A Bloody Hot Summer by Trevor D’Silva

5/8/2020

Multi-volume author, Trevor D’Silva, introduces us to his latest novel, a wonderful, murder mystery set in England in the early 20th century, “A Bloody Hot Summer”:
It’s 1927 and Great Britain is sweltering in an unprecedented heatwave. On the morning after her eightieth birthday party, Lady Fitzhugh is discovered bound and butchered in her bed, with her family and staff the prime suspects...
Whilst holidaying at nearby Meadowford Village, Detective Dermot Carlyle is asked to help investigate the brutal murder. The clues all point to a robbery gone wrong, but Dermot suspects that there is more to the horrific crime. The Fitzhughs’ secrets take Dermot along a path linking some of the biggest events of the British Colonial Empire – from India to Africa, to the dark days of the Great War itself.
As more murders take place, Dermot is racing against time to discover the killer’s identity. What are the family hiding, why did Lady Fitzhugh have to die, and what horror was committed in the colonies that led to this trail of death and deceit?

This story is such a delight! An English murder-mystery in the tradition of one of the finest authors in the genre. I can’t imagine any person who enjoys this type of reading being disappointed in some way.
The author has proven he is a journeyman writer in all accounts. His handling of important aspects such as plotting, action and dialogue are masterful. His scene-setting and narration is elegant. I find nothing to complain about. Not even a single spelling error popped up to irritate me as I read.
I award 5 stars to “A Bloody Hot Summer”! Well done, Mr. D'Silva, well done!

You can buy this book:
https://smile.amazon.com/Bloody-Hot-Summer-Trevor-DSilva-ebook
https://www.goodreads.com/-a-bloody-hot-summer
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/a-bloody-hot-summer-trevor-dsilva

You can follow the author:
http://trevordsilva.com
https://twitter.com/TrevorDAuthor
https://www.instagram.com/trevordauthor
https://www.pinterest.com/trevor_dsilva
mailto: [email protected]
https://www.facebook.com/Trevordsilvaauthor/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/trevor-d-silva

I reviewed Trevor’s other book: https://www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/fateful-decisions-by-trevor-dsilva

Tags: British fiction, murder, mystery, international, the Great War, Boer War, South Africa, crime, action, detective, Scotland

Copyright © 2020 Mark L. Schultz except for the author’s introduction

62 Comments

Trevor D'Silva link

5/10/2020 10:55:17 pm

Thank you Mark. I appreciate the time you have taken to read the book and also to write this wonderful review. I'm glad you enjoyed the book. Hope you did not figure out the killers before the ending.

Mark

5/11/2020 09:51:57 am

You are welcome, Trevor. I did not figure out who the killers were. It was wonderfully convoluted with so many suspects.

We started a great conversation in the interview of "Fateful Decisions", the link for that is just above. We are going to pick up that chat where we left off.
Dear reader, feel free to jump to that portion of the interview and then continue here or just start here.
New questions.
Do you have a newsletter you send out to fans? Why or why not?
If you do have a newsletter, which mailing service do you use? Is it the same one you started with or not? Why?
Have you ever thought of adding music to your books, like what the characters listen to or they went to a concert as a plot point?

Trevor D'Silva link

5/11/2020 05:01:27 pm

Do you have a newsletter you send out to fans? Why or why not?
No, no newsletter. Just don’t have the time. I do post announcements on my website and also on social media.

If you do have a newsletter, which mailing service do you use? Is it the same one you started with or not? Why?
No newsletter.

Have you ever thought of adding music to your books, like what the characters listen to or they went to a concert as a plot point?
Yes, I did. In the first book Fateful Decisions, my characters at the end of the novel are dancing to Sing Sing Sing, and Glen Miller’s Moonlight Serenade. I’ve even mentioned that they sing songs like Knees Up Mother Brown, and Auld Lang Syne.
In this book, I thought of mentioning a song or two, but felt that it was not required and I should just stick to the plot.
In my next book, which takes place in the 1960s, I will mention a few songs from that era. Many good songs were made then especially in the late 50s and early 60s and I think mentioning a few of those songs will make the readers connect with the characters even more, especially if they grew up then.

Mark

5/11/2020 05:03:37 pm

A newsletter can be a good part of a marketing plan, with a mailing list of several thousand, many publishers are far more inclined to consider an indie author's book. It represents near guaranteed sales to a publisher. The downside is it either takes time away from writing or money to have someone else handle it for you.
Nonetheless, setting aside an hour or two every couple of weeks to work on marketing builds results over a period of time in small steps.
New questions.
What can you tell us about your new WIP? Do you have a title in mind?
How did you know when "A Bloody Hot Summer" was finished?

Trevor D'Silva link

5/11/2020 05:31:16 pm

What can you tell us about your new WIP? Do you have a title in mind?
The new book is set in the 1960s. I’ve just started it, so cannot say much as I’m not sure how it will proceed. But it will be a historical fiction novel like Fateful Decisions. So, anybody who likes books about hippies, the counter culture revolution and the Vietnam War, then they would like reading this book.
Not sure about the title as I haven’t decided what it should be.

How did you know when your book was finished?
With A Bloody Hot Summer, I know that the book is finished because the killers are caught and all loose ends are tied up. That’s the way murder mysteries usually end.
With historical fiction novels, it depends on where you want to end it by choosing the setting and time period. If the ending is a happy or sad one, that decision is totally yours to make. Usually, I know what the gist of my novel is and I try to work using that as a guide, but if I find something interesting during the time period and I can incorporate that into the novel, then I would extend the ending a bit. However, you don’t want to bore the reader by extending the ending unnecessarily and using an event totally unrelated to the gist of the novel.

Mark

5/11/2020 05:47:09 pm

That is the period I grew up in. I even moved off the small farm in a small town to San Francisco. That was some serious culture shock. That was also the period of the Jesus Revolution, I was part of that.
You did a good job of wrapping up ending for this book, I was very satisfied.
New questions.
Did anything in the book come as a surprise while you were writing?
How long does the research process take before you start to write a book or do you do the research as you write the book?
How much time passed from when you got the idea to write your book; then actually starting to write the book?

Trevor D'Silva link

5/11/2020 07:03:42 pm

Did anything in the book come as a surprise while you were writing?
Not really. I learned about the tonic (I’ll let the readers discover the name when reading) only when researching topics related to tonics with small traces of substances which in large doses can kill a person. What fascinated me was that the tonic was prescribed to people for more than 150 years and then it was discovered that it causes cancer and other health issues and now it is no longer prescribed to patients.
In terms of the historical events, I knew about the topics I was writing on and did not learn much or nothing surprised me as I uncovered more.

How long does the research process take before you start to write a book or do you do the research as you write the book?
I actually started the book before my debut novel was officially published in 2017. I had a lot of ideas to write many books as I was getting my education, and this novel was also brewing in my mind along with Fateful Decisions and other novels. So, I knew how I wanted the novel to start and in what direction to proceed. I researched as I wrote the book and then changed certain things to suit the gist of the novel.
With the internet it’s faster to research various topics. If you had to do it like in the pre-internet days by going to a library and searching for topics, then that would take longer than usual. With the internet, you also come across various topics by accident and that gives you more ideas. But as always since it is the internet, it is always good to double and triple check as anyone can post anything on the internet.

