AN INTERVIEW WITH STEVEN BALE

Question 1 :Please let me know something that you believe in OR few punchlines from your books?

Answer : To quote a character from my novel, Ketchup & Carbonara: “To trust your beliefs is noble. To surrender them is love.” Thus thinks Alex when he is confronted by one of the most difficult decisions in his life: should he turn his back on everything he ever believed for the sake of love?

Question 2 :Are you happy about being an Author?

Answer : Writing is a fumbling attempt at creating something that is already graceful without words, and since I enjoy describing the beauty of this world, I am happy while I fumble.

Question 3 :What’s your inspiration as an author?

Answer : Here’s a quick post from my FB page to answer:

Question 4 :What are the best things or positive things about your stories ?

Answer : Seeing characters struggle with their decisions is the best part of story telling. Creating tension is key. Without it, writing becomes verbiage on a page.

Question 5 :Which book or books have you published and which are in pipeline?

Answer :Ketchup & Carbonara is my debut novel, scheduled for release in May, 2021.

Question 6 :How to deal with a  “Writer’s Block”?

Answer : Music and movement is a fantastic muse. When I’m feeling stuck, earphones go on, music is blared, and I place myself in the character’s position.

Having said this, I have to say that it is VITAL that you have a well defined character. Blocks usually come from a weak character that has no expanded history, values, or beliefs. These profiles should be sorted out before writing begins. Not necessarily perfectly, but a good knowledge of their fears and motivations is very important. Then, a writer doesn’t have to guess what a character will do. Their fears and beliefs will tell you what they will do.

Question 7 :Any “Top tips” for writers starting out?

Answer : Write everyday. Period. No exceptions. Even if you write two sentences. Write. Schedule a time of day when your creative juices are most potent. For me, mornings are best. Dreams are still memorable, which means that the subconscious is still open. Once the day gets long, the rational conscious mind becomes stronger, dulling inspiration.

Question 8 :What are the problems that you have faced in your Author journey?

Answer : Finding publishers! Ha! Dealing with rejection. Ouch! Getting used to feeling inadequate. I think we all feel that at a certain point.

Question 9 :How did you approach the writing process? Do you have a set routine or does it vary?

Answer : Set routine, but if I find my mind is ready to write, I sit down and do it. Even if it’s two AM.

Question 10 :For you , what makes a great story ?

Answer : Pace. Tension. A defined quest. Surprises. These are the things I look for. I despise exposition. With a passion! Get to the point, or an author loses me. I don’t need to know that a protagonist’s jacket is pale blue, not the pale blue of a midday sky as seagulls fly through, but the kind of blue that exists only when the heather blows from the hills of a craggy cairn by the Pacific as the mists join the morning sun and travel to the heavens, where dust and light are embraced by sparkling distant space. (Actually, that’s not bad). But it needs to stop there! No more menti0ning of blue!

Question 11 :What Genre of Books do you create and Why you chose it ?

Answer :Romance and Science Fantasy. I write these genres because I love love, and I love unusual powers that lead to spiritually satisfying conclusions. I guess I enjoy a good moral dilemma, and these are often represented in these two genres.

Question 12 :Where can people contact you ?

Answer :

Web: stevenbale.com

FB: @stevenbalebooks

TW: @stevenbalebooks

Question 13 :Any final parting advice?

Answer : Never give up. The road is hard, but when you finish the journey, you’ll be one of the few to stand on top of the mountain from where you’ll be able to announce to the world: “Many have failed. But I prevailed!”

It feels damn good.

But remember: never sacrifice time with your loved ones for writing. Time is something we can never get back, so when they call, make sure to answer. It is too easy to push loved ones aside for the sake of art, but often art is an egotistical endeavor, and should never stand in the way of the most perfect art of all: LIFE!