.

What got you interested in writing?

The desire was always there. Think I wrote my first short story at the age of ten. It wasn’t very good but it foreshadowed a career. And even at that young age, I had a suspicion that my golf was not good enough to get me on the PGA tour – which was my first career choice.  So I had to do something else.

 How and where do you write? Do you prefer a laptap? Write freehand?

I have a small room in the house I use as an office. My computer is there. I don’t like a laptap. I would never write freehand because even I can’t read my writing. I would never have any idea of what my characters were saying.

What’s your favorite part about writing? Your least favorite part?

The favorite part is you believe you have a scene nailed, or when your character says a witty line that you know will get a laugh from the reader. I recently got a wonderful review on Amazon from a MENSA member on my treasure hunting tale, “At Play in the Seas of the Lord.” She basically said the themes of good and evil, the action and adventure, the characters, all were splendidly done. That makes your day. The least favorite part about writing is it keeps me away from the golf course.

How do you come up with your characters? Why would your readers want to get to know them?

They sort of spring up. I don’t outline my books, which is actually a very good idea but I’ve just never been able to do it. So I just come up with ideas as I go along. I think the two protagonists of “At Play,” Harrison Craig and Coral Delaplaine are likeable, intelligent people who everyone would like to know. Craig has a wit and Coral looks great in a bikini and has the faith of an apostle. Who wouldn’t want to get to know them?

What type of marketing do you do to promote your novel?

Being a former newspaperman, once in a while I get a newspaper who will  provide a brief story. Others will brush you off. Then there’s the social media, which I am not skilled at.

How do you schedule your writing time? When do you write?

I write when I can drag myself away from the golf course. Or from watching baseball during baseball season. I am slow in the morning so generally I start about ten. Write until noon, take a break and generally to a health club and get back to writing when I return.

What are you currently working on? Have a new book out?

I have two new books out. Two political action thrillers “The Scorpio Directive” and “The Wyoming Apocalypse.”  If any of your readers are old enough to have seen the classic British television series, “The Avengers” with Patrick MacNee and Diana Rigg, the books are something of an homage to that incredible show. I will soon be writing the third novel in the series. The first publisher turned “Scorpio” down because, alas, one group of villains were actually Muslim terrorists. Gosh, imagine that nowadays.

Do you have a project on the back burner?

I’m a history buff and my back burner project is a novel called “Order of the White Rose” and could be summarized as the “Three Musketeers during the Reformation.” Actually I have four Musketeers (one a female) and the novel takes place during the time of Martin Luther and William Tyndale.

What would you tell a beginning writer who wants to publish but believes he doesn’t have enough talent.

Back in my youth I remember three best selling writers – Harold Robbins, Irving Wallace and Jacqueline Susann. They were all awful. And I mean really, truly awful. Gore Vidal said of Susann “She doesn’t write. She types.” Which was true. Chances are you have more talent than they did, so don’t give up.

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Thanks George!

Learn more about George at: http://www.endtimestavern.com