How much time passed from when you got the idea to write your book; then actually starting to write the book?
Depends on situations in life and also time. The most important factor is time. If you have a lot of time and nothing restraining you in terms of commitments like work, family, school and other things, then you can start immediately. Also, it depends on how your brain functions and gives you ideas to put down.
With A Bloody Hot Summer like I mentioned above, it was brewing in my mind for a long time. I just had so many commitments to fulfill and also wanted to write my debut novel first, since that was first idea I had and I’d already begun writing it many years ago.

Mark

5/11/2020 07:33:43 pm

There are many substances that are beneficial in minute amounts, but harmful in large doses. Much of life is like that, excess can lead to harm. Moderation in all things seems like a good idea.
I remember spending hours with encyclopedias and books from the libraries when doing research in school. It was so easy for me to go down a rabbit trail and wind up very far from my beginning. I still do that, but not nearly as much as before.
New questions.
Do you keep a log of book ideas? No more than a page or two of notes about whatever is pertinent and sparks your imagination?
How long did it take you to write the first draft?
How many drafts did you go through to have a ready-to-publish manuscript?

Trevor D'Silva link

5/12/2020 03:13:31 am

Do you keep a log of book ideas? No more than a page or two of notes about whatever is pertinent and sparks your imagination?
I have a log book given to me by my cousin. I should start using it, but I usually write on scraps of paper or envelopes. I just write a few words or sentences. They help to jog my memory.

How long did it take you to write the first draft?
I would say nearly a year of continuous writing. Of course, I change stuff and also add more to it if and when I get additional ideas. But all that depends on time and personal commitments

How many drafts did you go through to have a ready-to-publish manuscript?
Probably like 2 or 3. With WORD it is easier to change stuff. So, I don’t really keep track of drafts per say, but I make sure that things are saved and that it is suitable to send it to the editor. After that obviously more changes are made and when people read it and offer suggestions, you have to decide to follow their suggestions or not. You are always working until the last minute to make your manuscript perfect.

Mark

5/12/2020 09:27:33 am

The first draft is just getting the story out of your head, So all kinds of changes are to be expected. I think it's important to get it down on paper, no matter how good or bad it is. You can't edit a blank page.
I expected you to say a higher number than two or three drafts. But as you say, changes are happening constantly.
New questions.
A lot of new authors struggle with finding beta readers. Because, after the first draft is done, fresh eyes and feedback become very important.
Do you have alpha-readers and/or beta-readers to help you smooth out a lot of wrinkles before publishing? If you don’t, why?

Trevor D'Silva link

5/12/2020 06:30:54 pm

A lot of new authors struggle with finding beta readers. Because, after the first draft is done, fresh eyes and feedback become very important.
Do you have alpha-readers and/or beta-readers to help you smooth out a lot of wrinkles before publishing? If you don’t, why?

Yeah, if I were to count every time, I made changes to my document, I think it would be around 8 or 9 drafts. I try and get everything into it the first time, so that time and energy is not wasted later to insert certain portions which will not be compatible with the rest of the chapter or with some of the characters. So, I’m thinking ahead most of the time and not trying to rush to finish it.
In terms of Alpha readers, my mom I guess could be that. She helps to smooth out some major errors and to use better words. I also go through the manuscript many times
Now finding a reliable editor is very hard. After the almost disastrous editing done by the editor for my first book, I had to find someone who would be very reliable. I wanted someone who was British since my book was set in England and I used British English to write the book. I also needed someone to do the Cockney and Scottish accents. Finally, I found Dr. Angela Stokes, and we worked well together. She went through the manuscript and pointed out places which needed some work and also places which were not clear. So after I agreed, she edited the book, and made her recommendations. I also hired a British proof reader from an agency, who proofread the manuscript and then her boss went through her work. Both of them made recommendations.
In reality, the greater the number of fresh eyes that read the manuscript, the better. Since my eyes and that of my editor’s are very used to the manuscript, it is hard for us to find each and every mistake. It is also a good practice to read some sections aloud and see if the grammar and punctuations are correct. Also, putting the manuscript aside and reading it after a day or two is another good way to enable your eyes to spot more mistakes.
It is a lot of work, but it is very rewarding in the end as you know that you and others did their best to make the manuscript as close to perfect as possible. You also end up learning many new things.

Mark

5/12/2020 07:16:55 pm

Yes, it takes multiple drafts to polish a book into presentable condition. The more sets of eyes you can get on your book the better.
I think that was genius to hire British editors and proofreaders. That explains why an American can write such a thoroughly British story. I love it.
The longer that you can put a manuscript away the better. Two days is good, two weeks better, and two months even better. That distance works in the author's favor. Even more so if the author has another project to on, that keeps the creative juices flowing. I am a firm proponent of reading aloud also.
New questions.
Do you belong to any writing groups, virtual or otherwise?
Are there any writing groups for the genre you write in?

Trevor D'Silva link

5/12/2020 09:30:57 pm

Do you belong to any writing groups, virtual or otherwise?
No. None whatsoever

Are there any writing groups for the genre you write in?
Yes, there are, but I’ve not joined any. I am a member of Crime Writer’s Association, but that’s in the United Kingdom. It’s not a writer’s group, but more of a association for writers who write crime fiction.

Mark

5/12/2020 09:41:50 pm

That was easy. One of the hazards of conducting a live interview. There are no wrong answers, but some are short and some are long.
New questions.
Going back in time, did you do any kind of creative writing, even back in grade school?
How early was it that you realized how powerful words can be?

Rhani D'Chae

5/12/2020 09:40:40 pm

Hi, Mark. I thought I would pop in and check out this review. It looks like an excellent book, and I will have to take a closer look. 😀

Mark

5/12/2020 09:43:44 pm

Hi Rhani,
Thanks for dropping in. If you like murder mysteries in the classical vein, you will love this. The clues were there, but I was stumped all the way to the end.

Mark

5/12/2020 09:44:12 pm

I hope you enjoy the book.

Trevor D'Silva link

5/12/2020 10:16:59 pm

Thanks Rhani. I hope you enjoy the book. Please leave reviews on Amazon, Goodreads and B&N if you can. Also, if you have questions, please feel free to get in touch.

Trevor D'Silva link

5/12/2020 10:25:50 pm

...via my contact page.

Trevor D'Silva link

5/12/2020 10:13:54 pm

Going back in time, did you do any kind of creative writing, even back in grade school?
No, we never did any creative writing. I was born and raised in another country. So the way of teaching was different. We did have to write essays. Maybe once or twice we had to write stories in class just for fun. I did provide stories for the main school notice board once in middle school and once in high school.
I wrote short stories when I was at home. I guess they’ve been lost while clearing things out.

How early was it that you realized how powerful words can be?
I had always heard the quote, ‘the pen is mightier than the sword,’ and was told that with words you can make changes or stir up people towards a cause. It was only when reading biographies of certain historical figures that I really understood what that meant. I was probably around eleven or twelve.
They even say that words can hurt more than physical violence. Well, that depends on who you ask, but words are very powerful and can be used to manipulate people and history.

Mark

5/12/2020 11:17:42 pm

Education can be conducted quite differently in other parts of the world.
For a long time, I didn't realize how widely English was taught in so many different countries. Either as a second language or as the language of business and government. The country you were born and raised in, they must have taught English also.
Seeing your work posted on the school bulletin board must have been proud moments for you.
Words can have an impact long after the wounds have healed. There is no doubt about that in my mind.
New questions.
What is the most important thing you learned from publishing your latest book?
What are three things, that you wish you knew before you wrote your first book?

