Ask the Author: Frederick Aldrich
Answered Questions (9)
Frederick Aldrich
Churchill's Folly
Frederick Aldrich
The greatest mystery that touched my life sprang from a night I spent in the ruins of Machu Picchu. It is to my recollection the only Inca site where the sacrificial stone remained unbroken by the Spaniards, for the simple reason that they never found Machu Picchu. It wasn't until 1911 that Hiram Bingham, after a long and arduous trek through the Andes, spotted the ruins atop a distant peak.
With thick mist floating in the darkness around me, I lay down on the sacrificial stone and found myself thinking about what it must have been like centuries ago when poor souls with only minutes to live lay on that very stone. The distinct sensation that Inca spirits were about was overwhelming, and I found myself wondering how they might view my intrusion.
No one knows where the Inca who inhabited those ruins went, and the mystery of what became of them lingers with me to this day.
With thick mist floating in the darkness around me, I lay down on the sacrificial stone and found myself thinking about what it must have been like centuries ago when poor souls with only minutes to live lay on that very stone. The distinct sensation that Inca spirits were about was overwhelming, and I found myself wondering how they might view my intrusion.
No one knows where the Inca who inhabited those ruins went, and the mystery of what became of them lingers with me to this day.
Frederick Aldrich
Sheherazade and the Sultan - because she kept his knife from her neck for 1001 nights by telling beguiling tales. Has to be the ultimate story teller not to mention a very self-possessed woman.
Frederick Aldrich
I use a spreadsheet for convenience. I write down all the possible directions a character or events could take at a given point in time. Gradually I delete those that don't work. I use it as a Timeline too so that I can find what I want without going through a lot of text.
Sometimes it's good to just write when it's not going well. That can lead you to unexpected paths. But you should be aware that it can also lead to deleted chapters.
Sometimes it's good to just write when it's not going well. That can lead you to unexpected paths. But you should be aware that it can also lead to deleted chapters.
Frederick Aldrich
It's like being a kid. You get to make stuff up. But it's also full of surprises. You may think you control the narrative, but at times it takes you in a direction you did not expect to go. When it does, enjoy the ride.
Frederick Aldrich
Be determined and steadfast.
Be patient.
Never give up.
Ascribe the sometimes unkind remarks of others to human nature and move on.
Be patient.
Never give up.
Ascribe the sometimes unkind remarks of others to human nature and move on.
Frederick Aldrich
I am working on a novel set in the very near future, a future in which virtually all that we say and do can be observed and recorded. We are precariously close to that now. I am discovering distressing things in the writing of the novel such as the great difficulty of escaping the attention of those who wish to watch us.
Frederick Aldrich
I sit down.
Seriously, there are so many fascinating things to explore, that I find inspiration wherever I look. I am a voracious reader of current events in all fields and get many ideas from what I see around me.
Seriously, there are so many fascinating things to explore, that I find inspiration wherever I look. I am a voracious reader of current events in all fields and get many ideas from what I see around me.
Frederick Aldrich
As with my first novel, Absolute Zero, my most recent novel, The Doomsday Diary, sprung from what I perceived as a threat to our country.
I should probably add that unlike the comment of one reviewer on Amazon, I am not at all xenophobic, having lived in several countries and traveled widely. I also lived for eight years with a Siamese twin from Thailand.
My concern for our safely simply relates to the fact that there are those who do not wish us well.
I should probably add that unlike the comment of one reviewer on Amazon, I am not at all xenophobic, having lived in several countries and traveled widely. I also lived for eight years with a Siamese twin from Thailand.
My concern for our safely simply relates to the fact that there are those who do not wish us well.
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