Could You Tell Us About Yourself ?
I am a retired executive from a Fortune 100 Company, and I have also authored novels. My writing stems from my life experiences, my historical research, and my time in Israel.
What made you write your book (s) ?
Today there is a disturbing amount of misinformation about the middle east conflict and that prompted me to write a novel which I titled OF LESSONS LOST.
I still had to do quite a bit of research, because i wanted the fiction to be based on unlikely but real historical events. I just invented the characters that acted out a play written with a taste of reality, and I think that makes it all more interesting.
A few examples include how the Irish helped hungry holocaust survivors at the end of Worldwar two. I had never heard anyting about that before, and I thought readers would find that fact interesting as well. Or how an Arab peacemaker had to play a secret role to avoid retribution by his own family.
What’s your favourite book ?
My favorite book is Hemingways’ FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS. Hemingway had an original style, characters that I cared about, a love component, impactful battle scenes, and more. But some of his later books I found tiresome and lacking. I still read them because I had enjoyed Hemingway and wanted to get a full understanding of his collection and writing styles. And, if I could spend a day with Hemingway, I’m sure i’d learn something while enjoying more than one cocktail.
How do you celebrate when you finish your book?
I never really feel I finish a book because I seem to always find something that needs improvement. It is when the book is printed that I can no longer do a rewrite or edit— that’s when I accept that i’m really done with it.
Where do you get your idea (s) for your book (s) ?
I get the idea from my own imagination and my personal experiences interacting with different people, or hard situations and failures, or events that happen to me or I have read about. Sometimes I wake up with a brilliant idea, and then realize it’s not so brilliant, but i can improve on it.
How many hours a day do you write?
I write as time permits, so it takes me years to complete a novel.
Do you try more to be original or rather give readers what they want?
I try to be original. And what I’m sure is original can sometimes turn out to not be so original, but that is rare.
What kind of research do you do and how long do you spend researching before beginning a book?
I do a little research by reading news events, opinions, what others tell me, but most of it comes from my own life experiences and my imagination.
How did publishing your (first) book ?
My first book was sent to a publisher who would edit for a fee and publish if he likes the end result.
How do you develop your plot and characters?
The plot and characters come from my own imagination, so some of it is based on my life experiences or dreams.
What’s your favourite and least favourite part of publishing your book (s) ?
Finding a publisher is difficult and reworking manuscripts can be tiresome, but the reward of finishing a novel makes it all worthwhile. Someone once likened it to a drug addiction. The most fun was writing “the end.”
What do you hope your readers take away from your book (s) ?
I would hope readers not only enjoy the book as readers, but gain more insight to the real history of the Middle East. I have heard comments about gaining insights from a few readers. I have received some very favorable comments and ratings from Amazon’s Readers. And that makes it all worthwhile.
Where can people who are interested in your book, buy your book ?
OF LESSONS LOST is available on Amazon, and can be ordered from Barnes and Noble and other book stores. It is also available internationally.
Fred Snyder Media Links
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