Trevor D'Silva link

5/13/2020 02:06:50 am

What is the most important thing you learned from publishing your latest book?
I learned how important it is to some or many of the readers to have the book written using show and don’t tell technique. The events should take place in real time, like as if the reader is seeing what is taking place through the eyes of the characters rather than through summarization and description by the author.

What are three things, that you wish you knew before you wrote your first book?
One is that the book should be written using the show and don’t tell technique. Another is that some readers would like to have more information on the characters to feel a sort of a kinship with them. Third, I got the title of one of the characters wrong. This was told to me by someone who walks in those circles. Therefore, many people even in England would not even know that. So, unless you are one of the upper classes, you wouldn’t know that it was wrong.
I mean it is not possible to please everyone, but you do the best you can to make your book interesting and to incorporate all the suggestions. Luckily before publishing we managed to include the feedback we received and made the book better. But still, there will be some picky readers; you just cannot please everyone. Part of life, I guess. Got to take the good with the bad.

Mark

5/13/2020 09:31:27 am

There is a balance between show and don't tell. Anything that isn't important to the plot and is common to people and activities of daily living can be told; walking out of the house and driving somewhere can be summarized in one or two lines, as long as it's not a plot point. Showing everything would get boring very fast.
Fleshing out important characters is crucial, unless the reader can understand what crisis is driving the protagonist out of their comfortable life, the reader may lose interest.
Correct, we do have to take the bad with the good.
New questions.
Do you have a hero, real or fictional?
Why and how did you choose this particular time period?

Trevor D'Silva link

5/13/2020 03:55:41 pm

Yes, I agree with showing everything makes it boring and some people easily get bored because of that. But there are some people who want a lot of showing. I discussed that with my editor and we decided that certain things should be shown and other things should be kept short and to the point. Therefore, it is all subjective.
Do you have a hero, real or fictional?
Well growing up obviously we have our own fictional superheroes, but all that changes with time. Right now, I would say it is General George S. Patton. Recently, I saw two movies about him. The actor George C. Scott, did a good job portraying him in both movies.

Why and how did you choose this particular time period?
Because I grew up reading Agatha Christie novels set in that time period. Also, many movies about murder and crime are set in those times. According to me, the period between 1900s to probably the early 40s or 50s was the hey day for murder mysteries in England, especially novels and movies set in the 20s and 30s. Probably, since the upper classes were still very much active, it ads a certain flavor to the mystery.
I also chose that year because I wanted certain people to be alive who survived the 1857 Indian mutiny and the Second-Angle Boer War in South Africa. Since you’ve read the book, you know why those two events were very important.

Mark

5/13/2020 04:12:50 pm

There are so many aspects of writing and reading that are subjective, I might even say every aspect is subjective. There is no universally loved book, every book has an audience and a non-audience, the readers who are unlikely to be attracted to a book will leave a poor review if any, if they read the book out of curiosity.
That period of time is interesting in multiple ways, especially for Americans because we divorced ourselves from a monarchy and peerage a long time ago; now many of us are fascinated by the royal goings-on. Downton Abby is a good example of that. Many of us realize our roots were from the UK.
New questions.
What are some challenges to writing Historical Fiction?
What happens when your historical sources don’t agree?

Trevor D'Silva link

5/13/2020 06:22:18 pm

What are some challenges to writing Historical Fiction?
Well, historical fiction is very difficult to write because first of all, when you are using history as a background it has to be correct. You cannot change history to suit your characters or the gist of your story. Although I’ve seen they do that in movies. I don’t agree with it, because people who have no idea about a certain event depicted in the movie, will end up believing it to be the way it actually happened. So it is misleading. You don’t want to mislead anyone.
Another challenge would be that you have to tailor your conversation to the events to make it authentic by making the reader feel that the event has an effect on the character. Now coming back to show and don’t tell, you have to describe the event or the scene in such a way that the reader feels that they are witnessing that event first hand.
So, there are a lot of challenges, because you have to understand the scene properly in order to write about it involving your characters in a very convincing manner. Therefore, a lot of time and energy goes into researching various accounts or sources and you have to combine them all just to make one scene. It takes practice. Does not happen overnight.

What happens when your historical sources don’t agree?
When it comes to a point when two or more sources do not agree with one another, you can make a decision whether to leave it out, or still incorporate it into your novel. If you think that event is vital to your story, then try and find other sources which confirm any of the earlier sources. I would go with the ones which are similar to each other. Of course, on the internet anybody can put anything on there, but you have to train your mind to see what is actually true and what is just made up. It is not easy to do that, and like I said earlier, a lot of time and energy goes into researching historical events.

Mark

5/13/2020 07:09:45 pm

You aren't kidding, Hollywood takes all kinds of liberties with facts, historical and otherwise. Camera angle is quite important in telling a story, also. Sometimes what they leave out is more important than what they included.
I would hazard to guess that major events are easier to work with, because the author has a good idea how most of the population reacted to an important event, whether local or elsewhere in the world.
It's very true, good writing makes easy reading and is difficult to accomplish in the beginning.
Find other sources is a good idea, trying to achieve some kind of majority opinion sounds like a good plan.
I would imagine that at some point an author has to check the background of the writer of something on the internet. Verifying sources must be easier in the internet age.
New questions.
What kind of Historical Fiction do you prefer?
Real persons in a fictional setting or fictional persons in a real historical setting?
Do you write notes by hand or on the computer?

Trevor D'Silva link

5/13/2020 10:44:57 pm

What kind of Historical Fiction do you prefer?
I prefer historical fiction from the Victorian period to the end of WW2. I find those times very fascinating. Initially did not like WW1, but now, I think that period in history too is very interesting. I do like ancient Roman and Greek history, and Medieval history. I may try later to write a novel set in those times. No plans to do that right now as I think you need knowledge of medieval English. I also like history of the British empire.

Real persons in a fictional setting or fictional persons in a real historical setting?
Mostly real and fictional persons in a real historical setting.

Do you write notes by hand or on the computer?
Both actually. I sometimes scribble notes on an envelope or whatever I can get so that I can put down my ideas in writing before they vaporize. In some cases, I type my ideas on the computer.

Mark

5/13/2020 11:16:13 pm

I have to agree, those are interesting periods of time. Each for their own reasons, as far as I am concerned.
One author I enjoy a great deal is Assaph Mehr. He writes historical fantasy fiction. His world building is carefully built upon a certain period of the Roman empire, (sorry, I don't recall which one) and adds a layer of magic, hence the fantasy part. The world he builds is quite good and very authentic.
I find I make notes digitally and analog also. Sometimes I make a voice memo on my phone.
New questions.
What is the most valuable piece of advice you have ever received from another writer?
What has been the biggest surprise in your writing journey?

