AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT WITH KEITH MCARDLE

I am delighted to announce that author Keith McArdle features next in the series. As you may be aware I asked authors on my facebook page if they would like to appear in a series of *interviews*. I wanted to connect with other writers, find out what they write about, why they write, their thoughts about the writing process, their drives, and learn a little more about them.

Please find the full interview below (also linked to my twitter, tumblr, facebook, Goodreads, and google + account).

Please do share with your circle of book friends and leave me a like/comment - thank you very much.



Keith, could you give us a short introduction to your books?

Tour To Midgard will drag you (not to mention an Australian SAS patrol) from the modern world, kicking and screaming, into the tenth century and Viking battles to the death!

The Reckoning will pit you shoulder to shoulder with everyday people struggling to survive after Australia's surprise invasion by Indonesia.

How do you structure when writing a book  - do you start with an outline, plot each chapter or just write and see where it goes from there?
 

Probably the best way I’ve ever heard described the differences in how a book is planned was spoken by George R. R. Martin. He said there was the architect and the gardener. The architect held a clear, incredibly detailed blueprint in his/her hand prior to starting work. Even before pen touched paper (so to speak), the architect knew exactly where the last nail would be driven to finish the house. The gardener on the other hand starts with a seed in their hand. They plant the seed, water it, fertilise it and watch it slowly grow. The gardener knows what species of tree the seed is, they know what the tree will look like when it is fully grown, but they sit back and watch as it grows. I like that description. I’m a gardener.
 

How do you market your books?

 

Mainly through Facebook. I am about to dabble with Bookbub within the next 6-12 months and of course word-of-mouth (a hell of a lot more powerful than people give it credit). From time to time I also have bookmarks printed off (with info on my books printed on each side) and drop them off at libraries, bookshops, retirement homes and so on. I visited Malaysia last year and had great fun dropping bookmarks off around various areas of Kuala Lumpur (usually without the shopkeepers knowing). Of all the marketing techniques, word-of-mouth is king in my view.

My feeling's exactly. Have you ever attended a writers’ workshop?

 

I have, but only a couple. I found them to be informative and positive. Although I would steer well clear of local writers’ clubs (only my opinion, of course). I find them more about other writers (and their egos) dragging other people’s work down (no matter how poor or exceptional it may be) in order to highlight their own perceived writing talent, rather than helping each other through the process itself.
 

Have you attended any literary events?

 

I certainly have. Definitely worth it (for the most part). Although to this day, I am disappointed I didn’t have the opportunity to attend one of David Gemmell’s literary events.
 

Shame, I've read about them and they were highly sought after. 

What social media platforms do you use?

 

I mainly use Facebook. On a lesser scale, I use Twitter and also dabble on LinkedIn.
 

How much do you feel you've improved in the last few years?

 

Thanks to proof readers, honest friends and constructive criticism from total strangers, I believe I’ve improved exponentially to where I was five years ago. In particular, the pace of the story, characterisation and dialogue are places where I have improved the most. However, I will say there is always room for more improvement. It’s difficult to answer this question without sounding like an arrogant nob. 

What is your favourite genre?

 

That’s a tough one, I read a relatively broad range spread across many genres. Probably the ones I prefer are heroic fantasy, thriller, action/adventure and autobiography (nonfiction).

Who was your favourite childhood author?

 

David Gemmell. Always has been and always will be. Sadly, David passed away in 2006.

Who do you act out the scenes in your novels with?

 

I don’t. The characters create the scenes as they progress. Sometimes I need to grab hold of a character and drag them back, telling them, “steady on there son, let’s try that again.” But more often than not, I ‘watch’ the characters and write down as they proceed or interact.

How old where you when you first started writing?

 

Six years old. A dodgy little story about a gun fight between British and German soldiers (during WWII). I don’t think my teacher was particularly impressed.

I have been told twice by readers that my LIBERTY OR DEATH novella set against the backdrop of the Irish Rebellion of 1798, was far too gruesome. I used my imagination BUT sometimes there is a fine line between reality and fiction. The gun battles, the slaughter, the torture was real and it unfortunately happened. So I wrote it in.

What is your favourite thing you've written?

 

Probably the most fun I’ve had writing a scene is in Aftermath (sequel to The Reckoning) where two characters are out mustering cattle together. The four-wheeled motorbike one of them is riding has a decidedly dangerous malfunction. What ensues after that malfunction was great fun. The book’s not out yet (will be released in the first half of 2016).

What's your favourite character archetype of literature?

 

Definitely a flawed, yet determined person. A character that connects with the vast majority of readers. A man or woman who, even though they are presented as a series of words on a piece of paper, are just as real as you or I. Too often the hero is a little too perfectly rounded. They are more than likely a perfect super-human that will swoop in and save the day. That kind of character feels a little too ‘plastic’ for me. Often, heroes are real people with normal lives, caught up in horrendous situations and acting anyway, even though they are terrified. My favourite character archetype is the flawed hero.

What do you think makes good writing?

 

This is only my humble opinion, but I believe regardless of the genre, well developed, real characters and genuine dialogue will make the story stick.

Do you believe in writers block? If so, have you ever had to overcome it?

 

I did at one time believe in writer’s block, yes. Now I don’t. I think writer’s block is an excuse (either conscious or sub-conscious) the writer creates in order to sidestep writing because they’re not in the mood at a particular time. A writer might be slightly confused or wary about how to proceed in a particular scene, but really the only way to overcome that is to sit down and continue writing, whether you like it or not. I think Stephen King wrote it best in his book ‘On Writing’:

 

“Amateurs sit and wait for inspiration, the rest of us just get up and go to work.”

 

 

 

Thank you, Keith, it has been an absolute pleasure to talk to you and to delve into your writing process and thoughts.

To connect with Keith please click on the links below:

 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KeithAuthor/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/KeithAuthor

Website: http://www.keithmcardle.com/

 

Readers can buy Keith's books (in digital and paperback format) from Amazon or from the store on his Facebook page. Alternatively, it is possible to order them in at your local book shop.