Ask the Author: Richard Taylor

“My series: Eden Lost, Return to Eden, and Almost Eden has been republished and a new website is available at https://richardtaylorbooks.com/
” Richard Taylor

Answered Questions (7)

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Thank you for your service. I am going to look for and read your books because I am weak with the Vietnam history and need to strengthen my knowledge. I am particularly interested in "Homeward Bound." I have a friend who never forgave Jane Fonda for her actions during the war which he said cost the life of some of his friends who were POWs. Is this true?
Richard Taylor I'll never forgive Jane Fonda either, or see her movies. I believe your friend to be correct. I hope you enjoy "Home Bound". "Prodigals: A Vietnam Story" covers my two years in Vietnam. I think you'd enjoy that as well.
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Where did you get the idea for your most recent book?
Richard Taylor The Eden series, Eden Lost, Return to Eden, and Almost Eden, were inspired by my tour of military duty in the Philippines. The close relationships and deep cultural differences of our countries, as well as the long, complicated history is fertile ground for story telling.
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How do you get inspired to write?
Richard Taylor I'm inspired by reflection on places I've been and events. I look deeply in how I was affected by those and find characters better able to carry the story than myself. My seminal book, Prodigals: A Vietnam Story, is the only writing where I placed myself at the center. I'm more comfortable with adapted characters. Historical fiction is my favorite venue.
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What are you currently working on?
Richard Taylor I have a biography written but can't complete it until I find some time to spend in the National Archives completing research. I finished it but my reviewer for a college publisher criticized the insufficient amount of original documentation. This one falls closely in line with my novel Eden Lost, which is set during the Philippine-American War.
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What’s your advice for aspiring writers?
Richard Taylor Write what you know. At least something about the subject. Sometimes you don't know much until you've done lots of research. But combining personal knowledge and research is most valuable.
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What’s the best thing about being a writer?
Richard Taylor The best thing about being a writer is the flexibility to pour yourself into something you enjoy. If you don't enjoy it--don't try to be a writer. Most difficult thing is finding and protecting uninterrupted quiet time to write without interference.
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How do you deal with writer’s block?
Richard Taylor I don't remember ever having writer's block. Sometimes I get stuck on where the story is going, but then I do more research and sometimes listen to the characters. My stories are character driven and often they take me in unexpected directions.
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