Trevor D'Silva link

5/14/2020 04:45:31 pm

What is the most valuable piece of advice you have ever received from another writer?
I haven’t really interacted with other writers. Only one writer who read my book, told me that it would be better to describe the protagonist in such a way as to make the readers feel that they can relate to him. For example: The protagonist could probably have a disabled wife or an abusive family member.
In my story, I wanted to make my protagonist come from a loving family, so I didn’t want to put anything negative about him or his family other than his father being a veteran of the Second-Anglo Boer War, which later helps Dermot to solve the case. I just wanted to put what would be relevant to the story. But apparently people like to read something negative about the protagonist because in reality, life is not always a bed of roses. Also, I wanted to focus more on the mystery rather than the background of the protagonist, which had nothing to do with the mystery. I guess different people have different views on what should and shouldn’t go into a book. Like I said before it is all subjective and you cannot please everyone.
Another piece of advice I got (not from writers) from readers is to have more contractions and not write very formally.

What has been the biggest surprise in your writing journey?
There have been several surprises, but the biggest I think would be how much work goes into editing the book and also marketing it. Many people think that once the book is published, you are all done and can lay back and let the royalties roll in. In reality, if you’re not yet a famous author, you have to spend the money to market your book and don’t forget your time. It is hard to do that when you have a full-time job and other responsibilities. Marketing the book and even writing another one at the same time is like another full-time job or two. In many cases, you spend more money, but depending on the contract, you hardly get any of that money back in royalties.
Also, I’ve noticed that at book signing events, there are people who are sarcastic and rude. They say a lot of nasty things. Now, one of my fellow authors who uses the same publisher told us that someone once asked him, “Don’t you have anything better to do with your life, instead of writing a book?” (something similar)
I think that is a very nasty thing to say especially when a lot of time and energy goes into planning the story, writing and also editing it. Some people just don’t think about these things and act like writing a book is no big deal. They probably think it is like writing an essay or a term paper in college. I guess ignorance is not always bliss, but makes you look stupid.

Mark

5/14/2020 05:10:14 pm

That advice was not necessarily bad, it just didn't fit your book. I think you made the right choice. Every part of the book has to work together like finely-tuned engine. Every word must earn its place on the page.
Contractions, that is an interesting observation. I didn't even notice the lack of contractions.
Your list of surprises is classic, almost every author experiences the same shock. Like a beautiful swan, you might seem serene and calm above the surface while paddling like crazy underneath.
I have been to a number of book events to meet authors, I have never heard of someone being so rude. That is a nasty thing to say to a person. No one who has written a book would say that.
New questions.
What are common traps for beginning writers?
Do you think a strong ego is an asset or liability for a writer and why?

Trevor D'Silva link

5/14/2020 07:53:21 pm

Those people who say nasty things to authors are not at big book signing events, but at smaller ones at bookstores where you are the only author. Of course, you meet all sorts of people at any event, but some people don’t know how to behave or show a little respect.

What are common traps for beginning writers?
I would think trying to imitate the authors whose books you read as a child. I think the style of writing has changed over the years. Also, people want everything to be interesting from beginning to the end. In the older books, I feel that the authors tried to make their story very realistic by putting in boring parts and of course very interesting parts. The conversations in those older books were also closer to reality, by which I mean a mix of boring and interesting dialogues. With current readers the dialogues have to be very interesting.
I like my books to be very realistic, but I guess we have to sometimes make compromises to suit the needs of the readers. But not always.
Another one is trusting an editor too much. There are some very good editors who value their work and their business and do a good job. Then there are others who are in it for just the money and not bother to do a good job. One thing some writers think is that the editor will do a good job and not bother to check the corrections made. That is wrong because no matter if an editor is good or bad, they are also human and make mistakes. In some cases, they may not understand why you wrote a certain section a certain way, and they will change it to what they think is the correct way. In another case, they may change the names of certain buildings because they’ve never heard of it. So, always check your editor’s work and ask them why they made certain changes you don’t agree with and after listening to what they have to say, you can decide whether to make the changes or not. So, you have to work together with your editor and also check each and very time. Also, as mentioned above give a break for a few days and check again and also let someone else check the work too, so that more corrections can be made. A good editor will be humble and not try and contest your views unless they have to and even accept someone else checking the manuscript.

Do you think a strong ego is an asset or liability for a writer and why?
It can go both ways. I’m guessing by strong ego means you’re confident of yourself and you can take some criticism and adapt. But adapting to too much to any reader’s or writer’s expectations can take away your own unique style of writing. I think it is good to have your own style of writing and not try and be like someone else because others expect that of you. I find it weird that people always compare one author to another by saying he or she is not like this particular famous author. I mean nobody can fill the shoes of that famous author as that author was/is a unique person. In the same manner nobody can fill your shoes.
I do think that it is good to listen to all sorts of advice and criticisms and then decide what suits you the best. Remember you cannot please everyone.

Mark

5/14/2020 08:14:53 pm

That is good advice about dealing with an editor. They should have a reason for every change made.
Myself, I prefer to not make changes, but to use the Comment feature built into Word. I suggest what I think will work best whenever I can. I do a lot of fact checking also. In the end, it's the author's choice to use my suggestions or not.
I agree, it's a bad idea to try and write like another author, in most cases. For the beginning author developing their own style is important. I think readers make comparisons because they like a certain style and want to feed their appetite for that style as much as they can. It can be a compliment to be told your style is not like that of a more famous author.
A healthy amount of self-confidence is necessary to get far or last long in the writing business. An author will hear no a lot, especially if they pursue traditional publishing or an agent. Traditional publishers are running scared, the business has been turned upside down and inside out by Amazon. So many of the big and medium publishers are gone, either closed or bought up by a competitor. Their profit margins have shrunk so much, they almost never take a chance on an unknown.
You can't please everyone is very important. it leads into our next question.
Can you describe the demographic of your ideal reader?
Who is the person most likely to buy your book?

Trevor D'Silva link

5/14/2020 10:19:43 pm

Can you describe the demographic of your ideal reader?
Well not sure, since I don’t get to see people who buy the books online. I would say that they are older people, more likely boomers. The last book signing I had, the store did 12 copies of each novel. I thought my murder mystery book would sell first, but it was my debut novel Fateful Decisions that sold first. I noticed that many people who bought that book were older, some even from the Silent Generation who were children during the 1930s and 40s and remember those days in which the book was set in.
For A Bloody Hot Summer, I think it was a mix. So, not sure which generation of readers were more capable of purchasing the book.

Who is the person most likely to buy your book?
This book probably a person of any generation who likes murder mysteries or the crime fiction genre. Most of the younger generation, are more into fantasy and other genres which I haven’t tapped into. So, they would not likely buy the book.

Mark

5/14/2020 10:30:41 pm

I think there are analytics to be found from Amazon about the people who buy your books, or maybe it's from Google. I don't recall. I have noticed blogs about that sort of thing. That information might help you target future advertising or promotion efforts.
New questions.
Do you have anything you consider to be your writing lucky charm?
Do you struggle with writer's block, if so, how do you overcome it?

Trevor D'Silva link

5/15/2020 12:54:30 pm

Do you have anything you consider to be your writing lucky charm?
No, not really. I just look for good information and sources to inspire me. I guess in that way the internet is my lucky charm as it opens up to me a wealth of information and also gives me many new ideas. Of course, books, articles, interviews and documentaries play a good part in providing me with information and ideas.

