What inspired you to write?
I realized that I had a lousy radio voice for people to listen to, so I had to communicate in another way that was not as embarrassing and people are not able to change stations so easy if they didn’t like the sound of my words. The written word makes the sound your mind creates individually when you read it and chew on it, if the writer has skill.
What inspired you to start writing:
I had an old grey smoker’s jacket with patches on the elbows and a pipe in the pocket for some reason, that was never used. Maybe because it had a musty smell. So, I figured if I became a writer, I could proudly wear that jacket as a young man and smoke some sweet tobacco in a pipe at a French Café in Paris, and all the ladies would instantly spy me and say, “Jean-Paul, please write about me!” And of course, I would say, “But of course, ma Cherie, but you must sit down, have a drink of ze vin and tell me about yourself first.” That has not happened yet, unfortunately.
What is the most difficult part about writing for you?
That’s easy. Advertising. I am lousy at it. Also, I work full time as a physician. I am just not very good at saying, “Here I am: buy my book please, or else.” Or, perhaps, “You’re not cool unless you buy my book.”
How do you handle writer’s block?
First, I would say I have not very often been afflicted with this problem. However, one of my patients told me I should write a book about it so I have that as one of my projects. Basically, you people need to think and be decisive. Don’t stop at a word and chew on it too long. You need to do it the Navy Seal way: learn to write as if your life depends on it. You need to let the words fly out of your pen faster than the bullets whizzing by. No time to stop and edit when bullets are flying. This is an excerpt from a short blog piece I wrote: Defeating Writers Block the Navy Seal Way. Full disclosure: I was not a Navy Seal. Here is the piece you need to read for starters: You Have Writer’s block? That’s Pathetic. We Have a Program Just for You: Creative Writing, the Navy Seal Way | SR Carson
Where do you draw inspiration from?
I have a nice fairy muse with flappy, oversized butterfly wings, who I summon and she comes and sits on my right shoulder. She then whispers little ideas into my good right ear, and then stares at me to see if I nod my head yes or no. Sometimes, she will impatiently stare at her watch until I respond. If I nod no, she then jumps up to my ear lobe and bites and holds on until I give in and say yes due to the sting of her bite. I am still unclear why I ever say no, but I still do just to let her know who is boss.
How do you handle literary criticism?
I call cousin Guido. He says he will take care uh dis little problem.
When you’re writing an emotionally draining scene that is either sad or sexy, for example, how do you get in the mood?
I sometimes resort to red wine for romantic scenes and single malt scotch during the sad or intense scenes. No drinking when editing, of course. If it becomes too intense, I get up and go work out hard and get sweaty before I come back.
If your book was to be made into a movie, who are the celebrities that would star in it?
Frankly, I don’t know many of the popular celebrities anymore. However, I would say a young 45-year-old Clint Eastwood would be the best—too bad he is 92 though. He would be followed by Denzel Washington, Matt Damon or Bradley Cooper for the lead. As far as the leading lady, that would be Sandra Bullock displaying some nice southern charm.
What is the future for your characters? Will there be a sequel?
Yes, there must be a sequel. It will pleasantly surprise you though. I hint about it a little on my blog: www.SRCarson.com
What do you hope the readers will take away from your book?
There is plenty of evil in this world, often times, hiding in plain sight, and we are too naïve to see it as we go about our daily lives. Fortunately, there are people who willingly defend us against this, and are willing to sacrifice their lives for us, even as they carry their own baggage themselves —ignoring the weight on their shoulders for the greater good, despite their faults and the massive odds against them. Sometimes, at the worst time possible, a man is given a gift from God that he doesn’t understand at first, and this can occur sometimes after a Near Death Experience. And this, my readers, is what happens to the hero of this book.
Warning to readers: If you don’t like fast-paced action, romance, gallows and self-deprecating humor, heroism in battle, and a small taste of faith in the power of the almighty, then, you should definitely avoid this book and read some flowery poetry.
Excerpt from Blue Shadows, By SRCarson
Wyatt Barton, MD, loved being in the OR, cutting to cure. Especially now, because there were no explosions booming outside, and he no longer needed to bring his M-4 into the operating suite. But the calm shattered quickly when that damn recurrent nightmare decided it was time to play like a loud movie in his mind, in the middle of the operating suite, clearly uninvited. This time, the nightmare was triggered by the smoke from the Bovie electrocautery tool that efficiently cut and burned through human tissue, but it wasn’t always burning flesh that caused the visions to resurface. Sometimes other events would decide to trigger them—a code blue announcement on the public address system, a lunch tray clattering on the floor of a busy hospital cafeteria, or even a loud door slam. No matter when the dark nightmare decided to play, Wyatt knew it would probably occur at the absolute worst time possible—at least that’s what they told him would happen. But what he dreaded the most, was that if it decided to present in a way to attract the most attention, the dark scenes in his mind would gladly punish him with a brief tremor and facial flushing, accented by glazed eyes filled with a distant rage of fire, bringing him back to that day ten years ago and seven thousand miles away.
