Wednesday, July 16, 2014

Straight from the Mouth of 'Shiloh's True Nature' D.W. Raleigh

D.W. Raleigh was born in the Delaware Valley and has spent most of his life in that region. He has attended multiple colleges and universities collecting several degrees, including an M.A. in Philosophy. After toiling away for many years in various unfulfilling jobs, he began to realize that what he really wanted to do was write. Scribbling down ideas and little short stories he eventually came up with something he wanted to share with the world. Thus, Shiloh’s True Nature was born. D.W. currently resides in Newark, Delaware with his longtime love, Judy, and their two cats, Lovie and Cheepie.

About the Book

When 12 year-old farm boy Shiloh Williams is sent to stay with his estranged grandfather, he discovers a mysterious new world inhabited by ‘Movers’. The Movers live in symbiotic harmony with one another, except one extremely powerful Mover who has stolen the town’s most precious artifact, the Eternal Flame. Shiloh investigates his supernatural surroundings, makes new friends, and begins to think of the town as home. However, just as soon as he starts to fit in, he realizes his newfound happiness is about to come to an abrupt end. One decision and one extreme consequence are all that remain.


Questionnaire:

Thanks for letting us interrogate you!  Can you give us a go-for-the-gut answer as to why you wanted to be an author?  

I always wanted to be an author, just not of fiction.  I was on my way to getting a PhD in Philosophy and thinking I’d teach and write related subject matter.  However, life pushed me in a different direction.

Tell us (we won’t tell promise!) is it all it’s cracked up to be?  I mean what are the perks and what are the demands? 

I don’t know what it is cracked up to be, but my life hasn’t changed much.  The first novel is coming out now and I’m working on the sequel.  Perhaps if it sells a million copies, I could answer that more colorfully. To date, I’m still waiting for perks.

Which route did you take – traditional or self-published – and can you give us the nitty gritty low down on what’s that like?  

I went the traditional route after looking unsuccessfully for an agent to take on my work.  I am pleased with how things have turned out with Hobbes End, my publisher.

Tell us for real what your family feels about you spending so much time getting your book written, polished, edited, formatted, published, what have you?  

My family is 100% supportive of everything I do, writing or otherwise.

This is for pet lovers.  If you don’t own a pet, skip this question, but do your pets actually get their food on time or do they have to wait until you type just one more word?  

I have cats, Lovie and Cheepie…they have food and water available to them at all times regardless of what I am doing.  Now, attention is another matter.  I have to keep the door closed while I am writing.  Otherwise, little feet will be traipsing across the keyboard while I try to type.

This is for plant lovers.  If you don’t own a plant, skip this question, but if you do, are they actually still alive?  

My houseplants are alive, but they never seem to thrive.  They’re always over or under watered…and the damn palm plants always seem to have those brown leaf tips.  I need to read a book on plant care.

In writing your book, how did you deal with the phone ringing, your family needing dinner or your boss calling you saying you’re late?  

The majority of the book was written late at night, so none of those things really applied.  Now, that I’m writing the second book, I seem to be working more during the day…but I’m dealing with everything okay; ignore the ringing phone, order a pizza, and tell the boss her watch is fast.

What was the craziest or insane thing that happened to you in the book publishing process?  I got a rejection letter from a publisher a year after I had already signed on with my current publisher, Hobbes End.

How about the social networks?  Which ones do you believe help and which ones do you wish you could avoid? 

All of them and all of them.  Social media is a double-edged sword.  It helps get the word out, but it can also be an annoyance.

Book sales.  Don’t you just love them (or lack of?)?  How are you making the sales happen for you?  

Interviews, networking, and word of mouth…and hopefully some really good reviews.

What is one thing you’d like to jump on the rooftop and scream about?  

The fantastic set of interview questions from the good people at straightfromtheauthorsmouth.blogspot.com.  If you couldn’t tell, I don’t have a great answer for that question.  However, should I have something jump up on the roof and scream about, you’ll be the first to know.


Okay, too much sugar for you today!  Here’s a nice cup of Chamomile tea and come on over and sit under the cabana and watch the waves roll in.  Now…can you tell us what you love about being a published author and how all those things above doesn’t matter because it’s all part of the whole scheme of things and you wouldn’t have it any other way? 

I love creating stories and being published just validates my Walter Mitty-ness.  And, the truth is, it is all part of the scheme of things and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

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