Do you struggle with writer's block, if so, how do you overcome it?
Yes, writer’s block is normal for every writer. Your brain cannot always give you ideas. I guess that it is telling you to give yourself a break or probably write another scene which will come later in the novel. I usually take a break and let my mind give me ideas when it is good and ready. There is no point staring at the manuscript because you are wasting time and also getting more frustrated. Do something important like wash dishes or clean your apartment or house.
I guess writing another scene is another way to spend your time wisely. Sometimes writing a later scene can give you ideas about another section and also probably for the section you were trying to write. So, it is a hit or miss that when performing certain tasks can give you better ideas or the inspiration to write what you were working on.

Mark

5/15/2020 01:04:59 pm

Lucky charm or not, the internet is an endless supply of interesting information. Have you ever heard of damninteresting.com? It is a full of strange and unusual tidbits from all over the world, most of it historical matters.
Writer's block happens to most writers for certain. You mentioned several good ways to overcome it. I have recommended to authors in the past to have more than one project to work on at a time, as a good way to work around the silent muse. Short stories and competitions are another fruitful avenue.
New questions.
Do you see an advantage of writing under a pseudonym, why or why not?
If you branch out into a different genre, will you use a pen name, why or why not?

Trevor D'Silva link

5/15/2020 05:21:36 pm

Do you see an advantage of writing under a pseudonym, why or why not?
Not sure, because some people get by using pseudonyms. I asked about doing that and was advised against doing it, because I was told if some people were interested in my work and tried to contact me, then they wouldn’t find me at all.

If you branch out into a different genre, will you use a pen name, why or why not?
Not sure. As mentioned above I was told that it could go against me. Also, my books are multigenre and they come under the umbrella of historical fiction.
Agatha Christie wrote some popular romance novels starting in the 1930s under the pseudonym Mary Westmacott. I think it was only in the 1950s when someone did an investigation into who this lady was and discovered that Mary Westmacott was really Agatha Christie. He spilled it to the newspapers.
I’ve heard that probably why she wrote under that pseudonym is because she wanted to tell the world why she disappeared for a few days in 1926. There was a nationwide hunt for her and people thought that she had been murdered. She sort of hinted about that in one of her early romance novels using the pseudonym. Who knows how far that is true!

Mark

5/15/2020 05:44:00 pm

I hadn't heard that reason before. If I wanted to reach an author, I would contact the publisher if there was no other way.
In today's cyber world, some authors set up a different website for each pseudonym and the associated book. I know one author that did that and then brought all of the pen names under a central website. I would imagine they were hoping for some readers to investigate the other genres.
That is an interesting story about Agatha Christie. It reminds me about Amiee Semple McPherson, a fascinating personality and forward thinker. She disappeared for a period of time. When she resurfaced, she never explained where she was, to my knowledge.
New questions.
Are there any issues that are peculiar to writing this historical fiction that might not apply to other genres?
Do you read books in the genre you write in, so you are aware of what is going on in that genre?

Trevor D'Silva link

5/15/2020 08:18:42 pm

Are there any issues that are peculiar to writing this historical fiction that might not apply to other genres?
I think historical fiction is based on accurately depicting it. You don’t want someone who knows history very well writing a review that you haven’t done your research properly, thereby losing your credibility. Of course, history is always written by winner and the truth can be distorted based on what they want you to know and what makes them look good, but it is what they have recorded and so we rely on it. Even in crime fiction, you have to research about poisons and also the human anatomy or the way the mafia works. In these two cases you can make up a fictional town, city or village. You can also make up your own country, but nevertheless, you have to research if the novel is related to crime fiction or historical fiction. I guess if you make up your own country it would be more like a fantasy novel, and most of the history can be made up.
I’m not a romance writer, but I have included some romantic stuff in my novels to make it more interesting. In such cases, I don’t research, but I have a general idea of how romance works from reading novels and watching movies, or from what people tell me.

Do you read books in the genre you write in, so you are aware of what is going on in that genre?
Yeah, I’ve read historical fiction and crime fiction novels, but lately, I am very busy and have no time to read novels, maybe only at bed time. Sometimes, I do not even have time to read novels at bed time. In some cases, I’ve taken more than a year to finish a novel. From what I see now, many people like novels that are suspense and thrillers. So authors like Brad Thor and James Patterson are very popular.

Mark

5/15/2020 08:48:16 pm

That makes a lot of sense, research is paramount in historical fiction. It sounds like a hist-fic author needs to do enough research to completely understand the topics. So if a reader comments about a controversial issue, the author can respond with a reasoned answer.
I have heard from many authors that reading in the chosen genres is very important to keep up with the trends and know what people are buying.
New questions.
Are there any writing styles or genres that you disliked at first, but soon came to like?
Do you think watching movies or listening to music help you be a better writer?

Trevor D'Silva link

5/16/2020 05:14:59 am

Are there any writing styles or genres that you disliked at first, but soon came to like?
When I was very young, I did not like reading at all. Then I think my late grandmother told me to read the Readers Digest and I developed that love for reading. Soon I started reading Hardy Boys and also books by British author Enid Blyton, which then turned into books by Agatha Christie, Sidney Sheldon and other authors of that time. They and some movies, inspired me to become a writer.
As an author I’m open to various writing styles because being an author and finding a way how to communicate the message through your style is not easy. So, I try and understand why the author wrote that particular way. I guess when you experience the other side of things, it makes you realize how difficult it really is and you develop respect and tolerance for it. It was the same experience when I taught college. People think that being a teacher is easy. Take it from me, it is not. You have to deal with lesson plans, grading exams and homework, planning assignments and exams, students, their concerns, and other things. So, I developed more respect for my teachers.
There have been books, which bored me to death and I did not finish them. Some of the descriptions were disgusting and the stories were too farfetched. So, instead of wasting time, I thought it best to set them aside. I’m not into fantasy novels. I like real life characters to whom I can relate to. I cannot relate to a dragon, an owl or a space alien, although I did love the Star Trek series from the 60s.

Do you think watching movies or listening to music help you be a better writer?
Watching movies or documentaries about people and events give me good ideas.
Music, soothes me. I listen to older music from the 50s to probably the 90s. Mostly to music from the 50s and the 60s. Sometimes I even listen to music from the 30s and 40s. I guess I like songs or music when people actually had to have talent to sing, and dressed nicely and respectfully, rather than having tattoos and piercings, and dressing very badly (almost naked) like modern so-called singers do. Also, no synthesizers or computers were used to cover up bad voices and no foul language or profanity of any kind was allowed. I believe that music should soothe the heart and the soul and should be natural and not loud.
Now, since I’m writing my third book, which is set in the 1960s, I am trying to find songs from that era to put into my novel. Also, in the early 60s, The Twist was very popular. So that dance will surely be in my novel, unless I change my mind. I have put songs to which the characters dance to in my debut novel Fateful Decisions. Those were songs from the 1940s.
I guess judging from my taste in old music and movies, and the era in which I write about; I’m an old soul.

Mark

5/16/2020 09:55:35 am

Well, Trevor, you are talking like an old guy, an old guy in a young body. I guess that classifies you as an old soul.
You are quite correct. Experiencing life from a different vantage point causes a person to have more respect for what others before have gone through. Most teachers put in many hours outside of the classroom. They have to wear many hats, just as the indie author does also.
I grew up in the 60s listening to a lot of the music from the 40s and 50s. I listened to a lot of music in the 70s and was surrounded by music in the 80s. After that my involvement dropped way off.
I agree with you about music today, there isn't nearly as much talent utilized as in the past.
We must be a couple of grumpy old men. We should make a movie.
New questions.
What type of book is your favorite guilty pleasure to read or listen to, just for fun?
Have you ever read a book that changed the way you look at writing?

