1. Tell me a bit about yourself.
I’m originally from New Jersey. I’m retired Air Force and more recently a Federal Government Software Licensing Specialist at a Fortune 500 company. I left that career to pursue my passion: writing. Currently I’ve self-published 19 eBook under my pseudonym “The Black” and three under my real name, with many more to come by each.
2. What inspired you to write your first book?
This goes way back. When I was a kid around eight years old I had this babysitter. She was a teenager, and me being me, I had a crush on her. One winter when she was crossing a street she was struck by a car and killed. She was the first person I knew who wasn’t an elderly person that passed away. Probably because I had a crush on her I wondered if she’d had a boyfriend, and
if she had, how her death impacted him (yeah, I thought about that kind of stuff as a kid). Fast forward to me as a teenager, and I wrote a short story based on what I thought a teenaged guy who’d lost his girlfriend through death might go through emotionally. Back then no one read that story but my kid sister. Today the story has evolved into a draft of a period piece manuscript titled “The Coldest Days.”
3. Which book was the most difficult to write and why?
That one is another in-draft manuscript. It’s titled “Insatiable.” It’s the story of Simon Bishop, the author character introduced in my novel “Elle (Insatiable: Book One).” A few years ago I had this idea for a story about a married man who realized that his wife was growing away from him, and that his
marriage was very likely going to end. My idea was that when his marriage ended, he would shut off his emotions and go on a metaphorical sexual rampage, getting involved with women only physically. However, I was married at the time, and it started to look like reality was going to mirror my fiction. So I wasn’t at that time emotionally able to finish the story. In the meantime I’ve published two other novels in the the “Insatiable” series. But Simon’s story is coming, because now I know what happens to him and how the story ends.
4. What books have influenced your life most?
I don’t think books have influenced me as much as certain authors. My favorite authors inspired me to want to do what they do, which is to create an alternate entertainment reality into which people can escape for a few hours. If I can do for others what authors like Walter Farley, Edgar Rice Burroughs,
Frank Yerby, Walter Mosley, Stephen King and so many others have done for me, then I’ll consider myself a success.
5. How long did it take you to get your first book published?
Probably a year to draft, edit, and self-publish. I move faster now because I have a couple dozen first drafts completed.
6. What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
Practice bass guitar. I’m a movie and music fanatic. Racquetball when I can find a court and an opponent.
7. Where do you get your ideas for your books?
From everywhere: Personal experiences, observing the experiences of others, and then asking, “What if?” for both. My imagination runs nonstop and there’s always a story in work in my head.
8. What new author has grasped your interest?
He’s not new, but currently it’s J.A. Konrath, because he’s made a boatload of money self-publishing eBooks, mostly Thrillers.
9. Can you tell us about your upcoming book?
My next book is “With Benefits.” It’s about a friends with benefits relationship and the stress that can result when one or both individuals’ emotions become involved. It’s inspired by true events. I don’t consider myself a Romance genre writer, but I suppose that’s how most readers will categorize this one. I prefer to think of it as a human drama.
10. Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?
Don’t dream about writing; write. Write every day, because it will make you a better author and move you a day closer to realizing your dream. Read every day too – the stuff by your favorite authors. Read them not only for entertainment, but for education. Think about what it is about that writer’s
style that appeals to you and makes you want to read their work. Then try to do the same, but by using your own voice.
Christopher, thank you so much for your time and we look forward to reading more of your works. Christopher can be contacted through the following links:
Blog: http://theblackwriter.wordpress.com/
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/The-Black/e/B005QB5GOS
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TheBlackWriter
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheBlack_Writer
I’m originally from New Jersey. I’m retired Air Force and more recently a Federal Government Software Licensing Specialist at a Fortune 500 company. I left that career to pursue my passion: writing. Currently I’ve self-published 19 eBook under my pseudonym “The Black” and three under my real name, with many more to come by each.
2. What inspired you to write your first book?
This goes way back. When I was a kid around eight years old I had this babysitter. She was a teenager, and me being me, I had a crush on her. One winter when she was crossing a street she was struck by a car and killed. She was the first person I knew who wasn’t an elderly person that passed away. Probably because I had a crush on her I wondered if she’d had a boyfriend, and
if she had, how her death impacted him (yeah, I thought about that kind of stuff as a kid). Fast forward to me as a teenager, and I wrote a short story based on what I thought a teenaged guy who’d lost his girlfriend through death might go through emotionally. Back then no one read that story but my kid sister. Today the story has evolved into a draft of a period piece manuscript titled “The Coldest Days.”
3. Which book was the most difficult to write and why?
That one is another in-draft manuscript. It’s titled “Insatiable.” It’s the story of Simon Bishop, the author character introduced in my novel “Elle (Insatiable: Book One).” A few years ago I had this idea for a story about a married man who realized that his wife was growing away from him, and that his
marriage was very likely going to end. My idea was that when his marriage ended, he would shut off his emotions and go on a metaphorical sexual rampage, getting involved with women only physically. However, I was married at the time, and it started to look like reality was going to mirror my fiction. So I wasn’t at that time emotionally able to finish the story. In the meantime I’ve published two other novels in the the “Insatiable” series. But Simon’s story is coming, because now I know what happens to him and how the story ends.
4. What books have influenced your life most?
I don’t think books have influenced me as much as certain authors. My favorite authors inspired me to want to do what they do, which is to create an alternate entertainment reality into which people can escape for a few hours. If I can do for others what authors like Walter Farley, Edgar Rice Burroughs,
Frank Yerby, Walter Mosley, Stephen King and so many others have done for me, then I’ll consider myself a success.
5. How long did it take you to get your first book published?
Probably a year to draft, edit, and self-publish. I move faster now because I have a couple dozen first drafts completed.
6. What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
Practice bass guitar. I’m a movie and music fanatic. Racquetball when I can find a court and an opponent.
7. Where do you get your ideas for your books?
From everywhere: Personal experiences, observing the experiences of others, and then asking, “What if?” for both. My imagination runs nonstop and there’s always a story in work in my head.
8. What new author has grasped your interest?
He’s not new, but currently it’s J.A. Konrath, because he’s made a boatload of money self-publishing eBooks, mostly Thrillers.
9. Can you tell us about your upcoming book?
My next book is “With Benefits.” It’s about a friends with benefits relationship and the stress that can result when one or both individuals’ emotions become involved. It’s inspired by true events. I don’t consider myself a Romance genre writer, but I suppose that’s how most readers will categorize this one. I prefer to think of it as a human drama.
10. Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?
Don’t dream about writing; write. Write every day, because it will make you a better author and move you a day closer to realizing your dream. Read every day too – the stuff by your favorite authors. Read them not only for entertainment, but for education. Think about what it is about that writer’s
style that appeals to you and makes you want to read their work. Then try to do the same, but by using your own voice.
Christopher, thank you so much for your time and we look forward to reading more of your works. Christopher can be contacted through the following links:
Blog: http://theblackwriter.wordpress.com/
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/The-Black/e/B005QB5GOS
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TheBlackWriter
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheBlack_Writer
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