Ask the Author: Eric J. Gates
Answered Questions (6)
Eric J. Gates
Hi Karen. That's an interesting question. Although my novels are thrillers primarily focused on entertaining my readers, they provide a good vehicle to talk about the society and values we have created for ourselves today. As an example, there has been so much change in the last thirty years, most of the medium to long term effects of which we don't really understand. I wrote 'the CULL' series to examine how we as individuals and as a society react to ur accepted values and worldview being forcibly and unpredicatably altered. You can read the novels as just an enjoyable yarn, or come away with that 'hmm' feeling as I've challenged you to look at something banal in a totally different way. Being able to write fiction that makes people think deeper about what they accept in today's world is one of many inspirations that keep me tied to the keyboard.
Your question was one of many that my readers decided to ask of me when I ran a recent competition in my newsletter for them to interview me. The result was published on my blog here: https://www.goodreads.com/author_blog...
Your question was one of many that my readers decided to ask of me when I ran a recent competition in my newsletter for them to interview me. The result was published on my blog here: https://www.goodreads.com/author_blog...
Eric J. Gates
Good question with a very difficult answer. If you look at my bio, then read between the lines, you'll see that my life has been full of 'mysterious' happenings, many of which have been, or will be, touched upon in my thriller novels. To single one out is almost impossible. Perhaps, though it's a rather sad one to choose for many reasons, there are the questions surrounding a flight I was supposed to be on many, many years ago. It went down with all souls lost. Myself and a colleague had our trip cancelled the evening before through fortuitous circumstances. Recently I was told that the aircraft may have been brought down by an explosive device, with other passengers being the prime targets. Makes you think, right?
Eric J. Gates
Assuming 'couple' refers to a non-romantic pairing too, I would have to say Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's books. An odd response, you might think, but their relationship is far more symbiotic than that of detective and biographer. If you try to imagine one existing without the influence of the other in his life, perhaps only Watson, a rather boring Watson at that, would survive the separation. The modern representations of Conan Doyle's characters don't really do justice to this delicate balance, though the BBC drama series comes closer than it's American counterpart.
Eric J. Gates
Never get it. I developed a system that helps me avoid it and which has worked successfully for me for many years. In a few words - Start at the End. Create the final scene now; that way you are always writing to a goal.
Eric J. Gates
Well... you could buy my Aspiring Writer book... ; - ) Seriously: there are a huge number of people out there who have been through all the hard times that the process has to offer and who have triumphed and realised their dream. Many are willing to share their experiences, so it's just a matter of asking.
In my specific case, just send me your questions; I'll be as helpful as I can.
And... there's always my book ; - ) at the very least, it will give you a laugh or three.
In my specific case, just send me your questions; I'll be as helpful as I can.
And... there's always my book ; - ) at the very least, it will give you a laugh or three.
Eric J. Gates
The novel I'm working on now, 'Outsourced', is an idea I've been playing with for over five years. It was born out of a saying in a book written by the founder of Tibetan Buddhism, by an old Tibetan myth that various people (including the US government and Hitler) have investigated through the years, something that has emerged out of Quantum Physics, plus some of my own Martial Arts experience. Quite a melting pot, right?
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