Trevor D'Silva link

5/16/2020 09:28:31 pm

Yeah, according to me music started dying off in the late 60s due to bands who started screaming and it really went down with heavy metal and other genres coming into scene in the 80s, where all you had to do was sing something, but only have good music. In the 90s the music went from worse to worst in today’s world.
Yeah, I would love to make a movie someday.

What type of book is your favorite guilty pleasure to read or listen to, just for fun?
Murder mystery books, crime fiction and also historical books. I like watching movies about those three genres as well. I also like action packed adventure movies. Something like rescuing people, stopping the spread of diseases, catching criminals, and also finding lost treasure.
I’ve never done audiobooks. Prefer to read and may be watch a movie about the books. But I do know that Hollywood and even the British movie industry use artistic license to change some part of the story and even the ending. They also obviously cannot have every scene in the book because of time and budget constraints for the movie

Have you ever read a book that changed the way you look at writing?
No, I just listen to the constructive criticisms from my editor and reviewers and make changes. Basically, I have my own style of writing, which is derived from many books I read, written by various authors.

Mark

5/16/2020 10:08:56 pm

Movies are wonderful, and writers can learn from screenwriters and playwrights about writing scenes that are descriptive and brief. I have recommended to more than one author to take a class in screenwriting.
Movies really do condense a story, they are never as good as the book, as far as I am concerned.
I like audio books, when I can speed them up. Because at regular speed I can't keep my focus for long. Running playback at 1.4 or 1.5 times the normal works good for me.
Every author has a unique style. Some writers are afraid to read books in their chosen genre, because they are worried they might copy another writer, inadvertently. Personally, I don't think that is a real problem. There are only a few different story lines, but every author will bring a different story out in their own way.
New questions.
Would you agree or disagree with the statement: suffering is a requirement to be a good writer, and why?
What were your intentions or your goals when you wrote this book? Do you feel you were successful in getting that message across to the reader?

Trevor D'Silva link

5/17/2020 03:53:17 am

Would you agree or disagree with the statement: suffering is a requirement to be a good writer, and why?
Never heard of this statement, but I think it is very true. If you are working a full-time job and then writing after work, you have no social life. It also depends on how long you want to take to write it.
It is very tiring and the time and patience you need to change your draft several times and then take advice from your editor and make more changes. Then after it is published, you have to market the books so that it gets attention and also have a set budget. In some cases, you have to pay reviewers to review your book or to send the book by mail, since they like only hardcopies. If you want your book to be in competitions, you have to pay between $65 to $100. Maybe even more! If you don’t win, then all that money goes down the drain. And after all that spending you hardly get anything back in royalties, which the publisher sends to you after they take the lion’s share of the profits. If you have an agent, they take 15%of the royalties.
I recently saw a video of a former literary agent, and she said that she had to work a full-time job in order to pay off the mortgage and to support her family. Then she would work as an agent after coming back tired from her full-time job. Most of these agents do not get a salary, unless they get a senior/ full-time position in the agency. So, their source of income is what they take from the royalties the author gets. Therefore, it was not worth it after putting in all that time and effort just to get a few dollars even though she loves helping authors to publish their books. Now, if a literary agency gave her a full-time job with a good salary, she would gladly take it. Her video really shocked me, as I never knew it was that bad trying to become a well-established agent. The fact that anyone has to work for free is not right. That is slavery. So, being an agent is not really glamorous unless like us authors they too make it big. Agents do not help to market you book; only to get it published and to negotiate the contracts.

What were your intentions or your goals when you wrote this book? Do you feel you were successful in getting that message across to the reader?
My intentions or goals while writing A Bloody Hot Summer, were to make people aware of the colonial history of the British Empire. Also, I wanted to show that the sins a person commits can always come back to haunt them and those sins can also harm their own descendants and even innocent strangers alike. Also, I wanted to show how trying to blackmail someone to get money or any valuables will lead you to your own demise.
I think I was successful in communicating all of the above messages to the readers. Of course, I don’t write in the book about what I want the readers to get out of the story, but the readers should pick them up, as they read the book and learn from those messages.

Mark

5/17/2020 09:32:29 am

There can be a lot of suffering as an author, no doubt. You paint that picture quite well. There are so many down-side things to not being an independently published author. Royalties is a big one. Loss of control of your Intellectual Property rights is another. Some publishers will try to take many of your IP rights or all of them, if they can get you to sign their contract. It's important to have a lawyer look at a contract, which is another expense, of course.
There are a lot of contests for writers of all kinds. The entry fee can be expensive. Some contests exist to collect entry fees, there can be a risk of loss of IP rights here also. Anne R. Allen is one of my favorite bloggers, she has written an excellent post about contests: https://annerallen.com/2019/05/beware-bogus-writing-contests/ Sorry, this is not a hotlink.
I didn't realize some book bloggers want a hard copy of a book. It is easier to show the book that way, I will admit.
That video by the ex-agent is shocking, I didn't know their working conditions were like that. I guess I didn't think about it.
The history of every society is marred by greed and violence of different types. Human nature is the same everywhere. Without self-control of some kind, humans think of themselves first.
New questions.
Do you ever brainstorm with non-writers and if so, is it effective?
What was the best money you ever spent as a writer to enhance your career?

Rhani D'Chae

5/17/2020 11:59:37 am

You are so right about the imbalance between what a writer puts out and the royalties they usually receive.
Of course I want to make money from my writing, that is a given. Lol But I now look at promotional opportunities differently than I used to. I no longer expect to "immediately" recoup money spent on marketing/promotions from resulting book sales. I now see marketing as a way to increase reader awareness and build a reader base. The money will trickle in, one or two sales at a time. The bigger picture, and the one that I am most intrested in, is that people who have never heard of me will read my promoted book and then come back to read the others. If that happens, I figure a promotion or marketing plan has been a great success!
Promoting your books is a very hard road to travel. If I can help in any way, please let me know. I would be happy to host you on my blog and add you to my Twitter promotions. Writers need to stick together. Lol The more we help each other, the more we all succeed. 😀

Trevor D'Silva link

5/18/2020 02:07:27 am

Hi Rhani, Thank you for the comment. Sure, I would love to be interviewed for your blog. I have no blog. I'm thinking of starting an interview page on my website, and then interview other authors. I may probably ask you how you set yours up. I tweet, so I can promote you that way. Most of the people who follow me are vegans. So they do not retweet. If some book followers or authors see my tweet, they will most certainly retweet my tweets.

Mark

5/17/2020 01:26:10 pm

It's good to see you again, Rhani. That is a good perspective, the long view. I think that can help a lot to relieve the worry and stress many writers feel about sales. A little bit like investing in the stock market. It's the long ride that makes the real money.
Thanks for making that offer also. You are so correct, writers need to stick together and help each other out. The real competition is found in the mirror, making each book or story better than the last.

Trevor D'Silva link

5/17/2020 06:43:21 pm

Yes, it’s all about the money and whoever said that money is the root of all evil knew what he was talking about

Do you ever brainstorm with non-writers and if so, is it effective?
No, I never do that and never will with non-writers or writers. It leads you down a path where people can sort of make you their puppet and you have to dance to their tune. Especially with family or friends, if they give you some ideas, and you don’t put them in the book, they will be angry and upset and make a big deal about it. Some will also rudely tell you to your face that you asked for their opinions and it was a waste of their time; they will never give their opinions ever again. So why suffer all those indignities!
I decided early on that I would write about topics I wanted to write about, and will incorporate details, which I think are important. I don’t want anyone to own me. I guess it comes from me always being told as a kid what I could and couldn’t do and things were prioritized for me. I was given no choice or say in the matter. Now I cannot do what I wanted since I’m older. That time is gone and what I did as I was told to do never helped me at all. Some relatives, have tried to tell me indirectly (through my mother) what not to put into my books and I said next time they say anything regarding that, I will say not tolerate it and will speak my mind to them. Not even my own mother is allowed to tell me what I should or shouldn’t write about. She does correct me sometimes about grammar and punctuation or to use better choice of words. You have to put your foot down, because once you give them the liberty to do that, they will never stop. It snowballs into a big issue down the road. It is the same as telling your boss, coworkers or maybe your parents, siblings, elders, cousins or friends that they can correct you at any time. They then go overboard by correcting you all the time, and you don’t like it. When you protest, they will put you on the spot by saying that you told them to correct you at any time. So never give anyone that power over you.
This author who writes novels set in the Medieval Era said on his contact page that nobody should email him telling him what he should write about. If they have an idea, they should take up a pen and a piece of paper and start writing their own books. I really admired him saying that since it’s like nipping in the bud of what will become a big issue later.
Now, if I’m co-authoring a book with another author, then I would brainstorm ideas with that author, because we have to be in agreement on what goes into the book. My publisher has never told me to this day what to put or not put into my novels. I will only listen to my editor about grammar, punctuation, expanding a scene or making it shorter and using a better choice of words. I think most of my ideas are good and even the editors I’ve had, never told me what to put into my novel or take out of it.

What was the best money you ever spent as a writer to enhance your career?
The best money I spent was a few weeks ago, when bookbub finally told my publisher that they were interested in marketing the electronic version of A Bloody Hot Summer for 99c on a particular day. They wanted to market the book to countries like: Canada, the UK, India and Australia. I paid half the price and my publisher paid the other half. I was surprised when I was told that there were over 600+ downloads. I really wasn’t expecting that as other electronic promotions only come within a hundred downloads. So that’s been the best investment so far.

Mark

5/17/2020 07:40:50 pm

That makes a lot of sense. Especially with the exception of co-writing a book. Thanks for being candid.
Going wide is a big deal. Getting it done is difficult for most publishers, from what I have heard. There are a lot of good blog posts about that topic, here is one that might be useful, about aggregators: Aggregators might be an author's best friend! https://www.kotobee.com/blog/everything-need-know-aggregators/ Sorry, cut and paste time again.
New questions.
With the explosion of different streaming services, these companies are scrambling for content. Writers are going to be sitting on the top of the heap soon, because they are content providers. Have you considered shopping your content to these companies?
An ebook is only one form that writing can be consumed in. Have you considered licensing large print, graphic books, plays or audio books? Audio books, in English and translated, are exploding worldwide.
I have links to both of these topics on my Highly Regarded Blogs page.

Trevor D'Silva link

5/17/2020 11:07:50 pm

With the explosion of different streaming services, these companies are scrambling for content. Writers are going to be sitting on the top of the heap soon, because they are content providers. Have you considered shopping your content to these companies?
No and I don’t think I can because once you sign a contract with the publisher, they own your book until the contract is over and even after you renew the contract. My publisher usually finds some companies or magazines who can promote but, in most cases, they charge you more than $200. I’ve stopped giving my book even for competitions, because if you don’t win you have just got nothing out of it and a lower bank balance.
If I find someone who wants to promote the e-book for free or for 99c, then I have to ask my publisher for permission and also to lower the price to either 99c or for free. They send me a list of sites to enter info about the book and also the dates when the free or 99c promotion starts and ends. If some websites let you enter the book for free, they will promote the book, only if there is a spot on the days you have indicated. That is because a lot of writers will try and use the free service. These websites promote the books on twitter and on their website.

An ebook is only one form that writing can be consumed in. Have you considered licensing large print, graphic books, plays or audio books? Audio books, in English and translated, are exploding worldwide.
I have links to both of these topics on my Highly Regarded Blogs page.
No, like I said above I have to obtain my publisher’s permission. My publisher pitches various books to an audiobook company and they select certain titles. Last year, they selected Fateful Decisions to make it into an audiobook. The audiobook is on Amazon.
Okay. Will check it out. Thanks for the info. A friend from Kazakhstan was asking me if my books are published in Russian. I told her that that was a good idea and I should ask my publisher. I did think of it a while back, but it slipped out of my mind.

Mark

5/17/2020 11:20:41 pm

Check your contract with the publisher, they may not have taken foreign language rights for Russian.
It all depends upon what is assigned in the contract. Everything else is yours.
It sounds like the promotion business is pretty difficult, in some of those aspects. I can appreciate the frustration.
Glad to hear Fateful Decisions is in an audio book, one of my best friends loves audio books. I will tell him about it.
New questions.
Do you subscribe to any magazines, newsletters, blogs or podcasts that enhance your writing career? Feel free to share as many as you would like.
What are your favorite reference books or websites for grammar and writing?

Trevor D'Silva link

5/18/2020 05:13:54 pm

Thank you for promoting my audiobook. It is still the older version of the book and I think does not have the changes I made when I renewed the contract. I just added an extra sentence or two and corrected some spelling mistakes.
Do you subscribe to any magazines, newsletters, blogs or podcasts that enhance your writing career? Feel free to share as many as you would like.
I do subscribe to some, but if I have time, I read them. One newsletter is from the Crime Writer’s Association based in England. Obviously, you have to pay to join and renew your membership every year. I do sometimes read their newsletters. They are going to publish my short story in their newsletter. I had written it for a short story contest, but did not get long-listed. I read that they were looking for short stories, and I asked them if they’d like to publish it and they said yes.
I will name a few newsletters I’m subscribed to. Crime Writer’s Association, The Wishing Shelf Book Awards newsletter, ContentMo Newsletter, my publisher Black Rose Writing’s newsletter and another one or two. Usually when I have to list my books on several websites when my publisher wants to run a promotion, I also subscribe to their newsletter.

What are your favorite reference books or websites for grammar and writing?
Don’t have books since I use the internet to find meanings of words or to use a better choice of words. I usually go to an online thesaurus to find the synonyms for a particular word. It gives me a list of words I can go through and then select which word will make the sentence better. There is also a link to see the antonyms of that word. For meaning/definition of some words, I just google and it shows up. I also check other sites in google just to see if the meaning is correct and how it is used in a sentence.
Another thing the thesaurus is good for, is to get several meanings of a particular word. Many people have told me it is not good to use the same word again in a sentence and also within a paragraph. Many reviewers hate that. So the thesaurus helps me choose another word which means the same thing.
For example: If I say, the crowd moved forward… Then a sentence or two later, I want to use crowd in another sentence, I would say, The onlookers were horrified at what they saw. You are saying crowd again, but just using another word. It also shows that the author has a good command of the English language.

Mark

5/18/2020 06:14:11 pm

Those newsletters help keep you in touch with your genre and the market, what readers are reading. That is wise. It might not work very well to write a book a certain group or specific event if there was a lot of public animus.
You are making good use of the resources on the internet. You also avoided homophone errors, I usually find at least one in every book, not A Bloody Hot Summer. I didn't find any errors there! Repetitive and redundant wording should be avoided most of the time. Except when it is done for a certain effect.
New questions.
Have you ever created a throw-away character that developed into a major player?
Do you ever put a story aside and come back to it at a later date; if so, how long before you return to it?
Why do most authors write in 3rd person POV instead of first and second POV?

Trevor D'Silva link

5/18/2020 09:43:27 pm

Have you ever created a throw-away character that developed into a major player?
Not for A Bloody Hot Summer, as far as I can remember. I think in Fateful Decisions, the Russian princess who was working as a dancer in the speakeasy, I think I just wanted her to disappear after sleeping with one of the characters, but then I felt that the readers should know what happened to her. So I brought her back many years later in the novel and the important part her daughter played when she tells Rachel the true story of what exactly happened. I feel not mentioning what happened to most of the characters leaves a loose end, and then some people would say that they wished they knew what happened to this particular character. I wanted to avoid all that and also incorporate the Russian revolution into the novel.

Do you ever put a story aside and come back to it at a later date; if so, how long before you return to it?
Well with Fateful Decisions, it took me 17 years to write and get it published. So, I put it aside for several years because I was studying and also working as a college professor.
With A Bloody Hot Summer, I did not want it to take 17 years. Life is short and since I’m not getting any younger, I need to write the books I want to - quickly. I worked at it for nearly two years. Actually, I started it before Fateful Decisions was published. I think I worked on this novel almost every day, unless there was something more important to do.
I think from now on, I will put in the time to finish my third novel, which I’ve just begun and also any future books I write.

Why do most authors write in 3rd person POV instead of first and second POV?
First person POV is for a story in which the protagonist is telling a story. So he would usually use “I”, “me” or “we”.
In the second person, it is usually if the writer wants to put forward a point of view to which the reader will identify it. In copy writing, it is suggested that you use the second person POV so that you are talking to the future prospect (customer) on a personal level and make the prospect feel that you really care about the prospect’s well-being and problems. So they use “you”, “yours” and “you’re”.
Third person POV is used if the author is trying to make it like an outsider is looking in as the story goes on. So they use “he”, “she”, “it” or “they”. Most authors prefer to write their novels in the third person, so that in my opinion, it makes the reader feel that he is looking at events as they happen just like watching a movie.
I’ve read books written in the first person, but those were mainly autobiographies. The rest were pretty much in the third person.

Mark

5/19/2020 09:30:21 am

The Russian dancer was an interesting plot circle to close, I appreciated that as a reader. It was a pleasant surprise.
Seventeen years is a long time to write a book. But life has a way of changing our plans without notice, sometimes.
I have found most books are written in third person. Perhaps because we are storytellers by nature. I have read some really good books that were written in first person point of view. Veronica Cline Barton has written a series of cozy murders, reviewed elsewhere on my website. She has mastered first person POV. I really enjoy her books. It is very easy to tell who is talking almost always.
Last questions.
How hard is it to pick names for your characters?
What have you learned from writing and publishing that will help you going forward?

Trevor D'Silva link

5/19/2020 07:06:44 pm

How hard is it to pick names for your characters?
Picking names for my characters is always hard for me. I don’t know why, but when I try to give my characters first and last names, I seem to draw a blank. I then have to search for names on the internet and find one which I like and give that particular character that name.
If a character is from a specific country, I research names from that country and pick one I think I like. I want that character to have an authentic name from the place he’s from, so that the readers can identify with him. Sometimes I like the first or last names of a particular actor/actress, because it sounds very posh. So one of the characters will get either that first name or last name. Therefore, a lot of research goes into naming my characters.
Now, I knew I wanted to name my protagonist Dermot, since it’s rare and I first heard it in some movie in which Dermot Mulroney acted in. I thought what an unusual name. Then I saw another movie where one of the characters was named Dermot. I like the name Carlyle, so I gave that to Dermot. I know Carlyle is a very posh name, but I thought why not give him that. There is a British actor who’s named Robbie Carlyle.
As far as Dermot’s middle name, I chose the name Lucian because of that Australian TV show called Dr. Blake and his first name was Lucien. Lucien was also my dad’s middle name. When I heard he was dying and as I was flying out of the US, on the plane I decided to give Lucien as Dermot’s middle name and Dermot’s superior would have Newman as his middle name since that was my dad’s middle name too. I thought that would be a wonderful tribute to him.
So, a lot of research goes into giving my names to my characters. In some cases, I name particular characters after some people who I like and have been very good to me. In A Bloody Hot Summer, I did not name a particular character after anyone, but gave her the personality of a character from the British TV series, Downton Abbey.

What have you learned from writing and publishing that will help you going forward?
Even though I’ve published two books, I still learn a lot every day. Even through interviews, I learn new things. I’m just amazed at how much there is to learn not just about publishing, but also marketing. I also get to learn about English grammar and writing scenes in a better way.
I liked learning English at school, but hated learning grammar. But now I see how important grammar and punctuation are. Even a comma in the wrong place can give the reader a completely different meaning than what you intended. Also, even the sentence structure is important as it too can give a completely different meaning to the reader.
I learn a lot from my editors. That is why I insist that a writer finds a good editor whom the writer can work closely with. You can learn a lot from them. It is very nice to have an editor with whom you can build a rapport with. That helps, because you develop that trust and also will want to use that editor again for any novels you may write in the future. The editor should also go through the MS as many times as possible because as mentioned earlier you cannot find errors by going through it once. They must also be open to answering questions from the writer, as they too may’ve gotten something wrong. The editor who edited my book, did a good job and the difference between this editor and the editor who did Fateful Decisions was like night and day.

Mark

5/19/2020 07:20:36 pm

I love all the thought you put into names. Many authors do something similar. Some of them go to websites that have the most popular baby names for each year or decade, going back a long way, in some cases. The tribute to your father is touching also.
With the ever changing nature of publishing, there is always a lot to learn, it seems. If you throw things like translations, foreign sales, audio books and more into the mix, there is always room for expansion and growth; ensuring long term income.
The relationship a writer has with the editor and proofreader is very important and involves a lot of trust on both sides. It can be hard to find a good match. For the reader of this interview, if you are still looking for that match, check out the lists on my Twitter home page of editors and proofreaders.
Trevor, thank you for this interview and your time. I have enjoyed this continuation of our first chat. I have another promotion to take care of now. Until next time, be well and keep writing. Your fans will be pleased.

Trevor D'Silva link

5/19/2020 08:20:18 pm

Oh yes, the writer should have a good rapport with the proofreader too. All three make a team and if one does not do his/her job correctly the whole thing comes apart. The proofreaders from England were also very nice and good at their jobs.
I have enjoyed being interviewed by you too. I also learned a lot from our interview. It made me think as some questions were very challenging. In some cases, I also had to research since I wasn’t sure of what answer I should give.
Thank you very much Mark, and I hope we can chat again when my third book is released – hopefully soon! Also, thank you for the numerous tweets you sent regarding our interview and about my book.
Have fun with your work and also interviewing other people as well and I’m very sure that they appreciate your time and also the time you’ve given them to promote their book.
Until next time!

A Bloody Hot Summer by Trevor D’Silva

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